Two days later, the Annam Diplomatic Corps arrived as scheduled and entered Lvzhou City.
The portly Shu King, accompanied by high-ranking city officials and Yongling Temple Monks, waited outside the city to welcome the corps.
The citizens of Lvzhou lined the streets to welcome them. Devout Buddhist men and women had already bought up all the fresh flowers in the city, strewing petals of various colors on the streets before the diplomatic procession.
The fragrance of flowers filled the air, gongs and drums thundered, firecrackers burst in unison, colorful flags fluttered, and the scene was a sea of people.
Regrettably, the townspeople did not catch a glimpse of the much-anticipated Auspicious Beast—the corps' convoy had covered the iron cage of the Auspicious Beast with thick curtains and added all kinds of decorations, dressing it up like a parade float.
Fortunately, the Annam Monks chanting loudly on both sides of the float were considered worth the price of admission.
