Chapter 55: 20,000 Decoys
Although the victory of the Central Plains was a huge burden to the court, the victory itself brought infinite encouragement to the Sui army and civilians. On the occasion of the Zhongyuan Festival, this traditional festival of sacrifices to the Yin Festival became a festival to celebrate victory.
In Taiyuan City, not only were the rivers filled with water lamps, but the sound of oars and waves swaying, and the main rivers of Taiyuan City became colorful.
Not only the river, but also every household hangs lanterns from Shangyuan Night and sets up the Ullambana, which also celebrates the great victory of the Sui army in this way.
At night, countless small vendors rushed to Jinyang Street. They had a keen sense of smell and discovered the arrival of business opportunities. The gathering of small vendors also attracted more people to go out. For a time, shopping and watching the lights filled the streets and alleys of Taiyuan City.
Fire trees and silver flowers, the entire Taiyuan City became a night sky.
On the street, groups of children were running happily with lotus lanterns, and each stall was filled with customers. Although this was not the Lantern Festival, happiness was the most important thing for children.
The girls also played in groups on the street, gathering stalls selling jewelry and powder, and choosing various cheap small jewelry.
In front of a stall selling copper jewelry, two girls squeezed together to select copper jewelry. Hundreds of dazzling arrays of jewelry made them look confused.
Two girls were about fourteen or fifteen years old, and the other was only about eleven years old. They both had bright eyes and white teeth and were charming. They were wearing long skirts made of fine linen and a short shirt. Their hair was combed into a double-ringed bun for watching the moon, and their skin was as white as jade.
Although they dressed simply, their extraordinary temperament made the men and women around them eclipse.
However, the two girls were so charming, but no one dared to make any decisions. Beside them, four or five female soldiers with swords stood, with strong figures and cold eyes.
It is normal for female soldiers to appear on the streets of Taiyuan. They are usually female guards. Everyone is not used to it since the beginning, but now they are used to it. However, these female soldiers are really fierce and do not have the feeling of a woman, and are stronger than men.
But they protected the two girls very well. They seemed careless, but no one got close to the two girls. Even the stall owner felt the unusual identity of the girl.
The two girls, the older one is Yang Fangxin, the Danyang princess of the Sui Dynasty, and the younger one is Yang Bing, the eldest daughter of Yang Yuanqing.
Due to the strict family rules of the Yang family, the two naturally had no chance to go out. However, Yang Fangxin used the excuse to visit her mother and took Yang Bing out.
Such a bustling and prosperous Zhongyuan Festival night. If you don’t come out to play, you will simply let down the girl’s youth.
Fortunately, Taiyuan has strict public security and military patrols everywhere. Ordinary gangsters rarely see them. It’s not that there is no, but they are just restrained. They either thieves or squeeze their buttocks around women when there are too many people to touch their buttocks, squeeze their chests, and blatantly teasing and robbing women will almost never happen.
Therefore, although the two girls are extremely outstanding, like sweet lilies in the water, attracting countless attention, there is no boring disciple who comes to harass and tease him.
"Sister, look at this copper hairpin..."
Before Yang Bing finished speaking, she was interrupted by Yang Fangxin. She whispered: "Didn't you say it earlier? Don't call me sister, if you want to call me a aunt, why are you good at the mansion and change your name when you come out?"
Yang Bing felt a little aggrieved and pouted, "There is no way to call you Auntie in the mansion. Is it okay to call her sister? You asked me to call you before."
Yang Bing smiled and said, "It's okay, it's not easy for you to do business, so buy something for your daughter."
The vendor was moved. Seeing that there were no lamps in their hands, he took out two water lotus lanterns from under the table and handed them to them, "Take these two to you, go to the river to make a wish and turn on the lamp!"
"Thank you uncle."
Yang Bing took the lamp and gave Yang Fangxin a lamp. The two of them walked quickly towards the river with joy. The five female soldiers immediately followed them, only a few steps apart.
The vendor looked at them and shook his head, saying to himself, "This is the daughter of a senior official. He is actually a female soldier guarding him, but he is still wearing a slut skirt. It's incredible!"
The vendor turned around and suddenly covered his mouth in horror. He knew whose daughter he was.
.........
The Jinyang River is the main river in Taiyuan City and runs through the entire city. At this time, the government placed more than a thousand water lamps in the water, arranged neatly. There were lanterns arranged on dozens of small boats. The water light was reflected, with various shapes and dazzling colors.
Two lighthouses are erected by the river, called the Soul-Summoning Tower, which is set up by Yuantong Temple in the city. The lights are brightly lit and will be lit overnight. The lamp oil is also donated by each household, and the small amount is gathered into the most.
At this time, the lighthouse was filled with common people who were lighting the lamps, and the scholars and daughters were very noisy. They lit a lamp, made a wish, drifted away with the water, and finally the dead relatives could receive their wishes.
The riverside is also filled with girls who are turning on lights. Another custom says that unmarried girls can make a wish on this night. The lights go with the water, and then their wishes will come true.
The girls' wishes are naturally to find a good man. They rolled up their sleeves, exposed their white wrists, and put the water lotus lamp into the water. Slowly, the lamp flowed towards the heart of the river with the waves to form a spectacular lamp array.
In a slightly secluded river section, Yang Bing and Yang Fangxin lit the water lotus lamp, and the female soldiers guarding them brought flints and fire notes, so there was no need to join in the fun in front of the lighthouse.
There are actually quite a few people in this area, and a group of scholars from the Imperial College were lighting lights not far away.
"A Gu, what wish do you want?" Yang Bing asked excitedly. Today was the first time she turned on the lights and was curious about everything.
"Am I! Of course I'm saying a few words to greet my father."
Seeing her excited, Yang Fangxin smiled and said, "Do you make a wish to find a good man?"
Yang Bing's face suddenly turned red, and he stamped his feet and shouted: "If you talk nonsense, I will ignore you. I also want to wish my father safe and return triumphantly as soon as possible."
Seeing that she was anxious like an angry little duck, Yang Fangxin smiled and said, "Okay! OK! I won't joke with you anymore."
Yang Fangxin found a clean grass, spread it with a veil, knelt down on her knees, rolled up her sleeves, revealing a white wrist like a lotus root, holding the water lotus lamp in both hands and making a wish in a low voice, then put the water lotus lamp into the river.
Yang Bing also silently made a wish for his father, put the water lotus lamp into the water, and two water lotus lamps gathered together and slowly drifted into the river.
Yang Fangxin looked at the two lamps walking side by side, and she couldn't help but sigh softly.
Not far away, a group of Imperial College scholars noticed them. The two girls' transcendent temperament made them admire them. Among them, Yang Bing was still young, but Yang Fangxin attracted their attention.
Everyone whispered and whispered, pushing and urging, and finally a scholar stepped forward and bowed to Yang Fangxin, "Little student Zhang Zhi, from Xihe County, may I ask about the name of a girl?"
Chapter completed!