195: A bad omen

Typically, during ceremonies to worship the gods, or whenever major events occurred, the Xiongnu people would send Xiongnu people shamans to kill cattle, observe their hooves, and use them for divination.

This was to guide the Xiongnu people regarding good or ill fortune and to predict their future.

If the ox hooves split open, it indicated a bad omen; if the ox hooves closed, it signified great fortune.

The Xiongnu people would then choose different courses of action based on the divination.

But in reality, everything has its tricks, just like Di Qing's agreement with the temple deities before his expedition, using a hundred copper coins to predict victory or defeat, ultimately boosting morale, and his Army returned victorious!

Although these divinations differed in method and the objects used, their purpose was the same: to boost the morale of the Army.

Just as Di Qing's hundred copper coins all landed face up, Aikala also understood the trick behind ox hoof divination.

"Please," King Baiyang whispered.

Aikala patted his chest and smiled, his expression conveying, "Leave it to me, you can rest assured."

King Baiyang nodded. In such a widely observed setting, divination was a very important signal.

It foretold the trends and fortunes for the coming year, and if handled properly, it could greatly enhance everyone's confidence and cohesion!

For King Baiyang, who was currently plagued by internal and external troubles, it was an excellent method!

A black ox was led slowly forward, seemingly aware of its fate, its spirits low.

But its fate was already sealed.

After a divination chant, Aikala rolled up his sleeves and personally wielded the knife to take the ox hooves.

He carefully removed the ox hooves, while hundreds of people around him held their breath, silently watching the scene.

For some unknown reason, King Baiyang's eyelid suddenly twitched, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

However, seeing Elder Aikala's confident demeanor, King Baiyang did not stop him, choosing to trust him nonetheless.

After all, Aikala personally conducted the divinations during every grassland ceremony, and each time it was a sign of great fortune, earning him the deep trust of Touman Chanyu.

King Baiyang had no reason not to believe him!

Elder Aikala, on his part, was completely focused on removing the ox hooves. In all his years of divination, he had never made a mistake; this was his special skill, and he had confidence in it!

After all, those who least believed in ghosts and gods were precisely people like him!

Aikala meticulously followed each step; with years of experience, he was already incredibly proficient.

"Done!" Aikala exclaimed with a smile.

Subsequently, all the envoys eagerly craned their necks forward to look.

Because they believed in divination, considering it a message from the gods.

After the previous events, they had already seen that King Baiyang firmly stood with Prince Wuluoli.

Now, with the divination predicting good or ill fortune, they also wanted to see the result to plan for the future!

After all, a significant portion of them were not fond of Wuluoli, but due to King Baiyang's authority, they had not accepted Modu's olive branch.

However, their indecision did not mean they would wholeheartedly follow Wuluoli!

Elder Aikala, as usual, laughed loudly and announced to everyone: "Great... G-g-g-great... Er..."

After glancing at the ox hooves, Aikala's expression rapidly shifted from confident to flustered, and finally to disbelief, changing non-stop!

King Baiyang suddenly felt his vision go dark. Bulu quickly supported King Baiyang, then ordered everyone to step back.

The envoys retreated, looking bewildered and at a loss, but Modu's envoy suddenly burst into laughter:

"Hehehehe,

A sign of great misfortune! Has King Baiyang done something that has angered both heaven and man?

I dare to advise you, King Baiyang, that sometimes, following the wrong person, one careless mistake can lead to eternal damnation. At that point, your death is a small matter; implicating half the citizens of the Hetao Plain is a great one!"

The envoys whispered among themselves upon hearing this. Although they hadn't seen it, they all knew the result was split ox hooves, a sign of great misfortune!

Coupled with Modu's envoy's words, the envoys' faces all turned pale, but they dared not show it now.

"This ox is sick; bring a healthy one!" King Baiyang ignored Modu's envoy's sarcasm and commanded in a deep voice.

"Yes!" Soon, another black ox was led over.

The envoys were all discussing, and King Baiyang knew that only success could silence them!

"Elder Aikala, I'm truly counting on you this time," King Baiyang said earnestly.

"Don't worry, the last time was an accident.

I'm here this time." Aikala forced a smile.

He also couldn't understand why, even though he performed the divination in the same way as before, the ox hooves could still split open!

Regarding matters of ghosts and gods, among the hundreds of people present, Aikala was the least believing. Although he performed divinations, he scoffed at ghosts and gods.

If ghosts and gods truly existed, then why, when he repeatedly used special methods to deceive heaven and artificially create auspicious signs during his divinations to the gods, was he still alive and well, without receiving any punishment, and even became Touman's most trusted wise man?

He decided to try again. Perhaps he was just old and blurry-eyed earlier, and missed a step, Aikala consoled himself.

"Bring me my knife!" Aikala said in a deep voice.

At this moment, an aura of 'who but I' erupted from him. He took the knife and began the divination once more.

This time, some curious envoys secretly watched Aikala's every move, wanting to know the result at the first opportunity!

"Done!" Aikala said once again!

Subsequently, everyone stepped forward again!

"Stop!" King Baiyang shouted loudly, then said to the Xiongnu people behind him:

"Bring me the liveliest black ox you can find!"

Seeing this, the envoys knew the result and began to whisper.

"Can this divination be done a third time?"

"It won't really be a great misfortune next, will it?"

"Divining three times, aren't they afraid of angering the gods?

And even if this divination can be redone, once one stubbornly goes down the wrong path, there's no going back." Modu's envoy's sharp, mocking voice rang out, and the scene instantly fell silent!

Listening to everyone's discussions and Modu's envoy's pointed remarks, sweat poured down Aikala's forehead, and he was terribly flustered!

This time he had been fully concentrated, and he was certain there had been no mistakes. How could the divination result still be a great misfortune!

King Baiyang's vision also went dark at this moment, but he forced himself to stand and said, "Someone, escort the envoy back to camp!"

"Yes!" Soon, two Xiongnu people walked towards Modu's envoy!

"What are you doing! What are you doing! I—" Modu's envoy grunted and then lost consciousness.

"This is Modu's envoy's trick. Bulu, you personally go and lead an ox here," King Baiyang said in a deep voice.

Everyone suddenly understood, though some didn't believe it, yet they all adopted an expression of firm conviction.

King Baiyang nodded upon seeing this.

But he couldn't help but ask himself, did even the gods not advise him to support Wuluoli?

Could it be that Modu was truly the King of the Grasslands chosen by the gods?

Soon, Bulu led an ox. Unlike the previous ones, this black ox was completely lively and exceptionally energetic.

Even seeing its two predecessors lying on the ground wailing beside it, it showed no fear.

"Elder Aikala, don't be nervous, take your time," King Baiyang said, supporting Aikala's trembling body.

Aikala felt King Baiyang's constantly shaking hands, then forced a difficult smile and said, "I'll try again."

After another round of the process, Aikala completed the divination with his shaky, trembling hands!

He looked up intently, then his eyes rolled back, and he passed out!

King Baiyang was greatly alarmed. He quickly helped Aikala up, placed his hand on Aikala's nose, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

But the crowd below was in an uproar at the sight!

Bulu anxiously stepped forward a few paces to look, then suddenly burst into laughter: "The ox hooves are closed! It's great fortune, a sign of great fortune!"