The Ch'i-lin Purse: List 3

The farmer pleaded with him to reconsider, but the shopkeeper would not relent.

Just then they heard, “Make way for the magistrate! Make way for the magistrate!”

When he saw the commotion, he ordered his guards to put down the chair and bring the two men before him.

“Then he could die. His family could sue you for murder, and if you are convicted, you would be put to death. Isn’t that almost inevitable?”

“And then your family could come and harass this nice gentleman. I know all your tricks!” The magistrate turned to one of his guards. “Go into the shop and get him the warmest coat you can find.”

“Yes, Ta-jen,” the shopkeeper said glumly. “There is no question about that.”

After a long wait, during which he nearly fell asleep more than once, he saw a tall figure creep surreptitiously into the small chapel at the edge of the field, where the T’u-ti P’u-sa—the Buddha of earth—was worshipped.

Kowtowing incessantly to the statue of T’u-ti P’u-sa, Mr. Yeh said, “T’u-ti P’u-sa, T’u-ti P’u-sa, tell me what I am supposed to do. A-ken Sao almost killed herself because A-ken didn’t come home, so I gave her my silver Yüan-pao. Now my wife and I are going to starve. My wife wants me to ‘move’ some sweet potatoes from the fields—do you think it is all right for me to do so? If you think so, please show me a sign.”

Kowtowing incessantly to the statue of T’u-ti P’u-sa, Mr. Yeh said, “T’u-ti P’u-sa, T’u-ti P’u-sa, tell me what I am supposed to do. A-ken Sao almost killed herself because A-ken didn’t come home, so I gave her my silver Yüan-pao. Now my wife and I are going to starve. My wife wants me to ‘move’ some sweet potatoes from the fields—do you think it is all right for me to do so? If you think so, please show me a sign.”

“Thank you, T’u-ti P’u-sa,” said Mr. Yeh reverently. “I promise to pay Liu Sao and Hsiao-pao back as soon I find a way to get some money.” Mr. Yeh kowtowed three times and walked out of the temple, with Hsiao-pao quietly following him.

A-ken Sao was ecstatic. “A-ken, I came to thank Mr. Yeh for bringing me the money you sent me. Without it, Ying-hua would have been sold.”

Hua T’o took an acupuncture needle from his sack, pushed it deftly into the girl’s scalp, and drew it out immediately.

“Listen,” he said to the man, “if you cherish your life, stay away from wine. You are seriously ill. If you stop drinking, you may have three more months to live. If you continue to drink, you will be dead in three days.”

The doctor knelt down and began to say aloud, “Teacher, my name is Hsüeh Fang, and I am a homeless man. I have decided to let go all worldly desires and become a monk. Please allow me to be one of your disciples.”

The doctor knelt down and began to say aloud, “Teacher, my name is Hsüeh Fang, and I am a homeless man. I have decided to let go all worldly desires and become a monk. Please allow me to be one of your disciples.”

“I am a monk, not a doctor,” he said to his apprentices. “I don’t believe in medicine. I heal people with the supernatural power I gained from years of prayer and sacrifice. Only the pure and the devout will be given such power.”

“I am a monk, not a doctor,” he said to his apprentices. “I don’t believe in medicine. I heal people with the supernatural power I gained from years of prayer and sacrifice. Only the pure and the devout will be given such power.”

As the doctor was sweeping the ground outside, he was surprised to see Lan Ying coming out of the temple with five wax balls in her hand. Behind her trudged a man carrying her father on his back.

Hua T’o quickly covered the incision with a clean cloth, gathered his things and the bunch of yellow flowers, and hurried out of the temple, only to find himself face-to-face with the monk.

He snatched them away and said, “So I was right. I have always suspected that you were a quack doctor. And you came here to steal my secret formula.”

Disheartened, the doctor started down the mountain.

“Ma-fei-san! This is the special kind of anesthetic the Miracle Doctor Hua T’o uses in surgery. And yet Hsüeh Fang used it to save my apprentice’s life! He must be the Miracle Doctor!”

The princess was perplexed. How dare he behave like this?

But she didn’t want a quarrel on her wedding night, so she suppressed her resentment, filled the cup a second time, and handed it to Fu-ma.

But she didn’t want a quarrel on her wedding night, so she suppressed her resentment, filled the cup a second time, and handed it to Fu-ma.

“But now you have become my wife. You should follow my rules,” said Fu-ma without even looking at her.
“Your rules?” The princess was astounded.

“Let’s see if you dare ask me to do such a thing! I am going to talk to my brother right now; he will have your head cut off!” the princess retorted vehemently.

“But soon trouble began. High officials in the imperial court began to propose marriage on behalf of their daughters. She turned down all the proposals. But when the emperor issued a royal decree granting her the hand of the daughter of one of his highest officials, she knew she could no longer refuse, or she would be punished.”

Finally, after a period of silence, the emperor let out a laugh. “I didn’t realize that I was making a fool of myself. You are right, my dear sister. I am responsible for all this. Well, I guess I have no choice but to do what was done in the story. Yes, I will pardon Fu-ma and make her my sister. As for you, my dear sister, the marriage will be annulled, and I will find another fine young man to be your husband.”

A week later, the two princesses were married to two fine young officials in a joint wedding ceremony presided over by the emperor himself.