Chapter 5, Take your wealth, relieve you of calamities

In Taoism, there is a technique known as the Lotus Root Substitute, which is used to replace the missing fragments of a corpse

Lin Yuan quickly cupped his hands and said: "Thank you for your guidance, sir. However, I kindly ask you to take a bit more care. If there are any areas we do not understand, please point them out to us"

This moment is just right; after the midnight hour, it becomes the next day. The seventh day has also passed, and if one wishes to suppress the grievances buried in this grave, it will require considerable effort.

Wang Jingzhe finished speaking and turned around decisively to leave. Lin Xianyu leaned closer to Lin Yuan, who seemed hesitant to speak, and whispered, "Dad, he still has to stay in Caofeidian for more than half a day. After we finish the burial for Grandpa tomorrow, we can go see him then"

When the rooster crows, you should have those people down the mountain come up to take the coffin out and bury it in another place. Wang Jingzhe pulled the coffin lid over it and said: This hillside has good feng shui; where there is a source of fortune, there will also be a place of conflict. Just find any spot on the back of this hillside to dig a pit and bury it.

Lin Yuan and Lin Xianyu both let out a sigh of relief. Listening to Wang Jingzhe's guidance, they showed a questioning expression again when he paused.

After Wang Jingzhe finished trimming the lotus roots and placing them properly, he took out several pieces of talisman paper and affixed them onto the roots. He then picked up a brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and began to draw on the blank talisman paper. Lin Yuan and Lin Xianyu, who were at the grave, saw each other's brush strokes casually sketching on the paper, and the incomplete parts of the old man's figure vividly came to life.

Lin Yuan suppressed his nausea and asked, "Is this still possible to piece together?"

The body was arranged as much as possible before being placed in the coffin, essentially positioned like that of a normal person. However, there were several missing parts: a section of the lower leg bone, half of the right hand, the chest was also caved in, and the left side of the head was shattered

In the "Investiture of the Gods," there is a passage where after Nezha's death, his master Taiyi Zhenren uses lotus root to reconstruct his physical body in order to save him. Historically, the Daoist texts describe the nine-holes lotus root as possessing spiritual qualities, as its network resembles that of the human body. In contemporary medical terms, both the human body and lotus root exhibit a porous structure, with cells and blood vessels being quite similar. Therefore, in Daoist practices, there exists a technique for reattaching the bodies of the deceased, referred to as the "lotus root substitute." The network of the lotus root is similar to that of the human body, and in modern medical terms, both the human body and lotus root have a porous structure, with cells and blood vessels being quite similar. Thus, in Daoist practices, there exists a technique for reattaching the bodies of the deceased, referred to as the "lotus root substitute."

Wang Jingzhe looked up at the sky; it was just past midnight.

"Tomorrow I will arrive in the capital, and then I will buy two jin of pig head meat..." Wang Jingzhe said, clapping the cash in his hands.

Lin Yuandun immediately exclaimed, "Oh," and said with a hint of embarrassment, "I apologize, I was so anxious that I forgot about this matter. How about this: you wait until we finish the burial tomorrow, and I will personally deliver it to you then"

After Wang Jingzhe put down his pen, he suddenly pulled out the kitchen knife that was inserted beside him. In an instant, Lin Yuan and Lin Xianyu felt that the stench of the corpse, which had just been overwhelming, gradually faded away, and the bone-chilling cold wind that had been blowing around them ceased.

Is this it? Lin Yuan always felt that the other party's conclusion was a bit too hasty, shouldn't you use a compass or calculate something?

Wang Jingzhe rolled up his long robe and tied it around his waist before jumping into the grave pit, using a crowbar to pry at the coffin lid with a creaking sound. After a few attempts, the coffin lid loosened, and with one hand he grasped the gap in the lid and with a loud crash, he lifted it open. Immediately, a pungent smell of blood and decay wafted out.

It is said that skilled morticians possess a craft known as corpse stitching, which involves sewing together the dismembered bodies of the deceased. One technique even uses lotus root to replace the missing parts. However, nowadays, there are relatively few morticians who are knowledgeable in this skill. Over a hundred years ago, there was a profession that was quite proficient in this area, known as the forensic examiner, who undertook both mortuary and examination duties.

Wang Jingzhe extended his finger and said: "Therefore, what I have mentioned has nothing to do with me anymore. You all handle it yourselves; I will only take care of the task at hand."

Wang Jingzhe took out several lotus roots from the bag, sliced them into segments with a kitchen knife, and then compared them to the missing parts of the corpse. He used the kitchen knife to shape them into a similar form and affixed them onto the corpse.

Wang Jingzhe said lightly: "It is inappropriate for me to take too much money for doing this kind of thing. No matter how much you give, I cannot accept it. Taking money from others to resolve their troubles means that the amount of money corresponds to the amount of trouble resolved. The matter concerning your family elder is only worth this much. If you give more, I would find the money too hot to handle"

Lin Yuan lowered his head and glanced a few times, immediately furrowing his brows. Lin Xianyu, emboldened, took a quick look at the small face and was instantly frightened pale, turning his head to vomit again

After the coffin is buried, it is advisable for you to hold a memorial service for the elderly, reciting scriptures for a few days to suppress his resentment. Although you may not have any issues now, he might still drag you into a dream or something, which can be quite frightening. Wang Jingzhe climbed up and brushed off the dust from his long robe, then continued: 'After a hundred days of a person's death, it is best to do some good deeds in the name of the elderly, attaching his name to it, so that when he arrives in the underworld, the King of Hell will not look down upon him for having taken too many lives, making it difficult for him to be reborn. In life, a person may feel that their actions are inconsequential, but the underworld keeps a ledger. Once you die, those accounts will come knocking at your door, so what I am saying is...

Seeing Wang Jingzhe's insistence, Lin Jingzhe pulled Lin Yuan slightly, then took out his wallet, opened it, and pulled out a pile of loose change, approximately around 1,000 yuan, and handed it over.

It has caused some trouble, mhetushucomcom, but it's not a big issue. Could you bring me that bag of lotus roots... I shouldn't have said that, taking on extra work while hurrying along. Wang Jingzhe muttered in dissatisfaction, clearly feeling that this task was somewhat difficult to handle

This is not very good..." Lin Yuan said sincerely, "It is a bit late now, and it is not convenient to withdraw money. When the bank opens tomorrow, I will have someone prepare a check to send to you, and the amount should be satisfactory to you.

"Money, give me money, are we working for nothing in the middle of the night?" Wang Jingzhe rolled his eyes, feeling that these two were somewhat lacking in awareness.

There is no need to make it so complicated, whatever you have on you is fine, I am not specifically managing your affairs, it just happened to be on my way, you can decide how much to give, just take it from what you have on you

Wang Jingzhe took it and stuffed it into his bag, saying: "Don't forget what I just said, let's leave it at that"

The temperature in June has already reached over 30 degrees Celsius, and the corpse buried underground has long since decayed in the oppressive heat. Furthermore, since this elderly person died in a car accident, the coffin is filled with dismembered remains and has even become infested with maggots

Wang Jingzhe impatiently twirled his fingers, and Lin Xianyu asked in surprise: "What are you doing?"