standoff
If it is a Bodhisattva, Gu Sidu wants to understand why, why a Bodhisattva would get involved in worldly affairs. If it is not a Bodhisattva, then Gu Sidu still wants to know why the situation is the way it is, and what Jiang Yufan wanted him to do, and what his purpose was.
Whether it is true or not, he will not abandon the Bodhisattva. He believes that whatever the Bodhisattva does, there must be a reason for it, and he will respect it.
Jiang Yufan was frank and open. She said, "A few days ago, I went out and asked Daoyun to give some things to the right people. These things made the rumors about Jiang Yaoguang accepting bribes true. With this evidence, they put Jiang Yaoguang in jail."
"I did all of this."
Several days have passed since Jiang Yaoguang was imprisoned. He must have suffered a lot. Once this matter is settled, he will not escape punishment.
But he won't die.
"Bodhisattva, do you want Lord Jiang to die?" Gu Sidu speculated. If Jiang Yufan wanted Jiang Yaoguang to die, then this would not be acceptable. Such a thing would not be enough to make Jiang Yaoguang fall into an abyss.
At most, this matter would implicate Jiang Yaoguang, leading to his demotion.
Jiang Yufan shook her head. She never wanted Jiang Yaoguang to die. She didn't know what kind of harm her actions would cause Jiang Yaoguang, but she knew that she would definitely make him unhappy.
"Why, Bodhisattva? When did you and Jiang Yaoguang become enemies? And how did you know about Jiang Yaoguang's crimes?"
Jiang Yufan turned to Gu Sidu: "Don't you understand yet, Gu Sidu? The relationship you rejected from the beginning is the relationship between me and Jiang Yaoguang. The grudge between us started eight years ago when he abandoned me at Chenxiang Temple."
Gu Sidu fell silent. He had considered it, but since Jiang Yufan hadn't admitted it, he had let it go. He never imagined that the story he had heard would happen to Lord Jiang Yaoguang. No wonder the Bodhisattva was so adamant that Lord Jiang Yaoguang was not a good person.
It turns out it was a grudge from the past.
As Gu Sidu thought this, countless regrets welled up in his heart. All his previous actions and sincerity towards Jiang Yaoguang had been misplaced and wasted. The Bodhisattva knew Jiang Yaoguang's character, but she was speechless and could not convince herself otherwise.
How could he be so confident? Gu Sidu felt a pang of pain in his heart. At the time when he should have believed in the Buddha, he chose to go his own way. He had witnessed firsthand the rise and fall and corruption of officialdom, and he realized that there were too few honest people in this world. All crows are black, and he himself had been too naive.
Gu Sidu dared not imagine whether he would become like them if he were in such a position in the future. He was even somewhat relieved that his career was over and he would not have the opportunity to experience it firsthand. How could it not be considered a narrow escape? He could be himself again.
I didn't understand before, but now I understand what the Bodhisattva did. Fortunately, things have turned out the way the Bodhisattva wanted, and the wish has been fulfilled. Now the Bodhisattva can be happier.
What Gu Sidu needs to do at this moment is to apologize to the Bodhisattva and to coax Jiang Yufan.
“Bodhisattva, I was wrong,” Gu Sidu pouted and went up to tug at Jiang Yufan’s clothes. “I didn’t know that he was your father. If you had told me earlier, I would have stood on your side and would not have befriended Lord Jiang. I haven’t gotten that jade pendant back yet.”
“That’s your personal jade pendant, Bodhisattva. I can’t bear to give it away.”
“Gu Sidu,” Jiang Yufan deftly dodged Gu Sidu’s hand, “Aren’t you upset that I took advantage of you?”
"The Bodhisattva's wish was fulfilled by chance, isn't that great? As for being used, I know the Bodhisattva didn't force me to do anything I didn't like, so it wasn't being used. If the Bodhisattva feels guilty, then it's good to me even more."
"I am willing to be used by the Bodhisattva."
"That's not how it is," Jiang Yufan shook her head. "Gu Sidu, don't speak too definitively. Wait, wait until this matter is settled, and wait for everything to settle down."
Jiang Yufan wanted to see what kind of karmic retribution would occur then.
She thought that Jiang Yaoguang wouldn't let her go after he got out, and she was waiting.
-
The grand and dramatic changes in the imperial court have finally come to an end.
With conclusive evidence, Jiang Yaoguang was released from prison, and his family fortune obtained through bribery was confiscated. Those who had given gifts, including the head of the Hanlin Academy, were all demoted. In order to set the record straight, even Gu Sidu was demoted and could not escape punishment.
Jiang Yufan's actions dragged down Jiang Yaoguang's career, but also implicated Gu Sidu, which was not part of Jiang Yufan's plan. Upon hearing the news brought by Daoyun, she showed a hint of surprise, but quickly regained her composure.
"Daoyun, do you think Gu Sidu will be disappointed in me?"
"If given another chance, would the Buddhist nun choose to let go?"
Won't.
Jiang Yufan heard the answer spoken from her own heart.
Even if she could do it all over again, she wouldn't give up. She wouldn't abandon her desire for revenge for anyone. Now, she had used her own methods to stab Jiang Yaoguang in the back. She wanted to show Jiang Yaoguang that all his previous lies were just lies. Sacrificing an innocent child would still not bring him success in his official career. The nightmare that Jiang Yaoguang feared had come true.
The thrill of revenge coming true allowed Jiang Yufan to let go of past grievances somewhat. She had thought she would be happy, but she found it all quite ordinary, a day that was bound to come, and her heart was at peace.
She wasn't as happy as she had expected.
Before they could exchange more than a few words, they heard a loud argument outside. She looked up and saw some conversations, both explicit and implicit. The people outside were furious, and Dao Yun was already ready to draw his sword.
Outside, Gu Sidu's voice could still be heard; Gu Sidu was blocking someone from entering.
Jiang Yufan got up and went outside.
“Buddha, please don’t go out. Stay behind me and I will protect you.”
“No,” Jiang Yufan said, “I want to go out.”
She knew who it was; this was the karmic debt she had incurred in seeking revenge, the confrontation she was about to face. If this person didn't come, it wouldn't be like him. Jiang Yufan took a deep breath, led Daoyun, and walked outside, stopping at the doorway.
The yellow leaves of late autumn fluttered down, dancing in the air, turning icy cold as they landed on her fingertips, seeping into every inch of her skin. Jiang Yufan liked this coldness; nothing could hurt her heart anymore. She was afraid of nothing, and therefore didn't feel cold.
As soon as she stepped out of the door, the outside world fell silent. No one was arguing anymore, and everyone's eyes were on Jiang Yufan.
Gu Sidu was anxious. Ever since leaving the court, he had been under Jiang Yaoguang's watchful eye. He thought he could shake off Jiang Yaoguang, but Jiang Yaoguang was waiting for him at the entrance of the Gu residence. Jiang Yaoguang said he wanted to see Jiang Yufan and took out the jade pendant.
Upon seeing the jade pendant, Gu Sidu immediately accepted it; it was the jade pendant he had longed for day and night. He bowed to Jiang Yaoguang, saying that he could not take him to see the Bodhisattva. Gu Sidu wanted to protect Jiang Yufan, but he was powerless against Jiang Yaoguang and his men forcing their way in.
They tugged and pulled each other until they reached the door. Gu Sidu was unwilling to let Jiang Yaoguang see Jiang Yufan, but he didn't expect Jiang Yufan to just come out of the house like that.
Gu Sidu looked up and saw Jiang Yufan dressed in pure white, spotless, a string of jade prayer beads gently held in her hand. Jiang Yufan's eyes were lowered, her gaze devoid of any one person, a compassionate expression on her face. But behind Jiang Yufan stood Dao Yun, his hair tied high in a ponytail, his black robes cinched at the waist, exuding a fierce and murderous aura.
The two, who were not meant to be together, stood side by side, becoming one. If either of them were to take a step forward at this moment, they would be cut into pieces by the sword in Dao Yun's arms.
No one dared to step forward. From a great distance, Jiang Yufan raised her head and looked at the person Gu Sidu had stopped, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. She smiled and raised the corners of her mouth.
"It really was you!" Jiang Yaoguang's eyes were filled with anger. "Jiang Yufan, that monk was right, you are my nemesis. You can't stand to see me doing well, so you have to come and bring me misfortune."
"Sending you away back then was the right thing to do. How could Chenxiang Temple have raised such a vicious person like you, who can't stand to see others doing well and always tries to drag them down with him?"
What good would it do you to mess with me?
Jiang Yufan was young then, and she couldn't say anything to refute him. But now she's different. She's grown up, she's an adult, and she has many cold words waiting for Jiang Yaoguang.
She sneered coldly. She hadn't done anything; she had simply taken a step forward, which made Jiang Yaoguang take a step back. How dare this cowardly person dare to make such a fuss?
“It wasn’t Chenxiang Temple that gave me life and raised me. Are you sure you want to say who raised me to be the way I am now?” Jiang Yufan’s words struck a chord with Jiang Yaoguang. Jiang Yaoguang’s gaze darted away, but that wasn’t enough. Jiang Yufan took another step down the ladder.
"Don't you know why I did this?"
Only someone burdened with guilt would rush to the Chenxiang Temple to verify the authenticity of a mere jade pendant, feel anxious and uneasy, and be filled with immense regret upon losing it. If they can't even bear this little bit of pain, then what about Jiang Yufan's eight years?
"You, don't do anything reckless!" Jiang Yaoguang took a few steps back. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore. You insist on making a prophecy from the past come true, but what good will that do you? I won't acknowledge you as my friend."
“I don’t want you to acknowledge me,” Jiang Yufan said as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. “I will never admit that I have a father who would do anything to bring glory to the family.”
“Jiang Yaoguang, if you were afraid that things would be exposed one day, you shouldn’t have done these things in the first place. You deserve this. This was just an ordinary, made-up saying, and it might not have come true, but this is the ending you brought on yourself. You see, even though you abandoned me, you still got your retribution.”
"Jiang Yaoguang, this is the destiny I've given you."
A girl with the appearance of Guanyin, a compassionate figure, uttered words of heartbreaking grief, which transformed into sharp blades that pierced Jiang Yaoguang's heart.
Jiang Yufan said, "Jiang Yaoguang, the more you worry, the more likely it is to happen. That's exactly what I want to see. I don't want you to die. I want you to remember how the person you so heartlessly abandoned destroyed you."
It is cause and effect, it is retribution. Jiang Yaoguang's retribution is Jiang Yufan.
Such a vicious person should not have said these words. Jiang Yaoguang seized the last opportunity. He grabbed Gu Sidu and said to her, "Aren't you angry at all, Gu Sidu? Look at the person standing in front of you. Is she a Bodhisattva? She is not a Bodhisattva you invited. She is not worthy."
"She ruined your future, and you still want to help her and stand on her side?"
The opportunity to win him over has arrived before Gu Sidu, and the choice of whom to help has fallen on his shoulders.
Choosing between Jiang Yufan and one's own future—that is the question.
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