Foreboding Storm - Chapter 114

“It is really raining!”

“The sacrificial ritual wasn’t complete, yet it still rained!”

“Didn’t you hear what the female official said? Good deeds will beget good results. The heavens poured exactly at this moment when we all agreed to repent. They are pouring in acknowledgment of her words!”

“Does this mean that as long as we do good and righteous deeds, our efforts will be rewarded?”

“Exactly!”

Princess Qamari looked at the scene in shock.

This, she did not expect.

“Very well done. It will take a while for the villagers to completely discard their superstitious beliefs, but your efforts to make a change have not been in vain. At least now, with the heavens seemingly on your side, in the near future, no girl will be sacrificed to a water spirit in the Budh Village. The tale of the cold-blooded female official that beheaded a Village Head in broad daylight will be one to be remembered and told for ages.” Her confused eyes made Crown Prince Lail want to tease her.

“As long as the girls are not negatively impacted, I don’t really care what they call me.” She indifferently replied.

“Alright, settle down. After a year of drought, you got rain without sacrificing an innocent life. Remember this day, this moment, and this incident. Natural disasters occur not only in your region but in other parts of the realm as well. However, you don’t overcome it by snatching the life of another. You overcome it through perseverance, endurance, patience, and strong faith by trusting and believing that every hardship you face is only a trial to be overcome and with time, it will end.”

“The drought you faced this year was just another trial that you could have easily overcome with a little bit of patience and faith. Taking an innocent life was not necessary.” Princess Qamari sighed.

Thinking of the many innocent girls that were in the same situation as the girls in this village filled her heart with sadness. A precious life, so easily discarded.

But the saddest part of the issue was the fact that the parents of the girls probably kept silent and considered the act as a matter of great honor, not putting up the slightest protest to protect their daughters. In such a place and in such a situation, who could the weak and helpless girls turn to for help when their own had discarded them?

“We were wrong in our conduct. We know that now. In the future, us villagers will strive to do better.”

“Yes, officials. We know our wrong now. We will not repeat our previous actions.”

“Officials, the heavens have blessed us with rain on this faithful day. We will mark it as the rebirth of our Budh Village. Taking you and the heavens as witnesses, we will strive to perform good and righteous deeds.”

“Yes, we will do better!”

Joyous at the cooling shower of the bountiful heavens, the villagers, as if afraid that the heavens would not hear their vows, roared at the top of their lungs.

Under the roaring downpour, Princess Qamari fixed her gaze on the expressionless elder she had noticed the day before. The grey-haired elder did not speak a word, yet from his kind eyes and indifferent expression, she could sense that his morale was not as far gone as the rest of the elders.

“Elder Yu, you will be the new village head. See to it that no other incident such as the one yesterday takes place. Consider this opportunity as a second chance bestowed upon your Village by the heavens and treat your daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives well. In your male ego and blind arrogance, do not forget the fact that they complete your existence in ways more than one.”

“Yes, officials!”

“We will engrave your words to heart, officials!”

Clasping their hands together, the villagers of the Budh Village bowed respectfully to the two, gratitude and reverence shining in their eyes.

Mei Na and Sui Hua watched the two strangers with complicated eyes. In just one day, these two individuals that were passing by had completely changed the mindset of the stubborn elders of their village. Even when they beheaded the Village Head right before the villagers’ eyes, no one spoke a word of protest or dared to complain.

“Thanks to them, in the future, sacrificial rituals will no longer be practiced in our village.”

“Sister Mei Na, the heavens must truly love that white-robed official. Although I can’t see her face, from her voice, we can tell she must be very beautiful. Not only did they bless her with a good appearance and voice, but they also allowed her, a woman, to become an official and live a life completely different from our ignoble existence. Don’t the heavens love her?” Sui Hua’s voice was filled with a wistful desire as she gazed enviously at the woman.

“Moreover, the moment she said good deeds beget good results, the heavens started pouring and graced rain upon our Budh Village that has been suffering the severest drought in recent years. Her ruthless beheading of the Village Head, is it an act of good deed in the eyes of the heavens? Is that why they supported her?”

“It could be. After all, Ming Yue is only alive because of their sudden appearance. They could have chosen to ignore the affairs of the Budh Village and continued with their task, however, they took the time to announce the parchment from the Laining City, punished the Village Head, and brought an end to sacrificial ritual. This is a deed that saved and will save many lives.”

“Hmm…it is a good deed. But one that we could have performed as well if we were born in the Laining City and were raised in a good family. In the end, the heavens were still biased.” Her whisper was quiet, barely above the buzz of a mosquito’s wings, as she spoke the words to herself.

Because of this incident, the sixteen-year-old Sui Hua of the Budh Village was finally awakened to the world of dreams, and an ambitious desire to change her future and write her own fate took shape in her heart.

Under the fervent eyes of the numerous villagers, Crown Prince Lail and Princess Qamari disappeared from sight.

What they were unaware of was that because of this action of theirs, the Budh Village will become the head of the numerous small villages, as they preach about good deeds begetting good results, and perform righteous acts that garner them great fortune and good reputation.

On a hill, a mile from the Budh Village, Princess Qamari and Crown Prince Lail stood a few inches apart as they gazed into the distance. The two avoided eye other’s eyes and an awkward silence filled the air.

“Now that the matter of the Budh Village is settled and we recovered our elemental energy, there is no reason for us to remain in the region. This is where we part.” Princess Qamari coldly said as a sudden gust of wind swept her white-robes.

After the incident in the cave, she avoided speaking to the guy as much as she could and no longer wanted to be around him. Her strange behavior and comfortable interaction with him scared her.

Because when she talked to him, she forgot the fact that she was a married woman.

She saw a side of herself that she had never seen before. A side she never met or knew. This was a side of herself that she herself was unaware of.

“Hmmm…”

Crown Prince Lail felt the same. He enjoyed the company of the woman, so much that he felt uncomfortable in his heart. Even when he repeatedly reminded himself that he was married and reaffirmed his feelings for his wife, he still fell weak once he appeared before her.

All the barriers and shields around his mind and heart seemed to crumble as easily as sandcastles the moment he looked into her golden orbs.

And it was because of this, that he was certain that no one else could replace his wife.

The woman’s orbs, though golden, made him think of his wife. Her hair, though silver, appeared black in his vision. Even though he felt attracted to her, all of the attributes and emotions he perceived when he looked at her made him think of his wife and solidified her image in his heart.

‘Although our exchange was brief, our meetings short, Princess Qamari’s image is branded in my mind and heart in such a way that even if another woman entered my life, I can never completely belong to her. Because in her, I will always see my wife, Princess Qamari’s image.’

However…

“I am heading to the Bansi Village in search of a black shield. If you are heading the same way, we can go together. Who knows, we might need each other’s assistance.”

“The black shield? I am heading towards that village for the black shield as well. Okay, we can go together. However, I still don’t know your name.”

“My name…is Qaliq. What about yours?”

“I am Laila. Nice to meet you. Are you heading to the Bansi Village for the Magical Kilin?”

“Yes, I came with the apprentices from my academy, but we separated once we reached the City Lord’s Mansion. What about you?”

“I came with the apprentices from my academy as well.”

“Hmm…let’s hurry. We got a little delayed in the Budh Village. The others must have already gathered in the Bansi Village.”

….Even though his wife could not be replaced, he could not bear to part with the woman by his side so soon.