Luoyang, the former capital of the Zhou Dynasty, and the ruins of the Han and Wei dynasties.
It lives in the world and is located on the Yangtze River of Luoshui. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Luoyang Plain was called "China" on bronze inscriptions.
In the thousands of years of war, countless emperors and generals have been buried in Gumang Mountain.
But it is somewhat similar to Chang'an. Since the turmoil in the late Tang Dynasty, Luoyang has gradually declined. After repeated wars, it is no longer the prosperous city it once was.
Since the end of last year, the weather has changed suddenly and the climate has become colder. Now it has passed the vernal equinox, but the wind is still biting and the remaining snow has not disappeared.
It is getting dark, and the lights of thousands of houses in the ancient city are gradually extinguished.
In the distance, the outline of Mang Mountain looks like a sleeping dragon.
Near Beishi, Guiyi Ward.
The bluestone streets glowed with dim light, and the night fog hung close to the ground.
At the corner of the street, Old Woman was burning paper in the darkness. The ashes of the paper money were swirling in the wind, and a faint sound of crying could be heard.
"This is Luoyang today..."
The watchman Lao Zhao stopped and sighed at his apprentice.
He turned his head, carried gongs, drums, and clappers, and limped while walking, not forgetting to whisper, "In the early years, we in Luoyang could still have a hot meal, but since the imperial court imposed a sea ban, look around, and if you have some connections, you will rush to the seaside to fish for gold."
"Chengdongfang City is like a ghost market. The gangsters on the street can't make any money, their eyes are green with hunger, and they dare to do anything immoral."
Then, he lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Look at Aunt Liu just now. Although she is a second-rate son, she is still filial! My ex went to Mang Mountain in the dark to 'touch gold' with others. Guess what happened?"
"I haven't even seen the whole body come back!"
"What boundary is Mangshan? There are more buried emperors than living people! The year before last, Wang Laowu dug out a Northern Wei pottery pot, and his eyes were gouged out by evil spirits...
His little apprentice was quite tall, but he didn't eat well and was as hungry as a skinny bamboo pole.
He didn't hear Lao Zhao's muttering at all. Instead, he looked around. Every time he saw those dark alleys, his eyes showed fear.
"Look at your courage!"
Lao Zhao had a look of disdain on his face, "If Daddy hadn't weighed two oil paper bags Honey Three Knives and begged me for it, Laozi wouldn't have taken you out with me at all!"
"This bowl of rice is not delicious. Old Zhang of Dongguan, he and Sanyue wet their pants. You are worse than him."
"Hmm."
His apprentice was a boring gourd. When he heard Lao Zhao scolding him, he immediately lowered his head and did not dare to speak.
Lao Zhao rolled his eyes, then picked up the clapper, knocked it rhythmically a few times, and shouted, "Zi Hour has arrived, be careful of the candle!"
This time, the apprentice was frightened again.
Soon, the two of them crossed the street. As soon as they walked around the corner, there was a dim light coming from ahead, accompanied by the sound of wood being chiseled.
But it's a coffin shop.
It seemed that they were working all night long. Not only were there people carving out the coffin inside, but there were also a large number of paper figures piled up at the door. Two men held the bamboo strips with their fingers and flipped them up and down, quickly making a mold.
The night wind blew, and the white paper figures rattled.
When the watchman's apprentice saw it, his scalp immediately became numb, his legs felt heavy and he could no longer walk a step.
Bah bah bah!
Lao Zhao spat three times on the ground, glanced at his apprentice, and was no longer too lazy to talk to him. He took a few steps forward and asked, "What's going on? Whose work is so urgent that they have to do it at night?"
"He's a big customer."
The apprentice who made the paper man raised his head and smiled, "I ordered it last night. I need it urgently. I will pick it up tomorrow night."
"Are you here in the middle of the night?"
The watchman Lao Zhao frowned and said, "Please tell your master to be more alert. It sounds a bit mysterious. He still owes me two drinks and has not paid back."
Another apprentice from the paper man shop said disdainfully, "What are you afraid of? These days, as long as you give me money, it doesn't matter if it's a human or a ghost."
Bah bah bah!
Lao Zhao spat on the ground a few more times and cursed, "Children's words are unbridled and they don't know whether to live or die."
After that, he took his apprentice and continued to patrol.
After walking around the corner, the lights behind him disappeared, and he shook his head and sighed in a low voice, "These days, the incense in front of City God Temple is fading, but the paper shop is brightly lit every night. It is better for living people to worship gods than to pray to ghosts..."
There is a taboo on walking at night: you cannot tell ghost stories.
Lao Zhao is a night owl. He sleeps and drinks during the day and patrols at night. However, the apprentice becomes more and more frightened as he listens and begs. "Master, please stop talking. Let's finish walking and go back early."
"It's early to go back..."
Lao Zhao teased with his head, but as soon as he turned his head, his body became stiff and his face turned pale.
"Master, don't scare me."
The hair on the back of his disciple's neck stood up and he shook his head quickly.
But I saw that the street behind me was filled with thick fog at some point, and under the bright moonlight, it looked blurry and dreamy.
And in the mist, a few dark shadows vaguely appeared. They walked up and down erratically, and they didn't look like human beings at all.
"Covered!"
The watchman Lao Zhao shouted sternly, took out two rags from the basket behind his back, covered himself with one, and threw the other to his apprentice.
Although his apprentice is naive, he is not a fool.
There are rumors in the market that watchmen have traveled at night for many years and passed down some things to avoid disasters.
Therefore, the apprentice didn't hesitate at all and directly covered his body with rags, covering his nostrils and mouth tightly.
All of a sudden, a foul smell hit my nose.
It's like falling into a cesspool.
The apprentice endured the discomfort and did not dare to speak. He wrapped himself in rags and even squatted down to cover his feet.
Only one pair of eyes was left, looking out.
Soon, thick fog filled the street.
He finally saw clearly what it was.
They were people stuck in paper, swaying their bodies, moving forward with their legs staggered, and the joints made the sound of bamboo strips rubbing together.
If you look carefully, you will see that it is exactly what was in the paper man shop just now.
But what is different from before is that the paper figure is no longer pure white, but has densely packed text, which is scarlet and eye-catching, as if blood is seeping out from inside.
What reassured the disciple was that the stinky rags on his body seemed to have some kind of magical power, and the paper figures passed by them and turned a blind eye.
He knew some words, and couldn't help but glance at the paper figure next to him, and saw clearly what was written on it: Soul, Return!! Bones were carved with Qin seals, and animals were sacrificed by the Chu people. There was wood in the east, candle shadow in the west, three animals in the south, and people in the north...
Wow~
Before he could identify it carefully, a large number of paper figures swam past.
In the middle of these terrible things, there is a large red lacquer coffin with dragons and phoenixes painted in gold, which is not what ordinary people use.
Soon, the paper man disappeared into the darkness.
The surrounding dense fog also dissipated.
However, the two of them did not dare to move. After a long time, the watchman Lao Zhao got up suddenly and lifted up the rags on his body.
The apprentice also followed suit, sucked in the fresh air, and said with lingering fear, "Master, what is that?"
"How do I know!"
Lao Zhao glared, but his tone softened, "You're not a bad kid, you didn't get so scared that you ran around and hurt me."
After receiving the praise, the apprentice seemed to be much bolder. Looking at the smelly rag in his hand, he asked, "Master, what kind of treasure is this?"
"Primal Chaos Golden Robe!"
"I'll give it to you if you want it, twenty coppers."
Lao Zhao said casually, then looked towards the corner, his eyes became serious, "I'm afraid something will happen, come with me."
After that, he took his apprentice and turned back again.
Arriving in front of the paper coffin shop, something happened here.
But seeing that the paper man shop was in a mess, the paper man outside had disappeared, the lights went out, and the two apprentices in the shop fell to the ground.
His eyes were full of fear and his body was covered with frost.
Around the paper shop, black mold was seeping from the cracks in the bricks.
Clang clang clang!
The rapid sound of gongs and drums resounded through the night sky of the ancient city...
Yi River is a branch of the Luo River, a tributary on the south bank of the Yellow River. According to <Luan Chuan County Records> records, Yi River is also called Yishui, which is the ancient Luan River.
Although the weather is cold, the ice on the Yi River has dissipated, rising and falling in the yellow river water, constantly slapping against the hull.
Wow~Wow~
The wooden boat looks like it is traveling through ice.
On the bow of the ship, Li Yan stood with his hands behind his back.
The river wind blowing in his face caused his black hair on the temples to move slightly, and the black fur cloak on his body also fluttered slightly.
After a long journey, they finally arrived in Luoyang.
It was not a peaceful journey along the way.
From Chengdu Prefecture, they entered the Yangtze River along the Minjiang River, then passed through Xiangyang and entered the Tangbai River from the Han River. When they arrived in Nanyang, they traveled on both land and water.
Along the way, there are three thousand miles of water and five hundred miles of land.
It took more than ten days.
It was already a hurry, and something happened on the way.
When passing by Leshan Li Dui, the ship ran aground. Fortunately, he was well-known in the rivers and lakes in central Sichuan, and the local Shoal Master leader personally came to help...
When we arrived at Hankou, we encountered "Cao Gang" fighting with the Raft Sect and blocking the waterway. The person in charge was still a fool. He dared to ask them for "court money" and took action directly, which attracted the elder Cao Gang to come to accuse...
Of course, I also gave them the "Cajun Order Flag". In addition, Giant Turtle Master appeared, and wherever they passed, all the Huguang bandits and water bandits dispersed...
When we arrived at Tangbai River, the water was shallow due to the construction of the reservoir, so we separated again and changed to several "Meng Boat" boats to continue moving forward...
Beside him, a strong man sat cross-legged on the deck, eating snacks one bite at a time, his eyes narrowed.
Among everyone, Wu Ba is the most Xiaoyao.
He ate wherever he went, and his mouth became full of food.
To make him so satisfied, the snacks in the oil paper bag are naturally good.
Luoyang was the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties. Its dim sum combines palace meals, Xuanmen offerings and street fireworks. It has both the elegance passed down for thousands of years and the profound culture of Heluo city.
This is the "Tang Sweets" I bought from a good snack shop when I passed by Bowang Post in the evening and stopped for dinner.
Originally a palace snack, it was made by absorbing Hu Shi techniques. In the past, it was only available in the homes of high-ranking officials. Now, with the decline of Divine Capital, it has also been introduced to the people.
There is Imperial Concubine Red, which is filled with Luoning red adzuki beans, wrapped in glutinous rice skin, dyed with rouge color, and shaped like a peony. Rumor has it that Yang Yuhuan is the favorite...
There is Mandala Cake, which is an offering for the birthday of Buddha White Horse Temple. It is made of sesame and honey into the shape of an eight-petal lotus, which means "Eightfold Path"...
There are also peony delicacies, Peony Pastry, Peony Honey Cake. Among the eight major items in Luoyang, Open Smile, Golden Sesame Date, Glutinous Rice Stick...
Such a big bag is naturally not cheap.
Someone once said, "A box of fruit made by a noble family in Luoyang costs ten gold." You can imagine the price.
From these delicacies, you can get a glimpse of the climate of that year.
Of course, Wu Ba doesn't care, one bite at a time.
"I don't mind being too panicked!"
Li Yan glanced at it and shook his head speechlessly.
Many of these things are sweets, so he can eat more if they are paired with good tea.
After saying that, he narrowed his eyes slightly and turned around.
I saw "Meng Boat" in the rear, Tongtian Sect's Di Longzi, jumping up from the deck, leaping seven or eight meters, and then stepped on the water.
There was a roar and water splashed everywhere.
The man also rose into the sky again and landed firmly on their boat.
Although the opponent's hands are not well injured, his skills are still there. With this move, the ordinary Hidden Strength hand cannot do it at all.
The other party has entered Transformed Strength.
But in Li Yan's eyes, it was full of flaws.
He is only half a step away from Pellet Strength.
Of course, Li Yan would not show off casually, he just smiled and nodded and said, "Senior, you have such handsome skills!"
"It's funny."
Di Longzi shook his head and looked forward, and said in a deep voice, "Young Hero Li, right in front is the Yi River ferry. There is a Dragon Gate Post inside. We can change horses there and go straight to Luoyang."
"Just follow the arrangements of seniors."
Li Yan nodded slightly, with a calm expression.
He is not a newcomer to the world. After chatting a few times along the way, he has become certain that this old man is definitely not good-hearted.
He even vaguely guessed the opponent's plan.
It's nothing more than using his power to get rid of a few enemies.
When the old man was on the Qingcheng Mountain, there were six or seven disciples around him, but now there are only four, and the remaining three are probably in the lead.
Although it is clear, Li Yan doesn't care.
Different Daoist statuses naturally lead to different methods of doing things.
In the past, they had no reputation and insufficient strength. They still faced evil giants and reincarnated demons, each one more difficult to deal with than the last.
Therefore, you must use both sides to avoid being aggressive and win over your teammates.
Nowadays, all we need to do is remain unchanged and adapt to the ever-changing situation.
After all, the person behind the scenes can be forced out.
Not long after, a ferry appeared in front of it. Although it was not as lively as the Hankou ferry and Chaotian Gate ferry, it was still quite large.
The boats here are different from those in the south.
The main ones are Canal Transport Ship, which is a "grain boat" on the shallow bottom of the Yellow River, commonly known as "Yellow River Flatboat". It has a keel made of eucalyptus wood and is tightly connected with rivets.
A two-masted ship, used for both passengers and cargo, commonly known as "Yellow River Kite".
There is also Paired Trough Boat. The two ships are side by side, connected by iron chains, and covered with wooden boards. They are under the jurisdiction of Yuzhou City. The shipowner must hold "Canal Token".
The rest include River-Mixing Dragon and Bundled Compartment Boat.
I also saw a military vessel, the Yellow River Tower Ship, with a double deck, a parapet and an arrow stack on the upper deck, rowers hidden on the lower deck, and a cannon on the bow.
After getting on the ferry for a while, everyone, led by Di Longzi, immediately left the shore.
Not long after walking along Official Road, a large-scale inn suddenly appeared in front of you.
Di Longzi winked, and immediately a disciple ran into the inn.
They have been active in Yuzhou all year round and are very familiar with the place. Even if the Yi Cheng does not know the color, he can still get the horse with the help of Dao ultimatum.
However, not long after the disciple entered, he ran out and said helplessly, "Master, there is no horse."
"Interesting."
Di Longzi was very angry, "If the station is not equipped with horses, is it possible that everyone in this station wants to lose their heads?"
The imperial court stipulated that the post station must always have fast horses to deliver important information along the way. If the post official dared to rent all the horses to merchants, it would cost money rather than life.
When the disciple heard this, he quickly explained, "Dragon Gate Post Originally there were quite a few, but some people from Qianhusuo came this morning and rushed to Luoyang in a hurry to take away all the horses?"
"Oh?"
Li Yan remembered the military ship he saw on the shore before and said in a deep voice, "Did something happen in Luoyang?"
The disciple shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"I don't know anything, so what are you exploring!"
Di Longzi's face suddenly turned ugly when he saw this.
These disciples are good at flattering him, but they are just a little stupid, which often makes him embarrassed in front of his colleagues.
The disciple hurriedly said, "Master, don't be surprised. I have already asked if horses can be obtained here. According to Yi Cheng, there is an elder Heluo Horse Caravan who is staying at an inn ahead."
"The people from the caravan still have a few horses on hand."
"By the way, the inn is called Dragon Gate Inn..."