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Su kindly talked to the mother-in-law of the family and knew that the mother-in-law's surname was Mo.

The old man was widowed when he was young, and he raised his son alone, and later the son married a wife and had children, and although the family was poor, they were also in harmony.

Later, there was a big flood in his hometown, and his son happened to be fishing in the river bay, but he was washed away by the flood, leaving only Granny Mo, her daughter-in-law and her young granddaughter.

Because the houses and fields in their homes were washed away, and the plague broke out after the catastrophe, the men, women and children in the village had to leave their homes to flee the famine.

On the way to escape the famine, the three women were unsustainable, and the daughter-in-law was filial, so she sold herself to the merchants along the way.

At that time, there were many tea merchants and salt merchants who went back and forth to do business, and many homeless people were slaves, which was also a last resort, and they could not wait for starvation to death.

At that time, the granddaughter was too young, and Granny Mo was too old, and only the daughter-in-law was still useful. The merchants also refused to buy and sell at a loss, and they bought the old and the young and could not work.

Granny Mo's daughter-in-law got the money from selling her body, and gave all the money to her mother-in-law and children to entangle, and let them go all the way north to seek refuge with distant relatives.

The distant relative had not been in touch for many years, but only knew where he lived. Thinking that going to him has some kind of care, it is better than being unfamiliar with life and having black eyes.

It's easy to say, sleeping in the open along the way, the old and the young, and the child got sick before he was halfway there.

Granny Mo gave all the money on her body to her granddaughter's treatment, so she couldn't go any further, and she ended up in this small mountain village, so she finally lived.

Now I have been here for six or seven years, and my granddaughter has grown into a big girl. The life of the grandparents and grandchildren can only be regarded as barely satisfied, and they are regarded as outsiders in the village, and there are no people close to them.

Su Hao commented that she was sad because of her granddaughter's marriage, and she couldn't help but say a few words of relief.

Who thinks that the more Granny Mo talks, the more sad she becomes, and even has plans to commit suicide.

Su was puzzled and asked her, "Could it be that your granddaughter is going to marry some kind of gangster?" ”

The old man's words revealed that his granddaughter had no intention of returning, and she herself would die soon. thought that the man was a tiger and wolf den, so Granny Mo planned to do so.

In a family like them, the girl has no backing at all. If you meet a reasonable person, you are fine, but if you meet an arrogant and unreasonable person, you can only be bullied.

Granny Mo just shook her head when she heard this.

At this time, Su Haoyi saw a person standing outside the courtyard gate, a young student.

Judging by the looks and clothes, it should be someone from this neighborhood. He stood there looking at the girl under the window, looking very sad.

And the girl was also secretly wiping her tears, although she lowered her head, Su Haoyi could still see that the two of them had affection.

The boy should be very reluctant to marry a girl, but there is nothing he can do, so he can only watch from afar.

"Mother-in-law, is it true that your granddaughter already has a sweetheart, so she doesn't want to marry her?" Su asked tentatively.

If this girl likes the offspring standing outside the hospital, then she must not want to marry into another family.

Once the mind is given out, it is not easy to change it. It is not uncommon for many girls to die because of this.

The so-called word love can make people promise life and death. If the married husband's family treats her harshly, it will force the woman to die.

Before Granny Mo could speak, a man in his forties walked over and kicked him behind him.

shouted: "Are you calling the weasel fan?!" Hurry up and go home, your eldest brother is still waiting for you to do grass together! There are some jobs at home that can't be done, and you still have time to sell here! ”

The latter was very afraid of his father, so he resigned himself to go. I took a few steps forward, but I still didn't forget to look back.

"Alas!" Granny Mo sighed: "This is Zhang Laosi who came to find his son, to say that their family has also helped us a lot, but it's a pity that the two children are not lucky." Blame our family Caixia's life for being too bitter, and blame my old woman for being too confused. ”

After sighing, Granny Mo told Su Haoyi about the reason.

This small mountain village is isolated and remote, and there is a bad habit - every three years a bride is offered to the mountain god.

In this way, the mountain god will bless the people here with peace and security, otherwise disaster will befall.

This custom has been passed down for nearly 100 years now, but it is like a golden rule, and it cannot be shaken in the slightest.

"In this way, Caixia is not really married, but a sacrifice to the mountain god," Su Haoyi was shocked when he heard it: "Isn't this bad habit forbidden by anyone?" ”

"This place is high and the emperor is far away, who cares? It's all about covering the sky with one hand. Granny Mo cried: "Besides, everyone believes this, how dare I open my mouth as an outsider?" ”

"Then why don't you move out of here?" Su Haoyi was both sympathetic and puzzled: "If you leave here early, won't you have today?" ”

"Childe, don't you know, back then, our mother and two were taken in by people here, and I swore a poisonous oath to my mother-in-law." Granny Mo beat her thigh sadly: "They said that as long as they lived, they would not leave this village, they built us a house and helped clear two acres of land, and I took my granddaughter to live." Later, I found out that there was such a thing, and it was clear that he was not kind to us at the beginning. What's more, even if the people in this village don't say anything, they will prevent us from escaping on weekdays. Think about it, where can we two legless crabs run to? If the two of us really dared to run, we would be beaten to death if we were caught. It's a death on the left and right, and it's better to die decently. ”

"Then Caixia has no way to live at all?" Su looked out the window at the girl who was younger than herself, and couldn't help but feel pity.

This girl is like she has been soaked in bitter water, and she has not lived a good day. And God is often so bullying the soft and afraid of the hard, picking soft persimmons and pinching.

"Alive? Unless the mountain god grandpa is gracious. Granny Mo smiled bitterly: "Although every time I send the bride into the mountain, I say that it all depends on whether the mountain god accepts it or not, if you don't accept it, it will be a big fate, and no one will be embarrassed anymore." But the oldest person in the village said that since the first bride entered the cave, no one has come out again. ”

"What is that cave?" Su asked kindly.

"Look at the highest mountain in the west," Granny Mo trembled out of the door and pointed out to Su Haoyi: "There is a hole in the mountain called the Mountain God Cave, and the people who will pick up their relatives will arrive when it gets dark in a while." The bride was carried to the mountain in a sedan chair, and after the sacrifice, the bride was left alone in the cave, and the rest of the people went down the mountain. ”

"Can't that girl sneak away?" Su asked kindly: "Are you just waiting there?" ”

"The hole is overhanging, and you have to use a ladder to go up and down. The send-off removed the ladder and left the bride there. If you go to see it again in three days, it will be regarded as a return gift. But every time there was no one in it, and I don't know if it was taken by a wild beast or really taken by the mountain god. ”