162: Taohua Village, Part III

After entering Peach Blossom Village, Han Yi walked and surveyed the surroundings.

“This is the symbol of our Peach Blossom Village, Peach Mómomo!”

When they reached the center of the village, Tao Gu suddenly stopped and introduced it proudly.

In the middle of the village stood an Old Peach Tree of considerable age, its trunk seven to eight meters tall and too wide for four or five people to encircle. A protective wall of excellent green bricks was built around the tree, forming a stark contrast to the dilapidated wooden fence on the outskirts of Peach Blossom Village.

On the green brick ground, there was also a gold-lacquered incense burner, with three thick brown sandalwood sticks inserted into it. The incense ash had accumulated to fill the burner, even scattering onto the ground with the wind. On the ground, there were clear marks left by long-term kowtowing and burning paper offerings.

Furthermore, this Old Peach Tree had rough bark and dense branches. Although it was winter and there were no green leaves, its branches were heavily laden with red ribbons for blessings and longevity, weighing down the branch tips.

Upon closer inspection, the red ribbons varied in age; some were mottled and largely faded, while others were brand new, as if hung only in the past few days.

“Peach Mómomo? May I ask, Tao Gu, is there any special significance here?”

Han Yi, seizing the opportunity, asked.

“If we were to talk about that, it would be a long story…”

Tao Gu patiently explained.

It turned out that a long time ago, Peach Blossom Village experienced a drought. The rice stalks were wilting, and their leaves were scorched. If it didn't rain soon, the year's harvest would be lost!

Having no other choice, the villagers initially only went to the nearby Dragon King Temple to collectively kowtow, burn incense, and pray for the Dragon King and Dragon King's wife to bestow sweet rain, but it was to no avail.

Later, everyone pooled their money and hired a theatrical troupe at great expense to perform at the Dragon King Temple. They played gongs and drums loudly, hoping to disturb the Dragon King, to make the “lazy Dragon come out of its cave,” to entertain the Dragon King and make him happy. Once the Dragon King was in a good mood, he would naturally bestow rain upon the human world.

However, that also came to nothing. At this point, the villagers of Peach Blossom Village were furious and could no longer bear it.

Some with meager family assets rolled up their pant legs, knelt on the gravel in front of the Dragon King Temple, threaded iron wires through the flesh of their arms, and hung a pair of guillotine blades from them, all while burning incense, kowtowing, bleeding, and wailing to the heavens and earth.

But the Dragon King was hard-hearted; even with such displays, the sky remained cloudless and fiercely clear!

The villagers tried every method, but all were in vain. In a fit of anger, they simply demolished the Dragon King Temple, carried out the gilded Dragon King statue, and exposed it to the sun!

At this time, an Old Man in the village said that it was better to worship oneself than to worship gods, and that Peach Blossom Village was founded because of this Old Peach Tree, so it would be better to pray to the Old Peach Tree.

Treating a dead horse as if it were alive, the group had no other choice. They couldn't just watch their crops die from the heat, so they burned incense and prayed to the Old Peach Tree.

Unexpectedly, on the very night after their prayers, several low-pressure dark clouds appeared in the sky. Immediately, thunder roared, rain poured down, and a torrential downpour lasted for a day and a night, saving the crops!

From then on, the nearby villagers began to worship the Old Peach Tree. They would come to kowtow for rain and wind, for weddings and funerals, for building and breaking ground, and for seeking children and curing illnesses. On the first and fifteenth of every lunar month, fruits were abundant, and incense and paper were burned. During major festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival and New Year, they would even raise funds to set up opera troupes, with gongs and drums ringing out, making it lively.

What was even more miraculous was that not long ago, a villager dreamed of an Old Man, whose appearance was unclear, who called himself “Peach Mómomo” and asked them to build a temple and erect a monument for the Old Peach Tree!

After this person woke up, the story spread, and the name Peach Mómomo also spread.

“Build a temple and erect a monument? Tao Gu, with this spare money, why not repair the wooden fence around the village? Wouldn't that be safer? Or repair the leaking roofs of your houses? Wouldn't this winter be warmer?”

Han Yi couldn't help but say.

“Young Master, you are mistaken. Without Peach Mómomo's care, how could we, Peach Blossom Village, have such a good life today? Building a temple and erecting a monument for Peach Mómomo is the greatest wish in the hearts of every person in Peach Blossom Village!”

Tao Gu said with a pious expression, her hands pressed together.

“.......”

Han Yi was speechless for a moment. As an atheist, he didn't know how to respond to such matters.

“Hmm?”

At this moment, he felt his lapel being tugged. He turned to look.

He saw Bai Sanren gently shaking his head at him. Han Yi immediately understood and began to chat with Tao Gu about everyday topics like weather and food.

Soon, the three walked past the Old Peach Tree and arrived at a large courtyard.

This large courtyard was much more imposing than the other mud huts in the village. Its white walls and green tiles were particularly striking, and it was surrounded by a brick wall built with sticky rice and lime mortar.

The entire Peach Blossom Village only had a few dozen households, and this one was likely the wealthiest.

At this point, Tao Gu stopped and called out to a child playing horse-jumping nearby under a large tree: “Da Mao, stop playing, it’s time to go home for dinner!”

The child was squatting on the ground acting as a horse, seemingly having too much fun to hear Tao Gu's voice.

“Da Mao!”

Tao Gu's voice suddenly rose by an octave, completely different from her earlier soft-spoken, gentle, and mild manner.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Da Mao suddenly stood up straight.

“Ah, Da Mao, you're being lazy! We agreed the loser would be the horse!”

The child who was about to jump over him was suddenly knocked to the ground, landing on his back, which made the other children burst into laughter.

“I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore! My mother is calling me! I'm not cheating, I'll be the horse next time!” Da Mao ran towards Tao Gu, his feet flying. Tao Gu's words were nothing short of heavenly music to him, as he was about to be the horse.

“Please forgive Young Master, this is my child. He is from the countryside, uneducated, and a bit crude…”

As if remembering something, Tao Gu turned back and glanced at Han Yi behind her, looking a bit embarrassed.

“It's fine, children are children. It's normal for them to roughhouse and be energetic! I was even naughtier than him when I was little!”

Han Yi smiled and said understandingly.

Tao Gu gave a sudden smile and reached out to brush a strand of hair from her temple.

It wasn't intentional on her part, but the motion was too large, causing the loose collar of her shirt to drop, revealing a large expanse of snowy white skin on her chest, and a deep, bottomless cleavage.

She wasn't wearing an undershirt… Han Yi glanced away.

Tao Gu adjusted her neckline, squatted down, took a handkerchief from her bosom, and vigorously wiped Da Mao's face clockwise, cleaning his dirty cheeks thoroughly.