The sun gradually rose, and a few thin white clouds floated lazily in the blue, lake-like sky, as if they had been melted by the sun, lingering on the top of the Canaan Mountains, making people feel drowsy.
The road under your feet is still as long as a ladder, as if it will never end. The freshly picked green leaves beside the road are dried by the sun, and you hang your head tiredly, dismissing the passing pilgrims, which is in sharp contrast to the eager-looking pilgrims on the road.
Xia Houshu suddenly remembered the folk saying that everything goes wrong for a poor and humble family. Although she had never experienced poverty, looking at this scene, she couldn't help but sigh that rich people also have a lot of troubles.
In the long queue, most of them were ladies in brocade clothes who came with their children, as well as young women with haggard faces, wearing gorgeous clothes and jingle rings, and there was an endless stream like going to the market.
Xia Houshu looked at all this, shook his head and let out a contemptuous sneer, saying: "If you don't believe that you believe in ghosts and gods, you are putting the cart before the horse. It's really ridiculous!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she was pinched by Yun Xi.
"Okay Yunxi, I see you are getting more and more courageous. How dare you pinch me?"
She was just about to scold Yunxi when she saw Yunxi keep winking at her. In line with the tacit understanding between their master and servant for many years, Xia Houshu quickly turned around and found that his mother was looking at her from a distance, with a slight frown.
She frowned, seeming to silently express her dissatisfaction and criticism of her words and actions.
There is a saying: People under the eaves have to bow their heads.
There is also a saying: A good man does not suffer immediate losses, and he who knows the current affairs is a hero.
Xia Houshu understood immediately, and hurriedly put her hands together and bowed in the direction of Huguo Temple as if sincerely. After doing this, she hurried forward as if she had a guilty conscience.
Yun Xi also kept silent, pursed her lips and followed quickly, never daring to turn around and peek at Zhong Yuqing.
They had just walked a short distance when they heard an urgent cry for help echoing in the valley. They both couldn't help but stop again and listened carefully.
"Help! Help! Someone save my child!"
The sound came from the front of the incense procession. It echoed in the valley like a heart-wrenching sound. It was harsh and terrifying, and it instantly attracted everyone's attention.
For a time, the entire mountain road was whispering.
Xia Houshu followed the source of the sound and looked over, and saw that the pedestrians in front of him stopped one after another. Then there was news that the mountain road was too slippery, and a child accidentally stepped on the air and fell off the cliff. He was calling for help.
It is the child's mother.
Hearing this, Xia Houshu was startled, and his eyes involuntarily glanced at the slopes and cliffs outside the stone road. He thought that the road on this high mountain was slippery. If a person accidentally fell, would he still be saved?
She turned her gaze forward again. There were many people on the road, and they could only hear their discussions.
Some were full of compassion and anxiously asked about the situation ahead, while muttering to themselves and praying to the Buddha for blessing, as if this would move the world and bless the child to be safe and sound; some patted their chests and secretly rejoiced, and reminded those who were traveling with them to
This is a lesson, be careful where you step and don’t step on the wrong foot again; some people turn into messengers of justice and accuse the suffering people of not bringing their children to offer incense, which is simply committing evil!
"Please! Save my child!"
The woman's cry for help continued. It seems that everyone realized that the mountain road was rugged and dangerous, and a little carelessness could lead to loss of life, so no one dared to come forward to rescue her for a long time.
In this situation, Xia Houshu couldn't help but ridiculed: "Let me just say it, when life is concerned, it is useless to pray to God, Buddha, or others. In the end, you have to rely on yourself."
Yun Xi looked at her but didn't answer. After all, she wasn't the one who had the ability to help, so she could only follow along and worry.
Xia Houshu sighed deeply and started to move forward.
"Shur..."
His mother's voice came from behind. Xia Houshu stopped and turned around to see a touch of sadness on his mother's beautiful face.
Mothers probably react this way when they foresee that their children may be in danger. It can be seen from this that the young mother who screamed and begged watched her child fall off the cliff, but was unable to do anything.
Even more sad and desperate.
Xia Houshu showed a relaxed and brilliant smile, and comforted him softly: "Don't worry, mother, I have my own sense of discretion."
Zhong Yuqing is a believer in Buddhism and has a compassionate heart. Naturally, she cannot stand idly by at such a time. At the same time, she also understands her daughter's skills and personality, and she is by no means the kind of person who likes to show off.
"Go ahead, do your best, and don't show off." Zhong Yuqing nodded, then turned to Yun Xi and told her, "Hurry up and watch."
Xia Houshu pushed aside the pilgrims who were stopping and walked quickly towards the place where the incident occurred.
At the place where the incident occurred, a woman in her early thirties was kneeling on the stone road and crying, looking sad and helpless. Next to her were two servants, a man and a woman, kneeling with sweat on their faces and staring straight at her.
At the foot of the cliff, everyone looked dead.
The woman was well-dressed and had a sad look on her face. If the two servants hadn't been holding her tightly, she might have jumped. While she was anxiously paying attention to the movements outside the cliff, she begged the onlookers beside her, hoping that
Passers-by can help her. Her son is a piece of flesh that has fallen off her body. If she is allowed to watch helplessly and does not help, then she might as well die immediately.
However, in addition to expressing sympathy, no one among the pilgrims who were watching dared to come forward, even to offer comfort.
"Mom, help me, I don't want to die!"
Under the cliff, the boy's heart-rending cries continued, each sound weaker than the last, and each sound more desperate than the last, tightly affecting the woman's mind.
With tears in her eyes, the woman looked at the innocent child but was helpless. She had to ask the crowd for help over and over again: "Please, please save my child! He is only ten years old this year. He has been well-behaved, sensible, considerate and filial since he was a child."
, I went up the mountain today to pray for his father!"
There were small sighs and murmurs in the crowd, but still no one dared to stand up.
The boy's position is too dangerous. If he is not careful, he will not only be unable to save others, but also take his own life. And they come to Huguo Temple to offer incense regardless of danger, and they also have their own mission.
No one wants to risk their wealth and life here.
Xia Houshu continued to walk a few steps forward, followed the gaze of the crowd and the cry of the child to look at the cliff, and saw that the boy who fell was no more than ten years old, with a childish look on his face.
It was full of tears. Fortunately, he was lucky. There happened to be a few bowl-sized pine trees growing here. Due to the lack of nutrients and water, they did not grow tall and straight like other pine trees, but grew crookedly and diagonally. And the boy
It just happened to hang on one of the pine trees.
It's a blessing among misfortunes.
Although the boy is young, he is strong and strong. He is hugging the tree trunk tightly and does not dare to move. His eyes are full of tears and fear, and he will not be able to hold on for long.
Xia Houshu quickly scanned the crowd of pilgrims. Most of them were old, young, women and children, but there were also young and vigorous men. There were even a few who looked like practitioners. However, they all just stood blankly, watching.
They were sitting and talking in low voices, but no one was serious enough to think of a solution.
Xia Houshu suddenly felt his heart sinking, and said to Yun Xi who was following him: "Did you see it? Even the Buddha doesn't bless the people who come to pay homage to him at this time, let alone other unrelated people? Is it just like this?
Look, can people grow wings and fly up on their own?"
Xia Houshu spoke loudly, and everyone around him could hear it except Yunxi.
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone onlookers turned their attention to Xia Houshu, who was dressed in red, as if they were awakening from a dream. They felt that her presence was particularly eye-catching and her words were particularly harsh.
Xia Houshu turned a blind eye and snorted again.
Immediately, some meddlesome people glared at her and retorted: "What a loud tone! If you are powerful, go down and save people! What's the use of just talking about us?"
Xia Houshu was originally just outspoken and couldn't help but say a few sarcastic words. He never thought that he would have a quarrel with others. When he suddenly heard these words, he felt very unhappy. She didn't even look at the other person and said coldly: "You are
Are there roundworms in my stomach? How do you know I won’t save people?”
After hearing this, everyone looked at her from shock to suspicion, and then added a bit of ridicule and contempt: It had been raining heavily for so long recently, and the cliff was extremely slippery, except for a few thick-mouthed trees.
The pine trees are just some weeds and moss growing wantonly. Not to mention she is a delicate woman, even a strong man may not be completely sure to save the boy. She is just an arrogant little woman.
That’s all, you’re talking big words without looking at your sobriety!
"Thank you so much, my benefactor! Thank you so much, my benefactor!"
The woman who asked for help was the first to react. She kowtowed in the direction of Xia Houshu, but when she raised her head and saw clearly that the person speaking was a pretty woman not much older than her own child, she was stunned for a moment.
, a look of suspicion gradually appeared in his eyes.
She seemed to have had a mental struggle in a short moment, and finally gritted her teeth and said: "Girl's kindness is unforgettable for a civilian woman, but the cliff is steep, and if you are not careful, you will fall to pieces. Although the girl is a
This woman has a heart of a Bodhisattva, and I am extremely grateful for your words. But even if I am eager to save my son, I dare not take the girl’s life!”
Before Xia Houshu could answer, he saw a crowd of people in the crowd. A man dressed as a scholar looked around at his companions, then stood half a step forward, glared at Xia Houshu and said provocatively: "You said you were going to save him, why are you?
Go and save him? Could it be that he just said it in vain to gain a false reputation?"
After saying that, he made a look like "I've seen too many people like you."
Xia Houshu raised the corner of his mouth slightly, looked at the man who was causing trouble, and said calmly: "Just because I went out with not only a mouth, but also a brain."
"You!" The man was so angry that his veins popped out, but he kept his scholarly bearing and could not lose his dignity. He covered his chest and pointed at Xia Houshu and said, "You are a little girl, so arrogant and rude, you are simply
It’s an insult to politeness!”
"You are very gentle." Xia Houshu's tone was calm. Then she smiled and retorted: "In such an urgent moment, you don't think about how to save people, but instead verbally provoke me, a little girl who wants to save people. I don't think so.
All the books of sages have been read in vain."
"Sharp teeth and sharp mouth! Uneducated!" The man was so angry that he stamped his feet and cursed.
"My parents will control whether I am well-educated or not. You don't need to judge me." Xia Houshu chuckled and continued to mock him, "It's just that you maintain the nobility of a scholar, but you don't have the dignity of a scholar.
The world is really declining, and people's hearts are not as good as before! If your master knew about your behavior, he would probably be so angry that he wouldn't recognize you as a student, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense!" The man was furious. If it weren't for the restriction of the venue, he would have almost pounced on her and hit her, but he was immediately stopped by his companions, who all advised him to stop talking.
"Gentle scum!"
After Xia Houshu finished cursing, he ignored everyone's suspicion and ridicule, and only focused on observing the situation under the cliff.