Is he Ah Song?
Suddenly, I seemed to understand. Why he would suddenly defect, why he would chase after them to protect Qiu Lu and the others.
More accurately, he was probably trying to protect Wen Lingyu.
The first time I saw him, I already noticed it. The look in his eyes when he gazed at Wen Lingyu was far from innocent.
Ah Song knelt rigidly, deaf to the whispers and pointing around him. Although I couldn’t understand the language, I could read body language. The villagers’ words were likely not kind.
Lu Qi, who treated my foot yesterday, was nearby, already in tears, trying several times to go forward but being held back by those around him.
Ah Song turned to look at his father, his eyes filled with guilt and sorrow, yet no regret.
For all the punishments he might face, there wasn’t a trace of regret in him.
I suddenly recalled Shen Jianqing’s remark about “Miao people being stubborn.”
Is this what it means to love someone so ardently? Even if she doesn’t accept it, even if she’s unaware of all his sacrifices.
Though nine times I die, I shall not regret[mfn]It expresses unshakable conviction, loyalty, or dedication to a cause despite immense suffering or danger.[/mfn].
Many people today like to measure emotions by “whether it’s worth it,” but in him, I seemed to see another answer.
It’s not about “worth it” or “not worth it,” but simply “willingness.”
Shen Jianqing’s voice resonated from the high platform, and everyone below looked up at him.
His dark blue Miao robe fluttered slightly in the wind, intricate and beautiful silver ornaments intertwined in his dark hair, and his expression was indifferent yet authoritative.
No one dared to breathe, all listening intently.
This was the first time I clearly realized that this eighteen-year-old boy would indeed be the future master of this land.
After Shen Jianqing finished speaking, the Miao people exchanged glances. Wan Ying’s expression remained unchanged, but a flicker of joy passed through her narrow, beautiful eyes.
My heart stirred, and I quickly turned to look at Lu Qi. For a parent to bury their child is the most cruel thing in the world. He had stopped weeping, kneeling on the ground, every furrow on his aged face a trace of time. He listened blankly to Shen Jianqing’s words, then suddenly raised both hands above his head, bowed slowly, and touched his forehead to the ground.
Discussions buzzed around, but I felt a profound sadness. So, a father truly would be willing to go to such lengths for his child.
Soon, two men came forward from the side, one carrying a wine jar, the other holding a wine bowl.
How familiar this scene was; it made me want to stand up. Wasn’t it just like this on the day of the Huoxing ceremony? Even the men pouring and holding the bowls were the same.
The difference was that day, everyone drank the wine, so we confidently drank it too. This time, however, it was only Ah Song.
A chill ran down my spine.
I had suspected it for a while already, but seeing the reality before me still made me tremble. A feeling of regret and panic gripped me, realizing I had fallen into a trap unknowingly, foolishly believing everyone had good intentions.
The man pouring the wine stepped forward, filling a large bowl, with quite a bit of liquor spilling over. Ah Song’s wrists had already been unbound, a deep red mark from the ropes evident on them. He took the wine bowl, hesitating for a second.
He turned his head to look at Lu Qi, his lips moving as if to speak. But meeting Lu Qi’s aged, sorrowful gaze, he couldn’t utter a word.
Ah Song withdrew his gaze, lowered his head to the wine bowl, took a deep breath, and tilted his head back, drinking the wine in one gulp.
With that, the trial came to an end.
There were no cries, no pleas for mercy, no humble supplications; in fact, Ah Song didn’t say a single word throughout.
He was quite a brave man. I actually felt a bit of admiration for him.
The trial concluded, and the villagers dispersed. As they passed me, no one spoke, but their eyes subtly fell upon me.
Their gaze was cold and indifferent, no different from looking at a dying insect.
Was it because I, too, had drunk the wine?
I’ve always been good at keeping things to myself. Before my mother remarried, she used to complain that I was a “muddled gourd.” I was accustomed to hiding my doubts, worries, and troubles and finding answers on my own.
But as soon as we returned to the stilt house, Shen Jianqing said, “Your expression has been looking so bad; were you scared?”
As he spoke, his hand was still on my waist, seemingly casual, but only I knew how tightly he was holding on.
I knew this wasn’t the time to go against him, so I honestly shook my head: “Nothing.”
“You want to ask me what the specific punishment is, right?” Saying that, he pushed open his bedroom door and helped me to sit on his bed.
A bed was always a sensitive piece of furniture.
I said, “Then are you willing to tell me?”
“Of course, I told you, whatever you want, I’m willing to do.” Shen Jianqing’s expression was serious as he explained, “The wine was mixed with Gu insects. It’s a type of Gu insect that has been raised in wine since its birth, so its body is almost transparent, indistinguishable from the liquid. If the person drinking doesn’t look carefully, they won’t notice the Gu insect inside at all.”
That night was dark, and although there was a bonfire, our position was backlit, and our shadows fell directly into the wine cups, making it impossible to see the details inside.
“The environments of wine and the human body are vastly different. Once the Gu insects, which is in a dormant state in the wine, enters the human body, its vitality will be awakened. It will drill into the blood vessels and then follow the blood vessels to the brain.”
Shen Jianqing’s voice grew lower and lower, as if he was deliberately trying to scare me, finally almost whispering, “Those who are afflicted with the Gu insects will have their brains gnawed away, eventually becoming a husk for the Gu insects to inhabit.”
I stared at him blankly. The Unassimilated Miao people would not let anyone who came here leave; this was the secret to their centuries of reclusion. Those who stumbled in here, originally thinking they had entered a paradise, didn’t realize that as soon as they left, they would become puppets of the Gu worm.
Such a simple matter, and I finally understood.
Shen Jianqing’s bedroom had excellent lighting. Although it was dusk, the room was not dark at all, illuminating his incomparably handsome face in every detail.
“Were they all afflicted with Gu insects? The wine from the Huoxing ceremony? Everyone drank it!”
“We naturally have ways to prevent the Gu insects from entering the body,” Shen Jianqing distanced himself, “and it was the villagers who wanted to administer the Gu insects.”
He basically admitted it by default. Shen Jianqing was adept at feigning innocence, as if he truly had no control over these matters.
Even if he had warned us?
“Then I also drank the wine,” I said numbly. “So when will I become a puppet? You’ll be very happy then, won’t you, finally getting a satisfactory toy that won’t defy you?”
“No, not at all.” Shen Jianqing came forward, put his arm around my back, embraced me, and rested his chin on my shoulder. “I already left something on you; no blind Gu insects would dare approach you.”
