(From this chapter onwards, we will move on to the second volume of the main book, "Headless")

It was early winter, the north wind was howling, and the heavens and the earth were changing color. The north and south of the Yellow River are already freezing cold. It's just that in front of the Shangqing Palace on Cuiyun Peak in the north of Luoyang City, thousands of people have gathered, and they are in full swing to watch the famous opera troupe "He Changxiu" in the Central Plains perform the Poseidon Opera in front of the Shangqing Palace for 17 consecutive days.

Cuiyun Peak is only ten miles away from Luoyang North City, although this peak is not very high, but it is extremely steep. When the smoke of the past dynasties was everywhere, if there was a large army besieging Luoyang City, it must first capture Cuiyun Peak. Occupy this high point, and you can have an unobstructed view of Luoyang City from the peak. For thousands of years, this small mountain has shed many blood and tears of orphans and widows.

The strange thing is that although this place has experienced the disaster of war, the trees on the mountain are extremely prosperous. Every spring and summer, the trees on the mountain are lush and green, so it is named "Cuiyun Peak". Therefore, according to legend, Taishang Laojun made alchemy for the Jade Emperor, searching all over the world and Kyushu, but found that Cuiyun Peak had the aura of heaven and earth, and it was a good place for alchemy. He built three thatched huts on the top of the peak, built a Dan furnace, and refined 9981 elixirs for the Jade Emperor. After Taishang Laojun succeeded, he drifted away. In order to commemorate this event, the descendants built a small temple here, and the incense was extremely vigorous.

After Tang Gaozu Li Yuan became emperor, he respected Li Er as the royal ancestor, and built a large number of buildings in various places to build Taishang Laojun Temple. In the first year of Tang Gaozong's Qianfeng, the emperor issued an edict to build the Shangqing Palace on the top of Cuiyun Peak to worship Taishang Laojun. This Taoist temple is the first Taoist temple in the world with the name of "Shangqing", and the name of the Taoist temple uses the word "palace", indicating that it is a royal temple and is extremely prosperous with incense. Because Tang Gaozong posthumously honored Lao Tzu as Emperor Xuanyuan, Shangqing Palace was also known as Emperor Xuanyuan Temple. The people of Luoyang have always called Lao Tzu Taishang Laojun, and this Taoist temple is called Laojun Temple.

Since the completion of the Shangqing Palace, after the Tang and Song dynasties, the incense has always been vigorous. It's just that after Jin destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty, Luoyang became a battlefield, and the Shangqing Palace was destroyed in the war. Later, the Meng Yuan rose up, advocating Lamaism, and no one paid attention to the Qing court. It was not until after the founding of the Ming Dynasty that the Shangqing Palace was rebuilt, but the scale was not the same as in the past. It's just that the people of Luoyang have always believed in Taishang Laojun, and after the reconstruction of the Shangqing Palace, the incense was extremely vigorous.

This year, there was a great drought in Luoyang, and the Luoshui water was almost cut off. The magistrate was at a loss, and had no choice but to cry and worship Taishang Laojun in the Shangqing Palace and pray for rain to the sky. This was originally just a helpless move, who wanted to pray for rain on the third day, it really rained heavily. The people of Luoyang rushed to tell each other, and they all said that Lao Jun appeared and blessed the people of Luoyang. At the end of the year, the magistrate invited a troupe to set up a stage in front of the Shangqing Palace, and wanted to perform the Poseidon Opera for 17 consecutive days to thank Taishang Laojun for his kindness.

Poseidon Opera is a rain prayer opera that spreads all over the Central Plains, at first it was just sung around the table, and later the scale became larger and larger, and gradually became the climate, which was deeply loved by the people. This time, the prefect of Luoyang received donations from 17 wealthy businessmen in Luoyang, and spent a lot of money to invite the most famous opera troupe "He Changxiu" in Mengzhou to perform a great drama for 17 days in front of the Shangqing Palace, not only to pay tribute to the Taishang Laojun, but also to the fathers and villagers of Luoyang City.

This day is the last day of singing the big opera, but it is a "Xuanping Building" sung. The story is about the last years of the Han Dynasty, when the world was in turmoil. Dong Zhuo, the pastor of the state, was summoned by the general He Jin and the lieutenant Yuan Shao of the division to lead the army into Luoyang to crusade against the Ten Standing Servants. Dong Zhuo was ambitious, and after entering Beijing, he first killed his boss He Miao, and then forced Yuan Shao away, bribed Lu Bu to kill Ding Yuan, annexed the soldiers and horses of Ding Yuan and others, and monopolized the power of the court. Then Dong Zhuo had the intention of usurping the throne, abolished the young emperor, and set up Liu Xie to ascend the throne, which was the later Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty. Later, Dong Zhuo killed the Young Emperor and the Empress Dowager He, occupied the palace, and was unscrupulous. Situ Wang Yun was indignant and set up a counter-plot to provoke Dong Zhuo's generals Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo to turn against each other. Lu Bu killed Dong Zhuo at Beiye Gate, and Wang Yun was done. It was only not long after that the Xiliang soldiers mutinied, wanting to avenge Dong Zhuo and take advantage of the situation to counterattack Luoyang. Wang Yun was trapped in the Xuanping Tower in Luoyang, and jumped off the tower after scolding the rebels. Although he did not die on the spot, he was beheaded by the rebels downstairs in Xuanping, and a wisp of loyal soul flew straight into heaven.

Playing Wang Yun on the stage is the leader of the "He Changxiu" troupe, Qu Najib. He played Wang Yun generously and tragically, swallowing mountains and rivers. The people in the audience were fascinated, and the applause shook the four fields. By the time Wang Yun jumped down from the Xuanping Tower, a wooden platform more than three feet high had already been erected on the stage. Qu Naji stood on the high platform, and after singing the opera, he could only hear thunderous applause from the audience, and the applause shook the four fields.

Qunaji sang so vigorously that when he flicked his beard, he jumped off the wooden platform. At this time, there were two **-year-old naughty boys, who climbed onto the stage and happened to stand under the wooden platform when their parents were not paying attention. Qunaji rolled over on his heels, and saw that his feet were about to step on the heads of the two urchins.

Thousands of people on and off the stage, seeing that a tragedy was about to happen in front of them, were so frightened that they wanted to rescue the two children, but it was too late.

In the midst of this lightning and flint, a figure suddenly rushed from the stage to the stage, and was rushing in front of the two naughty boys. At this moment, Qu Naji had already fallen. But the man stretched out his hands, grabbed one of the urchins in one hand, and retreated sharply, and rescued the two urchins from the feet of Qunaji at the last moment.

Qunaji was in mid-air, and he was terrified when he saw that he was about to trample the two urchins under his feet. Although he is chic and free on the stage, he can turn down from the three-zhang high wooden platform, which is just a style that he usually studies and practices hard, not martial arts. At this time, he was in mid-air, and it was impossible to dodge and move. In a panic, he saw a figure flickering, and two children had been dragged away from under his feet.

From the time Qunaji rolled over from the wooden platform to the time when the two naughty children were rescued, it was only a matter of an eye. Qu Naji's heart had just been put down, but he was also on the stage. In normal times, when he was about to fall on the stage, Qu Naji would take advantage of the situation to turn over his heel, dissipate the force of the fall, and then roll to the ground. Two of the actors who played the role of the rebel pawns would rush forward and set him up. It's just that he just looked at the naughty boy at his feet, but forgot to turn his head on the stage. By the time he realized it, his feet were about to touch the stage.

Qu Naji's heart sank, knowing that if he stepped on the stage so stunned, his legs would immediately break. He was in a hurry, secretly thinking that if he broke his leg, it would be a trivial matter to be seriously injured, but he made such a big scandal on the stage and smashed the name that he had worked hard for most of his life, but he was afraid that "He Changxiu" would become a laughing stock, and there would be no future.

Just when he was desperate, he suddenly felt a strong force roll from right to left, pushing on his waist. Qu Naji was stunned, and his body had already flown out to the left. This power was used just right, and after sending him out of the Zhangxu, it could dissipate the power of his fall. Listening to the "bang", Qu Naji fell lightly on the stage.

The two actors who played the role of rebel soldiers had already stood aside, and when they saw that this play was about to be smashed, they were panicking, and they didn't expect the squad owner to suddenly float over and fall in front of him. The two of them were surprised and delighted, and rushed forward to set Qunaji up.

Thousands of people in the audience were stunned, and when they saw Qu Naji flying up in a flash, he rescued the play that was originally going to be smashed, and shouted hello.

After the big drama was over, the people in the audience refused to leave, and stood in place and discussed. Qu Naji walked back to the stage, clasped his fists at everyone in the audience and said: "Friends, I almost made a big fool today, but fortunately, there are friends from the rivers and lakes who helped, not only saved Zaixia, but also kept the signboard of He Changxiu." He Changxiu, old and young, up and down more than 20 people, is grateful for the kindness of the two friends. Can you ask two of your friends to show up?"

These thousands of people only saw someone rescue the two naughty children, but Qu Naji was finally pushed by internal force and flew out, but ordinary people couldn't see that there was someone to help. It was to listen to Qu Najib talk about "two friends", and they were all taken aback.

Qu Naji waited for a moment, saw that no one answered, and knew that the person who made the attack did not want to reveal his identity in front of everyone. I saw him kneel down and kowtow to the audience three times, then he stood up and said, "Great kindness, never dare to forget." “

The people wanted to see who had rescued the child, but no one answered, and they dispersed. Around the stage, dozens of vendors have set up stalls, some selling steaming rice noodles across the bridge, some selling fragrant wontons, and some selling children's favorite candy blowers. After leaving the stage, many people did not immediately go down the mountain, but gathered in front of the stalls.

Seeing that the people had dispersed, Qu Naji hurriedly jumped off the stage, took a few steps, chased after a man in a gray and white robe, and whispered: "This friend rescued people, and I am grateful for it." ”

When he had finished speaking, he fell down on one knee and saluted the man.

I saw that the man was in his forties, wearing a square scarf, and although the gray-white robe on his body was a little old, the starch was very clean. A square face is not angry and arrogant, with his left hand behind his back, but his right hand holds a fan.

When he saw Qu Naji suddenly giving a big gift, he hurriedly stretched out his hand to help Qu Naji up, and said, "How dare you dare, the master of Qu has too much courtesy." ”

Qu Naji straightened up and said to the man, "If you hadn't come to your rescue, those two urchins would have been injured at my feet." At that time, not only will He Changxiu lose his family, but I am afraid that I will also be arrested and imprisoned by the government, tortured, and finally beheaded after the autumn. ”

The man laughed and said, "The master of the Qu class has made this matter a little more serious. I didn't expect that the master of the Qu class would have wonderful martial arts and rashly save people, but he added to the snake and laughed generously. ”

Qu Naji was stunned for a moment and said, "This, where does this start?"

The man said: "I just saw that the master of the Qu class was about to fall on the stage, but he flew out of thin air, this light skill is very remarkable, I can't do such a change." ”

Qu Naji shook his head and said, "You don't know. Just now I saw that I was about to break my legs, and suddenly I felt a strong force pull me out, otherwise I would have to make a fool of myself. ”

The man's face changed, and he said, "Master Qu, are you telling the truth?"

Qu Naji smiled wryly and said, "You have a life-saving grace for me, how dare I hide it from you?"

The man's face changed, his smile disappeared instantly, and he muttered: "I didn't expect such a master to be hidden here, Yu Mou would like to see him." ”