Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 8

Chapter Seven: The Vicious and Lustful Jailer Dies, Officials Are Punished, and Longyang Suffers a Secret Murder .

Author: Ding Dubala

. Volume Seven,

Dunweng says:
Ying suffered the wounds of being enslaved by Yuan, lust, and greed, though the story depicts the evil of the bald, thieving jailer. However, without this torment, Ying would not have returned to Wushi, unable to repent and find peace.

The constables' capture of Yuan demonstrates their ability and also reveals their wickedness, surpassing even that of the thief. The story of Yuan seeking refuge reveals his guilty conscience. Wang the Drunkard harbors resentment because of Yuan's initial closeness followed by estrangement; this is the so-called "distance breeds resentment." It shows that one must be wary of petty people in one's dealings with the world.

The narrative interweaves the magistrate receiving the imperial decree to build a memorial arch for Wei Zhongxian, demonstrating remarkable skill.

Among the evils of the world, no jailer surpasses this type. As Zhou Bo of the Han Dynasty said, "I once commanded 100,000 troops, a great master, yet I never knew the jailer's status was so high." This has been true throughout history. Officials who can curb evil and alleviate the suffering of criminals will surely receive boundless blessings. The practice of using excessive force in prisons, like the grand opening of a four-horse gate, is surely a cautionary tale.

The execution of Nie Bianbao by the Iron Inspectorate, while serving as a warning to evildoers, also brought an end to the case of Ying Yang's revenge against the Min family. The Min family's marriage to the gold mine was also a way to conclude their relationship, saving future writing.

In the story of the Long family's young master, Yang Weiying, Chong Haogu, and Xi Shi appear effortlessly, demonstrating remarkable skill and leaving no trace.

Long Yang comes to find the Ying family, wanting to rekindle their old flame. While the sentiment is reprehensible, the way the Wu couple handled it seems excessive. However, without this, the relationship could not be severed in the future, requiring further writing. This way, the ending is so clean.

Niu Zhi's lustful nature is mirrored by Gou Shi's lustful wife. After Niu Zhixi and Hu Dan, Gou Shi, who had been with Hong Mei before Hu Dan, abandoned her son, while Hu Dan and Gou Shi, who had an affair, kept their son. The gods and ghosts are astonished by the lustful souls of such people. Xiang Gu's parentage is unknown. She deceives herself; who else can blame her? The retribution is already mentioned in the text, so I will not elaborate further.

In this book, few women are chaste and virtuous; many are promiscuous and shrewish. Some might say that women are unfairly maligned. However, this chapter features three remarkable women: Min Shi, who endured humiliation to seek revenge; Gao Nu, who remained chaste and died for her principles; and Shan Shi, who was virtuous and foreseen the transformation of others. These are enough to praise the virtues of women.

In these two chapters, Yin Shi is remarkable in two ways. In the first chapter, she was promiscuous from childhood, yet later managed to remain chaste—one remarkable thing. In this chapter, her relationship with Jin Kuang is extremely close. Moreover, Jin Kuang is skilled in warfare, yet she refused his offer and ceased her promiscuity—another remarkable thing. Judging from Yin's actions, her lust can only be described as threefold, while her affection is sevenfold. Compared to other women who are utterly promiscuous, she is far superior, and it is no wonder that she will have good fortune later.

Chapter Seven: The Vicious and

Lustful Jailer Dies, the Official is Punished, and the Treachery of Longyang is Secretly Murdered. Appendix: Yingyang Repays Old Kindness, Gou's Private Favor

. It is said that Ying was sleeping, having a dream of Wushan, when she was suddenly awakened by the thieving bald man's thrusting. The thieving bald man had been waiting for a long time, and he ejaculated after only a short while, then lay still. The woman was awake for a while before she could catch her breath. When asked where he came from, the thieving bald man said, "I live in the local temple at the alley entrance. I've been here for two or three months, but I haven't seen your beautiful face. If I had known earlier, I would have come to get close to you long ago." As he spoke, the little thieving bald man became hard again, and he wanted to do it again. The woman was brought to orgasm several times by his thrusting, and her whole body went limp. Fearing that Old Wang would bring water, she stopped him, saying, "Since you live not far, we'll have some fun sometime [but the woman spoke first, fully revealing the woman's lust]. What if Old Wang comes to bring water and we see us? Hurry up and get dressed and go out." The bald thief was overjoyed, kissed her a few times, and then released his lustful desire, which was still as hard and erect as a purple sugarcane. The woman was startled when she saw it. She thought to herself, "No wonder it's so interesting inside. It's so big, even bigger than two small dragons. How can this place hold him?" The two wiped themselves clean, dressed together, and got out of bed. The bald thief cupped the woman's face, kissed her a few more times, and asked her to set a date. The woman said, "Whether my husband is home or not, the date cannot be set. Just keep an eye out, and when you see him go out and no one is around, knock gently on the door, and I'll let you in. There are few neighbors here, so you can rest assured." The bald thief was overjoyed. The two women, laughing and joking, came out of the room hand in hand.

Unexpectedly, Old Wang came with water, bumping right into them. [Lady Ying had said she was afraid of Old Wang coming, and now she'd bumped into him—such a coincidence!] She asked with a smile, "What brings you here, old master?" The bald man hurriedly replied, "I've come to collect the monthly rice." He lowered his head and hurried out. The woman also quickly shrank back inside. Old Wang, assuming Wu He was at home, didn't concern himself with the matter and poured the water before leaving. The woman came out, closed the door, went back inside, sat on a stool, and pondered, "I never expected to encounter such a treasure today. Not only is it large, but it's also long-lasting. It's no wonder I have this thing between my legs." She spread her legs, reached out and touched her vulva, which was still wide open like a toothless mouth, not yet fully closed. She felt both delighted and amused.

Now, the thieving monk returned to the temple and thought, "I've met many women, but none are as beautiful and charming as her. She's also quite lewd and amusing. Having this wonderful woman by my side, I can indulge my desires morning and night, and that would be truly satisfying. It wouldn't be a waste of my time as a monk. [If I weren't a robber, I wouldn't have such a scheme. Even if I were a monk, I wouldn't have such a wicked heart. Even laypeople, though sometimes bad, might not have such a wicked mind.] I must devise a way to trick her." After thinking for a while, he said, "I've got it! I must do this and that to get her." The thieving monk carefully guarded the temple gate all day, but Wuhe didn't return. As dusk approached, knowing no one was home, he gently knocked on the door. The woman, in her twenties, had just experienced such pleasure that day, and her spirits were high in the autumn air. She had just drunk a few cups and was waiting for Wuhe to return so she could go to sleep. Suddenly hearing the knock, she went to open the door and found it was the monk. Smiling, she let him in and bolted the door shut.

Once inside, the bald thief feigned panic, saying, "It's terrible! This morning, Old Wang saw us go out. He got drunk at noon and came to me, accusing me of stealing from you. I tried to explain that I was there to collect the monthly rice, but he said he clearly saw you two walking out hand in hand. Doesn't he have a man in his house? You were holding a woman's hand, smiling. There are many people begging for rice and alms all over the world, but I'm seventy or eighty years old, and I've never heard of such a method." [His story was so convincing that the woman couldn't help but believe him.] They were clearly committing adultery, yet they tried to deny it. He had her cornered, and I had no choice but to plead with him. He said that to keep quiet, I had to give him a hundred taels of silver to keep quiet; otherwise, he would tell Master Wu and have all the neighbors send us to the authorities. I pleaded... "I begged him for half a day, pleading for ten days' grace. I scraped together the silver to give him, and he finally agreed. He said he would come to speak to you again tomorrow. Now, where am I going to get this silver? What should I do?" The woman, unaware that the thieving monk was tricking her, panicked and cried, "This is what you did! Even if we go to the authorities, I will confess that you stole it!" The thieving monk said, "How can that be proven? The authorities won't believe both of us. What am I afraid of? Even if the monk is found guilty of adultery, I'll only get a beating, be put in a cangue, and be forced to return to secular life. But you'll also have to take off your pants, be stripped naked, put in a cangue, and be sold by the authorities. I'm just a monk; I'm not afraid of him. A Buddhist disciple can go anywhere with just one mouth. I'm only worried about implicating you, and I can't bear it. [How compassionate you are, worthy of being a monk.] I came here specifically to discuss this with you."

Hearing these words of advice, the woman wept even more bitterly, saying, "What can a woman like me do? People say that one night of marriage brings a hundred nights of kindness. I've already slept with you; you must think of a way to save me!" The thief said, "That's right. If it weren't for you, I would have left quietly. Where would he find me? I came to tell you because I can't bear to leave you. I've thought of an idea, but I'm afraid you won't agree." The woman said, "Tell me your idea." The thief said, "Of all the options, running away is the best. Only if you escape with me can we avoid this disaster." The woman said, "Where can we escape to?" "Go?" the bald thief said, "I was originally from a good family, and I even served as an official. [A bandit. And to say I was once an official? Was I a thief who became an official, or an official who became a thief? It's laughable. Perhaps I served as a minor official in my youth, then it's understandable.] But I saw through the ways of the world and only recently became a monk. My family still has a large estate and land. If you come with me, I'll grow my hair long and we'll be husband and wife for life. You'll be a lady. [Truly a bandit's wife.] My furnishings are enough to last a lifetime. Whether you agree or not is up to you. Otherwise, I'll run away alone tomorrow and wait for him to come and make a scene with you." The woman was at a loss. Although she didn't know if his words were true or false, she was indeed somewhat attracted to the monk's abilities. She asked, "According to you, when do you plan to leave?" The bald thief seized the opportunity and said, "Go with peace of mind, leave tonight. If it gets out tomorrow, and people start taking precautions, you won't be able to escape." The woman had no choice but to agree. The bald thief was only interested in deceiving the woman; he had his own money and didn't care for her possessions. The woman quickly gathered only the silk handkerchief and slippers he had brought with him, along with two combs, wrapped in a piece of cloth, and tucked them into her waistband [exquisitely crafted; these were essential items for the woman]. It was almost time for the first watch of the night, and the streets were quiet. He and the woman went out, closed the door behind them, and headed towards the temple. The woman and Wu He had been husband and wife for over two years, though without any real marriage, she was grateful for his loving kindness. Although she was somewhat reluctant to part with him, she couldn't care less at this point. Upon arriving at the temple, they closed both doors and went inside to sit down. He had wine and meat readily available, and he brought some out for the woman to eat, while he himself drank several bowls of liquor. Seeing that the woman no longer needed it, he removed his weapons, lit the lamps, and helped the woman undress and get into bed. He also undressed, and then they began their battle. How so:

a bald marshal, a general with a vertical mouth. The bald marshal, relying on his black-tasseled spear, thrust straight at her, while the general with the vertical mouth quickly returned fire with his red sword, swallowing her head. The marshal unleashed two shots in quick succession, while the general parried with his leather shield. The marshal's beard bristled in anger, while the general grinned, his mouth gaping open. The marshal's spear pierced the bullseye with each thrust, while the general's swords only contained the purple bullseye. The marshal grew ever more ferocious, and after a long battle, his bald head burst into flames; the general gradually felt numb and could no longer resist, his vertical mouth overflowing with fluid.

This bald thief truly possessed the ability to ejaculate without stopping, for he had not seen a woman during the day, making him prone to ejaculation. This time, he thrust thousands of times, filling the lustful woman with joy and secret delight. But he just kept going, and after a while, Ying Shi had been ravaged several times and couldn't take it anymore. She said, "Let me rest a bit, let me catch my breath." The bald thief didn't listen and said, "It's too early." He then mustered his strength again and thrust thousands of times from beginning to end, until the woman couldn't catch her breath. Her mouth was wide open, her eyes were staring blankly, and her nostrils were flaring. Seeing her like this, the bald thief slowed down a little, and the woman caught her breath and pleaded, "I can't take it anymore, let's do it again tomorrow. It hurts a little here." The bald thief kissed her on the lips and said, "Just bear with it a little longer, I'll be fine after I'm done." As he spoke, he began another round of wild thrusting. This round was countless, even more ferocious, each one more intense than the last. At first, the woman felt a slight slipperiness in her vagina, but she didn't realize it. Then he used his bandit skills, like a bellows, pulling out all the vaginal fluid. With each thrust, he tore at her flesh and skin, causing a burning, throbbing pain. The woman pleaded desperately, but he wouldn't listen. With each thrust, the woman cried out in pain, but he pretended not to hear. The bald thief felt a tight, dry sensation inside, gripping his penis like a mouth, an intense pleasure. He continued for a while, then suddenly went mad, thrusting wildly for a while, also feeling extreme pleasure, before finally ejaculating in a torrent. Only then did he stop, by which time it was already five in the morning.

The woman was nearly dead from his ministrations, her tears flowing endlessly [the tears in her eyes dried up, then flowed again. How many tears this woman shed!]. Seeing him stop, she felt as if she had been released, groaning in pain, and lay on her side. The bald thief, already quite drunk from his drinking, relentlessly ravaged the woman's body all night, disregarding her life or death. Exhausted, he collapsed, snoring loudly. The woman, however, couldn't sleep. She felt unbearable pain in her genitals, and upon touching them, found them swollen inside and out. Because of the dryness inside, the rough handling had torn the skin, causing the pain. Although the woman enjoyed a drink, she only drank about three hours' worth, just enough for a pleasant moment. How could she withstand being gulped down water like a flowing stream? Naturally, she would become utterly exhausted. [A wonderful analogy. How amusing!] Moreover, could such a delicate body withstand such a violent storm? After this ordeal, he felt remorseful, thinking to himself, "Although I did wrong in my youth, and even though I stole from the eldest son of the Long family, we still had some affection for each other. Later, I married into the Wu family, and although we were only estranged, I was still deeply grateful for their kindness. Today, I met this monk, and I thought we must have had some affection for each other. But I followed him, and who knew he would be so cruel? I will surely die at his hands in the future. Now that I have escaped, I know I can't go back." Thinking it over and over, he couldn't help but sob and cry. [This contrasts with his previous joy and secret happiness, which can be described as joy turning to sorrow.] At this time, the night was short, and it was already bright daylight. The monk also woke up and saw him crying. He said, "Why are you crying?" He hugged his neck and kissed him, then got up and said, "I still have some energy left, let's do it a little more." The woman squeezed her legs tightly together and pushed him away with her hands, saying, "You've ruined me! Let's talk about something serious. You said you were leaving yesterday, so why are you still staying here today? This place is close to home, not for playing around." "The monk originally intended to lure her here, he had no intention of leaving. He coaxed her, saying, 'I haven't booked a boat yet, wait until it's settled before you leave.' He then said to the woman, 'You stay in this room during the day, sitting with the doors and windows closed. If anyone knocks on the door, hide inside this big cabinet, lock the door, and no one will know. I've removed the drawers and knocked down the back panel. Sitting inside, it's not stuffy at all. [A bandit would never think of this, a bandit is indeed clever, but even more so than a slippery thief. What to do?] Hide for two days before leaving. No one has ever come here, so you can rest assured.' [Wonderful. This sentence shows that he dared to lure the woman here. Otherwise, living so close to home, he wouldn't be so bold as to do this.] The woman had no choice but to comply. As the thief spoke, he tried to pull the woman's legs up, but she refused. He laughed and said, 'Fine.'" "Let you rest up, we'll do it again tonight." With that, he dressed and got out of bed.

The woman had no choice but to get up and close the doors and windows. They were in the west wing, and the weather was sweltering; she was almost suffocating. In the evening, he drank his fill of strong liquor and insisted on having sex with her. He was very strong, and the woman couldn't resist him, nor dared to scream. But each time he did it, she would almost die and then come back to life several times. Imagine, a bandit, a ruthless killer, what compassion could he possibly have? The woman's genitals were swollen and raw, stung by sweat, and the pain was unbearable. All day long, she could only sit with her legs spread wide. A little cool air helped a bit. But his elbows were injured again, and her legs felt like they were broken, so she couldn't lift them for long. She endured until evening, when the weather cooled slightly, and the pain subsided a little, but he started to hurt her again. The woman was now in a state of agonizing despair, unable to live or die. Four or five days passed, and he didn't mention leaving. She asked him repeatedly, but he only gave vague answers. She also heard that Old Wang brought her water every day and happily bought her things without saying a word. Only then did she realize she had been deceived. Unable to speak, she could only weep silently.

Then, Wu He left home early that morning to work as a waiter at the Huan family's house. He was caught in a banquet and couldn't return home until late. He returned early the next morning, worried that there might be something wrong at home and that Ying Shi might not have enough to eat. As he reached the door, he was about to knock when it opened. He said, "Why are you up so early today, Madam? The door is already open. Perhaps you forgot to close it last night." He went in and saw that the bedroom door was also open. He said, "Oh, you're up." He went into the room but saw no one. He glanced at the bed and saw that the blankets were neatly folded. They had been folded yesterday and hadn't been touched; he suspected they had been folded this morning. [First suspicion. Notice the many "suspicion" words below, each with its own layers.] He suspected she was in the kitchen, tending the fire and washing her face, but when he went to check, the stove was empty and the pots were cold. Not only was there no fire, but there was no one there either. [Second suspicion.] He suspected she was in the backyard tending the fire, but when he went to check, she wasn't there either. [Third suspicion. This is certainly not true; he had no choice but to suspect this much.] A suspicion arose in his heart: "Perhaps she ran out of fire and went to the neighbors to ask for some, but she never leaves the house." [Fourth suspicion. Having exhausted all other possibilities, he could only suspect this much.] He hurriedly went to his neighbors' houses to ask, and they all replied, "Your wife hasn't come to our house for the past two or three years. We haven't even seen what she looks like. What would she be doing here so early in the morning?" [This describes Ying Shi's quiet life for over two years, which only fueled Wu He's suspicion.] Upon hearing this, Wu He suspected she had run away, and hurried home to check. Nothing was missing. [Fifth suspicion. Truly, no one could guess.] He then wondered, "If she ran away with someone, wouldn't she take something with her? Could she have jumped into the well?" But the well was at the end, and he didn't recognize it. There hadn't been any quarreling or arguments; why would she want to die? [Sixth suspicion. Having exhausted all other possibilities, he could only suspect this much.] He then wondered, "Could it be that she's desperate to kill herself because I don't have this? But several years have passed, and I haven't seen anything like it." Desperate, he went to the well and saw it was just a stone well curb, only the size of a plate, barely big enough for a small bamboo bucket to jump into. [Seventh doubt. This doubt is even more important. The description of Wu He's constant suspicion and desperation is truly masterful.] He suspected she had escaped, so he went back to ask the neighbors. At this time, all the men were out, only the women were at home. He asked, "My wife is missing. Have you seen anyone walking around our house, or perhaps she ran away with someone?" [Eighth doubt. Naturally, he still had to suspect this.] The neighboring women said, "Your wife is very virtuous. Not only have we never seen her, but we haven't even heard her raise her voice in recent years. She rarely leaves the house, and no one comes to your house. How could she have left?" [The neighbors' words only fueled Wu He's suspicions, leaving him even more uncertain whether she had escaped.] Just

then, Old Wang brought water and asked, "Brother Wu, what are you talking about here?" Wu He told him that his wife had disappeared. Old Wang was startled, put down his bucket, and said, "Your wife sits in the house all day, how could she disappear? I deliver water all year round, and I don't see her five out of ten times." He thought for a moment and said, "I saw her yesterday when I delivered water, where did she go?" [The monk had only abducted Ying Shi one night, and at this time Old Wang had no grudge against him, so he wouldn't mention the monk—brilliant.] Wu He said, "That's exactly it. I wonder why I can't see her." He searched everywhere for a day, but there was no trace of her. The next day, he had no choice but to go to the military headquarters to submit a missing person report, requesting their arrest. Several days passed without a trace.

One day, he told Huan E about it. Huan E sent out a name card and had a servant hire someone to write a missing person report, which was sent to the county, asking him to expedite the arrest. The county magistrate was Huan Shi's protégé; seeing his brother come to ask for such a small favor, how could he disobey? The messengers were immediately summoned with orders. An arrest warrant was issued, with a deadline set; failure to apprehend the suspect by the deadline would result in severe punishment. These messengers took the warrant and went to Wu He's house to inquire about the details. Wu He then sent a gift, a dry envelope. The constables gathered the neighbors for questioning, and they all replied, "His wife never leaves the house, and no one ever comes to visit. This seems suspicious; how could we possibly know?" The constables said, "You are all neighbors, and there aren't many people around. It's impossible to completely absolve everyone of responsibility. If we can't catch him, you will all have to go to the authorities." Hearing this, the neighbors, all timid men who had never seen the authorities before, became somewhat anxious. They discussed it amongst themselves, and each family contributed one hundred coins, raising a total of five hundred coins. They said to the constables, "Since you've come here, we should offer you a cup of tea. We're poor and can't afford much, so we've chipped in as a small gift. Please, gentlemen, have a seat in the teahouse." The constables replied, "How could we accept your gift?" The neighbors smiled apologetically and said, "It's very little, not meant to honor you. But we're all poor men, and as people say, 'the spirit jumped into the well,' so we've done our part." One constable said, "Since we're grateful for your kindness, we accept it. Do you have anything to say?" [The five hundred constables' words are pitiful.] Hearing his tone soften, the others used this as an excuse to say, "We need your help with the Wu family's matter. We're all small business owners, working long hours and never visiting their house. Only Wang the Drunkard delivers water there daily. He might know if anyone is coming or going." The constable asked, "Where does Wang the Drunkard live?" They replied, "He lives in the house at the very end, the one with the well in front." The constable said, "Come with us to find him." The others had no choice but to follow. Meanwhile,

this old man Wang had been indulging in lavish feasts of wine and meat for over two months, thoroughly enjoying himself. He even received occasional financial assistance from the temple, buying things for them to enrich his family, which only fueled his gluttony. But ever since he abducted a woman to the temple, the temple had stopped offering him wine and meat. They kept the door closed, refusing to let him in. They still asked him to buy things every day, even more than before, but he never got to eat any of it. Although he was given a few coins for his journey, he had grown accustomed to fine food these days, and with those few coins, he could only buy wine. He longed for meat, his mouth watering. He thought bitterly, "That bald monk is so hateful! He buys so much food in a day, not even enough for one person. It's hot, and it won't keep. Why not give me some to eat? He's so stingy, treating me so cruelly. When will I deliberately let someone see me and make everyone suffer?" Despite these thoughts, he still coveted the money for wine and couldn't bear to reveal it.

That day, while drawing water from the well, he saw a group of people approaching. He wondered what they were doing. Just as he was about to ask, a neighbor called out, "Old Wang, come quickly! These are the constables from the yamen who have come to question you." Old Wang quickly put down his bucket, approached, and said with a smile, "What do you gentlemen want to say?" The constables said that the Wu family's wife had disappeared and must have run away with someone. "You often deliver water to his house, have you ever seen anyone walking around there?" The drunkard, who hated the bald thief, was immediately struck by the question and replied, "I've been delivering water to his house for years, and I've never seen anyone. The day before his wife disappeared, I went to deliver water and saw a monk from the local temple at the alleyway coming to his house. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was collecting his monthly rice, but I didn't see anything else. Whether he abducted her or not, I don't know." He answered these questions without suspecting the monk of abducting his wife; he just wanted to vent his anger by seeing the wine and meat at the temple and extorting some money from him. He hadn't even broken ties with the monk, and he could even buy things for him to earn money for his drinks. Who knew that this bald thief was so wicked and deserved to be exposed? Hearing what Old Wang said, the constables asked the crowd, "Where did this monk come from? How long has he lived here? What kind of person is he? Is he still in the temple?" The crowd replied, "This temple has been empty for a long time due to lack of maintenance. He's a wandering monk from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. He's only been here for two or three months. He's willing to practice asceticism, only collecting a small meal each day and then closing the temple gates. He never comes out to beg for alms. He's a virtuous and honest monk, and he's been practicing in this temple for a long time." The constables were even more revealing than the thieves. Although Old Wang didn't mean to speak, he was suspicious. Hearing that the woman hadn't seen the monk at her house that day, he suspected five or six out of ten times that he had abducted him. So he said, "You may all disperse now. Let's go and inquire elsewhere." The neighbors dispersed.

Several constables sat down in a secluded little tavern and discussed, "Judging from that old man's tone, it's most likely that bald monk." One said, "If he abducted a woman, why hasn't he run away these past few days? Why is he still staying under our noses?" Another said, "We can't be sure. Let's go to the temple and check." Yet another said, "Everyone says he's a virtuous and high-ranking monk. If we don't find out, and it gets to the authorities, they'll say we're making trouble and deceiving a good monk. That's no joke." One of the constables, an old man named Ji De, thought for a moment and said, "No, it's probably him. He's used to pretending to be honest, saying no one suspects him. He must be hiding in the house." "Besides, with a shaved head and a woman with him, how can he escape?" [A single sentence hits the nail on the head; truly a cunning old fox. Only someone like him could know the heart of a bandit.] I have an idea. After I've had a few drinks, I'll pretend to be drunk, knock on the door, and give him a scare. If he doesn't react, you all come forward, pull him away, and apologize on his behalf. Just say we're sent by our superior to arrest someone for the Wu family; he invited us for drinks, and since it's hot, we're resting in the temple to cool off and ask for some water. I'm two years old, and after a few drinks, I'll get a little drunk and play along; he'll have no choice but to comply. If he's suspicious, his expression will change, and that'll be him. Then we can interrogate him. What do you say?" [This plan is brilliant; worthy of the name Ji De.] Everyone laughed, "Liuli Zan, not bad. You really are Dongfang Shuo, a fine old thief." They ordered the innkeeper to bring several jugs of wine and asked him to buy a large plate of mushy dog meat, to be dipped in salt and vinegar. After everyone finished eating, they settled the bill and went together to the local temple.

As dusk approached, Ji De took out the iron coins from his waist, held them in his hand, and banged on the temple door. The monk was naked, holding Ying Shi in his arms, drinking wine. The woman's hair was unkempt, her face unwashed, her complexion sallow, her eyes red-rimmed, her brows furrowed in sorrow, and she refused to eat anything. The thieving monk opened the woman's chest, groped her nipples, and laughed, forcing her to drink. Suddenly, he heard banging on the door. There was no one else there; it was just Wang the Drunkard again, wanting wine. He ignored him. Hearing the banging was fierce, he became suspicious. [This suspicion made him a little uneasy. Brilliant.] He quickly hid the woman in the cupboard, locked it, and hid the wine and meat. He put on a robe and asked as he went, "Who's banging on the door?" There was no answer from outside, only banging. He was very suspicious and had no choice but to open it.

As soon as he pulled the bolt, he saw a person holding an iron wire in one hand, pushing open the door with the other, and grabbing him by the chest. He shouted, "You bald monk, you hid well! Most people would have caught you!" [A clever double entendre. If he were a good monk, it would be like saying, "I knocked for so long and no one answered; what were you doing hiding inside?" He would then come out and catch him. If he had abducted a woman, it would be like saying, "You hid well; most people would have caught you, so they might not be guilty." As for a robber, he might be afraid to confess, which is not a good sign.] This bald thief, already troubled, saw many people enter and didn't think they were there for the woman, but only assumed they were there to arrest him for his previous case. [A clever misjudgment, reflecting his previous suspicions.] He immediately knelt down: "Gentlemen, my case is settled three or four years ago, and it's not a local matter. If you spare my life, I will reward you handsomely." The crowd had only been testing him, but their pretense became real. Hearing this, they knew he was a fugitive thief, so they went along with him, saying, "Indeed, this isn't a matter of our area. We'll only arrest you when a warrant for your arrest arrives. If you reward us handsomely, we'll naturally protect you." The others, unaware of the case, only wanted to extort money from him, so they let him go. They closed the gate and went into the room. The bald thief, seeing the situation was dire—he'd already committed robbery, what did he care about a monk eating meat and drinking wine?—brought out the meat and wine, which the others ate, keeping a close watch on him. They finished eating quickly and asked him, "Give us back what we promised. There are many of us brothers, we don't need a penny, it won't cause any trouble." One of them, named Hua You, said, "He's a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person who travels the world), he's naturally skilled, why do we need to say anything? It's like we're being stingy. This is money to buy his life, he can't come up with anything less, and we're taking on a huge responsibility for him." The thief softened at this point, and tremblingly took out a hanging box from under the bed, saying, "All my belongings are in here." He unlocked it, and everyone saw that there were about six or seven hundred taels of gold and silver inside. He only kept a large bag of silver, forty or fifty taels, and said, "This must be left for my travel expenses, the rest can be given to you gentlemen."

Everyone was very happy to see these things. But greed is insatiable. Seeing how quickly and generously the man handed over the money, the thief suspected he had something else to hide and said, "You think you can buy a life with this little bit of money? Give us some more, and we'll let you go." The bald thief wasn't really willing to part with the money, nor did he seem to be throwing it away in large quantities. He was simply desperate, and his life was of paramount importance. Besides, the items were all in one place, and he couldn't hide them immediately, so he handed over the whole chest. He kept the few dozen taels of silver to figure out a way to escape with the woman. [This is a brilliant line. He did want to escape, but he hadn't been able to come up with a good plan.] He meant to find another safe haven. Hearing that he still had some, he panicked and said, "Gentlemen, money is something people earn. Is your life more important than money? This is my life savings. I'm giving it all away because I'm grateful to you all for saving my life. Keep this one for travel expenses, otherwise, will I starve to death? The house is empty, and there's nowhere else to hide it. Besides, I've only been here a short time. Am I supposed to bury it underground?" He said this to his heart's content, and the crowd said, "Alright then." The sly thief saw that the large cabinet was locked with a heavy padlock and became suspicious. He said, "Since this bald swindler is a robber, who knows if he's kidnapped women and hidden them in here? Even if there's no one inside, there might not be any silver, but there might be clothes or silk, which we could share." He then pointed to the cabinet and said, "What's in here? Open it and let us see."

The thieving bald man, seeing that things were somewhat settled, began to plead and beg with a smile. Suddenly hearing the demand to open the cabinet, his expression changed drastically. He couldn't answer, and after a long pause, he said, "It's an empty cabinet, filled with some junk, nothing of value." Seeing his strange expression, Hua You approached and examined the cabinet, pushing it a couple of times and finding it heavy. He twisted the lock, but the rotten part broke easily. He flung open the two doors and saw a disheveled, lively man. He laughed loudly, "Here you are!" and demanded, "Are you an escapee from the Wu family?" The woman, initially confined in the cabinet, was hot and flustered but not yet afraid. Later, hearing him come in drinking and begging for his life, she knew this thief was a robber, and her heart pounded. Hearing the question about the cabinet, she trembled all over, her teeth chattering. When she heard the lock being turned and the doors opened, she was terrified and anxious inside. Even though she heard the question, she couldn't answer. Zhan just cried and groaned. The slithering man asked again, but received no answer, so he grabbed him and dragged him out. [The word "draped" implies he was paralyzed with fear.] He was slapped across the face and fell to the ground. One of them said, "Don't beat him. Tomorrow, take him to court and torture him. Do you think he won't talk?"

By this time, the bald thief was already terrified and knelt on the ground. A constable pulled out an iron ruler from his waist and struck him twice on the shoulder, shouting, "Bald thief, tell us in detail how you kidnapped him, so we don't have to use our hands." The bald thief was dizzy from the beating and pleaded, "Sirs, please don't use your hands. I'll confess the truth." At this moment, he saw the woman kneeling beside him. Caught red-handed, he knew he couldn't deny it, so he decided to confess to avoid being tortured. He then recounted how he collected the monthly rice, how he saw the woman sleeping alone, how he raped her, and how he tricked her into coming out. This bald thief was unlucky and told the whole story in detail. The constable, upon hearing this, gnashed his teeth and said, "You bald bastard! You've ruined a perfectly good woman. You secretly raped her, she deserves to die, and then you tricked her into escaping. A beating at the yamen goes without saying, you'll even sell her to the authorities. If you sell her into the water, haven't you just sent her to her death?" Saying this, he struck her several more times. Ji De said, "Don't hit her yet. Ask her which bandit she was from that day, and how she escaped to our area. Once we know the truth, we can report to the authorities tomorrow."

The bald thief, upon hearing this, was at a loss, realizing they hadn't come to arrest him. He was filled with remorse and refused to confess. One of them angrily said, "Such a wicked man, if we don't beat him, will he talk honestly?" So everyone started fighting. The torture the guards inflicted on the bandit was chilling to behold. First, they hung him up and beat him countless times, but the monk endured the torture without confessing. Ji De tied his arms together with iron wire, took out a sandalwood stick several inches long and about the thickness of a thumb, inserted it into the iron wire, and twisted it forcefully, cutting half an inch deep, tearing his skin and flesh. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain without saying a word. The crowd then used him as a frog in the sun, tying his hands and feet with ropes, suspending him in mid-air with his back facing up and face down. They then placed a large basin of boiling water on his back, but he still wouldn't confess. They then pressed a large stone on top of him, causing all the bones in his body to split open. This bald thief was truly a stubborn and iron-willed man; he remained resolute.

Ji De was furious. He put the bald man down and tied him up. He took out a bag from his waist, opened it, and found it contained a bundle of stiff pig bristles. He tore open the bald thief's trousers and used the bristles to pierce his manhood. [This little monk had enjoyed this for several days, but now he suffers this torture; it can be said that his joy turned to sorrow.] This was the first cruel torture inflicted by the bandits in the outpost. The bald man wasn't made of iron; how could he endure it? Although he was wicked, he was still flesh and blood born of his parents. These constables had tormented him as if he were the same person he had been tormenting, making him feel like he was dying and coming back to life several times. Unable to bear it any longer, he confessed that he was a notorious bandit from Poyang Lake in Jiangxi, who had escaped from prison and become a monk to seek refuge. He explained the whole story in detail, and only then did they release him. When they saw the woman, they were terrified and trembled with fear. They sat until dawn, then tied up the monk and locked the woman up, and brought her to the yamen.

One day, an imperial envoy arrived in Beijing with an imperial decree, ordering all prefectures and counties to build shrines in memory of Wei Zhongxian. The county magistrate went with his superior to receive the decree, but was not allowed to conduct any investigations, instructing that all matters be handled upon returning to the yamen. The constables locked the monk and woman in a shop and entrusted them to guards. Knowing they could not return immediately, they divided the monk's gold and silver. They also collected and divided some miscellaneous items. Each person received about a hundred taels of silver, secretly pleased. They then went back to the yamen gate to wait.

It was almost noon when the official returned to the yamen. Because of his exhaustion, he went inside to rest until the evening court session, when he finally ascended the throne to hear the case. The first thing to do was for the constables to kneel before the court and present their arrest warrants, detailing the monk's abduction of the woman and her capture. The magistrate first summoned the woman, asking her when the adultery had begun and how she had run away with the monk. He slammed the gavel, and the constables roared like thunder. This young woman, never having witnessed such majesty, disregarded all shame. Secondly, harboring resentment towards the monk, she added fuel to the fire, recounting how he had entered her sleep, raped her, and threatened to kill her if she refused. She also described how he had tricked her into escaping, hiding her in a cupboard, and forbidding her to make a sound, or else he would kill her too. The young woman, fearing death and clinging to life, had committed this shameful act. The magistrate, having ordered the monk to be brought in for questioning, ordered him to be interrogated. Seeing a living witness present, the bald thief had no way to defend himself and confessed. The magistrate, enraged, said, "Adultery is punishable only by caning, but the monk should be punished more severely. Moreover, this innocent woman has been framed by you; she deserves to die." He ordered the monk to be clamped, and the bailiffs shouted as they began. The bald thief cried out in agony, and when the clamps tightened, he ordered twenty more strokes. Then, he placed six tallies on the table and shouted for severe punishment. The bailiffs, hearing the woman's confession, realized they had been cruelly framed by this bald monk. Moreover, he hadn't spent any money, [the previous sentence is the guest, this sentence is the host.] He picked out the best large board and struck her as many times as he could, until she was unconscious on the ground. The magistrate ordered his men to also torture the woman. The bailiffs tortured the woman, and the court officials shouted, "Thirty more blows!" They ordered her to be taken to the yamen, stripped, and given fifteen more strokes. These fifteen strokes were much lighter than the monk's, firstly because people pitied her for being cheated by the monk; secondly, seeing the delicate, pink buttocks of this young woman, they felt a little tenderness; and thirdly, the government office was far away, so it was just a matter of giving her the right amount of punishment. Even when they first tortured her, they showed some mercy, otherwise such a delicate and frail woman would have already died. Although it was lighter, her delicate skin and flesh were already torn apart. After the beating, a sentence was handed in, which included a poem, "The Heart of a Flower," about this thieving bald man who abducted and raped Ying Shi, saying: "

This hatred has no one to share with, until I met this thieving bald man, so rough and strong." Her heart soared, and she secretly fled. She closed the temple door, hastily laying out her pillow and mat. The night was filled with unrestrained lust until dawn, her frail body consumed by his torment. This ill-fated relationship, in the courtroom, brought her further punishment with flogging.

The magistrate ordered his bailiffs to summon her husband, Wu He, while he investigated other matters. The bailiffs went and returned shortly, reporting, "Wu He's house is locked. His neighbors say he often goes out, but they don't know where he goes, and we can't find him." The magistrate said, "I doubt her husband would still want a woman like this. Her situation is understandable; spare her the cangue. Imprison her temporarily tonight, and tomorrow morning, send a matchmaker to sell her." The bailiffs agreed and took the woman to prison. The magistrate then ordered the monk to be displayed in cangue for a month before being released, and two bailiffs went to carry the cangue. The constables knelt and reported, "This monk was originally a notorious bandit from Poyang Lake in Jiangxi. He has already been captured, but he escaped from prison and is hiding here as a monk seeking refuge." They repeated this. They added, "After his term expires, he should either be sent back to his hometown or reported to our superiors. If he is released, he may cause harm to the local area in the future." The magistrate was furious and said, "You scoundrel! I don't know how many lives he has taken. He has also ruined the local officials' reputations and implicated several prison guards. I don't have the energy to waste paper and pen. Order all the constables to beat him severely, to the point of death." Seeing their magistrate's anger, the constables ordered him to be beaten to death, changing the blow every five strokes, their arms clenched, and they tried their best to flatter him. The bald thief cried out, "Your Honor, I am deeply grateful! Those people took my valuables, promising to release me, but now they seek to harm me. I deserve to die, but I beg Your Honor to recover this money and bring it to the authorities. I will die without resentment." The magistrate questioned the constables, who, seeing a living witness, dared not conceal anything and confessed everything. The magistrate said, "Today, I am ordered to repair the shrine and build the memorial arch for Lord Wei, and I am worried about the lack of funds. You can bring these to provide for our needs." The constables looked at each other, then had no choice but to fetch the money. The bald thief, already somewhat dazed from the beatings, was already dead after less than fifty strokes. The magistrate's anger was not yet appeased, and he ordered him to be taken out and thrown into the countryside. This bald thief, who had lived a life of evil, was now scattered and buried in the bellies of pigs, dogs, and birds. This is

a testament to the saying: good and evil will eventually be rewarded, it's just a matter of sooner or later.

The constables presented the stolen goods, and the magistrate, upon examining them, said, "The monk claimed to have a thousand taels of silver, how come you only have this much?" The constables knelt and replied, "This is truly all we have. How could we dare deceive you, sir? It was the monk who resented us and told us to say more so we could compensate him." The magistrate laughed, "Stolen goods should be confiscated. If the monk hadn't confessed, you would have kept it a secret. You should have been severely punished, but because of your contribution in catching the thief, I'll let it slide. If you dare to do this again, you will be severely punished without mercy." The constables were truly disappointed, their hopes dashed. The magistrate ordered the treasury official to exchange the gold and silver for cash and keep it for the construction of a memorial arch. [Using stolen goods to build a memorial arch for a traitor is extremely appropriate.]

Meanwhile, the constables took Ying to the prison gate and presented her to the guards, asking them to take her in. There were two extremely vicious, greedy, and lustful guards in this prison. [There are no prison guards in the world who are not extremely vicious, greedy, and lustful.] The entire yamen (government office) gave him two nicknames: "Lustful Maniac" and "Money Addict." The Money Addict, whenever a prisoner was brought in, regardless of the severity of the crime, would give him a few coins to appease them. Even if the crime was punishable by death by dismemberment, he wouldn't care about the consequences, letting the prisoner go unpunished, all the while smiling and fawning. [Many major burglaries escape from prison because of this; officials must be vigilant.] If you didn't have money to give him, even for minor brawls, he would put on a vicious face, handcuffing and shackled the prisoner during the day. At night, he would put the prisoner on the bed like a robber, leaving them half-dead. He would mutter and curse incessantly from morning till night. The prisoner, having no other choice, would even strip naked before he would stop. Once he got what he wanted, he would give up, just like the Lustful Maniac. [This description perfectly captures the wickedness of such people.] This lecherous money was secondary; if a woman was imprisoned, they would swarm like flies to blood, inevitably swindling her with the money-grubbing scheme. The two of them took turns enjoying the spoils. They colluded with the clerk in the prison, frequently receiving small bribes, hence their audacity. The entire yamen knew of their wickedness. However, one magistrate was unaware. A magistrate is supposed to know the hardships of the people of the county, the virtues of the officials, and the strengths and weaknesses of the local customs. Yet, even within the yamen, the evil of the prison guards was unknown; what did he know? Did the court employ a magistrate only to collect bribes and extort money? However, there are many such magistrates.

That day, it was their turn to be on duty. This unlucky woman had just fallen into their hands. They took her in, gave her custody, and brought her to the women's prison. The women's prison was empty, containing only two low wooden beds, without even a tattered mat. They pushed the woman inside and slammed the door shut. The lecherous man, seeing that the woman was somewhat attractive, was overjoyed and pulled the money-grubber to a secluded spot to discuss their plans. Since her capture the previous night, Ying hadn't had a decent meal or even a proper drink, and was suffering from severe hunger pangs. She had been beaten unconscious earlier and was unaware of the pain. When they came to take her into custody, they first took her to the screen wall outside the yamen and beat her again. After that, they brought her back in to sign the papers. She was then imprisoned on the right side of the main gate, and then brought out again. This process of being brought in and out two or three times covered several hundred paces. Although the yamen runners showed her pity and helped her, she had to walk on her own. She was terrified, and the high and low boards were difficult to walk on. This strained her blood circulation. Once inside the prison, the pain was excruciating. The skin on her eight fingers was flabby and swollen, causing her great pain. Entering this dark room, she became even more frightened. Her buttocks ached so much she couldn't sit, so she slumped on the bench, sobbing. Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. Looking up, she saw the money-grubber slamming several enormous iron chains to the ground, yelling, "Get up! Is this a place for you to sleep and cry?" The woman was startled and tried to get up, but the pain was too much for her to manage. After struggling for a while, she finally managed to stand.

The money-grubber, with his bulging eyes wide open, said viciously, "[Draw a small portrait of the prison guard.] 'According to prison rules, female prisoners are handcuffed and hung from the rafters when they enter.' [This clause is likely an addition to the Ming Dynasty Code.] He picked up the lock and said, 'Stretch out your neck.' The woman knelt down in panic and said, 'Your Honor, please have mercy! I'm already on my deathbed. If I'm hung up, I really won't survive. Please, Your Honor, accumulate good karma!' The money-grubber shouted, 'Nonsense! The laws of the court, what good karma? Let me tell you the truth, here, there's a custom for everyone entering prison, called 'giving money.' If you give a generous bribe, we'll pull some strings and let them off easy. If you don't have any money, you'll definitely be hung up. You don't have a single penny, what are you talking about? Do you expect us to starve here? [This is the prison guard's way of speaking; these people all say this when demanding money.] Put your neck here.' Saying this, he picked up the iron rope to put it around her neck." The woman knew he wanted money, and knowing she wouldn't get any, she had no choice but to let him do as he pleased, craning her neck. The lecherous man beside her said, "Brother, she's from a good family, but she's been tricked by that bald monk and suffered so much. I feel sorry for her. Brother, please forgive her." The money-grubber said, "What kindness has he shown me that I should show him mercy?" [His words were barbed.] The lecherous man said, "Brother, calm down, go outside for a walk, let me discuss a solution with him." He pushed him away. The money-grubber turned around, deliberately saying fiercely, "Brother, for your sake, let him off the hook for a while. Let's see what he can do. Without the usual money, I'll make sure he's not dead, but skinned alive tonight." He left angrily.

The lecherous man said to the woman, "Have pity, get up and talk to me." Ying tried to stand up, but she couldn't. When he brought it last night, because of the heat, she was only wearing a summer cotton shirt. The lecherous man saw a patch of white flesh exposed on the woman's chest, the shadowy peaks of her breasts, and felt a surge of lust. He stood up, went forward to help her up, caught her by the chest, and lifted her up, almost forming the character "吕" (he was a lecherous man). He helped her stand up and said, "Look at him like that. How can you bear to be hung up like that? You have no money for him, what are you going to do? I feel so sorry for him." The woman said, "Last night I brought him empty-handed, with two silver hairpins in my hair and a pair of gold cloves in my ears. I just saw them at the yamen gate, but someone pulled them out. My husband doesn't know. Even if he did, seeing what I've done, he might not come to save me." [The person who said this thought Wu He resented her actions and was about to abandon her, but unexpectedly, she came to save and pity him, which was truly unexpected, hence her deep gratitude.] "And cut it." "It's good to cultivate oneself in the public office, sir, please save me." The lecherous man said, "I'd love to save you, but I can't help it. It's just that my brother has always been extremely fond of women. If you don't offer him some sweetness, how can he agree? If he gets angry again, even I won't be able to persuade him." The woman cried, "Sir, look at me, I only have a shirt, a pair of trousers, and my naked body. What else can I give him? I'll have to leave him to his fate." The lecherous man laughed, "Don't you keep the shirt and trousers to cover your flesh? He doesn't care. But your body is still usable." [He truly took advantage of the situation.] The woman understood a bit, but didn't agree. The lecherous man pressed on, saying, "Why aren't you saying anything? If he comes again later, I won't care anymore." The woman asked, "What do you think, sir?" The lecherous man grinned and pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, "Since you have no money, why not let him sleep with you? You're not shy, and besides, monks are known for their ruthlessness, you've seen it all, so why are you afraid of him? This is easier than being hung up. This is because I love you, it's up to you, I don't even know if he'll agree." The woman was already in excruciating pain all over, and she was afraid that he would actually hang her up, how could she bear it? At this moment, her buttocks were very sore, but since her private parts had been empty the night before, she felt slightly better. Helpless, she could only say, "It's up to you, sir." The lecherous man said, "Since you say so, it's easier to talk." He called out, "Brother, come here."

The money-grubber walked in and said, "What do you mean?" The lecherous man said, "Brother, I've discussed this with him for a while, and we really have nothing. Hanging him won't do, so he's willing to offer you his body as a thank you. Please, for my sake, make do." The money-grubber pretended to refuse, saying, "I only want money. If I don't have money, I'll hang him up. Who wants to play with that cunt that the monk fucked?" [This thing also has leftovers, a strange statement. Could it be that when there are no leftovers, there is another flavor?] The lecherous man said, "Brother, he really has nothing. Even if you kill him, it won't do you anything, it'll just stink this place. Please consider my brother's feelings." Then he looked at the woman and said, "Why don't you take off your pants and go to sleep?" The woman, because of a momentary mistake, had come to this point. Helpless, she had no choice but to take off her pants and lie down on the bare bed, feeling ashamed and humiliated. The lecherous man, smiling, pushed the money-grubber forward, saying, "Brother, please enjoy." He then left. The money-grubber hurriedly pulled down his pants, not even bothering to remove them, [he was also a lecherous man]. He straddled her, his hard, monstrous member thrusting wildly. Unable to find a way in, he looked down in desperation and saw that her vulva was swollen and turned inside out. He quickly inserted his hand, like a beggar hitting a brick, pounding away with all his might. At first, Ying felt a little better, but now, with him using the methods of building a wall to pound away, making the bed board rattle and creak, she felt even more pain. Her buttocks were broken, and the rubbing on the bare board was excruciating. She could only endure the pain by biting her blouse and collar, tears streaming down her face. Just as she was suffering, she suddenly saw that the upper part stopped moving, knowing that he had ejaculated. Thinking to himself, "Thank goodness, I escaped with my life." Because of the heat, the money-grubber was covered in sweat. He pulled out his clothes, pulled up his trousers, and went outside to cool off.

The woman paused, enduring the pain, and slowly struggled to sit up, her buttocks askew. She touched her legs and saw they were covered in blood. The moonlight through the window cast faint shadows, making it clear that her genitals were sticky and wet with blood. With nothing to wipe it with, she had to take off her shoes, pull down some of her inner thighs, and wipe the blood from her buttocks and vulva. Her fingers ached, and she barely managed to finish cleaning. Just as she was about to put her trousers back on, the lecherous man rushed in, grabbed her, and kissed her, saying, "You have no conscience! If it weren't for me, I don't know how much I'd be suffering right now. Aren't you going to thank me?" Without another word, he pushed her down. The woman was in too much pain to move and dared not resist, so she had no choice but to submit. The lecherous man quickly took off his own trousers and began to... Because there was still some semen inside, it was smoother and slightly more bearable than before. The lecherous man watched the two of them from outside the door for a while, his desire had been burning for some time. After only a few thrusts, the woman felt a few throbs in her vulva, then the movement stopped. She thought to herself, "This is better." The lecherous man didn't even put on his trousers, only wrapped them around his waist, and got up to leave. Just as the woman was about to get up, she saw the money-grubber come in with a large earthen bowl and a brightly lit lamp, saying, "Stay here, I still want to do some more." He quickly put the lamp in the hole in the wall, climbed on top of her, and, without thinking twice, began to pound away without stopping. After doing this for quite a while, he finally finished and left. The lecherous man was about to assault her again when the woman pleaded, "Sir, you took pity on me before and begged me to save you. How can you be so cruel now? I really can't bear it." The lecherous man said, "I saved you, and now you won't save me? I only did a few strokes, I wasn't satisfied. Just do it a little more and I'll stop." He didn't care about her life or death and began to assault her. This went on for half the night, with rapid thrusts and slow pulls, refusing to stop. He ignored the woman's pleas. Just then, the money-grubber came in and said, "You're still letting me have my way, you're just eating by yourself." The lecherous man said, "Good brother, you can cool off outside for a bit, just wait a little while, I'll be done soon too." He continued thrusting. The money-grubber got impatient and went forward to pull him down. He held the woman tightly, refusing to let go no matter what. He pulled and struggled fiercely, saying, "Good brother, please consider this an act of good karma and give me a little more time." With each pull and struggle, he exerted extraordinary force, kneading the woman's buttocks until they ached terribly. Her body was also pressed tightly against him, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The woman, consumed by anger and resentment, finally realized the trap the two men had set together. Knowing that pleading was futile—even with good hands she couldn't move him, let alone with her aching hands—she became limp and let him pound on her like a dead woman. The lecherous man, after a few quick thrusts, gave up, got up, and resumed his lustful advances. After finishing, exhausted, she said to the lecherous man, "Brother, I've had enough. You've had your fun. I'm going to sleep." She went to a bed and fell fast asleep. The lecherous man, overjoyed, said, "He's asleep, let me enjoy myself alone." He climbed on top of her again. At this point, the woman would drift in and out of consciousness, her pain numbing her, her tears dried up. When she awoke, he was still on top of her. She lay there stiffly, motionless, letting him do as he pleased. She thought bitterly, "When I was young, I did something foolish that led to my parents abandoning me. I married into the Wu family and was living a peaceful life, but this scoundrel cheated and deceived me, and now I suffer such torment. Moreover, the government says they want to sell me off; I don't know where I'll end up. Even if I wanted to die, I wouldn't be able to." She was filled with sorrow and grief. She thought of her love for Wu He, which she couldn't bear to part with, filled with regret and hatred. [It was this regret and hatred that made her a virtuous woman later.] She sobbed, but had no more tears. Seeing that it was already dawn, she heard a knock at the door to bring in a prisoner. The lecherous man was still happily going at it, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. Hearing this, he quickly got up, put on his own trousers, and helped the woman put them on as well, quickly tying her trouser cuffs. Seeing her disheveled hair and messy face, he hurriedly tied it up and helped her up. He woke the money-grubber, helped the woman out, opened the door, and explained the situation to the prisoner. The two men closed the door, feeling smug, and went back to sleep, not to be mentioned again. Their actions could be described as:

sleeping soundly in prison, only to be met with disaster sooner for their lust.

The constable helped the woman to the ceremonial gate, and as soon as they reached it, he saw Wu He standing there alone. He was both ashamed and afraid. Ashamed to face him, afraid that Wu He harbored resentment and might report him to the authorities. Tears welled in his eyes, and he bowed his head in shame. Wu He saw that Ying Shi's face was like vegetable leaves, her hair disheveled,

and she was completely unrecognizable. Her face was ashen, a hissing sound came from her throat; her hair was disheveled, and tears of sorrow streamed from her eyes. Her hands were stained with blood, and her slippers were worn loose. She had spent several nights indulging in pleasure with the two monks, only to be reduced to this wretched state by those two lecherous guards.

Seeing her like this, Wu He couldn't bear it, nodded, and sighed twice. Why did Wu He arrive so early? Last night, during the county magistrate's hearing, a friend named Bao Xinzhi [this refers to Bao Xinzhi, who first informed Wu He of the matter] had some dealings in the county. He witnessed the proceedings and, on his way home, happened to meet Wu He and told him about Ying Shi's situation. He added, "The authorities summoned you, saying they don't know your whereabouts and will send a matchmaker to take you for sale tomorrow morning." Wu He, having spent the last two days entertaining Huan E, Jia, and Tong Zheng at their newly formed friendship, hadn't returned home for two days and was completely unaware of the situation. Now, hearing that his wife had been captured and would be sold by a matchmaker tomorrow morning, he hurriedly bid farewell to Bao Xinzhi and rushed to Huan's house. Before closing the gate, he asked someone to go in and tell Huan E that he had sent a visiting card and that the head servant would plead for the woman's return to her husband the next morning. Wu He stayed at Huan's house, and before dawn, he arranged to go with the head servant. When they arrived at the county court, the magistrate had not yet taken his seat. He took the money, had someone write a petition, and waited with the head servant at the ceremonial gate. Soon after, the magistrate held court and called for the gates to open. The head servant saw the woman being led in, and he and Wu He followed. The bailiffs recognized them as officials; who dared to obstruct them? A bailiff knelt and announced, "The woman has arrived." The woman knelt below the steps, and another person knelt before her, saying, "Official matchmaker, please attend to us."

Just as the official was about to give orders, the head servant quickly presented the petition with both hands, went to the magistrate's seat, and explained the purpose of the visit. The magistrate, naturally obliged, asked, "Is her husband here?" The head servant replied, "He is here." He then called for Wu He. Upon hearing the call, Wu He went to the center of the steps, knelt, and held the petition with both hands. The gatekeeper took it and spread it on the magistrate's desk. The official, after examining the woman, asked, "Do you still want this wife?" Wu He kowtowed and said, "Your Honor, I am willing to take her back." The magistrate said, "In that case, take her away." Wu He kowtowed again. Just as he was about to help the woman up, Ying Shi cried out loudly, "Grandpa Justice, save me!" This cry startled Wu He, who feared his wife might not want to go back and might say something else, and worried about being punished by the officials. The official, seeing her cry, suspected Wu He was an imposter coming to take her away. [Let's guess: Was Wu He's suspicion correct, or was the magistrate's?] The bailiff hurriedly shouted, "Bring that woman up!" The bailiff led her to the eaves and asked, "What grievance are you crying about?" Ying, filled with resentment, disregarded shame despite the large number of men around and recounted how the two jailers had conspired to rape her the previous night until dawn. Only the arrival of the magistrate stopped them, otherwise, the young woman would have been killed. She wept as she recounted her ordeal. [Upon reading this, one realizes that the previous two suspicions were completely unfounded.] The jailer's rape of a convict was a matter deeply hated by the authorities. Enraged, he shouted, "Bring him here immediately!" The two thugs, having spent the night indulging in pleasure, were now resting in bed. The previous night, they had plotted to deceive the woman, claiming she was too young and inexperienced to admit her wrongdoing and would be too ashamed to speak in court. [This shows that this had been done many times before, and Ying was not the only victim.] As the author, I believe that if they had enjoyed the act once or twice, and the woman hadn't suffered a major loss, she would have tolerated it. These two wicked servants were far too cruel. Who knew the woman, filled with such hatred, would shamelessly confess everything? Unexpectedly, they were arrested by the officials and forced to kneel. The official, his face contorted with rage, sneered, "What have you two done!" He then made the woman repeat herself. The two men, their confessions genuine and their crimes undeniable, gaped, unable to answer. The official, seething with rage, threw down all the tally sticks and ordered them both to be beaten. One on each side, each receiving forty strokes of the cane; anyone showing leniency would be punished equally. With the official so enraged, who dared to show favoritism? Besides, even the officials themselves found these two wicked servants despicable. They were thoroughly beaten, stripped of their labor, and dragged away. These two men, having eaten a whole night of empty dumplings, were dazed and confused; having then eaten this bamboo shoot soup, [the dumplings had caused the woman's thigh pain, and now the bamboo shoot soup had caused their own—why such swift retribution?], were already delirious. They hired men to carry her home, their hearts filled with bloodlust, and they both became lustful ghosts. This was retribution for their lewdness. Indeed:

Hell gained a new lustful ghost, and prison lost a money-loving man.

The magistrate instructed the rites department to carefully retrieve the letter and reply to the young master, then deliver it to the head servant. He also ordered Wu He to bring out the woman. Wu He kowtowed again, stepped forward to help Ying Shi up, and supported her as they exited through the west gate. He helped her to a stop outside the main gate and asked the head servant to hire a sedan chair. He helped the woman into the sedan chair and hurriedly bowed to the head servant, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, sir. I will pay you another day. Please thank the magistrate first. I will come to thank you again after I take my wife home." After saying this, he followed the sedan chair away.

In a short while, he arrived at his home, opened the door, helped Ying Shi out of the sedan chair, and led her inside to the bed in the room. He paid the sedan chair bearers, hurriedly came in to heat up a pot of wine, and prepared some dishes to warm the woman's body. The woman couldn't eat, and despite his repeated urging, she reluctantly sipped a few mouthfuls of wine and refused to eat anymore. He then took some money and went out to thank Huan'e. He bought a large bag of licorice root and several plasters for treating sores at the pharmacy, and also bought cinnabar at the incense and wax shop, returning home as fast as he could. Upon arriving home, he mixed some cinnabar and applied it to the wounds on Ying's fingers. He then heated a pot of licorice root soup in the kitchen, ladled it into a basin, and brought it in. He helped her take off her trousers and got off the bed to wash the sores. Ying couldn't move her hands, so Wu He washed them for her. Looking down, he saw that her vulva was swollen like a peach, and torn like a pomegranate blossom. [A pomegranate flower blooming inside a peach is quite unusual.] Although Wu He had never tasted her vulva in the two or three years since she had been married, she had often caressed and cherished it, and they had met countless times. Today, suddenly seeing this strange sight, she asked in surprise what had happened. The woman, tears streaming down her face, said that the monk had spoken cruel words, and that she had been humiliated by those two men last night. Wu He cursed twice, then used an old silk handkerchief dipped in water to wipe the blood from his buttocks clean. He then gently cleaned and dried his vulva, inside and out, with his fingers, helped him climb onto the edge of the bed, applied a plaster, and carried him to bed. He changed the water and wiped his body, then changed him into a light undershirt. He washed his face, combed his hair (the comb case was as before, but only two combs were missing, left in the local temple), tied it into a bun, laid him down, covered him with a quilt, and then sat on the edge of the bed to watch over him.

The woman, refreshed after this ordeal, felt much better. Reflecting on her past misdeeds, she assumed her husband would harbor resentment, but now, seeing his affection instead, she felt deeply grateful. [Wu Hezhi's compassion for Ying Shi, rather than hatred, is akin to Cao Cao's leniency towards Zhang Lu for not burning his warehouses. Ying Shi, having fled from her husband without taking anything, likely only coveted the monk's possessions because of her lack of virility—a case of serious crime but forgivable circumstances. Legally, her crime is obvious, but judging her actions by this standard might be more lenient.] She had encountered only thugs in recent days; where had she received such kindness? Regretting her past actions, she burst into tears. [This weeping was a sign of a change in her conscience.] Wu He said, "Why are you crying? You did it yourself, do you hate me?" The woman said, "Brother, I have wronged you, I deserve to die. You don't hate me, and you love me so much. I can never repay you in this life, I will be reborn as a horse or a dog to repay your kindness." Wu He said, "Although we are husband and wife, how can I forget the love and affection we have shared over the years? [Hearing this, Ying felt even more ashamed.] Besides, it was my fault. I am a useless man, and I have delayed a beautiful young woman like you. How can I not regret it? You were tricked and couldn't explain yourself, I don't need you to repay me. From now on, just be content and live a peaceful life. You have already tasted the bitterness, so don't have any more delusions." [Wu He's words really extinguished the woman's lustful thoughts.] Ying said, "After all this, and with such kindness from you, to have any other thoughts would be worse than being a pig or a dog." The woman rested for several days, and her vulva healed, and the sores from the beating also healed. His beating was mild; the skin was broken, but the flesh wasn't seriously injured, so it healed quickly. It was his fingers, however, that took about a month to heal. Afterwards, the woman's desires completely disappeared. Even when she occasionally felt lust, the thought of the monk's cruelty and the two guards' viciousness brought her no joy or pleasure. Thinking of the suffering she endured in the yamen, even the strongest desire vanished completely. She loved her husband more than anyone else, devoted to him wholeheartedly, and they were very harmonious.

Now, let's turn to Yingyang and Yinshi. They set off from Nanjing and took a boat back to their hometown. They hired a sedan chair to carry Yinshi, and many people carried their luggage, heading straight to Yin's old man's house. Yin's old man and his wife were both over seventy years old at this time. Seeing their son-in-law and daughter return, so proud and with such rich luggage, they were overwhelmed with mixed feelings of sorrow and joy, and quickly prepared a house for them to stay in. A few days later, Yingyang spent two or three hundred taels of gold to buy a house and moved the utensils and belongings he had left with his in-laws years before. They added many gilded tables and chairs, bamboo chairs and stools, and arranged the furnishings in a very luxurious manner. They pawned a house for the husband and wife, bought a servant boy and a maid to attend to Yin Shi. Seeing that his father-in-law and mother-in-law were old, he brought them to live with them. The old man Yin, seeing his daughter and son-in-law so well-dressed, was as happy as if he had returned home in glory as a high-ranking official. His wife boasted to him, "You used to look down on him because he was just an actor, but look at this scene today! Even a poor country gentleman couldn't compare to them. Your daughter is destined for a life of luxury. The moment she heard they were talking about him, she was determined to marry him. No wonder he has such good fortune today!" [This boasting reveals the shallow-mindedness of the woman. She doesn't even know how her daughter obtained the money.] The old man Yin had no other children, so he sold all his meager savings and the house, giving them all to his daughter and son-in-law for their old age and funeral expenses. [How lamentable is the nature of human nature!] The elderly couple had no children. When Ying Yang was poor, why didn't he give them his savings so they could live on in their old age? Now, seeing them quite wealthy, he's giving them money instead. This shows it's not out of kinship, but rather driven by self-interest. Later, Ying Yang and his wife handled both of their funerals, which goes without

saying. Ying Yang renovated his shop, setting aside three rooms, spending several hundred taels of gold to hire a shop assistant and open an incense and candle shop. After everything was settled, he went to visit his old friends. They all came and, seeing this situation, were all filled with respect. [It's true throughout history that people only respect those who have money, without considering their background; the ways of the world are lamentable.] They all came to his warm house to welcome him, and the festivities lasted for several days.

One day, Madam Yin said to him, "Uncle Jin, we were truly grateful for his kindness back then. I was thinking of preparing a feast; could you go and invite him over to sit down and see how long our friendship has lasted?" Ying Yang smiled and said, "So you mean you want him to come and reminisce?" Madam Yin also smiled and spat, saying, "Don't you think of thanking him for the favor you received?" Ying Yang smiled and said, "His kindness is indeed great, but since he's been associating with you for over half a year, I feel that your 'hat' has become quite thickened by him, and it can be straightened out now." [Just as Ying Yang said, it's probably thicker than cowhide over the past ten years.] Madam Yin laughed and scolded, "You heartless bastard! The money and things he gave me first were for my sake, but what about the travel expenses he gave me when we were leaving? What did he want from us then? Wasn't that his kindness?" Ying Yang said, "I was just joking with you, and you're already getting impatient. Get ready, and I'll go invite him."

When Ying Yang arrived at the Jin family's house, Jin Kuang met him and was very happy to hear that the couple had returned. Hearing his invitation, Jin Kuang said, "Please go back first, I'll be there shortly." Ying Yang said, "I'm afraid you won't recognize my newly purchased house, please come with me." Jin Kuang then walked with him. Upon reaching the door, they were led into the inner room, where Yin Shi greeted them. Each of them shed two tears of longing. Jin Kuang thought he was still the same as before, hoping to continue their unfinished relationship. Unexpectedly, the house was grand, the servants were respectful, and [it showed all the signs of human nature]. It was nothing like their former intimate relationship. Ying Yang and his wife offered him the seat of honor, but he resolutely refused, insisting on the proper etiquette between host and guest. Ying Yang felt embarrassed and repeatedly offered the seat of honor. Reluctantly, Jin Kuang sat down in the guest seat, while Ying Yang had Yin Shi sit opposite him, and he himself sat down sideways. [This seating arrangement was exquisite.] Ying Yang said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir, and for the generous gifts you bestowed upon me before my departure. I have never forgotten them." Jin Kuang, no longer able to address him as "Lord Ying," said, "You flatter me. [The form of address is more appropriate.] This is but a small gift, nothing to boast about. What have you been doing in Nanjing all these years?" Ying Yang replied, "I dare not say so. I merely served under the patronage of you gentlemen, and I was deeply grateful for your kindness. Therefore, I lingered there until today." As he spoke, a maid brought over tea made with nuts, and Yin Shi took a cup and offered it to Jin Kuang. He then noticed that although Yin Shi was nearly forty, her beauty was undiminished. Adorned with jewels, she was even more charming, and he found her utterly adorable. Recalling that she was pregnant when he left, he asked, "I remember when we parted that year, you were pregnant. What did you give birth to?" Madam Yin replied, "Three or four months after I arrived, I gave birth to a daughter. She's eighteen this year and already married." Jin Kuang said, "Time flies so fast; eighteen years have passed since we parted." Madam Yin asked, "How is everyone at your household?" He said sadly, "Everything is fine, except my wife passed away two years ago." [This is a preface for Madam Min.] Yin asked again, "Haven't you remarried yet, Madam?" He replied, "My late wife was quite virtuous and beautiful. I wish to remarry her today, but Your Majesty knows I have several women around me. [These are words from an old acquaintance.] What if I marry an ugly and shrewish woman? I can only wait and see what fate brings."

As he spoke, maids and servants brought wine. The couple wanted to pour more, but Jin Kuang repeatedly refused. After they sat down, they only chatted idly. After the tables were changed, Yin offered him a few more cups. Ying Yang knew he was a close friend of Yin's and feared she wanted to reminisce, so he dared not stay long. [Even Han Xizai could do this, let alone Ying Yang?] He said, "Please sit for a while, sir. I'll look after things at the small shop in front and then come to keep you company." Ying Yang left, and Yin went to sit in Ying Yang's seat, close to him. Seeing a maid holding a wine pot beside her, she said, "Put the pot on the table and go eat." "That girl is gone." Jin Kuang saw him send the girl away, stepped forward, hugged her tightly, and kissed her, saying, "My dear, since you left, my soul followed you for months before returning. I've been thinking of you day and night, neglecting sleep and meals, and today we are finally reunited." He lifted her skirt and reached into her trousers to touch her vulva. Yin Shi then lifted her buttocks to let him touch her. He said, "My dear, after all these years apart, your treasure is still as good as ever. Would you grant me a moment of pleasure to ease the longing of these past ten years?" Yin Shi laughed and said, "I appreciate your deep affection, why should I hesitate? But I am almost forty, a middle-aged woman, my daughter is already married, and I am no longer fit to share a bed with you. Our old feelings are not over, it's just a little play, but I'm afraid the servants will see us, how could I face them?" So she pulled him back and kissed him, saying, "My dear, you must understand me, don't blame me." "Jin Kuang only smacked his lips and refused to answer. He then unbuttoned his robe and fondled his breasts for a while before replying, 'All the other words were just your humble words. As for fear that your family would see, that's the truth. It was just a momentary infatuation that overshadowed this. How can I blame you?' Yin Shi also reached out and touched his penis, which was as hard as iron. She laughed and said, 'You are still vigorous in your old age.' The two laughed for a while, then, fearing someone might come, they each sat down. Yin Shi poured herself a cup of wine, offered him half a cup, and drank the remaining half herself. Jin Kuang returned the toast, letting Yin Shi drink half a cup first, and then he drank the other half. [The two were not good at following the ancient ways, offering me leftovers. They should have drunk first and then offered me a toast.] Then they whispered about their separation and their longing for each other for a while."

A moment later, Yingyang entered, and Jin Kuang rose to take his leave. The couple tried to persuade him to stay, but he left. Yingyang returned to his room and asked with a smile, "How many times have you smoked?" Yin Shi laughed, "Nonsense! Have you seen me do this with anyone these past few years?" Yingyang said, "How could he let you go when you meet an old flame? I don't believe it." Yin Shi said, "I truly felt sorry for him, and we met to pour out my heart. If there was something, why would I hide it from you?" He pulled down his trousers and took Yingyang's hand to feel it, saying, "Look, is this what you got?" Yingyang touched it and laughed, "This is strange. This thing has eaten a lot of wild food, but today it's stopped eating." [Indeed strange, not what Yingyang expected.] Yin Shi laughed, "No wonder he ate wild food; I wonder how you are doing now?" [Yingyang was speechless.] The couple laughed for a while.

The next day, Jin Kuang sent a generous gift, and Yin Shi also sent him many gifts from Nanjing. After that, they visited each other frequently, like relatives. When no one was around, it was just a joke, and he never actually turned into a giant clam. Several months later, Yingyang heard that the provincial inspector was coming to Suzhou, and he discussed with Madam Yin about going to file a petition. Madam Yin said, "Why don't you ask Min's father to go with you?" Yingyang said, "I also think it wouldn't be good. If word gets out, that villain will kill Sister Min to silence her. It won't be me saving him, but me harming him." Madam Yin said, "You're right." So they packed their bags and set off. When they arrived in the prefectural city, they learned that the provincial inspector had already gone to the yamen to offer incense. He heard that the petition would be issued the next day and that someone would be asked to write it. Thinking that it might be inconvenient if word got out, he thought he could still write it himself. So he wrote a long and tedious petition, just like the one he had submitted in person in the capital. The next morning, he went to the yamen and put the petition board in.

Many people knelt down and held up their petitions. The clerk took them and presented them. The provincial inspector took the first one and looked at it. It was a full page, and he had never seen such a format before. Upon seeing the name Ying Yang, he suddenly remembered, stopped looking, folded the petition, tucked it into his sleeve, and ordered, "Bring Ying Yang up." The crowd responded with a thunderous clamor for Ying Yang. Ying Yang answered and hurriedly kowtowed at the foot of the steps. The magistrate said, "Come up." He crawled on his knees to the eaves. The magistrate then said, "Come to the judge's seat." He prostrated himself before the desk. He was asked, "Who wrote this petition?" He kowtowed and said, "I dare not entrust it to anyone; I wrote it myself." The magistrate nodded and said, "Good." He ordered, "Everyone, hear the verdict again tomorrow morning. Ying Yang will serve here." He closed the door, and the bailiffs shouted as they rushed out. The crowd ran outside, the bailiffs yelling. Firecrackers were set off, the doors were closed, and the court was adjourned. Magistrate Tie told Ying Yang to follow him into the back hall and sit down, then ordered the magistrate to summon the judge to the court. The judge, who was already waiting in the main hall, bowed and then had a chair placed beside him and was told to sit down. After asking to sit down, the magistrate asked, "Your office is responsible for upholding justice and eliminating evil, which is your duty. Have you even apprehended one or two of the most notorious criminals in the area?" The criminal officer bowed deeply and replied, "I have arrested several, and the records are complete." The magistrate said, "To ask about foxes while ignoring wolves is not my intention. I am referring to the most heinous criminals, not petty thieves." He glanced around and said, "Make way." Everyone agreed and moved away. Ying Yang followed. The magistrate said, "Ying Yang, come here." Ying Yang quickly returned and knelt down. The

magistrate took out a petition from his sleeve and handed it to the criminal officer. The criminal officer quickly stood up, took it, sat down, and opened it. He saw a long document and didn't know what it was. After reading it carefully from beginning to end, he realized it was a new petition. After reading it for a while, he finished, stood up, clasped his hands in front of him, and stood aside. The magistrate refused to let him sit, his face full of anger, saying, "This department, responsible for the administration of justice, allows such a wicked and wicked person to prey on the innocent. This servant is so vicious, yet this department has heard nothing of it; it can be said that it is utterly deaf and blind. If it has heard something but dares not speak out, is it out of fear of his power? Or out of greed for his bribes? Not only will it be difficult to avoid being ridiculed for holding a position without doing its job, but it is also unworthy of the title of 'parents of the people.' This magistrate will make a decision on this matter, and this department will inevitably be in charge." Seeing the magistrate's anger, the head of the criminal justice department stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "This humble official has something to report." The magistrate said, "Rise and speak." The head of the criminal justice department stood up and said, "This humble official has known of this evil person for a long time, and has repeatedly wanted to take action against him, but..." "As a result, all of this is due to the obstruction of those in power, which I constantly grit my teeth in hatred. I have long admired Your Excellency for your unwavering loyalty and integrity, and for not fearing the powerful and influential. Yesterday, I heard that Your Excellency was coming to this place, and I was secretly delighted, thinking that you would surely rid the people of this scourge and allow the people of this county to live. However, since Your Excellency has just arrived, I dare not report this hastily. I will wait until my official duties are somewhat less demanding before I dare to present the details." He then took out a document pouch from his inner breast pocket, picked out a piece of paper, and presented it, saying, "This is the record of this wicked servant that I have discovered, and I request Your Excellency to review it. This shows that I dare not deceive Your Excellency." The magistrate took it, and while looking at it, he simply nodded. After reading the last line, he read: "

Daughter of farmer Gao Feng, a virtuous woman. At the age of twelve, she was already beautiful and dignified, and her speech and laughter were never serious. Whenever there were spring and autumn gatherings in the village, the neighboring sisters would all dress up in their finest clothes and rush to see her. But she would stay at home spinning and weaving, never once stepping across the threshold to peek." Thus, everyone in the neighborhood, young and old, male and female, called her eccentric and nicknamed her "Sister with the Rotten Headscarf." Within two years, her name and appearance were known throughout the town, and those who sought her out all received no auspicious omens. Only Lou Zizhu Xiang, a man from the southern border, received a favorable omens. At that time, there was a man named Shi Xun from a prominent family, whose family had been cunning and sycophantic, skilled in flattery and laughter, and who was close friends with Nie Bianbao. Because Bianbao was a source of much resentment and suffering among the villagers, Shi Xun plotted to send grain to the Imperial Academy. He also instructed Bianbao to heavily bribe the clerks of various government offices and persuaded him to offer his sister to a relative of the Emperor in the capital. Thus, Bianbao traveled with the Emperor's carriage and canopy, cultivated relationships with officials, and his influence was overwhelming, with no one daring to look him in the eye. Whenever they saw his carriage and canopy, they would shake their heads and gasp in astonishment. Shi Xun lived in the countryside and was currently a clerk at the governor's mansion. Bianbao often visited his home, conspiring to harm others for his own benefit. After a while, he saw the beautiful and charming Zhu family woman and desired to make her his concubine. Shi Xun then forced Zhu's family to sign a document announcing the annulment of the engagement and forcibly took her as his concubine. Her father, fearing power and blindly obeying orders, caused the daughter to refuse to eat. Her mother, distressed, asked a neighboring old woman to persuade her. The daughter said, "Tell Zhu Lang I will not live. I swear I will never betray him." Her mother wept, saying, "Many men can be husbands, but only one father. If he is so powerful, who wouldn't fear him? He has killed many and never served his sentence. If you die, your father will be dead soon too. Alas, why hasten this calamity upon my old woman?" Hearing this, the virtuous daughter ate, transformed into a leopard, and chose an auspicious day to come and fetch her. Many of the sisters in the village, who loved each other, wept as they saw her off. The daughter, however, happily boarded the carriage, showing no sign of sorrow. All who witnessed this were astonished, for she had previously sought death, yet now she seemed to rejoice in going. Her mother wept bitterly. Some mocked her, saying, "You are leaving poverty for wealth; it is obvious you are happy. Why are you weeping?" The mother cried, "I know my daughter's heart well. She will not live a life of dishonor; she has no hope of survival. How can I not grieve when I part from her forever?" People did not believe her, and some even harbored resentment. The neighboring old woman also despised her, scorning her previous feigned refusal to eat. When the woman arrived at Bianbao's house, she alighted from her carriage, entered the room, and called to Shixun, "My servant, you are a beast in action and a thief in heart! Why have you driven me to this extreme? I cannot eat your flesh in life; I wish to become a vengeful ghost to seek my soul!" She then drew a sharp blade she had concealed in her clothes and stabbed herself to death at the age of fifteen. Bianbao, terrified, dismembered her body and threw it into the river to erase all traces of her crime.

After reviewing the documents, the Imperial Censor was furious and said, "According to the inquiries of the relevant authorities, if the whole story is true, this slave cannot be allowed to live a moment longer. Today, the authorities will secretly lead the arresting officers to disperse in all directions. Do not name him on the way, lest this villain finds out and escape. If he is caught there, immediately order the magistrate of Kunshan to escort him here. Women who have relatives after being released should be taken away. The rest of the guards will be dealt with later. The household items should be investigated and sealed, and any land that has been seized should be returned." He said to Yingyang, "You go with them. Once the authorities find out who is Min, send him back." The Chief Justice bowed and said, "Yes." Yingyang also kowtowed and got up.

The official in charge of punishment remained standing, and the governor asked, "Does the official have anything else to say?" The official bowed and said, "I have a humble opinion, but I fear it might offend Your Excellency, so I dare not utter it." The governor said, "What's wrong?" The official said, "These two eunuchs are utterly unreasonable, relying on the title of Imperial Envoy to act arrogantly. If they find out, they'll keep pestering Your Excellency. What should we do then?" The governor was furious, stood up, and pushed his gauze hat up, saying, "The official considers me a coward. Not only is my surname Iron, but my heart is also made of iron. Since I am wholeheartedly dedicated to curing evil and saving the people, even if the court were to issue a special decree to pardon them, I would give up this office and my life to avenge the people, and I would never obey the decree, let alone those eunuchs!" [What a fine governor, worthy of being a descendant of the Iron Lord.] The official in charge of the punishments bowed deeply and said, "This humble official misspoke." He then went to the center of the room, bowed again, and said, "This humble official takes his leave." The magistrate bowed, and the official in charge of the punishments turned and left. Ying Yang followed him out. Back at the yamen, he made arrangements and quietly left that very night.

Two or three days later, the Imperial Censor sent someone to invite the two eunuchs. The eunuchs, assuming it was the new Censor trying to flatter them by inviting them to a banquet, laughed and said, "Why didn't you send an invitation? Sending someone to invite them on such an inaugural visit—that's quite a show of courtesy." They immediately ordered gongs and shouts to be made, and the imperial carriage arrived with its canopy raised. The Censor welcomed them to the hall, where they were seated as host and guest. Seeing no seats or entertainment, and only his angry expression, the two eunuchs were very puzzled. They asked, "Old Master, what brings you here?" The Censor replied, "I have some strange tale to tell you." The two eunuchs chuckled and said, "Old Master, you're quite the connoisseur; what strange tales do we know? We only know how to serve His Majesty and how to dress and eat." They laughed again. The magistrate said, “Before I left the capital, I heard of a notorious villain in Kunshan County named Nie Bianbao, whose crimes are utterly heinous. Yesterday, hundreds of accusations against him came along the way, some even claiming that two old eunuchs were his masters, and that they were responsible for all the murders and harms. They requested that I report this to the emperor. I was furious when I saw this and issued a decree to them: ‘These two eunuchs are court officials; how could they not know the laws of the state? Moreover, they have received the Emperor's grace, and today the imperial envoy has arrived; how could they not love the people? Only the Ministry of Justice can rid the people of this scourge; how can it protect such a wicked person? You are not allowed to listen to this.’” "People are spreading rumors. 'They insist it's true, and they say it with irrefutable evidence. This court has all angrily reprimanded and expelled them. Isn't this a strange story? This court believes that the two old eunuchs would never do this, or perhaps some ignorant villain is using the old eunuchs' reputation to commit this illegal act. But if this reputation spreads, I fear the Emperor will find out, which would be inconvenient. Therefore, I invited the two of you to come and inform you. A proclamation should also be issued to inform the people not to listen to unfounded rumors. This court will also send people to investigate; anyone using the old eunuchs' name to cause trouble outside must be arrested." The two eunuchs turned pale, looking at each other, unable to speak. After struggling for a while, they said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir. We will go back and issue a proclamation to inform you." They couldn't sit still and took their leave. [These two eunuchs were probably receiving such hospitality for the first time in their lives.]

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice first sent someone to secretly seal a corner of the official document and send it to the magistrate of Kunshan County, with the instruction to the county to open it secretly. The magistrate then personally opened the package and examined the contents. Although he had a history of dealings with Nie Bianbao, this was a criminal being investigated by the authorities; how could he dare to protect or leak information? He immediately ordered his clerk to secretly summon over a hundred constables, yamen runners, and archers to wait. Obeying the order, they dared not come out to greet him. As night fell, a sedan chair from the Ministry of Justice carried them to the county yamen's main hall. They sat down, exchanged pleasantries, and finished their meal. The next day at dawn, they led a large group to the Nie family's gate and surrounded it from all sides. The Ministry of Justice ordered the magistrate and his clerk to enter through the front gate, while the county magistrate and Ying Yang entered through the back gate. He further ordered, "Regardless of gender or age, lock up anyone you see; do not allow a single one to escape." He instructed the county magistrate to immediately seal all the doors, chests, and cabinets, pending a further search. The group obeyed, shouted, and opened the main gate to enter. The county magistrate and Ying Yang led the group in from the back, [Ying Yang could now vent some of his old grudges]. They were all still asleep when he was captured, like turtles in a jar, easily caught; not a single member of the family escaped.

Only his wife, Lady Shan, had become even more vicious after witnessing his deception of Ying Yang, despite repeated attempts to persuade him to stop. Later, seeing him drive the virtuous woman, Lady Gao, to her death, he clasped his hands and said, "Even heaven and earth, ghosts and gods, are to be feared." He then became a lifelong vegetarian, embroidering Buddhist images and chanting the name of the compassionate and merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva daily, refusing to share a bed with Nie Bianbao. Nie Bianbao tried to force himself on him several times, but seeing his unwavering resolve, he had no choice but to give up. For several years, he spent his days meditating and chanting Buddhist scriptures, utterly devout, and indifferent to all worldly affairs. Several months ago, one night, he suddenly awoke from a dream, saying, "A great calamity has arrived; I must go first." He then bathed, changed his clothes, and passed away peacefully. Nie Bianbao's chanting and funeral procession need not be detailed. He had just been buried, less than a hundred days later, when this happened. Because of his extreme lust, Nie Bianbao, though he had many concubines and maids, had no children; he was all alone. He was lying naked with a concubine when the others lifted the covers and quickly locked them up. They only allowed the concubine to wear a shirt and trousers, not even allowing Nie Bianbao to put on trousers; they simply gave him a long robe to wear, and then led him out.

The judge was in the center of the hall, with the magistrate sitting beside him. The constables brought him to the front of the hall and ordered him to kneel. He arrogantly said, "I haven't broken the law. I'm a senior student, why should I kneel? What crime have I committed that you dare arrest me?" He sneered, "You can arrest me if you want, but let's see how you release me tomorrow!" The judge roared, "I've wanted to arrest you for a long time, but I've been hampered by my low rank and power. Now you, a high-ranking official, dare to be so disrespectful! Slap him!" The constables stepped forward and slapped him several times until blood gushed from his nose and mouth, and only then did he dare to remain silent. The judge asked the magistrate, "Have all the male prisoners been apprehended?" The magistrate replied, "Yes, all of them." The judge said, "Keep the young children, along with the women and concubines, and have the clerk guard them. All the prisoners must be escorted to the provincial governor's office tonight for judgment. This is a matter of law and order; there can be no delay. Do not be negligent and incur punishment." The magistrate bowed and led the way. This caused a sensation throughout the county, and everyone gathered to watch. They saw Nie Bianbao, disheveled, barefoot, and in shackles, blood trickling from his nose and mouth. His servants, who had aided and abetted him, were all tethered behind him in their shackles. They all clasped their hands and said, "Amitabha, he's finally met his end." Some said, "His name is Nie the Donkey; I wonder how big his penis is?" Some of the bailiffs hated him, and seeing that he wasn't wearing trousers, they pulled up the front of his clothes, exposing his donkey-kidney-like genitals, and dragged him away. At this point, he had no choice but to lower his head. The onlookers on both sides were overjoyed, and the children clapped and laughed, "Come and see the big cock!" The women, upon seeing his thing, looked at each other, biting their lips and fingers, speechless with astonishment. [The streets were bustling that day.] Upon arriving at the county seat, he was ordered to be imprisoned. The magistrate, after preparing everything, took him away that very night.

Meanwhile, the judge, seeing many women chained up in the hall, asked, "Which one of you is Min?" Min, seeing that she was the only one being questioned, feared being accused of a serious crime as a favored concubine and dared not answer. The judge asked again, and the officers shouted at the women, "Who is Min?" The other women pointed and said, "She is." The officers brought her forward and made her kneel. The judge asked, "How did you get to her house?" Min, trembling, cried and said, "I was originally from a good family, but she abducted me to be..." Before she could finish the word "concubine," the judge said, "No need to say more." He called Yingyang. Ying Yang hurriedly knelt down. The executioner asked, "Is this your sister?" Ying Yang always remembered her, and although many years had passed, her face seemed familiar. She replied, "It is indeed my sister." The executioner ordered, "Remove the shackles." The yamen runners unlocked the shackles. The executioner, unaware of Ying Yang's background, and seeing the magistrate's earnest instructions, wondered if he could refuse. He then said to Madam Min, "You can go in and retrieve your clothes and belongings, then go with your brother." Madam Min had first heard that he was that man's sister, but upon closer inspection, she did not recognize him. However, Ying Yang had been a child then, and now he was nearly forty years old, and had not performed in operas for many years, sporting a full beard. Just as she was beginning to suspect something, she suddenly remembered that he had been called by the name Ying Yang, and guessed it might be Ying Dan. Secretly delighted, she kowtowed, got up, and prepared to leave. A little girl in the crowd cried out, "Your Majesty, you're leaving, won't you save me?" Madam Min also wept, saying, "I've already received Heaven's grace in releasing me, how could I possibly save you?" The judge asked, "Who is this to you?" Madam Min returned to her knees and replied, "She lost her parents when she was six. I took pity on her and raised her as my adopted daughter for the past few years. She's thirteen now." The judge said, "What does this child have to do with you? She's your adopted daughter, take her away." He ordered, "Release her." The bailiffs unlocked the lock for her, and the child and Madam Min happily kowtowed in gratitude. The judge said, "Madam Min, take this child inside, and take her clothes and such." This was clearly the judge's way of asking her to take things. [Writing about this woman is superfluous, merely a lament for the opportunistic nature of the situation. Ying Yang was entrusted by the magistrate, and the judge not only treated Madam Min with kindness, but even spared Madam Min's adopted daughter, showing that opportunism is pervasive everywhere.] Upon entering the room, Madam Min wrapped up all her jewelry and tied it around her waist. She then carried a large bundle of her finest clothes out. The official in charge of the punishments saw this and said to Ying Yang, "Take it away." Ying Yang, Madam Min, and the child all kowtowed. Ying Yang, carrying the bundle, happily went out and hailed two sedan chairs. Madam Min rode in one, and the child in the other, tucking the bundle under the chair's trunk, and they went straight home. Upon arriving home, they alighted from their sedan chairs and were allowed to enter. Madam Yin greeted them, and Ying Yang instructed the shop to pay for the sedan chairs.

He went inside, placed a chair on it for Madam Min to sit on, and said to her, "Grandma, don't you recognize me?" Tears welled in his eyes as he said, "If it weren't for Grandma saving me, how could I be here today? Please sit down, Grandma, so I can thank you properly." He knelt down abruptly. Madam Min also quickly knelt down, saying, "I saved you that day, and you save me today; I should thank you too." Ying Yang repeatedly urged him to get up, but he refused. Ying Yang asked Madam Yin to help him up, but he still refused, yielding for a long time. Madam Min said, "Since we said we were siblings in the government office, if you don't mind, let's become siblings." Ying Yang was overjoyed. He asked about his age; he was three years older than Ying Yang, forty-one years old. Madam Min accepted his two bows. Madam Yin also paid her respects, and the child bowed to his uncle and aunt. Ying Yang took out his shoes and returned them, which Madam Min accepted. They set out wine and drank, and Madam Min asked about his past circumstances and how he planned to seek justice and take revenge today. Ying Yang briefly recounted his family affairs and detailed his complaint. He then inquired about the whereabouts of Min's parents, which Min provided. Ying Yang went to find her parents and reunited with them. After more than twenty years apart, they were reunited and wept bitterly. Min told her parents about Ying Yang's rescue, and the elderly couple were deeply grateful. They thanked Ying Yang and his wife repeatedly and took her and her daughter to their home.

Meanwhile, the court received hundreds of complaints against Nie Bianbao. Those who had illegally seized women and land were returned to their original owners. [Good.] The rest awaited the judge's decision. His household belongings were also investigated and recorded. With everything completed, he returned to the Suzhou police station. Ying Yang also went to express his gratitude. The judge executed Nie Bianbao and his chief servant, while the remaining men and women were punished according to their severity. The people of the entire county, whether victims or innocent, were overjoyed and deeply grateful. The constables went to arrest Gao Shixun, who returned saying that the virtuous woman died vomiting blood the day after her death. The censor was deeply astonished and had the four characters "Awe-inspiring for All Time" inscribed on the woman's gate. He gave one hundred taels of Nie Bianbao's silver to the woman's father, Gao Feng, to build a shrine for her. [This matter is indispensable; if omitted, only evil can be punished, not good.] That year, Suzhou and its six counties suffered a famine. The censor, through the Ministry of Justice, seized Nie Bianbao's remaining silver and sold his property to aid the poor. Those who received this favor held a funeral service for him.

Ying Yang returned home and discussed with Yin Shi the possibility of bringing a gold mine to their home. Yin Shi told him that Min Shi was the same age as him, [the age when gold mines are found here], beautiful and virtuous, and advised him to remarry. He believed his lover's proposal was a good match and asked Ying Yang to act as matchmaker. Min Shi, hearing that she would become the young master's wife and come from a wealthy family... Moreover, since it was her brother-in-law who acted as matchmaker, how could she refuse? The Jin family's generous gifts to welcome her are well-documented. When Min arrived at the Jin family, although Nie Bianbao had favored her as a concubine, she had only reluctantly submitted due to her hatred for her father-in-law. Now, she married Jin Kuang, who was not only of similar age but also exceptionally talented, and their relationship was deeply affectionate. Jin Kuang found Min's appearance to be no less than Yin's, and even more dignified. He also saw that she was a respectful wife, kind to her concubines, and perfectly managed the household, showing them great respect and love. Ying Yang and this sister-in-law had saved each other's lives, and Jin Kuang and this aunt-in-law had a long-standing acquaintance; however, this particular relationship felt even closer, needing no further explanation. Ying Yang, a man of both virtue and virtue, benefited from this act of repaying kindness, not only marrying into a good family but also later becoming an official. Who knows if this wasn't a divine reward? This shows why one shouldn't learn to be good in life—but that's another story. Now, regarding Wu He's family affairs, there's an old saying: "

Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels a thousand miles.

" The news that Ying Shi had been abducted by a monk and taken to the yamen spread throughout the city within days. Long Yang also heard this and thought to himself, "This woman and I were together for three or four years, but her parents forcibly separated us. I've long wanted to see her and reminisce. I fear that because she and her husband are happy, she won't acknowledge it and will cause trouble. Now that she's willing to run away with someone, she must dislike her husband. I've heard that her husband is never home; why don't I go and see him? If we rekindle our old flame, it's better than letting others do what they want with her backside; I can do what they want with her front." Having made up his mind, [though the idea was good, little did he know the true path was different.] he dressed up. Although he was in his twenties, he still ran a business selling large, dirty meat scraps. He was getting older, and more adept at flattery and pandering than before, so he became quite successful. He had followed You Hun Gong for two years, but You Hun Gong, seeing that he had grown into a large man with stubble and long hair in his crotch, abandoned him. He had a young, popular rabbit named Yang Weiying, who was close to his son You Xialiu. [The author skillfully introduces Yang Weiying and You Xialiu.] He also joined in, and the father and son took care of the little boy together. This young official, seeing that You Hun Gong had favored the boy and neglected him, sulked and plucked his stubble clean, and also betrothed an old man named Chong Haogu. He was originally from a good family and had been fond of the young official since childhood. His wife, Xi Shi, [is mentioned in the story of the young official, which is quite clever.] Later, when he spoke of his wife's affairs, their names were not fabricated. She was quite beautiful, but he always ignored her. He squandered his entire fortune on this one affair. Now, short of money, he could no longer afford the fashionable rabbits of that time. Just then, he met Long Yang, an old official who, having just left Yangguan and having no old friends, sold his goods at a low price. Even without money, if there was food and drink, he was happy to comply. Gu happened to see that his goods, though not exquisitely crafted, were very cheap. Not only was he a habitual picker, but he also thought, "As the saying goes, those who know how to patronize a woman are prostitutes, those who know how to ride a horse ride a mule. I'll take advantage of his expertise; this old official is certainly different from a newborn rabbit." After becoming acquainted with him, he indeed experienced unparalleled pleasure in bed, completely captivating Gu. He sold everything in his house to make several silk garments for him. Long Yang then returned home and put on the fashionable spider silk garments he had earned. You ask what spider silk is? It's called that because it's pulled from the anus. [Lately, many people wear spider silk.]

This young man staggered and asked his way to the Wu family. Finding the door closed, he said Wu He wasn't home and went to knock. To his surprise, Wu He was home. Hearing him, he opened the door and asked, "Who is it?" He didn't recognize him. So he asked, "Where did you come from?" The young man, seeing Wu He, was taken aback. Fortunately, he was quick-witted and replied, "My surname is Long, and I used to be Old Man Ying's neighbor. He sent a letter, and I came to tell the young lady." Wu He was about to let him in when someone called from behind, "Brother Wu, please wait, I have something to say to you." Wu He stopped and looked; it was a familiar friend who came forward and invited him in. Seeing Long Yang there, the man said, "I won't go in. I have something to discuss with you." Wu He said, "Please wait a moment. I'll see this friend in and be right back." He came in with Long Xiaoguan and called to the woman, "Come out, your father has sent someone with a message." After saying this, he turned and went to talk to the man.

Ying Shi suddenly heard that her parents had received a letter and was overjoyed. She hurriedly came out and saw that it was Long's son. Old resentment lingered in her heart, and her face suddenly changed. Because he was the messenger, she couldn't lash out, but asked angrily, "Where is my father's letter?" This boy hadn't seen her for two or three years and saw that she had become much fatter and more fair-skinned and handsome, which made him lose his mind. Ignoring her expression and relying on their past friendship, he grinned and said, "Nothing to report." The woman said, "If there's no news, what brings you here?" The young man laughed and said, "I've been so kind to you all those years ago, and now that we're separated, I miss you day and night. These past few years I've wanted to visit you, but I haven't had the chance. I think about you constantly. Recently, I learned you're preoccupied with official business, and I'm very worried about you, so I came to see you." Hearing this, the woman was both ashamed and angry. Her face changed, and she said, "We're all neighbors, you're no relation to me, what are you doing here spouting nonsense?" The young man was overjoyed, and he... With a sweep of his eyes, he lowered his expression and said, "You heartless harlot, I defiled your body when you were a child. I've been with you for three or four years, raised your children, and I'm your first husband. Your father disliked my poverty and remarried you. I heard you ran away with a monk and was beaten. I came to see you out of kindness, but you don't recognize me and treat me like this. I'll go to the yamen and file a complaint against you, saying you remarried against your husband's will, and I'll bring your parents to justice. I don't care about fishing; I only care about muddying the waters. By now, it's too late for you to beg me; I might not even spare you." [His words were quite clever, leaving Ying speechless.] The woman was filled with shame and anger. She was indeed afraid of causing trouble and making a fool of herself. She frowned, and an idea came to her. She went into the room and beckoned him, "Come in." The young man, seeing that being called into the room meant there must be something good, hurriedly stepped inside. The woman said softly, “What more is there to say about our relationship? My husband is at the door; it would be inconvenient for you to speak like that. I was afraid he would hear, so I gave you a slap in the face. I was hiding it from him, so why are you angry? He's home today, so he's useless. Come again at this time tomorrow, and I'll talk to you.” [This depicts Ying's quick wit and resourcefulness, vividly portraying a clever woman.]

Hearing this, the young man beamed, hugged and kissed her, and reached for his pants. The woman said, "You'll see when my husband comes in." The young man replied, "It doesn't matter, I'm just looking outside." The woman couldn't stop him, and he pulled down her pants, touched her vulva, and dug around with his fingers, laughing, "When we were together, it was just a slit, now it's like a big puddle." The woman laughed and pushed his hand away, saying, "Go on, there will be plenty of time to play later." The young man, having gotten the truth, went outside. Wu He was still talking to the man at the door. He came out, bowed, and left.

A little while later, the man also said goodbye and left. Wu He came in and asked, "Where's your father's letter?" The woman replied, "What letter could there be?" Wu He said, "If there's no letter, why did he come?" The woman blushed, shed a couple of tears, and said, "When I was little, I did something shameful at home. I'm afraid you'll be angry if I tell you." Wu He said, "You did this in my house, and I'm not angry. What about what you did at home? That's a past matter. What am I angry about? [What a big mouth!] Just tell me." The woman then told him about how she had wanted to see her father when he was little... She omitted details about her husband's penis and their future children, only saying, "When I was young, this man surnamed Long was employed by my family. He repeatedly tricked me into raping him. Later, my parents noticed something was amiss and kicked him out, which is why I married into your family. He was furious and slandered me in the streets and alleys. My parents couldn't stand it anymore and moved back to their hometown. I still hate him now, but I can't tell you. Today I can't hide it anymore, so I'll tell you the truth. Please forgive me." Wu He then understood why his parents-in-law had left. He asked, "Why did he come here today for no reason?" The woman said, "He tried to rape me again today, so I cursed him." She also fully explained her intention to report him to the authorities. She continued, “I’ll coax him to come tomorrow, and we’ll discuss it. When he comes, you hide in the backyard. When he tries to rape me, I’ll scream. You can catch him, either beat him to death or send him to the authorities, and that will avenge my wickedness.” Wu He shook his head and said, “That won’t do. If this happens, we can’t divorce him privately, and when he goes to court, you’ll inevitably have to go too. If he brings up the past in court, it will add to your shame.” The woman said, “According to what you’ve said, what will we say to him when he comes tomorrow?” Seeing Ying’s words, Wu He knew she had developed some fierceness and wanted to test her further, so he said, “Since you have a past relationship with him…” He came with no ill intentions, only wanting to reminisce with you. You can have your way with him, fulfill his wish, and then send him away peacefully. Why make trouble for yourself? If you do it behind my back, that's your fault. Since you've told me, I know your heart. Just have your way with him; I won't be angry. I'll go out and let him have his way tomorrow.”

Ying's face flushed red, and she said anxiously, “Brother, you really treat me worse than a pig or a dog. I've done something unfilial, and you still treat me with such kindness. Even if you kill me now, I won't comply.” Hearing this, Wu He knew the woman genuinely wanted to repent and reform, and he was secretly pleased. He then asked, "Do you truly hate him? Perhaps there's still some affection left." The woman replied, "He has cheated on me for years and even betrayed me, spreading my shame. He has caused my father to be sent south and my daughter to be sent north. I hate him to the bone; what affection could I possibly have?" Wu He said, "I've got an idea. I have a good plan to eliminate this root of trouble. Otherwise, you'll be entangled with him for a long time, which is not good. I'm just afraid you can't bring yourself to do it." Ying Shi said, "If there's a wonderful method, I'd gladly kill him and have to pay with my life. What's there to be unwilling to do?" Seeing that she was sincere, Wu He said to her, "There's no need to kill him or pay with your life. Just do this and that, [doing this twice, resulting in a minor official position]. Doing this and that will vent your anger and remove this root of trouble. Do you think it's feasible?" Ying Shi was overjoyed and said, "Good, good, let's do it like this tomorrow." The rest of the night is history.

The next day, after breakfast, Wu He prepared to go out. The woman instructed him, "If anything urgent happens outside, be sure to come back today." Wu He replied, "I know, no need for your instructions," and left. At noon, the woman left the front door ajar and waited for him in the room. This lad deserved his bad luck; he came running. It was just like:

pigs and sheep entering the butcher's shop, step by step seeking their death.

This lad, oblivious to his impending doom, happily came to keep his appointment. Reaching the door, seeing it ajar, he pushed it open and entered. The woman greeted him with a smile. [This is a true case of a smile hiding a dagger.] He grabbed her and immediately demanded pleasure. The woman said, "No, that won't do. My husband is still home today. He just went out to buy some things and will be back soon. Didn't you see I was waiting for him with the door open? What would happen if he bumped into me?" The young man panicked and said, "What am I supposed to do? You tricked me into coming here, and now I'm going back empty-handed." The woman said, "How could I trick you? This morning someone invited him to a night of entertainment and drinking, so he won't be able to come home all night. Come after sunset and when the lamps are lit, I'll be waiting for you. Knock on the door gently, so no one can hear you. [Deeply ruthless and vicious.] I'll bring you in." "Come, spend the night here with me, and go back at dawn tomorrow. No one will know, is that alright?" The young man thought the woman was sincere, and he was overjoyed. He hugged her and said, "Darling, I haven't seen your darling in so long, I've been so anxious! Just let it be." The woman said, "No, save your energy for tonight. He might come back and ask what you're doing here. What will you say then? You should go back quickly." The young man was reluctant to leave, and even pulled down his pants to touch her and kiss her. He was afraid Wu He would see him, so he had no answer and hurried away.

At sunset, Wu He came home. He was carrying a paper package and some silver ingots. [Guess what he was going to do?] He knocked and came in, asking, "Has he arrived yet?" The woman smiled and said, "Yes, he has." She then told him what she had said earlier. The two laughed and opened the package. One packet contained indigo, one packet of tobacco, and one packet of pitch. They also took out the cinnabar left over from when the woman had used it to clean her fingers last time (she had a good memory), and put it in several bowls. They mixed it all with sesame oil, found some old brushes, washed them, and placed them in the drawer of the guest table. They also found a long, thin clothesline and placed it in the guest room, and found a mallet and placed it nearby. Everything was arranged, waiting for him to come and do as he pleased. Seeing that it was getting late, the couple ate their supper and lit the lamps.

They agreed on the time, and gently knocked on the door, knowing he had arrived. Wu He, holding the mallet, hid in the kitchen, while the woman went out to open the door and let the young man in. She quickly locked the door and went into the room. The lecherous man carried the woman to the bed and, without saying a word, began to pull down her trousers. [How amusing!] The woman did not refuse, and he stripped himself naked. There was no time to get into bed; he stood before it, lifted the woman's legs, and pulled her buttocks off the edge of the bed, where the lamplight illuminated them clearly. Standing there, he thrust all the way to the root. One was enormous, the other infinitely small; the boy, like a thirsty dragon seeing water, disregarded his life, thrusting wildly with all his might, finishing in just a few strokes. In the midst of his pleasure, the woman reached out and pulled his neck close, putting her tongue into his mouth. The boy was incredibly happy, smacking his lips a few times. The woman also told him to stick his tongue out, ["Unexpectedly, Ying Shi was skilled in military strategy; this is called 'to take something, one must first give it.'"] The boy hurriedly stuck out his tongue, wishing he could spit out the root of his tongue and put it into her mouth. The woman held it tightly, and with a sudden, forceful bite, she bit down hard. ["This is also retribution for his shameful act."] The boy was in so much pain he couldn't scream, and he fell to the ground. The woman quickly stuck out her severed tongue and cried out, "Thief! Come quick!" [It was indeed a flower thief.] Just then, a shout came from outside the door: "Where's the thief? Catch him! Don't let him go!" The boy, still dazed from the pain, suddenly heard this and realized he had been ambushed. He didn't even bother with his clothes, scrambled to his feet, and ran outside naked. Wu He shouted, but didn't come in. He was calculating, but not paying attention, waiting outside the door. In the blink of an eye, just as the boy stepped one foot over the threshold, the room was dark, and he couldn't see clearly. Wu He struck him hard on the ankle, making him groan and fall. Wu He pressed him down and sat him on his back. [Wu He knew how to subdue dragons.] The woman also put on her trousers and took out a lamp. [Detail. These kinds of sentences are easily overlooked.] She took a rope and, together with Wu He, tightly bound the boy's back. The boy's tongue was gone, and he was in so much pain he couldn't utter a sound. His legs were injured, and he was dizzy from the fall, unable to move. Besides, this minor official only knew how to endure hard lumps in his anus and being hit on the ankle with a club; he had never experienced the force of a wooden club. He couldn't struggle and could only let the couple do as they pleased. Wu He tied him up firmly, then got up and opened his hair. The woman had already brought out all the treasures prepared during the day. Wu He used asphalt to brush his hair straight up, then mixed red, black, and blue paints and, with a few strokes of their brushes, painted him from head to toe in a colorful and garish mess. [The painter's dragon painting is indeed colorful.] They hung silver ingots and paper money all over his body.

The woman said to the boy, "You've raped me for years, what have I ever done to wrong you? You've ruined me everywhere. And now you want to rape me again, so I'll vent my anger." She picked up a stick, took the thinner end, aimed it at his anus, and thrust it in with all her might, going in four or five inches. The boy writhed in pain. She then took a thin rope, tied the stick tightly around his waist, one end inside the anus, the other outside. She found some old hair ties, added some rotten paper, and tied it to the stick, making it look like a large tail. [This stick could be called Hua Yun. Why? Because it resembles a dragon's tail.] She then lifted it up, opened the door, and let him go. The boy, relieved, limped away. The couple each took an awl and poked the thickest part of his buttocks twice. [These buttocks were once cherished; how unfortunate they are now!] The boy was in so much pain he couldn't cry out, and with the club stuffed in his anus, he couldn't walk. Unable to get any relief, he could only limp away desperately. Wu He, fearing he might hide in a secluded spot, deliberately shouted and chased after him. The boy, afraid of the sharp club, kept running. Wu He escorted him all the way to the main street, and only after he was far away did he go home and lock the door. The couple laughed and went to bed. No one in their dead-end alley knew anything.

Meanwhile, Long Yang reached the street, and it was already past midnight. Everyone was gone, and it was quiet. Although there was a faint moon, he was disoriented and couldn't even recognize the road. He ran aimlessly, and in the distance, he saw a group of people carrying lanterns. Knowing it was the night patrol officers, he turned and ran back inside. The official and the others had already seen it and said, "What is that thing? Hurry and catch up!" The crowd rushed towards it, but the boy, caught off guard, couldn't run anymore due to his limp and stopped. He seemed to want someone to help him, but he couldn't speak. The crowd, not far away, were startled to see him motionless. Upon closer inspection, they realized they had never seen such a monster before. A chill ran down their spines; the timid ones hid behind others to watch. A few of the bolder ones shouted, but he didn't answer. The boy was clearly trying to say something, but because he had no tongue, he couldn't speak clearly, only making muffled noises. The official, emboldened, said, "If it were a human, it would be able to speak. It can only make noises; if it's not a ghost, it must be a monster. There are many of us, and our yang energy is strong; we've forced it to stay in its form. Hurry and attack it, don't let it escape!" The boy heard this too, and became anxious, rushing towards them even more, wanting them to see him, and shouting even more fiercely. Seeing him pounce, the crowd panicked. I suppose what you said makes sense; those who are educated are indeed different. Fearing he might strike first and injure someone, they mustered their courage and rushed forward. A flurry of blows followed, their brains spilling out, their bones broken, before they dared approach. Shining a lantern on it for a closer look, they realized it wasn't a ghost, but a human monster. Startled, they said, "This official is too knowledgeable about things; he's misjudged it." They remained silent. The next day, the report was sent to the censorate, who sent men to examine the body. Bloodstains were found on the lips, and there was no tongue. A club was found inside the anus. A diagram was prepared and presented to the authorities. It was clear this man had been murdered while committing adultery. There was no mastermind, and no relatives. He was ordered to be buried. This fellow raped a young woman; she had initially tried to save him, which was somewhat forgivable—how many virtuous men like Liu Xiahui are there in the world? But he later exposed her shame, showing heartlessness and ingratitude. She already had a husband, and today he tried to rape her again. His actions were truly despicable; he deserved to die rather than suffer injustice. But the Wu couple were quite ruthless. The boy's parents, seeing their son hadn't returned for several days, searched everywhere for days, but to no avail. They only suspected he'd gone with a lecherous man, never imagining he'd done this. The boy was just a lost soul.

Meanwhile, the next day, Wu He went to the street and heard people say that a strange thing had happened the night before. Someone, for some unknown evil deed, had been made into this state by someone, [first Wu He's, this is the beginning, these two, this is the end.] They had used such cruelty to take his life. Hearing this, he went home and told Ying Shi, "Your illness is cured." The couple laughed. There's a poem about the jailer's cruelty and Long Yang's stupidity: "

No jailer is more vicious than this one, His wickedness fears no punishment. Sigh, though Ying Shi was lewd, she set him in a trap, almost killing him. How laughable is Long Yang's foolishness, He thinks of continuing his past romantic escapades." Like moths drawn to a flame, they were initially eager, but were ultimately pierced by love and hatred.

Afterwards, Ying and Wu He lived a harmonious life, and Wu He loved him dearly. One day, Wu He went to the outskirts of the city on business and suddenly heard a child crying in a graveyard. He rushed over and saw a boy about a year old, his face covered in smallpox. It turned out the child had died from smallpox, and his parents, fearing dogs would eat him, had left him in the graveyard. That night, he caught dew and soil, and revived, hence his crying. Wu He was overjoyed and took him home, telling Ying to take good care of him. After a few days, the smallpox healed, and he became a fair-skinned child. Knowing they could not have children, the couple treated this child even better than their own. Although only a year old, he could eat, and they bought all sorts of pastries to feed him. As he grew, he was given a name, Wu Jizu. The child only knew that he and his wife were his parents, and had no other parents. Even Wu He didn't know his family background, let alone the little child. Later, he was raised to adulthood and inherited his family's ancestral rites. Although the woman was promiscuous in her youth, she later reformed and became a virtuous wife and loving mother, living a long and peaceful life. Wu He was truly: a stepmother

who was better than a wife, a childless man who openly had a son.

He also enjoyed the rest of his life. But that's a story for later, so I won't go into it. Now, let's

talk about the day Wu He received Huan E's order to invite Jia and Tong to a meeting, and then went home to rest. This was before Ying Shi was abducted by the monk and had not yet been apprehended. Because one cannot write about two places at once, this story is now being continued. The next morning, he got up early to go to both of their houses, but as soon as he went out, he met the constables sent by the county to arrest the people for him. He gave them a gift and asked Wang the Drunkard with the neighbors. After the constables left, he was able to get away and go. [Clearly distinguished, clearly connected.] As they walked, they came to the gate of a house. Judging from the gate's appearance, it was either the residence of an official or a wealthy man. A handsome young man, about ten years old and dressed in fine clothes, was beating a servant boy, also about ten years old. The boy was crying and rolling on the ground, and the beating had been done over a hundred times. The young man, still furious, cursed and swore, before going inside. Wu He sighed, "A servant has committed a transgression; a few lashes would have been enough. Why beat him to this extent? It would have been better if the master had been more lenient." An old man nearby laughed, "Brother, do you think this is a master beating a servant? This is a servant beating a master. It's a complete upheaval, with no one to turn to for justice." Wu He asked in surprise, "Excuse me, old man, what do you mean by that? I don't understand." The old man laughed, "Walls have ears. I can't say this to you, and you don't need to ask." With that, he walked away. Wu He listened, completely bewildered and unable to guess the

reason, so he left. Do you know why the old man spoke of this? Well, this respectable young man was named Niu Geng, courtesy name Xiran. [What good is a weak, pliable ox? It's only good for killing.] His father was named Niu Zhi. Niu Zhi had a cousin, now a high-ranking official, named Niu Jie. [The younger brother has the body of an ox, while the elder brother has the heart of an ox. They are like oxen, brothers indeed.] Niu Zhi's family was incredibly wealthy, possessing tens of thousands in assets. [There's a proverb: "Country folk don't recognize a unicorn, but a rich ox." This saying likely originated from him.] From a young age, he was extremely fond of women. [Even oxen are fond of women, unusually so.] Besides his wife, Gou Shi, [Anciently, it was said that a dragon mating with an ox produces a unicorn. He mated with a dog, who knows what kind of strange beast it would produce.] He had dozens of concubines and maids. His house was the largest and most magnificent. [What a magnificent ox pen!] Behind the bedroom was a small garden. [Reading this, I recalled a joke: A man died, and Yama, the King of Hell, ordered him to be reborn. He said, "I will only go if my wishes are granted." Yama asked, "What do you wish for?" He said, "I want vast fields of fertile land, a lake, a small garden in my house, a wife and two concubines living in harmony, my father being a high-ranking official, my son being a top scholar, and to live to be a hundred years old." Yama said, "If such a person exists in the world, you will be Yama, and I will be you." Niu Zhi had a small garden behind his bedroom, beautiful wives and concubines, and his brother was a high-ranking official; he would indeed share this wish.] Inside, there were pavilions, ponds, towers, and pavilions, winding and secluded. Beds were laid out everywhere, and whenever the mood struck him, he would have a good time with his wives and maids. [The beds were laid out everywhere, originally intended as a place for his own debauchery, but little did he know that it was also a place for his superiors to have their way with their servants. He did it himself, and his wives followed suit; what is so strange about that?] His garden was indeed well-maintained; there were

elegant side halls and refined household documents. Paintings and erotic scrolls covered the walls, and piles of books depicting erotic scenes lined the beds. In the courtyard, peach blossoms and crabapple blossoms interspersed; under the eaves and before the steps, peonies and roses bloomed together. In summer, lotus flowers reflected the sun; in autumn, osmanthus blossoms filled the air with fragrance. Thirty plum trees surrounded the house, and thousands of bamboo stalks lined the walls. Swastikas lined the railings, and flowers veiled the windows. The pavilions were all furnished with beds and chairs; [a single poem praises the place where Gou Shi had favored Hu Dan.] The courtyards and pavilions were filled with pillows and quilts. When lust arose, he would go wherever he pleased; when his passion was strong, he cared nothing for the concubines and maids.

Behind the garden was a small latrine leading outside. The servants were often ordered to clean out the filth. [This latrine was later used as an entrance for Hu Dan, cleverly concealing the filth from onlookers.] He wouldn't use the inner chambers. Although Niu Zhi had many wives and concubines, he had no children. He was lecherous; not only were his concubines and maids his pleasures, but he also couldn't resist inspecting the hair and build of any of the household servants, regardless of their appearance. He also had a fondness for male prostitutes, truly a lecherous man. However, in reality, he was a descendant of Deng Tu Zi, only lecherous, not lustful. His wife, Gou Shi, was beautiful and alluring, a woman with a hidden agenda. She allowed her husband to take concubines and maids without complaint, never showing any anger. Though she was seething with jealousy, she never revealed it. [As the saying goes: "A dog that bites doesn't show its teeth," this woman is an example.] He harbored his own secrets, treating his concubines and maids with kindness and generosity, even bestowing small favors upon them. [Although he had a dog's heart, compared to a shrewish woman, he was even less than this dog.] Niu Zhi praised his virtue, and his respect and fear of him were beyond question; none of his concubines or maids failed to feel grateful for his kindness. Niu Zhi's favorite opera actress was named Hu Ke, [a name that could be used for any opera actress]. She was from Suzhou [also from Suzhou. It's said that the grandfathers of Suzhou people were often buried at sea, and their descendants often followed the path of life on land—a feng shui that is puzzling]. She was as charming as a woman, around seventeen or eighteen years old. She wasn't part of the opera troupe, but only occasionally sang a few lines at his family banquets. He kept her in his study, and she was always dressed like a woman, adorned with gold hairpins and pearl pendants, appearing every inch the part of a woman [even if she didn't dress as a woman, how could she not appear like one in bed?]. Gou often saw him perform, and she longed to hold him in her arms and swallow him whole [for the pleasure of having his genitals inside her, what good would swallowing him do?]. Although she loved him dearly, the presence of many onlookers prevented her from doing so, and she could only feast her eyes. Gou had a maid named Hongmei, who was twenty years old. She was beautiful with red and white pockmarks, and Niu Zhi naturally couldn't let her go. But this maid was older and more seductive, and the master had many concubines, so his favors didn't often reach her. Niu Zhi often asked her to fetch things from the study, and she also took a liking to Hu Dan, and used words to seduce him. As an actor, flirting was his forte. Moreover, relying on the master's favor, he became bold and wanted to have an affair with her. Both of them had been interested for a long time, but they hadn't had the opportunity.

One morning, Niu Zhi asked Hongmei to go to the study to fetch a remedy for strengthening yang and consolidating the body. Hongmei entered the study and saw Hu Dan shirtless, washing his face and body, revealing his pale skin. He wore a pair of bright red crepe trousers with a white silk waistband painted with many figures. Hongmei was delighted and said with a grin, "Young servant, you also wear bright red trousers. What's painted on your waistband?" Hu Dan, wanting to tease her, pulled open the waistband and grabbed what was on it, saying, "Look at this good story." Hongmei looked and saw that it was a erotic painting. He laughed heartily and said, "Aren't you ashamed? Why paint this on your waistband?" Hu Dan laughed and deliberately let go, causing the trousers to fall down. A hard, large, erect penis was revealed. Hongmei laughed, slapped him, and said, "How dare you! I'm right here, how dare you show your father's head?" Hu Dan, seizing the opportunity, grabbed her and thrust his hard penis against her, laughing, "Since you don't like him, why don't you put him in your leather sheath?" Hongmei laughed and threw him around, saying, "See, I'll tell the master." Hu Dan said, "Don't pretend to be aloof, let's fulfill our desires today." Hongmei, dazzled by his teasing, couldn't pretend anymore and said, "I can't do it now, the master is waiting for the medicine. Wait for me later, I'll sneak out when I have time." Hu Dan hugged her and kissed her, making her stick out her tongue and smack it before letting go, taking the medicine and giving it to her. In the afternoon, Hongmei indeed sneaked out, and the two of them made love. This happened many times, and over time, people became aware of it, and it reached Gou Shi's ears. Gou Shi, who was just looking for someone to contact, was not angry at these words, but secretly pleased.

One day, she took the maid to a small pavilion in the back garden and sat down. She smiled and asked the maid, "I heard people say that you and Hu Dan were having an affair. Is it true? Tell me the truth, don't hide it from me." The maid, realizing she had hit a nerve, blushed and felt a chill run down her spine. She dared not answer and lowered her head. Gou Shi smiled and said, "Silly girl, this is a common occurrence. What's there to be afraid of? If you tell me the truth, I won't be angry. If I were to blame you, would I be asking you here when no one is around? Just tell me without worry." The maid was deeply grateful for her mistress's kindness. Moreover, her mistress was always very kind and never beat or scolded her servants. She thought it wouldn't hurt to tell her. So she knelt down and said, "Grandmother, how could I dare to lie? It's true." Gou Shi said, "Get up, I have something to ask you." The maid kowtowed and stood up. Gou asked, "How many times have you stolen from him?" The maid replied, "About ten times." Gou laughed, "He's so young, how could he do that? And how big is his thing?" Hongmei smiled shyly, hesitant to answer. Gou said, "Are you still a girl who's only just met a man? What are you ashamed of? Tell me." The maid blushed and smiled, saying, "Although he's young, his thing is even bigger and thicker than Master's, and he knows how to do it a lot." [This passage, though similar to Qiu's question to Chunhua, is entirely different. Their words and actions are completely distinct.] Upon hearing this, Gou felt a jolt, her heart itching, [was it the heart inside her, or the flower in her crotch?] Her face flushed, and she said with a grin, "Really? I don't believe it." [Whether it's true or not, what does it have to do with you, Madam? How laughable.] The maid said, "Grandma has done me such a great favor, how could I dare lie?" Gou whispered in her ear, "Let me discuss this with you. I'll find an excuse to sleep here tonight. Go to the study and arrange to meet him. Tell him to wait at the back door tonight, and you open the door to let him in. I'll test him out and see if your words are true. [Why bother Grandma with such trouble?] If you do it properly, I will not only reward you handsomely, but I'll also arrange for you to marry him later." Hearing this, the maid smiled broadly, quickly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Grandma. I'll go tell him right now." She quickly made an excuse and went out to meet Hu Dan, planning to act that evening. [It can be said that a great reward always brings forth brave men.] Gou was also overjoyed, returning to her room to prepare for their auspicious meeting that night.

Now, let's talk about the capricious nature of fate, [readers, please watch closely.] truly wondrous. If one always tries to be a good person, many fortuitous encounters are bound to occur. Even if someone is destined to be a bad person, they should at least have a chance to do so. Countless examples throughout history have occurred, too numerous to recount. Take, for instance, this Gou woman, who suddenly couldn't suppress a lustful impulse and sent her maid to arrange a meeting with Hu Dan. If things hadn't gone smoothly, she wouldn't have been able to escape. Afterwards, perhaps she would have reflected on it, realizing she was the mistress of the house, and that man was merely a servant; how could they have acted so intimately, like birds flying side by side, doing such an abnormal thing? A pang of shame would have arisen, and she would have repented, wouldn't she have become a virtuous woman? She never imagined that a chance would have allowed him to indulge in his lustful act; wasn't this a cruel twist of fate? However, some say that the *Quan Shan Lu* (Record of Exhortation to Goodness) contains ten words that say it well: "

If I don't commit adultery with another man's wife, who will commit adultery with mine?"

The *Taishang Ganying Pian* (Treatise on the Response of the Supreme Being) also has two lines that say it well: "

The retribution for good and evil follows like a shadow."

It is truly infallible. Take, for example, Niu Zhi, who was greedy and lustful, and kept many concubines. Although this was a grave offense, it was still acceptable. As for the servants in the household, although they were all bought with the master's money, each of them had a husband. How could they lack dignity? How could they lack affection? Yet, the master used his power to oppress and ravish them. Even those shameless among them, who, with the vulva of a lowly person, were gleefully allowed to touch the testicles of a noble, had already damaged their moral character. Others, though of lowly status and possessing a chaste heart, were oppressed by power and dared not disobey. Can you imagine the resentment they felt? There are gods watching over them; in the unseen realm, there is a calculation, a subtraction, that will be applied to their wives and daughters. An ancient saying says it best:

"Adultery with another's wife and children, wives and children being adulterous."

Although it's an eight-character phrase, it's only four characters. The first four characters represent immense pleasure, while the last four, with a slight shift, represent immense suffering. Upon careful consideration, the word "adultery" vanishes. This section truly reveals the author's intent. All the obscene details, though numerous in words, are merely an introduction to these few sentences. The reader must understand the author's true intention.

Enough of the small talk. [Again, she's deceiving people; what's important is said, but she says it's just small talk.] Now, let's talk about what opportunity Lady Gou got. Do you think it was for this reason? That evening, at Niu Zhi's family banquet, he and his wife sat at the head of the table, surrounded by their concubines, drinking and laughing merrily. Some played stringed instruments, some sang, some danced—it was quite a lively scene. These women, one by one, showed off their charms and flattered their husbands. Niu Zhi was somewhat drunk, and seeing these concubines like a cluster of flowers, how could he resist? He would pull one close and kiss her, pull another close and nip her wrist. Some would take out one's breasts to squeeze, others would reach into another's crotch to touch her. These concubines, seeing their mistress on top, although they knew he wasn't jealous, were still timid and hesitant. Seeing this mechanism, Gou Shi was secretly delighted. She stood up and said, "You're all a bit restrained with me here. I've had enough wine; I'll go to the back pavilion to sleep, so you can all play freely. Just have Hongmei accompany me; the other maids can stay here and serve." Niu Zhi was overjoyed and ordered the lanterns to be lit. The others, fearing he was jealous, tried to persuade him to stay, but he refused. Niu Zhi said, "Madam is very virtuous; let him do as he pleases." The concubines wanted to see him off, but he stopped them, and he and Hongmei lit the lanterns and left. Niu Zhi thought that with Gou Shi gone, he would be free from the eyes of the concubines and maids and could enjoy himself. Little did he know that his virtuous wife had also gone to seek pleasure elsewhere. [He who amuses himself with these women is nothing but a foolish ox. Gou Shi, however, only finds pleasure with Hu Dan, and the ox transforms into a tortoise.]

Gou Shi's bound feet were only three inches long, and she always needed a maid to help her walk from her bedroom to the main hall, a distance of only a few feet. She could barely move an inch, and taking even a slight step felt like she was about to fall. [This perfectly captures the seductive nature of a wanton woman; such people truly exist in the world.] The garden path, paved with cobblestones, was uneven. Although lanterns illuminated the way, some shadows remained. The sound of his two high-soled shoes clattering as he walked quickly could be heard. Hongmei, wearing flat shoes, lagged behind and couldn't keep up. She couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Upon reaching the pavilion, Hongmei hurriedly lit large candles and incense in the burner. Embroidered curtains hung high, and brocade curtains were laid out perfectly. [Such luxurious furnishings, yet used by dogs, seem a pity.] Gou Shi, anxious and impatient, urged her to quickly go and fetch Hu Dan. Hongmei didn't even take a lantern and quietly slipped away in the shadows. Although Gou Shi was aroused, she was the mistress of the house and not yet thirty, so she felt somewhat ashamed. He thought to himself, "If we meet face to face, it will be too awkward. Besides, there's no point in exchanging pleasantries. I might as well take off my clothes and go to bed first, and then it'll be over after he's done." [Strange thought, would it be easier to go to bed after taking off my clothes?] He took off his clothes and went to bed. Not long after, Hongmei came and said, "He's here." Gou said, "Tell him to come to bed."

Hu Dan hurriedly took off his clothes and went to bed, having nothing to say. He crawled into the quilt and saw that he was already naked, so he started to fuss over his belly. Hu Dan had seen Hongmei invite him before, and when he heard that his mistress had done him such a great favor by giving him this beautiful thing below his navel, he had no way to repay her kindness, so he ate a lot of the aphrodisiac wine that the protagonist had kept in the study, and then he came to please his mistress. Gou Shi was also slightly tipsy, her spirits high and her lust burning. Seeing him penetrate her, she was overjoyed, finding his member larger and thicker than a cow's, his technique skillful, and his duration longer. She was ecstatic, ejaculating twice before asking him to rest. Gou Shi, seeing his youthful appearance and petite figure, was captivated. She straddled his belly, embraced him, and kissed him, their tongues lingering, their lips smacking. Gou Shi, deeply in love with him, spontaneously composed a poem for him, "Zhu Yunfei": "

You are twenty-nine, youthful and charming, a beautiful woman. Take off your red trousers, what a dashing rod, thick and large, surpassing even a good man. Hard and firm, it strikes straight to the heart, like entering a bewitching maze, I regard you as a rare treasure.

" Hu Dan, moved by his mistress's deep affection, also composed a poem, whispering sweetly in Gou Shi's ear: "

Your kindness is as high as the heavens, rewarding me with this beautiful vulva in my trousers. Tight, warm, fragrant, and wonderful, an unparalleled aphrodisiac." Love is abundant and plentiful, how can I repay it? Only by striving to serve you, to be loyal and filial. I only

hope that you will remain steadfast forever. Gou Shi, hearing this, was even more delighted, hugging him tightly twice, and said with a smile, "You are so young, yet you are so adept at matters in bed, it's not in vain that I lost my virginity. If you are as I wish, I will enjoy myself with you forever. Later, whenever I have free time, I will have Hongmei come to fetch you. If you remain steadfast in your heart, I have long known of Hongmei's affair with you, and I will give her to you as your wife." Hu Dan, upon hearing this, was filled with gratitude. He was over ten years old and had only ever met Hongmei. His secret affairs in the study were hurried and fleeting, merely for pleasure. Now, seeing Gou Shi's thousand charms and myriad allure, her gentle laughter, he was utterly captivated. Wanting to win the favor of his mistress and gain the appreciation of his wife, he flattered her fervently for a while. Gou Shi felt this was far better than her usual encounters with Niu Zhi, and she was overjoyed. She stuck out her tongue and made him smack it for a while. Hu Dan smelled the fragrance of her rouge on her lips and tasted the sweetness of her saliva, while she twitched and pulled at his stomach. Gou Shi felt sorry for him because he was young and afraid that he would hurt himself, so she said, "You've already lost it twice, so come down and rest." Hu Dan agreed and got down. Gou Shi gave him her left arm to rest his head on, and used her right hand to stroke his whole body. His body was exceptionally smooth and she loved it very much. She then used her fingers to explore his anus and laughed, "Master often plays with this with you, do you find it interesting?" Hu Dan smiled and touched her body as well, which was as smooth as rouge. First, she touched his soft breasts, and then gradually touched that plump and protruding thing. He lifted the quilt, crouched down and looked, and saw a small flower center that was red and purple, with a few fine hairs shining in the lamplight. Their passion surged again, and they embraced, their bodies touching for a while until they grew tired. They fell asleep in each other's arms, and upon waking, they kissed and smacked their lips. Their playful banter intensified, and they began to make love again. Just as they were getting intimate, seeing that dawn was breaking, Gou had to stop. [A dog's extreme nature subdues a fox, and a fox's extreme nature fears a dog; she hadn't expected them to be so intimate.] She told him to get dressed, and Hongmei quietly escorted him out. A poem describes their tryst: "

The secluded room is quiet, the curtains are still, embraced by fragrant quilts, hearts are joyful, the golden incense burner emits fragrant smoke, the phoenix-embroidered candle casts a red shadow. Boundless passion fueled by wine, this pleasure gradually deepens, yet they still lament the neighbor's rooster crows. They say tonight will not last long." The same poem, "Flower's

Heart Stirred," in the same tune "Day and Night Joy," also describes Gou: "

Spring is in full bloom in the fairy garden, the peach blossoms are ready to be plucked. The weather is changeable, sometimes rainy, sometimes sunny, sometimes chilly, sometimes warm—the season most stirring for the heart." A clever and charming boy, worthy of companionship, steals moments to spend together. They playfully tease and entice, sharing the same bed and pillow,

their love bound by a mandarin duck knot. Afterwards, whenever Lady Gou had free time, she would summon Hu Dan for her pleasure. One day, after Lady Gou's period, she spent the night with Hu Dan and conceived. Around the fourth or fifth month, Niu Zhi found out and was overjoyed, only to discover it was an illegitimate child. Unexpectedly, Hongmei, also nearing the end of her period, had a chance encounter with Niu Zhi and, by chance, also became pregnant. Since Hu Dan had been taken by Lady Gou, he had devoted all his energy to his mistress and had not been intimate with Hongmei, believing her to be the legitimate heir. Lady Gou, however, already knew that the girl was carrying her husband's child. She worried that if Hongmei also conceived, the child would be a rare treasure. She also feared that if Hongmei also bore a child, some of the preciousness would be diverted. Thus, she devised a plan.

On this day, it was Gou's birthday. The family banquet included a theatrical performance, and everyone drank for quite some time. After the main performance, Gou requested a scene from *Bi Zheng Steals the Lyrics*, a scene from *The Story of the Western Wing*, titled "The Auspicious Meeting at the Study," and asked Hu Dan to sing it. Hu Dan first portrayed the shy and coquettish manner of Yingying meeting Zhang Sheng, which was incredibly endearing. Later, she impersonated Chen Miaochang, her flirtatious mannerisms arousing everyone's desire. Niu Zhi was overjoyed, laughing and drinking more than ten cups, becoming somewhat tipsy. Gou noticed that he was becoming somewhat incoherent, and suddenly pointed at Hu Dan, saying to him, "This young servant sings very well. He served you for a while, and I'll reward him with a wife. What do you say?" Niu Zhi not only loved Gou and wanted to obey her, but he also loved Hu Dan. Hearing this, she smiled and said, "This is your kindness." Gou Shi said, "Such a handsome young servant, even an ugly girl wouldn't be good enough for him." She then pointed to Hongmei and said, "My girl is quite pretty too, she'd be a good match for him as a groom, a perfect couple." Niu Zhi didn't know Hongmei was pregnant, and besides, being married to Hu Dan meant that being sent to the outer household was like being kept in the inner treasury; what harm was there in taking what he needed? He said, "Since you miss Nujiao, why not give her a good older sister?" He nodded in agreement. Gou Shi, fearing he might change his mind after sobering up, said, "Today, on my auspicious day, let's use the inner study as their bridal chamber. We'll give them a proper room another day." She then instructed the housekeeper to prepare it for him. He was a wealthy man; what didn't he have? She found clothes, bedding, jewelry, basins, mirrors, and the like to give him, dressing Hongmei in colorful clothes. That very night, they were married, and their marriage was complete. The couple, Hongmei and Hudan, felt as if they had met a long-awaited rain after a drought, and Hudan felt like they had met an old friend in bed. As soon as they got into bed, they were overcome with passion. Grateful that his grandmother had kept her promise, they both cried out "Grandma!" in unison. When Hongmei reached the height of her joy, she cried out more than ten times, "How could I know how much I love my dear grandmother?" Little did she know that this was a clever plan by his grandmother.

Several months later, Gou gave birth to a son, much to the joy of the whole family, including Niu Zhi. On the third day after birth, relatives and friends came to celebrate, making it a lively occasion. Hongmei, who had married Hu Dan, also gave birth to a son after only five months. The couple knew he was their master's biological son, but how could they dare offer him up? They had no choice but to accept him as their own. Niu Zhi calculated that he was also his flesh and blood. Since Gou had no children at the time, he had no choice but to accept him. Now that Gou had given birth to a son, and the maid had been married off for almost half a year, the child had become somewhat mixed-race, so they decided against having him. Little did they know that although the maid's child had some mixed-race traits, he was still a true Niu's offspring. The wife's child, however, had no trace of Niu's traits, being purely mixed-race. This mixed-race child was Niu Geng, and the servant boy he beat was Hongmei's son, the same age as him. Wasn't this a servant beating his master? There was another strange thing: Niu Geng was beautiful and charming, bearing a striking resemblance to Hu Dan. The servant boy was rough and honest, and his mannerisms and mannerisms were just like Niu Zhi's. Niu Zhi often thought to himself, "Although the son born to my mistress resembles Hu Dan, Gou Shi is extremely beautiful. A beautiful mother makes a beautiful son; it's only natural." He didn't suspect anything else. But Hongmei's son looked exactly like him. If he didn't recognize her as a child, how could he recognize her as an adult? He had no choice but to give up. This boy then served Niu Geng. Whenever the master and servant were together, the concubines, maids, and servants in the household would all secretly point and whisper among themselves. The whole family knew, and so did the neighbors. The only ones who didn't know were Niu Zhi and Niu Geng, who were pretending to be father and son. The concubines and maids were all grateful for Gou Shi's kindness, and since the matter was of great importance, who would dare to speak out against it?

One day, you might wonder why Niu Geng beat this servant boy so badly? Niu Geng had found a small Pekingese dog and had this boy carry it every day. One day, he happened to go outside the gate, and the dog suddenly jumped to the ground and ran around wildly. Just then, a large dog on the street caught up with him and killed him in one bite, so Niu Geng was furious and beat him. Now, after Niu Zhi had a son with Gou Shi, he was often proud, reciting the ancient saying: "

Without officialdom, one is carefree;

with a son, all is well." He told his concubines, "These two lines perfectly describe me." He was extremely happy. Two or three years later, a concubine named Ji appeared, who was very beautiful and seductive. She had a peculiar habit: whenever she had intercourse with a man, she only wanted to engage in anal sex, and disliked penetration. He had a particular method to it, saying, "Many men with large and long penises are rare, while many with small and ineffective ones are rare. If a man's penis is large and his skill is good, he can enjoy many wonderful sensations while penetrating. If he is small and ineffective, not only will he be completely unaware of what is happening inside, but he will also suddenly stop when things are at their peak, which is very distressing. As for the rear, a man's penis can be large or small, long-lasting is good, and quick is also fine. If he finishes quickly, I won't feel anything. If he is large and long-lasting, not only will the pleasure be endless, but there will also be pleasure in the front. Therefore, eight or nine out of ten times, I will go for the rear." He also had many clever ideas. Fearing that some people who love cleanliness might find this place unclean, and that there might be excrement or debris, wouldn't that be disgusting? Before engaging in intercourse, he would soak seaweed and wood ear mushrooms in water until soft, mix them with a lot of iron filings, and fill the rear with them. When engaging with someone, not only would no excrement be brought out, but a lot of fragrance would also be released. A connoisseur took a line from Empress Yide of Liao's "Ten Fragrances" poem: "

Unfastening the belt, her beauty already swells; touching her, her heart races even faster.
Who knows the fragrance hidden beneath her silken skirt, a unique and intoxicating scent?

" He then used "Unique Fragrance" as Ji's elegant nickname. Niu Zhi, hearing of "Unique Fragrance's" fame, went to patronize her for several nights. Indeed, her skills in bed were superb, and he loved her dearly. He spent a fortune to acquire her as a concubine for his pleasures in the harem. [What to do about Hu Dan?] After only seven months, she gave birth to a daughter. Niu Zhi thought to himself, "Since I got her, I've only been traveling by land, never by water. How could this girl suddenly appear?" Although he knew the child's origins were somewhat unclear, since he had few other children, he accepted her without much thought. The man, trying to cover up his mistake, said, "People say that seven out of ten children are viable, but eight out of ten fail. Many are born at seven months, but most don't survive eight months." [A lighthearted conversation: Several people were gossiping about how women who give birth at seven months can raise their children, while those born at eight months don't. One person said, "That's not true. My ancestor was born at eight months." Another person said, "If your ancestor was born at eight months, did he survive?"] Because the woman surnamed Ji was called Bie Youxiang, this daughter was her own child, and her nickname was Xiangjie (Fragrant Sister), and the family called her Xianggu (Fragrant Maiden). It's laughable that this scoundrel, knowing his own flesh and blood doesn't acknowledge his own flesh and blood, treating this bastard son and daughter as his own. Isn't this Heaven cutting off his lineage to repay his lustful desires? [Another sharp rebuke.] Let's move on. How Wu He invited Scholar Jia and the wealthy Tong, and how he met the young master Huan, remains a mystery. What were the names of Scholar Jia and the wealthy Tong, and where did they come from? To learn their story, please read the next chapter. (

End of Volume Seven of "Random Musings" )

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