Chapter 109: Treating Superstition?

Princess Qamari silently observed the astonishment and fear on the villagers' faces.

For superstitious people like them, no amount of words would get through to them. Being vicious and ruthless was the only way to scare them out of their heinous acts.

"She...did she say that everyone here is going to be beheaded?"

"She did! We are going to get beheaded!"

"Village Head, that can't happen. I still have a family to feed and daughters to marry off. If I die, what will happen to my family?"

"That's right, that's right! We have a family to look after. How can we get beheaded for something we didn't even do? Look there, isn't Ming Yue still alive and well?"

"Village Head, say something!"

The villagers were in a panic now. The sudden sentence of death by beheading made them lose their composure as they cried and pleaded their innocence before Princess Qamari. Some even went as far as to pull on the Village Head's arm to make him plea on their behalf.

Elder Mu and Wu'er were thrown in turmoil as they desperately tried to calm the panicking crowd. On the other hand, Elder Yu only watched the scene with indifferent eyes.

He didn't care about himself. He only care about his family, which thankfully, had remained behind as they didn't have the heart to witness a young girl being sacrificed in the name of pacifying the water spirit.

Now, it worked out just fine. 

The village elders were finally going to get punished for their heinous act. An act that they had performed multiple times in the past with the excuse of doing it for the greater good.

Sui Hua stood stunned in the crowd, her mind ringing with the white-robed woman's words.

'Death by beheading...'

She hadn't even married yet and was already going to die for being present at the lakeside. Mei Na, in the same frightened state as her friend, tightened her hold on her arm as her body trembled uncontrollably.

"Sui Hua, we are going to be beheaded. Beheaded!" She cried anxiously.

The Village Head felt his ears ringing, both from the shock of the woman's words and the bawling crowd. He couldn't understand what was going on.

Obviously, it was their ritual that was disturbed, resulting in them having to face the wrath of the water spirit for its failure. They should be receiving the compensation or willing support of the two strangers to help them make up for the failure.

Instead, the words that came out of the woman's mouth completely deviated from the expected. Sacrificial ceremonies had been taking place in the Budh Village for years. The matter of banned ritual hadn't even reached their ears, so how could they believe such nonsense?

'That's right. This girl is probably trying to evade taking responsibility for ruining our ceremony. That's why she is cooking up this unfounded tale. Does she think I am that easy to fool? Hmph! I'll show her!'

Shrugging off the hands of the villagers around him, the Village Head stepped right in front of the crowd and fearlessly faced Princess Qamari.

"You think you can fool me with your lies? We have been practicing the sacrificial ritual for many years and in these years, not once have we ever heard of banned ritual. If you can't take responsibility for your actions, just say it so! Why do you need to scare us poor villagers?" He angrily roared.

"Scare? And you? Are you worthy?" Princess Qamari disdainfully snorted.

"If you're not trying to scare us, then why are you telling such lies? Banned, you say? I want to see the parchment banning the ritual!" Seeing her only snorting and not saying anything else, the Village Head was convinced that the girl was only putting on a show. 

As such, he fearlessly pushed on.

'Hmph! Since you didn't want face, then you can't blame me for being ruthless!'

Princess Qamari looked at the smug expression on the Village Head's face, her disgust and revulsion increasing even further. It was people such as this that caused the downfall of morals and good conduct.

Even in the face of official authority, they failed to repent and seek forgiveness for their sins. In their minds, they committed no wrong and hence, deserved no punishment. 

Such people were the type she despised the most.

Crown Prince Lail sensed a cold aura exuding from the figure beside him, freezing his heart. As his gaze fell on the smug expression of the Village Head, he couldn't help but pity the ignorant man.

He didn't know the woman, but that one night of slaughter was enough for him to guess her character.

Meticulous and ruthless.

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If she dared to bring up a topic of banned ritual practice, then there was no doubt that she had evidence to back up her claim.

And just as he expected, he saw her withdraw a thin parchment from her sleeve.

"Village Head, I am glad that you requested to see the parchment. This way, when you die for your crimes, your fellow villagers will not think that we killed you under false claims. Effective last year, this is the parchment banning sacrificial rituals in the entire East Minions Faction."

Princess Qamari flapped her hands, her white robes creating a gush of wind, as the parchment unfurled before the stunned eyes of the Village Head.

"Look, look. Look very carefully and see clearly what is written on there. Any practice of sacrificial ritual will warrant an immediate death by beheading. All accomplices in the act will receive punishments of equal status. Now, do you still believe that I am only spewing lies?"

Her sharp eyes and icy tone caused him to instinctively drawback and stumble to the ground.

The nearby villagers were too focused on trying to decipher the words written on the parchment to pay him any attention, leaving him lying pathetically on the floor as they chatted over him.

"Elder Mu, quick, read the parchment for us. Is sacrificial ritual truly banned?"

"Are we all going to get beheaded for taking part in it?"

"Is the notice really dated last year? How come we haven't heard anything about it?"

"Is that important right now? If what the woman said is really true, then it's the end for all of us!"

"Elder Mu, quickly tell us!"

Elder Mu, the only scholar in the entire Budh Village, sweated in nervous thrill as he tried to concentrate on reading the parchment under the heated pressure of the anxious villagers.

"It's true! It's true! The parchment clearly says that any village that is found practicing the ritual of sacrificing a maiden will be brought under the close observation of the Laining City's City Lord. And any individual that carries out such ritual, along with their accomplices, will immediately be sentenced to death by beheading!"

The moment his words dropped, howls of grief and cries of regret rang out as the villagers fearfully huddled together.

The threat of death frightened everyone. Even the Village Head and elders that strongly advocated the sacrifice of an innocent girl in the hope of pleasing the water spirit, trembled in fear.

Before, it was only Ming Yue that was afraid. As they were not in her place, most of the female villagers laughed in happiness on finally ridding themselves of their strongest opponent. While on the other hand, the other villagers only glanced pitifully at her, labeling her 'a beauty with a short life'.

Now that it was their turn, the previously smug and complacent expressions were replaced with fear and dread as they nervously looked at the two strangers.

"Why do we have to die? We didn't do anything! We weren't even aware of the elders' plan to sacrifice sister Ming Yue until later in the day." Mei Na, no longer able to remain calm, rushed forward and shrieked.

"Yes, yes! We didn't do anything! It is the Village Head and elders' fault! They are the ones that suggested holding a sacrificial ceremony to please the water spirit!"

"It is their fault! We had no hand in this entire matter!"

Seeing the light, one after the other, the villagers stepped forward and declared their innocence. Their flustered appearances and pleading eyes resemblance of a wronged party.

"The Village Head is the greatest culprit. He is the one that should be beheaded. We were forced into accepting his decision since he is the head of the village. We had no hand in this." Elder Yu stepped up and declared with clasped fists.

"You...!"

The Village Head saw red, his pointed finger trembled from the unbearable anger in his chest, as he stared at Elder Yu in disbelief. But before he could even say another word, the rest of the elders followed up and declared their innocence, completely disassociating themselves from him.

The severe blow made blood rush to his head, and finding no outlet to vent the boiling rage, the Village Head puked blood and fainted.

Princess Qamari watched the entire exchange with indifferent eyes, without a trace of pity or remorse for the abhorrent man.

He was right in suspecting her claim. There was no such law passed in the Laining City and neither did such a banning ritual parchment exist. 

However, with the use of her magic, Princess Qamari instantly conjured words on a blank parchment she carried in her pouch of herbs. She had brought it with the intention of recording new plants and medicinal remedies, but it had come in handy for a greater good.

Now, even if the superstitious belief of the villagers was not cleared, the fear of punishment from the Laining City will keep them in check. 

"Before their fear fades away, the drought will probably come to an end. But just in case, we should stay for a few more days to ensure nothing else happens.." The soft words entered Crown Prince Lail's ears, and he smiled.

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