Chapter 89: Wu Family

After a silent deliberation, Li Huowang nodded. "Go ahead, old man, what are the rules?"

"First," the goat-bearded village chief raised his index finger, "in our Wujia Village, you're not allowed to talk back to older people, especially not to me."

"Just that rule?" Not only Li Huowang but everyone else was taken aback.

They had expected something strange and unusual, but it turned out to be so ordinary.

"Isn't that a family rule? Are you really going to use your family rules to restrict outsiders?"

Li Huowang nudged Gouwa next to him with his hand and said to the village chief, "Please continue, we're listening."

"Second, our village is close to the forest, and living creatures often emerge from it. Whether they're mice or night owls, you mustn't hit or step on them. If you encounter them on the road, you must give way first, as they once showed kindness to our Wu family."

"Third, since you are outsiders, no men are allowed to speak to the women of our village. This rule didn't exist in previous years, but a few years ago, a peddler abducted two wives from here! Oh, just thinking about that peddler makes me furious..."

As the village chief rambled on, Li Huowang and his companions gradually learned about the various rules of Wujia Village; even trivial matters like not relieving oneself anywhere were mentioned.

"Shallow waters breed many turtles. This dilapidated village has quite a few strange rules. Perhaps we shouldn't stay here."

"Shush, just listen quietly."

At this point, the village chief's list of rules was nearing its end. "The eleventh rule is not to light lamps at night and not to go out at night. And the final rule is, no matter when, always wait for someone to turn around before speaking to them. Never speak to someone with your back to them."

Hearing this, Li Huowang's brows furrowed slightly. The last two rules made him feel uneasy.

"What if I break these rules? What will happen?"

"Break the rules?!" The village chief's eyes widened instantly, and he said with full conviction, "A fine! One tael for the first offense, and another fine for repeated offenses! We'll keep fining you until you don't dare! Don't think we're singling you outsiders out; our own villagers are treated the same."

Li Huowang suddenly had a misconception, wondering if he had misunderstood something.

Feeling someone tug his hem, Li Huowang nodded to the goat-bearded elder in front of him. "Don't worry, old man, we are all reasonable people."

"Good, good. Otherwise, seeing that you have two children with you, I wouldn't have bothered explaining all this. I'm old, and I can't stand to see children suffer."

With that, he turned and walked into the compound. Two horse-drawn carriages had stopped in the courtyard, and Li Huowang and his group carried their bedding into the slightly musty west wing.

By the time they finished cleaning and organizing, the sun had already begun to set.

Once everything was settled, the village chief entered again, smiling as he said, "So, young folks, will you be eating dinner here? If so, I'll ask the children's mother to cook extra."

"Dinner?" Li Huowang's heart tightened. Other people's meals weren't always so easily eaten.

After a moment's thought, Li Huowang nodded and said, "Then we'll trouble you, old man."

Watching the old man leave with his hands behind his back, Li Huowang signaled to Xiaoman. "Go to the kitchen and help the hostess."

"Okay." Xiaoman nodded and left.

The village chief's family was large, with six sons, two daughters, and grandchildren, making for a lively group of dozens during mealtime.

This was also why he dared to accommodate Li Huowang and his companions; in the village, no one dared to provoke a family with many sons.

Despite living in a three-courtyard house, the Wu family's meals consisted of unsatisfying double-steamed rice and vegetables grown in their own fields, seeming quite frugal.

Moreover, when Li Huowang emerged, they had already started eating. There was no sign of hosts waiting for guests, and many dishes were already empty.

"The rice is there; serve yourselves. Country folk don't have so many rules for eating."

Li Huowang shook his head dismissively. "No trouble at all, no trouble."

He led his people towards the steamer in the corner, but silently began counting in his mind.

Just as he reached ten in his count, the clatter of breaking bowls erupted behind him.

When he turned around, he saw dozens of people, including the village chief, all sprawled on the ground, fast asleep.

"Heh, that peddler's sleeping powder was really effective. You get what you pay for."

Regardless of whether these people were controlled by the malevolent spirit named "Eighteenth of Twelfth Month" and planning to trap him, Li Huowang had no intention of distinguishing. It was always best to strike first; there was no way he could go wrong.

As Li Huowang gestured, the others quickly rushed towards the east wing, where the main family lived, and began searching for clues.

"First, look for writings, then other unusual items. The stranger they are, the more attention you should pay, like amulets or altars. I want to see what trick they're up to!" Li Huowang told the others.

They searched high and low, turning the entire three-courtyard house upside down, but still found nothing. There was nothing unusual.

"How can there be nothing?" Li Huowang stood in the main hall, his brow furrowed as he pondered these questions.

After a day of searching, they had found nothing except for a slight abnormality in the forest outside the village chief's house.

"Was the Eighteenth of Twelfth Month in the forest just now? No, I just checked; the village is surrounded by bamboo groves. If the Eighteenth of Twelfth Month is hiding anywhere, it must be here."

"Does finding their silver count?" Gouwa asked, holding some broken silver in his hands.

Seeing Li Huowang's gaze, Gouwa sighed helplessly and dejectedly carried the silver back.

Glancing at the darkening sky outside, Li Huowang spoke again, "Go get the fire steel and light the fires."

"Brother Li, aren't we not allowed to light fires?" Bai Lingmiao asked, puzzled.

Hearing this, Li Huowang narrowed his eyes, his right hand touching the row of torture tools at his waist.

"I just want to see what happens if we do light them."

If there were any other suspicious points about this village, it was the rules spoken by the goat-bearded man.

*Whoosh* The candles and lanterns they had found earlier were quickly lit, illuminating the entire Wu family compound.

Li Huowang sat quietly in the hall, filled with unconscious people, as the sky grew darker and darker.

There was no moon tonight; the sky was as dark as if covered by a vast black cloth.

Yet, that was all. Darkness came, but nothing else happened.

"Haaah~" Gouwa yawned, leaned against a pillar, and began to doze off.

The others, as if infected, also started yawning.

Looking at the unconscious Wu family members on the ground, a hint of doubt arose in Li Huowang's mind. "Did I really come to the wrong place?"

Just as he thought this, a mischievous giggle echoed from the courtyard wall. "Hehe, you broke the rules."