Ya She

Chapter 43 Bodhisattva

Beiping, 1932

Wei Changxu squatted inside the Zhonghua Bookstore in Liulichang, flipping through the book in his hand while listening intently to the conversations of the old shop owners.

Business is usually slow in Liulichang early in the morning, so after breakfast, the shop owners would carry birdcages and sit outside the Zhonghua Bookstore chatting. Sometimes they would talk about the tense current situation, sometimes about how Beijing had been stripped of its capital status by the Republic of China government and renamed Beiping, and occasionally they would vent their indignation at those blond and red-haired foreign devils. As soon as the sun began to set, they would all be called back by their employees.

Yes, Liulichang is the most bustling antique street in Beijing. From the early Qing Dynasty during the Shunzhi period, it was a gathering place for Han Chinese officials. Later, guild halls from all over the country were built nearby. Officials and candidates for the imperial examinations often gathered here to browse the book market. The market gradually turned into a neighborhood, and even the bookstores and antique shops in Qianmen and Chenglong Temple moved here.

It's said that gold is valued in times of chaos, and antiques in times of prosperity. With the impending chaos of the late Qing Dynasty, people flocked to Liulichang to exchange antiques for gold. Wei Changxu observed this day after day, noticing that fewer and fewer shop owners came to chat and chat in the mornings, and their expressions grew increasingly grave. The situation was dire; with the Japanese occupying Northeast China and approaching the interior, many had quietly closed their shops and fled south for refuge.

The old shopkeepers weren't in high spirits today; they exchanged a few rambling words and then dispersed. Seeing he wasn't getting any news, Wei Changxu tossed down a few coins, grabbed his newspaper, and headed southwest towards Liulichang. The streets were deserted; the once bustling alleys were now quiet and desolate, and every pedestrian's face betrayed a sense of unease. From not far away in Beijing, the sounds of gunfire could still be heard, though it was unclear whether it was from a clash between soldiers or from firearms privately owned by civilians. Perhaps those shots had taken a few more lives, but no one seemed moved; everyone lowered their heads and quickened their pace.

Skillfully navigating through several streets and alleys, Wei Changxu pushed open the door of the Silent Shop. Just as he took a step inside, a child bumped into him and snatched the copy of the "Beiping Daily" from his hand.

"Su Yao, how many words do you even know? I still have to read them to you." Wei Changxu pursed his lips, not bothering to argue with him.

Wei Changxu is nine years old this year. His family was quite wealthy when he was a child. But in chaotic times, the more prosperous a family was, the more it fell into ruin. When Wei Changxu was six years old, his family was destroyed and he became a beggar on the streets. He almost starved to death, but fortunately, the owner of this antique shop took pity on him and saved him. Later, seeing that he had some interest and knowledge about antiques, he took him on as an apprentice.

Su Yao was three years younger than him. When Wei Changxu first came to the Silent Shop, he was just an infant in swaddling clothes. The owner said he had found the child during the chaos of war, but Wei Changxu secretly suspected that the child was probably the owner's illegitimate son. The owner was so biased; even though Su Yao was young, he showered him with excessive affection—it was blinding! Look! The white jade longevity lock that the child had worn around his neck since he was little—it was priceless! He didn't even have anything that good to wear!
As Wei Changxu watched the six-year-old child learn to read and read newspapers while lying on the rosewood kang table, he inwardly grumbled. He placed the breakfast he had bought next to Su Yao, and at that moment, a young man of about twenty years old emerged from behind the mica screen; he was the owner of the Silent Inn.

This man always wore a black Zhongshan suit. Embroidered with a lifelike red dragon in red thread, it lay obediently on his right shoulder, exuding an unparalleled air of dominance. No matter how many times Wei Changxu looked at it, he couldn't take his eyes off it. In all these years, he had never seen his boss wear any other clothes, at most wearing a coat over it in autumn and winter.

Seeing that the shopkeeper had soaked a towel and considerately wiped Su Yao's little hands clean, he placed the pie on a red porcelain plate, neatly cut it into six pieces with a small silver knife, and then poured the soy milk from the jar into a blue-and-white porcelain bowl and placed it next to Su Yao. The whole set of actions was performed with such skill and ease that Wei Changxu watched with envy.

Well, he shouldn't be competing for attention with a brat three years his junior, especially since he'd watched this little snowball grow up. Wei Changxu obediently washed his hands, grabbed a pie, and while eating, tried to liven things up by saying, "Today, those people were talking about that big fire in the palace before, boss, do you remember it?"

The shopkeeper was boiling water on a small red clay charcoal stove. Hearing this, he hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "This happened nine years ago, didn't it? It started burning at Shenwu Gate, from south to north. Later, for some reason, the Great Buddha Hall behind Zhongzheng Hall also caught fire. The fire burned for a whole night, and it's said that it destroyed more than a hundred palace halls and pavilions, and burned many precious antiques." The shopkeeper's voice was always so calm and composed, but when he got to the last sentence, he could clearly not hide the regret and anger in his words, and his phoenix eyes narrowed, which was rare for him.

Wei Changxu continued with great interest, "I was born that year. My mother was frightened by the fire and had a miscarriage, so I came out early! I heard that when people were putting out the fire, they saw many people, some handsome and some alluring, rushing out of the fire in the Zhongzheng Hall. They said that those ancient antiques had cultivated themselves into spirits and manifested themselves!"

This story was circulating among the people, but it was the first time Su Yao had heard it. He immediately lifted his head from the newspaper, his big, clear eyes fixed on Wei Changxu, hoping he would say more.

The shopkeeper, however, lowered his eyes, poking at the charcoal in the small stove with tongs, and said nonchalantly, "These are all rumors deliberately spread by those thieving palace servants. How do you think this fire started? In those years, palace treasures flowed out of the palace. Customers who came to Liulichang could even pre-order treasures from the palace, including the pearls on the Empress's phoenix crown and the hundred-pound golden bell from the Shouhuang Hall. They were unscrupulous. In the end, it got out of hand, and the palace wanted to investigate, so they simply set a fire, claiming that all the lost antiques had been burned to ashes, making it impossible to verify."

Wei Changxu curled his lips. In fact, it was obvious to anyone with eyes to see. Even the emperor was leading the way in reselling antiques. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked too. Didn't everyone else follow suit?
Seeing that there were no more stories to hear, Su Yao turned his attention back to the newspaper in his hand. After a while, he looked up again and asked hesitantly, "Brother Xu, auction? What's an auction?"

Wei Changxu leaned over to take a look and almost burst out laughing. He slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Those bastards! They actually want to auction off those antiques in the palace! To raise money to buy airplanes? What kind of scoundrel came up with this idea? It's outrageous!" Even at nine years old, he knew that although it was supposed to be a public auction, they actually wanted to sell those national treasures to foreigners.

How ridiculous! If they can't even protect what their own ancestors left behind, how can they expect to protect their homeland?
"Boss! What should we do?" Wei Changxu looked to his boss for help. Seven years ago, after the Forbidden City was converted into the Imperial Palace, it was opened to the public for exhibitions, and he had visited it several times. In his opinion, not a single one of those exquisite and precious national treasures should be lost! Moreover, those national treasures no longer belonged to the royal family, but to the entire country!
The shopkeeper remained calmly focused on the small kettle on the red clay charcoal stove. Once the water boiled, he steadily removed it and brewed a cup of Da Hong Pao tea, its aroma a perfect balance of red and green. Smelling the tea's fragrance, the shopkeeper looked up, meeting the expectant gazes of the two children, one big and one small, and couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry," he said, "this auction won't go through. Didn't you see how much the newspapers are publicizing it? If they dared to auction a national treasure, the students would be the first to object. I reckon the next thing they'll do is hold protests."

Wei Changxu felt somewhat relieved. The college students in Beijing were all passionate and prone to protests. Coupled with the media hype in the newspapers, it seemed unlikely that this would come to fruition.

The shopkeeper took a sip of the clear yellow tea, sighed, and said, "But the flames of war will inevitably reach here sooner or later. If those things don't want to be destroyed here, they will probably move to the south soon."

Wei Changxu and Su Yao exchanged a glance. Unlike Su Yao's bewildered look, Wei Changxu knew perfectly well that his boss, like everyone else, was probably considering fleeing south for safety.

In Wei Changxu's mind, the boss was always incredibly insightful.

The auction was indeed aborted due to strong opposition and demonstrations from the students, but a new storm was brewing. Rumors circulated that the Palace Museum's antiques were to be moved south. One group believed that this move was inevitable, but many more felt that it was better to be destroyed than to be destroyed, and that moving the antiques south would only disturb the people's hearts and was a disgraceful act of abandoning the country.

Wei Changxu watched the intellectuals in the newspapers arguing amongst themselves, spouting phrases like "The lonely, empty city remains, antiques are hastily moved away," and he only regretted his own lack of literary talent; otherwise, he would have loved to pick up a pen and hurl insults at them. The inaction was the fault of the warlords and soldiers! Those antiques were completely innocent! Why should they be left here to perish with this city of Beijing?
Which is more important, human life or cultural relics and antiques?

Different people will likely have different answers.

Although Wei Changxu was young, he knew that the cultural relics and antiques in the Forbidden City could not be judged by common sense.

That is a legacy passed down by the Chinese nation for thousands of years.

It is the culture of this nation.

It must never be stolen or destroyed!
"Boss, I want to join the army." After struggling for many days, Wei Changxu finally said firmly, clenching his fist.

Su Yao tilted her head and looked at him blankly. In a child's mind, she had not yet realized how terrible it was to be a soldier.

The shopkeeper put down the blue-and-white porcelain bowl in his hand, patted Wei Changxu's head, and smiled, saying, "You're only nine years old, they won't accept you."

“But…” Wei Changxu knew this was the truth and wished he could grow up all at once.

"Don't worry, I know what you're thinking. I'll make your wish come true." The boss smiled mysteriously, miraculously calming the turmoil and resentment in Wei Changxu's heart.

Not long after, when the weather in Beijing started to get cold, the boss took them to the Forbidden City.

As the situation worsened, fewer people visited the Forbidden City. The once magnificent palace with its red walls, green tiles, and golden splendor now appeared desolate and bleak under the shadow of war. The only vehicles passing through the Shenwu Gate were a constant stream of carts transporting wooden crates and cotton. Wei Changxu, witnessing this firsthand, realized that the relocation of the national treasures to the south was a done deal, and his heart filled with joy.

He didn't understand the intricacies of politics, nor did he care about the reasons for the southward migration. But as long as those exquisite national treasures could be preserved from the ravages of war, he was content.

However, moving cultural relics and antiques to the south was not as easy as it seems; it was a massive undertaking. The Qing emperors, starting with Kangxi, had an extraordinary passion for collecting, and their successors followed suit, even intensifying this passion. Therefore, the treasures in the Forbidden City were truly countless. It was impossible to take all the antiques with them; only the most valuable pieces could be selected. The antiques can be roughly divided into several categories, including porcelain, jade, bronzes, calligraphy and paintings, seals, ruyi scepters, snuff bottles, fans, court beads, ivory carvings, lacquerware, glassware, musical instruments, armor, and ceremonial regalia. There were also numerous books and documents, such as the Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) stored in the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Siku Huiyao (Essentials of the Four Treasuries) stored in the Tanzao Hall, rare local gazetteers, various Buddhist scriptures, military archives, memorials to the throne, daily records, imperial genealogies, maps, and countless other complex and varied books.

As Wei Changxu led Su Yao along, listening intently as the boss recounted the artifacts with great familiarity, Wei Changxu felt his head begin to ache. When he finally reached their destination, he saw Palace Museum staff already packing the cultural relics and antiques into boxes, categorizing them neatly.

As for why the owner came here, it was because the packing process required the experience of industry professionals. Several antique dealers from Liulichang were invited to meticulously explain to the staff what kind of boxes were needed for antiques of different materials, what kind of stuffing materials were needed besides cotton wadding, and how to make good use of every gap, etc. In return, these invited antique dealers were all going south with the Palace Museum's antiques, which was much safer and more reliable than traveling alone. At least they didn't have to find train or boat tickets on their own.

Wei Changxu and Su Yao were two children. The shop owner brought them along because he didn't feel comfortable leaving them alone in the shop. As long as they sat quietly and didn't cause trouble, no one would bother them. Wei Changxu wasn't willing to just sit there like an idiot, so he and Su Yao, his little shadow, helped out by handing over ropes, moving cotton husks, and bringing scissors. They were also sensible enough not to touch the precious antiques, afraid that if they accidentally broke them, they wouldn't be able to afford to pay for them even if they sold them.

Wei Changxu was sweet-talking and diligent, while Su Yao was shy and well-behaved. The two children quickly won everyone's favor, and a few days later, Wei Changxu was allowed to look through the unboxed antiques. Of course, even the discarded antiques couldn't be taken away at will, but just looking at them was fine.

That day, he found a large box of beads. He grabbed a few and asked the shopkeeper, only to find out that it was a box of Bodhi seeds.

"Bodhi seeds? Are they the fruits of the Bodhi tree in the courtyard of Yinghua Hall?" Wei Changxu recalled the lush Bodhi tree, which in the height of summer resembled a large, verdant umbrella. Having often overheard the conversations of antique shop owners, he actually knew quite a bit. He knew the story of Shakyamuni Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree for seven days and seven nights, attaining enlightenment and becoming a Buddha. He also knew that in Buddhist terminology, Bodhi means enlightenment.

"No, Bodhi seeds are the fruit of a type of grass that grows in valleys and is produced in snowy mountains. There are many kinds of Bodhi seeds, but the most suitable ones are for making prayer beads." The shopkeeper picked up a Bodhi seed and examined it carefully. "Look, the surface of this prayer bead is covered with evenly distributed black dots, and there is a concave circle in the middle, like stars surrounding the moon. The whole Bodhi seed is in the shape of stars surrounding the moon, hence the name Star and Moon Bodhi Seed. This is also one of the four famous Bodhi seed beads."

"Huh? Such valuable things, why didn't you pack them up and take them with you?" Wei Changxu was anxious when he heard this. He went through those discarded antiques every day, and it was based on this mentality that he always felt it would be better to take everything and not leave anything behind.

The shopkeeper fiddled with the bodhi seeds in Wei Changxu's hand, saying calmly, "I've seen that box of bodhi seeds before. They must be loose beads from the palace's collection over the years, not yet strung together. These are silver-thread bodhi, Buddha-eye bodhi, phoenix-eye bodhi, heavenly bodhi... Look, although there are many varieties and they are rare, perhaps they have been blessed by high monks, but bodhi seeds are the fruit of a plant. As long as this grass in Chuan Gu doesn't become extinct, more bodhi seeds will grow, so they're not that precious." The shopkeeper's expression was indifferent, but his tone carried an indescribable sense of desolation. He straightened up, looking at the cultural relics and antiques being packed into boxes one after another, and sighed, "But look at those porcelains, the secret techniques for firing them have been lost, and those jade ornaments, the jade carvers have passed away. Those are all true heirlooms, every broken one is one less..."

"This..." Wei Changxu bit his lower lip, wanting to say that there wouldn't be any problems along the way, but he also knew that was just deceiving himself. These days, everyone busy at the Forbidden City had a solemn expression. Even knowing that the road ahead was uncertain, they still had to carefully grope their way forward.

The shopkeeper was only expressing his feelings briefly before quickly regaining his composure. He patted Wei Changxu's head, knowing that the boy's love for antiques had reached a point of obsession, and offered some words of comfort: "Buddhism speaks of the six realms of reincarnation. People will eventually die, and objects will also perish, so you should take everything lightly. Just do your best in what you can."

Wei Changxu could hear the vicissitudes in those words. He looked up and saw that the boss was staring intently at Su Yao, who was holding an ancient book and opening it not far away.

At that moment, there was a complex meaning in the boss's eyes that he couldn't understand, and he still couldn't figure it out when he recalled this scene many years later.

Despite being coldly told that the large box of bodhi seeds couldn't be taken away, Wei Changxu didn't give up. He insisted on finding the director and, after obtaining permission, began a task with Su Yao. They folded paper into square packets, placed a bodhi seed inside each, and reverently added one to each box of artifacts they sealed, praying that the bodhi seeds would protect the antiques from harm. They also took the time to string the bodhi seeds into bracelets and gave one to each staff member, praying for their safe journey.

Wei Changxu wore a string of brown Bodhi seeds, Su Yao wore a string of white Snow Zen Bodhi seeds, and the boss wore a string of Golden Bell Bodhi seeds.

Then, on February 6, 1933, the first batch of cultural relics and antiques from the Palace Museum began to be loaded onto trucks and shipped.

Although Wei Changxu knew from the beginning that the journey would not be easy, he never expected it to be this bumpy.

They almost didn't even make it out of Beijing. As soon as the vehicles carrying the antiques left the Forbidden City, they were surrounded by students who had been waiting at the gate. After a difficult journey to the train station, the atmosphere became increasingly chaotic. Some radical students even lay down on the tracks to prevent the national treasures from leaving Beijing. It took the curator a long speech to persuade them to leave. Because of the previous newspaper reports about the national treasures being taken south, when the train passed through Xuzhou, bandits even appeared, attempting to rob the treasures. These desperate criminals fought a real battle with the local army, and realizing there was no profit to be made, they reluctantly left.

The two trains carrying the cultural relics finally arrived at Xiaguan in Nanjing on the fourth day. Then, orders came down that the antiques should be transferred to Luoyang and Xi'an. The other antique shop owners who had traveled south with the trains all left with their belongings. Wei Changxu knew his boss would probably do the same, but he didn't want to leave at all.

He hasn't even seen these national treasures settle down yet. How could he possibly leave so easily?

Although he didn't say a word, the boss saw through his thoughts and kept only him and Su Yao behind.

"Why did the boss leave on his own?" Su Yao tugged at Wei Changxu's clothes, looking extremely unhappy, her little mouth pouting so much it could hang a soy sauce bottle.

"Good boy, the boss has gone to deal with the antiques at the Silent Shop. He'll be back." Wei Changxu was quite pleased; he could still stay. He carefully placed the white jade longevity lock from Su Yao's neck into his lapel, discreetly keeping his wealth hidden, especially in such chaotic times.

The Palace Museum's antiques remained at Nanjing's Xiaguan Railway Station for over two weeks before being transported by ship to Shanghai. During this period, artifacts from the Palace Museum in Beijing were transported in five separate shipments, including those from the Summer Palace and the Garden Palace. Having gained the trust of the staff, Wei Changxu was able to offer assistance, and he and Su Yao did what they could. When the final tally of the artifacts was finally released, everyone fell silent.

A total of 19557 boxes, containing tens of thousands of cultural relics and antiques.

Wei Changxu was deeply shocked by this number. These were items that everyone had carefully selected, and each one was an extremely precious treasure.

But he couldn't see those dazzling treasures at all. The huge warehouse was filled with neatly stacked wooden crates, and the air was filled with an unpleasant smell of dust and cotton. But Wei Changxu couldn't help but feel a strange sadness in his heart.

How devastated must a nation be to be forced to undertake such a massive cultural migration?

When will these treasures finally be freed from being covered in dust, and be polished anew and displayed in exhibition halls for people to admire and worship?
Will he ever see that sight again? Can he guarantee that all these treasures will continue to exist in the world without a single one missing?

"Brother Xu?" Su Yao sensed Wei Changxu's low spirits and tugged at his sleeve anxiously. Su Yao, who had changed into a coarse linen shirt, was still fair-skinned, but he had lost a lot of weight due to the hardships he had endured in recent days. His once round oval face had become a pointed chin.

"Don't be afraid, we will win." Wei Changxu hugged Su Yao and murmured to himself.

It's like trying to persuade the other person, but it's also more like trying to persuade yourself.

But reality is always crueler than people imagine. Some people began to spread rumors with ulterior motives, saying that Dean Yi Peiji had embezzled these antiques from Beijing to sell to foreigners. Three men can buy a tiger. Zeng Shen killed someone. And some people actually believed it. The story became increasingly detailed and convincing, until the Nanjing government issued a summons, ordering the court to schedule a trial. The hardships during this period are indescribable; several people were implicated and imprisoned, with no way to seek justice, and were only released much later.

The boss found them in Shanghai a few months later and instead of leaving, he stayed to participate in the preservation of cultural relics.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye. The Nanjing government finally cleared the Chaotian Palace warehouse, and the Palace Museum's cultural relics and antiques returned to Nanjing from Shanghai. Wei Changxu was now a teenager, his tall and slender frame still growing taller, while Su Yao was almost ten years old, becoming increasingly shy and introverted. After arriving in Nanjing smoothly with the cultural relics and antiques, they spent another year organizing them. Just when everyone thought things could settle down, the fourteen-year-old Wei Changxu even considered leaving to join the army. But 1937 was far from peaceful.

The 7th year of the Republic of China. That is, July 7, 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident occurred, and Beiping fell to the Japanese.

On August 13, the August 8 Incident occurred in Shanghai, and Shanghai fell to the Japanese.

The flames of war had reached the vicinity of Nanjing. Sometimes, when you looked up at the sky, you could see a thick, dark cloud on the horizon that seemed ready to press down at any moment, making it hard to breathe.

The day after the August 13 Incident, the Palace Museum decided to continue relocating its artifacts, with the first batch quickly moving to Changsha on the morning of the 14th. The owner wanted Wei Changxu and Su Yao to leave Nanjing with the first batch of artifacts, but Wei Changxu knew the owner wouldn't be among the first to leave, so he insisted on staying with him. The artifacts were transferred gradually, generally in three routes: the southern route went to Hankou, then to Changsha, and finally to Anshun; the central route went to Yichang, then to Chongqing, and finally to Leshan; and the northern route went through Xuzhou and Zhengzhou to Xi'an. Wei Changxu and his colleagues ultimately chose to travel north by train. It is said that the last batch of over 9,000 crates of artifacts in the central route remained in Nanjing until December 8th, when they finally boarded the Huangpu steamer and left Nanjing.

Five days later, Nanjing fell, and the Japanese army committed the Nanjing Massacre, a horrific atrocity that shocked the world.

How much longer must we remain in darkness before dawn breaks?
Wei Changxu and Su Yao huddled in the gaps between the truck's cargo compartments, their bodies bobbing unconsciously with the swaying of the carriage. It was now spring of 1939. They had endured countless hardships on their journey. Two years earlier, the train carrying cultural relics had departed from Nanjing, only to be bombed by the Japanese air force upon reaching Xuzhou. Fortunately, the train had stopped on abandoned tracks, escaping the attack. They had also experienced bombing when passing Zhengzhou, but thankfully, they escaped unscathed. After Zhengzhou, they headed for Xi'an, and then for Baoji, only to be forced to relocate again due to heavy Japanese bombing. As a result, the mere 100-kilometer journey from Baoji to Hanzhong through the Qinling Mountains took them almost three months. During their crossing of the Qinling Mountains, they encountered bandits and wolves, experiencing several close calls. Wei Changxu felt that even being a soldier couldn't have been more arduous.

It is said that the other two routes for transporting cultural relics and antiques were not without their difficulties. The waterway to Chongqing nearly capsized in the Three Gorges. Fortunately, an experienced boatman managed to save the day at the last moment. The route to Changsha also faced numerous difficulties, narrowly escaping Japanese bombing. Ultimately, it was decided to transfer the cultural relics to the Emei and Leshan areas.

Wei Changxu and his group were also heading towards Sichuan, but they were entering Sichuan by land.

Li Bai once wrote a poem that said, "The road to Shu is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the heavens." Wei Changxu originally thought that the mountain road across the Qinling Mountains was already treacherous enough, but when he arrived at the plank road leading into Sichuan, he realized what the difficulty of the Shu Road truly meant.

The so-called Shu Road is actually a plank road, consisting of holes carved into cliffs, with stone or wooden stakes inserted into the holes, and then planks or stone slabs laid across them. These narrow plank roads have limited load-bearing capacity; a vehicle can only carry a maximum of three or four boxes, and someone must lead the truck, honking their horn to signal when turning on the cliff face. The convoy moves incredibly slowly. A section of plank road only two li (approximately 1 kilometer) takes two or three days to travel round trip. Wei Changxu asked the local villagers who were guiding the way, and they estimated that if they wanted to reach Emei Mountain at this pace, it would take at least six or seven months.

"Brother Xu, are you feeling any better?" Su Yao, who was already thirteen years old, looked like a teenager. His military overcoat was worn out from the road, but his face was still fair. He touched Wei Changxu's forehead with a worried and concerned expression.

The entire cold winter had passed in the harsh forests of the Qinling Mountains. Even with his strong constitution, Wei Changxu couldn't withstand it. Su Yao grew anxious, even resentful of himself. If Wei Changxu hadn't insisted on giving him all his clothes, how could his body have become so tattered from the cold? Thinking of this, Su Yao took off his military overcoat and, ignoring Wei Changxu's protests, wrapped it around him again. "Brother Xu, you sit down first. I'll go down and find the boss to see if he can get any more medicine."

Wei Changxu tried to grab him to stop him from wandering off. They were already being taken care of by others just because they were able to hitch a ride on the truck. Didn't they see that everyone else was walking on their own? But he was sick after all, and Su Yao was quick. He reached out his hand but couldn't grab anything.

"That brat..." Wei Changxu helplessly closed his eyes again, his feverish body making his mind shut down. In his hazy state, he seemed to hear someone shouting loudly, followed by the piercing sound of car horns. His body seemed to shake violently out of control, and when he opened his eyes in astonishment, he saw the long vehicle he was sitting in rush off the boardwalk and plunge headlong into the deep ravine below!
Fortunately, Su Yao had already gotten off the bus.

In that instant, such a thought actually flashed through Wei Changxu's mind.

Perhaps it was the potential that surged forth in the face of life and death, but Wei Changxu quickly made a judgment: if he jumped down immediately, he might still be lucky enough to grab onto the wooden planks below the plank road. However, his first action was to throw the boxes from the vehicle down. He remembered that when he boarded the vehicle, he had habitually glanced at the boxes' serial numbers, which began with the character "经" (jing), meaning the Classics section of the *Siku Quanshu* (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries). Since they were books, he wasn't afraid of them falling, but he was afraid they would fall into the river; once soaked in the water, they would be ruined.

The three boxes of books were heavy, but during the fall, Wei Changxu didn't know if it was because his strength had increased in this desperate situation or if it was just a stroke of luck, but before the truck plunged into the river, he managed to throw all three boxes onto the mudflats. Without even checking if the truck driver had managed to jump out, he spotted a patch of lush vegetation and slammed into it.

The last thing Wei Changxu saw was his Bodhi seed prayer beads being snapped off by a tree branch, scattering everywhere and creating a reassuring atmosphere under the dark blue sky. He felt a sense of relief, and then he knew nothing more.

"...Why won't you let me save him? The child is still alive!"

"By doing this, you've changed history! If you hadn't traveled to this time using the compass, this person might have died. If you save him, creating a butterfly effect that leads to a series of changes and a deviation in history, will you take responsibility for that?"

"I'm a doctor! My responsibility is to save lives! How can I just stand by and do nothing?"

“You need to consider the bigger picture. If this happens every time, I think we should stop tampering with the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass.”

"...Are you threatening me?"

"This is not a threat, it's just the truth."

"you!"

Who are these two? Why are they arguing? The Luo Shu Nine Star Compass? That name sounds familiar...
Wei Changxu was only conscious for a fleeting moment before he succumbed to darkness again, feeling dizzy and disoriented. It wasn't until what felt like an eternity that he could feel the pain coursing through his body once more.

If you're still in pain, it means you're still alive.

Wei Changxu gritted his teeth and tried to feel his body. His leg was probably broken, but thankfully, the military overcoat Su Yao had wrapped around him prevented further injury to his chest and upper body. It was truly a blessing from heaven.

I don't know if those three boxes of books were damaged.

In his dazed state, Wei Changxu vaguely felt himself being moved around, fed some pills, and given an injection. When he was able to open his eyes, he immediately saw Su Yao's tear-reddened face.

The shopkeeper, who was also standing by, knew that Wei Changxu couldn't speak yet, but he understood from his eyes what Wei Changxu wanted to know most. He patted Wei Changxu's head with relief and said, "None of those three boxes of books were lost or waterlogged, thanks to you. Your leg is fine too, but you need to rest well. Do you remember who saved you? We couldn't find them, so we should thank them properly."

Fragments of the argument flashed through his mind, and Wei Changxu shook his head in confusion. In fact, he hadn't heard or understood any of those words.

The boss frowned. The cliff face was extremely dangerous, and they had taken a long detour, finally reaching the mudflats at the bottom a day later. The driver had already fallen to his death, but Wei Changxu was lying safely on the mudflats. His broken leg had been properly bandaged, the bone set perfectly, and the bandages were meticulous, preventing excessive blood loss. The books scattered on the mudflats had been neatly stacked and arranged, even in their original order. Only someone working in a museum could have done this. Even the three Bodhi seeds Su Yao had stuffed into the book box, and the fallen Bodhi seed manual, had been retrieved without a trace.

Everything was strange, but the boss didn't think too much about it. Seeing Wei Changxu barely keeping his eyelids open, he told him to get some rest.

There is still a long way to go.

Yes, the journey was indeed long. It wasn't until the autumn of that year that they reached the towering Jianmen Pass. After that, they traveled from Chengdu to Mount Emei, where they stayed for seven years.

"Our justice will inevitably triumph over might, and its truth will finally be proven... The Japanese Emperor has announced unconditional surrender..."

Amidst the crackling radio waves, exciting news arrived, and cheers and tears of joy filled the room. Wei Changxu squeezed his eyes shut, still somewhat unable to believe it was real.

Having spent too long in darkness, the sudden arrival of light evokes an instinctive tremor and disbelief.

"Brother Xu! We can go back now!" Su Yao excitedly rushed towards Wei Changxu. He was already nineteen years old, an adult. Wei Changxu couldn't withstand the pounce and fell off the small stool to the ground. The pain brought him back to his senses.

This is not a dream! This is real!
“Yes, we can go back now.” Wei Changxu suppressed his elation and looked back at the wooden crates piled up in the temple. He said rationally, “We won’t leave anytime soon. We’ll stay for at least two more years until the situation in the country stabilizes.” He was twenty-two years old this year and was already a full-fledged adult. He could quickly analyze the pros and cons of the situation.

Su Yao carefully helped him up from the ground. Because of the accident on the plank road, Wei Changxu's body had been left with health problems. He couldn't rest properly in the harsh conditions of the mountains and was getting thinner and thinner. Over the years, Su Yao had treated him like a fragile treasure, and after the boss left, they had become each other's only support.

"The boss... he probably won't come back with us, right?" Thinking of the boss, Su Yao lowered his head and pursed his lips.

Wei Changxu patted his shoulder but didn't say anything.

Seven years ago, after they settled in Mount Emei, the boss left, only to quietly return for a brief visit three years ago. Looking back now, Wei Changxu realized that the boss's appearance was exactly the same as it had been over a decade ago; in fact, if he were with them now, he would seem even younger than them.

"Stop thinking about it, let's celebrate properly!" Wei Changxu got up, opened the window, let the long-awaited sunlight shine on his face, and let out a long breath.

Soon, very soon his wish will come true!
In fact, the road back was not as easy as imagined.

Although the Japanese Emperor signed the treaty announcing unconditional surrender, the Japanese militarists within the country were unwilling to retreat. Coupled with a sudden change in the domestic situation and renewed conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, the situation suddenly became unpredictable again.

The sorting of cultural relics and antiques proceeded smoothly. With the threat of air raids eliminated, the relics destined for Nanjing were gathered in Chongqing and only began their journey two years later. The journey was fraught with mishaps, but fortunately, there were no casualties among the team. They sailed down the Yangtze River directly to Nanjing. The Palace Museum in Beiping was established on Double Ten Day in 1925, and finally, twenty-two years and two months later, all the relocated cultural relics and antiques were returned to their original location.

The domestic war was still ongoing, but Wei Changxu wasn't too worried. After all, it was a domestic conflict and wouldn't threaten the legacy of his ancestors. He spent his days poring over the priceless artifacts, and in his spare time, he would reflect on the tumultuous fifteen years of travel. The journey of these antiques, regardless of the route, had exceeded 12,000 kilometers. And these millions of antiques, having endured such a long march, had not lost or been damaged a single piece—truly remarkable, a miracle.

Due to his hard work day and night, his health deteriorated day by day, but he continued to work without rest. Whenever Su Yao advised him to rest more, he paid no attention.

In late 1948, cultural relics began to be transferred to Taiwan in batches. Wei Changxu did not stop them, nor could he stop them; he was just a lowly administrator. Besides, what difference would separation make? He knew these cultural relics would be treated very well, even if they were separated by the Taiwan Strait.

Some people advised him to leave the mainland for Taiwan, but he did not agree and stayed in Chaotian Palace in Nanjing, sorting out the remaining cultural relics and antiques. Su Yao also silently accompanied him.

The following autumn, the maple leaves turned red again, but he was all alone.

The boss reappeared before him, still as young as ever.

Wei Changxu's lips trembled as he placed the white jade longevity lock in his hand.

"How did he leave?" The boss's voice was calm, as if he had known all along that Su Yao would have an accident.

“He fell from the ladder…” Wei Changxu closed his eyes, as if he could still see the scene from that night. “The warehouse was dark… so there were no kerosene lamps lit to prevent a fire… He… he lost his footing…”

"Yes, he was under twenty-four again. He probably didn't suffer much before he passed away, thankfully," the shopkeeper said softly, a hint of melancholy in his voice. He glanced down at the longevity lock in his hand, then looked up at Wei Changxu for a long while before sighing, "Thank you for taking care of him, even if it was just incidental. Now that the war is over, your wish... should have been fulfilled, right?"

Wei Changxu was in a daze, unable to understand what his boss meant. He looked around at the neatly organized warehouse, as if he had grasped something, and then closed his eyes in relief.

In front of the boss, there was only a pile of clothes left. He bent down and picked up a bodhi seed the size of a walnut from inside the clothes.

That was a Vajra Bodhi seed, the most precious variety of Bodhi seeds.

Vajra, meaning indestructible and invincible, possesses the power to destroy all evil. Vajra Bodhi seeds are graded by the number of lobes; the most common are five or six, resembling a walnut, with more lobes indicating greater rarity. The one the shopkeeper holds is a legendary twenty-two-lobed Vajra Bodhi seed. Its reddish-brown surface bears traces of burning and is now riddled with cracks.

"Twenty-six years ago, the Great Buddha Hall behind the Zhongzheng Hall caught fire. You used your last bit of willpower to reincarnate as a human..."

"Your wish to protect these antiquities has been fulfilled. I will definitely choose a place with flourishing incense offerings so that you can receive more donations and renew your vows..."

From then on, no one ever saw the junior administrator named Wei Changxu again. Those who knew him assumed that he had left heartbroken because of his brother's accident.

(End of this chapter)