During the meal, they chatted word by word with Ajaan and gradually learned about other things.
Although not all the people in Xiangji Kingdom are believers today, only more than 20% of the people are believers of other faiths and have no faith, and their total number is still decreasing. There is no special ceremony required to become a believer, because their initial believers
Just take the miserable lives of the middle and lower classes in the world
People are the main body. So to this day, as long as you sign your name and press your fingerprints - the uneducated people will tell them that if you press your fingerprints again, you will be a believer of the Xiangyin Sect. Since then, except for the Xiang God, you can't
No longer believe in or worship any god.
Each believer will be given a small hand stove. Ajaan also has one. She showed them a small silver ball, which is very delicate. However, this hand stove is very small and can be held with one hand. Silver conducts heat.
Very good, so there are other isolation pads inside. In this way, the fuel that can be stored is more limited. For believers, it is equivalent to a small gift
, it’s just a souvenir. But it’s made of silver after all, so it won’t be a loss if you sell it. In the early days, some people joined the religion because they were short of money, just to exchange it for money, but no one does such a thing now.
.Everyone has something, and the threshold is not high. No one cares about what others have in their arms. Furthermore, as a token of the religion, you can always carry it with you, and your connections will be much smoother.
At that time, Jun Aoyan interrupted Ajiang and asked her: "Will Sir Xiang Shen blame you for casually trading gifts for joining the religion?"
"No." Ajaan said seriously, "It would be better to say that this is the purpose of Lord Xiangshen. As long as it can be helpful to the world wherever it is, and does not have to stick to formalities, Lord Xiangshen will be happy.
"
Bai Ya and Qi Huan looked at each other and said nothing. Just listening to Ajiang's words, this Master Xiang Shen was actually a serious person. Like the rumors of many Jianghu gentlemen, he had the world in mind and convinced others with his virtue.
At least for now, the Xiangyin Sect is not a crooked sect, and I don’t know if there is something hidden that prevents Liu Shenghan from catching it.
After drinking and eating, they wiped their hands with a new handkerchief. Bai Ya still felt that they couldn't wipe their hands clean, so he asked Ajiang to get some more water to wash his hands. By the way, he asked if there was a map of the southern country here.
"A map?" Ajaan was a little confused, "It's the kind of paper that shrinks things and has a lot of lines and explanations marked on them?"
"Uh, almost."
Ajaan shook his head and expressed regret.
"It's been a long time since the Nine Heavens Kingdom has done anything like drawing or rubbing. I saw it when I was a child, and I heard what my grandfather told me about it. I'm afraid... at least in the palace, there is no such thing, right?"
Qi Huan also felt strange: "Then how do you know how to go to where? Although compared to my hometown, Jiutian Kingdom is not very big, but there are countless mountains and rivers. How can all the large and small city-states be added together?
There have to be dozens of them. You haven’t had a map in all these years, are you kidding me?”
"Everyone in Jiutian Kingdom lives and works in peace and contentment, and they don't move around very much. There are not many people wandering around, and everyone performs their duties. Isn't it a good thing? Anyway, there are big and small roads connecting every place, so ask around.
You can still go wherever you want. The only ones wandering around are you foreigners. But in recent years, there seem to be a lot less people. Anyway, everyone will eventually find their place here."
"But how come no one even drew the map?" Qi Huan said, "In recent years, the layout of the Nine Heavens Kingdom must have changed a lot. Don't you all mark it out?"
"Well, it's not like no one has drawn it. I heard that in the early years there were people who went to various places to inspect, but in the maps that have been released in recent years, they don't even match the east, west, north, and south. It makes people feel that none of them are from us.
The country. Just don’t draw it anymore.”
They were shocked by this. This was obviously an unusual thing, but everyone lived in a seemingly happy life, and no one ever questioned which changes should not happen, not at all. They seemed to be deceived by these gods.
If you close your eyes, you are too content with the status quo, and turn a blind eye to the abnormal places. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist, and you are really hypocritical of yourself.
But no one can question this. Perhaps, this is the way of life of the people of Jiutian Kingdom. Somewhere in the dark, as long as you have the slightest suspicion, the bud will be nipped off by invisible forces. If you persist in wanting to go
Explore, maybe next time it’s not just this little thought that will be killed.
Ajaan put away the table and retired to rest. She said that if you need anything, you can go to the small house next door and call her, or go directly to the guard brother. A few people thanked them and simply packed their luggage. After nightfall, the empty courtyard
It seemed extremely quiet, and the two guards finally began to guard the door dutifully, as if they were prisoners. They had to lower their voices for the rest of the exchange.
"What did Jiutian Kingdom look like before it was renamed Jiutian Kingdom?"
Qi Huan finally found the right opportunity to ask Liu Shenghan. Although this information might not be helpful to them, the other two people still came over curiously to listen. However, Liu Shenghan smiled sourly, and they could more or less guess the answer.
"If I knew, I would have told you a long time ago, why bother delaying it until now. The royal family that once ruled the entire Nine Heavens Kingdom and was allied with us has disappeared. All I know is that the Eight Gods descended to earth, and not many locals know about it.
, seems to know, and I am very shy about this issue and the person who asked it. Probably, they gave up the royal power overnight and peacefully disbanded."
"Nonsense." Bai Ya's evaluation was simple and crude.
"I can't think of any other explanation," she said.
"But I heard that the capital city back then was the current territory of the Shura clan. It belonged to the current Wu Kingdom."
Jun Aoyan found it funny: "This name is really straightforward, is there Wen Guo?"
"If you say it in front of them, I'm afraid your life will be in danger." Liu Shenghan shook his head, "The monarch there has a very bad temper."
They chatted casually for a few words and didn't dare to say more. Being on someone else's territory, they were afraid that the walls might have ears. There were many vacant rooms here, but they still only occupied two, as long as they had a place to sleep. Early the next morning
, Matsukawa Yang came to call them, saying that the monarch had discussed the result with the cabinet.
The few people had eaten well and slept well, and were in a good mood. But when the monarch said the result of their decision with a polite smile, they were all dumbfounded.
"Of course we know the sincerity of your request. But considering that Mr. Xiang Shen has been working day and night, this matter does not need to disturb you. I will order the garrison troops across the country to pay attention and let you know as soon as there is news. As for the tribute paintings, you can
Deliver it to the royal family for safekeeping and hand it over to Lord Xiangshen on an auspicious day."
"There's nothing wrong with accepting gifts, right?"
Bai Ya always spoke so straightforwardly, and was not afraid of offending anyone. He was the king of a country after all, so he did not care about the young man in front of him, he just said:
"You are neither nationals of this country nor believers of Lord Xiangshen. When you bring gifts to make offerings, you are asking for others, and your motives are not pure. Lord Xiangshen is magnanimous and does not spend money and money. Besides, your purpose is to find someone,
My majesty, the king, promised to use the power of the country to find someone for you, which is a matter of coming and going."
"you--"
"I guess you don't have much money. Let me ask someone to buy you some clothes and give you some allowance. You can stay as long as you want. You can go sightseeing around or rest in the palace.
It’s all up to you.”
But they were not happy at all. Before they could say anything more, the monarch announced his withdrawal from the court, turned around and left. Several guards also motioned for them to leave as soon as possible. This feeling was really weird, like eating a meal that was eaten well.
If a fly comes in, they will vomit out the food they eat. This is really unethical and disgusting.
However, there is no other way. Even if the monarch allows them to visit the Xiang God, most members of the cabinet are also believers of the Xiang Yin Sect. How could they allow these outsiders to easily see the face of the Xiang God? Whose face
Not given either.
They sat in the room discouraged, even though the walls were white and white, they looked upset.
Qi Huan felt that it would not be a problem to wait here all the time. He said: "We have to think of other ways. Regardless of whether this old man deceived us or not, we have to look elsewhere. It is not a problem to stay here all the time.
Son."
"What can we do?" Jun Aoyan was panicking, "We don't have any clues at all, and we can't even find a map. Think about it, the forest on the coast is so dangerous, and in other uninhabited places, who can
You know what else is going to happen? We are not prepared at all.”
"Why don't we ask him for a few more horses and directions, and we can go to the nearest other country? Shenghan, where is the nearest place with people? Have you been there?"
Jun Aoyan shouted to Liu Shenghan in the back room, but there was no response. She was a little strange and stretched her head to look over there. After a while of rummaging through boxes and cabinets, Liu Shenghan walked quickly to the three of them and said calmly.
Face.
"The painting is missing."
"What?" Bai Ya frowned and patted the table.
"Did it get stolen by thieves?" Qi Huan was a little worried.
Liu Shenghan shook his head, thinking that no matter what, thieves would not be so arrogant in the royal land. Perhaps the maids were ordered to take away the paintings when they were cleaning up the house. They went back to the house and checked their luggage, and nothing was lost.
, only the painting of Gandharva, the god of incense, was missing. Finally, they ran to the guards to explain the situation. The guards seemed to have guessed what they would ask, and said bluntly, yes, the monarch had indeed sent someone to paint the painting.
Taken away.
"Oh, it's already yours before it's delivered to you? After all, it's still our personal property, right? You're stealing it?"
Bai Ya almost had a seizure, but was held back by Qi Huan. The guards did not give in, saying that the moment they decided to pay tribute, the painting was already the property of Lord Xiang Shen. If they were not worried about them messing around in the palace, they would all
When he was arrested and beheaded, Bai Ya would have jumped up and hit him.
For the rest of the day, they were a little distracted and confused. Although they didn't know who the Gandharva was, the hypocrisy of the monarch and the cabinet had disgusted them enough.
