Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 310 New Year's Day Heavenly Sacrifice
On the altar of heaven, the flags fluttered in the cold wind.

The old man with vertical pupils nodded slightly and said, "Yes, it is me."

"The Northern Dynasty is really willing to spend a lot of money to send two former commanders to the front line." Xiao Hong couldn't help but exclaimed: "Aren't you afraid of losing more than you gain?"

"You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a lamb." Fu Shu glanced at Xiao Hong, a scum who abandoned his army and betrayed his brother, and said lightly: "By then, without the suppression of the Jinling formation, I can come and go freely, and even the gods can't stop me."

Xiao Hong knew that he was not bragging. Fu Shuyan's divine fire came from the phantom god Kui, who was particularly proficient in space-related magic. That was why he could instantly change those yellow salt bricks into ritual objects.

But he was still very shocked, and asked Xiao Baoyin in a low voice: "Can you really stop the formation by then?"

"Of course, this is part of the agreement." Xiao Baoyin nodded and raised his hand. Five transparent silk threads shot silently towards a flag, dragging a black shadow from the flag.

Before the shadow could react, its body was already suspended in the air, and it had lost control of its limbs and head.

Xiao Baoyi flicked his fingers casually, and the man's head and limbs made all kinds of exaggerated movements under the traction of the silk thread. With a few numbing clicks, the man's hands and feet were broken, and he wanted to scream in pain, but he couldn't open his mouth at all.

"Stop it! This is my 'shadow'." Xiao Hong was startled and hurried to stop Xiao Baoyin.

The personal bodyguard had nine supreme magical powers that he had built up using external elixirs, but in Xiao Baoyin's hands he was like a puppet and was allowed to be ravaged by him.

This is the horror of a demigod...

Xiao Baoyin then let go of his hand, and the Nine Aperture Guard collapsed to the ground like mud, unable to recover for a long time.

Xiao Hong had dealt with Xiao Baoyin several times before, but he had never felt so horrified. Not to mention a mere projection, even a clone couldn't do it. Only the real body could have such divine power.

Xiao Baoyin has always been very cautious. This is the first time he has appeared in Jiankang in his true form, so he must have received a definite promise.

Now he finally believed that the Jinling formation would really be closed at that time...

"How did you do that?" he asked in shock.

"This is not your concern." Xiao Baoyin avoided answering and asked in a deep voice, "Does Xiao Yan have any suspicions?"

"Probably not." Xiao Hong recounted Xiao Yan's reaction, and finally said, "My third brother is suspicious by nature. If there is even a hint of doubt, he will definitely cancel the sacrifice to heaven."

"How did Gou Chen Si discover the saltpeter bricks?" Fu Shuyan asked worriedly.

"This is normal." Minggui had dealt with Gouchensi for many years. Xiao Baoyin knew very well how powerful Chen Qingzhi and his gang were, so he answered for Xiao Hong: "They have spies all over the capital. The King of Linchuan bought ground frost with great fanfare and sent it to the island of the dead ghost's son for processing. It would be strange if Gouchensi didn't notice it."

"That makes sense." Fu Shuyan nodded and asked Xiao Hong, "Why don't you buy and process it somewhere else? Why do you have to do it under the supervision of the Gou Chen Division?"

Xiao Hong was too embarrassed to say that, he thought this was already concealed enough. He tried to save his dignity and said, "I have a grudge against Gou Chen Si, I just want to trick them."

"Is this necessary?" Fu Shuyan asked in confusion, "After tomorrow, you can retaliate however you want, right?"

"That's different." Xiao Hong said in a muffled voice.

"Don't worry about the details." Xiao Baoyin stopped Fu Shuyan from asking any more questions and said in a deep voice, "At least there was no danger. As long as Xiao Yan stands on this altar, everything will be over."

"That's right." Fu Shuyan nodded. The reason was simple. If Xiao Yan didn't fall into the trap, they wouldn't show up. If Xiao Yan fell into the trap, he would die. There was really no need to be too nervous.

"Where are those saltpeter bricks now?" Xiao Hong asked again.

"It's all under your feet." Xiao Baoyin said with a smile: "Commander Fu, put those yellow bricks into the gaps you left. As long as the bronze tripod is burning, it will... 'bang'!"

"Then my mission is completely completed. The rest is up to you two." Xiao Hong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Remember to stand far away and don't get hit by the explosion." Xiao Baoyin nodded and smiled.

~~
The next day at Chou time.

The lights in Jiankang Palace, which had just been quiet for a while, were brightly lit again. The band played the music of "Zhao Xia", and the emperor led the royal family in red gauze robes to offer silk and wine to the seven rooms of the Taimiao, and to pay New Year's greetings to the ancestors.

At the hour of Yin, the emperor and his family returned to the Shiqian Palace for breakfast. The palace servants used nine-foot-long bamboo poles wrapped in red silk to set off fireworks to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new.

Amid the sound of firecrackers, Concubine Ding presented the emperor with pepper and cypress wine, and Xiao Yan drank three cups first.

The clan members also drank the pepper and cypress wine, and then ate the five-spicy dish with glutinous rice flour, which was meant to "disperse stale air"... Glue-toothed rice flour is maltose, and the five-spicy dish was made by placing five spicy ingredients, namely garlic, onion, leek, brassica rapa, and coriander, on a five-grid plate.

Of course, no one can bear to eat only these. They also eat soup noodles, which symbolize longevity, just like ordinary people. Of course, the soup noodles in the palace are made of "fine silk sieve noodles and boiled chicken soup", which is completely different from the soup noodles in the folk.

After breakfast, the emperor changed into his crown and robes, and the Taiji Hall was set up with a golden screen, a golden platform, and a black lacquered throne.

As soon as the hour of Mao arrived, 108 bells rang from Guangzhai Temple and Tongtai Temple, announcing the official start of the first day of the new year.

Amid the melodious sound of bells, the emperor entered the Taiji Hall, and all the officials, wearing crimson gauze robes and Jinxian crowns, knelt down in shifts and presented congratulatory messages.

Moreover, the "Four Barbarians Presented Gifts" were arranged, so that the record of "On the day of the New Year's Day, the tribute envoys filled the court" could be left in the history books. However, the envoys from the foreign countries all came from the southeast, southwest, and southwest, and they were really unworthy of the title of "Four Barbarians".

In fact, Xiao Yan was also half emperor, and he was a perfect match for half of the barbarians...

After the New Year's Day court session ended, Xiao Yan and the crown prince rode on the jade carriage, and led by a grand procession of ceremonial guards, they led the ministers and officials out of the Jiankang Palace, and marched along Suzaku Street to the Altar of Heaven to worship the Great Emperor Haotian.

~~
Ren Yuan and his brothers from Chongguang Chuang were still on guard at the periphery, watching the holy carriage slowly driving towards the Suzaku Gate under heavy guard.

"No, why do I feel so bad?" Chen Baxian frowned and said, "What happened yesterday was too strange."

"Don't worry about it." Ren Yuan had already let it go. He leaned against the high roof of a house and yawned, "General Chen and the Lord of the Guards clearly don't want us to meddle in their affairs anymore. We have to listen to them."

"Then we have to stand far away to avoid being implicated." Chen Baxian whispered.

"That makes sense." Ren Yuan nodded: "Give orders to not get too close to the altar." He then laughed at himself and said: "We are not qualified to get close even if we want to."

"At a time like this, the farther away you are, the safer you are." Yang Zhong whispered.

"It's true." Ren Yuan smiled and watched the emperor's carriage slowly drive out of the Suzaku Gate and arrive at the altar.

(End of this chapter)