Ranla Azi nodded and straightened up. She didn't speak again, her delicate white hand gently twisting her braid as she looked at the man in front of her with a smile.
Looking at the handsome man with striking features before her, she felt a surge of excitement. She had never seen such a handsome man before. He was even more handsome than her brother Yimeng. She thought her brother Yimeng was the most handsome man in the village, but she never imagined that there was such a majestic and extraordinary handsome man in the Central Plains.
Di Jingcheng saw her looking him over, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he felt overjoyed. He also quietly looked at the girl before him, all his longing hidden in his heart. At this moment, he could only look at her like this.
Shi Ge felt something was amiss and, remembering the old man's words to him last night, stepped forward to interrupt their eye contact.
"Azi, we're going to the mountains for a sacrificial ceremony today, and we're leaving at noon. Go and pack your things quickly!"
Ranla Azi then realized what was happening, turned to face Shige Yimeng, nodded with a smile, glanced back at Di Jingcheng on the bed, and left the pavilion.
"Take good care of your injuries. There's food and drink in the kitchen upstairs. Don't worry, no one will come in."
After giving his instructions, Shi Geyi nodded slightly to the two men and turned to leave.
It is the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the most important Torch Festival for the Yi people, and the village is about to begin a week-long celebration. Today is the first day of the Torch Festival, and the most important thing is the sacrificial ceremony.
The Yi people worship the dragon totem, and their rituals, known as "dragon worship," involve praying to their ancestors for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and good health in the coming year. However, there is a rule in Yi tribes that, apart from women in central positions, no other women are allowed to approach the "dragon tree and dragon cave," and underage men are also prohibited from participating in dragon worship; otherwise, it is considered an omen of bad luck.
Ranla Azi, having grown up pampered and adored since childhood, was naturally qualified to participate in such an important occasion. However, she could only participate on the periphery and could not enter the core sacrificial scene. Besides her, several elders' wives and her mother were also allowed to participate.
As the most outstanding man in the village, Shi Ge Yimeng's status is self-evident. He has entered the core of the sacrificial ceremony and is helping to preside over and carry out the sacrificial activities.
The ritual was exhausting. After spending the entire day on the mountain, Ranla Azi's knees ached from kneeling, but she remained extremely devout, prostrating herself on the ground as she listened to the elders chanting prayers in the Yi language, while also praying for herself and her family.
It was late at night when we returned after the sacrificial ceremony. The village was brightly lit, and songs sung in the Yi language, accompanied by string music, resounded throughout the village. Everyone gathered around the bonfire, dressed in their own traditional costumes, which they had embroidered stitch by stitch, with happy smiles on their faces.
Ranla Azi and Shige Yimeng also joined in, happily showcasing the enthusiasm and dance of their ethnic groups, which were uniquely charming.
The place was bustling with activity. In the attic of Ranla Azi's house, Di Jingcheng had taken his medicine and was lying down to rest. He was discussing some upcoming matters with Li Yannian.
The two were inevitably drawn to the sounds outside. Di Jingcheng had Li Yannian help him to the corridor outside the pavilion, where he could see the bonfire party in the center of the village. His eyes searched for the figure he had been longing for, and he soon spotted Ranla Azi dressed in her finest attire.
She was dressed very formally, unlike her casual attire in the morning.
He stood there, gazing intently at the somewhat blurry figure. He could see that she was carefree, happy, radiant, and incredibly beautiful; the girl was still youthful and lovely. Beside her, Shi Ge Yimeng also wore a smile of happiness. It was hard to imagine that these two happy people had been so cruelly wronged by him in their previous life.
One was the girl he deeply loved, and the other was a young man of deep feeling and strong character. Shouldn't he have shattered this beautiful moment, shouldn't he have disrupted the peace of this village?
"Your Majesty, it's windy outside, and you're still very weak. Let's go inside and rest!" Li Yannian said, seeing the sadness in his expression.
"Yan Nian, do you think we should leave here as soon as possible?" Di Jingcheng was conflicted, wondering whether or not they should leave.
Now that he has been reborn, he should make amends to Azi and not hurt her again; otherwise, his return would be meaningless. However, he was ultimately blinded by the joy of his rebirth. Now that he has calmed down, he realizes that all of Azi's misfortunes were brought about by himself. Should he then stop provoking her?
However, he couldn't bear to completely sever ties with her, leaving no room for any lingering feelings.
He was in a lot of pain.
Looking at his utterly dejected and powerless state, Li Yannian wondered why he was so heartbroken. Perhaps it was because the emperor of a country was being hunted down and had fallen to such a state, feeling utterly dejected.
Li Yannian didn't say anything more, but just stood there quietly with him, watching the extremely lively revelry over there.
Ranla Azi was exhausted from playing, covered in sweat, her delicate face flushed, giving her a unique charm. She said goodbye to everyone and happily ran home. Shige Yimeng had other things to do, so naturally she wouldn't go back with her.
In the instant Di Jingcheng lowered his head in sorrow, Ranla Azi had already left the bonfire party. When he looked up again, the beautiful figure he had been longing for was gone. He anxiously gripped the railing in front of him, his fingers turning white from the effort, his eyes searching for her with desperate longing.
Seeing his emperor's unpredictable mood, Li Yannian was at a loss for what to do, so he went into the room to get him a cloak.
Ranla Azi hummed a little tune and skipped upstairs. In the corridor, she immediately saw Di Jingcheng leaning forward, anxiously searching for something, and she found it a little strange.
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