Chapter 226 - Praying to Gods and Buddhas

Obstructive pulmonary emphysema in traditional Chinese medicine corresponds to “asthma patterns” and “lung distention” categories.

Lung distention occurs secondary to prolonged coughing, wheezing, and other respiratory ailments, characterized by clinical manifestations such as chest congestion, cough with sputum, and shortness of breath with wheezing, reflecting a lung system disease.

Due to prolonged coughing, wheezing, and asthma, and repeated exposure to external pathogens causing injury to the lungs, respiratory function becomes chaotic.

The energy is obstructed in the chest and stagnates in the respiratory tract, with phlegm and blood stasis intertwining in the lung passages, causing the lungs to swell, lose their elasticity, and fail to contract and descend properly, leading to lung distention.

Zhang Wei was hospitalized at Jinling Hospital’s internal medicine ward to recuperate.

He felt much better after taking his medicine and did not cough as he had the day before.

One morning, a doctor from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department at Jinling Hospital came to check on Zhang Wei and briefly discussed his condition with Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying.

Zhang Wei had recently caught a cold and had acute bronchitis, but the Chinese medicine practitioner still found it odd how Zhang Wei had come down with such an illness.

After the doctor left, Liu Ying turned to Zhang Dongliang and said, “You stay here and watch over Wei.

I’m going to pray and offer incense for him.”

“Do you really think that stuff helps?” Zhang Dongliang asked.

“The wealthier one gets, the more they believe.

What do you think?” Liu Ying retorted.

“Then go ahead,” Zhang Dongliang said.

Zhang Dongliang was extremely troubled.

He couldn’t understand how his son, who had always been healthy, had suddenly become ill, seeming to have spent the past month in the hospital.

As for the money spent on Zhang Wei, he didn’t even need to mention it, for a significant amount had already been expended.

Zhang Dongliang simply hoped that Zhang Wei would recover quickly so he could return to his business as usual.

Liu Ying left Jinling Hospital and called a close friend.

“Xiao Feng, Wei has been ill recently and things haven’t been going well.

Where should I go to pray for him?” Liu Ying asked over the phone.

“Jiming Temple is very effective.

Come over, and I’ll go with you,” Xiao Feng replied.

Naturally, it’s best to have someone guide you.

Driving to her friend Xiao Feng’s home, Liu Ying arrived to find Xiao Feng, who was about the same age, dressed in a flashy manner, not at all resembling someone going to pray.

“Xiao Feng, what’s with the outfit?” Liu Ying asked.

“No problem, I always dress like this when I go out.

After praying, I have plans to hit up some upscale spots,” Xiao Feng responded.

Xiao Feng got into Liu Ying’s car, directed her to Jiming Temple.

Jiming Temple, well-preserved in Jinling since the Southern Dynasty, has been at the forefront of temples, continuously bustling with devotees.

However, it has also become a tourist attraction.

They parked not far from Jiming Temple and bought entrance tickets.

Once inside, they immediately purchased incense.

With the incense in hand, Xiao Feng led Liu Ying into the Great Buddha’s Hall to begin their prayers.

Liu Ying lit the incense sticks, knelt on the cushion, and stated her purpose for coming: primarily to ask Buddha’s blessing for her son Zhang Wei, who had been frequently ill recently.

After finishing her prayers, Liu Ying even borrowed money to donate in the merit box.

“Don’t worry, Sister Ying, this place is very effective.

After praying to Buddha, Wei will definitely be fine,” Xiao Feng assured her.

Still, Liu Ying was very concerned.

Although she said this outwardly, she was unsure if it would work; Wei’s recurring illnesses had terrified her as a mother.

Outside Jiming Temple, there were fortune-tellers and life chart readers, all claiming to be Demi Immortals, offering to return money if their readings weren’t accurate.

Since Liu Ying believed in prayer and fortune-telling, she must have had faith in it.

Just as Xiao Feng was about to leave, Liu Ying said, “Xiao Feng, why don’t we get a reading for Wei to see what’s been going on with him recently?”

“If you want a reading, just get one.”

The two made their way towards the fortune-teller stalls.

The fortune-tellers had mutually agreed that while they could compete fairly, none would poach customers from another.

Whichever customer approached, they could choose freely among them.

Moreover, if they quarreled over customers and tarnished the reputation of the scenic spot, the security guards would drive them away.

Thus, the fortune-tellers appeared very calm, only providing readings when tourists approached and expressed interest in having their fortunes told.

Xiaofeng followed behind, while Liu Ying led the way, unsure which fortune-teller was most accurate.

“Xiaofeng, have you had your fortune told here before?”

“Yes.”

“Which fortune-teller is the most accurate?”

“They should all be similar, I guess.”

Looking at the eyes of the fortune-tellers, Xiaofeng promptly pulled Liu Ying to one of their stalls.

As Liu Ying sat down, the fortune-teller asked, “Benefactor, may I know if you wish to have a fortune told?”

“No, it’s for my son,” Liu Ying replied.

“Benefactor, then please write your son’s birth details on this paper, and I shall read his fortune.”

Liu Ying wrote down Zhang Wei’s birth details on the red paper.

The fortune-teller began to calculate with his fingers and soon said, “Benefactor, has your son been unwell recently?”

“You could tell?”

“I could tell.

He has been falling ill, and it’s getting worse.”

Liu Ying was amazed; the fortune-teller had deciphered this just from her son’s birth details.

“Your son must still be a student, and not long from now, he will face something that will impact his fate and future.”

Although the fortune-teller did not mention that Zhang Wei was soon facing his college entrance exams, Liu Ying and Xiaofeng were both startled when they heard this.

Xiaofeng said, “Sister Ying’s son is about to take his college entrance exams.”

Seeing the fortune-teller’s accurate reading, Liu Ying put five hundred yuan into the box.

“Benefactor, what would you like to know about your son now?”

“Master, I want to ask why my son keeps falling ill and when he will recover,” Liu Ying inquired.

“About that, as I have just discerned, your son has encountered something unclean.

Only by spending money to avert disaster can this be resolved,” the fortune-teller explained.

“What kind of unclean thing?” Liu Ying asked.

She had suspected for some time that Zhang Wei’s recurrent illnesses were due to unclean influences; to her dismay, the fortune-teller said the same.

“It’s the spirits of the deceased.

Their unsettled souls are always following your son, causing him to fall sick.

Furthermore, your son has had bad luck recently and offended some vile people.”

Now the fortune-teller had made it very clear.

Liu Ying felt even more afraid.

She did not know when her son had angered such unclean entities, and, to make matters worse, he was being persecuted by vile people.

“Master, what should we do?”

“To avert disaster through spending money, I can personally perform a ritual for your son, or you can invite someone to do it at your home.

Then make sure your son stays away from the vile people.”

Liu Ying understood the concept of performing a ritual.

But what she couldn’t comprehend was whether it was something unclean in her own home.

And as for staying away from vile people, that puzzled her further.

“How does he stay away from these vile people?”

“Let him stay home to recuperate; he must not go outside.”