The painting boat was propped up by the boatman's pole, slowly rowed, pushed away the river, rippled layer by layer, and sailed to the middle of the long river.

There are a lot of boats in the river, but it doesn't seem crowded. If the most expensive restaurant in Heyang City is called Zuixian Building, then the cool breeze blowing, sitting quietly in the painting boat, and tasting the food of Qingheju is the most elegant style in Heyang City.

"Tonight is the Qinghe Lantern Festival, which starts soon. Later, we will taste the wine and food of Qingheju, while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Qinghe, and keep you here this time and think about the next time. The prince sat down with a golden knife and said to Bai Ze.

Their siblings are regular visitors here.

In winter, the river is shrouded in a layer of cold smoke, and at a glance, the river is hazy, as if painting a boat floating in the air fairyland.

The three of them sat in the bow of the boat, a low square table, and at the bottom of the table lay a bronze stove, in which was fine charcoal, and burned without smoke.

"Lantern Festival?" Bai Ze asked as he found it interesting.

Mu Qingling explained: "This lantern festival was originally the lantern festival of the Buddha Kingdom in the Western Regions, and I heard that the Buddha Kingdom organizes a grand lantern festival every year on the birthday of the Buddha. People who can understand the words of Buddhism will be favored by the Buddha, saying that they are destined for Buddhism. ”

"It's funny. Bai Ze said, thinking of the previous trip to Dushan, the peerless afterimage he and Ouyang Mu saw in the nameless cave, the dispute between the half-step Sword Immortal King and the mysterious old monk, he also learned the golden bell jar of Buddhism in the stone carvings on the cave wall, and evolved it into a suitable Taoist gas clock.

"The mountain is high and the man is the peak, which is the top of the Buddha?"

"The path of immortals has no beginning and no end,

Only a sword asks the sky.

The tiger is in the wind like a dragon,

Where does orthodoxy come from, what is the peak?"

Bai Ze remembered the conversation between him and the old monk that day, laughed it off, and said: "But in the southern region of Yan Kingdom, I haven't heard that there is a holy land of Buddhism, how did the lantern festival of the Buddha Kingdom in the Western Regions take root in Heyang City?"

"There are also Buddhist holy places in the north, but there is indeed no Buddhist power in the southern region. Mu Qingling said, "I heard my father say that the annual Lantern Festival in Heyang City has to be traced back to the time of the Northern War 70 years ago. At that time, King Qi Cheng captured Dangyang Pass, and the horse stepped on the seven cities of the Southern Regions, and the Southern Regions served as a frontal battlefield between Yan and Qi, and it can be said that there were millions of casualties. ”

Bai Ze listened silently.

"At that time, the war was raging, and even the sky was covered by the smoke of war, and it is said that at that time, there was no boundary between the world and the underworld, and the evil ghosts of the southern regions traveled and wailed all day long, causing countless changes in the heavens and the earth. Mu Qingling was talking, but the prince suddenly laughed.

"How can it be so exaggerated?" Shizi answered, saying: "It's just that during the national war, there was a monk who was said to be from the Western Regions passing by here, and saw a river of blood flowing and corpses all over the field. ”

"What the monk did was to use the river lantern to surpass the undead?" Bai Ze asked.

"Oh, Bai Ze, do you also know the secret methods of Buddhism?" Mu Chen asked him, confirming his guess.

"I can't say what I know, but I know some. Bai Ze said.

In doing so, the monk claimed that if the living put a river lamp for the dead, the deceased would dissipate the resentment remaining in the world, and thus be reincarnated smoothly. Mu Chen smiled as he spoke, "The living people have followed suit, hoping that the dead can be reincarnated smoothly, so the custom of this lantern festival has gradually been handed down." It's just that today's Lantern Festival has lost its meaning back then, and now it's just fun. ”

"Brother, you're still laughing!" Mu Qingling saw Mu Chen laughing again, and couldn't help but sneer at him, in the girl's opinion, it was all a tribute and exceedance to the dead, it was a serious topic, how could she laugh one after another?

"Sister, you're just too young to understand. Mu Chen asked Bai Ze, "Bai Ze, you say, what kind of reincarnation do people have? Anyway, I don't believe it, and I ask for it, and it is also the art of seeking immortality in the Dao Sect, pinning my hopes on the next life, what is it?"

Bai Ze smiled a little incomprehensibly and said, "Reincarnation or something, I don't dare to say it." However, this cultivation path for longevity is reasonable, and it can only be said that Buddhism and Taoism are two doors, each with its own strengths. ”

While he was talking, a light boat sailed over, and the shopkeeper sent someone to prepare all the food and drink and send them to the painting boat.

Bai Ze saw that there were steamed sea bass with good color, drunken shrimp with charming aroma, pigeon soup made from ginseng and lingzhi, and sliced roast duck as thin as cicada wings, served with dipping sauce.

The wine is the unique sake of Qingheju, fragrant but not strong, greedy and not drunk, just suitable for this water feast.

"Come on, come on, toast first!" Mu Chen poured wine, only for him and Bai Ze, but for Mu Qingling, it was fruit brew.

The three of them clinked glasses and drank the wine down.

"Use chopsticks and try this Qingheju delicacy. Mu Chen did his best to be a landlord and beckoned Bai Ze to eat vegetables.

Bai Ze tasted a bite of steamed sea bass, the taste was sweet and fragrant, and the taste was really good.

The night is getting darker and deeper, and the painting boat passes by an arched bridge, the crescent moon is like a bow, and the galaxy is bright.

The scholars and beauties by the river laughed and talked, all holding river lanterns, and the lights lit up their figures, which were harmonious and beautiful at a glance.

"Mother, come quickly!" There was a child on the bank holding a lotus lantern, the wick was a red candle, which had been lit, and was held in the palm of the child's hand, gently put it into the Qing River, and floated down the quietly flowing river.

The boy put down the lantern and cheered with joy, and his little face was red. Bai Ze saw it in his eyes, and he didn't realize that I laughed, in the misty lights of the painting boat, it was like a snow-capped mountain spirit jade.

Mu Qingling was fascinated, holding her chin with both hands, and her eyebrows and eyes were gentle.

More and more river lanterns were put into the river, and soon, the surface of the Qinghe River seemed to sink into a starry sky, ethereal and dreamy, like a fairyland.

The beautiful woman laughed from the painting boat, the son warmed the wine, and the folding fan shook gently, which was romantic.

"Wonderful. Bai Ze admired.

Mu Chen laughed, faded into a military uniform, the young general was dressed in black, his face was handsome and extraordinary, his head was tied with a crown of jade, his ink hair was flying, and he was unparalleled in style.

"Wading the river to pick hibiscus, Lanze is more fragrant grass.

Who do you want to leave behind? ”

On the Qinghe River, there was a girl's singing voice shrouded in love and sorrow. Bai Ze listened quietly, felt that the artistic conception was far away, and saw that there was a hole in the black tent of the painting boat, a jade flute, and a Jinse guqin, and asked at the moment: "The river lights are ethereal, and the song is melancholy." I feel something in my heart and want to play a song, I wonder if you two are interested in playing with me?"

Mu Qingling came back to her senses when she heard this, her pretty face was slightly red, and she said: "My brother is quite familiar with music, but I can't do it. ”

"Haha, I didn't expect that Brother Bai Ze also dabbled in music?" Mu Chen was delighted, looking at Bai Ze's eyes a little bright, and immediately ordered the boatman to bring the musical instrument, and asked Bai Ze: "My mother is alive, good piano sound." Mu Chen learned a few hands from his mother when he was young, although he couldn't move it to the stage, he could play the accompaniment in an ensemble, and it should be no problem. ”

Mu Chen immediately ordered the boatman to remove the wine and food, put a guqin on the low table, pressed the strings with his slender ten fingers, and asked Bai Ze: "Brother Bai Ze, what kind of musical instrument do you choose?"

Bai Ze picked out a white jade flute, held it in his hand, smiled when he heard it, and said, "In my early years, I traveled all over the world with my master and walked more in the mountains. In the vast mountains, only my master and apprentice are two, and the road is boring, so I often use Xiuzhu as a flute and play it indiscriminately, so that I only know a little about the music. ”

"Brother Bai Ze is humble. Mu Chen smiled again.

"Today and Brother Mu hit it off at first sight, it is better to play "Mountains and Flowing Water" together to express your love and righteousness. Bai Ze said.

When Mu Chen heard this, he said, "Alas, this is not true. Since it is on the Qinghe River, it is the annual lantern festival. The beautiful scenery of a good day is only accompanied by beautiful women. I see that although the Bai Ze brothers are young, they are also like jade sons, tonight for the brother and you, it is better to play "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix", and it is better to respond to this unparalleled beauty. ”

When Mu Qingling heard this, the roots of his ears were a little red.

"Haha, I didn't expect Brother Mu to have such an interest. Bai Ze immediately agreed, saying: "That's good, just "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix"!"

Draw a boat to dip into the water, pass quietly and row across the secluded arch bridge. Pedestrians on the bridge see the river scenery clearly, and they are fascinated. On the arched bridge, Yu Youwei was dressed in a skirt, fluttering like a fairy in the night breeze. Holding a floral oil paper umbrella produced in the Jiangnan Water Town of the Song Kingdom, the eyebrows and eyes are fading and the charming makeup is suddenly beautiful.

The deaf coachman still followed the girl, his eyes half-squinted, not in the slightest interest in the beautiful scenery before him.

"There is a beautiful woman who will never forget it.

I don't see it for a day, and I think like crazy.

The phoenix soars, seeking the phoenix from all over the world.

Helpless beauty, not on the east wall. ”

The piano and flute ensemble under the bridge are harmonious, and the rhythm is harmonious and melodious. Bai Ze stood on the bow of the painting boat, dressed in white, reflecting the lanterns of the Qinghe River. Mu Chen was dressed in black, sitting upright and stroking the piano, his ten fingers flying, and his temperament was dusty.

Mu Qingling quietly watched the two of them play a song "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix", one standing and one sitting, one white and one black, the years were quiet. At this moment, the temple disputes and grievances in the rivers and lakes seemed to have all disappeared, leaving only the veins and clear rivers, trickling down.

"The phoenix returns to its hometown and travels all over the world to seek its phoenix. On the arched bridge, visitors were attracted by the ensemble, and Yu Youwei looked forward to it, and saw the white-clothed boy on the painted boat, and he didn't feel it. ”

After that, he gave the swordsman in the cloth behind him a look, and on tiptoe, the paper umbrella fluttered, jumped off the arched bridge, and flew to the painting boat.

Bai Ze's expression was as usual, Mu Qingling looked back, his expression was strange, Mu Chen was still caressing, but he laughed, and said: "Today's song "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" really attracted a phoenix bird. It's just that I don't know, this phoenix bird, is it for this son of the world, or for my brother Bai Ze?"

As soon as Yu Youwei's paper umbrella was put away, she smiled and said, "Come for the sound of the song, can't you?"

"A beautiful woman is like jade, naturally she can. Mu Chen said.

"It is "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix", how can the two phoenixes and the song, without its phoenix?" Yu Youwei walked into the painting boat Wupeng, fifty strings of Jinse in hand, slender jade fingers, the sound of Qingyue came from Wupeng, intertwined with the sound of flute and piano, for a time on the water of the Qing River, it was really like a phoenix and a song, and the sound urged the sky to rain.

Pedestrians on the riverside stopped one after another, and tourists in the boats of the Qinghe River also closed their eyes and listened.

The starlight is heavy, looking from afar, the Qingshui River lantern is like a river fire, making it difficult to tell whether it is a person in the painting or someone in the painting.