Chapter 41: Immortals and Mortals Spend New Year's Together

  On New Year's Eve in the 23rd year of Yuanjia, the capital city of Song Dynasty, Jiankang, welcomed the end-of-year revelry.

  Chang Le Palace, Chengde Hall, Dong Gong. Outside, the ground was covered with a thick layer of goose feather-like snow. Crown Prince Liu Mingji sat on the floor, thinking about his younger brother Liu Mingde in his heart. After a long time, he picked up his wine cup and found that the wine had gone cold. The eunuch was frightened and knocked his head heavily, hastily presenting him with warm wine.

  Emperor Liu Yilong was having a grand feast with his officials, but Liu Mingji declined due to health reasons. The sound of drums filled the air as soldiers in formation danced the Nian dance on the grand hall, displaying their military prowess and driving away evil spirits.

  The sound of joyful voices came from the palace maids, busy preparing for the New Year's Day feast and sake with Japanese mint leaves. The bright and cheerful girls, gentle and refined in their Jiangnan imperial city life, had nothing to do with Liu Mingde, his third brother. Liu Mingji let out a soft sigh, picked up the celadon cup, and took a sip.

  The capital of Northern Wei, Pingcheng, was relatively quiet. Emperor Tuoba Tao of Northern Wei held court during the day and after making sacrifices at the ancestral temple in the evening, he went around with a lantern, feeling tired.

  Someone suggested that during the day, take advantage of Helian Bobo's death and his sons' mutual killing to launch a surprise attack on the number one fortress in the world - Tongwan City, and unify the north. Emperor Tuoba Tao was somewhat moved by this suggestion. However, most of the eight Xianbei nobles opposed it, saying that the Great Xia Huns were at their last gasp and not worth worrying about.

  Han Ba Gong's first prime minister, Cui Hao, then presented a petition to strengthen the reform of "distinguishing surnames", hoping that the Northern Wei would henceforth lighten ethnic differences and emphasize surname hierarchy, thereby solving the long-standing *** within the Northern Wei. With internal and external affairs in disarray, Emperor Tuoba Tao ascended to the throne, from his initial ambition to now feeling overwhelmed after only three years.

  Xuanwu Hall, Tuoba Jiao sat alone on the dragon chair, suddenly patted the table and shouted loudly: "Qiu Rong! Qiu Rong!"

  "Your Majesty has forgotten, Princess Chang has already gone to the Holy Sword Hall."

  Tuoba Jiao's eyes were dim and his mind was confused. If Autumn Rong sister was still here, she would be the vanguard in attacking Tongwan City.

  The strongest city in the world, Tuoba Tao stood up tall, his eyes burning with intensity, Tongwan City, he must take it down!

  Cui Hao returned to his mansion, where lanterns were hung and colorful decorations were set up to welcome the new year. However, he alone went to the study to read "Zuo Zhuan".

  After a while, the lady lifted the curtain and entered the house, accompanied by her maid carrying an incense table.

  Cui Hao didn't raise his head and asked: "Is there any news from Ying'er?"

  The lady shook her head.

  Cui Hao waved his hand. The lady went out and closed the door.

  Cui Hao put down his book and lit incense, beginning his divination.

  When in doubt, ask the heavens.

  Chui Hao's divination skills were renowned throughout the land.

  The death of Liu Yu, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, was all predicted by Cui Hao. The Emperor wanted to conquer Daxia and unify the city, but Cui Hao saw through it. He gained insight into the situation and could use this insight to achieve his goals.

  An hour later, Cui Hao looked at the divination result and couldn't help but twirl his mustache with a smile.

  Niúxiāng County Xiaoniu Mountain Liangjia Village, on New Year's Eve night, under the leadership of Second Lady Chen Si Niang, a lively and joyful scene unfolded.

  Kang Shu was busy in the main house, arranging and cleaning up with water earlier in the day. Now he was calling out to everyone to paste the written characters "Yi Chun" on the doors and windows, preparing for the next day's New Year's Day use of the Five Spice Plate and Quelling Ghost Pills, which were all used to ward off evil spirits at home. The Yang family ancestral hall had someone else in charge of tomorrow's sacrificial rites.

  The three trays of gifts sent by the King of Nanyang were received two days ago. The gold, silver, jade and stone are naturally good, but not rare. Before leaving Liangshan, he handed over Xiaojin to Fourth Sister. With Xiaojin around, Liangjia Village has a constant supply of golden beans.

  The heaviest gift is the monopoly license for salt and iron. Chen Si Niang originally planned to organize a business team, now with this license, she plans to let Liang Liang lead the Shi family to open a Liang's shop in Nanyang on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

  Chen Si Niang spent her days and nights thinking about this and that, what was in front of her eyes, the next ten days, half a month or even longer, were all stored in her mind.

  The whole family, old and young, had a reunion dinner in the main house, each went their separate ways, the lights were all lit up, someone kept watch through the night. The dark and gloomy Xiao Niu Mountain used to be a haunted place, but now it's a new rural paradise for humans. Chen Si Niang thought that three years ago she was still a "widow star" despised by everyone, but now she has become the person in charge of Liangjia Village, all this seemed like a dream come true.

  Yesterday, the master of Liang's house, Liang Chunqiu, sent an elder over with a humble face. Chen Si Niang put on a cold face and turned around, thinking that it would be better if her husband were here.

  Mr. Xiang is good to himself, but not as close to his mother-in-law, sometimes Chen Si Niang also has a taste, but thinking about it, Mr. Xiang is already very good to herself. Chen Si Niang raised her head and looked up at the sky, silently praying in her heart: "I wish Mr. Xiang everything goes smoothly on this trip, reunite with his mother-in-law soon, and return home together."

  But Liangshan, who was being mentioned by Chen S'niao, was curious at this moment, because he was outside the mountain gate of Shengjian Hall.

  The crowd with him showed more or less relieved and excited expressions, at this moment, they were just seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys who had left home.

  The mountain gate of Shengjian Hall is in the secular world, but if no one leads the way, the dangerous roads and desperate situations along the way make it impossible to reach.

  At the foot of the mountain gate is the Four Seasons Valley, and from a distance, there are two waterfalls pouring down from both sides of the mountain peak. One waterfall is steaming hot, while the other is icy cold.

  Two flying waterfalls converge in the mountain valley, forming four pieces of flower forest.

  Looking around, there are apricot blossoms and peach blossoms in spring; jasmine and purple clematis in summer; osmanthus and chrysanthemum in autumn; camellia and plum blossoms in winter. All the flowers of the four seasons are here.

  Feng Kun is an excellent tour guide, explaining to everyone that the mountain waist splits into two waterfalls, which are nurtured by heaven and earth. One is cold and one is hot, with the hot being in summer and the cold in winter. The intersection of cold and heat forms the spring and autumn seasons.

  Everyone gasped in amazement, gazing out at the sea of flowers that stretched as far as the eye could see, with bees flitting about, a truly magnificent sight.

  Feng Kun introduced that the Hundred Flowers Wine of Sheng Jian Tang is a famous specialty in the eighteen True Cultivation Halls.

  Liáng Shān couldn't help but think of "Journey to the West".

  The Mirror Flower Sutra begins with the Queen Mother's birthday, and Chang'e has a dispute with the Hundred Flowers Fairy. Chang'e asks the Hundred Flowers Fairy to bloom all flowers to celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday, but the Hundred Flowers Fairy says that the hundred flowers have an order and cannot be opened arbitrarily. It can be seen that the scene of hundreds of flowers blooming together in spring, summer, autumn, and winter is a wonderful sight, but it is not easy to see outside the mountain gate of Shengjian Hall. Liangshan thinks to himself, Shengjian Hall seems to be quite good.

  Passing through the Four Seasons Valley, one sees the mountain gate, standing majestically on a hundred-zhang-high hill like the Southern Heavenly Gate. Everyone sighed in admiration, and the fatigue and tension of the journey were all released, with each person's eyes shining with hopeful flames.

  The Holy Sword Hall is divided into Lower Court, Middle Court and Upper Court, located in the lower, middle and upper parts of the main peak of Funiu Mountain.

  Outer disciples of the Lower Court, inner disciples of the Middle Court, Holy Sons of the Upper Court, as well as high-ranking members reside within.

  The lower courtyard covers an area of over 2,000 mu, with pavilions and buildings scattered in a fan-shaped distribution, resembling student dormitories. In the middle is a majestic building that appears to be classrooms. All the buildings are shrouded in a misty aura. Before entering the lower courtyard, people can already hear the clear and distant sounds of chimes and percussion instruments, which are pleasant to listen to and evoke a sense of wonder.

  Liáng Shān stopped in his tracks and listened intently. Féng Kūn walked up to him and said, "It's Qu Yuan's 'Nine Songs'. The head of the lower court is a native of Chu State from the Warring States period, and he greatly admires Qu Yuan. Today being New Year's Eve, he must be performing Qu Yuan's poetry." As soon as Féng Kūn finished speaking, they indeed heard someone singing in a voice that pierced the clouds: "Bathing in fragrant waters, washing with perfumed soap; wearing clothes of brocade, like a flower in bloom; spirits entwined, lingering and reluctant to leave, radiant and resplendent, not yet fading..."

  Liáng Shān followed the sound and looked over, seeing a husband with a high hat and a wide belt standing in the courtyard of the lower house, next to him a slender-waisted woman with flowing sleeves, the atmosphere was vast and deep, the spirit was ancient and sincere.

  "Will the Middle Court and Upper Court be like this too?" Liangshan asked.

  "On New Year's Eve, everyone is joyful and celebrating together, including the Sacred Sword Hall. However, the middle courtyard usually has scripture recitation activities, while the upper courtyard generally doesn't have any celebratory events." Feng Kun hadn't finished speaking when two loud firecrackers exploded, and suddenly the Fowu Mountain was filled with drumming and music, clouds and mist automatically transformed into dragons and phoenixes dancing in the air. It was already deep into the night, and the top of the mountain suddenly burst forth with a brilliant five-colored light, illuminating the surrounding clouds and mist like a rainbow."

  Liáng Shān turned his head to look at Féng Kūn, Féng Kūn smiled awkwardly and rubbed his nose, saying: "It should be that some big shot is visiting, so it's so grand."

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, before long, the auspicious clouds on the mountain dispersed, and the celestial music faded away. It seemed that the important person had already entered the Upper Court of the Holy Sword Hall.

  At this time, Jin Lao led the way in front, surrounded by a group of people, and the scene was somewhat chaotic. Liangshan saw a batch of men and women in green robes rushing out, each coming over to pry open the mouths of the examinees, seemingly checking their teeth.

  Liáng Shān was stunned, it looked just like a scene of selecting livestock at a market.

  "Jin Zhanglao is handing over the task to Gongxun Ge. The miscellaneous worker hired by Gongxun Ge checks every examinee, and each person's teeth are different. All examinees have records in Gongxun Ge."

  "What's with the teeth?" Liang Shan thought to himself, it seems they've really made progress, even catching up with dentists from later generations.

  "The teeth are related to the bone marrow, and the bone marrow is related to the kidneys." Feng Kun explained: "By looking at the condition of the teeth, we can tell whether a candidate's innate foundation is strong or not. In the end, about 10-20 people will pass the test and become outer door disciples. Those with good teeth who didn't pass can stay behind as servants. If they do well as servants, they may also have the opportunity to learn some martial arts skills, and even have a chance to become formal disciples."

  Feng Kun answered on behalf of Liang Shan, and Liang Shan hastily expressed his gratitude.

  The front inspection is completed, and Liangshan, Liu Mingde, Tuoba Qiurong, and Cui Yingying are together to verify the jade pendant. At this time, it is equivalent to signing in, and after the examinees finish the exam, they will hold a mountain gate entry ceremony together.

  At this time, the guy who had been expected to take the jade pendant from Ma Wenchang finally appeared. He was a fat man with two eyes narrowed into a slit, bowing to the four of them and saying loudly: "I am Nanyang Wang Quancai, greetings to my four seniors, please take care of me in the future."

  Wang Quan is so capable? Liangshan's heart moved, and the jade pendant was actually snatched by this little thief!

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