"The Book of Rites" contains: "The Son of Heaven is the sun in spring, and the moon is in autumn." The morning of the sun, the evening of the setting moon. "After the ancestors of the Ye family founded the country, the autumn sacrifice month was opposite to the spring sacrifice day, summer sacrifice day, and winter sacrifice day, and was included in the royal ceremony.

Tai-Zu built the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of Earth, the Temple of the Moon, and the Temple of Heaven in the four directions of the southeast, northwest, and northwest of the imperial capital Yongning, which were used to sacrifice the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the autumn equinox, and the winter solstice.

The "moon festival" was originally set on the "autumn equinox", because there may not be a full moon on this day. The moon sacrifice without a moon is a big spoiling scenery, so later the "moon festival" was changed from the "autumn equinox" to the Mid-Autumn Festival.

In that year, Ye Yin, the first princess of Yongning, came to Jianxing, and the Tai-Zu granted the Yongning Palace, which could carry out the four sacrifice ceremonies with the gift of the prince and worship the ancestors at the same time. The four festivals of Jianxing are the most grand in the sacrifice of the moon.

Later, the moon worship ceremony pursued by the royal family gradually spread to the people, especially the imperial capital, although it is not as solemn and grand as the royal ceremony, it is also interesting.

In recent decades, every Mid-Autumn Festival, Yongning Moon Appreciation Meeting, the children of the Allure City, not rich or poor, but over the age of 12 or 3, all climb the stairs or worship the moon in the atrium in adult clothes, each has its own period: men are willing to step early to the toad official, climb the immortal laurel, and women are willing to look like Chang'e, Yan is like the moon.

The moon sacrifice ceremony, in ancient times, was mostly presided over by the royal women, but now there is no princess born in Yongning Palace, until Ye Yao's mother Ye Yan died, and the Jianxing sacrifice month after year was presided over by Ye Yao, the king of Yongning, seven years ago.

The day before the moon ceremony, after the murder of the theater, Ye Xingcan went to the Taiyi Altar with Ye Yao, and saw that hundreds of sacrificial sheep had been placed neatly around. "That's it, and asked Ye Yao if these sacrifices were still sent to Duanxue Tieqi to open meat.

Ye Yao said with a smile, those boys have been waiting for more than half a year.

Ye Xingcan felt that it was better to ride Duanxue Tie, there were sacrificial cows to eat in the spring, and sacrificial sheep to send in the autumn, and he couldn't help but say that Ye Yao was eccentric.

Ye Yao didn't refute either, and asked her if she could accompany her to complete the moon sacrifice ceremony this year.

Ye Xingcan couldn't help blushing, and only said that the old prince Yang Su had not arrived with A-Niang (Yongning Princess Ye Yan), how could he be embarrassed.

Ye Yao listened to Ye Xingcan's comparison of the two to his father, queen and mother, and he was happy in his heart, seeing that she was shy, he no longer forced it, and said, "Inherited from ancient times, this moon sacrifice ceremony should have been presided over by a royal woman, and after marriage, it is better to hand it over to you." ”

Ye Xingcan listened to the word "married", he was in a daze, and he only felt that there was always something before these two words, but he couldn't tell the reason, so he had to turn around.

The moon should have been sacrificed at the time of the moonrise, but because the sky was already dark, the surrounding environment of the Taiyi altar used to worship was complicated, and it was assassinated for many years.

The day before, Ye Yao bathed and changed clothes, and even rarely burned incense, and the officials of Jianxing followed suit one by one, even the onlookers, although the requirements were not strict, but they must also achieve twelve taboos.

One taboo is insincere, two taboos are disordered, three taboos are unclean, four taboos are angry quarrels, five taboos are not neatly dressed, six taboos are not gossiping about foreign affairs, seven taboos are laughing excessively, eight taboos are disorderly, nine taboos are thrown into dogs, ten taboos are the sound of knives and spoons, eleven taboos are not completed in the inner sacrifice, unclean out of the house, twelve taboos are not finished in the outer sacrifice, and unclean into the house.

Early in the morning of the second day, Ye Yao waited outside Ye Xingcan's boudoir with the purple gold python robe given by the saint, although it was called a python robe, it was different from the four claws of ordinary princes, and it was a five-clawed dragon coat of arms given by Qin, which was dyed dazzling by the rising sun.

Ye Yao secretly thought about the selection of guards around Ah Can, and suddenly saw the door of the "Xingyue Pavilion" open, only to see Ye Xingcan deliberately change into a lilac palace dress in order to match the purple gold python robe, the wide skirt behind him, and embroidered with gold and silver silk with a hundred birds and phoenixes, each Zhai phoenix feathers are covered with small and round pearls and jade, the purple clothes are covered with a golden cloud smoke shirt, embellished with beaded flower brocade, and the waist is a thin purple silk beaded tassel, elegant and luxurious.

Looking up again, the cloud bun is elegant, but what she is wearing is just a plain white hosta, it is really a hosta brought by Ye Yao for her at the age of fifteen and when she was in courtesy, and the phoenix on the hairpin wants to fly in the nine days.

The cheeks are also slightly powdered, charming as the moon god, the eyes are flowing, and the look is shining.

Ye Yao knows Ah Can's beauty, especially when she comes back this time, it has been two years, it is the most beautiful season for women, and her smile is moving.

I am used to her simple yellow shirt and no powder, but when I saw her dressed up like this today, I was stunned, looking at her directly, and I didn't want to miss it.

It was rare for Ye Xingcan to dress so formally, and he only felt that he was full of restraints, but when he thought of the solemnity and majesty of the moon sacrifice ceremony, he had to endure his temperament and dress up by the maidservants.

Out of the door, I saw Ye Yao standing at the door, wearing a gilded white jade crown, wearing a purple and gold python robe, eyebrows like knives, apricot eyes cold but affectionate, because of wartime habits, the back is straight, thin lips are pursed, the eyebrows are still slightly frowned, cold and majestic, graceful bearing, and a hint of the momentum of looking down on all beings.

Ye Xingcan looked at him in a daze, indulged in his gentle gaze, and forgot his words for a while. His eyes looked him up and down.

Ye Yao was laughed at, and it was inconvenient to laugh in front of the left and right attendants, so he could only stabilize his mind and said lightly, what are you thinking about?

Ye Xingcan sighed, "I always frown with a cold face, but it's a pity that my brother is so good-looking, and I don't know if there are any women who secretly admire him?" ”

Lingxiang silently stepped aside, couldn't help but smile when she heard the words, and looked at the prince curiously. Ye Yao felt a faint fever on his face, coughed heavily, and it was inconvenient to have a seizure in public, so he had to turn around to hide his embarrassment.

Ye Xingcan didn't follow, walked around to him again, stood on tiptoe with a smile, raised his hand and gently stroked his forehead, "Look, I can't heal it." Tilting his head again, he looked carefully, "This body is also good-looking, but I still prefer the platinum python robe given by my father back then, and it makes my brother look like jade, clear and noble......"

Without waiting for the praise to finish, he was taken into Ye Yao's arms, his chin rested on the top of Ye Xingcan's head, and his voice became deeper and deeper and more intoxicated, "Ah Can, my Ah Can...... How can you let me go......"

Ye Xingcan was held tightly, and he was a little out of breath, listening to what Ye Yao said in his ear, his face was hot, and he felt that the deer was colliding, and his heart was beating faster and faster.

The priest who followed behind him saw that the time was not early, and he didn't dare to open his mouth to remind him, so he had to cough, hoping that the prince would remember that he still had something to do.

Ye Yao had no choice but to let go of the person in his arms, and the two went out of the house hand in hand and got into the carriage.

When they arrived at the Taiyi altar, the officials of Jianxing had already been listed on both sides of the altar, Dayong was respected on the left, and the civil officials were on the left and the military attache was on the right. However, the northwest frontier has been fighting all year round, and the Jianxing sacrifice is that the military attache is on the left and the civil official is on the right, which shows that the weight is different.

Liu Qing let the civil officials be listed on the right side, far away, I can't see it really, I only feel that Ah Can, who is dressed in palace clothes, is gentle and elegant, graceful and luxurious, and then I feel that the person in front of me is not a fairy who has fallen into the mortal world, but is really the princess of Dayong.

I saw King Yongning and Ah Chan walking to the altar together, both of them were dressed in purple and gold, they were very right, and their hearts were even more sour, not a taste.

The people of Jianxing in the distance rarely see the king of Yongning, and today, next to them is the princess of Min who has not appeared for two years, they are all excited, and after staying flat, they can't help but look left and right, only to feel that their prince and princess are really a match of dragon and phoenix, a match made in heaven, and the beauty of the earth.

Ye Yao settled Ye Xingcan and sat in front of the left side of the altar, then slowly walked up to the altar and bowed to the west. The moon festival begins.

The first is to welcome the moon god, and fireworks are raised in the burnt wood stove. In the view of the people of Dayong, the gods are above, and the non-burnt wood is not enough to reach it, and the smoke rises during the burnt offering, reaching the sky, which can spread the respect of the world to the gods of heaven.

The second item is to lay jade silk, that is, to offer jade and silk to the moon god. During the ceremony, the great priest guided Ye Yao to wash and go to the god to go to the shrine to offer three incense ceremonies, and then to the moon god tablet to offer the ceremony, and present the jade silk.

The third step is the ceremony, which is also the most popular gift for the people of Jianxing. I saw that the king of Yongning picked up the white jade noodles presented by the sacrifice, brought them on the noodles, and the ceremony began, and the twelve white-clothed sacrifices also brought the noodles and stepped on the altar.

Ye Yao stood in the center, singing and dancing with the music points, and the "Nine Duanjin" used for sacrifice was actually refined and tough by the Yongning Wang Dance, and the momentum was compelling. If it weren't for the twelve sacrificial dancers behind him, just looking at Ye Yao, raising his hands and feet in a heroic manner, he was simply decisive, and it was like a military parade.

Obviously, there are thirteen people on the stage, but they feel that this is a one-person dance, and they have the sassy and majestic strength of a horse stepping on Qingqiu, but the eyes hidden behind the mask are as sharp as eagles, and the expectations are like fire, which is so cold that people dare not force their eyes.

Not only the ministers and people in the audience, Ye Xingcan was also stunned, only feeling that he had never seen such a brother, as if he had never danced and sang at the moon sacrifice ceremony two years ago.

It seems that I have seen my brother who has been fighting on the battlefield in the past few years, fierce but lonely, a hero with iron blood, and always walking alone...... Gradually, the pace slowed down, but the pain in Ye Xingcan's heart became deeper and deeper, as if something was falling on his heart, he just wanted to see the familiar but unfamiliar face behind the mask, and asked him, now, okay?

Liu Qingrang was also shocked by the singing and dancing on the stage, his mouth was wide open, he couldn't come back to his senses, and froze on the spot. I also remembered that I had the honor to participate in the first Spring Dynasty Festival after Huizong's succession, the royal majesty, the honor guard, and the majestic atmosphere, but there was no shock this time, looking at the King of Yongning on the stage, and looking at the generals of the northwest and the people of Jianxing under the stage, I suddenly understood the persistence and stability of the Yongning Palace.

Just as everyone was immersed in the trance of the dance, Ye Yao felt a trace of murderous aura shooting out, and with a twist of his wrist, he slashed his palm into the void. The figure walked through like lightning, raised his hand to take the sharp sword thrown by Yang Jun, swept horizontally, and slashed towards the void.

Although this sword is not Ye Yao's sword, after taking over, the cold front is as long as it is, emitting a compelling sword aura, facing the arrow feathers shot by the opponent, and the sword qi collides with the tip of the arrow, and the brilliance is radiant.

The twelve priests had already taken off their masks and held their swords against each other.

Ye Xingcan was frightened, regardless of the attendants behind him, he pounced on the altar, only to see three more arrows shooting, one of which went straight to the white jade mask on Ye Yao's face, in an instant, the mask burst out, but Ye Yao was motionless, his long black hair was scattered, and his face was solemn, like a god of war. In an instant, he took another step forward, not retreating, but advancing, and turned sideways, blocking Ye Xingcan behind him.

Liu Qingrang was also shocked by this, and when he saw that Ah Can had already gone to the altar, he was anxious, and he was about to rush up, but he was blocked by the official beside him, and the official was very calm, only saying that this was part of the sacrifice, and it has been in recent years, so don't worry.

Liu Qingrang looked around and found that except for the soldiers encircling and suppressing the opposite corner tower, the people seemed to be very calm, and couldn't help but be surprised, could they still sacrifice like this, is it an assassination drill on the way?

Seeing that the arrow feathers were no longer shooting, King Yongning also took Ye Xingcan to retreat from the altar and enter the carriage, although he was puzzled in his heart, the heart that was hanging was also inexplicably put down.

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Poetry Notes:

"The Book of Rites" contains: "The Son of Heaven is the sun in spring, and the moon is in autumn." The morning of the sun, the evening of the setting moon. ”

Jin Yingzhi of the Song Dynasty recorded in "The New Compilation of Drunkard Talks": "The Mid-Autumn Festival, the meeting of the Beijing master to enjoy the moon, is different from other counties. The children of the Allure City are not rich or poor, but have their own expectations: men are willing to step into the toad official as soon as possible and climb the immortal laurel. The woman wishes to look like Chang'e and her face is like Haoyue. ”