Of course, he also wanted to see how this "golden flower" would end. Would it last forever? Or how would it be...
"Hubby~ Let's go... I can't keep up."
Xiang Yuanyuan stood on tiptoe and pulled Du Ruo, who was walking slowly behind her, with an excited look on her face.
"Okay, do you want me to pick you up? Just like them."
Du Ruo calmed his mind. He just took a quick glance and didn't know what would happen next. So he focused his attention and pointed at a man next to him who put the little girl on his shoulders.
"Forget it, it's too eye-catching."
Xiang Yuanyuan took a look and although she was somewhat tempted, she immediately shook her head to deny it. They were considered to be quite popular on the Internet.
Such an eye-catching action would definitely cause some trouble if someone recognized it, which would go against the original intention of the two people. This was not what she wanted to see.
"Okay, then I'll lead the way and you follow behind."
Seeing this, Du Ruo no longer insisted. It was just a joke. After saying that, he was ready to pull Xiang Yuanyuan to follow.
"Hey~ Wait, I'll go buy some incense, so that the atmosphere can be better."
Seeing that Du Ruo was about to enter the crowd, Xiang Yuanyuan called out to Du Ruo and said that since she was here, she should blend in. Except for some anchors, everyone else around her was holding incense sticks, so she would definitely follow them, holding incense sticks as well, so that there would be a sense of ritual.
There was a store selling incense nearby, but the price was a little bit expensive. However, Xiang Yuanyuan didn't care too much about that. After buying a bundle of incense, she lit it with the lighter given by the store, and happily chased after Du Ruo.
Apart from anything else, Tai Chi is really useful among these people.
Coupled with the true meaning of water, Du Ruo can pull Xiang Yuanyuan and move freely like a fish even in a crowded crowd, and the key point will not attract too much attention.
This parade of gods was actually different from what Du Ruo had learned about on the Internet. There were not many gods with tower bones like those seen on the Internet. For example, the five princes and three princesses who were very popular on the Internet did not appear.
Moreover, this parade was more grand and solemn, without the joyousness of the trip of the Crown Prince and Princess, because the one taking part in the parade this time was the Empress, who was at the level of the main deity, with a higher standard and was more respected.
The ceremonial guards used in the parade of gods are actually those used by officials when they traveled in ancient times.
There must be someone leading the way, someone holding a sign, someone holding a flag, and then because of his status, the main god also needs to be carried all the way.
Of course, there are also bands, lion and dragon dances, and so on. In short, it is full of ritual sense. In addition, the believers follow behind on foot, allowing the main god to come out in the first month of the year to inspect his territory and his believers.
Wherever the team went along the way, firecrackers went off, and none of them stopped.
Not only that, wherever the team passed, you could see many old people setting up altars, kneeling down to pray, burning incense and paper to pray, which shows that the coastal residents have heartfelt respect for these gods.
Of course, there will be a stove cleaner walking in front. They usually walk around the homes or doors of those houses where altars are set up, which is equivalent to the gods receiving the prayers of the host family.
Du Ruo followed behind, feeling the atmosphere, and occasionally looking at the changes in the golden flowers above the head of the Goddess.
He quietly felt the piety of these people and gained something different from it.
With his excellent hearing, he could hear the faint voices of these old people when they prayed.
Most of them hope for peace and prosperity for the country and the people, and then for the well-being of the family, or for the healthy growth of children. This is a desire for a better life in the future and a blessing for future generations.
After these people finish their worship, they usually put down what they are holding, hold the incense, and follow the team.
It was not as joyful as the parade circulated on the Internet, but it was more solemn.
Of course, there are also online parades, but not now. They will start in the next few days.
The previous parade is a manifestation of faith, while the subsequent parades are a celebration for the whole nation.
The entire team is huge, just like the pomp and circumstance of ancient officials traveling. These people need to work hard all day long to move around.
Not to mention that they have to carry platforms, plaques, clear the way and other ceremonial objects, even walking with empty feet is a very tiring task.
Therefore, there are naturally resting points in the middle for the gods to rest, and by the way, those who participate in the parade can also rest, eat something, replenish their energy, etc.
And the first stop happened to be the ancestral home of Lin Yaodong, the restaurant owner where Du Ruo and Xiang Yuanyuan had dinner yesterday.
When Du Ruo and Xiang Yuanyuan saw that the parade was about to arrive, they went to Lin Yaodong's ancestral home in advance, not to grab a spot or wait for worship.
Instead, they went to Lin Yaodong's house to help. There were so many people to entertain, and Lin Yaodong's wife was pregnant. Lin Yaodong and his parents alone certainly couldn't entertain them, so Du Ruo and Xiang Yuanyuan helped as much as they could.
Fortunately, some of Lin Yaodong's relatives knew that his family was holding a banquet to invite the gods to rest, so they all came to help, so the work was done.
The main goddess had not arrived yet, but Lin Yaodong was already standing next to the firecrackers covering the ground with a lighter in his hand, looking forward to it, while Du Ruo stood by and watched happily.
Xiang Yuanyuan followed the women in making tea or preparing some snacks like steamed buns.
"Here it comes, here it comes... crackle"
Lin Yaodong saw the procession approaching from afar. People on both sides had already started setting off firecrackers. A band with gongs and drums came over in the smoke. Lin Yaodong calculated the time and waited for the procession to approach before lighting firecrackers.
Soon, the surroundings were filled with the deafening sound of firecrackers. Lin Yaodong's ancestral home certainly could not accommodate such a large group of people.
Fortunately, only the goddess of gods was allowed to sit at the upper table in the ancestral house, and the others were naturally received by the surrounding residents.
Similarly, these residents who have been received can also pray and burn incense before the goddess.
We have to admit that the procession of the God-Worshipping Parade, which has been passed down for so long, is very well arranged.
In fact, the parade lasts a whole day, and those who participate in the parade have their food and drinks covered, and they also have to pay a certain amount of wages.
Some of them have made fortunes outside. Sponsored by wealthy businessmen whose ancestral home is in southern Fujian, Lin Yaodong's family invited the empress to stay. The expenses were actually not low. Tea and snacks were secondary, and his family also provided a lot of cigarettes and other things.
As for the rest, there are meals and worshipping gods at noon, meals and worshipping gods at night, and even midnight snacks. The whole thing is possible thanks to the wealthy businessmen who have kept this tradition going.
Of course, these have nothing to do with Du Ruo.
After the excitement, the people carrying the sedan chair placed the statue on the main seat, and then everyone was able to take a short rest.
The bands and dragon and lion dance performers will be praised for a while and then entertained by the surrounding residents.
As soon as the Empress sat down, she naturally had time to enjoy the tribute. During this time, Lin Yaodong's family, as well as Xiang Yuanyuan and Du Ruo, helped to make tea or distribute snacks. Lin Yaodong even took out cartons of cigarettes and started passing them to the people around him.
Only after a short rest did Lin Yaodong's family and some nearby residents begin to worship and burn incense under the guidance of the stove cleaner.
"Boss Du, you come too~"
Lin Yaodong held incense and stood in front of the empress. He looked around and found that only Xiang Yuanyuan was there, and Du Ruo was standing aside. He quickly stretched out his hand to call Du Ruo over, and moved his body to the side to make room for Du Ruo so that he could stand with Xiang Yuanyuan.
"This... okay."
Du Ruo didn't want to go over at first, but when he saw Xiang Yuanyuan standing in the crowd and smiling at him, he thought about it and decided to go over.
"Here, here you go."
Du Ruo walked to Lin Yaodong, who was sitting next to him at the front seat. After he stood still, Lin Yaodong considerately lit three incense sticks and gave them to Du Ruo.
"Please, Goddess, protect this village and pray that my wife can give birth smoothly, preferably to a son..."
"Please bless the Lin family with good weather and good harvests, so that there will be a male heir to inherit the family line..."
"Please, Goddess, bless my husband to have everything go smoothly, bless me to give birth to a son, and continue the Du family's incense..."
……
But when Du Ruo picked up the incense in his hand, he "heard" the prayers of the people around him.
However, this "listening" is different from listening with the ears. It seems to be a kind of mysterious induction. Through the incense, he can use his powerful "god" to sense the devout prayers of the believers around him.
But he quickly put these distracting thoughts behind him. These were not blessings directed at him, so he didn't need to pay attention to them. He didn't even think about responding.
He simply straightened his mind and prayed silently in his heart like everyone else.
"May the country be peaceful and the people be safe, may the weather be favorable, may the crops be abundant, may..."
Du Ruo never thought that he was worse than others, and he felt that he seemed to be getting closer and closer to the realm of earthly immortals, so his prayers did not contain any selfish desires.
"kneel!!"
The person on the side waited for everyone to pray, then shouted loudly.
Immediately afterwards, everyone knelt down, except Xiang Yuanyuan, who tilted her head to glance at Du Ruo before kneeling down.
But he found that Du Ruo did not kneel down, but was still standing there, with his head down and his lips moving slightly, still praying.
But Xiang Yuanyuan's attention was unconsciously attracted to Du Ruo.
Xiang Yuanyuan saw that the incense in Du Ruo's hand seemed to burn exceptionally fast. A thin wisp of smoke rose from the incense and then floated into the air.
Looking upwards along the thin smoke, Xiang Yuanyuan seemed to see it in a trance. The thin smoke was hovering above Du Ruo's head. Faintly through the smoke, Xiang Yuanyuan saw three flowers looming above Du Ruo's head.
The three flowers seemed to be blooming with light, making Xiang Yuanyuan feel dizzy. Moreover, there were flowers not only on Du Ruo's head, but also on the top of the statue's head. However, they were not as dazzling as those on Du Ruo's head.
"kneel!!!"
Xiang Yuanyuan was a little dazed at the moment and did not kneel down in time. When the people around saw that Xiang Yuanyuan did not kneel down, they shouted again. (End of this chapter)
