This bank
What can the Bodhisattva protect them from?
Jiang Yufan approached the man, looking down at them with lowered eyes: "What do you want?"
What did he ask for? The man looked up at Jiang Yufan, and just one glance sent him into a hundredfold shock, his mouth agape in disbelief: "Bodhisattva, it's the Bodhisattva manifesting!"
"She's not a Bodhisattva." Gu Sidu, worried that something might go wrong, shielded Jiang Yufan behind him.
"No, she is a Bodhisattva!" The man clasped his hands together and knelt before Jiang Yufan repeatedly, pleading, "Bodhisattva, please save me!"
Dao Yun remained silent, Gu Sidu remained silent, while Jiang Yufan took a deep breath. This was an old business for her, and Jiang Yufan was quite familiar with it. She even felt somewhat at ease, as if this long-awaited reunion had brought her no joy or sorrow, as if it were something that was bound to happen.
Her eyes were filled with curiosity, wanting to know what the man wanted. Jiang Yufan said, "It's not a good place to make noise. Come with me and tell me what you want, and I'll see if I can help you."
The wishes of ordinary people are not difficult to fulfill. Jiang Yufan found a quiet spot, sat on a stone bench, and listened to the man's story. The man came from a small family in the city. His family had a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy who was responsible for going up the mountain to chop firewood, but the boy had not returned home for a long time.
I don't know if it was a punishment from heaven that didn't want this thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the family, but if this boy can't be found, the family will lose its backbone, and how will they survive in the future?
The poor man kept crying, clutching Jiang Yufan's clothes and pleading, "Please, you must find my child. I can't live without him."
He got lost while chopping wood in the mountains, and this is a rescue mission. However, the mountains are dangerous, and a rescue would be extremely perilous. Dao Yun frowned upon hearing this: "How could you let a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child go into the mountains to chop wood by himself?"
"There's really no one else at home, we have no other choice." The poor man was over sixty years old, his body hunched and trembling. He shook his head.
"Don't worry, we will definitely help you with this. Tell me what your child looks like, and I will have someone draw a picture of him. We will also find him along the same route he took to get up the mountain," Gu Sidu said immediately. This was a life at stake, and they had to save him no matter what.
But......
Dao Yun said, "Gu Sidu, are you crazy?"
"You have no idea how dangerous those mountains are. What if you lose your life?" Daoyun was really angry. She knew the dangers she was in and naturally wouldn't let Gu Sidu take that risk.
But Jiang Yufan said, "Okay, leave your name with me, go home and wait for us to find the person and send you home."
Gu Sidu has gone mad. Has the Buddhist nun gone mad too? Daoyun really wanted to step forward, but Jiang Yufan told her not to speak. The old man left shakily, and Jiang Yufan felt a pang of sadness, her heart softening.
At this moment, Daoyun said, "Buddha, why did you agree?"
“That’s just a kid in his teens,” Jiang Yufan sighed. “In a family like that, they’ve finally raised someone who’s barely old enough to go chop wood. If that child is gone, their family will have no one to rely on. What will they do then?”
"It's just about finding someone."
“Yes,” Gu Sidu also spoke up, “I’ll go find the county magistrate first and ask him to allocate manpower for me. That would be more convenient. The old man just gave us those clues and information, and the county magistrate will agree to it.”
There's no time to lose; the child's life can't wait.
Gu Sidu was about to leave for the county government office, but after taking a few steps, he turned back and gave Jiang Yufan all the amulets he had just obtained. He said, "Bodhisattva, here you go. I just obtained them, and someone has already blessed them. You must wear them!"
"You can keep the carriage. I'll ride my horse to find the magistrate first. You all go home first."
Jiang Yufan gripped the amulet tightly, watching Gu Sidu whip away, a sigh escaping her lips. She carefully put the amulet away; there was more than one, including one for Daoyun. Jiang Yufan gave the amulet to Daoyun: "I know what you're worried about, but Gu Sidu's nature dictates that he'll eventually go."
“Look, he’ll even ask you for a peace charm. In his eyes, the lives of other people are all the same.”
Dao Yun took the talisman, pursing her lips: "I know the Buddhist nun, but Gu Sidu agreed first. What if she can't do it?"
Gu Sidu was speechless in the government office. Could the county magistrate really help with the search and rescue? Jiang Yufan didn't know, and she couldn't be sure either. But how could she refuse an old man with tears streaming down his face? Jiang Yufan clutched her chest and stuck a peace charm on her hand: "But we should at least try."
"Daoyun, if you had such a life in front of you, would you save it or not?"
After thinking for a long time, Daoyun said, "I think I would also save them."
“Buddha Maiden,” Daoyun said, “if Lord Gu cannot allocate manpower, then I will go to the mountains to look for him.”
"It's good to be able to contribute."
“Daoyun,” Jiang Yufan grasped her hand, “Thank you. You’ve always been on my side. I’m so grateful to have you all these years. If Gu Sidu can’t find any more people, I’ll go with you.”
"Buddha, are you going too?" Daoyun shook his head. "It's dangerous."
“If thirteen or fourteen-year-olds can go, why can’t I? Having one more person can always help. Don’t worry, I won’t hold you back.”
But I hope the outcome will be good.
-
Jiang Yufan waited at home, but Gu Sidu did not return home even as the sun began to set, nor was Gu Sidu seen at the county office. The servant who returned said that none of the soldiers in the county office had been mobilized, so it seemed that they had not been able to get any manpower.
"Where is he?" Jiang Yufan asked anxiously.
"They said that Lord Gu came out of the county office cursing and went straight into the mountains, and hasn't returned yet."
Oh no, Gu Sidu went alone. Jiang Yufan called the steward over to guard the courtyard. She said to Daoyun, "Take your sword, Daoyun. Things have really come to this. We have no choice but to go find Gu Sidu."
The autumn air was chilly, and the nights were especially cold, particularly in the mountains. If one couldn't find their way out at night, they would freeze to death. Without delay, Daoyun quickly found a horse. He helped Jiang Yufan onto the horse, then mounted himself, and they galloped off into the mountains.
Dao Yun was filled with anxiety and worry, and she had too many concerns along the way: "I wonder if Lord Gu is doing well now."
“It will go smoothly,” Jiang Yufan said confidently. “He will definitely succeed.”
"How did you figure that out?" Dao Yun was taken aback.
“Because I calculated it before I came out!” Jiang Yufan had some divination tools hidden in her sleeve. She took them out and waved them in front of Daoyun. “I just grabbed them. If I can’t find that boy in the mountains, I can use this to find the way.”
Upon hearing this, Dao Yun couldn't help but laugh: "Does the Buddhist nun believe these things now?"
“No,” Jiang Yufan said, “I don’t believe in that. I just believe that you and Gu Sidu will definitely find the boy. Since I believe, these things are just comfort to me. I believe, so naturally they will come true.”
Sincerity and the ability to find solutions—that's the source of Jiang Yufan's confidence.
Jiang Yufan believes in everyone around her who is truly sincere towards her.
Upon hearing this, Daoyun spurred his horse and rode deeper into the mountains.
There were hoofprints in the mountains, which should have been left by Gu Sidu. Daoyun followed these tracks and galloped all the way. When they reached the flattest part of the mountain, where the hoofprints disappeared, they stopped and dismounted to search for traces of Gu Sidu.
Gu Sidu should be nearby, but when they looked around, apart from the tangled trees and caves, they saw nothing else, let alone Gu Sidu.
"Oh no, are we too late?" Daoyun checked the situation, gripping her sword tightly, unwilling to accept the possibility.
"No way, Gu Sidu is incredibly lucky. There's no blood here, so he should still be alive." Jiang Yufan crossed her arms and tapped her chin.
"That's true. If he were dead, there would definitely be traces."
Is this right? Is this something that can be said? Isn't it a bit too carefree to talk about Gu Sidu behind his back like this? Aren't you worried at all?
Just as they were filled with worry, some cries for help came from afar, seemingly Gu Sidu's voice. Daoyun and Jiang Yufan looked at each other, and in a flash, Jiang Yufan led Daoyun to follow the sound. Sure enough, they were not mistaken; it was Gu Sidu's voice.
At this moment, Gu Sidu was hanging from a tree, with torn clothes around his waist and hanging between the branches. He looked quite disheveled, but thankfully, he was still alive.
As long as he was alive, Jiang Yufan felt relieved and slowly walked up to Gu Sidu, looking up at him.
"What is Lord Gu doing?" Dao Yun asked knowingly, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at the person in the tree. "Picking wild fruits to eat, or exercising in the tree?"
Gu Sidu's eyes lit up when he saw Dao Yun and Jiang Yufan. Originally, Gu Sidu was asking for help, but when he saw Jiang Yufan, he couldn't bring himself to ask. He coughed a few times and said, "Well, I'm agile. I just wanted to stand up high and see far, to see if I could find the boy I'm looking for up here."
“Is that so?” Daoyun nodded. “I thought it was because Lord Gu couldn’t get down from the tree that he called for help. Since Lord Gu can climb up the tree and come down by himself, please come down quickly.”
Gu Sidu remained silent and embarrassed, while Jiang Yufan covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Come down quickly," Jiang Yufan stepped forward and extended her hand to Gu Sidu. "This is not the time to show off; saving lives is the priority."
The Bodhisattva's hand reached out, seemingly bathed in Buddha's light. Gu Sidu immediately reached out and used the leverage to climb down from the tree. Whether it was intentional or not, Gu Sidu slipped as he climbed down, pulling Jiang Yufan into his arms. They pressed against the tree trunk, their breaths mingling.
Jiang Yufan blushed and turned her head away, but Daoyun saw through Gu Sidu's thoughts at a glance. She coughed a few times, took her sword, and separated the two of them.
"Lord Gu, saving lives is the priority. Put aside those other thoughts."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
