Jiang Si took a sip of wine and placed the cup back on the table. No more fireworks appeared, indicating that her second brother had indeed been rescued.
From the beginning, Jiang Si hadn’t placed all her hopes on the trustworthiness of the Grand Elder and Elder Hua. It was better to rely on oneself than on others. As long as her second brother was not in the hands of the Wu Miao, she could turn the tables and act without restraint.
Having shed her burden, Jiang Si grew increasingly composed.
Finally, as the open-air banquet ended, two Wu Miao elders escorted the members of other tribes to the village gate, while the remaining elders gathered together, their expressions animated.
Outside, the tribespeople’s singing and dancing continued unabated, their hearts seemingly dancing with joy.
The Grand Elder, rarely seeing everyone so jubilant, wore a smile on her lips.
Suddenly, the long-faced Elder An bowed deeply to the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder asked coolly, “Elder An, what are you doing?”
Elder An, looking ashamed, said, “I’ve misunderstood the Grand Elder all along. Please forgive me, and may the Holy Maiden forgive me as well.”
The Grand Elder nodded with dignity, “There’s no need for this, Elder An. You were also considering Wu Miao’s interests. Though our views have differed over the years, our hearts have been in the same place for the Wu Miao.”
As the Grand Elder spoke these words, she inwardly let out a soft sigh. Over the years, significant conflicts had arisen between her and some of the elders, with Elder An at the forefront.
A-Sang had been the least talented among all the Holy Maidens, mastering only a fraction of the insect control techniques during her lifetime, followed by a long period of seclusion.
Elder An had formed a bold idea: she believed that A-Sang was not the destined Holy Maiden at all, and blamed the Grand Elder for hastily selecting a Holy Maiden to appease the tribe, effectively leaving the Wu Miao without a successor.
This notion was naturally rejected at first, but as time passed and A-Sang remained unseen, more elders began to support this view.
Of course, these controversies were limited to the first and second generations of elders; ordinary tribespeople were unaware of the underlying currents.
Now, having witnessed “A-Sang’s” display of power at the New Fire Festival, Elder An had finally bowed her head.
The Grand Elder, while reflective, felt little pride. She even felt somewhat bewildered: Was Elder An truly mistaken? A-Sang was dead, and the one who truly mastered the insect control techniques was indeed not the Holy Maiden she had personally chosen years ago!
Glancing at Jiang Si’s serene expression, the Grand Elder made a silent resolution: No matter the cost, she must keep her here!
To save Wu Miao from extinction, it would be worth it even if she and Elder Hua had to endure the agony of a thousand snakes gnawing at their hearts for breaking their oath.
She was already old, and the Wu Miao couldn’t be without a Holy Maiden.
“Everyone may leave now,” the Grand Elder spoke, having made her decision.
The elders bowed in unison, preparing to withdraw.
“A-Sang, Elder Hua, please stay.”
Soon, only three people remained in the room.
The Grand Elder looked at Jiang Si, “A-Sang—”
Jiang Si waved her hand, smiling slightly, “Grand Elder, I’ve completed my task. Can I now leave with my brother?”
She wanted to confirm whether her second brother was still here.
The Grand Elder forced a smile, “You’ve only just made your appearance today. The tribe’s joy hasn’t subsided yet. It’s too hasty to leave now—”
Jiang Si frowned, “What do you mean by this, Grand Elder?”
She had already discerned the Grand Elder’s intention, feeling disappointed yet unsurprised. Compared to the survival of an entire tribe, a promise to a mere woman like her indeed counted for little.
Elder Hua hurriedly explained, “The Grand Elder means to wait a few more days until the tribespeople no longer feel anxious about the Holy Maiden’s presence. Moreover, your brother is injured and needs more time to recover—”
Jiang Si let out a light laugh, interrupting Elder Hua, “At least let me see my brother before discussing anything else.”
Elder Hua couldn’t help but look towards the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly, “Elder Hua, take A-Sang to see the young master.”
Elder Hua nodded in understanding. Since she was called A-Sang, there was no need to disguise herself as A-Hua. They could just take a quick look from outside and leave quietly.
“Please follow me.”
Jiang Si bowed slightly to the Grand Elder and followed Elder Hua to where Jiang Zhan was being kept.
As they walked deeper into the village, they encountered fewer and fewer people. The tribespeople were still celebrating and wouldn’t disperse until nightfall.
Upon arriving, the two pushed open the door. The courtyard was quiet, with no guards in sight.
Jiang Si understood the Wu Miao people’s confidence. The entire village was planted with poisonous flora, and countless venomous insects lay in wait. These were the true barriers, and they were confident that outsiders would find it impossible to move freely once inside.
“The young master hasn’t fully recovered. You should wait a few more days before—” Elder Hua’s words suddenly caught in her throat as she stared in disbelief at the empty room.
After a moment, Elder Hua came to her senses, rushed in to search around, and then stared at the bowl of millet rice, muttering, “Where is he?”
Jiang Si secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Since her second brother wasn’t here and red fireworks had been seen in the sky, it seemed he was now with Long Dan and the others.
She kept her face impassive and asked sternly, “Where is my second brother?”
Elder Hua looked at Jiang Si in bewilderment.
Jiang Si’s expression grew colder, “So Elder Hua had already planned to break her promise and has hastily hidden my brother away.”
Elder Hua’s expression changed slightly, “That’s not true. We haven’t hidden your brother. Please wait a moment, Princess. I’ll ask around immediately.”
Although she had intended to break her promise, she hadn’t had the chance yet. How could the person have disappeared?
“I want to see the Grand Elder,” Jiang Si said coldly.
Given this turn of events, Elder Hua naturally needed to report to the Grand Elder and immediately led Jiang Si back.
After hearing Elder Hua’s report, the Grand Elder’s expression turned cold, “The person is gone?”
Elder Hua nodded, “The vegetables were eaten, but the millet rice remains.”
Even if he hadn’t eaten, with all the poisonous plants and insects around, how did that young master leave?
“I’ll go ask A-Hua.”
For a moment, only the Grand Elder and Jiang Si remained in the room.
“Grand Elder, where exactly have you hidden my brother?” Jiang Si asked.
The Grand Elder slightly furrowed her brow, “Please be patient. This is just an accident—”
Jiang Si responded with a cold laugh and remained silent.
Soon after, Elder Hua hurried back, “I’ve asked A-Hua. She said everything was normal when she brought food to the young master. A few days ago, the young master seemed to have plans to leave. A-Hua found traces of crawling in the courtyard, but those traces led back inside…”
Elder Hua glanced at Jiang Si and coughed lightly, “It seems the young master realized he couldn’t leave and crawled back.”
Jiang Si’s mouth twitched, and she was at a loss for words. Could her dear second brother not be a bit more capable than silently crawling back after failing to escape?
The Grand Elder was also puzzled, “If the young master tried once and failed, logically, he wouldn’t attempt it again in vain—”
She couldn’t help but look at Jiang Si.
Jiang Si maintained a stern face and said coldly, “My brother disappeared from here. If the Grand Elder cannot produce him, then I won’t leave!”