Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 22

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

The author of *Gu Wang Yan* (Volume 20)

, Dun Weng, writes: "
Even a person of integrity, in front of his own nephew, cannot refuse to leave; this is truly lamentable. Those who fight over family gifts should not be allowed to do so. It is better to be ruthless and fight over family wealth, for they may gain an advantage. However, although they may gain an advantage, their reputation for murder will spread throughout the village and neighborhood.

Because of twenty taels of gold, father and son severed their bond; Su Jizi's lament about his parents abandoning their poor son is a timeless lament.

Bo's 'thinness' has likely been brewing for some time. Fang Qisheng's anger may not have just begun today. Now, at the very moment of his anger, he happens to meet Huan E, who generously gives him a gift. His anger is not genuine, his 'thinness' not insignificant. Silver, as silver, truly possesses divine power." This describes Bo's desire to leave but not leaving, while the previous description of Quan's […]. Brilliant.

The detailed account of Diao Huan and his father-in-law's fate is not a pointless digression, but rather a message to encourage people to be good. [The following is a separate, unrelated excerpt:] Diao Huan and his wife, a drunkard, sought only momentary pleasure, resulting in such children and ultimately the destruction of their family and their shameful end. [The following is a separate, unrelated excerpt:] The man's life was over, leaving only his widowed mother to endure hardship.

The inevitable pain of burial was a tragedy, but fortunately, a neighbor, a beautiful woman, encountered Huan E, who prevented the bodies from being exposed, ensuring the children's safety. Huan E's insidious act was indeed great, but the sage's teaching of benevolence and virtue should not be forgotten. [The following is a

separate, unrelated excerpt:] A quarrel over trivial gains escalates to a life-or-death struggle; such hypocritical friends are not uncommon in the world. [The following is a separate, unrelated excerpt:

] When power is lost, servants betray their masters—a pattern that persists throughout history. What can a helpless, cowardly master do when faced with a heartless and wicked servant? As Xiao'e advised, Huan'e's many good deeds served two purposes: firstly, to demonstrate Xiao'e's talent, and secondly, to ensure Huan'e became an exceptionally virtuous person.

How could the Prefect of Qiongzhou be poor? His poverty stemmed from his unfortunate son. His son, lacking fortune, gambled away the family fortune, nearly leading to starvation. Though he had descendants, they were practically without offspring; hence, his son was named Mufu (牧福), and his father Mudehou (牧德厚). Qu Pangui and the Yang family, having been relegated to lower ranks, sought honor in climbing the social ladder to marry wealthy and powerful superiors. They married an unfortunate son-in-law, only concerned with immediate gratification, neglecting the future of their children—how foolish! Had they not met Huan'e, would their daughter have fared well? This should serve as a warning to those who seek to climb the social ladder. Fortunately, their daughter was named Shenjie (绅姐), thus she had a chance to rise after her initial setback, and later followed her father to Tongzhou.

Tu Si, Diao Huan, and Zeng Jiacai, along with other gamblers, joined the gambling den. Not only did they eliminate the gamblers, but they also demonstrated that those who organize, run, or facilitate gambling, when faced with an honest and upright official, vanish like demons before the bright sun. The detailed account of Zeng Jiacai's wife and daughter-in-law, whose family was ruined and destroyed because of gambling, illustrates the immense harm gambling can cause. Will those who are prone to gambling take heed? The author's intention is to advise everyone against such behavior and not to misunderstand and imitate it. Doing so not only betrays the author's intention but also becomes a laughingstock.

The description of Huan E's heavy drinking at Jia Wenwu's house is not meant to imply his large capacity for alcohol. The focus is on his ability to still express his discontent after becoming heavily intoxicated, and his self-control while lying with a naked woman—a feat even more difficult than remaining unmoved by temptation. He is elevated to a very high status.

Although Zhao the Drunkard is unrelated to the main story, the harm of gambling has already been shown; the harm of alcohol is added as a foil. Huan E, in repaying the debts of the poor, acted with great kindness, yet his words to the magistrate still carried the air of a pampered young master—a subtle touch. Although his heart had improved, how could he suddenly become omniscient? He still retained a hint of naiveté, a necessary element in portraying a young master. The reader should understand the author's intention: to depict the young master's naiveté, not to suggest the author's own naiveté. The reader should not be mocked by the author for his naiveté.

The narration of Huan E's good deeds concludes with the introduction of two kindred spirits, a brilliant touch. The use of Lai Ying's message at the beginning to summarize the preceding text is even more ingenious. In

the two long chapters, many received Huan E's kindness, all accepting and thanking him. Only Liu Taichu unexpectedly refused, a surprising turn of events. The acceptance of kindness by many completes Huan E's good intentions; Taichu's refusal reveals his noble character.

Huan E's loss of chastity in Tai'an Prefecture is also a brilliant touch. Tai'an is a place of great peace and tranquility. Thinking they were now safe and sound, they were unexpectedly robbed. Life's joys are often followed by disappointments, and this is similar.

Huan'e received his official decree, though unrelated to his virtuous deeds. These two chapters complete Huan'e's good deeds, showing that even in the unseen realm, his virtue was rewarded, allowing his grandfather to receive imperial favor. To prevent people from noticing, the story mentions his encounter with Bao De on the road, and also introduces another kindred spirit who accompanied him to Lugou Bridge.

Chapter Twenty: The people, men and women, grateful for Hong Ren's kindness and virtuous deeds; The parents of the virtuous and wise man receive a long life.

Appendix: Qu Shi wholeheartedly sacrificed herself to repay the kindness; Huan'e twice remained unmoved despite being embraced

. It is said that when Huan'e saw Zeng Gongdao, he quickly dismounted and approached him. Raising his hand, he asked, "Why are you angry, sir?" He recognized the man as Young Master Huan and quickly raised his hand, saying, "Excuse my rudeness, where are you going?" Huan E replied, "I happened to be passing by and saw you speaking here, so I came to listen. Who are these two? What has caused your anger?" Zeng Gongdao said, "Sir, you are a noble young man, a reasonable person, and have seen much. Please judge this matter. These are my two nephews." Pointing to the burly man, he said, "This is my late sister-in-law's son, named Zeng Jiacai." Pointing to the young man with a bloodied face, he said, "This is my late brother's second sister-in-law's son, named Zeng Jiali. This older servant cost my late brother countless amounts of silver when he was young. My late brother still had several thousand taels of silver to live on, but just to marry him off, he spent over seven hundred taels." Two years ago, when my late brother passed away... In this time of crisis, they asked me to come and help them divide the family property. The house and land were to be divided equally, leaving only one thousand taels of silver. My elder brother, being extremely fair, said, 'If we're talking about the eldest son, he doesn't deserve a single tael of this silver. He's spent far more than a thousand taels. If I give it all to the younger son today, people will say I'm biased. The eldest should receive three hundred taels, and the younger seven hundred. Although he gets more, he hasn't even married yet. To be honest, the eldest's wedding alone cost almost seven hundred taels. This only accounts for the younger son's wedding; the household items haven't even received a single coin!' Last year, the eldest son's servant, so mean and lazy, was unlucky enough to gamble away all the household items. In desperation, he came to complain to the younger son, saying he had received too much silver. The younger son, being somewhat reasonable, invited me to his house. He said his brother had gambled everything away, and looking at his appearance… Unable to accept this, he gave the two hundred taels of silver his father had given him to his brother. This was now an equal division, and a severance agreement was reached, forbidding any further misbehavior. Initially, his step-sister-in-law had asked his family for a maidservant. After his step-sister-in-law passed away, the maidservant came to live with his younger nephew, and has since given birth to two children. The elder, this shameless servant, no longer concerned about the silver, wanted a share of the maidservant. The younger said, "Even if my mother asked my grandmother for this maidservant, or even if my father bought her with his own silver, now that she has raised children with my brother, it's not right for you to sell her and divide her up." The elder refused, saying, "If you want to keep this maidservant, you must give me half of her value." The younger became anxious, saying, "You spent seven hundred taels of silver to marry my sister-in-law; you should give me half of that too." He had no further argument, saying that his brother had taken his sister-in-law... "He beat his brother so badly for selling his sister-in-law and then accused him of wanting to sell her for money. He beat his brother until his head was bleeding. Sir, think about it, is there such an unfair thing in the world? I said a few words to him, and he jumped at me. Sir, look at his attitude! I'm determined to send him to the authorities and have this servant punished before I can vent my anger."

Zeng Jiacai rolled his eyes at his uncle and said, "I advise you to be more lenient and not make a scene for me. I know you're protecting him. Pigeons fly where the birds are plentiful; he's a rich nephew, so naturally you should pamper him. If you send me to the authorities, I'm sure I won't be sentenced to death. If I don't beat him to death when I get out, I'm no good. I'll risk my life for him, and then we can all let it go. Then you won't have any bias." The old man became even angrier and stepped forward to headbutt him.

Huan E pulled him back, saying, "Your nephew's demeanor is so bad that even his uncle wouldn't recognize him. He's completely devoid of humanity. How can you reason with him? Sir, you are a virtuous man; there's no need to argue with him. If it goes to court, it will only damage family ties. Those who know will know he's in the wrong, while those who don't will think you're protecting him. Just ignore him."

Zeng Jia Cai had been unfilial and unfriendly since childhood. As the saying goes, "Heaven is king, and he is king second." He had no scruples whatsoever. People secretly gave him a nickname, even changing one character in his name, calling him Zeng the Murderer. When he heard Huan E say these words, how could he possibly comply? Seeing his respectable appearance, they dared not be too violent, only glaring angrily at Huan E and saying, "My family's affairs are none of your business, don't meddle. How did Old Liao die? He died of worry. One nose, three eyes, and an extra breath. One pair of pants, three legs, and you're meddling in everything. This is like a radish seller following a salt carrier, worrying about everything." Those watching recognized Huan E and shouted, "You're blinded by rage, can't you even recognize people? This is Master Huan, he's saying nice things, what nonsense are you spouting?" Hearing that it was Young Master Huan, he softened a bit and dared not say anything more.

Huan E was furious upon hearing his despicable words. She thought to herself, "Why should I stoop to the level of such an unfilial and unfriendly scoundrel?" She sneered and asked him, "How much silver do you want from your brother?" He replied, "That girl, even if she's rotten, is worth fifty taels. I should get twenty-five." Huan E had a servant weigh out twenty-five taels of silver and said to Zeng Gongdao, "Gentleman, I see your young nephew is a filial and polite person. I'll give this silver to that scoundrel to avenge your nephew's brother." She then addressed the crowd, "All of you gentlemen are here. It's not that I lack the ability to deal with this wicked man. I was about to punish him, but he just cursed me. People who don't know better say I'm petty. Now I'm giving him this silver. If he comes to fight with my brother again, have his brother tell me, and I'll send him to the yamen and rid the Zeng family of this scourge." She then had a servant throw the silver to Zeng Jia Cai. Huan'e said, "Elder Zeng, there's no need to be angry. Please go back." Zeng Gongdao said, "My humble family's unworthy deeds have troubled you, sir." He and Jiali bowed and thanked him. Huan'e cupped his hands to the crowd, mounted his horse, and rode away. Zeng Jiacai, holding the silver, put on his clothes, his chest bare, and left happily. [He was a vulgar and shameless man, a scoundrel.]

As Huan'e was walking, he saw an old man pulling a young man, with many people trying to persuade them. Huan'e thought the old man looked familiar, but couldn't remember his surname. He asked, "Your face looks familiar, old man. What brings you here?" The old man recognized him and replied, "Master Huan, I am Ge Zi'en. Don't you recognize me, sir? This is my good-for-nothing son, Ge Qi. I've toiled my whole life to earn twenty taels of silver, which my wife and I are saving for our coffins. He insisted on borrowing it to start a business, and after a few months, he gambled and whoring outside, spending it all and coming back saying he lost his money. Such an unfilial servant, I will definitely send him to the authorities to be executed." Huan E asked, "How many sons do you have, sir?" Old Ge replied, "This one is enough. How many more can I afford?" Huan E said, "Since you only have this one, if you give him away, who will take care of you when you're old?" He said, "When I die, will this servant be able to earn enough to buy me a coffin?" It's nothing but a dog dragging a pig to eat. I might as well send him to his death today and vent my anger. Without him, I'd be fine. As the old saying goes: "If you die in the street, you'll be buried in the street; if you die on the road, you'll be buried on the road; if you fall into a ditch, that's your coffin." I don't care about these things anymore. Huan'e asked Ge Qi, "How did you spend your father's money, making him so angry and severing ties?" Ge Qi said, "Sir, this is a terrible injustice. I don't gamble or visit prostitutes, how could I spend it? I was just unlucky, and after two or three business deals failed, I was penniless. My father and I are on good terms, and he insists on saying this, leaving me no choice but to accept it." Huan'e told his servant to weigh out twenty taels of silver as a coffin fund and said, "You and your father can go home now." The old man smiled and said, "How dare I accept your reward, sir?" He declined while secretly putting the money in his sleeve. Ge Qi bowed in thanks, and Huan'e helped him up. The father and son were in high spirits, without a trace of anger, and went back peacefully.

Huan'e mounted his horse and was riding away when he suddenly saw a man in his thirties standing angrily at the door of a house, his face and neck swollen and purple, leaning against the door frame. Inside, a woman was shouting and cursing loudly. Huan E reined in his horse and asked the man, "What's your name? Why are you so angry?" The man, already seething with resentment and with nowhere to vent, pointed inside and said, "Sir, please listen." Huan E listened intently as the woman cursed, "You poor bastard! People marry men for food and clothing, but I'm stuck with this meager existence. If you can't even support a wife, what's the point of keeping me? Give me a divorce! A capable wife like me—I'm not exaggerating—isn't it easy to think I can't find a good husband? You can't find a three-legged toad, but a two-legged man like you is a dime a dozen!" As she cursed, she slammed the table and benches down with a loud thud. Huan E listened and asked, "What is the reason for this?" The man sighed and said, "My name is Fang Qisheng, and this woman is my wife, Bo. She's always afraid of anything happening in the house, except for wanting good food. I run a small tavern, serving Suzhou dishes and drinks, right at the entrance of this alley. It's been great; I've been making money every day without a care in the world. After deducting my daily expenses, I still have some left over. Every night, I bring back leftover meat dishes and two jugs of wine for her to enjoy, without a single complaint. But recently, I fell ill, and in just over two months, I've lost all my capital." "The money's gone. Now that we're not doing business, there's nothing to feed him, and he's been making a ruckus all day. Just now, while we were eating, he wanted to buy some cooked meat. We don't have a penny at home, so he even smashed his rice bowl. He's been cursing all day and still hasn't stopped." Huan'e said, "How much capital does your inn need?" Fang Qisheng replied, "The tables, chairs, pots, pans, stoves, utensils, and equipment are all old. I just need to buy some chicken, fish, shrimp, bamboo shoots, sausages, meat scraps, gizzards, and the like. I'll sell two jars of wine each, and four or five taels of silver will be enough." Huan'e had a servant weigh out five taels of silver for him, but he dared not accept it. Huan'e laughed and said, "I'm giving you this as capital. Take it, and I have something else to say." He then dismounted and whispered a few words in Fang Qisheng's ear. Fang Qisheng thanked him and took the money inside.

Huan'e quietly followed him and eavesdropped under the window. When Fang Qisheng entered the room, Madam Bo cursed, "You unlucky devil! You jinx! If you don't give me any meat tonight, I'll just pack up and go find a good man tomorrow morning. Don't take offense." Fang Qisheng threw the silver on the table and said, "Stop cursing. When I open the market tomorrow and start my business, I'll write you a letter of divorce and let you remarry." Madam Bo was cursing when she saw the silver and smiled broadly. He rushed over and said, "What a wonderful thing! Where are you from?" Fang Qisheng replied, "You're the one who's going there, why are you meddling in my business?" Bo Shi chuckled and said, "Now that you have money, where can I go in the wind and rain?" Fang Qisheng said, "You're such a short-sighted woman. You saw I wasn't making any money and wanted to marry another man. Now that you have money, you won't go." Bo Shi laughed and said, "Do you think I really want to go? We're a loving couple, where would we go? I was just trying to provoke you. And it's all worth it, now you're willing to get this money? Instead of buying me some good food and wine to thank me, you're criticizing me. No wonder people say men are heartless, I'm a woman with a kind heart." She laughed heartily. Fang Qisheng was both angry and amused, and said, "You've been making a fuss all these days, and now that you've seen the money, you're spouting nonsense." Bo Shi laughed, "You're a grown man, can't you even tell your virtuous wife is trying to provoke you with lies? From now on, once you're successful, I'll have wine and meat to eat, and see if I say a word! If you keep making a fuss, may a boil the size of a bowl grow on your tongue. Haven't you heard people say that an eighty-year-old mother marries not for growth, but only for food? Besides, what does she marry for? She just wants both her mouths to have meat to eat." She laughed incessantly, saying, "Stop talking nonsense, quickly take the money, buy some wine and food, and I'll congratulate you." Huan E couldn't help but laugh.

He mounted his horse and walked onto another street. He saw two men locked in a fierce struggle, their heads bleeding, hurling insults at each other. They seemed to have a blood feud, ready to fight to the death. Huan'e, unsure of their grudge and fearing for his life, quickly ordered his servant to separate them. He called one of them over and asked, "What are your names? What grudge do you hold that makes you fight like this?" The man replied angrily, "My surname is Ren. Because my family runs a small noodle shop, people call me Ren Noodles." Pointing at the other man, he continued, "His surname is Shou, and his name is Shou Xin. He's my neighbor. We've been best friends since we were bald, we've even exchanged vows, sworn brotherhood, and sworn to heaven to live and die together, to share official positions and good fortune. We've been good friends all these years, and we've never even argued. My family sells eight-ingredient noodles and eel noodles, and the leftover broth..." He's bothered me countless times. Today, while we were strolling around, someone dropped a hundred coins from their waistband. I saw it first and picked it up. He said that ill-gotten gains should be divided equally, but when I refused, he grabbed me and threatened to fight me. Sir, please judge who is right and who is wrong.” Huan E, who had initially thought it was a big deal, smiled when he heard it was just a hundred coins. He called Shou Xin over and said, “Since you're good friends, what's a hundred coins worth that warrants such a high position? He may be stingy, but you're being too petty.” Shou Xin said, “Sir, you're so shrewd.” "Of all the money, I should have received fifty out of a hundred coins. The two or three bushels of red rice I bought are enough for my family's daily needs. What right does he have to hoard it all? He says I've bothered him with leftovers thousands of times. My family sells cooked beef, and he's bothered me with countless loads of leftover bones and scraps. This heartless bastard wants to eat it all himself, and if his whole family suffers the consequences, I'll fight him to the death. I can't stand having such a friend anymore." Huan'e said, "You two are just friends through wine and meat; you're not true friends. It's not a big deal. I'll settle your score." She then called a servant... He took out one hundred coins and handed them to Shouxin, saying, "You two don't need to say anything more, go your separate ways." Shouxin took the money, his face beaming, and said, "Thank you very much, sir." He turned to Renmian and said, "We've been good friends for years, don't let this little thing make us lose face. This gentleman gave me one hundred coins, and you also have one hundred coins. Let's settle this amicably and make up. Let's not let others see us making a fool of ourselves over such a small matter." Renmian laughed and said, "Brother, you're right. Good friends are good friends after all, what's the point of arguing?" The two put their arms around each other's shoulders and laughed as they left. Because of these two two-faced, heartless people, there was a poem, "Zhu Yunfei," lamenting the friendships of the world: "

Friendship and righteousness, in the past there were still people. Nowadays, people are respectful and affectionate, but they are all just opportunists and scoundrels. Alas, when trouble comes, they shirk responsibility and deny everything. They laugh in their hearts and slander in their minds, how heartless they are! Look now, there's not a single person left in the circle of friends."

Huan'e saw the two of them leave, and felt both amused and saddened. As they rode along, they saw a ragged man grabbing a well-dressed rider, saying, "I have nothing to eat or wear. Please take pity on me and help me out. It would not only be a sign of your kindness but also a way to accumulate good karma." The man on horseback said, "Let go! Don't pester me. If I didn't care, I would give you a good whipping." The poor man held on, pleading, "If you don't care about me, at least think about my deceased father. Can you bear to watch me starve to death?" The rider said, "What do I care if you starve to death? I have my own things to do. Let go!" He raised his whip to strike. The poor man had no choice but to let go, and the rider rode away. The man stamped his feet and gritted his teeth, saying, "There are such heartless people in the world. I pray that Heaven will watch over him."

Huan E, seeing this, knew there must be a reason, so he called the man over and asked him for details. The man, with tears streaming down his face, said, “My name is Mu Nai, and I come from a distinguished family. However, due to lack of business, my fortune collapsed, and I am now impoverished. The man on horseback just now was named Wu Tianliang. His grandfather was a servant in my family for generations. When my late father was alive, remembering his years of hard work, he released the whole family to serve as commoners. He was originally from Fengyang Prefecture, but returned to his hometown. Sometime later, he became wealthy and managed to secure a minor official position under the Fengyang Governor. I don't know why he was sent here. Today, I met him and asked him for some financial assistance. Not only did he refuse to give me a single coin, but he also tried to beat me. Sir, tell me, are there such heartless and unscrupulous people in the world?” Huan E, upon hearing this, was filled with anger and resentment. Seeing the man's poverty and pitiful state, she had her servant weigh out five taels of silver for him, and the man thanked her profusely before leaving. As Huan'e walked, he couldn't help but sigh, "It's all for a little money. Fathers, sons, husbands, wives, brothers, friends, masters, and servants don't even recognize each other. The world has become like this; it's truly heartbreaking." He sighed all the way back.

Another day, he came to a house and looked around. It was truly a desolate place with a thatched roof and a simple wooden door. The scene was utterly bleak and wretched. He heard a girl's voice inside, crying very sadly. Not wanting to go inside and ask, he reined in his horse and waited a while. Then two men came out, sighing repeatedly, "Poor thing, poor thing, it's heartbreaking to see her like this. Perhaps we can do her a favor and get her a bowl of rice to keep her alive." Huan'e quickly dismounted and asked, "What is it? Tell me." The two men looked at him and replied, "There's a widow in this house named Wu. Her husband was named Zhong Sheng, and he died young. She raised her son and daughter alone since childhood, refusing to remarry. This year, her son is eighteen, and her daughter is sixteen. For the past few years, they've relied on her son selling lanterns, while she and her daughter made a living by needlework. This widow Wu has been dead for five or six days." "There's not a penny left in the house, not even enough for a coffin. His uncle works as a farmhand in the village, and his son, Zhongda, went to ask his uncle to get a coffin. He's been gone for several days, and hasn't returned. Even if he does, we don't know if he can get a coffin. This woman has been widowed for over ten years, and now she's dead without even a coffin. She's lying here, how pitiful! Luckily the weather is cool; what would she do in the summer? Her daughter cries day and night over her mother's body, and they don't have a single grain of rice. We two are her neighbors, so we came to see her and discuss getting her some food to keep her alive, hence our sorrow." Huan'e, hearing this, felt deeply saddened. She said, "You two come with me inside."

The two followed her inside and saw the corpse on a door panel, and the woman sitting on the ground weeping for her mother. Huan'e said, "Young lady, don't cry. Get up and listen to me." The woman stopped crying and stood up. Huan E had a servant weigh out fifteen taels of silver and said to him, "Don't be sad. This silver is for you. Please have these two buy a coffin for your mother's burial. When your brother returns, bury her. Use the extra silver to make clothes for you and your brother, and buy some firewood and rice to live on." He then said to the two men, "His mother is dead, and this child is all alone. If his uncle comes, that goes without saying. If he doesn't, please find him a good family to marry into. Otherwise, how will he survive?" One of them said, "My humble name is Ling Jumei, and I have a son. I know this girl is very good; she is quiet and has excellent needlework skills. I just dare not arrange this marriage, for fear that her uncle will gossip later." Huan E said, "Just ask if the girl is willing. If she is, then you can proceed. If her uncle has any objections, my surname is Huan. Come find me, and I will make the decision for you." Only then did the two men realize that he was Young Master Huan. Huan E then asked the other woman, "What is your surname?" She replied, "My humble surname is Mei, and my given name is Ren." Huan E said, "Since I am officiating at this wedding, I would like to trouble you to be the matchmaker." Mei Ren said, "Since you have such a kind intention, sir, I am willing to be the matchmaker." He then said to the woman, "This is your good fortune to have met such a great benefactor as you. You often see Brother Ling's son, Ling Bao. If you are willing, come and thank me." [Good. This man is skilled at matchmaking. How could the woman agree or disagree? Making her bow and thank him speaks volumes about her willingness.] The woman was also homeless at the time, and now that she had found a husband, what could she not want? She came over and kowtowed. Huan E said, "No need, please rise." He then said to Ling Jumei, "Once his mother's coffin is taken out, you can take him away." Old Master Ling also thanked him, and Huan E then returned home.

Ling Jumei went to buy a coffin and prepared the widow's body for burial. This woman was his daughter-in-law, so naturally, it was different. He went back and called his old woman to keep him company, bringing him tea and meals, which pleased him greatly. Ling Bao also came to help look after things, buying firewood and rice for his family, and fetching water. Ling Jumei busied herself buying cloth to make clothes and bedding for her son and daughter-in-law, and tidying up the house and bed curtains.

Two days later, Xiao Dafang finally returned, saying, "I've been looking for my uncle for several days, but I can't find him. I don't know where he went." When asked about the origin of the coffin, Ling Jumei and Mei Ren told him about Huan E's situation. The young man was worried that his sister would have nowhere to rely on, and he was very happy to see that she had found a home. Ling Jumei handed him the silver, saying, "Fifteen taels of silver. After deducting the cost of the coffin and the money for firewood and rice, it cost three taels and five mace. This is eleven taels and five mace. You can take it. Master Huan said that the rest should be used to make clothes for you and your sister. Now that your sister is married into my family, I will make all the clothes for her. You can keep this silver as capital." The young man accepted it.

The next day, he hired people to carry his mother away and bury her with his father. Ling Jumei troubled Mei Ren's wife to send him clothes, had the girl take a bath and change her clothes, and brought her home to marry his son. The following day, Ling Jumei, along with his son Ling Baotong, went to Huan E's house to express their gratitude.

Now, Huan'e gave up the money for the coffin, and when he arrived home that day, he sat with Xiao'e in Hou's room and chatted. Huan'e sighed and said, "Nowadays, not only are there many widows, orphans, and lonely people without food or clothing, but countless others die without coffins. I give alms to those I encounter, but what about those I don't? I've thought of a solution: since I'm doing good deeds, why not open a large coffin shop and specialize in providing coffins? Post notices everywhere, and families who can't afford coffins can come and have them carried. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Xiao'e said, "Sir, please do good deeds. There are many things you can do, not just this one." Huan'e said, "I can't think of anything right now, and I haven't seen anything like it. What brilliant idea do you have? Just tell me." Xiao'e said, "For example, regarding providing coffins, if someone can't even afford a coffin, they must be extremely poor. Even if we provide a coffin, where will we get the money to carry it? Why not give them one tael of silver for each coffin provided, as well as the cost of carrying it and burial? Besides, those with ancestral graves need no introduction; they can be carried and buried there. But what about those without graves, or those from other places? Where can they be buried?" "Find a burial plot? Sir, buy a few more plots for public burials. Those without land can come and be buried if they wish, and those who don't will not be forced. Wouldn't this be doing good deeds to the fullest extent?" Huan'e was overjoyed and said, "Well thought, that's exactly what I'll do." He continued, "This is for the dead. When doing good deeds, we must treat everyone equally, including the living. Nowadays, when people are poor and destitute, there are many poor people and many homeless people. Why not build another large almshouse, to support all those who are destitute, old and childless, or weak and sick, providing them with food and clothing year-round? This is not just providing for the elderly. Nowadays, many people abandon their young sons and daughters because of poverty. Build another orphanage, hire some breastfeeding women, and take in abandoned infants. When they grow up, those without children who want to raise them can take them in. This is not just providing for the young. These two deeds are of immense merit. There are also many patients who die from poverty because they can't afford medicine. Open another large pharmacy, prepare various medicines for different illnesses, and distribute them..." "Helping the poor is a good deed," Huan'e said. "You are a learned man, you can see this, [though there's a hint of flattery, I realize I don't quite understand and feel ashamed of my own words]. Tell me what other good deeds you can do, and I'll do them all; you'll also have half the merit." Xiao'e said, "This is me helping you, sir, to become a good person. What merit do I have? There are so many good deeds to do, too many to list. It just requires perseverance; do them when you encounter them, and don't tire of them. If you give up halfway, all your previous efforts will be wasted. For example, repairing bridges and roads, giving away tea and clothes in winter and summer—aren't these good deeds? They're a thousand times better than offering alms to monks or worshipping the Tao. There's another way to help the poor, called 'effortless charity.' Take 100,000 taels of gold to open a pawnshop. Don't pawn anything more or anything rich; pawn only for the poor. Don't pawn in whole taels; pawn only three or five coins, and only ask for a small interest, enough to cover rent and wages. Although you don't make a profit, you don't lose money, and the poor receive so much kindness." Hui. There's another important matter: these days, there are many teachers who beg for a living. They only know one book, the *Hundred Family Surnames*, and openly go to teach. And these blind landlords, only concerned with saving money, send their children to school regardless of quality, wasting countless sums of money. After several years of schooling, they still can't recognize a single character. I heard of a man surnamed Zhang, named Dongxu, who was a runaway slave. He had a son and no means of survival. He arrived in a village, boasting of his vast knowledge and teaching skills, putting on airs and feigning refinement. A man surnamed Ma in the village became his leader, gathering a dozen or so students for him to study. Although Zhang knew a few characters, not many, he taught countless incorrect ones, and pitifully, not a single person in the village understood them. A scholar passed through the village and rested in his school. He heard Zhang teaching one student: "Bo Niu was ill; you asked him about it, and he held his hand." He then taught another: "In the lower position, one should not pull up." The man burst into laughter and spread the word, calling him "Master Ba Shang." It's one thing to be unable to recognize characters, but to be unable to even read, yet openly teach students—isn't that laughable? He's so ignorant, yet he's made a fortune after teaching for years; it's truly a strange thing. Now, sir, you're opening several free schools, hiring learned teachers, setting up tuition fees annually, and providing generous stipends. People's children, regardless of the cost, even the poorest and most helpless, can come and study. While it can't guarantee that every student will become a scholar, pass the imperial examinations, or become a high-ranking official, and that no one will be completely illiterate, it will still benefit many children. This inconspicuous act is still considerable. Although it leaves these ignorant teachers with nowhere to make a living, it's their own fault, and they can't blame anyone else. Besides, they don't know how many children they've ruined, and they've starved to death—that's only natural, and they shouldn't be punished. "【Why not invite these gentlemen to study here as well?】

At this time, Huan'e was eager to do good deeds, and secondly, it was the kindness of the newly arrived second wife. With these two good intentions combined, he put his plan into action. He cleared out several vacant rooms and brought in Xiang Weiren's family, asking them to manage the pawnshop. He set aside 100,000 taels of gold as capital, with one percent interest, specifically for lending to poor and small households, and paid him 240 taels of gold annually. He also invited Wu He to supervise the almshouse, orphanage, coffin shop, cemetery, and other affairs, disbursing money and distributing grain, and paid him 120 taels of gold annually. He also opened seven or eight free schools, and asked Mei Sheng to invite several experienced scholars from the academy, including ordinary scholars, to be among them, each receiving 50 taels of gold annually. He assigned people to provide them with three good meals a day and to teach the students." He recruited ambitious individuals to study. He also bought a thousand acres of fertile land and provided food and clothing to the poorest households in his clan, all descendants of the same ancestor, regardless of kinship, based on the size of their families, excluding those with means of support. He also set aside five thousand taels of gold for rent to cover the expenses of these people's weddings and funerals. He selected two elderly clan leaders, one chief and one deputy, to manage their affairs. He arranged everything perfectly, yet he himself was still out there seeking good deeds, working diligently and tirelessly without a trace of weariness or stinginess.

One early morning, he arrived at the gate of the Shangyuan County government office. He saw dozens of people in shackles and about a hundred others bound by ropes. Among them were women, all accompanied by constables. Huan E, wondering what was going on, became suspicious. He stepped forward and asked the constables, "Who are these people? What are they doing here?" The constables recognized Huan E and quickly replied, "These are the village and hamlet chiefs from various townships under the county's jurisdiction, who are here to collect outstanding taxes." Huan E asked, "Why are there cangues and chains?" The constable replied, "The cangues were brought in earlier, and today is the deadline, so they're being compared. The chains were just brought in; when they see me, they'll be canguesed and punished." Huan E said, "These poor folks, how much grain could they possibly owe, yet they're being cangueted like this?" The constable said, "There are many debtors, more than ten thousand. We can't take that many; these are the ringleaders. We're chasing them to make sure they pay their dues." Huan E asked again, "How much should each household owe?" The constable said, "It varies. Some owe a few coins, some a few cents, and few in taels. Even if they don't owe much, the total amount adds up." Huan E said, "Since they don't owe much, why not settle it all and get it over with?" The constable said, "There are many households, and these are all extremely poor people. They have no clothes or food; even getting a single coin is difficult. How can they possibly settle their debts?" Huan E asked, "Why are there women here too?" The constables said, "Her husband has vanished without a trace. We would be punished if we returned empty-handed, so we had no choice but to bring the woman here as an excuse."

Hearing this and seeing the state of these poor people, Huan'e felt great pity and was filled with righteous indignation. He said, "What nonsense! As the people's father and mother, how can you not understand their plight? You're taking such poor people and beating them indiscriminately! [This is a foolish young man, unaware of the hardships of being an official.] A kind and good citizen, who has never been a robber or a bandit leader, why is he taking a woman? [I say that although he may seem foolish, his heart is that of a Bodhisattva.] Release them all for me, and I will do everything in my power to avenge them all." The constables dared not disobey and untied the ropes around their necks.

Hearing that he would do everything in their power to avenge them, the men knelt on the ground, kowtowing loudly. Even those in shackles kowtowed, their hands on their shackles. Huan'e said, "Get up. I will ask the magistrate to release you." The crowd cheered and rejoiced, their faces no longer clouded with worry.

Huan E spurred his horse to the yamen gate and said, "Go in and tell your magistrate I've come to meet him." The geomancer galloped inside. In an instant, the ceremonial gate opened wide, and the geomancer returned, saying, "Please, sir, enter immediately." Huan E strode in proudly. Upon entering the ceremonial gate, he saw the magistrate waiting respectfully by the passageway. It turned out that the magistrate's grandfather and Huan Shi had passed the imperial examinations in the same year, making him Huan E's nephew. Huan E quickly dismounted, and the magistrate invited him to sit in the inner hall. A gatekeeper brought tea, which he drank before being led away.

Seeing Huan E's angry expression, the magistrate asked, "Why does my esteemed elder look so displeased?" Huan E replied, "Just now outside the yamen, I saw many poor people, all shackled and chained. When I asked, they said they were owed money by some kind of village head or neighborhood head. [This was indeed the young master's words; he didn't know what village head or neighborhood head was.] People owe money, yet you take their shackles and beat them—how can you bear to do that? Besides, these debtors don't even have food or clothing. As the parents of the people, we should pity them. Even these village heads and neighborhood heads aren't necessarily wealthy. Others shouldn't interfere." "He might not be able to repay it, so even beating him to death wouldn't help. Isn't this just unfairly beating a commoner?" The magistrate blushed, his face full of shame, and said, "Uncle, your advice is very correct. I have no choice. The military needs are urgent right now, and if we can't meet them in time, I'll be impeached when I get back to the government. It's easier to deal with the others, so I have to punish them. Not only do I not have the money to repay them, but I've never brought money from home to become an official. Since I'm in this clerical position, my own reputation is more important, and I can't think of anything as benevolence or compassion." [If ordered.] Huan E said, "These men are one thing, but how come they even took other people's women?" The magistrate said, "I didn't know that." He looked at the clerks beside him. One reported, "Because her husband fled, we arrested her family." The magistrate angrily said, "I did not give any orders, how dare you arrest people's women without permission? Bring them to court in a moment and punish them severely." Huan'e said, "There's no need to punish them. I ordered all those who were locked up to be released. Release those who are still in chains. I have also promised to pay off their debts on their behalf. Let's calculate how much they owe in total and have someone come with me to collect it." The magistrate said, "Old man, you should think things through carefully. Although you mean well, they owe a lot, and I'm afraid they won't be able to pay it all back." Huan'e said... “A man’s word is his bond. I promised them, and they’ve kowtowed; how could they possibly go back on their word? Just make sure the amount is correct and don’t add any extra charges; that’s already a great favor. I’ll repay whatever it takes.”

The magistrate was overjoyed, his face beaming with smiles. He said, “Uncle, your compassion is truly admirable. As a parent to the people, I am already deeply ashamed. To even think about adding extra charges would be worse than a dog. Uncle, your righteous act has saved countless poor people from hardship; your merit is immeasurable.” He ordered the six clerks to help with the calculation and then ordered everyone’s shackles to be removed.

The magistrate then had Huan’e have a simple meal in his study. Around noon, the clerk in charge of the household affairs came to report, “After a thorough calculation, we owe a total of 17,000 taels.” Huan’e said, “What’s a little extra? Just have someone come with me to fetch 17,000 taels.” [The magistrate’s performance evaluation was now complete, and there was great hope that he would receive the reward.] The magistrate said, "Indeed, the large sum is more than enough. A little extra will be easy to cover expenses." Huan'e said, "I've repaid their debts. Give them a certificate, don't let my money get stuck in some hidden pocket." The magistrate said, "How dare you! I'll have to give everyone red notes. I'll also issue notices in each village so that the people know of my kindness." Huan'e got up, and the magistrate escorted him to the steps, letting him ride away on horseback.

At the gate, the people's shackles were indeed removed, and they knelt down to thank him. Huan'e said, "You owed a total of 17,000 taels, which I've repaid for you. The magistrate just said he'd give you red notes as certificates; take them and go home." The people cheered and thanked him again.

Huan'e, along with a household manager, the magistrate's two stewards, and more than twenty yamen runners, carrying baskets and carrying poles, went home. He went up to tell Huan Shi what had happened, and Huan Shi praised him highly. Huan E took out 340 taels of silver from the chest and had his servants carry them to the hall. After checking the contents, he handed them over to the people of the county and left.

He returned to his room and told Hou Shi and Xiao E about it, and they were overjoyed, praising it endlessly. The next morning, he heard a great commotion outside the gate. His servants rushed in and reported, "Several hundred men and women are outside, holding incense and kowtowing in gratitude." Huan E went outside, and the crowd knelt down, shouting in unison, "We are deeply grateful for Your Excellency's grace in saving us poor people from so much beatings. May Your Excellency live to be a hundred years old, and may your descendants enjoy high positions for generations!" That was enough. Huan E smiled and said, "Please rise. I will invite my father to come and see. This is a blessing from his great-grandfather." Huan E hurriedly went in and invited his father out. When the crowd saw him, they all knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude. Huan Shi was overjoyed and ordered that each person be rewarded with 100 coins. The crowd chanted Buddhist prayers, calling out to the compassionate and merciful Bodhisattva Huan, who had saved them from suffering, and then departed. A short while later, the county magistrate came to pay his respects and thank his uncle, who was also a fellow county magistrate. After serving tea, he left.

The next day, Huan'e finished his meal and went out. As soon as he reached the street outside the gate, he saw over a hundred people kneeling down. They were also in shackles and chains, crying out, "We beg Your Majesty's grace to help us commoners!" Huan'e asked who they were. They turned out to be the county magistrates and village heads of Jiangning County. They had heard that Huan'e had helped the debtors of Shangyuan County, so they had come to beg for mercy. Huan'e said, "Get up, all of you. Wait for me to report to the magistrate, and I will take you with me." He then turned back inside, dismounted, and went to tell his father. Huan Shi said, "We are all poor people. Why should we discriminate? You should pay off whatever debts we owe." Huan'e accepted his father's order, smiled, came out, mounted his horse, and went outside to invite everyone to come to Jiangning County. The magistrate, having heard yesterday that the debtor from Shangyuan County, Young Master Huan, had repaid his old debt of 20,000 taels of silver, sighed, "Old Yin is so fortunate to have met such a blessed and virtuous man. He's saved so much trouble and averted so many problems. He'll pass his exams perfectly and be promoted soon, but I just can't seem to find someone like him." Just then, a report came that Young Master Huan had arrived with the county's senior officials and village heads. The magistrate was overjoyed, hurriedly calling out, "Quickly, please come in!" He rushed to the ceremonial gate to greet them. He led them to the reception hall and inquired about their purpose. Huan explained that he had repaid everyone's debts. The magistrate smiled broadly, bowing deeply to both sides, praising and thanking them repeatedly. After a while, the accounts were settled, and a total of 12,000 taels of silver was still owed. The people of Jiangning County were slightly wealthier than those of Shangyuan County. Huan repaid the debt in full, and the people burned incense and kowtowed in gratitude. The tens of thousands of debtors in Shangjiang and Jiang counties, relieved of their worries and burdened by the debts settled by Young Master Huan, were all deeply grateful. Countless men, women, and children kowtowed in prayer, praying for their safety. It was truly a case of every household praising and blessing them. Whenever they met someone and mentioned the name Huan, they would express their gratitude and praise his virtue. Thus, Young Master Huan's good name spread almost throughout the entire capital. But enough of that.

One day, Huan E, in high spirits, went for a walk in the northern part of the city. The area was sparsely populated, filled with gardens. He saw three small houses next to a tomb, a solitary courtyard, with no neighbors on either side. He heard a woman's voice calling for help from inside. Huan E was alarmed, thinking, "This place is so remote, could someone be doing something unjust and illegal?" He quickly dismounted, entered the courtyard, and shouted, "Who's shouting in the room?" He heard someone shouting, "Who is it? Come quickly and save them!" Huan E hurriedly called a servant to go into the room with him. They saw a young woman hanging from a beam, and an old woman clinging to her legs, trying to climb up. Upon seeing Huan E, the old woman cried out, "Sir, please do me a favor and help save them!" Huan E told the servant to help her and asked, "Do you have a knife?" The old woman replied, "There's a pair of scissors on that table." Huan E took them, cut the rope, and together they lifted the woman onto the bed, massaging her throat. He asked the old woman, "Feel her chest, is it still warm?" The old woman touched it and said, "It's still warm." Huan E said, "It's alright, go and boil some hot water." The old woman went off.

Huan E, disregarding any suspicion, held the woman in his arms and began to breathe. After a while, sounds came from her throat, and he untied the ropes. The old woman brought water and quickly poured several mouthfuls down her throat. The woman coughed up phlegm and, once she could breathe again, began to sob softly. Huan E, seeing that she was alive, was relieved. He asked the old woman to help her sit up, then got off the bed and sat on a stool. He looked at the woman, [this sentence reveals his compassionate heart and saintly courage. He was initially only concerned with saving her life and didn't consider her appearance. Only now that she was alive did he look at her.] She was about twenty-one or twenty-two years old and extremely beautiful. Although she wore silk clothes, they were patched and tattered, old and worn, in a very poor condition. There is a song, "Qin Lou Yue," that describes her: "

Fragrant and sweet, a person like jade in her eyes. A person like jade, with a tattered hairpin and worn-out skirt, dressed in cold and hardship." Her brows furrowed in shyness, a thousand hidden sorrows swirling in her heart. Her belly was full of grief, and tears streamed down her face.

Although his room was filled with dilapidated items, it was the former residence of a once-prosperous family, indicating that it had fallen from grace. Huan E asked, "What is your esteemed name? Where is your husband? What has caused you such grief? Why would such a young man take his own life?" Upon hearing the question, the woman wept even more bitterly. Huan E said, "There's no need to grieve. Tell me what's on your mind. Perhaps I can offer some assistance." The old woman said, "This gentleman is your savior, Madam. You have a clear conscience; why not speak? In this situation, what are you hiding?" The woman was about to speak when she saw Huan E's servant and hesitated. Huan'e understood and told the servant, "Go outside." The servant left, and the woman, weeping, said, "My father-in-law's surname is Mu, and his name is Mu Dehou. My mother-in-law is Nie. [It's true. If she hadn't committed some terrible sin, how could she have no descendants? She gave birth to such a gambling and depraved son.] My father-in-law served as the prefect of Qiongzhou Prefecture in Guangdong, earning tens of thousands of taels of gold. [In Guangdong, Guangzhou Prefecture is called 'sleeping ten thousand,' Qiongzhou Prefecture is called 'sitting ten thousand,' and Chaozhou Prefecture is called 'running ten thousand.' Even though the prefect of Qiongzhou earned ten thousand, he couldn't stop his son from gambling. What could he do?"] She only had one son, my husband, named Mu Fu. [What good is leaving behind millions if one is unlucky?] He was never disciplined from a young age, allowed to run wild. My father's surname was Qu, his name was Qu Pan Gui, and my mother's surname was Yang. I was born the year my father became an official, so I was named Shen Jie. [Fortune, what a good nickname!] My father was the magistrate of Qiongzhou County, [My father-in-law was a poor prefect, and my father was also a poor county magistrate; it's no wonder our children suffered poverty.] I was his subordinate. Because of their wealth and status, they married me off to them. Unfortunately, my in-laws contracted malaria. They both died of leprosy while in office. I followed my husband to escort their coffins here, and in just three or four years, we gambled away all our silver, silk, gold and silver utensils, jewelry, clothes, and even our houses and land—everything. Our family members have either sold off their possessions or left.” Pointing to the old woman, he said, “Only this old couple is left, and no one wants to buy them. They were old servants of his parents, and they're pitiful. That's why they've followed him through thick and thin, even without a house to live in, they've moved here to live on this grave. Now they have nothing to eat, nothing to wear, and they still only gamble.” He can't stop. When he had money, he gambled with decent people. Now that he's poor, even the slightly respectable ones won't gamble with him anymore; he gambles with those lowly, shameless ruffians. He's lost money to seven or eight people, and they come to his door every month to cause trouble, often being insulted by villagers, but he feels no shame whatsoever. Recently, he lost fifty or sixty taels of silver to some spoiled young master, and every day he sends his servants to beat and curse him. That heartless, damned bastard, I wonder when he'll see me again!” At this point, his face flushed red, and he burst into tears.

Huan'e said, "Don't cry, you've finished speaking. Whatever the matter, I'll take care of it for you." The woman surnamed Qu said, "That scoundrel from the Diao family has a wicked heart. He told my husband that I should do those shameful things with him. If I agree, he'll make my good-for-nothing husband write a pawnbroking document for him, not only taking back his several dozen taels of silver, but also paying back all the money owed to the scoundrels. My husband initially refused, but this Diao colluded with these scoundrels, beating and humiliating him in the streets every day. My husband got desperate and finally agreed, promising to let him come tomorrow. He paid back everyone's money, and I'm now his woman, and he wants me to sleep with him. He came to tell me this today. I'm from a good family, how could I do such a disgraceful thing? That's why I tried to commit suicide. But you, sir, saved me. I was going to die sooner or later anyway, and I've failed you with all your kindness." Having said this, she burst into tears.

Huan E was furious and said, "That scoundrel from the Diao family, I know his name is Diao Huan. He has a pockmarked face, a few yellow whiskers, and his nickname is Yangdushi (Sheep's Belly Stone). This scoundrel is utterly wicked and cunning. His father is a commander of a thousand men, such a high-ranking official, yet he openly commits these evil deeds, luring people into gambling and trying to cheat their wives. This scoundrel is in cahoots with a man surnamed Tu who runs gambling dens, and has swindled countless young men. Don't worry, I will avenge you. Tomorrow I will do this and that to save you." Qu Shi hurriedly got out of bed and bowed to thank him. Huan'e said, "No need, no need. Where is your husband?" Qu Shi replied, "He's afraid someone will come and cause trouble, so he's hiding in a small nunnery, about a mile from here." Huan'e said, "I have something to say, but don't be angry." Qu Shi said, "Sir, please speak freely." Huan'e said, "Now that this matter has been clarified, if your husband loses again and tries to pawn you off, how will I know? How can I rescue you? Unless your husband pawns you to me, and I take care of it for you, he won't dare to have any other thoughts. [Upon reading this, one cannot help but suspect that Huan'e loves this woman and thus tries to win her over with favor. This is completely wrong. It further reveals his virtuous heart, heroic spirit, and extraordinary actions.] Is your plan feasible?" Qu Shi thought for a moment and said... "Alright, sir, you saved my life and avenged me. I should repay you, rather than give myself to that servant." Huan'e said, "We must find your husband and explain in person." Qu said, "There's no one in the house to look for him, what should we do?" Huan'e pointed to the old woman and said, "Where is her husband?" Qu said, "Although he's over sixty, he sees there's nothing to eat at home, so every morning he gets up early to work as a laborer, earning three cents a tael to buy a liter of rice and some firewood to survive." Huan'e said, "He's not home, what should we do?" The old woman said, "I recognize him, I'll go find him." Huan'e said, "When you find him, don't tell him what I said before, lest word get out and everyone finds out." The old woman said, "I know," and hurriedly went off.

Huan'e asked Qu Shi, "Where did your husband go to earn the firewood and rice? Where did he get the money for daily necessities like oil, salt, vegetables, and clothes for winter and summer?" Hearing this, Qu Shi burst into tears, saying, "It's pitiful that I can't even get a full bowl of rice, let alone vegetables. A few drops of salt are all I have to eat with it. For months, I don't even see a drop of oil. The lamp is rarely lit; on moonlit days I sit a little longer, but on moonless days I go to bed early. As for clothes, the good ones were given away to gambling debts, and some were sold. The less valuable but decent ones were pawned for daily use. The remaining tattered clothes, which I couldn't sell, I patched up to cover my body." Huan'e said, "The shirt you're wearing looks like it's been patched together by many families; it's so embarrassing. Let me see it as a pawn ticket." Qu Shi took out a bundle of bills, about a hundred or so, from an old gift box. [Old gift box, clever. The good ones were sold.] Huan'e asked, "Do you recognize what these characters on the banknotes mean? Read them to me one by one." Qu replied, "I've memorized the characters at the back." It turned out that Qu had beautiful handwriting. [This description of Qu recognizing characters is not an exaggeration of his intelligence. There was a different kind of character on the banknotes from Jiangnan; otherwise, if Huan'e couldn't recognize them and Qu couldn't remember many, what would they do? Therefore, saying he recognized characters would make checking easier.] He then read them to Huan'e one by one. Huan'e took the banknotes containing the clothes he could wear, a few clove hairpins, bedding, and the like, but told him to keep the rest. Calculating the principal and interest on these banknotes, they amounted to more than twenty taels. Huan E said, "If I give you the silver, I'm afraid your husband will take it to gamble again. I'll redeem it for you. Your old man doesn't need to be sent away tomorrow; he can stay and serve you. I'll bring you firewood and rice." Qu sighed, "How can we repay you, sir? You've shown me such kindness!" Huan E said, "I pitied you, a daughter of an official family, married to such a worthless husband, and thus showed you some compassion. I don't expect anything in return."

Just then, the old woman arrived with Mu Fu. The old woman had attempted suicide by hanging Qu on the way, but this man saved her. She told him about her plan to pawn him. As soon as he entered, he bowed deeply to Huan E in gratitude. Huan E saw that he was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, a neat young man, yet dressed in rags. He sighed inwardly: "What a pity that such a person of such character would do such a despicable thing." Mu Fu asked, "May I ask your surname, sir?" Huan E replied, "My humble surname is Huan." Mu Fu bowed deeply again and said, "So you are Master Huan. How fortunate I am to meet you!" Qu Shi, with her willow-leaf eyebrows raised and almond eyes wide open, her face flushed, said to Mu Fu, "I was about to hang myself, but Master Huan saved my life. Now I will pay the gambling debts of that scoundrel surnamed Diao and his gang of ruffians for you. You've long wanted to pawn me to that Diao fellow; now write the document, and I will pawn me to Master Huan." Mu Fu lowered his head, his face red, and remained silent. [This is what is meant by "a shameless person is not human." Although the person is depraved, fortunately, this heart has not been completely lost, therefore, one can still reform oneself later.] Huan'e said, "It's up to you whether you want to or not, I won't force you." Qu Shi then said, "Just pawn me to the master, but if you pawn me to that Diao fellow, I'll make sure you lose both your money and your wife." Mu Fu said, "Don't worry. Since the master saved you and is willing to pay your debts, it's only right. What more is there to say?" He then took paper and pen and personally wrote a document pledging his wife's money. The couple signed it together and handed it to Huan'e. [Chong Haogu abandoned his wife because of male lust, and Mu Fu pawned his wife because of gambling. Don't think the author is exaggerating. I personally saw a prostitute in Jiangning named Zhuo Erguan, a native of Yangzhou. Her husband was a heavy patron but had no money, so he made his wife entertain clients, obtaining money from others' prostitutes to pay for his own. I wonder what kind of heart these people have?] Huan'e said, "They said they'd come tomorrow?" Mu Fu said, "They said they'd come after breakfast." Huan'e said, "When they come, keep them seated. I have my reasons." After saying this, he bid farewell, mounted his horse, and returned.

Upon arriving home, he instructed his servant to deliver a load of rice, two bundles of firewood, and a thousand coins to the shepherd's house. He then went to the prefectural yamen and met with Lord Le. Lord Le, upon seeing him, said, "Brother, the other day you repaid the debts of the poor people of two counties. This righteous act has not only earned the gratitude of the people, but also greatly benefited the two counties. Truly, you are a great hero in every sense of the word. I, your student, deeply admire you." Huan'e replied, "This was merely a small act of compassion from my father for the common people. I followed his example; how dare I accept such praise from you, sir?" Lord Le inquired about his purpose, and Huan'e explained, "There is a relative of the shepherd whose late father once served as prefect. He was young and ignorant, and was lured into gambling by a group of ruffians, losing all his family's wealth." He also recounted how the scoundrel Diao Huan, along with the gambling master Tu Si, had tricked him into losing money, intending to rape his wife. He said, "Please, sir, investigate this matter thoroughly to warn these unruly fellows. The entire Mu family owes you a debt of gratitude." Lord Le, who hated gambling above all else and was a man who abhorred evil, was furious upon hearing of Diao Huan's misdeeds. He ordered his servants to kneel before him and commanded, "Tomorrow morning, all of you, along with Master Huan's steward, go and bring all those gambling scoundrels here. If even one escapes, punish them severely. Also, arrest the gambling den owner, surnamed Tu." The servants agreed. Huan E then took his leave and went home, summoning the servants to his house. He said, "Tomorrow, when you go to arrest them, remember that Diao Huan and the other scoundrels all have silver with them. Search them and take it. When they are taken to the yamen for torture, beat them hard. I will thank you afterwards." He then had his family treat them to a meal and drinks. The next morning, the servants, led by a servant from the Huan family, went to arrest the scoundrels.

Meanwhile, Diao Huan, who frequently visited the Mu family, had long harbored a liking for Lady Qu. Unexpectedly, Mu Fu had just lost money to him. As the leader of the bachelors, he had gathered a group of men and spent their days causing trouble at Mu Fu's house, anticipating Mu Fu's inevitable demise. Now, seeing Mu Fu pawn Qu Shi to him, they were overjoyed. He had previously told the other bachelors that he would repay half of the money from Mu Fu's family, only telling Mu Fu he would repay the whole amount. Seeing Mu Fu's dire poverty, they reasoned that he had already given up most of the money, and now that he had half, what more could they ask for? So, eight or nine of them arrived, laughing and joking, quite pleased with themselves.

Diao Huan, eager to make a new acquaintance with Qu Shi, dressed in new clothes and swaggered to Mu Fu's house before finally sitting down. However, the barbarians, who had been watching nearby, saw this group enter and knew it was him. They whistled, followed them in, and without a word, locked them up, took them to the courtyard, and hung them in chains. These constables, acting on the orders of the young master Huan, first intimidated the group, then hung them high from the eaves. The commoners endured some hardship, but Diao Huan, a pampered young master, was no match for them. He screamed like a pig being slaughtered. They were given all the money they had brought to repay their debts. Those commoners carrying gambling debts also gave them all away before they were finally released. They were brought to the yamen (government office) during the midday court session. Judge Yue asked a few questions, and each was given thirty strokes of the cangue and placed in a large yoke. Diao Huan, being the ringleader, and Tu Si, the gambling den owner, were each given an additional ten strokes. All were to be canguered for a month, after which they would be interrogated. They were all beaten until their flesh was torn apart and displayed in the main street. Diao Huan, though from a good family, was caught in this trap because of his gambling and lustful nature. He couldn't withstand such severe torture; after only three to five days in the cangue, he died tragically inside the eye of the cangue. It is said:

Attempted adultery leads to death, gambling leads to a violent end.

Let me tell you the story of this cunning man. His father was a hereditary commander of the Imperial Guard, and the family was quite wealthy. He had no taste for alcohol and spent his days in a drunken stupor, befriending a musician. His wife, Lady Yin, shared the same vice. The couple would each hold a cup from early morning until bedtime.

They focused on drinking but had no interest in lust, and thus had only one son, cunning man. This cunning man had a face covered with large black pockmarks, and from the age of fifteen or sixteen, he grew several tufts of yellow beard. The pockmarks didn't grow on the scars but only in the gaps. He was unkempt and strangely shaped. People who saw his appearance, based on his resemblance, called him "Sheep's Belly Stone."

From a young age, he was extremely cunning and fond of gambling. He was a drunkard who spent his days in a drunken stupor, not only neglecting to discipline his son but also remaining oblivious to his son's misdeeds. Commander Diao had a superior named Commander Bao Rulei, whose position was also hereditary. This post originally belonged to his elder brother, who had struggled to have a son before finally having one in his old age, named Guanyinbao. After his brother's death, Guanyinbao was supposed to inherit the position. Diao, wanting the post, bribed his clansmen to testify that his brother had no children and that this nephew was an adopted son, originally surnamed Que and named Yingbao. According to ancestral rules, those of different surnames were not allowed to inherit the position, and it should be his younger brother's. The clansmen, greedy for his bribes, all signed agreements. He bribed all the government offices, and Guanyinbao, being young and with a widowed mother, could not argue with him and had to yield.

After obtaining the position, he took full advantage of his subordinates, including the commanders of hundreds and thousands. He was extremely cruel and exploitative towards the poor guards under his jurisdiction. Although he earned a good fortune, he was universally despised and resentful. He was also known for his fiery temper, whipping his guards with extreme cruelty, which damaged his liver. By the age of fifty, he had become completely blind and had to retire from his official career to live a secluded life at home.

He had unjustly inherited his nephew's academic title, and since he had no sons of his own, distant relatives were not allowed to inherit it, thus squandering a family's legacy. His wife had passed away, leaving him only a daughter. He wanted to remarry, but everyone knew he was mean-spirited and prone to beating his wives, which had caused his first wife to die of anger. Now blind in both eyes, who would marry him? He had no choice but to buy a maidservant to serve him.

This daughter was even more comical in appearance; one side of her face was crooked, and due to smallpox, one eye had also been damaged. If the blind eye were closed, it wouldn't be so bad, but she had no pupil, only a single, snow-white iris, protruding outwards like a large, inlaid pearl. People, hearing of her appearance, gave her the nickname "Conch Cup." Everyone knew the name of this girl named Conch Cup, yet no one sought her hand in marriage. She remained unmarried until she was nearly forty-eight. Unable to bear it any longer, he began to find a suitable match himself. He had a servant boy, a black man from Hainan. Though a foreigner, he was quite intelligent, having been raised from childhood, and was named Little Devil. Conch Cup took a liking to him. [Like attracts like, Conch Cup was also from the sea.] Because of their master's tyranny, all the servants in Commander Bao's household had fled, leaving only the elderly couple who couldn't go far and stayed at home to provide cooking. Little Devil, being a foreigner, was relatively honest, and besides, his appearance left him nowhere to hide, so he stayed home to do chores like cleaning and sweeping.

Commander Bao, with his eyes closed and doing nothing, loved listening to storytelling and often kept a blind man named Xia at home who specialized in storytelling. His maidservant was always by her blind master's side, supporting him and never leaving his side. He would listen to a storyteller in his father's room, then, tired, go to his own room for a nap. He was usually quite carefree, and that was enough.

One evening, while in his father's room, he heard a passage from *Journey to the West* about the rat demon of the Bottomless Cave on Trapped Mountain. Suddenly, his lust was aroused, and even ten thousand Vajra warriors couldn't subdue him. He went to his room to sleep. Once in bed, he undressed, touched his vulva, and sighed repeatedly, "Other girls my age have probably had countless children. If they had a child at thirteen or fourteen, they'd already have grandchildren. I haven't even tasted the pleasures of life." Anxious, he clutched his pillow, fidgeting and tossing for a while, becoming increasingly restless. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night. As dawn broke

, he heard a Japanese soldier sweeping the main room. He thought to himself, "I really can't take it anymore. I'll have to deal with this servant." She called out softly, "Little devil, come here." The boy heard her, pushed open the door, and came to the bedside. Madam Bao asked, "Is Master awake yet?" The boy replied, "The door is still closed; he seems to be still asleep." Madam Bao said, "Why did I call you if you closed the door?" The boy closed the door and came to the bedside again. Madam Bao lifted the covers and said, "My tummy hurts; come up to the bed and rub it for me." The boy climbed onto the bed and squatted on the edge. Madam Bao lay on her back, lifted the covers, revealing her bare belly and the slit between her legs, and called out, "Rub it for me." The boy chuckled, reached out and touched it, touching the slit, rubbing it with his fingers. Madam Bao laughed, "Is yours like this?" He laughed, "Mine isn't like this." Madam Bao said, "Let me feel it too." She then reached into his crotch.

The boy was sixteen or seventeen, quite knowledgeable, and his half-grown penis was already erect. When Madam Bao touched this treasure, she couldn't resist any longer. Pointing to his vulva, she said, "Try putting yours in here." Hearing this, the boy happily pulled down his pants and got on top of her. Madam Bao used some saliva, pinched his glans, and pointed it at her entrance, saying, "Put it in." The boy pushed it in, and it went in most of the way. You might wonder how a virgin could do it so easily? Firstly, the boy's penis wasn't large, and secondly, he was very eager. He had already been touched and squeezed for a while, and some moisture had come out, so he didn't find it difficult. Although Madam Bao didn't feel pleasure, she did find some enjoyment in it. After a while, fearing his father would wake up, she told the boy to leave and instructed him to secretly come to the room to sleep with her every night after the master had fallen asleep. The boy readily agreed, and from then on, he invited the boy to accompany him every night, but that was left unsaid for now.

The tyrannical commander, unaware of his daughter's extreme ugliness and the fact that she was still unmarried at her advanced age, grew increasingly anxious. One day, a ribbon fell from his clothes, and he asked his daughter to sew it back on. She replied, "I'm old, my eyesight is failing, I can't see." Hearing this, the commander realized his daughter was too old to marry and sighed, "I know it's my fault, my fault," becoming even more anxious. He suddenly remembered Diao Huan, who was also twenty-eight or twenty-nine and still unmarried. His parents, focused only on wine, had neglected their son's marriage prospects. He thought, "If we were to match them up, wouldn't it be a perfect pair, like

a broken millstone with a lame donkey, a crooked pot with a slanted stove?"

He then sent Xia the Blind to sound out Diao Huan's intentions, telling him that he had no sons and that his future household items would belong to his daughter and son-in-law. Xia the Blind went to investigate. Although Diao Huan knew his daughter was ugly, he was still his former superior and wanted to maintain appearances by agreeing to the marriage. Secondly, coveting his wealth, she readily agreed, and thus the marriage was arranged. On the wedding day, the newlyweds entered the house. The couple drank from each other's cups, and upon seeing each other, they found themselves perfectly matched in an ancient poem: Diao Huan was indeed:

pockmarked face, yellow beard, and a sheep's belly, like a headless cattail leaf.

Bao Shi was indeed:

crooked cheeks, white eyes, and a conch shell cup, with pearls inlaid at an angle.

Upon seeing each other, they were both furious. Why? Bao Shi had always thought that her crooked face and bulging eyes were a beauty beyond compare, a face that could never be depicted in any portrait of a beauty throughout the ages. [These two words are utterly laughable, but in reality, there is no such beauty in any portrait of a beauty throughout the ages.] She was truly a peerless beauty, and wholeheartedly desired to marry a husband as handsome as Pan An or Wei Jie, but today she had married such an ugly donkey. Compared to a Japanese devil, he was merely a bit darker. In terms of appearance, Diao Huan was even worse than her; how could she not be furious? Although Diao Huan was ugly and repulsive, he specialized in seducing women. Behind his drunken father's back, he stole money to patronize prostitutes, maintain a brothel, and engage in illicit affairs. These wanton women only cared about his money, regardless of their looks. He had seen many women, but he had never seen such a strangely beautiful one. [The words are quite novel.] This was his lifelong partner, to be with day and night; how could he not be angry?

Both harbored resentment, yet could not vent it. At night, in bed, Diao Huan would inevitably try to set up some wedding traps, pulling and tugging. The woman, Bao Shi, would grab his waistband, refusing to let go, jumping and scratching wildly. Diao Huan wasn't truly happy; he was merely going through the motions. Seeing her like this, he would let go and go to sleep.

Several days passed, and the two did not speak. The Diao couple only knew how to drink his wine; they knew nothing of their son and daughter-in-law's trivial matters. One night, after drinking a few cups of wine, Diao Huan suddenly felt a surge of excitement and thought, "Although she is ugly, she might have something good, who knows? Besides, with her huge, fat body, her manhood must be enormous. And all the women I've ever met have been worthless. She is, after all, a woman, and she has a different kind of charm. If there really is a beautiful place, and I can't see it at night when the lamp is out, I can still linger there. Besides, I think about spending all my time together; there's no reason for us to have only the name of husband and wife without the reality of a relationship." Thinking this over, he forgot half of her husband's ugliness and reached out to touch Bao Shi. Bao Shi, already a woman who knew what she was looking for, had initially disliked her husband's ugliness, and after sleeping separately for several nights, her heart began to succumb to temptation. She thought to herself, "That time I stole from that little devil, it wasn't to my liking. I'm fourteen or fifteen years older than him, and I've already given birth to him. Besides, he was young, so his thing was naturally small. Today he's a man nearing thirty, so his thing must be magnificent. I've married a fair and just husband, why not enjoy the delicious food right next to me? Why suffer hunger? I'll just close one eye. People say out of sight, out of mind. Let him do what he wants, and enjoy myself for a while." Just as she was thinking this, she saw him come to touch her. She pretended to be asleep, and waited until he unbuckled his belt and touched that important place before covering herself with her hand. Taking advantage of her desire, Diao Huan pulled down her pants, turned her over, and thinking she was a virgin, he used tender and gentle methods. He used some saliva, and gently and lightly, like a dragonfly skimming the water, but unexpectedly, after only a slight push inside, like a snake crawling into a hole, he was completely inside her. Only then did he realize that this ugly beauty matched two lines from the song "Selling Southern Branches" in the novel *The Story of the Chain*: "

Green willows, delicate and tender, a branch already broken in another's hands."

His interest vanished, and he quickly pulled out his clothes and lay down, seething with anger. He wanted to make a scene, but not only was his father-in-law his father's former superior, but he also thought that while his wife's things were ugly and worn, his dowry was rich and plentiful, so he had to hold back. He was both angry and amused; who could love such a woman? It was truly incomprehensible that she would stole from him. When

Madam Bao saw her husband had taken it inside, it was vastly different from the Japanese devil's, completely stuffed, and she thought she would surely be overjoyed, secretly pleased. Unexpectedly, he suddenly pulled out his clothes and lay down, knowing he disliked that it wasn't the original, greatly dampening her joy. Her resentment was beyond words.

The next morning, they both wore fierce expressions. Before, they only disliked each other's ugliness, without harboring hatred. Today, with this incident, their resentment naturally doubled. Within half a month, the two were constantly arguing, eventually turning against each other. First came insults, then physical violence. Unexpectedly, Diao Huan, being thin and weak, was not as strong and powerful as Bao Shi. She threw him down, landing a heavy blow on his head, her fists pounding like drums. Diao Huan was beaten until his hair was disheveled, rolling on the ground, crying for help. The Diao family, who were drunk, heard the commotion and, startled, stumbled over and pulled him away. Diao Huan stormed out in a huff, refusing to return home. Bao Shi wept bitterly, then put away all her dowry, leaving nothing behind.

A few days later, the Diao family sent for their son, trying to persuade him to come back to their room. The two met, glaring angrily. She not only hated him, but was also somewhat afraid of him after being beaten the previous day. Although they shared a bed that night, they slept under separate covers. From then on, Diao Huan was always out, either gambling or in brothels, rarely at home. When he had no money, he would come home to find some to pay for his gambling and prostitution. Knowing that he was taking such depraved paths, Madam Bao scolded him, "These are all things my family lost, you can't use them for gambling and whoring!" Diao Huan, seeing that she had seen through his scheme and that the stolen goods were nowhere to be found, could only wait until his parents were drunk and asleep, then steal some of his savings to go out and have fun. After the full moon, Madam Bao returned home to stay for the next month. He had endured a month of this, even using Japanese devils to quench his thirst. After staying for a while, he returned, still abstaining from meat, feeling indescribably bitter.

One day, the blind man Xia came to visit his aunt. Madam Bao thought, "This blind man may not have eyes, but he has blood. Why not find some pleasure with him?" Having made up her mind, she kept him to tell stories, not letting him go home until nightfall. That night, Diao Huan happened not to return home. Diao Qianhu, firstly, was indulging in a drunken stupor and unaware of the danger, and secondly, knowing that Diao Huan was a long-term employer of her in-laws, she thought, "Why not let my wife keep him to tell stories?" She had a bed made for him to sleep on in the main room.

When all was quiet at night, Madam Bao quietly went to the blind man's bed in the outer room to teach him. The blind man, unable to see his own appearance, was a strong, unmarried man in his thirties. The woman's beautiful body was a treasure he desperately desired; how could he refuse? They openly engaged in sexual intercourse. Unexpectedly, the blind man possessed a magnificent penis, much to Madam Bao's delight. She repeatedly cautioned him that it was inconvenient to keep him at night, lest her in-laws become suspicious. "Your son-in-law is rarely home," she said, "you can come during the day. Your in-laws are good drinkers and don't concern themselves with other matters. There aren't many people at home; you can have your fun whenever you want." The blind man, Xia, laughed and repeatedly agreed. Sure enough, Xia kept his promise, coming every two or three days. Seeing no one around, Madam Bao closed the door and went to bed for a tryst, repeating this many times.

One day, as the two were making love, Diao Huan suddenly returned home. He pushed open the door and saw her immediately, cursing, "Shameless harlot! You're a daughter at home, yet you still steal from me! I'll make you pay! I suspected the other day that some blind man loved you and was stealing from you; it turns out it was this blind servant!" [Alas, alas, truly a wrongful death for a stranger, a laughingstock for the devil.] He then cursed the blind man, "You blind servant, how dare you do such a thing! I'll send you to the authorities!" Xia the Blind Man was enjoying himself with Bao Shi, getting into the climax. Suddenly, he heard Diao Huan's voice, and he was so frightened that he rolled off the bed, crawling naked on the floor. [Crawling naked, brilliant. He was paralyzed with fear and couldn't see.] Diao Huan kicked him twice on his bare buttocks, but he dared not cry out, just rolling around on the floor. Although Bao Shi was a lewd and ugly woman, now that her husband had caught her doing this, she not only felt ashamed but also somewhat afraid.

Suddenly, a plan came to her mind. She scrambled to her feet and said, "You don't care about me? Do you expect me to live a life of widowhood? You can go whore outside, and I can go whore at home. Let me tell you, if you listen to me, you can take whatever you want from me for whoring and gambling." [These words were piercing to the heart, how could Diao Huan not listen? He hadn't expected this woman to have such quick wit.] I won't bother with you, and you shouldn't bother with me either. We'll each do our own thing. If that's the case, then fine. Otherwise, I'll fight you to the death. I'm not afraid of you doing that, and I don't want to live here either. Diao Huan was somewhat intimidated by her, which is why he hadn't dared to attack her at first. Hearing these words, he was secretly pleased, thinking he could use this to control her and not worry about the cost of whoring and gambling. He said, "Fine, fine. From now on, you are you, and I am me." After saying this, he turned and walked away.

Seeing that he had left, Madam Bao was still in high spirits. She got out of bed and locked the door, being overly cautious. She helped the blind man up and wanted him to finish the game, even though she knew that the blind man had been so frightened that his penis had shrunk to just a limp scrotum, which was a disappointment. Madam Bao

tried to rouse him several times but to no avail, so she had to let him go. That day, the Diao family, the commander and his wife, were drunk and asleep, completely unaware of the commotion their son and daughter-in-law had caused. The next day, Madam Bao saw Diao Huan come in and demand his private savings, demanding money for his journey, which was truly a toll. Emboldened, she had no choice but to give Diao Huan some of his savings. From then on, Diao Huan, having amassed a fortune, gambled and frequented brothels day and night. He had known Mu Fu at Tu Si's house for a long time, and one day when he went to look for him, he unintentionally saw Qu Shi. He dreamt of scheming against her. He came up with this wicked idea, seduced Mu Fu, and won the money from him. He figured he had no way to repay the debt, so he wasn't afraid to take this path, using his wife as collateral. Little did he know that Heaven's justice was unpredictable; he had just encountered Huan E, was caught in the net of the law, and lost his life.

Seeing his son dead and his wife childless, Commander Diao sent her back to the Bao family, letting her remarry. Bao returned home, unwilling to remarry, and instead spent her time having fun with Xia the Blind and Xiao Guizi. Later, Xia the Blind was drinking with his companions, and after a few too many drinks, he accidentally blurted out this story.

Among them was an old blind man, and another, a truly blind man, who took note. The next day, Gongfen invited him, asking for an introduction, otherwise they would report it to Commander Bao. Xia the Blind, drunk and regretful, dared not refuse them for fear of trouble, and could only tactfully speak to Bao. He said he was deeply grateful for their kindness, fearing he couldn't repay them alone, and wanted to recommend a worthy successor, wondering if they would accept him. Little did he know that Bao was magnanimous and had long harbored a desire to welcome heroes. However, fearing the blind man would offend her, she hesitated to speak openly. Hearing him speak these words now, they were truly pleasing to the ear, and he would keep his promise. Seeing his willingness to agree, Xia the Blind Man said to Commander Bao, "I have two companions under my command who speak many ancient poems, and I especially recommend them to Your Majesty." The Commander was delighted and ordered them to be brought over. After speaking for half a day, they proved to be quite eloquent, and the Commander kept them that night, sharing a bed with Xia the Blind Man. That night, Bao secretly opened the door and went downstairs, and the four of them rolled around in one bed, taking turns for a night of pleasure. Later, someone found out and composed a four-line song: "

Three men, one woman, one eye, one vulva, six eggs.
The father and husband commit sins, the daughter and wife pay the price; truly, Heaven has great eyes."

The song spread far and wide, except for Commander Bao, who remained asleep, unaware of it. Although the Japanese soldier was a barbarian, seeing Bao's depravity, he refused to sleep with her. Bao repeatedly forced him, and unable to refuse, he stole some things and fled to an unknown place. Later, Commander Bao died. His clansmen, hating his cruelty and burdened by his notorious reputation, all kept quiet and refused to visit him. Commander Bao, now solely in charge of the household furnishings, felt even more pleased and kept the three blind men, indulging in pleasure day and night. Later, his widowed aunt, along with Guanyin Bao and other clansmen, reported him to the authorities. The officials arrived at his house at night and found the three blind men and the girl naked in bed, locked up, and given only a single garment.

The next day, they were taken to the yamen. Because the three blind men had sexually assaulted the daughter of an official, each was given forty strokes of the cane and placed in a heavy cangue, resulting in their deaths. Commander Bao should have been severely punished by the authorities, but considering his grandfather's social standing, he was spared further investigation and only expelled, his furnishings and property confiscated by the government. No one would take her in, so she went to a lowly farm and became the wife of a beggar.

Commander Bao, who had lived a cruel life, gained a household furnishing, but this good daughter brought shame upon him. What good is a life of cruelty? Diao Huan coveted another man's wife, but failed to seduce her. Not only did he lose his life, but his wife also met this tragic end. Heaven, though high, listens to the lowly. If one can forever abstain from lust and gambling, one will not incur divine punishment. Even the word "wine" should be used in moderation. If Diao Qianhu and his wife hadn't been drunk all the time, perhaps their daughter-in-law wouldn't have ended up like this. Although Diao Qianhu was a drunkard, he hadn't committed any serious crimes. Later, he had a maid named Lianfang in his room. One day, in a moment of high spirits after drinking, Diao Qianhu had some fun with her. Dew dripped into Lianfang, and she gave birth to a son, thus continuing the family line. But let's leave that aside for now.

Let's talk about those ruffians who had served their month in shackles and were brought to the yamen. Lord Le hated gambling the most in his life, and he sentenced them all to three years of imprisonment. Among these people was Zeng Jiacai. He was fierce and greedy for gambling. Last time, he went to cheat his brother, causing a fight. Huan E gave Zeng Jiacai the twenty-five taels of silver on his behalf. He was overjoyed and, without even going home, went straight to the Butcher's gambling den to shout and yell. In less than half a day, he had lost everything.

A few days later, he saw others gambling away large sums of silver and bags of copper coins. His eyes burned with rage, and his heart burned with anxiety. He could no longer find a reason to cheat his brother. Moreover, the young master of the gentry had warned him that if he dared to cheat again, he would be punished. Although he was a gambler, how could he not fear the law? He dared not entertain such thoughts again. He sold his three houses and rented a small house with a small courtyard, where he, his wife, son, daughter, and daughter-in-law squeezed in. He gambled away the house price as well, and sold everything in the house, including the bed, tables, stools, and other items worth a few dozen coins, to gamble away. The whole family gambled on the ground, even using the floor as a table to eat. His wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law made a living by doing needlework.

His son, in his twenties, was a family man who worked hard every day doing small business, earning thirty or forty coins every night to help his mother. Zeng Shacai, at his wit's end, devised a clever plan. He went to a familiar pharmacy, saying he needed rat poison, and bought some arsenic, hiding it with him. Back home, he sighed repeatedly. His wife said, "Why didn't you gamble today? What's with the sighing?" He replied, "In my current state, what's the point of gambling? It's too late to regret it. From now on, I swear I'll never gamble again and just endure this poor life." His wife said, "If you didn't have money now, you probably wouldn't say that now." Zeng Shacai said, "I'm a respectable man, and I keep my word. First, I lost my mind, gambling for years, losing everything, and I still haven't given up. I've lost all humanity. If you don't believe me, bring me a pot of wine, and I'll swear it today." [Once, Liu Ling abstained from alcohol, swearing: "Born Liu Ling, named for wine. One shi (a unit of volume) of wine makes me drunk, five dou (another unit of volume) sober me up. Women's words should never be heeded. I swear on behalf of Cai: Born Shacai, will return with money."] "How can a woman's words be heeded? Are they even true?" His son, upon hearing this, was overjoyed and said, "Father, if you truly wish to quit gambling, I will do anything, even work myself to the bone, earning food every day to support you. I'll wear whatever clothes you have, even in the coldest winters and summers. As long as you keep your mind steady, that will be a blessing for the whole family." [Good son! How could such a scoundrel be blessed to have such a son?] Zeng Shacai said, "Foolish child, at my age, do you think I don't know the ways of the world? You and your mother can rest assured." The son smiled broadly and said, "Since Father says so, I'll go and get a jug of wine to help you quit gambling." He swiftly went and brought back a large jug of wine. He poured a bowl and handed it to his father. Zeng Shacai falsely swore, "If I ever gamble again, I will surely be punished by the authorities and die a horrible death." Having said this, he drank the bowl of wine in one gulp. He then poured more for his wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law. He drank all the wine in the pot, leaving only one bowl. He secretly added arsenic and said to his son, "I've been used to a life of luxury since childhood and can't do anything. I'll just stay home idle. The household affairs are all your responsibility; just bear with this poverty. This bowl of wine is your reward." His son laughed and said, "Father, don't worry. You raised me all this time, and if I had no other skills, not even able to earn a meal, would I be a decent person? Father's wine isn't enough, please drink it; I won't eat." Zeng Shacai said, "I won't eat; this is for you. Let's all eat some so we can work together to get by later." His son then took the wine and drank it down in one gulp. After

putting away the pot and bowl, not long after, his face turned purple, and he cried out in pain. At first, he held it in his hands, but then the pain in his stomach intensified, and he couldn't stand, so he squatted on the ground. His mother and wife rushed to help him up, but he suddenly rolled on the ground, crying out, "It hurts so much!" His mother and wife couldn't hold him down. After rolling around for a while, blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and ears, and he died. His mother, wife, and sister cried loudly, saying he had suddenly fallen ill, never suspecting that his father had poisoned him. The murderer also pretended to sigh and lament beside him. He was so poor, where would he get the money for a coffin? He took a tattered reed mat and two rough ropes. This soft, twill coffin, with three gold hoops, was his final resting place. The murderer carried it himself and abandoned it on a mass grave outside the city.

His wife had no relatives. After only three days, the murderer said there was no food at home and sent his wife to remarry. His mother and wife couldn't resist him. He conspired with the matchmaker to sell her to someone as a concubine. He received thirty taels of silver, then secretly went to a gambling den, not returning for three days with nothing left. When the money ran out, they thought of their daughter. A passing official wanted to buy a maid to accompany his daughter in her dowry. He secretly took a look and set the price at forty taels of silver. When the maid came to be taken away, the mother and daughter found out. They wept bitterly, their eyes filled with tears and their hearts turning to ashes, as if they had been cruelly separated.

His wife, filled with resentment, realized he was responsible for their son's death and wept day and night. He was left alone, desolate and starving, utterly heartbroken. He had killed a man who had lost money gambling, then taken the money to the casino, spending all day without even a single bet. The more desperate he became, the more he bet, the more he lost, his large sum of money easily gone to someone else. He thought of his wife, his heart filled with ruthlessness; he had sold his daughter and daughter-in-law, what use was his wife to him now? [This thought is quite reasonable, why not consider the point of keeping her after killing someone like that?] He asked a matchmaker to sell his wife. She was over forty, and a family wanted to marry her to him, offering only eight taels of silver as a dowry. Desperate for money to gamble, he had no choice but to agree.

His wife, filled with rage, showed no mercy, cursing him before leaving in her sedan chair. He then gave the money from selling his wife to six bone-crushers. This was the end of his plan; he returned the house to its owner and, penniless, sought refuge in a butcher's house. He said, "Fourth Uncle, you have no one at home, and I have no home either. [This is a clever remark.] Let me stay and help you." Tu Si readily agreed, and thus took over Zhu Sikuan's mantle.

Tu Si initially had Zhu Sikuan's help, but later, Hao Shi married into his family, leaving the household as if it had lost its left and right hands. Yet, there were still such lowly people willing to come to his house as long-term laborers. Years later, Tu Si's half-aunt and half-wife, Tong Shi, was about to give birth. She was a widow, and how could she have conceived? She dared not call a midwife. Tu Si had to deliver the baby himself, but the baby was stuck in her belly, and both mother and child died. The child, who was neither brother nor son, was left without a mother and no one to care for him. Tu Si was too busy taking care of his own children to have any time to look after the baby. He went hungry one day and died of illness the next. Now, Zeng Shacai had come, so attentive, calling him "Fourth Uncle" this and "Fourth Uncle" that was deafening. Tu Si was overjoyed and kept him at home to help.

Having killed several people, he realized there was no real profit to be made, only enough to eat millet, so he joined the gang of ruffians. Now, after this official punishment, he was bound in shackles and sent far away. Penniless on the road, he begged for food. It was the height of summer, and his wounds from the beatings festered. After several days, he died on the road. The escorts reported this to the local official, who sent someone to examine him and gave him a reply to leave. His body was abandoned in the wilderness, to be food for crows and magpies. This was the end of gambling, a living retribution. The butcher, Tu Si, was a gambler. Having suffered many punishments and been bound in shackles, with no relatives to care for him, he too died in shackles. His house and belongings were unclaimed, and the local authorities reported this to the government. An investigation revealed that he had accumulated two or three thousand taels of silver over the years. The butcher and his nephew Tu Si had run a gambling spree their entire lives, ruining countless unworthy descendants. Though they amassed great wealth, they themselves could not enjoy it. What benefit did they gain from this end? This is called:

"The net of Heaven is vast, its meshes are wide,

yet nothing escapes it." No need to elaborate. Now, let's return to Mu Fu. He was sitting with someone, eagerly hoping that Young Master Huan would come to repay his debts. Suddenly, a group of fierce-looking constables entered, arrested them, and locked them up. He was terrified and hid under the bed. Hearing the screams of those being tortured, he turned pale and trembled all over. Even after the others left, he still dared not come out. Madam Qu laughed, "Since you love gambling, what are you afraid of? This is Master Huan eliminating a scourge for me. If they were taking you, would you have escaped under the bed? Come out now." Mu Fu, as if waking from a dream, finally relaxed and crawled out, his head, face, and body covered in ash. Qu Shi dusted him off and said, "Master Huan will definitely come today. You should prepare some wine and food to thank him. It's a long way, and it's not good to make him walk back and forth on an empty stomach." Mu Fu composed himself for a moment, took the string of coins that the Huan family had given him yesterday, and went to the street with his old servant to buy some wine, food, and fruit. He said, "I'm going to the nunnery." Qu Shi said, "Why aren't you waiting for him to come and thank you? There shouldn't be any trouble today, so why are you hiding?" Mu Fu whispered in his ear, "I went to all this trouble and brought all this for you. I'm afraid he might say something private, [Mu Fu thought that Qu Shi's life was definitely not safe. Later, when he saw that Huan E had actually protected her, he was truly surprised.] It wouldn't be good for me to stay at home." Qu Shi blushed and didn't say anything.

Not long after Mu Fu left, Huan E arrived on horseback. Qu Shi let him in, sat down, bowed and thanked him, and then they brought out wine to eat and chat about what they had just said about capturing people. Just then, the servant brought two large bundles on a donkey and delivered them to the room. Huan'e told him to place them on the bed, and Qu Shi opened them, examining several items. Huan'e saw that they were all slightly worn silk clothes and satin bedding. [As the proverb goes: "When you're poor, you still wear cloth for three years; when you're rich, you still wear silk for three years." He was a man who had gone from rich to poor, hence he had no cloth clothes at home. The scene was truly amusing.] Huan'e laughed and said, "Keep these from now on, don't pawn them anymore." Qu Shi said, "This is what you gave me, how could he pawn it to me? Besides, you sent firewood and rice to the house, so as long as we have food to eat, that's enough." Huan'e said, "Then change into these clothes." Qu Shi, fully expecting that Huan'e might not let her off the hook and would definitely do this and that with her, didn't avoid him. She went to close the door, went to the bed, and tore off her clothes, revealing her breasts, which were like flawless white jade. Below, she wore a tattered summer undergarment with several large patches. She changed into a slightly worn silk undergarment, her two tender legs like jade pillars, her calves truly like golden lotuses. Huan E saw it all clearly. [How could a young woman like Qu have such an old face? The reason for writing this is not to say that Qu is shameless, but to show that Huan E, seeing such a beautiful body, could not remain unmoved.]

It was early May, and the weather was hot. Qu wore a white silk blouse and a crepe skirt. She wore a dark blue silk vest, gold lilacs in her ears, and two hairpins in her hair, making her look even more charming. She had put all her other clothes in a large old leather trunk, and, presumably to make herself happy after drinking, she had also made the bed, wiped the mat clean, and folded the quilt. [Here, it is written that Qu thought Huan E had decided to do this, but little did she know that it was not so, a truly unexpected thought.] Then they sat down to drink together. Huan E had her drink a few cups, and he saw her snow-white cheeks, slightly flushed. By this time, they had become quite familiar with each other, chatting and laughing, their two alluring eyes sparkling with spring. Truly, she was:

"Her smile is enchanting, her eyes are captivating.

" She could make one's soul melt, almost losing control. [The high praise for Qu Yuan is a secondary point, while the lavish praise of Huan E is the main intention.] Huan E maintained her composure; though she joked and laughed with him, she harbored not a single impure thought. After eating for a while, she called a servant and took her silver purse. He opened the package, took out four or five taels of loose silver, and handed it to Qu, saying, "Keep this to gradually exchange for travel expenses. [When I first saw Huan E bring firewood and rice to Qu, he only gave her a thousand coins. I was very suspicious. He usually gives others a few taels or tens of taels, so why is he giving Qu so little? Only now do I realize it's out of his deep affection. The thousand coins he gave her first were for temporary use, and I was afraid that if he gave her too much, Mu Fu would take it and lose it gambling. Now, to redeem the money, I secretly gave her four or five taels, telling her to keep it for gradual travel expenses. You can understand his intention.] I'll come to see you in a while." He also took out the pawnbroking document from yesterday from his silver pouch and handed it to her, saying, "You should also keep this, but don't let your husband know." Qu said, "Why don't you keep it? Why give it to me?" Huan E laughed and said, "What do I need it for? You can burn it or keep it, it's up to you." He got up and left.

Qu was convinced that he was going to do something, and that she was in danger. Seeing that he left without moving, she couldn't figure out what he meant. That evening, Mu Fu returned home, and the couple went to bed. Mu Fu asked, "What did he mean by talking to you today?" Qu Shi replied, "He only drank for a short while, said a few words, and then left. He didn't even say a word of jest." Mu Fu didn't believe her, saying, "Even a child wouldn't believe that. If he wasn't after you, why would he come?" Qu Shi said, "Since you pawned me to him, my body belongs to him. Why would I hide anything from you if I did something wrong?" Mu Fu remained half-believing.

Afterwards, Huan E would visit her once every half month or month, always leaving her some money for travel expenses. He would bring her firewood if she was short of firewood, and rice if she was short of rice. Whenever Mu Fu saw him coming, he would always make excuses and avoid him. When winter came, he even made her a silk-cotton coat. Mu Fu and his family also made cotton-padded coats, treating Qu Shi very kindly, but never going too far. Qu Shi secretly thought: "He has been so devoted to me, why haven't I seen him do anything else? What's the reason?" He was a kind man, and perhaps fearing I would be unwilling, he dared not act rashly. I have received such kindness from him; what can I offer but my own body to repay him? When he comes again, I will go to him; there is no reason to refuse.

One day, Huan'e came again. He had prepared dried vegetables, fruit, and fine wine for him, and brought them out to drink together as soon as he arrived. After a few cups, this Qu woman, who had been close to him for half a year and had visited him many times, though they had never engaged in any physical intimacy, was deeply in love and their relationship was like that of husband and wife. Now, with wine on her face, she sat down in his lap, sharing a sip of wine with him. Later, Qu woman, a young woman, wanted to repay him with her body, and after a few cups, sitting in a man's lap, her heart was stirred. She put wine in his mouth, and Huan'e swallowed it with a smile. [Once there were two men discussing the story of Liu Xiahui, a man from Lu.] One says, "It is easy to shut the door and not let anyone in, but difficult to remain unmoved while having someone in your lap." Another says, "Once you have someone in your lap, you don't necessarily have to act impulsively; this is easy. But to shut the door and not let anyone in is truly difficult." Which is more difficult, and which is easier? Let us all judge for ourselves.

Huan'e knew he was moved by affection, so she bent down to meet him. Although she loved him deeply, she also felt a great deal of pity for him. She only joked and laughed, not daring to even touch him. After eating for a while, Huan'e, fearing he was too drunk and might lose control, left him a silver ingot and hurriedly got up to go home. After he left, Qu Shi wondered, "This is truly strange. I approached him like this, is he made of iron, not even a little bit moved? If he doesn't have that thing, [this thought is like reaching the end of the road.] I asked him the other day, and he has four or five wives and concubines, all with children. If he thinks I'm ugly, I'm not some ugly woman like Dong Shi or Mo Mu. This is truly perplexing. Since I'm so close to him, what shame is there? I'll touch him another day to see if he has a penis, then my doubts will be dispelled."

Another day, Huan'e came to visit her. The weather was cold, and Qu Shi sat with him by the fire, drinking and laughing. The two sat side by side, their legs intertwined, drinking from the same cup. Qu, displaying all her charms, acted coquettishly and sweetly, nestling in his arms. She said, "If you say you don't love me, I see how tenderly you care for me. If you say you love me, we've been intimate for half a year, yet you've never laid a hand on me. What's the reason?" Huan'e only smiled, offering no reply. Seeing his silence, Qu, emboldened by the wine, suddenly reached into his crotch and touched him. Although Huan'e was unwilling to defile her, the sight of this beautiful woman in his arms, acting so coquettishly, would tempt even the most hardened heart; his manhood stood erect as hard as an iron pestle. [This further emphasizes the difficulty of his restraint.] Caught off guard by his touch, she laughed and quickly clamped her legs together.

Qu had initially suspected he might not have such a thing, which was why he hadn't engaged in this amorous act. Now that she had touched it, not only was it there, but it was also unusually large and thick. She was startled and quickly withdrew her hand. She said, "Since you're so interested, why haven't you done anything to me? What do you mean by this?" After repeated questioning, Huan'e said, "Get up and sit down, I'll tell you." Qu Shi got up and sat down, and Huan'e said sternly, "I initially pitied you and saved you. How could I possibly defile you? If I did such a heinous thing, how would I be any different from that servant of the Diao family? [A true hero.] I'm close to you because I pity you for having no relatives or friends, so you rely on me. If I didn't pretend to be close to you like this, you wouldn't feel at ease after I've helped you several times. You have some shortcomings, how can you keep asking me about them?" Do you think that only by submitting to me can your family depend on me for support? Secondly, if I were to do anything illicit with you, for my own fleeting pleasure, wouldn't I ruin your reputation for life? Besides, your husband is poor now and has no choice but to teach you this shameless act. If he later gains something, he won't blame himself for being immoral, but instead accuse you of being a woman who has lost her chastity. How will you and your husband stay together then? Furthermore, if I were to have illicit relations with you and become pregnant, and then kill the child, wouldn't that be against all reason and law? If your family keeps the child, I will be disrupting your family's ancestral lineage. How can I bear such a grave sin? [A true Bodhisattva.] If I were to take you in, you would still possess some of my husband's spirit. My family is of impeccable character; how could I possibly raise a bastard? [A true husband.] Thirdly, judging from your husband's character, although he is currently worthless, your ancestors may have accumulated some virtue in the past. If he can repent and reform, he might not end up destitute. As the ancients said, everyone has a face, every tree has bark, and besides, nothing in this world can be hidden. If I had an affair with you, how could he hold his head high in public later? [A true sage.] Fourthly, I am currently refining my heart. Although I cannot reach the level of a sage, I am using this opportunity to forge myself into a true iron man. [A true iron man.] Han. 】So be patient in every possible way. Even though I broke the news today, you don’t have to worry about it. I will continue to support you as usual from now on. After hearing this, Mr. Qu jumped out of the firebox, with tears in his eyes, fell to his knees, and said, "My benefactor, you have treated me so kindly, and I will never be able to repay you even if I am shattered to pieces." I am always grateful for your kindness, but I just want to repay you with my humble body. Since my benefactor said this today, it will definitely not lead to chaos. But your kindness in living me is equal to that of giving birth to me, and I have no way to repay you. I just accept you as a benevolent father. The unending kindness will be repaid for the dogs and horses in life after life. "After saying that, he kowtowed his head. Huan He quickly stood up and held him back, saying: "Please get up. That being the case, you and I consider ourselves brothers and sisters. Qu said, "It's too much for me to recognize my benefactor as my father. How dare I call myself brother and sister?" If my benefactor doesn't care about me as his daughter, I won't dare to accept any favor next time. " Seeing that he was sincere and impatient, the eunuch accepted him and recognized him as father and daughter.

Now, Mu Fu had asked Qu Shi several times, and she replied that Huan E had never laid a hand on him. He didn't believe her, saying, "We're not related, if he didn't want these kinds of frivolous affairs, why would he go to such lengths to take care of me?" One day, he happened to return from outside and saw a horse tied up in the courtyard, knowing Huan E was in the room. It was cold, and his two servants were warming themselves by the fire in the kitchen. Mu Fu was about to leave when he saw no one in the courtyard. He thought for a moment, then quietly went to the window to eavesdrop on their actions, to see if Qu Shi's words were true. After hearing Huan E's words, he was drenched in sweat and felt utterly ashamed. He thought to himself: "He cherishes me so much, yet I don't even care for myself. How am I any different from a beast? I always suspected my wife was lying, but who knew she was such a virtuous gentleman." He rushed in, tears streaming down his face, and knelt before Huan'e, kowtowing, saying, "My benefactor, your kindness is as vast as the heavens. I am utterly worthless and have no way to repay you. Even my grandfather's spirit is grateful for human kindness. Today, my benefactor has shown such great mercy, showing mercy to me and preserving our marital integrity. If I do not change my ways from now on, I will be worse than an animal." Huan'e pulled him back, saying, "If you can truly change your ways and bring honor to your ancestors and parents, that would be better than repaying me. I may not be able to do anything else, but I will still provide you with food and clothing for a year." The couple kowtowed in gratitude again. Huan'e returned home. Mu Fu was overwhelmed with gratitude and later indeed quit gambling. [This book mentions many gamblers, but only Dai Qian and Mu Fu were able to change their ways. This shows that it is easy for people to go astray, but difficult for them to change and improve themselves.] He often regretted his past mistakes and secretly shed tears.

The next day, Qu hired a sedan chair, accompanied by his family, and went to the Huan family to pay respects to the Huan couple as their grandparents, Hou as their benefactor mother, and Xiao'e as their stepmother. The Huan elder asked his son why he had come to acknowledge them. Huan'e first recounted the backgrounds of his parents, then spoke of his husband's unfilial conduct. He then said that his son had helped him out of poverty, and he was grateful and thus came to acknowledge them. Huan Shi believed him. Qu, fearing she might bury Huan'e's good deeds, and deeply grateful, shamelessly told everyone about his selfless act of gratitude. Huan'e firmly refused, explaining the whole story in detail. [The Ying family's shameless confession in the county court was deeply hated. Qu's shameless confession to everyone was deeply moved. The reason is the same.] Huan Shi was greatly surprised, saying, "I only said my son had become a good person and did some good deeds, who knew he would rise to such a position of unwavering virtue? He's truly a son who has crossed the line!"

The old couple were delighted, and Hou, Xiao'e, and the entire family praised his good deeds. The elderly couple, Huan and his wife, took pity on Qu Shi, considering her to be from a good family, and gave her many gifts. Hou Shi, being a benefactor to them, went even further, offering her food and drink. Xiao'e also gave her gifts, and Qu Shi returned home laden with gifts. They frequently visited her during the four seasons and eight festivals, and Huan'e consistently brought her firewood, rice, and mended her clothes every month. Huan'e would occasionally visit her home, treating her like a close father and daughter, no longer engaging in playful banter. Qu Shi respected him as her own father. Mu Fu, through his wife's connections, also recognized him as her father-in-law.

A year or so later, Qu Shi's father, Qu Pangui, was promoted to Prefect of Tongzhou in Nanjing. He came to the capital to meet the emperor and found his daughter and son-in-law. Seeing that his son-in-law's family had squandered their fortune, he wanted to take the couple with him to his new post. Although Qu Shi couldn't tell her parents about her self-sacrifice, she only said that she was desperate and wanted to die, but Huan'e saved her life. She then recounted in detail how she had taken care of the family's food and clothing, how she had treated them like her own parents, and how the elderly couple, Huan and his wife, had shown her such love and care. Qu Pangui was extremely grateful and visited to express his gratitude, presenting many local products from Guangdong. Huan E also saw him off and invited him to a banquet, with the two families addressing each other as in-laws. Yang and her daughter also thanked Madam Ai, her mother Hou, and her mother Xiang, before finally departing for their new posts. [Qu accompanied her parents to Tongzhou, and thereafter remained steadfast and unyielding.]

One day, Huan'e was celebrating Jia Wenwu's birthday at his house. Zhong Sheng, Tong Zida, and Wu He were also there. Jia Wenwu prepared an extremely lavish feast to entertain him, and there were no outside guests. During the drinking, Zhong Sheng smiled and said to Huan'e, "My elder brother and I are close relatives and have drunk together many times, but I have never seen him get very drunk. I only regret that I can only drink a banana leaf's worth of wine and cannot keep up with you. How much can you drink, elder brother?" Huan'e, seeing Zhong Sheng praising his capacity, was immediately filled with pride and laughed heartily, "I dare not lie to my in-laws, but in the matters of wine and women, I can be called a valiant warrior. As for wine, I have been able to drink heartily since childhood. I have gotten drunk, but never completely intoxicated. I do become more impulsive after drinking, if..." "Yun is not known for his wild and unrestrained drinking. As for how much he can drink, I've never bothered to compare." Jia Wenwu was about to offer him a drink when he said, "Brother, your capacity is beyond my comprehension. Today, I, in my humble presence, am honored by the presence of all of you. Brother Zhong wishes to see your capacity, so why not have a contest? Let each of you drink a cup from all the cups and goblets in the house, what do you say?" Huan'e said, "Bring them here, I'll drink and see." Jia Wenwu ordered his servants to bring out all kinds of cups and goblets, filling a large table. Among them was a gold-inlaid sandalwood bucket, which could hold about five or six catties. There was also a large carved goblet, which could hold four catties. The rest were gold cups and jade goblets, made of agate, amber, tortoiseshell, rhinoceros horn, ivory, sea eggs, conch shells, bamboo roots, Japanese lacquer, mother-of-pearl, and silver goblets, of varying sizes. Tong Zida looked at it, stuck out his tongue, and said, "Brother, these things of yours would cost at least two thousand taels of silver to make. I wouldn't do such a foolish thing. As long as the wine is good, even a porcelain cup will make you drunk. Why waste money on such trivial matters?" [A wealthy person would surely consider this stingy and foolish, but a scholar would find it perfectly reasonable. If you use fine gold and jade to make a vessel, but store it in a thatched hut, will it make the wine better?] Wu He said, "Master Jia is a man of wealth and status, and what you said is about establishing a family and maintaining a business. Everyone has different aspirations; how can we generalize?" [This is a blatant attempt to flatter. Both families are now obsequious.] Zhong Sheng, seeing the many wine vessels brought out, laughed and said, "If we're talking about these wine cups, they'd hold a hundred catties! How can we possibly drink all that? Just do your best, Brother Huan. We're just friends, enjoying ourselves, why force ourselves?" Huan E, upon hearing this, stood up and exclaimed, "My dear in-law, if you think I can't manage, please pour from the largest to the smallest." The servants hurriedly poured in a large incense bucket, a pointed bottom that couldn't be placed down. The servants held it, and he drank the wine with his mouth, finishing it in a few gulps, saying, "How is it?" Wu He praised, "Master, your capacity is truly like the vast ocean!" [It's been a while since we've heard him use flattery, so a few words here are just a brief digression to maintain his true nature.] Huan E repeatedly said, "Pour it, pour it." He drank the larger cups in two or three gulps, and the smaller ones in one gulp. Before all sixteen bowls of tea had been served, he had already finished all the wine on the table, without touching a single dish. Laughing loudly, he addressed the crowd, "How much can I drink?" Tong Zida said, "Brother, don't blame me for saying this, but you don't seem to be drinking at all, you're more like a rat in a hole. This wine is almost enough for me to take a bath." He laughed, "If it were a few years ago, I wouldn't have dared to invite you if I saw your capacity. When you come to my house, although I don't have your good cups, I'll offer you this much wine in a big bowl." Wu He said, "Master, your capacity is truly unmatched. I see that you are still not satisfied, but my house is humble and cramped, so I dare not condescend. Today, I borrow Master Jia's fine wine to offer as a token of my appreciation." He stepped down from his seat, filled the large incense burner, and knelt down to offer it. Zhong Sheng said, "Brother Huan's capacity is indeed great, but the wine is enough, there's no need to stop." Huan E already had a full glass of wine, and upon hearing Zhong Sheng's words, he laughed, "Does my in-law think my capacity is already full?" He then said, "Bring it here." "The servants held his hands, and Huan'e said to Wu He, 'Get up, I'll drink.' Wu He said, 'I am very respectful, how could I dare to be so blunt? I beg you to drink more.' Huan'e laughed loudly, stood up, and drank it down in two or three gulps, saying, 'Cheers, please get up.' Only then did Wu He get up. Huan'e also felt he had gone too far, so he leaned back in his chair and couldn't move. Zhong Sheng saw that he was drunk and said, 'Brother Huan, you have been drinking very heartily today, it seems you have gone too far. Why don't you rest on the couch for a while?' Huan'e said, 'Does my in-laws think I'm drunk? My ears are full of wine, I won't eat anything, I'll just ride back. [The drunkard refuses to admit he's drunk, a very vivid description. Only those who know can understand.] Servants, quickly bring the horse over.' The servants brought the horse. Zhong Sheng wanted to persuade him again, but he got up and went down to the eaves, bowed, and said, 'Excuse me, I can't keep you company.' He leaped onto his horse and shouted, 'I'm not drunk, I'm sorry.'" He laughed loudly and spurred his horse forward.

He hadn't gone more than a few arrow-lengths when the wine took hold. [The description of his drinking is layered. First, it shows his cup is full, but he's not quite drunk yet. Then, he leaps onto his horse, the wine surges, and he's finally drunk. Brilliant.] He swayed from side to side on his horse. His servants rushed forward to support him on either side, while he held the reins and rode slowly. Just then, they saw a large crowd gathered at the entrance of a wine shop. Huan'e said, "What's going on? I'll go in and see." His servants quickly parted the crowd to let his horse in. Many of the people recognized him, and seeing his drunken state, they all made way for him. Inside, they saw three or four men dragging the wine seller out. The man clung tightly to the doorframe, refusing to let go. He said, "Even if you take me to the authorities, perhaps I can plead my case. Give me a couple of days, and we can slowly decide my fate. Why are you dragging me away?" Huan'e, seeing this, shouted, "Why? Let him go immediately!" The men recognized him and quickly released him. Huan E called to the wine seller, "What's wrong?" The wine seller replied, "Two years ago, I borrowed ten taels of silver from Master Ruan's family because I had no capital. I paid a five percent interest every month. Now, more than two years later, I've already paid over ten taels in interest. Business has been slow these past few months, and I haven't been able to pay the interest. These uncles are going to send me to the county for punishment, and they'll even try to collect the principal. How can I possibly repay them all at once? I was begging them to postpone it for a couple of days, but they wouldn't listen. I didn't expect to alarm you, Master." Huan E was furious upon hearing this and ordered his servants, "Seize these insolent servants and beat them!" Seeing their master was drunk, how could the servants dare to disobey? They stepped forward and seized the servants. Seeing that the others outnumbered them and knew of Master Huan's reputation, three or four of Ruan's wicked servants knelt down and said, "Master, we are following your orders and dare not disobey. What does this have to do with us?" Although Huan E was drunk, he was still lucid. He asked the wine shop owner, "How much silver did you say you borrowed from him? How much is the principal and interest in total?" The wine shop owner replied, "Ten taels of silver as principal, and five months' interest, totaling twelve taels and five mace." Huan E laughed loudly, "How much should I owe?" He then said to the Ruan family, "What's the big deal? Why is your master so concerned? What are your names?" One of them replied, "My name is Pang Zhouli, and these two are named Sheng Gou and Si Fu." [A foreshadowing in the busyness, which the reader should remember.] Huan E said, "The three of you, take his documents tomorrow and go with him to my residence to collect them." He then asked, "How much is owed?" The wine shop owner replied, "Twelve taels and five mace." Huan E said, "I'll pay him back for you, and I'll spare these wicked servants a good beating. Whose family are you?" They replied, "We are from Master Ruan's family." Huan E said to his family, "Let them go." "[His words are repetitive and trivial; he's a drunkard, talking nonsense.] The family let go, and the three men scrambled to their feet and ran away.

Huan E felt the wine rising in his head and was losing control. He said, 'Help me down to rest before we go.' The family quickly helped him off his horse and to a seat at the inn. The wine seller, seeing that he had chased away the Ruan family and promised to repay the money for him the next day, was overjoyed. He walked up to him and said, 'This is not a place for you, sir. Please come to my room to rest.' Huan E stood up and helped him inside, instructing the family, 'You wait outside.' The family agreed. The wine seller helped him, step by step, into the room, where he sat down on a willow chair by the table. He came out and said to his wife, 'It's rare that Master Huan has resolved this trouble. I dare not approach him. Please pour him a cup of tea.'" "

The woman was from Suzhou, quite plump and tall, with fine white freckles, and walked with a graceful gait. Although she wore a simple cloth shirt and skirt, they were very clean. Even in the room, though there was little furnishing, the bed curtains, tables, and chairs were spotless. He poured a cup of tea, and Huan'e, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, said, 'Put it down.' The woman put the tea down, and Huan'e asked, 'Who is that wine seller to you?' The woman replied in a soft, sweet voice, 'That's my husband.' Huan'e glanced at her sideways and said, 'With someone like you, how could I worry about not having money?' He then laughed loudly and asked her, 'Who am I to you?' [These few words show how much Huan'e loved this woman, and how he was able to remain steadfast, which is all the more remarkable.] The woman blushed and dared not answer. Huan'e was now completely drunk and couldn't stand it anymore, saying, 'I'm very drunk, I want to sleep.' The woman said, 'My lord, if you don't mind the ugly bed, please rest.'" "Then Huan'e stood up, put her arm around him, and said, 'Help me to bed.' The woman had no choice but to help him to bed, not daring to offend him. At this moment, he had forgotten everything else, thinking he was at home, and stretched out his leg, asking the woman to take off his socks. She had no choice but to take them off for him. He took off his clothes himself and said, 'Take these over.' The woman took them and draped them over the back of a chair. He put on only a shirt and trousers and lay down to sleep. The woman then covered him with a quilt and came out."

Little did she know, her husband had seen everything clearly through the window. He pulled his wife aside and said, "Although Master Huan promised to pay my debts tomorrow, he's drunk. What will happen when he sobers up? I think he's taken a liking to you. Why don't you sleep with him for one night? If you become intimate with him, you won't have to worry about food or clothing!" The woman smiled, pursing her lips, "Would that work? If you sleep with him, and he gets carried away by his drunkenness, will he let you off the hook? I'm not good at this." Her husband laughed, "You're lying again. I always thought you were very good at it. It would be better if he didn't let you off the hook. Think about it, if we can't pay back the money, the Ruan family will send me to the authorities, beat me, and still pursue me. This house is rented; even turning over the furniture won't be enough to pay him back. Then we'll be ruined. Why don't you sacrifice yourself to save him? Other people's wives, hiding it from their husbands, still..." Go hunting for wild food. I am asking you to save the lives of the couple. Why are you so embarrassed? The woman smiled and said, "Although my life was saved, I'm afraid your head will turn green." His husband also smiled and said: "Nowadays, among serious people, there are countless men who are cuckolds secretly, let alone me?" Although the head is green, isn't it better than a bloody butt made red by a spanking? The woman smiled and said, "You are afraid of a sore butt. Isn't it difficult for me?" His husband said: "But don't worry, you won't feel any pain at all." Even if it is torn, I will find a cobbler to sew a few stitches for you, and it will be the same as before. The two laughed for a while, and the wine seller said again: "He has the temperament of a senior official, so you have to go and deal with him." You pay attention, I'll go outside and look after the uncles. "The woman was not unwilling to accept it. Seeing that her husband said this, but he didn't agree with it, she already agreed in her heart. Seeing her husband go out, he came in with a smile. Looking at the night, he had finished cleaning up. He is a Suzhou person who washes his orifices several times a day, needless to say. Having received her husband's command, she went to bed, took off her clothes, lifted the covers, and lay down with Huan'e, sharing the same quilt and pillow. [This is similar to the case of Qu Yuan; the woman may not be without guilt in this regard, perhaps wanting to elevate Huan'e.] She looked at Huan'e, who was fast asleep. She had something on her mind, and not only could she not sleep, she dared not sleep.

Around the fourth watch, Huan'e woke up. She thought to herself: Yesterday I drank at Brother Jia's house and came back to a wine shop. I don't know when I got home. [This was a scene from a drunken stupor. An ancient poem says: "I alone remember removing my hat and sleeping on the fine grass, not knowing who sent me out of the deep forest." These lines are derived from the poem.] She felt the quilt was stiff, and touched it; it was cloth. [This was probably the first time Huan'e had ever tried something new.] He thought to himself, "How come I have this quilt in my house? Where am I?" Seeing someone sleeping beside him, he wondered if it was his wife or concubine, and asked, "Who are you?" The woman was wide awake and didn't dare to answer, thinking it wouldn't be too late to talk to him later when he was in a good mood. He asked several times, but she still didn't answer. Huan E reached out to touch her, unaware that her body was so sensitive, but when he touched that exquisite spot, he felt it was quite different from the things his wives and concubines possessed. Although he was still somewhat drunk, he understood immediately and quickly withdrew his hand, asking, "Who are you?" He asked several times in a row, and the woman, realizing she couldn't hide it any longer, had no choice but to answer, "Yesterday, my husband was drunk and was about to fall asleep in my cold room. My husband was promised to repay a debt, but he has no way to repay the favor, so he asked me to come and serve him." Upon hearing this, Huan E quickly sat up and said, "How can this be? Where is your husband?" The woman said, "He's outside sleeping with some uncles." Huan E said, "Where are my clothes?" The woman said, "It's very early outside, my husband should rest a little longer." Huan E said, "How can you do such a thing? Just give them to me." The woman knew he wouldn't do that, so she quickly put on her clothes, got out of bed, and in the shadows, felt for his clothes on the back of the chair and handed them to him. As Huan'e dressed, she said, "Quickly, tell your husband to light the lamp." The woman went out to fetch her husband and told him what had happened. The man stamped his feet and complained, "I told you you weren't good at this, you messed things up. Now that he's sober, he'll never admit it." The woman spat and said, "You scoundrel! If he won't admit it, do you expect me to hold him accountable?" Her husband had no choice but to light the lamp. Huan'e said to him sternly, "I was kind enough to promise to pay your money back. And you do this, almost putting me in a bad position." The man quickly knelt down and said, "How could I dare? I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir, and have no way to repay you, so I came up with this idea." Huan'e said, "Tell my men to prepare the horse; I'll go back immediately." The woman said, "The gong has only been sounded four times outside, and there's no moonlight. Even though the fence won't stop us from going back, it'll be difficult to walk in the dark." Huan'e was still not fully sober from the previous night's drinking and was also worried about the dark road, so she said, "Bring me some tea." The wine seller hurried away.

The woman stood shyly to the side, while Huan'e smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness and for condescending to come to me. I suppose it wasn't your true intention, but rather due to poverty. Although I dare not defile you, I still cherish the time we spent together. Tomorrow morning, have your husband come with me to collect the money; I will give you fifty taels of silver. After repaying the Ruan family, use the rest as capital to live a good life as a couple. Never use this 'beauty trap' again. Once a woman loses her virginity, it's a stain on her life, and there's no going back." The woman blushed and knelt down to kowtow. Huan'e said, "Get up, get up." The woman hurriedly went to the kitchen to tell her husband, overjoyed. Tea was served, and she kowtowed in thanks as well.

While the two were talking, Huan'e's family members were all eavesdropping outside the window. Seeing their master's behavior, they were all full of praise. Later, people often talked about it. Zhong Sheng, upon hearing this, sighed, "I never imagined that he, once a bandit, would think he had reformed so miraculously, yet rise to the status of a sage. It shows that only the final judgment at the coffin's end can truly determine a person's fate." Jia and Tong, upon hearing this, both felt inferior. Huan E sat until dawn, then had the wine seller follow him home, gave him fifty taels of silver, and the wine seller bowed in gratitude before returning. The couple thus established a family and enshrined his memorial tablet. Later, they had children; their son's nicknames were Huan Da and Huan Er, and their daughter's nicknames were Huan Da Jie and Huan Er Jie, to commemorate Huan Gongzi's kindness. [Many have received Huan E's kindness, yet this wine seller's gratitude is particularly profound. Why? Because protecting the chastity of women is a greater act of kindness, and this is used to warn people in the world.] Over the years, Huan E had saved countless poor and suffering people; if one were to record them all, the list would be endless. People made up a few lines of folk rhyme about him behind his back: "

The foolish young master of yesteryear, the benevolent bodhisattva

of today." After a while, the rhyme spread throughout the city. All the children knew it well, and when they met him on the road, they would sing along in unison. Hearing this, he felt pleased with himself and became even more willing to do good deeds. One day, he went out, letting his horse's hooves carry him. Passing by Mei Sheng's house, he dismounted and went in to visit. Mei Sheng invited him to sit down, and they drank some wine. While they were drinking, they heard the voices of an old woman and a woman from the neighboring house, weeping very sadly. Huan'e asked, "What sad thing happened in this family that makes them cry so bitterly?" Mei Sheng laughed and said, "This family has a son named Zhao the Drunkard, who died from drunkenness. One is his elderly mother, and the other is his wife. The ancients said, 'A young woman cries for her husband, and an old mother cries for her son,' both are extremely sorrowful." Huan'e said, "How did this man end up dying from drunkenness? Tell me, brother." Mei Sheng said, "It's quite a joke, good for drinking with. Brother, drink slowly and listen to my detailed explanation to make you laugh." The two drank together, and Mei Sheng explained the story in detail.

You see, how is Zhao the Drunkard a joke? His father was an honest man, and the family still had enough to eat. He was thirty when Zhao the Drunkard was born. This drunkard was married and had a son and a daughter. He loved wine from a young age, initially hiding it from his father and secretly drinking. After he got married at eighteen or nineteen, he no longer hid it from his father and drank all the time. Later, he became completely unruly, always getting drunk whenever he drank. His father scolded him relentlessly. He had heard it so often that he not only took it as an insult to drink, but also as an encouragement to drink, and thus became extremely drunk. Even in his thirties, when his parents were over sixty, he would still go to the tavern to drink every morning. Chunyu Kun was known for getting drunk after one dou (a unit of volume), five dou, and even one shi (another unit of volume). He, however, was quite different. Although he enjoyed drinking, his capacity was extremely limited; one zhong (another unit of volume), one wan (another unit of volume), and one hu (another unit of volume) were all he needed. His drinking method was also peculiar. He had probably read the "Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup," and he had extracted two lines: "

Meeting a wine cart on the road, mouth waters; drinking like a whale gulping down a hundred rivers."

When he had no money, he would buy four liang (another unit of volume) of liquor for three coins and drink it all in one gulp. When he had money, he would buy a jin (another unit of volume) or half a jin and drink it all in one go, whether it was much or little, he would always get drunk. He also had another remarkable skill: he had memorized two lines from Liu Bolun's "Ode to the Virtues of Wine." What are those two lines? They are: "

Under the sky and on the ground, one can do as one pleases."

After getting drunk, he would lie down and sleep soundly, regardless of the street or roadside. [He also learned this from Liu Ling's line, "Bury me when I die."] One early morning, he returned home staggering, having drunk too much. His father, seeing him, sighed twice and said, "You wicked child, everyone drinks, but there's a time for it. It's fine to drink in the afternoon or evening when you're free. But to open your eyes early in the morning and drink like this, I know you're drinking, you're practically courting death." He laughed and said, "Father, you're an old man, how can you not understand? There's no time for drinking. The ancients said there are seven necessities of life: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. So drinking isn't something you have to do before you even open the door. I heard someone recite a poem about drinking by Li Bai, and I took it as gospel. I'll recite it to you: '

If there's no wine in spring, the flowers will be ashamed; if there's no wine in summer, the wind will make you sick.'"
Autumn without wine makes the moon shine but not bright enough; winter without wine makes the snow lack excitement.
Without wine in the morning, I'm too lazy to get out of bed; without wine at night, I can't sleep soundly.
A moment without wine brings disaster; therefore, I treat wine as my life.

I added two lines to his saying: "

If there are like-minded people in the world, a few good words will be given as gifts.

" Father, do you think it makes sense? Let me tell you a reason. People say that a cup of wine in the morning is better than being a prefect. If you start drinking early in the morning, you'll naturally get drunk by the afternoon or evening. You say I'm being reckless? Peng Zu lived to be eight hundred years old; did he not drink? Are all old men in the world abstaining from wine? Even newborn babies, still in their mother's womb, die from drunkenness, don't they? [His words left his father speechless.] Although I drink, I have some self-control. Unlike others who are obsessed with it, lying drunk in the streets and alleys. "I have a song called 'Shuai Hai'er' for you to hear, old man." He then sang loudly: "

I advise people not to be greedy for wine, for it drives them mad. They become violent, unruly, and bully the good

, even their own parents are oblivious and shout insults. Children fight, and wives and children dare not stand by. I advise people not to be greedy for fine wine; not drinking it brings peace." His parents, hearing this, were both amused and annoyed. They scolded, "You servant, since you know this song, why are you so eager to drink it? I don't care if you live or die, it's just a pity I raised you all these years in vain!" He replied, "My death will only fill my own grave, it has nothing to do with you, old man. You don't drink, yet your beard and hair shouldn't be white. At your age, that babbling, grape-like speech, I don't know where it came from, is utterly unpleasant to the ear." "He laughed loudly again:

'Three cups bring peace, one drunken stumble leads to somersaults.

' 'Oh, how delightful!' he said, stumbling and falling asleep in his room. His father, angered, cursed him a few times, then went to bed without eating. This drunkard Zhao slept soundly until dawn the next day. When he was thirsty, he asked for tea, and his wife poured him a cup. She said, 'You're over thirty, and after a few drinks you've lost all sense of propriety. Yesterday, your father advised you to drink less, but it was just out of love for his children. You talked nonsense, making him so angry that he didn't eat all day and just lay in bed. A father in his sixties, raising an only son, and you can't even be filial to him, instead making him angry—can you live with yourself? You have children now; aren't you afraid they'll follow your example in the future?' Zhao the drunkard said, 'Nonsense! I've always been extremely filial. Aside from a couple of drinks, I've done nothing wrong.'" "Besides, the wine goes into a person's stomach, not a dog's. How could I dare offend the old man? You're just trying to persuade me to quit drinking, using the accusation of being unfilial to frame me. Do you think I don't know that?" His wife said, "You think I'm lying? Go and see if Father is sick. Ask Grandma what you said yesterday." He said, "I don't believe you. I never get drunk. Even with a little alcohol, my mind is clear as a mirror, and I'm not confused." His wife said, "You said it yourself: after three cups, you don't know how high the sky is or how thick the earth is. What else do you know?" He said, "Really? If that's the case, why should I drink? I'll quit from now on and never drink again." His wife said, "You don't have the ability to quit. If you quit drinking, it's like a dog not eating excrement. You say you'll quit now, but as soon as you see alcohol, your throat itches, and you want to drink again." The drunkard said, "What are you talking about?" "You think I'm worthless. Do you think I love drinking? I only drink when I feel like it. A man's word is his bond; once he says he won't drink, he means it. What's the big deal? If I want to drink again, it's like drinking blood from my own neck. I'll make a bet with you today, let's see if I can quit!" His wife was overjoyed to hear his resolute words and quickly went to tell his parents. Although his parents didn't believe him, they thought he might have given up, and were secretly pleased. Sure enough, Zhao the Drunkard actually abstained for a day, something he had never done before.

The next day, he went out early, and by the afternoon, he was completely drunk. He was covered in mud, his head and face were soaked, and he had lost his hat. A friend named Fu helped him home, saying, "I don't know where he got so drunk, he fell into a ditch and almost drowned. Luckily, I saw him, rescued him, and brought him home." His wife thanked the man and helped him into the room; she was terribly smelly. She complained, "Yesterday I swore I wouldn't drink anymore, but today I'm even more drunk than before." The drunkard flew into a rage, staggering and throwing a punch at her face. He slurred, "What business is it of yours if I fuck your mother's eyes or drink the blood from my neck?" The woman, seeing him coming, quickly dodged, missing the blow. He missed, almost falling. Enraged, he kicked her in the groin. The woman rubbed her hand, squatting down and groaning. Her son and daughter, seeing their mother crying so bitterly, cried out, "Grandma, come quickly! Father has hurt Mother!" The drunkard roared, "Fuck your talkative mother!" "With one kick, the two children rolled all over the ground. The woman, heartbroken for her children and afraid of hurting them, endured the pain, struggled to her feet, grabbed one child with each hand, and ran out. He then lay down on the bed, head facing inward, feet dragging off the edge, and slept soundly.

The next day, he woke up and called for his wife. The woman had no choice but to limp over to him. He asked, 'Why are you limping all of a sudden?' His wife said, 'Yesterday you went on a drunken rampage, almost kicking me and the two children to death, and you still ask what happened?' He laughed loudly, 'What nonsense are you talking about? I quit drinking the day before yesterday, and yesterday I only had one cup. I wasn't drunk at all. Why would I go on a drunken rampage? Don't try to frame me with baseless accusations.' His wife said, 'If you weren't drunk, where did you get all this mud? Where did your hat go? If it weren't for Uncle Fu bringing you here, you'd probably have drowned in the ditch.' He looked at the mud all over his body and clicked his tongue, 'This is strange, this is strange.'" "There was nothing more to say. His wife was naturally annoyed to see him covered in mud from head to toe. She couldn't bear it, so she boiled water and made him wash. After he changed his clothes, he went out again. The woman was exhausted and had to re-wash the bedding. His parents knew he was beyond reason, and that talking to him was useless, so they let him be.

One day, in late autumn, he had another drink. He borrowed a line from an ancient poem, slightly modified: '

Drunk, I lie in the pine, bamboo, and plum grove, heaven and earth my quilt and pillow.'

He lay down on the street and slept soundly, completely absorbed in the world. Suddenly, it started to rain, not heavily, but persistently, soaking him to the bone. Deep in his drunken stupor, he was completely unaware. A couple of people who recognized him came and tried to wake him, but they couldn't. With the heavy rain, people were afraid..." Their clothes were soaked, and everyone went about their business. He had slept for a long time, but the cold rain gradually woke him. He shivered twice, opened his eyes, and saw that he was sleeping on a large earthen bed. He got up and slowly struggled back to his bed. His wife sighed a few times, changed his wet clothes, laid him down, and covered him with a blanket. By midnight, he was burning hot. The next day, he couldn't get out of bed and lay listlessly asleep. He sought medical treatment, but the medicine was unresponsive; he would vomit it up immediately. He wouldn't eat or drink, only drinking a few cups of wine each day. His mother stayed by his side, crying several times, and he, too, felt heartbroken and shed tears. After a few days, he felt better and his appetite improved slightly. His mother and wife were overjoyed and advised him, "If you've escaped death this time, you've truly escaped a brush with death. From now on, you mustn't drink alcohol again; try to live a few more years." The drunkard said, "Am I a dead man? After this experience, I don't know." The other day I saw Grandma crying as she looked at me, and my heart ached terribly.” Ten days later, he was able to get up with the help of a cane. For almost twenty days, he hadn't touched a drop of water.

One day, he went out, returned drunk, and his illness returned violently; he was on the verge of death. His wife sat on the edge of the bed, weeping and sighing, “Your parents have said so many things to you, I've advised you a thousand times, but you never listened. Now that you've reached this position, you've abandoned your aging parents, your wife and children, can you really let them go?” "He regretted it too late, and didn't utter a word. He only sighed a few times, shed some tears, asked for a bowl of wine, and then passed away peacefully. Although his father had this son, he was often angry and seemed to have no connection to him. Seeing him die, he shed a few tears and then let it go. His mother only had this one son, how could she not grieve? His wife, seeing that her parents-in-law were old and her children were young, naturally cried bitterly. Mei Sheng, being a close neighbor, knew the whole story and told Huan E in detail. He couldn't help but laugh loudly, then took his leave and returned home.

Huan E had been doing good deeds for many years, and became even more courageous and diligent in doing good. Xiao E gave birth to three sons in several years, all of whom..." What a neat and tidy appearance! The old couple, Huan and his wife, both lived to be a hundred years old, passing away peacefully without illness. Everyone considered it a miracle, attributing it to the reward for their good deeds in raising their son. Huan and his wife, along with Xiao'e's family, grew increasingly wealthy and all lived to a ripe old age. They were surrounded by children and grandchildren, all filial. This was all a reward for their good deeds in the unseen world, truly demonstrating: "

To enjoy a long life, one must accumulate virtue; to have good children, one must cultivate benevolence." [Upon reading this, one might think the story of Huan E is over, but unexpectedly, there are several more paragraphs, truly well-written. It's like having reached the end of the road, only to suddenly see a new, wondrous peak, refreshing the viewer's perspective.]

But that's a story for later. Now, let's talk about how Quan had been working at Huan'e's house for two or three years. Although she had food and clothing, she never had a moment's rest and was often filled with resentment and shame. Then Madam Miao would often speak coldly to him, saying, "For a woman, regardless of wealth or poverty, to stay with one husband and make do with what she has is a blessing. If she enjoys happiness, it's because she's lucky. If she suffers poverty, she can only blame her bad luck. As the saying goes, if your fate is only eight and a half, you'll never reach the top no matter where you go. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. We're servants in other people's homes, and although we don't worry about food and clothing, we serve our masters in a state of constant anxiety, neither too much nor too little. We wish we could be poor, carefree, and even a sip of cold water would bring us peace of mind. How happy we would be! I heard that your husband back then was a poor man, but everyone called you 'Grandma.' Now that you're here, who can you compare to? Everyone knows you divorced your husband, so who still cares about you? Do you regret it now?" Madam Quan had no answer, only tears and snot streaming down her face.

One day, it was Madam Hou's birthday, and Grandma Zhong, Aunt Dai, Grandma Mei, Grandma Jia, Grandma Tong, and Aunt Wu all came to offer their birthday wishes and enjoy the feast. After the banquet ended, Zhengben ordered "Rotten Axe Mountain," featuring Zhu Maichen's relentless pressure, delusions, and water-splashing scenes. Madam Miao and Madam Quan were also watching. Seeing the forced marriage, Madam Miao smiled and quietly asked her, "When you and your husband were arguing about marrying her, this is probably the kind of girl you'd want to marry." Madam Quan was speechless with shame. Madam Miao said, "A man is kneeling and crying, begging her to stay, and she still won't. What a heartless, lewd woman!" She laughed, "If your husband cares so much, what does it matter if you die poor? How can you be so shameless?" Madam Quan remembered her husband in the Ping family; though they had little to eat and wear, he was very loving. Now, who would pity her? She kept wiping away tears, her heart filled with even more regret. Lady Miao coldly observed him, and seeing the shameful state of the woman in the dream, she laughed and sighed, "Look at that harlot, Cui! She endured poverty back then, and now she enjoys such glory! She probably doesn't know how much she regrets it now." Then, seeing Zhang the carpenter come out, she laughed, "That shrewish woman who picks men, disliking her poor husband, should have married an official to be a lady, but instead she married a carpenter. You're just like her; you couldn't marry a wealthy village official, so you married into another family as a servant." Quan was so ashamed she wanted to disappear. Seeing the water-splashing scene, Lady Miao said, "Look at this harlot! Rather than kneeling before the horse and making a fool of herself like this today, why didn't she endure the poverty? Today she's riding in a luxury car, enjoying such comfort! No wonder she doesn't have the fortune." Quan regretted her actions even more deeply, hearing Zhu Maichen sing: "

Your mother's fortune is beyond measure, your mother's fortune is beyond measure, you can't be a lady. Only a wife who sings in harmony, a wife who lives in perfect accord, can enjoy that." In her embroidered chamber, surrounded by emeralds and pearls, a foolish woman nearing forty, shy and hesitant, would she recommend herself as a pillow and mat?

Lady Miao said, “A woman nearing forty has limited time left. Having suffered with her husband for so many years, even if she dies poor, she'll at least have a good reputation. Why bother arguing and quarreling, only to be the same in another family, earning eternal infamy? What's the point? Even if she marries a wealthy man, a man's heart might see him abandon his former husband for poverty, and a living wife wouldn't value her.” Lady Quan, who was thirty-seven, upon hearing the words “nearly forty,” felt both ashamed and resentful, and couldn't help but weep. Then she heard the song: “

The word ‘collect’ is quickly repeated, the word ‘return’ is not repeated.” [Foolish woman, do you remember the time when you clapped your hands?] I wept bitterly, tears streaming down my face; I knelt on the ground. At that time, I begged and refused, truly hoping your heart would return. When it was time to collect, I poured the water basin on the ground.

Madam Miao laughed, "This foolish woman, how can you stop her? Instead of begging him to take it back today, why didn't you make a scene in the first place? I heard that although your ex-husband never held an official position, he's been working at a beauty salon for the past three years, and he's much better off than before." She added, "Why don't you go and splash some water yourself, beg him to take you back, so you don't suffer here?" Quan couldn't help but run back to her room, get into bed, wrap her head in a blanket, and weep silently. That night, she was filled with remorse and longed to return home, but dared not utter a word, only telling Madam Miao her innermost thoughts, often weeping. Si Fu spoke to her several times, but she continued to weep.

One day, Si Fu was furious and dragged Huan E to him, saying, "This wife of yours is acting strangely. These past few days, she's been crying for no reason, tears streaming down her face at the drop of a hat. She won't listen to me, I need to give her a few slaps." Huan E asked her, "Why are you crying like this?" She dared not answer. Huan'e angrily said, "She's probably thinking about men. I have no use for such a shameless woman. I can assign her to a stable boy and have her help the men cook fodder." The woman who tended the grass and the horse pulled him and said, "Come with me." He knelt down and cried, "Even if you beat me to death, sir, I don't want to go." Huan'e said, "If you don't want to go, what do you want?" He wanted to speak but dared not, and just kept silent with tears in his eyes. Lady Miao winked at him and said, "Master is asking you a question. Speak your mind, why are you being so coy?" Lady Quan kowtowed and said, "The grace of Master and Madam in sending me back to my former husband is a blessing for generations to come." Huan E said, "You still want to go back? I'm afraid that once you get to his house, you'll want to switch jobs again." Lady Quan said, "I made a mistake, and now it's too late to regret it. If I could go back to my former husband, I would rather starve than think of anyone else." Huan E said, "You were sold to my family back then, and I don't know where your husband has the money to redeem you. Why should I let you go for nothing? Unless I give you a hundred lashes. Firstly, to teach you not to repeat your previous behavior, and secondly, to settle my price. If you can bear it, I will let you go. What do you say?" Lady Quan happily said, "Master has kindly allowed me to go back, and I am willing to accept the beating." Huan E ordered the whip to be brought. It was brought immediately, and Huan E asked again, "Are you really willing to be beaten?" Lady Quan said, "I am willing to be beaten," and then crawled on the ground. Huan'e laughed, "Quan will remember this time." She said to Si Fu, "Take him with you; he's changed out of his clothes from that day." Si Fu then told him to go with her. Huan'e also ordered someone to fetch Pingru.

Quan Shi changed back into her previous clothes, brought a few pieces of jewelry, and returned. Huan'e and Hou Shi stood up and offered her a seat. Not knowing what the situation was, how could she dare sit? She stared wide-eyed at Huan'e and Hou Shi, then at everyone else. Huan'e laughed, "Please sit down; I have something to tell you." Si Fu pulled her down to sit.

Huan'e recounted how she had met her father and husband, who had told her he wanted to divorce her and remarry. “I know your husband’s family is very poor. Even if they forced you to stay, it wouldn’t be peaceful. So we devised this plan. We brought you to my house to temper your temper and make you regret it. Think about it, if you remarry, will anyone respect a living wife? I pity you and your husband and couldn’t bear to see you separated, so I came up with this idea. Now that you’ve repented and want to return to your former husband, that’s wonderful. Your former husband taught at my house for three years, and your family isn’t so poor anymore. Go and be obedient to your husband, and live happily ever after with him. If you have any more unfilial thoughts, I’m afraid I can no longer tolerate you.” When Quan heard this, she seemed to wake from a dream. Seeing that it was a kind gesture to help her and her husband, she was both ashamed and grateful, and knelt down, weeping and thanking them profusely. Hou hurriedly helped her up, offered many more words of comfort, and gave her some clothes and odds and ends. She then thanked Si Fu, Miao Shi, and the others. [Si Fu was only the head tutor, while Miao Shi was the primary tutor.] Outside, someone announced, "Master Ping has arrived." Huan'e went out and said, "Congratulations, your wife has repented." She then instructed two servants, one to do the wrong thing and the other the right thing, to explain how to enlighten him. She then recounted in detail how she had tested him and how he had repented. She said, "Sir, returning home today is like a pearl returning to its nest." Pingru bowed repeatedly, thanking her profusely. Huan'e ordered two sedan chairs to be brought, and also asked that Quan's wife be brought out.

Upon seeing them, the couple was overcome with grief and bowed deeply in gratitude. The sedan chairs arrived, and they were invited to board and return home together. Afterwards, a table of food and a bottle of wine were sent. Pingru invited his father-in-law to a meeting, and Quan's wife was both ashamed and happy. The whole family was deeply grateful for Huan'e's benevolent act and never stopped praising him. The couple lived a very harmonious life together until old age. Pingru taught for several years, earning two hundred taels of silver for tuition. Although it wasn't a large sum, it was no longer like before, when he was destitute and penniless. But that's another story.

Now, let's talk about Hou Min, Huan E's brother-in-law, who had risen to the position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud over the past ten years. He brought a letter saying that the court had dispatched troops on four fronts, and the Court of Imperial Stud had run out of horses, resulting in insufficient funds for military supplies and no way to procure more. The Ministry of War and the Court of Imperial Stud reported that, by imperial decree, a new system of donations for official appointments had been established. One clause stipulated that all dismissed officials, both civil and military, would donate 200 horses for the first rank, 150 horses for the second rank, 100 horses for the third rank, and so on down to the next rank, with each horse valued at 100 taels of silver, in exchange for the restoration of their grandfather's title and their own official rank. Those who donated to be reinstated would receive double the amount. Why didn't the old man take this opportunity to restore his grandfather's title and rank? It was an excellent opportunity. Huan E and his son discussed it, and Huan E said, "My title and rank are dispensable. It would be a shame to have my grandfather's title and rank revoked after my time as an official. Restoring them would be a good thing. You must personally go and discuss this with your uncle." Huan E agreed and sent someone to hire a boat.

The Minister, a second-rank official, was to donate 150 bolts of silk. He ordered his six head servants to escort 15,000 taels of silver to the capital by water, and they went ahead. He himself carried 5,000 taels of gold and set off by land, intending to entrust his eldest uncle with arrangements in the capital. After everything was prepared, an auspicious day was chosen for their departure. The servants were to carry pine needles, bows and arrows, and waist knives. The eunuch, knowing this, asked, "Why are you carrying these things?" The servants replied, "We're carrying this much travel money to protect ourselves from bandits on the road." The eunuch laughed, "How ignorant! Carrying weapons is tantamount to telling people you're carrying silver. The ancients said, 'Throw a stone at a rat for fear of breaking the vase.' If you don't encounter petty people on the road, that's fortunate. But if you do, they're all desperate criminals. Can you really fight them? Losing silver is a small matter; you'll lose your lives. You are not allowed to carry a single weapon. [Truly an honest and wise view.] Even if we unfortunately encounter thieves, we'll give them everything. I'm not concerned about these few thousand taels; I just want your young master to return safely." How could anyone dare disobey their master's orders? Zhong Sheng, Mei Sheng, Jia Wenwu, and Tong Zida ran a wine shop. On the day of their departure, they were escorted to the river mouth before returning.

Huan E, with a dozen or so family members, hired mules to travel to the capital, and the journey was uneventful. One day, they arrived at Tai'an Prefecture, more than forty li from the city. It was a desolate wilderness, devoid of any human presence. A few lines describe the situation at that time: "

Ten li suddenly, fog darkens; nine li, clouds suddenly appear. The houses of the eight directions are devoid of morning smoke; the seven pagodas have no night fires. Birds with six wings scramble to roost in other flocks; the five-headed beasts are trampled and hide in the prefectural hall." [This prefectural governor can be said to fear bandits like tigers.] Cattle and sheep have vanished from the fields, and the people of the three Qi regions have disappeared without a trace. Both men said that this place was impassable, and a whistle rang out, indeed, there were bandits in

the wilderness. As they were walking, they suddenly encountered a group of local bandits. There were fifty or sixty of them, dragging guns and carrying weapons, swarming forward. Some carried wheat-cutting fans, and others carried firewood-chopping axes. They all had floral towels wrapped around their heads, their legs were bare, and a blue cloth quilt tied to a bamboo pole served as a flag. They surrounded the group, banging on two or three broken copper basins as drums. They waved their hands wildly, jumped around erratically, and chattered incessantly, demanding tolls. [Indeed, it was the behavior of a motley crew of bandits.] The crowd, seeing this, was both amused and annoyed, exchanging bewildered glances. Bare-handed and outnumbered, who dared to resist them? They robbed the five thousand taels of gold the man was carrying, and also took his bedding and belongings, some carrying them on their backs, and drove him away.

Huan'e and his family members hung their heads in dejection. They asked the family members if they had any travel expenses left. One said they had two taels left, another said three or four taels, totaling more than twenty taels, enough for their journey to the capital. They traveled another twenty li or so and arrived at a large village with about a thousand households, where they found an inn to rest. The shopkeeper, seeing they had no luggage, refused to let them stay. Huan'e sat at the shop entrance and told him that they had been robbed by this group of thieves at noon. The shopkeeper said, “Recently, bandits have been breaking out everywhere, in varying numbers, mostly starving people gathering in groups. Local officials dare not report them, and many travelers have suffered losses because of them. Lately, all the customers know this, so they travel in groups of two or three hundred to ensure their safety. Why didn’t you ask around before rashly stumbling upon us? It’s a pity you’ve lost a fortune. Master and servants, are you discussing whether to report to the authorities or continue on your way?” Huan’e said, “According to the shopkeeper, there are bandits everywhere. If we report to the authorities, who will we arrest? How will we know who robbed us? If we just guard the place, won’t that delay our important business? Let’s just bear with it and go to the capital to discuss it with your maternal uncle, and then decide what to do. But we have no luggage, and we’re afraid of being questioned on the way.”

Just as they were hesitating, a man walked into the shop, bowed deeply to Huan’e, and said, “My benefactor, you were startled just now.” Huan’e quickly helped him up, looked him over, and didn’t recognize him. He asked, "Who are you, sir? You look so haggard, how do you recognize me? And how do you know I've encountered thieves?" The man laughed and said, "Don't you recognize me, sir? My name is Lai Ying. Years ago, I owed a peddler surnamed Bi ten taels of silver. You kindly repaid it for me and even gave me a travel allowance. I thought I was useless on the road due to my illness, so I used that silver for travel expenses. Two years after I returned, I recovered, but this year I was robbed by bandits and am left with nothing. It's also a year of famine, so I had no choice but to join the bandits to survive. I always remember your kindness, sir, and that's why I recognized you when I saw you. But since you were with the others, I didn't dare to acknowledge you and secretly followed you. Have you reported this to the authorities, sir? If you have more soldiers, I can lead them. What use are those petty thieves? I can recover my lost belongings in no time." Huan E laughed loudly, "It's late today, let's go to the prefecture together tomorrow morning." Just as he was laughing, a group of more than thirty people appeared outside the gate, all on horseback, each with a bow and arrow, falcons on their arms and dogs on their hind legs ,

crowding towards him. Huan E was about to ask the innkeeper who they were when the burly man at the head of the group spotted him, jumped off his horse, and called him in, saying, "Isn't this Brother Huan En from Nanjing?" Huan E quickly stood up and looked him over closely; it was Bao De. He grabbed Huan E's hand and said, "Brother En, when did you arrive? What wind blew you here? You've been trying to kill me these past two years. If I hadn't gone hunting today, I would have almost missed you. Where are you going now?" Huan E told him that he had business in the capital, had been robbed by bandits, and that Lai Ying had come to inform him that he would be reporting to the authorities the next morning. Bao De laughed and said, "Brother En, don't worry, I'll take care of it. Please come to my house and we'll talk more." "Huan E was overjoyed to meet an old friend in a foreign land. He asked for his horse to be brought out, and they rode side by side.

When they arrived at his house, it was a magnificent mansion. Outside the gate were large willow trees that could be embraced by several arm spans, and the surrounding wall was several fathoms high, with four watchtowers at the four corners. They dismounted after entering the main gate. Inside the second gate was the main hall, with racks of swords, spears, and weapons lined both sides. After the two bowed and sat down, Bao De said, 'Since we parted, I have missed you, my dear brother, not a day has passed without me thinking of you. I have repeatedly wanted to go south to visit you, but due to years of famine and rampant bandits, I dare not leave home. What brings you here today?' He called to his servant, 'Quickly go and invite Master Xin. You said that Master Huan from Nanjing has arrived.' Huan E asked, 'Is your aunt well? Where is your cousin's residence?' Bao De replied, 'My cousin received your help with travel expenses that year and traveled day and night to come home. My aunt recovered as soon as she saw him, and has been in good health ever since. She is always grateful to you.'" Huan E said, "It's nothing, why do you take it so seriously, brother? It makes me feel ashamed." A short while later, Xin Tong arrived, deeply thanking him for his previous kindness.

Soon after, he brought wine and food. Although not as delicious as Huan E's own cooking, it was still a feast of pork, mutton, goose, and duck, with large platters of steamed buns, thin pancakes, rice, and noodle soup. Bao De and Xin Tong accompanied him, and the servants were instructed to entertain Huan E's steward and Lai Ying. After everyone had eaten, they invited Huan E to sit in the small study. Fruits, preserved meats, and other snacks were laid out for him to enjoy with the wine. Bao De said to him, "I have some minor matters to attend to and cannot accompany you tonight. My cousin will keep me company." Huan E replied, "Please, brother, do as you please." "Baudelaire left, and Xin Tong drank with him for a while. Huan'e no longer needed the bedding; a brand-new quilt and pillows had already been laid out on the couch. [This is similar to when Bao De went to his house before.] Xin Tong instructed the servants and stewards to provide them with bedding, [and they agreed in detail.] Then the two of them lay down on two beds facing each other. Huan'e, tired from the hard work and in high spirits, drank a few more cups and slept until dawn.

Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside, with the neighing of horses and the barking of dogs. Huan'e asked Xin Tong in surprise, "What is this?" Xin Tong smiled and said, "It seems that my cousin has returned home." Huan'e asked, "Where did your cousin go?" Before he could answer, Bao De, with his arrow-patterned jacket tied up, his head wrapped in a turban, and an iron mace hanging from his waist, entered like a god, laughing loudly, "I have not failed in my mission." "When Huan'e got up to check, many people were carrying in silver, bundles, bedding, and luggage. None of the lost items were missing. He asked Bao De, 'Brother, where did you learn the method of seizing Kunlun at the third watch?' Bao De laughed, 'My cousin and I have quite a reputation here. My village has over two thousand households; excluding the old and young, there are nearly three thousand strong men. During busy farming seasons, we cultivate the land; in our spare time, we practice martial arts, embodying the ancient principle of integrating soldiers with farmers. Everyone respects my brother and me as their leaders, and they all obey our commands. We provide them with all the weapons, and they work together to protect the village. If there's a sound of bandits, one of us leads the men to kill them, and the other leads the guards. Not to mention these local bandits, even small-time thieves dare not come near us. [After Fu Houdian Dengzi was defeated.] I don't bother with these nearby petty thieves, and they dare not attack me. Last night, after parting from my brother, I took Lai Ying and several dozen men, and arrived there around the second watch." The thieves were sound asleep when the authorities tied them up one by one and demanded to know about the silver. Upon learning it belonged to my friend, they kowtowed and apologized, returning it with both hands, not a single piece missing. I then spared them.” Huan E thanked him, saying, “Without your help, this item would already belong to someone else. But Lai Ying cannot return.” Bao De asked him, “Would you be willing to stay with me? If you would, I can easily find you a home.” Lai Ying hurriedly kowtowed, saying, “I am deeply grateful for your kindness in taking me in, sir.” Huan E washed and dressed, intending to visit Xin Tong. Xin Tong declined, saying, “I dare not trouble you.” Huan E said, “Not only is your aunt here, but even you, brother, have no reason to meet here, yet you do not come to my residence.”

Xin Tong and Bao De accompanied him, not on horseback, but on foot, to Xin's house. They bowed again, asking him to convey their regards to his aunt. His aunt invited them inside for a while, expressing her deep gratitude. After sitting for a short while, they came out and were invited to stay for a meal. Huan E wanted to take his leave, but Bao De laughed, "Brother, it's not easy for you to come; you should stay at least ten days." Huan E told them about his plan to restore his grandfather's official title, fearing it would delay the appointment. The two said, "Since it's such an important matter, we dare not insist you stay. When you return, please stay a few more days." Huan E said, "I dare not promise that. I might return by water or another route; how could I break my promise to you, brother?" The two said, "Alright then. You'll stay one day today, and we'll see you off tomorrow morning." Seeing their earnestness, Huan E couldn't refuse again and stayed. After the meal, Xin Tong invited him to stay at his lodging. He offered each of them two hundred taels of silver as a travel allowance, but Huan'e repeatedly declined, saying, "My travel expenses are more than enough; I dare not trouble you two elder brothers." Knowing he had brought a large sum, the two brothers did not insist. At noon, they prepared a feast and drank together. Bao De said, "Brother, you have come from afar, and you only have one day before you have to leave. What a pity!" He said to Xin Tong, "Recently, bandits have been rampant, and I must protect my family, so I cannot go. Now, Brother Huan is carrying a large sum of money, and I am worried about him, fearing he might be lost. What should I do? Elder brother, take a few children and escort him to Lugou Bridge and then return; only then will I feel at ease." Xin Tong gladly said, "I will go with you tomorrow." [The reason Xin Tong was sent to escort them was that both of them had received a favor from Huan'e, and Bao De had already repaid him by retrieving his luggage. Therefore, Xin Tong was sending them off to repay the past kindness. The author was reluctant to omit this detail.] Huan'e was already easily frightened; seeing that he had been sent off, he said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, you two elder brothers are truly friends and family." "The details of the night are omitted.

The next morning, we met at his house, had a meal and drinks, and then he departed. Before leaving, Huan'e gave Lai Ying one hundred taels of silver for his home. He tried to refuse, but Huan'e wouldn't, and he kowtowed and accepted it. Bao De and Lai Ying accompanied him for over twenty li before returning home. Xin Tong, with seven or eight strong men, all carrying bows and arrows and riding strong horses, escorted him all the way to Lugou Bridge before bidding farewell and returning home. Huan'e expressed his endless gratitude, and the two parted ways.

Huan'e entered the capital and stayed at his brother-in-law's house. His second brother-in-law, Hou Jie, also met him, and they had a warm welcome, which need not be described in detail. He asked him to handle things; money can move mountains, so he naturally understood. The silver that his family had pawned arrived and was handed over, and the official document that had been pursued in the past was returned. Huan'e saw that there were many thieves on the land route, so he decided to return by water. He had often heard Zhong Sheng say that Dai's father ran a large wharf in Zhangjiawan, so he asked someone..." He went to inquire first and gave a detailed account. At this time, Dai Liang had passed away, and was now Dai Qian's master. He had long received a letter from his daughter informing him that his grandson was betrothed to the granddaughter of Minister Huan and the daughter of Minister Huan's son, and he was overjoyed. Hearing of his arrival, he hurriedly invited him over and treated him to a lavish meal. The next day, he hosted another banquet. Huan E was quite uneasy and asked him to hire two fast boats so he could return home quickly. Dai Qian also sent a lot of food for the journey and asked him to deliver a message to Zhong Sheng. He also sent some things to his two nephews. Huan E thanked him and boarded the boats, traveling day and night, arriving home after more than a month. Minister Huan was overjoyed to see him return with an imperial decree.

Huan E recounted how he had been robbed by bandits and was in a dilemma, but thanks to Lai Ying's warning, Bao De rescued him, and Xin Tong escorted him to the capital, where he reported the details to his father. Minister Huan sighed, "As the saying goes, 'Good deeds bring good rewards.' Why should one suffer losses for being a good person? It's laughable that people in the world are unwilling to do good. What can be done?" Huan'e took out Dai Qian's letter and the things he had brought, and sent them to Zhong Sheng's house. Zhong Sheng, along with Jia Wenwu, Tong Zida, and Mei Sheng, came to congratulate him, and the festivities lasted for more than ten days.

A month later, one day, Zhong Sheng came to Huan'e and said, "Brother Jia did a great deed that we didn't know about. Yesterday, he received the Emperor's grace and was specially appointed as an Assistant Director of the Ministry of War. He came to my house to ask if I should accept the position, and that's when I found out." Huan'e said, "Please tell me the details, elder brother." Zhong Sheng told him everything from beginning to end. Huan'e said, "It's a pity that this righteous deed was done by Brother Jia alone. We should all celebrate together." What righteous deed did Jia Wenwu do that earned him an official position for no reason? Read on to find out. (

End of Volume Twenty )

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