A group of people dropped their farming tools in fright and turned to run. An elder in his fifties approached, "Why are you all running?"
"Lizheng, you've arrived just in time. Please go and take a look. The few watermelon seeds you gave me last time, I was about to plant them. Who would have thought I'd dig up a corpse."
The young man who had just dropped his hoe was trembling with fear.
A Jiu quickly went to her mother and put the edible lichen she was holding into the basket. "Mother, I'll go see what's happening in the village."
Saying that, A Jiu scrambled up the hillside on all fours, then ran down the mountain in a hurry and squeezed into the crowd.
Some people glanced at her, but then all their attention was drawn back to the corpse that had been unearthed.
The Lizheng stroked his beard and peered in, "Hiss, this… don't you report this to the authorities soon? The government has been very strict recently about investigating cases of such deaths."
"Lizheng, the Zhang family has already gone."
A Jiu glanced at the person speaking, who was the one digging the hole earlier.
By the side of the excavated pit, there were still a few fallen watermelon seeds.
A Jiu recognized them as the type of watermelon seeds she had planted based on their plumpness.
"Everyone, stop crowding here. Go home, remember to lock your doors and windows, and do not go outside."
With the Lizheng's shout, everyone dispersed with anxious hearts.
Only A Jiu remained.
"Whose daughter are you? I haven't seen you before?" The Lizheng turned around and almost bumped into A Jiu.
A Jiu, however, was staring intently at the corpse.
"The adopted granddaughter of Niu Dasheng's family." A Jiu now had a recognized status.
Her mind was filled with the scene of Tuoba Yan killing someone last night. He could grab a person by any part of their body and dislocate all their internal bones.
What method did he use? Was it really sorcery?
"Oh, so it's you. Niu Dasheng has had a difficult time. He said many good things to me to get you accepted as his granddaughter."
The Lizheng patted A Jiu's shoulder as he spoke and turned away, deliberately trying to prevent the girl from looking at the corpse.
"Your grandfather gave me all his treasured watermelon seeds, just to get you accepted. I too, once received favors from your grandfather, so your status was hard-won. You must be filial to your grandfather."
A Jiu pursed her lips and nodded, but her grandfather Niu had still not returned to find his granddaughter.
"You look well-behaved, a good child." He said this, then noticed the girl was still looking back at the corpse.
"Don't look. Be careful you don't have nightmares tonight. Hurry home and lock your doors and windows."
He even nudged A Jiu.
A Jiu did not leave so easily. "Grandpa Lizheng, since I am now registered in Heba Village, does that mean I am eligible to enter and exit Nanming City?"
The Lizheng smiled, hands behind his back. "Naturally. Therefore, you must remember to be filial to your grandfather. Go, and as I said, lock your doors and windows when you get home. Remember not to open the door for anyone who knocks in the middle of the night."
A Jiu lowered her gaze, her eyes darting around. She was truly grateful to Grandpa Niu, but now, this meant she could enter and exit the city gates on her own.
"Thank you, Grandpa Lizheng." A Jiu turned to leave, suddenly remembering something important.
"Grandpa Lizheng, it's raining now, and the farmers need to plant their crops. Can we apply to receive some grain as seeds?"
The Lizheng's pupils contracted. "You girl, you're quite thoughtful. However, this requires multi-level approval. I, a mere village official, cannot make promises."
"Oh." A Jiu walked towards the village, head down. Fortunately, she and Xiao Yanyan had discussed a plan.
It was already the end of August. If they waited for approval to get seeds, it would be winter before they received them. What crops could be planted then?
She looked back and saw the Lizheng still standing there.
Only then did she realize she had walked in the wrong direction. Her mother was still on the mountain looking for edible lichen.
She turned and walked back.
"Why have you returned?"
"I'm looking for my mother." A Jiu didn't look back. As she climbed the slope, she saw her mother walking towards her, carrying a basket of dark things.
"A Jiu, look, is there a lot of this edible lichen?"
"Mother, there is indeed a lot."
"What is this?" The Lizheng stepped forward to meet the mother and daughter and reached out to pick one from the basket to examine.
"Mother, this is our village's Lizheng." A Jiu explained.
"Lizheng?" Cai Lihua looked the man up and down. "What does a Lizheng do?"
A Jiu's eyes widened...