Dingjiangshan

The Town God's Temple was crowded with people, and two young Taoist priests in Taoist robes stood at the second gate, welcoming them and sending them a few words of blessing at the right time to make them auspicious.

Ning Huaijin bought a set of candle ingots from the humble stall at the entrance with some scattered silver, held them in a rough paper bag, and blended into the crowd.

The Town God's Temple in Nanyang Mansion is not very big, it has three front and back entrances, a narrow road, and the doors on the left and right sides are wide open, enshrining some local gods whose names Ning Huaijin can't recognize.

In the large copper furnace in the inner courtyard, incense and ingots are burning. The smell of burning paper money is mixed with the scent of sandalwood in the hall, which is a kind of atmosphere that makes people feel peaceful.

In addition to ordinary people, there were also aristocratic families and wealthy businessmen in Nanyang Mansion who came to burn incense. Therefore, Ning Yan and Ning Huaijin were not very conspicuous walking in the temple, and few people noticed them.

"Putting life on a beautiful vision is a human's long-term love." Standing in front of rows of iron shelves, Ning Yan took out a pair of forearm-long candles from Ning Huaijin's hands, and lit them with the ever-burning lamp next to her. up.

The inner wick of the red candle was stained with kerosene from the lower layer of the long-burning lamp, and it was ignited when it was licked by the wick. The flame jumped a little higher from the candle, looking prosperous.

"When worshiping gods, men seek promotion and wealth, and women seek more children and more blessings." Ning Yan stuck the candle on the iron rod and said casually, "Then what does Huai Jin want?"

The Town God's Temple has always had good incense, and a thick layer of wax accumulated on the iron frame of the candles. Ning Yan didn't know where to put his strength, and the candle in his hand suddenly tilted and almost slipped down.

Ning Huaijin was afraid that he would burn his hands, so he took a handful and put the candle away for him.

"It's nothing unusual." Ning Huaijin said, "Just ask for safety, that's all."

This answer is too simple, Ning Yan was a little surprised, and asked: "Is there anything else?"

Ning Huaijin wiped the wax stained on her hands, and asked with a smile, "What else do you want to hear?"

Ning Yan is not the person he can ask, even if he hasn't thought of a serious one in his heart, he will make some unscrupulous jokes on him.

"I thought that Huaijin would make a wish, that he would never leave me, that he would stay with me forever." Ning Yan sighed exaggeratedly, and said with a mournful expression, "The worst thing is to be a day-to-day friend." See you."

"Isn't it already?" Ning Huaijin said.

Ning Huaijin's voice was calm, but it didn't sound cold.Just like the fall of autumn leaves on the water surface, it is obviously light and shallow without strength, but it easily breaks up a pool of still water.

It just so happened that the blessing bell rang in the backyard, and the dull bronze bell made a loud bang, as if it had smashed Ning Huaijin's words on Ning Yan's heart.

Ning Yan clearly noticed that at that moment just now, his heartbeat accelerated for a brief moment.

So much so that Ning Yan seemed a little overwhelmed, he almost ran away to avoid his eyes, and was defeated in the "confrontation" with Ning Huaijin for the first time in his life.

"Go into the hall." Ning Yan said: "Standing outside and blowing the cold wind makes you feel cold."

"Okay." Ning Huaijin said.

The inner hall of the Town God's Temple is divided into front and rear. Ordinary people, after worshiping the City God, usually accompany their wives to the back hall to worship the City God, so the front hall seems a bit deserted.

Standing in the hall is a statue more than three feet high. The red-robed and leather-belt statue is majestic, with eyes half downcast, staring expressionlessly at the futon in front of the statue, as if looking down on his believers.

Ning Yan swaggered in through the main entrance, stood in the hall with his hands behind his back, and looked up at the statue for a while.

The emperor is the son of heaven, acting on behalf of the will of heaven. In terms of etiquette, there is no need to kneel down and pay homage to such local gods.Ning Huaijin also knew that he came in to watch the fun, so she let go of his hand, took two steps forward, and knelt down on the futon.

But then, he felt that the futon beside him had sunk slightly—it was Ning Yan who also knelt down.

Ning Yan's knees have only been kneeling at the ancestral temple since he was born, and he rarely bent even when he saw Ning Zongyuan.Ning Huaijin couldn't help being startled for a moment, and the words "Your Majesty" almost blurted out.

But he still remembered that this was outside, no better than at home, he could say anything, he could only bite the tip of his tongue, and swallowed an exclamation in bewilderment.

"Do as the Romans do."

As Ning Yan said, he saluted naturally like an ordinary person, but because of his status, he missed a kowtow.

Apart from the dumb clay statue in front of him, no one in this world would know what Ning Yan was thinking when he knelt down.

But if the clay statue had a spirit, if he could really hear Ning Yan's heartfelt voice at that moment, he would probably have to be shocked by the absurdity in his heart today, and would not dare to listen more.

——Since I have seen the gods, Is it considered to have worshiped the heaven and the earth, Ning Yan thought.

That kind of thought came absurdly and quickly, but it just appeared in Ning Yan's heart without warning at the moment Ning Huaijin bowed his knees, as if it was some kind of reminder from somewhere in the dark, and it seemed to be the insight of the gods into the world. A kind of warning.

——But no matter what it was, Ning Yan didn't take it to heart.

He is used to wantonness, let alone in this small place the size of a palm, even in the ancestral temple, in front of his mother's spirit, he seldom hides his intentions.

Jing Zhan once said that he seems to be gentle in person, but he is proud in his bones. In ordinary times, he looks like he respects the sky, the earth, and his ancestors. If he really has plans in his heart, he will ignore everything.

"You can't do this." At that time, Jing Zhan was holding a safety talisman in his hand, he hesitated to say: "You have to have a taboo in your heart, you don't have to believe it, but at least you have to be in awe."

Ning Yan and Ning Huaijin supported each other to stand up, then looked up at the statue.

The majestic and dignified statue seemed to be burned by his gaze, and it looked less solemn than when it came in.

Ning Yan's gaze swept across the slightly shorter statue next to him, his gaze swept across the merit and demerit account in his hand, and he took it back lightly.

——My life's merits and demerits, absurd or not, don't need others to comment, Ning Yan thought, whether it is taboo or not, it is nothing more than everyone giving each other face.

On the contrary, Ning Huaijin was terribly frightened by Ning Yan's nonsense, and when she went out, she still frowned, looking quite in a bad mood.

Ning Yan conveniently threw two silver ingots on the Shanyuan table, left a sentence of "Anonymous", then hurriedly stepped up and caught up with Ning Huaijin.

"Why are you angry?" Ning Yan clicked his tongue, and teased, "You can't be angry on New Year's Eve, otherwise you won't be able to show your face for the next year, it's really not worth it."

Ning Huaijin was not fooled by him, and dragged him out of the Town God's Temple, picked a secluded and deserted place, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, it's not that I insist on following the rules, but—"

Before he finished speaking, Ning Yan interrupted him.

Ning Yan took his hand, rubbed it in the palm of his hand, then pulled it to his lips and let out a breath of hot air.

"There are so many people who come to worship God, I'm afraid that your wish alone will not be counted and will be missed." Ning Yan said in a low voice: "Let's talk together, one more person has more strength, the City God should always pay attention to it." It's more--peace and peace, isn't it, eh?"

Ning Huaijin choked, and her well-behaved manners were stuck in the air, unable to speak.

"You..." After a while, Ning Huaijin sighed and said in a low voice, "You..."

"Smile." Ning Yan seemed to be very stubborn about this matter, and said with a smile: "Uncle Huang, smile, I will take you to a good place."

Although Ning Huaijin didn't laugh out immediately, she still asked with dignity: "Where is it?"

Ning Yan blinked at him, tightened Ning Huaijin's hand, and said with a smile, "You'll know when we get there."

As Ning Yan said, he pulled Ning Huaijin out of the alley, looked around, identified the location, and then smiled suddenly: "Huaijin really knows how to find a place, and it's not far from us."

Ning Huaijin was at a loss, and before she had time to ask in detail, she was dragged by Ning Yan and merged into the crowd again.

After a while, the number of people on the street gradually decreased. Ning Yan dragged Ning Huaijin to turn left and right, gradually left the lamp market, and started to walk into the alleys of residential buildings.

Qin Liu and Shili disappeared without a trace at some point, and no longer followed behind them like ordinary servants, but took up their old profession of shadow guard and disappeared without a trace.

Although Ning Huaijin was not very familiar with the roads of Nanyang Mansion, he had a good sense of direction. After walking for a while, he felt that this didn't seem like the way back to the city.

Sure enough, after about half a stick of incense, Ning Yan led him out of the small path, and even walked to the garrison camp at the East City Gate.

On New Year's Eve, soldiers who are not on duty in the army can also share half a bowl of wine and get together to have fun.Ning Yan didn't alarm anyone, he just took a look at the sentinel with his waist badge, then picked a secluded path and climbed up the city wall of the East City.

"What is this for?" Ning Huaijin asked suspiciously, "Nanyang is not the front line, and there are no guards on the city walls. Even if you want to make an unannounced visit, you have to pass fifteen."

"Who said there was going to be an unannounced visit." Ning Yan couldn't laugh or cry, and pulled Ning Huaijin up the city wall.

The lights in Nanyang City are brightly lit, but the suburban forests outside are pitch black with few lights.

Opening the boundary at the city wall, Ning Yan let go of Ning Huaijin's hand, and took two steps forward.

This short distance of two steps made him escape from the warm lights in the city, and he became inexplicably depressed.

Ning Huaijin couldn't figure out what medicine he was selling in his gourd, but he seemed to have sensed the subtleties of the atmosphere, as if something was about to break out of the ground and appear before his eyes.

Ning Yan stood still on the side near the outside of the city, as if secretly making up his mind.

——Something is going to happen, Ning Huaijin suddenly thought.

"Uncle Emperor." Ning Yan suddenly said, "Look."

Ning Yan turned half sideways, the corners of his eyes were slightly bent, and he stretched out his fingers to point out of the city.

Ning Huaijin subconsciously looked in the direction of his finger, and saw a clear whistle suddenly sounded outside the city, followed by dozens of clusters of fireworks exploding into the sky, instantly dispersing into a stream of fire.

"Last New Year's Eve, when I watched the fireworks with you, I thought, when everything is stable, I must tell you my heart." Ning Yan's figure was brightly and darkly reflected by the fireworks, and he listened carefully Still slightly trembling: "It wasn't discovered by you, nor was it exposed by anyone. Instead, pick a clear day, whether it's just a cup of tea or warm wine—I'll tell you personally."

——He really... Ning Huaijin thought to himself, he really knows how to touch my heart.

Even though Ning Huaijin had resolutely refused and evaded, it seemed that his "defeat" was determined by his fate from the very beginning.

After he removed the futile self-deception, Ning Yan could easily make him shake the "bottom line" countless times, and then put this line again and again.

"Is now a good time?" Ning Huaijin asked suddenly.

"Actually, according to my arrangement, it's not now." Ning Yan looked at Ning Huaijin and said seriously: "But now that you are by my side, I think it's the best time."

Ning Yan's words seemed to have been typed many times, and he spoke in a hurry, sounding very nervous.

He himself seemed to have discovered this, he pursed his lips in annoyance, and simply gave up on this, took two steps towards Ning Huaijin, and did not stop until he was in front of him.

Ning Huaijin did not retreat.

"Huaijin." Ning Yan looked at him, hesitant to speak: "I—"

The fireworks outside the city hadn't stopped yet, although it wasn't as big as the battle in the palace last year, it was still very splendid.

A year later, these two people were clearly watching the fireworks, but their moods were completely different.

— Forget it, Ning Huaijin thought, just follow your heart.

So Ning Huaijin stretched out her hand to help Ning Yan slightly tidy up the cloak that had just run crooked below, and pulled a strand of hair hanging from his temple behind his ear.

For Ning Yan, this was undoubtedly a disguised form of connivance, his eyes lit up for a moment, and his heart thumped in an instant.

Ning Yan swallowed, and covered Ning Huaijin's eyes with his hand.

"Huaijin, don't look at me." He smiled helplessly and self-deprecatingly: "My heart beats so fast when you look at me like that."

Ning Huaijin didn't hide or refuse, just when she heard that she was about to say that she didn't have to look at it, she felt a coldness on her lips, as if something was stuck on it.

——It took Ning Huaijin a while to realize what it was.

Because soon, Ning Yan was not satisfied with light touch, he wrapped his empty left hand around Ning Huaijin's waist, and pressed Ning Huaijin's lips carefully and carefully among the falling stars.