The Complete Book of One Hundred Women - Part 4

Chapter 8 of "The Hundred Women's Chronicle":
Facing her pregnant belly, she was helpless, with nowhere to turn, a murderous intent arose. A nightmare
ended at midnight, the moonlight illuminating her large belly.
The pleasure of debauchery in bed was pleasurable, but the illegitimate child she sowed was too late for regret.
Yesterday's love seemed sweet, today's bitter resentment has turned to bitterness.
Her capricious temper gathered gloom, and as the clouds dispersed
, evil thoughts sprouted. I finally awoke from the nightmare. It was already past midnight. The room was dark and cold. The autumn wind howled outside the window, mercilessly shaking the large willow trees along the street. Willow leaves fluttered in the wind, scattering against the glass with a disturbing rustling sound. Recalling the experience of the dream, I was both terrified and felt ridiculously ridiculous. Thinking of Meng Yuan's smug, smiling face, I involuntarily turned my body towards the young woman.
The little slut slept soundly, her sleeping posture quite alluring. I stretched out my already numb hand and, as if in revenge, pinched her pink nipple: "Serves you right for trying to extort me, for demanding exorbitant prices. If you push me too far, I'll rip your nipple off and eat it like a candy."
"Oh—," the little slut grinned, pushing me away. I released her nipple and then grabbed her thick downy hair, tugging at it fiercely.
"What are you doing, so naughty!" the little slut muttered with her eyes closed, twisting her body and turning her face to the wall with a thud, presenting her snow-white, delicate back to me. My hands were still busy, greedily caressing Meng Yuan's plump body, my palms enjoying the tantalizing warmth. The young woman snorted softly, "Sigh, stop fooling around, go to sleep!"
Then, the little slut turned back towards me, her arm habitually resting on my chest. I stared at the sleeping Mengyuan with sleepy eyes, and the lust that had just been aroused vanished without a trace: Old Zhang, what time is it, and you still don't know what to worry about?
Yes, just thinking about Mengyuan's pregnancy made my heart twist into a tangled mess, and as the little slut's belly swelled day by day, this tangled mess in my heart became even more chaotic: What to do? I quietly touched Mengyuan's already noticeably protruding belly: If I can't come up with the money, this little slut won't have an abortion, and the longer this drags on, the bigger her belly gets, the more trouble I'll have. Once the child is born, I won't be able to cope! I'll not only have to bear a huge amount of child support, but I'll also face the danger of my family breaking up, and the latter is what I fear most. I don't want a divorce! Since I don't want a divorce and can't afford it, what should I do with this woman beside me who's pregnant with my child?
Kill her! The thought sent a chill down my spine: What? Old Zhang, are you trying to kill someone? Murder is punishable by death! But then I muttered to myself: I can't afford to satisfy her, she refuses to have an abortion, and I don't want to take on the responsibility of raising her. If I don't kill her, I have no other choice. Unless I want to make things a complete mess, to clean up this mess, I have no choice but to kill this woman. Hmph, a petty person is no gentleman, and a ruthless person is no man! With that thought, I hardened my heart, resolutely got up, and quietly reached out towards Meng Yuan, my hands gripping the woman's delicate neck: strangle her, and then, without anyone noticing, escape back to the south!
My hand gripped the young woman's neck, ready to tighten, when suddenly, a horrifying scene flashed before my eyes: Mengyuan had been murdered in my own house; the police, following the trail, had easily arrested me; then, they had taken me from the south back to the northeast to be executed; a single verdict mercilessly declared my death. After I finished my last dinner, the police dragged me into a police car and took me to the execution ground. Bound hand and foot, I was strapped to an open truck, forced to be paraded through the streets before my death. Gazing at the familiar streets and alleys, at the dense crowds, I looked up to the sky and sighed: "Ah, Mother, come and see! Your filial son has truly become famous today!" Looking at the people staring at me with strange eyes below the vehicle, I stubbornly straightened my neck, mimicking the moment a revolutionary martyr faced execution, while inwardly shouting in utter despair: "What are you looking at? Everyone dies eventually! Twenty years from now, I'll still be a hero!"
"What are you shouting for?" the policeman escorting me warned sternly, "Shout again, and I'll cut your tongue out." Amidst the clamor, we finally arrived at the execution ground. As I got out of the vehicle, the policeman behind me suddenly kicked me, knocking me to the ground with a thud. I buried my head, my lifeless eyes desperately glancing around at every corner, only to see a dark mass of people gathered around the execution ground, chattering and pointing at me. I pricked up my ears, but before I could hear what they were saying, I heard a dull thud, as if something had struck the back of my head heavily. After that, I knew nothing more. But I could perfectly imagine my skull shattering, my white brain matter splattering everywhere, and then collapsing forward like a dead dog. My terrified soul, screaming and wailing, would fly away to the heavens! For years, this is how death row inmates have ended their lives!
Ah, how horrible, how tragic, and how pathetic! No, no, everyone must die, but I absolutely do not want to end my life like this! No, I cannot die like this! Thinking of that horrible and pathetic death, I no longer had the courage to commit the heinous act of murder. I withdrew my hand, my heart filled with even greater anxieties: But if I don't kill her, what will happen to this little slut's belly? Aha!
A sudden inspiration struck me: if I strangled her in my own home, I would definitely be implicated. Not only would anyone else report me, but Di Ba Zi would also report me, and I would take Meng Yuan elsewhere, catching her off guard and striking suddenly. If I were lucky, everything would be fine! So, where should I take her to make my move? I pondered for a moment: Yes, take this little vixen on a trip—either Mount Tai, Mount Huang, Mount Hua, Mount Emei, or Zhangjiajie. I'll take Mengyuan to the most scenic, and of course, the most precipitous place. As she stands on the precipice, excitedly admiring the breathtaking wonders of nature, I'll take out my camera and, under the pretext of taking pictures, make her strike various poses. I'll then frequently express my dissatisfaction, even going so far as to walk up to her and help her... I helped her strike various seductive poses, and then, seeing that there was finally no one around, I suddenly stretched my arm forward. I heard Mengyuan scream, and her entire body, like a tiny leaf, was blown by the wind into the abyss. Instantly, it shattered into pieces, flesh and blood flying everywhere, bones torn to pieces. In the end, even the corpse could not be found. It either rolled into the rushing stream and drifted downstream for thousands of miles away; or it was torn apart and pecked by carrion beasts, leaving only a pile of white bones. Even if the police wanted to solve the case, they would have no way to start.
"Honey," just as I was pondering how to deal with this little vixen, Mengyuan suddenly opened her eyes and asked me in her usual soft, seductive voice, "When did you wake up? What were you thinking about?"
"Hmph," I sighed, "Thinking about money, of course. I've been awake for ages, racking my brains for ways to get money!"
"Have you figured out a way?"
"Yes," I said, my resolve hardened, and blurted out, "After thinking it over, I realized there's no other way but to go back to the South and ask Dad for money."
"Hmph," Mengyuan's face darkened with displeasure, "What, you want to run away? No way! I'd rather die than let you go!"
"I don't want to run away! I'm going to get you money!"
"Don't give me that crap," Mengyuan said, "Letting you go to the South is like throwing a fish into the ocean. No matter how long my hook is, it probably won't catch you. I won't let you go, I'd rather die than let you go!"
“But,” I spread my hands, “if you won’t let me go, do you expect me to lie in bed all day hoping money will fall from the ceiling?” To get the little slut to come south with me willingly, I coaxed, “Xiaoyuan, if you don’t trust me, you can come with me. First, we can visit my dad. If he sees how beautiful you are, he might be so pleased that he’ll accept you as his daughter-in-law. Although my dad is very traditional, he has one major flaw: he’s willing to give anything to anyone he likes! Second, we can enjoy the scenery along the way. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
My words actually swayed that little vixen. She hurriedly got out of bed and meticulously washed and dressed herself. Seeing her extremely serious expression, I thought to myself: Damn it, you don't need to be so vain. Tomorrow, or at most the day after, you'll be dead without a burial place!
After getting ready, we went to the ticket hall of the train station. I told Mengyuan to sit on a chair and wait for me while I went to queue up to buy tickets. After a long while, as I squeezed through the crowd with two train tickets in hand, I saw Mengyuan sitting quietly on a chair, her hands resting on her knees. Looking at her beautiful face, I suddenly felt a pang of pity. I quietly sat down next to her. Mengyuan turned around and, with a charmingly coquettish tone, rested her head on my shoulder: "Honey, where are we going for our first stop?"
"Mount Tai!" I answered casually. Mengyuan smiled happily, and I jokingly said, "Little Yuan, aren't you afraid I'll kidnap you if you go out with someone you don't know?"
"No," Mengyuan said calmly, "If I do, so be it. It'll be better to find a place where we can eat!"
"Aren't you afraid I'll harm you?"
“Don’t be afraid,” Mengyuan’s next words sent a shiver down my spine: “Whether it’s abduction or harm, let fate decide!”
As we chatted, it was time to go through the ticket gate. We went through the gate one after the other and sat in the carriage. We continued our aimless chatter. Before we knew it, the train had entered Liaoning Province. The passengers in the carriage had also undergone a subtle change. The familiar, yet bittersweet, local accents of our hometown echoed throughout the carriage. Mengyuan abruptly stopped her chatter with me, then leaned back and looked towards the back of the carriage: "Honey, that person's voice sounds just like my second uncle's!" A moment later, she lifted herself up and looked towards the front of the carriage: "Honey, that woman's voice sounds exactly like my third aunt's! Ah, we're home!"
"What?" I asked, puzzled, looking at Mengyuan's beaming face, "Liaoning is your hometown?" "
Of course," Mengyuan's answer suddenly created a sense of closeness between us: "My ancestral home is Liaoyang, and my maternal grandmother still lives there!"
"Oh," my eyes lit up: "My family is also from Liaoyang. May I ask where in Liaoyang you live?"
"Tong'erbao!"
"My home is Liu Erbao!"
Hearing the familiar, warm local accent, and gazing at the even more familiar land outside the window, I suddenly thought of my grandmother. She had not only toiled her whole life but also traveled extensively, living through three dynasties; she was truly knowledgeable and experienced. Why not get off the train and visit her in my hometown, hoping she could give me some advice or suggestions on how to resolve this young woman's situation? Thinking of this, I suggested to my fellow villager, "Xiaoyuan, since we're in our hometown, why don't we get off and go home?" "
Sure," Mengyuan readily agreed. So, when the train stopped at Liaoyang Station, we indeed got off, hired a taxi, and headed straight for my grandmother's house.
Upon entering, my grandmother saw that I had brought back a strange, alluring young woman. Her face immediately darkened with anger, and without a word, she dragged me aside. Under her stern yet kind gaze, I obediently confessed my actions. Finally, I pitifully begged my grandmother to show me a way out. Grandma loosened her grip on my collar: "This is nothing serious, don't be afraid, watch Grandma." With that, Grandma walked towards the living room, shooing away the uncles, aunts, cousins, and neighbors who had come to watch the spectacle: "Go away, go away, what's so interesting about this? She's not a new bride." Then, Grandma sat opposite Mengyuan, her expression serious, and said: "I know everything about you and my grandson. I didn't know my grandson was improper; what can I do? It's our family's ancestral graves that weren't properly buried! But, a man being a little philanderer isn't a big deal. Besides, it's not shameful for a man; it shows he's capable and competent. Otherwise, what woman would want to be with a penniless good-for-nothing?..."
"But Grandma," Mengyuan pointed to her belly, "at this point, everything else is pointless. What about my belly? What about the baby?"
"What's there to worry about?" Grandma said. "Just give birth to the child. After the paternity test, if it really is my grandson, we'll take him in and raise him just like our other great-grandsons. If not, then don't blame this old lady for being impolite."
"Grandma, this child is your grandson's!"
"It's even better if he's my grandson's. It means my grandson is capable and talented, not only good at attracting women but also able to father children. It means our family is blessed with many children and a thriving family. Girl, just give birth to the child. If you want money, let the officials decide. We'll give whatever the officials decide. As for the child, we will definitely take it back because it's our flesh and blood!"
"Hmph," Mengyuan said, her face flushed red. She stood up abruptly. "If that's the case, I don't want it anymore. Who would give birth to this bastard for your family? It's exhausting, painful, and thankless!" With that, Mengyuan picked up her handbag and walked out of the house without looking back. I hurriedly caught up with her. "Xiaoyuan, where are you going?"
"Go to the hospital," Mengyuan said angrily, "to get an abortion!"
[The Book of Women's Records says]
Men are obsessed with women's genitals; women are attracted to men's pockets! Driven by different motives, they are drawn together, like flames meeting dry tinder, burning fiercely until they are mutually satisfied. But as the heat gradually dissipates, the inherently fickle man becomes obsessed with another woman's genitals. Meanwhile, a cunning woman has already secretly set a trap, becoming pregnant with the man's seed, using this as leverage to demand exorbitant sums, driving the lustful man to the brink of desperation. When he has no other choice but to take desperate measures, countless murders have resulted from such situations! [

From

the Book of Women's Records
, Part Three:
Drunken Peace. The beautiful woman hates her
rosy cheeks and powdered face, her bright eyes and elegant hair.
She wears a soft silk robe, the night breeze carrying the fragrance of artemisia.
The boudoir is like a prison, the beautiful woman like a lamb.
She is chosen at will, when can she escape?]
Chapter One: On the Lowly Maidservants as Beasts, and the Die-Hard Fight for Freedom.
The story goes that the unemployed vagrant Hu Zhuanzhuan wandered into the county town, his beady eyes blinking like a rat, his dog ears perked up. He wandered from street to street, then through alleys, glancing east and west.
After a day, Hu Zhuanzhuan received a lucrative tip: A new trade had suddenly sprung up in the county town. Some people of low character, like Hu Zhuanzhuan, had a few
extra copper coins. Investing in business was a drop in the ocean; buying houses and land was even more meager. So, these cunning individuals, like Hu Zhuanzhuan, had a brilliant idea: buy baby girls from poor families, then use their remaining copper coins to further educate them, sending them to private schools or hiring nannies to teach them needlework. As they grew into adulthood, they not only blossomed into beautiful young women but also possessed high levels of cultural refinement. They were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and skilled in needlework and household chores. They attracted the covetous eyes of wealthy gentlemen and纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy families who indulged in pleasure-seeking). Matchmakers were brought in under the guise of marriage proposals, but in reality, it was a lucrative business. They
spent exorbitant sums to take them as concubines and enjoy their company. Raising daughters and infants required relatively little investment but yielded a substantial return – a "dowry"! Soon, many in the city followed suit, causing this perverse trend to spread rapidly to surrounding towns and villages.
Wow, this business was indeed lucrative; it was truly a highly profitable venture! Hu Zhuanzhuan couldn't help but have a wicked idea: My wife, with her sallow complexion, is so bored all day long, spending her days playing cards and worrying about other people's privacy. Why not find her a job, buy her a baby girl, and take care of her slowly? For a well-off family like ours, having more people is just another mouth to feed, another pair of chopsticks, and another rice bowl. It's no big deal. Besides, a seedling will grow well, and when it's "married
off" in the future, we can get a generous "dowry"!
Hehe, why not? In trendy terms, this is called saving up small amounts for a big payout; in our country folk slang, it's called accumulating small change into larger sums! Hmm, this business is good; let me "hunt and rummage" for it!
The mischievous fellow has finally found a way to "get rich," so let's get moving and "hunt" for supplies!
However, it's easier said than done; where can I "hunt" for this baby girl? Of course, there's no market for selling people in the county town. I can't just go door to door asking, "Excuse me, do you sell your child?" Hehe, that's just asking for trouble. If I encounter a kind person, they'll shake their head, but if I'm unlucky and run into a hot-tempered person, they'll beat me up!
As the cunning Hu Zhuanzhuan was pondering how to "hunt" for a baby girl, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead. Hu Zhuanzhuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the courtyard of the county government was full of idle people, chattering and talking at once. Hu Zhuanzhuan, always eager to go wherever there's trouble or excitement, suddenly perked up and dashed into the courtyard, like a black rat that can get anywhere, squeezing through the gaps in the crowd.
Amidst the shouts and curses, Hu Zhuanzhuan finally made his way through the crowd. He looked closely and saw, well, at the foot of the wall of the county government compound, piles of chests and cabinets of all sizes, bolts of cloth, carriages, large brown-red horses, small gray-black donkeys, gentle and elegant old oxen... there
were even desperate women and bewildered children. They were dressed in rags, their faces dirty. What was truly astonishing was that each woman and child had a wooden yoke around their neck, larger than a dining table. They knelt laboriously in the corner, their faces full of sorrow, their heads drooping under the weight. The tabletop-sized yoke twisted and turned comically.
A crowd of onlookers, three layers deep on the left and three layers on the right, their faces beaming with schadenfreude, pointed and gestured at the large tables without a shred of pity. Because the misfortune hadn't befallen them, the onlookers seemed so happy; so smug; so joyful; so relaxed; so carefree; so...
Ah, look... how happy they are! They chat and laugh, shoving and jostling, some even dramatically stretching out their arms to grab others' necks, gesturing wildly across the enormous tables, their hands constantly expanding outwards. Watching the suffering and embarrassment of others brought these people a wealth of imagination and endless pleasure.
Amidst the rising and falling noise, Hu Zhuanzhuan finally learned that a wealthy family had been convicted of some fabricated, perhaps fabricated, or possibly fabricated, crime of treason. The government had seized their property, and the head of the household had been beheaded and his bloodied head hung on the city gate tower, baring his teeth and staring with a look of grievance and helplessness at the tables in the county government compound.
At that moment, the county magistrate was carrying out the emperor's decree, publicly auctioning off the criminal's property and family members. Goods, livestock, and even the living were displayed together for sale, and everyone was vying to buy them. For a time, the county government compound was bustling with activity.
"Look, this little girl is quite pretty," among the auctioned dining table, a little girl attracted everyone's attention. While the other women were weeping, causing the table to tremble, this little girl, enduring her grief, stood proudly upright with her slender neck held in the keyhole. Her eyes held sorrowful tears, and her hateful gaze ignored the contempt of the crowd, staring unblinkingly into the distance, her small white teeth tightly biting her dry red lips. Someone whispered,
"I wonder how much she'll fetch!"
"She's pretty," the wicked traffickers discussed with an expert's tone, their expressions and manner as if they were scrutinizing livestock, as if appraising a piglet:
"But she's too old, she can already remember things. If we buy her home, she won't be easy to train!"
Hearing the traffickers' comments, the little girl turned her face, her large desk radar scanning towards the traffickers, her two bright eyes fiercely staring at the ugly man. The traffickers took a step back:
"See? I wasn't wrong, was I? She understands everything. Look at her eyes, full of hatred. If we buy her home and painstakingly raise her, not only will we not develop any affection, but she'll become our enemy. What's the point? Isn't this just asking for trouble?"
Heh, you don't want her, but I will! Knowing that the traffickers were unwilling to buy the pretty and strong-willed little girl, Hu Zhuanzhuan didn't think much of it. He squeezed through the crowd, bowing and scraping as he approached the clerk's desk. Hu Zhuanzhuan explained his purpose, and with a flourish of his pen, the document was written in black and white, then stamped with the county government seal. The required silver would be paid in full along with taxes in the autumn. Thus, a transaction
involving the sale of a living person was completed so simply. Having made a trip to the county town, Hu Zhuanzhuan had gotten a great deal, acquiring a clever and beautiful little girl for an extremely low price, and without paying cash. After taking the little girl home, Hu Zhuanzhuan went to his neighbor's house to find his wife—a plump woman who loved sparrows. Only the little girl remained in the house. Facing the unfamiliar surroundings, the little girl felt as if she had entered another world. Gone were the grand mansion, the brightly lit buildings, the lavish banquets, and the melodious sounds of the guqin from her memories. All the little girl saw was a narrow, disorderly, messy, and filthy courtyard; dilapidated houses, crooked and sunken like cellars, emanating a strange, putrid stench.
Hu Zhuanzhuan quickly led the fat woman back. She had just suffered a crushing defeat and was in a terrible mood. Hearing Hu Zhuanzhuan's explanation, her mood plummeted: "He's just worried I'll be idle! He's given me this piece of furniture! I can't even be bothered to take care of my own child; my mother raised her with all her help. Now he wants me to take care of a little girl? Isn't this just giving me a hard time? I don't have the time! My mind is on mahjong!"
Despite her reluctance, the fat woman didn't dare offend Hu Zhuanzhuan. Their shared love of mahjong had led to frequent arguments—a minor quarrel every three days, a major battle every five—it had become an ironclad rule. Seeing the little girl, and remembering the glorious yet arduous revolutionary task ahead, the fat woman's head tilted. With such a heavy responsibility on her shoulders, she suddenly felt a sense of honor, or rather, pride—or more precisely, a sense of superiority, an air of dominance. Ah, this feeling was truly wonderful; she had never experienced anything like it before, even more exhilarating than being brutally raped by a man.
"From now on, if you don't behave, I'll beat you to death!" The fat woman, with her plump chest and greasy face, shook her round, heavy hand:
"Little brat, once you're in my house, you'd better behave, or you'll regret it!
Humph, humph..."
The fat woman managed the little girl's daily life. Just like a fool visiting his neighbor during the New Year, Hu Zhuanzhuan followed the same method, inviting the most learned man in the village, a poor scholar who had spent his whole life studying ancient books but could never pass the imperial examinations, to teach the little girl to read and write. Seeing how beautiful the little girl was, with her delicate features, white teeth, and red lips, the impoverished old scholar patted her head with affection:
"Ah, what a good child! If it weren't for our family's misfortune, she would surely grow up to be a graceful lady, a daughter of a noble family! Alas, child, you and I are both unlucky, with bad fates. I've studied my whole life but failed the imperial examinations, and you, my daughter, have fallen on hard times before you even reached adulthood, your bright future ruined. Alas, we are both pitiful..." "
Ugh, ugh, ugh," hearing the old scholar's heartfelt words, the little girl, who had been stubbornly biting her lip, could no longer hold back. Tears that had been welling up in her eyes streamed down her face, and she sobbed with immense grievance, her frail body convulsing violently as she tried to suppress her sobs:
"Ugh, ugh, ugh..."
"Alas," the old scholar sincerely comforted her.
"My dear girl, don't be sad. Just accept your fate for now. Study hard, and destiny won't always play tricks on us. Maybe you'll meet a benefactor someday and your luck will turn around. If you're lucky, you might even become a noble lady! Oh, look at this little girl, her head is so pointed, she'll definitely grow tall! Oh, look at her slender arms and long legs, she'll surely be graceful when she grows up! My little girl," perhaps showing off his knowledge, the old scholar gave the little girl a rather boastful name:
"Little girl, now that you've arrived at your new home, with a new father and mother, and started a new life, you should have a new name. How about you be called Yao Niang?"
The shrewd human trafficker was right after all. This little girl, who had been auctioned off by the government and renamed by the pedantic scholar, was indeed unruly. Perhaps because she was a bit older, she had her own ideas. When she arrived at Mr. Hu's house, no matter how Mr. and Mrs. Hu tried to manage her, Yao Niang always resisted with silence.
The old scholar tried to teach Yao Niang, but the little girl, holding the book, stared blankly out the window. The plump woman taught Yao Niang needlework, but the little girl pouted, her small hands flailing about, turning a perfectly good piece of silk into a mess of holes and wrinkles. The plump woman, enraged, yelled and grabbed Yao Niang's delicate face, shaking it violently. Yao Niang groaned in pain. Seeing this, Hu Zhuanzhuan rushed over to stop her:
"Old woman, are you stupid? Yao Niang sells her face for money! If you ruin it, who will want her? If she's disobedient, you should hit her where no one can see! Don't ruin the reputation!"
Hu Zhuanzhuan's words reminded the plump woman. She released Yao Niang's face, her plump hand reaching into the little girl's crotch, gripping the white flesh of Yao Niang's inner thigh tightly:
"I'll strangle you! I'll strangle you!"
"Ouch—Mom—Mom," the intense pain caused the little girl to collapse to the ground, her small hands desperately pushing against the iron-like grip, her delicate body convulsing pitifully, sighing repeatedly, her fiery eyes coldly staring at the fat woman:
"Ouch—Mom—Mom!"
"Ah," as the fat woman continued pinching, she couldn't help but let out a heartfelt sigh, her plump body suddenly trembling, experiencing an elusive pleasure that flashed by with immense regret. To regain this pleasure, the fat woman's hands continued to grope and pinch the little girl's inner thighs. The little girl's defiant, low, and mournful sobs were so loud that even Hu Zhuanzhuan couldn't hear them. He raised his foot and gently kicked the fat woman's buttocks:
"That's enough, that's enough, stop being so arrogant. You can't keep pinching her thigh like that. If she gets sick and walks with a limp, it'll be even more troublesome, and no one will want her anymore. She'll just be stuck at home, eating for nothing for the rest of her life!"
"Get up and get to work," the fat woman said, knowing that her husband wouldn't allow her to mistreat the little girl excessively. She pulled the girl away, grabbed her ear, and led her to the vegetable garden, ordering her maid to weed.
The little girl gave the fat woman a hateful look, endured the pain in her inner thigh, and laboriously squatted down, then buried herself in the vegetable garden and began to work.
After a while, when the fat women went to inspect the garden again, they were enraged once more. The weeds were still growing vigorously, while the immature vegetable seedlings had all been pulled up by the slender woman, lying lifeless on the ridges. The helpless little girl protested the fat women's abuse in this way, silently sitting at the edge of the furrow, waiting for the fat women's continued torment.
"That wretched girl, what a wicked devil! Good-for-nothing, only good for causing trouble! I'll beat you to death!" The fat women swung their hoes and pounced on the slender woman. The little girl neither dodged nor resisted, sitting blankly on the ground, chest held high, calmly waiting for the hoe to smash her head, ending her tragic little life.
"Whoa!" The strong, fearless young girl shocked the fat woman, who abruptly stopped mid-swing of her hoe:
"You're not afraid to die, but I'm not! I'm counting on you to pay me!" With that, the fat woman threw down the hoe and walked away, cursing.
The woman sat defiantly on the ridge, her palm stroking the small grass in the soil: "Little grass, do you know why I didn't pull you out? I pity you so much, I sympathize with you so much!" The young girl's nose stung: "But who pities me? Who sympathizes with me? My fate is even worse than a blade of grass. I am a slave, of lowly and contemptible status. In this world, I am just a lamb to the slaughter, living a life of constant uncertainty!"
The birdsong of autumn interrupted Yao Niang's reverie. A flock of sparrows gathered on a branch, some chatting happily, others flying freely. The little girl looked up, her face streaked with tears, her hands supporting her cheeks: "How happy these birds are! I envy you so much. When will I be able to break free from the shackles of this despicable couple, escape this stinking, suffocating cage, and soar freely like the birds in the trees?"
"Look," the fat women returned to the vegetable garden, shoving a bowl of rice into Yao Niang's small hands:
"Eat, eat, you useless thing, a freeloader who does no work!"
Holding the steaming rice, Yao Niang's nose stung, tears blurring her vision: "What meaning does my life have? I'm just a beast kept in that pen. Pigs are fattened up and then slaughtered; I'm raised to adulthood and sold to rich men as concubines, becoming the playthings of wealthy lords."
Thinking of this, Yao Niang threw the rice in her bowl into the ditch, quietly slipped back to her bedroom, lay flat on the bed, and began a hunger strike: "I'd rather starve to death than become someone's concubine!"
Gradually, hunger, pain, and exhaustion overwhelmed her at the same time. Yao Niang became delirious, closed her tear-filled eyes, and a beautiful, yet unattainable, fairytale world immediately appeared in the young girl's mind:
looking around, she saw lush green trees, abundant flowers and grass, babbling brooks, and birds singing love songs in the treetops; a little monkey scratching its ears and cheeks teasing its chasing lover; and a pair of fish in love suddenly leaping out of the stream, their tails paddling in perfect harmony, performing a double water ballet. Here, there were no government offices, no auction houses, no human traffickers, no cold-blooded philistines, no beatings, no servitude, and certainly no abuse. This was a joyful garden, and Yao Niang felt as if she had entered a fairyland.
"Miss, where did you come from?" a soft voice called from behind. Yao Niang turned around to see a boy of about her age standing smiling among the flowers. The young girl returned a faint smile, but remembering her pitiful, pathetic, and utterly despicable past, she was momentarily at a loss for words. Her face flushed red and swollen:
"I, I..."
The boy gazed intently at Yao Niang, making the young girl feel incredibly embarrassed, yet unwilling to look away. The boy seemed to possess a strange attraction, both captivating Yao Niang and unsettling the young girl. What was it that was so alluring? The young girl, of course, couldn't explain it!
"Here," the boy held out his hand, offering a fragrant piece of fruit:
"Have some to quench your thirst!"
"No, I don't want any, thank you!" Before the boy, Yao Niang's inherent stubbornness vanished; she was so timid, so obedient, so shy—even she herself was quite puzzled. Although her head was lowered, the girl still felt the boy approaching. Her innate shyness made her turn away, not willingly, but still pretending to dodge, like a little monkey feigning to avoid its lover's pursuit!
"Ouch!" Perhaps due to the haste of her movements, or perhaps because she was preoccupied, the little girl's chest scraped against the grass as she turned around abruptly. A seemingly delicate blade of grass pierced her clothes, precisely into her undeveloped nipple. A sharp pain shot through her body, and the girl cried out in astonishment. She turned back to look for the boy for help, but all she saw was darkness. There was no fairytale world; there was no boy. Everything was illusory and dreamlike. Only the pain in her nipple was real:
"Ouch, ouch, ouch..."
After a series of cries and kicks, the girl finally opened her eyes. To her great surprise, the fat woman had somehow entered the room and was sitting beside her, unbuttoning her clothes and poking her pink nipple with a thick, black pig bristle. The young woman broke out in a cold sweat and sat bolt upright. The fat woman twirled a pig bristle between her fingers, and the young woman clearly saw traces of blood at the tip of the bristle. The
fat woman seemed to gain some satisfaction:
"Heh, you little brat, if you dare waste food again, I have many ways to teach you a lesson!"
The second chapter, "A Flower's First Bud Unfolds, a Wicked Husband and Wife Eager to Cash Out
," is not without reason: "A seedling will grow strong!" Through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, through the changing seasons, under the ruthless abuse of the fat women, the little beauty grew into a mature woman, like a flower battered and bruised, yet standing proudly.
Just as the old scholar had predicted, the mature woman blossomed into a tall, slender figure with a willow-like waist—truly exceptionally graceful! Indeed, a girl's beauty blossoms with age, becoming more and more striking. Everything about the woman changed: her complexion, her face, her voice, her figure… only one thing remained unchanged, and would never change—her indomitable spirit! The mature woman's strong character not only remained unchanged but seemed even stronger than that of the little woman she had been as a child!
Looking at the flower-like beauty, gazing at her fair and tender face, Hu Zhuanzhuan and his wife seemed to see piles of silver in their eyes; the young woman exuded an alluring fragrance, but the wicked couple only smelled the stench of rotting copper coins: Ah! Hu Zhuanzhuan sighed deeply, filled with emotion:
"It's been so long, after waiting for so many years, I finally see hope, I smell the scent of money!"
"Let me tell you," the fat woman immediately perked up at the mention of money:
"Half of the money from the sale must go to me. Over the years, how much precious time I've wasted raising her, how many times I've missed playing mahjong, how many copper coins I've lost to win!"
Listening to the couple's chatter, the young woman sensed that her peaceful life was about to end, and even more humiliating days were about to begin. She would be sold off like livestock by Hu Zhuanzhuan and his wife, who knew whose plaything she would become.
As the girl grew older, she became more aware of things and her dreams multiplied. Her heart was filled with fantasies, the biggest of which was to escape this prison-like life and live a simple, ordinary life with the book-loving boy of her dreams. She would farm and weave, while he studied, hoping to one day pass the
imperial examinations and achieve fame. So, in order to turn the tender, beautiful girl into gleaming silver as soon as possible, Hu Zhuanzhuan traveled all over the world again. He went from house to house, looking for a suitable buyer for the girl:
"Girl, a customer has arrived! Come out and greet him!" Hard work pays off. After wearing out the soles of his shoes, Hu Zhuanzhuan finally found a buyer. As soon as the girl entered the house, Hu Zhuanzhuan called out loudly and softly, telling her to dress up and come out to greet the customer, just like a commodity, standing in front of the customer, letting him pick and choose.
Yao Niang leaned against the bed, lost in her daydreams. Whenever she thought of the book-loving boy in her mind, a happy smile would bloom on her beautiful face. Hearing Hu Zhuanzhuan's clamor, the girl was naturally unwilling and stubbornly refused to go out to see the guest. Driven by greed, the fat women shoved and dragged the slender woman before the buyer, like catching a pig. Finally, panting heavily and spitting foul breath, they patted the woman's waist like livestock dealers:
"Sir, look at this face, this figure, absolutely top-quality goods!"
Under the fat women's pats, the slender woman buried her head in shame. The women's undisguised words deeply wounded the girl's pride, while the buyer's sharp eyes darted over her body, making her extremely uncomfortable, her skin itching as if crawling with maggots.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad. Old Hu, how much are you planning to sell this girl for? Name your price, let me hear it!"
Hu Zhuanzhuan's expectations were too high. He thought he held a treasure in his hands, and with his mouth agape, he seemed to want to swallow a mountain of gold. Upon hearing this, the buyer jumped up in fright. After a moment of hesitation, the buyer stuck out his tongue in surprise and shrugged his shoulders:
"Too expensive, I can't afford it!" After saying that, the buyer put his hands behind his back and walked away. At the door, he threw out a sentence indifferently. Hu Zhuanzhuan and his wife didn't take it to heart, but it made Yao Niang furious:
"What the hell? Daring to sell her for that much money? Is she a gold cunt? Is it inlaid with gold or something! Humph,"
Yao Niang felt greatly insulted and ran back into the house in tears. The fat woman complained to Hu Zhuanzhuan with a face full of displeasure:
“You know, everyone wants to sell more, but you have to at least make a reasonable price! Asking for prices like this, without any basis, will never sell her. She's not a child anymore, and you keep her at home like this, you can't scold her, you spoil her like a princess. Not only does she eat for free every day, but there's also rouge, face powder, fake paper, and so on—all of that costs money! Who can afford that?”
To get rid of Yao Niang as quickly as possible and turn her into real money, Hu Zhuanzhuan could no longer ask for exorbitant prices. He had to calmly face reality, compare his price to others in the industry, and then set a slightly higher price. This method worked! Sure enough, another buyer came to inspect the goods. So, Hu Zhuanzhuan raised his booming
, donkey-like voice again: "Yaoniang, guests are here! Go out and greet them!"
"I'm not going, I have a headache," Yaoniang refused to be treated like a plaything, placed before strangers for them to judge and pick and choose. Pushed and shoved by the fat women, Yaoniang mumbled embarrassedly, shrinking back. The fat women wouldn't give in:
"If you feel embarrassed, why don't you cooperate with us, please the guests, and get yourself out of here? You'll have a place to enjoy yourself, eat and drink well, and we'll get our money. Everyone gets what they want, and we'll all be done!"
Please the guests? Pah! Dream on! Yao Niang cursed inwardly, determined never to please a customer. In her heart, only one boy could please her; he only appeared in her dreams, fleeting and unattainable! The fat woman's words seemed to remind Yao Niang. She glanced at the old woman instinctively, no longer backing away. Seeing Yao Niang's bewildered and helpless expression, the fat woman grinned lewdly:
"Women are all the same sooner or later. Whom they marry doesn't matter. It's all about food and clothing! Just think positively, if everyone cooperates, this matter will be settled!"
"Master, look how beautiful this young lady is! How lovely!" Seeing Yao Niang emerge from her room with a distressed expression, the woman tugged at the buyer's sleeve, introducing Yao Niang in an incredibly nauseatingly sweet manner, making the girl blush and feel extremely uncomfortable.
“Oh,” the buyer was a decrepit old man nearing sixty. Yao Niang glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Judging from his attire, he was definitely a wealthy fellow, but the jewels he wore added no luster to his aged, withered face; his luxurious clothes couldn't conceal the stench of a rotting corpse. The old man stared intently at Yao Niang, his wrinkled face twitching as if in a stroke, disgusting saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth:
“How wonderful, how handsome I am!”
Hearing the stinking corpse utter such an old man's sigh, Hu Zhuanzhuan thought his chance to make money had finally arrived. He lifted Yao Niang's face:
“Come, come, lift your head, let the master take a good look. Don't be shy, listen to me, lift your head!”
The stench emanating from the old man made Yao Niang want to vomit. Yao Niang cried out in agony: It was unimaginable! Being with such a man was like sleeping with a corpse—disgusting and terrifying! The old man's lecherous gaze made it clear: "Little beauty, I've taken a liking to you. After I negotiate the price, you'll come with me to our bridal chamber, hehe!"
"Let me take a good look," the old man said, leaning closer and lecherously eyeing the young woman, his breath emitting a stench so strong it could knock someone to the ground. Not only could the young woman not stand it, but even the plump woman standing behind her grinned: "My breath is stinky enough, but this old bastard's is ten times stinkier! His internal organs must be rotten to the core!
" My God, I absolutely cannot live with such a walking corpse! In desperation, facing the trembling old man, the young woman suddenly had an idea. She imitated the old man, her body convulsing as if possessed.
"Hehe, hehe, hehe..."
The young woman, abandoning her usual quiet and shy demeanor, grinned foolishly under the old man's gaze, drooling profusely that dripped down her chin and neck. The old man was quite surprised:
"What? You looked pretty at first glance, but you're a fool! No…no! I don't want it for any price…"
"Hmph, you slut, pretending to be crazy, deliberately trying to go against me!" The young woman's actions ruthlessly ruined Hu Zhuanzhuan's business. After the old man left, the plump women grumbled and scolded the young woman, stamping their feet in anger, but dared not lay a hand on her. If they injured her, they would be even less able to act!
If this deal didn't work out, then they'd keep trying. Hu Zhuanzhuan's house had buyers almost every day, but Yao Niang was completely uncooperative. She always found ways to humiliate herself and ruin her image—either by grinning foolishly, drooling, or making rude remarks, even burping and farting—leaving Hu Zhuanzhuan utterly embarrassed, while the buyers were left bewildered.
And so it went, from the dead of winter to the blooming spring, more than half a year had passed, and Yao Niang still hadn't made a sale. The plump woman lamented,
"Sigh, she's been eating for free for half a year again!"
"A guest is here!" Hu Zhuanzhuan, sweating profusely, turned into the house and said to the grumbling old woman,
"Stop nagging! Hurry up and tidy up the house; the buyer is on their way, they'll be here soon!"
"Even if they come, it'll be useless; we still won't sell!" the plump woman muttered without any confidence.
Hu Zhuanzhuan suggested,
"Always complaining about not being able to sell, can't you use your brain a little more? You're always so rigid about the price, like it's a government-set price, not willing to budge a single penny. Selling like this, you'll sell Yao Niang into an old woman and still not sell her!"
"Is it all my fault that she can't sell her?" Yao Niang hesitated to sell, and the plump woman was full of grievances:
"Whenever a customer comes, she pretends to be crazy. Who would want her?"
Because of Yao Niang's uncooperativeness, the seller they had finally found was ruined. The plump woman shoved Yao Niang impatiently, while Hu Zhuanzhuan glared and said,
"Yes, that is indeed a problem," Hu Zhuanzhuan tried to calm himself down. He glanced at Yao Niang in the boudoir and whispered:
"Hmph, you slut, I refuse to believe that with my years of experience navigating the world, I can't even fool someone with something this small!"
Hu Zhuanzhuan's beady eyes darted around for a while, and finally, a plan formed in his mind. While the old woman viciously cursed Yao Niang, Hu Zhuanzhuan silently walked out of the house, picked up a hoe, and, seeing this, the old woman leaned out of the window with her sallow face, muttering in confusion,
"Heh heh, husband, what's with the wind today? Why are you suddenly thinking about farm work? I've been with you for half my life, and I've never seen you touch a hoe before!"
"Old woman," Hu Zhuanzhuan said as he walked out of the yard,
"Stop nagging and keep an eye on Yao Niang. Make sure she's dressed up nicely. I have my own plans, hmph!"
Chapter Three: Hu Zhuanzhuan's clever tongue tricked the greedy man; the miser spent a fortune to buy a beautiful maid
. He ate and drank his fill and asked for nothing more, but bought a beautiful maid to enjoy her tenderness.
Her graceful, alluring manner, her captivating glances and alluring smiles,
alluring and seductive. The fragrance of her perfume intoxicates, her trembling lips drooling. After the betrothal gifts are paid and she
is led home, her troubles will never end.
Winter fades into spring, the grass grows lush and green, the earth bursts with life again. Just after Grain Rain, farming begins in earnest. Hu Zhuanzhuan, hoe in hand, ostensibly works for a wealthy landlord, but in reality, he's searching for a suitable buyer for Yaoniang.
Yaoniang remains unsold. The cunning Hu Zhuanzhuan concludes: previous buyers were all found in the market, each a shrewd businessman, each more cunning than the last. You can't expect to get a single penny off them. After summarizing his findings, Hu Zhuanzhuan decided to find another way to make money, and began to scheme against the nouveau riche: these guys had money, but were reluctant to spend it. All they did all day was eat, sleep, and work. He needed to find a clever way to "entice" them and stimulate their spending desires!
He'd heard that Li Youcai, once unremarkable and penniless, had, through a lifetime of hard work, frugality, and careful budgeting, finally acquired hundreds of acres of fertile land and built a fashionable, three-courtyard mansion that best reflected his status and wealth. So, Hu Zhuanzhuan went to Li Youcai's residence and offered to work as a laborer.
After a few days, Hu Zhuanzhuan's analysis proved correct. This Li Youcai was not only a nouveau riche but also a miser, a hoarder of money. He had no other interests besides money; he wouldn't even spend money on a concubine, let alone buy a bottle of rice wine. Hu Zhuanzhuan secretly resolved: a stingy wretch! A miser! This is exactly the boss I've been looking for. Don't worry, no matter how tough the challenge, I'll crack it down.
Right now, the most important farm work is weeding the fields to ensure the seedlings grow strong. Although he's now a landlord, Li Youcai hasn't lost his love of labor. He personally leads his day laborers, working under the scorching sun to weed and hoe the fields. Eager to make money, the old landlord, despite owning a hundred acres of fertile land, still felt the yield was too low and the profits too slow. So, he leased two hundred acres of waterlogged land from Wang Danao, a landlord in the neighboring village, at a low price and planted soybeans, which were in high demand in the market!
Hu Zhuanzhuan had no interest in farm work, and he wasn't good at it anyway. Li Youcai, a farmer by trade, naturally disapproved of Hu Zhuanzhuan and followed him around, constantly nagging. Seeing that he still wasn't up to the task and couldn't do anything right, the old landlord wasn't willing to support such a good-for-nothing who did nothing but eat and drink. So, he coldly and ruthlessly issued his final ultimatum:
"Hey buddy, if you continue like this and don't improve, I won't use you anymore!"
"Fine, I won't work either," Hu Zhuanzhuan said, throwing down his hoe. He had no choice; his palms were blistered and itchy, making it impossible to hold the handle.
"Sigh, I can't do this anymore. I'm quitting. What's the point of working myself to the bone? What's the point of all that toiling? Who gets all the gold, silver, and land for?"
Seeing that the old rich man was no longer paying attention to him and was busy supervising the other laborers, Hu Zhuanzhuan followed behind him, muttering insinuations and pointing fingers: "What? What? Money means you should enjoy life? The greatest pleasure in life is women, so if you want to live for the moment, you should keep maids and concubines! What, sir, am I wrong? This is fashion! Keeping maids and concubines is not only fashion, but also a symbol of wealth. What? What? Brother, you, you've lived a wasted life! Even if you have countless houses and lands, mountains of copper coins, I won't envy you, because you don't know how to live!" He built a huge mansion but had no maids or concubines. It seemed empty and desolate, and he always felt that something was missing. He could not be classified as a wealthy person. He should be considered a low-class, nouveau riche who did not know how to enjoy life. To put it bluntly, he was a "country bumpkin"!
"What? What did you say?" Hu Zhuanzhuan's words deeply wounded the old landlord's pride. Li Youcai turned around and glared fiercely at Hu Zhuanzhuan:
"Who are you calling a country bumpkin? Hmm, who are you calling a country bumpkin?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Hu Zhuanzhuan hurriedly apologized, but the old landlord was very unconvinced:
"What's this? It's just buying a maid. I can afford that. It's not that I'm stingy, but my old woman won't allow it. Once she's home, I won't have a peaceful day. I'll be nagged to death by her, or yelled at to death by her!"
"Lunch is served! Lunch is served!" At noon, the day laborer responsible for cooking came to the ditch with his load. The day laborers stopped what they were doing and gathered around. Hu Zhuanzhuan's stomach also rumbled. The old landlord glanced at him:
"Let me tell you, this is your last meal. After lunch, you can go and do whatever you want!"
Hu Zhuanzhuan, shameless as ever, picked up a piece of steamed bun and joined several farmers in the shade of the trees at the edge of the furrow. While eating their last lunch, they subtly began to discuss women. Hu Zhuanzhuan wasn't good at farm work, but he spoke of women with great vividness, his face lighting up with excitement as he recounted his stories. Li Youcai, listening intently, was captivated: "Damn it, look at what he's saying! It's so detailed and saccharine, it's
almost sickeningly sweet! Why didn't I feel this way with my wife? Are concubines really that good? Aren't all women the same thing? They all have one eye, so how can they be so different?" "Haha," Hu Zhuanzhuan grew increasingly excited, flour crumbs glistening on his lips, as he gave a final, concluding statement of his erudition:
"In short, a nap, a second wife! The greatest pleasures in life!"
Oh, a nap? A second wife? The old rich man thought to himself: "I've never enjoyed having a second wife, but as for taking a nap, I do every day. Hmm, that feeling is truly wonderful! After waking up, I feel light and refreshed, full of energy, and when I work, I have inexhaustible strength!"
Thinking about the work, the old rich man couldn't help but feel aggrieved: "By any standard, I've reached the level of a landlord, yet I still have to work in the fields with a bunch of farmers, hoeing the ground, and eating dumplings with them. And I'm not even as good as a farmer! Look at this guy, he's not good at any farm work, yet he lives a more carefree life than me. Look at his rosy complexion, he lives quite comfortably, at least better than me. He has two wives, deeply understanding the truth of 'taking a nap, having a second wife!' And me? I only have one ugly old woman, and she's already past her prime!"
Thinking of this, Li Youcai suddenly had the idea of keeping a maid. After lunch, encouraged by several farmers and guided by Hu Zhuanzhuan, Li Youcai, still not understanding what kind of lustful poison had bewitched him, obediently followed Hu Zhuanzhuan like a child, and, bewitched, entered Hu's house. Afterwards, the old rich man found a flimsy excuse for himself: "Maybe it was just spite. You all look down on this old man, huh? I have money, I'll buy a maid today and show you!"
On the edge of the field, Hu Zhuanzhuan was just blatantly boasting. He didn't have any concubines, and he had never experienced the so-called "second wife." Like the old rich man, Hu Zhuanzhuan's family also had an old, sallow-faced woman—a plump woman. Seeing Hu Zhuanzhuan arrive with a stranger, the plump woman hurriedly came out to greet him, habitually saying,
"Master, please come in!"
While feigning hospitality towards the stranger, the plump woman secretly sized up Li Youcai. This wealthy old man, with his vast estate and fertile land, was dressed in coarse cloth, wearing a worn-out felt hat, a thick hemp rope around his waist, and his trousers rolled up high. His bare feet, clad in straw sandals, were covered in yellow mud, as he had just waded through the furrows.
Looking at him, the old woman couldn't help but mutter to herself: Him? He's here to buy a maid? My husband, can't you stop joking?!
Appearances can be deceiving. Hu Zhuanzhuan, eager to make money, had no time for jokes. Seeing his wife's disdainful glance at Li Youcai, Hu Zhuanzhuan fully understood her thoughts. Taking advantage of the old man's tea-drinking, Hu Zhuanzhuan quietly pulled his wife aside, winking and whispering mysteriously.
The plump woman nodded repeatedly, continuing to glance at Li Youcai: "Sigh, this old geezer, he's got some money, yet he's dressed like this. To put it nicely, it's called simple attire, but too much simplicity becomes shabby!" After listening to her husband's story, the shrewd and worldly-wise plump woman had already guessed seven-tenths of what was going on:
he was a complete bumpkin who only knew money. The reason he wanted to buy a maid was entirely because he had fallen for my husband's provocation. He was putting on a show out of spite, just putting on a facade. Moreover, judging from his speech, he seemed to have no culture at all. His words were blunt and vulgar, vulgar to the point of being obscene and shameless. I doubted whether he could even write his own name!
"I've heard you have a young virgin, so beautiful and delicate, incredibly fresh and hot," the old rich man said arrogantly, his pockets brimming with cash. He put down his teacup and cut to the chase:
"You've got it all set in stone. Call her out so I can see her. If she's really like that, name your price, and we'll discuss it!"
"Sir!" The plump woman, her face crinkled with a forced smile, lifted the curtain, about to call the young woman out to greet the guest. Hu Zhuanzhuan quickly glared at the old woman. The plump woman understood, her mind racing. To avoid the usual situation, she declined the old rich man's offer, claiming the young woman was too shy to meet guests. Li Youcai was quite displeased:
"I understand. What young virgin wants to be seen by strangers? But, when you buy something, you should at least take a look and know what you're buying!"
"Sir," Hu Zhuanzhuan interjected, seizing the opportunity.
“It’s only natural for a young lady to be shy. If you wish to catch a glimpse, why not peek through the curtain?” With that, Hu Zhuanzhuan, though seemingly eager, cautiously lifted a corner of the curtain, her claw-like fingers creating a narrow gap:
“Master, please be quiet, take a good look!”
The old rich man approached the door, squinting his eyes as he peered inside. There he saw:
a graceful maidservant, her breasts high and her hair flowing.
Sunlight bathed her oval face, a gentle breeze caressed her willow-leaf eyebrows.
Cherry lips dripped with honey, her thick, red lips tinged with sweetness.
This old man’s lustful thoughts stirred. May I ask, beautiful lady, who are you?
"Her, her," the woman inside made the nouveau riche's mouth water. He chuckled and asked the plump woman,
"What's her name?"
"Yaoniang!" the plump woman replied casually,
"Yaoniang, sir, this girl is called Yaoniang. Listen to that, what a beautiful name! Not only is she beautiful and pretty, but her name is also lovely and melodious, full of poetic charm, hehe."
"How much does she cost?" The nouveau riche couldn't read a single word, let alone understand poetry and charm. Based on his intuition, Li Youcai felt that this woman must be much more obedient than his wife. He would buy her and take her home to enjoy her slowly, to taste what it was like to have a second wife. Since the old rich man was herding pigs in the alley, he was straightforward, and the plump woman was equally direct:
"Ten thousand coins, sir. If you like it, give me ten thousand coins and you can take it home!" "
What?" Li Youcai jumped up with a thud:
"What? What did you say? What kind of rubbish dares to ask for ten thousand coins! How much does an acre of good fertile land cost?"
The old rich man muttered that the price was too high, but his eyes never left the curtain. The plump woman saw this and smiled to herself. She stepped forward:
"What, not worth it?" The plump woman gently shook the curtain, sometimes fastening it, sometimes lifting it, making the old rich man quite anxious. He didn't want to look, yet he was envious; he wanted to look, yet he couldn't. Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept by, lightly brushing past the beautiful woman, carrying her alluring fragrance into Li Youcai's parched heart: "How fragrant! Ten thousand coins for a living person, young and beautiful, and so fragrant—worth it, worth it!"
"No, you can't just offer one price! You have to leave some room for negotiation! You have to lower the price, otherwise, I won't buy it!"
So, Li Youcai and the fat woman, those two old geezers, one puffing out his beard, the other glaring, relentlessly haggled. Li Youcai, pretending to be nonchalant, stood between the two old men, glancing at the old man and then at the old woman, a cold smile playing on his lips, his fingers twirling aimlessly, humming a popular tune.
“Alright,” the fat woman slammed her hand on the table, startling Hu Zhuanzhuan:
“It’s a deal, this is the price, and it’s settled. No one is allowed to go back on their word!”
The price the two old men finally agreed on was that Li Youcai would pay 9,500 copper coins to take Yao Niang home, and the fat woman would handle and pay for all the necessary procedures and expenses related to the sale of Yao Niang.
"Alright, you wait here," Li Youcai said, tossing out the agreed price before turning and leaving.
"I'm going back to my manor to get the money!"
"Damn it," the plump woman muttered, watching the old man's retreating figure.
"What a miser! He won't budge an inch! He can argue all day over a single copper coin! I'm speechless!
I don't have that kind of patience!"
In the fourth chapter, the beautiful concubine, though sickly, was brought
to Li Youcai's manor after a medical examination and prescription. Having paid the money and completed the formalities, they hired a sedan chair and a band of musicians, making a grand entrance and sending the beautiful concubine to Li Youcai's residence. The rich man's wife was momentarily confused. When she saw the beautifully dressed concubine step out of the sedan chair, she immediately understood what was happening. She was instantly filled with jealousy, but with others present, the old woman refrained from her outburst, giving Li Youcai some face.
After the servants finished their business and dispersed, the old woman grabbed Yao Niang's arm, grumbled, and shoved her into the inner room. She then slammed the door shut, locked it, and went to feed the chickens. Li Youcai watched, indignant: "Damn it! Zhang San won't eat dead children, it's all because the living spoil him. As for me, Li Youcai, besides eating and working, I have no other hobbies. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't gamble, and I don't frequent brothels. What, can't I take a concubine and enjoy myself? Compared to others, I'm far inferior. People of my caliber, who doesn't have three or four wives and concubines!"
Li Youcai grew increasingly angry, following his wife around, nagging incessantly:
"Old woman, I, Li Youcai, have toiled my whole life, what, don't I even have the right to take a concubine?"
The old woman remained silent, busy with her work, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. No matter how much Li Youcai nagged, she refused to hand over the key. Li Youcai nagged for a long time, and before he knew it, dusk had fallen. The wealthy man begged to release Yao Niang so the family could have dinner together. The old woman glared at him:
"Dream on! A wife and a concubine, how wonderful! Bah, no way!" At dinner, the old woman hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then gathered the leftover scraps and soup spoonfuls and gave them to Yao Niang, who was still locked up. Li Youcai shook his head and sighed, powerless to do anything about his wife. After hastily tidying up the room, his wife blew out the candles and urged the nouveau riche to go to bed, completely abandoning his improper thoughts.
"Forget that idea!" Easier said than done, the old rich man couldn't possibly die of it. He couldn't sleep either, tossing and turning, every second filled with thoughts of the concubine next door: "What am I doing? I spent so much money buying a concubine, but my wife won't let me enjoy her, keeping her locked up in the room. Isn't that a waste?" He suddenly remembered Hu Zhuanzhuan's insightful observation, and his sleepiness vanished, replaced by even more fantasies.
Just then, he heard the old woman's snoring beside him. Overcome with lust, Li Youcai jumped up, sneaking out of the house like a thief into the yard, intending to climb through the back window into the concubine's room to quickly experience the wonderful taste of a "second wife."
The moonlight was gentle, the breeze was soft, the birds chirped in the trees, and the crickets chirped in the cracks in the wall. Ah, what a beautiful summer night! At this moment, how many loving couples are embracing each other, making love? Wow, I can't resist! I want to make love too! My little beauty, this old man is coming! With a creak, the old rich man excitedly pushed open the window and clumsily climbed into the room. He saw Yao Niang curled up alone on the bed. Li Youcai was overjoyed:
"Hehe, Yao Niang, I'm here! Hehe..."
Having escaped the wolf's den, she had fallen into a dog's den. Lying on the hard, cold bed, Yao Niang sighed sadly: Had she been moved from a pile of dung to a latrine? When would this life of being sold and bought like an animal end?
Suddenly, a creaking sound and the sound of hurried footsteps came from the windowsill. Yao Niang trembled: Oh no, the old man has come in. That stinking old coffin-like fellow is going to defile my body. What should I do? Submit to him, give in to him, give him my virginity, and let him do whatever he wants? No, no, I can't! As Yao Niang silently uttered the word "no," the old rich man's dry hand lifted the corner of the blanket. Immediately, a foul, sour, and rotten stench assaulted her face, making her nearly vomit. She sat bolt upright, avoiding the old rich man's touch as if fleeing a plague:
"Ghost, ghost, ghost..."
"It's me, Yao Niang, it's me, there's no ghost," seeing Yao Niang desperately trying to dodge, Li Youcai assumed she was embarrassed. He lifted the blanket, preparing to slip inside, when Yao Niang suddenly jumped up, screaming hoarsely:
"Ghost, ghost, there's a ghost, a ghost is coming! Help!"
"My beauty, don't be afraid, I'm not a ghost, I'm your master! Don't scream, listen to me, look carefully, I'm not a ghost, I'm a person, I'm your master!"
"Ghost," Yao Niang wouldn't listen: Who doesn't know you're the old rich man? Sleeping with you? Forget it, dream on! Get out of here, you ugly old thing! Yao Niang shoved Li Youcai aside, wearing only her underwear, leaped onto the windowsill, screaming as she jumped down, trying to escape into the yard. Li Youcai panicked:
"Damn it, you little slut, you think you can run away? No way!" The over-fifty-year-old Li Youcai, with a surprising agility, followed closely behind Yao Niang, jumping out of the house as he chased after the refusal-to-yield concubine, urgently calling to his wife:
"Old woman, get up quickly, help me chase her! The little slut is trying to escape! If she gets away, all that money will be wasted!"
"What? Trying to run away? No way! She was bought with money!" Despite their complete disapproval, incomprehension, and opposition to their husband taking a concubine, the two old misers finally reached a consensus: they absolutely couldn't let her escape. She was bought with their money; she belonged to their family, just like the heifer they bought before the Spring Festival—the private property of the Li family!
The two adulterers chased and harassed her for a long time before finally capturing Yao Niang. In the darkness, the old woman panted heavily, her claw-like fingers mercilessly pinching and twisting Yao Niang's delicate face. Her sharp nails scratched Yao Niang's fair skin, drawing blood. The old woman still wouldn't let go, viciously torturing the poor Yao Niang: "You little slut, why are you so beautiful? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me? Fine, today, you're in my hands. I'll make you beautiful, I'll make you young, I'll make you tender. I'll destroy all of that, and I'll also kill my husband's philandering ways! I'll strangle you, I'll twist you to death, I'll scratch you to death!"
"Ouch—!" Yao Niang groaned in pain, her hands covering her blood-stained face. The old rich man hurriedly blocked the old woman's vicious hand:
"No, no, this won't do! Such a pretty little face, it's such a waste to scratch it! Do you know how much this little face is worth?"
"I'll scratch it, I'll scratch it, I'll scratch it!" Yao Niang's beauty fueled the old woman's jealousy. She couldn't tolerate Yao Niang's beauty; she wanted to ruthlessly destroy it:
"Hmph, I'll not only scratch her little face to pieces, I'll tear her tender little cunt apart! I'll tear her cunt apart, making her a worthless piece of trash that no one wants!"
The old woman acted immediately, her claws indeed reaching for Yao Niang's crotch. Yao Niang instinctively closed her legs, while the old rich man sighed and begged:
"My dear wife, please! I spent ten thousand coins to buy her, and before I could even enjoy her, you've started scratching and picking at her. Such a beautiful flower has been ruined! What a waste! Please, please stop!"
"Hmph," the old woman finally stopped picking. As her claws withdrew from the young woman's crotch, the wealthy man clearly saw blood dripping from her sharp fingernails, even with bits of flesh clinging to them. Under the moonlight, they glistened. A gentle breeze carried an alluring, pungent fragrance. Li Youcai felt a pang of heartache: "Alas, before I could even deflower her, the old woman struck first! Alas, it's all over! I spent ten thousand coins, but didn't even get to enjoy her. One poke from her finger, and all ten thousand coins are wasted! That spendthrift old woman!"
The old woman's chicken claws didn't touch the girl's private parts, but instead scratched several bloody marks on the inside of Yao Niang's thighs. In unbearable pain, Yao Niang's body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground, refusing to get up. Li Youcai had no choice but to grab Yao Niang's thighs and have the old woman pull on Yao Niang's arms, dragging her back into the house like a piglet and throwing her back onto the bed.
Yao Niang groaned, kicked her legs, foamed at the mouth, and trembled violently. Li Youcai cried out with a mournful face,
"It's over, she's gone mad!"
Whether she was truly mad or just pretending, Yao Niang kicked and thrashed about on the bed, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing, throwing whatever she could grab. Soon, the room was a mess, furniture was overturned, and objects were smashed. Li Youcai and his wife attacked at the same time, and after a struggle, they finally managed to pin the mad Yao Niang down on the bed. Yao Niang stopped struggling, groaned a few times, and then fell asleep peacefully.
Li Youcai finally breathed a sigh of relief and began tidying the room. Before he finished, a loud yelp came from Yao Niang, who had woken up. After a few silly giggles, she reverted to her old ways, crying and laughing, hitting and making a scene. Li Youcai and his wife teamed up again and subdued Yao Niang. His wife, panting heavily, said,
"This spendthrift! You'd better get rid of her as soon as possible, otherwise, our family fortune will be ruined by this jinx!"
"But," Li Youcai was also annoyed by Yao Niang's antics,
"this little thing, acting crazy, who would we sell her to? Who would want her?"
"Take a look at her first, and get rid of her as soon as you're cured!"
Following the old woman's instructions, Li Youcai invited a quack doctor to treat Yao Niang. The doctor held the young beauty's arm, pinching and squeezing it with great seriousness. Finally, he wrote out a prescription for Chinese medicine. Li Youcai took the prescription to the Chinese medicine shop. The shopkeeper was a bald old man. The abacus beads clicked loudly, startling the old man who valued money above all else:
"Too expensive! I can't afford this medicine. I won't see her!"
The old man was stingy and refused to pay for his sick concubine's medicine, so the crazy Yao Niang gave Li Youcai a hard time. She cried and made a scene all day long, throwing and kicking whatever she saw and bumping into. She relieved herself everywhere, making the Li mansion stink and causing chaos in the courtyard. His wife stomped her feet in anger:
"You old fool, look what you've done! You have money to burn, but you've bought yourself a living ancestor!"
Such a life was indeed unbearable. Li Youcai decided to treat his mad concubine, but this time, he refused to hire any doctor who prescribed random remedies. The wealthy man, on someone's advice, hired a mad fortune teller who was barely better than his concubine. This fortune teller firmly believed that a ghost was possessing the concubine, and that once the ghost was expelled, her illness would naturally be cured. With the consent of Mr. and Mrs. Li, the fortune teller pulled out a long, rusty needle. He instructed the couple to hold down Yao Niang while he, holding the needle, mercilessly stabbed her. A scream rang out, and Yao Niang immediately fainted, her body convulsing horribly. The wife was worried:
"Sir, could you kill her?"
"It's alright—" the fortune teller flatly denied. The rusty needle continued to probe into Yao Niang's body, and drops of bright red blood kept seeping out, making the wife's hands tremble:
"Sir, if you kill her, this ten thousand coins will be completely wasted!"
The fortune teller's rusty needle not only failed to drive away the ghost but also left Yao Niang half-dead. Mr. Li, fearing that something might go wrong and he would lose both his money and his wife, had no choice but to send the fortune teller away. Looking back at his mad concubine, she was on the verge of death. This wouldn't do; he couldn't let her die like this. He had to save her and then seize the opportunity to strike. To save the ten thousand coins, Li Youcai had no choice but to grit his teeth and spend the money to summon a renowned physician. The so-called physician merely examined Yao Niang briefly before taking out a pill:
"This is my family's ancestral remedy, called 'One Pill of Miracle.' Give it to her, and it will work instantly; she'll be better right away!"
The remedy was indeed effective. After taking it, Yao Niang opened her beautiful eyes slightly and looked at Li Youcai with utter peace, as if she had become a different person:
"Master, how are you?"
"Ah, good, good," seeing Yao Niang return to normal, the old rich man was overwhelmed with emotion: Ah, finally she's alright; those ten thousand coins weren't wasted after all! Hey, it's more than ten thousand coins! These past few days, the old rich man has been like a headless fly, flitting about everywhere trying to cure his concubine's illness. He's consulted almost every doctor and shaman in the area, wasting money, spending money unnecessarily, and spending money meaninglessly. He's spent a fortune, at least three thousand coins, meaning this concubine must have cost thirteen thousand coins!
Since the concubine's value is so high, she should be cherished, like a fine piece of Jingdezhen porcelain bought at great expense. She can't be pushed, shoved, or handled carelessly. Otherwise, she'll collapse to the ground, and what's the point of talking about thirteen thousand coins? Everything will be gone! Therefore, Li Youcai and his wife treat Yaoniang with utmost care. Please don't misunderstand, this is definitely not humane care, but rather the cherishing of livestock or valuable possessions!
However, Mr. and Mrs. Li were too optimistic. The next morning, the effects of the medicine had likely worn off, and Yao Niang's old ailment relapsed. The wealthy old man sighed and had no choice but to go to the divine doctor's house to beg for a magic pill. After Yao Niang took it, everything was fine. From then on, every morning upon waking, Yao Niang had to take a magic pill to get through the day normally; otherwise, she would throw a hysterical tantrum, smashing pots and pans.
The price of the divine doctor's magic pill was extremely high; a pill the size of a soybean was exchanged for a stone of red sorghum, far exceeding the price of opium. Furthermore, according to the divine doctor, after taking one pill, one must also consume appropriate food with each of the three daily meals; otherwise, it would have no effect. This so-called appropriate food consisted of expensive mountain delicacies and wild game. Over time, no matter how wealthy a family was, they could not afford it!
To ensure Yao Niang received a daily dose of the "miracle pill" and enjoyed three delicious meals a day, Li Youcai had no choice but to pawn his property for cash to fund his concubine's expenses. Within a hundred days, Li Youcai was completely exasperated. He calculated on his fingers that in those hundred days, with a daily pill and three meals of delicacies, Yao Niang's value had skyrocketed from 13,000 coins to 54,000 coins. At that time, the price of a good acre of land was only 5,000 coins, meaning Li Youcai had spent ten acres of fertile land to acquire this concubine. However, time was passing, and when would it end? No, even two more Lis couldn't afford to support such a concubine! Chapter
Five: The Country Bumpkin Abandons His Maid to Pay Off Debts; Wang Da Nao, in Desperation, Abandons His
Concubine. Misfortune never comes singly. Since buying Yao Niang, the concubine had become erratic, frequently falling ill, her behavior unpredictable, neither alive nor dead. Meanwhile, even the heavens seemed to be against the wealthy landowner. While Yao Niang took her medicine daily, the heavens refused to send a single drop of rain. As a result, Li Youcai's hundred acres of fertile land, along with the two hundred acres of waterlogged land he leased from Wang Da Nao, cracked open with fissures the size of fingers due to the drought. The newly sprouted seedlings were scorched by the blazing sun, resulting in a complete crop failure across three hundred acres. This left the old landowner utterly bankrupt!
"Forget it," facing bankruptcy, Li Youcai could no longer afford to play hard to get. He secretly began looking for a buyer for Yao Niang, but forget about the neighbors or anyone within a hundred miles. Everyone knew Li Youcai had bought a bottomless pit that could never be filled. Forget about transferring it; even giving it away for free, no one would dare take it!
Who would want to watch a spendthrift like Yao Niang enter their household?
Unable to sell his medicine, Yao Niang found herself constantly pursued by creditors. It turned out that to buy medicine for Yao Niang, the wealthy old man had not only pawned his property but also taken out massive loans, hoping to pay them all off after the autumn harvest and then redeem his property. Now, seeing that the old man had a complete crop failure, the creditors feared their loans were lost and were coming to demand payment. The biggest creditor, and the one most difficult for the old man to deal with, was Wang Da Nao. Although he had leased land at a low price, the amount was enormous; two hundred acres had yielded nothing, which was sure to give the miser a run for his money
.
These past few days, Wang Da-Nao has become a frequent visitor to Li Youcai's mansion. The man is currently in mourning, and just as the sun peeks over the horizon, Wang Da-Nao, swaying his large, round, shiny head and dressed in a long, wide mourning robe, enters the mansion, berating the nouveau riche with a stern face:
"Hey buddy, what about my land rent? You know I'm in mourning, and in a few days my three-year mourning period will be over. I desperately need the money to hold a grand memorial service for my father. Buddy, I'm not forcing you, I really need the money! If I weren't in such a hurry, I wouldn't have rented the land to you at such a low price. My father's death anniversary is fast approaching, and I can't afford to delay! Even with my big head, I, Wang Da-Nao, wouldn't dare wear the label of unfilial piety! Buddy, I beg you, please help me, isn't that enough?"
"How can I help you!" Seeing that the creditor was pressing him hard and there was no way to escape, he knew that the ancestral worship could not be delayed, but where would Li Youcai get the money to repay the debt? The old miser, in a desperate act, Li Youcai spread his hands:
"I really have no money to pay your rent. I, Li, am penniless. The house is mortgaged to the pawnshop. Now, right here in front of you, I officially declare myself bankrupt. I still have a concubine here; if you want her, take her home."
"Sigh, it's true what they say, you can borrow rice to cook, but you can't ask for rice to cook!" Seeing Li's shameless and destitute state, Wang Da Nao was at a loss. He sighed deeply:
"Sigh, Dad, your death anniversary is coming soon, but your son has no money to celebrate. What should I do?"
"Look," just as Wang Da Nao was worrying about not being able to get money, Li Youcai shoved Yao Niang in front of him. Looking at this fat, big-eared fellow, Yao Niang timidly shrank back, her beautiful face slightly flushed. Wang Da Nao's eyes lit up: Wow, she really lives up to her reputation; this little girl is quite pretty!
Having observed three years of mourning for his father and abstained from women for over a thousand days, Wang Da Nao couldn't help but be overcome with lust upon seeing a beautiful woman: "Not bad, not bad, this little wench is really pretty. My mourning period is almost over, and these three years have been so hard on my little brother." He continued, "It seems Li really can't pay his rent, and the house has been pawned. Since I can't get anything back anyway, I might as well take his concubine home. Once my father's death anniversary is over, I can finally have some serious sex. This little wench will be my first delicious meal on that day."
Thinking of this, Wang Da Nao grinned, his fat body leaning towards Yao Niang:
"I've heard people say you're a spendthrift. They say that once you entered the Li family, it truly fell into ruin. Now your master has transferred you to me, but I, Wang, refuse to believe it. I'll take you home and properly train you, and see if you're obedient! Little girl, pack your things, please come with me!"
Li gave the old woman a wink, and she pulled Yao Niang over, cursing as she tidied Yao Niang's clothes. Looking at the beauty in the inner room, Wang Da Nao sincerely admired her:
"Hehe, this little wench is indeed quite pretty, her looks are very charming. I really want to hug her, hehe... Alas, no, I can't, during the mourning period, I mustn't have sex. If there is any impure behavior, it will tarnish the good name of my ancestors, it's outrageous! I'll take her home first and keep her
for now. After the mourning period, I'll enjoy her properly! As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, hehe," "Yes, you can enjoy her slowly. She's definitely a tender girl, she hasn't been deflowered yet!" Li said with considerable regret. Wang Da Nao was puzzled when he heard this. Li explained:
"This spendthrift won't let me get close. As soon as I get near her, she becomes anxious and crazy. Alas, for her sake, I've spent a full 50,000 coins, ruining my family and business. In the end, I didn't even get to taste her, not even a single hair of her genitals. Looking back, I'm such a country bumpkin!"
"Hahaha," Wang Da Nao laughed mockingly, "You bumpkin!" Then, he cheerfully helped Yao Niang into the carriage and instructed the servants,
"Since we're not going to get the rent money anyway, and we can't explain it to Madam when we get back, let's not go back to the mansion. Let's go straight to Master's grave!"
"Yes," the coachman understood his master's intentions perfectly. Like Li Youcai, Wang Da Nao was a henpecked husband. He had gone out to collect debts, but instead of getting the money, he had brought back a beautiful woman. He worried that his wife would be furious and berate him in front of all the servants—how embarrassing that would be! Wang Da Nao
was indeed a filial son. To mourn his father, he had specially built a simple house in front of his father's grave, dressed in mourning clothes, and lived alone there year-round, faithfully fulfilling his filial duty. The carriage quickly arrived at the small hut in front of the grave. Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, Wang Da-Nao jumped down with a thud, grinning and winking at the driver. The driver understood, stuck out his tongue at his master, and shoved and pushed Yao Niang into the hut.
The filial son had guarded the grave for three whole years, his penis swollen and round.
He spent his days reciting poetry to pass the time, and his nights tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
In his dreams, he would embrace his beautiful concubine, but upon waking, his crotch would be stained with semen.
Today, having obtained this beautiful woman, he pressed forward without hesitation.
Wang Da Nao grabbed Yao Niang, his fat hands like iron clamps, firmly gripping her slender waist, rendering her unable to move. Wang Da Nao grinned and began to kiss her cheeks indiscriminately. Yao Niang desperately tried to push him away:
"Master, you know what day this is! Such recklessness will ruin our ancestral feng shui, causing our family to decline and us to fail the imperial examinations..."
"I, I," Wang Da Nao suppressed his burning lust:
"Beauty, I know, I know, but I didn't do anything! I just kissed her, it's nothing!" While trying to justify himself, Wang Da Nao reached his fat hand towards Yao Niang's crotch. Yao Niang tried her best to avoid him:
"Master, you mustn't! If it gets tainted, how will you offer sacrifices to Father!"
"Sigh," a word reminded Wang Da Nao, and he obediently withdrew his hand:
"I'm dying of lust, I'm dying of lust, my little brother is about to explode!"
"Master," Wang Da Nao was feeling incredibly frustrated when the coachman's voice rang out from outside the door:
"Madam is here!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Da Nao released Yao Niang and turned his face to the window. A dignified and elegant middle-aged woman appeared on the horizon. Wang Da Nao's big head buzzed: Oh no, this is terrible! Madam has found out! What am I going to do?!
As the noblewoman slowly approached, a large, dark crowd appeared behind her. Wang Da Nao recognized them all; they were relatives and neighbors of the Wang family. As they walked, they chattered amongst themselves:
"Wow, Brother Wang is really something! To fulfill his filial duty, he's been living alone by the grave for three years. What a filial son! We admire him! He's a great role model for us all!"
"Oh no, this is bad!" Hearing his relatives' comments and glancing at the beautiful young woman beside him, Wang Da Nao felt extremely ashamed. "I, Wang, have been observing mourning for my father for three years by the grave. Everyone within a hundred miles knows about it. Now, suddenly, a beautiful young woman appears out of the house. How am I supposed to explain this?" Gossip is a fearsome thing. Once it starts to get serious, the spittle could drown me, Wang: "Pah! What a filial son! He's just a damn good-for-nothing, pretending to mourn his father while secretly having an affair with a concubine right there at his father's grave! Oh my god, it's disgusting! He's ruined the Wang family's ancestral graves. Other people's ancestral graves emit auspicious smoke, but the Wang family's ancestral graves... well, they emit lewdness! "
This was too terrible. Wang Da Nao couldn't bear to think any further: "Heavens, what am I going to do? Give me some advice! Have these three years, over a thousand days, been wasted, ruined by a little girl?
" In despair, Wang Da Nao vented his inexplicable anger on the innocent Yao Niang. He grabbed the girl's hair and twisted and shook her viciously:
"You're such a spendthrift! You've ruined my reputation!"
“Master,” seeing Wang Da Nao’s predicament, Yao Niang thought her chance to escape had come:
“If you want to preserve your reputation, you can release me as soon as possible before Madam enters the room…”
“What, what did you say?” Yao Niang’s words seemed to remind Wang Da Nao. He stopped and stared blankly at Yao Niang, somewhat reluctant, or more precisely, unwilling to give up before having possessed her:
“Release you? Do you know you’re here to pay off the land rent? Two hundred acres, isn’t that enough? You’re just going to release me like that?”
“Master, time is of the essence. Please weigh the two hundred acres of land rent against your lifelong reputation. Which is more important?”
“Oh,” In any case, reputation was paramount. Seeing that Madam and the relatives and neighbors were already gathering at the small house, time was of the essence, leaving Wang Da Nao no time to think further:
“Go!”
Wang Da Nao grabbed Yao Niang’s arm with one hand and lifted the quilt with the other, pulling up a heavy silk bag with a whoosh:
“My beauty, you should go now. Consider this money as travel expenses. Go quickly, the farther the better. Remember, you absolutely cannot be seen, understand? For the sake of my reputation, Wang, you must escape!”
“Thank you, sir!” Wang Da Nao’s actions delighted Yao Niang. She excitedly took the money bag and knelt down at Wang Da Nao’s feet with a thud:
“I will never forget your great kindness, sir!”
“Go quickly!” Wang Da Nao pushed open the window, looking at the beautiful woman, he was truly reluctant to part with her:
“Go quickly, jump out from here. There are weeds behind the house. Don’t look up. Climb over the grass, and you’ll find the graveyard. My beauty, there’s no need for thanks. As long as you remember me, Wang, from time to time, that’s enough…”
“Thank you, sir,” Yao Niang nimbly jumped out of the window, speaking with deep affection:
"This lowly servant will forever remember you, Master!"
Chapter Six: The Filial Son Buries His Concubine and Pays Respects to His Deceased Father; The Young Woman Sees
the Man from Her Dreams. "Madam, what brings you here!" Having released Yao Niang, Wang Da Nao walked out of the small house as if a heavy burden had been lifted, yet also as if something was missing. He respectfully approached his wife, who coldly stared at her fat, pig-like husband:
"What did you gain from collecting debts at the Li residence?"
"Nothing," Wang Da Nao lied.
"That old fellow is bankrupt; he can't get anything from us."
"Then, how should we arrange the old man's memorial service?"
"This," Wang Da Nao truly began to worry, scratching his large head helplessly:
"This, this, what should we do!"
"Brother, you're so filial! You're so persistent! None of us can compare to you!" The Wang couple were worrying about the expenses for the memorial service when the crowd gathered around, showering them with praise and compliments. This offered some solace to Wang Da Nao, who was feeling deeply disappointed at losing Yao Niang: "
Thank you for the compliments, thank you everyone!"
Since everyone had come to support them and jointly commemorate his deceased father's spirit, Wang Da Nao naturally wanted to fulfill his duties as host, preparing a feast to entertain his relatives and friends:
"Where's the driver? Get the cart, let's go home!"
Wang Da Nao was preparing to take his wife home for a grand banquet, but the driver was nowhere to be found. Wang Da Nao grumbled as he searched around the grave. The crowd gathered in small groups in front of the small house, and out of boredom, someone started showing off the offerings they had prepared for the dead:
"Look, this is the offering I prepared for the old man, a genuine Huizhou inkstone!"
"Your Hui inkstone isn't worth as much as my precious jade! This is top-grade Western Region white jade, perfect for carving name seals!"
The group proudly displayed their treasures and jade artifacts. Wang Da Nao, fuming, searched for his driver. Suddenly, a guest asked,
"Brother, what offerings have you prepared for the old man?"
"Such a filial son!" Before Wang Da Nao could speak, someone immediately interjected, both encouraging and commanding,
"Brother Wang's offerings are certainly not meager!"
"Where has this good-for-nothing run off to? I'll teach him a lesson!" Unable to find his driver, Wang Da Nao had a sudden inspiration:
"Gentlemen, the weather is so fine, the scenery so beautiful! I'd like to entertain you here, so we can all gather and celebrate with our father in the afterlife! What do you all think?"
"Excellent! Well said!" everyone agreed.
"Yes, let's have a picnic in front of the old man's grave, it would be so charming!"
"Madam," Wang Da Nao was leading the guests to choose the ideal picnic spot when the coachman suddenly appeared in front of the small house. Wang Da Nao turned his head and broke out in a cold sweat: It's over, it's really over!
He saw Yao Niang tied to the coachman, trembling with fear, her eyes blankly staring at Wang Da Nao in despair. Her pitiful expression seemed to say: Master, what should I do? I only ran a short distance before your coachman caught me! Master, please save me!
What a spendthrift! Forget it, I don't even know what to do myself, how can I save you! Wang Da Nao was so angry he stomped his feet, watching helplessly as the coachman brought the carriage to his wife. The coachman jumped down and knelt on one knee:
"Madam, this maid was brought from the Li family to pay off a debt, but she tried to escape in the chaos and was caught by this servant!"
The coachman's words filled Wang Da Nao with utter despair. His face turned ashen, his eyes blazed with fury, and he trembled violently: It's over, it's over! I, Wang, am not afraid of being scolded by my wife in public, but my reputation is completely ruined! I am an unfilial son, a heinous criminal, utterly unforgivable!
"Hmm," the wife turned her face, smiling at Wang Da Nao. The henpecked husband was momentarily confused. What was going on? Why wasn't his wife angry?
Seeing everyone whispering and staring at the beautiful woman in the carriage, the lady paused for a moment, thinking to herself: "That scoundrel, during the mourning period, he's been quite the womanizer. I tolerated it for the sake of the Prince's reputation, but I never expected him to go so far as to bring a wild woman to the grave to cause trouble, ruining the Prince's family's feng shui!" However, the lady then thought again, "What's the use of scolding him now? It won't help, and it will only make me lose face. As the saying goes: 'When the husband is lowly, the wife is lowly; when the husband is honored, the wife is honored.'" Although I have a bad temper, I understand this simple truth. So, the lady deliberately cleared her throat and frankly explained to everyone:
"Oh dear, everyone, look, my husband is becoming more and more successful and filial, tsk tsk,"
she said, smacking her lips sweetly.
"He said a long time ago that he would definitely give my father a big gift on the anniversary of his death. I asked him what the gift was, but he wouldn't tell me, saying that he would definitely surprise me. Wow, my husband is so thoughtful, and he really dares to spend money. To show his filial piety, he let Li Youcai cultivate the only two hundred acres of land in the family for a year in exchange for his concubine, as the most important and precious gift on the anniversary of my father's death..."
The Wang family matriarch was cruel and wicked; nothing is more vicious than a woman's heart.
Pretty maids and beautiful concubines were buried alive with him, amidst the rotten wood and decaying earth.
Before the lady could finish speaking, a commotion erupted at the grave. Relatives and neighbors alike showed even greater respect for Wang Da Nao Nao. Only Wang Da Nao Nao himself knew the truth. He had been unwittingly elevated to the position of the most filial son by his wife, and it seemed he wouldn't be able to step down anytime soon. Well then, since he couldn't step down, he might as well play along:
"It's nothing, it's nothing. The kindness of parents is like the warmth of spring. A lowly servant like me is not worthy of such praise!"
"Ah, to be buried alive with someone? My life is over!" Hearing the lady's words and the smacking of the crowd, Yao Niang's vision went black. Overwhelmed by fear, she even urinated. She looked around, desperately searching for Wang Da Nao's shadow, her mouth agape, but she couldn't utter a sound.
"You little slut!" The lady walked past the carriage, glaring fiercely at Yao Niang:
"You wretched wretch, you want to ruin my family? No way! My husband was just confused for a moment, but I'm still sober. Give up now, I'll send you to the Western Paradise in a bit, to sleep with my old man in the underworld!"
Amidst the cursing, the stove was already set up. To impress the lady, Wang Da Nao directed the servants to start a fire and cook. The lady then hired a bricklayer and a shaman to open her father-in-law's grave, preparing to bury all the offerings sent by her mother-in-law, relatives, and neighbors underground, so that they would turn into a pile of withered bones and decaying earth.
"Hey buddies, everyone's here!" The table was buzzing with excitement. Wang Da Nao, finally enjoying a good meal, was urging everyone on. He picked up his glass and took a long, heartfelt sip:
"So fragrant! Such good wine! It's been so long!"
Suddenly, a strong gust of cold wind swept across the lavish table, crackling loudly. Then, dark clouds gathered, and thunder roared:
"Oh no, it's going to rain!"
"Oh dear, it hasn't rained for months! This rain is just in time! If it rains, that would be wonderful!"
Those who depended on the heavens for their livelihood cheered around the table, raising their glasses to the dark sky in unison:
"Heaven has finally shown mercy! Thank you, Heaven! I toast you!"
"Yes, it's because Brother Wang is so filial; his great devotion has moved Heaven, and finally, this sweet rain has come!"
"Yes, Brother Wang not only fulfilled his filial duty for three years, but also presented the old man with a generous gift. The old man, in the afterlife, was so moved that he shed tears, and that's why it started raining!"
"You've got to be serious," someone thought, thinking the flattery was excessive, and muttered:
"What do you think the old man is? A god? An immortal? Where does he get such supernatural powers? Let me tell you, it's because Heaven saw how generous we are, how lavish we are, and how valuable our offerings are. We are all well-educated and courteous people, so as a reward, Heaven is preparing to send down a heavy rain!"
While the bricklayers were rebuilding the tomb chamber, in front of the stone tablet, the shaman whom the lady had hired at a high price was boiling mercury, preparing to pour it into Yao Niang's belly. A strong wind swept in, and the fire in the furnace flickered and went out after a few moments. The shaman looked up at the sky and anxiously urged his apprentice:
"Quickly, get that maid in the right position. We're about to give her the mercury. If it rains, all this mercury will be wasted!"
The so-called position was a blueprint conceived by Wang Da Nao. It meant that Yao Niang would kneel on both knees, holding a genuine Huizhou inkstone given by relatives. On the inkstone were Huizhou ink and famous brushes. Yao Niang, dressed as a maid, would have pearls in her hair and jade earrings. In short, all the sacrificial offerings given by relatives and neighbors would be worn or hung on Yao Niang.
"Listen to me! Kneel properly!!" The lady glared sternly at Yao Niang. Desperate, Yao Niang refused to yield. The servants pulled and tugged at her, barely managing to get her into position. The shaman, holding a bowl of mercury soup, muttered incoherently. Seeing this, the apprentice leaped forward, intending to pry open Yao Niang's mouth. Yao Niang's head buzzed: Was she really going to die like this?
Suddenly,
the rain began to pour down. Wang Da Nao sat in the center of the table, drinking and chatting with his guests. Just as Madam Wang was instructing the shaman and others to pour mercury into Yao Niang's mouth, a sudden downpour occurred, cascading over everyone's heads. The dining table erupted into chaos, people dropping their wine cups and scattering for cover. The shaman's vessel was instantly filled with rainwater, causing him to shake his head and sigh in frustration. The servant, who had been dragging Yaoniang along, couldn't withstand the onslaught of the rain and, seeing his wife run into the small room for shelter, let go and prepared to flee as well. Clang
, clatter, crackle, splatter...
something terrible happened. The rain pouring down on their heads suddenly turned into hard blocks of ice, pelting down on the scattering people with screams of agony:
"It's hailing! It's
hailing!" As they spoke, hailstones the size of eggs, like a meteor shower or countless large meteorites, overturned the dining table; smashed the altar; collapsed the tomb; swollen Wang Da's head; knocked out the shaman; and forced everyone to desperately crowd into the narrow little room, so that no one remembered Yaoniang kneeling before the tombstone anymore.
Huge hailstones pelted down on Yao Niang's body, shoulders, and the inkstone she was holding. Completely numb with fear of death, Yao Niang felt no pain, remaining kneeling blankly before the tombstone, seemingly waiting for something—perhaps death itself.
A perfectly round hailstone struck her forehead with a loud thud, the intense pain jolting her awake: "I'm stupid! Still kneeling here waiting to die? This is a golden opportunity! If I don't run now, when will I?"
There was no time for Yao Niang to think. She stood up and, braving the hailstorm, ran wildly without a direction in mind. Strangely enough, even Yao Niang herself couldn't understand why, as she ran, the hailstones only whizzed past her ears, without striking her body. The faster Yao Niang ran, the louder the sounds around her grew. The crisp sound of hail spurred her on: Run, run! You're free! Run! Escape this man-eating wolf's den!
She ran for what seemed like an eternity, tirelessly and frantically. Suddenly, the meteor shower stopped, a cool breeze brushed her ears, and a pale milky white dawn broke in the east—daybreak!
Yao Niang slowed her pace, looking around blankly. Wow! She was startled. This place was so familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before, as if she had been here sometime before. Oh, she remembered! It was in her dream! Look, those trees—the same ones she often saw in her dreams; that grass—the same ones she saw in her dreams; and the little birds singing love songs, the little fish in love, and the frogs in the roadside puddles, blinking their bulging round eyes, staring at her with unfathomable intent! Everything was exactly as she had seen in her dream. "What's wrong?" Yao Niang wondered to herself. "Am I dreaming again?"
The sky gradually brightened. Surrounded by this dreamlike wonderland, the girl was both excited and nervous, momentarily disoriented. "Which way should I go?" she thought.
"Neigh—neigh—neigh—"
came the braying of a donkey from not far away. Yao Niang stopped, looking left and right, unconsciously moving closer to the sound. The knee-high grass rustled, and a cool morning breeze brushed against her weary face, carrying the mouthwatering aroma of cooking: "Who's cooking? I'm so hungry!"
Driven by an unbearable hunger, Yao Niang irresistibly moved towards the rising smoke. She walked through the woods, parted the tall grass, and found a simple thatched hut in a clearing. A flickering fire burned in front of it, and an elderly woman with white hair squatted beside the stove, shakily scooping a bowl of rice porridge from the pot. She then stood up shakily and walked towards the familiar old locust tree:
"Son, the rice is ready. Eat it while it's hot!"
"Mother, you eat first!"
"You eat. Listen to your mother. You eat first. You still need to study hard and make sure you get enough nutrition. I'm old and useless now. What's the point of eating idle food?"
It was him! Yao Niang looked in the direction of the voice and saw the bookish boy she had seen in her dream sitting under the old locust tree, holding an ancient scroll and politely offering rice porridge to his elderly mother.
"It's you!"
Yao Niang forgot her hunger, her exhaustion, her shyness, and the danger that was still there. She forgot everything, still as if in a dream, and cried out uncontrollably. She rushed out of the bushes, her weary eyes fixed on the scholar:
"You, it's you, you were here all along!"
A young woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the desolate wilderness, staring intently at him. This greatly surprised the scholar. Seeing that the girl was dressed as a maid, her hair disheveled, travel-worn, and her lips chapped, an embarrassed but kind smile appeared on the scholar's slightly sickly face. He turned the bowl of porridge that his elderly mother had pushed towards the girl, and at the same time, asked with concern,
"Miss, you must be thirsty and hungry. Here, drink this bowl of thin porridge to quench your thirst and warm yourself up!"
"Thank you!" Having run all night, the girl was indeed thirsty and hungry. She nodded gratefully in thanks. The scholar before her was about her age, slender, with fair skin, dressed simply but cleanly, with a kind and quick-witted expression, and a humble tone that did not lack the dignity of a cultured person. As she looked at him, the girl exclaimed inwardly: What an ideal and handsome man! He is the one I've been dreaming about day and night, that, that person...
"Thank you..." Yao Niang was lost in thought when the bowl of porridge was handed to her. She reached out to take the bowl, only to realize that she was still clutching the inkstone that had been buried with her.
Yao Niang was quite annoyed and decided to throw it into the bushes. Suddenly turning her head, she made another unexpected discovery: in the cramped shed, on a small square table, lay a broken inkstone. Intuitively, she sensed the young man was a scholar seeking officialdom, and it seemed his life was rather impoverished. For a bowl of porridge, the mother and daughter politely declined. "I'm an outsider," Yao Niang thought, "I can't just drink their hot porridge for free." In exchange, she handed the inkstone to the scholar:
"Sir, I'll exchange this inkstone for your porridge!"
"Why bother?" the scholar replied. "Meeting here means we were destined to meet in a past life. A bowl of thin porridge is nothing to worry about! Miss, you're overthinking it." His eyes, however, were fixed on the inkstone, unable to look away. As Yao Niang took the hot porridge, the scholar happily accepted the inkstone, carefully stroking it:
"A genuine Huizhou inkstone, absolutely genuine!"
"Young lady, where have you come from?" A beautiful young woman appeared out of nowhere. The white-haired old woman was startled at first, but hearing the conversation between the young woman and her son, she came closer, her dim old eyes gazing at the young woman with delight:
"What a lovely girl! How beautiful she is!"
The young woman didn't answer the old woman's question. She picked up her bowl of porridge and hurriedly ate it. With food in her stomach, she felt much more at ease. Putting down the porcelain bowl, the young woman sat by the fire. Under the old woman's kind gaze, she briefly but truthfully recounted her impoverished background. The mother and son felt deep sympathy. The young woman also learned that the mother and son were on their way to the capital to take the imperial examinations. Because they couldn't afford an inn, they had led their only donkey, carrying their bedding and other belongings, on a bumpy journey, enduring wind and rain, sleeping outdoors. Their exhaustion and hardship could fill a book.
As the old woman recounted her journey to the capital, she gazed at and stroked the young woman's face. From the old woman's eager gaze, Yao Niang guessed that the old woman intended for her to become her daughter-in-law; this was also Yao Niang's dream and desire. Today, she had finally met the honest and upright scholar. So, she took the old woman's arm and called out affectionately,
"Mother," and then Yao Niang knelt down before the old woman's knees with a thud:
"Yao Niang has a tragic fate. Although born into a prestigious family, my birth chart is unlucky. In my childhood, my family was raided, and I was reduced to a lowly status, treated like livestock. I almost became a sacrificial offering. Now, I have been fortunate enough to escape and have met you and your son. Old Mother, I wish to recognize you as my godmother and accompany you to the capital! After daybreak, the Prince's Mansion will surely send people to chase after us. Mother, take me away! I must leave this place as soon as possible!"

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