Chapter 253: Shangsi Festival
The sky had just brightened when Li Xi’er was woken up from her dream by the person beside her. “Linglong, Linglong, wake up quickly! We’re almost late!”
“Hmm? Is it dawn already? You dress Miaomiao first. San Mao, I want to sleep a bit more!”
The woman mumbled sleepily, her mouth uttering words he couldn’t understand!
Linglong?
Li Xi’er suddenly opened her eyes wide, blinked, and saw those handsome features magnified several times right in front of her!
How had she ended up sleeping in his arms? She closed her eyes, rubbed her bleary eyes hard again. “Am I not dreaming?”
Fortunately it was her; others definitely wouldn’t dare look recklessly, as it would be a crime!
The man looked at her irritably!
“Uh… hehe, that was because I had a dream!”
She could feel the slightly warm breath from his body, but that person’s gaze seemed to pierce through her brain, as if trying to see what she was thinking?
Li Xi’er felt a bit torn inside. Why hadn’t he left early this morning?
“God of War Senior Brother, what time is it? Why haven’t you gone to court yet?”
She shifted her body to keep some distance from him, turned her head to the side, feeling a bit uneasy inside.
“Today is a rest day. Senior Brother wants to take you out of the manor for a stroll!”
She hadn’t said anything crazy, had she?
“What’s wrong? Don’t want to go?”
“Who said that? Let’s go, of course I’ll go! I’m about to go crazy cooped up in this place!”
“Hehe! In that case, get up quickly and wash and dress!”
“Okay!”
Li Xi’er flipped over. Without Luo Zhi’er’s fat body, she quickly put on her coveralls in three moves and two steps, threw that earlier blunder to the back of her mind, and happily bounced into the washroom to freshen up!
After washing and dressing, and eating breakfast, the two got into a horse carriage and left the manor together.
Li Xi’er’s gaze was drawn to the street scenes outside the window curtains.
The entire city was built from large and small stones stacked together, with roofs made of wood covered in gilded glazed ware tiles, forming palace-fortress style architecture.
Clusters of buildings overlapped, halls and pavilions soared, majestic in momentum, with a momentum of bursting forth from the horizon and piercing the heavens.
Sturdy and thick granite walls of the houses, resplendent golden roofs, and layered connected building forms all embodied the unique characteristics of Feng Lan Kingdom!
The streets bustled with people coming and going. The common folk lived peacefully and happily, particularly polite, with women half-squatting and men cupping fists in greeting upon meeting each other.
Scholars had their scholars’ rituals, officials had their officials’ rituals, all abiding by order without chaotic clamor. It was indeed the imperial capital of Feng Lan Kingdom, under the Son of Heaven.
Seeing the mark of the God of War’s Mansion on the horse carriage, people made way one after another. The women blushed, gazing expectantly at the man inside the carriage!
Fortunately, the curtains of his carriage were made of a special material that allowed seeing out from inside but not in from outside, precisely to prevent privacy leaks!
“God of War Senior Brother, you’re actually pretty nice. You knew I was about to go stir-crazy in the manor and brought me out for a stroll!”
Feng Qingcheng chuckled, his stunning beauty captivating the city: “I knew you were going stir-crazy in the manor. Sorry, I’ve been a bit busy lately, and your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, so…”
“Look at you being so polite. But from what I see, no one accompanies you out for walks either. Look at those women—they all drool when they see you. Only I don’t do that!”
Tch! He’s used to being a lone wolf, yet he makes so many excuses!
Feng Qingcheng was choked half to death, then suddenly burst into loud laughter. It had been a long time since he laughed so freely!
Today happened to be Shangsi Festival. People went in groups to the water’s edge to bathe and drink holy water, to wash away past stains and filth, praying for health and peace.
She had finally awakened comfortably. Feng Qingcheng wanted to take Li Xi’er there for purification and warding off evil.
Street vendors were selling many special snacks made from five-color glutinous rice, black rice, and eggs.
Their breakfast staple that morning was black rice and shepherd’s purse egg custard.
Along the way, there were many people out for spring outings and picnics, flower viewing. Everyone’s clothes were clean, with few patches.
Their faces were all beaming with smiles, eyes filled with hope!
Rumor had it that it wasn’t like this in previous years. It seemed the people of Feng Lan Kingdom lived well under the current sovereign’s rule.
At least now it was good; everyone could live peacefully and happily, better off than in Dongli Kingdom.
Thinking of her days living in Taoyuan Town compared to what she saw here, they were starkly different states of life.
The people in Zhao Li Village of Taoyuan Town mostly had worried faces, anxious about survival and livelihood. Perhaps it was because this was under the Son of Heaven!
She of course also knew that the biggest reason was probably having God of War General Feng Qingcheng, who gave them sufficient sense of security.
The horse carriage traveled for over half a shichen, and they arrived at the bathing place—a beautiful stream in the suburban wilderness. The surrounding ground was paved with flat large stones, and the bathing area was at a pool built from stacked big stones!
Everyone was queuing in order. When they got there, it wasn’t real bathing—just scoop some water with a bamboo tube and dampen the lapels.
Many children were playing by the stream not far away, catching small fish and shrimp, flying kites on the grass!
To avoid causing a stir, Feng Qingcheng dressed plainly with a mask on his face. Li Xi’er was just in ordinary attire, wearing a veiled hat.
The two got off the horse carriage and queued according to the rules. When it was their turn, Feng Qingcheng personally dampened her lapels for her, muttering incantations, and carefully checked again if any spots were missed.
“Yo, you two must be newlyweds, right? Your daughter is fortunate. Look at how your husband treasures you, afraid of any mishap!”
The mother-in-law behind teased. Li Xi’er hurriedly said, “Mother-in-law, it’s not like that.”
“Aiya, what’s there to be shy about? Husband and wife—you care for me, I care for you—isn’t that normal?”
“Could it be… you’re not a couple?” Her eyes scanned them. One wearing a mask, one a hooded hat—the meaning in her gaze changed again!
“Ah? No, no…” It was impossible to explain clearly!
Feng Qingcheng didn’t stop his actions and suddenly said, “Yes!”
“I knew it! Hehe!”
Li Xi’er saw his serious expression and her face flushed unnaturally.
After dampening the lapels, the two came out. Li Xi’er’s crisp voice transmitted from under the veiled hat’s veil. “Why did you say that just now?”
“Didn’t you see it too? If I didn’t say that, wouldn’t your reputation be ruined?”
Who told him to dampen water for her? In others’ eyes, it looked intimate!
“But… sigh, forget it! Anyway, they can’t see what I look like!”
She hadn’t known how to do it earlier either. He did it for her, so she let him, causing this misunderstanding!
Feng Qingcheng chuckled lightly. “Hehe, thinking that way is right!” He pulled her to a nearby sacrificial site.
There too was surrounded by crowds, cheers rising one after another. Looking through gaps in the crowd, inside people in strange costumes were performing a sacrificial ritual!
The shaman stood in the center, muttering incantations incoherently and spraying a mouthful of talisman water, as if summoning something?
“What is he doing?”
Li Xi’er asked.
“Summoning the soul and continuing the spirit!”
“For whom?”
“Some deceased person!”
Feng Qingcheng’s eyes fixed steadily on her. Li Xi’er felt the shaman was also looking at her, making her feel uncomfortable inside, with a sense of suffocation and exhaustion!
Eyes like lightning. Suddenly the shaman shouted loudly, chanting vigorously, and strode toward her. Li Xi’er wanted to run, but Feng Qingcheng gripped her hand tightly.
The shaman approached and just gave her a bowl of crystal-clear water. Feng Qingcheng signaled her to drink it!
This was the holy water he mentioned drinking!
Li Xi’er, having transmigrated from the modern era, didn’t really believe in these ghosts and gods theories. But thinking of her situation, she suddenly felt some doubt!
Reluctantly, she still drank it down in one gulp.
It was no different from other water.
She didn’t know that this sacrificial ritual was one Feng Qingcheng had specially paid a large sum to hire the shaman for—to summon her soul.
