Under One Person, the little witch only wants to collect elves

Chapter 186: Pearl's Little World, the Test of the Water Spirit
"Could this bead be the water spirit itself?"

Yan Huan took a deep breath, and countless tiny bubbles appeared on his cheeks, and he floated towards the surface of the water like a bell.

He stretched out his hand and carefully touched the huge pearl.

As soon as the fingertips touched the surface of the pearl, a cool and refreshing force came from the pearl in an instant, followed by a dazzling flash of light. The colorful fragments of light gradually gathered into a vortex, and the gravity at the center forcibly pulled Yan Huan in.

Yan Huan swam backwards instinctively, but felt that he had lost control of his body. The surroundings suddenly became a chaotic undercurrent. He could only drift like a kite with a broken string. Even using Qi to resist was of no avail.

More importantly, the black dragon tattoo on his arm seemed to have lost its effect. He felt a strong sense of suffocation and water kept entering his nostrils and lungs. The severe pain almost made him lose consciousness.

"Bifang, find a way to keep the organs functioning and don't let them die."

Ok?
After waiting for a long time, the bluebird's sharp and somewhat harsh voice never came.

"Tsk..."

Yan Huan gritted his teeth, and just when he was at a loss, a strong wave came rushing over and pushed him back to the shore.

Yan Huan coughed a few times, took a few breaths of the salty sea breeze, and slowly climbed up from the beach.

He looked down and realized that his attire had changed.

He was wearing a tattered robe, the original color could not be seen, the fabric was seriously faded, it was covered with patches, the seams on the edges were loose, and around his waist was a coarse cloth belt with faint mottled patterns on it. Hanging on the belt was a small cloth bag tied with a hemp rope, which was empty and had no valuable items.

The shoes were cloth shoes with holes in them, the uppers were worn out beyond recognition, the soles were thick and had been reinforced through multiple repairs, but they still seemed unsteady when walking in them.

Yan Huan raised her hand and touched her hair. Her bun was loose, her hair was spread out, wet, and stuck to her back in a messy manner.

Before he could figure out what was happening, a burst of ridicule was heard.

"Hey, isn't this Mr. Yan? When will you pass the imperial examination? When will you get the position of county magistrate? We in Meicheng County are waiting for you, the great judge, to do justice!" A fisherman said jokingly with a sarcastic smile on his face, "Why don't you go back to accompany the mute and jump into the sea instead of running to the beach?"

Another fisherman laughed and said, "Could it be that the official who was about to take office was washed into the sea?"

"Mr. Yan, if you ask me, you should stop playing with literature. Why don't you become my disciple? I will teach you some fishing skills, and you can earn a living and avoid starving to death! Hahahaha!"

Yan Huan ignored the two people's teasing and tightened the open collar of his shirt to cover his thin chest.

Next to the beach is a small fishing village. Most of the houses are made of wood, with green tiles and white walls, simple and elegant. In front of every house are hanging bamboo fishing baskets and coarse linen fishing nets. Several families have freshly dried fish hanging in their courtyards, which emit a faint fishy fragrance when the sea breeze blows.

Yan Huan found a rock on the shore, sat down cross-legged, and began to think carefully.

"Without the existence of Qi, I have lost my perception of the outside world. This is not an illusion..."

"It doesn't look like a structured space, but more like a small world. Is this the way a water spirit recognizes its master? The question is, what am I supposed to do in here?"

As I was thinking, a piece of information flashed through my mind.

Yan Huan gradually understood the current situation. He was from a prominent family in the south of Meicheng County, the 13th generation of the Yan family and the sixth son. Six years ago, he fell out with the Yan family because he insisted on marrying a mute peasant girl of unknown origin, and was later kicked out by the head of the family.

Five years ago, the Yan family was robbed by bandits. None of the more than one hundred people in the family were spared, except Yan Huan, who was driven out.

He had taken the imperial examinations every year for the past six years, but had failed each time. In addition, his family had fallen into poverty and he had experienced strange things. Gradually, he became a recognized laughing stock in Meicheng County. Even the dogs on the streets would wag their tails and bark at him when they saw him.

After six years of despair and mental fatigue, in order to obtain an official certificate, the original owner of this body somehow contacted the local county magistrate, thinking of offering his wife to a noble passing by on the night of the full moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival, in order to seek glory and wealth.

As to why this mute wife is so valuable to this nobleman, the reason is simple: this mute wife is a mermaid whose tears can turn into pearls.

Mermaids take decades to choose the gender, and when they express their true feelings, their tears turn into pearls. Mermaids are pure in nature and often never shed tears in their entire lives.

"It is so difficult to get the tears of a mermaid. In the past, I was furious for a beauty, but in the end, could it not withstand the world's cold eyes and six years of hardship?" Yan Huan thought to himself, brushed off the gravel on his body, and stood up.

Then he left under the confused gaze of the two fishermen.

The most urgent task is to sort out one's own mission in this world and find a way to escape.

Yan Huan returned home and pushed open the heavy wooden door. The sound of his footsteps was particularly clear in the silent courtyard.

In the middle of the yard, a huge water tank was pressed down by a heavy boulder and tied tightly with hemp ropes. There was only a large wooden cover supporting the boulder, with a gap left on the edge, as if for ventilation.

Yan Huan slowly approached the water tank and carefully untied the hemp rope.

As the last circle of rope loosened, a cool breath diffused from the water tank.

Yan Huan looked down and saw the mermaid curled up at the bottom of the tank, its body surrounded by clear water.

She had a beautiful face, with a few tiny fish scales dotted on her cheeks, and the scales glowing with a faint blue luster. Her wavy hair floated in the water. She was naked, with only a layer of fish scales covering her chest. Her fish tail coiled at the bottom of the water tank, reflecting a light pink color.

"Oh no, he's become a scumbag. How should I ask him this?" Yan Huan thought.

The mermaid's icy blue eyes were deep and bright, revealing a hint of resentment.

That kind of undisguised resentment was mixed with cruelty, and vaguely one could see a hint of lingering reluctance.

Yan Huan sighed, stretched out his hand tentatively, but stopped in mid-air.

puff!

In an instant, the mermaid suddenly jumped up and bit Yan Huan's hand with its sharp fangs.

The blood dripped into the water tank, spreading in the extremely clear water and blending with the reflected light pink.

Since he had taken the original owner's place, Yan Huan would naturally not give his wife away. After all, he did not have a cuckold habit.

"Mei Niang, let's not go. It was me who broke my promise and violated the oath between us. If you want to vent your anger on me, I have nothing to say."

The mermaid was slightly stunned, but still did not let go. A line of tears slid down her cheeks and melted into the water.

Mermaids have no tears, and their tears cannot condense into pearls. Even if they are full of emotions, they are useless to humans.

"It hurts..." After a long time, Mei Niang opened her mouth and her lips and teeth touched lightly.

Ok?
Yan Huan was stunned, "Isn't it the mermaid who lost her voice?"

After thinking for a while, Yan Huan immediately understood that it was his special abilities as a congenital sorcerer that had been preserved.

It’s not that mermaids can’t speak, it’s just that humans can’t understand their voices. It’s not that Mei Niang can’t speak, she just has a slight stutter.

"Where does it hurt?" Yan Huan looked the mermaid up and down. She seemed to be feeling cramped in the tank, but she didn't suffer any external injuries.

"It hurts!" After hearing this, Mei Niang stuck out her tongue and gently licked Yan Huan's wound.

After swallowing a mouthful of blood, the mermaid's eyes turned a little red again. Human meat is delicious, and this tribe loves to eat it the most.

"How did these two get married in the first place?" Yan Huan lifted Mei Niang's arms and took her out of the water tank. Water droplets slid down her fish tail and dripped onto the bluestone path in the courtyard.

Yan Huan went back to the room and got a piece of dry cloth, then gently wiped the smooth fish tail.

As the water marks disappeared, the mermaid's fish tail slowly changed into a pair of white and slender beautiful legs.

Mei Niang's fish ears and curly hair were also put away, and in a blink of an eye, she became an ordinary beautiful woman with graceful manners.

“Wrap…bandage…”

The mermaid transformed into a human form, and with footsteps as light as a swallow, she walked into the house with small "clicks, clicks", and took out a piece of clean cloth from the cupboard.

She walked back to Yan Huan, squatted down, bandaged the wound gently, and asked in a low voice: "Does it hurt?"

Yan Huan stared into her eyes as blue as the sea, smiled and shook his head, "It doesn't hurt. If you're not relieved, you can bite your left hand again."

"I'm out of breath..." Mei Niang puffed up her cheeks, sniffed the bloody smell, and licked her lower lips.

Yan Huan stared at his hands wrapped in cloth strips, his thoughts involuntarily drifting away.

Half a month ago, the original owner had made a promise to the county magistrate that on the night of the full moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival, he would present treasures on a pleasure boat on the river or sea.

But now, there are only three days left until August 15th.

Yan Huan knew very well that he was just a commoner at the moment and was powerless to fight against the government. In this case, he could only try to seek help and maneuver around.

After thinking about it, Yan Huan decided to go to the county government office to visit the county magistrate, who was temporarily "birds of a feather" with him.

"Mei Niang, I was trying to get the skin of a tiger before, and now I am in a difficult situation. I have to go to the county government to handle some things. You wait at home while I go to find the county magistrate Xie Ning."

Mei Niang spread her arms and blocked the way in front of her, "Run!"

"We don't even have the money to flee, so where can we flee to? Listen to my advice and wait at home."

Yan Huan comforted her with several words and finally managed to escape from Mei Niang's obstruction.

In the spacious lobby of Meicheng County Government Office, County Magistrate Xie Ning sat on a tall armchair, a wide robe hanging casually on his back. He held a cup of fragrant tea, looking leisurely and contented.

The room was filled with the fragrance of tea, and a hazy mist shrouded his slightly narrowed eyes.

"Mr. Yan, do you regret coming here this time? In the past, you insisted on breaking up with the Yan family for the mute mermaid, which was already a wrong step. Do you really want to suffer for her forever?"

"All the talk of sharing weal and woe is fake. The money and power are real. If you can please the governor this time, you might be able to go to Lin County and be on equal footing with me."

Yan Huan bowed and said, "Sir, I am definitely not here for any foolish purpose. I just want to ask you, why does the governor want that dumb merman?"

"After all, mermaids are fierce and like to eat humans, so they may be difficult to tame. If you say you want to get mermaid tears, I have waited for six years and still haven't seen the tears fall on the white porcelain plate."

"My Lord, why don't you tell me something so that I can go home and teach that mermaid a lesson!"

After hearing this, Xie Ning's eyebrows lit up, and he sat up straight with joy, looking at Yan Huan with a smile, "Mr. Yan, you are getting better and better."

He put down his teacup and said bluntly, "All you have to do is trick the merman onto the Huayue Boat on August 15th."

"The governor has never been fond of gold, silver or jewelry, but he has a craving for strange foods. After tasting the raw sashimi of moonlit perch a few days ago, he became interested in mermaids. He wants to eat the fish tail of the female mermaid!"

"There are frequent wars between the seaside and the mermaids. In order to deal with us humans, the mermaids prefer strong men in terms of gender selection. Nowadays, female mermaids are rare. In terms of meat quality, their meat is more delicious."

Yan Huan frowned after hearing this, and some doubts arose in his heart: "The war with the mermaids?"

Seeing this, Xie Ning shook his head. He suddenly felt that it was not a pity that Yan Sheng, who had studied the books of sages so hard but didn't even know local affairs, failed the exam.

"There are some things we have to deal with as well."

After all, the people are gone, who will bear all the heavy taxes and levies, and where will he make money from?

"Alas! We are doing a good deed. Do you know that every fisherman who accidentally falls into the water is eaten by mermaids? People are eaten, and now it's time for mermaids to be eaten. This is the law of nature, karma."

Yan Huan listened to Xie Ning's explanation quietly, but still felt strange.

There are mermaids in the rivers, and these high-ranking officials actually dare to take a pleasure boat to watch the moon on the river. Aren’t they afraid of accidents and being killed by mermaids?

"These officials have been in the officialdom for many years. Could it be that they would put their lives in danger just for a moment of pretentiousness?" Yan Huan was full of doubts in his heart.

However, a possibility suddenly flashed through his mind: the pleasure boat might have been specially treated and equipped with means to resist mermaids. Perhaps these senior officials were not completely defenseless, but had their own arrangements and defensive measures.

Yan Huan lowered his head and thought of the two fishermen who had ridiculed him on the shore. They dared to go out to the river and into the sea with confidence, so they must know something.

Now, I really need to learn some skills.

"Sir, see you on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival when the full moon is full!" Yan Huan clasped his fists, then walked out of the county government office calmly.

Xie Ning blew the hot tea in the teacup to cool it down and watched the thin figure disappear into the distance.

"idiot!"

"If the fifteenth day of the eighth month really comes, and the governor is happy, I will still be the one to be rewarded."

"I thought you were getting wise, but you're still a fool. You didn't even greet me when you came to see me! If you're useless, I'll find a reason to kill you later."

pat!

Xie Ning put down the teacup and waved behind the curtain. A graceful concubine came over delicately.

"Sir~"

"Have you finished all the tasks you were asked to do?"

The concubine bowed and said, "Everything is ready. Liu the blacksmith's family at the east entrance of Nan'an Village is pregnant for more than three months. The fetus is just about to take shape. I have asked Wang the butcher to take care of it. The delicacies are ready, but Liu didn't make it. Doctor Wang's needlework and medicine didn't work at all."

Xie Ning pondered for a while, "Tear down the sign of Jishiditang and arrest him. A quack doctor with poor skills killed a woman for nothing."

"When Liu the blacksmith sues Wang the butcher, he will be thrown into death row. A life for a life, I must live up to the plaque above my head that reads 'A Clear Mirror Hanging High'!"

"Your Excellency is wise~" The concubine knelt down in front of Xie Ning and lifted up his extremely loose robe.

The county magistrate stretched out his arms, tilted his head back, stared at the four golden characters "A Bright Mirror Hanging High" above his head, and let out a comfortable groan.

"One dish of mermaid sashimi and one dish of raw stew. Once this matter is over, I should be promoted."

Let's just write one chapter today. You all keep saying that I'm short. I'll give you guys a good lesson after my annual leave. Damn it...
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(End of this chapter)