Setting Taboos, No Mentioning Names

Li Qingxian looked at Ye Han, whose face was slightly pale, as if he had caught a cold.

"Then let's go to the public housing," Wu Jingtian.

"Lord Night Guard, please follow me," Wang Laoshi said as he walked. "Tonight we are going to worship the Goddess of Birth, so I have prepared a lot of food, which will be delivered to the communal house soon. Our Fangyuan Village is located in a remote area, so we don't have anything fancy. It's just some home-cooked dishes, please don't mind, gentlemen."

Han Anbo said, "Since it's food for offerings, we can't just eat it casually."

Some of the Night Guard looked at Han Anbo with displeasure. Liu Xiang, who had urinated in the river earlier, was wearing a white embroidered official robe of Principal Tenth Rank official. He glared at Han with his light brown eyes and said, "Brother Han, is it really necessary? We've been gone for days, can't we even have a hot meal? It's the same whether you feed a god or a human. I've even eaten offerings meant for the dead."

Wang Laoshi smiled and said slowly, "What we eat and what we offer to the Goddess must naturally be separate. Gentlemen, the village will hold a grand ceremony to worship the Fifth Lady in a row. This doesn't apply to those outside the village, but the Madam has placed 'taboos' on the village. Unlucky words cannot be spoken. Also, before the new young master's first birthday celebration and name selection, the village is not allowed to call her by her name."

A look of doubt appeared on the faces of the old Night Guard, but it quickly disappeared.

Wu Jingtian nodded and said, "Sacrificial rites are of paramount importance. Since we have established these 'taboos,' we must abide by them. Everyone listen carefully: in this village, you are not allowed to mention names or say anything unlucky."

"Master Night Guard has seen the world," Wang Laoshi said with a smile, slowly walking forward.

Li Qingxian felt he had overlooked something, but since he didn't think it was important, he didn't bother to think about it.

"Since we're not allowed to use our given names in the village, let's change our names so it's easier to address each other. I like listening to storytelling, so you can just call me Storyteller." Han Anbo winked at Li Qingxian.

Li Qingxian felt a little confused, nodded, and said, "Then call me Sunshine Boy."

After saying that, Li Qingxian felt much clearer-headed. He muttered to himself, "This Qi Kingdom is really full of trouble. Even when there's a sacrifice, I have to come up with an online name."

Like Li Qingxian and Han Anbo, everyone else didn't think there was anything wrong with it and started giving themselves new nicknames.

Liu Xiang grinned and called himself "the one who let the water flow," Ye Han called himself "the Good Fortune Born," and Nie Shan behind Ye Han called himself "the Climber."

Wu Jingtian was directly renamed "Commandant".

Yu Ping frowned and asked, "What new nickname should I use?"

"Foodie," Li Qingxian said casually.

"It's settled then," Han Anbo said.

Yu Ping pursed his lips, too lazy to argue.

As the group approached the public building, an elderly woman dressed in a blue cloth robe stood at the door. She was hunched over, her face full of wrinkles, with a willow basket full of mugwort hanging from her left arm. With her right hand, she took out a sprig of mugwort from the basket and said with a smile, "Guests are welcome. Take this mugwort with you for good luck."

Her fingernails were filled with a dark, grimy substance, probably crammed with dirt.

The old woman handed the first sprig of mugwort to a Night Guard, smiling as she asked, "How should I address this Night Guard, sir?"

The young Night Guard was absentmindedly fiddling with the jade pendant with red tassels and double fish patterns hanging from his waist when he took the mugwort and casually said, "Yun Zhigao, my friends all call me Yun San'er."

Night Guard approached.

"I'll remember that." The old woman smiled and reached into the basket to grab a second sprig of mugwort.

The person listening to the story stepped forward and said, "My name is Listener."

The young Night Guard then realized his mistake, put down the jade pendant, and hurriedly said, "I misspoke, my name is the cowherd."

The old woman in blue smiled and said, "Once a name is chosen, it can't be changed easily. Here, for the storyteller." She then handed the second sprig of mugwort to the storyteller.

The cowherd looked regretful, while the water carrier laughed and said, "It's alright, you just misspoke. Remember next time. I'm the water carrier."

Apart from the cattle herder, all twenty people adopted new names; some tucked mugwort into their waistbands, while others held it in their hands to play with.

The girl carefully tucked the mugwort into her bosom and said earnestly, "Everyone, please keep the mugwort safe, don't play with it, and don't lose it."

The Sunshine Boy also put it in his clothes; apart from a few people who didn't care, most people carefully put it away.

After tying up the ox, twenty Night Guard wearing mugwort hats entered the house.

The room was spacious and bright, with a long yellow wooden table placed in the center.

Wang Laoshi followed him in and said with a smile, "Gentlemen of the Night Guard, please wait a moment, the food will be served shortly."

Everyone took their seats, and a cool breeze wafted through the room, dispelling the summer heat.

"Finally, I can eat fresh food again. My mouth has been so bland these past few days." She put her feet up on the dining table, leaned back in her chair, and rocked back and forth.

The Commandant said, "After lunch, rest for a while, but no one is allowed to wander off; everyone must stay together. Once it's cooler outside, ask the villagers about the wolf demon. If you find any trace of it, kill it; if not, we'll set off again tomorrow afternoon."

"We'll do as Daren Wu says," said the one who was releasing the water.

The Commandant's face darkened, and he cursed, "Are you out of your mind? There are only Commandant here, no Lord Wu Daren. If you keep talking nonsense, I... you'd better watch out."

"Yes, yes, Commandant, I was wrong..." The Daren who had let the water go quickly admitted his mistake, then turned his head and pouted, his light brown eyes filled with indifference.

The storyteller coughed lightly and said, "Since we're in someone else's village, we should abide by their rules. If you only care about your own rules and something goes wrong, don't blame me for not reminding you."

Most people nodded, while a few just stared out the door.

The Sunshine Boy remained silent, feeling increasingly that this place was strange, but then he thought that this was a grand sacrifice, and he understood. In the Qi Kingdom, grand sacrifices were of utmost importance, and the rules could not be broken.

Soon, one female villager after another came up with food and placed it on the table.

Some of the Night Guard had gleaming eyes, their gazes fixed on the breasts, waists, and hips of the female villagers coming and going.

The Foodie stared at the fragrant food, swallowing hard.

A golden-yellow pork knuckle, steaming stewed beef, steamed white fish topped with scallions, deep red braised pork ribs, colorful mixed vegetables, vibrant green bok choy...

Before the Commandant could speak, some people picked up scallion pancakes, some noodles, and some rice, and began to eat heartily with their chopsticks, picking up meat and vegetables.

Especially those who were eating with water, slurping and picking through the food, only picking out their favorites.

The Foodie turned her head and looked at the person listening to the story with a resentful gaze.

The person listening to the story glared at him fiercely.

The Commandant snorted coldly and said to Wang Laoshi, "Old man, please eat with us."

Wang Laoshi hurriedly said, "How can this be? These are all for the guests."

The Commandant said, "How can a guest eat while the host doesn't? If you eat, we won't eat either."

Apart from a few people, such as those who were rinsing the water, the rest of the people silently put down their chopsticks and shut their mouths.

Wang Laoshi laughed and said, "I dare not disobey the command Daren the Commandant. I am in for a treat today. I am not usually entitled to eat such delicacies."

After Wang Laoshi, he picked up a bowl of rice with his left hand, took a piece of braised pork knuckle with his chopsticks in his right hand, put it in his mouth, chewed it heartily, and smiled with his eyes narrowed.

The Commandant then picked up his rice and took a piece of pork knuckle.

The others hurriedly followed the Commandant and only picked up pieces of pork knuckle.

The Foodie remained motionless, gazing at the person listening to the story.

The person listening to the story snorted coldly and went about drinking water and eating dry rations.

The Sunshine Boy ate a few bites of dry food and looked at the Good Fortune Born.

Good Fortune Born and the other four didn't eat any of the village's food; instead, they ate the dry rations that had been prepared for them.

In the spacious brick and stone public housing, sunlight streamed through the holes in the paper windows, illuminating the entire room.

The Night Guard devoured the food with gusto, sweating profusely, and soon the table was empty, the dishes scattered everywhere. Everyone leaned back in their chairs, holding their bellies, with satisfied expressions on their faces.

With his right index finger clenched between his teeth as he relieved himself, he let out a burp. With each burp, his thin eyebrows, narrow eyes, and beauty mark under his eye twitched in unison.

Even the Commandant, with his protruding belly, remained listless and silent.

After eating and drinking their fill, the group sat and chatted about the battles in Yan Prefecture and the Great River.

The Sunshine Boy listened quietly.

After resting for an hour, the Commandant stood up, patted his stomach, and said, "Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, it's time to get back to work. Everyone, come with me to investigate the wolf demon."

Nineteen Night Guard left the public quarters, first following Wang Laoshi to question the deceased's relatives, and then went to the two places where the body was found to investigate.

When I returned to the village, the sun had set and night had fallen.