Under the sky

Chapter 143 Moths to the flame

Wang Hong felt flattered. She thought she would have to spend a lot of time explaining that she had not defected and that Yang Yan she had brought with her would be of great use to Gulthas.She expects to be challenged or even rejected, but she has to find a way to convince the other party until the other party is willing to let her see Gulthas or a high priest with enough power, and is willing to listen to her explanation of Yang Yan's "origin".For this reason, Wang Hong and Yang Yan practiced countless times in order to make Yang Yan appear more convincing.

However, he was invited to see Gulthas without even being introduced to Yang Yan.She explained to the brown-haired man that Yang Yan was a crucial person outside the customs and she must take him with her.The brown-haired man did not make things difficult, and agreed to let Yang Yan accompany him, and also sent a carriage to pick him up.But whether you can see Sa Si depends on what Sa Si wants.

It was a large carriage with a huge carriage and two well-trained horses. The carriage was about one and a half feet long and more than one foot wide. Yang Yan's stretched out hands were still just short of the carriage wall.Yang Yan had never seen such a big car before. It was impossible to see it in Guan Nei because the body was too big to walk on the streets.The roads in the villages outside the pass are much wider than those in the pass. In particular, a large open space is reserved in the center of the village or near the village entrance, usually at the entrance of the small ritual residence, which is a place for celebrations or prayers.Yang Yan didn't know if it was inevitable, but it was the same in the villages he passed.

The carriage is painted with bright red wood paint, carved with flame patterns and a large number of intersecting arcs. There is a golden ball on the roof, which may be pure gold.

Not only is it big, but it is also tall. If Yang Yan were shorter, he could stand upright inside.The wheels are huge, so the bottom of the car is also high. Although it is not a height that cannot be stepped on, it is still a bit inconvenient.Just as Yang Yan thought this, someone gave him a two-story staircase for him to get on.Yang Yan almost shouted "Oh!", but he was so particular about it.

The two of them boarded the carriage, which contained two rows of seats. The seats were made of cowhide, and the lower parts seemed to be covered with feathers, and the seats were softly made of cotton.The best carriage Yang Yan has ever taken was the one he shared with Leader Yu of the Xiangyang Clan. In terms of luxury, this carriage may not be as finely crafted as Leader Yu's carriage, but in terms of style, Leader Yu's carriage is far inferior. .

The car is spacious and can accommodate a table.Seeing that the other party greeted us with such a magnificent carriage, Yang Yan felt relieved and said, "I see that Gulthas is quite polite to us, welcoming us with such a good car."

Wang Hong was also surprised, but didn't think so.She said: "Do you know how far away the Temple Guard is from the Priest's House? It doesn't even take a quarter of an hour to walk. Maybe Gulthas just doesn't want us to be seen."

"Who saw it?" Yang Yan asked.

"I don't know." Wang Hong said, "Maybe I'm afraid of the other four Batu spies. The Sacrificial Guard Army is an important place, and important people often come and go."

As the carriage moved forward, Yang Yan opened the curtains and looked out. Pedestrians on the street were respectful when they saw the carriage. Many people put their left hand on their chest and bent down to salute.The carriage arrived at a certain street intersection, and a carriage approached from the side. Yang Yan was surprised and said: "This car is quite impressive!"

Wang Hong looked over and saw that it was a golden carriage about the same size as this car. It was richly decorated and decorated with white balls on the top of the carriage. Although it was not as solemn as this car, it was more noble.

"That's Arien's car."

"Arian?" Yang Yan asked, "Who?"

"His name is Tucker." Wang Hong replied.

"Who is Tucker?" Yang Yan was confused by Wang Hong.

Wang Hong knew that he had misunderstood and explained: "Yarien is the lord of Batu, and Tucker is the name of this lord. Just like Salhajin, Sal is the name and Hajin is the title."

"How old is Arien?" Yang Yan asked again.

"All the people of Nabu Badu are under his rule." Wang Hong replied.

"But Gulthas is bigger than him?" Yang Yan asked.He already knew the answer, but he wanted to make sure again.

"Yarion is the king and the head of the nobles. The nobles manage the people, and Sasi manages the nobles." Wang Hong replied.

Yang Yan said "Oh" in response.He watched Wang's car gradually approach and stop in front of the intersection, while his own car continued to move forward without stopping.Yang Yan watched Arien's coachman jump out of the car and stand on the roadside, his left hand on his chest and he bent down to salute.

After arriving outside the Pass for more than a month, it was only now that Yang Yan truly understood what kind of power faith is in this place outside the Pass, in the territory of the Sa tribe.

His heart suddenly beat very fast.Can he really become the son of God Sa and have such power?

With such power, can he take revenge?
If he can't take revenge even if he has such power, then what else can allow him to take revenge...

Less than a quarter of an hour after the carriage drove, Yang Yan saw a huge building with hard stone walls and pure white walls, with bright blue paint on the top and bottom of the walls.In the middle are three straight round towers. The towers are about [-] to [-] feet high. Yang Yan is not sure, but he only feels that they are very solemn and majestic.There were carvings on the stone wall, but Yang Yan couldn't take a closer look because the carriage drove inside without stopping.

Passing through the iron gate that can accommodate huge carriages, the road is lined with trees. Behind the trees, you can see green lawns, flowers and ponds. Yang Yan stretched out his head and saw the magnificent palace at the end of the tree road.

This palace is too big. The largest Nu Wang Palace in Kunlun Palace and the North Pole Palace in Wudang, which is dedicated to Emperor Zhenwu, all look narrow in front of it. This palace alone is as big as Gang Leader Yu's house, right?

"What do you think this place is called?" Yang Yan asked.At this moment, he felt like he was back when he was a boy, sitting on his grandfather's lap and listening to the story of the angry king, and he was curious about everything.

"Priest's Courtyard." Wang Hong was lying by the window, feeling irritable and said casually, "Don't ask, I haven't been here either."

On the right side of the end of the tree path stands a huge stone statue, about two feet tall, with flaming hair, wearing armor, holding a shield in his left hand and a scimitar in his right hand. He has a fierce look and is ready to chop.The stone statue is so lifelike that if a carriage passes by, it will be split into two pieces.

Yang Yan shouted: "What a big stone statue!"

He thought that since there was a stone statue on the right side, there must be one on the left side as well.He and Wang Hong changed seats. Looking at the stone statue on the left, it was also more than two feet tall, but it was an old man wearing a silk robe. He held a torch in his left hand and a book in his right hand. His waist was slightly bent, and his face was kind and wise.

When the carriage passed by, Yang Yan even "saw" the looming skin under the silk robe.It's obviously a stone statue, but why are its feet visible under its clothes? ?

Yang Yan had seen statues of gods in Wudang. Emperor Zhenwu in the North Pole Hall was far taller and more majestic than this stone statue, but when it came to being lifelike, it was not as good as it was.It was the first time he saw such a simulated stone sculpture. He was shocked and said in surprise: "I have never seen such a stone statue before. How was it carved?"

Wang Hong said: "Is this strange? It is said that Suma Batu has many stone carving talents, and they are all craftsmen from the barbarian tribe."

Yang Yanzhen was not used to hearing barbarians call them barbarians, so he asked again: "Who are these two stone sculptures?"

"Yanabhata and Tenges Khan, you don't need me to tell you which is which, right?"

Yang Yan was filled with admiration and thought that if he had the chance, he would get closer and appreciate it in detail. He then asked: "Is there no stone statue in Sarhajin?"

"There are many Naibubadu." Wang Hong said impatiently, "Don't ask questions, I'm scared to death."

She was on tenterhooks, not knowing what Gulthas would do to her, and she really wasn't in the mood to enjoy the scenery.Seeing her losing her temper, Yang Yan lay by the window and continued to look at the scenery outside the window.

The carriage stopped in front of the palace, the door opened, and the driver walked up the steps.After the two got off the bus, two envoys came forward to ask for their identities and led them inside.

The palace corridors are winding and winding, and there are many rooms, which are completely different from the layout of the houses in the pass.The hall was quiet and solemn. Although people wearing linen robes came and went from time to time, no one spoke. Only the occasional human voice came from the room.Yang Yan was affected by the solemn atmosphere and did not dare to ask any more questions.

Walking through the corridor and passing a hall, you can see a small manor with an area of ​​seven to eight feet. Although it is small, it is elegantly decorated with flowers, plants and ponds. There is a human-sized stone statue in the middle, and there are stone tables and chairs next to it.Yang Yan had no time to take a closer look, so he walked through the small manor and went to another hall.This hall was much larger than the halls he had seen before. It was probably dozens of feet wide from front to back and left to right.It can accommodate thousands of people.

The roof of this hall is extremely high, higher than the city wall, more than ten feet, right?Yang Yan looked up and saw that there were paintings on the roof?It was a battlefield map that seemed unfinished. Many areas were empty. There were entire rows of windows on the left and right sides - even the windows were as big as doors - making the hall bright and spacious.Directly in front of the entrance was a gate about one foot high. There was a row of guards standing in front of the gate. Yang Yan calculated that there were 11 people in total. One of them was wearing a different color from the others and was expected to be the leader.

Everything here is fucking big, Yang Yan thought to himself.

The leader was about forty years old, with a slender figure. He wore a blue robe with red flames embroidered on it. The cuffs were slightly narrower than those in Guannai clothing. The collar was high enough to cover the back of his head. He wore a silver belt, short blond hair, and a square forehead. He has the same square beard and is trimmed quite appropriately. You can tell at a glance that he has status.

"I am Potu Daji." The man looked at Yang Yan, and was frightened by Yang Yan's red eyes for a moment. He showed a slightly surprised look and asked, "Who is this?"

There are four levels of priests in the Sacrifice, namely, the small priest, the high priest, the main priest and the Sa Si. The same class also has upper and lower positions.Wang Hong didn't know what his position was, but since he could guard this gate, he must be someone Gulthas valued.

"Your Majesty God Sa, Nadia is attending the Potu Festival." Wang Hong put her left hand on her chest and bowed her knees slightly in salute.Yang Yan just stood aside.Wang Hong pulled Yang Yan and said: "His name is Yang Yan, and he is an important person I brought from the pass. I want Gursas to meet him."

Potu said: "Gulthas did not summon him."

Wang Hong said: "Reporting the Potu Festival, Nadia thinks..." Wang Hong mustered up her courage. Although she had told this lie many times along the way, this time, she was going to do it in the Priest's House, the highest divine authority in Nabu Batu. Location, tell this biggest lie.

In order to survive, in order to keep my family alive, in order to stop my father, mother and brother from being slaves.Wang Hong thought, mustered up the courage, knelt down on one knee, and touched her chest with her left hand: "Nadia believes that he is the son of Sa Shen, the second Sa Ha Jin!" She finally said it, her heart beating violently. , not daring to raise his head to see Botu's face.What would happen to me if the lie was exposed?
Potu looked at Yang Yan with a surprised expression and said to Wang Hong, "Do you know what the crime of blasphemy is?"

Wang Hong replied: "If it is blasphemy, it is Nadia's fault. But he has the same pair of flaming eyes as the prophet Yanavata. Nadia believes that this is the will of God Sa."

Potu hesitated for a long time and said, "I want to ask Gulthas for instructions." Then he said to the entourage who was leading the way, "Take them to the Silent Prayer Garden and wait."

Wang Hong and Yang Yan were taken to the small manor to wait, and Yang Yan finally had time to appreciate the stone sculpture.The upper body of this stone sculpture is naked, and the lower body is wrapped in a tattered long skirt. There is a hole in the left chest, and the right hand is holding a heart, as if holding the heart and looking back while running forward.

"Who is this?" Yang Yan asked.

"Saint Talisy." Wang Hong replied.

"The saint has diarrhea?" Yang Yan asked teasingly.

"You fucking..." Wang Hong yelled, Yang Yan quickly made a "shh" gesture, and Wang Hong's voice became quieter.

"I know you're afraid." Yang Yan said, "It's useless to be afraid. The most dangerous thing is to be captured by the refugees. Can you die worse than being a saint?"

Wang Hong is not a person who is afraid of death. If he must die, he may be calm, but this person who does not know life and death is the most worried.

Yang Yan admired the stone statue carefully.Yang Zhengde was a carpenter. Yang Yan had seen his father carving and felt that his father's craftsmanship was good.But even if Yang Yan is not a good person, he can still tell that his father's craftsmanship is as good as the stone statue in front of him.Can stone carvings be more delicate than wood carvings?Yang Yan was amazed.

After a while, two followers came to report that Gulthas was willing to see Yang Yan and led them to the door.The guards came forward to search Yang Yan to ensure that there were no sharp weapons on him, and then pushed open the huge door.

Yang Yan's heart skipped a beat, and it was only then that he started to get nervous.

He had thought about what kind of person Gulthas was and what the scene would be like behind the door, but he knew too little about the Sa clan to imagine it.

Directly facing the door, there is only one large bed.It's actually a bed?The bed frame was made of wood with gold paint, but Yang Yan didn't take a closer look at the other parts.

This is a hall, larger than the Prayer Garden. There are small doors on the left and right sides of the room. There are probably rooms at the back.There are desks and armchairs on the left side, and a wide table and wooden chairs on the right side. There is nothing else, making it look a bit empty.

There was an old man sitting on the bed, wearing a strangely tall white hat with a golden sun embroidered on it.Wang Hong led Yang Yan in, and Yang Yan focused all his attention on the old man.

He was a very old man. He heard from Wang Hong that Gursas had been serving as Sass for more than thirty years and was now in his 70s.But he looked older, and his wrinkles were as deep as the roots of an old tree. Yang Yan had never seen anyone with such deep wrinkles, almost sinking into his skin.His chin is sharp, like an inverted triangle, and his white sideburns are sparse and grow up to his chin.His eyes are large and have green eyes.He wore a broad black robe with the sun rusted in gold thread. The collar was high enough to cover the back of the hat. There was a gold-rimmed eye of fire on each shoulder, and the sleeves were embroidered with red flames.

His eyes were not scary, but rather kind and solemn.

The two of them walked about two feet away from the bed, and Wang Hong slowed down.

"Child, come here." Gulthas said.His voice was hoarse and majestic, but not oppressive. The volume was not loud, but it could be heard carefully and clearly, and it still echoed in the empty room.

Is this the man who designed the explosion in the Common Council Hall and nearly killed the nine heads of the family? Wang Hong was as scared as a tiger and even had to give way to the king's car?

Yang Yan suddenly remembered a completely different person, Master Xuanxu.For some reason, he actually associated Xuanxu with Gulthas, which was really intriguing.

Wang Hong walked forward as instructed, and Yang Yan followed suit.When they were about ten feet away, Wang Hong knelt down on one knee and touched her heart with her left hand: "With the protection of God Sa, Nadia, the flame child, has returned to the embrace of God Sa from the road of heroism, bringing the son of Sa God and news from the pass."

Yang Yan did not kneel down. If he was the son of God Sa, Gultha would have knelt down and worshiped him.He couldn't kneel now. Before setting off, he and Wang Hong discussed dozens of possible situations. No matter what, he shouldn't kneel now.

It's risky, but it has to be.

Gulthas did not ask Yang Yan. He asked Wang Hong: "Is the head of the Nine Families dead?"

Wang Hong said: "With the blessing of God Sa, the leaders of Dian Cang, Kongtong, and Wudang sects have been judged by God Sa. The remaining blind man was seriously injured, and he also killed Peng Tianfang, the chief helmsman of Jiangxi Beggar Clan."

Yang Yan felt excited when she heard Wang Hong mention her master and Uncle Tian.He tried his best to suppress his unhappiness and just listened.

"Only three?" Gulthas was a little disappointed.

"It rained and the gunpowder got wet, so..."

"I didn't ask for a reason," Gulthas said.

Wang Hong immediately fell silent.

"No one alive except you?"

"They are full of glory and joy." Wang Hong replied.

Yang Yan thought to himself, if you die, you will die. Can't you talk properly?
"Laoyan asked you to come back to report?"

"No, Nadia found the gift from God Sa, it was him..."

"So you escaped privately?" Gursasi interrupted Wang Hong.Wang Hong's heart trembled, and Yang Yan was also surprised.

"No, I..." Wang Hong bit her lower lip until it bled.She wondered what to say, admit or deny?
She decided to admit: "Yes, I escaped privately."

"Have you confessed?" Gulthas said, "This is a capital crime." He said softly, without any fluctuation in his tone, announcing the cruelest news.

Wang Hong trembled all over, leaned down on the ground, and whispered: "God Sa is merciful! Sa Si is merciful! Nadia knows she is wrong!"

Yang Yan did not expect Wang Hong to plead guilty so quickly, and all the preparations made in the previous month were in vain.

"You can't use the same two words to put Sa Shen alongside other things, including me. This is disrespectful." Gulthas corrected Wang Hong, not as a reproach, but more like a reminder.

"Yes!" Wang Hong did not dare to raise her head in fear.

This thief bitch is usually as stubborn as a donkey, but now she is as obedient as a sheep?

"Wang Hong is here to bring me back." Yang Yan had to interrupt. Only he could save Wang Hong at this time. "She is not defecting. There is no use for her to stay in the pass. She is just dying in vain."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Wang Hong scolded Yang Yan softly.

"You claim to be the son of God Sa?" Gulthas seemed to have noticed him only now. "This is a crime of blasphemy and you will be cut to death by a thousand cuts."

"I am the son of God Sa." Yang Yan replied.

"No, you are not." Gulthas shook his head, "You are just an ordinary person with red eyes."

(End of this chapter)