The painting boat was propped up by the boatman, rowed slowly, parting the river water, making ripples, and sailed towards the middle of the long river.
There are many boats in the river, but it doesn't seem crowded. If the most expensive restaurant in Heyang City is called Zuixianlou, then sitting quietly in the painted boat with the cool breeze blowing and tasting the delicious food of Qingheju is the most elegant style in Heyang City.
"Tonight is the Qinghe Lantern Festival, and it will start soon. Later, we will taste the wine and food of Qinghe while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Qinghe. I will keep you in mind for next time." The prince sat down calmly and said to Bai Ze.
The brother and sister are regular visitors here.
It is winter, and the river is covered with a thin layer of cold smoke. At first glance, the river water is hazy, as if a painting boat is floating in a wonderland in the sky.
The three of them were sitting on the bow of the boat, on a square low table. Under the table was a bronze heater, which was filled with fine charcoal and burned without smoke.
"Lantern Festival?" Bai Ze found it interesting and asked.
Mu Qingling heard the words and explained: "This Lantern Festival was originally a lantern festival in the Buddhist country in the Western Regions. I heard that the Buddhist country organizes a grand lantern festival every year on the birthday of the Buddha. Each lantern has Buddhist verses written on it, similar to Taoism. The Lantern Festival. Those who can interpret Buddhist verses will be favored by the Buddha and are said to be destined for Buddhism."
"It's quite interesting." Bai Ze said, thinking of the unparalleled afterimages he and Ouyang Mu saw in the nameless cave during their previous trip to Dushan, and the Buddhist and Taoist dispute between the Half-Step Sword Immortal King Zhihuan and the mysterious old monk. He also learned the Buddhist secret golden bell from the stone carvings on the cave wall and evolved it into a Taoist Qi bell that suited him.
"The tallest mountain is the peak. Which one is the top, Buddhism or Taoism?"
"The path to immortality has neither beginning nor end,
Only one sword asks the sky.
The tiger is perched and the dragon is coiled in the wind,
Where does orthodoxy come from? "
Bai Ze recalled the conversation between him and the old monk that day, laughed it off, and said, "But there is no Buddhist holy land in the southern region of the Yan Kingdom. How did the lantern festival of the Buddhist Kingdom in the Western Regions take root in Heyang City?"
"There are Buddhist holy places in the Northern Territory, but there is indeed no Buddhist influence in the Southern Territory." Mu Qingling said, "I heard from dad that the annual Lantern Festival in Heyang City dates back to the Northern Territory seventy years ago. At that time of the war. At that time, King Qi Cheng captured Dangyang Pass, and his horses trampled on the seven cities of the Southern Territory. The Southern Territory was a frontal battlefield between Yan State and Qi State. It can be said that there were more than one million casualties."
Bai Ze listened silently.
"At that time, the war was raging, and even the sky was covered by the smoke of the war. It is said that at that time, there was no dividing line between the human world and the underworld. The evil ghosts in the southern region traveled around, wailing all day long, causing countless changes in the world." Mu Qingling was talking, but the prince Suddenly he laughed.
"How can it be that exaggerated?" The prince answered and said: "It's just that during the National War, a Taoist monk who was said to be from the Western Regions passed by this place. He saw rivers of blood and corpses scattered everywhere. He couldn't bear it. In today's world, Qinghe performed a ritual to save the so-called souls of the dead."
"Then what the eminent monk does is to use river lanterns to save the souls of the dead?" Bai Ze asked.
"Oh? Bai Ze, do you also know about the secrets of Buddhism?" Mu Chen asked him, confirming his guess.
"I can't explain it clearly, but I know something about it," Bai Ze said.
"The eminent monk acted like this, claiming that if the living place a river lantern for the deceased, the deceased will dissipate the grievances remaining in the world and be reincarnated smoothly." Mu Chen laughed as he spoke, "The living people will follow suit. , hoping that the deceased will be reincarnated smoothly, so the custom of this Lantern Festival has gradually been passed down. But today’s Lantern Festival has lost the meaning of the past, and now it is just for fun.”
"Brother, you're still laughing!" Seeing Mu Chen laughing again, Mu Qingling couldn't help but scold him. From the girl's point of view, it was all about paying homage and salvation to the deceased, and it was a serious topic. How could she laugh continuously? ?
"Sister, you are still young and don't understand." Mu Chen asked Bai Ze, "Bai Ze, what do you think of reincarnation? Anyway, I don't believe it, so by requesting it, I am also seeking the Taoist technique of immortality, and placing my hope in the next life. , what’s that?”
Bai Ze smiled a little enigmatically and said: "I dare not say anything about reincarnation. However, it is reasonable to practice Taoism and seek immortality. I can only say that Buddhism and Taoism have their own strengths."
While they were talking, a light boat sailed over, and the store owner sent people to prepare all the wine and food and send them to the painting boat.
Bai Ze took a look and saw that there were steamed sea bass of excellent quality, drunken shrimp with a charming aroma, squab soup made with ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum, and roast duck sliced as thin as cicada wings, served with dipping sauce.
The wine is Qingheju's unique sake. It's fragrant but not strong, and you won't get drunk if you drink too much. It's just right for this feast on the water.
"Come on, let's have a drink first!" Mu Chen poured wine, only for him and Bai Ze, but Mu Qingling poured fruit wine.
The three of them clinked glasses and drank the drinks in one gulp.
"Use your chopsticks and try this Qingheju delicacy." Mu Chen showed his courtesy as a landlord and invited Bai Ze to eat.
Bai Ze took a bite of the steamed seabass. It tasted sweet and fragrant. It really tasted good.
The night is getting darker and darker, the painting boat passes an arch bridge, the crescent moon is like a bow, and the stars are bright.
Scholars and beauties were laughing and chatting by the river, all holding river lanterns in their hands. The lights lit up their figures. At a glance, they looked harmonious and beautiful.
"Mother, come quickly!" There is a child on the bank holding a lotus lantern. The wick is a red candle, which has been lit. The child holds it in the palm of his hand and gently puts it into the clear river, along with the quietly flowing river. Drift away.
The child set off the river lantern and cheered with joy, his face flushed. Bai Ze saw it in his eyes, and I laughed unconsciously. In the misty lights of the painting boat, I looked like a jade from the snow-capped mountains.
Mu Qingling was fascinated, holding her chin with both hands, her eyebrows gentle.
More and more river lanterns were put into the river. Soon, the water surface of the Qinghe River seemed to sink into a starry sky, misty and dreamy, like a fairyland.
The beautiful lady's laughter came from the painting boat, the young master warmed the wine and waved his folding fan gently, showing a romantic atmosphere.
"Excellent, extremely wonderful." Bai Ze praised.
Mu Chen laughed and took off his military uniform. The young general was dressed in black. He had a handsome face, a crown of jade on his head, and flying black hair. He looked like an unparalleled man.
“Walk across the river to pick hibiscus, and there are many fragrant grasses in the orchids.
Who do you want to leave behind? Thoughts are far away. "
Above the Qinghe River, a girl's singing voice shrouded in emotion and sadness came. Bai Ze listened quietly and felt that the artistic conception was far away. He saw a flute, a jade flute, and a brocade harp among the painted boats. He immediately asked: "The river lights are misty, and the singing is melancholy. I feel something in my heart, and I want to play a song. I don't know what to do. Are you interested in playing with me?"
After hearing this, Mu Qingling came back to her senses, her pretty face turned red, and she said, "Brother is quite involved in music, but I am not good at it. I can listen, but playing, playing and singing makes me laugh."
"Haha, I didn't expect that Brother Bai Ze is also involved in music?" Mu Chen was delighted. Seeing Bai Ze's eyes light up, he immediately ordered the boatman to get the musical instrument and asked Bai Ze: "My mother is still alive, and the music sounds good. Mu Chen When I was young, I learned a few tricks from my mother, and although I can’t put them on the stage, I can play in an ensemble with vocals, so I think it should be no problem.”
Mu Chen immediately ordered the boatman to remove the food and wine, put a guqin on the low table, pressed the strings with his long fingers, and asked Bai Ze: "Brother Bai Ze, what instrument do you choose?"
Bai Ze picked up a white jade flute, held it in his hand, smiled when he heard the words, and said: "In my early years, I traveled around with my master and walked a lot in the mountains. There were only two of us in the vast mountains, my master and my apprentice. Traveling was boring, so I often showed off bamboos. He makes flutes and plays them randomly, so he only knows a little about the music."
"Brother Bai Ze is so humble." Mu Chen laughed again.
"Brother Mu and I fell in love with each other today, so why not play "Mountains and Flowing Waters" together to show our friendship," Bai Ze said.
When Mu Chen heard this, he said, "Oh, that's wrong. Since we are above the Qinghe River, it is also the annual Lantern Festival. The beautiful scenery on this beautiful day only needs the company of a beautiful woman. I think that although Brother Bai Ze is young, he is still the same. Mr. Yu, for my brother and you tonight, why not play "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" so as to cope with this unparalleled beauty."
When Mu Qingling heard this, her ears turned red again.
"Haha, I didn't expect Brother Mu to have such interest." Bai Ze immediately agreed and said, "Okay then, it will be "Feng Qiu Huang"!"
The painting boat moves the water, moves quietly, and passes through the quiet arch bridge. Pedestrians on the bridge are mesmerized by the scenery of the river. On the arch bridge, Yu Youwei was wearing an underskirt, fluttering like a fairy in the night wind. Holding a floral oil-paper umbrella produced in the Jiangnan water town of the Song Dynasty, the charming makeup on the eyebrows and eyes faded away, revealing an unparalleled beauty, like a twenty-eight-year-old beauty, as green as jade.
The deaf coachman was still following the girl, his eyes half-closed, not interested in the beautiful scenery in front of him.
"There is a beautiful woman, I will never forget you when I see her.
Not seeing you for a day makes me miss you like crazy.
The phoenix is soaring, and the phoenix is begging for it from all over the world.
Unfortunately, the beauty is not on the east wall. "
Under the bridge, the piano and flute ensemble plays, the sound is harmonious and melodious. Bai Ze stood on the bow of the painting boat, dressed in white, against the backdrop of the lanterns on the Qinghe River. Mu Chen was dressed in black, sitting upright and playing the piano, with his fingers flying, and his aura was out of this world.
Mu Qingling quietly watched the two of them perform the song "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" together, one standing and one sitting, one white and one black, the years were quiet. At this moment, all the disputes in the temple and the grievances in the rivers and lakes seemed to have disappeared, leaving only the clear river water flowing trickling.
"The phoenix comes back to its hometown, and travels all over the world to seek its phoenix." On the arch bridge, the tourists were attracted by the ensemble. As I looked around, I saw the young man in white on the painting boat, and smiled unconsciously, "Feng Qiu" "Phoenix"? Haha, that's interesting."
After that, he gave the coir raincoat swordsman behind him a look, pointed his toes, and with a paper umbrella, he jumped off the arch bridge and flew to the painting boat.
Bai Ze looked as usual, Mu Qingling looked back with a strange look on his face, Mu Chen played the piano as usual, but laughed and said: "Today's song "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" indeed attracted a phoenix bird. I just didn't know it. , is this phoenix bird here for my son, or for my brother Bai Ze?"
Yu Youwei closed her paper umbrella and said with a sweet smile: "You came here just for the sound of the music, okay?"
"A beautiful woman is like jade, so of course she can." Mu Chen said.
"Since it is "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix", how can the two phoenixes sing harmoniously without the other phoenix?" Yu Youwei walked into the Wupeng of the painting boat, holding the fifty-string brocade string in his hand, and plucked it with his slender jade fingers, and the clear and clear sound came from the Wupeng. When it comes out, it is intertwined with the sound of flutes and pianos. For a moment, the clear river water is really like the harmonious singing of phoenixes, and the sound is urging the sky to rain.
Pedestrians along the river stopped one after another, and tourists on the painted boats on the Qinghe River also closed their eyes and listened.
The starlight is heavy, and from a distance, the lanterns on the Qingshui River are like a river of fire, making it difficult to tell whether there are people in the painting or people in the painting.
