The old craftsmen of the sword shop proposed a washing ceremony similar to the sword washing ceremony.

With Ouyang Rong's consent, preparations were in full swing on the same day.

In the afternoon, Yin Zheng was at the beginning of the day.

The priests and witches of the Dragon King Temple who were invited by Mr. Chen and others from the Guyue Sword Shop arrived at the Di Gong Gate one after another.

"Mr. Chen, you have prepared a lot of things for this gate washing ceremony, and they have been shipped so quickly, how do you look like they have been prepared early."

On the gravel beach outside the Di Gong Gate, Ouyang Rong looked at the several carriages loaded with strange-shaped ceremonial clay pots passing in front of him, and turned his head to ask Mr. Chen and other craftsmen curiously.

Mr. Chen smiled:

"The county magistrate doesn't know that every time a good sword is baked in the sword furnace on the west bank, there will be such a sword washing ceremony, but it is often held, and the objects of the temple are naturally always prepared.

"However, because there is a ready-made dragon head on the west bank sword shop, it is more convenient, there is no high platform here, so you can only choose the site on the spot, and set up a platform by the water, so there will be more things naturally transported and more troublesome.

"But don't worry, the old man will go and let the priests and temples speed up, so as not to affect the progress of repairing the gate...... The prefectural magistrate, please bear with me. ”

"Nothing. Take your time, don't rush. ”

Ouyang Rong waved his sleeves generously, and said with a smile behind his back:

"But the old gentlemen are still exquisite, although the official is a protégé of the sage, he doesn't believe in strange powers, but he also respects the customs of the county, by the way, what kind of temple do you usually worship?"

"Back to the words of the adults, it is the dragon king temple that the local people have always believed in, and it is dedicated to the underwater dragon king."

"Dragon King Temple."

Ouyang Rong thought for a while and pondered:

"Then every time Dragon City floods, it shouldn't rush to it, right? After all, the dragon king blesses you. ”

Diao Xiancheng, who was watching from the rear, made up his mouth:

"Mingfu, don't say it, it's really the case, now the largest dragon king temple in the county is on the top of Xiaogu Mountain, and it really can't be washed by heavy water in ordinary times, and it has the same thing as Donglin Temple in Dagu Mountain."

Ouyang Rong smiled: "The location is wonderful." ”

A certain Xie girl, who was inseparable from him, raised her sword and looked at the priests and witches dressed in front of her, and she pursed her lips.

The two famous scholars in front of them joked with each other, and Mr. Chen and other old craftsmen in the back dared to argue, and observed the face of the young county magistrate with a smile, and they couldn't help but explain:

"Lord County Order, in fact, the main thing is to ask for peace of mind, the older generation said that the location of the Yue Nu Gorge is a bit strange, and the gate has always been not peaceful, let's hold a ceremony to ask God to reward the Dragon King, and it is also considered to be a peace.

"By the way, it's a coincidence, there has been a rumor in the county recently, and it is related to the county commander and the underwater dragon king."

"Oh? What's up? ”

"Everyone said in private, the county commander drowned in the sunset river when he took office, and the dragon king did not dare to take away the life of the county commander, but instead taught the county magistrate the trick of water control, and came back to benefit the people of Longcheng, and the county magistrate is the son of destiny blessed by the dragon king."

Ouyang Rong nodded and didn't say anything.

However, I have a new understanding of some superstitions of the people of Dragon City.

As a parent officer, he had to be aware of the matter.

Thinking about it, Ouyang Rong's gaze moved away from the paint-covered face of a black-robed priestess in the team that passed in front of him.

He turned his head suddenly, and asked curiously:

"By the way, you used to hold sword washing ceremonies in the sword shop and the like, and there were no human sacrifices, right?"

Sensing that the eyes of the people around him were coming one after another, Mr. Chen and other old craftsmen hurriedly waved their hands:

"The county magistrate laughed, our sword shop is legal to make a living, and now we have to cast tribute swords for the nobles in the Luojing Palace, how can it be so vulgar."

"Not now, but before?"

"Not before." The old craftsmen hurriedly added.

Ouyang Rong pressed his right hand down in the air, and said with a smile:

"It's okay, the official just asked casually. Well, it's good if you don't, this matter is not only the official, but the court also hates it and has zero tolerance. ”

The last few words of the young county order seemed to mean something.

How dare everyone pick up the stubble, they nodded in response.

The ritual of the Dragon King Temple and the washing ceremony of the witch wishes were nothing special in Ouyang Rong's eyes, and they were even a little boring, just like dancing gods.

And the leading black-robed and dirt-braided priestess is also neither generous nor generous, so Diao Xiancheng and others, who lack entertainment life behind her, watch it with relish.

A short time later, the gate washing ceremony ended on a high platform illuminated by the orange sun at dusk.

The young county commander saw that it was not early, and as in the past, he said goodbye to Diao Xiancheng, Mr. Chen and others.

But before leaving, he turned his back to the sunset, his expression was obscured by darkness in the eyes of everyone, but in fact, his eyes swept over the crowd in front of him.

Ouyang Rong's gaze paused on a chubby priest in the crowd of county government clerks, and then moved away as if nothing had happened.

This person is Liu Ashan who obeyed his orders, and deliberately lined up the secretary surnamed Yuan in the team of scribes of the gate a few days ago, and he was also the fish that slipped through the net when cleaning up the county rats last time.

Ouyang Rong looked calm, took Xie Lingjiang and the other boats to leave, and returned to the county.

Diao County Cheng and other county officials, seeing that Shangguan had left after work, he no longer covered up the fish, cleaned up, and he was ready to go back by boat.

In fact, near the completion of the Digong Gate, in order to ensure that nothing goes wrong, the manpower of the Longcheng County Ya is to take a rotation system to keep vigil at the Digong Gate.

Last night, it was Ouyang Rong who took his little junior sister to keep vigil, and tonight it stands to reason that Diao County Cheng stayed to keep vigil and take care of the new gate.

However, on this side of the Yuenu Gorge, it is full of uncultivated mountains and forests, and it is the hot and humid season, and there are many mosquitoes when you sleep at night.

Diao Xiancheng felt that he still had to give some opportunities to the young people under him, and put a burden on their shoulders, not like the Ming Mansion, where he had to do everything and rob the young people of their opportunities to perform.

So Diao Xiancheng decided to go back to Longcheng at night and come early tomorrow, well, earlier than Mingfu...... It's already diligent, isn't it.

"How long will you have to baptize the gates?"

Diao Xiancheng, who was about to slip away, lifted his official hat and turned his head to the black-robed priestess who took the lead and asked with a serious face.

The Jade Maiden lowered her eyes and replied, "Your Excellency, it's already fine." ”

"That's okay, hurry up, there will be martial law at night around here, except for the county government clerks and gate repair craftsmen, no one is allowed to stay."

"Yes, sir."

Under the sight of Diao Xiancheng, the Jade Fairy led a group of witches to leave.

Diao Xiancheng turned around and said a few words to several of his subordinate scribes who were keeping vigil at the Di Gong Gate, all of which were old words.

Before leaving, Diao County Cheng Yuguang glanced at the two carriages left behind by the gate and dam not far away, which seemed to be filled with wooden barrels and covered with gray oilcloths, as if they had not been taken away by the priests and witches of the Dragon King Temple just now.

"Xiao Yuan, what is that?"

Diao Xiancheng frowned, pointed there, and turned sideways to ask a chubby steward behind him.

Yuan Si Yan glanced over there, with a flattering smile on his face, and explained:

"My lord, this is the new batch of materials that Mr. Chen needs to repair the gate, and the final completed inner gate is needed. Just by the way today, it was transported by the priests of the Dragon King Temple. ”

"Oh?"

At this time, Diao Xiancheng saw that Mr. Chen was leading his men to pull the two carriages away not far away, so he also withdrew his gaze.

He glanced back at the Di Gong Gate under the setting sun.

The orange and yellow dazzling sunset fell on the water on both sides of the Digong Gate, causing a burst of sparkling waves.

Occasionally, a waterfowl flies,

On the new gate across the Nüxia Gorge, the workers and craftsmen have disappeared from the busy figures of the day, and they have all left, looking empty.

A peaceful scene of fishing singing at night.

Diao Xiancheng nodded with satisfaction and turned to leave.

What a fulfilling day.

Diao Xiancheng sighed in his heart, in fact, he enjoys this atmosphere of going home on duty, working overtime or something, it is not suitable for the elderly at all, as an official, you have to be kind to yourself.

He followed the example of a young countyman, put his hands behind his back, climbed on the bow of the boat, and accompanied the boat away from the Yuenu Gorge, tilting his head slightly, and humming a little song in his mouth.

A round of red sun slowly fell into Yunmengze, and the sky gradually darkened.

Diao Xiancheng touched his beard, looked at this spectacular scenery, and suddenly became interested, and couldn't help but start chanting poetry on the spot, until ...... Two uninvited guests suddenly boarded the ship.

"Lord Diao's poetry is good."

"Mingfu? You...... Why are you here! ”

Diao Xiancheng almost pulled his beard off, and was taken aback, he stretched his neck and looked at the river behind Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang, and asked in amazement.

"What, you're not welcome?"

"Welcome, of course welcome! Put out the welcome mat! ”

Diao Xiancheng hurriedly bent down and saluted, and at the same time stammered:

"Xiaguan...... Xia Guan went back to get something, left for a while, and immediately returned to Di Gongzha. ”

The young county magistrate, who had been waiting for a long time on the nearby river bank and was brought onto the boat by the little junior sister who had excellent light skills, smiled and groaned:

"Lord Diao wants to go back and get a pillow and futon, right, Di Gongzha's camp is not comfortable sleeping."

"Yes, yes...... No, it isn't. Diao Xiancheng nodded, reacted, and shook his head like a rattle.

Ouyang Rong saw through it and didn't break it, took the lead in turning around, and went to beckon the boatman to turn around: "Let's go, Lord Diao." ”

"Mingfu, where is this going? You...... Aren't you going back? ”

"Take Master Diao to see interesting things, and make a personal testimony by the way."

"Human witness?"

Diao Xiancheng was puzzled.

The young county commander smiled but did not speak, and stood on the bow of the boat with his back hand.

In a few moments, on the big river, an orchid boat turned around and returned to the direction it came.

At the same time, the setting sun completely sank into the river.

The sun sets.

This chapter is a bit short, and there is another chapter, which should be during the day, brothers go to bed early~

(End of chapter)