The group of people began to wait for a long time, and sat down to rest and replenish their physical strength. After all, they had climbed the mountain for a day.
I sat on a big rock next to the execution ground, took out a pack of fried candies from my arms and ate them, drinking water while eating.
Seeing that the sky is getting late, I also want to go home: "Master, when can we finish this ritual? When it gets completely dark, I won't be able to go home."
Liu Ruxiang waved her hand: "It doesn't matter, it's not cold now. When a pile of firewood is lit at night, you can spread a blanket and sleep on the ground."
Meng Laoer had no idea about this. After all, she was his mother-in-law, and it was not a big deal to spend a night on this mountain.
As the sun sets little by little, there is no light at all in the silent mountain forest.
Deep in the woods, crows crow from time to time, and the atmosphere becomes a bit scary.
"Brothers of the Meng family, go and collect some firewood to light the fire. Let Wenshan watch over here."
Meng Laoer agreed, but as soon as he stood up, something suddenly changed.
"Chuck--chuck--chuck--"
A loud rooster crow came from the forest not far away, and Liu Ruxiang's face changed color instantly.
"The chicken is not dead," she gritted her teeth. "It's back. Everyone, please be careful."
Seeing that the situation was not good, I immediately got up and hid next to the cook, for fear that there would be something dirty.
Soon, there was a movement in the grass nest next to it.
Liu Ruxiang picked up a candle and walked over. As the fire approached, I saw the big rooster walking out. Its head had disappeared without knowing when, and blood was flowing on its neck, making the feathers on its body more vivid.
I was horrified. I saw chickens being killed during festivals. The rooster was caught and his throat was cut and his blood was bled. If he accidentally broke free, he would be able to jump around for a long time. But this is the first time I have seen such a chicken with its head cut off and it can still walk.
The old rooster walked very steadily, one step at a time, and rushed to us in the blink of an eye, fluttering its wings and flying towards the altar next to it.
Liu Ruxiang was angry and quickly threw the dagger in her hand.
There was a flash of silver light, and the sharp sword tip passed through the old rooster's body, nailing it to the ground. After twitching a few times, it could no longer move.
Liu Ruxiang's beautiful eyes glared angrily, and she stepped on the old rooster: "You are so poor and evil, if you don't know what is good for you, a certain family will not be afraid of you."
The crooked wind in the forest suddenly stopped, and a burst of voices could be heard inside.
"Where is the chicken? Where did the chicken go? Ah! Is there anyone here?"
While I was stunned, a stooped old man slowly emerged from the forest, carrying a large basket on his back.
Meng Laoer seemed to still recognize him and asked tentatively: "Are you Mr. Li?"
The old man was still a little confused and asked him: "Xiao Er, why are you here? I went up the mountain to collect medicine. I just got lost chasing an old rooster, and I didn't expect to come to you... Are you doing magic? This Even if the chicken crows, will it be killed?"
Meng Laoer nodded, turned around and introduced us: "This is an old man from our village. My father and his ancestors are together with an old lady. He is almost eighty this year."
Things were so strange that Liu Ruxiang was also very surprised. How could this old man who went up the mountain to collect herbs happen to bump into this big rooster? This is probably Mandrill's method.
"Boy, you still know that I'm almost eighty! Look at how much you've done to me. My legs are broken. Now I can't walk anymore." The old man bared his teeth and was so angry.
What he meant was that Meng Laoer didn't take good care of the chicken and accidentally put it in the mountains for him to see, causing him to chase it for a long time and sprain his foot. Now Meng Laoer is responsible.
"How can this be done? The chicken is ours, but we don't let you chase it?" Meng Laoer grabbed his wife's hand tightly and retorted angrily.
"I don't care, if you don't carry me down the mountain, I'll crash my head to death for you to see." Li Laodan's eyes turned red in fear, and he lifted up his trouser legs, and there was indeed a big bulge on them.
"Look, how can I get down the mountain?"
I saw that the situation was not good, so I could only advise him: "Grandpa, why don't you sleep on the mountain tonight, we will make a fire, and I will give you the blanket, it won't be cold."
But Meng Laoer shook his head at me: "That's not the problem."
He said that Li Laodan's mother-in-law had a strange disease and she had to use a fresh herb called astragalus from the mountain. This was known to the whole village. Now that she went up the mountain, she would have used up it. If she couldn't go back in time to boil the medicine and take it. If you give it away, the pain will be worse than death and you will almost faint.
The old woman couldn't stand the trouble, so Mr. Li had to go back before night.
"As long as you understand the problem, if there's something wrong, just wait and see!" Li Laodan kept saying harsh words.
"Don't waste time, carry me down the mountain quickly."
Meng Laoer looked embarrassed and turned to look at me: "Little brother, I'm really sorry for you, help me take care of my wife, and get up the mountain as soon as I send her home."
With that said, he was going to carry the old man on his back.
At this moment, Liu Ruxiang suddenly spoke: "Wait a minute."
"This mountain is not small. Why did the old man just bump into it? It's so strange. Maybe the mandrill deliberately took Meng Laoer away so that he could continue to harm him. So, let me, my apprentice, carry this old man. ."
When Liu Ruxiang spoke, I immediately looked embarrassed.
"Master...I..."
"Why, are you afraid? The mandrill is the spirit of the mountain, and he is not killing innocent people indiscriminately. He has no cause and effect with you. It is expected that he will not harm you. You only need to pay attention to the insects and beasts in the mountain." Liu Ruxiang spoke in a very confident tone.
"Okay then." I agreed bravely, looking at the old man next to me with a lot of reluctance in my heart.
"I don't care which one of you carries it, you have to take it home." The old man muttered alone.
After taking a woodcutter and two talisman papers given by Liu Ruxiang, I walked up to Old Li with a straight face.
He picked up the basket and put it on his back again. Then I slowly squatted down and let him lie on my back. Then I stood up little by little and held his thighs to put him on my back.
"Okay." The old man kicked his little foot and kicked my butt to urge me to leave quickly.
Feeling secretly grumbling in my heart, I wandered down the mountain step by step.
I was wearing a flashlight on my head and carrying the old man on my back. At first, I was still strong, but later, for some reason, I felt like the old man on my back was like a big stone, getting heavier and heavier. But when I thought it hadn't been a while, I was too embarrassed to stop and rest, so I had to grit my teeth and use all my strength.
…
Just after I left, Meng Laoer picked up firewood around the execution ground and planned to light a fire to keep out the cold. He suddenly picked up two herbs from the edge of the stone where Li Laodan was sitting just now, looked at them doubtfully, and slowly walked to Liu Ruxiang.
"Look at this little astragalus, why don't you dig out the roots? What effect can the little astragalus have without its roots? Why is this old man so confused!"
Liu Ruxiang took the small astragalus in her hand, put it next to her nose, sniffed it, and then passed out a few copper coins to start divination.
Soon, a trace of panic flashed through her beautiful eyes: "It's broken!"
