"Dad, are you tired? Please sit down and rest. I've seen you working non-stop these past two days. You've been working ever since we arrived at Grandpa's house. Please take a break! Let me massage your legs and shoulders."
Anle pinched her throat and spoke in a soft, sweet, childlike voice.
As he spoke, he darted to the side, moved a wooden stump from the yard, and placed it under An Mancang's bottom.
An Mancang looked at his daughter, whose temperament had changed, put down the carrying pole on his shoulder, and sat down in a daze.
Anning rolled her eyes again, looking suspiciously at her sister who had changed her personality, and muttered, "Why is your little mouth so sweet right now?"
Anle's little face lit up with excitement. "Of course I have something to tell Daddy!"
"Who knows what kind of trick you're up to now?" An Ning grumbled, picked up a peeled cabbage, and turned to go inside.
Ever since her fifth sister hit her head, she's become increasingly hopeless. She's too lazy to lecture her anymore; lecturing her sister is a complete waste of breath and saliva.
From the very night they moved here, she boldly whispered in her second grandfather's ear and clung to his leg, refusing to let go.
I don't know what he was thinking, but he said he wanted to write something down as proof, and he wanted his grandparents and his second uncle's family to write down some kind of agreement, to make everything clear about the division of the family property and his father leaving with nothing.
She even made her grandparents and second uncle and aunt put their fingerprints on the document and bring it back. She insisted that she clearly see the document with the fingerprints on it, and then she put it in her pocket and kept it safe herself before she was done with it.
I heard that two copies were written, and one was left with the village head.
"Dad, Mom told me that she's going to town with you tomorrow to sell handkerchiefs. Are you going to town with Mom tomorrow? Can I come along and play?"
An Mancang frowned and shook his head. "That won't do. Tomorrow is the day of the Heavenly God Festival. There will be too many people in town. What if you get lost if you go?"
Anle blinked. "Yesterday I also heard my mother mention a Heavenly God Festival. It's supposed to be lively in town, and maybe we can sell some handkerchiefs. But what is this Heavenly God Festival?" Could it be some kind of temple fair?
When the Heavenly God Festival was mentioned, An Mancang's eyes lit up. "The Heavenly God Festival is the grand annual festival of the Heavenly God in our Tianqi Kingdom. For seven consecutive days, we worship the Heavenly God, make offerings to the Heavenly God, pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests, and wish for our dreams to come true. Many people go to worship."
The most important aspect of this Heavenly God Festival is the day when the Heavenly Master communicates with the Heavenly Gods and receives their divine decrees.
An Yi, who had just returned from outside, had just stepped into the courtyard when she heard An Mancang talking to An Le about the Heavenly God Festival. She rushed over excitedly.
"Father, Father, let me tell you, I heard that a celestial maiden appeared at this year's Heavenly God Festival!"
"What? Who told you that?"
"That's what everyone in town is saying. It came from the disciples of the temple. Shoushan didn't go to school today; he went to town with his father. He told me this when he came back from town."
Anle listened to the father and son's conversation with a dazed look on his face. What on earth was this "celestial maiden"?
What exactly is this "Celestial Master" that her father was talking about?
Why can't I understand a single word she's saying?
Scratching her head, Anle silently processed her cheap father's words. However, she did glean some information from them: this was a country that believed in ghosts and gods.
They actually believe in gods.
"Father, Third Brother, what is a Celestial Master? And what is a Celestial Maiden?"
"Little sister, let me tell you, this Celestial Master is incredibly powerful. He can hear the will of the gods, and even the current emperor has to pay homage to him. He knows about any natural or man-made disasters that might befall our country."
Anle was finally enlightened by Anyi's few words, which had cleared up his confusion!
Holy crap, a charlatan?!
"Where is that goddess?" (A reference to a charlatan or a swindler)
"A celestial maiden? A celestial maiden is even more powerful. It is said that she is a great figure who can summon wind and rain. She is someone chosen by the gods and is someone who is rare to meet, even once every few hundred years."
Anle watched An Yi speak with great enthusiasm and clicked his tongue, "Oh, Third Brother, does our country believe in the existence of gods?"
An easy life should be taken for granted.
"Of course!"
Tsk tsk, look at that little face, you don't even need to ask to know that her third brother obviously believes it too, "So what's on display at the Heavenly God Festival? Have you seen it, third brother?"
"Of course, every year Dad and Mom take us to worship the gods. Last year they took you, and you almost got lost."
I absolutely can't take you this year, you'll just have to stay home with your older sister.
Anle's face darkened. No wonder she didn't take her along; it was another trap left by the original owner of this body.
"Don't worry, I will stay by my parents' side this year and I will not get lost."
How could I possibly miss such a lively occasion?
I'm going to pray to the gods too, to ask for their blessings. Maybe if I go and pray, I'll remember everything."
An Mancang was moved by what he heard. He hesitated for a moment, then glanced at his restless little girl before finally nodding and giving her instructions.
"I'm taking you to pay respects, but you're not allowed to wander off."
Anle smiled and gave a crisp, cheerful guarantee.
"Oh, Dad, don't worry, I'll definitely be good."
The next morning, Anle voluntarily crawled out of bed and stopped lingering in bed.
She was genuinely afraid that her adoptive father might change his mind and abandon her at home.
The family ate breakfast early and prepared to set off together.
Seeing An Dalin leaning calmly against the kang (a heated brick bed) with his hands tucked in his pocket and not moving, Anle smiled and went over to hug An Dalin's leg, saying in a childish voice.
"Grandpa, it's time for us to go."
An Dalin affectionately patted Anle's head.
“My dear granddaughter, go with your parents. I’m too old and my old arms and legs aren’t strong enough to join in the fun. My dear granddaughter, please pray to the gods for me, and pray that our Tianqi Kingdom will have good weather and a bumper harvest.”
"Okay, Grandpa, don't worry, I'll definitely say hello to Grandpa the God for you." Anle replied playfully and followed the family out the door.
Following his family closely to the east end of the village, Anle saw an old man pulling an oxcart waiting for people on the curb in the distance.
The wooden cart pulled by the ox was more than twice the size of her own oxcart, and it was already packed with people, mostly adults and children.
Wow! What a huge oxcart!
An Ding rubbed An Le's head and said, "Of course, Grandpa Xu's car is specially designed for carrying people and goods."
Sitting on the wooden cart, Li Dapang's eyes lit up when he saw Anle. "Anle! Anle! Everyone said you fell from the tree and don't remember anything, but you don't look like you're hurt."
When your family divided the property, my mother took me with her. Why didn't you acknowledge me when you saw me?
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