Chapter 16: Volume of Progress (3)

Li Yuanfang retreated from the crowd in the chaos and turned around outside the circle. The witch who had just fallen lying up stood up again and led all the wizards to sing and dance like crazy. He couldn't help laughing, feeling that his impulse was too stupid. It was just a procedure for shaman sacrifices, but he almost took it seriously. There were endless crazy screams in his ears, and Li Yuanfang was a little upset. He walked along the crowded stall of the Great Bazaar, as if he had entered a maze and walked around for a long time. He heard the sound of the sacrificial being stopped from afar. The surroundings were quieter. When he looked again, he walked outside the Bazaar again. Li Yuanfang didn't want to pass the place where the shaman sacrifices again, so he simply turned around and followed the secluded path led by Wang Qian in the morning, and hurried towards the direction of his home.

A new moon like a moth-eyed eyebrows hangs high in the air, the cold and faint light and shadows are like mercury, reflecting the longing and sadness. On the whole path, the footsteps of Li Yuanfang were only heard very clearly, so when a depressed low moan came, he immediately became alert. The path in front of him was clearly visible under the moonlight, without a single figure. Li Yuanfang stopped and listened quietly. The breeze blew gently, and on a row of pear trees carried by the path, the white pear blossoms floated like snow, and the fallen flowers were colorful, and together with the moonlight, the path was bright silver. The trees were far away, and it was as if it were dreams.

Li Yuanfang hurried home and came outside the yard. He heard Di Jinghui laughing loudly inside. He pushed open the crooked broken wooden door and suddenly saw the scene in the yard. He couldn't help but be stunned. There were a few wine and dishes on the stone table in the yard, which were hot and fragrant. There were three people sitting around the table. In addition to Di Jinghui and Han Bin, there was also a strong old man with a red face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a gray-white beard. He was cheering and drinking with Di Jinghui. When he saw someone coming, the old man put down his wine glass and looked at Li Yuanfang with a smile.

When Di Jinghui saw Li Yuanfang coming back, he greeted happily, "Hey, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you for a long time!" Li Yuanfang frowned and muttered softly, "Oh, I forgot to bring you food." Di Jinghui waved his hand: "Oh, if you want to wait for you to bring us food, we may starve to death. It's okay, don't you have food or drink, haha!" Han Bin jumped off the stone bench, ran over and took Li Yuanfang's hand, and dragged him to the table. Di Jinghui looked up and down at Li Yuanfang, and smiled and said, "Where have you gone? It seems that he went to Tanhua?"

Only then did Li Yuanfang notice his pear petals, so he asked Han Bin to pat him. While looking at the old man at the table, he smiled and asked, "Is this old man..." The old man quickly returned the favor: "Ah, I'm Gao Changfu, you are the Lieutenant Li?" "That's right." Li Yuanfang thought for a while and asked, "Gao Changfu... Could it be that you are Gao Huochang who used to manage Bazaar?" Gao Changfu laughed loudly: "Lieutenant Li is indeed extremely smart, he can't hide anything from your eyes. It's right, it's the Lieutenant!"

Li Yuanfang was also very happy. She sat down and clinked glasses with Gao Changfu, and asked again: "I read the military order of Governor Qian said that Gao Huochang was seriously injured when he was fighting in the market and was bedridden, so he asked me to take over. Why? Governor Gao Huochang looked very tough?" "Ah? That's what Governor said?" Gao Changfu was stunned, thought for a while and smiled, "Hehe! It's probably because Lord Qian was afraid that Captain Li would be too careless, but in fact it was not that true at all. I was just old and had been in the Hanhai Army for many years. Ten days ago, Lord Qian ordered me to retire. So Captain Li, stop calling me Gao Huochang, I am already a flat-headed commoner."

Di Jinghui raised his wine glass and said, "Bo Gao just told us that his ancestral home is Bingzhou, Shanxi. Hey, I am still a fellow villager! He has been in the frontier for many years. This time he retired, he wanted to bring his family back to the roots and return to the Central Plains." Gao Changfu said, "Yes, I should have set off the day before yesterday. But my old woman insisted on seeing the shaman sacrifice tonight before leaving. So, she delayed it. I heard that Li Ziwei, who succeeded me, had arrived, so I thought about coming over to see. If Li Ziwei didn't understand anything, I could explain, right?"

Li Yuanfang said sincerely: "Brother Gao, you think so thoughtful." Gao Changfu waved his hands repeatedly: "It's ok, it's ok." Li Yuanfang drank a sip of wine, smiled, and said: "I went to see the shaman sacrifice just now." Han Bin jumped up and shook Li Yuanfang's arm to complain: "Ah, brother, you don't take me there!" Gao Changfu hurriedly rescued: "Hey, Bin'er, I tell you, that thing is very scary, it's best not to watch it, it's boring!" Li Yuanfang asked curiously: "Brother Gao, is this sacrifice held every year?"

Gao Changfu said, "Yes, every spring, at about this time, there are shaman sacrifices in Tingzhou." Di Jinghui asked, "What is the purpose of this sacrifice? Is it a blessing in spring?" Gao Changfu nodded and shook his head: "It is a prayer for blessing, but not for the harvest, but to avoid the plague." "Plague?!" Di Jinghui and Li Yuanfang looked at each other and asked together. Gao Changfu nodded and said, "Yes. In the past, every spring and summer, there would be epidemics in Tingzhou. This plague was very dangerous. Once the disease was infected, there would be no cure. Many people would die every year. More than ten years ago, a shaman with extremely magical skills appeared in Tingzhou, named Lin Tianji, who began to hold spring sacrifices. Since then, the plague has really stopped happening. Because of this, the people of Tingzhou can be said to be firm in the shamanism, and even the Tingzhou government respects shamans very much."

When Di Jinghui heard this, he snorted indifferently and said, "Cathing can prevent the epidemic of plagues? Haha, fortunately my father didn't hear this." He glanced at Li Yuanfang who frowned and thoughtful, squeezed his eyes at him, and asked Gao Changfu: "Gao Bo, does the shaman wizard rely solely on sacrificial wizard to prevent plagues? Are there any other magic tricks, such as drawing talismans, burning paper, etc.?" Gao Changfu said, "Why not? In addition to sacrificial wizards, shamans will also distribute a kind of divine water to the people of the city. The Tingzhou government asked everyone to drink it. If they don't drink it, they will be sent to Yibotai to go to jail, so no one dares to disobey." "Ha! That's right!" Di Jinghui slapped the table and said loudly: "I'm very curious about this divine water. Uncle Gao, when can I drink it? I'm very afraid of death, it's best to drink it now!"

Gao Changfu was so happy that he smiled and shook his head, "Young Master Di, don't be anxious. After the sacrifice, you will distribute divine water from house to house. If you don't want to drink it, someone will pinch your nose and pour it down!" Li Yuanfang poured a glass of wine for Gao Changfu and asked with a smile: "Uncle Gao, but I look at that sacrifice today, the host seems to be a witch? Are Lin Tianji you mentioned a woman?" "Ah? Hahahaha!" Gao Changfu smiled forward

He leaned back and shook his head and explained: "No, no. Lin Tianji disappeared in Shatuochi ten years ago. It is said that he has transformed into a true god. Since then, the person who presided over the shaman sacrifice was his female disciple, and he is also the most powerful shaman witch in Tingzhou now, named Pei Suyun." Di Jinghui was stunned: "Pei Suyun? Is he still a Han woman?" Gao Changfu nodded: "That's not it, Captain Li saw it today."

Li Yuanfang nodded, poured a glass of wine for Gao Changfu, and asked, "Brother Gao, do you actually belong to the Shatuo regiment? Is it the Wuxun Captain's regiment?" Gao Changfu said, "Yes, it is the Shatuo regiment. My youngest son, Gundam, also in the Shatuo regiment like me, and is still a brigade chief. Haha! If you want to say that the Wuxun Captain is really a good person, but he is too upright and not liked by Shangguan, so he has never been valued." Li Yuanfang then asked, "When we come today, the king who received us

General Qian said that Shatuo regiment was transferred. Do you know what was going on?" Gao Changfu was stunned and replied hesitantly: "I can't say this either. After the Wu School Captain was transferred to Yibotai to suppress the bandits, Lord Qian did not appoint a new regiment commander, but took over the Shatuo regiment himself. A few days ago, he suddenly heard that there was an emergency military service. Lord Qian personally led the Shatuo regiment away from Tingzhou and headed towards Luntai. As for the specific content of the military service, because it was a secret, and I happened to retire, it was unknown."

When Di Jinghui heard this, he interrupted and said, "Look, why are you talking about military affairs again? It's really three words that are not separated from our business. Li Yuanfang, can't you relax?" Li Yuanfang lowered his head and said, "Did you see that witch? How about it? Are you scared?" Li Yuanfang had not answered yet, and Gao Changfu interrupted, "Oh, Pei Suyun is a great beauty on the front of our Tingzhou city. But because she is a shaman witch, she has no bounds of magic. Haha, everyone in Tingzhou city is in awe of her. Besides, she and..." Speaking of this, Gao Changfu suddenly stopped his mouth, looked around nervously, picked up the wine glass and drank a few sips.

Li Yuanfang and Di Jinghui did not ask questions, and they both started drinking. After a while, Li Yuanfang spoke again: "Brother Gao, today's sacrifice has passed, when do you plan to return home?" Gao Changfu said: "Well! I have nothing special, I can leave at any time." Li Yuanfang smiled at him and said sincerely: "Since that's the case, can you ask Uncle Gao to stay in Tingzhou for a few more days?" "Oh? Does Captain Li have any instructions?"
Chapter completed!