Starting from a thatched cottage, the farmer embarked on the road to wealth through imperial examina

Following the steps of the high priest, more and more people joined in the dance. Although the crowd was large, the scene was orderly. When the fifth tune was sung, Ye Changyan and the other two also merged into the dancing crowd.

Perhaps it was the artistic cells from his previous life that were activated at this moment. Through previous observations, Ye Changyan learned the basic steps of the sacrificial dance. When he blended into the crowd, he quickly adapted to the rhythm of the music and the rhythm of the dance.

Liang Jingcheng beside him also started dancing, but he seemed a little clumsy. His steps were disorganized and there was no rhythm or beat. However, his face was filled with joy. He stepped on Ye Changyan's feet from time to time and couldn't help laughing.

Lu Tingfeng behind Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng seemed much more restrained. He did not dance with them, but walked slowly with the crowd. He seemed to be humming something in a low voice, with a slightly serious look on his face.

"Ye Changyan, how come you can dance like this?"

"Just follow everyone and you'll be able to do it."

"But why do I keep stepping on my feet?"

“Maybe this is talent.”

Ye Changyan looked like a proud rooster.

"Then you come and teach me."

"I do not want!"

"I have been looking at it for a long time but I still don't understand it. Please teach me!"

"I don't think you can do it, but it doesn't affect your dancing enjoyment. Dancing is all about making yourself happy."

Just when Ye Changyan was about to refuse, he felt someone grabbing his hand. Suddenly, an electric current rushed straight to the top of his head. He felt his heart skip a beat, and the hand that was being held seemed to tremble.

Ye Changyan took a quick glance and was surprised to see that his hand was held by Liang Jingcheng, who was now immersed in the singing mixed with the sounds of gongs, drums and trumpets. He twisted his body randomly with an intoxicated look on his face, took brisk steps, and pulled himself forward along with the crowd.

Seeing that Ye Changyan danced very well but was unwilling to teach him, Liang Jingcheng grabbed Ye Changyan's hand.

Liang Jingcheng felt that after grabbing Ye Changyan's hand, he seemed to have magically found the beat. With the rhythm of gongs, drums and trumpets, Liang Jingcheng began to immerse himself in the joy of celebration and followed the rhythm without thinking too much about whether his actions were abrupt.

With his hand held by someone, feeling the warmth from the other's palm, seeing the other person dancing in ecstasy, muttering to himself, and humming along with the crowd, Ye Changyan could only shake his head, and while dancing to the music, he corrected Liang Jingcheng's outrageous dance moves.

Everyone around was immersed in the joy of celebration, and no one cared whether your dance steps were standard. Even if someone saw Liang Jingcheng's uncoordinated dance steps, they didn't care. They would just raise the corners of their mouths and show a sweet smile to the other person to express their sincere encouragement.

When the high priest walked to the nine central stone pillars, the first stage of the sacrifice officially began.

The nine priests who were originally standing beside the nine stone pillars came to the bottom of the altar with mysterious steps of stepping on the Gangbudou. At this time, the high priest, surrounded by four sturdy young men, also stepped onto the altar.

The first ritual was to open the altar and invite the gods. The ox horn sounded, and the high priest and nine priests raised the swords in their right hands and waved the flags in their left hands. They still danced in mysterious steps and muttered to themselves.

The people below the stage sang and danced around the circle. After about a quarter of an hour, gongs and drums sounded and firecrackers were set off, marking the end of the first stage.

Then the sound of gongs, drums and firecrackers became increasingly deafening, and the second stage of welcoming and worshiping the gods began.

Suddenly, a group of shirtless young men came out from under the altar. At this time, Ye Changyan and others saw that there were many straw bundles in the corner under the platform. They thought that these young men were hiding in these straw bundles.

These shirtless young men, barefoot, followed the priests in dancing and circling the altar sometimes clockwise and sometimes counterclockwise.

At this time, the people in the square were all outside the altar. No matter whether they were men or women, old or young, they all knelt and bowed devoutly around the altar.

The people knelt down and sang praises loudly, thanking the gods for their blessings and praying for good weather and prosperity for their families in the coming year.

Seeing this, Ye Changyan followed the local customs and knelt down with the people.

Ye Changyan, who had just finished a kneeling ceremony, raised his head and saw that Liang Jingcheng and Lu Tingfeng beside him were just bending their knees and half squatting, but not kneeling down, let alone bowing. He felt a little surprised.

As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Facing the people who were devoutly worshipping the gods, Ye Changyan was afraid that someone would find out and think that they were being disrespectful to the gods if they did not kneel down with Liang Jingcheng and Lu Tingfeng, which would be bad.

Ye Changyan quickly pulled the corner of Liang Jingcheng's clothes and said to him anxiously, "Liang Shijiu, kneel down and worship the gods quickly, otherwise the people will think that you are disrespecting the gods, and that will be troublesome."

"I don't believe in their gods, so what's the point of me kneeling down and worshiping them?"

"That's not what I meant. Although when in Rome, do as the Romans do, I think that worshipping gods and Buddhas is better than cramming at the last minute, right?"

"You have no taboos."

"Everyone says that faith can make things happen, but I would rather believe it. There is no harm in worshipping it, just in case it works."

Seeing Ye Changyan's sly smile, Liang Jingcheng felt that his twisted logic had some truth to it.

Liang Jingcheng and Lu Tingfeng also knelt down, and then there was a loud bang in the sky. Everyone looked up and saw a young girl in gorgeous clothes dancing lightly and slowly spinning down from the sky above the high platform.

This entered the third stage, when the Saint descended to earth and the people in the square danced following her light dance moves, creating an unprecedented grand occasion.

Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng danced along while craning their necks to look in the direction of the altar.

Ye Changyan and his companions were all tall and slender. They immediately spotted the saint girl in the direction of the altar, who was leading the crowd in dancing.

After a change of tune, the saint came forward, holding a bamboo plaque filled with various cakes. While dancing, she distributed cakes to the crowd watching around her.

This is the beginning of the fourth phase of the Harvest Festival.

Behind the saint was a group of young women, each holding a bamboo plaque filled with various cakes. They walked quickly among the crowd, distributing cakes to people, which meant the saint's blessing.

In the square, everyone, regardless of gender, age or status, was in good order. No one rushed forward to grab things because they knew that everyone could receive the saint's blessing. The ceremony did not end until everyone in the square had received the cakes distributed by the saint.

Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng received the pastries, their faces full of smiles, and they happily ate them with the people around them.

Just when the crowd had almost finished their cakes, they heard the sound of dense drums, and the fifth stage of the Harvest Festival began.