158, Appointed Members (Please Order the Whole)

handwashing.

Use an ink pen.

The two of them wrote their wishes on wooden signs.

Bai Gui wrote "to improve my studies" and did not write any other random wishes.

Although it is said that if you believe it, it will work, but if you don't believe it, it will not work, but he felt that even if there were Japanese gods, they probably would not protect him, an outsider.

Just do as the Romans do.

"I'll hang up the wooden sign."

After Yamada Mitsuko saw that Bai Gui had written his wish on the wooden plaque, he couldn't help but immediately took action, took the small wooden plaque from Bai Gui's hand, walked to the shrine, and hung the two small wooden plaques on the beam with great difficulty on tiptoes.

These small wooden signs are like wind chimes, sounding in the wind and sticking together from time to time.

After hanging up the small wooden sign, Yamada Mitsuko asked Bai Gui to wait. She was going to enter three ancestral halls to worship the three gods. This is the custom of the Japanese people.

When he was about to enter Amaterasu's ancestral hall, she once again gave him a vicious warning and threat, telling Bai Gui not to read the wishes written on the wooden sign.

She will become famous at the University of Tokyo in the future.

Once seen, it won’t work!

Bai Gui smiled and agreed.

After Mitsuko Yamada entered the ancestral hall, he walked around and admired the scenery of Nonomiya Shrine.

This is a famous tourist attraction in Kyoto with beautiful scenery.

However, because it is located in the Arashiyama Scenic Area outside Kyoto, which is a bit remote, not many people come here in the morning, so there are still relatively few tourists at Nonomiya Shrine at this moment, and you can only see people in twos and threes occasionally.

"Sir, Nonomiya Shrine is also famous for its chewing wine and fruit wine. Do you want to try it?"

"Matsuo God is the god of sake brewing."

The shrine maiden from Nonomiya Shrine walked over lightly and recommended.

"There's no need to chew the wine. Just give me a glass of fruit wine."

Bai Gui replied.

As the name suggests, kouqiu wine is wine brewed with kouqiu. Generally, young girls who have not broken the vegetarian diet are used to make the wine. It's just that she has never lost her beauty, but her appearance is not certain.

He glanced at the miko in front of him again.

Just now, I was begging for wooden signs with Yamada Mitsuko, so I couldn't take a closer look.

The shrine maiden wore a white hakama, with a quilted band around her abdomen and a bow tied on her back. Her lower body was in a red hakama, and her feet were wrapped in white footbags. She wore red straw sandals and held a Japanese fan in her hand. The plain white fan is painted with a five-pointed star and platycodon seal.

Well dressed and beautiful.

According to Japanese myths and legends, the great god Amaterasu couldn't stand his younger brother Susano'o, and Susano'o depended on him in Takamagahara, so he hid in the cave of Ama Iwato in anger, and the world fell into darkness again. Fate was dancing outside the cave, and Amaterasu was attracted to poke his head out, and was pulled out by the long-awaited Amaterasu.

The goddess of heaven is the origin of the shrine maiden, and the dance she dances is also a kagura dance. This ceremony was also the later ceremony to invite the gods.

"Okay, please wait."

The shrine maiden smiled, walked to the ancestral hall where Matsuo God was worshipped, poured some wine in a bamboo tube, and handed it over.

Then after Bai Gui finished drinking, he stretched out his plain hand from his sleeve, palm facing up.

"Thanks for the hospitality."

Bai Gui thanks.

He placed the bamboo tube on the miko's outstretched palm.

"Sir, you are really funny."

The witch was also slightly startled.

She extended her hand to ask for money, but she didn't expect that the person in front of her misunderstood her, but she didn't care.

It's just a little fruit wine, not worth much.

The money I just bought for the wooden sign has been enough.

"Don't you, sir, go worship the gods?"

The miko asked curiously.

Shintoism believes that all things have spirits, including every stone and tree. It is also the state religion of Japan. It can be said that almost every Japanese does not believe in Shintoism. It is indeed strange not to worship the shrine after entering the torii gate.

Bai Gui explains the reason.

He is not from Japan, so naturally he will not worship the gods enshrined in the shrine.

After explaining his identity, he continued: "I have already walked through the stone steps when I came to Nonomiya Shrine, so there is not much need to worship the gods again..."

This sentence is much more euphemistic.

Nonomiya Shrine has a total of three gods enshrined, Amaterasu, Matsuo, and Atago.

Atago is not the name of a god, but a hodgepodge of offerings to the God of Fire, accompanied by the God of Water, the God of Martial Arts, and the God of Mountains. The steep stone steps in front of Atago Shrine are known as the "unworldly stone steps".

In Japanese, birth means to get ahead.

This is why Nonomiya Shrine has the reputation of blessing academic progress.

The origin of this story is that Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun in the Tokugawa shogunate era, smelled the fragrance of plum blossoms on the top of the mountain when passing Atago Shrine, so he ordered his retainers to ride horses to pick plum blossoms. His subordinates were afraid of the steep slopes. No one was willing to follow the steps. Just when Tokugawa Iemitsu was furious, a retainer named Quyuan Heikurō rode his horse forward, picked plum blossoms and a prayer symbol representing "long-lasting martial arts" and returned. His reputation Great promotion, promoted and appointed.

The miko opened her mouth slightly, looking a little shocked.

If Bai Gui hadn't told her that he was a student in Japan beforehand, she wouldn't have been so surprised. But now that he has told her his identity as a student in Japan, it would be a little surprising to know these stories...

After all, ordinary Japanese people don’t know these stories. They just know that Atago Shrine can bless their studies and career.

"Sir, you are right. The Atago story is like this, and the Atago enshrined in Atago Mountain in Ukyo District, Kyoto is also like this."

The miko nodded and affirmed.

"It's just that... the Atago enshrined in Nonomiya Shrine..."

She blinked her beautiful eyes, covered her mouth and chuckled, pointing to Yamada Mitsuko who was worshipping in the Ai Dang Shrine, "Nonomiya Shrine is most famous not for the stone steps of birth, but for praying for marriage..."

"Marriage?"

Bai Gui's face darkened, and he instantly thought of why Yamada Mitsuko didn't let him look at the small prayer signs hanging on the beams of the shrine.

No wonder he saw that these wooden signs were basically in pairs...

So that's it!

It's better to go to Atagoyama Atago Shrine in Ukyo District, Kyoto to pray for academic progress, and it's closer.

Why did you go to Arashiyama outside the city? !

Others are praying for marriage, only he wrote that he was praying for academic progress.

It's strangely eye-catching in there.

As for why a good Atago Shrine became a place for praying for marriage, it's not difficult to understand. Gods have multiple duties. Some wild gods worshipped in the countryside have prayers, children, safety, and evil spirits.

This is the local culture of Kyoto.

"Is that so?"

Bai Gui's expression remained unchanged. As long as he was not embarrassed, others would be embarrassed.

The shrine maiden saw Bai Gui's calm expression and was confused for a moment. Could it be that her judgment just now was wrong?

Before she could continue to ask.

Yamada Mitsuko had already finished worshipping the Atago Shrine and was walking down the stone steps of the world.

So the shrine maiden bowed slightly and left.

"What are you talking about?"

She frowned slightly.

The shrine maiden and Bai Gui were chatting and laughing, which gave her a bad feeling.

"Nothing, just introducing the scenery of Nonomiya Shrine to me."

Bai Gui thought about it and still didn't intend to expose Yamada Mitsuko's little trick. It would be embarrassing to reveal it.

After visiting Nonomiya Shrine.

On the path down the mountain.

Chatting.

Yamada Mitsuko lowered her head and asked casually: "Bai Jun, do you think Chang'an has a Nonomiya Shrine like Arashiyama outside Kyoto?"

Kyoto is a replica of Chang'an.

So Yamada Mitsuko also wanted to know if there was a place in Chang'an similar to Nonomiya Shrine.

"Yes..."

Bai Gui frowned and thought for a while, "There is a place in the south of Chang'an where Cui Hu wrote poems. That place is called Shaolingyuan, and it is also the place where Liu Bingyi died and had deep feelings for Jian..."

Shaoling is the mausoleum of Liu Bingyi's queen Xu Pingjun.

And next to it is Duling, the mausoleum of Liu Bingyi. Most of the mausoleums of Western Han emperors are in Xianyangyuan, with only Emperor Wen of Han and Emperor Xuan of Han being exceptions, which are in the south of Chang'an.

"Cui Hu's poems?"

...

Yamada Mitsuko took Bai Gui to visit famous Kyoto attractions such as Sensoji Temple, Kurama Temple, and Lake Biwa as she said yesterday, so that Bai Gui finally made a worthwhile trip to Kyoto.

They also visited Gion together, but it was only during the day.

"Matcha flavor, strawberry flavored shaved ice, thank you."

Bai Gui bought shaved ice again at the shaved ice stand on the shore of Sunagawa Bridge, just like last time.

This time is different from last year, it is summer.

Eating shaved ice is a kind of enjoyment.

"Thank you, Mr. Bai, for accompanying me to visit Gion..."

Yamada Mitsuko's eyes were a little disappointed. She thought there was something fun in Gion, but she didn't expect to find out after she went there that these fun things were not for her to play, and she could only eat delicious food outside.

"It's okay, anyway, it's my first time in Gion."

"It's my honor to satisfy your wish, Mitsuko."

Bai Gui took a bite of matcha-flavored shaved ice and smiled.

After leaving Gion Flower Street, the two bought train tickets from Kyoto to Tokyo.

Slept in the carriage for a night.

When I woke up.

I had arrived at Tokyo Railway Station.

...

A few days later.

Minister Wu wrote a letter asking Bai Gui to come to the embassy.

The incident was quite urgent.

"Minister."

"What's the important matter with me?"

Bai Gui walked into Minister Wu's office, found a place to sit down, and asked.

After several incidents, he and Minister Wu were considered friends.

The "allowance" that was cut off after the sea crossing was also subsidized by Minister Wu.

"Meihe, I have good news for you."

Minister Wu got up from the leather chair, handed him a letter, and said with a smile: "This is a letter from Brother Xiongqi, saying that his quota for the Council of State Councillors is about to be determined, so he plans to approve your marriage with Bai Xiuzhu before the quota is determined."

"Brother Xiongqi's master is the Minister of Military Affairs Jin Quan, and he has a long history in the Military Affairs Office. It is not difficult to determine the identity of an appointed member..."

He explained the trick to Bai Gui.

Bai Xiongqi had the experience of studying in Germany, and worked in the Ministry of Finance for a period of time, with remarkable achievements, so the Minister of Military Affairs Jin Quan took this opportunity to promote Bai Xiongqi to the appointed member of the Council of State Councillors.

There are a total of 200 seats for the Council of State Councillors, 100 people are selected from each province, and 100 people are appointed by the court.

Bai Gui is also a smart person.

After hearing the explanation from Minister Wu, he immediately understood something.

It is precisely because Bai Xiongqi has been appointed as a member of the Imperial Council that when the Council of State meets in September, Bai Xiongqi's status will suddenly rise, which is equivalent to a much higher family status.

If Bai Gui's marriage proposal is rejected for this reason, it will inevitably cause criticism!

Therefore, for the sake of his own reputation, Bai Xiongqi must settle the marriage as soon as possible, even if the three invitations and three invitations have not been completed. Otherwise, if others find out, they will inevitably use this as an excuse to attack...

Being an official requires very strict requirements for personal morality!

Although the two families have not yet really engaged, they have already reached the negotiation process. If they suddenly change their minds, the official will lose his reputation at best, or be demoted and dismissed at worst...

On the contrary, if he does not forget his "wife who has shared the hardships of life", he will also gain great reputation.

There are pros and cons!