In the middle of July and early autumn, people hold various sacrificial activities to celebrate the harvest. One is to thank heaven and earth for the good weather this year, and the other is to report this year's harvest to the ancestors.
And this day is also the birthday of the local official, and the gate of hell will be open for a month. The lonely souls who have not yet been reincarnated will return to the human world and accept donations from people.
During the Lantern Festival, people decorate with lanterns to celebrate the Lantern Festival, and during the Zhongyuan Festival, they also light up lanterns. Human beings are yang and ghosts are yin; land is yang and water is yin, so the lanterns of Zhongyuan are in the water.
In the evening, Chang'an is no longer as brightly lit as usual. Only lotus water lanterns float on the river, drifting into the distance with the slow river.
According to legend, the souls of those who died in vain cannot be reborn. If they can find a river lantern to support them after they come to the human world, they will be reborn. The dark river is like a road back to the world, guiding them to reincarnation.
After nightfall, people will go home early and not stay on the streets, because with the arrival of midnight, this place will become a paradise for ghosts.
But there are always people who don't listen to adults' advice. Qingya and Hua Qing'er didn't stay in the house, and they didn't know what they were tinkering with in the yard.
Ye Zhongtao, in the Year of the Rabbit, Yimao, Renchen, month, Renchen, day and hour, the five elements are complete, and the destiny is northwest.
Ning Tongyue, Bingchen Dragon Year Yimao month Bingshen day Xinwei time, the five elements are complete, the destiny is in the west.
The two of them each held a set of birthday figures and held lotus candles in their hands, sitting around the stone table in the yard, waiting for the arrival of midnight.
"Is this really useful? Where did you learn it?"
Hua Qing'er's voice was a little trembling. Although strange powers and chaos were no longer a legend after entering the world of cultivation, Hua Qing'er still has a certain fear of ghosts due to being exposed to them since childhood.
"Master said that when the Master was not born to practice, he made a living by traveling around and telling people's fortunes. This skill of summoning souls is his special skill."
"Wow, was Master Sect like this before? Uncle Liu even knows this."
"Of course, the seniors from Wanlong Ridge whom we met on Chinese Valentine's Day, their princess had a troubled past with Uncle Ji back then."
"Ah? That senior looks to be about the same age as Uncle Ji, so isn't their princess just an old cow eating young grass? Has Uncle Ji become a pretty boy? Hehehehe."
Hua Qing'er also forgot the fear in her heart when she talked about the gossip and interesting stories of the teacher in the sect. The two of them chatted and before they knew it, the time was approaching.
"Tick tock, tick tock."
When the scale of the water clock reached midnight, a sudden dark wind suddenly rose between the sky and the earth, and black clouds quickly pressed down on the originally clear night sky.
A little bit of skylight shines through the thick clouds, as if the gate to hell is slowly opening. In an instant, the wind howled, the black clouds dispersed, and the night sky became clear again.
At this time, a group of guests have already arrived in the human world.
"It is clear that it exists, but it is unknown that it does not exist. The cloud seal is too empty, it is the beginning of the catastrophe."
"By performing the cave seal, and then writing the spiritual talisman, the Netherworld will rely on it. From then on, it will be promoted to the immortal capital."
Countless shadows flashed across the sky, and they were wandering souls attracted by the spell one after another. However, what was reflected in the candlelight was not their birth date, and they left quickly.
The candle is burning inch by inch. If they still don't come back when the candle burns out, there are only two possibilities. One is that they are still in the world, and the other is that they have been reincarnated.
Thick black clouds covered the moonlight and starlight, and only candlelight wandered between heaven and earth, and the world fell into the netherworld.
The candle finally struggled to beat a few times and then went out.
Until the end, Qingya did not wait for the souls of Ye Zhongtao and Ning Tongyue to return. Qingya was a little happy and a little distressed at this time.
It is very likely that the two of them are still in the world and will not stage a tragedy where the white-haired man sends the black-haired man away, but the world is vast, where can we find them?
Qingya's eyes followed Zhuque Street. At the end of the long street, the solemn palaces were layered one after another, locking the strata of classes.
When it comes to the palace wall, it is natural to find the palace wall.
But now, when hundreds of ghosts are walking at night, it is better to hold a candle at night.
Hua Qing'er seemed a little scared, but at the same time, the curiosity in her heart became more intense, so she went out with Qing Ya while resisting and expecting.
Pushing open the door of the small courtyard, there happened to be a dark figure standing in front of the door.
It's not so much a group as it is a group.
Two slender arms stretched out from the slender oval shadow, holding a lotus lantern in both hands, but the weak light could not illuminate his face.
At this moment, he seemed to see two people. A stiff and pale face like a mask emerged from the black shadow on the head.
This strange face looked at the two of them, and a crack opened at the corner of the mask's mouth. It seemed to be smiling at the two of them, but it was more terrifying than crying.
But Qingya knew that it was just a ghost that had found a place to live, and had no ill intentions towards the two of them, but its appearance was just too... too unique.
Forcibly forcing a smile from the corner of his mouth, Qingya returned the favor, and the ghost did not bother the two of them anymore, and disappeared with the candle lantern.
Huh? How come the scared girl next to me has no sound at all?
Qing Ya turned around and looked at Hua Qing'er who was hiding behind him. At this moment, he was looking ahead blankly. The exclamation in his slightly opened mouth was frozen before he could shout it out. .
"Wake up, they are gone."
Qing Ya gently patted her pretty face twice, and Hua Qing'er woke up as if from a dream.
However, she didn't seem to show much fear.
"Is that a ghost just now? It's so ugly. The unresolved romance between ghosts and people in the story is all a lie. Who would want to have an unresolved relationship with such a person?"
Seeing the disgusted look on her face, it was Qingya's turn that he couldn't turn around.
Why does she seem so disappointed? Didn't she say she was scared? What on earth is going on in her head?
"Come on, let's go see the other ghosts."
Qingya, who was still in a daze, was pushed by her and wandered around the crowded Western Market.
Tonight, the entire city of Chang'an belongs to them and is theirs. Even the guards guarding the city returned to camp early.
As the two walked towards the city gate, they discussed in a low voice the strange ghosts and monsters they encountered on the way.
"Qingya, look, that ghost's head is so big, and it's so short. It walks like a moving mushroom."
At the feet of the two of them, a big-headed ghost held its huge head and walked forward with its depressed eyes wide open.
The ghost had four arms and was holding a ghost-faced pipa, playing and singing the instrument in his hands as he walked. His hand plucks the strings forward to make "Pi" and back to make "Pa". Back and forth, there are always only these two notes. It is said that it can predict the future by playing the pipa, and it is not known whether it is true or false.
The ghost wearing yellow sand armor with broken armor and dyed body had a broken sword pierced through his chest. He was holding a wine bottle in one hand and a penholder in the other. He was wandering by the river with empty steps.
He once had the lofty ambition to "enclose the wolf in Xu, drink from the vast sea of horses", but due to the wear and tear of the yellow sand and the ravages of time, he died in a foreign land. Now only the soul returns to Chang'an, looking at the place where it once started.
For many years, he wandered around Chang'an again and again, unwilling to die.
Qingya walked slowly in front of him and stopped his aimless footsteps.
Perhaps it was the killing energy accumulated over the years, but he still maintained his appearance when he was alive. He raised his head, and a vicissitudes of face worn away by the wind and sand appeared in front of Qingya.
"You two, are you here to send me to my death? That's fine, you should go, you shouldn't stay here forever."
Qingya glanced at the military medal on his shoulder armor and told his purpose:
"Captain Lieutenant, you have been lingering here for a long time and do not want to die. Do you still have any unfulfilled wishes?"
"I seem to be looking for someone, a woman, but I can't remember her name or her appearance."
If a person stays in this life for too long after death, his or her intelligence will continue to weaken as time goes by, until it turns into the most essential and primitive energy and dissipates between heaven and earth, which is what people often say is that the soul is scattered.
"Forty years ago, I was called to go on an expedition. Before I left, I promised her that when I came back after my success, I would definitely give her ten miles of beauty. Who would have thought that I would be gone for forty years."
He may have forgotten many things, but that parting look was deeply engraved in his bones.
Hearing this, Hua Qing'er also held Qing Ya's right hand, thinking that the woman had been waiting for forty years, and when her face grew old, she still didn't wait for her husband, so she couldn't help but feel sad.
The poor bones by the Wuding River are like those in a spring boudoir's dream.
At this time, a little light shone in the east, and the night of the parade of hundreds of ghosts passed. Although they will stay in the human world this month, they cannot appear openly in front of people.
"Brother Captain, before you leave, I will definitely find the person you are looking for."
Faced with Qing Ya's kindness, he pulled out the broken sword stuck in his chest and placed it in Qing Ya's hand.
The word "Qin" was engraved on the broken sword's grid, which was the last name of the person holding the sword.
"Thank you, little brother..."
His words disappeared with the morning light.
Chang'an City has a population of more than 360,000. If you search every household, you won't be able to find the year of the monkey, the horse and the moon.
The only feasible way is to find the list of the sergeants who went on the expedition forty years ago. With clues such as his surname Qin, the title of Colonel Zhaowu, not yet married, and having a partner, even if he cannot accurately find the target, he is still close to ten.
But the key is how to find that year's list.
Royal Palace, Ministry of War.
The clues of the three people Qingya is looking for now all point to the end of Suzaku Street.
Master said that to practice in the world is to experience more things, so Qingya is so "nosy". But what we are seeing now is a dragon's den and a tiger's den. Do you want to break in?
