Second Chance Chapter 1708

Zhao Wenhua as the officiating priest, leading a group of officials and all the people present, kneeling to the emperor’s tablets, and then read the imperial decree, and then in a burst of sacrificial music in the beginning of the reading of the sacrificial text.
“Jiajing my emperor, grace long; the four seas head, eight unity; Kunpeng ploughing the sea, roc long sky; political and human peace, the moral way evergreen; happy to meet the prosperous times, the material and the people. However, there is a siren, against the Japanese invaders, offensive to the laws of heaven, disturbing my coast, bold and presumptuous; the magnificent
The four seas, the great ocean, the blue waves, the sea is vast, the four sea dragon king, all parties God, please accept my sacrifice, bless my Ming, Xing my family state, kill the siren, capsize the Japanese ship ……”
On top of the high altar, Zhao Wenhua recited the sacrificial text in a staccato manner, gloating and complacent.
Underneath the altar, Zhu Pingan was highly nervous, scrutinising every corner of the sacrificial ground, his eyes almost turning into eagle eyes.
Reciting the ritual text, offering to the gods, offering incense and silk, and the Taoist priests rising to the altar to perform the ritual. ……
With each step of the ceremony, Zhu Pingan’s nervousness increased, and a layer of cold sweat gradually appeared on his back.
However, until the last step of the ceremony was carried out, the Jiao field was also calm.
When the sacrifices were poured into the sea, the atmosphere of the entire sea sacrifice site reached its peak.
At this point, the formal ceremony of the sea sacrifice ceremony is over, and it can also be said that the sea sacrifice has been successfully completed. The next step is the informal process, which is to have fun with the people, such as juggling, singing, monkey playing and other social entertainment activities, and in the evening there will be the most anticipated fireworks programme.
Ancient times are not as colourful as modern times, except for the New Year’s festivals and the annual temple fair some entertainment activities, usually there is no entertainment to see.
In the ancient times of curfew, candles are not willing to light them, night life in addition to sleep with the lights off to create a small person, and then no other.
Now not only the stage has a juggling, singing opera, monkey and other entertainment, I heard that at night there will be fireworks, especially the adults said, the night will be managed to eat, can have meat fishy it, the people are excited, where to leave ah, a clap and shouting good to see the show.
While the people were applauding and shouting for a good show, Zhao Wenhua had already called the officials present to have a celebration banquet.
Inside the marquee, there were four large tables with a wide variety of food and wine, and more than forty officials were gathered together. The officials were arranged on different tables according to their rank and seniority.
On the main table, Zhao Wenhua was smiling and happy, Zhang Jing was sitting next door to Zhao Wenhua, Hu Zongxian was sitting on the other side of Zhao Wenhua, and Yingtian’s Minister of Rites, Minister of War, and other officials were also listed among them.
Zhu Pingan respectfully sat at the end of the main table, and Linhuai Hou, who was the deputy general of Jianghuai, sat at Zhu Pingan’s top position.
“Hahaha, thanks to the help of all of my colleagues, this sea sacrifice ceremony that will go down in history can be completed smoothly and successfully. This sea sacrifice is not the work of me, Zhao Wenhua alone, all of you here are also meritorious people, this official will report the facts and ask for credit for all of your colleagues. This first cup of wine, this official toasts all of you colleagues, thank you for your help.”
Zhao Wenhua, with a glowing and complacent face, raised his wine cup and toasted to the group of officials in the tent.
Zhang Jing sat still, perfunctory end of the wine cup, he could come to participate in the sea sacrifice celebration banquet, but also in the face of the Jiajing Emperor, a good start and a good finish.
After the Sea Sacrifice, even if Zhao Wenhua knelt to death in front of him, he would not attend Zhao Wenhua’s banquet.
“Ta-Jen Zhao is polite, it’s all part of our duties.”
Zhu Pingan, Hu Zongxian, and a host of other officials present, rose and returned the salute with wine cups of courtesy.
Of course, there were also those who were more flattering, such as the two officials who had long stood up to Zhao Wenhua, and when they returned the toast, they desperately tried to pat Zhao Wenhua on the back.
“Ta-Jen Zhao is too polite, it’s also a great fortune for us to be able to participate in today’s Sea Sacrifice Ceremony which is destined to go down in history. The success of today’s Sea Sacrifice is all due to Lord Zhao’s planning and arrangements, we are just following orders, how can we dare to claim credit. The success of today’s Sea Sacrifice illustrates the truth that all we need to do is listen to Lord Zhao’s arrangements, follow orders, and then wait for success.”
“With the successful completion of this sea sacrifice, we will be able to fight against the Japanese in the future with divine help, and we will be able to get the wind when we need it and get the rain when we need it, so we will be able to achieve success when we arrive. The successful eradication of the Japanese in the future is also due to the blessing of Lord Zhao’s sea sacrifice today.”
Zhu Pingan noticed that when the two of them were saying these words, Zhang Jing, who had set his face, became even more smelly.
The table was filled with a wide array of food, but Zhu Pingan had trouble swallowing it and did not have an appetite.
It was not that the food was not tasty, but he was worried in his heart.
The Japanese pirates did not do anything at the Sea Sacrifice Ceremony, so there must be a bigger plot brewing. The Japanese invaders couldn’t possibly have ventured all the way into the festival grounds just to watch the sea festival, right?
As I watched, the blood-red and black aura that rose up from the sky in the entire Bun Festival grounds had become even more intense. This means that the danger of bloodshed and death is even greater than it was in the morning, so it can be seen that the Japanese invaders are brewing a plot that is not trivial.
No matter what plot the Japanese were up to, it was definitely aimed at killing, destruction, and influence. Since no action was taken at the Sea Ceremony, and the officials and soldiers all pulled out their camps and left early tomorrow morning, the Japanese would in all probability launch a surprise attack at night.
The Japanese were really cunning and took them by surprise. Instead of attacking during the Sea Ceremony, they attacked after the Ceremony was over.
The successful holding of the Sea Ceremony in the daytime had made everyone paralysed and slackened off, so the probability of the Japanese raid at night was extremely high; moreover, the dark and windy night, when killing and setting fire to people, it would be easier for the Japanese to sneak in at night and win.
Thinking of this, Zhu Pingan was even more difficult to swallow.
“Xian nephew, why don’t you eat ah, is not appetising?Shouldn’t ah, today’s cook is from the imperial kitchen family, this dish burns deliciously tight, after coming to the south, it’s been a while since I ate so comfortably.”Linhuai Hou too mouthful of abalone, saw Zhu Pingan beside him did not put down his chopsticks much, could not help but ask curiously.
In his impression, Zhu Pingan was super fond of food, every time he was gorging and eating non-stop, today the top delicious current cooked by the Imperial Chef Family, but he didn’t put down his chopsticks much.
This was very abnormal.
“Uncle, the wine and food are indeed delicious, I just don’t have an appetite.”Zhu Pingan simply explained.
“Hehe, is Xian Nephew worried about the Japanese?Relax, the sea sacrifice ceremony is over, the Japanese pirates didn’t rebel, and it’s even more unlikely that they’ll rebel after that. It can be seen that with our army in place, the Japanese simply do not dare to come to stroke the tiger’s whiskers. My nephew, you can rest assured that you have had enough to eat and drink, sleep well at night, and pull out of the camp tomorrow morning to go home. Come on, nephew, try this abalone, it’s really well made.”Marquis Linhuai patted Zhu Pingan’s shoulder and said with a smile, after saying this, he also affectionately gave Zhu Pingan a honey abalone, enthusiastically advising the meal.
“Thank you uncle.”
Zhu Pingan squeezed a smile.
This was a celebration banquet, and Zhu Pingan did not want to make a big fuss, preparing to report to Zhao Wenhua and Zhang Jing after the celebration banquet was over.