In this era, fingerprint identification technology was nonexistent. Even if they had imprinted their hands, they could still deny responsibility. However, in the current dynasty, regardless of who sat on the throne, the core values promoted were karma, retribution, and inescapable cycles, thoroughly brainwashing the populace.
They believed in this ideology and feared that failing to fulfill their promises or commitments would bring bad karma, or plant seeds of misfortune for their descendants.
This form of psychological control was more effective than any fingerprint analysis.
Gu Chaobei's family stayed here for a while and also began to understand this set of values. The principles promoted by the Xiaolide court became the guiding principles for the common people's actions.
Since arriving, they had yet to encounter an ordinary person who dared to break a promise.
The family of three had accomplished a major task, and their steps to procure supplies were nearing their end for the day.
There was still a pile of chicken and duck meat waiting for them at the meat market. Looking at the sky, it was already time for dinner, so they chose a restaurant opposite the meat market to eat.
This Yunshui Restaurant specialized in seafood, which was exactly what they wanted.
Gu Qingcheng ordered a table full of seafood. The staple was seafood porridge, simmered with a whole lobster, which tasted fresh and sweet. Gu Qingcheng ate two bowls.
Salt and pepper squid, braised prawns in oil, vermicelli with garlic, steamed crab, braised abalone, steamed croaker...
The three members of the Gu family couldn't stop eating.
Seeing that the sky was gradually darkening outside, and Gu Qingcheng had also eaten her fill, she said:
"Dad, Mom, you eat here. I'll go and collect the chicken and duck meat. I'll be back soon."
"Alright."
Gu Chaobei and Hu Lanfang were eating crabs, their hands slick with juice. They paused for a moment, wanting to go with their daughter, but seeing that she had already slipped away, they hesitated. They ultimately let Gu Qingcheng go alone.
Since the meat market was diagonally opposite the restaurant, they figured their daughter would be back shortly. They ultimately decided not to accompany her.
This was a decision they would later regret...
Gu Qingcheng left the restaurant, put on her windproof hat, and walked towards the meat market, bracing against the biting cold wind.
When she arrived, the nimble vendors had already processed the chickens and ducks. Gu Qingcheng paid them the remaining balance, asked them to pack the poultry into four large straw sacks, and then carried them out by herself.
The vendors were momentarily stunned. After she left, they belatedly realized how extraordinarily strong this young girl was. Carrying four sacks of meat alone, she walked with remarkable speed and ease.
In reality, Gu Qingcheng had already put the chicken and duck meat into her storage cabinet by the time she reached the entrance, when she glimpsed that no one was around.
However, as she walked towards a shaded area under a tree, a strong gust of wind swept past the back of her neck. She was struck by something, her vision went black, and she fainted.
In the brief moments before losing consciousness, Gu Qingcheng cursed inwardly: What the heck? Am I transmigrating again?
If she were to transmigrate, she really wished she could return to her modern home. She was supposed to represent the national archery team in the Olympics.
Alas, she truly hoped that the moment she opened her eyes, she would be back in her modern home.
Unexpectedly, when Gu Qingcheng opened her eyes, she found that she had not transmigrated, nor had she returned to her modern home. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was locked in a small dark room.
To be precise, it seemed to be a woodshed, as it was piled high with chopped firewood all around.
There was a pile of straw beneath her, which prevented it from being too uncomfortable. Gu Qingcheng slowly shifted her body and sat up, looking around to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Fortunately, the moon was quite large that night, and moonlight shone in through the wooden window lattices, allowing her to see the interior of the room. She could accurately determine that it was a woodshed.
Gu Qingcheng couldn't help but mutter, "Huh? Was I kidnapped?"
"Cough, cough," at this moment, a coughing sound came from beside her. Gu Qingcheng was startled and asked:
"Who? Who's there?"
"Alas, it's me," a weak boy's voice replied. "By your voice, you must be an elder sister, right? Elder sister, were you sold to be a child bride?"
"Child bride? What the heck?" Gu Qingcheng was confused.
The other party coughed a couple more times and said, "A child bride is not a ghost; a child bride is a child bride. I was sold by my uncle to be a child groom. I've been locked up for many days at the Gu family's estate. They just moved me from the side courtyard to this woodshed."
"Ah? What child groom and child bride?"
Gu Qingcheng listened, bewildered, feeling her brain wasn't working properly. But then, she suddenly caught the keywords:
Child groom, child bride, Gu family estate...
Huh, earlier, when their family was drinking tea in a teahouse, they overheard elders at the next table gossiping that the wealthy landlord of Pukou Village, Old Master Gu, was planning to build a Seven-Star Town Evil Pagoda, using the resentment of child grooms and child brides to combat the drought demon.
A shiver ran down Gu Qingcheng's spine. She asked:
"Is this Pukou Village? The Old Master Gu you mentioned, is he building a Seven-Star Town Evil Pagoda?"
"It seems you know. Were you also sold by your family? Since the child grooms and child brides are assembled, the day we'll be buried alive must be fast approaching. Perhaps tomorrow," the boy's voice said mournfully.
Gu Qingcheng's back prickled with goosebumps upon hearing this. Damn it, she didn't want to be buried alive, nor did she want to be a child bride!
Listening to the boy's weak and feeble voice, Gu Qingcheng stood up and slowly walked towards the sound. Soon, she saw a boy, who looked about seven or eight years old, leaning against a pile of firewood to her right, looking listless.
"Child, what's your name? Are you sick? I heard you coughing and speaking weakly!" Gu Qingcheng asked with concern.
"Hmm, my name is Mi Guo. I just have a slight cough. No other major issues. I'm weak because I haven't eaten my fill. I'm starving," Mi Guo said with a wry smile.
Gu Qingcheng saw that he wasn't tied up. She immediately took a pair of scissors from her Shanmao Supermarket and handed them to Mi Guo, saying:
"Help me cut these ropes."
"Ah? Where did you get scissors from?" Mi Guo was very surprised.
"I carry them with me!"
Gu Qingcheng lied without batting an eyelid.
Mi Guo reluctantly took them and "snip" cut the straw rope binding Gu Qingcheng's hands.
Having stayed in the dark for a long time, Mi Guo could see most things in the room clearly.
With her hands free, her body was also free. Gu Qingcheng put away the scissors and asked:
"Do you know the way? Let's escape!"
"Escape? We can't escape. There are several house guards taking turns on watch outside. We can't even get out of this village on our own two legs. This village is known for its unity. Old Master Gu has a strong following. I'm from a neighboring village, so I know these things," Mi Guo said with a wry smile.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingcheng couldn't help but recall cases of abducted women she had seen online.
The entire village would silently monitor the abducted woman. Once she tried to escape, villagers would always intercept her in time, making her feel as if she had fallen into a net from which escape was impossible.
Gu Qingcheng now understood the despair of abducted women through her own experience.