Chapter 209: The Play

A full 0.97!

Liang Qu bowed low, his heart shaken.

The number seemed extremely small, but the Ying pattern and the Yu pattern combined were only 0.03; a single ceremony had actually yielded so much more!

It was worth all the preparation he had made for so long, and the special performance of a divine manifestation!

Added to what he had accumulated before, he had a full point of favorability!

Once he reached a whole number, would there be any peculiar changes?

"Bow again!"

Hearing the priest's loud shout, Liang Qu suppressed the thoughts in his heart and bowed again, leading the ten thousand people behind him to prostrate themselves in unison.

A great wind surged from the river surface, vast and mighty, never ceasing for ten thousand miles, his long robes and large sleeves fluttering in the wind.

The thick mist that permeated everyone's waist surged and drifted, as if transforming the entire Shangrao Wharf into a fairyland on earth.

With such a miraculous sight, people couldn't help but believe that the River God had manifested!

The River God's manifestation began when the chief priest started walking; could it be...

Those with quick minds looked up at the chief priest in the center of the altar, various thoughts intertwining and mixing.

Liang Qu was heroic and upright, looking like an immortal in the clouds.

Linking this to his rise along the way.

He must be someone favored by the River God!

The crowd felt increasingly awestruck, kneeling and bowing piously.

"Fire the cannons!"

The priest shouted.

The sound of firecrackers crackled.

Dozens of men wearing coir rain capes went up to the front of the altar and danced the god-blessing dance, and the atmosphere became relaxed and joyful.

Accompanied by the music and dance, Liang Qu stepped down from the altar step by step, and the thick fog that had filled the entire wharf gradually dissipated.

The villagers looked at each other, their awe not yet gone, but more of it was joy.

The River God manifesting—something that hadn't happened in thousands of years!

If one were to ask what was different from the ceremonies of the past few decades, besides the number of people, it was only the difference in offerings and specifications.

And the offerings and specifications were all brought by Liang Qu.

Liang Qu had brought everyone the River God's blessing!

Bathed in the enthusiastic gazes of the crowd, Liang Qu returned to his seat gracefully.

Chen Chen Zhaoan and a group of village elders smiled from ear to ear, offering congratulations one after another.

Liang Qu was humble for a few words, watched the god-blessing dance with everyone, and then brought the Green Wolf to the dead red beast.

Distribute the offerings!

In the past, sacrificial activities were held throughout the four seasons of the year.

The spring ceremony was called "Shao," the summer one "Xi," the autumn one "Chang," and the winter one "Yan."

Later, it was basically simplified to once or twice a year, choosing summer and winter.

Because one was the hottest and the other the coldest; one had the most Yang energy, and the other the most Yin energy.

Winter was still okay, as food could be preserved for a long time, but summer was hot, and with the high humidity, pork, beef, and mutton would start to stink after half a day.

Thus, the custom of distributing meat immediately after the sacrifice was formed; once the habit was established, it became a tradition.

Distributing the offerings was the part the villagers looked forward to most; after the ceremony ended, not a single person left.

Master Liang had said early on that everyone would get a share of the offerings.

Meat wasn't something one could eat often, let alone spirit monster meat that could strengthen the body; what was a little wait? Waiting for a day was worth it!

Liang Qu looked at the teeming crowd, considering how to distribute it.

Excluding the scales, bones, and internal organs, the red beast had nearly thirty tons of edible meat, which was nearly sixty thousand catties of pure meat.

On average, one person could get five catties of meat; of course, the meat definitely couldn't be distributed like that.

The prominent families who came to show support had to be given face; they had spent a lot of money, so in return, they should be given more—great spirit monster meat was very valuable.

Outsiders would get less than their own people, otherwise, others would think Liang Qu was favoring outsiders.

But less was still something; there couldn't be none.

The number and quality of the believers in the ceremony were definitely a key part of the favorability, and it even included the piety of the believers.

The four characters "extremely pious" on the Ze Tripod were clear and plain; the last time, there hadn't been that.

It wasn't just the number of people; Liang Qu suspected that the date also mattered. Legend had it that the sixth day of the sixth month was when the rivers returned to their paths and the hundred streams flowed into the sea.

So outsiders definitely had to be given some; with something to look forward to, they would spread the news, and more people would come next time.

After pondering for a while.

"Locals get three catties of meat each, the elderly get three catties and six taels each, and outsiders get half! What does everyone think?"

Five catties per person on average; the remaining gap and the other two spirit monsters would naturally be distributed to the prominent families and his own people.

"Listen to Master Liang!"

"The three sacrificial beasts were all brought by Master Liang; we have no opinion on how they are distributed!"

"Master Liang can distribute them however he likes; just being able to smell the scent is enough to satisfy me!"

The crowd spoke with certainty, believing that the three beasts were all contributed by Liang Qu alone, so they had no opinion on how they were distributed.

Being able to get three catties of meat was already an unexpected blessing.

"Alright, line up and come get your meat!

Lin Songbao, Li Libo, Chen Jiechang, you guys help watch and organize the order; those who have received it cannot receive it again.

If anyone dares to fish in troubled waters, bring back the share they already got!

When we're done, I'll give you three a bigger share."

"Heh, I'm good at this, Master Shui, just watch me." Lin Lin Songbao rolled up his sleeves. "Anyone I've seen once, I won't forget!"

With over ten thousand people, Liang Qu couldn't do what Lin Lin Songbao did—remember everyone after one glance; he could only say that everyone had their own strengths.

He drew the Green Wolf and sliced open the red beast's abdomen, and the internal organs gushed out with a thick, fishy stench.

Several butchers from the town stepped forward to help, cleaned out the internal organs, and carried them to the side in large buckets to wash.

Cutting off the entire animal skin and hanging it to the side, Liang Qu was responsible for cutting the meat, while Lin Lin Songbao measured and distributed it on the side.

For ordinary people, fat meat was definitely better than lean meat, and three catties of fat meat were different from three catties of lean meat, but absolute fairness was impossible; for everyone, having something to eat was good enough.

After distributing to dozens of people in turn, Liu Quanfu lined up and came over, rubbing his hands.

"Master Liang, can this meat be changed?"

He was close to Liang Qu, so ordinary people wouldn't dare to make requests.

Liang Qu put down his dagger: "Change it? What do you want to change it to?"

Liu Quanfu pointed to the large fish that looked like "Blue Beast" on the side.

"That one looks like it has good fortune, so I was thinking if I could catch some of that good fortune."

Liang Qu was dumbfounded.

That was true; ordinary people didn't know the difference between spirit monsters and great spirit monsters; they just saw that "Blue Beast" looked auspicious and thought it was better.

"No need to change, I'll just give Uncle Fu another share."

Liang Qu sliced a piece of meat from Blue Beast and handed it to Liu Quanfu along with the red beast meat.

"That wouldn't be right."

"What's right or wrong about it? Spirit monster meat strengthens the body; Uncle Fu, once you've strengthened your body, just help me build a few more ships."

Hearing this, Liu Quanfu didn't stand on ceremony anymore, chuckled a few times, and carried the two large pieces of meat away amidst the envious gazes of the crowd.

They were busy until the end of the Hour of the Monkey (5:00 PM).

Liang Qu picked up the last few rib pieces, handed them to the servants of the prominent families, and turned to bow to the crowd.

"Thank you all for your support in this River God ceremony; a few pieces of meat, just a small token of my respect."

The crowd led by Tang Tang Zutao waved their hands repeatedly.

"Not at all, not at all."

"From now on, we all live in Yixing Town; we should be united as one."

"It's just half a day's time; when we're free on weekdays, we can just treat it as going to a market."

Chen Chen Zhaoan also stood up to express his thanks, and then mentioned the opera troupe.

"Gentlemen, today at the fifth quarter of the Hour of the Rooster (7:15 PM), there is still a water stage play to watch. If you are interested, I will have someone arrange the seats in advance and wait for your arrival?"

Everyone felt it wasn't a big deal, and they hadn't listened to an opera in a long time.

"That's fine, nothing to do, we'll come and take a look then."

"Save a seat for me."

"I'll pass, I have something to do tonight."

"Is Hall Master Lin in a hurry to have a son with his third concubine?"

"Hahaha."

Everyone laughed and chatted, leaving the scene in scattered groups.

Liang Qu originally had no interest in opera, but he was persuaded by Chen Chen Zhaoan to stay.

"Master Liang will definitely be interested in tonight's play."

Liang Qu didn't know why Chen Chen Zhaoan said that, but thinking about it, watching it was fine; it wasn't a big deal.

"Alright then."

"Waiting for Master Liang's arrival."

"Village Elder Chen is joking, I am but a junior..."

At night, Liang Qu, having finished dinner, walked forward along the bluestone street.

The evening wind was slightly strong, and the air was covered with the fresh scent of water plants, rushing toward him mixed with the water vapor.

Before he even reached the wharf, he discovered that the water opera stage was brightly lit, as bright as day.

That opera troupe was actually using Jinming oil!

Looking ahead, dense, covered boats had long since surrounded the stage, and ordinary people could barely find a place to stand.

This scene couldn't help but make Liang Qu think of a textbook article he had studied before.

Fortunately, the best seats in the front had been reserved early; Chen Chen Zhaoan waved at Liang Qu, letting him sit right in the middle.

The opera began with a flurry of gongs and drums, and the actors in heavy makeup appeared one after another.

Liang Qu couldn't understand much, and he couldn't even hear clearly what they were shouting, with the specialized opera tone; he only felt that a few of the girls' makeup looked good.

The first play was about some love between a man and a woman, very boring.

The man, for some reason, was dressed as a big fat man, quite absurd.

By the second act, the situation was a bit different.

The several characters who appeared one after another made Liang Qu feel very familiar, as if he had seen them somewhere, and the last line of the opera made him suddenly perk up.

"What I want is very simple, it's just..."

"Everyone's heads!"

Liang Qu's eyes widened.

Good heavens.

Chen Chen Zhaoan had actually turned his story of taking down the Whale Gang into an opera! ===== CHAPTER 210 =====