Re-embroidering life

The police asked about the whole story and were not surprised. Liu San and his gang were well-known hooligans with many criminal records, but they were all minor offenses. They were not afraid of going to jail and the government could not do anything to them. He had no grudge against Dr. Chen and would not come to cause trouble for no reason. He could only be bribed.

Shui Qinghua thought that there were patients and children in front of the Chen residence, and if they were trampled in the chaos, someone might die. Doctor Chen sent people to provide free medical treatment out of kindness, but if there was a commotion like this, his reputation might be ruined.

The little medicine boy's face turned red with anger: "It must be Bencaotang who did it, how despicable!"

He turned around and bowed to Dou Jianzhi: "Today, I am grateful to you for your help!"

It turns out his name is Cassia seed.

Dou Jianzhi waved his hands repeatedly: "No thanks, no thanks. I have patients at home too. How can I watch so many patients suffer!"

"Are you here to seek medical treatment, too, brave man?" asked Cassiaezi.

"That's right. My wife has a weak disease since birth. She suffers from cold and cough for half a year every year. She has sought medical treatment everywhere, but there has been no significant improvement. I beg Dr. Chen to treat my wife."

Cassiae looked embarrassed: "Doctor Chen is old and has caught a cold recently. He can't get out of bed." After thinking for a while, he pointed to a middle-aged doctor in his thirties next to him with shining eyes: "This is Doctor Cai, the eldest disciple of the famous doctor Chen. Why don't you ask him to take a look!"

Before Dou Jianzhi could speak, a maid came hurriedly from the house to the door. Before she even got close, she anxiously called out to Doctor Cai: "Oh no, the old lady has fainted, Doctor Cai, come and have a look!"

Doctor Cai shuddered and immediately ran into the house. The other disciples and Cassia seed also looked solemn and rushed into the house, leaving Dou Jianzhi and Shui Qinghua looking at each other in bewilderment.

The people waiting outside thought that they would not be able to see a doctor after all the trouble, so they left in twos and threes. Only a few who were unwilling to give up were still waiting.

"Wait?" Shui Qinghua asked Dou Jianzhi.

"Wait!" Dou Jianzhi said firmly. After thinking for a while, he also walked towards the house.

Shui Qinghua was shocked. It was against the rules to enter without permission! She had no choice but to follow him.

Completely contrary to what they had imagined, Chen's residence was very simple. It was just a three-courtyard house made of blue bricks. There were a few clumps of green bamboo planted in the courtyard, and roses climbing on the courtyard wall, but there were no precious flowers or trees.

It is said that Dr. Chen was an imperial physician in the palace in his early years. After retirement, he returned to his hometown. His medical fees were the highest in Echeng. Even if the Chen residence was not magnificent, it should not be so shabby. The two thought about it and walked outside the main courtyard.

There were many people in the yard. A maidservant sobbed and said, "In seven days it will be the birthday of Medicine Buddha. The old lady and her family spent half a year embroidering an embroidered image of the Buddha. It was supposed to be offered at the ceremony, but today the person in charge of the incense and candles accidentally burned half of the embroidery! The old lady was so angry that she fainted!"

A buzz of discussion arose. Shui Qinghua listened attentively to the movement in the courtyard, wondering what kind of embroidery it was and how to repair it.

After an incense stick of time, everyone could be heard whispering, "He's awake, he's awake!"

After a while, an old woman's trembling voice was heard: "I'm fine, let's go. It's just that this embroidered portrait... was originally meant to pray for the master and the sick people in the world, but now what should I do..."

Several young girls standing in the courtyard burst into tears upon hearing this.

"What kind of embroidery is it? Perhaps it can be saved!"

A gentle female voice came, and the girls looked up, only to see a beautiful young woman with gentle eyes and eyebrows approaching slowly. It was Shui Qinghua.

She heard the old lady's sadness outside the courtyard, and the embroiderer's curiosity made her unable to restrain herself any longer, so she walked in without caring about being rude.

The older girl in the lead stepped forward and said, "Excuse me, who are you, Madam? Why did you come in without being informed?"

Shui Qinghua bowed and said, "I'm sorry for barging in. I have a reason. I have some experience in embroidery. Can you show me the embroidery?"

A young girl sneered: "My elder sister learned needlework since she was young and her embroidery skills are outstanding. She can't do anything about it, so what can you do?"

"Xiu Lan," the older girl stopped her younger sister with her eyes and said politely to Shui Qinghua, "It's okay. I'll take Madam to see Grandmother and she'll make the decision."

Shui Qinghua followed the girl into the main hall. The white-haired old lady Chen was leaning in the armchair at the top with a dejected look on her face. Doctor Cai, Cassia seed and others were standing at the bottom of the hall.

After listening to her granddaughter's story, Old Madam Chen raised her dim eyes and looked at Shui Qinghua, "Does this lady really have a solution?"

Shui Qinghua bowed solemnly and said, "I can't guarantee it, I can only do my best."

Old Madam Chen asked her granddaughter to bring a roll of silk cloth, one side of which had been burnt black by the fire. When she opened it, she saw the embroidered image of Medicine Buddha wearing precious Buddha robes, sitting cross-legged on a lotus pedestal, holding a medicine pot in his left hand and making the Three Realms Seal with his right hand. Unfortunately, the upper part of the embroidered image had been completely burned, and the spiral hair on the top of Medicine Buddha's head had been burned off, leaving only a slightly mutilated face.

Old Madam Chen couldn't help but sigh, "It would be fine if they burned somewhere else, but they burned the head and face. This is a great disrespect to the Buddha! Even if they put on another half piece of silk, it can't be perfect. How can we explain it with hundreds of believers staring at us!"

Shui Qinghua did not respond. She stared at the charred part with her eyes fixed. Everyone looked at her in surprise and did not dare to speak.

After a few breaths, Shui Qinghua came back to his senses, and said to everyone's expectant eyes: "There is a way, maybe there is a glimmer of hope."

The old lady's eyes lit up, and she sat up straight: "What's the solution? Tell me, we should try it out!"

Shui Qinghua smiled: "Have you heard of hair embroidery?"

Everyone shook their heads in confusion. Only the eldest granddaughter named Jinlan said, "I've heard of it. It's using human hair instead of silk thread. This technique seemed to have appeared in the previous dynasty, but it has long been lost."

Shui Qinghua nodded: "Yes, the origin of hair embroidery is that believers cut their own hair to embroider Bodhisattvas to show their piety. The hair on our bodies is given by our parents, and it is difficult to find hair, so hair embroidery gradually declined and was lost. Now this embroidered image will inevitably leave traces after repairs, but if human hair is used to embroider the hair and eyebrows of the Bodhisattva, it can better show the piety and intention of the embroiderer, which is enough to offset the believers' concern about splicing."

"Your idea is good, but who can embroider hair? Hair breaks so easily, how can it be used as silk thread?" Jin Lan asked, and everyone agreed.

"Madam, can you embroider hair?" the old lady asked hopefully.

Shui Qinghua shook her head embarrassedly, "I haven't tried it."

"Then all you said was in vain, and you were wasting everyone's feelings!" the little granddaughter named Xiu Lan shouted angrily.

Shui Qinghua said calmly: "That's why I just said there is a glimmer of hope. Even though it's only a glimmer, it's better than giving up completely."

"Madam, what should we do?" Jin Lan walked up to her and asked solemnly.

"First, find the materials. The most important thing is hair. We also need an identical silk cloth. There are only seven days, so there is no time to waste." The steadiness and confidence emanating from Shui Qinghua makes people inexplicably trustworthy.

The old lady stood up from her seat, walked up to her, and asked, "Madam, how sure are you?"

"About 10%." Shui Qinghua said frankly.

One percent? Everyone showed obvious disappointment on their faces, and Xiu Lan even rolled her eyes.

"If successful, what kind of reward would you like?" the old lady asked again.

"I have a younger sister who was born with a disease. I would like to ask Dr. Chen to take a look at her in person."

The old lady shook her head and said, "My husband is ill in bed, there is nothing I can do." Seeing Shui Qinghua's face darkening, she said, "I can take a look for your sister."

Doctor Cai immediately added: "Master's wife is Master's fellow disciple. Her medical skills are not inferior to Master's. It's just that it's not easy for a woman to practice medicine, so no one outside has heard of it."

Shui Qinghua looked at the old lady in surprise and bowed deeply: "Thank you, old lady! My surname is Shui, and I will do my best in this matter."