Chapter 2765: Changes in Ancestor Worship, the First-Class Sub-Sage

The identity of the number one is Princess Huaiqing. She is very intelligent and thoughtful. She immediately recalled what happened in Yunlu Academy. At that time, Dean Zhao Shou said that Xu Zisheng was a third-rank official. Now it seems that he deliberately lied and concealed himself.

"It seems that I need to have more contact with this great scholar in the future!"

In the Gengzi year, October 15th, Jiazi day. It is suitable for praying, fasting, and worshiping ancestors.

Soon, the day of the royal family's ancestor worship came. Xu Zisheng is not unfamiliar with this. At this time of year, the gates of the inner city will be closed. The Imperial Sword Guards will be transferred to the inner city for martial law today, and the people in the inner city are required to stay at home and not go out.

There is another similar sacrifice at the beginning of spring, which is to pray for good weather and good harvests this year, and peace and prosperity in the country. Since yesterday, the inns in the inner city have been checked one by one, and all the Jianghu guests have been driven to the outer city. The restaurant is closed and the inn is not allowed to stay overnight.

In the sound of music dedicated to sacrifice, a large group of people left the imperial city and headed for Sangpo. No horses, no carriages, everyone walked. The team participating in the ancestor worship included the royal family, clan members, civil and military officials, hundreds of people. This team almost gathered the peak of power in the Dafeng Dynasty.

The leader, Emperor Yuan Jing, wore a simple Taoist robe, and his black hair was tied with a wooden hairpin. He was over fifty years old, with long beard and handsome appearance, and he had the immortal style of a Taoist master. On both sides behind him were the graceful queen, the plump concubine, and then the princes and princesses.

Emperor Yuan Jing had many children, including twelve princes, but only four princesses. The eldest princess was only about twenty years old this year, nearly five years younger than the eldest son. This eldest princess, who was famous in the capital for her talent and beauty, had clear eyes like a pool, a white face, and was cold and clear. Silently followed the team.

Amid the music, the sacrificial team came to a bright yellow tent. The immortal Yuan Jingdi led two eunuchs into the imperial tent, and the rest waited outside.

The ministers in charge of the sacrifice were busy, inviting gods and lining up to prepare for the emperor's subsequent ancestor worship.

Sangpo is a small lake, close to the imperial city. Willow trees are planted by the lake. In this season, the willow leaves have not yet sprouted. A winding corridor is built on the water surface, connecting to the white marble platform in the center of the lake. There is a temple on the platform, with four gilded characters written on the plaque: Forever guarding the mountains and rivers!

The place for ancestor worship is here. Sangpo is not an ordinary lake. It has a history that people talk about with relish, which is related to the founding emperor of Dafeng.

According to legend, "Sangpo" was called Xuanwu Lake in ancient times, and the mythical beast Xuanwu lived in the lake. Once, the founding emperor of Dafeng failed in his uprising and fled to Sangpo with his remnants, but he ran out of ammunition and food. Just when he was in despair, the lake water boiled, and Xuanwu came over, slicing through the waves, with a divine sword on its back that could cut through the sky and destroy the immortals.

Xuanwu said that he had been waiting here for hundreds of years, waiting for a man of destiny. After saying that, he presented the divine sword and stepped on the waves and left.

The founding emperor got the divine sword, and after three years of enlightenment in the lake, he broke through the barrier and regrouped his troops. From then on, he won every battle and overthrew the corrupt previous dynasty. After unifying the Central Plains, Dafeng established its imperial capital in Sangpo.

Sangpo Lake is the place where the founding emperor of Dafeng proved his way, and it has extraordinary symbolic significance. Therefore, the royal family of Dafeng holds a ceremony to worship their ancestors in Sangpo every year. The temple on the lake enshrines the image of the founding emperor.

"Liu Bang also killed the white snake to start an uprising, and I don't know how much water there is in this legend?"

Xu Zisheng looked at the high platform in the lake and complained in his heart. At this time, it was not yet dawn, and the sky was dark. The cold wind in the early morning was as sharp as a knife. Xu Zisheng inhaled the cold air into his lungs and cheered up.

"I always feel that Sangpo Lake is gloomy and makes me uncomfortable."

Xu Zisheng looked at the lake and touched Wu'an Hou beside him. As a noble, he naturally had to participate in this royal ancestor worship event.

"Shut up!"

Hearing this, Xu Shijun glanced around, lowered his voice, and scolded.

"You are cold because of the wind. Sangpo is the holy land of Dafeng. It is the place where the founding emperor proved the truth. Don't talk nonsense."

"High-quality warriors have sharp ears and eyes. If you say this, you will be punished."

Xu Zisheng smiled slightly. He was naturally cautious in doing things. He had changed the rules around him long ago and comforted his father.

"Father, don't worry. I have distorted the rules around me. No one will hear any sound!"

Xu Shijun breathed a sigh of relief this time. He glared at Xu Zisheng fiercely and warned him.

"Speak less. This is a grand event for the royal family to worship their ancestors. No mistakes can be made!"

At this time, the sound of heavy bells and drums came, echoing in everyone's ears, and a solemn feeling surged. Xu Shijun immediately fell silent, revealing a serious look.

Xu Zisheng did not move, but tried his best to turn his head and peeked at the sacrificial scene with the corner of his eye. He saw a team holding spirit tablets covered with yellow silk, following the winding water corridor, climbing up the high platform, and placing the spirit tablets on the large table in front of the temple.

After this team returned, another team, under the guidance of the officials of the Taichang Temple, brought offerings and sacrifices of various types, with at least two or three hundred in number. When everything was ready, the Taichang Temple Minister said loudly outside the imperial tent.

"The spirits have been calmed down, and your majesty is welcome."

The princes and princesses, civil and military ministers, knelt at the same time. The eunuch lifted the curtain, and Emperor Yuan Jing, who had changed into a bright yellow robe, appeared in front of everyone with a solemn look. At this moment, he no longer had the ethereal aura of a Taoist master, but only the majesty of an emperor.

At this moment, Emperor Yuan Jing had already climbed onto the high platform. The drums and music stopped. The Minister of the Ministry of Rites knelt down to read the prayer. After the prayer was finished, the music started. Emperor Yuan Jing personally burned the prayer and performed the three-kneeling and nine-kowtow ceremony to the ancestors. The ancestor worship was only halfway through.

Wei Yuan retracted his gaze and looked at the queen not far away. She was graceful and elegant. As the biological mother of the eldest princess, the mother and daughter did not look alike, but the queen was still a beauty that could overwhelm the country. Even now, she was still graceful and elegant. You can imagine how stunning she was back then. It's just that with the washing of time, the beauty has passed. The queen is no longer the girl with delicate eyebrows and eyes and innocent. And I am still the same as I was back then, wearing a blue dress.

Wei Yuan looked dazed, as if he had sensed something. The queen, who was the mother of the world, looked back gracefully. The two looked at each other from a distance, and the queen's eyes softened for a moment.

But Wei Yuan retracted his gaze as if he had been electrocuted, and hurriedly bowed. All the emotions in his eyes were settled, leaving only a deep vicissitude.

Xu Zisheng saw this scene, and a hint of gossip appeared in the depths of his eyes. There was an affair. It seemed that Wei Yuan, who had lost his good chicken, had an emotional entanglement with the queen. I just don't know if Emperor Yuan Jing knew that his head was a little green.

Xu Zisheng was about to ask his father, Wu'an Hou, about the gossip between the queen and the eunuch Wei Yuan, and suddenly found something strange. He looked back in the direction of Xu Qian'an, and saw that his face was painful, his facial features were distorted, his fists were clenched, his veins were bulging, he pounded the ground heavily, and roared hoarsely.

"Shut up!!"

In an instant, the wind and clouds changed color. On the high platform in the lake, the temple suddenly shook, and then a golden sword energy shattered the eaves and rushed into the sky. In this sword light, the lake suddenly surged, surging layer by layer, and Sangpo Lake seemed to come alive.

Emperor Yuan Jing was the first to be hit. He fell to the ground in the powerful fluctuation of the qi. The high platform shook violently, and the tablets of the ancestors on the table fell one after another. The offerings and utensils were scattered all over the ground, and some of the flying tiles hit Emperor Yuan Jing.

The scene was in chaos in an instant. The patrolling imperial guards quickly gathered their camps and rushed to Sangpo. The night watchmen on guard at the lakeside ran to the sacrificial team to protect the royal family and the civil and military officials.

"There is an assassin, protect your majesty!"

"Protect the queen, protect the princess!"

"Protect the prime minister!"

Figures flashed, the ten golden gongs of the night watchman's office, the masters of the five guards of the imperial guards, and the masters of the royal family. In just a moment, at least dozens of high-quality warriors took off into the air, landed on the high platform and the winding corridor, and protected Emperor Yuan Jing closely.

The commotion lasted only a dozen breaths, because the sword energy that broke through the sky quickly dissipated, and the lake returned to calm. There were no assassins. As the storm subsided, everything was stable, with no casualties or suspicious people.

Wei Yuan was the leader in charge of the security work of the sacrifice. He walked along the winding water corridor, strode onto the high platform, bowed and apologized.

"I failed in my duty, I deserve to die."

At this time, Emperor Yuan Jing had regained his composure, but after experiencing this incident, his indifferent fairy spirit had completely disappeared from his eyebrows. He was no longer a Taoist who had practiced Taoism for more than 20 years, but a majestic emperor who held power and was unfathomable, and said in a deep voice.

"Everyone leave the altar and do not approach."

Including Wei Yuan, all the high-level warriors stood up and promised. Emperor Yuan Jing straightened his clothes, dusted off the dust on his robes, pushed open the temple door with a serious look, and went in.

In the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple, a majestic man in a yellow robe and a crown stood with a sword, the temple door was closed, and Emperor Yuan Jing stood in front of the Dharma image of the founding emperor, silently staring at the dusty bronze sword.

"So what if you are a first-rank official? You should have a long lifespan, but you are still burdened by the luck of the world and only live a few years longer than ordinary people?"

Emperor Yuan Jing seemed to be talking to himself, or talking to this ancestor who lived six hundred years ago. His expression was deep, and the light and shadow shone on him, changing constantly, making people feel a little cold and gloomy.

"I ascended the throne at the age of twenty, defeated all my enemies, and sat in that position. No one could stand shoulder to shoulder with me, but in the end I found that the biggest enemy is time."

Emperor Yuan Jing slowly moved his eyes away, lowered his head and stared at the ground under his feet for a long time. Then, he began to check the furnishings in the temple, and even climbed up the altar, disrespectfully touching the ancestor's Dharma image and the brass sword. This process was meticulous and long.

Finally, Emperor Yuan Jing breathed a sigh of relief, his expression became relaxed, knelt on the cushion, bowed three times and kowtowed nine times to the founding emperor, and then left the Yongzhen Mountain and River Temple.

Emperor Yuan Jing stood on the high platform, overlooking the civil and military officials and the royal family, and announced again in a voice like a morning bell.

"The ancestral worship ceremony continues."

Emperor Yuan Jing did not explain the reason for the abnormality just now. The five guards of the imperial army and the night watchmen dispersed again, restored order in an orderly manner, and patrolled the surroundings. Rows of eunuchs lowered their heads and walked quickly, cleaning up the broken tiles on the high platform, sorting tributes and offerings, and the tablets of the royal ancestors.

It stands to reason that encountering such a thing during the ancestral worship is a sign of great misfortune, and Emperor Yuan Jing should be furious, but he seemed to be mentally prepared for this. He did not scold Duke Wei and the commanders of the imperial guards, but it was not necessarily that he was mentally prepared, but that he knew the real source of his abnormality.

Xu Zisheng's pupils shrank slightly, revealing a bit of solemnity, and he muttered to himself.

"Emperor Zhende is really crazy for immortality. He actually devoured his sons Emperor Yuan Jing and Prince Huai and replaced them. He even wanted to bury the Dafeng Dynasty. But for this kind of thing, have you asked me for consent?"

At the end of the sentence, a cold light shot out from the depths of Xu Zisheng's eyes, which was very sharp. It was obvious that he had no good impression of Emperor Joan of Arc. He would not hesitate to drag all living beings in the world into the quagmire for his own selfishness. It was simply appalling.

An hour later, the ancestor worship ceremony was finally over. Xu Zisheng, as if nothing had happened, returned to Kyoto with all the civil and military officials.

…

The document warehouse is the warehouse with the word "A".

Sandalwood is burning, and the blue smoke traces are as straight as lines. The sunlight shines through the lattice windows, reflecting regular and neat color patches on the ground.

Wei Yuan closed the thick "Dafeng Thirteen Canons", pondered for a moment, stood up, and turned out a book "Jiuzhou Chronicles: Western Regions" on the bookshelf.

The sandalwood was burned to ashes, and the incense ashes fell into the small furnace. Wei Yuan closed all the books and pinched his eyebrows tiredly. Unconsciously, the books piled up in his hands were as high as his shoulders.

"Father, what did you find?"

Nangong Qianrou looked solemnly, looked at Wei Yuan with burning eyes, and asked in a low voice.

"I probably know what's going on."

Wei Yuan sighed, his expression changed unpredictably, and he replied in a deep voice.

"What's the secret in Sangbo Lake?"

Nangong Qianrou seemed to be very interested in the changes that occurred in today's ancestor worship ceremony, so she asked again.

"That's not what you should know."

Wei Yuan shook his head, warned his adopted daughter with a serious face, and issued a hush order.

"Forget what happened today. No further investigation or private discussion is allowed."

Yang Yan and Nangong Qianrou lowered their heads at the same time. Facing their respected adoptive father, they did not dare to refute and responded.

"yes."

Xu Zisheng returned to Kyoto and resumed his peaceful life again, but he didn't know when he had a book on him. This was a book that he compiled the Taoist knowledge he had learned. It recorded what he had learned in Confucianism and Taoism. This book Books exude a faint gleam of wisdom, which can open up people's wisdom and can be regarded as the most precious treasure of Confucianism and Taoism. The completion of this book represents Xu Zisheng's further step in the realm of Confucianism and Taoism, stepping into the realm of a first-class sub-sage.

When Xu Zisheng entered the realm of sub-sage, no vision was born. The great road was invisible and the sound was loud. The mystery of the sub-sage realm was not comparable to that of the Confucian scholar and the realm of establishing a destiny, which caused Xu Zisheng to undergo a huge transformation.

Xu Zisheng was influenced by the improvement of Confucianism and Taoism, and his martial arts also advanced further, reaching the peak of the third-grade immortal body. Every cell in his body is filled with huge life breath, and his life span is long, and he can live for hundreds of years. no problem. The immortal body has super strong regeneration and recovery capabilities. It can not only reconnect stumps, but also regenerate broken limbs. It can fly in the air forcibly by relying on Qi machines, and can communicate through the mind of the soul. Xu Zisheng's soul is more physical, so his vitality has been precipitated. Even if his head is cut off, it can be regenerated, and the soul can be returned to its original position.

Compared with Xu Zisheng's smooth sailing, Xu Qi'an is different. He drew his sword in anger because his boss Zhu Yinluo insulted and bullied the prison officer's daughter. He made a big mistake and was imprisoned by the policeman's office, awaiting trial. In any yamen, if a subordinate commits a crime and kills his superior, he will be sentenced to a serious crime of being cut in half.

Xu Zisheng stepped into the realm of the sub-sage, and with his powerful spiritual consciousness, he had a panoramic view of this scene. When he saw Xu Qi'an slashing the silver gong angrily, and finally being captured, he saluted with a military salute, and couldn't help but laugh and murmured.

"Seeing that you have regained your original intention and paid such a military salute, I will help you once!"

Zhu Yang is one of the ten golden gongs in the capital's Dagong Yamen. He is a fourth-grade martial artist. He joined the army in his early years. He started as a big-headed soldier and accumulated military achievements along the way to become a hundred households. Later, he was favored by Wei Yuan and was recruited into Dagong. He was organized by the people and focused on cultivation. He was regarded as Wei Yuan's direct descendant Jinluo, and his status was only slightly worse than the two sons of Boer.

Zhu Yang had three sons. The eldest was not good at literature and martial arts, and the second was only half-study and worked in the Ministry of Personnel. Only the third child, Zhu Chengzhu, was extremely talented. He was the youngest Yinluo in the watchman's office and was highly regarded by Zhu Yang.

At this time, one of his men, Yinluo, rushed in in panic, with an ugly face, and said to him.

"My lord, my lord, it's not good, something happened to Mr. Zhu!"

Zhu Yang, who had lowered his head to look at the file, immediately raised his head and heard Yin Luo continue to speak.

"Master Zhu was injured by a gong. Life or death is uncertain. He has been carried back to the Yamen and is in the process of first aid. I have sent someone to ask for the magician from Si Tianjian."

Under the leadership of Yinluo, Zhu Yang rushed to his son's Eagle Hall and saw his unconscious younger son and the exaggerated injuries on his chest. Several Yin Luo under his command took turns to help him carry the ventilator to keep his body functions strong. Two doctors from the yamen were currently treating him.

Jin Luo Zhu Yang had a dark face and pressed on everyone with a strong aura. His voice was extremely cold as he asked.

"How is it going?"

The two doctors didn't seem to hear. They kept working to stop the bleeding, apply medicine, apply acupuncture to prolong life, and suture the wound.

"If the knife wound was half an inch deeper, the heart would have been cut open. By then, even Si Tianjian's warlock would be helpless."

"It was the magical weapon gong that blocked Master Zhu's fatal attack, and he was lucky enough to save his life. However, the sword energy invaded the internal organs. If the energy is not pulled out, Master Zhu will be injured for at most half an hour."

"When will Si Tianjian's warlock come?"

Jin Luo Zhu Yang's voice suddenly rose, obviously very worried about the injury of his most valued son.

"I've sent someone to invite him, he'll be here soon."

Yinluo, who had just reported it, quickly replied, fearing that if he spoke too slowly, he would become Jinluo Zhuyang's punching bag.

Jin Luo Zhu Yang nodded, quite satisfied with his men's response, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, and he asked in an extremely low voice.

"Who did it?"

"Tongluo Xu Qi'an, a man under Li Yuchun!"

"Xu Qi'an?"

Jinluo Zhu Yang had heard of this little man. Jiang Luzhong and Yang Yan had a fight because of him. How could a small Tongluo hurt his son?

"During the assembly, the little Tongluo was late, and Zhu Yinluo gave him a lesson. Unexpectedly, he held a grudge. During the house search, Zhu Yinluo just molested a female family member of a convicted official, and he drew his sword and chopped her off."

This Yinluo actually heard what the Tongluo said. This was indeed the case, but after his polishing, he blurred the main and secondary, and stole the concept. Xu Qi'an became the main responsibility, and Zhu Yinluo did not have much responsibility. It was all Xu Qi'an's deliberate revenge. After all, he couldn't say directly in front of the other person's father: Your son insulted the female family member of a convicted official and was chopped off.