Chapter 343: Winter Sacrifice
The actual winter festival lasts only one day, but the celebration begins the day before the festival and lasts for three days. After three days, the festive spirit still doesn't go away, and there will be all kinds of events - such as city singing competitions, big performances by magicians, and even martial arts rings.
Of course, most of the people who go up to perform are unwilling, down-and-out professionals -- but because they have been immersed in this aspect for many years, they have a lot of experience in how to make the performance look better, and at least they can coax a large number of ordinary citizens to applaud. And this, for the festival, is enough.
The day before the winter festival, Ji Ran got up early and began to make a big meal.
The meals are good, but most of them are home-cooked. But this time, Ji Ran decided to take out all his kung fu and cook a big meal. At the end of the year, it's worth the effort.
The others weren't too late to get up - except Alice. That little girl was so excited last night that she went to bed much later than usual.
Yesterday there was a heavy snowfall, so today the whole city is covered in snow - which adds to the atmosphere of the winter festival. There were already a lot of people walking around the street, and there were many children laughing and playing in the street.
Snowball fights are games that are popular in winter for all ages β especially children and couples.
Now Lydia and the others are all fur on their bodies. These furs were not bought casually from those expensive leather clothing shops, but were provided by Ji Ran and others, and some skilled old craftsmen were found to make them.
Ji Ran refined the magic weapon clothes by himself, although they were powerful. The style is novel. But if it comes to how exquisite. That's really not as good as these masters...... And the fur level of these demonic beasts is not high, they are just good-looking, and it doesn't make much sense to refine them into magic weapons, so it's better to make beautiful clothes for girls.
These monster skins were all made when they were adventuring, and they didn't have any capital. But in reality, in the markets of Perth, these furs are very expensive, even more expensive than some of the furs of higher quality than them, because of the nobles of the city. I prefer these beautiful beast furs - even if they have a lot less defense.
There is no way, among those nobles, there are many people whose mental power is simply not enough to control the magic props...... No matter how good the magic armor is given to them, they won't be able to wield it. On the contrary, these beautiful and smooth furs are more in line with their desire to show off.
Everyone had already discussed it. After getting up, they have a big meal and then go shopping. Wait until it gets dark at night, and then come back to enjoy Ji Ran's deliciousness.
Ji Ran has worked hard, and he needs to cook all kinds of delicious food for everyone else on this day...... Breakfast is relatively simple though. Don't bother.
A lot of what Ji Ran is doing now is for dinner. And breakfast was already steaming hot on the side - polenta. Steamed buns, all kinds of fresh side dishes or something, are enough to satisfy the appetite of a group of people.
Although it snowed heavily yesterday, today it was a sunny day. Although the temperature is colder because of this, it cannot stop the enthusiasm of the citizens for the festival. Many families come out with their families, dressed in thick leather or cotton coats, to the streets, parks, squares, and other places to see the scenery that the city government has specially dressed up for the festival, as well as the performances of some groups such as itinerant bands.
Among them, the most eye-catching is a huge cabaret orchestra and a circus. Needless to say, the circus is home to some mild, low-level magical beasts, driven by some animal trainers to perform performances - and many other circus performances, among which there are even magicians who can do magic with both hands - and for ordinary citizens, this kind of performance is very novel, and naturally very attractive.
And the cabaret orchestra ...... It's just an ordinary song and dance orchestra, but this huge song and dance orchestra is performed by a group of young and beautiful women...... The implication of this is naturally tacitly understood by everyone.
The people who gathered around the cabaret that set up a tent were basically men, which also showed what the cabaret performance was like......
Ji Ran and the others also ran out to join in the fun, and added Baker. But Anlek couldn't get out of it, and the more the festival came, the better the winery's business became, so he was so busy hitting the back of his head all day long that he didn't have time to go shopping with everyone.
Even if it was the great feast of the Winter Festival, he said that he would not take part in it, because there were many banquets that invited himβthe precious wine of Amber Light could only be obtained from him now, and the great nobles and merchants wanted to get close to him.
If Anlek was just an ordinary businessman, he would never have been treated so well. But now he's in the name of the Bright family - and even though he's always stated that the distillery is a personal investment, who would believe that it has nothing to do with the Bright family?
As a veteran aristocrat of the Ere Empire, Bright's family is the entire Great 6 level, not only in the Ere Empire.
Anya couldn't come out either, though she was now well acquainted with everyone, and was a very good friend and companion...... But her family is also an aristocratic family, and she has to stay at home at a time like the winter festival.
In fact, Anya herself wants to play with Ji Ran and them, because she will be much freer. But as a member of the aristocracy, many times, it is involuntary......
When they said this to Ji Ran, Anya had a sad look on her face.
But even so, Ji Ran and his party are lively enough. A group of people were in high spirits and went around to watch the various performances - I heard that in the afternoon, there was a large float show, which was also quite popular with the people.
Alice, in particular, was seeing these lively sights for the first time on a human festival. To say that Ji Ran is actually the same, but in the original world, Ji Ran has seen more lively scenes than this, although he is a little excited here, but he is not out of shape.
Although the weather is very cold, I will feel haggy when I speak. But no one cares. The streets were filled with noisy human voices. There are also all kinds of laughter. and the sound of children beating and crying - but it does not affect the mood of those who shop.
It was a pleasant day of relaxation, all the other qiΔ was put down, and everyone's attention was focused on the various performances.
The afternoon float show brought the atmosphere to its peak. Countless children ran along with the floats, and on the big floats, there were actors dressed in various costumes, performing historical events and folklore. There's even a giant black dragon - just a model, of course. The show on the float. It's Dragon Quest.
The winners of these floats are selected at the end, and the winners are rewarded with considerable prizes, as well as a way for the Perth city government to encourage people to participate in the festival.
Ji Ran and the others naturally watched it with great interest, and also commented on the advantages and disadvantages of the performance on the float. In this regard, Les is naturally an expert, Erin has her own unique aesthetic views, and everyone else is just watching the fun.
Although Ji Ran has watched many performances, he has really not seen many of this kind of song and dance drama or drama performances. Therefore, he could not participate in the judgment. At most, it's a clapping session with the others.
By the time the float show was over, it was almost dark.
There are many roadside stalls selling all kinds of snacks. So at noon everyone was satisfied. But when it got dark, the people began to be hungry again. Then it's time to go back to the feast.
In the morning, Ji Ran had already prepared most of the ingredients, and after he went back, he just needed to cook it, and it wouldn't take long. Soon, a big table appeared in front of everyone - unprecedented richness, so that everyone smelled the aroma and left saliva at the sight of the color. When the banquet was announced, a group of people were even more unceremonious and feasted.
A large table of dishes was cleaned by so many people. After eating, the crowd was in high spirits and began to play cards again - so many people, this card was really lively.
Everyone was excited, including Irene, who had always been cold. Moreover, her poker skills seemed to have been drastically improved on this day, and the others were killed by throwing away their armor - all but Alice had a note all over their faces.
However, in the end, Ji Ran was wrong.
Because, Hua Luo stayed on the chandelier on the roof, silent, but his eyes kept turning around-
ββ¦β¦ You cheat! You use Warlot to see other people's cards! Looking at Erin's clean face - well, a clean half of her face, Ji Ran angrily accused her. The Elven Ranger and his partner are heart-to-heart, and Warlot can simply transmit what he sees to the Elven Ranger - and playing cards are not something that cannot be complicated and expressed. What's more, the Elf Ranger can also occupy the field of vision of his partner for a short time!
"Tsk, it's revealed." Erin threw away the cards in her hand, but her face was still calm. It was as if it wasn't her who was blamed, but someone else.
ββ¦β¦ No, Erin, you're a bad learner! Baker saw that Erin did not argue, and immediately screamed. This elf's role in the team has always been very calm and rational, and the kind that does not smile. No one could have imagined that she would cheat while playing cards!
"It's strength, it's my advantage as an elven ranger, so it's not cheating." Erin gave him a faint look.
ββ¦β¦ Not only will you cheat, but you will also be sophistry! Baker shouted again.
In fact, not only Baker, but others also showed the change in Irene. At least she's regained some liveliness...... Belong to the liveliness of the elves. This came out little by little during the adventure, and Ji Ran and Les and others were with her all the time, so they didn't show up much. However, Baker and they have been separated for a few months, and now it is decisive that Erin has changed.
Not only Erin, but Ben too. As soon as he was playing cards, Baker realized that his eldest brother was talking a lot more than before, and he could make two little jokes. Is this still the big brother who was like a gourd in the past?
What happened in the past few months?
Baker didn't know, and certainly he couldn't have been. Although everyone told Baker about their adventures in the past few days, it was impossible for him to imagine the psychological changes of everyone in it out of thin air - and the little ** between Ji Ran and Erin was not something he might know.
But it's certainly a good change, and there's no need to dwell on it, right?
It's late at night, and the day of the real winter festival is just around the corner.
At midnight, at midnight, at the turn of midnight, there were suddenly all kinds of noises outside. Roughly speaking, Ji Ran felt that it was similar to the fireworks he set off during the World Spring Festival.
Moreover, not only the sound is like, but also the light and shadow. The night sky is now shrouded in all kinds of colorful lights.
This kind of thing Ji Ran knew about before, and it was called magic fireworks. It is an alchemy prop made of some magic materials and a little rough formation - the cost is very low, and many alchemists or alchemy apprentices use this to make some extra money.
On festivals and other days, these magical fireworks are released in all sorts of brilliance in the air. If it's a little more advanced, it can also form patterns or words...... But the price of that thing is much higher than the normal one.
Of course, there are also magicians who are idle and bored, and do not use the kind of alchemy products, but directly throw them into the sky with their own magic - from time to time to explode a big fireball, and then make a sky full of ice cubes or something, which is more beautiful than the magic fireworks released by those alchemy props.
Of course, there is a certain danger to that thing - it is good that it has a lot of control, and the fireballs and ice cubes disappear before they hit the ground. If you don't control it well, you may cause an abnormal fire or directly smash the roof of someone else's house......
So, in fact, Perth City forbade magicians to cast this kind of spell without permission. On the night of the Winter Festival, there were many patrols in the streets to stop this, but most of the magicians slipped away before the patrols arrived......
Ji Ran naturally wouldn't let go of this excitement, and had already prepared a batch of alchemy fireworks. And with his understanding of fireworks in the original world, he has also made a lot of improvements. At this time, it is naturally the time for everyone to go to the yard to set off fireworks.
It's midnight outside, but it's bright. The colorful magic fireworks in the sky, coupled with the lanterns all over the courtyard, are not as bright as day, but they can also be seen clearly.
One by one, the magic fireworks were placed in the courtyard, and then several young people ran over and carefully touched the magic fireworks. In an instant, rays of light rushed directly into the air, and then burst into various patterns. And that's not all, after the first wave of patterns disappeared, suddenly there was another explosion of light around that pattern!
The magic fireworks made by Ji Ran are more than one grade better than those around them. And the continuous explosion is also incomparable to other magic fireworks. A few times later, there were shouts of admiration all around them β it was their neighbors, who were also standing in the yard watching the fireworks.
Alice's excited little face was red, leaning on Ji Ran's arms, and looking up at the fireworks in the sky. Others are the same, just as they are immersed in the beauty. (To be continued......)
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