"The Lan River is different from other rivers, are you sure?"
Other towns, even those with rivers flowing through them, are not like the Lan River.
The Lan River in Lancheng is a river where docks can be built on its banks. The people of Lancheng originally made their fortunes by trading on the Lan River.
No one knows when it started, but Lancheng, which should have become a big town, suddenly closed its docks and became isolated.
Such a great river must have countless hidden currents beneath its surface.
"We'll know when we go and see."
They waited until the moon was bright and the stars were few. Ming Huan was of the fire element and had just been possessed by evil energy, so they had no choice but to leave him at the inn while the other two went to explore the Lan River at night.
In the darkness, the howling wind carried the funeral banners of some family, and the town, devoid of any human activity, resembled a ghost town. This time, however, Tang Nian found it easy to accept.
She attributed it to having gotten used to it.
When they arrived at the river, they discovered that things were not quite as they had imagined.
The river, which should have been teeming with undercurrents, was now completely still; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it stagnant water.
The closer one gets to the Lan River, the stronger the ghostly aura becomes.
This was something Tang Nian had never experienced before.
From the moment she left the inn, she knew that tonight was different.
“Sure enough, the problem is underwater.” Lou Mu said, already untying his belt and taking off his outer garment: “I’ll go down and take a look.”
Tang Nian subconsciously reached out to stop him: "Are you nine-tailed foxes very good swimmers?"
“I’m much more comfortable in the water than the fox. I’m more sensitive to water, so I’d better go down.”
Given the unknown dangers in the water, Lou Mu would certainly not agree.
These two were both incredibly stubborn, and neither could convince the other. In the end, they compromised and decided to go into the water together so they could look after each other.
Surprisingly, there were no monsters or demons lurking beneath the calm surface of the water; in fact, fish were swimming leisurely in the area.
There were no water ghosts, and not even the undercurrents that should have appeared.
Tang Nian looked around and saw very clearly even in the pitch-black water.
Confirming that there was a large, unusual object on the riverbed, she mustered all her strength and dived down again.
Lou Mu quickly followed.
From a distance, it looked like a large, irregularly shaped object, like something broken and floating against a large rock.
Swimming closer and changing their perspective, they realized that what they had just seen was the back of a corpse. Stones were tied directly to the corpse's legs, and they hadn't recognized it because their vision was obstructed by the clothing.
Of course, it wasn't just the clothes that were gnawed beyond recognition by the creatures in the river.
The corpse was completely soaked, the rotting flesh swelled and turned white, most of it had been gnawed apart by carrion-eating fish, leaving only scattered, irregular remains with bones clinging to them, swaying in the water.
Lou Mu and Tang Nian exchanged a glance, and without even needing to use gestures, they already understood what the other was thinking.
"Can you do it?" Tang Nianyi transmitted her voice.
"I should be more proficient at it than you are."
Tang Nian pointed upwards, and Lou Mu nodded.
After confirming that Tang Nian was far away, Lou Mu then formed hand seals and used a magical artifact as a connecting tool to extract the deceased's past events by using the remaining aura of the corpse.
Then they looked around briefly and, finding nothing else strange, went ashore.
"Are you ready?" Lou Mu had already peeked at her, and he looked at Tang Nian with some unease.
"It's Song Shiyi, right?"
Tang Nian pursed her lips and said softly.
Seeing Lou Mu nod, Tang Nian took a deep breath: "Let's go and see what the truth is."
The two of them entered the corpse's memories together.
They are observers, initially seeing only a boy and a girl, two teenagers living under the same roof, occupying all the beauty and fantasies of each other's budding youth.
Tang Nian was very familiar with these two people; they were the Song siblings.
Their hearts had long since met, yet neither dared to overstep the bounds, cautiously feeling the warmth of kinship through the thin veil of paper.
The good times didn't last long. Someone spread rumors that the Song siblings had no regard for each other, and then it was spread that they disregarded ethics and morality, leading to countless even more sordid versions.
Business people are most afraid of a bad reputation, especially when it comes to things related to chastity arches.
During that period, anyone who passed by the Song family's shop would gossip about it, and anyone who wanted to patronize their business had to face immense pressure.
The Song family's fortunes plummeted, and they had to be frugal and careful with everything they did, let alone maintain their previous lifestyle.
The Song family's pharmacy, which had been passed down for three generations, was in dire straits.
Unable to hire any laborers, Song Shiyi took charge of the household early on. She and Song Shiyan set off separately to gather herbs in the mountains and also to find some wild vegetables and fruits. It was during this time that they met Cui Wensong.
No, it's that we found Cui Wensong.
When she found the man, Cui Wensong was pale and emaciated, collapsed on the roadside. She quickly checked his pulse to confirm he was alive before she breathed a sigh of relief and laboriously carried him into the city to save him.
She later learned that he was a scholar who had come to the capital to take the imperial examination, but his results were not ideal.
To make matters worse, he was robbed on his way home, and all his remaining money was taken. He couldn't even find tender grass to eat, so he collapsed from hunger by the roadside.
He held the bowl of porridge and looked at Song Shiyi with gratitude in his eyes: "Miss Song is now my savior and is willing to provide porridge. I really don't know how to repay you... Just now, in my half-awake state, I heard your family say that business at the shop is not good, so please let me stay and help out?"
At the time, Song Shiyi didn't think anything was wrong, he just smiled helplessly: "It's a time to cut expenses, where would we get the money to hire you?"
Little did she know that this smile would only solidify Choi Moon-song's resolve to stay, as he was already captivated by her beauty.
"No money needed, just give me a meal!"
"I failed the exam in a sorry state, and I have no face to go home. I don't know what might happen on the way... No matter how you look at it, I should stay."
"Or is it that Miss Song also looks down on me because I am a poor scholar, and doesn't even want to give me a chance to repay her kindness?"
A teenage girl who rarely spoke to men except for Song Shiyan was no match for Cui Wensong's words.
She quickly waved her hand, saying that wasn't what she meant, but she didn't want to make a decision directly.
All that can be said is that if Cui Wensong is willing to stay and help out at the Song family's pharmacy for a day, his family will definitely provide him with meals for that day.
At this moment, Cui Wensong was still polite and courteous, even managing to smile with the perfect curve of his lips, only saying a few words about how beautiful and kind-hearted Miss Song was.
Despite her shyness, Song Shiyi already had someone in her heart and wouldn't change her mind because of her words.
She truly felt that this person could be kept for two days later.
An aunt who lived not far away but had always looked down on her suddenly came up to her and asked if the matter of the man in her family was true.
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