(Thank you to Dameng and Chubby for their support in this difficult time.) ）

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Black Fog Ridge can be regarded as a strange scene here. No matter how arid it is down the mountain and in a hundred miles, the mountain is always gray, always seems to be covered in dark clouds, and it may rain at any moment.

Seeing such a wonderful natural landscape, Zhang Fang finally understood why the locals associated this mountain with the gods who are in charge of clouds and rain. However, compared with the surrounding mountains that have been cut down to a sparse extent, and then look at the lush forests of the Black Fog Ridge, Zhang Fang is more willing to believe that the clouds and mist of this mountain range are due to the reverence of the local villagers for the gods, and they dare not move a single grass and tree.

Zhang Fang and his entourage were led by Zhu Yu and his wife before dawn, and they traveled dozens of miles to the place of worship. To Zhang Da's surprise, the scale of this sacrifice was not small, not only more than a dozen settlements in the vicinity came, but there were even good men and women from Sanshui, Fangqu, Yuzhi, and even Maling, with a total of nearly 1,000 people. However, there are few people wearing silk and satin, and it is obvious that the vast majority of them are ordinary people. In addition, there are dozens of strong men who are a bit like Ding Gong, armed with forks and sticks, under the command of several sword-bearers (one of the three elders of the first class of the Han Dynasty Township, who are in charge of the prohibition of thieves and thieves) and assistants, and are stationed at intersections and high places, supervising and inspecting. After all, this kind of unofficial large-scale gathering of 1,000 people has always been taboo for rulers, and it is a good idea to take some defensive measures without too irritating the people, and to use strong men from nearby villages.

The front of the valley is covered with trees, and although there are many people watching the festival, almost everyone can find a place to take refuge in the shade. Elsewhere, the sun is violent, and the whole earth is steamed and roasted like a sauna, but in front of the valley mouth under this mountain range, there is a gust of yin wind, and the whole body is comfortable. Zhang Fang secretly speculated to himself, these people are not so much here to watch the sacrifice, but to enjoy the coolness.

The most eye-catching thing at the scene is that in front of the mouth of the Black Fog Ridge Valley, there is an earthen platform nearly two zhang high and ten zhang in circumference. This earthen platform is wide and narrow at the bottom, pyramid-shaped, with earth steps on both sides to go up, and the platform is smooth and solid by stone rolling, and the weeds around the platform are obviously not piled up recently, at least for decades.

At this time, there were eight Wu Han standing on the stage, wearing a strip of ochre-colored linen. Under the scorching sun, beads of sweat rolled on their dark skin, but the eight witches remained motionless, holding all kinds of strange sacrificial vessels, and their faces were full of piety. There are also two witches in the audience, leading two big yellow dogs with bared teeth and sticking out their tongues, guarding the stage entrances on both sides.

According to the regulations of the Han Dynasty, civilians could only wear linen clothes in their own colors, and were not allowed to wear colored clothes or ornaments. However, in the special case of this kind of sacrifice, it is still possible to make an exception.

Directly below the earthen platform, between the two dog-led witches, there is a half-person-high black lacquered wooden box, the lid is opened, and from time to time you can see civilians who come to watch the ceremony lining up and throwing money into the box, and the sound of clanging is endless. Even the couple who accompanied Zhang Fang and his entourage to watch the ceremony threw more than a dozen five-baht coins into the box. What surprised Zhang Fang and others the most was that several men and women dressed as civilians actually threw gold, platinum (silver) and jade ornaments and other valuables into the black box.

What's going on, when did the commoners of the Great Han become so rich?

After all the explanations, Zhang Fang realized that he had been swept away by the system of the Han Dynasty -- the Han Dynasty was the first to establish the system of valuing agriculture and suppressing commerce, and even set up a "city register" for merchants and put them in a separate book. Although this system was loosened in the middle and late Han Dynasty, and there were many merchants who entered the Su Dynasty and participated in politics, the status of most merchants was still low. Merchants were not allowed to ride in chariots, but only in ox carts, nor on horses, nor in silk and satin, nor in crowns, but only in silk and silk...... No matter how rich you are, walk down the street and dress like a commoner.

Those "civilians" who followed the salute were actually businessmen from Maling, so it was no wonder that they were so generous.

Zhang Fang's eyes swept through the crowd, and suddenly a corner of the lake-green skirt was revealed behind a big tree thirty paces away, which attracted Zhang Fang's attention. In this poor and remote area, most of the local people and businessmen participate in the activities, and the officials and nobles rarely appear, once there are such people, it is naturally very eye-catching.

When he came, Zhang Fang also changed into a brocade robe, changed into a brocade robe, changed to Ge Yi linen shoes similar to the Han brothers, and then put on a sunshade hat, so that he could stand out from the public.

Just as Zhang Fang's eyes were about to look away, the lake-green skirt was closed, revealing a lilac corner. The purple-clothed man's body poked out most of the trunk, just enough for people to see his face.

Zhang Fang's gaze moved upward, and when he touched the face of the man in purple, he couldn't help but feel a shock - this shock immediately made Ah Li, who couldn't see things, and only focused on the feelings of the people around him.

"Xiao Langjun, what's wrong?"

"It's okay, I saw an acquaintance." Zhang Fang smiled brightly and said in a low voice, "I'll go and say hello, you guys stay here and don't move." ”

The Han brothers and Qingyan responded with their mouths, and their confused eyes followed Zhang Fang's route, and soon they also noticed the purple-clothed man, and they all sighed, "It turned out to be her!" ”

Zhang Fang approached under the big tree and waved his body: "Ban Jun is not harmed." ”

The man in purple was frightened: "Who are you?" ”

Zhang Fang took off the shade grass hat and smiled slightly.

The man in purple was surprised and delighted: "It's you, Zhang Jun!" ”

Another young man in a lake green skirt was even more overjoyed: "It's really Zhang Jun!" ”

These two masters and servants are Yi Hai's Ban Yuanjun and her little maid.

Zhang Fang didn't expect that he would be able to meet this pair of masters and maids twice when he went far away, and it was really fateful. However, when he inquired carefully, he knew that meeting the second daughter here was both accidental and inevitable.

As mentioned earlier, Ban Yuanjun's father, Ban Yuanjun, was the captain of Shanghe Nongdu, who was in charge of agricultural affairs in Beidi County. This year, there is a severe drought in the central part of Beidi County, and the most worrying person is him, the "head of the agricultural reclamation division". In just one month, the class has been going back and forth between Shanghe City and Maling several times, and in order to plan countermeasures and deal with natural disasters, everyone has lost weight.

Ban Yuanjun saw it in his eyes and felt pain in his heart, and he always wanted to do something for his father, so he decided to give full play to his strengths and go out to visit in disguise to see if he could find a solution. The day before yesterday, I passed by this place, and occasionally heard the ceremony of praying for rain to the sky, whether it is to satisfy the curiosity of the girl, or to relieve the worries of the father, it is worth coming here to see, and this is the second encounter with Zhang Fang.

Ban Yuanjun's wonderful eyes flowed, he glanced up and down at Zhang Fang's outfit, and his eyebrows wrinkled slightly: "Zhang Jun is still doing the same costume as before, don't you disdain what Yuan Jun gifted?" ”

Zhang Fang smiled, took off the burden from his shoulder, opened it, and the moon-white brocade robe seemed to be in his eyes, and Ban Yuanjun was relieved.

The little maid smiled: "It's still Zhang Jun who is shrewd and knows that when he changes his clothes, he won't be noticeable." I went all the way with the little lady, and I was annoyed by people......"

Zhang Fang was surprised: "Didn't you take the car?" By the way, what about your Guardians and Guards? ”

Ban Yuanjun shook his head: "The car is at the bottom of the mountain, and the mountain road is difficult to walk, so on foot, Kunnu looks at the car." This place is not Sanshui, and you can't travel with escorts at will. ”

Zhang Fang nodded, this mountain road into the Black Fog Ridge is acceptable on foot, but it is indeed difficult to take a car. With the luxury of that car, it is no less than the luxury cars such as BMW and Porsche in later generations, and it really needs to be taken care of. As for the guards, it seems that there is a etiquette system in this era, and there are different positions and retinues, what levels of officials, and the number of chariots and horses and retinues are also different. Last time, Ban Yuanjun was in Sanshui and other places where foreign races lived, and his brother sent a few retinues to escort him for a short distance. This time you walk through the avenue, naturally you can't bring armor to guard, otherwise it will be overstepping.

While the three of them were talking, they suddenly heard a commotion in the crowd, and someone shouted, "Master! The Guru has appeared! ”。