Chapter 101: Sacrificing a Maiden for Rain, Bing Wengu’s Judgment

Chapter 101: Sacrificing Maidens for Rain – Lord County Magistrate Bing Wengu’s Judgment

The faces of the people in Ji County were filled only with despair and suppressed suffering.

Nan Jinping descended from the Tranquil Heart Teahouse, where the manager stood at the entrance, staring blankly at the people outside and the merciless sun in the sky.

Only when Nan Jinping approached did the manager snap out of his daze, hastily bowing in greeting. "Apologies, Boss. I was distracted just now."

Nan Jinping waved it off. "No need for such formality, Manager."

The manager glanced at the empty hall and deserted second floor. "Boss, should we hire a lion dance troupe or courtesans to draw customers to the teahouse? It’s been too quiet since we opened."

"No need. The people have no mind for such things now." Nan Jinping knew it wasn’t the teahouse’s fault—it was the drought. If this disaster wasn’t resolved, not only would her teahouse lose customers, but Ji County itself might become an abandoned town.

As the magistrate's husband, Nan Jinping received deference from merchants and officials alike. Ordinarily, they would frequent her teahouse out of respect for Bing Wengu. Their absence now signaled just how dire the drought had become—people were already considering fleeing.

Nan Jinping said, "Given the circumstances, you may close the shop and return home to be with your family. At least your wife and parents won’t worry as much."

Fearing unemployment would worsen his plight, the manager quickly replied, "I’d rather stay. If any customers come by, someone should be here to serve them. As for my wife and parents, knowing I still have work is comfort enough."

Nan Jinping smiled faintly. "Don’t worry, I won’t dismiss you. Your wages will still be paid. Go home and be with your family—even if you can’t solve anything, your presence will reassure them."

"Thank you, Boss." Tears welled up in his eyes. "In times like these, having such a kind employer is truly a blessing."

His face clouded with worry—not just for the drought, but for Nan Jinping and Lord County Magistrate Bing Wengu.

"His Lordship is a good official, working hard for the people since his arrival. You and he are both such good people—why must Heaven turn a blind eye and bring this drought upon you?"

The manager was no fool. He knew what a drought meant for a magistrate.

Nan Jinping felt her own unease deepen at his words. "I must go now. Close the shop and return home. I’ll send word when it’s time to return to work."

"Yes, thank you for your kindness, Boss." The manager added, "This one prays you and His Lordship resolve this drought soon."

Though his words were hopeful, Nan Jinping sensed the doubt beneath them.

Natural disasters had always been inevitable throughout history. Countless people had been displaced or resorted to desperate measures like child exchange during droughts.

With heavy steps, Nan Jinping walked on. Passing the Nan family shop, she saw Mother Miao and Eldest Brother Nan standing outside, watching. They waved her over.

"Jin Geer, where are you going? With Ji County in chaos, it’s unsafe to wander about with just Ping’an (a servant)."

"Don’t worry, Mother. I’m heading to the county office." Nan Jinping advised, "You and Eldest Brother should scale back production of soy products these days. People are too worried about the drought to buy much."

"We’ve already considered that. No need to fret," Mother Miao hesitated, then added, "Perhaps it’s good you’re going. Your husband must be distraught with worry. Since he’s so completely smitten with you, your presence might steady him."

"Mother!" Nan Jinping stamped her foot, turning bright red. "Must you tease me at a time like this?"

"I’m not teasing—just stating facts." Eldest Brother Nan chimed in, "Jin Geer, if I hadn’t watched you grow up, I’d think you’d put a spell on him. ‘Completely smitten’ is putting it mildly—‘enraptured’ is more like it. Every time he looks at you, Eldest Brother feels like you’ve stolen his soul."

Now Nan Jinping’s face burned so hot it turned crimson. "I’m not talking to you anymore!"

As she hurried away, Mother Miao suddenly burst into tears.

"Mother, why are you crying?" Eldest Brother Nan asked.

Mother Miao wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "My heart aches for Jin Geer. Such a good child—filial, clever, and sensible. Yet fate has been unkind. As a Shuang Er (male), he was ostracized and mocked in the village for no reason."

Remembering the hardships Nan Jinping endured in their hometown, Mother Miao felt her chest tighten with sorrow.

"When he came of age and it was time to find a match, even the village’s old bachelors would turn up their noses at my beautiful and youthful Jin Geer. Later, after finally marrying Silang and being loved and spoiled, with Silang achieving success, life was finally looking up. Why, just as life was finally looking up, did this natural disaster strike? If this disaster isn’t resolved, Silang..."

Miao Shi couldn’t continue, choking back sobs before crying out, "Silang is capable, but after all, he’s just an ordinary man. How can he possibly solve this drought?"

"Heavens, why must you punish my Jin Geer?"

Miao Shi sobbed helplessly, and Nan Dalang didn’t know how to comfort her.

"Ma, Pa, why don’t we go burn incense at the Dragon King Temple too?" Gu Shi wiped her hands and looked up at the scorching sun. "We’re the county magistrate’s in-laws, after all. Maybe the Dragon King will see how sincere Silang is."

"Good, let’s all go as a family," Miao Shi immediately agreed.

Miao Shi, Old Man Nan, Nan Dalang, and Gu Shi piled into one oxcart, while Nan Erlang, Nan Sanlang, and Nan Xiaomei took another, heading together toward the Dragon King Temple on the outskirts of Ji County.

As soon as the Nan family stepped down from the carts, they looked up and saw Liang Shi and Bing Wengu leading the entire Bing family.

Miao Shi hurried over. "Sister-in-law, your family has come too."

Worry was written all over Liang Shi’s face. She tried to muster a polite smile but failed.

"With Ji County in this state, how could I not be anxious? The whole family was uneasy, so we decided to come and pray at the Dragon King Temple. We’re begging the Dragon King for mercy—send us rain!"

The Nan family and the Bing family entered the Dragon King Temple, where crowds of people were already gathered inside and outside, all praying for rain.

The two families jostled through the crowd for ages before finally making their way inside.

First, Liang Shi and Bing’s father led the Bing family in worship. Every last one of the Bings, even the twins, prayed like their lives depended on it.

Bing Jingyao, one of Aunt Bing’s daughters, raised a tall incense stick high. "Bing Jingyao of the Bing family implores the Dragon King, for the sake of thousands of lives in Ji County, to send sweet rain soon. If the Dragon King grants rain, I’ll worship you for the rest of my days."

Bing Jingwan, her sister, also raised incense above her head and prayed devoutly, "Bing Jingwan of the Bing family prays sincerely for the Dragon King to send heavy rain. If the Dragon King truly sends rain, I’ll never eat meat again."

Aunt Bing let the girls pray without a word. Silently, she pleaded in her heart: 'Aunt Bing of the Bing family sincerely begs the Dragon King to send sweet rain. If this disaster demands sacrifice, I’ll give up every blessing I’ve got left, my health, everything, for a downpour, for Ji County to be free of drought, and for Da Lang to be spared.'

After the Bing family finished their offerings, the Nan family stepped forward to pray. Just as both families were about to leave after their worship, a gang of men manhandled a young girl into the temple, followed by several women. One of the women wept hysterically, begging the men ahead incessantly.

Miao Shi and Liang Shi, who had already boarded their carts, stepped down again upon seeing this. They exchanged a glance and followed the commotion.

The men shoved the girl into the temple, and one of them threw her violently to the ground.

"Xiao Ya! Xiao Ya!" The girl’s mother, beside herself, lunged forward but was quickly restrained by several other women.

"Mother! Mother!" The girl wailed desperately. "Mother, save me! I don’t want to marry the Dragon King! I don’t want to die!"

The mother, pinned down by the women, dropped to her knees and kowtowed frantically to the men. She bashed her head hard enough to draw blood.

"Please, Village Chief, don’t take my girl! Her life has only just begun—she can’t die!"

The village chief frowned in displeasure. "Han Shi, don’t you understand? It’s an honor to wed the Dragon King—most girls would kill for this! For your daughter to be selected is her good fortune!"

"They’re trying to offer this girl to the Dragon King in exchange for rain," Miao Shi said under her breath, scowling.

Since ancient times, folks had sacrificed girls to gods for rain or luck. Whenever people faced unsolvable disasters and pinned their hopes on divine intervention, young girls were often the offerings.

As for the results—if rain didn’t come, it was always deemed that the sacrifice wasn’t sincere enough or the girl wasn’t to the deity’s liking, requiring yet another sacrifice. So the girls kept dying, one after another.

Liang Shi spat, disgusted. "Why is it always women who suffer?"

She turned and beckoned to Bing Silang. "Get a horse and ride like hell to inform your elder brother about this human sacrifice. Even if he’s too busy to come himself, make sure he sends men here as soon as possible."

Aunt Bing said, "Silang, you must hurry. You don't know how deluded these people who perform such sacrificial rituals can be. I fear that even if Yéniáng reveal their status, they still might not be able to save that girl."

Bing Silang looked solemn and glanced in the direction of the young girl. "I’ll go and return as fast as I can."

Meanwhile, Han Shi continued to plead desperately, "Lizheng, Xiao Ya is unlucky—this poor girl was born without fortune. Please choose someone else with better luck."

The *Lizheng* glared at Han Shi furiously. "You keep making excuses! If it weren’t for the Dragon God taking a liking to your Xiao Ya, I wouldn’t even consider her."

"Yes, yes, Lizheng, since you don’t think highly of her, please let Xiao Ya go and choose someone else you approve of," Han Shi begged, her forehead bleeding profusely from the repeated kowtows. But in the midst of the severe drought, the scorching sun baked the earth, almost instantly evaporating the puddle of blood, leaving only an ominous stain—like a mark of devouring.

The *Lizheng* shot Han Shi a vicious glare and waved his hand. "Begin the ritual!"

The dozen or so men responded and moved toward the girl, who wailed in terror.

Lady Liang stepped forward and shouted, "Stop right there!"

The men turned in unison to look at her. Seeing that Lady Liang and her companions were dressed in rich attire, clearly not people they could afford to offend, they hesitated and glanced at the *Lizheng* for instructions.

The *Lizheng* narrowed his eyes. "May I ask who you are, lady?"

"I am the mother of the county magistrate of Ji County, Lady Liang. Beside me is the father of the magistrate, Bing Lang." Lady Liang declared her rank to cow the men.

The *Lizheng’s* eyes flickered briefly before he regained his composure.

Upon hearing Lady Liang’s status, Han Shi struggled free from the women restraining her. Not daring to act out in front of the mother of the county magistrate, the women could only watch as Han Shi prostrated herself before Lady Liang.

Not daring to touch Lady Liang’s obviously expensive clothes, Han Shi kowtowed repeatedly, her forehead bleeding once more.

"Lady, please save Xiao Ya, I beg you!"

Lady Liang knelt and helped Han Shi up. "Don’t worry. Privately, as women, we should support one another. Publicly, my son is the magistrate of Ji County, and I cannot stand by while lives are trampled like weeds under my very eyes. So, whether privately or publicly, I will help you."

Lady Liang continued, "I’ve listened for a while and understand the situation. You want to use this girl to pray for rain, claiming she was chosen by the Dragon God. I just want to know—how can you claim the Dragon God chose her? If you’ve seen the Dragon God, why not invite him to appear? As the mother of the county magistrate, I surely outrank you. If you’re worthy of meeting the Dragon God, why shouldn’t I?"

"Neither Lady Liang nor Bing Lang have seen the Dragon God—how could a humble servant like myself have?" the *Lizheng* replied with a bow.

"If you’ve never seen him, how can you claim this girl was chosen by him? Unless you’re the one deciding whom the Dragon God fancies," Lady Liang challenged.

"Lady Liang, don’t wrong me! I wouldn’t dare take lives recklessly," the *Lizheng* declared with feigned righteousness. "It’s just that when I came to the Temple of the Dragon God to pray for rain, I made a vow to the Dragon God—if His Majesty would send rain for the people of Ji County, I would find whatever he desired."

"And what do you know? That very night, I had a dream. A crimson dragon, shrouded in mist, told me he lacked a maidservant to attend to him. When I asked if he had anyone in mind, he named Zhu Xiaoniang."

So, the girl being sacrificed was surnamed Zhu.

Lady Liang laughed mockingly. "So many people have come to pray for rain, including upright and erudite magistrates—all of higher status than you. Why didn’t the Dragon God send them dreams? Why only you? Could it be that those virtuous officials are inferior to a mere *Lizheng*?"

Lady Liang couldn’t help but reflect—once, a *Lizheng* had seemed like a figure of immense power to her. But now that Bing Wengu had become the magistrate, a *Lizheng* was no different from any commoner.

The *Lizheng* bowed again, trembling. "I wouldn’t dare compare myself to the esteemed officials of the yamen."

"Perhaps… perhaps the Dragon God simply took a fancy to me."

Han Shi wailed, "Lady Liang, it’s not like that! Don’t believe him!"

The *Lizheng* glared at Han Shi. "If it’s not like that, then what is it, Han Shi? I advise you to remember who feeds your family before you speak."

Han Shi fell silent.

Lady Liang said coldly. "*Lizheng*, are you threatening someone in front of the mother of the county magistrate?"

"No, I swear I mean nothing else by it."

Lady Liang grabbed Han Shi's hand. "Han Shi, don’t be afraid. Tell me who’s wronged you, and I’ll see justice done for you. My son is the magistrate of Ji County—he calls the shots here."

Han Shi timidly glanced at the lizheng and shook her head.

Lady Liang knew that pushing harder wouldn’t get her to talk. This wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

"Lizheng, do you have any unmarried daughters in your household? Where does she fall in the family, and how old is she?" Lady Liang suddenly asked.

The lizheng was momentarily stunned, thinking Lady Liang was playing the family card. "Yes, one remains unmarried—the fourth daughter, now sixteen."

"Then what a coincidence. You had a dream, and so did I." The lizheng’s face changed as he watched Lady Liang.

Lady Liang smiled. "I came to this Dragon King Temple today to offer incense precisely because of a dream from the Dragon King. Last night, I dreamed of a golden dragon who personally told me that the drought in Ji County was caused by a cursed red dragon. That cursed red dragon isn’t a benevolent deity—it’s a traitor to the heavens. Wherever it goes, drought follows. Now that it has fled to Ji County, our land suffers."

Lady Liang lied through her teeth, no blame there—she hadn’t been this skilled at fabricating stories before. Blame her son-in-law for that.

Her son-in-law ran a teahouse where storytelling was performed, and to support him, she often attended. Thus, she had absorbed wild stories and could now weave them effortlessly.

"The golden dragon told me that he recently fought the cursed red dragon, and both were wounded. The cursed red dragon, injured, went into hiding, and for now, he couldn’t locate it. But he specifically warned me that the cursed red dragon practices demonic magic—devouring young girls to heal its wounds. He urged me in the dream never to sacrifice a maiden to the cursed red dragon. Otherwise, once the cursed red dragon regains its strength, he won’t be able to defeat it. If the cursed red dragon kills him and seizes Ji County, Ji County will fry under endless drought, never knowing peace again."

The crowd buzzed with panic, even the dozens of men brought by the lizheng exchanging uneasy glances.

The lizheng’s eyes flickered over Lady Liang. No wonder she was the magistrate’s mother—even a peasant-born woman like her wasn’t to be trifled with.

"Therefore, this sacrifice isn’t happening! If the ritual succeeds, Ji County will face utter ruin!" Lady Liang declared loudly.

"Stop the sacrifice!"

"Stop the sacrifice!"

The surrounding villagers, stirred by her words, began chanting.

Seeing the situation slipping from his control, the lizheng quickly interjected, "Lady Liang’s been tricked! The dragon you dreamed of is the wicked one. Since ancient times, offering maidens to the Dragon King has always brought rain."

"Ah, but the golden dragon also told me he needed a maidservant—specifically, the fourth daughter of a lizheng, aged sixteen. Funny how it’s your daughter, isn’t it?" Lady Liang had no intention of sacrificing anyone; she only said this to silence the lizheng.

Lady Liang sneered. "Are you suggesting that I, the mother of the magistrate, am beneath some backwater lizheng, unworthy of receiving a true dragon’s dream?"

The lizheng protested, "I’d never dare! I only wish for Lady Liang and all the people of Ji County to escape this drought as soon as possible."

"Is that so? No ulterior motives? Or are you using this to bolster your own authority? You get off on stomping over corpses?"

The lizheng raised his hand in oath. "Strike me dead right now if I lie—I swear I have no selfish motives."

"I hope you truly don’t." Lady Liang glanced at Zhu Xiao. "Since we each hold our own claims, this sacrifice isn’t happening. I will take her to the magistrate’s office, where my son, the magistrate, will decide."

The lizheng refused. "Absolutely not! The Dragon King demanded the sacrifice today. If we anger him, what if he brings further calamities?"

Wild-eyed, he yanked off his belt and lunged at Zhu Xiao. Before Lady Liang and the others could react, he wrapped it tightly around her neck.

He looked straight-up demonic. "For the people of Ji County, I will do this! Once she dies, the Dragon King will surely send rain! Everything I do is for Ji County!"

His voice was filled with gut-wrenching conviction, enough to sway some of the villagers he had brought.

"Erlang, grab her!" Lady Liang shouted.

"Da Lang, Erlang, San Lang, move it!" Miao Shi also commanded.

Several people rushed forward to save her, but the village chief was indeed determined, ready to die if it meant killing Madam Zhu.

Madam Zhu was already being strangled to the point of rolling her eyes, her tongue sticking out far, seconds from death.

At this critical moment, a cold glint flashed, and a head went tumbling across the ground.

The expression on the severed head remained one of ferocity and malice, eyes still bulging with rage, yet the man died without even knowing how.

Nan Dalang, Erlang, San Lang, and Bing Silang were splattered with blood. After recovering from the shock, they stumbled back, scrambling like rats.

"Father!" Among the men who had come with the village chief, one rushed out, shouting as he charged forward.

The man raised his head, his eyes filled with hatred as he glared at the tall, dignified figure in official robes, gripping a *dao* (long saber).

This man was none other than Bing Wengu.

The village chief's son said resentfully, "Everything my father did was only to spare the people of Ji County from further suffering! If you disapproved, there were a hundred ways to stop him—why did you have to take his life?"

Bing Wengu's eyes were like frozen steel. "Taking innocent lives is a crime punishable by death!"

Nan Jinping stepped out from behind Bing Wengu. "No excuse makes random killing right. If we do not severely punish him today, every village chief will think they can pull the same stunt. Wouldn’t that mean anyone could take lives freely just by claiming a dream, all under the guise of righteousness?"

Nan Jinping had left the shop to seek Bing Wengu at the yamen. When Bing Silang arrived at the yamen, he happened to be there, so they came together.

Han Shi threw herself over her daughter—now safe—and sobbed uncontrollably, not caring about the bloodstains on her.

"Sister!" Han-shi cried out, running over to embrace her sister and niece.

Han-shi had come to the yamen to discuss crop matters with Bing Wengu. Before their conversation ended, Nan Jinping and Bing Silang arrived one after another.

Upon hearing Bing Silang mention that the woman in trouble had the surname Han, she felt a sudden, gut-churning dread and begged Bing Wengu to accompany her. Horror struck—it *was* her sister.

Just as Han-shi was about to embrace her sister, Han Shi shoved her away. "Don’t *touch* me! It’s all because of you that my little girl nearly died!"

Han Shi shouted, "As a woman, you should stay at home serving your in-laws and husband. Why’s your face always in the streets? Do you love attention so much? You’ve been starved for attention since you were *this* tall, and even now, you refuse to settle down—still seeking attention! Why’s *my* child paying for your theatrics?"