Chapter 17 Every year on this day, the Xuanhuang enters the earth, and the Northern Tortoise governs winter.
The *Lüshi Chunqiu* records, "South of the Bai people, beneath the Jianmu tree, there is no shadow at midday, and no echo when one calls; it is truly the center of heaven and earth." The *Huainanzi* says, "The Jianmu tree is in Duguang, through which all the emperors ascend and descend." This means that between heaven and earth, there exists a gigantic tree, its canopy so large that it absorbs all light, and the wind passing through it is silent; immortals and deities travel between the human and divine realms through it. The Jianmu tree appears in various myths and legends, and Xia Zhu never imagined that he would see the true form of this heaven-reaching divine tree in his lifetime.
However, there are neither climbing dragons nor singing phoenixes among the Jianmu trees, nor are there only winding branches growing from the crown to form an umbrella, with soft, hanging leaves that look like yellow snakes or ribbons.
It is just like a tree, quietly rooted in the earth, no different from an ordinary green tree except for its huge size.
She assumed that all demons would be like the mandrill from that night—not necessarily bizarre, but at least resembling human form. Even the depictions of alien creatures in movies were mostly of humanoid beings with large heads. So she shared this question with Feng Feng.
"Human? Why should we be like humans?" The two walked for a long time before approaching the tree trunk. Feng Feng rushed over and spread his arms to press against the dry, riverbed-like tree trunk of the Jianmu. "Jianmu doesn't like being like humans. It's so much better to be a tree. People think it's boring and lonely to stand here for thousands of years, but it is a tree. Its leaves fall back to its roots, and its roots are firmly planted. For a tree, this is the best thing."
“Once upon a time, someone secretly sneaked into the Feng family to find the Jianmu tree. He thought that by using the Jianmu tree, he could climb up to the heavens and meet the supreme god in the sky. At the very least, eating the fruit, roots, or bark of the Jianmu tree could prolong his life. But when he saw that the legendary divine tree was just a tall, ordinary tree, he was so disappointed that he almost shed tears. He couldn’t believe that the demon god that the Feng family of the Spring Emperor had protected for generations had no divine miracles.”
Feng Feng pressed her face against the tree bark, the green leaves adorning her hair squeezed into the gaps, making it look like a soft moss growing on the tree.
"He's mistaken. Jianmu has never protected the Feng family; it only protects the land beneath its feet."
Like it, all living things are born and nurtured by nature.
Xia Zhu seemed to see herself as the one who had secretly sneaked in to borrow the power of the divine tree, standing under the endless shade of the tree, feeling utterly ashamed before the silent, ancient deity. She suddenly understood what the boundless power she could feel from the Feng family truly was: resilience, confidence, and indomitable spirit—the most fundamental strengths of humankind.
They are neither descendants of gods nor unknown officials with powers beyond the reach of ordinary people.
They are just humans.
Therefore, they rely on nature, prefer to rely on their own hands, and hope to be down-to-earth.
"However, Jianmu has existed in this world for tens of millions of years. For it, time is endless, so the land under its protection is like a slumber, and it is difficult for other changes to occur. It may even remain in one season for hundreds of years. We live by farming and rely too much on the changes of the seasons. If we leave here, we will be easily discovered. So we still have to rely on some of Jianmu's abilities."
"The ability of Jianmu? Does it refer to the changing seasons?" The climate here is really different from the outside world.
Feng Feng winked at her, and the talisman on his right ear shimmered with a bright, warm light.
"Ah Zhu, do you remember what I told you about changing the flag before?"
She reached out and gently stroked the trunk of the Jianmu tree, closed her eyes, and slowly recited an ancient incantation, seemingly in another language, long and ethereal, yet Xia Zhu could understand its meaning.
"Heaven and Earth issue decrees, the Four Spirits issue edicts."
"The Dipper's handle turns in four fingers."
"Metal follows the principle of change, wood is curved and straight, water flows downward, fire rises upward, and earth, in the center, represents agriculture."
"Nine in the east, three in the south, seven in the west, and five in the north."
"Fulfilling my long-cherished wish, the four seasons and eight festivals will change in order without error."
Fu Yu's light suddenly surged, enveloping the two people next to Jianmu. Xia Zhu even felt his right ear burning, as if a bit of his power had been borrowed.
At the height of the talisman's light, the earth trembled slightly, and Feng Feng opened his eyes.
"Xuanhuang enters the earth! The Northern Tortoise governs winter!"
As the final incantation ended, a gale-force wind, like a waterfall from the heavens, cascaded down from above. The soft grass beneath their feet grew wildly, shooting from their ankles to their heads, the tips of the grass bursting into fireworks before withering and dying. The flowers and grasses fell to the ground again, turning into rich fertilizer that seeped into the earth. The leaves of the Jianmu tree turned from green to yellow, easily swept up by the wind, forming a small circle of withered leaves.
Xia Zhu was blown about by the wind, the wind whistling in her ears. Just as she was trying to steady herself by holding onto the tree trunk, everything suddenly fell silent. The air seemed to freeze, and the withered leaves in the air slowly dispersed, falling one by one at a very slow and leisurely speed, eventually merging into the soil.
The grass stopped growing, and the flowers stopped blooming.
In the stillness, she could smell the abundant moisture in the oxygen, and a crystal snowflake fell before her eyes.
Feng Feng, who was beside her, happily looked up. The snow was falling quickly, and some of it had already settled on her eyelashes, making her honey-colored eyes even brighter.
"A timely snowfall promises a bountiful harvest; may you have a wonderful festival."
Xia Zhu heard her say that.
The Jianmu tree had become a withered tree, and with nowhere to hide from the heavy snow, the two had walked halfway when the snow on the ground was already covered with a thick layer, making the journey difficult. When they reached the edge of the maple forest, Xia Zhu's heart was about to jump out of her throat. It wasn't because she was tired, but because the lingering effects of the change of flags were still echoing in her body.
For several months now, she has been experiencing extreme excitement over all sorts of things she never imagined before. She doesn't show it on her face, but only she knows that the blood beneath her skin has long been boiling.
She desperately wanted to find a language, a word to describe this feeling, but her mind remained blank. The outside world was like this: wind, rain, thunder, lightning, leaves, flowers, and grass—things she could never experience in books. Before, she narrowly believed that as long as she read enough books, she could understand the whole world by staying in her grandfather's and her little house.
Feng Feng's braids swayed as she hopped and skipped in the snow like a green-furred rabbit. The air was crisp and cold, and the sky seemed high and distant, the heavy snow washing away all the dust. Xia Zhu followed behind Feng Feng with her head down, a smile playing on her lips hidden in her school uniform collar. Steam escaped from her glasses, leaving four separate yet intersecting rows of footprints in the snow behind her.
The sky is high and the earth is vast, making one realize the infinity of the universe.
Half an hour later, the two who had finished exchanging flags were almost home. Standing in the snow on the Jianmu tree, two new rows of footprints quietly appeared next to the four rows of footprints extending into the maple forest. A red-eyed crow flew over the maple forest, its cries echoing and making the winter seem even colder.
The snow fell heavier and heavier. The two of them, covered in snow, screamed as they ran home. Not far from their doorstep, they met Feng Mian, who was wearing black rain boots, his hair damp and smelling of grass. He was carrying a small bucket and showing it to the two of them. Several live fish were splashing around inside. Snowflakes that fell into the bucket first floated on the surface and were then slapped into the bottom by the jumping fish and merged into one.
Fengmian said he caught five fish in total. Fengfeng was vying for the right to decide how to cook them. His mother liked them braised, his father liked them steamed, his older brother liked them roasted, and what did Azhu like? Since she liked them all, she had no choice but to try them all.
The heavy snow had been falling for a day and a night, and the rustling sound had been echoing on the eaves and rooftops for just as long. Now that the snow had stopped, the absence of the lingering sound felt somewhat strange, until a fire was lit in the fireplace, the sparks crackling, and a sense of peace returned to my body with the rising temperature.
Inside, the house was warm and cozy, filled with laughter and chatter. The sounds of laughter and chatter seemed to solidify into thick maple syrup, which was poured into a small porcelain jar decorated with the patterns of Jianmu leaves. Some people crowded in the kitchen preparing for the New Year's Eve reunion dinner, while others clamored in the living room to change the TV channel. The floral cotton curtain at the door was lifted and lowered again, and people came and went carrying their homemade specialties. As they moved in and out, some fine snowflakes slipped in, landing on the floor mat and clumping together wetly.
You can also do nothing at all, just sink into the soft sofa that feels like freshly baked bread, and quietly watch your limbs slowly melt and flow onto the floor, into the blanket, and stick together with the lotus flower pattern.
The Feng family made Xia Zhu the center of their reunion, not giving her a chance to watch her limbs melt away. She felt a little uncomfortable with this warm concern, her face always blushing slightly in the crowd, but at the same time, she felt excited and even began to enjoy this discomfort. In just a few days, Xia Zhu met more people than in the previous ten years combined, and these people's faces were like spring flowers, and their bodies were as pleasing as lush trees.
She was so happy that she ate several bowls of rice, and her chest felt full from eating so much.
The merriment continued until the early hours of the morning. Cousin Aruo took Xia Zhu and the others to set off fireworks in the snow. Under the bright moon, colorful fireworks exploded like raindrops around the high-hanging moon. Xia Zhu felt dizzy, perhaps because the indoor temperature was a bit high, or perhaps because she drank a glass of homemade wine amidst the cheers. In any case, the snow under her feet became unusually soft, making it difficult to stand.
She looked up and found an old object amidst the dazzling fireworks, which cooled her overly excited mind, and a sour feeling filled her nostrils.
It was the moon, a lonely but bright moon in the sky. She had seen this moon more than six thousand times, and on those six thousand nights, she had herself or her grandfather with her. The moon always cast her shadow on that country road, a constant companion. This was the first time she looked down and couldn't see her shadow, but there were many more noisy sounds around her.
Tonight, the lights of every household will shine as brightly as the stars.
"Ah Zhu, Ah Zhu! Making a wish while watching fireworks on New Year's Eve is especially effective!" This was something Feng Feng made up. She had heard that Xia Zhu had never blown out birthday candles, so she probably rarely confided her thoughts and wishes to the light of the fireworks.
“Like this! Just like me!” She leaned close to Xia Zhu, reached out and pinched the talisman on his ear, then closed her eyes. “I hope everyone in the world can eat braised pork knuckle, and I hope all the children in the world can blow out birthday candles!” As she spoke, she tried to pull her brother to make a wish as well.
Feng Mian reluctantly closed his eyes as she did.
Xia Zhu, who had never blown out a candle before, was blessed by the sincere wish of the kind-hearted Feng Feng. She also tried to reach out and pinch the cold talisman, and closed her eyes.
I hope that every year will bring me to this day, and every year will be like this morning.
Bang--
A huge firework exploded overhead, scattering like shooting stars across the night sky with the force of a torrential downpour.
"This firework is so loud, Azhu, your wish will definitely come true." Fengmian looked at her, her bangs were gently lifted by the night wind, revealing her delicate forehead and eyes reflecting the colorful fireworks.
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