"Ahhhh..." A cry interrupted Tang Ping and Wang Qingluan.
Wang Qingluan quickly picked up Tang Tang.
"Tang Tang must be hungry. Wangshu Tower is ahead. I'll feed her some milk and then come back to you."
Tang Ping nodded and said: "Okay, you go quickly, don't let Tangtang starve, I will take people to stroll in front."
It was rare that no one could recognize him today, so Tang Ping also wanted to take a stroll.
After walking a few steps, near a corner, there was a stall selling various statues.
In this era, there was no machine engraving, all was done by hand.
Tang Ping became interested. It would be a good idea to buy this thing and give it to Mr. Dog. He likes to collect these things the most.
Because Tang Ping's Journey to the West storybook has already become popular throughout the Tang Dynasty, the various gods and goddesses in it have gradually become popular.
The wood carvings placed in this stall were all about 20 to 30 centimeters in height. Tang Ping recognized figures such as Yang Jian, Nezha, the Pagoda King, and the Four Heavenly Kings.
Each one can be said to be carved lifelike, and can be regarded as a finely handcrafted wood carving.
Tang Ping was about to ask the price when a middle-aged man holding a child in front of him leaned down and asked the vendor in a low voice: "Do you still have Ping Guogong's?"
Just when Tang Ping was stunned, he looked at the vendor and looked around, then he took out a wooden sculpture from the big bag on the ground behind him, and then handed it into the middle-aged man's hand with a swipe.
Both of them were wearing clothes with large sleeves, and even Tang Ping, standing behind them, couldn't see clearly what the wood carvings in their hands looked like.
Then the middle-aged man gave the money and quickly put the newly purchased wood carving into his bag, and then excitedly said to the children next to him: "We bought it, we bought it."
Tang Ping was confused. Seeing how mysterious they looked, how could they be related to him?
"Sir, what do you want? If there is nothing you like here, we can also accept the reservation."
Tang Ping followed the behavior of the middle-aged man just now and leaned down, then lowered his voice and asked, "Do you still have Duke Ping's?"
The vendor's expression changed slightly, then he shook his head and said, "What did you say, sir? What is Mr. Ping Guo?"
Tang Ping was stunned, this was a code, right? I felt more and more that this stall was a bit weird.
I bought a wooden carving of King Pagoda and left with others.
"Sir, do you want us to go check it out?" Lao Cui asked softly. The case of spies from various countries, which was finally settled some time ago, made them all nervous.
Tang Ping also felt strange that this matter actually involved him. He nodded and said, "Let's go forward first, and then go back and take a look."
When a few people came around, they saw another woman with a child. She evadedly bought something from the vendor, then quickly hid it and left.
Then there were several customers behind, some bought some statues normally, and some seemed mysterious.
But one thing they have in common is that they all have children.
Lao Du happened to see a boy from Shanghe Village buying candy, so he slipped over directly.
"Sir, let me take him to try."
"Well, be careful." Tang Ping nodded, and then watched Lao Du walk over with the kid.
Sure enough, this time, the other party mysteriously handed something to Lao Du.
When the two came back, Tang Ping touched more than ten copper plates and sent the children from Shanghe Village away before taking the wooden sculpture from Lao Du.
At a glance, you can tell that the sculpture is actually him, and should I say it, he really looks like him. "Sir, why is this your statue for sale? We saw it just now, and those people who bought the statue seem to be ordinary people."
Wang Qingluan, who had already fed the child, picked up the statue in Tang Ping's hand, looked at it, and said with a smile: "It looks similar at first glance, but how can you be so energetic?"
"And if you want to know the whole story, just ask."
Wang Qingluan saw another child with a woman buying something, and walked over directly.
"This lady is polite."
"Ah? Ah! You're so polite." The woman didn't seem to be from a wealthy family. Wang Qingluan was dressed luxuriously and had servants with her. She looked like a noble person at first glance.
So I was frightened by the game the first time.
"Can I take a moment to speak?"
The woman hugged her son and nodded evasively.
Wang Qingluan led people to a milk tea stall on the side. There were some seats here, but they cost a few more cents.
Today was originally a shopping street, and everyone came here for shopping, so most people just bought and left. There were only a few people who were really tired and sat down to rest.
Wang Qingluan asked mother and son what they wanted to drink, and then took them to sit down.
"I see you just bought a statue, can you tell me about it?"
The woman looked at the stroller next to Wang Qingluan, nodded after hesitating and said, "Seeing that noble people also have children, I will tell you."
Then he took out a statue of Tang Ping from his bag and said, "This is the statue of Duke Ping that I bought."
"What's the use?"
"Of course it will be of great use. It is said that Duke Ping is a man from heaven who descended from heaven and his knowledge is astonishing. If there is a statue of him and the children can worship him every day, they will surely become famous in the future!"
"Ah?" Wang Qingluan was dumbfounded. What does this mean? I thought I had discovered some big conspiracy, but I didn't expect...that's it?
"Then...then why do you all do it secretly?"
"The noble man doesn't know this because it is said that Duke Ping doesn't like everyone worshiping him, so everyone has been buying them secretly and worshiping them secretly at home."
After bidding farewell to the two of them, Wang Qingluan went back and told Tang Ping the whole story while suppressing a smile.
Tang Ping had a black line on his forehead. What kind of oolong incident was this?
"What...what do these people think?" When I think of my image being enshrined on a Buddhist altar, I might burn three sticks of incense in the morning and evening, and then put some apples and pears in front of it.
Tang Ping couldn't help but shudder!
This seems to be a good thing, but it doesn’t seem that good! Especially for a modern person, it always feels a little... weird to be supported by someone like this.
It turned out that it was for this reason that he refused any longevity tablets offered to him by the common people.
But who would have thought that what would be spread would be that the woman just said that she didn’t like others to worship her...
Anyway, Tang Ping really didn't understand how such a weird thing could happen.
Wang Qingluan happily bowed to Tang Ping and said, "Then please make sure that our Tangtang will get ahead in the future!"
"Stop making trouble!" Tang Ping said with a bitter look on his face. Should you be happy or angry about this?
In fact, only Tang Ping couldn't understand it, but Wang Qingluan and the others could quite understand how people in this era were learning to read and were still in awe of ghosts and gods.
And a common characteristic of the Chinese people is that everything can be for the benefit of their children.
As long as it's for the good of their children, they will secretly worship Tang Ping even if they know he doesn't like it.
Tang Ping frowned and said, "It's good that I did this. If it were someone else with ulterior motives, it would be too easy for the people to be taken advantage of."
You must know that many troubles in history were caused by similar organizations, such as the White Lotus Sect, the Taiping Tao, and the Five Pecks of Rice Tao.
At first, they took advantage of the superstition and worship of the people, but in the end they caused big trouble.
"This matter must be reported to His Majesty. We need to find a way!"
Wang Qingluan nodded, and then put Tang Tang, who had woken up, into Tang Ping's arms:
"Okay, everyone is out to play today. Anyway, the woman just said that she sells them to families with children, and the purpose is to help the children succeed in their studies and get ahead. There won't be any trouble for a while. If something goes wrong, don’t think too much about it today.”
"Look, Tang Tang is still waiting for daddy to take her shopping!"
"Okay! Then let's have a nice stroll." Tang Ping also put this matter aside for the time being and started shopping with everyone again.
By this time it was getting dark.
"Riddles! Look, sir, riddles!" Xiao Luo suddenly pointed to a place in front of her and said.
Tang Ping also saw it. There were many beautiful lanterns hanging there, with various lantern riddles written on them.
So he said enthusiastically: "Let's go, I will take you to win all those lanterns."
In the past, when pig's feet traveled through time and encountered lantern riddles like this, it was a great opportunity to show off.
It turns out that I just missed the Lantern Festival several times, and today this opportunity finally came.
Even Tang Ping is planning to put on a show. After all, he is holding his daughter in his arms. Even if she is not sensible yet, can't she stop her old father from showing off in front of her?
"The next day will be full of ideas - name a place."
"Fuyang!" Before Tang Ping could say anything, Li Bai beside him said.
Tang Ping rolled his eyes at him, how could he forget this guy? He has been such a poetry immortal for thousands of years, how can he compare to him?
He made a zipper motion with his hand on his mouth, signaling him to stop talking.
I finally got into the mood today and showed off, how could I be ruined by my apprentice?
The second lantern riddle is "round when drawn, square when written, warm when it is, cool when not - type a word."
"Japanese characters!"
Tang Ping turned his head angrily and saw Wang Qingluan looking at him with a smile.
"I...I still don't believe it, come again!"
Then, except for Lao Cui, Lao Du and Xiao Luo, every subsequent lantern riddle, including Liu'er, could be answered faster than Tang Ping.
Basically, he just finished reading the question and the answer came out.
Tang Ping hugged Tang Tang, feeling messy in the wind.
"Pfft..."
Wang Qingluan couldn't help laughing, and then whispered in Tang Ping's ear: "Husband, you should show your true colors today. If the people see that you can't win any lantern riddles, I'm afraid they won't enshrine your statue."
Tang Ping was speechless for a while. What a mistake. He had already figured it out. It was only recently that he could read ancient texts more fluently.
As for Wang Qingluan and the others, they have been reading since they were young. How could he compare to others in something related to ancient Chinese literature?
If there is no answer, he is no match for ten people!
At this moment, there was a sudden noise from the front.
"Let's go over and have a look!"
