In Zhuangjia Village, the old village chief propped up his trembling body, stood up with difficulty, bowed to the clay statue of Liu Xian in his home, and weakly said: "Master Liu Xian, this is the last time that I will offer incense to you. I know that my time is running out, so I offer you the last stick of incense.
The villain migrated from Yanzhou in the northeast, and his family has worshiped the five immortals for generations. I never thought that I would meet Master Liu Xian when I came to the south.
The thing that the villain regrets most in his life is that he stubbornly moved the whole village thousands of miles to settle in the south. War is imminent in the north, and if we stay here any longer, a whole village may be wiped out.
From now on, the villain will make every household in the village worship you, Master Liuxian. I also ask that you protect the inheritance of our village for the sake of our whole village's devout worship. This is the villain's last and only wish. I hope the Immortal will fulfill my wish! "
After saying that, the old village chief kowtowed heavily.
…
In the village, Goudan, a young boy back then, is now a father. He also had a fat boy last month, and his mother-in-law is also a good girl from the family introduced by Aunt Wang. She is gentle and sensible.
When he raised his head, he could see the flowers blooming on a persimmon tree next to the yard.
That was the yard of his brother Er Niu Ge, and no one had lived in it for a long time.
Brother Erniu's mother-in-law and child moved to the city and bought a house in the city with the one hundred taels of silver. Brother Erniu's child has been sent to school for enlightenment. His mother-in-law said that the child was praised very much by the teacher. good.
He looked at his newborn baby, and he understood somewhat of Brother Erniu's choice, but Brother Erniu would never come back. Goudan asked the village chief to name him Zhao Daqian.
Zhao Daqian also decided to earn money for his son's future studies, and he did not want his son to farm all his life.
Of the eight or nine hundred people in Zhuangjia Village with the four surnames of Zhao, Zhang and Li, only a few could read. The village chief and some tax collectors must be literate.
Zhao Daqian walked back to the house and watched his mother-in-law worshiping the Snake Immortal devoutly. This was what the old village chief had just said a few days ago that the whole village must worship Liu Jiaxian. This was his last wish. The old village chief worked hard for decades, and at the age when he was half dead, he led the village all the way south. He went through many hardships before he settled here. No one in the village was disrespectful and no one was unkind, and Liu Jiaxian was also a frequent worshipper in the village. , so there are few people who don’t worship.
Zhao Daqian, who had never believed in the theory of monsters and ghosts, was thinking about his child and hoped that this great snake fairy would be effective.
He picked up the farm incense and worshiped it.
The village was filled with the fragrance of fireworks, and he could see the earth in the earth temple dancing with dignity, but he didn't dare to stop him. If any monster really came and swallowed him, even if the city god Qiu Hou settled the score, all but the monster himself would be dead.
A superior officer has his own way of survival, and a lower official has his own way of survival. He may seem like a palm-sized little earthly priest, but he also has countless connections.
The land will not meddle in other people's business, and will turn a blind eye to the monsters that have become the climate. Even if they enter the village to steal chickens and dogs, they will not interfere as long as they don't eat people and steal souls.
If something like this happens, even the landlord will be severely punished by the higher authorities, so this is a limit.
Ordinary monsters will lure mortals out of the village and eat people in the wilderness. Even if the land lord sees it, he will not take care of it. Even if someone from above comes to accuse him, he only needs to say: "How can I, a small land man, have such hands and eyes?" Does Tongtian even have control over the wilderness?" Then he passed.
Therefore, as long as a low-level god like Tu Tu is not unlucky enough to encounter a crazed demon, he can live a long and peaceful life.
Wisps of fragrance from Zhuangjia Village floated into the sky and spread in all directions, vaguely gathering at the Snake King Valley. Within a hundred miles, he was the only one who could be regarded as the Liu family. If not on his head, who else would be on his head?
Bai Jun's mind is becoming more and more distracted these days, and he also dreams at night, dreaming about mortals bowing to him, and a skinny old man. This old man is different from other people. He has a faint golden color on his head. If I guess correctly, it should be a merit.
The doubts in his mind grew bigger and bigger as time went on, and finally Bai Jun decided to go down the mountain to have a look.
In his dream he saw these mortals not far from him, at the foot of the mountain.
It was a gloomy day with dark clouds and a drizzle falling.
From the small village at the foot of the mountain, some people came with suonas, golden gongs and other objects, and they were invited into the village with white strips tied on their heads.
Bai Yan hid at the bottom of the river and slowly approached along the stream that circled the village.
By the river, there were naughty children catching fish and shrimps, looking at the wildly beating schools of fish and the scurrying shrimps and crabs on the river, and shouted excitedly: "Come on, come on, the fish in the river are diving!" The fish are diving in the river!”
A passing scholar saw children shouting and screaming on the shore, and he was curious and approached with an umbrella and a bag on his back. He saw dozens or hundreds of fish of different sizes dancing on the river, as well as fish running around on the shore. Shrimp and crab.
A group of children excitedly caught fish and shrimps with their own nets, and young people in the village also came out to catch fish.
Until several old people heard this strange thing, they were busy scolding the children and some hunters and returned home.
Old Huangtou saw the young scholar and said with a smile: "Scholar, you are in a hurry? If you don't mind, you can come to our village to have a rest."
Hearing this, the scholar hurriedly thanked: "Thank you very much, old man, Xiaosheng Qixiao, the people of Qijia Town."
Old Huangtou laughed and said: "Old man, my name is Zhao Huangmao, and everyone in the village calls me Old Huangtouer. Young people, there will be joys and funerals in our village, do you mind?"
Qi Xiao hurriedly bowed his hands and said, "At the age of eighty, it can be said to be a joyous mourning when you have both happiness and longevity. This is also a happy event. It is also a blessing for me to have the honor of giving a gift to the old man."
Uncle Zhao on the side chuckled and said: "Scholar, you are so nice to talk to. Come with us to the village and have a rest."
The group of people walked into the village. The originally lively river bank became quiet and deserted. A huge snake head poked its head out of the river and looked at the village.
In the village, the courtyard of a relatively solid mud house was full of people, including old and young, including mothers, unmarried girls, and children playing around.
The seven-foot doorway was filled with people. The older ones gathered around the bed, and the younger ones knelt in front of the bed. From oldest to youngest, they knelt outside the room. A dark solid wood coffin was parked in the next room.
Lying on the earth bed was the still-breathing old village chief, surrounded by several respected old men of his generation. A copper lamp full of oil was placed beside the bed, but the wick always failed to burn.
Old Huangtou looked at the village chief and sighed: "Old Li, it seems that you took the first step, and the rest of us followed you here to enjoy more blessings in the south."
The old village chief looked at several people with cloudy eyes, and a smile of relief slowly appeared on his face. They were a group of people who were still with him after going through the same storm. It was a blessing to have them send him on his last journey.
Qi Xiao came to the crowd. The girl who was busy in the kitchen always blushed and shy when she saw him. Such a handsome scholar could be seen at a glance among a group of rural roughnecks.
He was neither shy nor arrogant. He just talked to some men politely and asked curiously about their customs.
In the house, the old village chief's son, daughter, and grandchildren knelt down.
The old village chief felt extremely at ease as he listened to these familiar voices in the house and the warmth of people coming and going. The previous generation of village chiefs entrusted the dilapidated Zhuangjia Village to him. Now that he has worked hard all his life, he has lived up to his trust and can rest assured. Went to see the old man.
He closed his eyes, and a lifetime of memories flashed through his mind. He grew up in the fields with his parents when he was a child, learned to do farm work, worked at sunrise and rested at sundown, and worked as a waiter in a restaurant with a master in the town. , I asked the old shopkeeper for a few words in my spare time, and then my parents asked someone to spend a fortune to find a matchmaker, and they married a woman who was not beautiful but could endure hardships. They had children together, and they were thirty years old. At that time, many men died in the war-torn villages in the north. The village chief came to collect the children and forced the village chief to death. The mother-in-law also fell ill and died. The village chief entrusted the village to him before he died. He welcomed and sent off the ungrateful people in the town. In the past, the officials in the county had all kinds of good things to say, and they had worked hard for forty years to bring some stability to the village by relying on their cleverness to please the guests in the restaurant.
His Majesty the Holy Emperor is about to send troops to the Northern Barbarians again. He couldn't let the village that had just regained its popularity decline again. It happens that immigrants from the south are willing to move thousands of miles away to a place where they are unfamiliar with their land.
Against all odds, he decided to move the village south to avoid the war and avoid conscription. After going through all kinds of hardships, he came here to settle down.
Now everything is well in the village, and there is no need for famine. He has neighbors who have parents who are short-lived and have the energy to gossip and make noises over trivial matters. He feels that life is very good.
The old village chief has no regrets.
Suddenly, another picture appeared in his mind.
In the small river outside the village, a thick and terrifying white snake poked its head out of the water.
Liu Daxian? Liu Daxian also came to see him? It turns out that Liu Daxian is really protecting the village?
The old village chief opened his eyes in an instant, and he found the strength to sit up straight.
Everyone in the room who was about to cry in mourning was stunned for a moment. When they saw the oil lamp that was blown out by the wind when the old village chief stood up, they suddenly remembered that this was the return of light!
His son hurriedly said: "Dad! What else do you want to ask me? But what else do you want to eat? My son will cook it for you? Or do you want to see who is not here?"
The old village chief stood up stiffly, walked out of the house under the incredulous looks of everyone in the room, and walked out of the village without saying a word.
Everyone was shocked. His son grabbed Old Huangtou's hand and said anxiously: "Uncle, what's wrong with my father?"
Old Huangtou also shook his head in confusion, and then said: "Anyway, follow your father quickly!"
So no one in the house or in the yard dared to speak, and they followed the old village chief's footsteps and walked out.
Qi Xiao was very surprised. This old man was already very thin, his eyes were black, and he was lying on the bed about to die just now. How come he was suddenly able to walk now? Could it be that he was possessed by evil spirits?
He curiously followed the others and walked up. It had just rained and the dirt roads in the village were full of mud. The group of people followed the old village chief to the end of the village, keeping a distance of ten feet.
Aunt Wang asked curiously: "Why did the old village chief have to run here with his last breath on this rainy day? Could it be that he wanted to be buried at the entrance of the village?"
Her man was a rough-voiced man, and he cursed in a low voice: "Smelly bitch! What kind of day is this, and you are still mumbling with that broken mouth?"
Aunt Wang rolled her eyes at her man and stopped talking.
The old village chief walked to the end of the village and stood still.
Everyone also stopped. His two sons came forward and looked at their father distressedly: "Dad, let's go back. It's cold outside, but it's warm inside."
The old village chief just didn't leave, didn't say a word, and looked straight into the distance with his eyes.
Old Huangtou said: "This is not a solution after all. If someone with a heart hears it, they will think that Old Li is possessed by evil spirits, and they will pour dirty water on him for nothing.
Ask a few young men to carry Lao Li back carefully. "
Several village chiefs and young men heard the old uncle's instructions and stepped forward.
At this moment, the old village chief suddenly raised his hand and pointed forward.
The thin black dogs in the village, the white geese kept in captivity, and the crows building their nests in the trees all screamed and became manic.
Everyone couldn't help but look.
Following his finger, there were dirt roads in the village, farmland shrouded in drizzle in the distance, and the green mountain standing under the gray-blue sky.
Old Huangtou sighed: "Old Li, let's go home."
"Wow~"
Before he finished speaking, there was a sound of water from the river not far away.
"Ah! Snake!"
"What a big snake!"
"Oh my God! You monster!"
Old Huangtou looked up and saw an extremely thick white python crawling out of the small river beside the village. The thick body of the snake, the head of the snake that was different from ordinary snakes, and the jade-white snakes all over its body. The scales all indicate that this is no ordinary python.
Fear filled his heart. Old Huangtou looked at the old village chief standing not far from the giant python, and his heart suddenly flashed. He trembled and shouted loudly: "Shut up, everyone, don't yell, this is Baojiaxian coming." Come on! Kneel down and kowtow to Liu Jiaxian!"
A group of panic-stricken farmers knelt down when they heard this and said, "Bless Liu Daxian! Bless Liu Daxian!"
Qi Xiao, who was behind the crowd, was filled with fear. He was the only one among the people present who was not kneeling, so his perspective of looking at the big snake was more impactful and targeted.
Qi Xiao grunted and swallowed.
Bai Yan looked at the mortals kneeling on the ground, and he suddenly realized that the calls came from the faith of these people.
Twisting its body, the white jade snake body is not stained with a trace of mud in the mud. He lowered his head and looked curiously at the dying old man.
Is this the human being who has merit in his body?
Bai Jun curiously stretched out Snake Xinzi and sensed the smell of the old man. It was very rotten and did not have the unique smell of meritorious golden light.
The old village chief raised his trembling hand and touched Bai Jun's head. The cold scales were as cold as iron, but they were a creation of nature, filled with infinite mystery and unpredictability.
The old village chief looked at the giant python without any fear, and instead smiled. "Thank you Liu Xian for coming to give me a ride, old man, I'm very grateful!"
He said incoherently that he was extremely happy to see his lifelong faith at the last moment before his death.
Bai Jun saw a faint golden light flying above the old man's head.
The old man knelt down and said, "I am grateful to Liu Xian for protecting the village. I will worship you until my death."
Bai Yan looked at the trace of gold above his head, and suddenly realized that there was still a trace of blood-red ominous light above his head, but now it was disappeared by the weak golden light.
He only felt light all over, and his mind had never felt so clearly about the world.
Bai Jun nodded to the old man. He didn't care whether the people who went up the mountain were brought up by people from this village. Anyway, only the three people he deliberately let go survived. Moreover, this little merit of the old village chief resolves his karma, which can be regarded as a reward for this kind and virtuous old man.
The old village chief turned around with a smile and walked home without saying a word.
Bai Jun glanced at the old village chief and turned to leave, but before leaving, he looked back at the scholar who was standing among the people kneeling and worshiping.
When Qi Xiao saw the giant python suddenly turning around and looking at him, he was so frightened that he almost wanted to run away.
Fortunately, the terrifying giant python swam into the river, causing a huge splash of water and gradually disappeared.
The villagers reacted after a long period of shock. When they looked at the old village chief again, he had already left with a faint smile on his face.
After a while, the village heard the harsh sound of suona, the sound of gold gongs clashing with gold, and the faint sound of the erhu's melodious strings. The sound of crying floated in the mountains and fields, announcing the death of the old man.
In the drizzle, Bai Jun turned around, looked at the village in the distance, spit out the snake letter and remembered its smell.
