Upon hearing this, Xu Yuehuai felt an indescribable pang of sorrow. She looked around and decided to lend a helping hand: "I brought some dry food. It's not much, but I hope it can temporarily alleviate your predicament."
As she spoke, she turned and walked to the side, found a secluded spot, closed her eyes, and gently waved her hands. Ripples seemed to appear in the air, and after a moment, piles of grain appeared out of thin air, emitting an enticing aroma.
The villagers were surprised by the aroma, then moved to tears of gratitude, and rushed forward to help carry it.
Xu Yuehuai stood aside, watching this scene, feeling very uncomfortable.
She knew that this was only a temporary solution; to truly change the fate of the village, she needed to find the root cause of the withered crops and find a solution.
Xu Yuehuai's gaze swept among the busy figures of the villagers as she pondered to herself.
Why did this particular village have to suffer such a calamity?
Is it really just a simple natural disaster?
She was determined to investigate the underlying reasons and help these villagers escape the disaster.
Xu Yuehuai said in a deep voice to Bei Ye and Bai Yu beside him, "Bei Ye, Bai Yu, we must race against time. The crops in this village withered overnight, which is definitely not a natural disaster. There must be something hidden behind it."
Upon hearing this, Bei Ye nodded emphatically and said, "Don't worry, I'll go to the village to inquire right away. Hopefully, I can catch some clues from the villagers' casual conversations." He gently patted the cloth bag at his waist, which contained paper and pen for recording, then turned around and quickly blended into the bustling crowd.
“Bai Yu, the water and soil in the mountains are the lifeline of the village, and your task is of utmost importance,” Xu Yuehuai said to Bai Yu.
Bai Yu's gaze was deep, as if he had already seen through the secrets deep within the mountains and forests. "I understand."
With that, he leaped across the stream beside the village and headed into the depths of the mountains and forests.
...
Bei Ye moved among the villagers, his pace neither hurried nor slow, yet he always managed to appear at the center of the conversation at just the right time. He noticed that whenever marriage was mentioned, the villagers' eyes would unconsciously flicker, as if they had some unspeakable secret.
"Aunt Li, I heard that your Xiao Cui is going to marry into the neighboring village? Why haven't I seen her preparing her dowry lately?" Bei Ye asked casually to an old woman who was helping to serve rice.
Aunt Li's hand trembled slightly. She looked up at Bei Ye, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes, before forcing a smile: "Oh dear, Xiao Cui's marriage has recently encountered some changes..." She hesitated, ultimately leaving her words unfinished.
"A change? What change could have made the whole village so gloomy?" Bei Ye pressed, his sharp eyes capturing every subtle change in Aunt Li's face.
Aunt Li lowered her voice and said, "To tell you the truth, ever since Xiao Cui's marriage was arranged, the crops in the village have started to act strangely. The villagers all say that it's... it's the work of ghosts and spirits, who don't want to see Xiao Cui leave."
Bei Ye frowned, thinking to himself, "While the talk of ghosts and gods is unbelievable, there must be something fishy going on behind this."
...
On the other side, Bai Yu had already ventured deep into the mountains and forests, surrounded by dense trees and babbling brooks. He followed the stream upstream, and at each water source, he would squat down and test the water quality with a silver needle.
"This water may appear clear, but it actually harbors hidden dangers."
Bai Yu muttered to himself as he approached the ancient well in the village, a sense of foreboding rising within him. He carefully took out a silver needle and slowly inserted it into the well water.
In an instant, the silver needle turned from silvery-white to pitch black, as if swallowed by darkness, and Bai Yu's expression also became solemn.
"This...this is highly poisonous!"
He gasped in disbelief, then quickly retrieved another silver needle to confirm. The result was the same: the well water did indeed contain a deadly poison.
"Who on earth is so cruel as to target this innocent village?"
Bai Yu stood up, looked around, and said, "No matter what, I can't let this continue."
As night fell, Xu Yuehuai, Bei Ye, and Bai Yu gathered under the old locust tree at the village entrance. Moonlight shone on their faces, reflecting their complex expressions.
"Bei Ye, have you made any progress?" Xu Yuehuai asked first.
Bei Ye said in a deep voice, "The villagers are very secretive about marriage, which seems to be related to the withering of the crops. But they won't say more, only saying that it's the work of ghosts and gods."
“As for me, I discovered a deadly poison in the water source in the mountains and forests,” Bai Yu continued, showing the two the black silver needles in his hand. “This ancient well is the source of the poison.”
"It seems this is no accident. We must combine these two clues to find the real mastermind. Tomorrow, we will split up. Bei Ye will continue to investigate the marriage matters among the villagers, Bai Yu will look for more clues about the source of the poison, and I will try to contact the outside world for help," Xu Yuehuai arranged.
In this village shrouded in mist, they will join hands to uncover the truth and restore peace to the villagers.
The next morning, sunlight pierced through the thin mist, casting dappled patterns on the bluestone slabs at the entrance of the village. Xu Yuehuai walked in the dim light toward the residence of the old man in the village, a place sculpted by the passage of time.
Inside the house, the old man sat upright on an old wooden chair, his eyes sharp, as if he could see through the vicissitudes of the world.
“My benefactor, you have come,” the old man’s voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of worry. “I know you have doubts in your heart, and I know you are brave and fearless. But this rule is like an invisible mountain, weighing on the hearts of each of us, passed down from generation to generation.”
Xu Yuehuai's eyes showed both sympathy and determination: "Senior, rules are rigid, but people are flexible. If these rules become shackles that bind people's hearts and hinder happiness, then they lose their meaning. Xiao Cui's story has shown me the struggles and desires in human nature, and I cannot turn a blind eye to it."
The old man was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "You're right, it's time to bring everything into the light. But you must be careful, those who are plotting in the shadows are ruthless and should not be underestimated."
"Okay, one day I will restore this place to normal." Xu Yuehuai already had some ideas in mind.
Under the old locust tree, bathed in the moonlight, Xu Yuehuai, Bei Ye, and Bai Yu sat in a circle, the atmosphere heavy and tense.
Bei Ye frowned, his tone tinged with indignation: "These villagers, who seem so harmonious usually, are so indifferent in this critical moment. How can they turn a blind eye to the death of the crops and Xiao Cui's plight?"
Bai Yu gently stroked the longsword in his hand, his eyes sharp: "Yes, and the poison in that ancient well was no accident. Someone must have done it on purpose, trying to cover up a man-made disaster under the guise of a natural calamity."
Xu Yuehuai gently placed the medicine bottle on the stone table. "We must not only find out the truth, but also save the lives of people on this land. Bei Ye, go and find out who Xiao Cui's original betrothed was. Bai Yu, you secretly protect Xiao Cui and prevent her from encountering any mishaps; and I will prepare the antidote as soon as possible to cure the poison in the well water."
The three had a clear division of labor and each went to carry out their orders.
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