Chapter 12 The Holy Maiden Joyfully Asks the Heavens with Grass in Her Hands; The Two of Them Still Want to See This…

The two wanted to see if there were any other clues in the temple, but when they turned around, they saw a large, disheveled person lying stiffly on the ground.

The man exclaimed in shock, "Holy crap!!! Who's so fearless as to dare light an incense stick!"

Upon hearing the sound, I realized it was a river fish.

Lianxi gave him a disdainful look, took two steps back, and said, "Oh, Young Master Jiang, didn't you go to accept the gifts from the Yezi people? You should be radiant and rolling in wealth, so why are you making yourself look like a ghost?"

Jiang Yu sat up abruptly and said, "Oh dear, how was I supposed to know those people were so hospitable? They were way too hospitable! Every single one of them was either stuffing things into my hands or trying to pull me into their homes. All that pulling and tugging messed up my hair and clothes. I had to push them away and thank them so many times that my lips were practically worn out before I finally managed to escape. And then you were nowhere to be found! I was so afraid they would call me back, so I grabbed a tuft of hair and ran as fast as I could, getting covered in dirt. I searched for you for ages, and it really exhausted me."

Liu Taohua said, "You seem quite happy. You should be the one who's exhausted, right?"

A tuft of hair shook its ears and chirped twice in agreement, but also expressed some dissatisfaction with the river fish.

Jiang Yu pointed at a tuft of hair and said, "Why are you getting involved?" Then she turned to Liu Taohua and said, "Taohua, why are you taking Lianxi's side?"

Liu Taohua said truthfully, "I noticed that you called him quite a few nicknames along the way. Besides, he had already reminded you, but you didn't take it seriously. I think he's been very tolerant of you."

Upon hearing this, Lianxi raised an eyebrow, chuckled softly a few times, clearly in a good mood, and said, "Alright, get up quickly. This place is quite interesting, you should take a look too."

Jiang Yu jumped up and rushed to the offering table. He had thought he was seeing things, but it turned out that only one incense stick had been lit. Even more strangely, the offering was for none other than Mei Ling.

But isn't she dead?

Jiang Yu said, "The black and white portrait depicts a living person! Is this Mei Ling?"

Lianxi said, "Take a look at this one too."

Jiang Yu walked up to the mural again and looked at it. The woman in the mural looked very similar to the woman in the portrait, but there were also differences. Could this be Mei Xi?

But why are these body paintings for the dead?!

Jiang Yu looked at them again, puzzled, and said, "I'm not seeing things, am I? Mei Ling is dead, isn't she? How come the two sisters are reversed? Could it be that Mei Ling isn't dead, and it's Mei Xi who died?"

Liu Taohua shook her head and said, "That's exactly what we don't understand."

Jiang Yu looked at the still-burning incense stick and said, "The incense-burning custom of Yezi is no different from that of the Central Plains. Generally, three sticks of incense are offered. Besides praying for blessings, lighting one stick also has another meaning."

Lianxi said, "We need to hire people."

Jiang Yu said, "If that's really the case, then I don't know if this move is even made by a human."

Liu Taohua said, "Who cares what it is? We'll find out for ourselves at the sacrificial ceremony tomorrow."

The next day, as dawn was breaking.

The three of them were awakened early by a series of clanging sounds outside.

Knowing how important today was, Jiang Yu was so excited that he barely slept all night. In the end, feeling it was inappropriate, he symbolically slept for two hours.

According to the customs of the Yezi sacrificial day, everyone must bathe and purify themselves early in the morning, and change into new clothes prepared in advance. The royal advisor had already prepared their clothes, and the three of them followed the local customs, changed into new clothes, and dressed themselves indistinguishable from the people of Yezi.

When they saw each other's appearance, their eyes lit up: Lianxi and Jiangyu had long, slightly curled hair, wore knee-length robes tied with leather belts, short swords at their waists, and leather boots, looking exactly like young men from Yezi, with a touch of the dashing air of foreign generals. Liu Taohua had braided hair, light makeup, a gauze dress, and armlets, adding a touch of graceful charm.

Lianxi said, "Peach Blossom looks great in this outfit today."

Liu Taohua fiddled with her veil, feeling a little uncomfortable for a moment, and said, "I haven't worn a skirt in a long time, so I'm a little unaccustomed to it." She then looked at their outfits carefully and sincerely praised them, "As expected, good-looking people look good in anything. Your outfits today are also very nice."

Jiang Yu said, "Let's hurry! Let's go and receive some water blessings!"

As soon as the three of them went downstairs, they met the innkeeper, who was holding a small jar full of water. He looked at them with a smile and said, "Three guests who have come from afar, please allow me to leave you with my sincerest blessings."

The three of them stood before the shopkeeper. Jiang Yu went first. The shopkeeper held a long blade of grass and gently dipped it into the jar. Jiang Yu leaned forward slightly, spreading his hands out flat. The shopkeeper lightly touched his forehead and palms, leaving a few drops of water, and said, "May your life shine as brightly as the light, even if you are trapped in darkness."

Jiang Yu crossed his arms in front of his chest in return, indicating that he had received the blessing and expressing his gratitude.

Lianxi and Liu Taohua received the shopkeeper's blessing in the shape of river fish.

In the beliefs of the Yezi people, water and light symbolize eternal hope. These are extremely important resources for the Yezi, and they also symbolize the beliefs in their hearts, which are forever as clear as water. Their lives, standing under the sun, are forever open and honest.

Before leaving, the Imperial Advisor sent someone to inform the three that the sacrificial ceremony would be held in the evening. During the day, they could celebrate with the people in the city. Before sunset, Jiang Yu needed to go to the altar to prepare for the sacrificial ceremony, and then join the other two in the evening sacrificial ceremony.

The three walked out of the inn. Various lanterns and colorful ribbons were hung on the houses on both sides of the street. Although it was daytime, every house had its lights on, and the people had all changed into new clothes, their faces beaming with smiles. In front of each house, someone would stand guard, holding a container full of water in one hand and gently twisting a long blade of grass in the other, sprinkling water on passersby as a blessing.

The city of Yezi was more bustling than usual today, with vendors' cries rising and falling along the streets, their calls more energetic than ever. People strolled in twos and threes, chatting and laughing, their faces beaming; others walked alone, singing and dancing in the street, occasionally joined by other people, enjoying themselves immensely.

The three of them came across a pastry stall and were stopped by the owner, who said, "Honorable guests, please wait and try some of my pastries! They're fresh out of the oven and still warm!"

Jiang Yu said "thank you," took the pastry first, and put it in her mouth. While chewing, she said, "Boss, this pastry is really delicious. May I ask how it's made?"

The shop owner chuckled and said, "What's inconvenient about that? I'll explain it to you. I grind five kinds of roasted nuts and dried fruits into fine particles, then mix them with rice flour to preserve the most original and pure flavor of the food. After shaping it in a mold, I steam it, and finally drizzle it with a little jam made from our Yezi grapes. It's soft, sweet, and fragrant, leaving a lingering aroma without being overly sweet." After saying that, he handed a piece to Lianxi and Liu Taohua respectively, saying, "You two should try some too."

The two took a bite, and Liu Taohua said, "The owner's skills are really amazing, it's really delicious. However, the appearance of this pastry looks somewhat similar to the pastries from the Central Plains."

The shop owner said, "You have a good eye, sir. This is exactly what I learned in the Central Plains. However, I made some improvements to the original recipe and added some ingredients that are only found in Yezi, so it has a unique flavor."

Lianxi tried to pay, but the shop owner pushed her away, saying, "I won't take your money."

Liu Taohua asked, "What does this mean?"

The shopkeeper explained, "Today is the Crescent Moon Festival. On this day every year, everything sold in the city is free of charge. This is a way for the people of Yezi to express their gratitude to the gods. Besides, you are guests of Yezi, so even if I were to charge you today, I wouldn't take a single penny." As he spoke, the shopkeeper packed up a portion and handed it to Liu Taohua, adding, "Oh, please don't refuse. There are many fun things to do both inside and outside the city today. If the three of you try them all, you'll definitely get hungry. I won't give you too much; there's even more delicious food ahead. If you want to eat, just go and tell the stall owner."

In the end, they couldn't refuse the owner's offer and didn't pay. As the owner had said, he would include a little of everything they wanted to eat, free of charge. Before long, their hands were full. Compared to the enthusiastic scene of thousands embracing each other yesterday, today was relaxed and pleasant.

Inside the city, there are acrobatic performances and various craft shows that everyone can experience. Outside the city, there are various games such as sandboarding, camel riding, and sand painting.

Everything was new and exciting to Liu Taohua, and she was full of energy. When she got excited, she pulled the two of them to play together. After a few rounds, she felt very happy.

Standing atop the sand dune, Liu Taohua gazed at the crimson sun before her and shouted, "Yez—!!!"

May you always shine.

She kept those words to herself and didn't say them aloud.

Jiang Yu opened his arms, closed his eyes, and felt the gentle breeze blowing in his face. He felt more relaxed than ever before. At this moment, he found a long-lost and familiar feeling here.

Lianxi stood with his hands behind his back, sunlight shining on him. He looked at the two people beside him and smiled.

Before sunset, the three returned to the city and headed to the altar.

The Imperial Advisor and Huo Mu had already arrived. Huo Mu nodded when he saw the three of them, his face expressionless, still looking as if he didn't want to say another word to anyone.

The sheep needed for the sacrifice were ready, and everyone had arrived, so they began to prepare in an orderly manner.

Two hours later, the servants brought the prepared mutton to the offering table in front of the altar, and several people followed them to the altar.

At this moment, all the people of the city had gathered on the platform. The sacrifice was solemn, so no one uttered a sound. In front of the circular altar was an offering table, on which sat an incense burner and freshly delivered offerings. Around the center of the altar, bonfires, yet to be lit, were arranged.

The saintess has not yet appeared.

Night had fallen, and the place was pitch black and silent, with only a gentle evening breeze. A crescent moon slowly moved across the dark sky. When the crescent moon rose above the altar, it cast a beam of moonlight, and the surrounding bonfires were instantly lit. A woman dressed in black finery and wearing a Nuo mask suddenly appeared on the altar.

It was the Holy Maiden.

The saintess held a sword in one hand and a flower in the other. As she pointed her sword at the sky, music began to play. Her figure was agile, and her dance steps were light and powerful. Her dance steps were in harmony with the music, sometimes passionate and surging, and sometimes graceful and flowing.

Liu Taohua looked at the flower in her hand and asked, "What kind of flower is she holding?"

Musha said, “That is the sand grass used to paint Noba. This flower grows in the desert, with long and thick roots, lush and small leaves, and fragrant and clustered flowers. The ancient Yezi people used forest resin mixed with flowers and grasses to paint, and after they migrated, they used this flower.”

Liu Taohua asked, "I wonder if the sand grass has any symbolic meaning?"

Musha hesitated for a moment, a hint of regret in his voice, and said, "Because their stems and leaves are intertwined and their flowers are clustered together, they symbolize brothers and sisters who are close, with a bond stronger than gold, and who will never be separated."

Liu Taohua suddenly felt ironic that the sand grass had such a meaning. This flower, which symbolizes the Night Goddess, clearly had such a good meaning, yet in the matter of the Holy Maiden, the twin sisters were regarded as an omen of misfortune.

That's a real contradiction.

As the music and dance ended, the saintess slowly removed her mask, revealing dark skin and arrogant eyes. A single glance was enough to create an invisible pressure.

The woman was Mei Xi.

Mei Xi immediately spotted the three people sitting with Mu Sha. She gazed at them intently, her eyes unreadable. After a moment, she spread her arms wide and cried out, "May light forever shine upon Ye Zi!"

The people responded to her call, and for a moment the shouts resounded throughout the altar, deafening and awe-inspiring.

Jiang Yu looked at Lianxi with a serious expression and whispered in her ear, "I don't know what they want to summon, but she is a living ghost."

Lianxi raised an eyebrow, her gaze settling subtly on a spot.

Liu Taohua looked past the voice and gazed into her eyes. They were a pair of extremely bright eyes, like gems inlaid on a sculpture, vivid, sparkling, and unforgettable.

For some reason, Momo, who was perched on her shoulder, suddenly pecked at her collar. Only then did Liu Taohua realize that Mei Xi was wearing a crescent moon hairpin, not the snake hairpin that was exclusive to the saintess.

The crowd was bustling with voices, each lost in their own thoughts.

No one noticed that someone was missing from their side.

A note from the author:

----------------------