North bank of the Luoshui, just after the morning hours.
"Hey ho~ Hey ho~"
The men of the Heluo Chamber of Commerce were shouting the Yellow River chant.
With red waistbands cinching their black cotton pants, in the chilly weather, all were bare-chested, showing off their sturdy muscles, either dragging ropes or lifting heavy wooden mallets.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
One after another, mud splattered as black wooden posts wrapped in red cloth were heavily driven into the riverbank.
Vaguely visible in the arrangement of the Eight Trigrams.
Various tributes were also already set up.
The riverbank was crowded, and the rising firewood stacks were quite lively.
Li Yan and others stood at a distance to observe the ceremony.
Just as they were preparing to leave, Mrs. Pei from the Dragon Gate Inn extended an invitation, and the group learned that several consecrated figures of the Heluo Chamber of Commerce had privately gathered to plan the "River God Sacrifice" ceremony.
