Chapter 173: The Night of the Lantern Festival is Still Young

At dusk, the news finally came.

"Our team is arranged in Daozheng Ward."

Manager Wan's expression was a bit excited, "Daozheng Ward is next to the Prince's Mansion, and there is a three-story high building there, right by Xingqing Lake."

"Because our performance during the day was not bad, we were specially arranged here. At that time, the people from the Chang'an Prince's Mansion will climb high to watch, and they will give each team fine wine to show encouragement."

"Good!"

The men cheered one after another, full of excitement.

Although they were also Some Jianghu people, their profession, to put it bluntly, was all lower-class. Usually, they said that power and wealth were like dung, but being praised by these royal relatives made them feel beautiful in their hearts.

Regardless of the result, it could be used as a topic of conversation in the future.

Li Yan naturally had no interest in the Prince's encouragement, so he asked in a deep voice, "Where are the nearby teams from?"

Manager Wan naturally knew what he meant and said with a solemn expression, "One is a team from Jinzhou, in Shengye Ward. They are guests and also have large ticket firm backgrounds. The Prince will meet them first."

"Another one is in Chang'an Ward, organized by sorcerers from Yulin. Their reputation is okay, and I know most of them."

"The Jinzhou team will likely take advantage of the speed of the running drum cars to leave one step ahead, expand their momentum along the way, borrow the dharma flag to gather incense fire, and take a quota first."

"The Yulin team will meet us at the East Market. This is the first battle. Either we don't interfere with each other and continue forward, or we have to fight."

"I want to preserve strength. After all, carrying the divine tower across Changancheng consumes a lot of physical strength, so it's not worth fighting from the beginning."

"It is estimated that the other side thinks the same. They go one step ahead, and we won't run into each other."

"But how to choose depends on them..."

Finally, night fell, and the lanterns were lit all over the city.

They knew that the real test was about to come...

…………

The Lantern Festival in Chang'an has always been quite a big deal.

In the past, people believed that gods manifested in the middle of the night. Therefore, in addition to various rituals during the day, the activities at night were even richer.

Such as the Tang Dynasty welcoming the Zigu God, which would only start at the Zi hour. There was also the prevalence of Buddhism at that time, and since the Han Dynasty, lamps would be lit to offer to Buddha on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Of course, there was another reason. At that time, Chang'an had a curfew system, and on this day of the Lantern Festival, it would be lifted, and even the imperial palace would open its doors, with the Son of Heaven going out to have fun with the people.

Singing girls and dancing ladies dressed up and walked in the sea of lanterns under the moon.

Poets described the grand scene at that time: Fire trees and silver flowers combine, star bridges and iron locks open. Dark dust follows the horses, the bright moon chases the people. The traveling entertainers are all rich and beautiful, singing songs on the path of falling plums. The Golden Guard does not forbid the night, the jade water clock does not urge them.

To this day, Chang'an has long since lost its past glory.

The heroes of the five tombs and the romantic style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty have long since returned to dust. 【17

But the liveliness of the Lantern Festival has been passed down.

Every household hangs lanterns and decorates with colors; the rows of lanterns on the street seem endless. Merchants hire people to perform dragon and lion dances, ride bamboo horses, and run land boats.

The crowd is like a weaving shuttle; children hold fish lanterns, laughing and chasing each other. Even if they bump into and break a nearby lantern, the adults are not angry at all, but instead consider it a blessing.

Of course, the main event is still the parade of the Divine Towers.

Near a corner of the city wall in Daozheng Ward, Manager Wan's team has long been waiting here. The men carrying the Divine Tower rub their hands, encouraging each other, and even beat their chests, letting out roars to boost their momentum.

They are going to play for real tonight.

If they encounter other teams in a narrow path, they will charge directly to overturn the opponent's Divine Tower.

This is not disrespectful to the gods, but rather a ritual to entertain them.

In front of the Divine Tower, a Daoist from the Grand Void Gate holds a ritual flag, his other hand forming hand seals, and he inserts the flag onto the Divine Tower before burning incense to offer sacrifices.

This Daoist has a round face and is a familiar face.

His Daoist name is Gu Gu Chenzi, and he is the very person who followed Luo Luo Mingzi to the Xianyang mass grave to seal and save the Mountain God with Li Yan and the others.

After the other party finished the ritual, Li Yan immediately stepped forward to meet him.

"Layman Li, it has been a long time."

Gu Gu Chenzi has a lively personality and still wears a smile.

Li Yan also exchanged polite greetings before asking, "Has Daoist Luo Luo Mingzi returned?"

"No."

Gu Gu Chenzi asked in confusion, "Feng Feng Shixiong left in a hurry, and I don't know what urgent matter he had. Feng Feng Shixiong Uncle also forbade us from asking too much, but news came from the capital that Feng Feng Shixiong Luo Luo Mingzi might be transferred to the capital."

"Oh."

Li Yan was lost in thought; it seems the matter of Zhao Zhao Changsheng has already attracted the attention of the imperial court and the Grand Void Gate.

Thinking of this, he did not ask further but looked at the ritual flag on the Divine Tower and asked, "Why the sudden change and such a big formation?"

Gu Gu Chenzi hesitated for a moment, looked around, and whispered, "You are not an outsider, so don't spread this after I tell you."

"There is much snow this winter, which logically means abundant rain next year, but multiple divinations have all hinted at a drought. The Doumu Palace on Mount Taibai sensed something wrong, and after a high-ranking priest performed a ritual to ascend the mountain and observe the Qi, they discovered the disaster originated from the Qin Mountains."

"Natural disasters can be handled by rituals to ward off misfortune and pray for blessings, but man-made disasters can only be solved by ourselves. Therefore, the Law Enforcement Hall sent people to investigate and discovered the activities of the Maitreya Sect..."

"Is it that Drought Demon?" Li Yan asked.

Gu Gu Chenzi was surprised, "You know quite a lot."

"That thing is not simple. Let's put it this way... there were records of it during the Tang Dynasty. Later it was suppressed, but before its baleful Qi of disaster was eliminated, it was secretly taken out again. It is purely the result of human malice."

"Tonight's ritual is to imitate the ancient Shang 'Yu Dance' to entertain the gods and borrow their power to suppress it, keeping that thing stable. Afterward, it will leave Chang'an and be safely transported to Mount Huashan, and the disaster can be resolved."

"The Maitreya Sect in Shanzhou has basically been wiped out, but it is inevitable that there are those with ulterior motives. If you, this living Yin Messenger, hear any news, please don't play dumb..."

Li Yan said solemnly, "Rest assured, I will keep an ear out for news on the road."

Gu Gu Chenzi cupped his hands and turned to leave.

Perhaps it was Li Yan's several displays of ability that made Luo Luo Mingzi and his fellow disciples trust him, and they no longer hid some things from him.

Watching the other's departing figure, Li Yan looked at the Divine Tower again.

Daozheng Ward is adjacent to the Prince's Mansion, and the residents are all high-ranking officials and nobles in the city. The masters of the houses might still be reserved, but the female relatives and servants in the mansions would not miss this opportunity.

At this moment, the area around the Divine Tower is already densely packed with people praying, wishing for a prosperous year, and the smoke from the incense rises straight into the night sky.

Li Yan can smell that inside the one large and two small Divine Towers, the power of incense is gathering, having already formed Divine Gang, which is connected to the ritual flag above.

Today's ritual can also be considered a gamble.

The cost of building a Divine Tower is not small, but as long as the ritual is successfully completed, it is equivalent to undergoing a divine refining and consecration, truly becoming a Dharma artifact.

The greatest use of this kind of Dharma artifact is to settle and protect a house.

Its Divine Gang has already gathered; if it is enshrined in the family's ancestral temple and offered incense morning and night, most Yin objects and demons would not dare to approach.

In Changancheng, there are plenty of people willing to buy one at a high price.

For example, right now, several elderly men looking like stewards are surrounding Manager Wan, constantly asking questions.

But Manager Wan shakes his head repeatedly, clearly not planning to sell.

Just then, a man suddenly looked up and said, "Look, the Prince is out!"

Many people heard this and looked up one after another.

The other side of the street is the Prince's Mansion. A few dozen meters behind the wall, there is a three-story library building. At this moment, the doors and windows are wide open, and it is brilliantly lit. One can vaguely see many people leaning on the railings and looking out.

Li Yan has practiced martial arts for many years and has excellent eyesight. He can see that the Prince and the Heir look quite ordinary and somewhat fat.

The only thing that caught his attention was a white-robed Daoist beside the Prince, with handsome features and a long black beard hanging over his chest, looking quite dignified.

Sha Sha Li Fei is familiar with Luo Luo Faqing and has already inquired on the side that Feng Feng Shixiong Qiao Feng Feng Shixiong Qiao Sanhu is not a cousin of Master Yue Master Yue Fachong, but the only son of their master.

Master Yue Master Yue Fachong is only protecting him to repay his master's kindness.

Although this is a virtue in a sense, failing to discipline him strictly is no different from letting a tiger hurt people. Therefore, Li Yan has no good impression of this Master Yue Master Yue Fachong...

Above the Prince's library building, the scenery is even better.

"Hahaha..."

Looking at the lights all over the city, Xiao Qingyuan, the Prince of Chang'an, was in a very good mood. Supported by a eunuch, he sat down and said with some nostalgia, "When the Great Da Xuan was first established, Chang'an was burned by half by the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom, leaving it desolate and in ruins. It took decades to recover its vitality."

"Ten years ago, the Maitreya rebellion caused another great fire. Looking at it now, it is clear that it has recovered quite well."

The people around him flattered him one after another.

"It is all due to the Prince's benevolence."

"Chang'an being under the Prince's rule is truly the good fortune of the people."

Although these were compliments, many were sincere.

The Great Da Xuan Dynasty enfeoffed vassal princes, starting from the city of their fief, and there were rules that could not be overstepped.

!.

For example, all the expenses of the Chang'an Prince's Mansion were based on local taxes, evaluated by the Imperial Clan Court, and then allocated downward.

In other words, the poverty or wealth of the locality was directly linked to the Prince's Mansion. If the people were driven to destitution, the title would also be stripped.

The current Prince of Chang'an is the younger brother of the current Emperor. After arriving in the locality, he never disturbed the people and has a very good reputation in Shanzhou.

It is just that he is now old and frail, and many things are beyond his strength.

Hearing the flattery of the crowd, the Prince of Chang'an did not care at all, shaking his head and saying, "This Prince knows his own ability is average. As long as I can be steady and not cause trouble for His Majesty, that is enough."

"Chatting with Zen Master Zhikong the other day, I deeply felt that it is better to be still than to move. From now on, I will rest and recuperate, and the affairs of the mansion will be handled by the Heir."

The crowd looked at each other and tried to persuade him.

Of course, the Prince of Chang'an just shook his head slightly, too lazy to say more.

Master Yue Master Yue Fachong's eyes dimmed, feeling somewhat helpless.

He knew that these words from the Prince completely ended the idea of forming a fleet, and he was handing over power to the Heir to train him in advance.

Perhaps, he also felt that his own time was running out.

"Father..."

The Heir, Xiao Xiao Hongqi, had trembling lips, his eyes filled with tears, unable to speak.

"It's the Lantern Festival, why cry? It's bad luck..."

The Prince of Chang'an laughed and scolded, then said, "Heir, this year's Drum King Assembly gathers heroes from all over. This Prince is tired. From now on, you will bestow wine to them to boost their morale."

"Child obeys."

The Heir, Xiao Xiao Hongqi, took a deep breath, took the drumsticks presented by the eunuchs, and swung his arm to strike the nearby dragon-patterned drum.

Dong dong dong!

Accompanied by the sound of the drums, Li Li Kongqing immediately stepped forward and shouted, "The Heir bestows wine to boost the morale of the drum teams!"

At this moment, Chang'an is noisy, and his voice cannot travel far at all. Even Li Yan and the others outside the courtyard opposite cannot hear clearly.

Of course, the Prince's Mansion naturally had other preparations.

Following his shout, the guards of the Prince's Mansion immediately followed and shouted, "The Heir bestows wine to boost the morale of the drum teams!"

The sound quickly reached outside the Prince's Mansion.

There, knights had long been waiting. Upon hearing it, they immediately spurred their horses and rushed to every corner of Changancheng, simultaneously shouting, "The Heir bestows wine to boost the morale of the drum teams!"

The people heard it and were just curious why someone else was doing it this year.

But those in the city with keen minds heard it and immediately knew that from now on, the one truly in charge of the Chang'an Prince's Mansion would be the Heir, Xiao Xiao Hongqi.

Some didn't care, while others sighed repeatedly.

The Shanzhou Chamber of Commerce they had planned for so long was officially declared bankrupt. Given the Heir's temperament, he would certainly not let the Chang'an Prince's Mansion participate in going to sea.

All they could do was hold onto the Li family's thigh tightly.

The teams participating in the god parade, although distributed in all directions of Changancheng, already had personnel arranged by the Prince's Mansion beside them.

Beside them were large black wine jars wrapped in red cloth.

This is the private vintage of the Prince's Mansion, all old Xifeng wine from previous years, which cannot be bought in ordinary inns outside.

Hearing the order, the minor officials of the Prince's Mansion took action one after another, breaking the mud seals. One person picked up a ladle to scoop the wine, and another picked up the ceramic bowls stacked high nearby.

The men of the drum teams had long lined up.

Although the wine jars were large, each drum team had over a hundred people. After each person got a bowl of wine, the jars were empty.

"Gentlemen, Wan Sheng!"

The leader of the drum team roared, drank the wine in the bowl in one gulp, and then smashed it heavily on the ground.

"Wan Sheng!"

The others followed suit, drank it all in unison, and smashed their bowls.

This is an ancient military ritual, signifying "better to be a broken jade than an intact tile."

After drinking the morale-boosting wine, everyone's spirit was even higher.

Dong dong dong!

At this moment, it was just approaching midnight. With three cannon shots, the main event of this Drum King Assembly, the night god parade, officially began.

"Brothers, lift!"

At the window in the distance, the courtesan Zhao Zhao Wanfang of Qingyuan Tower withdrew her gaze, looked at Li Yan who was devouring his food, and smiled sweetly:

Guo Luquan roared, and the men immediately lifted the Divine Tower.

They shouted slogans, accompanied by drum music, and began to set off.

Equally excited were the surrounding people. The elderly smiled and waved, while the young cheered continuously, all holding incense and following closely behind.

The Qin Han drum rhythm is majestic, and walking through the lantern market at night with the crowd following makes them feel like they are marching with an army, making them extremely excited.

In ancient times, there were shamanic beast dances, and people walked at night with torches to drive away plagues and evil spirits.

Although shamanism has declined, many rituals and folk customs still show its shadow.

Gradually, more and more people followed behind.

At this moment, looking down from the sky over Changancheng, one could see twenty-four fire dragons setting off from all directions, converging toward Zhu Que Avenue.

"Awoo~~"

The people danced with incense, howling like ghosts and wolves.

But at this time, no one laughed, as everyone was immersed in this atmosphere.

Men like Guo Luquan who carried the Divine Tower had already been tired for a day, but now, they seemed to have forgotten their fatigue, eyes wide open, faces red, shouting slogans as they moved forward.

The huge Divine Tower also rose and fell.

The Qin Han drum troupe also beat drums to boost their morale, adding to the momentum.

As for Li Yan, he clapped casually.

It was not that he was lazy, but that he wanted to save his strength to deal with accidents.

Rumble!

Just after leaving Daozheng Ward, a rumbling sound came from the front.

It was the Jinzhou team, with war chariots pulling giant drums, their momentum like a rainbow, charging all the way, followed by a large number of people, with incense like a dragon.

Just as Manager Wan expected, they chose to go first.

Immediately, some young people who loved excitement broke away and ran wildly behind the Jinzhou war drum chariots.

Li Yan and the others didn't care and continued moving forward, finally encountering the Yulin team near the East Market......

(End of chapter)