Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 21

In the nineteenth volume of "Gu Wang Yan,

" Dun Weng says: "A single speech by Huan Shi instructing his son is worth more than a full set of family precepts. If the father has such intentions, even an unworthy son will naturally be transformed into a good person in the unseen realm." This chapter is considered Huan E's record of good deeds. Huan E performed many good deeds, but few repaid his kindness, only Xiao E. Therefore, a section on Bao De is specially included to foreshadow the repayment of kindness. Otherwise, if those who give tirelessly receive kindness, yet no one repays, are they all heartless? Although those who give kindness do not expect anything in return, the fact that only Xiao E repaid the kindness makes men seem unbearable, hence this section is necessary.

Xianping abandoned his wife, and Zhong Sheng's subtle intervention brought about the event, but ultimately, the credit goes to Huan E and his son. There is a distinction between host and guest in the story; the reader should understand this. As for good people like Liu Taichu, how could Xianping, who abandoned his wife, be removed from the list, while Liu Xianzhong, who did not abandon his wife, was included? Firstly, it serves as a warning to the world; secondly, it serves to highlight the good deeds of Liu Taichu and his son. Daughters-in-law like Bu Xiao and Wu Shi are not uncommon today. Why should a thunderbolt strike them all, to satisfy the people's hearts? One evening, two lines were spoken, which were then given to Bu Xiao and his wife: "One day, with a sudden bang, those two wicked mothers will be killed." The daughter-in-law of the Que family is unfilial, but Huan E took her in. With such kind people who care for the elderly and pity the poor, the disobedient and unfilial son is even more exposed; a thunderbolt is fitting for his crime.

How can a poor and destitute person afford a coffin to bury his father? He wishes to pawn his son to send him off in his final days; this filial piety will move the gods. Huan E had only shown a little kindness when he went out and immediately encountered the filial son; it can be said that neither was in vain. The gift of silver, though a good deed by Huan E, was also due to Han Wuchou's filial piety. Huan E's first outing was to encounter a poor and destitute person, showing how impoverished the people were at that time, and how many poor and helpless people there were in the world.

A vegetable seller, who had endured a life of hardship, was able to care for his elderly parents, some over eighty years old—a truly remarkable feat. Huan'e, wanting to do good deeds, naturally began with filial piety. Thus, the first encounter was with a filial son attending to the dying, followed by a filial son caring for his parents, and then a filial daughter willing to sell herself to save her father and son.

A peddler met a fellow villager who was lazy and greedy; how could he not use up all his capital? But Lai Ying was not actually lazy; he was merely poor and ill. Huan'e helped him today, and would receive his gratitude later, thus knowing he was not a shameless swindler. The saying "poverty breeds ingratitude" serves as a footnote. Later, Lai Ying reports the news, and Bao De repays the kindness, both in the same place. Fearing that people might not see this, Bao De is described after Lai Ying here.

Alas! The poor scholar was abandoned by his wife and could not stay; the old man Quan, due to poverty, could not persuade his daughter not to suffer—both had come to this. The surname Quan signifies separation followed by reunion. Si Fu was Huan'e's teacher, and now he is Quan's teacher. Ms. Miao consistently reminded Ms. Quan of her regrets; truly a clever person with a silver tongue, worthy of the surname Miao. Xiang Weiren, when he had money, was a decent person. But once poor, he even sold his daughter. Alas! Has money really come to this? Ms. Quan wanted to abandon her husband because he was poor, and Xianping wanted to break his vow because his wife was poor. Although this depicts the depravity of the world, it's ultimately a lament for the word "money."

Those who follow profit don't even know what parents and wives are. If it weren't for Huan'e, his parents would have drowned, and his wife would be unknown. This is another victim of greed. Being poor is bad, being rich is bad—what to do? Yet, there is a way to deal with it. He lost his father at a young age, and was fortunate to be raised by his elderly mother with all her might. How could he afford to marry? The Ji family's daughter is almost thirty; no wonder her in-laws are in such a hurry. Huan'e generously allowed the two families to complete their marriage; his kindness is immense. It is fitting that Ms. Ji offered sacrifices at her funeral.

The section about Shan Yuxue and Zhai Diefeng serves two purposes. First, it shows that the word "joke" inevitably offends the spirits and deities. Those who are good at joking are especially unacceptable, hence the story of a concubine and maid who died from adultery. The character "Zhen" has two pronunciations: steadfast and chaste. It implies that even with a steadfast wife, one cannot escape the defilement of illicit affairs and commit suicide, a stark warning to the world. Second, it suggests that monks and Taoist priests are like swarms of thieves, and must be avoided and guarded against.

This chapter, which depicts Xiang Xiao'e's filial piety, Ping Shugu's chastity, and Zhen Ruren's virtuous character, serves as a model for women in their boudoirs.

Chapter Nineteen: Young Master Huan Accumulates Virtue to Save a Beloved Girl, Repays Kindness to Wei Ren, and Rewards His Beloved Daughter.

Appendix: Minister Zhong Subtly Becomes a Cousin,

Minister Huan Generously Marries Shu Gu. It is said that during a casual family chat one day, Huan Shi and his son Huan Shi sighed, “One can no longer judge a book by its cover. Confucius said, ‘Judging by appearances, one loses Ziyu,’ and he was absolutely right. I thought this nephew of the Tong family was nothing more than a foolish, fat, rich man. You all laughed at his stinginess, but who would have thought he would do such a righteous thing last year? What miser could do that? In this vast capital, how many rich men are there? Is there one who can match his good deed? Although you and your nephew of the Jia family also helped him with some charity, you only achieved something through others’ help.” "This merit was his initiative, and he deserves eight or nine out of ten, while you and your nephew Jia only deserve one or two. Although my family's wealth cannot match his, it is still quite substantial. The ancients said: 'Accumulating books for one's descendants, one's descendants may not be able to read them. Accumulating wealth for one's descendants, one's descendants may not be able to keep it. It is better to accumulate good deeds in secret, leaving this small plot of land for one's descendants to cultivate.' This is truly wise advice. I am now eighty years old, while you are in your prime. Why not do good deeds? Not for fame, but hoping to have good descendants in the future, so that I can pass away peacefully with a smile." Huan'e, upon hearing this, was startled and said, "Father's wise instructions, how dare I not follow them? From now on, I will do any good deeds that are possible, to fulfill your wishes." Huan Shi nodded repeatedly, saying, "If you can truly do this, then you are indeed my son, Zhong. I have served in officialdom for over forty years. Although my family is wealthy, I have never been greedy, cruel, or harsh towards my subordinates and common people. I served as a provincial governor for ten years, as the registrar of the Ministry of Revenue, and as the head of the Ministry of Works for several years. These are all things I deserve. I have reflected on this in the quiet of the night. I dare not claim to be incorruptible in officialdom, but I have not done anything particularly wrong. However, in my final moments, due to my strong desire for personal gain, I attached myself to Lord Wei. If it weren't for my in-law Zhong, I don't know what my life and fortune would be like today. I still feel ashamed. If you do something good, people will remember your son and forgive your father. If you can cover up my past mistakes, then my giving birth to you will not have been in vain." Huan Shi earnestly admonished Huan E, who kept his father's words in mind and was determined to find something good to do.

Suddenly, he remembered his uncle, Liu Taichu, and said, “In all things, close relatives come first, then distant ones. My aunt and father are siblings, but because I was young and ignorant, I offended him, and he has never visited since. Later, when my father went to invite him, he refused to come. He even refused any small gifts. When my father was in trouble that year, he and his wife rushed to me, asking me to find a way to help them. This shows that he is not without affection, but only because of his proud and aloof nature. His family is still poor. Why don't I send him five hundred taels of gold? It would not only maintain our kinship but also alleviate his poverty. But I'm afraid he won't accept it. What should I do?” He then thought, “Never mind him, I'll just send it and see.” So he took out five hundred taels of gold and ordered a servant to deliver it to him.

This Liu Taichu, whose given name was He, was a student at the Jiangning County School. He was poor and made a living by teaching. He would rather freeze and starve than ask for favors unjustly. When he was a student, he married Liu Taichu's sister. Unexpectedly, despite his talent, he was unlucky in his fate. After failing the imperial examinations several times, he gave up his official career. Ever since he saw Huan Shi become a high-ranking official, his horizons had broadened considerably. Huan E, being a simple-minded young man with no relatives or friends, had no idea who this poor aunt and uncle was, and he avoided visiting the official's residence altogether. Now, suddenly, his nephew sent him five hundred taels of gold, which he refused to accept. Huan Youshi returned and said, "Although I am just a servant, I know Uncle Liu's temperament well, and I knew he would never accept it. He is indeed insightful, living up to his reputation." But he dared not disobey his master's orders. Huan E said, "Take it to his door again, and then come back."

Huan Youshi obeyed, put it down at his door, and called out, "Uncle, our master has sent me again. " "He turned and left. Liu Taichu shouted, telling him to take it back. Huan Youzhi flew away without answering. Liu Taichu had no choice but to take it himself and chase after him for a while, straight to the Huan family's door. He put it down and left without looking back. His family came in and told them, and Huan Shi and his son were deeply moved. Liu Taichu preferred a simple life and would never ask for help from others. He was like ginger and cinnamon, whose flavor only gets stronger with age. In this day and age, people with such a magnanimous heart, who do not covet power or wealth, are rare.

But let's turn to another matter. One day, Huan E thought to himself: Since I want to do good deeds..." But I sit at home all day, completely unaware of what's happening outside. How could such a good thing possibly come looking for me? Although my son and I have made this decision, outsiders must not know. Even if they did know, seeing that my household is as vast as the sea, who would dare to knock on my door and come looking for me? I'd rather wander the streets every day, going wherever I see an opportunity. Wouldn't that be better? I won't follow many people, just two young boys with some silver tucked in their pockets, riding two donkeys to follow them. I'll ride a horse myself, letting it go wherever it leads, not knowing where I'm going.

On my first day out, as I was walking, I came across a coffin shop with two or three people talking in front of it. One of them, with a white cloth wrapped around his head and draped in hemp, was weeping and pleading. The coffin seller said, "Business is tough these days. I'll give you half on credit, or pay the other half in cash, even if it's just the cost price. That would be a favor. How can you take it for free?" The man in mourning continued to plead, while the other just sighed. Huan'e jumped off his horse and went up to the sighing man, asking, "What's wrong?" Seeing that he was a nobleman, the man quickly said, "This man in mourning is my neighbor, surnamed Han, named Han Wuchou. He's a filial son who's sending his father to his death. His family is extremely poor, hence the saying 'Han Wuchou.' His father passed away the other day, and they've been waiting for two or three days, but they still can't afford a coffin. I feel very sorry for him. The shopkeeper is my friend, and we came here to buy coffins on credit. The shopkeeper, considering my kindness, insists on half in cash. Where can we get the money now?" "I have no money on hand, but when I had money, I would have done this good deed for him." Huan'e said, "You've made it clear how much silver a family would charge for a coffin." The shopkeeper also felt sorry for him. "It's just this piece of pine wood, two taels, the price is..." He handed the two taels to the shopkeeper, saying, "It's all silver, you should take it." He continued, "Doing a good deed, you wouldn't shortchange me, why bother with the scale?" He then took the silver. Huan E pulled him up and said, "Although you have a coffin, you still need to pay for it." Han Wuchou said

, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir, for providing me with a coffin. Please allow me to keep my father out of the open before making any further arrangements. I have a son who is about ten years old. I'll pawn a few taels of silver to send him off." Huan E felt a pang of sorrow upon hearing this. However, he also admired Han Wuchou's filial piety in abandoning his son to bury his father. Huan E weighed out fifteen taels of silver and said to him, "The ancients said that weddings, funerals, and ancestral rites should be based on the family's means. Take this silver and use it. Use five taels to bury your father quickly. The dead should rest in peace. I see you are also very poor. Here are ten taels of silver for you to use as capital to find a small business to support your family." Han Wuchou kowtowed repeatedly and said, "Sir, you have already bestowed upon me a coffin, which is a great favor. How dare I accept such a generous reward?" Huan E said, "No need for further discussion. Quickly hire people to carry the coffin back and take care of your affairs." Seeing this act of kindness, Han Wuchou bowed in gratitude. Huan E mounted his horse, and Han Wuchou stopped his servant, asking, "What is this gentleman's surname?" The servant told him. Everyone then realized he was Huan's son and praised his kindness. Han Wuchou buried his father and, leading his eleven-year-old son, went to the Huan family's gate to express his gratitude, offering his son to the Huan family as a servant. Huan E refused, but seeing the clean and tidy boy, he gave him two taels of silver and two bolts of cloth instead. The father and son called out "My benefactor" dozens of times, bowed in thanks, and then left.

Meanwhile, Huan E, who had given Han Wuchou silver and a coffin that day, was overjoyed. "This single word 'joy' perfectly captures his overflowing kindness." After traveling a while, they saw a man running frantically back and forth, crying out, "Is that the kind gentleman who has accumulated merit? If you've found me, please return it to me! I'm a poor man!" His eyes were wide with worry and tears, as if he had gone mad. Huan E was suspicious and ordered his servant to bring the man over, asking him what was wrong. The man, beating his chest and stamping his feet, said, "My name is Cai Yisheng, a filial son who sells vegetables. I have an old father at home, over eighty years old. He's been sick for over a month, and I've been staying home taking care of him, unable to go out to sell vegetables. I've even spent all two thousand coins. My father has been feeling a little better these past two days and wants some duck soup. But I have no money. In desperation, I took off my jacket and pawned it for one hundred and fifty coins, hoping to buy it for him and perhaps he'd recover. If he gets better, I'll go out and borrow two thousand coins at interest, sell vegetables, and buy some rice to survive. Otherwise, if I stay here a few more days, the whole family will starve. I tied the money and the pawn ticket together and put it in my pocket. But when I got to the shop and looked at the ducks, I realized the money had fallen out through a tear in my jacket." "Not only am I a poor man, but I also struggle to earn enough to wear a coat. Without the money, how can he possibly accept it after a while?" Huan'e said, "That's your own carelessness. If the money wasn't tied to the money string and kept separately, how could it have been lost?" Cai Yisheng said, "Sir, I tied the pawn ticket tightly; how could it have been lost? It's the money that's lost, and the ticket is still on the money string." Those around him, hearing his foolish words, couldn't help but burst into laughter. Huan'e said, "What are you running around yelling about here for?" Cai Yisheng said, "It's fine if the pawn ticket and money are lost." He pounded his chest and said, "Now my old father has nothing to eat, and I'm truly suffering. 'A good filial son; one who is unmoved by such words is surely unfilial.' That's why I'm begging here; perhaps some compassionate gentleman will find it and return it to me. Otherwise, take the pawn ticket and just give me the money to buy a duck. Or, give me a duck, and I'll take both the money and the ticket." Huan'e said, "Thousands upon thousands of people are leaving; who knows who picked it up? Besides, do you know where it was dropped? This is like trying to quench thirst with plums; what good is your empty cries?" He said, "According to what you say, sir, it's useless." He pounded his chest, looked up to the sky, and cried out, "Heavenly Father, my old father is dying of misery!" He shed a couple of tears.

Just as he was about to leave, Huan'e said, "You stand there." He told a servant to weigh out five taels of silver for him, saying, "I pity your filial piety; this silver is for you to buy ducks for your father to eat, to quickly redeem his clothes, and to keep the rest as capital for selling vegetables." He stared wide-eyed, not daring to take it. Huan'e said, "Why don't you want it?" He said, "Sir, please keep it; don't joke with us lowly people." Huan'e said, "I'm giving it to you out of kindness; why would I joke with you?" He laughed, "Sir, are you really giving it all to me?" Huan'e said, "Since I'm giving it to you, how could I not be sincere?" He grinned and reached out to take it, then quickly withdrew his hand. Looking at Huan'e, he simply smiled. "That's a wonderful description. A vegetable seller like him, arguing over a single penny, wasting countless words. Now Huan'e is giving him five taels of silver—it's unbelievable! He doubts such a thing exists in the world. This isn't just to describe his foolishness." Huan'e had his servant place it in his hand. Seeing it was indeed true, he took it and exclaimed, "My benefactor, sir!" This exclamation was worth hundreds of steles commemorating an official's virtuous governance. "I don't think there's another person as good as you in the world." "A genuine praise, unlike the false flattery of others." "When my father recovers, we'll come here together to kowtow to you." "The saying 'marking the boat to find the sword' is applicable; some people try it, but don't laugh at them." "I don't know where you live." "After saying this, he knelt down with joy and kowtowed more than ten times. Huan'e asked the servant to pull him up, but he couldn't. Only when he had finished kowtowing did he get up. He looked at the silver and said to someone next to him, 'Pinch me and see if it hurts, or am I dreaming or awake?' The person next to him said, 'What are you dreaming about in broad daylight? Go do your work.' He said, '

If it's not a dream, could it be real?' He laughed and said, 'Good sir, good man, good man, good sir.' He left happily. Huan'e went home. On horseback, he was also pleased with himself, saying, 'These two things may not be considered great deeds, but they have made a profit. This is truly a great start. It was worth the trip.' He rested at home. Since he had nothing to do, he went out to walk through the streets and alleys."

That day, a large crowd gathered to watch. Huan E urged his horse forward to see what was happening and saw one man beating another, fists and feet flying, shouting insults. The victim dared not retaliate, only using his hands to block. The attacker was simply hitting. Huan E, suspicious, ordered his servant to pull the man aside and ask him why. The man refused, continuing to fight. Huan E shouted, "You're so unreasonable! Does killing someone not warrant punishment? I was trying to reason with you and ask you questions, why are you so arrogant? Killing someone is just a matter of a head falling to the ground. Even if he's completely wrong, you're hitting him, and he doesn't dare retaliate, so that's fine. What more do you want? Are you taking advantage of your strength to bully the weak?" Seeing that Huan E was dressed like an official and reprimanding him, the man finally stopped. Xiang Huan'e said, "Sir, you are unaware of the truth. I'd rather beat this heartless son of a bitch to death than not pay for his life." Huan'e asked, "What serious matter could cause such deep hatred?" The man, hearing the question, said bitterly, "Sir, please listen to me. Though the matter is small, killing is forgivable, but the moral implications are unforgivable. I'm from Shandong, my name is Bi Ben. Because of the chaos in my hometown, I came here. I don't have much capital, only ten taels of silver, so I work as a peddler, earning a meager living in this inn." He pointed to the man being beaten. He said, “That heartless son of a bitch, his name is Lai Ying, and he's one of my acquaintances, we live in the same shop. He got sick, and although we're not related, I helped him get a doctor and medicine out of consideration for our fellow villagers. I took care of him whenever I had free time. He didn't have any money, and since I'd been looking after him, I had to cover his expenses. He was sick for several months before he recovered, and later we calculated that he owed six or seven taels of silver for the medicine and the shop. He didn't have any clothes, and in the cold winter, I had to buy him some cloth and cotton on credit, which totaled…” It was a little over eight taels of silver. He had nowhere to get the money, so he begged me to lend him a few taels to pay off his debts, which he planned to earn through odd jobs to repay. Firstly, I saw he was honest, and secondly, he was my accomplice, so I had to plead with the owner of my yarn shop, and with my strong guarantee, I borrowed ten taels of silver to pay off his debts. He kept a little over one tael for travel expenses. The original plan was that he would go out to work, and if he earned more, he would gradually repay the principal. Even if he couldn't repay the principal, paying the interest annually would still be manageable. Who knew that this heartless son of a bitch would disappear for three years? He vanished without a trace. The shopkeeper was furious and demanded my guarantor's money. He threatened to beat me and sue me, claiming that the principal and interest amounted to seventeen or eighteen taels, which would wipe out my entire investment. I was implicated because of him, and I didn't even drink a drop of water from him. Now, I've been penniless for the past six months, with nothing to eat or wear. Didn't he ruin my life? If I hadn't run into him today, he would still be hiding. Therefore, I'd rather beat this heartless man to death to pay for his life. Sir, please tell me, is it infuriating or not?" After saying this, he tried to fight again. Huan'e had his servant pull him back, saying, "It's no wonder you're angry; there must be a reason. How can people's conscience be so lost?" "Huan'e judges a petty person with the heart of a gentleman. There are many more people in the world who have lost their conscience than this." I asked him. "Call the beaten man over and ask, 'You have no conscience! He owes you a fortune, and you've ruined his business and cheated him out of his money.' Lai Ying replied, 'His name is bad; it's originally Bi Ben. What does that have to do with me?' Even if you don't have the money to repay him, you should at least see him. Why are you hiding?' Lai Ying said, 'Sir, you are a judge. People are all made of flesh. After receiving such kindness, how can I hide? I'm just unlucky. These four words have caused countless heroes, talents, and capable people in the world to perish, let alone Lai Ying.' I'm also sickly and have no capital to do business, so I have to work as a laborer. But even a little effort will injure me, and I'll be sick for several days. 'Illness especially plagues the poor, and I have also suffered greatly from this.' No one will hire me. I wander around aimlessly, but I can't earn a single penny, not even enough to eat. People say you should look at what someone wears, not what they eat. Sir, seeing my appearance, you can see I'm not lying.'" "I was truly ashamed to face him, not hiding. Now that he's killed me, there's nothing I can say." Huan'e said to Biben, "What he said sounds true. If it's really like that, then it's forgivable." Biben said, "Master, don't listen to him, it's all nonsense. I only felt relieved after beating him to death." Huan'e said, "No need, I have a reason." He had a servant weigh out ten taels of silver, which Huan'e handed to Biben, saying, "This is the principal of the ten taels of silver you borrowed for him. Consider the interest as your bad luck loss. Take it back and continue your peddling business to make ends meet." Biben said, "What are you talking about? He owes me money, how can I ask you to repay it, Master? I dare not accept this." Huan'e said, "I'm not repaying the money for him. Nowadays, people are even more stingy with their own flesh and blood over a single penny." "Unexpectedly, this young nobleman, Huan'e, is so insightful about the ways of the world." You and he are merely from the same village, not old acquaintances. "This sentence reveals the true nature of this young master; does old acquaintance necessarily mean genuine affection and concern?" You've already shown him such kindness. Someone like you is truly rare. "Absolutely true." Now that he has wronged you, not only are you heartbroken and unwilling to do good deeds afterward, but even others, seeing that they have been harmed by a heartless person after offering kindness, who would be willing to follow suit? I'm giving you this silver now, showing that good deeds are rewarded. Although he has wronged you, if he repays you, you might still be willing to do good deeds later. Even bystanders watching would be more inclined to be kind. “Huan E’s words are meant to fill the universe with his benevolent heart, so that everyone will do good deeds and act virtuously. This is the heart of a sage.”

Bi Ben was about to decline when someone nearby recognized Huan E and said, “This Master Huan, last year he gave away more than ten thousand cotton-padded coats to the villagers from your area and built hundreds of sheds for them to live in. He gave away twenty thousand taels of silver. Do you really care about this little bit? Please accept it.” Bi Ben hurriedly said, “So you are the great benefactor who saved our province. I also have many relatives who have received your kindness. I was blind to your greatness.” He hurriedly tried to kneel down. Huan'e pulled him back, saying, "It's no big deal, no need for such formalities." He then called Lai Ying over and said, "Whether you're sick or not, I don't know. The ancients said, 'Begging depends on heaven.' There are some ignorant people who say, 'The black-hearted have horses to ride, while the kind-hearted go hungry.' This is not to be believed. In this world, have there never been heartless wicked people who enjoyed wealth and honor? This is just a fleeting pleasure; who knows if they won't later become thieves and prostitutes, and their descendants will be wiped out? Good people may be poor now, but who knows if they won't benefit later? We must look at the final outcome for both types of people to determine good or bad." Huan'e's words, "Those who take the heart of sages will naturally find them reasonable. Those who are mean-spirited will inevitably criticize them as pedantic. People only care about immediate enjoyment, and don't care about the consequences after death." You should lay bare your conscience; there's no need to mention the past. Try your best to earn money next year. If you can't pay it all back, pay back one tael a year, and you'll pay off the interest in seven or eight years. If you earn more, it would be even better to pay back more. If you have a conscience, Heaven will not let you down. "Unexpectedly, this gentleman has become a moralist." If you don't repay him in this life, will you be able to repay him in the next life as a mule or a horse? "Although his words are somewhat monk-like, they are the inevitable truth. This passage, through the words of Huan E, is intended to awaken the heartless people in the world. But I fear that honest words are hard to hear, and the heartless will not only find them offensive but also hate his garrulousness."

The crowd said, "What Master Huan says is good, listen to him." Lai Ying also kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Master Huan." Huan E pulled him up and saw that he was very ragged. He opened his purse, took out a small silver ingot (about three taels), and gave it to him, saying, "This silver is for you to buy some clothes and start a small business to get through the winter. We'll figure something out when the new year starts." Lai Ying thanked him again and handed the ingot to Bi Ben with both hands, saying, "This is a reward from the master. Please accept it and keep the interest. I won't complain even if I freeze or starve to death." Bi Ben said, "This is a kindness from Master Huan to help you survive. Why would I take it now? Master Huan is a stranger to us, yet he bestows such kindness. We are from the same village, so I won't ask you for the interest. Just consider it as me taking medicine when I'm sick, and I need God's blessing. Thanks to the master, I'll slowly earn more money as a peddler." As he spoke, he took out his loan agreement from his waist pouch, tore it up in front of him, and said, "From now on, let's part ways." Seeing the two of them like this, Huan E thought to himself: Kindness can move people. These few taels of silver have melted their hearts. He happily rode away.

As they walked, they came to the entrance of a shop and saw a burly man. He had a leopard-like head and piercing eyes, a thick beard under his chin, and was about six feet four or five inches tall, around thirty-eight or thirty-nine years old. He stood there with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky with disdain, sighing repeatedly. Huan'e saw this imposing man, who seemed to have a lot on his mind. Seeing the shopkeeper smiling and talking to him, she sensed something was amiss. She reined in her horse and slowed it down. She heard the burly man say, "Do you think a man like me would skimp on your food? When my relatives come, I'll treat you to a meal." The shopkeeper smiled obsequiously and said, "How dare you say I'm short of food, sir? But my shop is short of capital and can't keep up with demand. Please, sir, give me some money so I can prepare your food and drink." The burly man said, "If I had silver on me, why would I need to ask? I know it's difficult for you. But I'm currently a guest; where can I find a way?" He sighed again and said, "

Home is best, but travel is always difficult. "

Huan E thought to himself, "Judging from this man's appearance, he's a hero from humble beginnings, certainly not a down-on-his-luck fellow. Why not befriend him while he's down on his luck?" He dismounted, approached him, and bowed, saying, "Honorable brother, what is your esteemed name? Where do you reside? Why are you sighing here?" Seeing Huan E's imposing presence, the man also bowed, saying, "My humble name is Bao, from Tai'an Prefecture, Shandong. May I ask your esteemed name?" The innkeeper said, "This gentleman is the renowned philanthropist Master Huan, a man of great virtue in our area." The man said, "I have long admired your reputation. People in our province often speak highly of your virtuous conduct; I never expected to meet you here today." Huan E said, "I dare not accept such praise." The man said, "Honorable brother, if you do not mind my humble abode, please come and sit in my small room." Huan E was about to ask him a question when he said, "I have something to ask you." He then took Huan E's hand and led him to a guest room in the inn.

They bowed repeatedly before sitting down. Huan'e asked, "What brings you here, esteemed brother? What troubles you so much that you sighed so deeply? The innkeeper mentioned the cost of the meal; could you please explain in detail?" The man sighed and said, "My humble name is Bao De. Though my family is not wealthy, we own several dozen acres of land, enough to make ends meet. My aunt is old and widowed, and she has only one cousin, Xin Tong. Last year, he brought several thousand taels of gold worth of goods to sell in your area. He sent a letter saying he was staying in the Ping Shi Street market. Unexpectedly, he hasn't returned home for three years, and my aunt has fallen ill from missing him. 'Parents all hope their children will return soon after they leave. But alas, once the son leaves, he forgets his parents. As the ancient poem says: "The thread in the loving mother's hand, the clothes on the traveler's body. Before departure, she sews them carefully, fearing his long absence. All sons who travel far should memorize these four lines."' Fearing that sending his servants would be inappropriate, he sent his brother to call him back. When my brother came, he brought several dozen taels of gold for travel expenses, but seeing so many poor and starving people along the way saddened him. He thought that once he arrived here and found his cousin, he would have enough money for his journey, so he gave away every penny he had to the poor, keeping only a little for his own travel. Unexpectedly, upon arriving here, he went to the inn to inquire. The innkeeper said he had stayed here for almost two years and then gone to Huguang. My brother wanted to go to Huguang to find him, but he didn't know which prefecture he was in, and he had no travel expenses, so he had no choice but to stay at the inn and wait for him. Three months passed, and there was still no news. My brother has a large appetite; he can't be full without three meals a day of meat, wine, and vegetables. Last month, he sold some clothes to pay the innkeeper's debt. This past month, he has really no way to make a living. Being in a foreign land, he has no relatives or friends; who can he borrow from? No wonder the innkeeper is so frugal; how much capital does he have? He laughed loudly, patting his belly, and said, "My wretched belly has been filled with more than ten taels of silver; how can it possibly supply me? I wanted to go back but couldn't, I wanted to stay but couldn't, hence my sigh. I didn't expect to disturb you, sir." Huan'e smiled and said, "So it was about such trivial matters. If I had met you earlier, Your Excellency would have been back at your residence long ago." He then asked the innkeeper, "How much does Master Bao owe you for meals?" The innkeeper replied, "The fixed amount is three qian of silver, and today marks forty days, totaling twelve taels of silver. How could I possibly keep this up? That's why I dared to ask Master Bao." Huan'e said, "I've never heard of an inn in Nanjing charging three qian a day. You mustn't cheat a newcomer." The innkeeper said, "How could I, a mere innkeeper, dare to cheat a newcomer?" "Others only need five cents of silver a day, but Master Bao consumes five catties of meat and ten jugs of wine daily, which alone cost two and a half cents. He also needs two catties of rice, oil, salt, side dishes, vegetables, and beans. In the end, I'm serving him for free, without receiving a single cent." Huan'e said to Bao De, "Brother, you are truly a hero." He laughed loudly, "I am nothing but a wine-and-rice bag, nothing to boast about." Huan'e instructed his servant, "Give the innkeeper twelve taels of silver. Tell him to quickly fetch a sedan chair to take Master Bao to my house." The innkeeper, overjoyed with the silver, locked it in the counter and ran off to fetch the sedan chair.

Huan'e then said to Bao De, "This inn is not where you reside, brother. Please come to my humble abode, and we can discuss further. Pack your belongings and we'll go together. I'll wait for you at my house." Bao De replied, "We've only met by chance; how can I accept such kindness from you, brother?" Huan'e said, "Since we've met, why bother with such formalities?" Bao De replied, "Since your actions are those of a hero, I dare not engage in such empty talk." Huan'e rose to take his leave and instructed a servant to wait for him. When Bao De arrived at the shop entrance, Huan'e bowed, mounted his horse, and said, "I have been waiting for your arrival, sir." "Upon arriving home, he ordered a meal to be prepared.

Soon after, Bao De arrived and was led to the study. The servants brought in his luggage. After tea, wine and food were served, and the two drank together. Bao De was a hearty man; the food he ate at the inn was merely to stave off hunger. Even the wine was only enough to moisten his throat. Because he was short of money, he dared not eat much. Now, at the Huan family's house, he saw the tableware laid out and the food exquisitely prepared. Moreover, the Huan family was known for their heavy drinking, and the host was not a poor man. They did not stand on ceremony, drinking and eating heartily as if no one else was around. Huan E, seeing such a boldness, rarely did he see it and earnestly urged him on. After the meal, it was getting late. Huan E asked for a new bedding to be brought for him to sleep on. 'When I went to Bao De's house with Huan E, I saw how quickly he was rewarded.' He stayed for several days, treated to lavish meals and wine, and had a new set of clothes made for him." "Truly a wise host and distinguished guest. This new outfit is worlds apart from the one Si Jinchao made for Fu Xin. The difference in their character and conduct is like heaven and earth." He spoke only of military strategy and martial arts. Although Huan E did not understand the subtleties, he listened with great interest, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

One day, while Huan'e was drinking with him, she said, "I am delighted to have met you, brother, and I wished to stay a few more days. However, you have been away from home for a long time, and I fear your family and your aunt are anxiously waiting for you. Now, with the early autumn weather, it is a good time to travel. Would you like to return home or stay here and wait for your cousin?" Bao De replied, "I have wanted to return for a long time, but I have no travel expenses. I have been very kind to you these past few days, brother, but I have not dared to ask. Does my cousin know when he will arrive? I am eager to return home and will not wait for him. I will just send a message to my travel companion." Huan'e said, "Since that is your intention, I will see you off tomorrow." Bao De was overjoyed and said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, brother. I will not utter empty words of gratitude. I only hope to meet you again someday and enjoy a pleasant gathering. I will send a message to my travel companion now." Huan'e said, "Tell him that when your cousin arrives, he is invited to stay at my home." Bao De exclaimed with delight, "That would be even better!" He returned shortly after leaving.

The next morning, Huan'e prepared a farewell feast for him. His luggage was packed, and a servant brought out fifty taels of silver as travel expenses. Bao De said, "Why use so much? Half will be enough." Huan'e laughed, "Brother, have you forgotten what happened the other day? It's better to have some extra money on the journey. What if it's not enough?" He accepted it with a smile. Huan'e then instructed a servant, "Take ten taels of silver and send Master Bao across the river. Hire a mule at the port, and once he's off, come back and let me know." He also ordered two horses to be prepared, intending to personally escort him. Bao De said, "No need for your trouble, brother." Huan E replied, "I dare not keep you, brother, for I fear your household is anxiously awaiting my return. Yet, my heart is heavy with sorrow at parting. I will see you off for a while, so that we may spend a little more time together and find some solace." Bao De sighed, "I have made many friends in my life, but I never expected to find such a chivalrous and righteous man among your esteemed circle." [This statement, though praising Huan E, inadvertently negates the true nature of such men.] He patted his chest and said, "This will be etched in my heart." The two mounted their horses and chatted all the way. Upon reaching Xiaguan, they crossed the pontoon bridge and dismounted together at the river mouth. They shook hands, reluctant to part. Bao De boarded the riverboat, his family carried his luggage, and the family member who had seen him off also boarded. Just before the boat departed, Huan E said, "Take care on your journey, brother." Bao De replied, "Please return, brother. If I do not die, we will meet again in the future." [This statement, though seemingly inadequate, is deeply moving; a single word is worth a thousand.] Huan E watched his boat sail away, then mounted his horse and rode off with a heavy heart.

As they approached the Three-Ball Tower, they saw several people laughing and talking, saying, "They're going to watch a play there. This is the real play. Even the actors who sing about Cui Shi forcing her husband at Rotten Axe Mountain don't actually do anything like this." Huan'e was about to rein in his horse to ask when the crowd laughed and said, "Zhu Maichen is coming out." Huan'e looked and saw a scholar in tattered clothes seeing off an old man from a house. The old man also wore a tattered square cap and a pair of worn-out shoes that were neither red nor purple and had no heels. He angrily said to the scholar, "Our family is unfortunate to have such a good-for-nothing daughter. Son-in-law, don't be angry. Whether you keep her or divorce her, it's up to you. I don't care. I'd rather not have had her at all." Huan'e was somewhat surprised and quickly dismounted to bow to the old man and the scholar. The two of them quickly returned the bow. Huan E asked, "May I ask what brings you here?" The old man shook his head and said, "I'm too ashamed to speak." Pointing to the tattered clothes, he said, "Please ask him, sir." Huan E looked at the poor man:

his head was covered in a tattered turban, patched with rice shavings and soaked with brain oil; his feet were clad in two old socks, plastered with yellow mud, the soles worn through. "Someone made a riddle: 'Heaven doesn't know, Earth knows. Man doesn't know, I know. What is it?' Others didn't understand and asked what it was. He laughed and said, 'My socks have a hole in the sole.' Huan E simply assumed this poor man's socks were worn through." His face was yellow and wrinkled, his flesh tasted like it hadn't been eaten for more than three months; his complexion was sallow, his bathwater was untouched for six hours. His clothes were patched countless times, he always wore outdated clothes; the stove in his room was piled high with dust and ashes, sometimes used to cook meals after a hunger strike. "Or perhaps it's a good word, but that's also just assumption. He's the reincarnation of Maichen from years past, today a poor man divorced by his wife."

Huan'e said to the man, "May I ask your guidance?" The man replied, "My humble surname is Ping, the same Ping as in 'Qi Jia Zhi Guo Ping Tian Xia' (meaning to regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world). My humble given name is Ru, meaning you are a Confucian scholar." [His words were pedantic and pedantic, his descriptions of pedantry and grandiosity penetrating to the bone.] He was unworthy of being a student. This man was my father-in-law. I married at twenty, and it has been seventeen years now. My wife is the same age as me. I am but a poor scholar, making a living only through writing. Unexpectedly, for the past two years, the harvests have been poor, and with no one to read, my writing has become neglected. Last year I managed to survive, but this year, I am too weak to continue, and eating only nine meals a day for three weeks has become commonplace. Before, it was considered strange that the stove was not lit; now, it is considered strange that it is lit at all. Truly, our house is as empty as a hanging basket, with only bare walls. An ancient saying goes, "The cries of hunger in a bountiful year, the howls of the cold in June." Unexpectedly, these two phrases were coined for my younger brother. I never imagined my wife could bear it and would consider leaving. I can't blame her. In winter she drinks soup, in summer she drinks water, starving all day long—how can she endure it? She is so determined to leave, and I, her husband of many years, cannot bear to part with her. I am reluctant to let her go and have pleaded with her repeatedly. But what can I do when she refuses to listen? My wife is adamant about not returning, so I had no choice but to ask my father-in-law to come and rebuke her with righteous indignation and kind words, but she remained resolute. Just now, she even spoke rudely to my father-in-law, which is why he left in anger." Huan'e said to the old man, "Your daughter wants to leave only because your son-in-law is poor. If you, sir, can support your daughter and son-in-law, then all will be well." "People often leave because their son-in-law is poor." Therefore, many even abandon their daughters. Huan E, who made this statement, may have suspected something. However, seeing the old man's behavior, one can tell he's poor without asking. Yet, to still utter such words reveals his true nature as a young master. The old man sighed and said, "Sir, sir, I don't mean to be rude, but you're truly talking nonsense. We wore a tattered headscarf, thinking it was a step forward in our careers, how exciting! Who knew it would bring us so much trouble for the rest of our lives? When we first entered the academy, we had brand-new headscarves. Because you couldn't make progress, you wore them until they were worn out. The headscarf doesn't blame you, why blame it?" We hoped to achieve great success, to shed this covering, and thus glorify our ancestors and lineage, bestow titles upon our wives and benefit our children, expand our homes and change our gates, and enrich ourselves. "Wang En is an eighth-rank Hanlin scholar, and he is also an eighth-rank scholar." But things didn't go as planned; what can we do about our fate? This old student has been studying at the academy since the age of fifteen, and has taken the provincial examinations more than twenty times. That old gentleman in red robes, hiding in the shadows, wouldn't even nod his head, nor would he, with his precious willow sap (more valuable than gold), spill a single drop on this poor scholar like myself. I cannot bear light burdens, nor heavy loads; I must be neither mediocre nor unworthy, and even in my actions, I must maintain a certain dignity. "This old man is no wonder so poor. At such an advanced age, he knows nothing of worldly affairs. People only care about their reputation; how can anyone escape poverty?" My home is filled with dust from cooking pots, and the cries of my children are unbearable—truly a plight even a beggar cannot endure. This old student has wasted seventy-five years of his life, and has not only not tasted meat for three months. Mencius once said: "At seventy, one cannot be warm without silk; at fifty, one cannot be full without meat." This old student is twenty-five years past fifty, and year after year, I still do not know what meat is. I once heard a joke: A poor scholar ate only vegetables all year round. One day, someone offered him mutton. That night, he dreamt that the spirits of his five internal organs said: "The sheep have trampled through the vegetable garden." Today, my old student begged me to rummage through the vegetable garden, but to no avail. As for clothes, let alone silk; look at my disheveled appearance, my clothes are tattered and my elbows are exposed. Finding even an inch of cloth is as difficult as finding rare brocade. You can imagine the dire straits of my family. I struggle to even feed myself, let alone my daughter and son-in-law. There's an old poem, "Qingjiang Yin," that perfectly describes my current situation. It goes: "

Unable to sleep in the middle of the night, my heart is filled with anxiety. Suddenly, a loud thud startles me. It turns out I've broken a tendon in my spine.

" This perfectly describes my student's situation today.” Huan'e then asked Pingru, “Since your son-in-law is unwilling to go with you, even if you force him to stay, it may not be peaceful. Constant quarreling is not a good way.” Pingru said, “How could I not know this? Why can't I bear such sorrow?” Huan'e said, “Ignorant, idiosyncratic, truly idiosyncratic!” Seeing a teahouse next door, he said, “Please, gentlemen, sit there. I have something to tell you.” The old man said, “That’s outrageous! How could I possibly act like a host when you’ve graced my humble abode? Though I wish to be courteous, I lack the means to do so.” Huan E said, “No need for such formalities, please come in.” The two went inside and sat down together.

The old man asked, “May I ask your surname, sir?” Huan E replied, “My surname is Huan.” The old man said, “Are you perhaps the son of the Grand Minister of Works, Master Huan?” Huan E smiled and said, “Indeed.” The old man bowed again and said, “Truly a handsome young man today. I’ve long admired you, my dear son-in-law. What brings us together?” Huan E smiled and said, “Thank you for your kind words.” Knowing they were hungry, he ordered some snacks and let them eat for a while. He said, “I see that you two, having studied for so long, are now so poor, and I feel quite sorry for you.” "There are countless poor scholars in the world, yet so many are not worthy of this. Once there was a man who said, 'Heaven has a heart that desires wealth, and has bestowed upon me a piece of gold. Within a radius of forty li, there is no empty space.' I say that even this piece of gold is insufficient to support him." I will now offer you some assistance and persuade him to stay. But this cannot continue indefinitely. Once the money is spent, his old habits will resurface, and he will still want to leave. What then? I have an idea. You are his father and his husband. I will try to change his ways for you, so that your family can prosper in the future. What do you two think? Is this feasible?" Pingru still felt reluctant and sighed repeatedly. But the old man said, "Old Master Huan is a gentleman. What harm is there? His intentions are truly wonderful and beyond compare. Your son-in-law treats this unworthy daughter as if she has been abandoned. Why not listen to his advice? If she can change her ways, wouldn't that be a blessing for your family?" Pingru thought for a while and sighed, "Alas, I am in a predicament, and have no choice but to submit to your decision. I beg you, sir, to be lenient and not to punish me too harshly." Huan'e told a servant to bring over a silver purse, opened it, took out an ingot of about three or four taels, and gave it to the old man, saying, "This is a token of my respect for you, sir." He then gave another ingot to Pingru, saying, "Consider this as your salary. When you have truly repented, I will return it to you, and then we may be at peace. If you do not change your ways, I will arrange for you to marry another woman, and you can eventually abandon this woman." He asked the old man, "Sir, do you still have any lingering affection for her?" The old man said sternly, "How could that be? Although I, your old student, am poor now, my ancestor, the former Vice Envoy, was a famous figure. This unworthy daughter is already beyond the seven grounds for divorce. She has already disgraced my Confucian family, what is there to regret?" Although the old gentleman had cooked and chopped him, I, his student, would only ask questions, let alone try to turn evil into good. But since he had been given tea and received such a generous gift, I could not possibly accept it. It would be impolite to refuse, but I would feel ashamed to accept it.” Huan’e said, “No need to be so modest, please accept it. I’ll be back soon and someone will come.” The father-in-law and son-in-law bowed deeply and said, “Thank you for your kindness.” They all left the teahouse together. Huan’e bid farewell to the two of them, mounted his horse, and went home. He told Hou about the Quan family’s affair. Hou was both amused and resentful. Huan’e said, “They reminded me of a joke:

A family hired a tutor, but they were very poor. He wanted to visit his employer, but no one had an invitation, so he had his wife pretend to be a family member and go with him. When they arrived, the host and guest got along very well, and the tutor was treated to food and drink and insisted on staying overnight. The tutor couldn’t refuse and had to stay. The employer told his son to sleep with the tutor and his servant to sleep with the family.” The next day, the gentleman returned home, and his son said to his father, "The old man is doing well, but he's extremely poor. Last night, when he took off his clothes to sleep, he didn't even have any pants." The young servant chimed in, "His family not only doesn't have pants, they're so poor they don't even have a penis."

"This joke is perfect for Scholar Ping." Hou laughed for a while. Huan E instructed his family to call a matchmaker, told him this and that, and then had a servant lead him to the Ping family. When they arrived, Ping Ru, having been tricked by Huan E, was hiding outside listening to the news. The matchmaker went inside and said to the woman, "Is this Grandma Ping?" Quan said, "I am no longer a member of the Ping family. Where did you come from?" The matchmaker said, "I am Zhao Da Sao, the first famous matchmaker in Nanjing. Everyone calls me Zhao Laoshi. I have visited every wealthy man in the city, including the Zhang family and the Li family. I heard that this lady is getting married, and that she is virtuous and good at managing the household. Now a wealthy gentleman wants to marry a lady as a second wife and asked me to speak on his behalf." Quan smiled and said, "Although I said I was going to remarry, I didn't say a word. How did people know?" The matchmaker said, "This wealthy man has been looking for a good lady for a long time and has asked many people to help him." I've forgotten his surname, but they're good friends. I heard about him, which is why I've bothered to come. Grandma, now that you've turned your life around, don't miss out on such a good man. You'll be dressed in silk and brocade, adorned with gold and silver, with servants at your beck and call. Once you're there, you'll be waited on hand and foot, enjoying a life of luxury.” Quan was overjoyed and asked, “What's his surname?” The matchmaker replied, “His surname is Jia. Who in the whole city doesn't know the Jia family of officials?” Quan said, “I'll wait for my unlucky husband to come and explain it to him.” The matchmaker said, “Don't be foolish. We'll make sure you agree. As long as you're willing, I'll send him a message. After sending the clothes and jewelry, and your husband tells me, you'll be in the sedan chair. What are you afraid of him pulling you back?” Quan said, “Such a noble family, and they don't even offer a dowry? Are they really going to carry you away like this, all black and dirty?” The matchmaker said, "You're making your own decision, why bother with gifts? You'll have to take it away anyway. Besides, you have a husband. If you disturb the neighbors, there will be gossip and objections, which will only make things worse." Quan said, "Your idea is good. But I'm afraid my unlucky husband won't let you go. What should I do?" The matchmaker said, "If he wants you to stay, have him bring you nice clothes to wear and things to eat. Are you afraid he won't let you go?" Quan said, "Fine, then when is it okay?" The matchmaker said, "Strike while the iron is hot. As the saying goes, 'Staying put in the way makes you wiser, otherwise, trouble will arise.' Go if you want to. Once you've made up your mind, become a bride tonight. Isn't every moment sooner better?" "She walked up to him and whispered in his ear, 'This Master Jia is famous for his large penis,' she laughed, 'You'll enjoy it even more in bed at night. I'll make sure you have a good place like this. Once you're married, the matchmaker's fee will be ten taels, not a penny less.' Quan was overjoyed and repeatedly urged, 'I'll talk to that unlucky man at home and make a decision. You must come to pick me up tonight.' The matchmaker said, 'I know, do you need to tell me?' Pingru saw the matchmaker leave and came home.

Quan's face fell, and she said, 'I'm not yours anymore. I'm leaving tonight. If you want me to stay, buy silk to make me clothes and good food to provide for me. Otherwise, if you try to keep me, either you die or I die. I really can't live this hard life anymore.' Pingru said, 'Where are you going? We've been husband and wife for twenty years, how can you bear to leave me?'" Quan sneered, “The ancients said, ‘Brothers for wine and meat, husbands and wives for firewood and rice.’ If we’re poor and lack food and clothing, we’re strangers. What’s the point of talking about gratitude? There are two old sayings: ‘

A general doesn’t dismount, each goes his own way

.’ My whereabouts are none of your concern; they’ll probably be better than yours.” Pingru said, “Since you’ve made up your mind, I can’t keep you here. There are also two old sayings: ‘

A heart that’s gone is hard to keep; staying only breeds enmity.

’ You can go, but if you ever have any troubles later, be sure to come looking for me.” Quan spat on her cheek and said, “Pah! You’re giving me such a good deal; do you think there’s anyone worse off than you? I’d rather die than ever come to your door again. Have you ever heard of a reheated pancake not being crispy?” Just then, the matchmaker came in carrying a felt bag and said, “The sedan chair has arrived.” Quan said to Pingru, “Write me a divorce letter quickly, don’t ruin my auspicious day.” Pingru didn't hesitate and wrote a letter of divorce. Quan then had him read it aloud; it was nothing more than a statement that he could not support his wife and would allow her to remarry. Quan then had him put his fingerprint on it, saying, "Old writer." She then changed her clothes completely, put on jewelry, and said to Pingru, "Have you ever seen such things in your life?" Joyfully, without looking back, she got into her sedan chair and left. There are four lines about the two of them: "

Pingru is divorced by his wife today, Cui's shameful past is still with her.

Why is it that the pipa is greedy for another's embrace, and the osprey refuses to stay on the riverbank?"

Because of this Quan, there is a tune, "Zhu Yunfei," lamenting the fate of couples: "

The affection between husband and wife, from childhood to old age. Respectful and courteous, all thanks to a wealthy family. Alas, penniless, unable to escape resentment. Though speechless, they force themselves to comply; how many truly find peace of mind?"

Quan was carried by the sedan chair bearers all the way to the official's house. When she got out of the sedan chair, the matchmaker was nowhere to be found. Four or five women called him out of his sedan chair and ushered him inside. Upon reaching the main room, Huan'e and Madam Hou sat high up. The women said, "Kowtowing to the master and mistress." Madam Quan, who had come excitedly to be the mistress of a wealthy family, was suddenly startled by this scene. The women continued, "Why are you still standing there when you see the master and mistress? You have no manners! Kowtowing now!" Seeing the maids and servants surrounding her, her dignity seemingly unbearable, she knelt down, suspecting they were trying to lure her into becoming a concubine. After

kowtowing, Huan'e said to Si Fu, "This woman is utterly wicked and cruel. She divorced her husband because of poverty and was sold to my household by her father. She's now under your care. Make her do all sorts of chores to temper her wicked nature. If she's even slightly naughty, give her a good beating with a leather whip. Take her away and change her clothes." The women dragged her away and changed her into a set of old cloth clothes. She had already fallen into their trap and regretted it too late. They brought him over again and reported, "He's been changed." Si Fu then led him to a side room and said, "You'll stay here with me." He assigned him some work, saying, "These are all deadlines. If you're late, you'll get ten lashes." She had been hoping to become a wife and enjoy a life of luxury, but now she was in this situation, not knowing who she was or how she got here. She heard that her father had sold her, and she thought: "How could my father sell me, a woman who has been married for over ten years? Why didn't my husband say anything?" Confused and resentful, she felt both regret and hatred. The matchmaker, whose origins and whereabouts were unknown, wept silently for a while. That night, she secretly got up to hang herself, but Si Fu and the others had all conspired against her and were wary of her. A shout saved her.

The next morning, she reported to Huan E. Huan E was furious and summoned more than a dozen servants, who pinned her to the ground, stripped her of her clothes, leaving her only in a shirt and trousers. She was whipped hundreds of times from neck to ankle with a large leather whip and a thin bamboo stick. Hou pleaded repeatedly before finally relenting. He ordered a servant woman named Miao to supervise him, starving him for three days without food. Quan, her body bruised and battered, was carried away and laid on the bed, her skin aching all over. She remembered how loving her husband had been, even in poverty. She felt she had brought this suffering upon herself and could only blame herself; her heart softened somewhat.

Miao secretly gave her food and treated her with great affection. She quietly advised her, "Now that you're here, you can't escape. People say even ants cherish life; why did you choose such a foolish path and invite this suffering? Better to endure in this world than to be buried in the ground. Who knows if you won't have a better life someday? Don't think that dying here is like dying an ant; who will pity you? Be patient and stay here. If anything happens, tell me quietly, and I'll take care of you." Quan was deeply grateful. Once she

recovered, she spent her time doing needlework and washing clothes. Although he wasn't made to serve, he never had a moment's rest. Since surviving that severe beating, he dared not contemplate suicide again. Seeing other women busy working all day, he eventually grew accustomed to it.

Huan E pitied Pingru as a poor scholar and often helped him. Later, when a free school was established, she asked Mei Sheng to invite him to her home. Mei Sheng tested his knowledge and found him quite capable, so they invited him to be a teacher at the school. But that's another story.

One day, Huan E was at home when a voice came in from the door saying that a man surnamed Xin from Shandong wanted to see him. Huan E knew he was Bao De's cousin, so he quickly came out to greet him and led him to the study, where they bowed and sat down. Huan E observed that Xin had a fair complexion, a yellow beard, a broad back, and a slender build—quite a handsome man. He inquired about Bao De's whereabouts, and Huan E recounted how they had met by chance at the shop, how he had taken Xin home, kept him for several days, and how Xin had prepared to leave. Huan E said, "He's been gone for over two months; he should be home by now." Xin thanked Huan E repeatedly. Huan'e said again, "Your father is anxiously waiting at home, brother. You should return soon. This business in Huguang must have been very successful." He frowned and said, "Business was quite good when I left. I heard that rice prices were soaring in your area, so I bought several thousand taels of silver worth of rice in Xiangtan. Unexpectedly, I encountered Zhang Xianzhong's bandits on the way and they robbed me of everything. I fell into the water, but fortunately, I've been a good swimmer since childhood, so I escaped with my life. I was left all alone, with all my belongings gone. Luckily, an old passenger on another boat took pity on me and took me aboard. I only arrived last night. I went to my old friend's place to see if any of my relatives were here and to ask for news from home. He said that my cousin had come by and left a letter before leaving, asking me to come to your residence to inquire when I returned. That's why I came to bother you." Huan'e said "Since you say so, how will you arrange your travel expenses?" Xin Tong replied, "The only way now is to borrow some money from an old friend, but I don't know if he'll be willing to lend it." Huan E had his servant fetch thirty taels of silver, saying, "I originally intended to invite you to stay for a few more days, but I fear your father, having received your cousin's letter, is even more eager to see you. This small amount of travel expenses should be enough to get you home. It's still early today, so please cross the river. Hire a porter, and we'll return home tonight. When you get home, please give my regards to your cousin and let us plan our next meeting." Xin Tong said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, brother. I dare not feign modesty and truly accept your great favor. I must take my leave now." Huan E invited him to stay for a meal and wine, and then saw him to the door before departing.

Suddenly, autumn ended and winter arrived, and the first snow cleared. Huan E went out, wanting to do one or two good deeds. He rode slowly along, wandering through the streets and alleys for a while. Walking into a quiet alley, he saw a man with red, swollen eyes from crying, dressed in very thin clothes. Someone came out of the door, and the man, with tears in his eyes, said, "It would be best to act quickly." The man replied, "I know, I will surely have a reply tomorrow." He bowed and left. The man shed a few more tears, sighed, and looked up at the sky. "Looking at the sky, how poignant. Wanting to speak to someone, but having no one to turn to. Wanting to speak to the heavens, but the heavens are high and unheard; one can only sigh and look up. This perfectly captures the suffering of the poor." Miserable and desolate, he turned and went inside. Huan E thought, "Although this man is dressed in rags, his appearance and demeanor are those of a respectable person. He must have some dire situation to be so heartbroken. I should ask him what's wrong; perhaps he's in dire straits, and I might be able to help him." So he spurred his horse into the man's courtyard.

The man reached the door and was about to push it open when he heard the sound of hooves behind him. He turned around but didn't recognize the man. Seeing Huan E on a fine horse and wearing a light fur coat, followed by one or two servants, he hurried over and asked, "Whom does the master seek?" Huan E dismounted, bowed, and said, "I've come to see you." The man exclaimed in surprise, "I've never had the honor of meeting you before! What brings you here, sir?" Huan E said, "Let's go inside and talk." The man said, "My humble home is quite unworthy, so I dare not invite you in, lest I offend your honor." Huan E said, "What's the harm in that?" "Upon hearing this, the man had no choice but to push open the door and let him in.

Once inside, Huan'e saw that it was indeed in a terrible state. The house had two drafty doors, large and small holes in the walls, and several skylights in the ceiling. A fierce wind whistled through the house. Even in the dead of winter, there wasn't a single spark inside. On two broken plank beds were two tattered straw mats and two tattered bamboo mats; there wasn't even a blanket. Two women and two children were squatting on the beds, all dressed in tattered clothes, their flesh exposed, shivering. The man brought over a broken bamboo chair, dusted it off, and invited Huan'e to sit down. Huan'e said, 'Please sit down so we can talk.' He declined politely for a while, then took a three-legged stool and sat down. Huan'e asked, 'What is your surname, brother?' He replied, 'I dare not presume, my humble surname is Xiang, and my given name is Weiren. I dare not ask your surname, sir.' Huan'e said, 'My surname is Huan.'" Xiang Weiren said, "I think it's Master Huan who donated clothes to help the poor last year." Huan E laughed, "How come everyone knows about such a small matter?" Xiang Weiren said, "I have long admired your name, Master. You are a noble person, and you have come to my humble place. What can I do for you?" Huan E said, "I just passed by the gate and saw you seeing that person off. His face was full of sorrow. Something terrible must have happened, so I came to ask you." Xiang Weiren just lowered his head and sighed, unable to answer for the moment. Huan E said, "Brother, you may tell me the truth. There is no need to hide anything." Xiang Weiren said, "I am grateful for your kind inquiry, Master. I have no choice but to tell you the truth. My family used to be able to make a living. We ran a business that was worth a lot of money and were once quite successful. But we have had bad luck for years. We lost money in our business and even had to sell our old house. We found these two dilapidated houses to live in, but we haven't repaired them for years, and they have only gotten worse." Last year, I borrowed fifty taels of silver from Master Ruan Dacheng's household as capital. These past two years have been marked by famine and overpopulation, so I squandered it all. Now, three years later, the principal and interest owe him a hundred taels. He comes demanding repayment every day, but I haven't been able to. His steward saw that my daughter was clean and went back to tell him. Master Ruan wants to take my daughter to learn opera, surely to calculate the principal and interest. How could I send my own flesh and blood to do such a despicable thing? I refused. The other day, he got angry and sent me to the county court for questioning. I begged someone to bail me out, and I'm given ten days to repay him. Sir, please look at our family's state. All seven necessities of life are gone. We have no firewood or cooking oil; our family won't last much longer. Do we still have this hundred taels of silver to repay? I have no choice; I fear humiliation and want to die. Secondly, I can't bear to see my family like this. If I die, out of sight, out of mind, that's the end of it." At this point, she began to weep.

Huan'e said, "Don't be sad. Tell me what you have to say." He wiped away his tears and pointed to his daughter on the bed, saying, “My little daughter, she said that if I die, it will be like a bucket without its hoops, and our whole family will die. She’d rather sell herself, whether as a concubine or a maid, just to get a few more taels of silver to repay the Ruan family. If there’s anything left, she’ll do some small business and make do with her mother and brothers. I gave birth to her, hoping she would marry into a good family and spend her life with him. How can I bear to sell her to someone as a slave? Even if I save the family, wouldn’t I be ruining her?” He cried again, saying, “When she saw that I wouldn’t agree, she even threatened to kill herself. She said that if she didn’t do it this way, our whole family would die. She’d rather die first to avoid seeing me suffer. I had no choice but to agree to her request and find someone to arrange a marriage. That’s the one I just sent out. It was an official matchmaker. He said that a passing official wanted to buy a concubine, and as long as she was beautiful, he wouldn’t hesitate to pay a high price. He asked if I was willing to sell myself to someone outside the capital.” "I couldn't bear it, but my daughter said that if the locals couldn't offer a good price, she would sacrifice herself in vain, still unable to save her father, mother, and brothers. She only wanted a few more taels of silver, even if it meant going elsewhere. Besides, if something happened to her in this hometown, her parents would be heartbroken. She was determined to go far away, as if she were dead. Cutting her intestines would be better. I thought her words made sense, so I had to agree. We raised her all this time, and she's ended up like this. How can I, as her parents, not feel like my heart is being torn apart? How can I not be miserable?" As she spoke, she became even more grief-stricken.

Huan E said, "What a filial daughter! What a filial daughter! Rare indeed! Please bring your daughter here, I'll ask her about it." Xiang Weiren called his daughter, "My daughter, come and see Master Huan." The woman, blushing and embarrassed, got out of bed, walked to the front, and bowed. Huan'e looked at her; although she wore a patched blue cotton shirt and a tattered skirt with jagged edges, she was a beautiful and dignified woman. There was a poem called "A Measure of Pearls" to praise her beauty, which said: "Shi Chong exchanged a measure of pearls for the beauty Green Pearl at Shuangjiao Mountain, hence the name of the tune. Now, this poem praises the beauty, and it is very fitting."

The morning mist lightly shrouded the mountains, her makeup was simple, and her old, worn-out clothes and skirt seemed especially beautiful. Her rosy cheeks were already beautiful; what need was there for elaborate makeup? She was intoxicated by the crabapple blossoms, her figure was delicate before the willow-leaf curtain, and her face held a sorrowful expression. Listen to her delicate voice; it was like the soft chirping of a nightingale among the flowers. She

had no makeup whatsoever; her natural beauty was truly captivating. If she were to adorn herself further, she could be called a perfect beauty. But the fine hairs on her face were standing on end from the cold, which was truly pitiful. Huan'e asked him, "Young lady, how old are you this year?" He answered loudly, "I'm sixteen." Huan'e said, "I just heard your father say that your filial piety is truly admirable. But being a concubine is a great hardship. If you encounter an unvirtuous wife, you'll suffer for even a day. With your pampered body, if you unfortunately encounter such a fierce and jealous woman, wouldn't you be doomed? You're so young, have you ever thought about this?" He replied, "How could I not know? I heard my uncle tell stories of sacrificing oneself for righteousness, let alone risking one's life to save one's parents and brothers? It's unthinkable. Today, I've saved a family, and if things go well, I can die in peace. It's better than watching this scene today, my heart breaking, suffering for even a moment, truly a time worse than death." Tears streamed down his face as he spoke.

Huan E had always wanted to save his father, and hearing his words stirred a surge of righteous indignation within her. She said, "If I don't save such a filial daughter as you, I would be a wasted man, a failure in my life." "Those who are wasted in their lives are probably eight or nine out of ten," she replied. She then ordered a servant to bring her a silver purse containing about ten taels of silver, which she handed to Xiang Weiren, saying, "Use this silver to buy firewood, rice, and charcoal today, and a few cotton-padded coats for your whole family. Go back to the matchmaker and don't mention my words. 'Doing good deeds without seeking recognition is true virtue.' Just say that a relative from afar has helped you with a hundred taels of silver and will not sell your daughter. Also, arrange for the guarantor who lent you the silver to wait for you at breakfast tomorrow morning. I will come to your house tomorrow morning and give you a portion of the silver; take it to repay the Ruan family, and your name will be cleared." Xiang Weiren said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir. I dare not feign gratitude, but my family will repay you by being reborn as animals in our next life." He then called to his wife, Kong Shi, his daughter, and his son, "Come quickly and

kowtow to thank our benefactor." The family was overjoyed and hurriedly knelt down to express their gratitude. Huan E pulled Xiang Weiren back with one hand, and the wife and daughter, not wanting to help him up, hurriedly urged him to rise. After everyone finished kowtowing and stood up, Huan E said, "I saved the filial daughter; it has nothing to do with you. Why bother thanking me?" "Saying this, he went out, mounted his horse, and rode back.

The next morning, he brought silver to the Xiang family. He dismounted, and Xiang Weiren, hearing him, hurriedly opened the door to let him in. Once inside, the room was completely different from the day before. The windows, patched with tens of thousands of holes, were now brightly patched. A large fire was burning in an earthenware pot on the floor, steaming hot. The whole family was dressed in cotton-padded clothes, and two old quilts were folded on the bed. He hurriedly asked Huan'e to sit down, and the daughter came to stand beside him.

Huan'e looked at her and saw that she was wearing a purple cotton-padded jacket, a blue cotton vest, and a white cotton skirt, much more presentable than the day before. He said, "It's cold, young lady, please sit by the fire." Xiang Weiren said, "My lord, you are so kind. My whole family is in heaven today. If we were to complain about the cold now, we would truly be unlucky." Huan'e told the servant to bring him the two silver notes, saying, "This letter is so subtle that it's easy to miss. It's just silver, but the phrase 'two silver notes' is just a single sentence; it doesn't mean there's more. Later, I took two more notes, one for Xiang Xiao'e and one for Wei Ren, and only then did I understand the subtlety of the word 'that.'" "This is one hundred taels of silver; take it and return it to him. Did you arrange for someone to go with you?" Xiang Wei Ren said, "We arranged it yesterday; he's waiting at home." Huan'e said, "There are many bad people these days. When you return the letter, you must read it carefully and not be fooled." Xiang Wei... Ren said, "I understand your instructions, sir." Huan'e then had a servant take out a little over three taels of loose silver from the bag and handed it to him, saying, "Keep this silver with you. I'm afraid he might try to exchange it for Guangfa horses and demand a larger amount. If it's less, we'll argue over this small amount and still not reach a clear conclusion." Xiang Weiren said, "Sir's kindness is so perfect." Huan'e said, "Go quickly, I'll be waiting for you to come back and talk." Just as Xiang Weiren knelt down to thank her, Huan'e stopped him, saying, "No need for formalities, go ahead." He took the silver and hurried away.

The young woman poured a cup of tea and offered it to Huan'e with her delicate hands. Huan'e bowed slightly to accept the wine, saying, "I'm troubling you again." After finishing his meal, he took the wine and said, "It's cold, and you've come early, sir. I'm afraid you haven't eaten yet. My family has prepared a cup of wine; please have some if you don't mind." Huan'e said, "How could I trouble you?" He replied, "My family's food and clothing all come from you, sir. You're the one who's bothering yourself. Once my father and I have something to offer you, life will be better." As he spoke, he went to place the pot for warming the wine on the brazier. He wiped a drawer table near the south window clean and said, "Sir, please come and sit down." Huan'e stood up, and he quickly moved the bamboo chair over and placed it against the table. He opened the drawer and took out a small dish.

Huan'e noticed some old books in the drawer and asked, "Who read these books?" He smiled and replied, "I read them when I was little." Huan'e said, "So you also had a teacher. No wonder you are so filial and well-mannered." He said, "Sir, you are joking. What do I know? My maternal uncle taught me at a school for a few years. Because of poverty, we moved here, and I stopped studying then. I was only twelve years old, and it's been almost four years since then." As he spoke, he asked Huan'e to sit down. The wine was warm, and he poured a cup, holding it with both hands, and handed it to her with a smile, saying, "There's no good wine on the street, sir, please make do with this cup to keep warm." Huan'e quickly took it and said, "Young lady, please sit down and have my servant come to serve you." He said, "My family has received immense kindness from you, sir. It is only right that we serve you, even if we are slaves all day long." [The old man said: "At this time, he already had the desire to go to his home."] Besides, in a poor family, it is only right that he serve. His mother lifted the lid of the pot, revealing a sumptuous feast of four kinds of delicacies bought from a large restaurant. She had steamed it in the pot to keep it warm, and also brought out a plate of fruit-filled cakes. Huan'e said, "Why go to all this trouble?" He replied, "My family is poor and has nothing to offer. These are ready-made dishes, but I'm afraid they won't be to my liking. Please forgive me, sir." Huan'e offered him a seat, but he repeatedly refused. Huan'e said, "If you won't sit, I won't eat either." He ordered a servant to bring a stool and place it at the side of the table for him to sit on. He then ordered a servant to bring a cup and chopsticks, poured him a cup, and offered him some food. Huan'e

then asked, "What books did you read back then?" He replied, "I read the Four Books and the Book of Poetry, and I finished them all." Huan'e then asked if he had read any other classics. Huan'e said, "You've put them aside for years, do you still remember them?" He replied, "I often flip through them, and I still recognize them." Huan'e opened a drawer, casually took out a book, and flipped through it. There were many characters tucked inside. Upon opening it, he found the handwriting to be quite beautiful, even better than his own. Seeing the last few characters, "Xiao'e Xi," he asked, "Is this your name?" He smiled and replied, "My maternal uncle said there was a filial daughter in Zhejiang named Cao'e in ancient times, and he wanted me to be filial to my parents, so I named myself Xiao'e."

Just then, Xiang Weiren returned, handing the document to Huan'e, saying, "Thanks to your great kindness, sir, I have returned the money." He then knelt down to express his gratitude. Huan'e pulled him back, saying, "You keep doing this; it makes me uneasy." He offered him a seat, but there was no other stool in the house, so he sat down with his daughter. Huan'e quickly offered Huan'e a cup of wine, which he drank, and then offered him two more pieces of food. Huan'e handed him the document, saying, "This piece of paper almost ruined your daughter; burn it quickly." Xiang Weiren took it and burned it in the brazier.

Huan'e said to him, "Your daughter is literate and well-educated; I think she's truly a woman of exceptional talent. She's not young anymore, so it's important that you find her a good husband. Don't be greedy for wealth; it would be better if she were married to a scholarly family. Otherwise, even if it's a merchant's family, just choose an honest husband. The ancients said, 'When choosing a wife, one must not choose the wrong person and ruin her life.'" Huan'e's advice on choosing a husband truly shows his deep affection for Xiao'e. He called over a servant and brought out the two envelopes of silver. "That's why the first two envelopes have those words." He took one and said to Xiang Weiren, "This twenty taels of silver is for your daughter. She's grown up now; make her some clothes, and prepare some dowry, small utensils, and shoes for her. When she's married, come and tell me if there are any shortcomings, and I'll help you." Xiang Weiren hurriedly told his daughter to thank him, but Huan'e refused and stopped her. He took another letter and said to him, "I see you have nothing at home. How will you survive? Here is fifty taels of silver. You can start a business and make do." Xiang Weiren said, "I am deeply grateful to you, sir, for the silver you gave me yesterday and for paying off my debts today. You have already saved my family's lives, allowing my wife, children, and children to be reborn. You are truly like a second parent to me, your kindness is as high as heaven and as deep as earth, and I can never repay it even if I were to die. Now you have also rewarded my daughter, your kindness is already too great. How can I dare to accept such a generous reward?" Huan'e said, "When you help someone, you must help them completely. If you don't have this silver as capital, how will your family survive? Soon you will be back to yesterday's situation. It would be better if I didn't help you. Take it, and don't say anything more." Huan'e and Xiang Weiren were truly:

when helping someone, help them in their time of need; when saving someone, save them completely. It is better

to reach out with a cloud-like hand, for who can untie the knot in the net?

Xiang Weiren said, "Sir, your heavenly kindness is so considerate of me. Even if my family were to be torn to pieces, we could never repay even a fraction of it." He then called his wife and children to come and kowtow in gratitude. Huan'e stood up and said, "If that's how it is, then I'll go." Xiang Weiren hurriedly said, "Your Excellency obeys, please sit down, sir." He and his daughter offered Huan'e wine. Xiang Weiren said, "Sir, you are wise beyond measure and understand my heart perfectly. If I hadn't brought those extra taels of silver, things wouldn't have been over. Even after adding all that, he still said it wasn't enough. I had to use so much pleading and begging before he finally agreed." He sighed and coughed, "Sir, your kindness is too generous, and your stinginess is too harsh." Huan'e said, "Ruan Dacheng has killed countless ministers, let alone these small gains?" As she spoke, she drank a few more cups and then stopped drinking. Xiang Weiren said, "It's so early in the morning, I dare not offer you any more toasts, please have your meal." They brought out the food, and after he finished eating, they cleared the table for the servants to eat.

Huan'e sipped his tea and said to Xiao'e, "The other day someone gave me a few Huzhou brushes and a few boxes of Huizhou ink. I don't need them, so I'll bring them to you another day so you can write. Don't let them go to waste." Xiao'e laughed and said, "What can I write? I'll just make a mess and ruin those fine brushes and ink." A little while later, the two servants finished eating. Huan'e got up and said, "Thank you for your trouble." Xiang Weiren said, "Master, you've been sitting here hungry. How could I accept such a trouble?" The father and daughter saw her out together. Huan'e said, "It's cold outside, young lady. You should go back inside." Xiao'e seemed reluctant to leave. "As the saying goes, 'A woman adorns herself for the one who pleases her.' Huan'e's feelings for Xiao'e can be described as extreme tenderness and affection. Xiao'e is a wise and filial daughter. She is grateful for the kindness of saving her father and for the kindness of his pity. How could she not be willing to die for him?"

After Huan'e left, Xiang Weiren went to the Huan residence to express his gratitude. Upon returning, the couple were filled with gratitude, saying, "How could there be such a good person in the world? Our good fortune saved our family's lives. If it weren't for him, we would be separated by distance, and who knows what would have become of us." Looking at their daughter, they said, "It's all because of your filial piety that you moved heaven and earth, which is why you met this great benefactor. If there were no divine intervention, how could I have sent out a matchmaker and just happened to meet him? Secondly, it's also a stroke of good fortune on your part." Xiao'e remained silent, her head bowed in thought. Xiang Weiren asked, "Why are you so silent? What are you thinking about?" Xiao'e suddenly replied, "I think I can never repay his kindness, even in lifetimes. I sacrificed myself for my parents back then, so why not send me to him today? That would be a small way to repay him. Wouldn't it be better to be sold to a distant place where my parents and brothers can't see me?" Xiang Weiren was overjoyed and said, "You're right. I've had this thought for a long time, but I couldn't bring myself to say it, fearing my children would complain. It would be like saying that outsiders saved you, and we, as your parents, sent you away to be a lowly servant. Since you've made up your mind, I'll buy you some clothes, hairpins, and the like, and my husband and I will send you there together." Xiang Weiren went to a clothing shop on the street and bought several silk and cotton-padded clothes, skirts, vests, and the like. He also went to a jewelry store and exchanged some hairpins and bought some scissors. He quickly made a small jacket, undergarment, new shoes, pleated trousers, and other items, which were completed in a few days. Two sedan chairs were summoned, and the mother and daughter sat in them. She instructed her two sons to watch the house, and then she went with them to the Huan family's residence.

Huan E was not home, but the gatekeeper informed him and they were to enter. Madam Hou instructed Jiaohua and Nenrui to lead the servants and welcome the mother and daughter in. As they were about to kowtow in gratitude, Madam Hou quickly stopped them and made them sit down. Kongshi said, "My daughter is here to serve you, Madam. How can she sit?" Madam Hou inquired about the reason, and Kongshi explained in detail how her daughter had wanted to sell herself, but was saved by Master Huan. He had given her money, rescuing her family from hardship, and now her daughter was willing to serve him. Madam Hou looked at Xiao'e, who was beautiful and dignified, and truly liked her, insisting she sit. She said, "Even if you were to stay, I wouldn't want to look down on you. Besides, you are a guest now; how can you stand?" Xiao'e said, "Although Madam has shown me kindness, how could I dare?" Madam Hou firmly refused. She then moved a stool behind her and sat down. Madam Hou smiled and said, "Come over here so we can talk." Xiao'e replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam. Sitting here is more than enough." Madam Hou then turned her seat sideways and spoke to her in short, drawn-out conversation, their hearts filled with affection. Xiang Weiren was also waiting in the front hall.

Before long, Huan'e returned. Xiang Weiren stepped forward and bowed again to express his gratitude, but Huan'e stopped him, saying, "You're being too polite. What do you want to say? Please sit down and we'll talk." Xiang Weiren refused to sit and told her that he and his wife had personally sent their daughter to him to be his maid. Huan E said, "No wonder I saw two sedan chairs outside the gate when I came in; it turns out they belong to your family. Your actions have ruined my good intentions. Did I do this because I had my eye on your daughter?" Xiang Weiren said, "This is what my wife, my daughter, and I wanted to repay even a fraction of your great kindness." Huan E was determined not to leave, and he pleaded, "If you don't stay, my family and I will not be able to eat or sleep peacefully. Even if my daughter is willing, we will not stop." Huan E couldn't get up and said, "Very well, please go back and we can discuss it further." Only then did he leave.

Huan E went inside, and his mother and daughter came to greet him. Hou said, "Now that he has sent his daughter here, what do you think?" Huan'e said, "How can this be? Her father just kept me waiting in the hall for a while, and I managed to get back at him. I saved him out of kindness, and I can't bear to let his daughter become someone's concubine. If I take her now, it would be better not to have saved him in the first place. Is that something a decent person would do?" Hou said, "This is also a kind act from him and his wife. You should keep her. Her mother is pleading with me here. I think that although you saved her out of kindness, if you were to take her now, you wouldn't be a decent person. It's perfectly reasonable for him to send her here. I think she's a lucky child, and I love her very much. Don't think I'm jealous and that's why I don't want her." Huan'e said, "Although you are so virtuous, this is absolutely unacceptable. If I keep her, all my previous kindness will have gone to waste." Seeing that she wouldn't keep her daughter, Kong knelt on the ground and begged her.

Huan'e asked Jiaohua to pull her up, but she wouldn't get up. Turning around, Xiao'e also knelt on the ground. She hurriedly called for Nenrui to help him up, but he refused. Hou Shi laughed, "See how sincere they are, mother and daughter, you should stay." Huan'e had no choice but to say, "Please get up, I'll stay." Kong Shi got up, and Xiao'e also stood up. Hou Shi ordered wine and food to be brought to entertain the mother and daughter, but Xiao'e refused to eat with them. Hou Shi repeatedly urged him to sit at the side of the table and eat with them. Kong Shi got up to thank her and take his leave, but Huan'e told him to take his daughter back, which he refused. He said, "Sir, a man's word is his bond. You already stayed, why are you asking me to take her away now?" Seeing his refusal, Huan'e had no choice but to leave Xiao'e behind and sent a servant to escort Kong Shi back. "Extremely meticulous. His novels can't match this level of detail. Even though it's a trivial matter, the clothing must be described logically. Let Wei Ren return first, Xiao'e stay, and only have Kong Shi and the sedan chair bearers return. Would that be proper? Have a servant send them off; that's the proper way to conduct the ceremony."

That evening, Huan'e had the maids prepare a bed in the west room for Xiao'e to sleep on, while he still slept with Hou Shi. Hou Shi said, "Why don't you go and accompany the new bride?" Huan'e replied, "Do you think I want this girl? I had no choice but to keep her because her parents were pestering me. In a few days, I'll send her back. Having saved her, how could I want her again? Someone as virtuous as you, I could find anywhere, how could I take this filial daughter as a concubine?" Hearing this, Hou Shi truly respected him and secretly praised his virtues.

The next day, the old woman Huan Shi heard these words and was also very happy. She thought to herself, "My son has indeed become a very good person." "My son has changed so much." This shows that being a good person doesn't depend on studying. "Old Huan'e's words are utterly absurd. Does that mean all scholars are good people? Those with great talent who are deliberately misused are often worse off than those who are uneducated; countless examples of this have been found throughout history." He and his nephew, Tong, were both completely ignorant, and their actions were things that those with great talent would neither do nor be willing to do. "If they cannot do it, their crime is still understandable. But if they are unwilling to do it, their crime is beyond words." He secretly rejoiced. This Xiao'e didn't pretend to be shy at all. Every day, she would get up very early to wash and dress, and then go to Hou's side, being extremely attentive and careful. Hou truly loved her and couldn't bear to part with her. She often tried to persuade Huan'e to stay, but Huan'e insisted on not doing so, and he had no choice. Huan'e made two sets of clothes for Xiao'e, and Hou also gave her several pieces of jewelry and rings.

A few days later, Huan'e brought over ten taels of silver and invited Xiao'e to his side, saying, "You've stayed these past few days, and I have nothing to give you. Here are two sets of clothes and some jewelry; take them and wear them. Here are ten taels of silver; take them and use them to buy some dowry when you get married." He also gave her two brushes and two boxes of ink, saying, "These are what I promised you the other day; I'm sending you back now." He packed her belongings. Xiao'e said, "My parents sent me here to serve my master and mistress; why am I being asked to go back?" Huan'e said, "Young lady, you are educated and reasonable. I've done so much for you; you should be a grateful and kind person, but do you expect me to be a lustful and greedy person? How can you bear that?" When Xiao'e first came, she was worried that the Hou family wouldn't tolerate her and that they wouldn't get along. Now, seeing how much the eldest mistress doted on her, she was determined to stay. Suddenly, Huan'e asked her to go back, but she was a girl; how could she stay and become his concubine? She had no choice but to obey. Tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing his reluctance to part, Huan'e felt a pang of sadness. He said to him, "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of you and your father, and my mistress is so virtuous. Am I truly heartless and do not love you? It is only that I cannot bear to part with you, so I reluctantly do so. Do not cry, go well." The more Huan'e loved him, the more deeply Xiao'e felt, and the more unwilling she was to leave. She asked a servant to carry his belongings, and Huan'e stood up to personally see him off. He kowtowed to Lady Hou, who helped him up, feeling extremely reluctant to part, and also felt a pang of sorrow. Xiao'e left weeping, got into the sedan chair, and Huan'e had his servant escort her away. "The servant who always accompanies her is the best. Others wouldn't recognize her family. Such subtle details, can't I easily see them without mentioning them?" Huan'e then went out as well.

Sitting in her room, Madam Hou thought to herself, "This child has been chattering away these past few days, which is quite amusing. Such a stubborn fellow, I must send him back. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I should have taken him to see my in-laws the other day and begged them to let him stay; I doubt he would have dared to disobey." Just then, a servant entered and said, "The Xiang family, mother and daughter, are here again." Madam Hou was both surprised and delighted—delighted that they had come, but surprised that they had returned after leaving. She quickly sent someone to fetch them. His mother cried and said to Madam Hou, "Just now when my daughter came home, she said that she was so kind to her grandmother, who doted on her so much. Now that her husband doesn't want her, she vows never to marry again and would rather become a nun, fasting and chanting Buddhist prayers to bless her husband and grandmother. She opened her hair to cut it off, but I grabbed the scissors quickly and cut off a lock." She took it out from her sleeve and showed it to Madam Hou, adding, "My husband and I have tried to stop her many times, but she absolutely refuses. We had no choice but to come with her again, begging her grandmother to persuade her husband to keep her." Madam Hou looked at Xiao'e; her hair was tied up on her head, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She felt very sorry for her. She said, "I've tried to persuade her so many times, but she won't listen. I can't do anything about it. I have a plan. I'll take you and your daughter to plead with the old master and madam. If they agree, she won't refuse." Madam Hou was overjoyed.

Madam Hou then led her to her parents-in-law's room, where the mother and daughter kowtowed. Hou explained in detail how Huan'e refused to take the girl in, how she had repeatedly tried to persuade him, and how the girl wanted to cut her hair and become a nun. She then asked her parents-in-law to persuade their son to keep the girl, so that he would not dare disobey and could save her. Huan Shi was overjoyed. His son's good deeds were beyond question, and this girl was so virtuous, filial, and grateful—truly rare. His daughter-in-law was even more virtuous and delightful. He said, "I was delighted to hear that my son was willing to keep the girl; it's only right. Since you are so virtuous and this girl is so filial, I will bring you both together." He instructed his servants, "Call your master." Hou said, "He's not home." Huan Shi instructed a maid, "When your master comes home, call him." He then said to Hou, "Have the child wash and dress." The mother and daughter quickly thanked him and happily returned to their room with Hou. His mother then took her leave. Hou instructed the servants to bring water for Xiao'e to bathe and to change her into new clothes. She watched as Xiao'e washed and dressed, and after she finished, she adorned her with many pearls and jade ornaments.

In the afternoon, Huan'e returned home. Upon entering the house, he saw Xiao'e there again. Adorned with pearls and jade, and dressed in silk and brocade, she looked charming and delicate. Just as he was about to ask her anything, a servant stepped forward and said, "The master has asked the master several times if he has returned. Please go quickly; he has important news to tell you." Huan'e hurried to his father's room, where Huan'e explained how Xiao'e wanted to cut her hair and become a nun, vowing never to marry, and how virtuous his wife was. The master said, "She came to beg me. The child seems very promising; you should let her stay." Huan'e was still somewhat reluctant, but pressured by his parents, he dared not disobey and lowered his head in silence. Seeing his son's dilemma, Huan Shi explained, "You saved him out of kindness. If you don't take him in now, and he does indeed shave his head, you'll be harming him instead. Heaven and earth know your heart. Besides, it's my father's command; you can't refuse anymore." Huan E said, "When I saved him, I couldn't bear to let a filial daughter become someone's concubine. Now, I'm taking him as a concubine myself; how can I be at peace with myself?" Huan Shi said, "My dear daughter-in-law, you're very wise. If you place him between wife and concubine, and the proper etiquette is balanced, then it's fine." Huan E had no choice but to agree. When Hou Shi found out, she hurriedly ordered people to prepare the bed, with new bedding, pillows, and curtains. That very night, she prepared a feast and had the two of them get married. That night, the two were deeply in love; one can imagine what happened.

The next morning, after the temple visit, they paid their respects to Huan Shi's parents-in-law. They treated him with slightly less respect than they had treated Hou Shi, and instructed the family to call him Second Mistress and Jiao Hua and Nen Rui Aunt. Xiao'e paid her respects to Madam Hou, presenting herself as a concubine. Madam Hou refused, only accepting two bows from her, and treated Jiaohua and Nenrui as sisters. Xiao'e was exceptionally filial to the elderly couple, and she respected Madam Hou greatly; in return, Madam Hou loved her like a younger sister. She treated Jiaohua and Nenrui like her own sisters. Initially, the two women were somewhat jealous of Xiao'e's rise to prominence. However, seeing her like this, they became even closer. She treated the servants with great harmony, truly a picture of family bliss. Huan'e doted on her to the extreme; even the elderly couple and Madam Hou adored her.

Zhong Sheng, knowing his in-laws had married a concubine, invited Mei Sheng, Jia Wenwu, and Tong Zida to his home to offer congratulations. Huan'e invited them to stay for drinks, and they chatted idly. Huan E suddenly remembered something and asked Zhong Sheng, "Yesterday, I passed by your residence and heard you say you saw some guests leaving. I wonder what business you have at your home?" Zhong Sheng replied, "Indeed, I have something to discuss with you, elder brother, and I would like to ask you to make the decision. There is a happy occasion at your residence today, so I will come to ask again in a few days." Huan E did not ask any further questions. They drank together and parted at dusk. Huan E, seeing that Zhong Sheng said he had something to discuss with him and his son, feared it might be some confidential matter that was not appropriate to discuss in public, so he did not ask.

The next day, he went to Zhong Sheng's house. Firstly, to thank him for visiting the previous day, and secondly, to inquire about this matter. "Such concern is truly worthy of the title of close relative. Do I have such people today?" What kind of scheme did Zhong Sheng and Huan E discuss? Zhong Sheng's maternal uncle had passed away long ago, and a cousin had married Si Jinchao. He also had a cousin named Xianping, who was twenty-one years old. He had just entered school, and his mother wanted to arrange his marriage. His father, while still alive, had a close friend named Han Shi, with whom he had been betrothed since infancy. Han Shi's daughter, Shegu, was the same age as Xianping. The two were very close, and after a brief engagement, they agreed to marry on the wedding day. However, both families passed away within a few years. Because their children were still young, they remained unmarried. Now, Hui Shi, seeing her son grown, wished to fulfill this wish. Xianping, though young, was quite talented, but also somewhat frivolous and competitive. Knowing his future mother-in-law was widowed and poor, he was unwilling to accept the marriage. He said to his mother, "Families like theirs could find any suitable match for their in-laws, so why would they want to marry such a poor girl? I absolutely refuse." Madam Hui said, "This was arranged when you were still a baby, how can you say you don't want it?" Xianping said, "We didn't even have a formal betrothal ceremony; Father only said it verbally, how can it be considered a promise?" Madam Hui said, "Young man, don't say such things. The ancients said, 'A thread of silk is a token of commitment.' Your father and father-in-law are bosom friends, hence this marriage. Although no formal betrothal ceremony was held, a small tea ceremony was conducted; how can it be just a verbal promise?" Xianping said, "Whether it's formal or not, I don't want this marriage. Even if Mother insists on marrying him, I will never share a room with him." If it's not meant to be, it can't be forced. Madam Hui, being a woman of wisdom, thought to herself: Since my son is so unwilling, if I force him into marriage, what if the couple doesn't get along? Wouldn't that ruin his life's most important matter? They had no choice but to ask someone to tactfully speak to the mother-in-law, explaining that her son was adamant about not wanting to marry into the family and feared it would harm the children of both families. They added that the mother-in-law had a daughter, so there was no need to worry about anyone else seeking her hand. Upon hearing this, the widow Han knew that her son-in-law disliked their poverty and flew into a rage, saying, "This boy is so heartless! How will he ever amount to anything? If he doesn't want to, am I supposed to force my daughter to his house? If he wants to back out, then so be it!" The person then returned the child to Hui.

However, this virtuous woman, Shugu, had received several years of education from her father since childhood, and he often heard stories of virtuous and chaste women from the "Biographies of Exemplary Women," which she remembered well. Today, seeing that the Xian family wanted to break off the engagement, her mother stubbornly agreed. He said to his mother, “When my father was alive, he often taught me: ‘A woman’s duty is to remain faithful to her husband for life.’ I have been betrothed to the Xian family since childhood; I am a member of the Xian family in life and in death. They have abandoned me out of loyalty; how could I dare to betray my vows and marry into their family? I wish to serve them forever. If they want me to take another surname, I will not be able to serve you, Mother, and will have to go with you to the underworld.”

The widow was anxious upon hearing her daughter’s words. She had already returned to the Xian family in a fit of anger; how could she now go back to say that she wanted to return her daughter to them, especially since her son-in-law was unwilling? After much deliberation, she invited several members of the clan to discuss the matter. Among them were three or four scholars who angrily said, “This beast of a dog!” (a scholar’s insult). He has only just entered school and is already so frivolous and arrogant. Let’s go to the academy and present a petition against him, saying that he abandoned his wife out of poverty. Let’s see if he can keep his official hat on then!” One of the more experienced scholars shook his head and said, “This is unacceptable.” "Our family must sever this marriage alliance with him, and that's the right thing to do. It will not only deflate his arrogance but also vent our anger. Now that our daughter still wants to marry him, if we file a complaint, it will only exacerbate the feud, making things difficult to resolve later. We must devise a foolproof plan." After thinking for a while, he said, "I've got it. Master Zhong is his cousin, a Confucian scholar. Why don't we go and meet him, ask him about this matter, and see what he thinks? If he refuses to take responsibility, then we'll have to go to the magistrate's office, beat the drums, and beg him to break off the marriage." Everyone agreed, "That makes sense." They then went together to Master Zhong's house.

Although Zhong Sheng was not a frequent visitor, upon hearing that some of his classmates had come to talk to him, and knowing they were relatives, he hurriedly went out to greet them in the hall. After bowing and sitting down, he inquired about their purpose. The group recounted in detail Xianping's vow of celibacy and Guan Shugu's vow of fidelity. Zhong Sheng hesitated for a moment, then said, "My cousin is young and ignorant; you gentlemen need not worry about him. Since he is unwilling, we must force him. Husband and wife are bound together until old age; if they are not harmonious, it would be a mistake for both. I have a humble suggestion: things should be done this way, and there will be no problem." The group laughed heartily, saying, "Sir, your insight is brilliant! You have brought about a happy union for both families. Not only will the living be grateful, but the dead will also be thankful." They took their leave and returned the letter to Widow Han, who and her daughter were overjoyed. This was the very matter that Zhong Sheng had asked Huan E to discuss with him that day.

The next day, Huan E arrived at Zhong Sheng's house, first thanking him for his kindness the previous day, and then asking what he wanted to discuss. Zhong Sheng recounted in detail Xianping's vow of celibacy and abandonment of his wife, Shugu. He said, “My cousin is young and ignorant. If I don’t help him with this today, not only will his academic career be in jeopardy, but he will also lose all his integrity. My late maternal uncle only has this one son; how can he bear to watch him drown without saving him? Besides, wouldn’t that ruin the life of this virtuous daughter of the Han family? I have thought of a plan. I implore you, brother, to persuade my uncle to temporarily accept him as a goddaughter. I will prepare a small dowry and discuss it with my aunt, pretending to act as a matchmaker for my cousin. After it’s done, my uncle can then reveal the truth and teach him a lesson. He will surely not dare to do it again.” "I'm reluctant to leave," Huan'e said happily. "A gentleman helps others achieve their goals. Since you have such a kind intention, I should help you make it happen. Besides, my cousin's reluctance is only because he is poor. I'll prepare a dowry and send him off, and then we'll have a wonderful day together." Zhong Sheng said, "How dare I trouble you again, elder brother, making me even more uneasy." Huan'e said, "We are as close as family, why speak so formally? I would not hesitate to do this for others, let alone for relatives." He took his leave and went home to inform his father, Huan Gong, who was pleased and agreed. He then sent two maids to Zhong Sheng's place, and together they sent someone to bring Shugu home. Huan Gong saw that although she wore simple clothes and had a plain hairpin, she was a very dignified woman. He was overjoyed and adopted her as his daughter. Making clothes and jewelry for her was as easy as blowing dust, needless to say.

One day, Zhong Sheng came to his aunt's house, bowed and sat down, and Xianping also accompanied him. Zhong Sheng chatted for a while, then said to Madam Hui, "My cousin is married, and the Han family's daughter is grown up; the marriage should be finalized to settle her life's important matter." Madam Hui said, "Your brother didn't want this marriage and has already declined it." Zhong Sheng feigned surprise and said, "What are you saying? When Uncle was alive, he arranged this marriage for my cousin from childhood. How can he say he doesn't want it now? Not only is abandoning his wife unjust, but disobeying his father's orders is also unfilial. How can Aunt allow him to do such a thing? Although the Han family is poor, there are many scholars in the clan. If public outrage is stirred up,..." If we report this to the Grand Master, not only will our official titles be lost, but how will we face anyone afterward? Besides, if people know about this, which family's daughter would still be willing to marry us? When we went to break off the engagement, what was their response?" Hui said, "His mother didn't say anything more and simply agreed." Zhong Sheng said, "Fortune. Fortune, this is the great virtue of the Han family. If we were to get even slightly angry, how would we handle it?" He said to Xianping, "My cousin is young and has only just achieved a little success. Is it possible for him to do such a heartless thing?" Xianping blushed and was speechless. Zhong Sheng then said, “Now that things have come to this, it’s too late for regrets. But you must act quickly. My relative, a man of official rank, has a younger sister, the beloved daughter of Mr. Huan. I will act as matchmaker for you, cousin. What do you think? But I fear that without a substantial dowry, she may not meet your expectations.” Upon hearing about the daughter of a man of official rank, Xianping said, “I am deeply grateful for your kindness, cousin. How could I dare to entertain other thoughts? But I fear that a daughter of a man of official rank may not be willing to marry into a humble family. Those who despise the poor naturally flock to the powerful and wealthy. Hearing of a daughter of a man of official rank, and fearing that their humble status is no match, they make such remarks. Such is the mind of most petty people.” Zhong Sheng said, “If I go and speak with her, there is an eight or nine out of ten chance of success. Whether she agrees or not, I will reply.” He then took his leave and returned home.

The next day, he went to his aunt’s house. Inside the room, he said to Madam Hui, “Congratulations, cousin, aunt! I went to the man of official rank yesterday to propose marriage, and it was settled immediately. We only need to prepare the betrothal gifts, and then the marriage can proceed.” Xianping and his mother were overjoyed. A date was chosen for the betrothal, and on the auspicious day, the bride was brought to the groom's home. At the time of the nuptial ceremony, Xianping noticed a beautiful woman and thought to himself, "She is truly a lady of high birth; not only beautiful but also poised, she is quite different from daughters of poor families. If I hadn't made up my mind the other day and married the Han family's daughter, I wonder how pathetic I would be." He was overjoyed. He also saw that the dowry, though not extremely lavish, was complete in every detail. There was even a maidservant as a concubine, which pleased him even more. He went out to entertain the guests.

When the evening had passed and everyone had left, he hurriedly came in, wanting to be intimate with the newlyweds, but the door was tightly shut. Xianping, puzzled, gently knocked on the door. An old maidservant sent by a high-ranking official to keep him company said through the door, "The young lady has ordered that the door not be opened. The young master will stay in the study tonight, and we will discuss it further tomorrow after my master and Master Zhong have spoken." Xianping exclaimed in surprise, "Everything is already done, what is there to discuss? Go and beg the young lady not to miss the auspicious day." The maidservant continued, "The young lady said that she heard the young master was betrothed to another girl since childhood, but he broke his promise and abandoned her because he found her poor. Now, our young lady's dowry is meager; I fear the young master may later despise her and want to abandon her as well. Wouldn't that be a mistake for him? Unless..." Only after speaking with the family elders and everyone else did I dare to feel at ease. Xianping felt ashamed again, "Fortunately, my conscience is not dead." He said anxiously, "What are you saying? How can your daughter, a young lady of noble birth, compare to the daughter of a poor scholar? Even if there were no such apologies, I would not dare to resent you." He then said, "I fear your daughter is not trustworthy, so I kneel here and swear an oath." He knelt down and said, "If I dare to betray my original intention in the future, may I be punished by both gods and men." The maid of honor returned after a while and said, "Young master, remember these words." Xianping hurriedly went into the room and saw the newlyweds sitting on the bed with their backs to the lamp. He bowed deeply and said, "Why is my dear wife so worried? I am grateful to my father-in-law for not disdaining my humble origins, and my cousin is the matchmaker. How could I dare to have the slightest other thought?" He then stepped forward, took off his clothes, and lay down on the pillow, thus consummating their marriage.

The next day, the two paid respects to the ancestral mother. On this day, they invited Huan Gong, Huan E, and Zhong Sheng to a wedding banquet. When Huan Gong arrived and they sat down for tea, he said to Xianping, "Since you, my worthy son-in-law, have not abandoned my daughter and we are now happily married, you should also go and thank your mother-in-law." Xianping replied, "I already thanked my mother-in-law yesterday." Huan Gong laughed and said, "I don't mean my old wife. This girl is not my biological daughter, but the daughter of my old friend, the Han family, whom you abandoned the other day. I raised her as an adopted child, and that's why I had my cousin act as matchmaker to fulfill our predestined relationship." Xianping realized that she was his former wife and was so ashamed that he wanted to disappear. Zhong Sheng sternly rebuked him, saying, "My brother, you've barely earned your first degree, yet you commit such a heartless and ungrateful act. Compared to those of ancient times who didn't abandon their wives who shared hardship, shouldn't you feel ashamed? The other day, many of your relatives from the Han family, all friends from the three academies, came to my house, intending to petition the magistrate. If this were done, not only would your degree be lost, but your entire character would be ruined. Your esteemed elder, Lord Huan, couldn't bear to see you so destitute at such a young age, hence this righteous act. My brother, from now on, you must cleanse your heart and cultivate a good family. If you harbor such thoughts again..." "Xiao Zhinian, we're about to lose our public grievances!" Xianping, filled with shame, said, "I know my fault. I am deeply grateful for my father-in-law's kindness and my elder brother's compassion. How could I possibly have any other intentions? Elder brother, please sit with your father-in-law and brother-in-law. I will go to my mother-in-law's house to apologize right now." The eunuch said, "Son-in-law, please wait. I know your mother-in-law is widowed and has no close relatives. Why don't you bring her here to keep your elderly mother company? This would not only maintain kinship but also restore order." Xianping readily agreed. Knowing his mother-in-law's family was poor and might not have enough clothes, he asked his mother for a set of clothes, packed them up, and hired a sedan chair to personally apologize and invite her. Widow Han, seeing her daughter was married and her son-in-law so courteous, felt all her previous regrets dispelled and happily came along. The eunuch's gathering ended at dusk.

Xianping then went to pay his respects to the Han family members early in the morning and sent invitations to the men and women for a family reunion feast. Everyone knew he had even taken his mother-in-law in to support, so what was there to be angry about? They all came to the feast, and everyone praised the virtues of the Huan family's Qiao Zi and Zhong Sheng. "Praising their virtues reflects Xianping's shortcomings; this is a form of criticism without being explicitly criticized." Another day, they invited Huan Gong and his son Zhong Sheng, Si Jinchao, and also invited Madam Ai, Madam Hou, Madam Xiang, Aunt Nen, Aunt Jiao, Madam Qian, Madam Dai, and Sister Si. Only Huan Gong and his wife declined; all the other men and women attended. Xianping was busy for several days before he understood. He and his wife loved each other deeply and were very harmonious. Xianping often felt ashamed of his past mistakes. That year was the year of the imperial examination, and there was an ancient saying that, with two characters changed, became his fate. It said: "

The end of the list is Sun Shan, and Xianping is even further from Sun Shan.

" Xianping was confident in his talent and was sure to succeed, but he failed, and was deeply unhappy. That night, he dreamt of his father, who said, “Our ancestors have accumulated virtue for three generations, and you have already passed the imperial examination. Because of your abandonment of your wife, this has been removed from the list, thanks to the kindness of your nephew, Zhong. If you do more good deeds, you still have a chance in the next examination. Liu Xian, who ranked sixty-third, has the merit of not abandoning his wife, so he has replaced you.” Having said this, he left in sorrow. Xianping awoke with a start, filled with resentment. Afterwards, his relationship with his wife deepened, but that

's another story. Who is Liu Xian? He is the son of Liu Taichu, the son of his aunt Huan'e. He, along with Zhong Sheng, Mei Sheng, Si Jinchao, and Xianping, were all disciples of Master Guang. Master Guang respected Taichu as a man of ancient virtues, unmoved by worldly affairs, unattached to fame and fortune, unyielding in his principles, and undignified in his conduct, knowing that Taichu's descendants would surely prosper.

Mr. Guang had a daughter, and he asked Mei Sheng to speak to Liu Taichu, expressing his willingness to give his daughter to him as a daughter-in-law. Liu Taichu also recognized Mr. Guang as a virtuous and gentlemanly man, and he was true to his word. Liu Taichu was poor and had no money for the betrothal, so the engagement was finalized. Guang Houde later passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, eventually rising to the position of Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel. Because he impeached Grand Secretary Yang Sichang, Emperor Chongzhen was furious and wanted to dismiss him. The Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate repeatedly petitioned, arguing that if the two departments punished him for speaking out, it would be silencing dissent, and he was only demoted to the position of Registrar of Chaoyang County, Chaozhou Prefecture, Guangdong.

Mr. Guang was originally a poor scholar, and after serving as an honest official for several years, his official coffers were empty. His daughter was still young, and his son, Guangpei, was still a child, so he could not stay at home and had to take him with him to his residence. He died of illness after serving for more than three years. His daughter, seeing her father dead, her mother old, her younger brother young, and her family poor, thousands of miles from home, wondered when her father's coffin and her family would return. His mother , weeping day and night, eventually lost her sight.

She rented several rooms and, hearing that the landlord was going to Nanjing for trade, wrote a letter to her son-in-law, asking him to come and fetch her family. However, she worried that her son-in-law, being a poor scholar, might not be able to find them. Remembering her husband's former students, she thought only Si Jinchao, whose father had been a high-ranking official and a well-known local gentry, would be easy to find. She wrote another letter to him, asking him to pass it on to Liu Xian and also to ask his fellow students for help in summoning her son-in-law.

The landlord, pitying his family's good official status and their current plight in a foreign land, did not fail her request. He went to Nanjing, found the Si family, and delivered the letter. Si Jinchao read it and learned that his teacher had passed away. He first sent a letter from the Liu family, then personally went to Mei Sheng, Zhong Sheng, and their former classmates to inform them of his teacher's passing and to show them the letter from his teacher's wife. He initiated the donation of 100 taels of silver, and the others shared 10 or 20 taels each, totaling over 200 taels. Zhong Sheng, grateful for the past affection between them, gave 50 taels. Huan E, knowing his cousin was moving his father-in-law's coffin, wanted to give him a generous gift. Fearing his stubborn uncle wouldn't accept it, he gave Zhong Sheng 150 taels, making it 200 with Huan E, saying it was for his teacher's wife's travel expenses. The total was over 400 taels, which he gave to Liu Xian. Seeing that Liu Xian was traveling alone without companions, Zhong Sheng asked Zhong Yong to go with him, for which Liu Xian was deeply grateful. He bid farewell to his parents and friends, and with Zhong Yong, hired a boat and set off.

The journey was uneventful. Upon arriving in Chaoyang, he met his mother-in-law's family and moved his father-in-law's coffin back. Back in their hometown, finding his mother-in-law homeless, they bought a house next door that was for sale and lived there with her. After burying his father-in-law in the Guang family cemetery, they had over 100 taels left, which they gave to his mother-in-law. At this time, both he and his wife were over twenty years old. Liu Taichu asked the matchmaker, Meisheng, to speak to the mother-in-law about arranging their children's marriage. Madam Guang said her daughter was blind and unfit for marriage, and preferred that the family arrange another marriage. His daughter also insisted on remaining unmarried, wishing to stay with her mother for life. Liu Taichu and his son refused, saying, "We were deeply grateful for your kindness in arranging your daughter's marriage to my son. Even if she were blind or had a serious illness, we would not have broken our vow." Liu Xian also said, "If his daughter does not marry, I will remain unmarried for life. I would rather have no heir and be a sinner against my ancestors than betray my principles and become a sinner against morality." "Like father, like son." Meisheng went back and forth several times, and seeing the father and son's resolve, Madam Guang and her daughter had no choice but to comply.

After the marriage, one night, Liu Taichu dreamed of a government office. Upon entering, he saw a nobleman sitting on the throne, resembling a sculpted image of the God of Literature, surrounded by many officials. He privately asked a nearby official, who said it was the God of Literature and the city gods of various prefectures. The emperor checked the names of the candidates from each prefecture to determine their merits and submit the list to the court. Liu Taichu was greatly surprised, realizing it was a divine being, and eavesdropped nearby. The emperor called out names one by one, noting where each person was from. The prefectural city god then reported the family's good and bad deeds in detail, sometimes crossing out names, sometimes replacing them, but not saying much.

Suddenly, he heard the sixty-third name, Xianping, from Shangyuan County, Yingtian Prefecture. A god sitting nearby stood up and said, "This man abandoned his wife because of poverty; he should be dismissed. Although his cousin completed the task, his intentions were impure, so he should be banned from the exam." The emperor crossed out the name and said, "You can recommend someone to replace him." The god then reported, "Liu He, a student from Jiangning County, and his son refused to abandon their originally betrothed daughter-in-law because she was blind. This case is similar; please replace him with his son, Liu Xian." Liu Taichu saw the emperor write two characters, as if he had changed the name.

Liu Taichu was overjoyed, but when he woke up, it was just a dream. He was both surprised and delighted, but dared not speak of it. As expected, on the day the results were announced, Liu Xianzhong ranked sixty-third. Xianping, who had always been close to him and a childhood classmate, came to congratulate him that day. Xianping told him about his father's dream that had appeared to him and his son. Liu Taichu also recounted his dream to Xianping, realizing that divine intervention was always present. All the guests were astonished. Xianping, filled with self-pity, resolved to do good, and indeed passed the next exam, again ranking sixty-third, which was even more remarkable. But this is a story for later, and need not be elaborated upon.

Now, after Huan'e married Xiao'e, he sent a servant with two hundred taels of silver to Xiang Weiren's house to thank him for giving him his daughter, and told him that he would not treat her as a concubine, but rather as the second wife of the first wife. Xiang Weiren and his wife were overjoyed. Huan'e then gave him another two hundred taels of silver to buy a house. Xiang Weiren and his wife declined repeatedly, but Huan'e insisted, and he finally accepted. Still

enjoying his new marriage, he mounted his horse and returned home. Arriving at a house, he heard a woman wailing loudly, several children crying mournfully, and an old man muttering incessantly. Several people stood on the street, sighing deeply. He dismounted and went to inquire. The people said, “This family is surnamed Li. Their son went to Huguang to do business, and three years have passed without a word from him. His parents are old, and he left behind his wife and five children, with nothing to wear or eat. The old man is also old and unable to earn a living, so the family often goes hungry. The old man says there are many bandits in Huguang, so his son must be dead. He wants his wife to take the children and remarry. But the wife refuses, saying she can't do it without her husband's trust. 'How virtuous this woman is! It's no wonder she met Huan E who saved her.' The old man is always making a fuss, and the wife is always crying; it's truly hopeless.” Huan E thought for a moment and asked, “What is his son's name? In what year did he go?” One of them said, "His name is Li Laoda, but does anyone know his real name?" Another said, "I studied with him when I was young. His formal name was Tu, which means 'to rise to officialdom.'" Yet another thought for a moment and said, "He left in August of that year. Why do I remember?" He pointed to the son Li was holding and said, "He ate at my house for my son's one-month celebration two days ago, and left on the third day. My son is three years old now, and it hasn't been three years since he left."

Huan E inquired about the details, mounted his horse, and went home. He sent someone to invite Wu He and told him what Li's family had just said. He said, "If I want to save this family, I need to write a fake letter from their son, with a few taels of silver inside as proof. Only then can we get them out of trouble. So I asked you to write it and deliver it. You are quite capable and can answer the questions." He readily agreed and said, "Sir, you are doing such a virtuous deed. I am honored to serve you." After finishing the book, he read it aloud to Huan'e. Huan'e was pleased and said, "Well written." He then took ten taels of silver, sealed it inside the book, and dried it over a fire. "So meticulous!" He then ordered the servant who had followed the horse to lead Wu He there.

Before long, they arrived at the door and heard sobbing inside. Wu He went up and knocked on the door. After knocking for a while, he heard an old man coughing and leaning on his cane as he came out and asked, "Who is knocking?" Wu He said, "It's someone delivering a letter from home." Upon hearing that it was a letter from home, the old man quickly opened the door and asked, "What letter are you delivering, sir?" Wu He said, "Are you Old Man Li?" The old man said, "I dare not say so. I am. My humble surname is Li. Please come in and sit down, sir." They sat down inside the room. Wu He said, “My surname is Wu. I went to Huguang to do business and met your son. We happened to talk and found out we were from the same hometown. His business has been booming year after year, and he has made a lot of money that he is reluctant to leave and cannot return home. I am finishing my business and going home, and he asked me to bring him a letter and ten taels of silver.” He took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, “Please accept this, sir.” The old man was already overjoyed to hear that his son had returned with a letter and that he had made a lot of money. When he heard that ten taels of silver had been brought back, he was as happy as if he had been resurrected. He was so happy that he wet himself and laughed until tears streamed down his face. He thanked Wu He, saying, “Thank you so much, sir, for bringing this from so far away. Who would accept this?” Hearing his wife still crying, he called out, “Why are you crying? Your son has troubled you to bring a letter and silver. Why don’t you come and thank this gentleman?” The wife was as happy as if she had been given a life, and without wiping away her tears, she hurriedly came over and bowed to thank Wu He. They asked the old man, "What does the letter say?" The old man laughed and said, "I was so happy I was delirious. I still have the letter in my hand and forgot to read it." He then handed it to Wu He and said, "I can't read, so please read it to us."

Upon hearing the news from her son, the old woman, leaning on her cane, her head full of white hair, shaking her head and trembling, muttering Buddhist prayers, also came to listen. She thanked Wu He, sat down, and asked, "What is your surname, sir? You are a good man. How do you know my son and have entrusted him with this letter?" The old man replied, "This gentleman's surname is Wu. Don't use formal language; let Master Wu read the letter." Wu He opened it and read: "Since leaving home in August of the year before last, business has been very good, so I have lingered and haven't been able to return. I have repeatedly wanted to send a few taels of silver home, but I have no one to entrust it to. Now that Master Wu is returning home, I especially trouble you to deliver this letter to inquire after my well-being, along with ten taels of silver for travel expenses. I will definitely return around March or April next year, so please don't worry. My daughter-in-law should take good care of her parents-in-law and children. That's all." The family was overjoyed and thanked Wu He profusely. The old man said, "Sir, your surname is Wu, but I thought it was Wu. I'm old and hard of hearing." The old woman and her daughter-in-law chattered on and on, asking all sorts of questions. They cried for a while, laughed for a while, and asked a lot of questions. Wu He smiled and responded haphazardly, giving a few vague answers. Fearing he might give himself away, he hurriedly got up to leave. The old man saw him off, saying, "Sir, please sit down for a while. I'll get a pot of wine to treat you." Wu He smiled and said, "Thank you, but don't bother." The old man said, "Thank you for your hospitality, but please excuse me. We're a poor family and can't even afford a cup of tea, and you don't need wine. When my son returns, he'll come to your house to express his gratitude." Wu He left and returned home, then wrote back to the Huan family. Huan E was overjoyed.

Sure enough, in March of the following year, Li Tu returned home with a full load of goods, and the whole family was happy. That evening, after the couple went to bed to welcome him, they talked about their lives since they last met. His wife, with tears streaming down her face, recounted how her in-laws had not contacted her and were forcing her to remarry. She was about to commit suicide when she was saved by the money and letter they had brought. If they had waited a few more days, they would never have met again. Litu, hearing this, said blankly, "I didn't bring any money or letter." The woman was surprised and said, "It was brought last winter by a man surnamed Wu." The next morning, Litu asked his father for the letter, wondering where it came from. He asked his father if he had asked where this man surnamed Wu lived. The old man said, "I only said you would know, so I didn't ask." His whole family suspected that a Bodhisattva or deity had saved them, unaware that it was the Bodhisattva Huan who had done the good deed. They burned incense and paper money, offering sacrifices and fruits to thank the deity. "If he were truly guilty, Huan would surely be drunk and full. How do I know? Di Renjie was drunk at the morning court. Empress Wu asked, 'You never drink, how come you have such a drunken look?'" Di Renjie said, “When I was in Qinzhou, the people were grateful to me and built a shrine in my honor.

Perhaps I am just a drunkard today.” Now, on a day in early December, Huan E rode his horse around for a while and came to a small alley. “Previously, Xiang Weiren was in a quiet alley; here, Ba Shi is in a small alley. What does this mean? It means that houses in bustling areas are expensive, and the poor cannot afford them.” He saw an old woman in a courtyard. “Is a courtyard a place to talk in the dead of winter? Isn’t it a leaky place? If she were talking inside, how could Huan E see her? It’s very difficult to write this down. Only then did I realize the subtlety of the opening four words, ‘gentle breeze, warm sun.’” She was gesturing and crying, and a young man in his twenties was supporting her and trying to comfort her. Several men were standing and listening. Huan E suspected there must be a reason, so he rode in.

He dismounted, and everyone who saw him rushed to greet him, saying, "What brings you here, sir?" Huan'e said, "I was just passing by this gate when I saw this old woman crying and talking. What's wrong?" The old woman, full of bitterness, answered Huan'e's question, "My late husband's surname was Mu, and mine is Ba. I became a widow at forty." Pointing to the young man supporting her, she said, "This is my son, Mu Fu. He was only five years old then. My son and I had nothing at home, and we struggled to survive until now. He's twenty-eight now. It was only when his father was alive..." So they arranged for a daughter of the Ji family to be their daughter-in-law, born in the same year. The Ji family urged them to marry several times. My son is an apprentice in a silversmith's shop, and his annual wages are only enough for my son and me to eat and wear. How can we afford to marry a wife? The in-laws have threatened to break off the engagement several times, but thankfully the bride is virtuous and refuses to budge. "Many poor people cannot afford to marry, yet Huan'e only helps the wealthy. Why? It's because of this very point." Now the in-laws say that their daughter is grown up, and they should bring her home at the end of the year, during the festive season. Sir, think about it, how can we respond to such kind words? Just making a few clothes and bedding, a sedan chair, water, wine, and other miscellaneous expenses will cost at least ten taels of silver. Moreover, as the saying goes, once the bride enters the house, you have to pay for an ox. There are expenses everywhere. Where will we get the money? We have no choice but to invite them over." Pointing to two people, he said, "These are my son's uncles." He then pointed to the two men and said, “These are my two brothers. Please ask them for help. Everyone here is stingy. They are probably Yang Zhu’s disciples.” “Sir, where can an old widow like me go to make a fuss? Don’t think that an old widow has nowhere to make a fuss. Even a young widow would be in trouble if she had a place to make a fuss.” How could this not break my heart?

Huan’e said to the crowd, “Since you are all my close relatives, you should help me as much as you can.” “It is not a fault to blame close relatives who are poor and powerless. There are countless people who have great wealth but sit idly by and do nothing. I may not know this.” The crowd said, “Sir, we are all poor families. As the saying goes, when the wind blows your chin, you can’t even keep up with your mouth. We can’t even make a bowl of rice. How can we afford to help with this money? Even if we help a little, it will be difficult. It’s not that we are unwilling to part with our money. If we have money hidden away and don’t use it to help our close relatives with their happy events, then we will be in trouble.” "They steal women and prostitutes, leaving their families to struggle to afford coffin nails." Huan'e said to Madam Ba, "They made such a terrible vow, they're probably all poor, so it's no wonder. You just said that ten taels of silver is enough for you to marry a wife, shouldn't you and your son buy some clothes? There's an old saying, 'Better to add a bushel than a mouthful.' After you marry a wife, you'll need firewood, rice, oil, vegetables, charcoal, and so on, which will cost several taels of silver." Madam Ba said, "Ten taels is incredibly difficult to come by, there's still no hope. If we calculate it like this, it'll take a lifetime..." "You can't marry her anyway. You'll have to take it one step at a time." Huan'e said, "I've considered it for you; thirty taels of silver would be more than enough." The woman, Madam Ba, laughed instead, saying, "Even if you sold this old woman to get a wife, no one would offer thirty taels of silver." Huan'e told a servant to bring the silver, weighed out thirty taels, and gave it to her, saying, "This will help your son and daughter-in-law." Madam Ba was truly astonished. She and her son quickly knelt down to thank him, saying, "How can my son and I ever repay your kindness, sir?" Huan'e said: "Please rise, sir. I pity you, a widow and orphan, and your wife is virtuous, so I have helped you with this good deed. I have no expectation of repayment." He then smiled at the four men and said, "You don't need to contribute any money. Since you are close relatives, just help him with this good deed." The men said, "Of course, there's no need for you to tell us, sir." Madam Ba said, "What is your surname, sir? My son and I cannot repay your kindness. We can only burn incense and kowtow to you every day for blessings." Huan E laughed and said, "Why do you ask my surname? Don't worry about it." He then mounted his horse, bowed to the four men, and rode away. [An ancient saying goes: "A minister who is not virtuous fears being known. A minister who is virtuous fears not being known. Huan E can be said to fear that others' good deeds go unnoticed, while one's own good deeds are only feared to be known. The difference between good and bad is evident."] One of them recognized him and said, "This is the famously virtuous Master Huan." Only then did the others realize that he was Master Huan. Later, when Madam Ba married her son, she knew that Master Huan had brought the couple together. Madam Ji was indeed virtuous; she set up a memorial tablet, and the whole family burned incense to bless him morning and night. (To be continued.)

Then came another day, the winter was ending and spring was returning, the sun was shining brightly. After breakfast, the three of them, including Huan'e, said, "The busy New Year and Lantern Festival have prevented me from doing many good deeds. Today is sunny and clear, let's go out and see what's going on. If we find anything good, we'll do it." He took his servant and went out, turning corners and riding off. He saw a group of people gathered ahead, wondering what was happening. He urged his horse forward and went inside. He saw an old woman weeping with her face covered, and another woman holding a child, patting and comforting it. A fierce young man was there, cursing loudly, "I gave you food for free, you old butcher, and what have you done? You've made such a mess of the child! You've satisfied your heartless cruelty!" He continued shouting and cursing.

Do you know what this young man's name was? Who was he cursing? His name was Bu Xiao, a cousin of Bu Tong. He lost his father at the age of ten, and his mother, Que, raised him by weaving hemp and spinning thread. He grew up without a father to discipline him, and as his only son, Lady Que spoiled him rotten. He knew nothing of his mother, treating her like a servant, ordering her around at will. Any slight disobedience would result in a scolding or even a beating. Lady Que, used to his subjugation, dared not disobey his orders. Even then, he was constantly being disciplined.

When he reached thirteen or fourteen, he worked as a vegetable vendor, earning a few coins each day to supplement his income. Lady Que painstakingly saved, accumulating over ten years a sum of over ten taels of gold. When Bu Xiao was twenty-five, he arranged a marriage for him with a woman named Wu. Wu was lazy and gluttonous, a perfect match for Bu Xiao, and she didn't even know the meaning of "mother-in-law." He spent his days sitting idly, chatting with the neighboring women when bored, and taking naps when tired—that was his business. Lady Que did everything: brewing tea, cooking rice, sweeping, and closing the door. He was now old and served his son and daughter-in-law all day long. Whenever he had a spare moment, he would rest. He could no longer spin and weave, and relied entirely on his son for a living. If he was not well, his son would not be allowed to eat, which made his son even more afraid of him.

Bu Xiao had a son, and today was his first birthday. His father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law brought some fish, meat, wine, and noodles. Madam Que spent half the day preparing and entertaining everyone, and her son and daughter-in-law ate heartily with them. After the meal, everyone dispersed. Madam Que collected the leftover soup and ate some as she pleased. Bu Xiao and Madam Wu had gotten up early that day and had a few cups of morning wine with everyone. Feeling tipsy, they wanted to take a nap and handed the child to Madam Que. She held him by the door, sat him on a low stool, and played with him for a while until the child fell asleep.

Madam Que, being older and having gotten up early, dozed off and accidentally dropped the child, slightly scraping his forehead. The child cried out loudly, and Madam Que, startled, hurriedly picked him up. Bu Xiao and Madam Wu, who were sound asleep, heard the child crying in their dreams. Startled awake, the couple stumbled out of bed and found Madam Que holding the child, rubbing his head. Madam Wu quickly took the child and saw a small patch of bruise the size of a fingertip. She hugged him and said, "My child, it breaks my heart! I knew it wouldn't be good for this old bastard to hold you like that. Sure enough, you fell like this, which pleases you. You must have a grudge against us adults, using such a small child to mistreat us. You don't even know how to behave. The eyes of the gods are watching you. My child, you've been so frightened!" She spit and patted him, trying to calm him down, all the while cursing. Bu Xiao was not having any of it. He punched Madam Que twice and continued to jump and curse. Huan E asked what had happened, and one of his neighbors, who was indignant, told Huan E about his family's situation.

When Huan E heard that he was cursing his mother, he was furious. He rode his horse up to him and shouted, "You're being unreasonable! How can you curse your mother like that?" Bu Xiao looked at him. If it were anyone else, he would have been violent. But seeing Huan E's dignified and respectable demeanor, he dared not be presumptuous and said, "She is my mother. Should she throw my child?" Huan E said, "You raised her, so you only know how to be affectionate. You were raised by her, yet you don't care about her. You may not know anything else, but think about the kindness of her carrying you for ten months and breastfeeding you for three years. Can you forget that? Besides, you were fatherless from a young age, and she raised you, helped you get married, and had children. Today, instead of being filial to her, you beat and curse her. Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?" Bu Xiao laughed loudly and said, "The sky is high and mighty; the lightning has nothing to do with our trivial matters. As for the ten months of pregnancy being her kindness, what does that have to do with anything?" "What kindness? Do you think he had good intentions in carrying me?" "A strange idea, a wonderful depiction of a rebellious son's heart and words." He laughed again, "That was because the two of them were just having fun, they were recklessly trying to get rid of me, and by accident, I ended up in his belly. What else could he do but carry me? It's not an illegitimate child, would he use medicine to abort it? He said he breastfed me for three years, that he raised me to keep me awake and to keep him entertained. If he didn't feed me, would he let me starve to death? Besides, the milk came from his own body, and it didn't cost him a penny. He just wouldn't feed me because he was afraid of the pain from the swelling." "The more you think about it, the stranger it becomes." Huan E was both angry and amused by what he said. She retorted, "I heard you lost your father when you were young, didn't you think he raised you without a father?" Bu Xiao said, "My father died when I was ten years old. Everything I ate and wore was from my father. How could he have the ability to earn money to support me?" Ruan Ji said, "Even beasts don't know they have fathers, but they still know they have mothers." "A man who doesn't know his mother is worse than a beast, as Bu Xiao said." I started selling vegetables when I was thirteen or fourteen to earn money to support my family. Even if he supported me for two or three years, I've supported him for over ten years now. Can't we be fair?" Huan E continued, "Where is your wife from? Wasn't she someone he arranged for you?" Bu Xiao said, "That's incredibly strange. If he's capable of raising a son, why doesn't he arrange a wife for me? He's doing this out of kindness, hoping I'll raise a son to carry on his lineage. 'That's truly increasingly strange.' My son is a precious treasure. If I'm not careful holding him, his head will be bruised. What can he do? Feed the dog and watch the house. This old useless fellow, why should I feed him for nothing?" "

Then Lady Que, fearing her son would beat her, dared not reply. Seeing Huan E questioning her, she assumed he wouldn't dare lay a hand on her, and cried, 'Though I'm old and can't do much, I can go anywhere to cook or sweep for others, at least I can earn a living. Or I can beg on the streets, at least that's more comfortable. If you don't want me, I'll go; why beat and scold me all day?' Bu Xiao angrily retorted, 'If you want to leave, do you think I want you to stay?' He grabbed her arm with one hand and her neck with the other, shoving her away, sending her sprawling. He cursed, 'I'll take you with me. If you ever come to my door again, I'll kick you in the crotch!' Huan E roared, 'Outrageous! Outrageous! How can such a thing exist in this world?'" "He hurriedly told the boys to help the mother up. Huan'e was about to lash out when the woman said to Bu Xiao, 'Where are you sending him? People who know him will think he's bad, but those who don't will think I, as his wife, can't tolerate him. Besides, he can't do anything else. It's fine to keep him at home to serve. If you send him away, I won't do these rough jobs.' Bu Xiao said, 'Don't worry, is there any work in the world that can kill you? Even if Butcher Wang dies, he'll still eat the pig, hair and all. Once he's gone, I'll take care of everything, you can just sit back and enjoy yourself. He can't be filial to his mother, but he's filial to his wife, a true husband. But I'm afraid there are many such husbands in the world. Sending him away will only make things worse, and you'll lose your beloved.'" "

When Huan'e first heard that his daughter-in-law wanted to keep her mother-in-law, he thought it was a good intention. He assumed that since his son was unfilial, and his daughter-in-law was virtuous, he would even try to persuade the mother and son to reconcile. But when she said that she wanted to keep her as a servant, he couldn't help but laugh and say, 'Such beasts! They are nothing but ravenous owls, how can they compare to other beasts? Why bother arguing with them?' He then asked her, 'Do you really not want your mother?' Bu Xiao said, 'Does a man speak with a split heart? If I say I don't want her, I don't want her.' Huan'e saw that Lady Que was still crying on the ground and said to her, 'Old woman, don't cry. I have hundreds of servants in my household, why would I care about one of you? If you come to my house, you won't have to do anything, you won't have to worry about food and clothing all year round, I will provide for you. When you get old, I will buy you a coffin and send you off. Why do you want such an unfilial servant?'" "Tell the boy to take the old man home.

When Lady Que saw that Huan'e had taken him in, she was overjoyed and stopped crying. She even wanted to go in and get his tattered clothes and old bedding, but Huan'e said, 'No need. When you come to my house, I'm sure you won't have any.'" "The boys led him away. Huan E, still resentful, mounted his horse and rode off as well. All the onlookers praised his kindness.

When Lady Que arrived at the Huan family, Huan E instructed the housekeeper, Si Fu, to make her a set of clothes and bedding, and ordered that her meals be well taken care of daily. Lady Que had suffered a lifetime of hardship, and even endured humiliation from her daughter-in-law. Today, suddenly she had plenty of food and warm clothes, and no trouble at all. She was leisurely and carefree all day long, and was endlessly grateful. Every morning and evening, she kowtowed, praying for her benefactor Huan to have a long life and many descendants. She also prayed to Heaven to punish her unfilial daughter-in-law. Surely Heaven would see her humility. After some time, she couldn't stay idle any longer, so she helped with laundry at one house and held the baby at another. The servants all saw her active..." Everyone doted on him. One made shoes for him, another brought him food, and he was overjoyed, spending his days laughing and joking, without a trace of worry or trouble. But when he thought of his son and daughter-in-law, he couldn't help but feel angry and resentful, and would kowtow and curse them each day.

Now, after Bu Xiao drove his mother away, he was indeed extremely attentive. When Lady Que was at home, he didn't help her at all. Now, he did everything himself, without disturbing Lady Wu, who could only play with the child. He was busy tidying up and then went to sell vegetables, very diligent. Occasionally, when Lady Wu was lazy or slightly unwell, he would even empty the chamber pot when she returned in the evening. "He had said he would take care of everything." Lady Que had raised him for a long time, but she had never been served like this even for a day.

After more than a month, the couple sat down and chatted casually. Wu, holding the child and playing with him, said, "When this old woman got rid of all that, I felt much better, like a thorn had been pulled out of my flesh." Bu Xiao said, "I wished he were dead, but he wouldn't, like a boil in my eye. Now that he's gone, it's like a thorn has been removed from my face." Wu said, "I'm afraid that family will get tired of him and send him back. What should we do then?" Bu Xiao said, "Does he still want to come back? He can't in this life. But as people say, pickled leeks can't be put into the garden. If he wants to come back, I won't say anything else, just that although he's old, he's still a woman. After he's been with that family for so long, do you know whether he's been kept or not? Would he stay and disgrace his family? He naturally can't stand it, and he'll have to find a way out." Wu laughed and said, "You have a good head and a good plan."

As the two were talking, the sky was clear and the sun was shining. Suddenly, a storm blew, the clouds darkened, and thunder rumbled. The two of them didn't notice, but the thunder gradually rose on their roof, and Bu Xiao and Wu began to tremble with fear. Suddenly, a sulfurous fumes filled the air, followed by a large, smoldering fire. A deafening thunderclap shook the earth, burning his two houses and everything inside to the ground. The neighbor's house, separated by only a wall, remained untouched. The three men were carried to the center of the street, their clothes nowhere to be found. Bu Xiao was burned black, with four large red characters written on his body; those who recognized them said they read "unfilial and rebellious son." The child was also charred; father and son died in separate places.

Wu was stunned for a while, then woke up again, naked, her skin and flesh charred by the lightning. Though not dead, she couldn't move, her large eyes wide open, not blinking, and she cried out. The crowd that had come to see her was so dense it was impossible to move. Wu was completely naked, and some who felt sorry for her took off their cloth shirts and used them to cover her lower body.

She was delirious from the shock, recounting in detail the disobedience and unfilial conduct she and her husband had committed. When her parents found out, they carried her home. As soon as they got inside, she was in excruciating pain, screaming incessantly. While being carried through the streets, she sang, laughed, and cried, telling people about the wonderful things she and her husband had done, and then she felt no pain. At night, when they carried her into the house, she screamed in agony. Her father had no choice but to set up a small shed on the street and have people watch over her. She refused to eat anything, and then urinated all over herself, finally dying after seven days.

Her father bought a coffin and buried her. Just after the burial, a sudden bolt of lightning struck the grave, shattering the coffin to pieces, and the corpse was burned to a lump of charcoal. His father dared not bury it again, abandoning it at home, finding it easier to leave it abandoned since no one would claim it. This is the behavior of a disobedient and unfilial son and daughter-in-law. Are there any sins in this world more serious than unfilial piety? An ancient saying goes: "

Of all evils, lust is the worst; of all virtues, filial piety is the foremost.

" How can we not be mindful of this? There is a tune, "Zhu Yun Fei," lamenting the plight of children in the world: "

Deep affection between father and son, even in the midst of wealth and honor. If children and grandchildren are obedient, then the parents will be prosperous. Alas, parents are old and the family is poor, what respect is there left? Disobedience is rampant, even strangers can be appeased. Alas, how many people still possess filial piety today?" When

Huan E learned of this, he was overjoyed, saying, "Heaven and earth, the gods and spirits, should have intervened." When Lady Que heard that her son, grandson, and daughter-in-law had been struck by lightning, and that her daughter-in-law had died in such a manner, she showed no grief, but instead kowtowed hundreds of times to the heavens. Some people, eager to spread the news, carved up admonitory texts to sell for money, and the news spread throughout the country. Later, when the Que family passed away, Huan'e gave him a proper funeral, doing a good deed from beginning to end—but that's another story.

Now, Huan'e casually remarked one day, "I haven't been to the south of the city lately; I'll go for a stroll today." He rode his horse with his servant to the entrance of Youfang Lane and saw a funeral procession, very lively, with many gentlemen and officials seeing it off. Among them was someone Huan'e recognized. He dismounted and called out to him, asking whose family he was. The man said he was the wife of Shanyu Xue.

You might wonder why so many people were seeing off his wife's death? Shanyu Xue was indeed generous, but he had a penchant for jest. While not exactly a great man, he wasn't entirely uncultured either. He was wealthy and married a woman named Zhen, a Confucian scholar. She was beautiful and dignified, literate, neither fierce nor jealous—truly a virtuous woman possessing all four virtues. He also had three concubines: one surnamed Hong, one surnamed Huang, and one surnamed Bai. Shan Yuxue likened the three women to three kinds of peonies: the red one was called "A Touch of Red," the white one "Jade Pavilion Spring," and the yellow one "Yao Yellow." There were also two maidservants, one named Flower Beard and the other Flower

Stamen. While not absolute beauties, they were all quite attractive. Shan Yuxue, relying on his well-developed penis, practiced with these women day and night, yet was still unsatisfied, and continued his extramarital affairs. Because of the mourning period, his penis, upon entering the vagina, failed before even engaging in intercourse.

When he played with Shui Shi, although not very skilled, he still had the ability to thrust ten or so times. Later, without self-discipline, he continued to push forward with unwavering courage, eventually becoming unable to ejaculate, no matter how much he tried. He was a man who diligently practiced this art, and with these beautiful wives and maidservants at home, he was constantly hungry and thirsty. How could he endure this? Desperate, he sought medical help everywhere. He had spent a great deal of money, consumed countless medicinal pills, undergone fumigation and bathing—trying every treatment imaginable—all to no avail.

Then, he overheard someone mention a Taoist priest from out of town, surnamed Zhai, styled Diefeng. "He was said to be a thief like a butterfly or bee," the priest said, selling medicine on the street, boasting of his ability to strengthen virility and improve health, and possessing miraculous techniques for raising tortoises. Upon hearing this, Shan Yu felt as if a true immortal had descended from heaven to save him. He found the priest's lodging and begged for treatment. He earnestly invited the priest to his home, promising him a generous reward.

However, this thieving Taoist was a wicked and depraved creature. He had learned many strange remedies from who-knows-where, which were remarkably effective in treating people. He also had several extremely wicked remedies, the mere mention of which was enough to make one's teeth clench. Whenever someone invited him to their home, seeing a woman, he would use his cunning to defile her before he would stop.

He possessed a herbal medicine called "Self-Sending Auspicious Time," which he secretly gave to women, whether in wine, food, or tea. It caused unbearable burning itching deep within their vaginas, which they could not relieve by scratching or digging. Only after intercourse with a man could the itching subside; otherwise, even scratching until their skin was raw was of no use.

He also had another medicine, also made into a paste, called "Beauty Unbuttons Her Clothes." A small amount was placed in a clean tub. When a woman went to urinate, the hot urine would wash over her, and the medicinal vapors would intensify the itching. Not only would her vagina itch terribly, but it would also swell so badly it would turn inside out. Only the release of the heat through intercourse could cure it. This man selling aphrodisiacs was not needed by ordinary families; those who hired him were naturally wealthy gentry with numerous concubines. After staying for a while, he bribed the cunning young boys and maids of these households, and then secretly began his services.

Or perhaps there are virtuous women who, though itching terribly, refuse to be defiled. He possesses a kind of drug, a fine powder, which, when ingested without regard to food or drink, renders them drowsy, unable to move their limbs or speak, allowing him to ravish them. How could he possibly see the women of wealthy families, living in secluded chambers, and thus use this wicked trick? He first seduces either a lustful servant or a nimble maid—"for there are hardly any maids who are not easily seduced"—and then she works for him. He has also defiled countless respectable women. Not only does he possess a silver tongue that can arouse lustful women, but he also possesses a penis over seven inches long, thick and long-lasting, capable of lasting all night. Thus, lustful women, after one encounter with him, become utterly devoted to him.

Unexpectedly, this Xiongnu chieftain, facing misfortune, invited him to his home, explained his ailment in detail, and begged him for treatment. He said, “Your illness is due to excessive depletion of your yang energy in your youth, which is not something that can be cured overnight. You must rest quietly for a hundred days, taking medicine morning and evening. You also need two young and strong women to massage your dantian and Yongquan acupoints regularly, at the four times of day (11 AM, 1 PM, 1 AM, 3 PM, and 5 PM), breathing into these points for a short time, so that your youthful yin energy can attack from both above and below, drawing yang energy back to the kidney meridian. After a hundred days, not only will you be able to hold your erection firmly, but it will be far stronger than before. You must come and stay outside so that I can oversee their work.” The Chanyu was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly. He promised to repay him handsomely if he recovered. He then ordered two sets of bedding to be brought to the study.

The study had three rooms, one bright and two dark. He slept in the eastern room with the Taoist priest, and the western room was for the maids. He sent the servants away and called Hua Rui and Hua Xu to serve him. After a while, wine was brought in, and the two drank together. When Zhai Dao saw the two maids, he was aroused. After the meal, Zhai Dao wrote out a prescription, ordering the preparation of medicinal pills. The pills contained nothing more than ginseng, poria cocos, cinnamon, aconite, cistanche, epimedium, tiger shank, and deer antler. He then instructed Shan Yuxue to lie supine on the couch, and Zhai Dao showed the two maids how to rub and breathe on the pills. Although the two maids were flirtatious, they were still young girls. Seeing the Daoist watching, they couldn't help but feel shy. Shan Yuxue said, "Daoist Zhai is a virtuous and honest gentleman. What are you ashamed of?" The two maids had no choice but to follow the instructions. Around midnight, he called the two maids to get up and continue the process, and the night passed.

The next day, the wicked Daoist couldn't contain himself. He noticed the two maids smiling at him as they rubbed on the pills. The maids blushed and smiled with their heads down. Zhai Dao became even more infatuated, thinking: "I'll make my move tonight." Around 5 PM, he watched Shan Yuxue finish his work, light a lamp, and come to drink. After drinking for a while, Zhai Dao declined, but Shan Yuxue poured a cup and personally offered it to the Daoist, saying, "I'd like to offer you a cup, Master." Zhai Dao, perfectly intrigued, accepted and drank it down. He secretly added a little of the sleeping potion to the cup and poured himself a cup in return. Shan Yuxue, unaware of the deception, quickly took the cup with both hands and drank it down as well. Zhai Dao said, "You two sisters have worked hard these past two days; each of you should have a cup." He filled both Shan Yuxue's cup and his own, secretly adding the potion as well, and handed them to the two maids. The two refused, saying, "We won't take it." Shan Yuxue said, "I'm offering you this; why won't you drink it?" The two had no choice but to accept and drink it. Zhai Dao said, "That's enough drinking; it's important for you to rest and recuperate." Shan Yuxue complied and went to sleep. The two maids also went to the west room.

About an hour later, Zhai Dao knew the potion had taken effect. He quietly got out of bed, went to the west room, lit a fire, and went to light a lamp. When he saw the two maids, they were lying side by side on a bed. The curtains were lifted, revealing that they were both dressed in shirts and trousers, ready to serve their master at night. Zhai Dao undressed them completely, and under the lamplight, their bodies were as white as jade. He then shone the lamp on their genitals, finding them truly lovely. Suddenly, his penis became erect and climbed onto the flower stamen, beginning to pleasuring her. The maid was in a state between dreaming and waking, her mind hazy. Although she felt someone pleasuring her, she could not move or speak. Since her master's impotence, she had not experienced this pleasure for more than half a year. Now, encountering this thick, large, and long-lasting wonderful instrument, and with such skillful techniques, she was truly overjoyed.

After a while, Zhai Dao moved to the flower stamen. This continued for a whole night. "What butterflies and bees gather is only the stamens and pistils of flowers, hence the two maids were first defiled by him." At dawn, as the effects of the drug wore off, he returned to the east room to sleep.

At dawn, the two maids awoke, each pondering the events of the night. Had it been a dream? Yet it felt as if someone was pressing down on them. They felt a dampness between their legs, and upon touching it, found two streams of vaginal fluid flowing, soaking even the mattress. They were greatly puzzled. Suddenly, they remembered they had slept wearing clothes, so how could they be naked now? They were even more astonished. The two maids questioned each other about their dreams, and their experiences were identical, leaving them unable to guess. They had no choice but to get up, quickly wash and dress, and go to their master's place to await the morning massage.

Shanyu Xue also awoke at sunrise, seeing Zhai Dao meditating on the bed, and said, "I slept soundly last night and missed midnight." Zhai Dao replied, "If you can get up during the day, it's fine. But at night, not only will you be exhausted, but it will also be very difficult for the two of you to get up. It's unnecessary. You should rest well tonight and conserve your energy." At this time, even Zhai Dao's words were taken as gospel by Shanyu Xue, so he took them as truth. After another round of massage at noon, Shan Yuxue felt refreshed and fell asleep.

Huaxu and Huarui also took a break to sit idly in the west room, thinking about the events of the previous night, feeling both pleased and suspicious. Huarui asked Huaxu, "The one I dreamed of was quite long and large, similar to yours, but one time was equivalent to dozens of times. What do you think?" Huaxu said, "My dream was just like yours, not only long but also very skillful, hitting every itch perfectly. If we sleep more awake tonight and dream again, enjoying it clearly for a while, wouldn't that be better than being drowsy?" Huarui said, "Don't talk about bringing bad luck. To have such a dream at night is already a blessing."

Just as they were talking and laughing, Zhai Dao, seeing that Shan Yuxue was asleep, came over to tease the two of them. He chuckled softly, "I have a question for you two. Last night I dreamt that I came to this room and slept with you both. Did you dream of it too?" The two maids, who were also puzzled by this, replied, "We dreamt of it too. Daoist, please tell us in detail, and we'll see if it's true." Daoist Zhai laughed, "I'll tell you, please don't be offended. I dreamt that I came over, and you were both wearing clothes. I took them off for you, and we took turns having sex all night." Pointing to the flower stamen, he said, "Your body is thin and frail, with two small nipples pressed against your chest, a few fine hairs on your lower body, and a large flower core. It's dry inside, tight and firm, quite interesting." Then, turning to the flower stamen, he said, "You're a bit fatter than him, and although your nipples are large..." "But it's round and tight, and underneath is a treasure, just like a steamed bun, tightly pinched, with a flower-like center the size of a fingertip sticking out. Putting it inside, it's plump and interesting, making a lot of sounds as it's being pulled. When it was almost dawn, I suddenly woke up and found myself on that other bed. Isn't that strange? What did you dream about? Am I right?"

The two maids, seeing that what they said was spot on, laughed and said, "You're right, but I don't believe such a strange dream could happen." Zhai Dao said, "Perhaps it's because I'm destined to be with you two, that's why I had this dream." He then pulled one of them into his arms and said, "If you two don't mind, I'll come and fulfill your dream tonight, how about it?" The two maids just giggled and didn't agree.

Zhai Dao knew they were willing, so he kissed each of them on the lips and then reached down to their crotches to touch them. The two girls deliberately covered themselves with their hands. Zhai Dao laughed, "We've been dreaming about this all night, what's there to be ashamed of now?" They laughed and let go. The Daoist pulled down his pants and touched them, laughing, "Two fine treasures indeed! I'm in luck to enjoy them tonight." Hua Rui said, "If my master wakes up when you come over tonight, what will we do?" Zhai Dao said, "I have a kind of sleeping potion. If someone takes it, they'll sleep soundly until dawn." He then took out a small gourd from his waist, poured out a few coins, and said, "Four or five cents will be enough each time." He wrapped it in paper and handed it to them, saying, "Put it in your master's bell when we drink tonight, and he'll sleep soundly, so we can enjoy ourselves without worry." Hua Rui took it and tied it to her head with a handkerchief. Zhai Dao said, "I'm afraid your master will wake up, so I'm going over now. Tonight, you two will be naked and wait for me to fulfill your dream." He laughed and went over.

The two maids waited until nightfall, and when their master drank, they acted according to the thieving method. After drinking, the Chanyu fell asleep. Zhai Dao hurried over, climbed onto the bed, and burrowed under the covers. Sure enough, the two little vixens were naked and waiting. Zhai Dao began to have his way with Hua Xu, and after a while, he went to work on Hua Rui, making the two lewd maids giggle incessantly. He worked all night before finally stopping. This went on for two or three nights, making the two maids not only ecstatic but also willing to die for him.

Seeing that they were familiar with each other, Zhai Dao asked about the mistress's affairs, how old she was, and who else was involved. The two maids told him in detail. They said the mistress's surname was Zhen, and she was very beautiful, about thirty-two or thirty-three years old. However, she was old-fashioned and never spoke or laughed lightly. There were also three concubines, all in their early twenties, each beautiful and charming. Among them, Concubine Hong was even more beautiful; her wanton appearance was so alluring that not only men would love her, but even they themselves were captivated. Zhai Dao said, "Your grandmother and aunts are both so young and beautiful, and your grandfather's manhood is no longer useful. Aren't they worried?" Hua Rui said, "Grandmother isn't into this sort of thing. Even when grandfather was in good health, they only slept together once every ten days or half a month. Why aren't the other aunts worried? The two aunts, Bai and Huang, are alright; they're just anxious inside and don't show it. But Aunt Hong is so anxious she's dying inside. She can't sit still or sleep peacefully, sighing and lamenting all day long. Lately, she's even reduced her food and drink and lost a lot of weight. If she dreams of you, she'll be overjoyed." Zhai Dao hugged them both and kissed each of them. He said, "My dear darlings, if you want to get Grandma and Auntie into my life, I will never forget your kindness, and I will work hard every night to repay you." The two girls laughed and said, "You're so ungrateful! You have us, and you still want them. If you had them, would you still care about us? Please don't even think about it." Zhai said, "If you don't care about me, I'll leave tomorrow, and we won't be able to get along. I came to treat your grandfather's illness because of you. Otherwise, why would I stay? Do you think I want your grandfather's reward?" The two maids loved him dearly and were afraid of displeasing him. What would happen if they left? They laughed, "Although they're anxious, do you know what they're thinking? How dare we speak out? If they get angry and tell the master, we'll be killed, and you won't be safe either." Zhai Dao said, "You don't need to say anything. Just do as I say, and I guarantee he'll come looking for me." Hua Xu asked, "What's your brilliant method?" Zhai Dao whispered something in their ears and handed a packet of medicine to Hua Rui. The two laughed together, "You old fox, so you have such a clever way to steal women! We know that mistress won't agree; she's not someone to mess with. Let's get three concubines first. We'll discuss it after you've got them." Zhai Dao happily said, "I'll send the thanks first." He then gave each of the two maids a good beating.

The next day, Hua Rui went upstairs at night and secretly put the medicine in the three of their chamber pots. Before going to sleep, the three of them urinated into bed. Not long after, they suddenly felt an intense itching in their genitals, an indescribable discomfort. They could only scratch with their fingers, but the more they scratched, the itchier it became, truly unbearable. Hongshi couldn't help but groan incessantly. Baishi, lying on the other bed, asked, "Sister, what's wrong?" Hongshi replied, "I can't believe it, this thing is incredibly itchy today, it's like an unbearable itch, I don't know why." Baishi said, "That's strange, I have the same thing, it's really unbearable." Huangshi said, "It's really strange, I have the same thing as you. If it's an illness, could it be that all three of us have the same illness?" Hongshi said, "Oh dear, I can't stand it! Tell the maid to get some hot water to wash with." She woke the maid, lit a lamp, and boiled hot water to wash them before going to bed.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the medicinal fumes, combined with the hot water, made the itching even worse than before. She scratched incessantly, almost tearing her skin off, but the itching still wouldn't stop. They could only endure the pain and scratch until dawn. When they looked down, their bodies were swollen and turned inside out, like an inverted pomegranate. The three of them discussed, "This illness is not something we can tell a doctor. If it continues like this, we'll die in two or three days. That Taoist priest up ahead said he can cure all diseases. Let's ask Huaxu to see if he has any good remedies." Just then, Huaxu walked over.

It turned out that Zhai Dao had sent him up to inquire about the situation. Hongshi, upon seeing him, said, "You've come at the right time. Last night, the three of us suddenly contracted a strange illness. Our lower bodies started itching unexpectedly, and this morning, when we looked, they were all swollen and throbbing, almost unbearable. Don't tell anyone it was us; just say it was a servant who contracted this strange illness. Ask the Taoist priest if he has any remedy. Don't let your master hear. Once you've asked, come back quickly." Huaxu pretended to leave for a while and returned, saying, "I asked the Taoist priest. He said there's no cure for this illness in women. It's caused by a man being separated for too long, causing intense lust, a burning desire. Unless you have a vigorous sexual encounter with a man, the burning desire will be released, and you'll be cured immediately. Ladies, once your master is better, ask the doctor in his back to treat him." The three of them said in unison, "We can't wait even a moment longer! Your master said yesterday that the Taoist priest said it would take a hundred days to recover. We'd rather die by then, even seven days have passed!" Huaxu said: “Other doctors are readily available, but doctors specializing in this kind of penis are hard to find. And nobody on the street sells cut-off penises, so we'll just have to bear it,” said Hongshi. “We’re going to die here, and you’re still joking? You need to think of a way to save us.” Huaxu deliberately thought for a moment and said, “I’ve come up with a brilliant idea, but I don’t know if Auntie thinks it’s feasible?” Hongshi hurriedly asked, “What brilliant idea?” Huaxu said, “The Taoist priest said it needs to be done by someone. I think strangers can’t come in, and there’s no reason to call a servant to treat it. That Taoist priest is still quite strong; at night, after Master falls asleep, I’ll sneak in with him and do it until dawn. Then I’ll take him out. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Baishi said, “That won’t work. If your Master finds out, how can we live?” Hongshi said anxiously, “We’re about to die here, so we can’t worry about these things. Let’s get him cured first, even if he finds out…” "Well, even if he dies, it will still be a few days before he dies. If you don't give up, I can't care about you anymore." Xiang Huaxu said, "Be careful at night. I'll open the courtyard gate and wait for you. I'm afraid your master might wake up again in the night and go looking for that Taoist priest. What should we do?" Huaxu said, "Please don't worry, Aunt. The Taoist priest made some medicinal wine for my master to drink before he went to sleep. He won't wake up until dawn." Hongshi said, "If that's the case, good sister, please don't delay. I really am going to die." Huangshi laughed and said, "People say that a maid who acts as a matchmaker can't even protect herself. How can you talk to such a strange person? It's as if you've already had a thing with him." Huaxu laughed and said, "To tell you the truth, Aunt, Ruijie and I also got this disease the other day. We were really going to die. Fortunately, this Taoist priest cured us both, and it was effective immediately." Baishi said, "That's strange. How come we both have the same disease?" Hongshi snorted. "How does that Taoist's thing compare to mine?" Hua Xu said. "They're about the same size, but he's incredibly skilled and frighteningly hard, like a short iron rod. He kept us both occupied all night, and we could barely get up the next day. He even said he wasn't satisfied." Hong Shi said to Huang and Bai, "Listen to this! Such a good thing, and he's pretending to be afraid of dying. You two won't stop, let me enjoy myself for one night." The two of them laughed, "Don't keep it all to yourself, wait for him to come and see." Hua Xu said, "If the three of you concubines live together, and you two are so pure and innocent, who would believe it? It'll be a pleasure for everyone." Huang and Bai laughed, "We didn't know you were good at matchmaking. We'll have to go with you, let Sister Hong go first." Hong Shi looked at the sun and said, "Heavens, please get dark quickly, mercy and saving lives is the most important thing." Hua Xu went out.

The three of them waited until nightfall, left the courtyard and room doors ajar, and the maid went to bed, listening intently for the Taoist. A while later, the door was gently pushed open. They were staying in the east wing. It was the eighth day of the month, and the moon was shining brightly. Hongshi quickly lifted the curtain and saw three people enter. She was overjoyed, as if she had found a rare treasure. She heard Huaxu whisper, "He's here." Zhai Dao got into bed, took off his clothes, and slipped under the covers. When he touched Hongshi, he didn't take off her pants. He pulled them down for her and then touched her vulva. He saw how swollen it was and secretly smiled. He then thrust his penis in. Hongshi cried out, "Slow down, it hurts a lot." The Daoist ignored her and pushed in, inserting halfway in. Hongshi cried out again, and Zhai Dao thrust all the way in, pumping in and out without restraint.

At first, Hongshi's vulva was torn and it hurt from his thrusting. She cried out with each thrust. After dozens of thrusts, the pleasure inside her was endless, and the "ouch" turned into a "hum." After a while, even the "hum" stopped. Only a sow-like howling sound came from her nostrils. After a long while, Hongshi had lost control several times.

Since he had studied under the Chanyu for several years, he had only experienced a dozen or so times, but he had never encountered such a formidable opponent. At this moment, not only was the pain and itching inside completely gone, but he also felt an indescribable pleasure, and his body went limp. He said, "Let me rest for a bit. There are still two people left. Go and treat them both." Zhai Dao was eager to pull out.

Huaxu and Huarui, who were sitting on the edge of the bed listening to the sound of the gong, saw him get off the bed and escorted him to Baishi's bed. When the Daoist went up to touch her, he found two people. It turned out that the night was quiet, and the two of them had heard the sounds of the Daoist and Hongshi making love clearly, and they were almost anxious to death. Huangshi was afraid that the Daoist would do the same thing on Baishi's bed, so she came to lie down with Baishi to wait.

The Daoist stripped them both naked, first on Baishi, while touching Huangshi's vulva. After touching Baishi for a while, he went to Huangshi. This process continued, and then there was another round. Hong, completely naked, climbed onto the bed and said, "Why are you two occupying him and not letting him go to me? Let's all come together." Seeing the Taoist priest with Huang, she pulled him onto her and continued for a while before they all took turns. Hearing that it was almost dawn, they had no choice but to let the Taoist priest go. They instructed him, "We'll just have those two go and invite him; you must come immediately." The Taoist priest agreed, and the two maids went out with him.

These three women, in their intense itching, encountered the Taoist priest's hard and large member, and their bodies became weak and limp. The next day, they were much more energetic, their faces rosy. They looked at each other and giggled incessantly. That

night, the Taoist priest had a very satisfying time with the two maids in the study, to repay their kindness. The next day, they invited them in again, and the four of them shared the bed and did it all once more. The Taoist priest said, "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of the three concubines. It's not that I'm greedy, but I often come to keep you company, and I fear the mistress of the main house will find out, which would be no laughing matter. Only by capturing her completely can I be safe. What do you concubines think?" Madam Hong laughed, "Who said we are concubines? Those two maids must have told you. What you just said is true, but the mistress's personality is not as tactful as mine. Who would dare to provoke her?" The Taoist priest said, "I have my own clever method. Yesterday, if it weren't for my clever method, how could the three concubines have gotten close to you?" Madam Bai asked him why, and he explained in detail the plan he and the two maids had devised. Hongshi laughed and pinched him a few times, scolding, "So it was you, you rascal, who did this trick! You almost made us itch to death!" Zhai Dao laughed, "If it weren't for this itch, how could we have enjoyed ourselves later?" Huangshi said, "To get my hands on you, you have to get your manhood on. Only then will it work." Zhai Dao said, "I have some herbal medicine. Tomorrow, whichever of the concubines gives him tea or wine, put it inside. After he drinks it, his lower body will itch terribly. Then, I'll trouble one of you to seduce him. I'm not afraid he won't take my place." He called Hua Rui over and entrusted her to him, instructing him to do this the next day.

The next morning after breakfast, the three of them and Hua Rui were plotting against Ye He. They ordered a pot of wine and chatted quietly. Suddenly, Ye He came over with a grin and said, "I just saw the concubines order wine. Won't you give me a cup to drink?" They were plotting against him when he happened to come to their door, so they secretly put the medicine in his mouth and poured him a cup. He took it and drank it in one gulp. They gave him another cup, which he sipped, saying, "That's enough. I'll be embarrassed if I drink more, and I'm afraid Grandma will scold me." Then he left.

Hua Rui watched him intently. After a short while, she saw him go to the backyard for a short time, then come out again, returning shortly afterward, like a revolving lantern. Hua Rui knew it was because of the medicine, so she quietly followed him to the backyard. She saw him sitting on a stone for washing clothes, his trousers pulled down, looking down and picking at something with his fingers. Hua Rui whispered, "Sister Ye He, what are you doing?" Ye He looked up and saw it was him, quickly pulled her clothes over herself, and laughed, "Sister, don't laugh at me, I'm going to die today." Hua Rui asked, "What's wrong with you?" She said, "I don't know why, but my lower body is so itchy. I've been scratching for half a day, it's almost festering, but it's not getting better. What should I do?" Hua Rui said, "I know medicine." Ye He said, "Don't lie. When have you ever been a doctor? You only know how to apply water to Grandpa's body, how could you cure me like this?" Hua Rui said, "I'm serious. I often have this too. Grandpa gave me a fake acupuncture point, and after rubbing it for a while, it's fine." Ye He said, "Good sister, you're like my own mother, can I borrow it for a while?" Hua Rui said, "That's my..." "How could I lend my precious baby to anyone? Come to my room tonight, and I'll treat you." Yehe said, "I'm sleeping in Grandma's room, how can I go down?" Huarui said, "Wait until Grandma is asleep, then quietly go down, and you'll be fine in no time. If Grandma finds out and asks, just say you have a stomachache and you were cleaning the tub in the room to avoid bothering Grandma, and you'll get away with it." Yehe said, "That won't work, you're just trying to fool me. You're serving the master upstairs, how can you come in?" Huarui said, "It's the same as having Sister Xu there. Since I promised you, I'll definitely come in." She said, "Good sister, if you heal me, I'll kowtow to you."

That night, Yehe heard Zhen Shi sleeping soundly, so she quietly got up, gently opened the door, and touched the door to the west wing. Sure enough, it was ajar. He went inside and whispered, "Sister, are you sleeping there?" Hua Rui got out of bed and pulled him, saying, "Get on the bed, take off all your clothes, and wait for me." Ye He quickly got on the bed, took off all his clothes, and lay on his back. He saw someone get on the bed, climb on top of him, touch his genitals, and start thrusting inside. Ye He said, "Okay, okay, just like that, really hard." Sure enough, he thrust hard dozens of times. He exclaimed, "My goodness, what a treasure! Let me feel how you're tied up, so well done, much better than Grandpa's!" He reached out and touched it, and found it was fully grown, exclaiming in surprise, "Sister, you're actually a man!" He hugged her tightly, saying, "I knew you were a man long ago, I would have come looking for you even if I wasn't itchy. How could Grandpa have gotten you like this? Oh, I know, I guess it's for fucking ass." He added, "No, no, I remember when you took a bath in the summer, I saw it was a flat thing just like mine, when did this grow?" Hua Rui laughed at the foot of the bed, "Don't talk nonsense. I took pity on you and asked the Taoist priest who treats Grandpa to come and save you." Only then did he fall silent.

The Taoist priest made a great show of it, and Yehe said, "Good Taoist priest, I have nothing to repay you with. Just take this and do as you please." The Taoist priest whispered in her ear, "This is nothing, you should find something else to thank me for." Yehe said, "What do I have? I still have an anus. If you don't mind, I might as well bear with it and let you enjoy it." The Taoist priest said, "I don't like the back one, I also want the front one." Yehe laughed, "Where would I get two by myself? If I had two, I would gladly give them to you so you could enjoy them from both sides." The Taoist priest said, "You don't have them, but your grandmother does. If you give them to me, that's your way of thanking me." Yehe said, "I'm willing, but I'm afraid he might not." The Taoist priest said, "As long as you're willing, he will naturally be willing." Yehe said, "I don't understand what you mean." The Taoist priest said, "I have a little bit of herbal medicine. Just empty his chamber pot tomorrow night and put it in there. After he uses it, he will naturally be willing. Don't worry about anything else. Besides, if he is willing, you will be happy for a long time." "Yehe said, 'I couldn't be happier. I can't do anything else, just give me the medicine.' The Taoist priest fiddled with her for a while, then let her get up, dressed her, handed her the powdered medicine, and gave her repeated instructions. The girl was completely won over by him and went up happily. The Taoist priest and Huarui went to the east wing and told the three of them. They laughed for a while, then each fiddled with their own medicine for a while before leaving.

The next day, Yehe followed the Taoist priest's instructions. Zhen Shi went to sleep, and soon after, she felt an unbearable itch in her genitals. She thought: I've never felt this way before, and I haven't had any lustful thoughts, so why is this happening? I'll just keep my mind focused and fall asleep, and it will be fine. After sleeping for a while..." It felt like thousands of insects were crawling and burrowing inside, causing an unbearable itch. She couldn't help but scratch, and didn't sleep

a wink until dawn. The next day, though she couldn't speak of it, the burning sensation on her face flared up in waves, making her unable to eat. The same thing happened at night. She wanted to tell her husband to call a doctor, but knew it was difficult to say that to a doctor, so she could only endure it, suffering through another night.

The next day, Yehe said to Huarui, "He's been taking the medicine for two days and two nights, but there's been no improvement. He just keeps making noises in bed at night and won't sleep. How can he endure it? Is he made of iron?" "Changshi is made of iron; if she takes this medicine, she'll be even less able to endure it." Huarui then told Zhai Dao, who laughed, "I'll give him a double-burner lamp and see if he can still endure it." He then took some medicine and handed it to Huarui, saying, "Quietly give this to Sister Ye, and tell her to give it to him in tea or wine." Huarui gave it to Yehe, who gave it to Zhenshi when she went to get tea. A moment later, the itch, which hadn't subsided, worsened, and this time it was unbearably itchy.

For the first two days, it was an itch inside her vulva, which she could scratch. This itch was deep inside, impossible to reach with her fingers. She was so anxious she couldn't sit or stand, her lower body twisting and turning. Her eyes were wide open, and she gritted her teeth, enduring the pain. The maids, seeing her like this, told Zhai Dao. When he came in that night, he smiled at the three women, saying, "Although Madam doesn't say anything, she's truly suffering. If I go now, she probably won't refuse. But I'm afraid things might change. Tomorrow, I'll give her a sleeping potion and secretly try to save her." He then gave Hua Rui a sleeping potion, instructing her to pass it to Ye He to give to Madam the next night. He told her to get up and open the door at night, not to be late.

The next day, Zhen Shi fell asleep, but she clearly felt a man raping her. She tried to push him away, but couldn't lift her arms. She tried to scream, but couldn't make a sound. She tried to struggle, but couldn't move her body. She was frantic, and it took until about midnight before the man finally left her.

When he awoke at dawn, the itching in his genitals had subsided. He thought, "Was it a dream? I have no impure thoughts, so why would I have such a nightmare? If it were real, where did this person come from? The door was closed; how could they have entered? Could it be a demon? I have no impure thoughts whatsoever; how could a demon arise?" Unable to explain, he had to let it go. The next night passed without incident. On the third night, his chastity remained unwavering. Although he was mute and physically restrained, his mind was quite clear. He vaguely felt the night air rustling as he got up to open the door. A short while later, someone began to undress him and engage in sexual intercourse. Though he was furious and anxious, he could not refrain from doing so. The person left in the middle of the night. When he awoke at dawn, he hurriedly checked the door. It was locked again, and his undergarments were still intact, but he felt a sense of uncleanliness in his genitals. After thinking for a while, he had grasped the gist of it and said, "There must be a reason for Ye He's actions. These past few days, Hua Rui and Hua Xu have often been whispering and laughing with him, so the three of them must be conspiring together. If I confront them directly and sternly, they will never dare to admit it. We must use words to trick them into revealing the truth."

After breakfast, Zhen summoned Yehe to her side and, feigning a smile, asked, "These past two nights, I felt someone was sleeping with me in bed. You must know who it is, so please tell me the truth." Yehe seemed frightened and replied, "I don't know." Zhen, observing her expression, knew it was him and laughed, "Little servant, why are you still hiding it from me? Last night I clearly heard you open the door and let him in, yet you still say you didn't know. This is a pleasure that women crave, why would I be angry? That person came so secretly, I couldn't accept it openly, it's a pity I missed it. Since that person loves me, you must know. Tell me clearly, openly invite him in to meet me, and I will reward you and flatter you, why would I blame you?" Yehe was just a foolish maid, unaware of her mistress's thoughts, so she just smiled and refused to speak, wanting to say something but remaining silent. Madam Zhen laughed, "Just say what you have to say, why are you hesitating?" Yehe said, "The one who came to sleep with you, Madam, is the Taoist priest that Master kept to treat his illness." Madam Zhen was startled and laughed, "How did he fall in love with me? Who asked you to open the door for him? Why couldn't I speak or move when he came? Tell me in detail, and I'll understand." The maid had already spoken, so she knew she couldn't hide it anymore. Seeing her mistress so amiable, she was eager to curry favor. She told her how Huarui had asked him to administer medicine twice, and how, seeing that Madam wasn't interested, she had used a sleeping potion twice more, which was why he had come for two nights. Madam Zhen said, "What good has he done for you that you're willing to do things for him?" Yehe wanted to take advantage of the Taoist priest's influence, and while her mistress was in a good mood, she decided to tell her everything to avoid jealousy later. She also told her how Huarui had coaxed him to treat her illness and how she had raped him in the side room. Madam Zhen was stunned for a moment, thinking: This wicked Taoist priest can't even spare me, how could he spare the three of them? She then asked, "Have your three concubines had any affairs with this Taoist priest?" Yehe replied, "I don't know, unless you ask the two Flower Sisters." Zhen said, "Go and call Flower Beard and Flower Bud." She went and returned a while later. The two maids, having already told Yehe what had happened, returned confidently. Zhen laughed, "You two naughty girls, since the Taoist priest loves me, why didn't you tell me sooner? Why do you do this in secret? Come with him early tonight, and I'll meet with him. But I'm afraid your concubines will find out, and it will be embarrassing." Flower Beard said, "Don't worry, Madam, the concubines have already become one with him." Zhen asked, "How did they manage to get close?" Flower Beard explained how she had used the drug. Zhen said, "You often come up at night, aren't you afraid your master will wake up and ask?" Flower Bud then told her how she had drugged him. Zhen said, "Go now, but come early tonight, I'll be waiting." The two maids went to the east wing and told Hong and the other two maids what Zhen had said. Everyone laughed, thinking they had succeeded.

Shan Yuxue immediately ordered his family to throw the Taoist priest and his three maids out into the wilderness. He

then buried Zhen Shi, placing the knife inside the coffin as a funerary offering. The details are unnecessary. The county magistrate petitioned the emperor, submitted a memorial, and was granted the posthumous title of "Ruren" (a title for a noblewoman), a memorial archway erected, and the inscription " Xiang Gui Lie Shi"

(Heroic Woman of the Fragrant Chamber).

The funeral procession and burial were a grand affair. Local scholars, literati, and poets all composed elegies and poems to mourn her, and the county magistrate and his assistant personally came to burn paper money. Although Zhen Shi had been defiled by the wicked Taoist priest, her posthumous honor was considerable. The three women, Hong Shi and her two maids, were terrified from that day onward, trembling with fear day and night, filled with paranoia. Every time they closed their eyes, they saw the Taoist priest and his three maids, covered in blood, before them, and Ye He cursing, "It was all you three harlots who poisoned me, causing me to this state! Return my life!" Their fear only intensified. Having already been terrified, he now suffered from nightly nightmares of being attacked and killed by the crowd, driving him to madness. His eyes were fixed straight ahead as he cried out, "It's bad enough that Yehe beat us, but you two poisoned the three of us! You were just teasing Grandma, why are you hitting me too?" The women in the house, hearing this, pressed him for details. The three of them recounted how Huaxu and Huarui had poisoned him for the Taoist priest, leading to their adultery, how they had seduced Yehe, and how they had poisoned Grandma. Only then did everyone understand the whole story. Several days later, all three died.

The Chanyu, over thirty years old, still had no children. After Zhen's death, he deeply regretted his youthful mistakes, reformed himself, and never again indulged in lust. He took the Taoist priest's medicine morning and night, bought two maids, and continued his sexual practices. Sure enough, after a hundred days, his penis became erect and he could move. Grieved by Zhen's death, he couldn't bear to remarry, so he took the two maids with him, and they later each bore him children.

The Chanyu, because of his lustful desires, ruined his once beautiful wives and concubines. Fortunately, he reformed, and his bloodline was spared. As the ancients said, "Good deeds bring fortune, and lust brings misfortune," how true this is!

Huan'e, having heard the details, was truly impressed and mounted his horse to return. As he rode, he saw a large crowd gathered there. "In the customs of Jiangnan, no matter how big or small the matter, countless people will gather to watch, hence the term 'foolish goose head.'" Huan'e also squeezed his horse through the crowd and saw a young man in his twenties, his face and body covered in blood, saying, "I've treated my brother well enough. This is unfair; they're beating me mercilessly." A burly man with a face full of scars, pockmarked, yellow beard, and white eyes, shirtless, pounded his chest menacingly, saying, "I'm not afraid of you; go ahead and sue me." An old man, his face turned away from the burly man, said, "You slave..." "So vicious! Doesn't the government have any law to punish you?" the burly man said. "Uncle, don't be biased. They're all your nephews. It's not right to favor one and kill the other. You're like a handful on a cold stove, a handful on a hot stove, your palm can't see the back of your hand. I advise you to be more lenient, old man, don't go too far, waving your arms and jumping eight feet high." The old man got angry and said, "You're bullying your brother, but do you dare hit my uncle?" Turning around, Huan E recognized him. His name was Zeng Haoyi, courtesy name Gongdao, a virtuous and elderly man. Huan E quickly jumped off his horse. What did he encounter this man for? To find out, see the next chapter. (

End of Volume Nineteen )

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