From Chief to Ball

Sacrifice should be mainly performed by the chief of the city, and the rest of the family can sacrifice alone, but the utensils for buying sacrificial utensils cannot be exchanged, and the utensils of the leader must be borrowed when other people need to sacrifice.This is to prevent the sanctity of sacrifices from becoming the first choice of everyone, causing some not-so-rich families to exchange unusable sacrificial vessels with their few surplus goods. The reason is that sacrificial objects can only be owned by leaders and priests.

Human sacrifices still exist, but human sacrifices themselves have changed from prisoners of war slaves to some beautiful women and children, because with the development of agriculture, women have gradually lost their status in the collection era due to physical strength, and the soul may also need women, in other words At this time, the woman has become a usable item in the sacrifice, just like those cattle and sheep utensils, which are only usable and lose their human nature.

Generally speaking, this is progressive, and it is a struggle between human rationality and irrationality. All kinds of rules are to prevent people from falling into irrational large-scale sacrifices, and use an acceptable reason to restrain and guide .

This kind of progress also existed in the history of Chen Jian's previous life. It is not that people in this world have transcended the times, and those clans who have fallen into irrational sacrifices are not without it. Dark witch sacrifices existed in the previous world until the gunpowder age. certain corners.

The sages may not systematically summarize such things as rationality and irrationality, but the choices they make are the best solutions in the imprint of the times.

After listening to those extremely tedious rules, but savoring carefully but revealing wisdom, Chen Jian's uncontrollable smile dissipated, and the smile at the beginning turned into respect at this time.

At least this ethnic group is on the right track in the age of ignorance, and it should be far ahead of the rest of the races. It is the first to have rational thinking, so that the entire ethnic group will not fall into the huge waste of uncontrollable religious sacrifices.

They are still afraid of the heavens and the earth, and still afraid of the gods, but they have used their wisdom to fool the gods, and the excuses they have made make themselves feel at ease. Even the people who make the rules may know that they are wrong, but as long as they believe in it— ——This is nothing more than a simple and naive idea that man can conquer nature, otherwise he would not dare to fool it.

As for people in the future, for reasons such as hereditary rights and class differentiation, they infinitely expanded the sanctity of sacrifices, and that is not the fault of the sages.

What's more, even at that time, because of the cloak of sanctity, the sacrifices physically separated the nobles and the common people. The sacrifices must be large-scale, expensive, and the rules must not be broken. It is not just a matter of setting up a cake and setting up a shrine to pray. , civilians can't afford sacrifices.

Over time, perhaps this kind of division will make the common people farther and farther away from the sacrifices. The sacrifices are sacred but too far away from ordinary people. They can only look up but dare not break the rules to sacrifice at will.

This sense of distance will form a kind of pan-belief in the gods and the idea of ​​right and wrong, making it difficult for religions that worship shrines to gain a foothold. Unless the high-level members of the entire ethnic group collectively convert, this possibility is very small. At that time, it must be a foreign race. Complete conquest, Chen Jian will be obliterated, and this world will no longer exist.

Chen Jian, who has lived in the cave of Rumao Yinxue, has a deep respect for his ancestors and sages, especially those who have shaped a general worldview and ethnic alliance.

When Su Yue finished explaining these rules, the little pride left in his heart disappeared. Perhaps that sage would not have thought about it for so long, but bit by bit, it influenced and shaped the entire ethnic group's concept of religion, sacrifice, etc. , Moisten things silently, until someone can systematically explain the historical difference with other ethnic groups, this concept has been infiltrated into the bones of the ethnic group along with the river for thousands of years, and it has already taken shape.

People are all people, but the distinction between character and concept has been formed in history. The imaginary and real blood community composed of people with similar concept and character is a nation. A nation cannot be created in a day, but requires a whole The generally acceptable values ​​and habits formed by the ethnic group for thousands of years.

The eradication of nations, in addition to the physical eradication of blood, and the mutual invasion of living habits, language, and values, this kind of hidden war will continue, without blood and blood, but it is deadly and the most difficult to detect.

But here, this step, this group, is leading.As for the future, Chen Jian really wanted to see what the future would look like.

After thinking about it, the respect has not dissipated, Chen Jian bowed and asked: "I don't know which clan the sage who made the rules belongs to?"

Su Yue replied quite proudly: "My fellow clan. Hua's wife, once the patriarch of the Su clan, and the priest after Huacheng Huimeng."

Chen Jian sighed in admiration, and Su Yue's expression became serious for the first time, and he said solemnly: "Ji Xia has heard so much, but has it all been written down? This is also the second thing I want to say. Before the alliance, How Xia Cheng worships is up to you, but since you are planning to return to your relatives, please Xia Cheng and you abide by this rule, which cannot be changed."

Chen Jian nodded repeatedly and said: "Thank you, Chief Suyue, for your teaching. After all, Xiacheng is far away in the northwest, and there are many vulgar ones. Please ask Chief Suyue to send some people who know the rules to Xiacheng. Since these ritual objects cannot be used to worship ancestors, then Chief Suyue please accept it, and distribute it to his children."

Su Yue was very satisfied with those brass utensils, and said with a smile: "Since it is Jixia's kindness, I will accept it. But these utensils cannot be distributed to children, and these golden bronze utensils are not something they can enjoy, they are used for receiving guests The rest of the leaders are fine. Those shiny utensils can be distributed among them, I think they will definitely like Jixia's gift."

Chen Jian heaved a sigh of relief, watched the box of lead utensils being covered and put away, smiled and offered a glass of wine to the sages and Su Yue. Chen Jian should respect him, he is a qualified clan alliance leader.

Chapter 23 A young man who doesn't know he's going extinct

After returning from Su Yue's place, Chen Jian was really a little drunk.

After hearing a lot of stories about the past, and doing another bad thing that cuts off children and grandchildren, it is impossible to say that there is no fluctuation in my heart. I wanted to use my drunkenness to find some excuses to convince myself of the meaning of doing so for peace of mind, but I wanted to After a long time, I still gave up this practice of erecting an archway.

Including all the people in Xia City, he can't tell that once this kind of political assassination Pandora's box is opened, it is very likely that one day it will be his turn.

Returning to the room drunkenly, several people gathered around and said, "Chief, many people came to see you today, so we just told you that you went to Chief Suyue. The winter solstice is coming soon. Do you want to stay here tomorrow to share with the rest of the people?" Do you want to communicate with the leader?"

Chen Jian didn't answer directly, but asked instead: "Apart from these people, does anyone outside talk about our city?"

Speaking of this, those few people said happily: "Yes, I don't know how many compliments I have heard outside today. When Ji Song Shizhen and the others were sent away yesterday, many people asked them when they would come back. You let those storytellers leave halfway through the story, and everyone is looking forward to hearing the rest of the story."

Chen Jian said with a smile: "Although this is not enough, let Xiacheng become the protagonist of everyone's discussion tomorrow. Feed the horses well tonight, and don't stay in the city to go hunting tomorrow. You go to Suyue to borrow some good dogs , go out and have fun tomorrow."

"Shooting? How can shooting hunting make everyone talk about it?"

Chen Jian smiled without answering, drank some water and fell asleep.Early the next morning, many leaders knew that the people of Xiacheng were going out to shoot and hunt, which is not surprising. At this time, most of the leaders were exchanging secret oaths for the benefit of the city, and Xiacheng seemed to be concerned about this from the beginning of its appearance. They didn't care. If Chen Jian and Su Yue hadn't had a banquet yesterday, these people would have thought that Xia Cheng didn't care about the alliance.

A group of greyhounds barked at the door, and a young man about the same age as Chen Jian walked in and said, "Thank you Ji Xia for the utensils you gave my father yesterday. These dogs are the best hunting dogs. I usually use them for hunting. I wish Ji Xia a full return with her prey."

That being said, he must be Su Yue's son, he also looks like a very strong man, and he treats people very kindly, without the arrogance of being the son of a leader, he is extremely decent.

It's just that his eyes were gurgling around the horse drawn by the Xiacheng people. How could Chen Jian not know his thoughts? After a while, the son of Su Yue envied him: "Shooting and hunting on weekdays, and leading Huang Qingcang, can be compared with Xiacheng's horses. These horses are still much worse. In the army formation, the role of war horses must be great. When shooting and hunting, they are also practicing the army formation. enemy."

Chen Jian said with a smile: "This horse is not worth anything. You can afford to give you ten or eight horses. It's just that if you don't know how to ride a horse, you will be easily injured. I won't be able to explain to your father when the time comes. People have always been like this, for example If you didn't learn how to swim, if you were submerged in water, your relatives would blame He Bo, the water god, so how could they blame you for not learning how to swim?"

The son of Suyue nodded and said: "Jixia is absolutely right, but in my opinion it is different. No one in Sucheng can swim, if I am the first to enter the water, there will be [-]% of drowning and [-]% of not dying. Drowning is nothing but peace My ancestors meet, but if I don’t drown, then I will be the first person in Sucheng to learn how to swim. If others want to learn, they must learn from me. I will ask my father, but I don’t know if Jixia is willing to teach me how to swim ?”

"Xiacheng Middle School rode horses. Twenty people had short legs, thirty people had broken arms, and some were trampled to death by horses. Since you are the son of the leader, your father regards you very highly. Are you not afraid?"

"Don't be afraid. Life is only a few dozen years. If you don't make great achievements, what is the difference between living for 20 years and living for 50 years? My father became the leader, and he ran around for ten years. He was hit by arrows several times, and he bleeds. Only by being convinced by the praises and praises of beauties can there be a life of beauties warming mats and lavish food and clothing. A son must be like his father to be worthy of blood inheritance. Do you want to learn human language and work but only wear human clothes?"

Chen Jian clicked his tongue and praised: "The tiger father has no dogs. Forget it, the snow is clear today, and all the beasts are looking for food, so you tell your father to go hunting with me, and take me to see the Taotao River by the way. "

Su Yue's son said happily, "Will Ji Xia teach me?"

Chen Jian shook his head and joked, "It's so cold today, I'm afraid it's inappropriate to teach you to swim? Hahahaha..."

The two chatted and laughed, and Chen Jian also knew the name of the young man who would be poisoned by lead poisoning by him decades later: Su Tang.

It was probably because her mother was taking a bath before giving birth to him, so he had such a name, which is very common, but in the short conversation just now, the young man's sharp eyes showed everything.

Su Tang was asked to go back to pack the bow and arrows and find his followers. Chen Jian returned to the room, asked someone to fetch a large can of gunpowder, pressed it tightly and put it in the room. He drew a slow-burning matchstick and lit it.

"Ji Xia, what are you going to do?"

"Make some noise. Many things are different from what you imagined only when you see them with your own eyes. These leaders have heard too many stories about gunpowder, but they have never seen it with their own eyes. I have to let them see it. There is not much gunpowder. Even if it blows up, blow up this hut, don’t make a fuss about it, no one wants to talk about it.”

"Understood. With such a sound, I'm afraid these people will talk about our Xia City again for a long time."

"Before the alliance, let them talk about it vigorously. The more you talk about, the better. Xiacheng is still too unfamiliar to them. This will help them remember us faster and more deeply."

After hiding the gunpowder jar, Chen Jian picked up a bow, exited the yard, and stuck a twig into the fence gate, which was regarded as a lock.

The lock only prevents gentlemen, not villains, and there is no lock at this time. A wooden stick is enough to let people know that the owner is not there.It's not that in ancient times everyone was a sage who never closed their doors at night, but because there is no difference between closing and not closing at this time.

After reconciling with Su Tang at the city gate, Chen Jian asked some horses to be given up, and let Su Tang take a few people up to ride. He had ridden a cow, and walked slowly, but he could go forward and back. It's nothing more than the fact that the legs don't know how to clamp and don't know how to move the hips up and down with the horse's bumps.

"Where is Ji Xia going to go hunting? There is a valley over there, where there are many wild animals such as wild boars and deer."

"Tang, how do you usually shoot and hunt?"

"Someone chased them away, and I led people to lie in ambush, and those wild beasts in a hurry would enter the range of bows and arrows. Since Jixia has horses, this is much simpler. In the past, hunting valleys that required a hundred people to encircle them only needed three horses." Fifty people are enough. Presumably Jixia used it in the same way in battle, right?"

"Battle formation is nothing more than a kind of hunting. Since you are familiar with the terrain, go hunting first. After hunting, go to the big river to see the waves. Is there any precipitous and peculiar features?"

"Not really. The terrain here is flat, the mountains are rare, and the river is so wide that you can't see the other side. It's extremely stable. When I first saw it, I always praised the magnificence, but it became boring after seeing too much. I often hear people say The sea that the Dongyi tribe can see is wider than the big river, but I look forward to the day when our relatives can hold the banner to see the sea, and meet and worship ancestors at the seaside, that is the real scenery."

Chen Jian said with a smile: "Okay, you have ambition. Your father will be pleased to know your thoughts. You have seen too many big rivers, and you can't feel the magnificence in them, but I only grew up by small rivers since I was a child. In your eyes The usual is still magnificent in my eyes, so please take me to have a look."

Su Tang nodded and followed Chen Jian's right, kept asking about the details of using horses, guessed the use on the battlefield based on his own speculation, and asked about chariots, and Chen Jian also answered them one by one.