Chapter Nine: Opening the Chest to Save Lives

Master, once a person dies, they cannot be brought back to life. At present, our most important task is to leave this place. Both the north and south are heavily guarded, unless we can obtain a boat to head eastward out to sea," Zhang Wei said while holding the child.

Wang Fuxing also knew some things about women giving birth; it seemed that the pelvis needed to open for the child to be born. In any case, seeing Zhang Wei fumbling around without understanding anything, it was better to follow his instructions. Wang Fuxing recalled that the old monk he had just seen was holding a knife; since the old monk had no use for it, it would be better to take it to save someone. Wang Fuxing, illuminated by the firelight, saw the old monk and approached to take the knife from his hand. Wang Fuxing recalled that the old monk he had just seen was holding a knife; since the old monk had no use for it, it would be better to take it to save someone. Wang Fuxing, illuminated by the firelight, saw the old monk and approached to take the knife from his hand

It is fortunate that it is July; if the child were born in another season, it would surely be frozen to death. Zhang Wei turned his head and glanced around, noticing a rope used by a woman to hang herself, twisted into a bundle by the wind. He raised his hand to pick it up and, upon unfolding it, discovered it was a piece of silk. The silk scarf was embroidered with an exquisite design of a hundred children, and in the lower left corner, two elegant characters were embroidered: Bi Lian.

Zhang Wei shot him a glance and said, "The master is chanting the Earth Store Sutra to guide the souls of the deceased who died here. You should not speak carelessly; be careful that the monk's chanting might summon spirits to cut out your tongue!" Upon hearing Zhang Wei's words, Wang Fuxing naturally fell silent. He wanted to help Zhang Wei but feared it might have the opposite effect, so he simply followed the old monk in chanting Amitabha Buddha, praying for the child to survive safely.

The old monk merely chuckled and did not accept it. However, he inadvertently glanced at the infant wrapped in silk and was greatly astonished, saying: "This child carries a heavy aura of negativity; he is likely disturbed by countless vengeful spirits. I am concerned that he may be harmed by these spirits in the future! It would be better to entrust him to me; I am willing to use my entire life’s abilities to dispel the resentment within him"

Amitabha, the benefactor's teachings are indeed profound. This is a book. I, the old monk, have been muddled; however, I possess a slight understanding of the art of healing. Here is a self-made golden ointment for wounds, which the benefactor will understand upon use. The old monk took out a small porcelain bottle to treat Zhang Wei's injury

The child's shoulders, pushed by external force from Zhang Wei, gradually became visible, and a surge of amniotic fluid mixed with blood burst forth. Suddenly, a cold wind swept in, and at that moment, the legs of the female corpse inexplicably closed. ... Zhang Wei saw the woman's corpse twitch slightly, and the child, half of its body still trapped within the corpse, was on the verge of death due to obstructed labor.

It is rather strange that the originally closed legs of the female corpse relaxed weakly upon Zhang Wei's words. Taking advantage of this, Zhang Wei used a knife to cut open the woman's abdomen and exerted force with his hands to push the child out. The child was drenched and covered in filth, and after being stifled for a long time, was unable to cry. The umbilical cord still connected to the mother was attached to the small belly, and with a swift motion, Zhang Wei severed the cord with a single stroke of the knife

Zhang Wei nodded and said: "In a chaotic world, human life is as fragile as grass. With a master to take care of him, my brother no longer has to worry. Not far from here is the Tiao Creek; if we cross the river, we will find a way to obtain a boat. If we cannot return before dawn, the master need not wait for us any longer. Here are some provisions left for the master and this child. Carpenter, we should set off now..."

"It's a boy! Young lady, you can rest assured on your journey; I hope in your next life you will be reborn into a good family!" Zhang Weiyang slapped the child's bottom a few times, and the child, feeling the pain, finally let out a loud cry. Upon hearing the child's cries, Wang Fuxing finally felt the tension in his throat ease. ... The two of them simply used a dagger to dig and buried a few exposed female corpses.

Confused! You are here accompanying them, but can they really survive? If it were you lying here dead, would you be willing to watch your fellow disciples guard you to your death? Cough cough cough... You old monk are truly stubborn, making my chest wound reopen with anger!" Zhang Wei said angrily

Zhang Wei shouted while holding the corpse of the hanged woman: "Carpenter, go get me a knife. The child is stuck in the birth canal. If we don't save him soon, it will be too late. If I had known it would come to this, we shouldn't have let that bunch of bastards from the Wang residence take our waist knives away!"

The old monk was rendered speechless by Zhang Weidun's words. Sitting on the ground with his hands clasped together, he softly recited: "Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, teaching the Dharma for His mother. At that time, in the ten directions, countless worlds, beyond description, all the Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas gathered together. They praised Shakyamuni Buddha for being able to manifest inconceivable great wisdom and spiritual powers in this five turbid and evil world, taming the strong-willed beings, understanding the laws of suffering and happiness, each sending their attendants to inquire about the World-Honored One..." Praising Shakyamuni Buddha for being able to manifest inconceivable great wisdom and spiritual powers in this five turbid and evil world, taming the strong-willed beings, understanding the laws of suffering and happiness, each sending their attendants to inquire about the World-Honored One..."

Zhang Wei, after finishing his words, cautiously made an incision along the abdominal cavity of the female corpse with a knife. The woman's intestines immediately spilled out through the cut. A stream of dark red congealed blood gushed forth, splattering Zhang Wei with specks of blood. ... Wang Fuxing, standing nearby, frowned and trembled, watching as Zhang Wei reached into the woman's abdominal cavity and slowly pushed the child out.

Amitabha, Amitabha. It is because of you long-haired soldiers that the world is in such turmoil. I, the old monk, brought my fellow disciples south to avoid disaster, but unexpectedly encountered the Qing soldiers committing violence. All my fellow disciples were tragically killed on the spot; this is all the result of your sins. Amitabha, well said, well said! The old monk looked at the ground covered with corpses, tears streaming down his face.

Zhang Wei slowly placed the corpse of the hanged woman on the muddy ground, and between her pale thighs was a large patch of blood. A small head of a baby, not yet full-term, emerged from beneath her, and the child's face had begun to turn blue. The child's instinct urged it to cry out, but it was trapped by the mother's body, only able to make soft whimpering sounds.

The carpenter Wang Fuxing, standing to the side, angrily said: "This is not right. When I ran east, you said I was heading to my own doom. After all this commotion, why are you also thinking of running east?"

The old monk shook his head and said: "Amitabha! You may leave; I have made up my mind to stay here with my fellow disciples!"

Wang Fuxing smacked his lips and said, "Old monk, you are injured like this yourself; it is only proper for you to treat your own wounds first before anything else."

This woman must have been pregnant for about eight or nine months. Being in this place as a refugee, she must have been subjected to the humiliation of the Qing soldiers, which has triggered her labor. However, in her final struggles, she squeezed the fetus out, but the child was not yet ready, and the birth canal did not open, so the child's body was trapped. You, dead carpenter, why are you asking so many questions? Of course, the knife is to save a life!" Zhang Wei said while separating the woman's legs, ... while cursing at Wang Fuxing ... "You, dead carpenter, why are you asking so many questions? Of course, the knife is to save a life!" Zhang Wei said while separating the woman's legs, ... while cursing at Wang Fuxing ...

Zhang Wei said irritably: "This is one time, that is another time. For the two of us, it doesn't matter. But now the old monk is seriously injured, and there is also a child who has just been born. Do you think they can run like us?"

Zhang Wei clutched the wound on his chest and said with a bitter smile: "Uh... alright, then I'll go find a knife, and you come save this child?"

Zhang Wei knew that among the refugees, those who could carry silk handkerchiefs were certainly wealthy individuals, but in a time of chaos, even wealth was merely an illusion. After wrapping the wailing infant in silk, Zhang Wei approached the old monk who was still chanting sutras.

Zhang Wei furrowed his brows and said, "I say, young lady, I know the injustice you have suffered in death. However, the child in your womb is innocent. Do you really wish to take your child along to the underworld? Although I am not a good person, I do not want this child to come into this world only to meet an unclear fate. Who knows, a few years from now, this child might achieve great things. Surely, you do not want him to die without reason, do you?"

Wang Fuxing was taken aback and said, "What is the old monk mumbling about?"

Zhang Weixi said: "With the assistance of a master, I can rest assured about this child. Why not let the master give this child a name?"

Wang Fuxing suddenly felt a cold tongue pressed against his neck, and a pair of blood-red eyes were staring at him. ... Wang Fuxing felt a shiver run down his spine; had it not been for seeing Zhang Wei injured, he would have kicked him away without hesitation.

Ah... the corpse has come back to life! Brothers of the Zhang family, come quickly and help, the old monk has risen from the dead!" Wang Fuxing's terrified voice had changed pitch.

The old monk said with a bitter smile: "Amitabha, this old monk does not know the names or surnames of his parents, but he has already experienced a great calamity since his birth. I shall call him Changsheng for now, and when news of his family background comes to light in the future, I will add a surname for him."

The old monk shook his head and said, "Amitabha, I was injured due to a momentary surge of anger. This minor external injury is nothing to worry about; after I rest for twelve hours, I will be fine." While helping Zhang Wei with his injuries, the three of them shared their experiences. Zhang Wei did not hide anything and recounted his narrow escape from death, taking out the stolen treasures to present to the old monk as a token of gratitude for saving his life.

Zhang Wei picked up the knife from the ground and heated it over the torch, saying: "Master, you are mistaken! The world should belong to all people. The Buddhist scriptures state that among all sins, the sin of killing is the most severe. Among all the merits of releasing life, it is the foremost. The Qing soldiers, in their tyranny, recklessly opened the slaughter. Even if there were no Long Mao army today, there would still be others rising up in resistance tomorrow. Master, do you really believe that by reciting scriptures and preaching, you can universally save all beings? Justice resides in the hearts of the people, and it is not because of me that the world is unjust!" Master, do you really believe that by reciting scriptures and preaching, you can universally save all beings? Justice resides in the hearts of the people, and it is not because of me that the world is unjust!

The woman on the ground has already died; she is unable to assist in delivering the child. The small head trembles incessantly, and it will not be long before this child succumbs in the womb.

Zhang Wei raised the torch and saw the old monk pressing down on Wang Fuxing's vital point with one hand, urgently saying: "Master, stop! We are not Qing soldiers; we only borrow the dagger in your hand to save a life. As a monk, you should have the compassion to help others. If this child is delayed any longer, he will perish!" The old monk glanced sideways at Zhang Wei, released Wang Fuxing, and slowly sat down on the ground, clutching his stomach, casually dropping the dagger at Zhang Wei's feet.

How could someone who has practiced martial arts possess such strength even in death? Wang Fuxing tugged at the knife several times, but it remained completely unmoved. Reluctantly, he had to resort to prying the old monk's fingers. Little did he know, the old monk's bloodied hand suddenly flipped over and grasped Wang Fuxing. The old monk, with his blood-red eyes, slowly raised his head to look at Wang Fuxing.

Wang Fuxing scolded angrily: "You little brat, how unreasonable can you be? Why do I have to do all the hard work? If you want a knife, go find it yourself. I still have a woman's dead head resting on my shoulder! What good does it do to shout now? If we don't hand over the waist knife, we won't survive to enter the training ground! If you have the ability, go look for a knife in the pile of corpses yourself; I won't go!"

Wang Fuxing saw the child struggling and, gritting his teeth, stomped his foot and said: "You really are something! Just because you read more books and know about women giving birth, I will go get you a knife! Wait, what do you need a knife for?"