sinovels Chapter 22: Divine Divination
Chapter 22: Divine Divination
Seeing that Zhang Ren couldn't hide it, he said with a hippie face:
"Uncle Zhou, I know you are the best, so just help me."
Yanchen's father hesitated for a moment, then said:
"Master, it's not that Uncle Zhou doesn't help you, but that place is really too dangerous at night, and I dare not walk there at night alone. Master and Madam are also thinking about the safety of Master."
Zhang Ren did not give up, and continued to intercede:
"Uncle Zhou, just help me once, I've really grown up, I have to experience it, right, I can't be pampered in the nest like a cub forever, right!"
Yan Chen's father nodded and said:
"That's right, Uncle Zhou, when I was your age, I went to the mountains with the adults to cut firewood and hunt. All right, you just go and prepare the items for the altar. If you do well, I might still be here I will speak good words for you in front of Mrs. Madam, and I beg you to take you to the top of the mountain to practice and practice together."
Zhang Ren was overjoyed and said happily:
"Uncle Zhou, you are really the best person in the world."
Zhang Ren's compliment reminded Yan Chen's father, so he added:
"Young master, don't be too happy, I will declare first, I mean, on the premise that you are doing well."
"Don't worry, Uncle Zhou, I promise it will be beautiful." Zhang Ren said, patted his chest.
Seeing that Yan Chen was hiding behind Zhang Ren without saying a word, Yan Chen's father shouted:
"Yanchen, come here."
Yan Chen was already ready to take the blame, and walked up to Zhang Ren in front of Zhang Ren, listening to him continue:
"Let me tell you, you have to take good care of the young master. Some items are very sacred, and you can get a little dirty. If you have any questions, please come to me in time, understand?"
Unexpectedly, father really agreed to help, Yan Chen hurriedly nodded and replied:
"Got it, Dad."
"Then you go, young master must pay attention to safety, don't embarrass yourself too much, if we can't do it this time, let's try again next time." Yan Chen's father finally instructed.
I have never eaten pork, and I have seen pigs run.
Although Zhang Ren didn't know anything about the art of divination, he had seen some simple scenes of worshiping the gods on TV or in rural festivals before, and he generally knew what items were needed.But he often couldn't name many items, so he simply let Yan Chen make the preparations.
"Yanchen, whether you can succeed this time depends entirely on you."
"Don't worry, young master, I have done it with my father several times, and I am familiar with these items."
The first is livestock, cattle, sheep and hogs.Hogs are what we now call pigs.These can be ordered to kill at Caishikou in the county town, and they are all fresh.
After that comes wine, fruit and dishes.These homes have them, the wine is in the cellar, the fruit is in the orchard in the backyard, and the dishes are prepared by Yan Chen's mother.
Then we need to prepare jade and silk, these two are treasures, and they are relatively difficult to get. Fortunately, many of the Zhang family have been officials for generations, and there are still a few pieces of jade and silk that have been handed down, and now they have been specially stored for sacrifices.
Finally, there are tablets and offerings of gods.
Because they wanted to catch up to the top of Xianxialing before dark, Zhang Zijun and Mrs. Lian decided to set off early.
This afternoon, Mrs. Lian came to the living room, wanting to see the offerings prepared by Uncle Zhou.It happened that people from Caishikou came in carrying slaughtered cattle, sheep and pigs.Before the people at Caishikou left, they said this to Mrs. Lian:
"Madam is so lucky, the young master knows how to help you at such a young age, you are really sensible!"
Mrs. Lian was baffled and was about to ask, but the man had disappeared outside the door.Madam gave up, and instead checked the offerings prepared in the living room.There are cows, sheep, and pigs, as well as wine, fruits, and dishes, as well as tablets and offering vessels for gods. It seems that there is a shortage of treasures, but there is no sign of Zhou Bo.
Mrs. Lian began to look for Yanchen's father.At this time, Zhang Ren and Yan Chen happened to find Uncle Zhou in the orchard in the backyard.
"Father, we've almost prepared all the items for offering sacrifices to heaven, the only thing missing is the jade silk." Yan Chen said excitedly to his father.
"The jade silk is with me. Madam gave me the sacrificial jade silk for safekeeping, and it is in a wooden box in the closet in my room. Yan Chen, you can accompany the young master to get it." Yan Chen's father replied.
Just when Zhang Ren and Yan Chen came out of the orchard, Mrs. Lian happened to come to the backyard to look for Uncle Zhou.Seeing these two children, Mrs. Lian asked casually:
"Ren'er, Kuan'er, why did you come to the orchard?"
Zhang Ren smiled and said nothing, while Yan Chen said seriously:
"I will accompany the young master to find my father. There is something very important."
"Important matter?" Mrs. Lian asked suspiciously.
Yan Chen was about to answer, but was dragged away by Zhang Ren.
Seeing the children running away, Mrs. Lian thought to herself, this child is still as naughty as before falling into the water, so she no longer has to worry about anything.
Mrs. Lian walked into the orchard, saw Yan Chen's father, and said:
"Brother Li, why are you still staying in the orchard, take a good rest, you have to go up the mountain later."
"It's okay, ma'am, I can leave anytime," Zhou Bo said.
"Okay, then, Brother Li, go and prepare. Let's set off early and go to the top of the mountain while it's dark." After speaking, Mrs. Lian thought of something and continued: "By the way, Brother Li, I saw you Remember to bring the jade silk with you for the sacrifice items you prepared."
Zhou Bo thought for a while and said:
"Ma'am, I have to tell you something honestly."
"Brother Li, look at what you said so eloquently, especially the word confession, it's too serious!" Mrs. Lian laughed.
"It's like this, ma'am, because there are a lot of things to do in the orchard today, so I decided to leave the preparation of the offerings to the young master and Yan Chen privately."
"Brother Li, you mean that Ren'er and Kuan'er prepared the offerings for offering sacrifices to heaven in the living room?"
"Yes, I've been in the orchard today."
"No wonder!" At this time, Mrs. Lian remembered what the people at Caishikou had said to her, and the mysterious appearance of the two children just now, and finally understood, and said, "I think those two children are doing pretty well." Yes, it seems that I have to thank Brother Li for teaching me well!"
Zhou Bo saw that Mrs. Lian did not blame him, so he said:
"In fact, it's the children who want to learn by themselves. I can't talk about teaching. Ma'am, you also know that every time we go to the top of the mountain to worship the heavens, the young master always wants to follow. Before, I thought the young master was still young, but now you see that the young master also I have grown up, and I am very sensible recently. Otherwise, we will bring their two children tonight and let them experience it."
"Brother Li, I know it must be Ren'er who begged you. But the mountain top at night is really too dangerous."
"Madam, don't worry, I have hunted before, and with me around, I will never let the birds and beasts on the mountain get close to the young master."
"This matter still needs to be carefully considered. I can't agree to you for a while, and Zijun has to make this decision." Mrs. Lian thought for a while and continued: "How about this, Brother Li, you are ready to go first. , I’m going to discuss it with Zijun.”
"Okay, ma'am, go slowly."
Mrs. Lian walked out of the orchard and went straight to the living room, where Zhang Ren and Yan Chen were fetching the jade silk and putting it together with other objects for worshiping heaven.She didn't ask much, but quietly went back to the study and told Zhang Zijun about it.Mrs. Lian was worried that Zhang Zijun would disagree, but after hearing what she said, Zhang Zijun laughed and said:
"Actually, I also have the same idea. Since the child is sensible and knows how to prepare items for offering sacrifices to heaven, let's make this decision. This way, the child is indeed not young, and needs to go to the mountains to practice more. Second, tonight's The divine divination is related to the common people in Fujian. Our whole family will go there to show our sincerity, so we can get more prepared information. Three times, I will go to Fuzhou tomorrow, and I don’t know how long I will be separated from the children. Take this opportunity tonight to let the children experience the art of divination."
In this way, Zhang Ren's scheme succeeded.
Before the sun set, the six members of the family set off towards the top of Xianxialing Mountain.
Yanchen's father carried the sacrificial animals, Yanchen's mother carried wine, fruits and dishes, Zhang Ren and Yanchen each carried jade and silk, Mrs. Lian and Zhang Zijun carried the god's tablet and offering vessel respectively.
This is Zhang Ren's first time walking on the dangerous road of Xianxia Ridge.The Xianxialing Mountains are high in terrain and widely distributed, with an average altitude of about [-] meters. The lithology is hard and the joints are well developed. After erosion, they often form steep cliffs.
Xianxialing has overlapping mountains, with Yaoling in the north and Chaling, Xiaoganling, Daganling, and Liling in the south. Together with Xianxialing, it is called Liuling, and the danger of the six ridges is within tens of kilometers.There are five passes: Anmin Pass, Erdu Pass, Mucheng Pass, Huangwu Pass, and Liushi Pass, which together with Xianxia Pass are called the Six Great Passes.
Xianxia Pass on Lingshang has 360 levels, 28 curves, and is ten kilometers long.Five steps and one bay, three steps and one rock, there are mountains in the mountains, and there are thousands of layers of cliffs.The narrowest part of the ancient road built along with the mountain is less than one meter, and can only be passed by a horse.The widest point is five or six meters, which can pass a horizontal line.
It seems that Zhang Zijun chose this place as a place for offering sacrifices to heaven and divination because of the advantages of the right time and place.
At this time, Zhang Ren, who was walking on the mountain road, couldn't wait to climb to the top of the mountain and experience the mystery of divine divination.
Zhuge Liang borrowed the power of Dongfeng and Jiang Ziya to call the wind and rain, and can reveal the past and future according to divination.
When the six of them arrived at the top of Xianxialing Mountain, the sun was just about to set.The sunset glow in the western sky made most of the sky red, the floating clouds seemed to be within reach, and the overlapping mountains were all in sight, Zhang Ren felt that he was in a fairyland.
The sky was getting dark, the night was hazy, and the moonlight illuminated the top of the mountain.Occasionally a breeze would blow and the leaves would rustle.
The ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven and divination began.
Set up an altar.A large stone slab on the top of the mountain was used as a countertop, and Uncle Zhou and Aunt Zhou placed the sacrificial items prepared, such as cattle, sheep, hogs, fruits, drinks, and dishes, one by one.
incense.Mrs. Lian lit the candlesticks and lit the incense sticks, and the curling cigarette smoke floated up, making the night more mysterious.
kowtow.In front of the altar, Zhang Zijun kowtowed three times and bowed nine times in the four directions of east, west, south and north respectively.
beg.After prostrating, Zhang Zijun took out the three tactics of war that he had planned, put them on the altar, and muttered in his mouth: "The gods of heaven and earth are above, Zhang Zijun is here to beg, the three tactics of war will keep Fujian peaceful and free from war." ..."
Among the sacrificial items, there was an extra long sword at some point.Zhang Ren asked Yan Chen quietly, and Yan Chen said that it was inherited from the Zhang family.
Zhang Zijun pulled the sword out of the scabbard and stood beside the altar, as if waiting for something.
Suddenly, there was movement in the woods.
At this moment, Zhang Ren and Yan Chen watched silently in the corner beside Mrs. Lian and Aunt Zhou.But Zhou Bo raised his bow and arrow, looking ready for battle.
At this moment, before Zhang Ren had time to see clearly, a wild boar came out of nowhere and appeared on the altar, eating the beef on the stage.
At this critical moment, Zhou Bo shot an arrow and stabbed the wild boar.But Zhang Zijun stepped forward and cut the wild boar's throat with a sword.
I saw the wild boar's blood splashed on the altar, collapsed on the stage, dying.