From the conversation between Yang Ziming and the old man just now, Yin Ming had already roughly guessed the whole story.

Yin Ming said lightly: "Xiao Yang, it's just a custom here, don't be nosy." ”

The old man said coldly: "It's better for this young master to save trouble, please don't talk too much in front of the river god." ”

"Although our countrymen are not very remarkable, but we have offended the river god, and I am afraid that several masters will not be able to afford it. ”

Yin Ming nodded and didn't say anything more.

In front of the temple of the river god, there was silence again, and only the woman's cry remained.

I don't know how long later, the farmer dragged the mother-in-law down, leaving the two children in a daze.

The old man immediately instructed someone to serve snacks to the children, and moved the god seat right.

Someone shook the copper bell and rang the copper cymbal, and the old man twisted a stick of incense and began to pray silently.

Finally, the old man ordered eight young men to guard the place, and then they were disbanded, and everyone departed.

As merchants, Yin Ming and several people were invited to the old man's house.

That night, a few people stayed at the old man's house.

Yin Ming talked to the old man lightly, but they all stopped at the point, so he did not arouse the old man's vigilance.

This time, Yin Ming also roughly understood the before and after of the sacrifice.

It turned out that this sacrificial ceremony was not limited to Heishui County, but involved most of Yuxian County, as well as large-scale sacrifices in other counties.

According to the custom, in the early spring and late summer of each year, each county involved would send a pair of boys and girls to the river god as a "divine messenger".

The "divine envoys" of Heishui County are elected by the county seat and each village in turn.

This old man is the leader of the same place, and this time he should be in the place where he is "divine messenger".

After drawing lots in public, the middle-aged couple was selected.

The middle-aged man was a martial artist, and he had participated in the martial arts test when he was young, but he just didn't win.

Although this kind of strength is nothing, in the countryside, if you are stained with half of the word "martial arts", you are a big man and a first-class gentleman.

The middle-aged man bought one of his children from the farmer in place of his own.

When he said this, Lao Lizheng's expression remained unchanged, obviously he had seen too much, and he had long been numb.

Yang Ziming couldn't help but want to say something, but was stopped by Yin Ming with his eyes.

When the two of them came to sleep in the room, Lao Li had just left, and Yang Ziming couldn't help it.

Yang Ziming asked, "My lord, why don't you allow me to speak?"

"Then which is the choice of 'divine messenger', it is clearly a living sacrifice!"

At Yin Ming's request, he usually calls Yin Ming "brother", but when it comes to business, he is still called by his official position.

Yin Ming said: "Don't worry, this is a custom here, deep-rooted, how can you solve it in a few words?"

"Tomorrow we will go with us to the sacrificial site and puncture the disguise of this superstition, so that the problem can be solved. ”

Yang Ziming was stunned for a moment, and immediately reacted.

He is not a stupid person, but he has too little experience and is a little lacking in human sophistication.

The next day, the morning rooster first crowed.

When this is the time, Yin Ming, who has always gotten up early to chant the scriptures, will not get up so early.

However, there was a commotion outside the window, and everyone was arguing.

Yin Ming woke up Yang Ziming, and the two walked out.

Zhao Long also woke up, but Yin Ming saw that Liu Teng was still asleep, so he gave a look and told Zhao Long to be optimistic about Liu Teng.

Yin Ming and Yang Ziming walked out and met Lao Lizheng.

Lao Li is guilty of a crime and said: "It's very unbearable to wake up the honored guest, please forgive me." ”

"The festival is coming, please forgive the old and decrepit, and the distinguished guests can go back to the room to make up for the sleep. ”

Last night, Yin Ming threw away a tael of silver as compensation for his group's overnight stay.

One or two pieces of silver, for ordinary people, is a windfall.

It was Lao Li who changed his attitude towards a few people, thinking that this was a wealthy businessman from the capital.

Yin Ming said to Lao Li: "It's the first time I've seen the worship of the river god, so please go with me and see and hear." ”

Seeing that Lao Li was embarrassed, Yin Ming threw out his usual big money, about a few hundred.

These promises of money are nothing to Yin Ming, but he knows how to give people and knows that he can't give more.

Don't look at Lao Lizheng's respectful attitude now, but if Yin Ming throws out one or twenty taels of silver, I am afraid that the old man will inevitably see the intention of getting rich.

The people in this place are fierce, and Lao Li is likely to gather the villagers and have the idea of seeking money and killing people.

The amount given by Yin Ming made the old man unable to refuse, but he did not dare to disagree.

After all, the old man guessed that there was probably more than one martial arts master in that group, so he naturally didn't dare to make a mistake.

Killing Lao Lizheng didn't expect that there were three martial artists and two samurai in this group.

You know, he lived a handful of years, and he had seen one or two samurai masters from afar.

Lao Li's face collapsed, and he whispered: "Then please watch quietly with the two masters, don't make a sound." ”

Yin Ming didn't answer, just signaled Lao Li to lead the way.

Outside Heishui County, a large meandering river rolls in from the northwest.

The waves are thousands of layers, and the waves are thousands of ways.

The river is majestic, revealing a black color, a treacherous river.

By the river, yellow flags have already been erected, grass tents have been set up, and tribute platforms have been set up.

On the tribute platform, fragrant flowers and candles are flickering, full of gold and silver property, pigs and sheep sacrifices.

The most eye-catching thing is still in the center, among the two big shells, there are two white babies.

Yin Ming and Yang Ziming stood aside, waiting to see what tricks they were doing, and then debunking superstitions.

Suddenly, there was no wind at all, and a big wave suddenly rose in the Wu River, and seventeen or eighteen whirlpools roared and swirled on the water.

Yin Ming's complexion changed, and he suddenly had a bad premonition.

At this time, a middle-aged man stepped forward, wearing a county uniform.

He picked up a piece of yellow paper and prayed, which was nothing more than a prayer for "good weather and no floods".

After the prayer, the yellow paper was thrown into the paper horse beside the side and burned together.

Then, the middle-aged squire stepped forward and was about to overthrow the tribute table.

Yang Ziming was prepared, and stepped forward and pressed the middle-aged man's hand.

Yin Ming had already stood by the river, staring coldly at the movement in the Wu River.

The county order and Lao Li Zheng's faces have changed greatly.

The real mother of the two children still had a look of despair on her face.

The others looked numb, and just looked at Yin Ming and the others in confusion

Yang Ziming said angrily: "It's ridiculous, you send children into the river like this, but you are burying their lives for nothing!"

Lao Li hurriedly said: "Honorable guest, let go quickly, anger the river god, something is not good!"

Yang Ziming said categorically: "Don't think about it, how can I sit idly by and watch this kind of ridiculous behavior!"

The county commander's face was slightly pale, and he muttered: "It's not good, river god, I'm going to be angry!"

Yang Ziming sneered: "It's a shame that you are still an official selected by the imperial court, and you actually took the lead in engaging in superstition of gods and spirits." ”

"Don't you hear that my Tang Dynasty law explicitly prohibits unprovoked ...... other than Wu Zu Worship ......"

Yang Ziming's voice suddenly became lower, and he looked at the sudden change of Wuhe, and gradually showed a shocked look.