After the group had eaten and drunk their fill, they emerged from Golden Wave Pavilion. Bao Zhu was in no hurry to return, randomly finding seven or eight locals on the street to inquire about the procession. Having been deceived by human traffickers’ poisonous scheme yesterday, she was especially cautious, not daring to believe one-sided accounts. She changed locations and asked many people, confirming that the man named Shen Dexian had indeed not lied.

Passersby said: “The procession is Luoyang’s most grand festival, with many young people participating in the open selection each year. The procession association first conducts preliminary screening, and fewer than ten finally stand before the Guanyin of Changqiu Temple. Just participating in the divination ceremony brings honor, even without being selected. The youth finally chosen as Guanyin Slave must be the most devout and beautiful, bringing glory to their family, who call themselves ‘Ascended Immortal Family.'”

Word spread from mouth to mouth: “The sweet dew’s healing power is miraculous – so many have received Willow Guanyin’s protection and recovered without medicine. However, during the procession there are seas of people, and the Guanyin Slave casually tosses willow branches – whether one can receive this sweet dew blessing depends on fate and opportunity, it’s not so easy.”

After verifying through multiple sources and hearing rumors of the sweet dew’s healing power, Bao Zhu’s face showed joy. She glanced at Wei Xun and said, “Then we absolutely must participate in this procession.”

Wei Xun realized she wanted to use this method to treat his terminal illness. His heart was both moved and amused as he said, “Foolish people are superstitious about ghosts and spirits, being ignorant. Seeing some strange occurrence, they treat it as a divine miracle. With preconceived notions, they feel their condition improve and repeatedly claim it’s divine manifestation. I don’t believe such nonsense.”

Bao Zhu was displeased, saying, “I heard a country woman’s saying on the road: ‘Whether there are dates or not, shake the tree and try.’ Though crude, it makes sense. It’s just sprinkling a drop or two of water, not asking you to catch knives. Even if useless, there’s no harm – what’s wrong with trying the effect?”

Wei Xun muttered resentfully, “I’d rather catch knives…”

Shisan Lang blinked and said to Bao Zhu, “Senior brother has always had bad luck. If this sweet dew is randomly scattered, he probably can’t catch it.”

Bao Zhu scolded, “Unlucky words! How has his luck been bad?”

Shisan Lang muttered quietly, “Working so hard digging and drilling holes, who knows how many burrows he’s dug to find living pearls, and then can’t use them…”

Wei Xun cleared his throat, and Shisan Lang fell silent.

Yang Xingjian stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said gravely, “No wonder that Shen Dexian works so actively for this. Whatever the selection, whether candidates want to be chosen or not, those mediating have opportunities to line their own pockets. Plus arranging theatrical performances and fireworks requires purchasing large quantities of supplies – as leader of this association, he profits considerably.”

This cunning old staff member, drawing inferences from one case to another, was well-versed in various bribery and corruption secrets, immediately seeing through Shen Dexian’s source of wealth.

Bao Zhu murmured, “Isn’t that just like the Flower and Bird Envoys…”

In Emperor Xuanzong’s later years of extravagance, he annually sent palace envoys to various places to select beautiful women to fill the palace quarters, called “Flower and Bird Envoys,” who collected wealth and disturbed the people, despised and feared by all. What Shen Dexian did wasn’t much different, only under the banner of Buddha statue processions rather than sending selected girls to the rear palace.

She thought for a moment and said, “Since there’s profit to be made, this sweet dew might not rely purely on luck either. Spending some money to secure a good position and greeting the Guanyin Slave beforehand could ensure receiving the scattered dew from willow branches.”

Wei Xun asked in amazement, “You’ve already thought this far and still believe that thing can cure diseases?!”

Bao Zhu said bluntly, “If we’re going to compete for it, it must be a good thing! Don’t worry about it – I have my reasons.”

Yang Xingjian laughed, “On New Year’s Day, efficacious temples sell the first incense stick at high prices, with wealthy merchants competing to purchase it. Some imperial relatives and nobles even find alternative routes, having abbots open side doors to burn the first incense before everyone else. This way they neither offend the powerful nor miss wealthy merchants’ incense money – there are many such schemes.” He then discussed with Bao Zhu how to donate incense money and request one or two blessed dharma objects to ensure safe travels.

Wei Xun thought these two spent money like water, buying more and more things – even with golden mountains and silver seas, they could spend it all casually. Once travel funds were exhausted, with irregular meals and no fixed shelter, whether Bao Zhu would arrive at her brother’s side bedraggled or dejected remained uncertain.

He said ominously, “Go ahead and splurge freely. If we run out of food midway, I’ll sell Old Yang and the ox cart to buy a hundred flatbreads dried as provisions. Travel light and simple, disposing of useless things early.”

Yang Xingjian immediately panicked, knowing this wandering hero was capable of any murder or arson. He looked pitifully toward the Princess for rescue: “I’m a court official!”

Before Bao Zhu could speak to maintain justice, Shisan Lang said first, “Officials can only be sold once, not very profitable. Selling senior brother would be suitable – sell him in the morning, he’d run back by evening, pure profit with no capital.”

Bao Zhu laughed out loud, saying, “How clever of you – repeatedly selling the blue-robed wanderer in cycles, we could become rich in no time.”

Wei Xun clicked his tongue, feigning indignation, and said to his junior brother, “You rule-breaking monk have eaten bear heart and leopard gall to dare casually sell senior brother?”

Shisan Lang shrank his neck, taking a few steps to Bao Zhu’s other side, saying quietly, “With Jiu Niang, I entered the sect earlier.” Then he couldn’t help showing the proud expression of “I am the Princess’s monk.”

At this point, Wei Xun really couldn’t hold it together and laughed aloud too.

Everyone joked for a while. Though Wei Xun refused to believe in Medicine Guanyin’s power, reconsidering, her scheming and trying every means to treat his illness and extend his life – this sentiment was more precious than anything, secretly delighting him.

The next day, Bao Zhu visited Changqiu Temple accompanied by the three men.

This temple was a nunnery where all the monastics were bhikshunis. Among those coming to worship Buddha, enjoy the scenery, seek divination and ask questions, many were women and children. Life has seven sufferings and eight difficulties – some face harsh fates, others poverty and illness. Most things don’t go as hoped; those with smooth lives are truly one in ten thousand. With no hope in this life, they pray for the next, so efficacious temples all have flourishing incense offerings.

Soon Yang Xingjian was scattered by the crowd. Bao Zhu was pushed forward by the flow of people, buzzing voices endless in her ears. Half the topics people discussed were last month’s miracle of Master Tanlin’s physical Buddha transformation on Ghost Festival night, half were this year’s ‘Guanyin Slave’ selection. Today was supposedly the day all candidates would have their final selection before the Guanyin Bodhisattva, so many had come specifically to Changqiu Temple to witness this grand event.

Countless people came to burn incense and worship Buddha, with long lines before the prayer cushions. In the crowd, Bao Zhu stood on tiptoe looking toward the main hall, seeing the Buddha statue inside was extremely magnificent, with golden body gleaming, standing barefoot on a high lotus seat. From the graceful, enchanting posture, she could tell it was a female-form Guanyin.

Precious offerings like sandalwood, aloe wood, ivory, and scriptures surrounded it. Because the lotus seat was extremely high and vision was blocked by eaves, the Buddha statue’s head and face couldn’t be seen clearly.

Several bhikshunis in the hall worked hard to maintain order. Among them was a middle-aged nun with a suffering expression and small stature, ignoring everyone while sitting against the wall in meditation. She wore gray monk robes with a serious expression – this must be Changqiu Temple’s abbess, Master Duanchen.

Finally reaching the main hall entrance after queuing, Bao Zhu looked up and was immediately stunned.

She saw the Guanyin statue wearing a lotus treasure crown, right shoulder exposed, with white jade arm rings, a string of seven-treasure necklaces around the neck, holding a pure vase and willow branch. With robes fluttering in the wind, the face was extremely beautiful.

The portraits of Empress Wu stored in the palace’s inner dao hall all showed her middle-aged to elderly appearance – square forehead and broad cheeks, dragon eyes and phoenix neck, dignified and imposing. Though this barefoot Guanyin on the lotus seat had the same square forehead, her features showed charming allure, elegant nobility, expressive eyes and brows, like a rarely seen absolute beauty of the world.

After clearly seeing Guanyin’s appearance, Bao Zhu’s heart shook violently. She couldn’t help glancing at Wei Xun, who understood her meaning.

This Bodhisattva statue’s jewelry, clothing, and expression were extremely similar to the Guanyin in Changliang Temple’s wall paintings, only the dharma body was gold-cast, making it impossible to see if the fingernails were dyed red. Even though Wei Xun had never seen the Imperial Consort, he could associate the connection between the two.

Bao Zhu recalled when her mother was alive, occasionally dressing this way at festival evening banquets. Palace attendants would worship reverently, treating her like a deity, while the Emperor lovingly called her “Guanyin Lady.” This Buddha statue had an absolutely beautiful face and graceful figure. Though the features differed somewhat, the radiant bearing resembled her mother’s. Changqiu Temple Guanyin’s fame had spread for a hundred years, and her mother was only thirty-seven when she died – could there really be such coincidence in the world?

She pondered silently, continuing to observe. Besides abundant offerings and incense burners, several tri-colored pottery figurines sat on the lotus seat. The human figurines were sculpted as children with clear, attractive faces, naive and lovable.

Shisan Lang pressed his palms together in worship, muttering, “Is this Bodhisattva not only Medicine Guanyin but also Child-Giving Guanyin?”

A nearby old woman heard this. Seeing the little monk’s proper features and endearing appearance, she kindly said, “These aren’t dolls for seeking children, but incarnations of previous Guanyin Slaves. Look – on this lotus platform are six female and one male figurine. If for seeking children, shouldn’t it be filled with male babies? After the Guanyin Slave’s procession, their status differs from ordinary people, transforming into boy attendants and dragon girls serving Guanyin, enshrined here to receive human incense offerings.”

In Buddhist doctrine, Guanyin, like other Bodhisattvas, originally had no gender distinction. Previous dynasty paintings and sculptures still showed many bearded forms. After Buddhism spread widely in China, bringing spiritual comfort to poor people, women especially suffered deeply, so they hoped for a maternal, loving female Bodhisattva’s protection.

Under believers’ widespread longing, female-form Guanyin became increasingly common. Guanyin Slaves playing Guanyin included both genders, more female than male, reflecting this mentality.

Bao Zhu counted the pottery figurines and asked, “There are seven figurines here. I heard the procession has been a Luoyang tradition since Wei and Jin times – have only seven Guanyin Slaves participated? Where did the earlier figurines go?”

The old woman spoke evasively: “Many years ago, they carried this Guanyin statue in procession, but that year…” She suddenly fell silent here, prostrating on the prayer cushion to kowtow.

In the crowded pushing, Bao Zhu felt chest tightness and shortness of breath, irritated and restless, so she slowly walked toward the hall’s edge. Suddenly she glimpsed Master Duanchen, who had been meditating in the corner, standing up and arguing with two men about something. One of them was the association leader Shen Dexian they had met at Golden Wave Pavilion yesterday.