Ye Liuyun and the others were surprised as they looked at Han Zheng, suddenly stupefied.
Even Ye Liuyun himself didn't dare to make a decision, rely feeling that sothing was off, but Han Zheng had reached such a definitive conclusion.
"Why do you say that?"
Han Zheng squinted his eyes and said, "There's a demon when things are abnormal. Sotis, if a situation seems too normal, that's actually abnormal.
Why is Li village so wealthy? Can a hunter really beco rich like this? If hunting were so profitable, then in Great Zhou, nobody would farm; everyone would hunt.
And there's Li Youde. It's normal for him to kowtow in front of an arrest officer, but in front of the Demon Cleansing Bureau, he's too calm.
Brother Ye, you spend all your ti in the State Mansion; you don't know what image the Demon Cleansing Bureau has among ordinary people.
Mysterious, powerful, related to demon disasters, yet his attitude towards us was the sa as towards the arrest officer—that's a big issue with his attitude.
Li Sanniang's mother-in-law and sister-in-law each defended Li Youde, almost as if they were his own relatives.
As for that daughter, the little girl's acting is quite good; however, her hands are too clean, too delicate.
Her fingers have never touched spring water; she certainly doesn't seem like a typical peasant's daughter.
Additionally, if Li Sanniang is insane, then her madness has too much purpose.
You all know how difficult the mountain road from Li village to Kai Ping Prefecture is.
If she were mad, why would she go crazy all the way to Kai Ping Prefecture to seek justice? What's driving her to do this?"
The look in Ye Liuyun and the others' eyes towards Han Zheng subtly shifted.
Such ticulous observational skills.
Ye Liuyun and his sibling co from a prominent family; the education they received from childhood didn't give them much understanding of these lower-class citizens.
Ye Liuyun, relying on his own intuition, just felt sothing was wrong but couldn't explain it as precisely as Han Zheng.
Yang Tianqi, having a low-class background, grew up in the Demon Cleansing Bureau and didn't know much about the outside world either.
In contrast, Han Zheng, having lived two lifetis, was deep in thought and cautious, making it easier for him to spot these irregularities.
"Also, have you noticed that in that village of thousands of households, hundreds have the 'wedding' character posted? Isn't that marriage frequency a bit too high?
Most importantly, Li Sanniang's house also had the 'wedding' character. Her daughter clearly isn't married, so who is that sign for? It couldn't possibly be that she's remarrying, could it?"
Ye Liuyun's face darkened imdiately, "Let's go back! Take Li Youde directly for interrogation!"
In the Demon Cleansing Bureau, Ye Liuyun was considered a senior Xuan Armor guard, having executed more than ten missions outside and slain dozens of demons big and small.
Before, they would act imdiately upon encountering a demon, at most investigating the demon's whereabouts before taking action.
Today, however, they'd been fooled by an old man's act.
Han Zheng shook his head and said, "No rush. Li Youde prepared so many local specialties for us today for two reasons; one is to show subservience and the other is to urge us to leave.
He will definitely take action today. Why not watch in secret what he does to sacrifice to the demons and what kind of demon it is?
Li Youde is easy to deal with, but our target isn't him, it's the demon behind him."
Ye Liuyun and the other two nodded.
In a blink, the leader among the four had shifted from Ye Liuyun to Han Zheng.
But Ye Liuyun was reasonable; as long as what Han Zheng said made sense, he didn't mind following Han Zheng's plans.
The arrest officer was of no use remaining here, so they sent him straight back to the county town.
anwhile, inside Li village.
A hunter carrying a bow and arrows ran quickly towards Li Youde.
"Village head, they're gone."
"Are you sure they're far enough away?"
"Sure, they've already entered the mountain road."
Li Youde nodded, the submissive and kind smile on his face disappearing.
He turned and went back to Li Sanniang's house.
Li Sanniang, not seeing Han Zheng and the others return, but seeing Li Youde return, instantly felt despair and burst into furious cursing at Li Youde.
"Li Youde! May you not die a good death!"
"Slap!"
Li Youde fiercely slapped Li Sanniang across the face, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her head close to his own.
"Do you, foolish woman, realize what you've actually done? If you provoke the people from the Demon Cleansing Bureau and truly anger the Mountain God, all of us in Li Family Village, thousands of us, will starve to death!"
Li Sanniang, eyes red with anger, shouted back, "What Mountain God! That's a Demon! A man-eating Demon! All I know is that you sacrificed my daughter to that demon, and I want her back!"
"I obviously know that's a demon! But that demon allows everyone in our Li Family Village to eat at!"
A ferocious look appeared on Li Youde's face: "Why did you agree to marry into such a remote and impoverished Li Family Village in the first place? Wasn't it because our Li Family Village was wealthy, where people could afford at every day?
"Why do you think those prey would stupidly run into your husband's trap? Isn't it by the grace of the Mountain God?
"As long as we send a young girl to beco the Mountain God's consort every year, our entire village of thousands can live comfortably. Isn't it worth it?
"All the at you've been eating these years ca from this. Now that it's your daughter's turn, you back out? Why?
"Are you the only one with a daughter? Is only your daughter precious?
"I, Li Youde, also have a daughter!
She was the apple of my eye too!
She was only thirteen at the ti yet, what could be done when she was chosen?
I still sent her to Liyun Mountain to be sacrificed to the Mountain God.
"Why do you think people in the village obey ? Because I am fair in my dealings!
"As long as our Li Family Village can continue and everyone can afford to eat at, what does it matter if I die a horrible death?"
Li Youde tossed Li Sanniang's head aside and said coldly, "Luckily, today we managed to fool those from the Demon Cleansing Bureau; otherwise, a delay in this marriage procession would have truly resulted in a terrible death for you!"
Li Sanniang stopped yelling and just started sobbing uncontrollably.
It was unclear whether she was crying for her daughter or regretting why she had ever married into Li Family Village.
Li Sanniang's mother-in-law ca over and sighed, "It's my fault for not keeping an eye on this wife and not expecting her to go mad and actually dare to make a scene in Kai Ping Prefecture.
I used to say this daughter-in-law was no good, that it would be better to find soone from within our village, but he insisted on this outsider because she was beautiful, and now she has obstinately caused so much trouble."
Li Youde shook his head: "Old sis-in-law, it was I who agreed to having your son marry a woman from outside.
Our village's young won have all been sacrificed to the Mountain God; very few are left, so we had no choice but to marry soone from outside.
I never expected that she would cause such a huge commotion.
But for now, it's okay, the people from the Demon Cleansing Bureau have left as long as the marriage procession isn't delayed.
"Is the procession ready?"
"It's ready, just waiting for the auspicious ti."
Li Youde went to the edge of the village, where everyone had gathered. In the center stood a large red bridal sedan with eight bearers.
A table with offerings like roasted chicken and pork was laid out in front of the sedan.
As the sky darkened, Li Youde lit the incense and loudly declared, "Sacrifice to the Mountain God! Send the bride!"
A fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl, wearing a red wedding dress, was bound and forcefully stuffed into the sedan. Her parents stood by, eyes red but unobstructive.
They all understood what kept Li Family Village well-fed; it was the protection of the Mountain God!
Originally, Li Family Village had relied on hunting to subsist, but they always struggled with their catch, and losing one's life over the ga was common.
But since receiving the Mountain God's protection, the ga seed enchanted.
Whenever villagers went into the mountains, the ga would invariably run straight into their blades, making hunting easier than waiting by a tree for prey.
The prey would even deliver itself to them.
And all the Mountain God asked in return was a girl under sixteen to be his consort every year.
To trade one girl for the full-bellied sustenance of thousands in the village was an undoubtedly profitable deal.
"Mount the sedan and begin the journey!"
Eight strong bearers lifted the sedan and stepped deeper into Liyun Mountain.
The mountain was dark, and the sedan was bright red, the parents cry of despair.
Though the word "joy" plastered on the offering table, there was no joy to be found.
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