Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 3

Chapter Three: The Blind Girl's Determined Choice of Husband, the Clever

Old Woman's Persuasive Advice, and the Foolish Old Woman's False Words. Volume Three

: The Dull Old Man says:
"Tiehua's comb basket is expensive, and unfortunately, he lost his virginity to this madman. This is precisely to express my grievance for him, not to describe Tiehua's good fortune in gaining wealth.

It describes the child's arrogant foolishness, which he never changed from beginning to end. It's not that a fool can become a rich man, but rather that wealth can make a fool, which is lamentable. Why do I say this? I often see those who possess vast wealth, yet they still spend their days and nights calculating and scheming, their brows furrowed. What is this if not foolishness? Their intention is nothing more than to be beasts of burden for their children and grandchildren. Do they not remember the ancient saying: 'If my children and grandchildren are as strong as I am, what do I need money for? If my children and grandchildren are not as strong as I am, what do I need money for?' They hoard wealth endlessly; what is this if not foolishness? A hundred years pass in the blink of an eye; they toil all day long, and when they die, they can't take a single penny with them. What is the benefit of greed? What is this if not foolishness?" A Tang poem says: "Yesterday I passed by an old man's house, not understanding his heart. Why, on the Dragon Boat Festival, did he plant birch trees hoping for shade?" This is a double entendre, fully illustrating how someone, unaware of their impending death, still schemes against future generations. This serves as a wake-up call to the foolish rich man, highlighting the child's arrogant folly, a common trait of the wealthy and not something to be laughed at.

While some ugly women in the world may not be fierce, none are immune to promiscuity; Tie Shi is a prime example.

The peach tree is wood, and Tie Shi is metal; wood encountering metal is bound to be damaged. Despite Tie Shi's ferocity, the peach tree, accompanying her for years, remained unharmed, demonstrating that the peach tree was no ordinary wood. How could a peach tree remain in a room filled with stinking copper and near the dangers of metal? It must be transplanted to another place to flourish, hence its association with money and wealth. Serving Zhong Sheng, she was both wealthy and loved, thus bearing fruit, and thus bore him a child. Although the peach tree benefited, money and metal both influence it, making it subject to the control of metal, thus limiting it to a minor role. In such matters, how can one discern the difference between a heart and hair?

The sunflower heart and lotus petals, these two things being the shape of Tie Shi's lower body, how could they be separated even for a moment, hence only these two maids were left. A child's arrogance leads to Wei Ruhu, Wei Rubao, Ju Jin, and the county magistrate, many of whom are afraid of their mothers-in-law, merely saying that the vagina is growing longer while the penis is diminishing, the female teacher's power is increasing daily, and weak men are willing to submit. This depicts the absurdity of worldly affairs and should be added after the "Afraid of Mothers-in-Law" section.

Inserting a section about Du Xiaoying reveals Qian Gui's bitterness at being disgraced as a courtesan, as seen in his words after hearing the substitute recite poetry.

Because of Qian Gui, Qi Xin is introduced, although unrelated to the main text, it shows Qian Gui's wisdom, not being swayed by wealth and status, far surpassing the mediocre. It also serves as a warning to young men not to neglect their wives and concubines, or to commit adultery with other men's women, for not only will they lose their lives, but their wives and concubines will also return to the husbands of the women they have slept with. The retribution is clear, who suffers and who reaps, if everyone can see things this way, the word "lust" can vanish. This section is indispensable.

The sunflower, for example, is merely a symbol of someone who loves the sun. The author

vividly portrays the lewdness of the Huo family, firstly to show the foolishness of Tie Hua in his indiscriminate relationships, and secondly to reveal the wickedness of Zhu Sikuan. There are many like Zhu Sikuan in the world; those with discernment should avoid them and not emulate Tie Hua's foolishness. Money is casually mentioned and casually concluded, leaving Hao Shi to later marry Zhu Sikuan. This is a concise way of writing.

Chapter Three: The Blind Girl's Determined Choice of Husband, the Clever Old Woman's Suggestion for the Welcoming of the Groom (

Appendix: Afraid the Groom's Man Will Suffer Further Punishment, the Greedy and Lewd Woman Dares to Test the Giant Object) .

It is said that the next day, Tie Hua dressed neatly and arrived at the Qian family. Zhu Sikuan, who hadn't returned the previous night, was already waiting there. Upon seeing him arrive, he welcomed him in. Hao Shi came out to greet him and offered him a seat. Tiehua's family presented gifts, which Hao Shi, seeing were worth about a hundred taels of gold, was overjoyed. She bowed and accepted the gifts, then helped Qian Gui out. [The word "helped out" here describes her shyness, not her blindness.] After greeting her, she sat down. Tiehua immediately saw that she was indeed exceptionally beautiful. Although blind, her eyes were not sunken or bulging; her eyelids drooped slightly, like a beautiful person shyly closing their eyes. He was filled with joy, like a snow lion facing a fire, his heart melting. Compared to Huo Shi, one was beautiful yet lewd, while the other was beautiful yet shy—how could he not love her? After

a short while, the table was set, and wine and dishes were brought out. Tiehua sat at the head of the table, with Zhu Sikuan accompanying him below. Qian Gui sat to the east, and Hao Shi to the west, all drinking together. Although Qian Gui was the daughter of a courtesan, she was still a virgin, her face flushed with shyness. She sat with her head down, not uttering a word, which only made Tiehua more and more enamored with her. After the banquet, he pulled Zhu Sikuan aside and asked him to discuss the dowry for the hairpin. Zhu Sikuan, of course, was doing this for Hao's sake. He pretended to be polite and repeatedly agreed, eventually settling on two hundred taels of silver, with clothing, bedding, and jewelry as extras. Tiehua was a wealthy man, and he wasn't stingy with such things, so he agreed to everything. They then set up another banquet and ate for a while. With such a beautiful woman before him, and unable to have her immediately, Tiehua's heart itched unbearably. He couldn't sit still any longer, so he set a date and left.

The next day, he invited Zhu Sikuan to his house, asking his family to send gifts, and also added twenty taels for the banquet. On the auspicious day, he went to the Qian family. Hao had prepared an exquisite and lavish banquet, and hired a troupe of singers and entertainers for a lively celebration. That evening, during the wedding ceremony, seeing that Qian Gui was a true virgin, she wept bitterly, filled with tender affection.

Unconsciously, she poured several drops of ox semen into Qian Gui's womb. [A poignant lament for Qian Gui.] There

is a tune called "Remembering Qin'e" that laments the fate of Qian Gui:

"Fragrant and sweet, here dwells a man like jade. A man like jade, yet alas, a quack doctor's mistake ruined his eyes. His life, like a fleeting beauty, is now buried beneath sorrow, and he is now beset by a foolish man. This foolish man, his pain and sorrow are heart-wrenching.

" Later, when people learned that Qian Gui had been captured by the iron comb, they all lamented that a fine piece of mutton had fallen into a dog's mouth. A skilled storyteller composed a four-line rhyme:

"Round and round pearls, rare treasures should have been yours first.
Today, mistakenly falling into the hands of a villager, all precious things are buried, truly pitiful."

Now, Qian Gui, though only thirteen years old, was exceptionally intelligent. She longed to meet a handsome and talented man and give him her life's money, but as a young woman, she couldn't speak of such things aloud, and had to obey her parents. Now, having lost her virginity to this madman, resentment filled her lungs, and she was heartbroken. With tears in her eyes, she casually composed a tune called "Erlang Shen": "

My heart is heavy with sorrow, my beautiful life is ruined." A cruel fate has befallen me, who will harmonize with my flute playing, as plum blossoms fall on the riverbank? I yearn in vain for the harmonious union of Nongyu and me, but this precious night is lost forever. The window is small, and I hate the cold moon's prying gaze, which only adds to my sorrow. Grief fills me; alas, my beauty was like a flower, my life like grass, my soul gone, my spirit broken. A day of wind and rain, who will sweep away the fallen petals? So full of resentment, that wild and wicked young man has disturbed my beauty. In an instant, the delicate peach blossoms and willows are withered and fallen.

Unable to sleep, I am overcome with grief, and I compose another tune, "The Warbling Oriole":

My heart is filled with sorrow and resentment, each cry a blood-curdling wail. Hatred is hard to dispel, even more so than beauty itself; why not abandon this wasted life? I suddenly think of Lady Liang, who later reformed and married the King of Han. My anger is hard to quell; I hope for a better future, and endure this night. The fragrant incense accompanies my wild and irritating state, like crows and phoenixes sharing a nest; how can this heartbreak and hatred be dispelled? This feeling, I ask, does anyone know? Only empty sorrow remains. Better to cherish the pair of birds flying in the garden, unable to bear the tears. Alas, today the flowers have faded, yesterday they were so beautiful.

He often sang these two lines himself, hence their spread. His daily, tearful, and helpless state was frequently depicted in his poems. Moreover, Tiehua was in his thirties, his mustache neatly trimmed. Occasionally, a kiss would poke his delicate, pink cheek, causing both pain and itchiness, much to his distress. [Truly distressing.]

Qian Gui, from childhood, loved cleanliness. Every day, he would perfume his entire body, bedding, and clothes with fine fragrance. Tiehua, however, often ate beef and mutton, and his body emitted a pungent odor from every pore, [without the slightest difference]. Where was the fragrance of lip rouge in the quiet of the night? Qian Gui couldn't help but feel bitter; countless tears had fallen in the darkness. How could he possibly have the heart to be happy with him?

Although Tiehua loved him, he never showed the slightest joy. Within a month, this wealthy man, who only wanted flattery, found it unbearable to be expected to flatter others. He could flatter Huo Shi, his wife, whom he couldn't abandon, and he feared he'd become too accustomed to her. Although he'd spent hundreds of taels of silver at the Qian family's house, it wasn't to his liking. Moreover, he had a desire for something new, so his interest gradually waned. At first, he'd come every three or five days, then every ten days or half a month, and after several months, he stopped coming altogether.

Since becoming the favored concubine, Qian Gui had been filled with sorrow and unhappiness. Much time had passed, and although he had been with several other men, all brought in by Zhu Sikuan, none of them were to his liking. Although he was blind, he was inherently intelligent. Often, in the quiet of the night, he would ponder: "In my family, what people value most is beauty and talent. Everyone says I have a face that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, a beauty that could shame the moon and put flowers to shame. But now, having lost my eyes, I have lost much of my charm. Heaven, heaven! Since you have given me such beauty, why are you so stingy with a few glances? Why are you so cruel? If I had my eyes, though I dare not compete with the beauties of the world, I might have won the title of most charming woman in this Pingkang, and even chosen a handsome and talented lover to settle down with for life. Who knows? But alas, today I am like this! Alas, alas!" He was filled with sorrow. Thus, he composed four poems lamenting his ill-fated life:

First:
Surely I committed many sins in my past life, for today my eyes are devoid of emotion.
How many times have I failed to appreciate the beauty in my mirror? What use is my lovely face now?

Second:
I remember when I was young, reading the "Girls' Classic," everyone praised my graceful appearance.
Who would have thought that at ten I would suffer this illness, my life like a drifting duckweed.

Third:
I know not whether it is dark or light, but only hear others say the rain has cleared.
Only the pipa can soothe my sorrow, its mournful tunes expressing my hidden feelings.

Fourth:
Pitifully, I am accompanied by madness morning and night, how can I find relief from the resentful rain and sorrowful clouds?
Only at the dead of night do I find some rest, and as dawn approaches, I am called again to comb my hair.

Upon the publication of this poem, its fame grew, causing a sensation throughout the city. All who passed by felt pity and admiration. But he harbored a secret thought, often thinking, "My eyes are already blind. There's no cure. Though I'm in a pit of fire, I can still pull myself out. I must make up my mind not to drift with the tide and ruin my life. If I'm fortunate enough to meet a talented and handsome lover, I'll give myself to him. If I only care about money and associate with frivolous and ugly young men, not only will people laugh at my blindness, but I'll also ruin myself." Because he was so determined, he insisted on choosing whoever came to visit. These thoughts were in his heart, and he had no one to tell. Truly, as the saying goes:

eight or nine out of ten things in life are unsatisfactory, but only two or three can be shared with others.

Qian Gui was determined to choose a son-in-law, wanting to find a clever maid to entrust with his heart. Whenever someone came to visit, he was asked to report their appearance beforehand. He refused to tell his mother about this plan, only saying that he wanted to find a good maid to accompany him. At this time, Hao relied on him like a mountain, and dared not disobey his orders. She searched everywhere for a matchmaker, sparing no expense.

One day, the matchmaker brought a maid, saying she was sent away by Tong Baiwan's family. Her nickname was Xiantao, and she was only fourteen years old. Hao saw her and indeed found her to be gentle and quick-witted, so she bought her for him.

A few days later, Qian Gui found the girl to be dignified and trustworthy. He inquired about her background and found she was from a respectable family. Her father, being incompetent and a gambler, had sold her. She had received some education in her youth and could read. Qian Gui was very pleased and treated her like a younger sister, not letting her do any heavy work. They always ate at the same table, and if there were no guests, they slept in the same bed. The girl was very grateful, and Qian Gui confided his secrets to her. The girl also wholeheartedly agreed. [Qian Gui's kindness to her was such that he later repaid her handsomely.] People saw that Tian Heng's five hundred righteous men and Ge Dan's three thousand armored generals died with him, and thought it extraordinary, saying that later generations would not have such righteousness. But such righteous men exist, only no one can treat others with such sincerity as these two gentlemen. 】Change his name to replace his eyes. Because he himself was blind, he took the meaning of replacing his eyes. 【The peach is expensive and used to replace his eyes, which is extremely important. There will be no future troubles, and it will gradually flourish.】

Now let's talk about two sides. The Tong family, one of the richest families in Nanjing, had a ridiculous reason for selling a maid.

This Tong family was arrogant and originally from Huizhou Prefecture. His great-grandfather had served as a provincial governor in the Yuan Dynasty and amassed a huge fortune. 【He served as a provincial governor but did not gain any fame or political achievements, only a huge fortune. It is no wonder that his descendants are rich.】 Because of his love for the prosperity of Jiangnan, he settled here, and his family has lived here for generations. His grandfather, though never holding an official position, was skilled in business and known for his ruthlessness, [a small portrait of a wealthy man]. Thus, he became a famous wealthy man. His father, Tong Shan, [a wealthy man's name, perhaps with the courtesy name Jin Xue], had two brothers; he was the second, and his elder brother was named Zi Hong. After their father's death, the brothers separated; his elder brother moved back to their ancestral home in Xin'an, leaving him alone.

This Tong Zi Da, though not exceptionally stupid, was somewhat dull-witted. He was illiterate, [no wonder he became a wealthy man.] yet he was reluctant to leave. [I have seen wealthy men in Datong suffer from this ailment as well.] His wife was the sister of Tie Hua. This Tie woman was not only exceptionally fierce, but also possessed an unusually beautiful face. A few lines of praise describe her:

"Two thick eyebrows, broad as willow leaves. [Eyebrows like distant mountains, inherently not small.] A pair of strange eyes, far surpassing the beauty of a peach blossom." [Her eyes are almond-shaped, only slightly smaller than a peach.] Her cherry-like mouth is three inches wide. [The physiognomy book says: A large mouth brings great fortune, suitable for a wealthy woman.] Her garlic-shaped nose is slightly smaller than a fist. [A high-set Saturn is auspicious.] Her face is like a drum, with cheeks weighing ten pounds. [She has the appearance of a wealthy woman.] Her body is like a cotton bundle, weighing over two hundred pounds. [She has the body of a wealthy woman.] Her fists are like willow branches, and her feet are as wide as bream. Her loud shouts are no less than a tiger's roar in an empty mountain; her soft whispers are like a resounding bell at night. [The physiognomy book says: A voice like a resounding bell brings a thousand bushels of wealth. The child's great fortune, how can it not be the wife's fortune?] Lying on her back on a green bed, her breasts are a foot high; sitting on her side on a bed, her plump buttocks are ten feet in circumference. Her vulva is wide, like two tiles joined together; [It's frightening, as the proverb says: If half of it were to fall out, it would scare you to death; this is exactly what the woman's vulva is like.] Her vulva was full and round, like a bowl held upside down. [Is it a daily spittoon or a monk's alms bowl? This one is truly wonderful; such a beauty is rare among women throughout history, perhaps like Yang Guifei.] When she walked, she was like a mountain of flesh; [A fleshy screen is enough for just her.] When she lay down, she was like a leather bag. [With her breasts as a pillow and her body as a mattress, she was comparable to the gentle paradise of Emperor Cheng of Han.]

Wouldn't it be frightening to have such a beauty? Even though Tong Zida married her, he had never experienced her beatings or scoldings. He only saw her stern yet not harsh, imposing yet not angry demeanor, truly like a mouse seeing a cat, or a deer seeing a tiger. That Tie Shi was naturally prone to a thousand roars, but there was one thing she shared with her husband: a thousand stings. When Tie Shi was at home, she had learned the rules her sister-in-law used to discipline her brother, and she intended to use her husband as a small example of these rules. Unexpectedly, her husband was completely convinced. Every time he saw her brows furrow slightly, she would unconsciously kneel before him, and suddenly her eyes would open slightly, and she would be kneeling on the ground. Although this Tie Shi was fierce, as the old saying goes, "Even a tiger doesn't eat a subdued beast," and seeing this situation, he couldn't exert his power, so there was no need to use his strength. However, having only learned the ways of the household for a few years, he found himself unable to apply them, and couldn't help but sigh that his ambitions and talents were buried in obscurity. He could only wait patiently for the right opportunity and act accordingly.

One day, the auspicious day arrived for him to issue his orders and make his first move. Why was this? When Tie Shi was at home, her brother Tie Hua had found six maids for her to marry, buying four good ones and two ugly ones. The four better ones did needlework with their sister, helped with dressing, and made the bed. One served her personally, and the two clumsy ones were used for sweeping and washing. Among the four good maids, there was one exceptionally talented. She was also from a good family, but her father, Dai Qian, was a gambler who had lost money in Tiehua. Unable to repay the debt, he had no choice but to give his daughter to him to settle the score. She was only ten years old when she came and was given to his sister. Tie's wife saw that she was clever and adorable and loved her dearly. Every day, she would comb her hair and dress her up, give her the best food and clothes, and gave her the name Xiantao (Fairy Peach). This maid had also studied for two or three years. Because of her intelligence, she knew many characters and could write them. She also knew a little about needlework and was good at reading people's expressions. Tie's wife, who was usually quick-tempered and had a fiery temper, would never punish her with a beating or scold her for half a day, but for three or four years, she had never even uttered a sound at her. Since marrying into the Tong family, the maid had been with them for almost half a year.

That morning, Tie was combing her hair on a table by the window, having placed a dressing table on it. Tong Zida sat on a chair at the side of the table, watching her apply makeup, brush her hair, and fill in her eyebrows. He watched with great interest. He saw that

her face was dark brown, heavily powdered with lead powder, which made her look bluish-purple. [Is it that dark-faced women in this world love to use lead powder? Does adding to ugliness enhance beauty? It's puzzling.] Her wide lips were heavily rouged, dyed two patches of blood red. [This can be called vermilion lips.] Her teeth were yellow and thick, like mountains of gold and jade. Her face was white and her neck was black. She was indeed like a silver ladle and an iron handle. Her hair was like gold thread, and she had also learned to dress in the fashionable way. Her wrists were like iron rods, and she even wore a pair of gold bracelets with flowers. [It is said that ugly people have ugly fortune, and this is indeed true.]

Seeing this, Tong Zida couldn't help but feel timid and his heart trembled. He finished dressing and went to wash his hands. Suddenly, he saw Xiantao carrying a silver basin of water. [How could a money-grubbing family have a silver basin?] The phrase "silver basin" is used to highlight the iron maid's wrist, and to make a laugh. [She was described as having:

jet-black hair, a beautiful and charming face, a complexion of red and white, and a figure of similar height. Beneath her skirt were two small golden lotus feet, and ten pointed jade shoots on the edge of the basin. A delicate fairy flower adorned her hair, and a pair of bright yellow gold earrings hung from her ears. [This is not a praise of the beauty of the iron maid at this moment, but a praise of the future beauty of Zhong Sheng Xiaoxing; the viewer must have a long eye.]

The arrogant boy, having observed the demon mother for half a day, suddenly saw a celestial being descend to earth. With a clang, his soul left his body, and he stared blankly, mouth agape, drool flowing from his lips. [People often drool at the sight of delicious food, but when they see beauty, it is not something to be eaten, and they drool immediately. However, often people drool from the top of their mouths. What does this mean? Does it mean from the bottom up? The old man replied: It is what is meant by "beauty is food for the eyes."] He stared intently.

Could it be that Tong Zida hadn't seen the maid before? Why was she dressed like this today? Every day when he saw Tie Shi, she was always dressed and made up. Although she was ugly, he was used to it and didn't notice. But today, seeing her true face, he realized she was truly ugly to the extreme. Secondly, because of the mistress's imposing presence, the maid usually didn't dare to look closely, only stealing glances. Besides, standing separately, she didn't find her particularly pretty. But today, with mistress and maid together, the good seemed even better, and the ugly even uglier. He was so captivated that he stared, completely mesmerized. [Forgetting the mistress's imposing presence, his audacity was truly boundless.]

The maid, carrying water, looked up and suddenly saw her young master's dazed expression, and couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't mean any harm. This chuckle was noticed by Tie Shi, who was large and had a large, round bottom, so a large stool was specially made for her to sit on. He had turned away while washing his hands, so he hadn't seen his husband's face. Now, seeing the maid's smile, he quickly turned around to look. [The word "turned around" is brilliantly written. How so? These two words alone depict an unreasonably fat man. If someone else turned around, they only needed to turn their neck. Because he was so fat, his neck was too thick; he couldn't turn his head, so he had to turn his whole body. This detail must have been written with remarkable skill and logic. I don't know how the author's mind could be so subtle.] The arrogant boy suddenly saw the maid smile, [An ancient saying goes: "A smile can topple a city," and "A smile from Xian Tao brought disaster to the arrogant boy," showing that a beautiful woman's smile is not auspicious for the country.] thinking she had fallen for him, he became even more delirious, still staring blankly, grinning foolishly. [A fool's foolishness is evident.] Seeing his state, Tie

Shi unleashed the political skills she had learned over the years, releasing months of pent-up jealousy. She stretched out her five tender fingers, as thick as carrots, and slapped him across the face, her hand dripping with water—a resounding thud. [How amusing!] Just as Tong Zida was lost in his fantasies, this slap startled him so much he jumped high, dazed and confused. While he was still struggling, Tie Shi grabbed him by the ear and pulled him over. [The word "pulled" is brilliant. Seeing Tie Shi's fierce demeanor and Tong Zida's weak fear, it truly felt like a direct admonition.] As fate would have it, a chicken-handled duster that the maids had used to dust the table hadn't been put away yet, and he grabbed it. Holding the hairy end, he used the thick, purple bamboo stick to strike Tong Zida's bare neck more than ten times. The blows felt like knives cutting his neck, and tears streamed down his face. He knelt on the floor, spinning wildly. Tie scolded, "You heartless wretch! How dare you flirt with a maid right in front of me! How many times have you two cheated on me behind my back? Tell me the truth, and I'll spare your life!" Tong Zida pleaded pitifully, "Grandma, you've wronged me! I'm always by your side, never leaving your side, except when something comes up. I obey your laws, Grandma, and I don't even dare look at the maids. How could I dare to have such thoughts? Even if I had such a dog's heart, I would have nowhere to do it. Please tell me the details." Although Tie was fiery-tempered, she found his words quite reasonable, and seeing the swollen welts on his neck, thicker than fingers, she said, "I'll spare you this time. If you dare to be so bold again, don't even think about living. Get up." [Tie still had some pity; she wasn't the first truly wicked woman.] Tong Zida felt as if he had been released from the gates of hell, repeatedly saying, "Thank you, Grandma, for your divine grace." He got up, rubbing his neck, and went on his way.

Still furious, Lady Tie summoned a maidservant to beat her. Although the maidservant had never experienced such treatment before, she was accustomed to her mistress's cruelty. Hearing the threat, she was terrified, kneeling and weeping, "I have served you for years, young lady, and received your kindness in treating me so well. How could I dare to deceive you? I just found the young master's appearance amusing and couldn't help but laugh. What secret feelings could I possibly have? Please, young lady, have mercy and forgive me." Lady Tie, who had never dared to utter a single harsh word against her in years, could not bring herself to beat her. Seeing her soft, sorrowful cries, like pear blossoms in the rain, she thought to herself: This wretched creature, even I, seeing her like this, feel an overwhelming tenderness; how much more so would any man not love her? ["I pity her, how much more so this old servant? This is true affection. Lady Tie's refusal to keep the peach, though said to be out of jealousy, is precisely out of love."] This troublemaker cannot be kept at hand; I cannot bear to see so much. The ancients said, "Even tigers have their moments of dozing off." If this happens, it will be too late to regret it then; it's better to get rid of her now. Having made up her mind, she said, "How could I allow you to play tricks on me? I've raised you for years, and I can't bear to beat you. Just pack your things and send you somewhere else." The maid burst into tears. She said, "I've served you for years, and I've been fortunate enough to receive your kindness. I didn't mean any harm today. Why do you want to abandon me, young lady? I'd rather be beaten to death than leave." Seeing her so heartbroken, Tie Shi felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. Because of her jealousy, she went against her conscience and firmly refused. The maid knew she couldn't stay. Although she was grateful for the years of kindness she had shown, she feared incurring Tie Shi's anger. She kowtowed, weeping, and packed her clothes and bedding. Hearing her so pitiful cries, Tie Shi felt deeply saddened. [Even love couldn't overcome jealousy; a woman's jealousy is truly terrifying.] She called a servant named Tong Zuobi. [Tong Zuobi was implying that the matchmaker had colluded with her.] She instructed, "Take this girl to a matchmaker's house. Don't worry about her social status; find her a good family to marry into. Don't let her be married off to the wrong people and ruin her life." Tong Zuobi agreed and led her away.

Tie Shi pondered again, "These three decent-looking girls are also a source of trouble; they absolutely cannot be left here." She selected three unmarried servants from her household and married them off that very day. [An ancient saying goes: "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer." A smile from Xian Tao benefits three maids; these six people should be considered as offerings for the deceased.] She kept only two ugly maids, one named Kui Xin and the other Lian Ban, to serve her, finally putting her mind at ease. A tune, "Xi Jiang Yue," praises these two ugly maids:

Dark-skinned, difficult to apply powder, [even more elegant than the mistress.] Yellowish hair covered by a headscarf. [Truly skilled at concealing their flaws.] Thick waists concealed only by handkerchiefs, large feet thankfully covered by skirts. [With such disguise, aren't they afraid of the mistress's jealousy?] Skilled at sweeping and making beds, but often forgetting about chamber pots and toilets. It was expected that it would be difficult to steal from the master, thus avoiding the young lady's shrewish roar. [However, this was completely wrong; instead, she was listed as a minor star.]

Unexpectedly, Xiantao's smile benefited the three maids. Having tasted this wonderful thing that day, they considered it an act of matchmaking for them, a marriage arranged with a smile, but it ultimately became someone else's affair, unrelated to themselves.

Tong Zuobi led Xiantao to the matchmaker's house. Seeing that she was somewhat beautiful, and that the mistress had instructed that her price be flexible, he considered making a quick buck from her. He secretly discussed with the matchmaker, promising her an extra reward. The matchmaker said, "She cannot be sold to a wealthy family for a high price." [A wicked servant and a treacherous matchmaker, equally black-hearted.] Just then, the Qian family wanted to buy a maid, specifying a price of eighty taels of silver, and sold her to them. The matchmaker received eight taels, Tong Zuobi kept sixty taels, and only took twelve taels to report back to Tie Shi. He falsely claimed to have received twelve taels as a dowry and married off to a timber merchant from Jiangxi as his daughter-in-law. Upon hearing this, Tie felt a pang of sorrow, but upon hearing that he would become the timber merchant's wife, she was happy for him. [Tie and Xiantao were always in love, so when they met again, she harbored no resentment.]

The arrogant boy, after being beaten, went to his study and thought, "I'm a wealthy man, who doesn't respect me? [Mocking the world.] I've been so careful to flatter him, yet he still humiliates me like this. I'm afraid of him, I have no choice. Do you think the government is afraid of him too? [A brilliant idea. Little do they know that even if they aren't afraid of him, everyone has their own fears. What to do?] I'll file a complaint against him; perhaps things will be better later. I dare not go to other major government offices; I'll go to the county court." He then thought, "It's not good to hire someone to write the complaint; I'll have to speak it orally." He then thought, "No, how can I say I was beaten by my mistress if everyone in the hall hears? Aren't I afraid of being laughed at?" [A masterful calculation, vividly portraying the cunning of a fool.] After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly remembered, "My cousin's eldest brother, Wei Rubao, is currently a clerk in the Shangyuan County Criminal Division. Why not go and discuss it with him?" Then he thought again, "But I'm afraid he might not be willing to help because he's protecting his cousin." He then thought, "What does it matter? People say that officials are like flies to blood when they see money. If you give him a few coins, he might not even care if you sue his own mother, let alone a distant cousin. [Unexpectedly, this fool has such a strange idea.] I'll offer him a generous gift, and he'll naturally be willing to do my part." [Rich people are willing to give generous gifts, but I don't believe it. He said he'd offer a generous gift, but that's just a suggestion; maybe he will.] Having made up his mind, he went to the Wei family to find Wei Rubao.

His elder brother, Wei Ruhou, came out to greet him, saying, "My brother isn't home, brother-in-law, please come in and sit down." Tong Zida sat down in the hall, and Wei Ruhou asked, "What did you want to see my brother about, brother-in-law?" Tong Zida replied, "I wanted to discuss something important with him." Wei Ruhou said, "He has business at the yamen; he left early this morning and won't be back until evening. If you want to find him, you'll find him at the county gate early tomorrow morning." He quickly went inside and brought two cups of tea for Tong Zida to drink. He then asked, "Brother-in-law, is there anything important you want to say that you can tell me?" Tong Zida sighed, rolled up his collar, and craned his neck to show him, saying, "Please examine my injuries." Wei Ruhou saw that they were all purple marks as thick as fingers, swollen high, and exclaimed in surprise, "Who dared to hit you, brother-in-law? This is outrageous!" Tong Zida replied, "Who else could it be but your cousin?" He then told him that he hadn't noticed the maid being beaten. Wei Ruhou roared in fury, "Outrageous! How can such a thing happen in this world? Even women are abusing their husbands! Don't blame me for saying, brother-in-law, you're too weak to tolerate his insolence. What if it were me? Hah!" [A Taoist text says: "Words are useless; it's better to remain silent." Wei Ruhou only cared about flattering his wealthy brother-in-law and forgot about his wife's fierce nature; it's no wonder he suffered later.] Before he could finish his sentence, his wife behind the screen interjected, "What if it were you?" He was holding a cup of tea when he heard the question. He shuddered, dropped the cup, and it shattered on the ground. His face paled, and he replied, "If it were me, I would grit my teeth and endure it to the death." [That's a true hero.] Tong Zida smiled secretly, stepped forward, and bowed. The wife returned the bow and glared at Wei Ruhou. He lowered his head, his face ashen. Seeing the situation was not good, Tong Zida didn't stay any longer and left. [Tong Zida was surprisingly perceptive and not at all dazed.] Wei Ruhu, seeing him off, stuck out his tongue and whispered, "He didn't say anything else, what a stroke of luck." Tong Zida laughed, "I think you're even more afraid than I am. Why did you say those harsh words first?" He quickly covered Tong Zida's mouth, saying, "My young master, please be quiet, don't cause me trouble," and whispered in his ear, "A man who's afraid of his wife, can't he even utter a harsh word?" The two laughed heartily, bowed, and parted.

When Tong Zida returned home, he found that all four pretty maids were gone, only two ugly maids remained, and he dared not ask. That night, seeing Tie Shi sleeping fiercely, he squatted at the foot of the bed all night, dressed, [the word "squatting" is amusing; one wonders if she slept that night.] He dared not sleep. The next morning, he got up early, quietly got out of bed, and saw Tong Zuobi. He privately asked him about the whereabouts of the four maids, only to learn that three of them had been married off, and the peaches had been sold. He cursed a few times and went out to the county office to find Wei Rubao.

Seeing that the yamen gate was quiet and there was no one there, he waited for a while. Then he saw Wei Rubao carrying two plasters and limping over. He immediately saw Tong Zida and hurriedly stepped forward, asking, "I didn't greet you well yesterday. What brings you here so early, brother-in-law?" Tong Zida said, "I have something I've come to discuss with you." Wei Rubao said, "This is not the place to talk. Please come inside to the office and we can talk." So he led him into the ceremonial gate and to the office. He had Tong Zida sit down on a bench, and he... He sat down and asked, "What brings you here, brother-in-law?" Tong Zida said, "I've been so upset by my cousin's behavior that I can't stand it anymore. I don't dare do anything to her, so I want to sue her. I'm too embarrassed to hire someone else to write the complaint, so I'd like to ask you, brother, to write it for me." He then stretched out his neck to show him, saying, "The scars are proof now."

Wei Rubao sighed and remained silent. [His sigh and silence indicated that he wanted to write the complaint but dared not, yet feared offending his wealthy brother-in-law if he didn't, and also coveted the money for writing it, hence his dilemma.] Tong Zida said, "I won't trouble you for nothing, brother. I'll offer you a small token of my gratitude." [These were truly words that pierced his heart.] Wei Rubao quickly replied, "It's not for that." [Tong Zida's promise of a token of gratitude touched upon Wei Rubao's innermost thoughts, forcing him to utter the following words. As for the phrase "It's not for that," it was a lie, a pretense of politeness. It revealed the true nature of the clerks in the yamen.] [In a low voice, Wei Ruhu first whispered, then Wei Rubao whispered, and later Ju Jin whispered, describing the group of cowardly women in many embarrassing and ugly ways, which made me laugh.] "To be honest, the feng shui of my family's ancestral graves is a bit strange. It's like the Yin mountain is high and the Yang mountain is low, which has led to a generation of people being somewhat henpecked. With my brothers, it's even more so—like trying to thread tofu with a horse's tail, they can't lift it. My brother is such a tough guy, the best in our yamen. Twenty or thirty guards couldn't beat him. No matter how fierce the bandit, they'd kneel before him. My sister-in-law, such a thin woman, only manages to beat him until he's plump. My brother-in-law often sees this; sometimes, when she gets angry, she wants to beat him a hundred times, but after ninety-nine, he not only doesn't dare get up, he doesn't even dare move. I'm not exaggerating; often when I beat him to the point where he can't take it anymore, I'll even dare to beg for mercy, but he won't even dare to beg, just gritting his teeth and enduring it like a mute. Because his name is Wei..." Like a tiger, outsiders know this story. They say that back then, Li Cunxiao could fight tigers, but he was a skinny, sickly little fellow. Coincidentally, my sister-in-law also had the surname Li, and she was petite, so everyone called her Mother Cunxiao. [The skinny one is frightening.] My brother-in-law probably heard about it too, and my brother became even more pitiful. Even Granny Shi shed tears when she talked about it, and the stories of his mistreatment were endless. In short, I'm not afraid my brother-in-law will laugh at me, but if he asked me to die now, I probably wouldn't dare to live. [Unexpectedly, the wife's power is like that of a father and father.] It's no wonder, firstly, my lowly body is much smaller than my brother-in-law's, and my wife's esteemed figure is similar to my cousin's. [The fat one is frightening, I wonder what a woman's body is like, so that her husband wouldn't be afraid.] If he were to hit me, he would lift me up like a chick, gently... He was thrown to the ground, his back slumped down, like Sun Wukong pressed against the Five Elements Mountain. Could he possibly move? Let him pick whichever piece he wants, beat him however he wants. I'm just a sedan chair bearer, I'll take care of it. It's just that the 'Leopard' in my humble name was chosen poorly in the first place.” Tong Zida asked, “How so?” He replied, “My wife’s surname is Shi. The lion is the king of beasts. What leopard wouldn't be afraid of a lion? I often think that even if a leopard were to see a lion, it would only be death, not necessarily that much fear. But when I see him, my heart trembles, I'm terrified beyond words. If I see his smiling face, I'm happier than a god, but if I see his angry expression, my whole body trembles, my heart pounds in my mouth, and I can't utter a single word.” I secretly gave him a title, calling him the Nine-Headed Lion Mother, which is the name of the nine-headed lion ridden by Taiyi Tianzun in "Journey to the West." He must be a lion ancestor to be so powerful. He then smiled and showed him the plaster: "Why do you think I bought this?" Tong Zida said: "According to you, brother, I suppose you were injured by your sister-in-law?" Wei Rubao said: "Why bother with that? Brother-in-law, are those few marks on your neck considered a beating? On my lowly body, that would be the lightest punishment in the world. Poor me, I have 365 days a year, and there's not a single spot on my body that isn't covered in marks. If I were to put on plasters, I wouldn't have the money to sell them, and I'd just have to cover my shirt, pants, and socks with plasters." [Why bother with all that? Just spread out a sheet, wrap it with a big plaster, how much easier.] As he spoke, he untied his socks and rolled up his trouser legs, revealing that his two knees were swollen and red, the size of rice bowls, covered in bloody bruises.

Tong Zida hurriedly asked, "What happened?" Wei Rubao laughed, "It's a terrible injustice! Yesterday, a friend invited me to drink, and I got home a little late. Being an official, my elder brother always opens the door for me, whether I'm early or late, and he never complains. But yesterday, I don't know what my brother said to my sister-in-law, my sister-in-law got angry. Since noon yesterday, she's been making him kneel with a basin on his head, and she won't let him get up. It was my wife who opened the door, startling him, and that's when he got angry..." He insisted I was out soliciting prostitutes, otherwise why would I come home so late at night? I begged and pleaded until my mouth bled, but he wouldn't believe me. Even when blood streamed from my mouth, he insisted it was from sappanwood. What could I do? He took some broken tiles, smashed them, and made me kneel on them until dawn. That wasn't all; then he made me put a heavy, heavy stone on my head, pressing the broken tiles into my flesh. How cruel was that? And he still hasn't taken them off this morning, despite my desperate pleas. [It's really his fault.] He repeatedly pleaded that he had important business at the yamen today and was afraid of being late, so he was spared. When I came out, I looked around and saw my brother still kneeling there like an old man, with a flowerpot on his head. Once outside, I couldn't move an inch. I looked around and saw that my eyes were covered in bloody sores, all from those broken porcelain shards. My legs were almost broken. Helpless, I had to slowly make my way to the surgical pharmacy and buy two plasters to apply. Why am I late today? Didn't you see I was limping just now? "Is it a favor? [There's an advantage to it; before even completing the examination, I've already become a clerk.] If I write this petition for you, it's not a big deal, but if my cousin finds out later and speaks ill of my wife, how can I possibly live? [A brother-in-law who's terrified of his wife like a scorpion, and then he finds two uncles who're terrified of their wives like tigers and leopards—what good will that do?] That would truly mean certain death. Even your brother-in-law is in trouble. This isn't a game; it's a matter of life and death. Don't act rashly. I advise you to be patient."

Hearing his words, Tong Zida wasn't sure if they were true or false. Seeing his hesitation, he took out a small paper packet from his sleeve and offered it, saying, "This is nothing, brother. Buy me a cup of tea, and you've truly avenged me. I'll repay you handsomely later." [This is the earlier promise of a generous gift.] Upon seeing the packet, Wei Rubao smiled broadly and said, "I've come up with an idea, but I wonder if it's feasible?" [His smiling face upon seeing the packet reveals his idea; a vivid portrayal of a government official. Brilliant.] He feigned reluctance, saying, "How can I accept such a small gift from a close relative?" Tong Zida replied, "Since you have such a plan, I won't dare to refuse this small token." He stuffed it into his hand, which he accepted, saying, "Since you say so, I'll accept it for now." He then put it in his pocket and said, "In my opinion, this matter doesn't necessarily need to be brought to court. Besides, I've been ill and haven't been to court these past few days. Haven't you noticed how quiet the yamen is? Even if I filed a complaint, I wouldn't be able to get it accepted. The steward in charge of the rotating buckets is incredibly wealthy, but what use is that cowardly steward?" "He's my closest friend. I'll invite him over to discuss this with him. I'll ask him to inform the master, get a warrant, and send two men to your residence. They'll say the authorities have found out she's abusing her husband and are going to arrest her to scare him. My cousin is just a woman; she's timid. She'll naturally be frightened. If she changes her ways later, that'll be the end of it. Besides, we're both in a position of strength, so we have nothing to hide. We're not afraid of them finding out. Once a lawsuit is filed, there will be evidence against us. Do you think this is feasible?" [This is not a good plan. If no idea is suggested, how can that trouble be resolved?] Seeing that the authorities wouldn't come to court, Tong Zida had no choice but to say, "I'll leave it to you, brother."

Wei Rubao then sent a doorman to the back of the guest hall to fetch a large sum of money. After waiting for a while, he saw him arrive. Tong Zida saw that he was a big man, with a square face, big ears, and a full beard. [It is precisely because of such a good-looking and good-looking man that he is more afraid of him. I don't know why.] He was holding a blue handkerchief in his left hand and covering his left eye. The two men rose and invited him to sit down. He asked Wei Rubao, "Who is this?" Wei Rubao replied, "This is my relative, Mr. Tong." Ju Jin hurriedly bowed and said, "My apologies, my apologies, I have long admired your name." [Upon reading this, I closed the book and sighed, "How profound! Money commands such respect. In this world, can wealth be ignored?"] Wei Rubao said, "I haven't seen you for several days. I didn't know you were suffering from eye problems, sir. You've been neglecting me greatly." Ju Jin laughed heartily, "My eyes are not injured." Wei Rubao said, "If not injured, then what is it?" Ju Jin smiled and said, "Master Wei, you are not an outsider. Since Mr. Tong is your relative, [In this world, no one, young or old, fails to address the wealthy as 'sir,' it's lamentable.] we are all family. To be honest, the other day my wife and I had a minor argument, and she took it out on my wife, scolding her. I was drinking at home, with a large jug on the table. When my wife returned, she smashed bowls and plates. I hadn't even..." "Don't say anything more. Just say you were mistreated by Grandma upstairs, why are you throwing a tantrum at home?" Master Wei exclaimed, "Wonderful, as if you could hear him!" Even if I said something, it didn't offend him. I wasn't prepared, and he picked up the wine pot and slapped me across the face. Luckily, I dodged quickly, and it hit my eyebrow. Fortunately, I'm a tough guy, and I managed to hold on. [A true hero!] If I were weaker, I would have been seriously injured or even killed. Firstly, it's thanks to the ancestors' protection, and secondly, it's thanks to my... Ling Fan, [It's all thanks to him.] Otherwise, his eyes would have popped out too. He grabbed my ear and tried to pull my beard, but luckily I'm strong enough to break free and crawl under the table to escape. [It's just that these kinds of people always know how to talk nicely.] If he had pulled off half of my beard, I wouldn't be here to meet you today. He then took off his handkerchief and said, "Take a look." Wei Rubao and Tong Zida looked and saw that his brow bone was bruised and his eyes were swollen like peaches, barely open.

Wei Rubao said, "That's terrible!" Ju Jin said, "At first, they were so swollen that he couldn't even open his eyes, but they've gotten much better these past two days." He then asked, "What did you want to tell me?" Wei Rubao then told him about Tong Zida. He just shook his head and sighed. Wei Rubao said, "I dare not do this for nothing; I will certainly have to offer some compensation." Ju Jin said, "Master Wei, that's not what I mean. We are good friends. If I can help you, wouldn't Master Tong be worthy of such a favor? There's a reason you don't know." Then he whispered: [The description is vivid.] "The other day, my beloved husband casually chatted with his mistress, saying, 'Most officials have a few concubines. You're almost fifty now, it's time I took a concubine for some fun.' He was laughing when his mistress rushed up and scratched his face and neck raw. The cuts were horribly unsightly. But it's not my mistress's fault; it was my husband's fault. How could he say such things? Luckily, his mistress dotes on one of her young sons, about eight or nine years old. You've seen him often taken out to play by the master. He cried and clung to the master before she let him go; otherwise, it would have been much worse. Because he can't attend court, he's been feigning illness for the past few days. [This is probably why officials often feign illness to avoid court.] My lowly wife suffers this humiliation; my fate is unkind, all because of this. Now, my beloved husband is extremely careful and accommodating in front of his mistress." "If I were to report this crime, my mistress would be furious if she found out and accused me of wrongdoing on behalf of my husband. That would be terrible! My lord is currently flattering me; let alone torture, if he simply orders me to deal with her, I would be dead for sure. [The laws of the household are heavier than official punishments; how can one not be afraid?] That is why I dare not obey." He then said to the boy, "Your wife is quite virtuous. She avoids a pretty young girl from afar, afraid of causing trouble. Is that something to be proud of? It's her own lack of self-discipline that's the problem; how can you blame anyone else? It's fortunate she didn't break her neck. If my lord and I had committed such a crime, well, we might not even be able to save our lives. My advice is good, [truly good advice.] Please calm down. From now on, be careful in everything you do, and you'll be fine." [These are wise words, a secret to self-preservation.] He stood up and said, "I cannot keep you company. My wife is going upstairs. She gets up early and will probably have to come back for breakfast. I will go and look after her." He bowed and left.

Tong Zida could only sigh. Wei Rubao said, "As your brother-in-law, I have done all I can. [This sentence has somewhat resolved the matter.] I can't get in, but there's nothing I can do. What Old Ju said is also good. Brother-in-law, you should endure it. I have a few words of advice to pass on. If you memorize them, you will be safe from future troubles.

If he beats me, I will lie down first. If he scolds me, I will just say it's good. It saves him energy and saves me trouble. This Prajnaparamita is a treasure. If you know this, you will be safe until old age.

Brother-in-law, please remember this. Please go back. There is nothing to do at the yamen. I must also return home. If I go back too late, trouble may arise." Seeing that he said this, Tong Zida had no choice but to leave.

Having come to find him early in the morning, I was both thirsty and hungry. I went to a teahouse and drank a pot of tea, feeling quite full. While I was drinking tea, I overheard a few people laughing and talking at the next table. One of them said, "Master Xi of Jiangning County is a stern and upright official, and a man of good character. He's a short, burly man with a full beard, and he has a rather menacing air about him. He's from Fujian and has a penchant for male homosexuality. He has a doorman in his yamen named Dong Hun, nicknamed Little Dong Xian. He's fair-skinned and delicate, even more charming than a woman. Master Xi has fallen in love with him. He told his wife that he was busy with yamen affairs, unable to finish them during the day and having to manage them at night. So, he spends about twenty days a month sleeping with Little Dong in his study. Later, somehow his wife found out, and one night at midnight, the gate of the mansion suddenly opened..." The wet nurse, accompanied by maids and servants, carrying several lanterns, rushed to the study. Opening the door, she found Master Xi asleep with Little Dong. The wet nurse yanked off the covers, revealing them both naked. But the wet nurse held a large awl and stabbed Little Dong's tender buttocks ten or so times. The boy rolled on the floor in pain, stabbed twice more, and only stopped when he crawled under the bed. [The master's rubbing awl was acceptable, but the wet nurse's iron awl was far too sharp.] She then embraced Master Xi's head, stroking his beard until half of it was gone. [A friend of mine, upon seeing this, laughed and said, "What does this have to do with the beard? Why not stab his penis with the awl? That would be more appropriate." I replied, "No, because his penis has been taken by Little Dong, he's already stabbed his buttocks; how could he bear to stab it again? The one stroking the beard implies that his mouth must be intimate with it, hence the anger directed at the beard."] "This is what is meant by having no other choice but to consider a lesser option." He grabbed half of his beard and pulled him along like a sheep herder. [Even Chen Zao, who turned into a sheep, wouldn't be this pathetic.] He wasn't dressed, just draped in a bedsheet, and was dragged up. The ancients said: Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels a thousand miles. This was a matter within his office, and somehow it spread. The next day, someone wrote a rhyming song about the rumor and posted it on the screen walls of both government offices. I still remember it was four lines: "

The lady made a scene in the study in the middle of the night, her tender thigh was struck by an awl, truly pitiful.
Who has taken away half of her bushy beard? Where is the magistrate's fierce spirit now!"

Not wanting the Prefect to find out, the Prefect said, "He's supposed to be a father to the people, how could he allow his wife to go out at night? He added the words 'not allowed,' gave her a new title, and sealed her door for questioning." Master Xi was anxious. He was on good terms with Xue Taiye, the Prefect's chief official, and asked someone to inquire among the local gentry who had a close relationship with the Prefect, so he could plead on his behalf. Xue Taiye said, "The Prefect is stubborn and incorruptible; he never listens to leniency. There's only one way now: my uncle has just arrived. Tell him to find his way to plead with my wife. If my wife speaks to the Prefect, the whole affair will be ruined." Master Xi then asked Xue Taiye to give his uncle a generous gift, and the uncle spoke to his wife. His wife, however, didn't know what he said to the Prefect and thus remained unaware. [This pause is well-placed; if it were described in detail, how could outsiders know the intricacies of the affairs within the yamen?] That day, the magistrate sat in the hallway, lost in thought, shaking his head in contemplation, [looking troubled]. Just then, the clerk from the office went up to present the draft. The magistrate read it and said, "I'm really struggling with this matter. Today, Madam repeatedly told me to spare Magistrate Xi. I thought, since I've already taken his title and am going to impeach him, how can I suddenly stop? If I don't listen to Madam and impeach him, what will she think if she finds out?" He laughed and said, "I'm going to be following Magistrate Xi again. What's your idea?" The clerk said, "Your Excellency, everyone knows that you took Magistrate Xi's title. If you suddenly stop, it seems like there's something fishy going on. I'm afraid it will be inconvenient for the Censorate and the Imperial Censorate to find out." The magistrate said, "That's exactly what I'm hesitating about." The clerk said, "Now we can only tell Madam to spare him, and secretly impeach him. Once the imperial decree comes down, Madam will have no choice." The magistrate nodded repeatedly and said, "Your idea makes sense." Just then, a black raven-like object appeared on the master's head, flying far away and landing on the ground. Everyone looked closely and saw it was the master's official hat. Turning back to look at the master, the mistress, somehow aware of what was happening, [the character "雪机" means "to leak secrets," and having already leaked secrets to Magistrate Xi, it goes without saying that she was leaking secrets to the mistress.] came out with a club and struck the master on the back of the head, sending the hat flying. The master was stunned and collapsed onto his desk. The servant, seeing the situation was dire, looked up and saw the mistress's club coming down on his forehead. He cried out in alarm, quickly turning his head to the side, his ear and shoulder already injured. He barely survived and ran outside. The mistress, club in hand, chased him towards the main hall. All the stewards knelt on the ground, blocking his way and pleading, "Madam, please spare the master's dignity! So many clerks and yamen runners are watching outside; how can you possibly leave?" "The lady still wouldn't listen, and it was only after a dozen or so housekeepers came out and pleaded with her that she finally went in. The housekeepers also helped the master inside. A moment later, Master Xue came out and ordered: 'Magistrate Xi, please open the gates and conduct business as usual.' The master's name was Du Sanwei, meaning he feared Heaven's mandate, the superiors, and the words of the sages. Nowadays, people called him Du Siwei, saying he also feared his wife. Some even called him Marshal Du. Although Master Xi was fortunate enough to retain his official rank, recently his wife became a prisoner, and he became a criminal. However, when he came out of court, his wife kept watch in the warm pavilion, and they would all go up together after the court session. He originally had a full beard, but because half of it was gone, he didn't look good, so he shaved it off, leaving him with a bald chin, which was quite unsightly. At first glance, I didn't even recognize him. These days, he walks with a hunched back, and I initially thought that perhaps his wife had injured her back?" A friend of mine works in his yamen (government office). The other day he told me, "These days, whenever Master Xi goes out, his wife takes a book with his name, Xi Tu Nan, and stamps it on his tortoise shell. [I wondered why this magistrate's surname was Xi, but now I understand why.] She wants to check it when he comes back. If it's wiped off, it's a big deal, so now he walks with a stoop." Everyone laughed when he said this.

Tong Zida, upon hearing this, thought to himself, "It's clear that no one in the world is unafraid of their wife these days. Even officials are afraid to this extent, let alone me. From now on, I will only be careful and go along with her in everything, and I will never again beat or scold her without reason." "He made up his mind. He had already finished his pot of tea, and then asked for two more pots of water, which he also drank, filling his belly. He paid four coins for the tea and went home. That's another story.

Now, after Wei Rubao saw Tong Zida off, he thought to himself with delight: That stingy fellow, I've never even bothered him for a cup of water before, but today I've gotten a bribe from him. If I had been a little more naive and had refused, he would have taken it back. My mother was angry last night, so I'll treat him to a big meal today, apologize, and that should be enough. Besides, there's nothing to do at the yamen, so I should go home early.

After leaving the yamen, he went to a money table, took out the packet from his waist, opened it, and weighed it. It was about two qian (a unit of weight), and its color was neither red nor yellow. There was some copper blue on the chisel. He handed it to the counter, and the man laughed and said: 'My shop only exchanges silver, not gold. Take it to the jewelry store to exchange it.'" Wei Rubao said, "Is there no silver at all? Open it up and let me see." The man opened it up and looked at it again. It was a full forty percent. He said, "Exchange it if you want, otherwise please go somewhere else." Wei Rubao cursed the miser under his breath. He was giving away silver like this. Helpless, he said, "Exchange it." The man weighed it and it was only one qian and eight fen. [It should have been two qian, but because it was a wealthy man's scale, it was two fen short. A poor man's scale would not be this short.] He exchanged it for several dozen coins. He calculated that it wasn't enough to buy anything else, so he bought three catties of beef for twenty-four coins and two catties of liquor, also for twenty-four coins, and carried it back.

Just as he arrived at the door, his wife, Shi, was inside looking at two large lion dogs chained together on the street. [Shi was looking at lion dogs chained together, which can be said to be a case of birds of a feather flocking together.] She was enjoying it when she saw him and angrily asked, [interrupted her enjoyment, so her anger was justified.] "Who are you selling meat and liquor for?" Wei Rubao was walking with his head down when he suddenly heard the noise. He was startled and almost dropped his wine bottle. After regaining his composure, he forced a smile and struggled for a while before managing to say, "I've been so worried about you these past few days, Mother. Luckily, I managed to get a few coins today, so I'm buying two catties of meat and a catty of wine to show my respect." The woman swallowed hard, and her fierce face instantly transformed into a smiling one. She said, "Good, good. I was just thinking about making some beef stew with loofah. I just passed a vegetable vendor; call him over and ask if he has any loofah." Wei Rubao hurriedly called the vegetable vendor back. The vendor stopped at the door and asked, "What do you want to buy?" Wei Rubao said, "I want loofah." The vendor said, "I sell leeks; I don't have loofah." Wei Rubao said, "I don't want leeks." The man picked up his load and muttered, "I won't eat chives because they're good for yang, but I do want loofah because it's bad for yang." Hearing this, the woman quickly asked, "Why are you so stubborn? [This woman is really clever.] Since there's no loofah, wouldn't stir-fried chives with meat be better? Buy more!" [Buy more, how interesting! If you're so keen, why not leave the load behind?] Wei Rubao called him back, and he bought several pounds and came in, seeing his brother still kneeling.

Li Shi, seeing her brother-in-law had bought meat, chives, and wine, was overjoyed and said to Wei Rubao, "I'll let you go now, quickly help your second uncle cut the meat and prepare the vegetables." "【Not even a brother, but a lifesaver!】 Wei Ruhu gently put down the bucket of clean water, bending over and struggling to help. He went to the kitchen to cook, serving a large plate and a small plate. The large plate had more meat than chives, which he gave to his sister-in-law and wife. Wei Ruhu helped serve rice and wine, serving his sister-in-law and sister-in-law until they were full. Then he brought the small plate over for his two brothers to eat. This plate had more chives than meat, and Wei Ruhu only ate the meat, while Wei Rubao ate only the chives. His two sisters-in-law watched, and Li asked her aunt, "Why isn't Second Uncle eating the meat, only the chives? What's the reason?" Shi whispered, "The chive seller said chives are good for health, so he's eating them all." Hearing this, Li stared intently at Wei Ruhu, who was still searching for meat, and couldn't contain her anxiety. She scolded, "You've become greedy! Why don't you eat some of the chives too?" Wei Ruhou, who was looking for meat, was so startled that he dropped his chopsticks on the table. He looked back, wondering what had happened, and quickly picked up his chopsticks and ate several large mouthfuls of chives. Li Shi smiled and said, "See, that's the way it is." The two sisters-in-law understood each other

and laughed. But enough of that, let's get back to the main story. After the Immortal Peach was sold to Qian Gui, it was renamed and used to announce the status of all visitors. Qian Gui, now famous, had met many people, but none of them truly understood him. He only treated them with indifference. He was also proud of his talent and refused to associate with the uncultured. If he met someone who was somewhat literate and had a pleasant appearance, even a poor scholar, he could still win a smile. But if someone was ugly and had a vulgar temperament, even if they were a gentry, a rich old man, or a wealthy merchant, he had no choice but to fawn over them against his will. However, the sense of helplessness he felt was inevitably revealed in his words and expressions.

These high-ranking officials were all fond of flattery and empty praise. Seeing him like this, they often left resentfully. Although his parents harbored resentment, they were his own daughter and had spoiled her since childhood, so they couldn't bear to make things difficult for him. Thus, he remained willful to the end. Among the crowd, some vulgar people laughed at him, while others pitied him. The vulgar people laughed at him, saying that he was a woman of noble birth, only there to offer her services for a few coins. Besides, he was blind; what good was it for him to be picky about men? He wouldn't serve the intelligent, handsome, and wealthy, but preferred the poor and starving. The lovers pitied him, saying that his determination was admirable, even among prostitutes. With this kind intention, he would surely have a good outcome in the future. Both kinds of words reached his ears, but he remained steadfast in his convictions and did not waver. Although his parents doted on their daughter, they were also greedy for money, spending their entire lives on it. Back then, relying on Hao, he dreamed of becoming a very wealthy man, [a very wealthy man is quite impressive, and the amount is considerable]. However, ever since Hao met Zhu Sikuan, he had made her vagina so large and unattainable that no customers came. He was quite surprised, especially since Hao wasn't even that old; how could she be so neglected? Although he and Hao were husband and wife, he valued money above all else, clothing and food secondary, and sex insignificant, so he rarely had intercourse with Hao.

One day, suspecting that Hao's vagina might have some other reason for not attracting customers, he casually tried it with her. To his surprise, once inside, it was boundless, like a grain of millet filling a large granary. He then understood why she had refused customers. He stroked Hao's genitals and wept bitterly. Hao asked him in surprise what had happened. He replied, "I relied on this thing of yours to build a treasury, hoping to become a wealthy man, but who knew it would end up like this? Now my door is deserted, and carriages and horses are few and far between. Becoming a wealthy man is hopeless. How can I not be heartbroken?" Having said this, he burst into loud sobs. Hao couldn't help but laugh and comforted him, saying, "You don't need to be sad. Although mine is useless, our daughter has grown up. She will carry on the mantle, and you will surely become the wealthy man in the future. You can rest assured." Hearing this, he finally stopped crying.

Every day, he burned incense and prayed before the White-Eyebrowed God. [The White-Eyebrowed God worshipped in the pimp's house has a red face, a bushy beard, and straight white eyebrows. When asked, he said it was Liu the Robber Zhi. But Robber Zhi should be worshipped as a bandit, why would a pimp worship him? Is it possible that the heart of a prostitute is as wicked as that of a bandit?] He prayed that his daughter would bring him wealth and prosperity, fulfilling his initial wish. But this daughter, who displeased him, now aspired to the same thing, greatly disappointing him. Besides himself and his daughter, they had nothing else to earn money. This wealthy man could only watch others succeed, having no share himself. He became deeply distressed and went mad. One day, he went behind Chaotian Palace Mountain and jumped into a stinking mud pit, drowning himself. [Money was his only means of survival.] This Hao woman could never have been a husband; he was merely a figurehead. He bought a leather firebox to store the fire, hired laborers to carry it out of the city, burn it, and discard it on the riverbank. But he:

had neither nine ribs to use as medicine, nor a body to divine.

What was such a thing worth mentioning? One day, Qian Gui was sitting idly in his study, deep in thought, when his attendant approached and said, "Miss, I just saw a small copy of 'Biographies of Virtuous Women' for sale at the gate, and I bought one." Qian Gui sat up happily and said, "Read it to me, and I'll tell you where she was from and what kind of virtuous woman she was." The attendant read: "

The virtuous woman Du Xiaoying was the daughter of Du Kai, a student from Chenzhou Prefecture, Huguang. Her mother, Jiang, dreamed of a woman in crimson robes holding a jade pendant, who bowed twice and said, 'I am Yingtai's daughter. May I ask to live with you, Mother?' Jiang agreed, and upon waking, she became pregnant. After her birth, she was named Xiaoying. At the age of eight, her maternal uncle admired her intelligence and taught her the precepts for women, and she could read all the books at a glance. When she read 'The Ballad of Mulan' and 'The Biography of Huang Chonggu,' she closed the book and sighed, 'These two women are not worthy of emulation. Even if a woman is pure and unblemished, if she mingles among men, she will lose the way of chastity.' Her uncle was greatly surprised when he heard this." As he grew older, he became a member of a prominent family. The bandit Zhang Xianzhong launched a major invasion of Hunan, approaching Chen County, and the entire city fled. Du Kai took his family and hid in the mountains. The government troops, lacking food and discipline, plundered women everywhere, and countless women were abducted. Xiao Ying was also captured and taken to the camp by a soldier who intended to rape her. Xiao Ying cried and begged for death, vowing to resist. The soldier, angry and fearful, reported this to his commander, who was lustful and greedy. [What a commander! If the commander is like this, what can the soldiers do?] He was overjoyed upon seeing him. [Most generals at the end of the Ming Dynasty were like this; how could they not be defeated by bandits?] Xiao Ying said sternly, “The Holy Emperor ordered you, General, to quell the bandits and save the common people. Now, you, General, instead allow your soldiers to rob innocent women. How are you any different from the bandits? Not only have you failed the Emperor, but how can you live up to the expectations of the people? I thought the ignorant soldiers were greedy for lust and robbery, and you, General, were unaware of this. If I had seen you, you would have ordered them to be brought back. Now, you want to defile me. How can you command the army with your authority? Are you not afraid of criticism?” The commander-in-chief was not angry, but laughed loudly and said, “As the saying goes, a beautiful woman is hard to find. I am fortunate to have you. Let us enjoy this moment. What is there to fear in death? What is there to fear in public opinion?” [What a fine general! He is willing to risk his life for a woman. He is truly a pillar of the court.] He took her into the tent and wanted to rape her. Ying pretended to be sick and said, “I am already here. How can I refuse? My mother is seriously ill, and I have vowed to be a vegetarian for three years. It has been two years and ten months now. If you would grant me leave to fulfill my vow, otherwise, I only wish to die quickly.” The commander-in-chief was very fond of her and agreed. After the bandits passed, the commander-in-chief took Xiao Ying back to Wuchang. They sailed on the river for nearly two months, intending to attack. Xiao Ying, fearing she could not protect her, composed ten poems as a last farewell. In the first poem, she placed an oil pouch inside her clothes and threw herself into the river to die.

The preface reads: "

The vast Dongting Lake is not incapable of death, but I fear that if I were thrown into the desolate waters, no one would know, and my parents would never know my fate. Wuchang is the provincial capital, and many virtuous scholars and officials from southern Chu gather there. Moreover, it is the year of the imperial examinations, and many from Jin County will be taking the exams. Therefore, I have endured until now to die, hoping that my elders will avenge my parents."

The poem continues:
"I am tired of hearing the army sing victory songs; how many times have the mountain apes broken my heart." [These two lines express boundless sorrow.]
The general did not issue an order to search, [only punishing the ringleaders] even though Xiao Ying was carried away on horseback.

The second poem reads: "
Tears soak my old silk robe; I dream of my hometown, but I have not returned." 【A poignant read】 Amidst the raging waves, who is my companion? I softly offer my prayers to
the two spirits of my beloved.

Third:
The fleet suddenly besieged Wuxi Ferry, carrying a beautiful woman to anchor on the water's edge. 【Beauty's tragic fate, a sorrow shared throughout the ages】 A message to my parents: cease your weeping, for even in the river, she remains a daughter. 【A rare and truly virtuous woman.】 Fourth: I recall the days when I lived in seclusion in my painted chamber, studying poetry and books under the tutelage of the Weiyang teacher. Now, adrift amidst war, I still dream of reading the *Chu Ci* by lamplight. Fifth: At fifteen, I was not yet of marriageable age; since ancient times, beauty's fortune has been elusive. The River God, with a heart of compassion, pitied my ill-fated life. The river flowed eastward, reversing its course to the west of Dongting Lake. 【Indeed, it is as the saying goes; the spirit of this virtuous woman lives on.】Sixth: I weep, the river's sound a lament for the chaos and separation, forever departing from the mirror, my eyebrows missing. The grand gates of the Qin and Jin dynasties stand empty, their future acquaintances unknown. 【How heartbreaking!】Seventh: Though my body falls like a leaf to the riverbank, I will not drift with the wind and waves. 【The nature of a virtuous woman remains unchanged even in death.】The eternal hatred of the earth. Her wandering soul should only become a weeping cuckoo. Poem 8: The rolling river waves obscure the twilight sky, my heart would rather flow eastward with the water. The mountains and rivers hold sorrow, where is my home? Who will summon my soul from the belly of a fish? [There will be one to spread her fragrant name.] Poem 9: Though I am ashamed before extraordinary men, I aspire to be among heroes. [I am worthy of the title "woman of great strength."] My pure body returns to the heavens, let the weeping owls and partridges grieve on the riverbank. Poem 10: My flesh and blood are now gone, I can only welcome them in dreams. [Even in death, she does not forget her parents, not only fierce but also filial.] Her chaste soul goes to her home, to report that her parents are no longer alive. [Those who read this without shedding tears must lack compassion.] After death, she traveled sixty miles upstream, [a strange event. Do not say that ghosts and gods are without power.] to Jingkou Post Station, where the locals retrieved her body and found her poem. It spread throughout the south, and all readers wept.

After reading this, Qian Gui listened and burst into tears, saying, "Shouldn't a woman be like this? I was born at an inauspicious time, born into a brothel, my body is already defiled, and it's too late for me to die. Although I lost at the beginning, I can still regret it in the end. If I meet a talented man in the future, I will definitely remain pure and chaste, and I must never follow the crowd and make myself a laughingstock to many." [In the section about Du Xiaoying, after hearing this, Qian Gui's determination to reform was completely solidified.] He remained frowning and without a smile all day long. One day, while sitting alone, his mother, Hao, came into the room and sat down, asking, "What are you doing here, my son?" Qian Gui replied, "The spring scenery is so alluring, I can't sleep. Having no other way to pass the time, I'm burning incense and brewing tea to soothe my soul." Hao said, "How delightful! Seeing your beautiful face and such talent, [a few flattering words to set the stage for a clever conversation, a skillful and flattering tone] what blessing I have to have you as my daughter!" She then smiled broadly and said, "My son, there's something I need to tell you. With your intelligence and literacy, there's no reason for you to disobey me as your mother." Qian Gui replied, "Mother, please speak freely."

Hao said, "My son, in our family, it's not easy to have a daughter who is both beautiful and talented. Other families would go to great lengths to find one to make money from, let alone you, my own son. When you were seven or eight years old, people saw your exceptional beauty and said our family would..." "Your future will surely be prosperous. Although you unfortunately lost your sight, your beauty is unparalleled among your sisters. As your mother, I hoped to have a small fortune with you to enjoy my old age. You think those who are willing to spend a little money these days must be princes, noblemen, or wealthy old men. You only care about looks and talent, constantly offending such good men, and instead getting close to these poor, pedantic scholars. Besides, throughout history, no one with talent and beauty has escaped poverty, just like the tragic fate of beautiful women. How many famous beauties of the past married talented and handsome husbands? You already have such beauty, yet you still want to marry a handsome and talented man. How is that possible? If you insist on this, how will I, your mother, live? And if you continue to be so willful, I'm afraid you'll encounter a wicked and foolish young master later, and cause trouble." [Empress Fu] feigned misery and shed tears, saying, "Your father..." Because of your stubbornness, you went mad and died. Only I remain. No matter how obstinate you are, I cannot last much longer. [Using death to persuade you.] You can think of this for your mother.

Qian Gui said, “Mother’s words are reasonable, but I was born into your family. Doing this lowly thing today is out of necessity. Besides, Heaven has given me such talent and looks; how can I not cherish them? [Many men are talented and handsome but turn to depravity; they should be ashamed upon hearing this.] Even in the world of prostitution, one should strive for a better position. How can one end up in such a pit of fire? Even today, choosing these talented and handsome young men is merely to select a lifelong husband, not for fleeting pleasures or romantic escapades. Those rich and powerful men are so vulgar; I feel nauseous at the sight of them. [Perhaps I'm afraid of the smell of iron.] How could I possibly stoop to flattering them for a few stinking coins? I am Mother’s own son, how could I…” "You don't love your child enough."

Hao said, "I cherish you like the flesh of my heart, how could I not love you? But since you were born into a family like mine, you can't say such stubborn things. I'm not asking you to abandon your handsome and talented lover and keep only a rich and foolish one, but I want you to have both, so you won't be lonely. You said you want a lifelong partner, and you are my own daughter, how could I not want you to have a good husband? But you are still young, you can wait a little longer. Besides, as I just said, a talented man and a beautiful woman are rare throughout the ages. How can you have your wish fulfilled in a short time? It's just waiting for the right opportunity, my child! Do you know the story of the courtesan who persuaded him to marry?" Qian Gui said, "I have been blind since I was a child and have never seen it." Hao said, "Since there are no guests at home today, brew a pot of good tea, and I will tell you the story slowly."

She called a pretty maid named Cai Xiang, who brewed a pot of good tea, poured it for her, and they drank two cups together. Madam Hao then began, “My son, back in the Song Dynasty, there was a woman from an official family who, to escape the Jurchen invasion, was abducted to Lin'an and sold into prostitution, renamed Wang Mei. My son! They say she was just like you, with unparalleled beauty and amazing talent, hence she was called the Queen of Courtesans. At first, she refused to serve customers and insisted on leaving the profession. Her mother asked a sworn sister to persuade her, saying, ‘Since you've fallen into a noble family, can you easily escape? It's good that you want to leave the profession. If you can't, it's better not to. Why don't you obey your mother today? Then your mother will naturally cherish you, and with your talent and beauty, you can certainly win over many men.’” For a while, you can enjoy this for a few years, accumulating some private wealth. When you meet a suitable young man, it won't be too late to remarry. If you are very stubborn, your mother will become angry and might humiliate you or sell you to another family. You'll find it difficult to escape, and if you still insist on obeying, wouldn't that lower your reputation? [Although this explicitly refers to Wang Mei, it subtly alludes to Qian Gui; the analogy is clever.] Later, she persuaded him, and he actually obeyed. [Hao's entire speech emphasizes these two sentences.] Within a few years, his reputation grew, and he earned several thousand taels of gold. Later, he chose a kind and understanding young official named Qin, and they became a loving and devoted couple, completing their life's work. [Qian Gui's willingness to listen is a testament to this.] These two sentences. 】This is the story of an ancient person. My son, think about it. If you follow his example, wouldn't that be wonderful? My son, I only wish you would learn from him; that would be my blessing as your mother. In three to five years, earn some money for me, and then you can choose a lover to marry. Wouldn't that be great? If you achieve something, I'll even want to leave my profession. 【How cheesy!】At your age, you already want to meet a lover who shares your heart. I've been in this world of pleasure for so many years before I met a soulmate. 【This soulmate, even if you searched the whole world, you probably wouldn't find one as good as this.】My son, how easy is it for you to say?”

Qian Gui pondered for a while. Seeing that his mother's words were reasonable, he said, "Mother's teachings are my command, but if I am chosen to marry a talented man later, I will definitely marry him." Madam Hao said, "My dear child, since you have listened to my advice, how could I not follow your lead? However, while leaving the profession is a good thing, it's only wise if you are sure of your own judgment. If you make a mistake, it will be difficult to regret it later. [These words are indeed wise.] It's not an easy matter." Qian Gui said, "Mother, please rest assured, I have my own opinion, but Mother must not break her promise then." Seeing that her daughter had obeyed, the old woman called him "my dear child" thousands of times and promised hundreds of times before leaving happily. After his mother left, Qian Gui thought it over and found her words quite reasonable. From then on, when he encountered foolish young men, stupid rich men, vulgar old men, and pedantic scholars, although he didn't flatter them, he didn't refuse them as he had before. This is truly:

knowing they are not meant to be companions, yet reluctantly choosing to be with them.

In his leisure time, he composed four poems for spring, summer, autumn, and winter:

Spring:
Flowers and willows sway, carved wheels and swift horses tread fragrant dust on the purple road. The warbling of orioles and the fluttering of butterflies intoxicate the soul. Music and song urge drinking beneath the weeping willows, delicate birds call for a spring outing. Scattered cups and plates, jade mountains crumble, the sun sets as we return.

Summer : Mandarin ducks
play in the water, orioles weave through the willows, the courtyard trees cast deep shade. Pomegranate blossoms adorn the waterside pavilion, paulownia trees line the winding corridor, a gentle breeze carries a subtle fragrance. A square bed and stone pillow offer respite from the heat, a jade cup urges frequent pouring. Melons and plums are icy cool, lotus and angelica fill the air with fragrance, we sit awaiting the rising moon.

Autumn:
Hibernating insects weep in the dew, the silver toad spits out the moon, the sound of ten thousand households pounding clothes fills the air. Osmanthus blossoms waft their fragrance, chrysanthemums begin to bloom, new wine intoxicates in the flower's shade. The golden wind rustles, startling the yellow leaves, wild geese cry frequently in the sky. Jade candles weep, incense burners burn out, we listen intently to the sound of the pounding pestle. The plum blossoms have just bloomed

in winter
, and the jade flowers dance wildly, celebrating peace and prosperity throughout the court and the countryside. The charcoal stove glows red, songs echo like white snow, and beautiful women accompany golden goblets. The pavilions, like jade, are slightly chilled, and people drink heartily until they are slightly tipsy. Sliced carp and roasted lamb, they sip and sing softly, not wasting their youthful years.
The tune "A Young Man's Journey"

spread, and everyone envied him for his talent and good looks . Fearing they might miss their chance, carriages and horses flocked to his gate, and he gradually accumulated some wealth, intending to reform himself later—but that's another story.

One day, a wealthy young man named Qi Xin, who admired him, came to visit. Upon meeting him, he was immediately captivated and gave Hao thirty taels of silver as payment for cosmetics, and they stayed the night. The next day, he had clothes and headdresses made for Qian Gui, paying Hao large sums of silver, and prepared lavish meals and wine for her every day. Hao was overjoyed. Qian Gui found him generous and pleasing. Although not particularly close, he didn't seem to treat other wealthy and dissolute young men with the same reluctance.

Qi Xin fell deeply in love with him and spared no expense, buying him all sorts of fashionable jewels and silks. After several days, Qi Xin privately said to him, "I love you more than a treasure. I've often heard people say you're determined to leave your profession. If you don't abandon me, it's easy for me to redeem you. Come to my house, and I'll house you in a golden palace. What do you think?" Qian Gui smiled slightly and didn't answer.

A few days later, Qi Xin said again, "What I said the other day was from the bottom of my heart. You smiled but didn't answer. Do you suspect I have a wife? To be honest, although I have a wife and concubines, we were not bound by a karmic bond in our past lives. We are husband and wife in name only, like strangers in reality. [These are frivolous words from a young boy. You should know that if Qian Gui heard these words, he would never agree.] If you are willing to marry me, I will prepare a separate room for you and make you my principal wife. How could I possibly be reduced to a minor concubine? As the saying goes, 'A woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her.' My..." "I've poured out my heart to you, do you truly feel no affection for me?" Qi Xin pleaded. Qian Gui replied, "Humans are not made of wood or stone, how could I not feel love? I am deeply grateful for your kindness. Besides, since I have offered myself to you, what harm is there in doing the same? But you are a noble young master, while I am still a blind courtesan. How dare I be a match for your family? That was why I did not answer before. I am grateful that you do not reject me, but I wish to be your companion in courtesanship, not your wife. Please understand!" Qi Xin pleaded repeatedly, but Qian Gui resolutely refused. This is just like: "

The fallen flower longs to follow the flowing water, the returning swallow has no heart to linger in the mud."

Seeing that Qian Gui was determined not to marry him, Qi Xin lost interest and gradually faded away, lingering for several days before leaving. There is a four-line ditty about the two of them:

"Don't mistake the peach blossom for a good match, know that harmony begins with the dove.
How many birds on the riverbanks of this world, only mandarin ducks can walk side by side."

The underling seized the opportunity to ask Qian Gui, "In my opinion, Young Master Qi is quite handsome, wealthy, and of noble birth. Moreover, his rough and boisterous nature is commendable, and his affection for the young lady is remarkably warm. Since he wants to redeem her, why is he so adamant? Furthermore, the young lady has always aspired to a virtuous life; if she misses this opportunity, she may find it difficult to meet such a devoted man again. Does the young lady not remember Yu Xuanji's lines: '

Priceless treasures are easy to find, but a

loving man is hard to come by.' I don't understand your intentions." Qian Gui smiled and said, "Knowing people is not easy, and it's difficult to explain to you. Young Master Qi is indeed commendable, but his character is not enduring. Even a wife can be abandoned, let alone another. [Qian Gui can be said to deeply understand what he values and what he dislikes, but this is unknown in several sentences.] I'll wait a moment..." Judging from his appearance, I know he is a frivolous and superficial person, and cannot be trusted to stay with me forever. Because of his earnest affection, which surpasses those who are merely greedy and materialistic, I feel compelled to engage with him. But is he truly my lifelong partner? Since I wish to follow my conscience, we must both be truly devoted to each other to ensure a lifelong marriage. If I only seek present favor and wealth, I will not only regret it later but also become the laughingstock of many. Moreover, his love for me is not genuine affection, but merely lust for my looks. As the ancients said, "Beauty fades, so does love." What will become of me in the future? I will say this to you today, and you will remember it. This man will never amount to anything, nor will he live a long life. Even a fool would not give himself to him, let alone I?" The man, though not daring to argue, deeply disagreed. [This debate is essential; otherwise, it would not demonstrate the profound wisdom and understanding of Qian Gui.] Now

, let me tell you about Qi Xin's origins and fate, and you will understand Qian Gui's wisdom. I will first use some pseudo-moral and pedantic words as an introduction before returning to Qi Xin.

Listen, dear reader: the relationship between husband and wife is the beginning of the Five Relationships. Only after husband and wife come father and son, brothers, friends, and ruler and subject. The ancients said: "Wife means 'equal,' husband and wife should respect each other like guests." They also said: "In bed, husband and wife are like guests." In bed, there is no need for any playful intimacy. Zhang Chang once said, "The private matters of husband and wife in the bedroom are not limited to drawing eyebrows." The rest is self-evident. As for being together during the day, they should naturally respect and love each other. To say that one should kneel and bow to her, or endure her beatings and scoldings, is unreasonable. However, to humiliate and abandon her, to beat and kick her, to treat her like a slave, is absolutely unacceptable. Moreover, a wife is very different from a concubine or a maid. A maid is a lowly woman, originally considered insignificant. The word "concubine" is composed of the characters for "woman," but it is slightly higher in status than a maidservant. Originally, she was a tool for amusement. She could be released, given away, or exchanged for a horse. The stories of General Wang releasing his concubine and Su Dongpo exchanging his horse are well-known and need not be elaborated upon; let's focus on the latter. Ma Duo's mother had already given birth to Ma Duo, but his father, thinking of a friend surnamed Li who had no son, gave her to him, and she later gave birth to Li Qi. A concubine from two different families giving birth to two top scholars—a truly extraordinary tale throughout history. A concubine who has given birth to a son can still be given away, showing that she is not highly valued. As for a wife, she is there to bear children, for the sake of the family line, to manage the household, and to be a pillar of the family. How can she be treated with such contempt? If she is treated as something dispensable, like a concubine or maidservant, how can that be acceptable? What I am saying here is to encourage harmonious marriages and mutual respect; please do not misunderstand, gentlemen, I am advising people to be brave even if they are afraid of their wives. For example, if a man treats his wife terribly, like a sworn enemy, alienating her from his heart, how can one know that his wife doesn't harbor other thoughts? Consider the women throughout history who died for their husbands; even if their hearts were as bright as the sun, they must have been deeply in love and devoted to their spouses throughout their lives, thus choosing to follow them to the afterlife. No couple who are constantly at odds, fighting day and night, would a woman willingly die for her husband. [This is a very apt and reasonable statement.] Moreover, I once heard a pedantic old moralist say, "If a man sees another man's beautiful wife during the day, and then sleeps with his wife at night, thinking of that beautiful woman, he uses his wife's body for pleasure." How can one know that the wife doesn't also think of a handsome man, using her husband's body for pleasure? Even this thought should not be allowed to arise, let alone abandoning one's wife for another man's wife. How can one guarantee that the wife won't also be unfaithful to another man? I began this familiar saying because I was about to discuss the Qi Xin family's story. [Although it's a familiar saying, it's a moralistic piece advising couples to maintain harmony.] Getting back to the

main point, let's talk about how Young Master Qi abandoned his beautiful wife and concubines to seduce another man's wife, losing his life in the process. His wife and concubines were even used by another man, and he even had to pay for their dowry – how ridiculous! This pampered young master, named Qi Xin, was originally from Laizhou Prefecture in Shandong. [He came from Shandong to Laizhou Prefecture, so when Qi Xin died, he had no relatives left.] His father had served as the prefect of Huangzhou Prefecture in Huguang, but after retiring from his official post, he passed through Nanjing, fell in love with the city's wealth, and settled there. His parents were already deceased. He was not yet thirty. His wife, Madam Mo, was the daughter of the Assistant Prefect of Huangzhou Prefecture. Just as they married, Assistant Prefect Mo was promoted to Prefect of Wuzhou Prefecture in Guangxi. [Wuzhou Prefecture, how clever, hence the subsequent loss of news.] Madam Mo was quite beautiful, but somehow the Old Man Under the Moon tied the red thread wrong, binding the two ill-fated souls together. Mo was a gentle woman, but for some reason, Qi Xin seemed to hate her. They had only been married a few days, and their relationship quickly soured. Mo, being a new wife, didn't want to argue and had to endure it. After her first month, she became even less accommodating, responding with the same disrespectful words. Qi Xin initially thought she was too afraid to speak back, assuming it was due to his strict patriarchal authority and that his wife's silence was merely a temporary outburst. But today, seeing her so defiant, he couldn't stand it anymore and began punching and kicking her, not only beating her body but also slapping her. This happened several times. At first, they simply slept in separate beds, but later they stopped speaking to each other altogether; the couple became like strangers. In a fit of pique, Qi Xin took two concubines, one surnamed Xu and the other You, both quite beautiful. After only a month or so, they became even more formidable than they had been with Mo. These two, though not daring to confront him, merely forced smiles and feigned obsequiousness. In truth, both he and his wife were young. At home, they wore fine silks and satins, and feasted on fine wine and lamb. When they went out, a single call from the hall was met with a hundred obediences. Inside, they were surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines, adorned with jade and pearls. Truly, their life was nothing short of divine bliss and extravagance. But Qi Xin, unaware of his own strange heart, abandoned the beauty of his home and sought out unsavory pleasures elsewhere.

He had a poor friend named He Xing, a learned young man. He was handsome and well-mannered, and had studied with Qi Xin. He Xing had entered the academy through his literary talent, while Qi Xin had also managed to attend through financial means. Though their paths diverged, they were still classmates. The two were of similar age and maintained a close relationship. While He Xing was more learned than Qi Xin, Qi Xin was far more wealthy. He Xing was not as fortunate as Qi Xin, and nearing thirty, he still had no mother. His mother had a maid named Sunflower who served her during her lifetime. [Another harlot.] She wasn't exactly beautiful. That wanton attitude was something she was born with, not something she learned. When he was almost twenty, He was fortunate enough to take her in, neither calling her wife nor concubine, just living a simple life with her.

One day, Qi Xin came to his house looking for He Xing, and happened to find Kui Hua standing at the door. Qi Xin saw her at once, and his soul seemed to fly away for a moment [this could truly be called a romantic entanglement from five hundred years ago]. He hurriedly went up to her and bowed deeply. Kui Hua had often seen him through cracks in the door and through the window, recognizing him but never feeling a close connection. Today, seeing him face to face, seeing his frivolous figure and flamboyant attire, she was truly captivated. Smiling, she returned the bow, slipped inside, revealing half her body, and said, "What brings you here, sir?" Qi Xin said, "I've come specifically to see Brother He. Is he at home?" Kui Hua replied with a smile, "He's not home. I apologize for not welcoming you properly, sir." She also feigned politeness, saying, "Please come in, sir." Little did she know that Qi Xin was a notorious womanizer and a leader of illicit affairs. [With these two crimes, it's no wonder he met an untimely death.] Seeing his charming rival Kui Hua, he had no way to enter. Hearing that he could come in, he was overjoyed and stepped inside. Sunflower had no choice but to step aside to let him in, her face beaming, and bowed again. Sunflower asked him to sit down, while she stood inside the bedroom. Qi Xin, having nothing better to do, rambled on about trivial matters. Sunflower, without any attempt at propriety, chatted back and forth for a while. Qi Xin had no choice but to get up and say goodbye, and Sunflower saw him off, the two seemingly reluctant to leave.

As Qi Xin walked, he thought to himself: "I've known Brother He for years, yet I didn't know he had such a beauty. He seems quite infatuated with her; how can I find a clever way to get her?" After thinking for a while, he said, "I've got it. I must do this and that, and she'll fall into my trap." With his plan finalized, he returned home to prepare for action.

Meanwhile, He Xing returned home, and Sunflower told him, "Qi Xin has come to talk to you." He Xing, not knowing what it was about, went to the Qi family. Qi Xin was overjoyed upon hearing this, thinking, "He's fallen into my trap!" He quickly invited him in and seated him in the study. He Xing said, "I apologize for my rudeness earlier. I didn't know you had come to visit me, elder brother. What can I do for you?" Qi Xin didn't answer immediately but instead ordered a servant to bring fruit and wine, and the two drank together. Then he said, "I have no other business visiting your residence. This year is the imperial examination, and I want to prepare for all three rounds, hoping to make a good progress. I am ignorant and lack a good teacher. I know you are full of knowledge, elder brother, and I wish to invite you to stay at my humble abode as a good friend. I will certainly not be stingy with my offerings; my salary will be provided by my own. You don't need to travel back and forth; you can stay in my humble abode. What do you think?"

He Xing's family was quite poor, and he wanted to concentrate on his studies to prepare for the autumn examination. However, he struggled to make ends meet and had to travel frequently. Hearing this kind offer, how could he not be pleased? He said, “I am but a humble student, and I fear I cannot offer any guidance. If you would not mind, I would gladly comply. However, my family has no servants to answer the door, only my concubine. I will return home at dusk and arrive at your residence at dawn, which will not prevent me from completing my studies.” Qi Xin said, “The weather is hot, and if it rains, the journey will be quite tiring.” He then smiled and said, “If you, elder brother, cannot give up the pleasures of your home, I dare not force you. If you are concerned that your sister-in-law lives alone without companionship, and you have many servants, you could send an old woman to your residence. She could not only keep your sister-in-law company, but also take care of the cooking and other chores.” "What do you think, elder brother?" He Xing replied, "Although I am deeply grateful for your kindness, elder brother, how can I possibly accept it?" Qi Xin said, "We are of the same blood, why should we stand on ceremony? [An ancient saying goes: If this saying comes from one's mother, she is a virtuous mother; if it comes from one's wife, she is a jealous woman. If Qi Xin's words come from a sincere heart towards a friend, is he not a gentleman? But if they come from an improper source, then he is a true villain.] Tomorrow at an auspicious time, I will send a small, undeserved gift to your residence, and then I will send an old woman over. Elder brother, please take care of your household affairs and invite her over as well." He Xing thanked him repeatedly

, took his leave, and went home. He told Kui Hua what had happened, and Kui Hua was overjoyed to hear that he would have travel expenses and that someone would come to cook and make tea for him. Although he felt lonely under the covers at night, he enjoyed himself during the day and repeatedly urged him on.

The next day, Qi Xin sent ten taels of silver, firewood, and rice to the He family. He also sent a kind-hearted old woman surnamed Ma, whispering many words of advice to her: "When you go to the He family, be sure to use your connections to your advantage; a generous reward awaits you." The old woman smiled and agreed, then went to the He family. He Xing, seeing Qi Xin's sincerity and having both the money and the firewood, had nothing else to do but go to Qi Xin's house to thank him for his hospitality. Qi Xin then prepared a feast, including wine for his studies. The two chatted and drank heartily.

Although Qi Xin said he would take him in to study, they only spent a short time together in the morning, sitting in the school together. After the meal, Qi Xin would say he had something to do and not know where he was going. He Xing thought that Qi Xin's family was wealthy and that social obligations in a rich family were complicated, so he didn't want to force him to study. He was happy to enjoy the comforts of the three cups of tea and six meals a day and focused on his studies.

Meanwhile, the old woman surnamed Ma was extremely attentive to the He family, taking things without asking and doing things without asking, even emptying the sunflower water bucket. Sunflower had plenty to eat and use, and enjoyed a carefree life, feeling incredibly grateful to Qi Xin.

Four or five days later, Qi Xin came to the He family's house and went straight into the main hall, calling for Granny Ma. The old woman recognized her master's voice and said to Sunflower, "My husband has arrived." Sunflower had seen him before, so she wasn't shy and went to the door to greet him. Qi Xin quickly bowed and said, "I just went out to pay a visit and stayed at your residence. Since Brother He wasn't home, I was worried that your wife might be lacking something, so I came in to inquire." Kuihua said, "The other day, your family sent me travel expenses and firewood, for which I am deeply grateful. I don't need anything, so I wouldn't dare trouble you." Qi Xin said, "Brother He and I have been close friends for many years, like brothers. Your wife and I are like close relatives, like uncle and sister-in-law. We are family, so why should I say thank you? If your wife needs anything, just tell me, and I will obey. I should have invited your wife to my home," he sighed, "but my wife is like a dead person, she doesn't know how to treat guests. If she were as kind as your wife, she would have invited her long ago." He then instructed Granny Ma, "You must serve Granny He carefully, just like you would your own mistress at home, and don't be lazy. If anything is lacking, go back and tell me." After saying this, he took his leave.

Although Kuihua and He Xing were wives at night, they were still servants during the day. Now, flattered by Qi Xin, she felt much more honored and filled with joy. Seeing the affection in his words, she was not only grateful but also felt a stirring of love. The old woman, seeing her master give her a few more instructions, became even more diligent.

One day, Kuihua casually chatted with her and asked, "Your husband says your grandmother is dead, what's the reason?" The old woman replied, "That's all fate. My grandmother isn't ugly; she's quite pretty. For some reason, the couple never sleeps together. There are also two concubines who are quite beautiful, but they don't please him either; they quarrel every few days. The other day, while arguing with my grandmother at home, my husband said, 'I must have done something wrong in my past life to marry a wife like you. Like that sister-in-law from the He family, she's so......'" She's kind and capable. If I were to marry such a woman, I could truly live with her by my side. [Is it "by my side" or "by my side"? This is a difficult question to answer.] My fate is unfortunate; I simply don't have that destiny. 'When I came the other day, she repeatedly instructed me to carefully serve my mistress. She said, "How can such a delicate person like you handle such a strenuous life?" She also scolded those two concubines, saying, "You two are so adorned with gold and silver, dressed in silk and satin, enjoying yourselves. I see someone like Sister-in-law He, in simple clothes and plain hairpins, with nothing lacking in her household..." "To do it myself, it's truly a cruel twist of fate. Thinking about it now, it breaks my heart. 'He probably still thinks of you, which is why he came to see you again yesterday. [This old woman is quite the smooth talker; first she moved him with affection, then with wealth, and finally with love. Women are fickle; how could she not be moved? Although she was entrusted by her master, she ruined her heart with this scheme, and her subsequent death was not in vain.] It's truly my husband's bad luck. If he were, he would have married someone as beloved as you, and who knows how loving they would have been."

Sunflower was stunned upon hearing this. After a long pause, she said, "That's because he's not destined for me, and I haven't cultivated such good fortune." The old woman said, "It's strange, really. My husband doesn't get along with Grandma and Auntie, and he's been having affairs with many women all his life. I've never heard him praise a single one. But he only saw Grandma once, and he keeps talking about her, it's like he has some kind of destiny with her." [This old woman's words are formidable. Seeing that Sunflower was stunned for a while, she knew that she was moved, so she seized the opportunity to speak to her and entice her with these words. She's truly good at talking.] Sunflower said, "It's no use in this life. If I cultivate well, I can form a destiny with him in the next life." [This statement clearly shows her true feelings.] Seeing that there was some reason behind her words, the old woman grinned and said, "Grandma, I'm just joking, don't take offense. I think he really doesn't have the heart to love you. Why don't you two secretly become a couple? Whatever you want to wear or wear, he'll give you." [Going a step further.] Sunflower smiled, remaining silent. [This smile was an absolute yes.]

Seeing that things were looking somewhat promising, the old woman pressed further, saying, "Grandma, what young couple doesn't do some romantic things? I've never heard of a chastity archway erected in front of a woman whose husband hasn't cheated." [Strange tale, appalling.] When Sunflower first met Qi Xin, she felt a certain fondness for him. Hearing the old woman speak of their love, she felt a deeper connection and sighed. Seeing that he was starting to move, the old woman said, "Grandma, please sit down. I'll go home and get something." Sunflower asked, "What do you need?" The old woman replied, "It's been hot these past few days, and I'm feeling a bit sweaty and smelly. I'll get a couple of changes of clothes. If I'm late, please just close the door. You can rest now; I'll definitely come." [A chillingly cryptic statement; if she hadn't made this arrangement, she feared that if she closed the door, Sunflower might come out to open it when she and Qi Xin arrived in the evening and see them.] With that, she left.

Upon arriving home, she told Qi Xin what had happened and said, "Later tonight, I'll go with my husband, sneak into his room, and force myself on him; he'll probably be willing." Qi Xin was overjoyed. As darkness fell, he and Granny Ma went to the He family's door. The old woman pushed the door open; it was ajar. They opened it, went inside with Qi Xin, and closed it behind them.

There was no light in the room; Sunflower was already asleep. The old woman said, "Grandma, are you asleep? You didn't even light a lamp." Sunflower replied, "I waited until late, but you didn't come back. I was scared to be alone, so I went to bed. I was afraid you wouldn't come back." The old woman said, "How could I not come? My husband asked you about all sorts of things here, and we talked for ages, so I'm late." Sunflower asked, "What did he ask you?" The old woman said, "It's a long story. The mosquitoes are biting me, but if you don't mind, Grandma, I'll tell you in detail when we get to bed." Sunflower heard that Qi Xin had asked her something and didn't know what he wanted to say, so she wanted to ask for details. She said, "Alright, come into the tent." Qi Xin quickly stripped naked, climbed onto the bed, and lay down next to her. He reached out to touch her.

Because of the heat, Sunflower was completely naked. Without saying a word, Qi Xin climbed on top of her and held her tightly. Sunflower thought the old woman was just teasing her, so she laughed and said, "Mama, are you crazy?" Before she could finish speaking, he had already reached her right in front of the door. She hurriedly asked, "Who are you?" The old woman outside the tent said, "This is my husband. I came to keep you company because I was afraid you would be alone in your house." Sunflower, already dazed, remained silent and was genuinely pleased by him. The two of them were filled with tenderness and affection, and after a while, they resumed their lovemaking.

Whenever Sunflower was with him, it was just a routine and proper way of teasing him, just for fun, without any strange or elaborate actions. This Qi Xin was an expert in this kind of thing, and he made Sunflower confused and infatuated, her body swaying and her thighs pressing against him, unable to control herself. After they finished, they would lie down in each other's arms, talking about their longing, love, and affection. They slept until dawn, still reluctant to part. When the sun was high in the sky, they had to get up, but they still hugged and kissed each other for a while before parting. After that, he would come every three days without fail.

He Xing was a bookworm, eager to become famous, and studied diligently at his house. Moreover, the family had enough for firewood, rice, and travel expenses, so there were no worries about household matters. Besides, He Xing didn't treat him with much importance, and since there was also Granny Ma at home, it was inconvenient for him to stay overnight. He would only come home every ten days or half a month or so to visit, ask about daily life, and then go to sit in the inn. Qi Xin also visited He Xing many times.

As summer ended and autumn came, a karmic debt from a previous life was seen by him. Can you guess who it was? This person's surname was Bao, and his given name was Li. He was a vicious and wicked man, greedy for money and lustful. He lived next door to He Xing. Can you imagine what he looked like?

His face was full of fleshy flesh and covered in bumps. His complexion was like a sheep's liver, and his cheeks were like a pig's belly. Several yellow whiskers stood up on his lips, and a few wispy purple hairs were growing at his temples. He looked exactly like a demon on a stage, a malevolent ghost sculpted at the entrance of a temple.

He often saw Sunflower standing alone at the door, and knowing He Xing was weak and easily bullied, he wanted to seduce him. He grinned and made flirtatious gestures. If he were even slightly human, perhaps Sunflower might have been willing to go along with him. But he was three parts human and seven parts ghost; even Ugly Mule would tremble at the sight of him. Would any woman still love him? He had been scolded by Sunflower many times. Sunflower told He Xing, and He Xing said, "Why bother with such a person? Just don't go to the door, and there will be no trouble." [This is a brilliant analogy. A woman was walking in the street when a man stared at her intently. The woman angrily said, "Everyone walks their own way, what's it to you looking at me?" The man laughed, "If you don't look at me, how do you know I'm looking at you? If Sunflower didn't come out herself, how could Bao Li have flirted with her?"] So he left her alone.

These days, seeing that He Xing never came home, Bao Li saw Qi Xin coming and going day and night. He was consumed by jealousy and roared, "That harlot! I wanted to be with her, but she put on airs, pretending to be aloof and refusing. [The phrase 'pretending to be aloof' is something even a sunflower cannot deny.] That's somewhat forgivable. You've insulted me countless times; you should remain chaste to the end. [This rebuke is quite apt.] Today, she's stealing a wealthy man right under my nose, openly defying me. I'll show her what I'm capable of. [This sudden change of heart reveals her wicked nature.] If that scoundrel comes tonight, I'll sneak over, tie him up, and not only extort a large sum of money from him, but also use it to blackmail that harlot, giving her a good beating. After that, I won't have to worry about her not being one of my mistresses anymore." [His initial intention was nothing more than this; he didn't actually have a grudge to kill her. The subsequent killing was provoked. The narrative has a clear sequence and emphasis, which is brilliant.] He then thought: "I'm afraid they won't be afraid. I'll take a knife and scare them a bit; they won't dare to resist my control." He picked up a kitchen knife and sharpened it on a stone. The rust had been removed, leaving it gleaming. As dusk approached, Qi Xin entered his house.

Around the third watch, he tucked his knife into his waistband. This day was the fifteenth of the seventh month, [Why the fifteenth of the seventh month? Firstly, it signifies the passing of summer and the arrival of autumn; secondly, it's a popular custom to release ghosts during the Ghost Festival. Today, the fifteenth of the seventh month, hence these evil spirits come to wreak havoc—quite ingenious!]. The moon was as bright as day. He climbed over the wall and saw the door was closed. He pushed it, finding it as solid as an iron barrel, and then tried to pry it open. With a forceful jerk, the door fell to the ground with a loud scraping sound, startling Kui Hua and Qi Xin awake. They had been working under a canopy, a lamp lit, and had been engaged in their activities all night. Exhausted, they had just closed their eyes. Startled, they opened their eyes to see a person standing on the ground. Kui Hua hurriedly sat up, shouting that there was a thief. Bao Li, filled with anger and urgency, drew his knife and rushed forward with all his might. Sunflower, her face still wet, hadn't been killed yet. She lay on the bed, kicking wildly. Qi Xin was terrified. He couldn't get out of bed in time and cried out, "Murder!" Before he could finish speaking, he too was struck by a knife and fell to the ground, falling silent. There are four lines describing them:

"Anger fuels murderous intent; the wicked are murdered because of lust.
Maintaining integrity prevents lust; at night, no misfortune can harm you.

" The old woman, separated by a plank, heard their commotion for a long time before it finally quieted down. Suddenly, her old man's interest was piqued. She grabbed a pestle and mortar, lay down on the bed, and pulled down her trousers. [She didn't take them off completely so she could easily run away. Even these seemingly insignificant details must be carefully described.] She was mortaring the trousers in and out, finding it somewhat interesting, when she first heard a loud noise. Just as she was startled, she heard Sunflower cry out about a thief, and then her master shouting "Murder!" She dropped the pestle, scrambled to her feet, and, holding her trousers by the waistband, prepared to run outside. [In a panic, she couldn't pull him away in time.] The ruthless man chased her out, and Granny Ma knelt in the courtyard. Looking back, she recognized him in the moonlight and said, "Is it you?" The ruthless man said, "I won't spare you either." Just as he raised his knife, the old woman's legs went weak with fear, and she collapsed. The ruthless man clamped his neck twice, and seeing that the old woman didn't move, he assumed she was dead.

He went back into the room and saw that both corpses were completely naked. He shone a lamp on Sunflower's genitals and laughed, "You harlot, you wouldn't let me have my way with you while you were alive, so I'll have my way with a dead one." He straightened Sunflower's body, and after having his way with her, he climbed over the wall and returned. [I saw in the book the story of the Red Eyebrow bandits raping Empress Lü's corpse. It was a dead body, yet they were so happy. I wonder what kind of hearts these people have?]

When the ruthless man was committing his crime, his kitchen knife had already dulled after cutting two people. When he came to cut the old woman, he was also in a hurry. Although he cut her twice, on the neck, she only fainted from the pain and was not killed. As dawn approached, he awoke, struggled to his feet, pulled up his trousers, [leaving nothing exposed]. Entering the room, he found both men completely naked. The master's head was split in two, his forehead and nose parted, both murdered on the bed, blood splattered everywhere. He could only struggle to open the door and quietly inform the neighbors.

The group, along with the local headman, went to the wealthy man's house, where he was still asleep. [How reassuring, how satisfying.] They stormed in; blood-stained knife and clothes were everywhere. What more could they say? They bound him and took him to the county yamen. The old woman, who had initially struggled to her feet, now fainted again. [This entire book adheres to the principles of reason and logic. Even seemingly insignificant details are logically consistent. This is its brilliance.] They had no choice but to carry her to the yamen using a door plank.

Upon hearing that it was a murder case, the magistrate immediately convened court. Local neighbors came forward to report. The magistrate first asked Bao Li how the matter had begun. Bao Li recounted the affair between the two men, saying, "I am his neighbor. Since you were not home, I killed the adulterer for you." [How could he have killed the adulterer for someone else? This cleverly portrays the ignorant and wicked man's stubborn defense.] The magistrate laughed, "Adultery is punishable by death, but you were not the one who killed the adulterer. Your intention was to commit adultery, but killing two people was not your true purpose. Is that so?" [This magistrate's words were a masterstroke.] Bao Li was speechless, his words hitting the nail on the head. The magistrate shouted, "Won't you confess?" and brought out the cangue. "Baoli knew he couldn't escape punishment, and even torture wouldn't clear his name. He confessed that he had previously seduced the two men, who refused, leading to their adultery. He had intended to extort them, but they cried out, so he had

no choice but to kill them. They confessed the truth. The magistrate ordered a written confession, gave him twenty strokes of the cane, and imprisoned him. The magistrate then asked Granny Ma when the adultery began, how it became an affair, and whether her husband knew anything about it. [The questions were detailed.] Granny Ma recounted in detail how her master had lured He Xing to her home to study, how he had seduced Kuihua, and how their adultery had occurred, even though her husband was unaware. [Granny Ma wasn't killed, but left here for later use. Otherwise, how would others know such details? Readers shouldn't be misled by the author; the knife was dull, and she wasn't actually killed. The author might secretly laugh at this.] The magistrate sighed, 'Seducing another man's husband and then committing adultery with his wife is a disgrace to the school; what is death to regret?'" "He instructed the clerk to bring the coroner to examine the wounds on the two corpses for the report. The husband was unaware of the situation and was not prosecuted. The two corpses were to be buried by their respective families. Although Granny Ma was acting on her master's orders, she should not have seduced a respectable woman, resulting in the deaths of two people. She should have been severely punished, but considering her serious injuries, she was spared prosecution and allowed to be taken in by her family. Granny Ma was taken back by the Qi family, and died the next day. [The matter has been resolved; she is no longer needed.] The report was also submitted to the magistrate, who determined that the perpetrator was guilty of extortion. Inducing the killing of three people from one family was punishable by dismemberment. Although the three were not from the same family, the perpetrator's lust for rape led to the deaths of three people, and the punishment should be more severe; dismemberment was not excessive. The case was submitted to the higher authorities, reached the Ministry, and was approved. The perpetrator was to be dismembered, needless to say.

He Xing returned home, and although he hated Kuihua's promiscuity, remembering her years of hard work, he wanted to maintain his integrity. He sold a coffin, placed the body in it, and hired someone to carry it for burial. Mo carried Qi Xin's body back and made..." The coffin was placed in the coffin, and monks and Taoist priests were invited to chant scriptures. All the usual elaborate rituals for the living had to be performed. Buying a burial plot, making paper offerings, and holding a proper funeral procession were all done with great ceremony.

Mo Xuyou had been widowed for a year. Both she and her husband were from other provinces and had no relatives. They were young and childless, and had been enemies for years; what was the point of clinging on? She considered marrying into the family, but worried she wouldn't find a suitable husband, and that her ex-husband might be unfaithful. What to do? Then she remembered He Xinglai. Her family always praised him for his honesty, and the women said he was handsome. Mo Xuyou began to feel a stirring of affection. [A husband's love for his wife is a wife's love for his wife's husband, without the slightest deviation.] He Xinglai was also her husband's old friend, and she was willing to marry him, even going so far as to ask someone to arrange the marriage.

He Xinglai initially refused, saying, "The ancients said: 'One should not deceive a friend's wife; one should not defile a friend's concubine.' Even though he is unkind, I have known him for a time; how can I marry his wife today?" His friends, knowing this, advised him, "Don't be so stubborn. You shouldn't try to seize his wife. But she's willing to marry you openly and fairly; why shouldn't you? She's cheated on you and committed adultery with your family. Even if you steal her away, it's not a crime." Encouraged by the crowd, they eventually married.

How fortunate was this poor scholar, suddenly enjoying the blessings of a wife, fine clothes, delicious food, servants, and a beautiful wife. Although they weren't in a position of power, they truly respected and loved each other. Mo, who had been Qi Xin's enemy, now found him so tender and affectionate, and they were quite compatible. How fortunate was he, who had previously been half-wife and half-servant with Kuihua, without the joy of marriage. Now, with Mo's loving kindness, they realized the true meaning of marital affection.

Mo was already married; they wanted Xu and You to remarry. Seeing how kind He Xing was to the eldest mistress, the two men figured they couldn't bear to mistreat the concubine. Besides, they didn't know the husband's character, so they were willing to marry He Xing. Mo Shi, having spent so much time with them, was also reluctant to part. Seeing their reluctance to leave, she was delighted and persuaded He Xing to also take her in. [Qi Xin secretly took advantage of He Xing's maid. Little did he know that all the wives and concubines were clearly going to He Xing; where was the advantage? He Xing was indeed fortunate to have gained her, but Qi Xin's ambition can also be described as eccentric.] He Xing later took several imperial examinations but failed again, and finally... He was a scholar. Perhaps it was because he married his friend's wives and concubines and enjoyed his friend's wealth. [Another beating.] Although it wasn't his fault, it subtly damaged his moral character. [This book, with its emphasis on retribution, is chilling; can it really be called an obscene book?] Although he didn't achieve his goal, he still enjoyed a life of luxury. He had one wife and two concubines, all of whom bore him children, and later became a wealthy man—a reward for his upright character. How laughable was Qi Xin, who abandoned his beautiful wife and concubines to indulge in that sunflower, ultimately losing his life. What kind of heart did he have? Indeed:

Qi Xin truly possesses extraordinary wisdom; how fortunate indeed!

This matter, which has taken much time and effort to recount, though unrelated to the main story, serves two purposes: firstly, it represents a great retribution; secondly, it demonstrates Qian Gui's exceptional wisdom and insight. A blind woman, upon their first meeting, discerned a man's true nature, a lesson so profound that it obliterates all men of insight in the world. [Because of these few words, this great book was written.] Later, when Qian Gui learned of Qi Xin's actions, recalling his past affections, he sighed several times and asked the eunuch, "What did I say before?" The eunuch replied, "You possess true wisdom, young lady; how could we, mere mortals, have known?" He secretly admired her.

Now, let's talk about Tiehua's wife, Huoshi. Ever since she had experienced the pleasures of the dog's tongue, she wouldn't allow Tiehua to touch her. Tiehua, too, hid outside, not daring to see her for half a year. She had a trusted maid named Qiao'er, clever and quick-witted, good at understanding Huoshi's confidantes. Therefore, Huoshi loved her like her own daughter, often sharing her bed to alleviate her loneliness. When she saw her mistress happy, she would also smile; when she was sad, she would also look sorrowful. Seeing her mistress constantly angry, knowing it was for her master's sake, she would make up some things to say, even if she had nothing to say. She would often say... A smile eased the mistress's sorrow. Therefore, Lady Huo loved him even more. Occasionally, she asked him to inquire about what Tiehua was doing outside. He found out and told her everything in detail. He said that her master was a womanizer, going from Zhang to Li every day, never returning home. If he wasn't going to brothels, he was having fun in gambling dens. Lady Huo, upon hearing this, gritted her teeth and resentfully said, "You're so lazy with your husband, you have no affection for him whatsoever, abandoning him to go whoring! [Don't you realize you have no affection for your husband, yet you're having fun like a dog? You can have fun with a dog, so he can have whoring too.] If he can have whoring, so can I! [Those who indulge in whoring should be careful.] Before, I was held back by my sister-in-law's criticism, but now that I'm alone here, no one will know if I go whoring." "Though I thought this in my heart, there was no one to patronize. My mind was agitated, so I went upstairs and used a dog's tongue to explain. [No one to patronize, so I patronize a dog.]

One day, while lost in thought in his room, he suddenly heard several maids laughing and talking in the west room. He went to the main room to listen, but all he heard was a bunch of loud, laughing voices, which he couldn't understand clearly. He went in, and when the maids saw him, they all put on stiff smiles and fell silent. Huo Shi asked, 'What are you all saying here? It's so funny.' The maids replied, 'We're just chatting, nothing much.' Huo Shi said, 'I heard you laughing and talking, if you have something to say, what's there to be afraid of?' One of the maids pointed at someone and said, 'He just saw something strange and was terrified. He's telling us here, so everyone's laughing.' The maid glanced at him with a smile and said, 'Don't you all speak a word of the local dialect? Even if I were to speak...'" "Huo asked suspiciously, 'What did you see? What's so funny? Tell me quickly.' The maidservant, seeing that she was being pressed, could only laugh and say, 'I just went to the latrine to empty the chamber pot, and I bumped into that Bamboo Master who always urinates there. His thing is soft and limp, but it's eight or nine inches long and as thick as a bell, like a donkey's penis. If it were hard, I don't know how big it would be. I was just laughing and joking with them here. How can a man have such a donkey-like thing on his body? How can his wife endure it? I measured it, and it almost reached his heart. I think if a woman encountered it, she would either have her intestines broken and die, [this sentence foreshadows Huo's future fate.] or her vagina would be torn open.' [This sentence is a harbinger of Huo's first test.] Huo was aroused by what he heard and asked again with a smile, 'What kind of village language were they speaking?' The woman pointed to one of them and said, 'He said he wanted to drink four ounces of wine and could only endure half of it.'" Huo Shi laughed for a while, and the maid Qiao'er listened nearby, giggling. A servant said, "Aren't you ashamed, maid? What are you laughing at?" Then she ran away.

Huo Shi returned to her room and remained silent for a long time, thinking, "My husband is so heartless, it's not unreasonable for me to take a crooked path. What this old woman said just now might not be a lie. If I get along with him, it won't be a waste of my life. If I had such a big thing, wouldn't it be several times better than that dog's tongue? But how can I get to know him?" Four lines describe Huo Shi's thoughts: "

Don't marry a man like this, who gambles, who frequents brothels, and keeps his servants."
I've learned to be clever and quick-witted, and we've each found our own husbands.

After thinking for a while, Huo Shi said, "This matter can't be kept from Qiao'er; she must take the lead before things can go smoothly. Tell Qiao'er to go upstairs with her and close the door." But when the dog saw his mistress go upstairs, he ran up first, [leaving no trace]. Huo Shi went upstairs and sat down in a chair [only then did she use a chair]. She said to Qiao'er, "I have something to ask of you; you mustn't reveal it." Qiao'er said, "Grandma has treated me with such kindness; how could I dare to divulge it?" Huo Shi hesitated, and Qiao'er, knowing she was suspicious, quickly swore, "Grandma, if you suspect me, and I don't do my best for you, and instead reveal it to others, may I be hacked to pieces and never have a husband again." "【What a cruel curse.】 Seeing him swear, Huo Shi knew he was sincere, so she took his hand, blushing, and said, 【Good at sketching, the three words 'blushing' are vividly portrayed, she is a novice adulterer, her sense of shame and disgust not yet extinguished.】: "I am so young and vibrant, and your master never cares for me. Since he has no kindness, I can have an affair. I want to meet this Master Zhu, whom I just mentioned. Unless you act as an intermediary, would you be willing? If you help me, I will marry you into a good family later, and give you a generous dowry to repay your kindness." 【With a heavy reward, there will surely be brave men. Huo Shi had this intention, so she offered a generous bait.】 Qiao'er said, "This is Grandma's grace. 【When he swore, he emphasized the second sentence, but this is the first sentence.】 I often see Master being so heartless. Not to mention Grandma being angry, I am angry here all day long. 【The messenger also came to cry.】" "But they were just speaking in a way that seemed a bit harsh, [first mentioning that Qiao'er was also listening and smiling, finding this sentence rather uninteresting, which shows how clever she was to listen first.] 'Grandma isn't going to play around, find someone else, someone younger and more charming.' [It was a young maid speaking.] Madam Huo smiled slightly and said, 'Fool, if that's the case, has he never seen a woman in his life? They're just flesh and blood, if one can handle it, everyone can. Besides, where else can he find someone else?' Qiao'er said, 'Since that's how it is, I'll do whatever Grandma tells me to do, and I won't make a mistake.'" "[This vividly portrays a naive and eager-to-please little maid.] Huo Shi was overjoyed and said, 'At this moment, Master Zhu and your master are probably drinking in front. We can't talk about anything else today. I'll take something; if you see no one around, quietly pass it to him and tell him that if your master isn't home tomorrow night, he must call him. Don't say anything more, lest someone overhear. If he's a sensible person, he'll understand.' Qiao'er said, 'What's so difficult about that? I'll go. What do you want to give him, Madam? Give it to me.' [This is a skill usually reserved for clever maids.] Huo Shi took off one of her gold bracelets, wrapped it in a large red crepe silk handkerchief, and handed it to him, saying, 'Hide it well, and don't let anyone see it. Be careful.'" "She repeatedly reminded him. Qiao'er accepted the instruction and left happily.

Whenever Huo Shi came upstairs, she would take off her clothes and have the dog lick them. Today, after talking with Qiao'er for a while, the dog was so anxious that it circled around her, wagging its tail and jumping around, constantly tugging at her skirt, as if wanting her to get on the bed. Huo Shi had already seen this when she spoke first. Now that Qiao'er had left, she found the dog's anxious state amusing, so she bolted the door, afraid that Qiao'er would come and see her. Without taking off her clothes, she sat on the small bed, trying to pull down her pants. The dog, having waited for a long time, became impatient..." The dog kept burying its head in its crotch. Having thought about Zhu Sikuan's long, large kidney for so long, Huo Shi was also very aroused. She quickly took off her pants and lay down. The dog, as if it had found a treasure, licked her so eagerly that Huo Shi felt numb for a while. Afraid that Qiao'er would come back with a message, she tried to push him away and get up, but the dog wouldn't stop. Huo Shi had to wait a while longer, then got up, put on her pants, opened the door, and sat down to wait.

A short while later, Qiao'er came upstairs smiling. Huo Shi hurriedly asked, "How did things go?" Qiao'er said, "Things happen by chance. This is Grandma's good fortune. [This matter is also called good fortune, a strange tale.]" "I had just stepped outside when I saw no one. Just then, Master Zhu came out, presumably to urinate. Seeing me, he turned to leave, but I called him back softly, handed him the things, and quietly told him what Grandma had said. He opened them, looked at them, and hid them in his waist warmer. He was overjoyed. He said, 'Please tell Grandma, I'll make sure your grandfather stays outside tonight. I'll definitely come.' As he spoke, he heard Master speak and hurriedly went into the study." Hearing this, Madam Huo was overjoyed, patted his shoulder, and said, "Good child, so useful! All my love for you hasn't been in vain." Qiao'er said, "Grandma has raised us with such kindness; if I can't even do this little thing, what am I good for?" "So he went downstairs to his room, awaiting the auspicious occasion the following night.

Meanwhile, Zhu Sikuan, having spent half his life in the gambling world, knew everything. Seeing the gift from Huo Shi, he knew it was a token and was secretly delighted. He went into his study, drinking and talking with Tie Hua, thinking to himself, 'Although I've met many women, they were all prostitutes, their vaginas having been penetrated by hundreds of men. I've never seen what a respectable woman's private parts look like, because my own is too much, and I dare not seek them out. Now, thanks to her kindness, and hearing that she is exceptionally beautiful, even if I only have a brief encounter with her, and not only to do what I want, but also to see the wonderful things about such a beautiful woman, it would be a stroke of luck. I must trick Old Tie into going out to gamble before I can act.' [Beware of those who are fond of gambling.] After thinking for a moment, he said, 'Why don't you go to the butcher's house to gamble these days, sir?'" Tie Hua said, "The people you saw the other day weren't good at betting, and they didn't have much money. They made me lose two rounds. There were no good players at all, and I had no fun at all." Zhu Sikuan said, "Yesterday, there were a few people in his gambling den, all from out of town. I thought they were all novices. They had thousands of taels of silver, but I didn't dare to play because I didn't have cash. Why don't you go and win some more tomorrow, sir, and make up for the losses from the other day?" Tie Hua said, "That's what they say, but winning or losing is uncertain." Zhu Sikuan said, "I'm afraid we won't be able to play for long. When we went to the gambling den, we said we wanted to play all night. If we play for a long time, you can show some skills at night and we can probably catch them all at once." Tie Hua was overjoyed and said, "I'll go with you tomorrow." Zhu Sikuan said, "I have some small matters to attend to in the first half of tomorrow morning. Please go first, sir. I'll come and keep you company in the afternoon." After drinking a few more cups, he took his leave.

The next day, Tiehua brought several hundred taels of silver to the Tu family gambling den. Sure enough, three timber merchants from Jiangxi were there. They were short one of their leaders. When Tu Si saw Tiehua, he was overjoyed and said, "You've come at the right time, sir. I was just about to ask Lao Zhu to invite them, as he hasn't come for two days. These three are the only ones there. Please, sir, have a game." Tiehua said, "I brought the silver today because I heard Lao Zhu mention it yesterday. But I must say that I will only come if we play a long game, a proper game to see who wins and loses, all night long." [You want to play all night long here, but who knows that you want to play all night long at home? Young people should be wary of this.] The three said, "What you say is true, sir. A night game is even better." "After setting up the altar, they began to gamble.

Meanwhile, Zhu Sikuan, having left Tiehua's house to make arrangements for the next night's events, did not go to Tu's house, fearing that Tiehua would be there the next day and he would be caught. So he went to Hao's house to stay the night. Because he was thinking of Huo, he mistook Hao for him and stayed up for half the night. Exhausted, he slept until breakfast time the next day before getting up. As noon approached, he went to Tu's house and inquired that Tiehua had arrived and started gambling. Overjoyed, he wandered around aimlessly.

When it was already dusk, he went to Tiehua's house, but the gate was already closed. He deliberately asked the gatekeeper, "Is the master home?" The gatekeeper said, "The master left this morning and has not returned yet. He probably won't be coming back. What does Master Zhu want to say?" He deliberately sighed and said, "I have something important to say to him. What should I do if he's not home?" He then went to the study and said, "I'll wait here." The family member said, "I'm afraid he won't be back tonight. It's getting dark, and we can't wait any longer." Zhu Sikuan said, “I have important matters to discuss with him, and we must meet in person. Since he won’t come, I will stay here tonight. He will definitely return tomorrow morning.” The family members all knew that he was a close friend of their master and often visited, and staying overnight was a common occurrence for him. They said, “Since you are here, sir, I will go and light the lamp and have dinner prepared.” Zhu Sikuan said, “I have already eaten and come here. Just light the lamp.” After a while, the lamp was lit, and Zhu Sikuan said, “Please all go and settle in. I will sleep here by myself and do not need anyone to keep me company.” "Seeing their master was not home, the family members, relieved to enjoy themselves, all went home to sleep soundly.

Yesterday, Huo Shi heard from Qiao'er that Zhu Sikuan had promised to come today, but fearing that Tie Hua might interfere with the good deed, she kept asking Qiao'er to inquire. At breakfast, she learned that Tie Hua had taken money to gamble. Huo Shi was overjoyed, but worried he wouldn't return that night. When he didn't return by sunset, she knew he was spending the night away, and became even more relieved. However, Zhu Sikuan didn't come, and she was getting worried. Just then, Qiao'er walked in with a smile and whispered in her ear: '[So clever.] 'Master Zhu is here and wants to spend the night in the study, waiting for the master to speak tomorrow morning.' Huo Shi knew it was a trap and was overjoyed, thinking, 'How can I get him in?' Then she thought again and said, 'No, it's best to keep it from the maids and quietly go out with Qiao'er.'"

The Tie family's house originally had a main building with five rooms and a side building with six rooms. It was a detached house with its own gate, separated by a small alley. In front of the gate was the main hall, and to the east of the main hall courtyard was a small gate leading to another detached courtyard with three study rooms. There was also a courtyard behind the main hall, with artificial hills and flowers in both the front and back. The alley behind the main hall had side gates at both ends. The west side gate led to the kitchen and servants' quarters, while the east side gate led to the study, the back courtyard, and the main house. It was very convenient to go directly to the study without going through the main hall.

Huo told Qiao'er to go and, if no one was home, to inform Master Zhu to close the front gate and open the back side gate so it would be easier to leave when it was quieter at night. When you come back, please close the main hall door and the west side gate. Qiao'er went out, but there was no one there. She told Master Zhu to come back in and close both doors. She then quietly went to the room and reported back to Madam Huo. Although Madam Huo had three or four maids, only Qiao'er slept in his room; the others slept in the west room. At this moment, lustful thoughts arose within him, and he was restless and agitated. He combed his hair, washed his vulva with fragrant soap, and had long ago ordered the maids to go to sleep. He also deliberately went to bed and pretended to sleep. The maids were more than happy to do so. They would often sneak away to sleep even when their mistress was sitting, let alone when their mistress ordered them to sleep. They lay down as if they were dead.

Madam Huo told Qiao'er to listen to make sure the maids were sound asleep. She got out of bed and went out with Qiao'er, closing the door behind them. They gently opened the main room door and closed it behind them as well. Under the dim moonlight, they opened the courtyard gate and closed it as well. They followed the alley to the east and walked to the back door of the study. They gently pushed it open, entered the room, bolted it, and went into the study.

Zhu Sikuan was waiting, eagerly anticipating the descent of a celestial maiden, a goddess descending to earth. He listened intently, and as the night grew quiet, he faintly heard the sounds of a woman's voice, high and low. He hurried out to see what was happening, and in the moonlight, Qiao'er was helping a beautiful woman into the room. Overjoyed, he quickly ushered her in. Zhu Sikuan quickly lit the lamp and looked at her. She was indeed a beautiful and alluring young woman. She wasn't dressed up; she seemed ready to make a name for herself. Her hair was tightly tied in a bun, secured with two gold hairpins. She wore a bright red crepe dress, a narrow-sleeved jacket, and a pale yellow silk skirt [the attire of a Hui woman]. In her hand she held a white silk handkerchief, [one might assume she was wiping her mouth, but it turned out she was preparing to wipe...]. Although she was a wanton woman, firstly, she was young, and secondly, seeing a stranger for the first time, she felt ashamed, her face flushing red and then pale. Upon seeing this shy beauty, Zhu Sikuan was utterly captivated. He quickly bowed and said, "What good fortune do I have to deserve such affection from you, Madam? [She looked at me for a long time before bowing, her expression one of intense longing, so convincing.] How can I possibly repay such deep affection?" Madam Huo only returned the bow, offering no reply. Zhu Sikuan could no longer resist. He swept her onto the bed and began undressing her. She didn't feign reluctance, her face flushed with a slight smile, her eyes half-closed, allowing him to undress her.

Seeing her small, bound feet, dressed in high-soled blue satin shoes, white pleated trousers, and a bright red ribbon, her snow-white, smooth flesh illuminated by the lamplight, was truly breathtaking. Zhu Sikuan hurriedly undressed. Huo Shi, thinking his manhood was too large, was somewhat frightened and whispered in his ear, "I've heard your thing is very big; don't be rash." She leaned forward to look at him. Zhu Sikuan, seeing this beauty, was immediately aroused; his large penis was already erect. Huo Shi was both attracted and afraid, and said sweetly, "I'm afraid it won't fit; this is no joke." Zhu Sikuan hugged her and kissed her, saying, "Darling, don't worry, I have a way. Don't be afraid." He helped her lie down comfortably.

Zhu Sikuan knew that his manhood, apart from Hao Shi's enormous vulva, had no rival. Although he had met Chang Shi, hers was an extraordinary woman, incomparable. Now, thanks to her kindness, he couldn't help but test it. Seeing how delicate it was, how could he dare to be presumptuous? He first lowered himself and looked at her vulva; it was clean and hairless. [Exactly, every man and woman who returned home cleaned up any hairy areas.] Legend has it that there is a special kind of person in the religious sect who shaves women's pubic hair, called "shaver of the little face," but whether this is true or not is unknown. It might be true if a woman does it, but it's certainly not the case for a man; it's just a laughingstock. There's a story about a woman who asked someone to shave her "little face." After it was done, the man became aroused and repeatedly thrust his penis inside her. The woman angrily said, "What are you saying?" The man replied with a forced smile, "Since you've shaved my little face, you'll naturally take my big ears." [The woman's flesh was already alluring, and not only had she never given birth, but she had also never had a large penis; it was still a tight, thin slit, barely revealing a tiny clitoris the size of a fingertip. Zhu Sikuan had never seen anything like it before and cherished it like a treasure. He spread her legs, smelled it—the fragrant scent of the soap he had just used to wash her—and put his mouth to her vulva, licking it wildly, then sticking his tongue inside to lick and scrape. Huo Shi felt that although it wasn't as pleasurable as a dog's licking, [Zhu Sikuan's tongue may not be as good as a dog's, but his penis is better than a donkey's.] But her desire lingered, and the ticklish sensation from his licking fueled her lust, causing her to gush with fluids. Knowing her passion was intense and her genitals were soaked, Zhu Sikuan quickly got up, smeared his glans with saliva, and told her to spread her legs wide. He then tried to push in

, but couldn't get in. With each slight pressure, Huo cried out in pain. After a long struggle, he still couldn't penetrate. Zhu Sikuan, desperate, thought for a moment and said to Huo, "What should we do if we can't get in? I'm thinking of trying from above, but I don't know how much pressure to apply. You should sit on top of me, and you can decide how much pressure to apply, how much to go in and out. Saliva isn't as good as oil; rub both of our things with plenty of oil, and maybe that will work." [Huo had used oil the day before, and now Zhu Sikuan wanted to use oil too, showing their mutual agreement.] Huo nodded in agreement.

Zhu Sikuan got out of bed, took some oil from the lamp, rubbed some on himself, and then dipped his finger in it to rub Huo Shi's vulva inside and out. [At first it smelled good, but now it smells of oil.] He got back into bed, helped Huo Shi sit up, and told her to straddle him, supporting herself with her hands. Zhu Sikuan held her with one hand and pinched his glans with the other, aligning it with her vulva, saying, "Try sitting down." Huo Shi sat down, feeling a little slippery, but her vulva still hurt. Having played around all night, she still hadn't experienced any pleasure, and her heart was filled with intense desire. Ignoring the pain, she gritted her teeth and forcefully sat down, penetrating three or four inches. Huo Shi cried out, feeling a sharp, tearing pain, as if being cut by a knife, tears streaming down her face. [First, one of her lower eyes was watering, now both of her upper eyes are weeping. Since her surname is Huo (Fire), how can she have so much water?] He knelt down and said, "I can't take it, get down."

Zhu Sikuan, having encountered such a beautiful and seductive young woman, couldn't penetrate her. His penis was painfully hard and swollen, and he was extremely anxious. Suddenly, he saw that it had gone in a little, gripping his glans tightly. It was indescribably wonderful. Afraid that he would pull out in pain, he quickly held his buttocks with both hands and said, "Just bear with it a little longer, it will be fine. [This sentence reminds me of a joke. A monk bought a large carp, cleaned it, and put it in a pot to fry. The carp was not easy to kill and was still jumping around. The monk used a spatula to hold it down and said: "Just bear with it, it will be fine."] Now that the head is in, it will be easy to go down." Huo Shi did as he said, and the two kissed and smacked their lips, laughing and joking for a while.

Zhu Sikuan asked, "Are you feeling any better now?" Huo Shi replied, "Although it's slightly better than before, it still hurts a lot." Zhu Sikuan said, "Try pulling it out." He held her hips with his hands and moved her up and down a few times. Although Huo Shi found it interesting to have his glans inside her, the pain in her vagina was unbearable. She put her mouth to his mouth and said, "I can't do it anymore, it hurts so much. Let's do it another day." Zhu Sikuan didn't dare to force her and replied, "As you wish." Huo Shi lifted herself up and pulled out, feeling another sharp pain in her vagina. She lay down, the pain was excruciating. She took his white silk handkerchief and wiped it. [The author could have just used the word "silk" to describe the handkerchief, but the word "white" was used first, suggesting something was amiss. Only now do we realize that yesterday's bloodstains are not visible. The author's meticulousness is remarkable.] She picked it up and looked at it. There was a lot of fresh blood and oil stains. [When Tie Hua married her, I wonder if anyone had this.] She touched it and realized that her vagina had been torn. [What a pity.] Zhu

Sikuan took the handkerchief, wiped his genitals clean, and said to Huo Shi, "Give me this handkerchief." Huo Shi said, "It's filthy, what do you want it for?" Zhu Sikuan hugged her tightly and said, "My darling, although you are not a virgin, the blood we shed today is like a first act of kindness. I'll keep it. When I think of you but cannot see you, seeing the blood on the handkerchief is like seeing you." He then kissed her several times. [At first glance, this seems like just Zhu Sikuan's words of pity and love, tinged with flattery. But there is a deeper meaning. Zhu Sikuan knew he was no longer young, and that he and Huo Shi were not compatible, and that his appearance was not attractive enough. The only reason Huo Shi loved him was because of his genitals. Now that he had been injured, she feared she would abandon him. What could he do? Therefore, he thought of this handkerchief to bind her heart, to make her think of it constantly, hoping to maintain her affections.]

Seeing his affectionate words, Huo Shi, having already gone this far, felt no shame. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him twice, saying, "Dear brother, if you love me so much, I'd have no complaints even if you killed me." She then placed her tender tongue in his mouth and smacked it for a while. [This licentious woman, easily aroused, had already fallen into Huo Shi's trap.] Even in his serious marriage with Tie Hua, they had never shared such affection. [Though these words were casual remarks, they were grounds for Huo Shi's crime.] Huo said, "What should we do about this?" Zhu Sikuan said, "This is your first time. Next time, it won't be so difficult for you." Huo said, "Wait until I'm better, then you can come back in a few days. But how can you stay here overnight?" Zhu Sikuan said, "That depends on fate. I'll try to get rid of your master Tie in the terms of gambling and prostitution, so I can get closer to you. [Those who are fond of gambling and prostitution are discerning.] I'm just afraid you won't know when I come." Huo said, "As long as you can lure my master out, I'll often send Qiao'er out to find out." The two made a promise and slept in each other's arms.

When they woke up, the moon was already setting in the west, and dawn was approaching. Huo said, "I'm going now, it's almost light." She got up and dressed, and the two were reluctant to part, so they hugged and kissed for a while. Huo Shi plucked a gold hairpin from her hair and fastened it around his head, saying, "Dear brother, I'm giving you this as a token of our lifelong bond. Never forget this day, but you must never let my family see it." Zhu Sikuan accepted it, saying, "My dear, I could never repay your deep affection, how could I dare to betray you? But I feel deeply ashamed that I have nothing to give you as a memento after all your kindness." Huo Shi said, "When two people are in love, what valuable things do they need? Give me your belt, and I'll wear it as a keepsake. If you're willing, also pluck a few strands of pubic hair from your lower body. [This is a rare and precious item.] I'll make a small pouch for it and carry it with me day and night, as if it were with you. This is far better than any treasure you could give me." [She cherishes her large member as a treasure, extending that to her pubic hair, portraying the adulterous woman with utter abandon.] Zhu Sikuan quickly untied his belt, exchanged it, and plucked a handful of pubic hair, giving it to Huo Shi. [A handful, interesting. Is it for shaving? A handful has at least dozens of hairs. Once there was a barbarian who, while holding his beard, dropped a hair and exclaimed, "What a pity, what a pity!" His wife said, "What's the pity about a single hair?" The barbarian said, "Haven't you heard that a single hair is worth a cow?" His wife took off her undergarment, laughed, pointed to her genitals, and said to her husband, "If it's as you say, all my hair is worth a mountain of cows." Zhu Sikuan's handful of pubic hair was also worth many cows, so this return gift was not unreasonable.] Huo Shi put it in her sleeve before getting out of bed.

When she looked at Qiao'er, she was lying on a drunkard's chair, her legs spread wide, resting on the armrests on both sides, fast asleep. [Because she was fast asleep, she didn't hear what the two were doing, so when she later asked Zhu Sikuan if it was possible to do it, it was not possible. The beginning and end are consistent and without any error.] Huo smiled and woke him up. She opened the door, still reluctant to part, holding his hand and giving him repeated instructions and advice. She escorted him to the side gate before finally separating. Zhu Sikuan watched Huo see her off, and Huo looked back several times, only closing the side gate and returning to his study to sleep after Huo disappeared into the inner courtyard. Once

inside, Qiao'er closed the courtyard gate, and Huo sat down on the bed, undressing again and going to sleep. The next day, her vulva was swollen, and the tear was painful for several days until the scab fell off. Zhu Sikuan

slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking. He thought, "There is such a passionate woman in the world; I know I have no way to repay her. I can only try my best to please her and win her some favor. [Huo was only after this.] Only then can I repay her even a fraction of her kindness. I must find a way to trick Lao Tie into spending the night outside before I can act." [This was Tie Huahou's friend's scheme.] Just as he was pondering a plan, Tie Hua walked in with a smile and said, "I've been waiting for you at the Tu family's house, brother. Why are you staying at my place?" Zhu Sikuan replied, "Yesterday morning I had some mundane matters to attend to and couldn't get away until late at night. I thought you had returned home, so I came to see what would happen, but you didn't come back. It's too late to leave, so I'm staying here. How about the lottery, sir?" Tie Hua said, "Brother, you're right. Those three are indeed novices. I won them by a large margin, nearly a thousand taels of gold. [Winning a thousand taels from someone else, losing a wife's manhood—this is often the case for those who love to take advantage.] I just returned and was about to send someone to invite you. When will you have Old Tu bring them over so I can win another round against him?" "Please tell him, he's even more eager than you are." The gatekeeper said, "Brother, you're here. I apologize for arguing with you last night." Zhu Sikuan was delighted to hear this. He thought it would be perfect to be with Huo Shi after he left. He quickly replied, "That's easy. I'll do everything at your service. [I'll not only serve Tiehua, but also Huo Shi.] I've told Old Butcher, and we've arranged a date. I'll come to invite you." Tiehua took out a large bundle of silver that his servants had carried and gave it to Zhu Sikuan, saying, "Thanks for your guidance, brother. This is just a small token of my appreciation. If I manage to get them to cooperate, I'll reward you if I win." Zhu Sikuan said, "How can I accept such a generous gift from you, sir?" [He even accepted his wife's precious item, let alone this small thing.] Tiehua said, "We're on good terms, no need for formalities. Please accept it." Zhu Sikuan thanked him, put the money in his pocket, and got up to leave. Tiehua wanted him to stay for dinner, but he said, "Sir, you've had a long and tiring night. Please rest well and I'll come again another day." He then bowed and left.

Tiehua was also about to go to sleep when he saw how considerate the man was. He was very grateful, and felt bad for not being home to keep him company the night before. He didn't know that the man's wife had spent the night with him, and that she had even been torn open by him. Tiehua had such a close relationship with him, and treated him with such kindness, yet he still defiled his wife. It was clear that one should avoid associating with such scoundrels. Indeed: it's

easy to draw the skin of a tiger, but difficult to draw its bones; one can know a person's face, but not their heart.

Zhu Sikuan received fifty taels of silver and secretly rejoiced, thinking, "That fool! I slept with his wife and received such a generous gift in return. [To receive such kindness and then commit adultery with someone else's wife should be filled with shame and self-reproach, yet he laughs at my foolishness. Such a heart is more vicious than that of a beast. If Zhu Sikuan's adultery with Huo Shi was Huo Shi's doing, then his crime could be lessened. But Zhu Sikuan has been deeply indebted to Tie Hua; how can his crime be forgiven? However, there is a saying: his parents are not even worth mentioning, so what friends are they worth discussing? What difficulty is there in dealing with beasts?] Where in the world can you find such a cheap deal?" He was overjoyed. He pondered further, "That girl Qian Gui, ever since she became a favorite, has become increasingly adored these past few years. Just a glimpse of her actions and laughter is enough to make me lose my soul. I've long wanted to get close to her. Although I'm close to her mother, I can't just ask directly. So I'm giving her this fifty taels of silver, hoping to sleep with her daughter for one night. Seeing her greedy eyes, she'd agree without hesitation. I was initially worried that my 'thing' was too big for her delicate body, but seeing that Tie's mother is similar in build, and if I can get her in, then what's more, she's been with many men, so she's naturally different from Tie's mother. I can have some pleasure, and that wouldn't be a wasted life. Besides, her mother's 'thing' is a bit worn out; I can try something fresh and tender." So he happily went to Qian Gui's house to discuss it with Hao. This kind of wicked man:

having just defiled a promiscuous woman, he now fantasizes about beautiful young women.

Whether he can even think of Qian Gui remains to be seen.

(The story continues with a separate section about Qian Gui and her sister.)

End of Volume Three of Gu Wang Yan

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/15424.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=15424&aspx=1

Previous Page : Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 2

Next Page : Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 1

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 3

comment Open a new window to view comments