Time flies, and two days later it was the winter solstice, which also marked the beginning of the Fengshan ceremony.
The Fengshan ceremony, a grand ritual to worship Heaven and Earth, not only required fasting and bathing, but also the preparation of offerings, sacrificial implements, and special performances by court musicians.
The ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven was held on the summit of Heyan Mountain. The altar was usually made of earth and stone and was circular, symbolizing Heaven. The ceremony of offering sacrifices to Earth was held on a square altar at the foot of the mountain, which symbolized the Earth.
The emperor would lead his civil and military officials on foot from the foot of Heyan Mountain to the summit to perform the investiture ceremony as a sign of his piety.
Rest stops were set up along the way, where the ceremonial guard would occasionally pause to make some simple adjustments, as a way of paying homage to the local mountain gods.
After the mysterious man left that day, Song Xizhi finally opened and read the letter that He Jingyan had sent.
In addition to the usual contents, He Jingyan also unusually expressed his longing for her in the letter, which surprised Song Xizhi.
Besides that, she was also instructed to be extra careful during the Fengshan ceremony.
Song Xizhi knew that the situation on Heyan Mountain was unpredictable and turbulent, with countless forces and motives at play.
Ever since he witnessed the Western Rong people assassinating the emperor in the bamboo forest that day, Song Xizhi felt that the Fengshan ceremony would not be peaceful.
Therefore, she was very cautious in everything she did, and would not go out unless there was a reason.
Not only her, but even Emperor Guangqi was extremely vigilant. After the last assassination attempt, he once again dispatched soldiers from the palace to guard against it day and night.
The number of soldiers on Heyan Mountain is now more than double what it used to be.
The purpose of everything was to ensure the smooth conclusion of this Fengshan ceremony.
On the day of the winter solstice, Song Xizhi got up very early, changed into his elaborate formal attire, and, together with Madam Xin, followed the guiding nanny to the procession.
The order of the procession was also strictly regulated, starting with the vanguard, carrying flags, gongs and drums, canopies, etc., symbolizing the majesty of the royal family.
In the center are the emperor and Consort Li, envoys from various countries, princes and princesses, and civil and military officials of slightly higher rank.
Then came the imperial concubines and wives of officials, followed by lower-ranking civil and military officials, guards, eunuchs, palace maids, the master of ceremonies who recorded the rituals, and then the sacrificial animals and offerings.
Song Xizhi was positioned slightly behind the middle, a bit far from his maternal grandfather and maternal uncle.
It must be said that the astronomical observatory chose a truly auspicious day. Today, the sun shines brightly, the sky is cloudless, and the sun is warm and gentle.
Everywhere were fluttering flags and golden canopies, stretching along the mountain road of Heyan Mountain. The procession stretched as far as the eye could see, like a golden road, making the scenery of Heyan Mountain even more magnificent.
The distant and melodious sound of bells and chimes could be heard from the mountaintop, and a huge altar could be seen standing on the mountaintop, right opposite the White Horse Temple.
Unfortunately, Master Yuanhui will not be attending the Fengchan Ceremony.
As Song Xizhi was looking around, he suddenly heard a long, drawn-out bell sound.
After the bell rang, the procession quieted down, and then the musicians began to play solemn string and wind instruments, which meant that the time had come and the ceremony was about to begin.
The long procession began to move slowly. Song Xizhi followed the crowd, slowly climbing upwards. Listening to the solemn and dignified music, he felt a sense of sacredness he had never experienced before.
The higher a person stands, the farther they can see, and the more open-minded they become.
When she reached the halfway point of the mountain, she looked up and saw the towering altar and majestic temple at the summit, which seemed to be closer to her, even adding a touch of unreal mystery.
She recalled her past life, and her eyes gradually became deep and mysterious.
Perhaps there truly are gods in this world, which is why she was able to reincarnate and stand here once again.
Song Xizhi closed her eyes, but before she could think any further, a loud noise suddenly rang in her ears.
With a loud bang.
A thunderclap suddenly resounded in the clear blue sky.
One sound, followed by another.
Three full sounds.
The rocks beneath our feet seemed to tremble with each of the thunderclaps.
The melodious music suddenly stopped, and a commotion quickly arose in the crowd.
Song Xizhi frowned and looked up in the direction of the sound, only to see the still calm mountain peaks, with the sunlight still shining evenly on the earth.
It was as if the sound was just everyone's illusion, but Song Xizhi had a bad feeling.
She hurriedly squeezed through the crowd to find Madam Xin, and grasped her hand again: "Did you hear that sound just now?"
Mrs. Kexin did not answer her. Her hands were icy cold, and she was still looking up with wide eyes, staring intently at the mountaintop.
Her voice was filled with horror: "Zhizhi, Zhizhi, the mountain has split open! The mountain has split open!"
"The mountain split open in the middle, and mudslides are flowing out from the crack!"
Song Xizhi froze, hurriedly looked up and followed Madam Xin's gaze. When she saw the scene before her, her eyes narrowed sharply.
The blood in my body seemed to freeze almost instantly.
Lady Xin is right, the mountain has split open.
Song Xizhi had never seen such a shocking scene before. Muddy slurry mixed with large chunks of rocks rushed down the mountain road, almost submerging and swallowing the trees in its path.
The crack was showing signs of widening, and more rocks were about to slide down.
The first to be affected were the emperor and his entourage at the very front of the procession... including her maternal grandfather and uncles!
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