Zhenfubao waved his hand and the warehouse was full of grain, and the whole family regretted it

Chapter 308 Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony

They were exhausted from the journey and didn't dare to stay in any inn along the way, so they stayed in the wilderness. They walked like this for several days and didn't meet anyone.

At noon, the sun shone on the winding mountain road, and Master Bai and his group moved slowly forward with the convoy.

Suddenly, a village appeared ahead, and the bustling noise could be heard from afar.

Lin Wanwan was sitting in the carriage. When she heard the crackling sound of firecrackers, her eyes lit up instantly. Is this the New Year?

In the village, the sound of firecrackers rang out one after another, and the sound of gongs and drums from the lion dance made people feel warm in their hearts.

Two majestic lions were seen jumping and tumbling among the crowd, attracting constant cheers from the surrounding villagers.

The children were wearing new clothes, their faces flushed by the cold wind, holding candies in their hands, and running and laughing in the crowd.

Master Bai looked at the bustling village and was about to ask everyone to continue on their way when a village chief with gray hair came out quickly.

The village chief, wearing a washed-out cotton-padded jacket and a simple smile on his face, asked enthusiastically, "Where are you from?"

Master Bai quickly clasped his fists in greeting and said politely, "We are refugees from a remote place."

The village chief looked them up and down, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and he smiled:

“Hey, you guys don’t look like you’re fleeing.

How about coming into our village for a drink?"

Master Bai quickly waved his hand and refused: "That's not necessary, we have to hurry on our way."

The village chief grabbed Master Bai's arm and said earnestly:

“It’s okay, you guys are celebrating Chinese New Year, come in and have something to eat!

We don't have any fancy food here, but we have enough simple meals. Let's just have some fun together and celebrate the New Year!

What’s more, we have a ceremony to worship the heaven in our village.”

"A ceremony to offer sacrifices to the heavens?" Master Bai stroked his beard and asked, "What does this mean?"

The village chief smiled and said, "This is an old tradition. You have caught up with it today. Why don't you stay and watch it together?"

Master Bai nodded and said, "Okay, then let's stay and take a look!"

To be honest, he didn't want to stay, but since it was Chinese New Year, he might as well just watch the fun.

As soon as they entered the village, they were surrounded by a group of children.

The children looked at them with their big curious eyes. The village was huge, with houses lined up one after another, decorated with lights everywhere, and filled with a strong festive atmosphere.

The village chief enthusiastically led them to a spacious open space and said with a smile:

"I'll arrange for someone to prepare food for you, so please feel free to fill your stomachs first.

After the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heavens is over, we will have a good meal!"

Master Bai looked around and saw that the place was spacious and safe, so he smiled and ordered, "Set up the tent here. We will rest here for the night. We have been traveling for many days and everyone is exhausted."

Not long after, the village chief and several villagers hurried over carrying steaming food.

All the white flour buns just out of the pot are white and plump, exuding the simple wheat aroma.

The village chief smiled and said, "Everyone, hurry up and eat while it's hot. There will be delicious wine and food later!"

Lin Wanwan was really afraid that there was something wrong with these white flour buns, so she didn't dare to eat them at all.

Madam Bai smelled the white flour bun, took out the silver needle and said, "No problem."

Master Bai smiled and said:

“This is Qiyou City, and the villages and towns within the city attach great importance to offering sacrifices to heaven.

Especially during the Chinese New Year, every village would do their best to present the best food accumulated during the year respectfully to God as a sacrifice.

For them, this heaven sacrifice is the most important event of the year."

The village chief beside him had a kind smile on his face and nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, the guest is right, we have always had this tradition here.

When it comes to the New Year's Day and the time to worship the gods, dozens of nearby villages will gather together.

Each village brought out what it considered the best, whether it was the fattest cattle and sheep or the most abundant grains from the harvest, all of which were carefully selected.”

"The scene will be very lively, with people from dozens of villages gathering in the square for the ceremony, and altars filled with offerings will be placed next to each other.

Everyone watched eagerly, hoping their village would stand out. The village chief gestured enthusiastically, his eyes full of pride.

“After the ceremony, we will invite the most respected elders in the village to form a judging panel.

They will carefully examine the offerings from each village, taking every aspect into consideration, from quality and quantity to the neatness of their placement, as well as the villagers' pious attitude during the ceremony.

The village with the richest and most thoughtful offerings, and whose villagers behave most devoutly, will be judged as the most sincere in offering sacrifices to heaven."

"For a village to be recognized as such is an honor for the entire village! For the entire next year, the surrounding villages will show them special respect.

It is easier for the young people in the village to talk about relatives, because everyone thinks that a village that sincerely worships the heaven must be blessed by the heaven, and the family style and character must be correct.

Moreover, when it comes to sowing next year, other villages will come to ask for their experience.

The village elders will also be invited to various locations to share their experiences with heaven worship and impart farming techniques. "The village chief's face was filled with longing.

It seems that this ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven is still very meaningful to their villages.

Master Bai nodded and said, "Then I'd like to take a closer look at your heavenly offering ceremony..."

The village chief laughed and said:

"We have always been very welcoming to passers-by! As long as your heart is good, we will definitely invite you home, because your arrival represents the arrival of wealth.

The more people you welcome, the better your fortune will be this year.

You should stay here for two days and feel the hospitality of our village!"

Before he could finish his words, a young man rushed over in a hurry, panting and shouting as he ran: "Village chief, village chief! People from the neighboring Daohua Village are here, and they said they want to see you!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the village chief of Daohua Village walking towards them with his hands behind his back, striding forward with a hint of provocation:

"Lao Niu, I'm making this clear! In tomorrow's Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony, our Daohua Village will definitely win!

Don't waste your energy, we've already secured the first place in this year's Heaven Sacrifice!"

Lao Niu responded calmly:

"Oh, it's too early for you to say that! Offering sacrifices to heaven requires sincerity, not just words.

Who will win and who will lose will be revealed tomorrow on the altar!"

When the head of Daohua Village heard this, he crossed his arms and raised his chin.

"Humph, the sacrifices our village prepared this time were carefully selected. How can you compare with us?"

The old cow dusted himself off, his eyes determined:

"Let's compete! The villagers in our village have been preparing since the beginning of the year. We are very sincere and are not afraid of you.

When the time comes, don’t deny your loss!”