Chapter 150: The Double Ninth Festival Sacrifice Event (Part 2)

Today is already an extremely festive day, the streets are bustling with people coming and going and laughing.

Many people in Luoan City placed chrysanthemums and dogwood at home and worshipped at home.

Li Jiulang also took a leave today on the pretext of being sick and did not go to the sacrifice.

Early in the morning, Li Jiulang came to the Li Family Ancestral Hall, took a small stool and sat at the door, found tools and began to make the tablet.

After Li Xingyue knew about it, she came to accompany her father.

However, seeing how serious her father looked, she did not disturb him and just sat there to keep him company. But after sitting for a while, she stood up and reviewed the etiquette she had learned from the Honglu Temple.

While making the tablet, Li Jiulang looked at his daughter's clumsy appearance, smiled and shook his head.

finally.

The tablet is ready and all you need to do is apply a layer of insect-proof paint on it.

Seeing that his father had finally finished, Li Xingyue asked, "Dad, why did you suddenly make a tablet today? Everything was fine, wasn't it?"

Li Jiulang looked at his daughter and smiled, then asked, "If the female official teaching at the Honglu Temple saw what you did just now, she would have said something bad to you."

Hearing this, Li Xingyue glared at her father angrily, "Dad!"

Li Jiulang laughed, then thought for a moment and asked, "Xingyue, do you hate your aunt?"

Li Xingyue was stunned. She didn't expect her father to ask this question. After thinking for a while, she said, "I hated him at first, but I didn't hate him anymore."

Hearing this, Li Jiulang smiled and asked, "Is it because you understand what the Queen said about Si Wuxie?"

Li Xingyue nodded, feeling a little embarrassed.

Li Jiulang looked at his daughter like this, smiled and shook his head, then picked up the tablet on the side: "Actually you can hate her. The Queen said that girls should be innocent, but she also said that they should be open and honest. There is no need to think about some things. If you hate it, then hate it. When you are alive, there are many things that you can't figure out."

Li Xingyue looked at her father, blinked, and asked, "Dad, are you making a tablet for aunt?"

Li Jiulang was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Well, your aunt may die soon."

Li Xingyue hesitated to speak.

Li Jiulang smiled and said, "Xingyue, remember what Dad told you before, that falling flowers want to follow the flowing water, but the flowing water has no intention of lingering on the falling flowers?"

Li Xingyue nodded obediently: "I remember. I remember that one party was interested, but the other party was heartless. It means that not all feelings can be reciprocated."

After that, Li Xingyue asked uncertainly, "Is that right?"

Li Jiulang nodded: "That's right."

Li Xingyue smiled proudly, and then said: "Dad, but I think that with so many people coming and going on the water, the fallen flower falling on the water may not really be interested in the water, because if it keeps following the water flow, it can't stop. But you see, the slightest obstacle will stop the fallen flower all of a sudden. If it really likes it, nothing should be able to stop it. So I think the fallen flower is just going with the flow, and the water knows this, so it doesn't want to care."

Li Jiulang was stunned for a moment, and carefully pondered what his daughter said. Although it was quite sophistry and different from what the sentence actually described, he smiled and nodded: "Yes, that's the truth. If your aunt had understood your truth back then, she wouldn't be like this now."

Li Xingyue smiled and returned to the previous topic, saying, "Dad, I actually hate my aunt because I know that she has been lying to me all these years, and I also heard what you said about what she did to Mom."

Li Jiulang stood up, rubbed Li Xingyue's head with a smile, then walked to the tablet of Li family's ancestors with the tablet without a name written on it and without being painted.

Then place this empty tablet at the back, in the corner.

Li Xingyue looked at the empty tablet and then at her father: "Dad, why did my aunt die when she was the queen mother?"

Li Jiulang shook his head: "It's all your own fault."

But after saying that, he glanced at his daughter, then looked back at the tablet and the tablet of his deceased wife. After a bitter smile, he reached out and took down the empty tablet.

You really don't deserve to be here.

…

In the Lingqi Pavilion of the Imperial Palace, Su Changan listened to Lu Cai's account of how the gunpowder got on his body.

In fact, the process was quite simple. When Lu Cai was carrying flowers to the altar outside Mingde Gate, he didn't know what happened, but suddenly a pot of flowers broke into pieces in the greenhouse. Xiang Hong said a few words to him.

But in fact, Lu Cai didn't even know what gunpowder was. As a child from a remote mountain village, he had never even seen fireworks. It was only when he saw fireworks for the first time during the Mid-Autumn Festival last month that he learned about gunpowder.

Su Changan frowned, wondering why there was gunpowder in the flowerpot, and at the altar.

Put it in accidentally?

It shouldn't be.

While thinking this, Su Changan looked at Yan Ruyu and said, "Send someone to go there in person and tell Aunt Yan about the gunpowder."

Although I don't know why that thing is there, gunpowder is not a good thing, especially at the altar, so you have to be careful.

Yan Ruyu clasped her fists.

However, just before Yan Ruyu left, Su Changan suddenly sat up and looked in the direction of Xingqing Palace with a look of horror.

Then his expression suddenly turned ferocious.

young married woman.

Suddenly!

Su Changan shouted directly: "Prepare the horses!"

But after saying this, Su Changan immediately cursed himself, "Get the fucking horse ready! I can't ride it either!"

and

That's a fucking waste of time!!

Suddenly, without saying anything more, he shouted to Yan Ruyu and others who were confused behind him: "Yan Ruyu, come with me to the sacrifice, Zhou Qianhong, you stay and protect Maomao and the others!"

After saying that, Su Changan jumped directly onto the wall at the moment when he was regulating his breathing with [Yiweiting] in his body.

After roughly determining the direction, he moved and ran directly on the city wall.

The speed is incredibly fast!

Especially at the moment when Su Changan rushed out, [Yiweiting] far exceeded the level of the past!

But Su Changan didn't care about these things at all. He just wanted to go to the sacrifice ceremony.

Always dealing with flowers and perfumes.

Lime and all sorts of other things.

There was another small fire, but it burned people to ashes.

The gunpowder on Lu Cai's body.

damn it!!

I should have thought of it earlier!

No wonder that crazy woman has been so calm recently, she must be making gunpowder in Xingqing Palace!

Flowers and perfume are just covering up the smell!

There is no way Xia Qingge didn't know this, she must be very clear about it, that's why she asked me not to go anywhere today!

Knowing that the crazy woman was going to blow up that place during the sacrifice, she still went there!

Even if it's for bait

Xia Qingge, have you asked me this specifically?

Thinking of this, Su Changan became more anxious and moved faster.

While thinking this, Su Changan's speed could be said to have completely surpassed what he thought was his fastest speed at the moment when he was fighting Lian Wei on weekdays.

Behind him, Yan Ruyu followed closely.

Yan Ruyu didn’t know what had happened suddenly, but she could tell that something big had definitely happened!

Otherwise, Su Changan, who is so leisurely on weekdays, would never suddenly look like this.

but

What really shocked Yan Ruyu was the feeling Su Changan gave her.

Like a real sixth-rank swordsman.

Whether it is the sword intent feeling that Su Changan is emitting at the moment, or the sword energy contained in Su Changan's body.

From a beginner, to the sixth level in one step? !

And it is in Lingqi Pavilion.

Everyone was really shocked by Su Changan.

After all, Su Changan in the past had never been angry, let alone the ferocious and anxious look he just had. He was smiling all day long, or he was talking nonsense that was incomprehensible.

Lu Cai was the most frightened. He pursed his lips and said in panic: "Did I say something wrong, or is it because my clothes are too dirty?"

Xun Xia glanced at Lu Cai and shook her head. She didn't know either, but when she frowned, she knew that something must have happened.

So he looked at Zhou Qianhong and several other Chixia soldiers.

Zhou Qianhong noticed that Xuan Xia was looking at her and shook her head: "I don't know. But I am sure something must have happened. The young lady asked me to protect you all here. We can only wait for the young lady and the deputy commander to come back."

After saying that, Zhou Qianhong swallowed and looked at the ground where Su Changan stepped.

The bluestone slabs on the ground have been crushed.

Sixth grade?

Zhou Qianhong asked herself this question in disbelief.

…

The team of Xia Fengxiang and his ministers was huge and grand. All the officials were refreshed today. After all, it was rare to have such a good day as today. Especially after today's sacrifice, the empress said that they could have a day off tomorrow, which naturally made the officials happy.

Xia Fengxiang ordered that the common people should not be driven away, so many people along the way who had followed them along the way and were attracted by the airs of power and authority were also amazed by this team.

Especially some of the common people in the team who were related to the high-ranking officials, they proudly boasted about their relationship with the officials. Some neighbors who knew them well naturally smiled and said nothing.

But in fact, most of the people came here out of curiosity about what the empress looked like.

After all, Xia Fengxiang had been the empress for three years, but she had basically never really appeared in front of the people without any concealment like she did today.

Xia Fengxiang's dragon chariot stopped outside Mingde Gate. From the moment the empress stepped down from the chariot, the common people who were blocked by the imperial guards from afar stretched their heads out to look at the ruler of Great Xia.

Some common people actually just wanted to see what the emperor who was so well matched with Miss Chang'an looked like and what kind of emperor he was.

But in fact, one could only see a corner of the dragon robe on Xia Fengxiang's body. It was too far away, and there was a group of civil and military ministers in between, so it was impossible to see it at all.

At the Circular Mound, which is the altar, palace servants arranged by the Taichang Temple were already waiting.

At the bottom of the huge altar is a large round altar, and on top of it are stacked twenty, fifteen, ten, and five-meter-high round altars.

There are chrysanthemums placed around each circular altar, forming a circle.

And just above the top round altar, a huge square tripod stood, with officials from the Taichang Temple waiting on both sides.

The sacrifice had to be held at an auspicious time, and then Xia Fengxiang, as the emperor, could go on stage to welcome the gods. The smoke and fire rising from the burning wood stove expressed the meaning of passing on the human respect for heaven to heaven.

But before the auspicious time comes.

The emperor and all the civil and military officials were waiting in front of the Circular Mound.

Xia Fengxiang stood under the Circular Mound, with Sun Shanggong and Yan Yunxiao standing on both sides.

Looking up at the big tripod, Xia Fengxiang smiled with a calm face. He was even thinking about going to see Su Changan in the evening and what kind of attitude that bastard would have if he told him what he had done today.

But after Xia Fengxiang thought about it, he felt that the person might scold him.

But he dared to scold! ?

Thinking of this, Xia Fengxiang smiled.

As a prince of a fiefdom, the Eighth Prince, dressed in a red python robe, was at the front of the line of military generals. He didn't feel anything about the sacrificial ceremony, he just followed along to go through the process.

And it can be seen at a glance that it is just a means for the young emperor to win over those students.

Glancing at the little emperor's back, the Eighth Prince lowered his head, too lazy to think about it any more, as he himself had a severe headache.

He fought with the old woman, the Queen Mother, and although he seemed to have the upper hand, he also suffered heavy losses.

In addition, after that brat Xia Zhixu went to Yan, he didn't listen to his brother and made trouble everywhere, which gave the Eighth Prince a headache. He wondered whether he should just go back.

But think about it, the Queen Mother is about to kill me, if I leave, the little power I have left in the capital will be completely wiped out.

but

The Eighth Prince looked around and frowned.

The number of the imperial guards is a bit too large. Even the Huanglong Guards have dispatched so many of them. Although the Chixia Army is a bit small, doesn’t this scale look like the troops that should be used for a sacrifice?

Is the little emperor so afraid of death?

The behavior he has been showing these days is similar to that of my dead brother, or is it just an act?

Thinking of this, the Eighth Prince shook his head. After all, she is just a little girl. If she brings so many people out of the palace, no one will harm her.

Civil officials are on the left and military officials are on the right.

Among the civil officials who were at the forefront, Su Wenqing took leave and Mu Xu took charge of the situation in the Imperial Examination Hall.

So it was natural that Taifu Yang Shanchang and Zhongshu Ling would fight on the same level.

Behind Yang Shanchang, Yang Guofu's rank was high enough for him to stand in the second row.

Yang Guofu had felt that something was not right ever since he was offering sacrifices at the Taimiao in the palace, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

The main reason was that Su Wenqing didn’t come, Li Jiulang didn’t come, and some other old ministers didn’t come either.

Very strange.

So Yang Guofu lowered his head and kept paying attention to his surroundings with his one eye.

Li Chunfang and Cao Shen stood side by side. Cao Shen glanced at the sky and knew that the ceremony was about to begin, so he whispered to Li Chunfang beside him, "After the sacrifice, take the wedding rules we decided yesterday and then go visit Miss Chang'an."

Hearing this, Li Chunfang shook his head helplessly: "One trip a day, aren't you afraid that Miss Chang'an will get bored? Besides, these things are already made by us."

At this point, Li Chunfang saw Cao Shen looking at him, and he shook his head helplessly and said nothing more.

After all, he knew that Cao Shen was particularly fond of poetry and novels, and Miss Chang'an was the best at these. So since the day when His Majesty ordered many regulations and procedures for the wedding banquet, if there was anything to discuss, he would find Miss Chang'an.

Cao Shen was the happiest, especially during these few days with Miss Chang'an.

Although it looks like it's due to official business, it's actually selfish.

However, after a few days of contact, the old minister Li Chunfang was truly moved. It was a great blessing for Daxia to have such a remarkable woman as its queen.

Although he sometimes did not understand what Miss Chang'an said, she was always witty and eloquent when it came to important matters, which was truly admirable.

Cao Shen looked at Li Chunfang and lowered his voice and said, "Miss Chang'an practices calligraphy every day. Aren't you also amazed by the stories in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio?"

Li Chunfang looked at Cao Shen and shook his head helplessly.

It would be a joke if the Minister of Rites shamelessly pestered the future empress just to read a storybook.

at this time

The wind started to blow.

A large banner with the word "Summer" written in gold fluttered in the wind.

The eunuch standing in the front looked at the time and said loudly: "Sacrifice to the Heaven!"

Hearing

All the civil and military officials fell silent.

After Xia Fengxiang bowed towards the highest round altar in the Circular Mound in front of him, he walked straight up.

As I passed by, I glanced at the flowers placed on both sides of the steps.

At the same time, he glanced at Yan Yunxiao.

Yan Yunxiao nodded slightly.

Xia Fengxiang smiled and continued walking towards the circular altar at the top.

Several palace maids and eunuchs below were staring at the empress with nervous expressions, especially when the empress took a step closer to the large cauldron in the middle, their breathing became rapid.

One of the eunuchs in particular was sweating profusely.

This made the people around look at them in surprise.

It's so cold, why are you sweating like this?

After Xia Fengxiang arrived in front of the big cauldron, he bowed to it again.

The eunuchs who were originally standing on both sides of the big cauldron now held trays covered with red cloth in their hands. One tray contained incense and candles, and the other contained sacrificial talismans.

After Xia Fengxiang glanced at the big cauldron, he picked up the talisman in his hand, lit it, and then picked up the incense and candles on the other side.

Use the talisman fire to light the incense and candles to welcome the gods.

Then put the talisman into the cauldron, and wait until the talisman is burned out before inserting the incense and candles into the cauldron.

This is roughly the process, and Xia Fengxiang is very familiar with it, so he is very familiar with it.

Holding the lit talisman, Xia Fengxiang paused for a moment as he looked at the talisman burning in his hand.

But after a brief pause, he threw the talisman into the cauldron.

but

Wow~~~

At this moment, a noisy sound suddenly arose outside Mingde Gate.

“Get lost!!”

A voice rang out from the crowd.

All the civil and military officials looked towards the crowd outside.

(End of this chapter)