Chapter 1: A Late Blessing of Children

From the time of the Northern Song Dynasty, when Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong, along with over 3,000 royal family members in Kaifeng, were captured by the Jurchen army, Zhao Gou, the ninth son of Emperor Huizong, was spared from this calamity as he had been appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Hebei military to recruit troops. Shortly thereafter, he ascended the throne in Ying Tian. The Jurchen army continued their pursuit, and he fled to Yangzhou. Later, under duress, he took to the sea to escape, ultimately settling in Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou), where he temporarily stabilized the situation, thus establishing the Southern Song Dynasty. The Southern Song Dynasty was exceedingly weak, content to occupy a small corner. From Zhao Gou onward, each emperor was ineffectual, with treacherous ministers in power, making it one of the weakest dynasties. High Emperor Zhao Gou submitted to the Jin Dynasty. Domestically, he lavishly renovated palaces, indulging in extravagance, solely focused on maintaining a precarious peace. He was a thoroughly incompetent ruler.

That night was like any other. After the couple finished their prayers and offerings, they went to bed early. In his dreams, Chen Youfu faintly felt someone calling his name. Following the sound, he discovered a patch of colorful auspicious clouds within his courtyard, upon which sat the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Startled, Chen Youfu quickly knelt down. The Bodhisattva spoke to him, saying: "Good man Chen Youfu, you are destined to have no offspring. However, seeing your decades of kindness and charity, and your sincere devotion, I have specially descended to grant you a son." Chen Youfu's greatest wish was to have a child, and he never expected to move the heavens. Bowing his head repeatedly in gratitude, he thanked the Bodhisattva. When he raised his head again, he saw the Bodhisattva's attendant draw a green bamboo from a pure crystal bottle and throw it into Chen Youfu's courtyard. When he looked again, the colorful auspicious clouds had already vanished.

What, you had such a dream too? Chen Youfu was startled by his spouse's words. When the couple recounted their dreams, they turned out to be identical. Chen Youfu said to Tian: "This probably isn't a dream, is it?" Through the window by the head of the bed, Chen Youfu saw a faint green light in the courtyard. The couple lit a lamp and walked into the yard, feeling both joy and fear.

Chen Youfu carried the goods on his shoulder and set out, while Mrs. Tian was at home managing household chores. Life was becoming increasingly better, yet Mrs. Tian always felt a knot in her heart. Every morning and evening, she would burn incense and pray to the heavens, hoping for a son and a daughter, so that the Chen family would not lose their lineage. Chen Youfu was already fifty-five years old, and his wife was forty-seven. The burden of goods was becoming too heavy for him to carry, and the couple was tending to a few acres of land, planning to spend their remaining years in peace.

With a soft creak, Chen Youfu opened the door, and Tian Shi followed behind him holding a lantern. The two entered the courtyard, and indeed, in the corner of the yard, there stood a tender bamboo, more than a person's height, lush and green. Just as he had dreamed, Chen Youfu and Tian Cui'e knelt down in gratitude to the heavens. Ever since then, Tian Cui'e's belly gradually swelled, and the old clam containing a pearl became a marvel of Chen Family Village, but compared to what happened later, this was nothing.

In his early years, Chen Youfu sold cosmetics and sewing supplies while carrying a vendor's pack in Lin'an City. His life was somewhat frugal, and later he married a woman from the Tian family. Tian was also a resourceful woman, renowned for her embroidery skills. Every day, she would weave some gauze and embroider garments for her husband to sell. During the Song Dynasty, clothing fabrics primarily emphasized silk, with varieties including brocade, patterned silk, gauze, crepe, silk, and kossu. The most famous brocade of the Song Dynasty was Chengdu Shu brocade, featuring geometric patterns such as the eight-dash gradient, six-dash gradient, and carpet patterns. The Song Dynasty's clothing fabrics primarily emphasized silk, with varieties including brocade, patterned silk, gauze, crepe, silk, and kossu. The most famous brocade of the Song Dynasty was Chengdu Shu brocade, featuring geometric patterns such as the eight-dash gradient, six-dash gradient, and carpet patterns. Geometric floral designs included sunflowers, clusters of golden carvings, large horse blankets, snowflake blankets, and double-nest wild geese. The themes of objects included the world of music. The themes of figures included suitable male flowers. The themes of branch flowers and birds included the true red flower phoenix, the true red peacock with many flowers, and the blue-green auspicious grass cloud crane. Floral themes included the auspicious peony, hibiscus, heavy lotus, true red cherry, and true red water apple. The themes of branch flowers and birds included the true red flower phoenix, the true red peacock with many flowers, and the blue-green auspicious grass cloud crane. Floral themes included the auspicious peony, hibiscus, heavy lotus, true red cherry, and true red water apple. Animal themes included lions, wild geese, heavenly horses, goldfish, and mandarin ducks. The exquisite silk fabrics and embroidered brocades crafted by Tian's skilled hands became highly sought after by women.

In the 20th year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1151), three extraordinary events occurred at Chenjia Village, located at the foot of Ziyun Mountain outside the city of Lin'an

Chen Family Village is quite small, with only about twenty to thirty households residing in the entire hetushucom.com village, totaling a population of around one hundred. Although there is land available for cultivation, life is quite frugal, consisting mainly of farming families who toil in the fields for their sustenance. Most of the villagers bear the surname Chen, and there is a household in the village named Chen Youfu, who married a woman from the Tian family. The couple is known for their devotion to burning incense and reciting Buddhist scriptures, leading a life of virtue and good deeds. However, the only shortcoming is that after more than twenty years of marriage, they remain childless.

Chen Youfu only felt someone pushing him. When he opened his eyes, he saw his wife, Tian Cuie, stammering as she said: "Youfu, Youfu, wake up quickly. I just dreamed that Guanyin Bodhisattva came to bless us with a child."

The charitable nature of the couple in Chen Village is widely recognized. Regardless of whose family is in need, once they learn of it, the couple will undoubtedly offer their enthusiastic assistance. Therefore, although Chen Youfu's family may not be the wealthiest in Chen Village, they are certainly the most respected family.