The mystery of saffron
In a distant ancient country, there was a woman named Mei Niang, who was gentle and virtuous, and respected her husband like a guest. However, after many years, Mei Niang's stomach has not moved, which makes the whole family feel worried. Mei Niang herself is also very eager to have a child and inherit the family's incense.
Mei Niang's sister, named Yao'er, is a smart and clever woman. She often comes to Mei's mother's house to chat with her sister to relieve her boredom. One day, Yao'er walked into Mei Niang's house, only to find that the house was full of saffron. This made her feel very strange, because although saffron is a valuable medicinal herb, it does not help to conceive and have children, and excessive use can be harmful to the body.
Yao'er was suspicious, so she asked Mei Niang why there were saffron flowers all over the house. Mei Niang was hesitant and didn't want to say it clearly. But Yao'er is a careful person, and she noticed that Mei Niang's expression was a little strange, so she decided to investigate secretly.
After some inquiry, Yao'er learns an amazing secret. It turned out that Mei Niang's husband once had a relationship with a woman named Bi'er when he was young. Bi'er was jealous of Mei Niang's happiness, so she secretly cursed, causing Mei Niang to be childless for many years. And the solution to this curse is to use a lot of saffron.
Yao'er was shocked when she heard this, she didn't expect her sister to suffer such unfair treatment. She decided to help her sister unravel the curse so that Mei Niang could have a child of her own.
However, it is not easy to unravel this curse. Yao'er needs to find Bi'er and get a way to lift the curse from her. Bi'er is now living in seclusion in the mountains, and her whereabouts are erratic. Yao'er embarked on a long and arduous journey to find her.
During the journey, Yao'er encountered various difficulties and challenges. She encountered ferocious beasts, steep mountain roads, and bad weather...... But she overcame them one by one with her firm faith and tenacious perseverance. She kept asking passers-by about Bi'er's whereabouts, and finally found Bi'er's retreat on a dark and windy night.
Bi'er wasn't surprised when she saw Yao'er, she seemed to have expected Yao'er's arrival. Bi'er tells Yao'er that a rare herb is needed to lift the curse, Moonshine Grass. This herb grows only in the moonlight, and when it is picked, it must be done by the Daughter of Pure Yin at three o'clock in the child's hour. Bi'er also tells Yao'er that the place where the Moonlight Grass grows is very dangerous, full of traps and traps.
Yao'er didn't flinch after hearing this, and she decided to take the risk of picking moonshine grass for her sister's happiness. She said goodbye to Bi'er and embarked on a journey to the land where the Moonlight Grass grows.
In the process of picking moonshine grass, Yao'er encountered unprecedented difficulties. Not only does she have to face all kinds of dangerous traps and traps, but she also has to fight the spirit beasts that protect the Moonlight Grass. But with her ingenuity and courage, Yao'er finally succeeded in picking moonshine grass.
After returning to Mei Niang's house with Moonlight Grass, Yao'er lifted the curse for Mei Niang according to Bi'er's method. Soon after, Mei Niang became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy and lovely baby. The whole family rejoiced at this, and Mei Niang and Yao'er formed a deep sisterhood.
However, just when everyone thought the matter had been satisfactorily resolved, an unexpected turn occurred. It turned out that Bi'er was dissatisfied after learning that Mei Niang was pregnant, and she decided to destroy Mei Niang's happiness again. She uses her spell to trap Mei Niang and the baby in a fantasy world, so that they cannot return to the real world.
In the face of this sudden change, Yao'er did not panic. She knew she had to step up again to save her sister and baby's lives. So she set out again on a journey to find Bi'er......
(End of first half of story)
With determination, Yao'er once again embarks on a journey to find Bi'er. She knew that this mission would be even more difficult than the last one, because Bi'er was a cunning and powerful opponent, and her hatred for Mei Niang and the baby was already burning like poisonous fire. However, Yao'er only has firm faith and endless courage in her heart.
After countless times of getting lost and inquiring, Yao'er finally found the ancient palace where Bi'er lived in seclusion. The palace is surrounded by a variety of deadly traps, each of which is like an invitation from death. But Yao'er did not flinch, she relied on her wisdom and courage to carefully avoid every trap and successfully overcome the first hurdle.
The guards in the palace were equally powerful and ferocious, but Yao'er was not deterred by this. She skillfully uses the environment and traps inside the palace to engage in fierce battles with the guards. Between life and death, Yao'er showed amazing strength and wisdom, she successfully defeated all the guards, and finally came to Bi'er's face.
When Bi'er saw Yao'er, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but then she regained her composure. She mocks Yao'er's self-indulgence and tells Yao'er that Mei Niang and the baby have been trapped in her illusion forever, and they can't return to the real world. Hearing the news, Yao'er felt like she was hit hard, but she didn't give up. She tells Bi'er that as long as there is a glimmer of hope, she will not give up her efforts to save her sister and baby.
Bi'er was moved by Yao'er's determination and courage, and after a moment of silence, she decided to give Yao'er a chance. She tells Yao'er that a rare herb called "Dawn Dew" is needed to dispel the illusion. This herb only congeals on the blades of grass at a specific location at sunrise and is extremely dangerous to harvest. But Yao'er didn't back down, she decided to take the risk for the happiness of her sister and baby.
Yao'er said goodbye to Bi'er and embarked on a journey to the place where the Dawn Dew was collected. She had to endure a great deal of hardship to finally find that particular location. At sunrise, she carefully collected the morning dew and returned to Mei Niang's home with it.
At Mei Niang's house, Yao'er used Morning Dew to dispel the illusion for Mei Niang and the baby according to Bi'er's method. When the first rays of sunlight filled the room, Mei Niang and the baby finally returned to the real world from the illusion. They were so excited that they burst into tears when they saw Yao'er, and hugged Yao'er tightly, thanking her for saving them.
The entire family is proud and admired for Yao'er's bravery and wisdom. They held a grand celebration for Yao'er, thanking her for saving the lives of Mei Niang and the baby. And Bi'er was also touched by Yao'er's determination and courage, and she decided to let go of her past hatred and start her life anew.
Since then, Mei Niang and Yao'er have become closer sisters. They took care of the baby together and spent many happy times together. And the whole family has become more united and stronger because of Yao'er's bravery and wisdom.
This story spread throughout the ancient country and became a good story in people's mouths. It tells us that love and courage are the strength to overcome all difficulties and challenges. As long as we have firm faith and move forward bravely, we will be able to overcome all difficulties and challenges and realize our dreams and goals. At the same time, this story also makes us understand the preciousness of family and friendship, and we should cherish and care for them.