618 Mighty Little Gu
So many things had gone wrong in Nanzhao. It was time for a ritual to appease the people.
The people of Nanzhao had more faith than the people of the Central Plains. They seemed to be too blind and obedient in some things, but from another angle, it also had its unique advantage.
Yu Wan had not been out for a few days. She had been helping Grandma study the engraving technique. The booklet recorded the oldest engraving technique. Many materials could not be found now, so they could only use other things to replace them.
They tried many times, but they all failed. It was not until this morning that Yu Wan accidentally dripped the cinnabar on her fingertip and the quality of the water changed.
“Grandma, look.” Yu Wan handed the water that had suddenly become thick to the old man.
The old man picked up the bowl and sniffed it. He nodded and said, “A brush.”
Yu Wan gave him a small brush. The old man gently dipped a few drops of water and carefully applied it to the cover of the handwritten letter. Something unbelievable happened. A line of small words suddenly appeared on the cover of the book.
They were unfamiliar words, Yu Wan did not recognize them. However, the water succeeded.
“Grandma, do you recognize the words on it?” Yu Wan asked.
The old man nodded. It was the oldest language, but it was not a problem for the priest of the Ghost Clan. This was because many of the priest’s books were recorded in this language. Although he had not read those books for many years, it was not difficult for him to recognize them all after tidying up.
Yu Wan smiled happily. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”
The old man said truthfully, “I’m a little rusty. It’ll take some time to finish reading it all. I’ll do it as soon as possible.”
“Okay!” Since it concerned her husband’s life, Yu Wan did not stand on ceremony with Grandma. “Then I won’t disturb you anymore. Take your time.”
As the most knowledgeable priest of the Ghost Clan, no one knew that the old man actually hated reading books the most. However, ever since he became the teacher of Lotus Flower Village, this problem seemed to have been fixed. When he read again, he was no longer dizzy.
The old man began to study the notebook attentively. Yu Wan silently closed the door for him.
Yu Wan returned to Wutong Courtyard.
The three little black eggs followed Ah Wei to practice martial arts (learn Gu). They were not in the courtyard, nor was Yan Jiuchao. He and Qing Yan went out to buy candied hawthorn and Fuyuanzi for the little fellows.
Yu Wan was quite relieved with Qing Yan following him. Yu Wan decided to go to Old Madam’s place to make her presence known. Just as she reached the door, she bumped into Yu Shaoqing, who had come out of the room.
Behind Yu Shaoqing was the aggrieved Little Sly Jiang.
Yu Wan felt that her father had become a little strange recently. He brought her mother everywhere. Was it really good to be so clingy at his age? As his daughter, she almost couldn’t bear to look at him!
He clinged to her so much that she could not slip out to gamble properly.
Ah Shu felt bitter.
But Ah Shu didn’t say.
Yu Wan was stimulated by this wave of affection and decided to look for Yan Jiuchao. Just as she left the East Manor, Yan Jiuchao returned. He was empty-handed, but Qing Yan was holding candied hawthorn and Fuyuanzi. His fingers were sore from holding them.
Qing Yan hurriedly carried the things into the manor. Yu Wan wanted to help, but Yan Jiuchao stopped her.
“I’ll bring you somewhere,” Yan Jiuchao said.
Yu Wan asked strangely, “Where are we going?”
Yan Jiuchao kept her in suspense. “You’ll know when you get there.”
“Aren’t you going to bring Dabao and the others?” Yu Wan asked.
“Bring them for what?” Yan Jiuchao asked.
So he wanted to go on a date with her alone. Yu Wan suddenly blushed. They had been married for so long and the two of them did not spend much time alone. It was surprising that he had the intention, so she naturally would not refuse.
Yu Wan happily got into the carriage with her husband! In a two-person world, my husband is also quite clingy!
Soon, Yu Wan would realize that she was thinking too much.
There were always a few rituals in Nanzhao all year round, but most of them were hosted by the State Preceptor Hall or the Gu Hall. The Emperor rarely appeared at the rituals. The last time was when the holy artifact recognized the Princess of Nanzhao as its master two years ago. The Emperor was happy and came to the universal ritual.
At the ceremony, the Little Princess was in the limelight. Not long after, she was announced as the Queen.
The Little Princess’s popularity rose all the way. The people’s love for her even vaguely surpassed the Emperor’s. There was a magical scene of “the people of Nanzhao love the Princess”.
However, ever since the stolen holy artifact and the Prince Consort’s background were exposed, her reputation plummeted.
But when they heard that she had found the holy artifact again and would bring it to pray for the people of Nanzhao, the commoners still rushed over.
The altar was in an open space thirty miles south of the palace. This place had a wide view and excellent Fengshui. The commoners were already waiting here before dawn. When Nangong Yan and the Emperor’s carriage arrived at the scene, the altar had long been blocked by the surrounding commoners.
The imperial guards spent a lot of effort to clear a path for the two of them.
Nangong Li and the Little Commandery Princess were also following. However, the two of them did not take a carriage. Instead, they followed behind the Emperor and Nangong Yan on foot with the civil and military officials.
Nanzhao in November was a little cool, but the court clothes were heavy. Along the way, the officials were so hot that their clothes were drenched. Needless to say, the commoners who were gathered together had long started to sweat.
However, even so, they showed no signs of leaving.
“Has the Princess really found the holy artifact?”
“I heard that it’s true. Otherwise, why would she come to the ritual? Can just anyone come to worship the heavens?”
“Look, the Emperor brought her to the altar!”
The commoners looked towards the altar.
The Emperor and Nangong Yan alighted from the carriage. The disciples of the Gu Hall and the State Preceptor Hall guarding the altar knelt piously.
The Emperor walked up the steps. Just as he took a step, he suddenly turned around and reached out to Nangong Yan.
Nangong Yan was so touched that her eyes turned red. She placed her hand in the Emperor’s palm and let him lead her to the holy altar.
She was wearing a wide-sleeved dress with red edges. The wide sleeves and skirt were blown by the cold wind. Although she was no longer young, her appearance was still impeccable, and her graceful royal nobility was incomparable.
The moment she walked onto the altar, the noisy commoners fell silent.
The Emperor led her to the statue of the Gu God.
She crossed her hands and placed her palms on her chest. She slowly knelt on the cushion and kowtowed piously. “Believer Nangong Yan greets the True God. Under the protection of the True God, believer Nangong Yan has successfully found the holy artifact. Today, we will worship the heavens. We will both feel the protection of the True God and pray for the commoners.”
The commoners around the altar were moved by her words. They craned their necks and looked at her without blinking.
Nangong Yan understood what the commoners were looking forward to. Previously, she was worried that this round would not be easy to fool, but after seeing the power of the Gu Queen, she was no longer worried.
The power of this Gu Queen was not inferior to the previous holy artifact. Her gaze swept across the State Preceptor and the Gu Elders of the Gu Elder Hall.
The State Preceptor was slightly calm because he knew the inside story, but the Gu Elders could not wait.
Nangong Yan was very satisfied with everyone’s reaction. She stood up and greeted the State Preceptor and the Gu Elders.
This time, the Gu beads were prepared by the Gu Elders. Because it was a ritual, it required enough form. Naturally, they would not just take a few naked Gu beads. They took out a hundred statues of the Gu God, each of which used a Gu bead as an eyeball.
There were a total of two hundred Gu beads! Even though she was confident in the Gu Queen, Nangong Yan could not help but gasp.
Back then, when they brought the holy artifact back from the Ghost Clan, the Gu Hall had used Gu beads to test the holy artifact. Two hundred was the limit of the holy artifact. After that, the Gu Hall tested it once a year, and the situation was the same.
Nangong Yan had secretly used the Gu Queen to test it. Two hundred and one, one more than the holy artifact.
In Nangong Yan’s heart, she already treated it as a true holy artifact.
Nangong Yan walked over confidently. The eyes of the hundred statues lit up. However, because it was daytime, the Gu bead did not look as good as the one in the throne room, but it was already shocking enough.
“It’s the holy artifact… It’s really the holy artifact! The Princess has found the holy artifact!” Someone in the crowd exclaimed, and the commoners erupted.
Yu Wan was pulled into the crowd by Yan Jiuchao. What was going on? Didn’t they want some alone time? Why were there so many third wheels?! Also, what were these people doing?
Yu Wan was squeezed till her tongue was out and her eyes were flipped back.
The commoners planned to kneel down and pay their respects to the holy artifact.
Nangong Yan was also prepared to be worshiped by everyone. She even assumed a proud and elegant posture.
Suddenly, there was a bang!
A Gu bead exploded.
Nangong Yan was stunned, and so was everyone else. Then, something even more unbelievable happened. The Gu bead, which could originally only barely see a little light, blinked and became golden.
Bang!
Another Gu bead exploded.
This time, everyone saw something. The aura of the holy artifact seemed to have suddenly increased, causing the Gu bead to explode.
The State Preceptor looked at Nangong Yan. Although he did not understand how all of this happened, this was definitely not a bad thing. To be able to make the holy artifact so powerful, this was another contribution of Nangong Yan.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty…”
Before the State Preceptor could finish speaking, something even more unbelievable happened. A white light suddenly flashed in Nangong Yan’s heart, and a snow-white Gu worm rolled to the ground.
Under everyone’s dumbfounded gazes, it ran away!
