Zhu Zijun was scolded by Wufu with such ferocity that he staggered on his feet, staring at her in a daze.
"You actually carved a Blood Guanyin out of Chicken Blood Stone, how could you dare to, without fearing the wrath of the Guanyin Bodhisattva!" Wufu continued to scoff.
The Chicken Blood Guanyin was not something that no one had ever carved; she did not know about this era, but in her century, she had seen Chicken Blood Guanyins as well. She didn’t know what others thought, but she herself felt chilled just looking at it.
Setting aside whether there were any taboos or not, the mere phrase "Blood Guanyin" was unsettling to hear.
Guanyin, Guanyin, should she not be pure and compassionate? What on earth does adding the word "blood" mean?
And in this ancient time, are they more open-minded than the modern era, not minding such things?
Wufu really had no experience with it; not even mentioning far-fetched examples, even her mother who often burned incense for the Buddha, would not allow her to point a finger at the Guanyin Bodhisattva when she was paying respects, calling it disrespectful.
Therefore, Wufu did not like to carve Guanyin out of Chicken Blood Stone.
And if she thought so as an individual, how could the ancients not have any such scruples?
"Who says you can’t carve Guanyin from Chicken Blood Stone, who says that?" Zhu Zijun shouted red-faced: "I have seen it before."
"So, that’s why you’ve messed up," Wufu said with a sidelong glance: "Just a lotus pedestal and you’ve already messed it up, still talking about Guanyin? Have you thought about why it broke?"
Zhu Zijun’s expression changed, his face filled with alarm, as he stared fixedly at the red silk as if trying to see through it to the object beneath.
Seeing his expression, Wufu knew he was blaming strange forces, but she did not guide him back because she was irritated.
Who told him to disturb her when she was concentrating?
If that was the case, let his thoughts wander, besides, this was due to his lack of skill.
Seeing Zhu Zijun looking utterly disconsolate, Wufu couldn’t be bothered to talk further and bluntly dismissed him: "I’m very busy, if you’re done talking, get lost!" Having said this, she sat back down, spread the red silk open, and continued her previous work. Now, where was she?
Damn it, there was nothing more annoying than being interrupted halfway, once the train of thought was broken, it was never the same again.
"You tell me, you actually, can’t carve and restore it, can you?" Zhu Zijun didn’t leave but asked pleadingly.
Wufu gave him a glance: "Your words, they aren’t actually to question me, but to convince yourself."
Zhu Zijun pursed his lips.
Wufu sneered: "You don’t even have the courage to admit your failure, and still you want to be a craftsman? I advise you to give up early!"
"You, what do you take yourself for..." Zhu Zijun pointed at her angrily.
"Isn’t that the case? Isn’t that what your words are trying to get me to agree that you are right?" Wufu said gravely: "Never mind that the pedestal is ruined, even if it broke completely in half, I could still present it in its most perfect form to the world. If I really have to carve Guanyin, it’s not necessarily impossible, right here..."
She pointed to the broken part, tracing a path along: "Carving it into clouds could cover this broken lotus pedestal, half-concealed, with auspicious clouds at the feet. Isn’t that possible?"
Once she said that, Zhu Zijun imagined it in his mind, and his face grew paler.
"It’s broken, it’s broken; all you think about is regret and annoyance, not how to remedy and conceal flaws, not redesigning a new pattern, just fixating on one design. That’s limiting yourself to one path, and once that path breaks, aren’t you just seeking your own doom?"
Wufu huffed: "A skilled craftsman, upon receiving a piece of jade, to complete it, would at least prepare more than two designs, perhaps even interrelated ones. That way, when you make a mistake, you have a chance to immediately rectify it!"