[Forwarded] Short Story 'The Blood-Colored Lotus Is Unusually Red'

Time: 2013-03-15 10:58 Source: "Stories of a Hundred Families" Author: Li Lin\Chen Shiji, the county magistrate of Suzhou, had a precious daughter named Chen Ke'er, who was extraordinarily beautiful, graceful, and intelligent. Matchmakers came so frequently that they nearly wore out the threshold of the Chen family. In the Su prefecture, there was a young master named Su Lei, who also admired Chen Ke'er's beauty and talent. He begged his father to bring a thousand taels of gold to propose marriage. Seeing that his superior personally came and brought so much gold as a sign of sincerity, Chen Shiji decided to consent and arranged the marriage for his daughter.\Although it was a match made in heaven, unexpectedly, when Chen Ke'er learned that her father had promised her to the young master of Su Prefecture, she adamantly refused to comply. It turned out that every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, Chen Ke'er went to Qingbo Temple to burn incense. There, she accidentally met a scholar named Jiang Miao, who lived in the temple temporarily. Although Jiang Miao earned his living by selling paintings, he was courteous and refined in speech and etiquette. The two had already made an agreement: once Jiang Miao saved enough dowry, he would come to the Chen residence to marry Chen Ke'er.\When Chen Shiji heard this, he became furious: "You, a mere daughter, dare secretly to meet a wild man outside. If you dare mention not marrying again, be careful, or I will skin you alive." Seeing that getting out of the marriage was hopeless, Chen Ke'er became sullen and sorrowful every day. Not long afterward, she fell seriously ill and was bedridden. Many renowned doctors were called, but none were able to cure her, and not a single one could even identify her illness.\Seeing his precious daughter grow weaker and thinner until she was barely skin and bone, Chen Shiji began to feel some regret. After some consideration, he proactively went to Su Prefecture's household to cancel the marriage. He also posted a notice on the city gate, stating that anyone who could cure Ke'er's strange illness would receive a thousand taels of gold. If there was a connection with Miss Chen, the person could also ask for her hand in marriage.\After the notice was posted, countless people, attracted by the thousand taels of gold, lingered outside the city gate in Suzhou. However, an entire seven days passed, and no one dared to remove the notice from the city wall. After all, the patient was the county magistrate's daughter and already seriously ill; any mistake could cost a life.\On the afternoon of the eighth day, another major event occurred in Suzhou. It was discovered that the clear water well, which had been sealed for a hundred years, showed signs of having been opened. From eighty-year-old elders to four-year-old children, everyone knew that this well must never be opened.A hundred years ago, Suzhou experienced an unprecedented drought. After countless people had died, a revered monk finally arrived and subdued the drought demon in the well with clear water, ending the drought and bringing nearly a century of prosperity to Suzhou.\When human misfortune hadn't yet ended, a natural disaster was about to strike, and everyone gritted their teeth, cursing the culprit. At that moment, a poorly dressed scholar suddenly stepped forward, nervously saying: “I'm sorry, I moved the stones above the well.”\Several elderly men rushed over, their brows furrowed in anger as they pointed at him and scolded: “You, Jiang Miao, how have the people of Suzhou ever wronged you that you would bring disaster upon everyone like this…”\Jiang Miao was terrified by the scene, his legs trembling uncontrollably, sweat dripping from his forehead, and he whispered: “I… I want to cure Miss Ke'er's illness…” When he said this, he quickly added, “I know the opening of the Clear Water Well is of great consequence, so I only moved the topmost stones and did not touch the well cover at all.” A respected elder stepped forward to inspect the well cover. Seeing it tightly sealed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and sternly warned: “No matter what happens, do not touch this cover, and absolutely do not open it. Understood?”\Jiang Miao nodded repeatedly in panic. The others, seeing nothing had happened, eagerly asked: “Did you just say you know how to treat Miss Chen's strange illness?”\Jiang Miao sighed and nodded: “The abbot of Qingbo Temple gave me two prescriptions. The first is: using the water from this Clear Water Well as a medicine; if Miss Ke'er drinks it, she will be cured within a day, but Suzhou will suffer a severe drought for three years.”\Everyone sighed in surprise and suspicion. Jiang Miao continued: “Although I am deeply in love with Miss Ke'er, I cannot, for the sake of personal desires, disregard the lives of all people, so I cannot use this prescription.”\To forsake personal love in favor of the greater good—is a choice only a man of immense character and moral courage could make. For a moment, Jiang Miao's ears were filled with words of praise. Some even declared on the spot that they would marry their daughters to him.\As for Jiang Miao? He still frowned, lost in his own world. Someone remembered that there was a second prescription to cure Chen Ke'er and could not help but ask him. They saw Jiang Miao's brow furrow even further, and, gritting his teeth, he revealed the strange prescription: “It requires the fresh blood of a human to nourish a budding white lotus flower.”Three times a day, one bowl each time. If the master of the blood truly loves Miss Ke'er, the buds will gradually turn red. Fifteen days later, when the lotus blooms in a blood-red color, pluck the flowers, boil them into a soup, and give it to her to drink; Miss Ke'er will immediately regain her health.”\ After Jiang Miao finished speaking, he left. The people present exchanged looks, sighed long, and then departed one by one. Everyone knew that the two prescriptions he had mentioned were impossible to carry out. Using the first prescription would result in the person being torn to pieces by all the residents of Suzhou. As for the second prescription, it clearly required someone to nourish the flower with their blood—a life for a life. Those yellow and white things were indeed good, and Miss Chen Ke'er was certainly very adorable, but who would foolishly risk their life for something they couldn't enjoy?\ Magistrate Chen Shiji was nearly distraught. The notice had been up for dozens of days, and his precious daughter's condition was worsening, yet no one dared to respond.|| At this moment, a servant excitedly came to report: “Master, outside there is a young man who has brought a pot of blood-colored lotus flowers, claiming it is for Miss Ke'er's treatment.”\ Hearing this news, Chen Shiji immediately jumped up: “Quick, bring it in and prepare it for Miss Ke'er to take as medicine.” Amidst the bustle, Chen Shiji did not forget to instruct: “What is the name of this lifesaver? Quickly invite this benefactor in; I must properly thank him.”\ The servant showed a troubled expression and said, “Master, the young man delivered the lotus and left without leaving a name.”\ Chen Shiji thought hard for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead, enlightened. This must have been sent by Jiang Miao; it was truly troublesome how devoted he was, caring for Ke'er even without regard for his own life.\ Thinking this, Chen Shiji made a silent determination: once his daughter recovered, he would no longer obstruct her marriage to Jiang Miao. He had realized that only someone who sincerely and wholeheartedly gives can bring true happiness to his daughter.\ Chen Ke'er drank the medicine brewed with the blood-colored lotus as the base, and with her father's consent to the marriage promised, her severe illness actually healed immediately. Moreover, she appeared even more radiant than usual.\ Seeing his daughter fully recovered, Chen Shiji was overjoyed and decided to fulfill his promise as soon as possible. So, he sent for Jiang Miao, declaring his willingness to marry his beloved daughter to him, and presented a dowry of one thousand taels of gold. Jiang Miao had always admired Chen Ke'er, so there was no reason for him to refuse at this moment.With Chen Shiji's arrangements, the wedding was held quickly. The two happily completed the wedding ceremony and, holding the red silk, entered the bridal chamber.\When the bright red bridal veil was lifted, both froze: Jiang Miao was stunned by Chen Ke'er's beauty; as the saying goes, seeing is better than hearing, and indeed, the county magistrate's daughter was a delicate and stunning beauty. As for Chen Ke'er, she was shocked because she realized that this Jiang Miao was not the same Jiang Miao she had met at Qingbo Temple. Chen Ke'er had always thought she was marrying the Jiang Miao who brought her the blood-colored lotus and had promised lifelong devotion to her. Now, seeing this unfamiliar person, she panicked and quickly asked: \“What is your name? How are you here?\”\Jiang Miao, who had been given some wine by the guests at the banquet, was already a little drunk. He squinted in his drunken state, took Chen Ke'er's hand, and smiled: \“I am Jiang Miao. Didn't you have your father bring me from Qingbo Temple to be your husband?\”\Chen Ke'er inwardly felt distressed. Could her father have made a mistake? But how could there be two Jiang Miaos in Qingbo Temple? After thinking for a while, she described the appearance and clothing of the other Jiang Miao to the Jiang Miao before her, asking if he knew him.\After listening, Jiang Miao looked at Ke'er curiously, shook his head, and sighed: \“He is the son of Governor Su, named Su Lei. Because he had been frail and sickly since childhood, he contributed money to the temple for recuperation. I heard that Su Lei recently moved back home and suffered a serious illness, his face pale as a ghost and his body thin as a mummy. The doctors said it was from excessive blood loss but could not determine the reason. Governor Su suspects some evil spirit at work and has been seeking people to perform rituals to drive away the evil!\”\Chen Ke'er understood then that Su Lei was the one she had always loved as “Jiang Miao” and who had given her the blood-colored lotus. But why had Su Lei used someone else's identity to interact with her?\After pacing around the bridal chamber for a while, Chen Ke'er left and went to the hall, deciding to find Su Lei immediately to get an explanation.\At that moment, a servant of Governor Su came to report that Young Master Su Lei had just passed away and could not attend the county magistrate's daughter's wedding banquet. After saying this, the servant approached Chen Ke'er and quietly said: \“Before my master passed away, he asked me to convey one thing. He said he regretted his past mistake of using a false identity to test your true feelings. Now that he is about to depart from this world, he hopes you can forgive him.\”Chen Ke'er listened on the side, and her whole heart ached as if it were being cut with a knife, making it hard for her to breathe. Her heart was full of grief, but before she could cry out, she fainted and never woke up again. When Prefect Su and County Magistrate Chen learned the truth, they were overwhelmed with sorrow. After obtaining Jiang Miao's consent, they buried the pair of devoted lovers together in a tomb by the lake, hoping that in their next life they could be together forever, never to be separated. In the height of summer, the lake blooms with blood-colored lotuses, reflecting the rosy clouds in the sky, resembling a couple frolicking in a sea of clouds.