Chapter 46: Ghost Festival Sacrifices to Heaven

  The great wizard waved his hand and scattered a handful of green beans, which rolled down the stone steps in a circular motion. He muttered incantations under his breath, when suddenly he raised his snake-headed staff to the sky and shouted: "I, the wizard, offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Long Tomb, gather the virtues of heaven, seek the way for the lonely king, bow to heaven, earth, water, and the three officials, protect the people of Xichuan, bring peace and prosperity to the nation, ward off all evil spirits, and borrow the power of the earth immortals. I, the wizard, will diligently serve the spirits on behalf of the people of Xichuan, with sincerity and reverence for the heavenly gods."

  The witches then began to dance in a circle, shaking their bells and scattering golden paper. The air was filled with incense as they danced with flying sleeves. Xiaofeng watched in confusion and asked Liu Zhang: "What are they doing? It's really boring. In our place, we just need to offer the captured beasts to the mountain god, and feed the beast's teeth to the python raised by the tribe. Why do you people still need to serve the ghosts with such diligence? What's good about serving ghosts?"

  Xiao Furan had a look of disdain, her little butt constantly twisting on the chair, as if she was very uncomfortable. She suddenly stood up and wanted to leave, but Liu Zhang pulled her down: "What are you doing? With so many people here, if you leave like this, it's disrespecting the gods, who knows they might take you to sink ships."

  "But it's really boring, and not as good-looking as our Miao people's lusheng dance."

  "Isn't it more interesting to feed a python than teeth? And, ghosts refer to the spirits of ancestors. You don't understand anything, yet you comment blindly and twist things around. Sit up straight for me, or else I'll have someone tie you up and see how you twist then."

  "Hmm." Xiao Furen hummed softly, then leaned over and fell asleep on Huang Yue's shoulder. Liu Zhang shook his head helplessly and gave Huang Yue an apologetic look. Huang Yue forced a smile, but the apology in Liu Zhang's eyes was clearly meant to convey that his own family member was causing trouble for someone else. Huang Yue let out a soft sigh and shifted her body slightly to make Xiao Furen more comfortable.

  "Please ask Governor Liu Huangshu to light the sacred fire on the platform and illuminate the wronged ghosts and spirits of Xichuan."

  Liu Zhang stood up from his seat, followed by six armored soldiers who stood on both sides of the stone steps. Liu Zhang stepped onto the high platform, took over the torch from the great witch doctor's hand, and lit a brazier next to him. The flames suddenly surged high, with five colors: red, white, blue, yellow, and black. Then he lit three braziers around the altar.

  When the central fire pit is ignited, the flames surge more than two zhang high, emitting a dull "boom" sound. The color of the flames has seven colors, with bright and dazzling pink hues. Below the stage, there are thunderous cheers.

  Liu Zhang handed the torch to the witch, walked down the stone steps slowly, and the great witch doctor took a step forward, holding the torch high and shouting: "Pastor Gong accepted the imperial grace of Tianzi, benefiting millions of people in Xichuan, the backbone of the Han Dynasty, the star shining on the minister, driving away evil spirits in Jiangzhou, restoring clarity to Bashu, ghosts and gods are moved, protecting the prosperity of Xichuan for ten thousand years."

  "The lord's kindness and authority."

  All officials of Yi Province under the high platform came out, surrounded by thousands of soldiers who bowed down and shouted in unison, shaking the sky. Liu Zhang's eardrums were faintly painful as he walked on the stone steps.

  The earth-shattering sound wave, the members of the clan were all moved, this scene does not represent anything, it only shows that Liu Zhang has absolute control over his subordinates and the soldiers of Yi State. Yan Lao sighed: "In the scorching summer days with torrential rains, the hundred leaves are green and lush, I guess it's really not the time to harvest rice."

  Liu Zhang sat down again, and the great wizard shouted: "Burn incense to sacrifice to heaven."

  Two witches holding torches, flowing and igniting three rows of thousands of incense sticks, the entire high platform was shrouded in misty fragrance, only vaguely visible were those crimson-robed wizards.

  "Three firm earth sacrifices."

  The shrine maiden took over the meat of cattle, sheep and pigs from the soldiers and placed it on the altar.

  "A dirty woman worships water."

  Two shrine maidens standing on the iron chain bridge lowered an iron chain, binding a spirit boat below the iron chain bridge to descend onto the lake water. On it were sailcloth, golden boys and jade girls, as well as wooden frame spirit houses. Apart from these, there was also a young woman dressed in white, gentle and melancholic, silently weeping.

  The shaman scattered golden paper, the wizard shook the ritual instrument, the high priest recited the sacrificial text, the spirit boat slowly sank as it was rowed, and the woman's white clothes had already been soaked in water.

  "What's going on?" Xiao Furen suddenly bounced up from Huang Yue's shoulder, sat up straight, and stared at the spiritual boat woman with unblinking eyes.

  "That is a deflowered unmarried woman, used to pollute and sacrifice to the water god, to keep the earth clean."

  "What a mess! And you call us barbarians, I think you're even more savage." Xiao Furen turned to Liu Zhang and said: "You're an official, can't you rescue her?"

  "I..."

  Liu Zhang was in a dilemma, he himself did not agree with this method, but customs are not something that can be changed by simply saying so. Offending customs is more terrifying than harming the interests of one's own clan, you are trying to subvert people's outlook on life, values, and worldview, that would offend the entire Han people.

  The golden paper scattered by the shrine maiden danced in the air, Liu Zhang didn't move, nor did he intend to. The woman finally sank into the lake, only her black hair floating on the surface, silent and soundless. Xiao Furen angrily picked up her sword and left, treating the thousands of officials, civilians, and soldiers present as if they were nothing.

  Xiao Furan walked out from beside Liu Zhang, these people didn't dare to say anything, but Liu Zhang knew that many people must be dissatisfied with Xiao Furan's rude behavior, his face turned green with anger, both hands tightly grasping the armrests of the chair, at this moment, Liu Zhang really wanted to slap Xiao Furan to death.

  Huang Yue changed places with Xiao Fu Rong and said to Liu Zhang: "Sir, I think the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven is almost over. Later, we'll go back and apologize to Miss Xiao, buy her some jewelry, and it should be fine."

  "I didn't do anything wrong, why should I apologize to her?" Liu Zhang said angrily. "A person like her isn't worth accommodating, I have some other things to attend to later, no time to bother with her."

  The Hungry Ghost Festival is the second day of the year to worship ghosts, the first worship on January 15th, starting at night and ending with sunrise, the third worship on October 15th, starting at noon and ending with sunset, while the Hungry Ghost Festival ceremony starts from sunrise and ends at noon, representing a cycle.

  Today was a good day for the sacrificial ceremony, with the sun shining brightly overhead. However, the elderly heads of the clans and their red-lipped and white-toothed descendants were all anxious. The grand ceremony had reached its final stage, and the elderly clan leaders were already drenched in sweat, rejoicing that it was about to end, when Liu Zhang suddenly stood up and said: "Everyone, wait a moment, I have something to say."

  Every member of the tribe suddenly felt a chill and stopped in their tracks, staring at Liu Zhang with tension.

  "Please sit down." Liu Zhang made a gesture of invitation, and the clan members who had stood up had to reseat themselves. Liu Zhang glanced at the scorching sun in the sky, beckoned with his hand, and immediately soldiers brought forward several long poles wrapped in cloth over ten feet long. Three soldiers formed a group, propping them up beside each clan head.

  The young men of the clan were amazed to see that wooden stick supporting a canopy-like shape, only this canopy was much larger than those in their homes. Once it was opened, sunlight couldn't penetrate within several meters, and the elderly clan members suddenly felt much better. Those young men of the clan envied them greatly, but could only continue to be scorched under the intense sun.

  Wang Xiu walked up to Liu Zhang with an umbrella, but Liu Zhang waved his hand and Wang Xiu had to retreat. Liu Zhang stood under the sun and said to the tribal leaders: "I know you all want to leave quickly, but please let me say a few more words, after which I guarantee you won't be at a disadvantage. To cut to the chase, I just exchanged opinions with Old Master Yan, and he clearly expressed his support for my four policies of official appointment, land decree, and price limit. I'm deeply grateful for this, isn't that right, Old Master Yan?"

  Liu Zhang looked at the head of the Yan clan, and Old Master Yan listened to the young men of other clans behind him discussing and complaining that the Yan family did not consult with them and compromised with the governor. He was very dissatisfied, but Old Master Yan had a bitter heart and couldn't say anything, so he could only smile bitterly and say: "Yes, yes, the Yan clan supports all orders from Governor Zhang."