On the second of February, the dragon raised its head; The big warehouse is full, and the small warehouse flows. Dragon, in the hearts of the people of Dayue has a very lofty position, the dragon is the symbol of the Son of Heaven, is an auspicious thing, but also the master of the wind and rain. Therefore, in Dayue, whenever the Spring Dragon Festival comes, large-scale sacrificial ceremonies are carried out from the royal family to the common people.

The people want to lead the dragon in the morning. Every household carries a lantern to the well or the river to fetch water, and after returning home, they light the lamp, burn incense, make offerings, and eat noodles, fried oil cakes, and pop cornflowers, which means to pick the dragon's head, eat gentian, and golden beans bloom to show auspiciousness. The royal family, on the other hand, should uphold the custom of the emperor's mother sending food and driving the ploughing by the emperor, and hold a sacrificial ceremony to worship the ancestors and the emperor.

Before dawn on this day, Nangong Jing took Hanyue out in a carriage together. Nangong Jing was considerate of Su Pingyan's pregnancy and was not suitable for traveling, so he invited the emperor, and the emperor allowed her to recuperate at home, so only Hanyue and Nangong Jing went to participate in the sacrificial ceremony.

Nangong Jing is wearing a black five-grabbing python robe today, with a gilt and jade belt around his waist, and a red gold crown on his head, handsome and upright, and the king's spirit is very compelling. Hanyue wore a red embroidered phoenix Zhai clothes, sparse a bun to the sky, wore an agate dotted emerald gilt flower on the hair crown, and a phoenix title bead tassel gold step on the left and right, the whole person was dignified and bright, graceful and luxurious.

About an hour later, the carriage arrived at the place where the festival was held in the suburbs. From a distance, many officials and wives have already arrived, and they are greeting each other at the moment. Nangong Jing and Han Yue got out of the carriage and walked forward side by side, and the officials and women beside them bowed their heads and saluted when they saw it.

"Fifth brother, seventh brother." Seeing Nangong Heng and Nangong Xuan standing in front of the team, Nangong Jing stepped forward and said.

"Fourth brother, fourth sister-in-law." The two of them made a gesture to Nangong Jing and Hanyue. Han Yue stood beside Nangong Jing and returned the salute.

Han Yue raised her eyes and saw that Nangong Xuan was wearing a plain robe with dark patterns of elegant bamboo, and her hair was tied with a hairband with the same pattern. His face was soft, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, and he was still a humble gentleman, gentle as jade.

Looking at Nangong Heng on the side, he today is contrary to the normal state of liking dark clothes on weekdays, wearing a white wide-sleeved robe, the placket and cuffs are embroidered with moon-white silk threads, and the originally faint flowing cloud patterns shine under the refraction of the sun. His black hair is fixed with a solid white hosta, and three thousand hairs are scattered behind him, and the whole person looks Xiao Xiao and solemn, hearty and clear, rock rock is like the independence of a lone pine, and the wind and bones of a jade mountain are towering.

His wide sleeves and hem fluttered in the wind, and his white clothes were better than snow, like a picture scroll, and he was a little clear and dusty, which was really handsome and elegant. This kind of Nangong Heng was so different from the appearance she saw for the first time in Hanyue's memory, and Hanyue couldn't help but be stunned when she looked at him.

Nangong Heng noticed the gaze that Han Yue threw at him, and he turned to look at her and smiled slightly. Han Yue was suddenly glanced at by him, and suddenly felt that he was rude, and he was a little embarrassed, so he hurriedly turned his gaze away.

Nangong Heng retracted his gaze, turned to Nangong Jing, and asked as if he was a little puzzled, "Why didn't Concubine Su come with you today?" ”

Nangong Jing explained, "Yan'er is pregnant, and the sacrificial ceremony is quite lengthy, I was afraid that she would not be able to stand it, so I left her to rest in the house." ”

Nangong Heng smiled and said leisurely, "This sacrificial ceremony is really tiring and hard, and the fourth brother is very thoughtful. After he finished speaking, he quickly glanced at the cold moon.

Han Yue listened to their conversation beside Nangong Jing and was silent. Nangong Jing treated Su Pingyan well, but in the eyes of Han Yue, it was already commonplace, and his heart was sour a few times, and he got used to numbness.

"Alright, the festival is about to begin." Nangong Jing looked at the altar in front of him and said, everyone stood back in their positions when they heard the words, and their expressions became solemn.

Seven minutes before sunrise, the first month of spring heaven and earth sacrifice ceremony will begin. The officials ordered the wives to stand on the left and right sides from front to back according to their ranks, looking very solemn. Ringing the Taihe bell, the bell is melodious, the aftermath spreads throughout the entire imperial capital, the bell stops, the drum music starts, and the emperor and queen get up and walk to the altar.

The altar was built on a clearing at the foot of Huating Mountain, seven miles outside the imperial city. The altar has a total of seven groups of gods, each group of gods outside the cage of azure satin gods, a gust of wind blows, the curtains flutter with the wind, hazy, people can not see real, add a bit of mystery, ethereal like a god. The altar on the first floor is equipped with the tablet of the emperor and the dragon god, and the second floor is equipped with the tablet of the sun, moon and stars and wind, rain, clouds and thunder. On the east and west sides of the south steps of the altar, musical instruments such as chimes, bells, and bells are displayed neatly and solemnly magnificent.

With an order, the attendants rushed in and put the offerings such as whole cattle, whole sheep, whole pigs, wine, fruits, and dishes used in the sacrifice and placed them in front of the shrine. Twenty-eight oxen, thirty-three sheep, thirty-four pigs, two deer, and twelve rabbits were to be used for the cattle. Nine famous liquors are used, including Jiudan Gold Liquor, Zihong Huaying, Taiqing Hongyun, Putao Liquor, Qianli Liquor, Sangluo Liquor, Mash Liquor, Hedong Liquor, and Chrysanthemum Liquor. There are more than 700 pieces of various ritual utensils.

The emperor wore a bright yellow embroidered nine-dragon robe, and the queen wore an orange and yellow phoenix in a flying phoenix robe, hand in hand. Everyone lowered their heads and stared, standing with bated breath, and there was no sound in the huge sacrificial ground.

The emperor and queen join each other, enter from the left side of the altar to the middle platform to worship, burn the wood stove, burn incense, worship the gods, welcome the gods, and play the music of the chapter of the beginning of peace. Then the emperor and queen knelt three times and bowed nine times to the gods of heaven, and all the officials and women bowed along with the ceremony.

The emperor and queen laid the jade silk and played the music of the chapter of Jingping. Entering the play, playing the music of the chapter of Xianping. The first gift of the line, the music of the chapter of Fengping, and the dance of the relatives. Xingya gifts, playing the music of Jiaping's chapter, dancing feathers and dragons, and everyone repeats the ritual of three bows and nine knocks. At the end of the ceremony, the music of the chapter of Yongping was played, and everyone bowed three times and bowed nine times. Withdraw the food and play the joy of peace. Send the gods, play the music of the chapter of Qingping, and everyone will kneel three times and bow nine times with the emperor. Hope for the fire, burn the offerings, and play the music of the chapter of Youping. This is the end of a huge sacrificial ceremony.

It was the first time for Hanyue to participate in such a huge and extravagant royal sacrifice ceremony, and it took a few hours after the long and cumbersome ceremony, and Hanyue was already sweating profusely when she stood in the procession. Halfway through the ceremony, she saw that some of the female dependents were just like herself, all of them were exhausted and staggering, but they could barely support their bodies with perseverance and not let themselves fall. During the sacrifice, no one dared to move or make a sound, not even a cough, because if someone found out, it would be a great sin of disrespect, a great sin to be killed.

After the ceremony, Nangong Jing walked to Han Yue's side, saw Han Yue's slightly pale face, and said with concern, "Yue'er, can you still hold it?" ”

Han Yue raised her hand and wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead with a handkerchief, "Don't worry, the princess can still support it." ”

"That's good, if you're really tired, tell me, don't hold on." Nangong Jing said.

"Hmm." Han Yue listened to Nangong Jing's words, and her heart warmed slightly.

"Every year at this time, the ceremony takes most of the day, after the sacrifice, the hundred officials and women need to follow the father and queen mother to the fields to plow the land, and then the female dependents also have to go with the queen mother to deliver food and feed spring silkworms, in order to show the importance of agriculture, to the people, and even to the whole country." Nangong Jing introduced Hanyue as he walked, and unconsciously walked to the field.

The sun is high and surrounded by green hills in the distance, just because it is still early spring and there is not much greenery. Large pieces of fields one after another, looking at it from afar, it seems to be boundless, the cold moon stands in the field, Fang Jue the vastness of the world, its own insignificance.

Around the farmland, there are many people and peasants who have watched the ceremony, and when they see that the holy car has arrived, they all kneel down and salute, and the mountain shouts long live.

A total of 36 people are gongs, drums, plates, flutes, shengs, and flutes, and a total of 14 musicians have been arrayed in Longjian, singing in their mouths: three kinds of strawberry are white and yellow, millet is strong and fragrant, and the millet is big and long, and the five beans are full of fields.

The emperor walked to the field with the support of the prince and the prince, and the five-colored flags behind him accompanied him, followed by hundreds of officials. The emperor holds a plow in his left hand and a whip in his right hand, and the silk whip and plough staff are engraved with yellow dragon patterns. Then, the emperor helped the plough stick to plough the land back and forth three times, the mansion served the green box, the squire sowed the seeds, and the old people followed. After the emperor finished plowing the land, Shangshu held the whip, the Fu Yin held the whip, knelt in the north to advance, the three dukes pushed five, and the princes pushed nine.

On this side, the emperor took hundreds of officials and men to plough the fields, and on the other side, the queen led the women to give food and feed the spring silkworms in the shed with colorful flags in the fields.

It was already noon when I returned to the carriage, and when I stood down for half a day, Hanyue only felt a sore back and hungry. But at this time, she couldn't take care of herself, but was busy caring about Nangong Jing.

Nangong Jing leaned on the soft brocade cushion of the carriage, and Han Yue was wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, "The prince has worked hard, he must be hungry after half a day, the concubine asked the kitchen to prepare some small porridge and snacks in the morning, and the prince first used some pads to pad his hunger." As he spoke, he reached for the food box that was placed in the corner of the carriage.

As soon as the food box was opened, a burst of fragrance came to my nose. A delicate white porcelain bowl holds red dates and longan porridge, and a porcelain plate contains several pastries such as yam cake, a bite of crisp, pea yellow, and osmanthus sugar cake. Hanyue took out a small bowl and sent it to Nangong Jing, "The prince will first warm his stomach with some red dates and longan porridge." ”

Nangong Jing looked at Han Yue and smiled gently, stretched out his hand to take it, "Yue'er is really virtuous and virtuous, you can use it yourself quickly, don't be hungry." ”

An hour later, the carriage returned to King Jing's Mansion, and Nangong Jing sent Han Yue to Han Yuxuan, and said, "You are tired today, hurry up and rest." You don't have to wait for me in the evening, I'll eat at the Smoke Pavilion. ”

Although he knew that it was expected, and he had also warned himself countless times about his habits, the moment he heard Nangong Jing say this, Han Yue's heart couldn't help but be disappointed, and her long eyelashes couldn't help but tremble slightly, "Lord Xie is compassionate." ”

After sending Nangong Jing away, Han Yue lay down on the soft collapse, feeling exhausted and unable to think about anything else, so he fell asleep after a while.

"Smoke." Nangong Jing strode into the inner room of the Smoke Pavilion. At this time, Su Pingyan was leaning on the couch and enjoying the green plums. Green plums are ordinary things, but green plums at this time are rare. This basket of green plums was found by Nangong Jing after spending a lot of manpower and financial resources.

When Su Yuyan saw Nangong Jing, she wanted to get up and salute, but was stopped by Nangong Jing, "How many times have I said it, you don't have to be so polite when you are pregnant." ”

"It is a blessing for the concubine to be good to the princess, but the concubine feels that this ceremony cannot be abolished, if it is gossiped about...... Su Yan said delicately.

"Who dares to gossip about what this king said." Nangong Jing said, majestically scanning the room, and everywhere he looked, everyone lowered their heads.

"Come, let me hear our son." Nangong Jing said, gently resting his head on Su Yuyan's stomach and listening.

Su Yanyan saw Nangong Jing's appearance, and smiled, "Lord Wang, how old is this kid now, where can I hear anything." She stretched out her hand, gently stroked Nangong Jing's hair, paused and said, "Lord Wang, what if this child is not a son, but a daughter?" ”

Nangong Jing raised his head when he heard this, and looked at Su Yuyan with affection, there was tenderness in his eyes, like a spring breeze in his veins, which could melt ice and snow. Nangong Jing's hands couldn't help but hold Su Yanyan's hands tightly, "Whether it's a son or a daughter, as long as it's a child of the two of us, I like it very much." ”

Su Yuyan nodded, she looked at Nangong Jing's determined gaze, and her heart was as sweet as honey.