Sitting back on the bed, Jiang Zhan’s expression turned grave.
He hadn’t shown it in front of the elder and the young girl, but he had already sensed something was amiss.
From experience, his injuries should have mostly healed by now, with only some impact on his movements. Yet he now found himself unable to walk.
Had these people added something to his food and drink?
Despite this suspicion, Jiang Zhan was helpless and couldn’t afford to openly confront them.
Playing dumb at least gave him a chance. If he exposed their deception, they might use forceful means to confine him, leaving him with even less opportunity to escape.
Thinking this way, Jiang Zhan suddenly felt a bit of regret.
If he had known, he should have agreed to change caretakers.
That girl called A Hua had feelings for him. Perhaps he could have used his charms on her?
Jiang Zhan was greatly annoyed, resolving to request a change of caretaker at the next opportunity.
Elder Hua led Jiang Si out, pausing slightly as they passed A Lan: “A Lan, you come too.”
A Lan hesitated for a moment, then curtsied and followed behind Elder Hua.
Night had already enveloped the entire village. Few people were moving about outside, and the aroma of dinner wafting from each household grew stronger, making mouths water.
Jiang Si followed Elder Hua, moving further away from these domestic scents, finally stopping at a building.
They had arrived at the Grand Elder’s residence.
Elder Hua shook the copper bell hanging by the door. Soon, the door opened.
A middle-aged woman opened the door and bowed to Elder Hua.
Elder Hua nodded slightly, leading Jiang Si and A Lan inside.
The middle-aged woman seemed to have no curiosity at all. She lowered her eyes, closed the door tightly, and didn’t even glance at Jiang Si.
The courtyard was quiet. The moonlight, like frost, intertwined with the lamplight spilling from the house, illuminating the path forward.
Jiang Si stepped onto the stone stairs, feeling inexplicably nervous.
Her feelings towards the Grand Elder were complex. If she had to say, gratitude outweighed everything else.
In her previous life, it was that white-haired old woman who had given her a new identity and taught her many skills.
Although from her current perspective, letting her impersonate the holy maiden was a mutually beneficial arrangement for Wumiao, and the Grand Elder might have had other motives in teaching her, those days of patient instruction and close companionship were real.
There were only three steps, and Elder Hua had already gone in. Noticing Jiang Si’s hesitation, she turned back to look.
A Lan, following behind Elder Hua, also turned her head, her eyes containing a hint of criticism.
Was this the woman Elder Hua had found elsewhere to impersonate the holy maiden?
She didn’t look impressive at all. How could someone like this be fit to impersonate the holy maiden?
A Lan was full of disdain, but due to Elder Hua’s presence, she temporarily suppressed these thoughts.
Jiang Si came back to her senses and followed.
The room was filled with a strange, faint fragrance.
An aged voice came, “Has she arrived?”
Elder Hua quickly replied, “Yes, she has.”
The room fell silent for a moment, then the voice spoke again, “Bring her in.”
“Yes.” Elder Hua gestured for Jiang Si to follow and walked through the door hung with a colorful curtain.
The room was dimly lit. An elderly woman with silver hair sat cross-legged, her gaze calmly looking towards the door.
Elder Hua quickly stepped forward, moving aside to reveal Jiang Si: “Grand Elder, this is the lady.”
The Grand Elder’s gaze fell on Jiang Si.
Jiang Si bowed to the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder was slightly startled, her previously indifferent demeanor changing as she looked at Elder Hua.
The woman before her had Elder Hua’s granddaughter’s appearance but performed the Wumiao etiquette.
And this bow was perfectly executed.
Was this the woman who resembled A Sang that Elder Hua had found in the distant capital of Da Zhou?
Elder Hua suppressed her surprise and explained, “I told her some of our customs on the way.”
She had indeed mentioned to Jiang Si how to greet elders in Wumiao, but she hadn’t expected her to perform it so well.
“Remove the disguise from her face.”
Elder Hua nodded, taking out a jar of ointment from her bag. She applied some to a clean cloth and gradually removed Jiang Si’s disguise.
The Grand Elder stared intently at Jiang Si’s face, watching as the woman’s skin became increasingly fair and her features gradually changed.
“Turn up the lamp,” the Grand Elder suddenly said.
A Lan had been staring at Jiang Si without blinking and didn’t immediately realize the instruction was for her.
It was Elder Hua who called out, “A Lan, didn’t you hear the Grand Elder’s order?”
A Lan came to her senses, apologized, and hurried to brighten the lamp.
The room immediately became brighter.
By now, Jiang Si’s true face was finally revealed to everyone.
“Holy Maiden!” A Lan exclaimed excitedly, moving towards Jiang Si.
The Grand Elder was visibly shocked, her hands trembling slightly within her wide sleeves.
The resemblance was uncanny; this was exactly like A Sang!
No, except for a small red mole missing from her brow.
As the Grand Elder calmed down, she finally noticed the difference, but this discovery did not diminish her excitement.
The death of Holy Maiden A Sang hung like a sharp sword over the heads of all those who knew, not knowing when it would fall and throw Wumiao into chaos.
The Grand Elder had considered finding a woman with a similar build and face to A Sang and disguising her to fool everyone, but she hadn’t dared to implement it.
While such a woman might briefly fool the tribe members, she couldn’t deceive the eyes of the elders of her generation.
These elders had all studied the art of disguise, and one of them was even more proficient than herself.
Wumiao was not entirely united internally. If the elders discovered someone replacing A Sang to pacify the tribe, A Sang’s death would no longer be a secret.
At that point, chaos would surely ensue.
Heaven had shown mercy, sending a woman who looked almost identical to A Sang before her.
A Lan appeared even more excited than the Grand Elder.
A Lan rushed over and knelt before Jiang Si, covering her face and crying, “Holy Maiden, you…”
Elder Hua coughed forcefully, fearing A Lan might let something slip.
A Lan clutched at Jiang Si’s skirt, unwilling to let go.
Jiang Si moved her foot to the side, her voice cold, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
At this, the Grand Elder stood up abruptly, exclaiming, “Say that again!”
Even the voice was so similar. Could it be that A Sang had returned?
Jiang Si looked at the Grand Elder, her tone calm, “I am not the holy maiden. Miss A Lan has mistaken me for someone else.”
A Lan raised her head, murmuring, “But you look exactly like the holy maiden…”
“Even so, I am not the holy maiden. I am from Da Zhou,” Jiang Si said flatly.
A Lan opened her mouth, then turned to look at the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder, now too preoccupied to deal with a young girl, stared intently at Jiang Si and suddenly said, “Extend your left hand.”
Jiang Si calmly extended her hand.
The Grand Elder grasped her wrist, lifted her sleeve, and examined it carefully. With a mixture of disappointment and shock, she murmured, “To think there could be someone in this world so similar to A Sang.”
A Sang had a small red mark on the inside of her left elbow from birth, but the woman before her did not have it.
This was truly a blessing from the gods, sending another “holy maiden”!
The Grand Elder couldn’t help but glance at Elder Hua.