Wujiabao has always had a custom, that is, every August 15, the elders of the clan will gather in the ancestral hall, set up sacrifices, while paying tribute to the ancestors, while drinking and admiring the moon.

This year was no exception, the sky had just darkened, the round and big moon had just emerged, and the ancestral hall was already crowded with people.

Except for Wu Jizong, Wu Jixue, patriarch Wu Youren, long branch chief Sun Wu Liwei, martial arts head Wu Chun, private school Mr. Wu Gan, and Wu Lishan, the other clansmen just came to offer sacrifices, and knelt down in front of the offering table to bow before returning, and the family was reunited.

However, the above seven people stayed and enjoyed a table of wine made up by the clansmen alone, drinking and chatting, and admiring the moon with their ancestors.

Mr. Wu Gan, a private school teacher who has never liked to call friends to drink and have fun, only has to be present to deal with the four days of the annual Qingming Festival, the July 15th Yulan Festival, that is, the Ghost Festival, August 15, and October 1.

Therefore, after all the people in the clan dispersed, Wu Gan just drank two or three glasses of wine with Wu Jizong and others, said a few words, and then got up to say goodbye and went back to his home.

The remaining six people are the core figures in the Wu family of Wujiabao, so after a while, all of them were slightly drunk, Wu Youren suddenly asked Wu Lishan:

"How's that going with what you said last time?"

Wu Lishan looked at Wu Jizong and Wu Jixue, who were sitting on the top, as well as the inexplicable Wu Liwei and Wu Chun, before replying:

"I've been there, it's indeed Wu Zheng. ”

Although he didn't want to believe that Wu Zheng was still alive, since he found the dead giant snake in the cave at the bottom of the pond in Water Snake Bay, and there was no sign of devouring Wu Zheng from the giant snake, Wu Youren still had doubts.

"Really?!"

Wu Jizong and Wu Jixue seem to have heard Wu Youren say it a long time ago, and they didn't show too much surprise. On the contrary, Wu Chun and Wu Liwei's eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's true, that is, on the twelfth day, I went to Xiangshuiwan to worship the festival, and when I came back, I took the time to go to the south of Houpo Village, behind Dabei Mountain, and saw Wu Zheng grazing cattle there. Because the family was busy, I thought that we would meet in two days, so I didn't tell my uncle immediately. ”

As long as he is not dealing with the affairs of the clan, or in front of outsiders, Wu Lishan is still used to calling Uncle Wu Youren.

all know that Wu Lishan is going to get married in October, and he has been busy renovating Wu Zheng's old house that was burned by fire recently, so Wu Youren did not urge him. Just now, I just thought about it for a moment and asked casually, I didn't expect Wu Lishan to take advantage of the festival to go to his fiancée's house to pay respects, and went to Houpo Village on the way.

After listening to Wu Lishan's words, everyone was silent for a while. On the contrary, Wu Chun suddenly took out a small stone piece from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of Wu Jizong and Wu Jixue.

"What is this?"

Wu Jizong saw the handwriting on the stone tablets at a glance, and when he picked it up, by the bright moonlight, he vaguely saw that it was the word "Ling", and suddenly stood up from his seat.

"Anything else?!"

Wu Chun took out two more pieces, and the handwriting on them was a word "potential" and a word "light".

"Where did you find it?!"

Wu Jizong's two eager inquiries made everyone feel the seriousness of the situation.

Because Wu Jizong has always been known for his calmness, no matter how terrifying things seem to others, he can always deal with them calmly. It's extremely rare to see such a gaffe tonight.

"It's in the ancestral grave, in the pit where the big stone falls. ”

As he spoke, he also looked at Wu Youren, who looked puzzled.

"Who else knows about this?"

Wu Chun was a little confused for a while, and he didn't know if Wu Jizong was asking about the fall of the big stone, or if there were stone chips with handwriting in the pit.

"I'm referring to the fact that these writings were found in the pit. ”

"And Wu Gang. ”

"Quick, let's go to the ancestral grave right away. ”

Without even asking Wu Chun how he and Wu Gang found out, Wu Jizong handed the three stone pieces in his hand to Wu Jixue, who had already stood up, turned around and walked towards the outside of the ancestral hall.

After walking a few steps, he stopped and instructed Wu Liwei and Wu Lishan:

"Go home at once, bring lanterns and tools, and don't alarm anyone. ”

He looked at Wu Chun again and said:

"Go and call Wu Gang too, don't leak a word to others, you all remember?"

Seeing that the three of them nodded one after another, they turned around and strode towards the ancestral tomb north of Wujiabao with Wu Jixue and Wu Youren. At this time, Wu Jizong didn't look like a person in his sixties or nearly seventy, and he changed the old appearance of the dragon clock that he usually left to everyone, and his steps became extremely steady and neat.

Wu Jizong took Wu Jixue and Wu Youren to the edge of the pit where the big stone fell in the ancestral tomb, circled around twice, and jumped down with his feet raised. Due to the heavy rain that fell several times after the beginning of autumn, the pit was already covered with mud. Wu Jizong couldn't even wait for Wu Liwei, who was going to get the tools, and the three arrived, so they pulled it up with their hands.

Obviously, Wu Jixue understood why Wu Jizong behaved so abnormally after seeing the handwriting on the three stone tablets, although he knew that Wu Youren's heart was full of doubts, and now was not the time to explain, as Wu Jizong jumped down, he also cleaned up the mud in the pit with his hands, as well as broken stones.

Wu Youren also had to jump down and be busy with his work, and soon Wu Liwei and Wu Lishan arrived with lanterns, shovels and pickaxes and other tools. Immediately, Wu Chun also led Wu Gang over.

Without orders, several young people hurriedly jumped down, replaced Wu Jizong, Wu Jixue and Wu Youren, and used the tools in their hands to clean up the mud and rubble in the pit.

"Be careful, as long as the stones try not to break again, they will all be concentrated here. ”

Wu Jizong instructed, and by the light of the lantern, he carefully identified the broken stones that had been cleaned up by the four people. As long as there are similar handwriting strokes, they are all gathered together.

In this way, Wu Chun, Wu Liwei, and Wu Lishan were in the pit, and Wu Jizong, Wu Jixue, and Wu Youren were selected outside the pit, and they stayed overnight.

After dawn, Wu Jizong immediately ordered:

"Wu Chun went back and led the disciples in the clan with good skills to come and guard, no one is allowed to approach this pothole, even if it is a disciple on duty, they can only stand outside the range of three zhang from the pothole. ”

After Wu Chun agreed to leave, Wu Jizong then instructed Wu Youren:

"The Huibaozi organized some married and illiterate women to clean the holes. You and Wu Liwei are in charge of guarding and will never allow anyone to steal a piece of stone with handwriting. ”

In the end, it was Wu Lishan's turn:

Wu Lishan led people to send the cleaned out stone chips with handwriting to the discussion room on the side of the ancestral hall. Don't peek, and don't steal. If they do so, they will be sunk in the pond no matter who they are. ”

Wu Lishan, who had never seen Wu Jizong speak in such a stern tone, was frightened into a cold sweat.