This is a very special day for Ansu people.
The day of peace.
Every year on the 45th day of Frost Moon, festivals all over the country will start as scheduled. On this day when the cold is getting thicker, Ansu people will take out the last food and physical strength that can be squandered to commemorate their ancestors and have returned. Relatives and friends of the world of the dead.
Although many contemporary people have forgotten the original meaning of this festival, hundreds of years of tradition have made Frost Moon 45th a special date mixed with mystery, hope, hope and commemoration. Many Ansu people firmly believe that the kingdom of the dead The door of the world will be opened on this day, and the souls that have passed away will have the opportunity to return to the world on this day, whether they have gone to the temple of the god of death, the sacrificial field of the blood god, or to the country of some other god. , these souls will come along the road paved with death chrysanthemums, and celebrate this festival with the living. their people.
So while it is a day to remember the dead, the Ansu celebrate it by adorning their doors with flowers and hanging grass wreaths on the fireplace or on the wall facing the gate. A grand bonfire will be lit, and they will sing and dance around the bonfire to celebrate this day, because they firmly believe that the souls will go home and see on this day.
In addition to commemorating the dead, Anling Festival has another meaning for Anzu as the northern kingdom: it means the end of most social activities.
The 45th day of the Frost Moon is the last day when the fire constellation crosses the Tiangong line. Its arrival means that winter is approaching. At this time, there are still more than ten days before winter, but the weather in the northern kingdom is already too cold to continue wasting energy outdoors. Perhaps the nobles will hold a few emotional winter feasts on snowy days, but for the commoners who are short of food, fuel, and clothing, this is their last chance for large-scale outdoor activities in a year .
After careful calculation, people took fuel and food together, used the form of the last celebration to boost their spirits, and prayed to the souls of the ancestors for a good weather in the next year. The simple people have simple thoughts: Praying to the three gods of abundance is the privilege of priests of abundance, and it will cost a lot of money to ask druids for a good harvest. It is better to light a bonfire on this last festival before winter, praying for those who may have entered the kingdom of gods The dead can help themselves to bless themselves to bring an extra three to five catties of grain in the coming year.
People celebrate the annual Remembrance Day with such a simple wish, and then dormant after the end of Remembrance Day, just like those ancestors who have returned to the kingdom of the dead, quietly in the following long cold winter Dormant down.
In the city of Saint-Sunil, the subtle fragrance of the death chrysanthemum is filling the streets and alleys. Although the whole kingdom is still mired in the quagmire of war, the Feast of Souls has arrived as scheduled. Rather, it is precisely because the torrential rain of the war is coming. Downpour, people desperately need this festival to comfort the souls who are about to hit the road.
White flowers have been planted in front of every house, and decorative straw ropes or flower vines are hung under the eaves of each house. The adults carry the collected firewood to the square or open space closest to their homes to prepare for the evening festivities. The bonfire was being prepared, while the carefree children yelled and yelled around the adults, exhausting their strength and energy by playing and fighting.
Such a scene is not only unique to the common people's neighborhood, even the magnificent Silver Fort also has a similar scene.
The servants are preparing a huge bonfire in the courtyard. The knights polished their spears and swords and decorated them on the promenade leading to the courtyard. Victoria Wilde, dressed in a white dress and silver-haired shawl, stood in the courtyard Before the entrance, she held a white death chrysanthemum in her hand, and conscientiously pinned the flower on Welsh Moen's chest.
"Your Highness, may you remember the glory of your ancestors." The Duchess said in a calm and indifferent tone, looking at the Moen bloodline heir in front of her.
Welsh Moen looked down at the small white flower on his chest, smiled self-deprecatingly, then lowered his head: "I will remember it well."
Duchess Victoria looked at Welsh Moen's expressionless face, and suddenly said: "Your Highness, do you know why every year on Remembrance Day, the patriarch of the Wilder family wears death chrysanthemums for the heirs of Moen's bloodline? "
Welsh Moen's eyes seemed to flicker for a moment, but he still spoke calmly: "This is because the Wilder family sheltered Moen's bloodline at the kingdom's most critical moment, just like the ancestors are worth remembering, and this friendship is also worth remembering." commemorate."
Victoria stared into Welsh's eyes, there was no coercion in those eyes, but the duchess seemed to be born with a cold temperament that would still make people feel unspeakable pressure. Under normal circumstances, people who looked at her would She couldn't hold on for ten seconds, but the middle-aged man opposite her resisted. During the ten-second gaze, Welsh Moen didn't avert his gaze, but stared at the duchess frankly.
Victoria seemed to show a slight smile. She looked away and looked at the huge pyre in the courtyard: "... I asked Prince Edmund the same question. Guess how he answered?"
"… I have no idea."
"'This is to let every descendant of Moen know that it is because of the existence of the Wilder family that they are eligible to commemorate their ancestors in this Silver Fort, not in the stables in Beishan County', this is his The original words," Victoria said in a calm tone, "that was three years ago, and our great founding hero hadn't come out of the grave yet."
Welsh Moen didn't say anything, just stood there without saying a word.
"He should also be wearing the death chrysanthemum now. In a fortress in the east of the Holy Spirit Plain, a bonfire was lit to commemorate the father who was probably killed by him himself. He finally lived in Baiyin without humiliation. The castle accepted the flowers I put on him, and commemorated the deceased according to my request," Victoria tilted her head slightly, and said to the middle-aged crown prince, "Now this role has been replaced by you, and replaced by about you."
"I don't think it's humiliating."
"Maybe, but it doesn't matter," Victoria said in a calm tone, as if she really didn't care, "Your father is a good king, and frankly speaking, I respect him even though he may not be willing to accept my respect. "
Wales looked at the duchess in confusion, as if he didn't understand why the northern ruler, who had always been cold and distant, and rarely made long speeches, suddenly said so much to himself, but Victoria didn't care about his confusion, and just continued to say by:
"This country has stood for hundreds of years, and dozens of people have sat on that throne, but not everyone really cares about this kingdom. Your father did it... Believe it or not, the Wilder family has always been sincere support him."
Wales opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
"I know what you think. Although you never say it, you also think it is a kind of hostage and control." The Duchess didn't look back at all, but seemed to have seen the slight change in Welsh's expression, "But we have our own Everything is considered for the Kingdom of Ansu.
"The civil strife in Brumaire a hundred years ago taught us a great lesson. The civil strife was caused by the struggle for royal power, but the absurd life and various political chaos of the last king of the first dynasty made the situation out of control. The real reason, since that day, we realized that the throne must have a lock.
"The king is supreme, but the king cannot be out of control. For long-term stability, someone must be able to control the situation in time when the royal power is out of control. Therefore, in the second dynasty, we established the system of regent dukes, and the royal power will be monitored. And control, but in turn, the king is also checking and balancing the power of the dukes, you know this.
"No one can have absolute power in his hands, and any power must have a backup plan. These two points are the lessons learned by the Wilder family during the civil strife."
Welsh Moen finally broke the silence: "Then, have you thought about the variables between Edmund and the Duke of the East?"
"... People's hearts are always out of the plan," the Duchess said after two seconds of silence, "but this does not mean that the lessons we have learned are meaningless. In fact, Ansu was able to survive the chaos in the foggy moon, relying on It is indeed the Duke Regent system. This system may need to be improved, but it is far from being abandoned."
Wales fell silent. After a long silence, he raised his head and looked at the Duchess in front of him: "...why did you suddenly say these things to me?"
"My father said these words to your father before he ascended the throne," the Duchess said calmly. "I originally planned to say these words to Edmund on Remembrance Day three years ago."
Wales' breathing paused for a moment.
"The throne has been vacant for a long time. This country has operated without a king for half a year, but it cannot continue to operate like this forever. The nobles need an object of allegiance, the Royal Army needs a flag, and the people need to know who is orthodox," Duchess Victoria turned around and stared into Welsh's eyes again, "At first, we thought that this war would end soon, because the Royal Army has two or three times the strength and supplies of the Eastern Rebels, but we really miscalculated Now, we have reached a stalemate, so we must be prepared to continue the stalemate."
Wales opened his mouth: "I..."
"We can't wait until after the war to be crowned, Your Royal Highness," said the Duchess, biting the word "His Royal Highness" hard. "Edmund will soon realize that he will not be able to enter St. Sunil, he will crown himself at any time, and the Duke of the East Region will use his influence to make the nobles in the entire East Region and the lesser half of the Holy Spirit Plain allegiance to the new king, and the blind commoners will soon admit it Therefore, you must be king before Edmund is crowned."
Wales Moen's eyes widened slightly, but he forcibly recovered his composure after missing the throne once, looked at the Duchess, and said frankly: "How many people will recognize me as a king? How many nobles will be willing to serve me?"
"The Wilder family will fully support you, and so will the Franklin family. We can make half of the nobles in this kingdom loyal to you, at least publicly."
Wales thought about it, and after a few seconds, he spoke again: "Have you considered the biggest variable?"
While saying this, Welsh Moen raised his hand and pointed to the death chrysanthemum on his chest.
"I'm ready to go to the south, and I'll talk to the founding duke in person," Victoria said with a solemn expression. Even the ruler of the north, who is known as the Snow Queen, said these words He couldn't help but put on a particularly solemn tone, "I will do my best."
"What do you think the chances are that he will support me?"
Victoria took a deep breath: "...I just hope he doesn't object."
After these words, the two fell silent together.
They stared at the huge pyre in the courtyard, at the grass rings and death chrysanthemums decorated everywhere, and at the mages and ceremonial officials who were preparing for the sacrifice.
The sky has gradually dimmed, and the dim light of the sky means that the time to light the bonfire is approaching.
The really important part of the Feast of Souls is about to begin.
It is a day to remember the dead and to pray for blessings from the ancient dead.
But the ancestor that this festival originally commemorated... now he has returned to the world by himself from the other side where the chrysanthemum bloomed.
Victoria Wilde walked towards the courtyard silently, picked up a section of the oak branch placed on the stone table and threw it into the firewood, and then ordered to light the bonfire.
Watching the gradually burning flame, the ruler of the north sighed.
If only one had to throw a stick in a campfire and the ancestors would bless themselves... that would be great.