A youth in a dark green riding outfit dismounted after receiving the flag and landed on the ground. His success was astonishing.
The owner of the horse ranch wasn't a stingy person. He handed the purple jade whip to Xiao Jue and praised, "Young master has great skills. In recent years, you are the fastest person to receive a flag!"
Cui Yue Zhi couldn't help but clap, "Huanqing, before you arrived, I heard that your adoptive father had found a martial arts master for you. Now, it seems that martial arts master has put in a lot of effort into teaching you. Even in Jiyang City, it's rare to see someone with such skill. "
Xiao Jue nodded with a smile, "Uncle is too kind."
He Yan thought that Cui Yue Zhi still didn't know that Xiao Jue was still holding back. If he were to really fight openly, it would probably shock everyone and expose his identity.
Just as she was thinking, Xiao Jue walked over and threw the purple jade whip into her arms.
He Yan was overwhelmed by the favor, "Thank … thank you."
He felt that Xiao Jue was different today. She seemed to be very easy to talk to and had a good heart.
However, he couldn't think of a reason, so He Yan shook his head.
"Now that you have the purple jade whip," Aunt Wei said with a smile. Concubine Wei smiled and said, "Why don't we go take a look at the sacrificial ceremony by the river? It's very lively. You can even get offerings from the Water God. After eating the offerings, you'll be bathed in divine water. You'll be blessed throughout the year."
Cui Yue Zhi slapped his head, "Right, right, right. I almost forgot about that. Huanqing, Yuyan, you two go and pray for a good omen! How can we not attend the Water God Festival? "
What was the Water God Sacrificial Ceremony? He Yan was confused, but he couldn't refuse such hospitality. He followed the crowd towards the canal. When they got close, they saw that there was a large empty space near the canal. There was a round stage set up and there were many people wearing masks singing and dancing. It was probably a folk song from Jiyang City. The tune was very cheerful and there were people of all ages. It was very lively.
As soon as he came to a stop, he heard a lady's voice, "Lord Cui."
The few of them looked over and saw Ling Xiu, the young miss of the Hall of Ceremony who had played the zither for everyone as a guest a few days ago, Ling Xiu. Beside her stood Yan Min 'er, who was glaring at them with hostility.
Ling Xiu was also dressed up today. She was wearing a pink corset dress and a pair of small boots that Jiyang women wore. Her long hair was also tied up with small braids. She looked gentle and playful. She smiled and said, "Min 'er and I just arrived here, and we met Master Cui. It's really too much of a coincidence. What a coincidence. "
Cui Yuezhi also smiled. "Ah Xiu, Min 'er, where are your parents?"
"Father and Mother are on the boat. Min 'er and I brought the servants and guards here to take a walk. We wanted to see the sacrificial ceremony and take some offerings back." His gaze fell on Xiao Jue. Xiao Jue was only looking in the direction of the stage and did not even look at him. Ling Xiu's heart sank.
Actually, she and Yan Min 'er did not see Xiao Jue here. They had already seen him when they were fighting for the wind at the horse field. The young man was as handsome as the moon and was stunning beyond compare. The way he held the flag and smiled was immediately imprinted in people's hearts. It was hard to forget even if one wanted to. However, such a man was in the limelight in front of everyone just to win a whip for that woman.
Ling Xiu was extremely jealous.
She was born with good looks, talent, and knowledge. She was also of noble birth. There were many talented young men in Jiyang City who admired her, but she looked down on none of them. However, one day, such a person came and surpassed everyone in the city. It was a pity that he was a married man, and he was so good to his wife, who looked ordinary and mediocre. If at first, Ling Xiu was only angry at Xiao Jue for ignoring her, after a few times, she even hated He Yan.
If there was no Wen Yuyan, if she had met Qiao Huanqing first … this would not have happened. What was so good about that woman? Qiao Huanqing must have been blinded by lard to mistake a fish eye for a pearl.
He Yan was looking at the people dancing and singing on the stage with great interest. He asked Concubine Wei, "Why are they all wearing masks?"
"A mask represents a person's identity. These are all legends related to the Water God. Dancing and singing during the ceremony is actually to convey the legend of the Water God. " Concubine Wei smiled and said, "If Miss Yu Yan likes, you can also dance with us on the stage and play one of the roles. When the ceremony is about to end, the elders will use a willow branch to dip the water of fortune and sprinkle it on everyone. After bathing in the water of fortune, there will be joy in the extreme. "
He Yan had never heard of such folklore. He said, "It's quite interesting."
Ling Xiu went forward and smiled, "Does Madam Qiao also want to go on stage?"
He Yan waved his hand, "I'm just saying."
"Min 'er and I also want to go on stage and dance. If Madam is willing, it will be very lively." She stared at He Yan with a gentle and considerate smile. But for some reason, He Yan instinctively resisted. She was actually not very proficient in the relationship between women and could even be considered careless. But she could still distinguish between ordinary hostility and friendliness.
Why did Ling Xiu have an unconcealable hostility towards her? He Yan thought about it and could not think of any way to offend this lady.
"Both of you are about the same age." Cui Yuezhi smiled and said, "Yu Yan should go up together. Our Jiyang's Water God Ceremony is very simple and not difficult. If there is anything you don't understand, Ah Xiu and Min 'er can teach you. "
Cui Yuezhi had already said it. If He Yan continued to refuse, it would seem like he did not respect Jiyang's folklore. He said, "Alright then. But I don't know how to dance. Don't laugh at me. "
"I won't." Ling Xiu said sweetly, "We will teach you." Then, she pulled Yan Min 'er towards the stage. "Let's go get the masks first."
He Yan braced herself and sighed. Forget it. Even if Ling Xiu and Yan Min 'er were hostile to her, they didn't know martial arts, so they wouldn't do anything to her. It was nothing more than some harmless little jokes. It was not a big deal for her to be clever.
As she was thinking, she heard someone beside her say, "Why didn't you refuse?"
He Yan was surprised and turned to look. Xiao Jue's gaze fell on her face. She could not tell what kind of expression he had. He said mockingly, "You obviously don't like it. Why didn't you refuse?"
"I don't think that's a good idea." He Yan hesitated. "If I refuse, Master Cui might not be happy."
He laughed as if he did not agree with He Yan's way of doing things. He said, "If you don't like it, just refuse. You have the ability to refuse, Lady He." He reminded her, "You can't make everyone happy."
That was true, but …
It seemed to have become a habit for her to try her best to make everyone happy and achieve perfection.
On the other hand, Yan Min 'er pulled Ling Xiu aside and whispered, "What do you mean by this? Who wants to dance with her? I can't wait to annoy her! I'm not going! "
"Wait." Ling Xiu grabbed her. "Let me finish."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've heard about what happened at the Xiu Luo Workshop."
Yan Min 'er's face immediately turned red when she heard this. She choked for a moment and said, "How did you know?"
"Who doesn't know about this now? The news has already spread." Ling Xiu looked at her with a smile. "Don't be angry. Of course, I'm on your side. Besides, I don't like Wen Yuyan. If that's the case, how can I let her have it easy? "
"What do you want to do?" Yan Min 'er said angrily.
"Isn't this a dance? I don't want her to be in the limelight. I want her to make a fool of herself." Ling Xiu smiled and pointed at the masks at the side. "Let her suffer. The girls of Jiyang are not so easy to bully."
"I've never seen Madam dance." Lin Shuanghe waved his fan and said meaningfully, "I'm really looking forward to having such an opportunity to broaden my horizons today."
He Yan thought to himself, 'She doesn't know how to dance. At most, she can dance with a sword. However, she's a foreigner. Even if she dances at the ceremony, others will only treat her too harshly. I just hope that she doesn't make a big mistake. I'm just here for the fun. '
While he was thinking, Ling Xiu and Yan Min 'er came over. Yan Min' er was holding a few masks in her hands while Ling Xiu was holding a wooden box. When she walked in front of He Yan, Ling Xiu looked troubled and said, "I just went to ask Si Li. Many people came to the ceremony today, and there are only a few masks left. I don't know how to distribute them. Why don't we draw lots to decide? "
Aren't they just masks? He Yan didn't care too much and asked, "What's the difference?"
"Different masks represent different characters. In the legend of Jiyang's Water God, there are also some villains and clowns …" Ling Xiu paused and smiled. "However, the possibility of Madam picking the clown character is not high. It shouldn't be."
He Yan nodded and said modestly, "You guys pick first."
"Madam, you're not from Jiyang. You should pick first," Ling Xiu said with a smile.
There was no point in rejecting this kind of thing. He Yan said, "Okay." As he spoke, he reached into the wooden box that Ling Xiu was holding and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
She opened the paper and saw the words "Li Lie" written on it.
"Li Lie … What does it mean?" She asked hesitantly.
Cui Yue was stunned. Concubine Wei was also a little surprised. However, Ling Xiu covered her mouth and exclaimed, "It's actually Li Lie. Madam, today … it's really unfortunate."
"Is that bad?" He Yan was puzzled.
"Just as I said, in the legend of Jiyang's Water God, there are many villains and clowns. Li Lie is one of them. This is a liar who is full of lies. He committed all kinds of evil by the water of the mortal world and cheated many people of their wealth. He didn't even let the elderly and children go. He did the most shameless things in the world. The deities in the heavens couldn't stand it anymore and sent a subordinate of the Water God, a fairy, to subdue him. This liar can be full of lies in front of others, but in front of the deities, he can only speak the truth in his heart. He said all ten of his secrets and in the end, he was locked in the underwater prison by the deities. He can't go ashore for the rest of his life. "
He Yan listened and unconsciously put himself in the shoes of the deities. When he heard that he can't go ashore for the rest of his life, he couldn't help but say, "How tragic."
"It's quite tragic." Yan Min 'er put on a fake smile and said, "However, since you have already drawn the lot, you can only act as Li Lie. If you have already decided to participate in the Water God Ritual and go back on your words halfway, you will be punished by the Water God."
He Yan really wanted to ask how the Water God would punish her. However, on second thought, didn't she die in the water in her previous life? She didn't know if it was a coincidence.
She said, "So be it. In this world, someone has to act as a clown, right?"
Cui Yuezhi was still a little hesitant, "But Yuyan, that mask …"
"What's wrong with the mask?"
Ling Xiu took the mask from Yan Min 'er and handed it to He Yan, "This is Li Lie's mask."
He Yan saw the mask and understood why Cui Yuezhi had such an expression just now. Li Li's mask looked like a leopard cat, and it was an extremely ugly leopard cat. It was drawn with a fierce look, but in the middle of the eyes and nose, there was a large white area painted. It looked both treacherous and ugly. Girls would definitely not want to wear such a thing on their face. Moreover, this mask was very heavy. When she wore it on her head, it would make her head bigger for no reason.
He Yan weighed it in his hand, "It's alright."
She had never cared much about things like appearance. Concubine Wei's expression was not very good. After interacting with He Yan for the past few days, she only felt that He Yan's temperament was gentle and cheerful. Others might not understand, but she grew up in the inner residence. Jealousy between girls was something she could understand at a glance. This was clearly Ling Xiu deliberately making things difficult for He Yan.
Thinking about it, to act as a clown in front of her sweetheart and perform all kinds of funny and ridiculous actions, not to mention what others would think, just the girl herself would feel ashamed and unable to show her face. Which girl in this world didn't want to be as beautiful as Xi Shi Diao Chan in the eyes of her lover?
Concubine Wei said, "How can you let Miss Yuyan act as a clown? Can't you tell Si Li?"
"It's fine." He Yan smiled, "When it comes to the sacrificial ceremony, it will work if one is sincere. There is no need to fuss over the details."
Cui Yue Zhi did not sense that the atmosphere was not right. Hearing He Yan's words, he smiled and said, "Good! Yuyan is really straightforward! "
On the other side, Lin Shuanghe and Xiao Jue frowned at the same time.
Lin Shuanghe covered his face with a fan and said to Xiao Jue in a low voice, "The Blue Beauty Culprit, it was you who caused the trouble and caused my Sister He to suffer."
Xiao Jue's expression was slightly cold. She glanced at him and was silent for a moment. Suddenly, she said, "You just said that Li Li's secret is to be told to the immortal."
Ling Xiu saw that Xiao Jue took the initiative to talk to her and was delighted. She smiled and said, "Yes. After a while, Madam will be on the stage and will have to tell the immortal's ten secrets. "Ling Xiu paused, then smiled and continued," And these ten secrets must all be true. Legend has it that Li Li, who is full of lies, is bound by the immortal's magic and can only tell the truth. When the time comes, Madam will also have to tell the full ten secrets. "
He Yan was speechless. He suspected that this immortal was actually a lunatic who liked to pry into other people's secrets.
"Immortals also have roles to play." Xiao Jue's gaze lightly swept past Ling Xiu, "In that case, I will do it."
"Wh … at?" Ling Xiu was stunned.
He Yan was also stunned.
"You don't understand?" The man's gaze was as sharp as lightning. Although his tone was calm, his expression was cold, "I want to act as the listener."
He Yan almost choked on his own saliva. Xiao Jue's words meant that she wanted to dance with him on the stage? Was Xiao Jue crazy or was the world crazy? He Yan could not understand. No one in Shuo City would believe that Second Young Master Xiao would do such a thing!
Chi Wu and Fei Nu also could not believe their eyes. They suspected that there was something wrong with their ears and that they had misheard.
Ling Xiu did not expect Xiao Jue to take the initiative to bring up this matter. For a moment, she did not know what to do. However, the man's gaze was so cold that she was a little scared. She subconsciously asked, "Wh … why?"
"Because," Xiao Jue said with a faint smile, "How can my wife's secret be known by others?"
With just one sentence, Ling Xiu, who was still a little scared just now, was so angry that her face turned green.
He Yan, "…"
She almost fainted. She felt that Xiao Jue was not acting like Xiao Jue today. It was strange.
Xiao Jue did not care about He Yan's expression. She only asked Ling Xiu, "Which mask is it?"
Ling Xiu pointed at the one in Yan Min 'er's hand. Yan Min' er was a little scared of Xiao Jue and immediately handed it over. He Yan took a look. This immortal's mask was nothing special. It was just a piece of black iron. Then, a cloud pattern was painted on the forehead.
"How do I do it?" He asked.
Concubine Wei saw through the trick. She smiled and said, "Actually, there are not so many rules when dancing on the altar. If you are a local, you will naturally understand. However, if you are a foreigner, as long as you are sincere and pray for the Water God, no matter how you dance, it is just a formality. The Water God is very forgiving. She will not be calculative over small matters. "
Xiao Jue said, "Understood."
He glanced at He Yan. Seeing that He Yan was still holding the mask, he held her wrist and said, "Come here."
After taking two steps towards the altar, He Yan looked back. He saw that Ling Xiu and Yan Min 'er were looking at him with hostility. She asked, "What's wrong with you? Commander in chief, are you crazy? "
"You are the one who is crazy." Xiao Jue said unhappily, "Why did you agree to her?"
"Didn't I say? Since we are already here, I am afraid that Master Cui will be unhappy. Moreover, we are just wearing a mask and dancing. We don't have to use knives and sticks. It is not a big deal to lose a piece of meat. "
He turned to stare at He Yan and laughed sarcastically, "Why don't I see you being so obedient when you are with me?"
He Yan said, "… Am I not obedient enough?"
Xiao Jue was too difficult to please!
"In the future, if you don't want to do this kind of thing, you can refuse." Xiao Jue's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, "Don't let others think that you are compromising. It is so ugly."
"I am not compromising."
"You are." He looked down at He Yan and smiled mockingly, "You like to lie to others. Are you going to lie to yourself too?"
He Yan was speechless. She instinctively wanted to refute, but she had a feeling that Xiao Jue was right.
However, there were many times when sacrificing one's feelings and preferences had become a habit. There were more and more important things to consider. No one could tell her that she could refuse, be willful, and be unhappy.
So, gradually, these things disappeared.
Xiao Jue saw He Yan's listless expression and paused. She knocked her head and said, "Hurry up and put it on." As she spoke, she picked up the mask in her hand and put it on her face.
The mask was made of iron and was very smooth, but it was still very heavy. Xiao Jue put the mask on her face with one hand and put the other hand behind her head to pull the trigger. She couldn't get it right for a moment. Seeing this, He Yan put the "liar" in his hand aside and said, "Let me help you."
She walked behind Xiao Jue and said to Xiao Jue, "Put the mask in the right position. I will help you from behind."
Xiao Jue was tall, so she could only stand on her tiptoes to pull the trigger. As she did so, she said, "Have you never worn a mask before? Why can't you do something so simple?"
Xiao Jue sneered, "Have you worn a lot of masks before?"
He Yan was stunned and laughed, "Even if I have never eaten pork, I have seen pigs run." After helping Xiao Jue put the mask on, she put the "liar" on her face as well.
One of them was wearing a mask, which made her look more mysterious and noble. The other was comical and cunning. No matter how she looked at them, it was funny.
Xiao Jue pulled her up to the altar. The chief of ceremonies nodded at them gently and pushed them to the center of the altar.
He Yan could not understand the people around them who were wearing masks and singing and dancing. He Yan asked Xiao Jue, "Commander in Chief, how do we dance?"
Xiao Jue replied, "I don't know."
He Yan learned from the people around her and danced for a while. However, she felt that it was too difficult and gave up. She pulled Xiao Jue to a corner of the altar where no one was looking and said, "Forget it, forget it. Let's not dance anymore. Let's do something else."
Xiao Jue was wearing a mask and her expression could not be seen clearly. However, it was obvious that her face was full of impatience.
"Commander in Chief, will the Water God blame us for being so perfunctory?"
Xiao Jue asked, "Are you scared?"
"I'd rather believe it than not."
This person was very cold. "Then continue dancing."
"I really can't dance anymore."
After a while, He Yan said, "Commander in Chief … Just now, Miss Ling said that lying requires one to tell ten secrets to the Immortal. Since we're here, let's act until the end. I'll tell you my ten secrets. That's it. Maybe the Immortal will see that we're so sincere and won't mind that we don't dance. "
Xiao Jue smiled and said lazily, "Okay, go ahead."
Ten secrets, and all of them had to be true. This was hard to say.
She counted with her fingers and said.
"I used to be a good drinker, but now I'm not."
"I know how to memorize 'Wu Zi's Art of War'."
"I'm the first in the Liang Province Guards."
"I really want to join the Nine Flags Battalion."
"I'm the one who unbuttoned Cheng Lisu's clothes. I can sell them for money."
This was already five secrets. Xiao Jue was speechless when she heard this. She only said, "Boring."
He Yan was encouraged and continued to work hard.
"In my heart, Commander in Chief is a very good person. I'm very grateful to you."
Xiao Jue sneered. "I won't let you join the Nine Flags Battalion."
"Every time Commander in Chief misunderstands me, I'm very sad!"
Xiao Jue said, "Continue lying."
"Commander in Chief and I were fated in our previous lives!"
Xiao Jue didn't even bother to look at her.
He Yan said, "I was a female general in my previous life."
This was even more ridiculous.
There was only one last secret left.
He Yan raised his head and looked at the person in front of him. His face was covered by a mask, and he stared straight at her. Only his beautiful jawline was exposed. His lips were thin and beautiful, and they were curved lazily, showing the heartlessness and gentleness of a young man.
Her own face was also covered by a mask. Hidden in the dark, it was as if she was in the middle of the night, and it gave her a sense of security.
"One last secret." He Yan tiptoed and leaned closer to his chin. She said softly, "I like the moon."
"The moon doesn't know."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
