He clenched his fists silently, feeling as if he shouldn't be there.
Chi Yan looked around for a moment, then turned and suggested, "There seems to be a variety show over there, shall we go check it out?"
Shen Tangning readily agreed.
When they arrived, the performer was performing swallowing an iron sword, and the wonderful performance immediately drew applause and cheers from the crowd!
Shen Tangning frowned slightly, her face showing curiosity: "How did you do that?"
She saw it clearly; the sword was indeed a real weapon, and it couldn't be extended or retracted. Wouldn't swallowing such a long sword scratch her throat?
Chi Yan raised an eyebrow and explained to her seriously: "Normally, a person's throat and esophagus have a certain degree of curvature, but when the head is tilted back, these parts can form a straight line, which is enough to swallow a straight sword down to the stomach."
"There are also requirements for this sword. The width of the blade cannot exceed the limit, and the edge cannot be too sharp to avoid cutting the throat."
Seeing that Shen Tangning was listening attentively, he paused, "Of course, this is something that can only be achieved through years of training. Ordinary people can't just try it. Remember that?"
Shen Tangning looked up and met his half-smiling gaze, then pursed her lips and said, "Am I that stupid?"
Chi Yan chuckled and tapped her forehead: "No, you're too smart."
Feng Zhiwen had been listening attentively, but as he listened, he noticed that the two of them had started flirting as if no one else was around, leaving him speechless.
Unwilling to be left out, he squeezed in front of Chi Yan: "Cousin, cousin, I still don't quite understand, can you explain it to me again!"
Chi Yan glanced at him coldly and ruthlessly: "If you can't even understand this, I suggest you get your head checked."
"..."
No, is that right?
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the street behind them, and the crowd surged forward. Shen Tangning felt herself being pushed and bumped into Chi Yan's arms. He reacted quickly and instinctively raised his hand to protect her.
The moment Shen Tangning turned her head, an enlarged mask was shoved in front of her!
The bold colors and bizarre shapes suddenly gave her a momentary jolt, her face paled, and she froze on the spot.
The other person was just trying to scare her as a prank, but was glared at fiercely by Chi Yan and immediately returned to the group, continuing on their way.
Chi Yan's reassuring voice came from above: "Don't be afraid, this is a folk performance mask, worn for praying for blessings and inviting the gods..."
He was speaking when he suddenly fell silent.
Shen Tangning, having recovered from her shock, looked up in confusion and, seeing his serious expression, asked, "What's wrong?"
Chi Yan lowered his eyes and stared at her, then said three words in a deep voice:
"The Ghost-Faced Envoy".
Shen Tangning's pupils trembled slightly. She subconsciously turned her head to take a closer look at the parade, then frowned and shook her head: "It's different."
The mask was painted on the face with ink, solemn and mysterious, not ferocious or terrifying.
She was startled because it happened so suddenly.
Chi Yan frowned. He knew it was different, but just now, he suddenly remembered why he had a sense of déjà vu when he saw the ghost mask.
Have you ever heard of Nuo opera?
Shen Tangning's gaze sharpened slightly, and she shook her head: "Never heard of it. Is it similar to a village opera?"
Chi Yan nodded: "Yes, they are all used for folk prayers and sacrifices."
A thought suddenly occurred to him: could the ghost mask be a Nuo opera mask? If he could find a place where Nuo opera was practiced, he might be able to follow the clues...
He had previously investigated the origin of the mask, but to no avail.
And since Tang Ning has never heard of it, could it mean that the origin of this mask is not actually in Daqing, but is a custom from some other country?
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