nashuaworldcup Chapter 1134 Blood Sacrifice Ceremony
Chapter 1134 Blood Sacrifice Ceremony
A month later.
They traveled light and did not take the official road, but instead took a more treacherous mountain path. With Atu leading the way, the difficulties were not great, and they saved more than half a month of travel time to reach the Northwest.
During this month, Jiang Fenghua also sent her hidden guards to try to find the whereabouts of the Yuezhi Holy Maiden, but they were unable to find her.
Yue Anying and her guards also disappeared from that day onwards, presumably having left the Great Zhou with the Yuezhi Holy Maiden.
Jiang Fenghua did not receive a reply to the letter that she had sent to Xie Shang through the hidden guards. She only received a letter from the Northwest saying that the war between Da Zhou and Bei Xiao was indeed not easy. First of all, the physical fitness of Da Zhou soldiers could not keep up with Bei Xiao.
Even though the heavy snow blocked the roads, the Northern Xiao Kingdom did not retreat. On the contrary, they were even more excited and kept waiting for the Great Zhou to run out of ammunition and food, meaning that the Great Zhou needed to prepare more military supplies to fight a protracted war.
Jiang Fenghua read the letter repeatedly, thinking to herself: This letter must have been written more than a month ago. Lin Yu must have sent the grain a long time ago. Judging by the time, her grain should have arrived by now!
A-Tu pointed to the road ahead: "Wolf Slope is just ahead."
Atu took out a large pile of clothes and said, "If we go any further, we will enter the territory of the Yuezhi tribe. Your Majesty would be best to change into their tribal clothes and disguise yourself as an ordinary citizen."
Jiang Fenghua said, "You prepared the clothes a long time ago?"
Atu smiled and said, "There's a market up ahead. I went there while you were all resting."
"Is there still a market at Wild Wolf Slope?" Hongxiu asked.
Atu explained, "No matter where you are or what tribe you are in, there are markets. Wild Wolf Slope is a place name, and there are also packs of wolves there, but they are all in the mountains. Don't worry! Your accommodation has been arranged in Ping'an Town."
He meant that ordinary people also had to survive in the areas occupied by the Yuezhi, but they were led by the Yuezhi.
Jiang Fenghua looked at the style of the clothes; they were all long gowns with hoods. This was probably related to the environment in the Northwest, where there was a lot of wind and sand, and wearing this style of clothing could protect against the wind.
Atu's behavior was too suspicious, so she could only take it one step at a time and make the best of it.
They changed into Yuezhi attire and split up, at Atu's suggestion.
Atu even told him about some of the rules of the Yuezhi people.
Jiang Fenghua thought that the Muqi family a thousand years ago was mainly engaged in medicine. In the past thousand years, the Muqi family has become the Yuezhi, and they are still researching medicine. They don't use it to treat diseases and save people, but instead study the art of rebirth.
The Yuezhi saintess called out the name "Danji Aruan" to her. Could it be that they have already figured it out?
Jiang Fenghua was also a reborn person, so she couldn't help but believe that this was possible. Even if the Yuezhi Holy Maiden didn't force her to come, she would still come and find out.
Before them was a vast expanse of white, and Jiang Fenghua and the others felt a growing sense of unease as they looked at the three large characters "Ping'an Town" above their heads.
A Tu led the way, saying, "Don't worry, I won't harm you. It's very safe here."
Ao Xue pressed her sword against his heart, "What is your purpose in bringing us here?"
“If you are not at ease, young lady, I swear to God that I will never harm you. If you want to successfully join the Yuezhi clan, come with me first.”
He added, “Tomorrow is the Yuezhi clan’s annual blood sacrifice ceremony. The people here will all go to Jinling City to participate. We will mingle among the people then, and perhaps your friends will also be taken to Jinling City.”
"Who is your master?" Ao Xue asked again.
"Miss, you've asked this question countless times. When your master is able to see you, he will naturally come to see you."
Atu was tight-lipped; no matter how much Aoxue threatened or tempted him, he refused to reveal who was behind it all.
Jiang Fenghua stroked the bracelet on her wrist and said, "Aoxue, don't ask anymore. I believe his master meant no harm."
A-Tu said, "Your Majesty is truly wise."
They strolled around Ping'an Town and found that it was indeed not much different from the towns of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The people were simple and honest, and it was hard to even associate the place with the name "Wild Wolf Slope".
Perhaps because of the snow, there weren't many people on the street, only a few children playing in the snow, and not many shops.
They entered a restaurant called Ping An Restaurant, where a few people were sitting sparsely, discussing the blood sacrifice ceremony to be held in Nanjing the next day.
They heard that the blood sacrifice ceremony would be personally performed by the chieftain of the Yuezhi tribe...
This sacrificial ceremony is related to the tribe's fortune in the coming year, and they will pray to the heavens for a year of good weather and abundant harvests.
As soon as they entered the private room on the second floor, Jiang Fenghua opened the window and looked down, only to see a familiar figure walking into the restaurant.
She lowered the window, leaving only a crack. How could Yue Anying have brought her subordinate, Jiang Jian, to Ping'an Town?
Didn't she leave with the saintess?
Over here, Yue Anying entered the restaurant and glanced around. She heard everyone discussing Jin Lingcheng's ceremony. She curled her lips and asked the shopkeeper, "Have you seen these people before?"
She took out several portraits.
The shopkeeper shook his head upon seeing it, saying, "Never seen it before."
Yue Anying's face was full of anger. She could no longer raise Hongbao, just because she had lost Hongbao. Hongbao had grown up with her, and now she couldn't raise her anymore.
The saintess is too domineering!
Jiang Jian said, "We've already searched several inns. Maybe they haven't caught up yet. If we keep searching like this, it's all for nothing."
It was mainly because it was too cold. On a snowy day, who wouldn't be snuggled up in bed with a woman? But he insisted on being jostled around everywhere.
Yue Anying said angrily, "How would I know? Just go find it when I tell you to. Why are you talking so much nonsense?"
Jiang Jian deliberately searched around the first floor with the sword in his hand, and then went up to the second floor.
Yue Anying found a warm spot to sit down and asked the shopkeeper to serve her some snacks and tea.
Jiang Jian searched the second floor, and when he pushed open the door to Jiang Fenghua's room, it was empty and there was nothing inside.
Jiang Fenghua and the others hid in the dark room and whispered to A Tu, "Didn't you say this place was safe? How come the Yuezhi people have come to our door so quickly?"
A Tu said awkwardly, "I don't know either, but Miss Jiang, don't worry. I can take you into the Yuezhi territory, and you won't be in any danger. If they can't find anyone, they'll just look for the next one."
Jiang Fenghua said, "I think there's something strange about this inn! What kind of inn would have a hidden room built in its side room?"
A'Tu was even more embarrassed and could only say, "This is the master's wish."
"I want to see your master." Jiang Fenghua felt that she had entered that person's territory.
Before A Tu could make another excuse, Jiang Fenghua said, "If you don't take me to see him, I'll go out now and go with Yue Anying to the blood sacrifice ceremony held by the Yue clan."
A Tu said, "Miss Jiang, you'd better not trespass on the Yuezhi's blood sacrifice ceremony. You don't know what blood sacrifice means. As the name suggests, blood sacrifice is a ritual performed with blood. There isn't enough blood for them to draw from this group of people."
Jiang Fenghua recalled the smiles on the faces of the people in the inn when they talked about the blood sacrifice.
Atu explained, "They would use eighty-seven fresh hearts in a sacrificial ceremony. Ostensibly, these hearts were offered to the gods, but in reality, they were kept to be eaten. This is a rule of the Yuezhi people."
"Where did this person come from?"
"Central Plains..."
Jiang Fenghua then asked, "Why eighty-seven?"
"I don't know." A'Tu added, "Perhaps Master can give Miss Jiang an answer. Miss Jiang, please wait a little longer."