Chapter 527: Saving People (Part 2)

"Come on, come on, have a drink."

"May you have a son soon! May you have a son soon!"

From far away, you could hear the sound of suonas playing for the wedding. In the countryside, on the day of the main feast, the music would play from morning till night, with only short breaks in between.

The suona music, combined with the bustling atmosphere of people coming and going, truly set the festive mood for the wedding.

Playing the suona was a skilled craft. Professionals were hired for it, a tradition passed down through generations.

When the masters were invited, they would be seated in the main hall. Tea, wine, and snacks were prepared for them, and they were served the finest food.

The masters, in turn, put their all into it, typically playing with exceptional vigor.

It had been a long time since Su Li had heard the sound of a suona. Listening to the music and the cheerful laughter, she stood with the others, steadying her breath as they discussed what to do next.

"All the villagers are gathered here. Should we take this chance to search the place while they’re not looking?"

The team captain, an old acquaintance and a man of action, asked in a low voice.

As he asked, his eyes were on Little Tang Mo.

In other words, he was asking for Little Tang Mo’s opinion. Although the captain was nominally in charge of this operation they had initiated, he was accustomed to taking his cues from Little Tang Mo.

The chief captain had mentioned that Su Li contacted him with her suspicions, but neither the chief captain nor the team captain ever considered that Su Li had figured it out on her own. They all credited Little Tang Mo for the breakthrough.

’Little Tang Mo must have discovered something again.’ This belief cemented their cooperation. They were beyond just convinced; regardless of what previous investigations had shown, their faith in Little Tang Mo was absolute.

Su Li was unaware of their train of thought and had always been incredibly grateful for their help.

Now, as the captain looked at Little Tang Mo, Little Tang Mo turned to look at Su Li.

Su Li slowly shook her head. "No. They keep dogs here. If we enter someone’s house, the dogs will definitely attack us. A few barks and we’ll draw the attention of the entire village."

Su Li vaguely recalled the woman who had escaped saying that her repeated attempts failed because nearly every household in the village owned a dog.

And they weren’t keeping pets; they were guard dogs. These dogs were fierce. When the men were out working, the dogs guarded the homes.

A "bought wife" who managed to escape couldn’t outrun the dogs’ pursuit. That woman had been bitten before.

"But we didn’t hear any dogs barking on our way in. And shouldn’t the dogs all be here at the party?"

The captain frowned.

"We can’t risk tipping our hand. If we spook them, the person we’re looking for might be moved before we can find them."

Su Li glanced at the sky. "The sun is about to set, so we don’t have much time. Besides, if we act rashly, our cover as town officials will be useless."

More importantly, Su Li was worried about everyone’s safety.

In a place so isolated from the outside world, there was no telling what these people might do.

"So what’s your plan?"

The captain’s frown deepened.

"Let’s go to the village chief’s house first. We shouldn’t make any rash moves yet," Su Li said after a moment’s thought.

After Wu Sheng agreed to the plan, the group walked a little further. Before they even reached the main gate, several dogs darted out and started barking.

It went quiet inside for a moment, then a crowd of people immediately came out.

Upon seeing the group of strangers, their eyes filled with wariness, but their faces broke into simple, honest smiles.

The captain hurried forward to greet them. "Celebrating a wedding, I see! Congratulations, congratulations! We’re from the town office, here to survey the land and update the household registry."

Hearing they were from the town, the crowd relaxed slightly and quickly called for the village chief.

The captain didn’t wait for the chief to appear. As soon as the villagers shooed the dogs away, he headed straight into the chief’s property.

The village chief’s house was, without a doubt, the best in the entire village. It was a tile-roofed house that had been renovated, its surrounding walls coated in white lime.

Unlike the other houses in the village—some of which were also tile-roofed, but most of which were just standalone buildings without any surrounding walls or gates.

Just as the group stepped through the main gate, the village chief came out to greet them.

"Aiya, aiya, honored guests!"

The village chief was a middle-aged man with dark skin and a receding hairline. He enthusiastically grabbed the captain’s hand.

The moment they entered, Su Li and the others quickly scanned the scene inside.

As nice as the chief’s house was, he couldn’t afford a concrete yard. In the somewhat bumpy and uneven courtyard, several knee-high square tables were set up.

The tables were packed with people, each one laden with eight large serving dishes. With eight people to a table, the feast was in full, lively swing.

A single glance revealed chaos and poverty.

Yes, poverty.

Even though they were guests at a wedding and had worn their best clothes, the overall impression was a sea of drab, dusty gray. Brightly colored fabrics were a rare sight.

Many people wore clothes covered in patches, which were, at best, a little cleaner than usual.

Everywhere they looked, they saw faces with wheat-colored or dark skin, weathered by the sun and wind. The children were mostly sallow and gaunt.

They were so thin their heads looked disproportionately large.

Amidst this drab crowd, the bride in the main hall—clad in a bright red wedding dress with a red veil still covering her head as she was being supported by others—was incredibly conspicuous.

Su Li’s eyes swept over the scene. Seeing that the bride seemed to be being led back inside, she let out a soft "Huh?"

"Oh, that’s the bride."

The village chief’s expression flickered. Annoyance flashed in his eyes, seeing he was a step too late in getting the bride back to the bridal chamber, but he just laughed out loud.

"Yes, yes, that’s her."

He gestured for everyone to come in. "Today is truly a joyous occasion. My son is getting married, and for esteemed people like you to be here for it... you must stay for the banquet."

He beckoned over a young man standing in the crowd. The man wasn’t wearing red, but he had a large red flower pinned to his chest.

The young man’s clothes were brand new; the creases from being folded were still visible.

Su Li didn’t look at the groom. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the bride, who had suddenly begun to struggle violently—or rather, had suddenly started moving.

The bride had been completely still before, but ever since Su Li had spoken up, she began shaking her head frantically, as if trying to break free.

’This is it,’ Su Li thought, interrupting the village chief.

"Village Chief, may I see the bride?"

The chief had also seen the bride’s movements. His eyes flashed with a harsh glare at the two women supporting her, but he spoke in a pleasant tone.

"Oh, I’m afraid not, young lady. I know you’re curious seeing the bride, but it’s our custom here that the bride cannot see strangers on her wedding day."

The village chief chuckled dryly. "See, she’s still wearing her veil. Only my son can lift that. After tonight, once she makes her formal visit back to her family, then she can meet strangers..."

Watching the bride being practically dragged away, Su Li scoffed internally.

Listening to the chief’s explanation, a suspicion began to form in her mind. She exchanged a look with the captain and cut the chief off again.

"Village Chief, doesn’t the bride here have to make a toast to the guests?"

"No, no. Toasting is for us men."

After another dry chuckle, the village chief once again urged them to come inside.

"You must be hungry after your long journey. Come, have a seat."

The moment the words left his mouth, Su Li strode purposefully toward the bride. "I want to see the bride’s dress."

The faces of the village chief and his son changed instantly.