Chapter 678

Just past Grain Buds, approaching Grain in Ear.

Although the weather had changed since last year, with winter being colder and lasting longer, and the spring breeze arriving much later, at this time of year, there was finally some heat beginning to appear.

When the sky was just getting light, a light rain fell in the capital.

The fine rain was like silk, washing the bluestone road outside the Chenghuangmiao until it shone.

When the sun rose, the light rain stopped immediately, and the steaming water vapor, wrapped in the smell of incense, sweat, and peddling, swirled like mist on the three-li long street from Xingbu Street to outside the Chenghuangmiao.

The Chenghuangmiao had a long history, especially in this world, as it was an important arrangement for guarding the city, so even the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom, which was mainly Shamanic, built a Chenghuangmiao when ruling Beiping.

After the Great Da Xuan Dynasty was founded, it even conferred titles on City Gods all over the world, establishing a four-level system of "Capital, Prefecture, State, County." The Beiping Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao was also upgraded to the "Total Temple of the City God under Heaven," renamed "Great Weiling Shrine," and the City God was titled "Weiling Duke," with statues of City Gods from thirteen provinces established for worship.

Since then, the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao had also become the hub of City God temples under heaven, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites' Mystic Sacrifice Division, and the major Mystic Sect orthodox sects sent elite disciples to form a Law Enforcement Hall to jointly maintain the order of the Mystic Sect.

Because of the establishment of the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao, many customs were born.

For example, on the first day of the fifth lunar month every year, Wanping and Daxing counties would lift the City God statue to the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao to "report work," the procession like an official trip, with incense associations and juggling along the way, which was very lively.

But what was even livelier was the Chenghuangmiao Fair.

The temple fair outside the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao was called the "Ancestor of Temple Fairs" in the capital, opening for three days on the first, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth of every month, and extending during the Spring Festival and the fifth-month sacrificial period.

The temple fair in the capital was naturally extraordinary, attended by merchants from all over the world, called a place where rare treasures under heaven gathered, and even the ghost market at night was equally lively.

After all, it could prevent people from using illusion arts to cheat here.

Some things that were dug out of graves and were not clean would also reveal strange phenomena.

Not everyone had the ability to distinguish evil energy, so this became their best choice.

Today happened to be the temple fair after the twenty-fifth of the fourth month. Even though a major murder case occurred at Piaoxiang Pavilion last night, the common people and merchants of the capital still went out to the temple fair as usual.

Li Yan pressed his bamboo hat, wrapped the Duanchen blade with coarse cloth and carried it diagonally behind his back, pretending to be an ordinary traveling merchant and squeezing into the crowd. After passing the Xingbu Street entrance at the east end, he saw the bluestone road stretching for three li, merchant sheds winding like a dragon's spine, the crowd noisy, ten thousand merchants lined up, flags and banners covering the sky.

On the flags and banners, some wrote "Suzhou Song Brocade," "Xuande Censer Treasures," others wrote "Four Treasures of the Study," "Rare Treasures within the Seas," all lifted in mid-air with zhang-long bamboo poles.

Whenever the wind blew through the street, they fluttered like a battle formation.

This kind of place was clearly very suitable for hiding one's identity, but Li Yan's strong sense of smell and hearing made him suffer, and even without using divine powers, all kinds of smells rushed into his nasal cavity frantically, and his ears were filled with the noise of the market.

"New tea from Grain Rain! Longjing, Biluochun, three copper coins to watch the tea doctor perform point-soup illusion plays!" The Jiangnan tea seller wearing a bamboo hat set up a blue cloth shed, the boiling water in the copper pot rolling like thunder, and when the tea soup poured out, it actually condensed into the shape of a kingfisher spreading its wings in mid-air, causing passersby to throw money one after another...

"Authentic 'Willow Crow Painting' by Song Emperor Huizong! Selling cheaply for fifty taels of silver!" The man dressed in silks and satins, looking like a shopkeeper, shook open the scroll. On the silk, there were crows standing on the branches of ink willows, but the pupils were blood-red.

Li Yan's nostrils twitched, smelling the fishy and rotten evil energy on the painting, and his brows frowned instantly.

This thing was no authentic work by Song Emperor Huizong; it was clearly an evil-suppressing painting.

He had heard Wang Wang Daoxuan mention this object. Some scholars and painters were obsessed with painting, and their residual thoughts remained after death. If placed in a dark place in an old house for a long time, it would attract evil energy to gather.

If the evil energy was weak, hanging it in the house all year round would make people have many dreams at night and feel uneasy.

If the evil energy was thick, it could even turn into a monster and harm people.

Even worse, it could affect the surrounding earth veins and become a fierce and evil place.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, there was a strange case saying that in a broken temple in the mountains, traveling merchants who stayed overnight often died, their essence and blood dried up. After investigating for a long time, it was discovered that an ancient painting from the Wei and Jin dynasties was making trouble, and it was difficult to destroy because it absorbed the evil energy of monsters, so it was later placed in Mount Zhongnan for suppression.

The one in front of him didn't count for much, at most it would ruin the feng shui of a house.

If placed outside the Chenghuangmiao for a period of time, borrowing the City God's incense and the popularity of this street, it would be directly scattered and become an ordinary painting.

But unexpectedly, as soon as the boss put it out, a wandering broker showed surprise, walked away quickly, and before long, several scholars ran over in a hurry following the broker, whispered to the boss, and bought the painting with heavy money.

Seeing this, Li Yan shook his head slightly.

Needless to say, these scholars clearly wanted to buy it as a gift.

In the capital, the forces were intertwined like silk, and there was no lack of grudges.

And at a stall not far away, there were also people arguing.

At the corner of the four corridors, a group of old scholars gathered, and the merchant was actually selling a remnant scroll of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," and the masts of the grain ships in the painting were all inlaid with gold thread.

The merchant was shouting loudly, but a young scholar sneered and mocked: "What remnant authentic work, this is a 'Suzhou piece'! The real thing is in the treasury of Prime Minister Yan's mansion."

The so-called "Suzhou piece" meant a fake painting.

It is said that in a prosperous age, antiques are gold in troubled times.

The Great Da Xuan Dynasty was in its prime, and there were many wealthy families in the world. Having silver sitting around was just getting moldy, and giving it to poor ghosts was even more impossible, so the trade of antiques, gold, stone, and calligraphy and painting became more and more popular.

The trend of forgery followed, which was called "Book Gate" in the martial world.

The bronze ware made in Yuzhou and the calligraphy and painting made in Suzhou were the best among them.

Antiques also emphasized buying and leaving. If you bought a fake, it was because your eyes were not good, and you could even lie that you didn't understand. Even if the lawsuit went to the yamen, it was hard to handle, so the demand was quite large.

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

Hearing the scholar's words, the seller was furious, rushed up and punched and kicked, the people around followed to make trouble, the patrolling yamen officials pushed through the crowd to squeeze in, and it was another big mess.

Of course, this was just a small episode in the market.

Li Yan was too lazy to pay attention, just kept scanning toward the Chenghuangmiao.

Since Hu Hu Yuanyuan got the "flat peach," the organization "Flat Peach Assembly" had not contacted her again. Li Yan suspected that only if she ate this thing would the other party appear.

Now the only clue was the Chenghuangmiao.

The demonic energy controlling the "Night Wandering God" must be hidden in it, and through this strand of demonic energy, perhaps he could find Zhao Zhao Qingxu and the Jianmu organization.

As for Prince Ying's mansion, perhaps there were clues, but as Hu Hu Yuanyuan said, Prince Ying's mansion had become vigilant because of the Tianjin Port wharf incident, and last night's murder case would inevitably make them fearful.

Visiting now was not a good idea.

Taking advantage of the gap arranged by Hu Hu Yuanyuan, it was better to explore the Chenghuangmiao first.

This first stop was naturally the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao.

This place was also the headquarters of the Law Enforcement Hall. Originally, if Li Yan came forward with his identity, with his relationship with Mount Wudang and Qingcheng, he would inevitably receive a grand reception.

But demonic energy had invaded, and there must be an inside man.

To avoid startling the snake, he could only explore secretly.

Happening to be the Chenghuangmiao Fair, entering hidden in the crowd should not be discovered.

Unknowingly, Li Yan followed the crowd to outside the Chenghuangmiao.

In the square in front of the temple, merchant stalls were like a forest, and the crowd was like weaving.

On the east side were incense and candle stalls, with sandalwood, agarwood, and mugwort bundles piled up like small mountains, and the stall owners shouted loudly: "Three sticks of incense before the City God, guarantee the safety of the house!"

On the west side were juggling troupes, with shirtless men swallowing swords and spraying fire, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Further away, fortune tellers set up cloth banners of "Iron-mouthed Direct Judgment," the copper coin divination tubes clattering, and wealthy merchants in silk shirts squatted in front of the stalls, their brows locked.

Although noisy, there was a large fence separating the crowd from the Chenghuangmiao gate.

Li Yan poked his head to look, only to see the temple gate towering, vermilion paint with gold nails, and stone lions on both sides with angry eyes wide open, pressing embroidered balls and young beasts under their paws, and red silk tied by believers still remaining between the lion manes, swaying lightly with the wind.

A gilded plaque of "Monitoring Yin and Yang" hung under the temple eaves, and black-trimmed yellow glazed tiles crouched on the roof ridge, with iron horses under the eaves ringing, swinging out clear sounds in the wind. On both sides of the main gate stood two soap-official clay statues, a zhang high, with blue faces and fangs, holding water and fire sticks. Although they were clay embryos, they had been smoked by incense for many years.

Their brows and eyes actually seemed to have life, making passing children both afraid and curious.

Ordinary people could perceive the difference, let alone cultivators.

Li Yan could clearly feel that the two guardian clay statues at the gate had incense energy rising, carrying a trace of murderous majesty, floating above the temple gate.

This was a complete guardian array, with prosperous incense, far stronger than the two Heng and Ha generals in the Fengdu Ghost City. If a cultivator used divine powers to investigate, they would probably fall into an illusion immediately.

And the core of the array at the gate was undoubtedly the demon-reflecting mirror hanging on the lintel.

Looking at the reflection of the mirror surface, it was far stronger than the one hanging at the city gate.

Li Yan pressed his hat, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

As expected of the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao, the headquarters of the Law Enforcement Hall, some mountain gates didn't even have this treasure.

To enter it, one must restrain one's aura. With the Dragon Snake Token to cover it, he should be able to mix in. As long as he walks around each statue, the Gou Die will naturally have a response.

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard a sound of copper gongs opening the way, and the crowd surged like a tide.

"Weiling Duke—patrols—!"

Accompanied by the majestic shout, eight shirtless strong men lifted the black lacquer divine sedan and stepped on the Gang steps.

Inside the sedan was the City God wooden statue, with a golden face and long beard, silver armor and red robes.

Copper gongs clanged to open the way, and the crowd surged like waves again.

This was the City God returning from patrol. After the incense guests around cleared the way, they knelt and worshipped, and many people lit the incense candles in their hands. In the curling blue smoke, the "Great Weiling Shrine" gold plaque seemed to be falling.

"Open the gate!"

After the City God statue entered the temple, the soldiers guarding the gate shouted loudly, leading their men to move the wooden fence away. The common people who had been waiting impatiently surged inside.

It was rumored in the city that burning the first stick of incense could fulfill wishes.

Especially this City God, who judged Yin and Yang, so many people with grievances waited outside early, not looking at the prosperity of this temple fair at all.

Just like the old woman beside Li Yan, trembling, muttering: "City God, open your eyes..."

Unfortunately, the world didn't know that this City God was already doing his duty by guarding the city, and the grievances of the human world wouldn't even be managed by the Yin Division, let alone this clay embryo local god.

The crowd was crowded, and the old woman was pushed around, the incense in her hand broken.

Just as she was about to fall, her arm was suddenly supported by Li Yan.

"Old lady, I'll accompany you in."

Li Yan nodded slightly, his body exerted a little force, and the people around were squeezed away.

He used the clever force of the Undying Seal, and no one could perceive it.

"Many... many thanks."

The old woman had something on her mind, muttered a sentence, and walked toward the temple trembling.

Outside the temple gate, besides those soldiers on guard, there were also several Daoists, their eyes sharp looking in all directions, but it seemed because Li Yan was supporting the old woman, even though he carried a weapon on his back, he didn't attract their attention.

Soon, they followed the crowd into the Chenghuangmiao.

This Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao used the official yamen-style layout of "front court, back bedroom," with three gates on the central axis, in order: Temple Gate, Shunde Gate, Chanwei Gate.

The main hall was the Great Weiling Shrine, five bays wide, with a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof covered with black-trimmed yellow glazed tiles, with three bays of front-protruding hip-and-gable roofs. Inside the hall were worshipped the "Weiling Duke" statue and the statues of City Gods from thirteen provinces, representing "ruling the City Gods under heaven."

The back hall was the sleeping shrine, the living quarters for the City God and his wife.

Further back was where the Law Enforcement Hall was located, which was forbidden to enter.

As for the east and west corridors, the "Eighteen Divisions" were set up, symbolizing the Yin Division's judicial institutions.

Similarly, there were Daoists guarding outside each main hall and in front of the statues.

Li Yan lowered his hat and walked forward supporting the old woman.

He could feel that restrictions were set up everywhere in the temple, making it difficult for divine powers to investigate.

Li Yan frowned slightly, observing without changing his expression.

It had to be said that this method could indeed resist the investigation of cultivators, but many times, problems often appeared from the inside, just like in the Zigaishan cave, where Daoists were bewitched by evil spirits.

Even the mouse big and mouse two hid in the clay statues and were not discovered.

This was clearly a not-so-small loophole.

They moved with the crowd and finally entered the Great Weiling Shrine.

The City God was a belief in human gods, mostly famous heroes in history. For example, the Great Weiling Duke Ji Xin was a great general under Emperor Gao Zu of Han. Because he died for Liu Bang in the Battle of Xingyang, he was respected by later generations as the "Total City God of Thirteen Provinces."

Besides this, there were Wen Tianxiang of the capital, Qin Yubo of Shanghai, Zhou Xin of Hangzhou, Chen Wenlong of Fuzhou, etc., all of whom were famous in history.

Li Yan supported the old woman, walking past each City God statue, but the Gou Die had no response.

In disappointment, he also carried a trace of relief.

If the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao had a problem, I'm afraid the capital would already be riddled with holes.

Could the demonic energy controlling the Night Wandering God only have infected the auxiliary god statue?

After Li Yan followed the old woman and turned around again, he was completely certain in his heart.

The statues in the Jingcheng Chenghuangmiao were not infected by demonic energy.

Looking at the old woman beside him with a face full of grief, Li Yan finally asked:

"Old lady, what grievances do you have?"

"Grievances? No grievances..."

The old woman was dazed, trembling: "Hejian Prefecture suffered a disaster the year before last, and my whole family fled to the capital. On the way, my husband starved to death, last year my son died of exhaustion repairing the river, and this year my daughter-in-law caught a cold and died with my grandson. Now only I, this old thing, am still alive."

"I came just to beg the City God to let them be reincarnated into a good family in the next life."

Hearing this, Li Yan fell into silence.

He had seen too many such things, and no matter how high his cultivation was, he felt powerless in his heart.

As the old woman spoke, she walked out of the Chenghuangmiao.

Just then, the Gou Die in his bosom suddenly heated up.

Li Yan suddenly looked up, stuffed a few taels of silver to the old woman, and walked quickly into the market.

Following the direction pointed by the Gou Die, he arrived in front of a stall.

The owner of the stall was a young man wearing a small hat, his eyes looking around constantly. Seeing Li Yan approach, he immediately beamed: "Guest, look, these are all good things, Song dynasty porcelain, Tang dynasty jars, everything you need..."

Li Yan raised his hand to stop his words and pointed to a black pottery fragment among them.

"Where did this thing come from?"

On it, there was actually the aura of a "flat peach"...

(End of chapter)