Chapter 352: 345 Tang Wenhаn's Status Skyrockets_1
As long as one’s intentions are just, learning Gu techniques does not mean one will go about killing the innocent at will.
To prevent this Mother Gu from escaping, the best method would be to capture it. However, Qin Niu did not possess the Gu Control Technique and had no way to confine it.
Now, the only method to deal with the Gu was to have Termite enforce spiritual control over it.
Or to simply kill it outright.
Qin Niu was considering whether to find another insect to devour this Mother Gu.
The next candidate would undoubtedly be the Green Silk Worm.
Having now evolved into a Mother Worm, its level was already high, and its capabilities were very akin to that of the Gu.
Having the Green Silk Worm consume the Gu would likely be of great benefit to it.
But in his actions, he always preferred to maximize benefits.
He wanted to use the Mother Gu to capture the escaped Offspring Gu and also to locate the puppeteer behind the scenes.
There, He Saixiang’s mother and relatives were still wailing.
The villagers from Daoyuan Village gradually came over to help with the funeral arrangements.
“Tang Wenhаn, brother, we need your steady hand to help the He Family with the funeral!”
“Tang Wenhаn, give the orders! At least first help the He Family to place their daughter in the coffin so she isn’t just lying here!”
The villagers discussed among themselves.
In the countryside, it is customary for villagers to spontaneously come to aid with funerals.
He Saixiang, not yet twenty years old and in the prime of her youth, had died, making her an ‘untimely spirit.’
It is commonly believed among the folk that those who die abnormal deaths or who pass away below the age of forty carry heavy malefic energy, and are likely to turn into malevolent ghosts that bring harm to the living.
Interment in a coffin as soon as possible, followed by a burial and a conducted spell, is considered the best way to deal with it.
This can also prevent the spirit of the deceased from lingering and causing harm to others.
“Isn’t it inappropriate for me to take charge of this? Wouldn’t it be better to have the village head coordinate and arrange everyone?”
Tang Wenhаn sneaked a glance towards Qin Niu.
Some gain their status through their children’s achievements.
Because Tang Caixian married Qin Niu, Tang Wenhаn became Qin Niu’s father-in-law. By virtue of this relationship, his status soared to become one of the most revered in Daoyuan Village.
The only other person who might compare to him was probably Tang Yan.
Personnel arrangements for funeral affairs are typically orchestrated by the village head or other respected individuals within the village. The chief organizer is usually appointed by the bereaved family and is often someone they trust.
Other tasks such as washing vegetables, cutting them, managing the stove, digging graves, lighting firecrackers, handling the storage room, picking up dishes, and serving food, are arranged by the village head.
Organizing a funeral requires the help of at least forty to fifty people.
Just the bearers of the coffin need to be more than sixteen strong men.
Such personnel arrangements are usually commanded by the village head.
Yet now, there had been a quiet shift in the winds.
Those who wished to curry favor with the influential naturally pushed Tang Wenhаn to the forefront, urging him to take command.
“Tang Wenhаn, brother, don’t shirk this task. In our village, only you and the venerable Tang Yan have the most esteemed status. It’s perfectly appropriate for you to take charge,” one said.
The village head of Daoyuan Village knew how to play his cards, and on the spot, very tactfully ceded his authority.
“Uncle Wenhаn, don’t hesitate. Just tell me what to do. Surely we can’t let He Sai Yue’s body just lie in the backyard?”
“Alright, alright! Tang Xiong, go prepare the incense sticks, paper money, and gongs…”
Tang Wenhаn relented, albeit reluctantly.
For worldly folks, power, wealth, and beauty are the three things they find hardest to refuse.
Tang Wenhаn was not an old man, and like any ordinary man, he too had his vanities.
Especially within the village, among kin and clansmen, now that he had become one of the two most distinguished figures in the village, his vanity was immensely satisfied.
As for Qin Niu, he had not the slightest interest in these worldly displays of power.
Helping his father-in-law’s family to become stronger, even the entire Tang Family Clan to become stronger, that was something he was happy to see.
His gaze fell again on the blood fog on the inner wall at the bottom of the well.
It seemed to have become a lot more active, constantly changing.
One could faintly discern its true form, and astonishingly, it was another Blood Spider. Its size was much smaller than the child spiders’, which was quite surprising.
Usually, the female spiders are larger than the male spiders.
This results in each courtship being extremely dangerous for the male spiders, as they might accidentally get killed by the females.
The notorious Black Widow is an expert at killing its ‘husband’.
In the hearts of most spiders, there has never been a concept of ‘husband and wife’.
All they care about is reproducing a superior next generation.
The movement of this maternal Gu was a good sign.
It meant that it was either planning to escape or was releasing some sort of signal, trying to summon the child Gu over.
He waited patiently.
However, the presence of many people in the backyard might startle the child Gu, causing it not to dare show up or even attack them.
Neither situation was good.
“Father-in-law, do you think it’s possible to move the body to the front hall first? Let’s try to keep people out of the backyard as much as possible. He Saixiang died a wrongful death, her spirit is heavy with malevolence, and this well is the place of her extreme misfortune. Whoever she latches onto might become a scapegoat.”
Qin Niu didn’t believe in these ghostly talks in his heart.
But now, using the three words ‘scapegoat’ was sure to drive all the villagers away efficiently.
“Master Qin makes a lot of sense. Please help move my daughter’s body to the front hall. I have prepared a wooden coffin for myself, which will now have to be used for my daughter first.”
He Saixiang’s mother was a woman who feared death.
Hearing Qin Niu say her daughter might look for a scapegoat, she turned pale with fright.
Such heartlessness.
Her husband had passed away early, and now that her daughter was dead, she cried sorrowfully, but from some of her actions, it seemed she didn’t care about her daughter’s death as much as one might expect.
On the contrary, she cared more about her own life.
“You two, carry the body to the front hall.”
Tang Wenhan assigned two men.
One was around fifty years old, the other in his thirties.
“Uncle Wenhan, carrying a corpse is extremely unlucky. Especially one that died young like this—it’s even more unlucky. I can’t do this job, you’ll have to find someone else!”
The man in his thirties refused to carry the corpse.
“To carry such a corpse, it’s usually customary to give some lucky money to offset the bad luck.”
The fifty-year-old man was much more smooth-talking.
With the promise of a reward, carrying a corpse wasn’t really something that many people would be afraid of.
“Mrs. He, if you don’t offer some lucky money, nobody will be willing to carry it!”
“I will definitely thank you later, just help move it for now!”
She pleaded while wiping away her tears.
This woman was indeed stingy to the core.
Even with the talk going this far, she still couldn’t bear to part with that lucky money.
“Fine, I think it’s cheapest for Mrs. Mo herself to move the corpse. After all, she is He Saixiang’s mother; surely, Saixiang wouldn’t harm her own mother, right?”
Expecting not to spend a penny and have the villagers carry her daughter’s corpse, how could that be possible?
Everyone was just giving her face, thinking she was pitiable because her daughter had died, which is why they were willing to help out of their own accord.
“Here, I’ll give the money, all right? Ten Wen Money per person who carries the body.”
The moment she heard she might have to move the body herself, she was so scared she almost wet herself, and immediately agreed to pay.
And the amount she offered was not low.