Behind the three tripods was placed a very small offering platform. On the platform, instead of the commonly seen bodhisattvas or earth deities, there was an oddly-shaped octagonal plate. The plate’s surface was greyish-yellow, the bottom was azure blue, and the interior was engraved with complex ancient characters. The eight corners opened outward in petal shapes, with each corner having a small bell attached, as if it were used to worship something.

“This plate is so strange, I’ve never seen such a plate before.” Yusang propped her chin and lay sprawled beside the table as she spoke.

“There are countless things you haven’t seen.” Yan Qige knocked away Yusang’s hand that was reaching for the plate, and casually pulled her to drag her out of the small hut.

“What, what are you doing? You’re tearing my clothes.” Yusang waved her arms to shake off Yan Qige’s hand, her face full of resentment.

“You’re a demon—just use some magic to mend them and they’ll be good as new. What are you making such a fuss about?” Yan Qige glanced at her, released his hand, turned around on his own, and was about to re-enter the thatched hut when Yusang immediately cried out again.

“Hey, hey, hey, I already made a bed inside, that’s where I’m sleeping tonight.”

“The hut can’t fit two people. You sleep outside—there’s so much grass here, just go make another bed outside.”

“Why should I? I made the bed in the hut first. Why don’t you sleep outside?”

“So noisy.”

“You think I’m noisy? You think I’m noisy? Come out here… come out…” Yusang reached out and grabbed Yan Qige’s sleeve, trying to pull him away from the doorway. But after tugging for a while, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

Behind her, there seemed to be a sinister wind blowing, as if someone was standing behind her. Looking at Yan Qige’s expression, it had also changed. Yusang’s heart tightened even more, her heart beating like a small drum. She slowly turned her head to the side and was immediately frightened into screaming.

“Ah, a ghost!” Yusang instinctively jumped up, quickly grabbing Yan Qige’s sleeve and crouching down to hide behind him.

Yan Qige stood in place with the composure of someone who wouldn’t change expression even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, calmly looking at the person who had scared Yusang into jumping around. Dressed in bright red robes, with long black hair hanging down from both shoulders, hiding most of her face on both sides, her pale face without the slightest trace of blood showing half-hidden among the disheveled hair, such a woman suddenly appearing behind them would naturally frighten anyone.

“I… I’m not dead?” the woman spoke, raising her hand to touch her arm, then reaching to test the temperature at her neck.

“Oh, so you’ve awakened.” Only then did Yusang suddenly understand—this wasn’t a ghost at all, but the bride they had rescued today. She had been unconscious the whole time, so they had placed her lying beside the fire pit, but they didn’t know when she had awakened and silently stood up.

“Young Master, was it you who saved me?” The woman wasn’t stupid. Although she was surprised when she woke up, she quickly guessed the general situation and inquired of Yan Qige, who was sitting across the fire pit.

Yan Qige moved to step forward, just about to answer the woman’s question, when he realized Yusang was still clutching his sleeve. He turned his head and gave her a look, saying, “You’re a demon, yet you’re still afraid of ghosts—how embarrassing.”

“I… I like it that way, mind your own business.” Yusang stubbornly retorted, releasing Yan Qige’s sleeve and turning her eyes away.

Yan Qige secretly laughed at her stubborn pride and paid her no more attention, instead turning to look at the woman across from them, saying, “My maidservant and I were passing through this area when we accidentally saw someone in the river, so we rescued you. It was merely a small effort.”

Hearing this, Yusang, who was facing away from Yan Qige, secretly called him a liar and twisted her head to glare at him sideways. Heaven knew how much effort she had put in to save her, yet from his mouth, it became something done in passing. Moreover, they had personally witnessed those villagers sending the bride into the river, then watched helplessly as she sank into the water—it was some kind of sacrifice, yet he was lying through his teeth pretending not to know. Also, most importantly, who was his maidservant? Who was his maidservant? His whole family were maidservants!

Facing Yusang’s soft-knife-like gaze, Yan Qige maintained a completely serene expression, his face gentle as he smiled and said, “Seeing the young lady’s attire, you should be a bride-to-be. I wonder how you came to fall into the river?”

Hearing this question, the woman immediately showed a sorrowful expression, slightly lowering her head and hesitating for a moment before saying, “I am the sacrificial bride selected and sent by the village. I didn’t accidentally fall into the river, but rather… I was to be married into the river, to become the wife of the River Lord, in exchange for Red Pearl Village’s favorable weather for a year.”

“River Lord?”

“Yes, he’s the water deity of the Hongzhu River. He can control the rise and fall of the river water, command the tides, and save Red Pearl Village from the disaster of river flooding.”

“I see…” Yan Qige nodded, then seemed to fall into deep thought. The expression between his brows made Yusang understand that he already had a plan in mind.

Yan Qige asked no more questions, and the woman began to carefully observe him. Seeing his handsome face illuminated by the firelight and his ethereal appearance in white robes, her pale face couldn’t help but show a slight blush. She said shyly and softly, “Young Master’s life-saving grace, Mingran will remember in her heart and never forget for eternity. May I ask how to address Young Master?”

“Miss, you may call me Yan Qi.”

“Mingran pays respects and thanks to Young Master Yan Qi for his great kindness.” The woman called Mingran curtsied to Yan Qige, appearing very gentle and demure. Even Yusang couldn’t help but feel her heart soften watching—truly a gentle beauty.

“You’re too kind. I wonder if Miss feels any discomfort now? Shall we escort you home?”

Upon hearing about going home, Mingran’s complexion, which had just improved slightly, immediately turned pale as paper again. She retreated half a step in terror, then knelt before Yan Qige, saying tearfully, “Young Master, I beg you not to send me away. I’m willing to stay by Young Master’s side as a slave or servant to repay Young Master’s life-saving grace. I only beg Young Master not to drive me away…”

Mingran had a slender figure with a soft waist and supple bones. Combined with her current pale, bloodless oval face, she was truly pitiful and beautiful like pear blossoms in the rain. Such a beauty kneeling before oneself would make any man in the world immediately weak in the bones and soft in the heart. Even Yusang was moved by her appearance and thought Yan Qige would surely sympathize with her greatly and agree to her request. But who would have thought that Yan Qige showed no reaction whatsoever, standing there without making a sound.

“Please, Young Master, please don’t send me away…” Since Yan Qige didn’t respond, Mingran cried even more pitifully, kowtowing to Yan Qige.

After a long while, Yan Qige still showed no reaction. Seeing Mingran still kneeling on the sandy ground with tears flowing, Yusang couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Regardless of Yan Qige’s expression, she stepped forward to pull Mingran’s arm and help her stand, saying, “Get up quickly. If you don’t want to go home, then don’t go. Anyway… anyway, we don’t have any urgent business. You can follow us first, and when you think of somewhere to go, you can leave then.”

Hearing this, Mingran grasped it like a lifeline, supporting herself on Yusang’s hand and was about to kneel to her again, saying gratefully, “Thank you, Sister. Sister truly has the heart of a bodhisattva…”