cǐ kāi juàn dì yī huí yě。 zuò zhě zì yún: yīn céng lì guò yī fān mèng huàn zhī hòu, gù jiāng zhēn shì yǐn qù, ér jiè " tōng líng " zhī shuō, zhuàn cǐ《 shí tóu jì》 yī shū yě。 gù yuē " zhēn shì yǐn " yún yún。 dàn shū zhōng suǒ jì hé shì hé rén? zì yòu yún:“ jīn fēng chén lù lù, yī shì wú chéng, hū niàn jí dāng rì suǒ yòu zhī nǚ zǐ, yī yī xì kǎo jiào qù, jué qí xíng zhǐ jiàn shí, jiē chū yú wǒ zhī shàng。 hé wǒ táng táng xū méi, chéng bù ruò bǐ qún chāi zāi? shí kuì zé yòu yú, huǐ yòu wú yì zhī dà wú kě rú hé zhī rì yě! dāng cǐ, zé zì yù jiāng yǐ wǎng suǒ lài tiān 'ēn zǔ dé, jǐn yī wán kù zhī shí, yù gān yàn féi zhī rì, bèi fù xiōng jiào yù zhī 'ēn, fù shī yǒu guī tán zhī dé, yǐ zhì jīn rì yī jì wú chéng, bàn shēng liáo dǎo zhī zuì, biān shù yī jí, yǐ gào tiān xià rén: wǒ zhī zuì gù bù miǎn, rán guī gé zhōng běn zì lì lì yòu rén, wàn bù kě yīn wǒ zhī bù xiào, zì hù jǐ duǎn, yī bìng shǐ qí mǐn miè yě。 suī jīn rì zhī máo chuán péng yǒu, wǎ zào shéng chuáng, qí chén xī fēng lù, jiē liǔ tíng huā, yì wèi yòu fáng wǒ zhī jīn huái bǐ mò zhě。 suī wǒ wèi xué, xià bǐ wú wén, yòu hé fáng yòng jiǎ yǔ cūn yán, fū yǎn chū yī duàn gù shì lái, yì kě shǐ guī gé zhāo chuán, fù kě yuè shì zhī mù, pò rén chóu mèn, bù yì yí hū? " gù yuē " jiǎ yǔ cūn " yún yún。
cǐ huí zhōng fán yòng“ mèng” yòng“ huàn” děng zì, shì tí xǐng yuè zhě yǎn mù, yì shì cǐ shū lì yì běn zhǐ。
liè wèi kàn guān: nǐ dào cǐ shū cóng hé 'ér lái? shuō qǐ gēn yóu suī jìn huāng táng, xì 'àn zé shēn yòu qù wèi。 dài zài xià jiāng cǐ lái lì zhù míng, fāng shǐ yuè zhě liǎo rán bù huò。
yuán lái nǚ wā shì liàn shí bǔ tiān zhī shí, yú dà huāng shān wú jī yá liàn chéng gāo jīng shí 'èr zhàng, fāng jīng 'èr shí sì zhàng wán shí sān wàn liù qiān wǔ bǎi líng yī kuài。 wā huáng shì zhǐ yòng liǎo sān wàn liù qiān wǔ bǎi kuài, zhǐ dān dān shèng liǎo yī kuài wèi yòng, biàn qì zài cǐ shān qīng gěng fēng xià。 shuí zhī cǐ shí zì jīng duàn liàn zhī hòu, líng xìng yǐ tōng, yīn jiàn zhòng shí jù dé bǔ tiān, dú zì jǐ wú cái bù kān rù xuǎn, suì zì yuàn zì tàn, rì yè bēi hào cán kuì。
yī rì, zhèng dāng jiē dào zhī jì, é jiàn yī sēng yī dào yuǎn yuǎn 'ér lái, shēng dé gǔ gé bù fán, fēng shén jiǒng yì, shuō shuō xiào xiào lái zhì fēng xià, zuò yú shí biān gāo tán kuài lùn。 xiān shì shuō xiē yún shān wù hǎi shén xiān xuán huàn zhī shì, hòu biàn shuō dào hóng chén zhōng róng huá fù guì。 cǐ shí tīng liǎo, bù jué dǎ dòng fán xīn, yě xiǎng yào dào rén jiān qù xiǎng yī xiǎng zhè róng huá fù guì, dàn zì hèn cū chǔn, bù dé yǐ, biàn kǒu tù rén yán, xiàng nà sēng dào shuō dào:“ dà shī, dì zǐ chǔn wù, bù néng jiàn lǐ liǎo。 shì wén 'èr wèi tán nà rén shì jiān róng yào fán huá, xīnqiè mù zhī。 dì zǐ zhì suī cū chǔn, xìng què shāo tōng, kuàng jiàn 'èr shī xiān xíng dào tǐ, dìng fēi fán pǐn, bì yòu bǔ tiān jì shì zhī cái, lì wù jì rén zhī dé。 rú méng fā yī diǎn cí xīn, xié dài dì zǐ dé rù hóng chén, zài nà fù guì chǎng zhōng, wēn róu xiāng lǐ shòu xiǎng jǐ nián, zì dāng yǒng pèi hóng 'ēn, wàn jié bù wàng yě。” èr xiān shī tīng bì, qí hān xiào dào:“ shàn zāi, shàn zāi! nà hóng chén zhōng yòu què yòu xiē lè shì, dàn bù néng yǒng yuǎn yǐ shì, kuàng yòu yòu ‘ měi zhōng bù zú, hǎo shì duō mó ’ bā gè zì jǐn xiāng lián shǔ, shùn xī jiān zé yòu lè jí bēi shēng, rén fēi wù huàn, jiū jìng shì dào tóu yī mèng, wàn jìng guī kōng, dǎo bù rú bù qù de hǎo。” zhè shí fán xīn yǐ chì, nà lǐ tīng dé jìn zhè huà qù, nǎi fù kǔ qiú zài sì。 èr xiān zhī bù kě qiáng zhì, nǎi tàn dào:“ cǐ yì jìng jí sǒng jí *, wú zhōng shēng yòu zhī shù yě。 jì rú cǐ, wǒ men biàn xié nǐ qù shòu xiǎng shòu xiǎng, zhǐ shì dào bù dé yì shí, qièmò hòu huǐ。” shí dào:“ zì rán, zì rán。” nà sēng yòu dào:“ ruò shuō nǐ xìng líng, què yòu rú cǐ zhì chǔn, bìng gèng wú qí guì zhī chù。 rú cǐ yě zhǐ hǎo diǎn jiǎo 'ér yǐ。 yě bà, wǒ rú jīn dà shī fó fǎ zhù nǐ zhù, dài jié zhōng zhī rì, fù hái běn zhì, yǐ liǎo cǐ 'àn。 nǐ dào hǎo fǒu? " shí tóu tīng liǎo, gǎn xiè bù jìn。 nà sēng biàn niàn zhòu shū fú, dà zhǎn huàn shù, jiāng yī kuài dà shí dēng shí biàn chéng yī kuài xiān míng yíng jié de měi yù, qiě yòu suō chéng shàn zhuì dà xiǎo de kě pèi kě ná。 nà sēng tuō yú zhǎng shàng, xiào dào:“ xíng tǐ dǎo yě shì gè bǎo wù liǎo! hái zhǐ méi yòu, shí zài de hǎo chù, xū dé zài juān shàng shù zì, shǐ rén yī jiàn biàn zhī shì qí wù fāng miào。 rán hòu xié nǐ dào nà chāng míng lóng shèng zhī bāng, shī lǐ zān yīng zhī zú, huā liǔ fán huá dì, wēn róu fù guì xiāng qù 'ān shēn lè yè。” shí tóu tīng liǎo, xǐ bù néng jìn, nǎi wèn:“ bù zhī cì liǎo dì zǐ nà jǐ jiàn qí chù, yòu bù zhī xié liǎo dì zǐ dào hé dì fāng? wàng qǐ míng shì, shǐ dì zǐ bù huò。” nà sēng xiào dào:“ nǐ qiě mò wèn, rì hòu zì rán míng bái de。” shuō zhe, biàn xiù liǎo zhè shí, tóng nà dào rén piāo rán 'ér qù, jìng bù zhī tóubèn hé fāng hé shè。
hòu lái, yòu bù zhī guò liǎo jǐ shì jǐ jié, yīn yòu gè kōng kōng dào rén fǎng dào qiú xiān, hū cóng zhè dà huāng shān wú jī yá qīng gěng fēng xià jīng guò, hū jiàn yī dà kuài shí shàng zì jì fēn míng, biān shù lì lì。 kōng kōng dào rén nǎi cóng tóu yī kàn, yuán lái jiù shì wú cái bǔ tiān, huàn xíng rù shì, méng máng máng dà shì, miǎo miǎo zhēn rén xié rù hóng chén, lì jìn lí hé bēi huān yán liáng shì tài de yī duàn gù shì。 hòu miàn yòu yòu yī shǒu jì yún:
wú cái kě qù bǔ cāng tiān, wǎng rù hóng chén ruò xǔ nián。
cǐ xì shēn qián shēn hòu shì, qiàn shuí jì qù zuò qí chuán? shī hòu biàn shì cǐ shí zhuì luò zhī xiāng, tóu tāi zhī chù, qīn zì jīng lì de yī duàn chén jì gù shì。 qí zhōng jiā tíng guī gé suǒ shì, yǐ jí xián qíng shī cí dǎo hái quán bèi, huò kě shì qù jiě mèn, rán cháo dài nián jì, dì yú bāng guó, què fǎn shī luò wú kǎo。
kōng kōng dào rén suì xiàng shí tóu shuō dào:“ shí xiōng, nǐ zhè yī duàn gù shì, jù nǐ zì jǐ shuō yòu xiē qù wèi, gù biān xiě zài cǐ, yì yù wèn shì chuán qí。 jù wǒ kàn lái, dì yī jiàn, wú cháo dài nián jì kě kǎo, dì 'èr jiàn, bìng wú dà xián dà zhōng lǐ cháo tíng zhì fēng sú de shàn zhèng, qí zhōng zhǐ bù guò jǐ gè yì yàng nǚ zǐ, huò qíng huò chī, huò xiǎo cái wēi shàn, yì wú bān gū, cài nǚ zhī dé néng。 wǒ zòng chāo qù, kǒng shì rén bù 'ài kàn ní。” shí tóu xiào dá dào:“ wǒ shī hé tài chī yé! ruò yún wú cháo dài kě kǎo, jīn wǒ shī jìng jiǎ jiè hàn táng děng nián jì tiān zhuì, yòu yòu hé nán? dàn wǒ xiǎng, lì lái yě shǐ, jiē dǎo yī zhé, mò rú wǒ zhè bù jiè cǐ tào zhě, fǎn dǎo xīn qí bié zhì, bù guò zhǐ qǔ qí shì tǐ qíng lǐ bà liǎo, yòu hé bì jū jū yú cháo dài nián jì zāi! zài zhě, shì jǐng sú rén xǐ kàn lǐ zhì zhī shū zhě shèn shǎo, ài shì qù xián wén zhě tè duō。 lì lái yě shǐ, huò shàn bàng jūn xiāng, huò biǎn rén qī nǚ, jiān yín xiōng 'è, bù kě shèngshǔ。 gèng yòu yī zhǒng fēng yuè bǐ mò, qí yín huì wū chòu, tú dú bǐ mò, huài rén zǐ dì, yòu bù kě shèngshǔ。 zhì ruò jiā rén cái zǐ děng shū, zé yòu qiān bù gòng chū yī tào, qiě qí zhōng zhōng bù néng bù shè yú yín làn, yǐ zhì mǎn zhǐ pān 'ān, zǐ jiàn, xī zǐ, wén jūn, bù guò zuò zhě yào xiě chū zì jǐ de nà liǎng shǒu qíng shī yàn fù lái, gù jiǎ nǐ chū nán nǚ 'èr rén míng xìng, yòu bì bàng chū yī xiǎo rén qí jiān bō luàn, yì rú jù zhōng zhī xiǎo chǒu rán。 qiě huán bì kāi kǒu jí zhě yě zhī hū, fēi wén jí lǐ。 gù zhú yī kàn qù, xī jiē zì xiāng máo dùn, dà bù jìn qíng lǐ zhī huà, jìng bù rú wǒ bàn shì qīn dǔ qīn wén de zhè jǐ gè nǚ zǐ, suī bù gǎn shuō qiáng sì qián dài shū zhōng suǒ yòu zhī rén, dàn shì jì yuán wěi, yì kě yǐ xiāo chóu pò mèn, yě yòu jǐ shǒu wāi shī shú huà, kě yǐ pēn fàn gōng jiǔ。 zhì ruò lí hé bēi huān, xīng shuāi jì yù, zé yòu zhuī zōng niè jì, bù gǎn shāo jiā chuān záo, tú wéi gōng rén zhī mù 'ér fǎn shī qí zhēn chuán zhě。 jīn zhī rén, pín zhě rì wéi yī shí suǒ lěi, fù zhě yòu huái bù zú zhī xīn, zòng rán yī shí shāo xián, yòu yòu tān yín liàn sè, hǎo huò xún chóu zhī shì, nà lǐ qù yòu gōng fū kàn nà lǐ zhì zhī shū? suǒ yǐ wǒ zhè yī duàn gù shì, yě bù yuàn shì rén chēng qí dào miào, yě bù dìng yào shì rén xǐ yuè jiǎn dú, zhǐ yuàn tā men dāng nà zuì yín bǎo wò zhī shí, huò bì shì qù chóu zhī jì, bǎ cǐ yī wán, qǐ bù shěng liǎo xiē shòu mìng jīn lì? jiù bǐ nà móu xū zhú wàng, què yě shěng liǎo kǒu shé shì fēi zhī hài, tuǐ jiǎo bēn máng zhī kǔ。 zài zhě, yì lìng shì rén huàn xīn yǎn mù, bù bǐ nà xiē hú qiān luàn chě, hū lí hū yù, mǎn zhǐ cái rén shū nǚ, zǐ jiàn wén jūn hóng niàn xiǎo yù děng tōng gòng shú tào zhī jiù gǎo。 wǒ shī yì wéi hé rú?”
kōng kōng dào rén tīng rú cǐ shuō, sī cǔn bàn shǎng, jiāng《 shí tóu jì》 zài jiǎn yuè yī biàn, yīn jiàn shàng miàn suī yòu xiē zhǐ jiān zé nìng biǎn 'è zhū xié zhī yǔ, yì fēi shāng shí mà shì zhī zhǐ, jí zhì jūn rén chén liáng fù cí zǐ xiào, fán lún cháng suǒ guān zhī chù, jiē shì chēng gōng sòng dé, juàn juàn wú qióng, shí fēi bié shū zhī kě bǐ。 suī qí zhōng dà zhǐ tán qíng, yì bù guò shí lù qí shì, yòu fēi jiǎ nǐ wàng chēng, yī wèi yín yāo yàn yuē, sī dìng tōu méng zhī kě bǐ。 yīn háo bù gān shè shí shì, fāng cóng tóu zhì wěi chāo lù huí lái, wèn shì chuán qí。 cóng cǐ kōng kōng dào rén yīn kōng jiàn sè, yóu sè shēng qíng, chuán qíng rù sè, zì sè wù kōng, suì yì míng wéi qíng sēng, gǎi《 shí tóu jì》 wéi《 qíng sēng lù》。 dōng lǔ kǒng méi xī zé tí yuē《 fēng yuè bǎo jiàn》。 hòu yīn cáo xuě qín yú dào hóng xuān zhōng pī yuè shízǎi, zēng shān wǔ cì, zuǎn chéng mù lù, fēn chū zhāng huí, zé tí yuē《 jīn líng shí 'èr chāi》。 bìng tí yī jué yún:
mǎn zhǐ huāng táng yán, yī bǎ xīn suān lèi!
dū yún zuò zhě chī, shuí jiě qí zhōng wèi?
chū zé jì míng, qiě kàn shí shàng shì hé gù shì。 àn nà shí shàng shū yún:
dāng rì dì xiàn dōng nán, zhè dōng nán yī yú yòu chù yuē gū sū, yòu chéng yuē chāng mén zhě, zuì shì hóng chén zhōng yī 'èr děng fù guì fēng liú zhī dì。 zhè chāng mén wài yòu gè shí lǐ jiē, jiē nèi yòu gè rén qīng xiàng, xiàng nèi yòu gè gǔ miào, yīn dì fāng zhǎi xiá, rén jiē hū zuò hú lú miào。 miào bàng zhù zhe yī jiā xiāng huàn, xìng zhēn, míng fèi, zì shì yǐn。 dí qī fēng shì, qíng xìng xián shū, shēn míng lǐ yì。 jiā zhōng suī bù shèn fù guì, rán běn dì biàn yě tuī tā wéi wàng zú liǎo。 yīn zhè zhēn shì yǐn bǐng xìng tián dàn, bù yǐ gōng míng wéi niàn, měi rì zhǐ yǐ guān huā xiū zhú, zhuó jiǔ yín shī wéi lè, dǎo shì shén xiān yī liú rén pǐn。 zhǐ shì yī jiàn bù zú: rú jīn nián yǐ bàn bǎi, xī xià wú 'ér, zhǐ yòu yī nǚ, rǔ míng huàn zuò yīng lián, nián fāng sān suì。
yī rì, yán xià yǒng zhòu, shì yǐn yú shū fáng xián zuò, zhì shǒu juàn pāo shū, fú jǐ shǎo qì, bù jué méng lóng shuì qù。 mèng zhì yī chù, bù biàn shì hé dì fāng。 hū jiàn nà xiāng lái liǎo yī sēng yī dào, qiě xíng qiě tán。 zhǐ tīng dào rén wèn dào:“ nǐ xié liǎo zhè chǔn wù, yì yù hé wǎng? " nà sēng xiào dào:“ nǐ fàng xīn, rú jīn xiàn yòu yī duàn fēng liú gōng 'àn zhèng gāi liǎo jié, zhè yī gān fēng liú yuān jiā, shàng wèi tóu tāi rù shì。 chèn cǐ jī huì, jiù jiāng cǐ chǔn wù jiā dài yú zhōng, shǐ tā qù jīng lì jīng lì。” nà dào rén dào:“ yuán lái jìn rì fēng liú yuān niè yòu jiāng zào jié lì shì qù bù chéng? dàn bù zhī luò yú hé fāng hé chù? " nà sēng xiào dào:“ cǐ shì shuō lái hǎo xiào, jìng shì qiān gǔ wèi wén de hǎn shì。 zhǐ yīn xī fāng líng hé 'àn shàng sān shēng shí pàn, yòu jiàng zhū cǎo yī zhū, shí yòu chì xiá gōng shén yīng shì zhě, rì yǐ gān lù guàn gài, zhè jiàng zhū cǎo shǐ dé jiǔ yán suì yuè。 hòu lái jì shòu tiān dì jīng huá, fù dé yǔ lù zī yǎng, suì dé tuō què cǎo tāi mù zhì, dé huàn rén xíng, jǐn xiū chéng gè nǚ tǐ, zhōng rì yóu yú lí hèn tiān wài, jī zé shí mì qīng guǒ wéi shàn, kě zé yǐn guàn chóu hǎi shuǐ wéi tānɡ。 zhǐ yīn shàng wèi chóu bào guàn gài zhī dé, gù qí wǔ nèi biàn yù jié zhe yī duàn chán mián bù jìn zhī yì。 qià jìn rì zhè shén yīng shì zhě fán xīn 'ǒu chì, chéng cǐ chāng míng tài píng cháo shì, yì yù xià fán zào lì huàn yuán, yǐ zài jǐng huàn xiān zǐ 'àn qián guà liǎo hào。 jǐng huàn yì céng wèn jí, guàn gài zhī qíng wèi cháng, chèn cǐ dǎo kě liǎo jié de。 nà jiàng zhū xiān zǐ dào:‘ tā shì gān lù zhī huì, wǒ bìng wú cǐ shuǐ kě hái。 tā jì xià shì wéi rén, wǒ yě qù xià shì wéi rén, dàn bǎ wǒ yī shēng suǒ yòu de yǎn lèi hái tā, yě cháng hái dé guò tā liǎo。’ yīn cǐ yī shì, jiù gòu chū duō shǎo fēng liú yuān jiā lái, péi tā men qù liǎo jié cǐ 'àn。” nà dào rén dào:“ guǒ shì hǎn wén。 shí wèi wén yòu hái lèi zhī shuō。 xiǎng lái zhè yī duàn gù shì, bǐ lì lái fēng yuè shì gù gèng jiā suǒ suì xì nì liǎo。” nà sēng dào:“ lì lái jǐ gè fēng liú rén wù, bù guò chuán qí dà gài yǐ jí shī cí piān zhāng 'ér yǐ, zhì jiā tíng guī gé zhōng yī yǐn yī shí, zǒng wèi shù jì。 zài zhě, dà bàn fēng yuè gù shì, bù guò tōu xiāng qiè yù, àn yuē sī bēn 'ér yǐ, bìng bù céng jiāng 'ér nǚ zhī zhēn qíng fā xiè yī 'èr。 xiǎng zhè yī gànrén rù shì, qí qíng chī sè guǐ, xián yú bù xiào zhě, xī yǔ qián rén chuán shù bù tóng yǐ。” nà dào rén dào:“ chèn cǐ hé bù nǐ wǒ yě qù xià shì dù tuō jǐ gè, qǐ bù shì yīcháng gōng dé? " nà sēng dào:“ zhèng hé wú yì, nǐ qiě tóng wǒ dào jǐng huàn xiān zǐ gōng zhōng, jiāng chǔn wù jiāo gē qīng chǔ, dài zhè yī gān fēng liú niè guǐ xià shì yǐ wán, nǐ wǒ zài qù。 rú jīn suī yǐ yòu yī bàn luò chén, rán yóu wèi quán jí。” dào rén dào:“ jì rú cǐ, biàn suí nǐ qù lái。”
què shuō zhēn shì yǐn jù tīng dé míng bái, dàn bù zhī suǒ yún " chǔn wù " xì hé dōng xī。 suì bù jìn shàng qián shī lǐ, xiào wèn dào:“ èr xiān shī qǐng liǎo。” nà sēng dào yě máng dá lǐ xiāng wèn。 shì yǐn yīn shuō dào:“ shì wén xiān shī suǒ tán yīn guǒ, shí rén shì hǎn wén zhě。 dàn dì zǐ yú zhuó, bù néng dòng xī míng bái, ruò méng dà kāi chī wán, bèi xì yī wén, dì zǐ zé xǐ 'ěr dì tīng, shāo néng jǐng shěng, yì kě miǎn chén lún zhī kǔ。” èr xiān xiào dào:“ cǐ nǎi xuán jī bù kě yù xiè zhě。 dào nà shí bù yào wàng wǒ 'èr rén, biàn kě tiào chū huǒ kēng yǐ。” shì yǐn tīng liǎo, bù biàn zài wèn。 yīn xiào dào:“ xuán jī bù kě yù xiè, dàn shì yún‘ chǔn wù’, bù zhī wèihé, huò kě yī jiàn fǒu? " nà sēng dào:“ ruò wèn cǐ wù, dǎo yòu yī miàn zhī yuán。” shuō zhe, qǔ chū dì yǔ shì yǐn。 shì yǐn jiē liǎo kàn shí, yuán lái shì kuài xiān míng měi yù, shàng miàn zì jì fēn míng, juān zhe " tōng líng bǎo yù " sì zì, hòu miàn hái yòu jǐ xíng xiǎo zì。 zhèng yù xì kàn shí, nà sēng biàn shuō yǐ dào huàn jìng, biàn qiáng cóng shǒu zhōng duó liǎo qù, yǔ dào rén jìng guò yī dà shí pái fāng, shàng shū sì gè dà zì, nǎi shì " tài xū huàn jìng "。 liǎng biān yòu yòu yī fú duì lián, dào shì:
jiǎ zuò zhēn shí zhēn yì jiǎ, wú wéi yòu chù yòu hái wú。 shì yǐn yì yù yě gēn liǎo guò qù, fāng jǔ bù shí, hū tīng yī shēng pī lì, yòu ruò shān bēng dì xiàn。 shì yǐn dà jiào yī shēng, dìng jīng yī kàn, zhǐ jiàn liè rì yán yán, bā jiāo rǎn rǎn, suǒ mèng zhī shì biàn wàng liǎo dà bàn。 yòu jiàn nǎi mǔ zhèng bào liǎo yīng lián zǒu lái。 shì yǐn jiàn nǚ 'ér yuè fā shēng dé fěn zhuāng yù zhuó, guāi jué kě xǐ, biàn shēn shǒu jiē lái, bào zài huái nèi, dǒu tā wán shuǎ yī huí, yòu dài zhì jiē qián, kàn nà guò huì de rè nào。 fāng yù jìn lái shí, zhǐ jiàn cóng nà biān lái liǎo yī sēng yī dào: nà sēng zé là tóu xiǎn jiǎo, nà dào zé bǒ zú péng tóu, fēng fēng diān diān, huī huò tán xiào 'ér zhì。 jí zhì dào liǎo tā mén qián, kàn jiàn shì yǐn bào zhe yīng lián, nà sēng biàn dà kū qǐ lái, yòu xiàng shì yǐn dào:“ shī zhù, nǐ bǎ zhè yòu mìng wú yùn, lěi jí diē niàn zhī wù, bào zài huái nèi zuò shèn? " shì yǐn tīng liǎo, zhī shì fēng huà, yě bù qù cǎi tā。 nà sēng hái shuō:“ shěwǒ bà, shěwǒ bà! " shì yǐn bù nài fán, biàn bào nǚ 'ér chè shēn yào jìn qù, nà sēng nǎi zhǐ zhe tā dà xiào, kǒu nèi niàn liǎo sì jù yán cí dào:
guàn yǎng jiāo shēng xiào nǐ chī, líng huā kōng duì xuě sī sī。
hǎo fáng jiā jié yuán xiāo hòu, biàn shì yān xiāo huǒ miè shí。 shì yǐn tīng dé míng bái, xīn xià yóu yù, yì yù wèn tā men lái lì。 zhǐ tīng dào rén shuō dào:“ nǐ wǒ bù bì tóng xíng, jiù cǐ fēn shǒu, gè gān yíng shēng qù bà。 sān jié hòu, wǒ zài běi māng shān děng nǐ, huì qí liǎo tóng wǎng tài xū huàn jìng xiāo hào。” nà sēng dào:“ zuì miào, zuì miào! " shuō bì, èr rén yī qù, zài bù jiàn gè zōng yǐng liǎo。 shì yǐn xīn zhōng cǐ shí zì cǔn: zhè liǎng gè rén bì yòu lái lì, gāi shì yī wèn, rú jīn huǐ què wǎn yě。
zhè shì yǐn zhèng chī xiǎng, hū jiàn gé bì hú lú miào nèi jì jū de yī gè qióng rú - xìng jiǎ míng huà, biǎo zì shí fēi, bié hào yǔ cūn zhě zǒu liǎo chū lái。 zhè jiǎ yǔ cūn yuán xì hú zhōu rén shì, yě shì shī shū shì huàn zhī zú, yīn tā shēng yú mò shì, fù mǔ zǔ zōng gēn jī yǐ jìn, rén kǒu shuāi sàng, zhǐ shèng dé tā yī shēn yī kǒu, zài jiā xiāng wú yì, yīn jìn jīng qiú qǔ gōng míng, zài zhěng jī yè。 zì qián suì lái cǐ, yòu yān jiǎn zhù liǎo, zàn jì miào zhōng 'ān shēn, měi rì mài zì zuò wén wéi shēng, gù shì yǐn cháng yǔ tā jiāo jiē。 dāng xià yǔ cūn jiàn liǎo shì yǐn, máng shī lǐ péi xiào dào:“ lǎo xiān shēng yǐ mén zhù wàng, gǎn shì jiē shì shàng yòu shèn xīn wén fǒu? " shì yǐn xiào dào:“ fēi yě。 shì yīn xiǎo nǚ tí kū, yǐn tā chū lái zuò shuǎ, zhèng shì wú liáo zhī shèn, xiōng lái dé zhèng miào, qǐng rù xiǎo zhāi yī tán, bǐ cǐ jiē kě xiāo cǐ yǒng zhòu。” shuō zhe, biàn lìng rén sòng nǚ 'ér jìn qù, zì yǔ yǔ cūn xié shǒu lái zhì shū fáng zhōng。 xiǎo tóng xiàn chá。 fāng tán dé sān wǔ jù huà, hū jiā rén fēi bào:“ yán lǎo yé lái bài。” shì yǐn huāng de máng qǐ shēn xiè zuì dào:“ shù kuáng jià zhī zuì, lüè zuò, dì jí lái péi。” yǔ cūn máng qǐ shēn yì ràng dào:“ lǎo xiān shēng qǐng biàn。 wǎn shēng nǎi cháng zào zhī kè, shāo hòu hé fáng。” shuō zhe, shì yǐn yǐ chū qián tīng qù liǎo。
zhè lǐ yǔ cūn qiě fān nòng shū jí jiě mèn。 hū tīng dé chuāng wài yòu nǚ zǐ sòu shēng, yǔ cūn suì qǐ shēn wǎng chuāng wài yī kàn, yuán lái shì yī gè yā huán, zài nà lǐ xié huā, shēng dé yí róng bù sú, méi mù qīng míng, suī wú shí fēn zī sè, què yì yòu dòng rén zhī chù。 yǔ cūn bù jué kàn de dāi liǎo。 nà zhēn jiā yā huán xié liǎo huā, fāng yù zǒu shí, měng tái tóu jiàn chuāng nèi yòu rén, bì jīn jiù fú, suī shì pín jiǒng, rán shēng dé yāo yuán bèi hòu, miàn kuò kǒu fāng, gèng jiān jiàn méi xīng yǎn, zhí bí quán sāi。 zhè yā huán máng zhuǎn shēn huí bì, xīn xià nǎi xiǎng:“ zhè rén shēng de zhè yàng xióng zhuàng, què yòu zhè yàng lán lǚ, xiǎng tā dìng shì wǒ jiā zhù rén cháng shuō de shénme jiǎ yǔ cūn liǎo, měi yòu yì bāng zhù zhōu jì, zhǐ shì méi shèn jī huì。 wǒ jiā bìng wú zhè yàng pín jiǒng qīn yǒu, xiǎng dìng shì cǐ rén wú yí liǎo。 guài dào yòu shuō tā bì fēi jiǔ kùn zhī rén。” rú cǐ xiǎng lái, bù miǎn yòu huí tóu liǎng cì。 yǔ cūn jiàn tā huí liǎo tóu, biàn zì wéi zhè nǚ zǐ xīn zhōng yòu yì yú tā, biàn kuáng xǐ bù jìn, zì wéi cǐ nǚ zǐ bì shì gè jù yǎn yīng xióng, fēng chén zhōng zhī zhī jǐ yě。 yī shí xiǎo tóng jìn lái, yǔ cūn dǎ tīng dé qián miàn liú fàn, bù kě jiǔ dài, suì cóng jiā dào zhōng zì biàn chū mén qù liǎo。 shì yǐn dài kè jì sàn, zhī yǔ cūn zì biàn, yě bù qù zài yāo。
yī rì, zǎo yòu zhōng qiū jiā jié。 shì yǐn jiā yàn yǐ bì, nǎi yòu lìng jù yī xí yú shū fáng, què zì jǐ bù yuè zhì miào zhōng lái yāo yǔ cūn。 yuán lái yǔ cūn zì nà rì jiàn liǎo zhēn jiā zhī bì céng huí gù tā liǎng cì, zì wéi shì gè zhī jǐ, biàn shí kè fàng zài xīn shàng。 jīn yòu zhèng zhí zhōng qiū, bù miǎn duì yuè yòuhuái, yīn 'ér kǒu zhàn wǔ yán yī lǜ yún:
wèi bǔ sān shēng yuàn, pín tiān yī duàn chóu。
mèn lái shí liǎn 'é, xíng qù jǐ huí tóu。
zì gù fēng qián yǐng, shuí kān yuè xià chóu?
chán guāng rú yòu yì, xiān shàng yù rén lóu。
yǔ cūn yín bà, yīn yòu sī jí píng shēng bào fù, kǔ wèi féng shí, nǎi yòu sāo shǒu duì tiān cháng tàn, fù gāo yín yī lián yuē:
yù zài xiá zhōng qiú shàn jià, chāi yú lián nèi dài shí fēi。
qià zhí shì yǐn zǒu lái tīng jiàn, xiào dào:“ yǔ cūn xiōng zhēn bào fù bù qiǎn yě! " yǔ cūn máng xiào dào:“ bù guò 'ǒu yín qián rén zhī jù, hé gǎn kuáng dàn zhì cǐ。” yīn wèn:“ lǎo xiān shēng hé xīng zhì cǐ? " shì yǐn xiào dào:“ jīn yè zhōng qiū, sú wèi‘ tuán yuán zhī jié’, xiǎng zūn xiōng lǚ jì sēng fáng, bù wú jì liáo zhī gǎn, gù tè jù xiǎo zhuó, yāo xiōng dào bì zhāi yī yǐn, bù zhī kě nà qín yì fǒu? " yǔ cūn tīng liǎo, bìng bù tuī cí, biàn xiào dào:“ jì méng hòu 'ài, hé gǎn fú cǐ shèng qíng。” shuō zhe, biàn tóng shì yǐn fù guò zhè biān shū yuàn zhōng lái。 xū yú chá bì, zǎo yǐ shè xià bēi pán, nà měi jiǔ jiā yáo zì bù bì shuō。 èr rén guī zuò, xiān shì kuǎn zhēn màn yǐn, cì jiàn tán zhì xīng nóng, bù jué fēi gōng xiàn qǐ lái。 dāng shí jiē fāng shàng jiā jiā xiāo guǎn, hù hù xián gē, dāng tóu yī lún míng yuè, fēi cǎi níng huī, èr rén yù tiān háo xīng, jiǔ dào bēi gān。 yǔ cūn cǐ shí yǐ yòu qī bā fēn jiǔ yì, kuáng xīng bù jìn, nǎi duì yuè yù huái, kǒu hào yī jué yún:
shí féng sān wǔ biàn tuán yuán, mǎn bǎ qíng guāng hù yù lán。
tiān shàng yī lún cái pěng chū, rén jiān wàn xìng yǎng tóu kàn。 shì yǐn tīng liǎo, dà jiào:“ miào zāi! wú měi wèi xiōng bì fēi jiǔ jū rén xià zhě, jīn suǒ yín zhī jù, fēi téng zhī zhào yǐ jiàn, bù rì kě jiē lǚ yú yún ní zhī shàng yǐ。 kě hè, kě hè! " nǎi qīn zhēn yī dǒu wéi hè。 yǔ cūn yīn gān guò, tàn dào:“ fēi wǎn shēng jiǔ hòu kuáng yán, ruò lùn shí shàng zhī xué, wǎn shēng yě huò kě qù chōng shù gū míng, zhǐ shì mù jīn xíng náng lù fèi yī gài wú cuò, shén jīng lù yuǎn, fēi lài mài zì zhuàn wén jí néng dào zhě。” shì yǐn bù dài shuō wán, biàn dào:“ xiōng hé bù zǎo yán。 yú měi yòu cǐ xīn, dàn měi yù xiōng shí, xiōng bìng wèi tán jí, yú gù wèi gǎn táng tū。 jīn jì jí cǐ, yú suī bù cái,‘ yì lì’ èr zì què hái shí dé。 qiě xǐ míng suì zhèng dāng dà bǐ, xiōng yí zuò sù rù dū, chūn wéi yī zhàn, fāng bù fù xiōng zhī suǒ xué yě。 qí pán fèi yú shì, dì zì dài wéi chǔzhì, yì bù wǎng xiōng zhī miù shí yǐ! " dāng xià jí mìng xiǎo tóng jìn qù, sù fēng wǔ shí liǎng bái yín, bìng liǎng tào dōng yī。 yòu yún:“ shí jiǔ rì nǎi huáng dào zhī qī, xiōng kě jí mǎi zhōu xī shàng, dài xióng fēi gāo jǔ, míng dōng zài wù, qǐ fēi dà kuài zhī shì yé! " yǔ cūn shōu liǎo yín yī, bù guò lüè xiè yī yǔ, bìng bù jiè yì, réng shì chī jiǔ tán xiào。 nà tiān yǐ jiāo liǎo sān gèng, èr rén fāng sàn。 shì yǐn sòng yǔ cūn qù hòu, huí fáng yī jué, zhí zhì hóng rì sān gān fāng xǐng。 yīn sī zuó yè zhī shì, yì yù zài xiě liǎng fēng jiàn shū yǔ yǔ cūn dài zhì shén dū, shǐ yǔ cūn tóu yè gè shì huàn zhī jiā wéi jì zú zhī dì。 yīn shǐ rén guò qù qǐng shí, nà jiā rén qù liǎo huí lái shuō:“ hé shàng shuō, jiǎ yé jīn rì wǔ gǔ yǐ jìn jīng qù liǎo, yě céng liú xià huà yǔ hé shàng zhuǎn dá lǎo yé, shuō‘ dú shū rén bù zài huáng dào hēi dào, zǒng yǐ shì lǐ wéi yào, bù jí miàn cí liǎo。’ " shì yǐn tīng liǎo, yě zhǐ dé bà liǎo。 zhēn shì xián chù guāng yīn yì guò, shū hū yòu shì yuán xiāo jiā jié yǐ。 shì yǐn mìng jiā rén huò qǐ bào liǎo yīng lián qù kàn shè huǒ huā dēng, bàn yè zhōng, huò qǐ yīn yào xiǎo jiě, biàn jiāng yīng lián fàng zài yī jiā mén jiàn shàng zuò zhe。 dài tā xiǎo jiě wán liǎo lái bào shí, nà yòu yīng lián de zōng yǐng? jí dé huò qǐ zhí xún liǎo bàn yè, zhì tiān míng bù jiàn, nà huò qǐ yě jiù bù gǎn huí lái jiàn zhù rén, biàn táo wǎng tā xiāng qù liǎo。 nà shì yǐn fū fù, jiàn nǚ 'ér yī yè bù guī, biàn zhī yòu xiē bù tuǒ, zài shǐ jǐ rén qù xún zhǎo, huí lái jiē yún lián yīn xiǎng jiē wú。 fū qī 'èr rén, bàn shì zhǐ shēng cǐ nǚ, yī dàn shī luò, qǐ bù sī xiǎng, yīn cǐ zhòu yè tí kū, jīhū bù céng xínsǐ。 kàn kàn de yī yuè, shì yǐn xiān jiùděiliǎo yī bìng, dāng shí fēng shì rú rén yě yīn sī nǚ gòu jí, rì rì qǐng yī liáo zhì。
bù xiǎng zhè rì sān yuè shí wǔ, hú lú miào zhōng zhà gōng, nà xiē hé shàng bù jiā xiǎo xīn, zhì shǐ yóu guō huǒ yì, biàn shāo zhe chuāng zhǐ。 cǐ fāng rén jiā duō yòng zhú lí mù bì zhě, dà dǐ yě yīn jié shù, yú shì jiē 'èr lián sān, qiān wǔ guà sì, jiāng yī tiáo jiē shāo dé rú huǒ yàn shān yī bān。 bǐ shí suī yòu jūn mín lái jiù, nà huǒ yǐ chéng liǎo shì, rú hé jiù dé xià? zhí shāo liǎo yī yè, fāng jiàn jiàn de xī qù, yě bù zhī shāo liǎo jǐ jiā。 zhǐ kě lián zhēn jiā zài gé bì, zǎo yǐ shāo chéng yī piàn wǎ lì chǎng liǎo。 zhǐ yòu tā fū fù bìng jǐ gè jiā rén de xìng mìng bù céng shāng liǎo。 jí dé shì yǐn wéi diē zú cháng tàn 'ér yǐ。 zhǐ dé yǔ qī zǐ shāng yì, qiě dào tián zhuāng shàng qù 'ān shēn。 piān zhí jìn nián shuǐ hàn bù shōu, shǔ dào fēng qǐ, wú fēi qiǎng tián duó dì, shǔ qiè gǒu tōu, mín bù 'ān shēng, yīn cǐ guān bīng jiǎo bǔ, nán yǐ 'ān shēn。 shì yǐn zhǐ dé jiāng tián zhuāng dū zhé biàn liǎo, biàn xié liǎo qī zǐ yǔ liǎng gè yā huán tóu tā yuè zhàng jiā qù。
tā yuè zhàng míng huàn fēng sù, běn guàn dà rú zhōu rén shì, suī shì wù nóng, jiā zhōng dū hái yīn shí。 jīn jiàn nǚ xù zhè děng láng bèi 'ér lái, xīn zhōng biàn yòu xiē bù lè。 xìng 'ér shì yǐn hái yòu zhé biàn tián dì de yín zǐ wèi céng yòng wán, ná chū lái tuō tā suí fēn jiù jià bó zhì xiē xū fáng dì, wéi hòu rì yī shí zhī jì。 nà fēng sù biàn bàn hōng bàn zuàn, xiē xū yǔ tā xiē bó tián xiǔ wū。 shì yǐn nǎi dú shū zhī rén, bù guàn shēng lǐ jià sè děng shì, miǎnqiǎng zhī chí liǎo yī 'èr nián, yuè jué qióng liǎo xià qù。 fēng sù měi jiàn miàn shí, biàn shuō xiē xiàn chéng huà, qiě rén qián rén hòu yòu yuàn tā men bù shàn guò huó, zhǐ yī wèi hàochī lǎn zuò děng yǔ。 shì yǐn zhī tóu rén bù zhe, xīn zhōng wèi miǎn huǐ hèn, zài jiān shàng nián jīng hǔ, jí fèn yuàn tòng, yǐ yòu jī shāng, mù nián zhī rén, pín bìng jiāo gōng, jìng jiàn jiàn de lù chū nà xià shì de guāng jǐng lái。
kě qiǎo zhè rì zhǔ liǎo guǎi zhàng zhèng cuò dào jiē qián sǎnsǎn xīn shí, hū jiàn nà biān lái liǎo yī gè bǒ zú dào rén, fēng diān luò tuō, má xǐ chún yī, kǒu nèi niàn zhe jǐ jù yán cí, dào shì:
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, wéi yòu gōng míng wàng bù liǎo!
gǔ jīn jiàngxiàng zài hé fāng? huāng zhǒng yī duī cǎo méi liǎo。
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, zhǐ yòu jīn yín wàng bù liǎo!
zhōng cháo zhǐ hèn jù wú duō, jí dào duō shí yǎn bì liǎo。
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, zhǐ yòu jiāo qī wàng bù liǎo!
jūn shēng rì rì shuō 'ēn qíng, jūn sǐ yòu suí rén qù liǎo。
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, zhǐ yòu 'ér sūn wàng bù liǎo!
chī xīn fù mǔ gǔ lái duō, xiào shùn 'ér sūn shuí jiàn liǎo?
shì yǐn tīng liǎo, biàn yíng shàng lái dào:“ nǐ mǎn kǒu shuō xiē shénme? zhǐ tīng jiàn xiē‘ hǎo’‘ liǎo’‘ hǎo’‘ liǎo’。 nà dào rén xiào dào:“ nǐ ruò guǒ tīng jiàn‘ hǎo’‘ liǎo’ èr zì, hái suàn nǐ míng bái。 kě zhī shì shàng wàn bān, hǎo biàn shì liǎo, liǎo biàn shì hǎo。 ruò bù liǎo, biàn bù hǎo, ruò yào hǎo, xū shì liǎo。 wǒ zhè gē 'ér, biàn míng《 hǎo liǎo gē》 " shì yǐn běn shì yòu sù huì de, yī wén cǐ yán, xīn zhōng zǎo yǐ chè wù。 yīn xiào dào:“ qiě zhù! dài wǒ jiāng nǐ zhè《 hǎo liǎo gē》 jiě zhù chū lái hé rú? " dào rén xiào dào:“ nǐ jiě, nǐ jiě。” shì yǐn nǎi shuō dào:
lòu shì kōng táng, dāng nián hù mǎn chuáng, shuāi cǎo kū yáng, céng wéi gē wǔ chǎng。 zhū sī 'ér jié mǎn diāo liáng, lǜ shā jīn yòu hú zài péng chuāng shàng。 shuō shí me zhī zhèng nóng、 fěn zhèng xiāng, rú hé liǎng bìn yòu chéng shuāng? zuó rì huáng tǔ lǒng tóu sòng bái gǔ, jīn xiāo hóng dēng zhàng dǐ wò yuān yāng。 jīn mǎn xiāng, yín mǎn xiāng, zhǎn yǎn qǐ gài rén jiē bàng。 zhèng tàn tā rén mìng bù cháng, nà zhī zì jǐ guī lái sàng! xùn yòu fāng, bǎo bù dìng rì hòu zuò qiáng liáng。 zé gāo liáng, shuí chéng wàng liú luò zài yān huā xiàng! yīn xián shā mào xiǎo, zhì shǐ suǒ jiā gàng, zuó lián pò 'ǎo hán, jīn xián zǐ mǎng cháng: luàn hōng hōng nǐ fāng chàng bà wǒ dēng chǎng, fǎn rèn tā xiāng shì gù xiāng。 shèn huāng táng, dào tóu láidōu shì wèitā rén zuò jià yī cháng!
nà fēng bǒ dào rén tīng liǎo, pāi zhǎng xiào dào:“ jiě dé qiē, jiě dé qiē! " shì yǐn biàn shuō yī shēng " zǒu bà! " jiāng dào rén jiān shàng dā lián qiǎng liǎo guò lái bēizhe, jìng bù huí jiā, tóng liǎo fēng dào rén piāo piāo 'ér qù。 dāng xià hōng dòng jiē fāng, zhòng rén dāng zuò yī jiàn xīn wén chuán shuō。 fēng shì wén dé cǐ xìn, kū gè sǐ qù huó lái, zhǐ dé yǔ fù qīn shāng yì, qiǎn rén gè chù fǎng xún, nà tǎo yīn xìn? wú nài hé, shǎo bù dé yǐ kào zhe tā fù mǔ dù rì。 xìng 'ér shēn biān hái yòu liǎng gè jiù rì de yā huán fú shì, zhù pú sān rén, rì yè zuò xiē zhēn xiàn fā mài, bāng zhe fù qīn yòng dù。 nà fēng sù suī rán rì rì bào yuàn, yě wú kě nài hé liǎo。
zhè rì, nà zhēn jiā dà yā huán zài mén qián mǎi xiàn, hū tīng jiē shàng hèdào zhī shēng, zhòng réndōu shuō xīn tài yé dào rèn。 yā huán yú shì yǐn zài mén nèi kàn shí, zhǐ jiàn jūn láo kuài shǒu, yī duì yī duì de guò qù, é 'ér dà jiào tái zhe yī gè wū mào xīng páo de guān fǔ guò qù。 yā huán dǎo fā liǎo gè zhèng, zì sī zhè guān hǎo miàn shàn, dǎo xiàng zài nà lǐ jiàn guò de。 yú shì jìn rù fáng zhōng, yě jiù diū guò bù zài xīn shàng。 zhì wǎn jiān, zhèng dài xiē xī zhī shí, hū tīng yī piàn shēng dǎ de mén xiǎng, xǔ duō rén luàn rǎng, shuō:“ běn fǔ tài yé chāirén lái chuán rén wèn huà。” fēng sù tīng liǎo, hǔ dé mù dèng kǒu dāi, bù zhī yòu hé huò shì。
This is the opening section; this the first chapter. Subsequent to the visions of a dream which he had, on some previous occasion, experienced, the writer personally relates, he designedly concealed the true circumstances, and borrowed the attributes of perception and spirituality to relate this story of the Record of the Stone. With this purpose, he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin (truth under the garb of fiction) and the like. What are, however, the events recorded in this work? Who are the dramatis personae?
Wearied with the drudgery experienced of late in the world, the author speaking for himself, goes on to explain, with the lack of success which attended every single concern, I suddenly bethought myself of the womankind of past ages. Passing one by one under a minute scrutiny, I felt that in action and in lore, one and all were far above me; that in spite of the majesty of my manliness, I could not, in point of fact, compare with these characters of the gentle sex. And my shame forsooth then knew no bounds; while regret, on the other hand, was of no avail, as there was not even a remote possibility of a day of remedy.
On this very day it was that I became desirous to compile, in a connected form, for publication throughout the world, with a view to (universal) information, how that I bear inexorable and manifold retribution; inasmuch as what time, by the sustenance of the benevolence of Heaven, and the virtue of my ancestors, my apparel was rich and fine, and as what days my fare was savory and sumptuous, I disregarded the bounty of education and nurture of father and mother, and paid no heed to the virtue of precept and injunction of teachers and friends, with the result that I incurred the punishment, of failure recently in the least trifle, and the reckless waste of half my lifetime. There have been meanwhile, generation after generation, those in the inner chambers, the whole mass of whom could not, on any account, be, through my influence, allowed to fall into extinction, in order that I, unfilial as I have been, may have the means to screen my own shortcomings.
Hence it is that the thatched shed, with bamboo mat windows, the bed of tow and the stove of brick, which are at present my share, are not sufficient to deter me from carrying out the fixed purpose of my mind. And could I, furthermore, confront the morning breeze, the evening moon, the willows by the steps and the flowers in the courtyard, methinks these would moisten to a greater degree my mortal pen with ink; but though I lack culture and erudition, what harm is there, however, in employing fiction and unrecondite language to give utterance to the merits of these characters? And were I also able to induce the inmates of the inner chamber to understand and diffuse them, could I besides break the weariness of even so much as a single moment, or could I open the eyes of my contemporaries, will it not forsooth prove a boon?
This consideration has led to the usage of such names as Chia Yue-ts'un and other similar appellations.
More than any in these pages have been employed such words as dreams and visions; but these dreams constitute the main argument of this work, and combine, furthermore, the design of giving a word of warning to my readers.
Reader, can you suggest whence the story begins?
The narration may border on the limits of incoherency and triviality, but it possesses considerable zest. But to begin.
The Empress Nue Wo, (the goddess of works,) in fashioning blocks of stones, for the repair of the heavens, prepared, at the Ta Huang Hills and Wu Ch'i cave, 36,501 blocks of rough stone, each twelve chang in height, and twenty-four chang square. Of these stones, the Empress Wo only used 36,500; so that one single block remained over and above, without being turned to any account. This was cast down the Ch'ing Keng peak. This stone, strange to say, after having undergone a process of refinement, attained a nature of efficiency, and could, by its innate powers, set itself into motion and was able to expand and to contract.
When it became aware that the whole number of blocks had been made use of to repair the heavens, that it alone had been destitute of the necessary properties and had been unfit to attain selection, it forthwith felt within itself vexation and shame, and day and night, it gave way to anguish and sorrow.
One day, while it lamented its lot, it suddenly caught sight, at a great distance, of a Buddhist bonze and of a Taoist priest coming towards that direction. Their appearance was uncommon, their easy manner remarkable. When they drew near this Ch'ing Keng peak, they sat on the ground to rest, and began to converse. But on noticing the block newly-polished and brilliantly clear, which had moreover contracted in dimensions, and become no larger than the pendant of a fan, they were greatly filled with admiration. The Buddhist priest picked it up, and laid it in the palm of his hand.
"Your appearance," he said laughingly, "may well declare you to be a supernatural object, but as you lack any inherent quality it is necessary to inscribe a few characters on you, so that every one who shall see you may at once recognise you to be a remarkable thing. And subsequently, when you will be taken into a country where honour and affluence will reign, into a family cultured in mind and of official status, in a land where flowers and trees shall flourish with luxuriance, in a town of refinement, renown and glory; when you once will have been there..."
The stone listened with intense delight.
"What characters may I ask," it consequently inquired, "will you inscribe? and what place will I be taken to? pray, pray explain to me in lucid terms." "You mustn't be inquisitive," the bonze replied, with a smile, "in days to come you'll certainly understand everything." Having concluded these words, he forthwith put the stone in his sleeve, and proceeded leisurely on his journey, in company with the Taoist priest. Whither, however, he took the stone, is not divulged. Nor can it be known how many centuries and ages elapsed, before a Taoist priest, K'ung K'ung by name, passed, during his researches after the eternal reason and his quest after immortality, by these Ta Huang Hills, Wu Ch'i cave and Ch'ing Keng Peak. Suddenly perceiving a large block of stone, on the surface of which the traces of characters giving, in a connected form, the various incidents of its fate, could be clearly deciphered, K'ung K'ung examined them from first to last. They, in fact, explained how that this block of worthless stone had originally been devoid of the properties essential for the repairs to the heavens, how it would be transmuted into human form and introduced by Mang Mang the High Lord, and Miao Miao, the Divine, into the world of mortals, and how it would be led over the other bank (across the San Sara). On the surface, the record of the spot where it would fall, the place of its birth, as well as various family trifles and trivial love affairs of young ladies, verses, odes, speeches and enigmas was still complete; but the name of the dynasty and the year of the reign were obliterated, and could not be ascertained.
On the obverse, were also the following enigmatical verses:
Lacking in virtues meet the azure skies to mend, In vain the mortal world full many a year I wend, Of a former and after life these facts that be, Who will for a tradition strange record for me?
K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, having pondered over these lines for a while, became aware that this stone had a history of some kind.
"Brother stone," he forthwith said, addressing the stone, "the concerns of past days recorded on you possess, according to your own account, a considerable amount of interest, and have been for this reason inscribed, with the intent of soliciting generations to hand them down as remarkable occurrences. But in my own opinion, they lack, in the first place, any data by means of which to establish the name of the Emperor and the year of his reign; and, in the second place, these constitute no record of any excellent policy, adopted by any high worthies or high loyal statesmen, in the government of the state, or in the rule of public morals. The contents simply treat of a certain number of maidens, of exceptional character; either of their love affairs or infatuations, or of their small deserts or insignificant talents; and were I to transcribe the whole collection of them, they would, nevertheless, not be estimated as a book of any exceptional worth."
"Sir Priest," the stone replied with assurance, "why are you so excessively dull? The dynasties recorded in the rustic histories, which have been written from age to age, have, I am fain to think, invariably assumed, under false pretences, the mere nomenclature of the Han and T'ang dynasties. They differ from the events inscribed on my block, which do not borrow this customary practice, but, being based on my own experiences and natural feelings, present, on the contrary, a novel and unique character. Besides, in the pages of these rustic histories, either the aspersions upon sovereigns and statesmen, or the strictures upon individuals, their wives, and their daughters, or the deeds of licentiousness and violence are too numerous to be computed. Indeed, there is one more kind of loose literature, the wantonness and pollution in which work most easy havoc upon youth.
"As regards the works, in which the characters of scholars and beauties is delineated their allusions are again repeatedly of Wen Chuen, their theme in every page of Tzu Chien; a thousand volumes present no diversity; and a thousand characters are but a counterpart of each other. What is more, these works, throughout all their pages, cannot help bordering on extreme licence. The authors, however, had no other object in view than to give utterance to a few sentimental odes and elegant ballads of their own, and for this reason they have fictitiously invented the names and surnames of both men and women, and necessarily introduced, in addition, some low characters, who should, like a buffoon in a play, create some excitement in the plot.
"Still more loathsome is a kind of pedantic and profligate literature, perfectly devoid of all natural sentiment, full of self-contradictions; and, in fact, the contrast to those maidens in my work, whom I have, during half my lifetime, seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. And though I will not presume to estimate them as superior to the heroes and heroines in the works of former ages, yet the perusal of the motives and issues of their experiences, may likewise afford matter sufficient to banish dulness, and to break the spell of melancholy.
"As regards the several stanzas of doggerel verse, they may too evoke such laughter as to compel the reader to blurt out the rice, and to spurt out the wine.
"In these pages, the scenes depicting the anguish of separation, the bliss of reunion, and the fortunes of prosperity and of adversity are all, in every detail, true to human nature, and I have not taken upon myself to make the slightest addition, or alteration, which might lead to the perversion of the truth.
"My only object has been that men may, after a drinking bout, or after they wake from sleep or when in need of relaxation from the pressure of business, take up this light literature, and not only expunge the traces of antiquated books, and obtain a new kind of distraction, but that they may also lay by a long life as well as energy and strength; for it bears no point of similarity to those works, whose designs are false, whose course is immoral. Now, Sir Priest, what are your views on the subject?"
K'ung K'ung having pondered for a while over the words, to which he had listened intently, re-perused, throughout, this record of the stone; and finding that the general purport consisted of nought else than a treatise on love, and likewise of an accurate transcription of facts, without the least taint of profligacy injurious to the times, he thereupon copied the contents, from beginning to end, to the intent of charging the world to hand them down as a strange story.
Hence it was that K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, in consequence of his perception, (in his state of) abstraction, of passion, the generation, from this passion, of voluptuousness, the transmission of this voluptuousness into passion, and the apprehension, by means of passion, of its unreality, forthwith altered his name for that of "Ch'ing Tseng" (the Voluptuous Bonze), and changed the title of "the Memoir of a Stone" (Shih-t'ou-chi,) for that of "Ch'ing Tseng Lu," The Record of the Voluptuous Bonze; while K'ung Mei-chi of Tung Lu gave it the name of "Feng Yueeh Pao Chien," "The Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness." In later years, owing to the devotion by Tsao Hsueeh-ch'in in the Tao Hung study, of ten years to the perusal and revision of the work, the additions and modifications effected by him five times, the affix of an index and the division into periods and chapters, the book was again entitled "Chin Ling Shih Erh Ch'ai," "The Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." A stanza was furthermore composed for the purpose. This then, and no other, is the origin of the Record of the Stone. The poet says appositely:--
Pages full of silly litter, Tears a handful sour and bitter; All a fool the author hold, But their zest who can unfold?
You have now understood the causes which brought about the Record of the Stone, but as you are not, as yet, aware what characters are depicted, and what circumstances are related on the surface of the block, reader, please lend an ear to the narrative on the stone, which runs as follows:--
In old days, the land in the South East lay low. In this South-East part of the world, was situated a walled town, Ku Su by name. Within the walls a locality, called the Ch'ang Men, was more than all others throughout the mortal world, the centre, which held the second, if not the first place for fashion and life. Beyond this Ch'ang Men was a street called Shih-li-chieh (Ten _Li_ street); in this street a lane, the Jen Ch'ing lane (Humanity and Purity); and in this lane stood an old temple, which on account of its diminutive dimensions, was called, by general consent, the Gourd temple. Next door to this temple lived the family of a district official, Chen by surname, Fei by name, and Shih-yin by style. His wife, nee Feng, possessed a worthy and virtuous disposition, and had a clear perception of moral propriety and good conduct. This family, though not in actual possession of excessive affluence and honours, was, nevertheless, in their district, conceded to be a clan of well-to-do standing. As this Chen Shih-yin was of a contented and unambitious frame of mind, and entertained no hankering after any official distinction, but day after day of his life took delight in gazing at flowers, planting bamboos, sipping his wine and conning poetical works, he was in fact, in the indulgence of these pursuits, as happy as a supernatural being.
One thing alone marred his happiness. He had lived over half a century and had, as yet, no male offspring around his knees. He had one only child, a daughter, whose infant name was Ying Lien. She was just three years of age. On a long summer day, on which the heat had been intense, Shih-yin sat leisurely in his library. Feeling his hand tired, he dropped the book he held, leant his head on a teapoy, and fell asleep.
Of a sudden, while in this state of unconsciousness, it seemed as if he had betaken himself on foot to some spot or other whither he could not discriminate. Unexpectedly he espied, in the opposite direction, two priests coming towards him: the one a Buddhist, the other a Taoist. As they advanced they kept up the conversation in which they were engaged. "Whither do you purpose taking the object you have brought away?" he heard the Taoist inquire. To this question the Buddhist replied with a smile: "Set your mind at ease," he said; "there's now in maturity a plot of a general character involving mundane pleasures, which will presently come to a denouement. The whole number of the votaries of voluptuousness have, as yet, not been quickened or entered the world, and I mean to avail myself of this occasion to introduce this object among their number, so as to give it a chance to go through the span of human existence." "The votaries of voluptuousness of these days will naturally have again to endure the ills of life during their course through the mortal world," the Taoist remarked; "but when, I wonder, will they spring into existence? and in what place will they descend?"
"The account of these circumstances," the bonze ventured to reply, "is enough to make you laugh! They amount to this: there existed in the west, on the bank of the Ling (spiritual) river, by the side of the San Sheng (thrice-born) stone, a blade of the Chiang Chu (purple pearl) grass. At about the same time it was that the block of stone was, consequent upon its rejection by the goddess of works, also left to ramble and wander to its own gratification, and to roam about at pleasure to every and any place. One day it came within the precincts of the Ching Huan (Monitory Vision) Fairy; and this Fairy, cognizant of the fact that this stone had a history, detained it, therefore, to reside at the Ch'ih Hsia (purple clouds) palace, and apportioned to it the duties of attendant on Shen Ying, a fairy of the Ch'ih Hsia palace.
"This stone would, however, often stroll along the banks of the Ling river, and having at the sight of the blade of spiritual grass been filled with admiration, it, day by day, moistened its roots with sweet dew. This purple pearl grass, at the outset, tarried for months and years; but being at a later period imbued with the essence and luxuriance of heaven and earth, and having incessantly received the moisture and nurture of the sweet dew, divested itself, in course of time, of the form of a grass; assuming, in lieu, a human nature, which gradually became perfected into the person of a girl.
"Every day she was wont to wander beyond the confines of the Li Hen (divested animosities) heavens. When hungry she fed on the Pi Ch'ing (hidden love) fruit--when thirsty she drank the Kuan ch'ou (discharged sorrows,) water. Having, however, up to this time, not shewn her gratitude for the virtue of nurture lavished upon her, the result was but natural that she should resolve in her heart upon a constant and incessant purpose to make suitable acknowledgment.
"I have been," she would often commune within herself, "the recipient of the gracious bounty of rain and dew, but I possess no such water as was lavished upon me to repay it! But should it ever descend into the world in the form of a human being, I will also betake myself thither, along with it; and if I can only have the means of making restitution to it, with the tears of a whole lifetime, I may be able to make adequate return."
"This resolution it is that will evolve the descent into the world of so many pleasure-bound spirits of retribution and the experience of fantastic destinies; and this crimson pearl blade will also be among the number. The stone still lies in its original place, and why should not you and I take it along before the tribunal of the Monitory Vision Fairy, and place on its behalf its name on record, so that it should descend into the world, in company with these spirits of passion, and bring this plot to an issue?"
"It is indeed ridiculous," interposed the Taoist. "Never before have I heard even the very mention of restitution by means of tears! Why should not you and I avail ourselves of this opportunity to likewise go down into the world? and if successful in effecting the salvation of a few of them, will it not be a work meritorious and virtuous?"
"This proposal," remarked the Buddhist, "is quite in harmony with my own views. Come along then with me to the palace of the Monitory Vision Fairy, and let us deliver up this good-for-nothing object, and have done with it! And when the company of pleasure-bound spirits of wrath descend into human existence, you and I can then enter the world. Half of them have already fallen into the dusty universe, but the whole number of them have not, as yet, come together."
"Such being the case," the Taoist acquiesced, "I am ready to follow you, whenever you please to go."
But to return to Chen Shih-yin. Having heard every one of these words distinctly, he could not refrain from forthwith stepping forward and paying homage. "My spiritual lords," he said, as he smiled, "accept my obeisance." The Buddhist and Taoist priests lost no time in responding to the compliment, and they exchanged the usual salutations. "My spiritual lords," Shih-yin continued; "I have just heard the conversation that passed between you, on causes and effects, a conversation the like of which few mortals have forsooth listened to; but your younger brother is sluggish of intellect, and cannot lucidly fathom the import! Yet could this dulness and simplicity be graciously dispelled, your younger brother may, by listening minutely, with undefiled ear and careful attention, to a certain degree be aroused to a sense of understanding; and what is more, possibly find the means of escaping the anguish of sinking down into Hades."
The two spirits smiled, "The conversation," they added, "refers to the primordial scheme and cannot be divulged before the proper season; but, when the time comes, mind do not forget us two, and you will readily be able to escape from the fiery furnace."
Shih-yin, after this reply, felt it difficult to make any further inquiries. "The primordial scheme," he however remarked smiling, "cannot, of course, be divulged; but what manner of thing, I wonder, is the good-for-nothing object you alluded to a short while back? May I not be allowed to judge for myself?"
"This object about which you ask," the Buddhist Bonze responded, "is intended, I may tell you, by fate to be just glanced at by you." With these words he produced it, and handed it over to Shih-yin.
Shih-yin received it. On scrutiny he found it, in fact, to be a beautiful gem, so lustrous and so clear that the traces of characters on the surface were distinctly visible. The characters inscribed consisted of the four "T'ung Ling Pao Yue," "Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception." On the obverse, were also several columns of minute words, which he was just in the act of looking at intently, when the Buddhist at once expostulated.
"We have already reached," he exclaimed, "the confines of vision." Snatching it violently out of his hands, he walked away with the Taoist, under a lofty stone portal, on the face of which appeared in large type the four characters: "T'ai Hsue Huan Ching," "The Visionary limits of the Great Void." On each side was a scroll with the lines:
When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false, Where naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught.
Shih-yin meant also to follow them on the other side, but, as he was about to make one step forward, he suddenly heard a crash, just as if the mountains had fallen into ruins, and the earth sunk into destruction. As Shih-yin uttered a loud shout, he looked with strained eye; but all he could see was the fiery sun shining, with glowing rays, while the banana leaves drooped their heads. By that time, half of the circumstances connected with the dream he had had, had already slipped from his memory.
He also noticed a nurse coming towards him with Ying Lien in her arms. To Shih-yin's eyes his daughter appeared even more beautiful, such a bright gem, so precious, and so lovable. Forthwith stretching out his arms, he took her over, and, as he held her in his embrace, he coaxed her to play with him for a while; after which he brought her up to the street to see the great stir occasioned by the procession that was going past.
He was about to come in, when he caught sight of two priests, one a Taoist, the other a Buddhist, coming hither from the opposite direction. The Buddhist had a head covered with mange, and went barefooted. The Taoist had a limping foot, and his hair was all dishevelled.
Like maniacs, they jostled along, chattering and laughing as they drew near.
As soon as they reached Shih-yin's door, and they perceived him with Ying Lien in his arms, the Bonze began to weep aloud.
Turning towards Shih-yin, he said to him: "My good Sir, why need you carry in your embrace this living but luckless thing, which will involve father and mother in trouble?"
These words did not escape Shih-yin's ear; but persuaded that they amounted to raving talk, he paid no heed whatever to the bonze.
"Part with her and give her to me," the Buddhist still went on to say.
Shih-yin could not restrain his annoyance; and hastily pressing his daughter closer to him, he was intent upon going in, when the bonze pointed his hand at him, and burst out in a loud fit of laughter.
He then gave utterance to the four lines that follow:
You indulge your tender daughter and are laughed at as inane; Vain you face the snow, oh mirror! for it will evanescent wane, When the festival of lanterns is gone by, guard 'gainst your doom, 'Tis what time the flames will kindle, and the fire will consume.
Shih-yin understood distinctly the full import of what he heard; but his heart was still full of conjectures. He was about to inquire who and what they were, when he heard the Taoist remark,--"You and I cannot speed together; let us now part company, and each of us will be then able to go after his own business. After the lapse of three ages, I shall be at the Pei Mang mount, waiting for you; and we can, after our reunion, betake ourselves to the Visionary Confines of the Great Void, there to cancel the name of the stone from the records."
"Excellent! first rate!" exclaimed the Bonze. And at the conclusion of these words, the two men parted, each going his own way, and no trace was again seen of them.
"These two men," Shih-yin then pondered within his heart, "must have had many experiences, and I ought really to have made more inquiries of them; but at this juncture to indulge in regret is anyhow too late."
While Shih-yin gave way to these foolish reflections, he suddenly noticed the arrival of a penniless scholar, Chia by surname, Hua by name, Shih-fei by style and Yue-ts'un by nickname, who had taken up his quarters in the Gourd temple next door. This Chia Yue-ts'un was originally a denizen of Hu-Chow, and was also of literary and official parentage, but as he was born of the youngest stock, and the possessions of his paternal and maternal ancestors were completely exhausted, and his parents and relatives were dead, he remained the sole and only survivor; and, as he found his residence in his native place of no avail, he therefore entered the capital in search of that reputation, which would enable him to put the family estate on a proper standing. He had arrived at this place since the year before last, and had, what is more, lived all along in very straitened circumstances. He had made the temple his temporary quarters, and earned a living by daily occupying himself in composing documents and writing letters for customers. Thus it was that Shih-yin had been in constant relations with him.
As soon as Yue-ts'un perceived Shih-yin, he lost no time in saluting him. "My worthy Sir," he observed with a forced smile; "how is it you are leaning against the door and looking out? Is there perchance any news astir in the streets, or in the public places?"
"None whatever," replied Shih-yin, as he returned the smile. "Just a while back, my young daughter was in sobs, and I coaxed her out here to amuse her. I am just now without anything whatever to attend to, so that, dear brother Chia, you come just in the nick of time. Please walk into my mean abode, and let us endeavour, in each other's company, to while away this long summer day."
After he had made this remark, he bade a servant take his daughter in, while he, hand-in-hand with Yue-ts'un, walked into the library, where a young page served tea. They had hardly exchanged a few sentences, when one of the household came in, in flying haste, to announce that Mr. Yen had come to pay a visit.
Shih-yin at once stood up. "Pray excuse my rudeness," he remarked apologetically, "but do sit down; I shall shortly rejoin you, and enjoy the pleasure of your society." "My dear Sir," answered Yue-ts'un, as he got up, also in a conceding way, "suit your own convenience. I've often had the honour of being your guest, and what will it matter if I wait a little?" While these apologies were yet being spoken, Shih-yin had already walked out into the front parlour. During his absence, Yue-ts'un occupied himself in turning over the pages of some poetical work to dispel ennui, when suddenly he heard, outside the window, a woman's cough. Yue-ts'un hurriedly got up and looked out. He saw at a glance that it was a servant girl engaged in picking flowers. Her deportment was out of the common; her eyes so bright, her eyebrows so well defined. Though not a perfect beauty, she possessed nevertheless charms sufficient to arouse the feelings. Yue-ts'un unwittingly gazed at her with fixed eye. This waiting-maid, belonging to the Chen family, had done picking flowers, and was on the point of going in, when she of a sudden raised her eyes and became aware of the presence of some person inside the window, whose head-gear consisted of a turban in tatters, while his clothes were the worse for wear. But in spite of his poverty, he was naturally endowed with a round waist, a broad back, a fat face, a square mouth; added to this, his eyebrows were swordlike, his eyes resembled stars, his nose was straight, his cheeks square.
This servant girl turned away in a hurry and made her escape.
"This man so burly and strong," she communed within herself, "yet at the same time got up in such poor attire, must, I expect, be no one else than the man, whose name is Chia Yue-ts'un or such like, time after time referred to by my master, and to whom he has repeatedly wished to give a helping hand, but has failed to find a favourable opportunity. And as related to our family there is no connexion or friend in such straits, I feel certain it cannot be any other person than he. Strange to say, my master has further remarked that this man will, for a certainty, not always continue in such a state of destitution."
As she indulged in this train of thought, she could not restrain herself from turning her head round once or twice.
When Yue-ts'un perceived that she had looked back, he readily interpreted it as a sign that in her heart her thoughts had been of him, and he was frantic with irrepressible joy.
"This girl," he mused, "is, no doubt, keen-eyed and eminently shrewd, and one in this world who has seen through me."
The servant youth, after a short time, came into the room; and when Yue-ts'un made inquiries and found out from him that the guests in the front parlour had been detained to dinner, he could not very well wait any longer, and promptly walked away down a side passage and out of a back door.
When the guests had taken their leave, Shih-yin did not go back to rejoin Yue-ts'un, as he had come to know that he had already left.
In time the mid-autumn festivities drew near; and Shih-yin, after the family banquet was over, had a separate table laid in the library, and crossed over, in the moonlight, as far as the temple and invited Yue-ts'un to come round.
The fact is that Yue-ts'un, ever since the day on which he had seen the girl of the Chen family turn twice round to glance at him, flattered himself that she was friendly disposed towards him, and incessantly fostered fond thoughts of her in his heart. And on this day, which happened to be the mid-autumn feast, he could not, as he gazed at the moon, refrain from cherishing her remembrance. Hence it was that he gave vent to these pentameter verses:
Alas! not yet divined my lifelong wish, And anguish ceaseless comes upon anguish I came, and sad at heart, my brow I frowned; She went, and oft her head to look turned round. Facing the breeze, her shadow she doth watch, Who's meet this moonlight night with her to match? The lustrous rays if they my wish but read Would soon alight upon her beauteous head!
Yue-ts'un having, after this recitation, recalled again to mind how that throughout his lifetime his literary attainments had had an adverse fate and not met with an opportunity (of reaping distinction), went on to rub his brow, and as he raised his eyes to the skies, he heaved a deep sigh and once more intoned a couplet aloud:
The gem in the cask a high price it seeks, The pin in the case to take wing it waits.
As luck would have it, Shih-yin was at the moment approaching, and upon hearing the lines, he said with a smile: "My dear Yue-ts'un, really your attainments are of no ordinary capacity."
Yue-ts'un lost no time in smiling and replying. "It would be presumption in my part to think so," he observed. "I was simply at random humming a few verses composed by former writers, and what reason is there to laud me to such an excessive degree? To what, my dear Sir, do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he went on to inquire. "Tonight," replied Shih-yin, "is the mid-autumn feast, generally known as the full-moon festival; and as I could not help thinking that living, as you my worthy brother are, as a mere stranger in this Buddhist temple, you could not but experience the feeling of loneliness. I have, for the express purpose, prepared a small entertainment, and will be pleased if you will come to my mean abode to have a glass of wine. But I wonder whether you will entertain favourably my modest invitation?" Yue-ts'un, after listening to the proposal, put forward no refusal of any sort; but remarked complacently: "Being the recipient of such marked attention, how can I presume to repel your generous consideration?"
As he gave expression to these words, he walked off there and then, in company with Shih-yin, and came over once again into the court in front of the library. In a few minutes, tea was over.
The cups and dishes had been laid from an early hour, and needless to say the wines were luscious; the fare sumptuous.
The two friends took their seats. At first they leisurely replenished their glasses, and quietly sipped their wine; but as, little by little, they entered into conversation, their good cheer grew more genial, and unawares the glasses began to fly round, and the cups to be exchanged.
At this very hour, in every house of the neighbourhood, sounded the fife and lute, while the inmates indulged in music and singing. Above head, the orb of the radiant moon shone with an all-pervading splendour, and with a steady lustrous light, while the two friends, as their exuberance increased, drained their cups dry so soon as they reached their lips.
Yue-ts'un, at this stage of the collation, was considerably under the influence of wine, and the vehemence of his high spirits was irrepressible. As he gazed at the moon, he fostered thoughts, to which he gave vent by the recital of a double couplet.
'Tis what time three meets five, Selene is a globe! Her pure rays fill the court, the jadelike rails enrobe! Lo! in the heavens her disk to view doth now arise, And in the earth below to gaze men lift their eyes.
"Excellent!" cried Shih-yin with a loud voice, after he had heard these lines; "I have repeatedly maintained that it was impossible for you to remain long inferior to any, and now the verses you have recited are a prognostic of your rapid advancement. Already it is evident that, before long, you will extend your footsteps far above the clouds! I must congratulate you! I must congratulate you! Let me, with my own hands, pour a glass of wine to pay you my compliments."
Yue-ts'un drained the cup. "What I am about to say," he explained as he suddenly heaved a sigh, "is not the maudlin talk of a man under the effects of wine. As far as the subjects at present set in the examinations go, I could, perchance, also have well been able to enter the list, and to send in my name as a candidate; but I have, just now, no means whatever to make provision for luggage and for travelling expenses. The distance too to Shen Ching is a long one, and I could not depend upon the sale of papers or the composition of essays to find the means of getting there."
Shih-yin gave him no time to conclude. "Why did you not speak about this sooner?" he interposed with haste. "I have long entertained this suspicion; but as, whenever I met you, this conversation was never broached, I did not presume to make myself officious. But if such be the state of affairs just now, I lack, I admit, literary qualification, but on the two subjects of friendly spirit and pecuniary means, I have, nevertheless, some experience. Moreover, I rejoice that next year is just the season for the triennial examinations, and you should start for the capital with all despatch; and in the tripos next spring, you will, by carrying the prize, be able to do justice to the proficiency you can boast of. As regards the travelling expenses and the other items, the provision of everything necessary for you by my own self will again not render nugatory your mean acquaintance with me."
Forthwith, he directed a servant lad to go and pack up at once fifty taels of pure silver and two suits of winter clothes.
"The nineteenth," he continued, "is a propitious day, and you should lose no time in hiring a boat and starting on your journey westwards. And when, by your eminent talents, you shall have soared high to a lofty position, and we meet again next winter, will not the occasion be extremely felicitous?"
Yue-ts'un accepted the money and clothes with but scanty expression of gratitude. In fact, he paid no thought whatever to the gifts, but went on, again drinking his wine, as he chattered and laughed.
It was only when the third watch of that day had already struck that the two friends parted company; and Shih-yin, after seeing Yue-ts'un off, retired to his room and slept, with one sleep all through, never waking until the sun was well up in the skies.
Remembering the occurrence of the previous night, he meant to write a couple of letters of recommendation for Yue-ts'un to take along with him to the capital, to enable him, after handing them over at the mansions of certain officials, to find some place as a temporary home. He accordingly despatched a servant to ask him to come round, but the man returned and reported that from what the bonze said, "Mr. Chia had started on his journey to the capital, at the fifth watch of that very morning, that he had also left a message with the bonze to deliver to you, Sir, to the effect that men of letters paid no heed to lucky or unlucky days, that the sole consideration with them was the nature of the matter in hand, and that he could find no time to come round in person and bid good-bye."
Shih-yin after hearing this message had no alternative but to banish the subject from his thoughts.
In comfortable circumstances, time indeed goes by with easy stride. Soon drew near also the happy festival of the 15th of the 1st moon, and Shih-yin told a servant Huo Ch'i to take Ying Lien to see the sacrificial fires and flowery lanterns.
About the middle of the night, Huo Ch'i was hard pressed, and he forthwith set Ying Lien down on the doorstep of a certain house. When he felt relieved, he came back to take her up, but failed to find anywhere any trace of Ying Lien. In a terrible plight, Huo Ch'i prosecuted his search throughout half the night; but even by the dawn of day, he had not discovered any clue of her whereabouts. Huo Ch'i, lacking, on the other hand, the courage to go back and face his master, promptly made his escape to his native village.
Shih-yin--in fact, the husband as well as the wife--seeing that their child had not come home during the whole night, readily concluded that some mishap must have befallen her. Hastily they despatched several servants to go in search of her, but one and all returned to report that there was neither vestige nor tidings of her.
This couple had only had this child, and this at the meridian of their life, so that her sudden disappearance plunged them in such great distress that day and night they mourned her loss to such a point as to well nigh pay no heed to their very lives.
A month in no time went by. Shih-yin was the first to fall ill, and his wife, Dame Feng, likewise, by dint of fretting for her daughter, was also prostrated with sickness. The doctor was, day after day, sent for, and the oracle consulted by means of divination.
Little did any one think that on this day, being the 15th of the 3rd moon, while the sacrificial oblations were being prepared in the Hu Lu temple, a pan with oil would have caught fire, through the want of care on the part of the bonze, and that in a short time the flames would have consumed the paper pasted on the windows.
Among the natives of this district bamboo fences and wooden partitions were in general use, and these too proved a source of calamity so ordained by fate (to consummate this decree).
With promptness (the fire) extended to two buildings, then enveloped three, then dragged four (into ruin), and then spread to five houses, until the whole street was in a blaze, resembling the flames of a volcano. Though both the military and the people at once ran to the rescue, the fire had already assumed a serious hold, so that it was impossible for them to afford any effective assistance for its suppression.
It blazed away straight through the night, before it was extinguished, and consumed, there is in fact no saying how many dwelling houses. Anyhow, pitiful to relate, the Chen house, situated as it was next door to the temple, was, at an early part of the evening, reduced to a heap of tiles and bricks; and nothing but the lives of that couple and several inmates of the family did not sustain any injuries.
Shih-yin was in despair, but all he could do was to stamp his feet and heave deep sighs. After consulting with his wife, they betook themselves to a farm of theirs, where they took up their quarters temporarily. But as it happened that water had of late years been scarce, and no crops been reaped, robbers and thieves had sprung up like bees, and though the Government troops were bent upon their capture, it was anyhow difficult to settle down quietly on the farm. He therefore had no other resource than to convert, at a loss, the whole of his property into money, and to take his wife and two servant girls and come over for shelter to the house of his father-in-law.
His father-in-law, Feng Su, by name, was a native of Ta Ju Chou. Although only a labourer, he was nevertheless in easy circumstances at home. When he on this occasion saw his son-in-law come to him in such distress, he forthwith felt at heart considerable displeasure. Fortunately Shih-yin had still in his possession the money derived from the unprofitable realization of his property, so that he produced and handed it to his father-in-law, commissioning him to purchase, whenever a suitable opportunity presented itself, a house and land as a provision for food and raiment against days to come. This Feng Su, however, only expended the half of the sum, and pocketed the other half, merely acquiring for him some fallow land and a dilapidated house.
Shih-yin being, on the other hand, a man of books and with no experience in matters connected with business and with sowing and reaping, subsisted, by hook and by crook, for about a year or two, when he became more impoverished.
In his presence, Feng Su would readily give vent to specious utterances, while, with others, and behind his back, he on the contrary expressed his indignation against his improvidence in his mode of living, and against his sole delight of eating and playing the lazy.
Shih-yin, aware of the want of harmony with his father-in-law, could not help giving way, in his own heart, to feelings of regret and pain. In addition to this, the fright and vexation which he had undergone the year before, the anguish and suffering (he had had to endure), had already worked havoc (on his constitution); and being a man advanced in years, and assailed by the joint attack of poverty and disease, he at length gradually began to display symptoms of decline.
Strange coincidence, as he, on this day, came leaning on his staff and with considerable strain, as far as the street for a little relaxation, he suddenly caught sight, approaching from the off side, of a Taoist priest with a crippled foot; his maniac appearance so repulsive, his shoes of straw, his dress all in tatters, muttering several sentiments to this effect:
All men spiritual life know to be good, But fame to disregard they ne'er succeed! From old till now the statesmen where are they? Waste lie their graves, a heap of grass, extinct. All men spiritual life know to be good, But to forget gold, silver, ill succeed! Through life they grudge their hoardings to be scant, And when plenty has come, their eyelids close. All men spiritual life hold to be good, Yet to forget wives, maids, they ne'er succeed! Who speak of grateful love while lives their lord, And dead their lord, another they pursue. All men spiritual life know to be good, But sons and grandsons to forget never succeed! From old till now of parents soft many, But filial sons and grandsons who have seen?
Shih-yin upon hearing these words, hastily came up to the priest, "What were you so glibly holding forth?" he inquired. "All I could hear were a lot of hao liao (excellent, finality.")
"You may well have heard the two words 'hao liao,'" answered the Taoist with a smile, "but can you be said to have fathomed their meaning? You should know that all things in this world are excellent, when they have attained finality; when they have attained finality, they are excellent; but when they have not attained finality, they are not excellent; if they would be excellent, they should attain finality. My song is entitled Excellent-finality (hao liao)."
Shih-yin was gifted with a natural perspicacity that enabled him, as soon as he heard these remarks, to grasp their spirit.
"Wait a while," he therefore said smilingly; "let me unravel this excellent-finality song of yours; do you mind?"
"Please by all means go on with the interpretation," urged the Taoist; whereupon Shih-yin proceeded in this strain:
Sordid rooms and vacant courts, Replete in years gone by with beds where statesmen lay; Parched grass and withered banian trees, Where once were halls for song and dance! Spiders' webs the carved pillars intertwine, The green gauze now is also pasted on the straw windows! What about the cosmetic fresh concocted or the powder just scented; Why has the hair too on each temple become white like hoarfrost! Yesterday the tumulus of yellow earth buried the bleached bones, To-night under the red silk curtain reclines the couple! Gold fills the coffers, silver fills the boxes, But in a twinkle, the beggars will all abuse you! While you deplore that the life of others is not long, You forget that you yourself are approaching death! You educate your sons with all propriety, But they may some day, 'tis hard to say become thieves; Though you choose (your fare and home) the fatted beam, You may, who can say, fall into some place of easy virtue! Through your dislike of the gauze hat as mean, You have come to be locked in a cangue; Yesterday, poor fellow, you felt cold in a tattered coat, To-day, you despise the purple embroidered dress as long! Confusion reigns far and wide! you have just sung your part, I come on the boards, Instead of yours, you recognise another as your native land; What utter perversion! In one word, it comes to this we make wedding clothes for others! (We sow for others to reap.)
The crazy limping Taoist clapped his hands. "Your interpretation is explicit," he remarked with a hearty laugh, "your interpretation is explicit!"
Shih-yin promptly said nothing more than,--"Walk on;" and seizing the stole from the Taoist's shoulder, he flung it over his own. He did not, however, return home, but leisurely walked away, in company with the eccentric priest.
The report of his disappearance was at once bruited abroad, and plunged the whole neighbourhood in commotion; and converted into a piece of news, it was circulated from mouth to mouth.
Dame Feng, Shih-yin's wife, upon hearing the tidings, had such a fit of weeping that she hung between life and death; but her only alternative was to consult with her father, and to despatch servants on all sides to institute inquiries. No news was however received of him, and she had nothing else to do but to practise resignation, and to remain dependent upon the support of her parents for her subsistence. She had fortunately still by her side, to wait upon her, two servant girls, who had been with her in days gone by; and the three of them, mistress as well as servants, occupied themselves day and night with needlework, to assist her father in his daily expenses.
This Feng Su had after all, in spite of his daily murmurings against his bad luck, no help but to submit to the inevitable.
On a certain day, the elder servant girl of the Chen family was at the door purchasing thread, and while there, she of a sudden heard in the street shouts of runners clearing the way, and every one explain that the new magistrate had come to take up his office.
The girl, as she peeped out from inside the door, perceived the lictors and policemen go by two by two; and when unexpectedly in a state chair, was carried past an official, in black hat and red coat, she was indeed quite taken aback.
"The face of this officer would seem familiar," she argued within herself; "just as if I had seen him somewhere or other ere this."
Shortly she entered the house, and banishing at once the occurrence from her mind, she did not give it a second thought. At night, however, while she was waiting to go to bed, she suddenly heard a sound like a rap at the door. A band of men boisterously cried out: "We are messengers, deputed by the worthy magistrate of this district, and come to summon one of you to an enquiry."
Feng Su, upon hearing these words, fell into such a terrible consternation that his eyes stared wide and his mouth gaped.
What calamity was impending is not as yet ascertained, but, reader, listen to the explanation contained in the next chapter.
cǐ huí zhōng fán yòng“ mèng” yòng“ huàn” děng zì, shì tí xǐng yuè zhě yǎn mù, yì shì cǐ shū lì yì běn zhǐ。
liè wèi kàn guān: nǐ dào cǐ shū cóng hé 'ér lái? shuō qǐ gēn yóu suī jìn huāng táng, xì 'àn zé shēn yòu qù wèi。 dài zài xià jiāng cǐ lái lì zhù míng, fāng shǐ yuè zhě liǎo rán bù huò。
yuán lái nǚ wā shì liàn shí bǔ tiān zhī shí, yú dà huāng shān wú jī yá liàn chéng gāo jīng shí 'èr zhàng, fāng jīng 'èr shí sì zhàng wán shí sān wàn liù qiān wǔ bǎi líng yī kuài。 wā huáng shì zhǐ yòng liǎo sān wàn liù qiān wǔ bǎi kuài, zhǐ dān dān shèng liǎo yī kuài wèi yòng, biàn qì zài cǐ shān qīng gěng fēng xià。 shuí zhī cǐ shí zì jīng duàn liàn zhī hòu, líng xìng yǐ tōng, yīn jiàn zhòng shí jù dé bǔ tiān, dú zì jǐ wú cái bù kān rù xuǎn, suì zì yuàn zì tàn, rì yè bēi hào cán kuì。
yī rì, zhèng dāng jiē dào zhī jì, é jiàn yī sēng yī dào yuǎn yuǎn 'ér lái, shēng dé gǔ gé bù fán, fēng shén jiǒng yì, shuō shuō xiào xiào lái zhì fēng xià, zuò yú shí biān gāo tán kuài lùn。 xiān shì shuō xiē yún shān wù hǎi shén xiān xuán huàn zhī shì, hòu biàn shuō dào hóng chén zhōng róng huá fù guì。 cǐ shí tīng liǎo, bù jué dǎ dòng fán xīn, yě xiǎng yào dào rén jiān qù xiǎng yī xiǎng zhè róng huá fù guì, dàn zì hèn cū chǔn, bù dé yǐ, biàn kǒu tù rén yán, xiàng nà sēng dào shuō dào:“ dà shī, dì zǐ chǔn wù, bù néng jiàn lǐ liǎo。 shì wén 'èr wèi tán nà rén shì jiān róng yào fán huá, xīnqiè mù zhī。 dì zǐ zhì suī cū chǔn, xìng què shāo tōng, kuàng jiàn 'èr shī xiān xíng dào tǐ, dìng fēi fán pǐn, bì yòu bǔ tiān jì shì zhī cái, lì wù jì rén zhī dé。 rú méng fā yī diǎn cí xīn, xié dài dì zǐ dé rù hóng chén, zài nà fù guì chǎng zhōng, wēn róu xiāng lǐ shòu xiǎng jǐ nián, zì dāng yǒng pèi hóng 'ēn, wàn jié bù wàng yě。” èr xiān shī tīng bì, qí hān xiào dào:“ shàn zāi, shàn zāi! nà hóng chén zhōng yòu què yòu xiē lè shì, dàn bù néng yǒng yuǎn yǐ shì, kuàng yòu yòu ‘ měi zhōng bù zú, hǎo shì duō mó ’ bā gè zì jǐn xiāng lián shǔ, shùn xī jiān zé yòu lè jí bēi shēng, rén fēi wù huàn, jiū jìng shì dào tóu yī mèng, wàn jìng guī kōng, dǎo bù rú bù qù de hǎo。” zhè shí fán xīn yǐ chì, nà lǐ tīng dé jìn zhè huà qù, nǎi fù kǔ qiú zài sì。 èr xiān zhī bù kě qiáng zhì, nǎi tàn dào:“ cǐ yì jìng jí sǒng jí *, wú zhōng shēng yòu zhī shù yě。 jì rú cǐ, wǒ men biàn xié nǐ qù shòu xiǎng shòu xiǎng, zhǐ shì dào bù dé yì shí, qièmò hòu huǐ。” shí dào:“ zì rán, zì rán。” nà sēng yòu dào:“ ruò shuō nǐ xìng líng, què yòu rú cǐ zhì chǔn, bìng gèng wú qí guì zhī chù。 rú cǐ yě zhǐ hǎo diǎn jiǎo 'ér yǐ。 yě bà, wǒ rú jīn dà shī fó fǎ zhù nǐ zhù, dài jié zhōng zhī rì, fù hái běn zhì, yǐ liǎo cǐ 'àn。 nǐ dào hǎo fǒu? " shí tóu tīng liǎo, gǎn xiè bù jìn。 nà sēng biàn niàn zhòu shū fú, dà zhǎn huàn shù, jiāng yī kuài dà shí dēng shí biàn chéng yī kuài xiān míng yíng jié de měi yù, qiě yòu suō chéng shàn zhuì dà xiǎo de kě pèi kě ná。 nà sēng tuō yú zhǎng shàng, xiào dào:“ xíng tǐ dǎo yě shì gè bǎo wù liǎo! hái zhǐ méi yòu, shí zài de hǎo chù, xū dé zài juān shàng shù zì, shǐ rén yī jiàn biàn zhī shì qí wù fāng miào。 rán hòu xié nǐ dào nà chāng míng lóng shèng zhī bāng, shī lǐ zān yīng zhī zú, huā liǔ fán huá dì, wēn róu fù guì xiāng qù 'ān shēn lè yè。” shí tóu tīng liǎo, xǐ bù néng jìn, nǎi wèn:“ bù zhī cì liǎo dì zǐ nà jǐ jiàn qí chù, yòu bù zhī xié liǎo dì zǐ dào hé dì fāng? wàng qǐ míng shì, shǐ dì zǐ bù huò。” nà sēng xiào dào:“ nǐ qiě mò wèn, rì hòu zì rán míng bái de。” shuō zhe, biàn xiù liǎo zhè shí, tóng nà dào rén piāo rán 'ér qù, jìng bù zhī tóubèn hé fāng hé shè。
hòu lái, yòu bù zhī guò liǎo jǐ shì jǐ jié, yīn yòu gè kōng kōng dào rén fǎng dào qiú xiān, hū cóng zhè dà huāng shān wú jī yá qīng gěng fēng xià jīng guò, hū jiàn yī dà kuài shí shàng zì jì fēn míng, biān shù lì lì。 kōng kōng dào rén nǎi cóng tóu yī kàn, yuán lái jiù shì wú cái bǔ tiān, huàn xíng rù shì, méng máng máng dà shì, miǎo miǎo zhēn rén xié rù hóng chén, lì jìn lí hé bēi huān yán liáng shì tài de yī duàn gù shì。 hòu miàn yòu yòu yī shǒu jì yún:
wú cái kě qù bǔ cāng tiān, wǎng rù hóng chén ruò xǔ nián。
cǐ xì shēn qián shēn hòu shì, qiàn shuí jì qù zuò qí chuán? shī hòu biàn shì cǐ shí zhuì luò zhī xiāng, tóu tāi zhī chù, qīn zì jīng lì de yī duàn chén jì gù shì。 qí zhōng jiā tíng guī gé suǒ shì, yǐ jí xián qíng shī cí dǎo hái quán bèi, huò kě shì qù jiě mèn, rán cháo dài nián jì, dì yú bāng guó, què fǎn shī luò wú kǎo。
kōng kōng dào rén suì xiàng shí tóu shuō dào:“ shí xiōng, nǐ zhè yī duàn gù shì, jù nǐ zì jǐ shuō yòu xiē qù wèi, gù biān xiě zài cǐ, yì yù wèn shì chuán qí。 jù wǒ kàn lái, dì yī jiàn, wú cháo dài nián jì kě kǎo, dì 'èr jiàn, bìng wú dà xián dà zhōng lǐ cháo tíng zhì fēng sú de shàn zhèng, qí zhōng zhǐ bù guò jǐ gè yì yàng nǚ zǐ, huò qíng huò chī, huò xiǎo cái wēi shàn, yì wú bān gū, cài nǚ zhī dé néng。 wǒ zòng chāo qù, kǒng shì rén bù 'ài kàn ní。” shí tóu xiào dá dào:“ wǒ shī hé tài chī yé! ruò yún wú cháo dài kě kǎo, jīn wǒ shī jìng jiǎ jiè hàn táng děng nián jì tiān zhuì, yòu yòu hé nán? dàn wǒ xiǎng, lì lái yě shǐ, jiē dǎo yī zhé, mò rú wǒ zhè bù jiè cǐ tào zhě, fǎn dǎo xīn qí bié zhì, bù guò zhǐ qǔ qí shì tǐ qíng lǐ bà liǎo, yòu hé bì jū jū yú cháo dài nián jì zāi! zài zhě, shì jǐng sú rén xǐ kàn lǐ zhì zhī shū zhě shèn shǎo, ài shì qù xián wén zhě tè duō。 lì lái yě shǐ, huò shàn bàng jūn xiāng, huò biǎn rén qī nǚ, jiān yín xiōng 'è, bù kě shèngshǔ。 gèng yòu yī zhǒng fēng yuè bǐ mò, qí yín huì wū chòu, tú dú bǐ mò, huài rén zǐ dì, yòu bù kě shèngshǔ。 zhì ruò jiā rén cái zǐ děng shū, zé yòu qiān bù gòng chū yī tào, qiě qí zhōng zhōng bù néng bù shè yú yín làn, yǐ zhì mǎn zhǐ pān 'ān, zǐ jiàn, xī zǐ, wén jūn, bù guò zuò zhě yào xiě chū zì jǐ de nà liǎng shǒu qíng shī yàn fù lái, gù jiǎ nǐ chū nán nǚ 'èr rén míng xìng, yòu bì bàng chū yī xiǎo rén qí jiān bō luàn, yì rú jù zhōng zhī xiǎo chǒu rán。 qiě huán bì kāi kǒu jí zhě yě zhī hū, fēi wén jí lǐ。 gù zhú yī kàn qù, xī jiē zì xiāng máo dùn, dà bù jìn qíng lǐ zhī huà, jìng bù rú wǒ bàn shì qīn dǔ qīn wén de zhè jǐ gè nǚ zǐ, suī bù gǎn shuō qiáng sì qián dài shū zhōng suǒ yòu zhī rén, dàn shì jì yuán wěi, yì kě yǐ xiāo chóu pò mèn, yě yòu jǐ shǒu wāi shī shú huà, kě yǐ pēn fàn gōng jiǔ。 zhì ruò lí hé bēi huān, xīng shuāi jì yù, zé yòu zhuī zōng niè jì, bù gǎn shāo jiā chuān záo, tú wéi gōng rén zhī mù 'ér fǎn shī qí zhēn chuán zhě。 jīn zhī rén, pín zhě rì wéi yī shí suǒ lěi, fù zhě yòu huái bù zú zhī xīn, zòng rán yī shí shāo xián, yòu yòu tān yín liàn sè, hǎo huò xún chóu zhī shì, nà lǐ qù yòu gōng fū kàn nà lǐ zhì zhī shū? suǒ yǐ wǒ zhè yī duàn gù shì, yě bù yuàn shì rén chēng qí dào miào, yě bù dìng yào shì rén xǐ yuè jiǎn dú, zhǐ yuàn tā men dāng nà zuì yín bǎo wò zhī shí, huò bì shì qù chóu zhī jì, bǎ cǐ yī wán, qǐ bù shěng liǎo xiē shòu mìng jīn lì? jiù bǐ nà móu xū zhú wàng, què yě shěng liǎo kǒu shé shì fēi zhī hài, tuǐ jiǎo bēn máng zhī kǔ。 zài zhě, yì lìng shì rén huàn xīn yǎn mù, bù bǐ nà xiē hú qiān luàn chě, hū lí hū yù, mǎn zhǐ cái rén shū nǚ, zǐ jiàn wén jūn hóng niàn xiǎo yù děng tōng gòng shú tào zhī jiù gǎo。 wǒ shī yì wéi hé rú?”
kōng kōng dào rén tīng rú cǐ shuō, sī cǔn bàn shǎng, jiāng《 shí tóu jì》 zài jiǎn yuè yī biàn, yīn jiàn shàng miàn suī yòu xiē zhǐ jiān zé nìng biǎn 'è zhū xié zhī yǔ, yì fēi shāng shí mà shì zhī zhǐ, jí zhì jūn rén chén liáng fù cí zǐ xiào, fán lún cháng suǒ guān zhī chù, jiē shì chēng gōng sòng dé, juàn juàn wú qióng, shí fēi bié shū zhī kě bǐ。 suī qí zhōng dà zhǐ tán qíng, yì bù guò shí lù qí shì, yòu fēi jiǎ nǐ wàng chēng, yī wèi yín yāo yàn yuē, sī dìng tōu méng zhī kě bǐ。 yīn háo bù gān shè shí shì, fāng cóng tóu zhì wěi chāo lù huí lái, wèn shì chuán qí。 cóng cǐ kōng kōng dào rén yīn kōng jiàn sè, yóu sè shēng qíng, chuán qíng rù sè, zì sè wù kōng, suì yì míng wéi qíng sēng, gǎi《 shí tóu jì》 wéi《 qíng sēng lù》。 dōng lǔ kǒng méi xī zé tí yuē《 fēng yuè bǎo jiàn》。 hòu yīn cáo xuě qín yú dào hóng xuān zhōng pī yuè shízǎi, zēng shān wǔ cì, zuǎn chéng mù lù, fēn chū zhāng huí, zé tí yuē《 jīn líng shí 'èr chāi》。 bìng tí yī jué yún:
mǎn zhǐ huāng táng yán, yī bǎ xīn suān lèi!
dū yún zuò zhě chī, shuí jiě qí zhōng wèi?
chū zé jì míng, qiě kàn shí shàng shì hé gù shì。 àn nà shí shàng shū yún:
dāng rì dì xiàn dōng nán, zhè dōng nán yī yú yòu chù yuē gū sū, yòu chéng yuē chāng mén zhě, zuì shì hóng chén zhōng yī 'èr děng fù guì fēng liú zhī dì。 zhè chāng mén wài yòu gè shí lǐ jiē, jiē nèi yòu gè rén qīng xiàng, xiàng nèi yòu gè gǔ miào, yīn dì fāng zhǎi xiá, rén jiē hū zuò hú lú miào。 miào bàng zhù zhe yī jiā xiāng huàn, xìng zhēn, míng fèi, zì shì yǐn。 dí qī fēng shì, qíng xìng xián shū, shēn míng lǐ yì。 jiā zhōng suī bù shèn fù guì, rán běn dì biàn yě tuī tā wéi wàng zú liǎo。 yīn zhè zhēn shì yǐn bǐng xìng tián dàn, bù yǐ gōng míng wéi niàn, měi rì zhǐ yǐ guān huā xiū zhú, zhuó jiǔ yín shī wéi lè, dǎo shì shén xiān yī liú rén pǐn。 zhǐ shì yī jiàn bù zú: rú jīn nián yǐ bàn bǎi, xī xià wú 'ér, zhǐ yòu yī nǚ, rǔ míng huàn zuò yīng lián, nián fāng sān suì。
yī rì, yán xià yǒng zhòu, shì yǐn yú shū fáng xián zuò, zhì shǒu juàn pāo shū, fú jǐ shǎo qì, bù jué méng lóng shuì qù。 mèng zhì yī chù, bù biàn shì hé dì fāng。 hū jiàn nà xiāng lái liǎo yī sēng yī dào, qiě xíng qiě tán。 zhǐ tīng dào rén wèn dào:“ nǐ xié liǎo zhè chǔn wù, yì yù hé wǎng? " nà sēng xiào dào:“ nǐ fàng xīn, rú jīn xiàn yòu yī duàn fēng liú gōng 'àn zhèng gāi liǎo jié, zhè yī gān fēng liú yuān jiā, shàng wèi tóu tāi rù shì。 chèn cǐ jī huì, jiù jiāng cǐ chǔn wù jiā dài yú zhōng, shǐ tā qù jīng lì jīng lì。” nà dào rén dào:“ yuán lái jìn rì fēng liú yuān niè yòu jiāng zào jié lì shì qù bù chéng? dàn bù zhī luò yú hé fāng hé chù? " nà sēng xiào dào:“ cǐ shì shuō lái hǎo xiào, jìng shì qiān gǔ wèi wén de hǎn shì。 zhǐ yīn xī fāng líng hé 'àn shàng sān shēng shí pàn, yòu jiàng zhū cǎo yī zhū, shí yòu chì xiá gōng shén yīng shì zhě, rì yǐ gān lù guàn gài, zhè jiàng zhū cǎo shǐ dé jiǔ yán suì yuè。 hòu lái jì shòu tiān dì jīng huá, fù dé yǔ lù zī yǎng, suì dé tuō què cǎo tāi mù zhì, dé huàn rén xíng, jǐn xiū chéng gè nǚ tǐ, zhōng rì yóu yú lí hèn tiān wài, jī zé shí mì qīng guǒ wéi shàn, kě zé yǐn guàn chóu hǎi shuǐ wéi tānɡ。 zhǐ yīn shàng wèi chóu bào guàn gài zhī dé, gù qí wǔ nèi biàn yù jié zhe yī duàn chán mián bù jìn zhī yì。 qià jìn rì zhè shén yīng shì zhě fán xīn 'ǒu chì, chéng cǐ chāng míng tài píng cháo shì, yì yù xià fán zào lì huàn yuán, yǐ zài jǐng huàn xiān zǐ 'àn qián guà liǎo hào。 jǐng huàn yì céng wèn jí, guàn gài zhī qíng wèi cháng, chèn cǐ dǎo kě liǎo jié de。 nà jiàng zhū xiān zǐ dào:‘ tā shì gān lù zhī huì, wǒ bìng wú cǐ shuǐ kě hái。 tā jì xià shì wéi rén, wǒ yě qù xià shì wéi rén, dàn bǎ wǒ yī shēng suǒ yòu de yǎn lèi hái tā, yě cháng hái dé guò tā liǎo。’ yīn cǐ yī shì, jiù gòu chū duō shǎo fēng liú yuān jiā lái, péi tā men qù liǎo jié cǐ 'àn。” nà dào rén dào:“ guǒ shì hǎn wén。 shí wèi wén yòu hái lèi zhī shuō。 xiǎng lái zhè yī duàn gù shì, bǐ lì lái fēng yuè shì gù gèng jiā suǒ suì xì nì liǎo。” nà sēng dào:“ lì lái jǐ gè fēng liú rén wù, bù guò chuán qí dà gài yǐ jí shī cí piān zhāng 'ér yǐ, zhì jiā tíng guī gé zhōng yī yǐn yī shí, zǒng wèi shù jì。 zài zhě, dà bàn fēng yuè gù shì, bù guò tōu xiāng qiè yù, àn yuē sī bēn 'ér yǐ, bìng bù céng jiāng 'ér nǚ zhī zhēn qíng fā xiè yī 'èr。 xiǎng zhè yī gànrén rù shì, qí qíng chī sè guǐ, xián yú bù xiào zhě, xī yǔ qián rén chuán shù bù tóng yǐ。” nà dào rén dào:“ chèn cǐ hé bù nǐ wǒ yě qù xià shì dù tuō jǐ gè, qǐ bù shì yīcháng gōng dé? " nà sēng dào:“ zhèng hé wú yì, nǐ qiě tóng wǒ dào jǐng huàn xiān zǐ gōng zhōng, jiāng chǔn wù jiāo gē qīng chǔ, dài zhè yī gān fēng liú niè guǐ xià shì yǐ wán, nǐ wǒ zài qù。 rú jīn suī yǐ yòu yī bàn luò chén, rán yóu wèi quán jí。” dào rén dào:“ jì rú cǐ, biàn suí nǐ qù lái。”
què shuō zhēn shì yǐn jù tīng dé míng bái, dàn bù zhī suǒ yún " chǔn wù " xì hé dōng xī。 suì bù jìn shàng qián shī lǐ, xiào wèn dào:“ èr xiān shī qǐng liǎo。” nà sēng dào yě máng dá lǐ xiāng wèn。 shì yǐn yīn shuō dào:“ shì wén xiān shī suǒ tán yīn guǒ, shí rén shì hǎn wén zhě。 dàn dì zǐ yú zhuó, bù néng dòng xī míng bái, ruò méng dà kāi chī wán, bèi xì yī wén, dì zǐ zé xǐ 'ěr dì tīng, shāo néng jǐng shěng, yì kě miǎn chén lún zhī kǔ。” èr xiān xiào dào:“ cǐ nǎi xuán jī bù kě yù xiè zhě。 dào nà shí bù yào wàng wǒ 'èr rén, biàn kě tiào chū huǒ kēng yǐ。” shì yǐn tīng liǎo, bù biàn zài wèn。 yīn xiào dào:“ xuán jī bù kě yù xiè, dàn shì yún‘ chǔn wù’, bù zhī wèihé, huò kě yī jiàn fǒu? " nà sēng dào:“ ruò wèn cǐ wù, dǎo yòu yī miàn zhī yuán。” shuō zhe, qǔ chū dì yǔ shì yǐn。 shì yǐn jiē liǎo kàn shí, yuán lái shì kuài xiān míng měi yù, shàng miàn zì jì fēn míng, juān zhe " tōng líng bǎo yù " sì zì, hòu miàn hái yòu jǐ xíng xiǎo zì。 zhèng yù xì kàn shí, nà sēng biàn shuō yǐ dào huàn jìng, biàn qiáng cóng shǒu zhōng duó liǎo qù, yǔ dào rén jìng guò yī dà shí pái fāng, shàng shū sì gè dà zì, nǎi shì " tài xū huàn jìng "。 liǎng biān yòu yòu yī fú duì lián, dào shì:
jiǎ zuò zhēn shí zhēn yì jiǎ, wú wéi yòu chù yòu hái wú。 shì yǐn yì yù yě gēn liǎo guò qù, fāng jǔ bù shí, hū tīng yī shēng pī lì, yòu ruò shān bēng dì xiàn。 shì yǐn dà jiào yī shēng, dìng jīng yī kàn, zhǐ jiàn liè rì yán yán, bā jiāo rǎn rǎn, suǒ mèng zhī shì biàn wàng liǎo dà bàn。 yòu jiàn nǎi mǔ zhèng bào liǎo yīng lián zǒu lái。 shì yǐn jiàn nǚ 'ér yuè fā shēng dé fěn zhuāng yù zhuó, guāi jué kě xǐ, biàn shēn shǒu jiē lái, bào zài huái nèi, dǒu tā wán shuǎ yī huí, yòu dài zhì jiē qián, kàn nà guò huì de rè nào。 fāng yù jìn lái shí, zhǐ jiàn cóng nà biān lái liǎo yī sēng yī dào: nà sēng zé là tóu xiǎn jiǎo, nà dào zé bǒ zú péng tóu, fēng fēng diān diān, huī huò tán xiào 'ér zhì。 jí zhì dào liǎo tā mén qián, kàn jiàn shì yǐn bào zhe yīng lián, nà sēng biàn dà kū qǐ lái, yòu xiàng shì yǐn dào:“ shī zhù, nǐ bǎ zhè yòu mìng wú yùn, lěi jí diē niàn zhī wù, bào zài huái nèi zuò shèn? " shì yǐn tīng liǎo, zhī shì fēng huà, yě bù qù cǎi tā。 nà sēng hái shuō:“ shěwǒ bà, shěwǒ bà! " shì yǐn bù nài fán, biàn bào nǚ 'ér chè shēn yào jìn qù, nà sēng nǎi zhǐ zhe tā dà xiào, kǒu nèi niàn liǎo sì jù yán cí dào:
guàn yǎng jiāo shēng xiào nǐ chī, líng huā kōng duì xuě sī sī。
hǎo fáng jiā jié yuán xiāo hòu, biàn shì yān xiāo huǒ miè shí。 shì yǐn tīng dé míng bái, xīn xià yóu yù, yì yù wèn tā men lái lì。 zhǐ tīng dào rén shuō dào:“ nǐ wǒ bù bì tóng xíng, jiù cǐ fēn shǒu, gè gān yíng shēng qù bà。 sān jié hòu, wǒ zài běi māng shān děng nǐ, huì qí liǎo tóng wǎng tài xū huàn jìng xiāo hào。” nà sēng dào:“ zuì miào, zuì miào! " shuō bì, èr rén yī qù, zài bù jiàn gè zōng yǐng liǎo。 shì yǐn xīn zhōng cǐ shí zì cǔn: zhè liǎng gè rén bì yòu lái lì, gāi shì yī wèn, rú jīn huǐ què wǎn yě。
zhè shì yǐn zhèng chī xiǎng, hū jiàn gé bì hú lú miào nèi jì jū de yī gè qióng rú - xìng jiǎ míng huà, biǎo zì shí fēi, bié hào yǔ cūn zhě zǒu liǎo chū lái。 zhè jiǎ yǔ cūn yuán xì hú zhōu rén shì, yě shì shī shū shì huàn zhī zú, yīn tā shēng yú mò shì, fù mǔ zǔ zōng gēn jī yǐ jìn, rén kǒu shuāi sàng, zhǐ shèng dé tā yī shēn yī kǒu, zài jiā xiāng wú yì, yīn jìn jīng qiú qǔ gōng míng, zài zhěng jī yè。 zì qián suì lái cǐ, yòu yān jiǎn zhù liǎo, zàn jì miào zhōng 'ān shēn, měi rì mài zì zuò wén wéi shēng, gù shì yǐn cháng yǔ tā jiāo jiē。 dāng xià yǔ cūn jiàn liǎo shì yǐn, máng shī lǐ péi xiào dào:“ lǎo xiān shēng yǐ mén zhù wàng, gǎn shì jiē shì shàng yòu shèn xīn wén fǒu? " shì yǐn xiào dào:“ fēi yě。 shì yīn xiǎo nǚ tí kū, yǐn tā chū lái zuò shuǎ, zhèng shì wú liáo zhī shèn, xiōng lái dé zhèng miào, qǐng rù xiǎo zhāi yī tán, bǐ cǐ jiē kě xiāo cǐ yǒng zhòu。” shuō zhe, biàn lìng rén sòng nǚ 'ér jìn qù, zì yǔ yǔ cūn xié shǒu lái zhì shū fáng zhōng。 xiǎo tóng xiàn chá。 fāng tán dé sān wǔ jù huà, hū jiā rén fēi bào:“ yán lǎo yé lái bài。” shì yǐn huāng de máng qǐ shēn xiè zuì dào:“ shù kuáng jià zhī zuì, lüè zuò, dì jí lái péi。” yǔ cūn máng qǐ shēn yì ràng dào:“ lǎo xiān shēng qǐng biàn。 wǎn shēng nǎi cháng zào zhī kè, shāo hòu hé fáng。” shuō zhe, shì yǐn yǐ chū qián tīng qù liǎo。
zhè lǐ yǔ cūn qiě fān nòng shū jí jiě mèn。 hū tīng dé chuāng wài yòu nǚ zǐ sòu shēng, yǔ cūn suì qǐ shēn wǎng chuāng wài yī kàn, yuán lái shì yī gè yā huán, zài nà lǐ xié huā, shēng dé yí róng bù sú, méi mù qīng míng, suī wú shí fēn zī sè, què yì yòu dòng rén zhī chù。 yǔ cūn bù jué kàn de dāi liǎo。 nà zhēn jiā yā huán xié liǎo huā, fāng yù zǒu shí, měng tái tóu jiàn chuāng nèi yòu rén, bì jīn jiù fú, suī shì pín jiǒng, rán shēng dé yāo yuán bèi hòu, miàn kuò kǒu fāng, gèng jiān jiàn méi xīng yǎn, zhí bí quán sāi。 zhè yā huán máng zhuǎn shēn huí bì, xīn xià nǎi xiǎng:“ zhè rén shēng de zhè yàng xióng zhuàng, què yòu zhè yàng lán lǚ, xiǎng tā dìng shì wǒ jiā zhù rén cháng shuō de shénme jiǎ yǔ cūn liǎo, měi yòu yì bāng zhù zhōu jì, zhǐ shì méi shèn jī huì。 wǒ jiā bìng wú zhè yàng pín jiǒng qīn yǒu, xiǎng dìng shì cǐ rén wú yí liǎo。 guài dào yòu shuō tā bì fēi jiǔ kùn zhī rén。” rú cǐ xiǎng lái, bù miǎn yòu huí tóu liǎng cì。 yǔ cūn jiàn tā huí liǎo tóu, biàn zì wéi zhè nǚ zǐ xīn zhōng yòu yì yú tā, biàn kuáng xǐ bù jìn, zì wéi cǐ nǚ zǐ bì shì gè jù yǎn yīng xióng, fēng chén zhōng zhī zhī jǐ yě。 yī shí xiǎo tóng jìn lái, yǔ cūn dǎ tīng dé qián miàn liú fàn, bù kě jiǔ dài, suì cóng jiā dào zhōng zì biàn chū mén qù liǎo。 shì yǐn dài kè jì sàn, zhī yǔ cūn zì biàn, yě bù qù zài yāo。
yī rì, zǎo yòu zhōng qiū jiā jié。 shì yǐn jiā yàn yǐ bì, nǎi yòu lìng jù yī xí yú shū fáng, què zì jǐ bù yuè zhì miào zhōng lái yāo yǔ cūn。 yuán lái yǔ cūn zì nà rì jiàn liǎo zhēn jiā zhī bì céng huí gù tā liǎng cì, zì wéi shì gè zhī jǐ, biàn shí kè fàng zài xīn shàng。 jīn yòu zhèng zhí zhōng qiū, bù miǎn duì yuè yòuhuái, yīn 'ér kǒu zhàn wǔ yán yī lǜ yún:
wèi bǔ sān shēng yuàn, pín tiān yī duàn chóu。
mèn lái shí liǎn 'é, xíng qù jǐ huí tóu。
zì gù fēng qián yǐng, shuí kān yuè xià chóu?
chán guāng rú yòu yì, xiān shàng yù rén lóu。
yǔ cūn yín bà, yīn yòu sī jí píng shēng bào fù, kǔ wèi féng shí, nǎi yòu sāo shǒu duì tiān cháng tàn, fù gāo yín yī lián yuē:
yù zài xiá zhōng qiú shàn jià, chāi yú lián nèi dài shí fēi。
qià zhí shì yǐn zǒu lái tīng jiàn, xiào dào:“ yǔ cūn xiōng zhēn bào fù bù qiǎn yě! " yǔ cūn máng xiào dào:“ bù guò 'ǒu yín qián rén zhī jù, hé gǎn kuáng dàn zhì cǐ。” yīn wèn:“ lǎo xiān shēng hé xīng zhì cǐ? " shì yǐn xiào dào:“ jīn yè zhōng qiū, sú wèi‘ tuán yuán zhī jié’, xiǎng zūn xiōng lǚ jì sēng fáng, bù wú jì liáo zhī gǎn, gù tè jù xiǎo zhuó, yāo xiōng dào bì zhāi yī yǐn, bù zhī kě nà qín yì fǒu? " yǔ cūn tīng liǎo, bìng bù tuī cí, biàn xiào dào:“ jì méng hòu 'ài, hé gǎn fú cǐ shèng qíng。” shuō zhe, biàn tóng shì yǐn fù guò zhè biān shū yuàn zhōng lái。 xū yú chá bì, zǎo yǐ shè xià bēi pán, nà měi jiǔ jiā yáo zì bù bì shuō。 èr rén guī zuò, xiān shì kuǎn zhēn màn yǐn, cì jiàn tán zhì xīng nóng, bù jué fēi gōng xiàn qǐ lái。 dāng shí jiē fāng shàng jiā jiā xiāo guǎn, hù hù xián gē, dāng tóu yī lún míng yuè, fēi cǎi níng huī, èr rén yù tiān háo xīng, jiǔ dào bēi gān。 yǔ cūn cǐ shí yǐ yòu qī bā fēn jiǔ yì, kuáng xīng bù jìn, nǎi duì yuè yù huái, kǒu hào yī jué yún:
shí féng sān wǔ biàn tuán yuán, mǎn bǎ qíng guāng hù yù lán。
tiān shàng yī lún cái pěng chū, rén jiān wàn xìng yǎng tóu kàn。 shì yǐn tīng liǎo, dà jiào:“ miào zāi! wú měi wèi xiōng bì fēi jiǔ jū rén xià zhě, jīn suǒ yín zhī jù, fēi téng zhī zhào yǐ jiàn, bù rì kě jiē lǚ yú yún ní zhī shàng yǐ。 kě hè, kě hè! " nǎi qīn zhēn yī dǒu wéi hè。 yǔ cūn yīn gān guò, tàn dào:“ fēi wǎn shēng jiǔ hòu kuáng yán, ruò lùn shí shàng zhī xué, wǎn shēng yě huò kě qù chōng shù gū míng, zhǐ shì mù jīn xíng náng lù fèi yī gài wú cuò, shén jīng lù yuǎn, fēi lài mài zì zhuàn wén jí néng dào zhě。” shì yǐn bù dài shuō wán, biàn dào:“ xiōng hé bù zǎo yán。 yú měi yòu cǐ xīn, dàn měi yù xiōng shí, xiōng bìng wèi tán jí, yú gù wèi gǎn táng tū。 jīn jì jí cǐ, yú suī bù cái,‘ yì lì’ èr zì què hái shí dé。 qiě xǐ míng suì zhèng dāng dà bǐ, xiōng yí zuò sù rù dū, chūn wéi yī zhàn, fāng bù fù xiōng zhī suǒ xué yě。 qí pán fèi yú shì, dì zì dài wéi chǔzhì, yì bù wǎng xiōng zhī miù shí yǐ! " dāng xià jí mìng xiǎo tóng jìn qù, sù fēng wǔ shí liǎng bái yín, bìng liǎng tào dōng yī。 yòu yún:“ shí jiǔ rì nǎi huáng dào zhī qī, xiōng kě jí mǎi zhōu xī shàng, dài xióng fēi gāo jǔ, míng dōng zài wù, qǐ fēi dà kuài zhī shì yé! " yǔ cūn shōu liǎo yín yī, bù guò lüè xiè yī yǔ, bìng bù jiè yì, réng shì chī jiǔ tán xiào。 nà tiān yǐ jiāo liǎo sān gèng, èr rén fāng sàn。 shì yǐn sòng yǔ cūn qù hòu, huí fáng yī jué, zhí zhì hóng rì sān gān fāng xǐng。 yīn sī zuó yè zhī shì, yì yù zài xiě liǎng fēng jiàn shū yǔ yǔ cūn dài zhì shén dū, shǐ yǔ cūn tóu yè gè shì huàn zhī jiā wéi jì zú zhī dì。 yīn shǐ rén guò qù qǐng shí, nà jiā rén qù liǎo huí lái shuō:“ hé shàng shuō, jiǎ yé jīn rì wǔ gǔ yǐ jìn jīng qù liǎo, yě céng liú xià huà yǔ hé shàng zhuǎn dá lǎo yé, shuō‘ dú shū rén bù zài huáng dào hēi dào, zǒng yǐ shì lǐ wéi yào, bù jí miàn cí liǎo。’ " shì yǐn tīng liǎo, yě zhǐ dé bà liǎo。 zhēn shì xián chù guāng yīn yì guò, shū hū yòu shì yuán xiāo jiā jié yǐ。 shì yǐn mìng jiā rén huò qǐ bào liǎo yīng lián qù kàn shè huǒ huā dēng, bàn yè zhōng, huò qǐ yīn yào xiǎo jiě, biàn jiāng yīng lián fàng zài yī jiā mén jiàn shàng zuò zhe。 dài tā xiǎo jiě wán liǎo lái bào shí, nà yòu yīng lián de zōng yǐng? jí dé huò qǐ zhí xún liǎo bàn yè, zhì tiān míng bù jiàn, nà huò qǐ yě jiù bù gǎn huí lái jiàn zhù rén, biàn táo wǎng tā xiāng qù liǎo。 nà shì yǐn fū fù, jiàn nǚ 'ér yī yè bù guī, biàn zhī yòu xiē bù tuǒ, zài shǐ jǐ rén qù xún zhǎo, huí lái jiē yún lián yīn xiǎng jiē wú。 fū qī 'èr rén, bàn shì zhǐ shēng cǐ nǚ, yī dàn shī luò, qǐ bù sī xiǎng, yīn cǐ zhòu yè tí kū, jīhū bù céng xínsǐ。 kàn kàn de yī yuè, shì yǐn xiān jiùděiliǎo yī bìng, dāng shí fēng shì rú rén yě yīn sī nǚ gòu jí, rì rì qǐng yī liáo zhì。
bù xiǎng zhè rì sān yuè shí wǔ, hú lú miào zhōng zhà gōng, nà xiē hé shàng bù jiā xiǎo xīn, zhì shǐ yóu guō huǒ yì, biàn shāo zhe chuāng zhǐ。 cǐ fāng rén jiā duō yòng zhú lí mù bì zhě, dà dǐ yě yīn jié shù, yú shì jiē 'èr lián sān, qiān wǔ guà sì, jiāng yī tiáo jiē shāo dé rú huǒ yàn shān yī bān。 bǐ shí suī yòu jūn mín lái jiù, nà huǒ yǐ chéng liǎo shì, rú hé jiù dé xià? zhí shāo liǎo yī yè, fāng jiàn jiàn de xī qù, yě bù zhī shāo liǎo jǐ jiā。 zhǐ kě lián zhēn jiā zài gé bì, zǎo yǐ shāo chéng yī piàn wǎ lì chǎng liǎo。 zhǐ yòu tā fū fù bìng jǐ gè jiā rén de xìng mìng bù céng shāng liǎo。 jí dé shì yǐn wéi diē zú cháng tàn 'ér yǐ。 zhǐ dé yǔ qī zǐ shāng yì, qiě dào tián zhuāng shàng qù 'ān shēn。 piān zhí jìn nián shuǐ hàn bù shōu, shǔ dào fēng qǐ, wú fēi qiǎng tián duó dì, shǔ qiè gǒu tōu, mín bù 'ān shēng, yīn cǐ guān bīng jiǎo bǔ, nán yǐ 'ān shēn。 shì yǐn zhǐ dé jiāng tián zhuāng dū zhé biàn liǎo, biàn xié liǎo qī zǐ yǔ liǎng gè yā huán tóu tā yuè zhàng jiā qù。
tā yuè zhàng míng huàn fēng sù, běn guàn dà rú zhōu rén shì, suī shì wù nóng, jiā zhōng dū hái yīn shí。 jīn jiàn nǚ xù zhè děng láng bèi 'ér lái, xīn zhōng biàn yòu xiē bù lè。 xìng 'ér shì yǐn hái yòu zhé biàn tián dì de yín zǐ wèi céng yòng wán, ná chū lái tuō tā suí fēn jiù jià bó zhì xiē xū fáng dì, wéi hòu rì yī shí zhī jì。 nà fēng sù biàn bàn hōng bàn zuàn, xiē xū yǔ tā xiē bó tián xiǔ wū。 shì yǐn nǎi dú shū zhī rén, bù guàn shēng lǐ jià sè děng shì, miǎnqiǎng zhī chí liǎo yī 'èr nián, yuè jué qióng liǎo xià qù。 fēng sù měi jiàn miàn shí, biàn shuō xiē xiàn chéng huà, qiě rén qián rén hòu yòu yuàn tā men bù shàn guò huó, zhǐ yī wèi hàochī lǎn zuò děng yǔ。 shì yǐn zhī tóu rén bù zhe, xīn zhōng wèi miǎn huǐ hèn, zài jiān shàng nián jīng hǔ, jí fèn yuàn tòng, yǐ yòu jī shāng, mù nián zhī rén, pín bìng jiāo gōng, jìng jiàn jiàn de lù chū nà xià shì de guāng jǐng lái。
kě qiǎo zhè rì zhǔ liǎo guǎi zhàng zhèng cuò dào jiē qián sǎnsǎn xīn shí, hū jiàn nà biān lái liǎo yī gè bǒ zú dào rén, fēng diān luò tuō, má xǐ chún yī, kǒu nèi niàn zhe jǐ jù yán cí, dào shì:
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, wéi yòu gōng míng wàng bù liǎo!
gǔ jīn jiàngxiàng zài hé fāng? huāng zhǒng yī duī cǎo méi liǎo。
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, zhǐ yòu jīn yín wàng bù liǎo!
zhōng cháo zhǐ hèn jù wú duō, jí dào duō shí yǎn bì liǎo。
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, zhǐ yòu jiāo qī wàng bù liǎo!
jūn shēng rì rì shuō 'ēn qíng, jūn sǐ yòu suí rén qù liǎo。
shì rén dū xiǎo shén xiān hǎo, zhǐ yòu 'ér sūn wàng bù liǎo!
chī xīn fù mǔ gǔ lái duō, xiào shùn 'ér sūn shuí jiàn liǎo?
shì yǐn tīng liǎo, biàn yíng shàng lái dào:“ nǐ mǎn kǒu shuō xiē shénme? zhǐ tīng jiàn xiē‘ hǎo’‘ liǎo’‘ hǎo’‘ liǎo’。 nà dào rén xiào dào:“ nǐ ruò guǒ tīng jiàn‘ hǎo’‘ liǎo’ èr zì, hái suàn nǐ míng bái。 kě zhī shì shàng wàn bān, hǎo biàn shì liǎo, liǎo biàn shì hǎo。 ruò bù liǎo, biàn bù hǎo, ruò yào hǎo, xū shì liǎo。 wǒ zhè gē 'ér, biàn míng《 hǎo liǎo gē》 " shì yǐn běn shì yòu sù huì de, yī wén cǐ yán, xīn zhōng zǎo yǐ chè wù。 yīn xiào dào:“ qiě zhù! dài wǒ jiāng nǐ zhè《 hǎo liǎo gē》 jiě zhù chū lái hé rú? " dào rén xiào dào:“ nǐ jiě, nǐ jiě。” shì yǐn nǎi shuō dào:
lòu shì kōng táng, dāng nián hù mǎn chuáng, shuāi cǎo kū yáng, céng wéi gē wǔ chǎng。 zhū sī 'ér jié mǎn diāo liáng, lǜ shā jīn yòu hú zài péng chuāng shàng。 shuō shí me zhī zhèng nóng、 fěn zhèng xiāng, rú hé liǎng bìn yòu chéng shuāng? zuó rì huáng tǔ lǒng tóu sòng bái gǔ, jīn xiāo hóng dēng zhàng dǐ wò yuān yāng。 jīn mǎn xiāng, yín mǎn xiāng, zhǎn yǎn qǐ gài rén jiē bàng。 zhèng tàn tā rén mìng bù cháng, nà zhī zì jǐ guī lái sàng! xùn yòu fāng, bǎo bù dìng rì hòu zuò qiáng liáng。 zé gāo liáng, shuí chéng wàng liú luò zài yān huā xiàng! yīn xián shā mào xiǎo, zhì shǐ suǒ jiā gàng, zuó lián pò 'ǎo hán, jīn xián zǐ mǎng cháng: luàn hōng hōng nǐ fāng chàng bà wǒ dēng chǎng, fǎn rèn tā xiāng shì gù xiāng。 shèn huāng táng, dào tóu láidōu shì wèitā rén zuò jià yī cháng!
nà fēng bǒ dào rén tīng liǎo, pāi zhǎng xiào dào:“ jiě dé qiē, jiě dé qiē! " shì yǐn biàn shuō yī shēng " zǒu bà! " jiāng dào rén jiān shàng dā lián qiǎng liǎo guò lái bēizhe, jìng bù huí jiā, tóng liǎo fēng dào rén piāo piāo 'ér qù。 dāng xià hōng dòng jiē fāng, zhòng rén dāng zuò yī jiàn xīn wén chuán shuō。 fēng shì wén dé cǐ xìn, kū gè sǐ qù huó lái, zhǐ dé yǔ fù qīn shāng yì, qiǎn rén gè chù fǎng xún, nà tǎo yīn xìn? wú nài hé, shǎo bù dé yǐ kào zhe tā fù mǔ dù rì。 xìng 'ér shēn biān hái yòu liǎng gè jiù rì de yā huán fú shì, zhù pú sān rén, rì yè zuò xiē zhēn xiàn fā mài, bāng zhe fù qīn yòng dù。 nà fēng sù suī rán rì rì bào yuàn, yě wú kě nài hé liǎo。
zhè rì, nà zhēn jiā dà yā huán zài mén qián mǎi xiàn, hū tīng jiē shàng hèdào zhī shēng, zhòng réndōu shuō xīn tài yé dào rèn。 yā huán yú shì yǐn zài mén nèi kàn shí, zhǐ jiàn jūn láo kuài shǒu, yī duì yī duì de guò qù, é 'ér dà jiào tái zhe yī gè wū mào xīng páo de guān fǔ guò qù。 yā huán dǎo fā liǎo gè zhèng, zì sī zhè guān hǎo miàn shàn, dǎo xiàng zài nà lǐ jiàn guò de。 yú shì jìn rù fáng zhōng, yě jiù diū guò bù zài xīn shàng。 zhì wǎn jiān, zhèng dài xiē xī zhī shí, hū tīng yī piàn shēng dǎ de mén xiǎng, xǔ duō rén luàn rǎng, shuō:“ běn fǔ tài yé chāirén lái chuán rén wèn huà。” fēng sù tīng liǎo, hǔ dé mù dèng kǒu dāi, bù zhī yòu hé huò shì。
This is the opening section; this the first chapter. Subsequent to the visions of a dream which he had, on some previous occasion, experienced, the writer personally relates, he designedly concealed the true circumstances, and borrowed the attributes of perception and spirituality to relate this story of the Record of the Stone. With this purpose, he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin (truth under the garb of fiction) and the like. What are, however, the events recorded in this work? Who are the dramatis personae?
Wearied with the drudgery experienced of late in the world, the author speaking for himself, goes on to explain, with the lack of success which attended every single concern, I suddenly bethought myself of the womankind of past ages. Passing one by one under a minute scrutiny, I felt that in action and in lore, one and all were far above me; that in spite of the majesty of my manliness, I could not, in point of fact, compare with these characters of the gentle sex. And my shame forsooth then knew no bounds; while regret, on the other hand, was of no avail, as there was not even a remote possibility of a day of remedy.
On this very day it was that I became desirous to compile, in a connected form, for publication throughout the world, with a view to (universal) information, how that I bear inexorable and manifold retribution; inasmuch as what time, by the sustenance of the benevolence of Heaven, and the virtue of my ancestors, my apparel was rich and fine, and as what days my fare was savory and sumptuous, I disregarded the bounty of education and nurture of father and mother, and paid no heed to the virtue of precept and injunction of teachers and friends, with the result that I incurred the punishment, of failure recently in the least trifle, and the reckless waste of half my lifetime. There have been meanwhile, generation after generation, those in the inner chambers, the whole mass of whom could not, on any account, be, through my influence, allowed to fall into extinction, in order that I, unfilial as I have been, may have the means to screen my own shortcomings.
Hence it is that the thatched shed, with bamboo mat windows, the bed of tow and the stove of brick, which are at present my share, are not sufficient to deter me from carrying out the fixed purpose of my mind. And could I, furthermore, confront the morning breeze, the evening moon, the willows by the steps and the flowers in the courtyard, methinks these would moisten to a greater degree my mortal pen with ink; but though I lack culture and erudition, what harm is there, however, in employing fiction and unrecondite language to give utterance to the merits of these characters? And were I also able to induce the inmates of the inner chamber to understand and diffuse them, could I besides break the weariness of even so much as a single moment, or could I open the eyes of my contemporaries, will it not forsooth prove a boon?
This consideration has led to the usage of such names as Chia Yue-ts'un and other similar appellations.
More than any in these pages have been employed such words as dreams and visions; but these dreams constitute the main argument of this work, and combine, furthermore, the design of giving a word of warning to my readers.
Reader, can you suggest whence the story begins?
The narration may border on the limits of incoherency and triviality, but it possesses considerable zest. But to begin.
The Empress Nue Wo, (the goddess of works,) in fashioning blocks of stones, for the repair of the heavens, prepared, at the Ta Huang Hills and Wu Ch'i cave, 36,501 blocks of rough stone, each twelve chang in height, and twenty-four chang square. Of these stones, the Empress Wo only used 36,500; so that one single block remained over and above, without being turned to any account. This was cast down the Ch'ing Keng peak. This stone, strange to say, after having undergone a process of refinement, attained a nature of efficiency, and could, by its innate powers, set itself into motion and was able to expand and to contract.
When it became aware that the whole number of blocks had been made use of to repair the heavens, that it alone had been destitute of the necessary properties and had been unfit to attain selection, it forthwith felt within itself vexation and shame, and day and night, it gave way to anguish and sorrow.
One day, while it lamented its lot, it suddenly caught sight, at a great distance, of a Buddhist bonze and of a Taoist priest coming towards that direction. Their appearance was uncommon, their easy manner remarkable. When they drew near this Ch'ing Keng peak, they sat on the ground to rest, and began to converse. But on noticing the block newly-polished and brilliantly clear, which had moreover contracted in dimensions, and become no larger than the pendant of a fan, they were greatly filled with admiration. The Buddhist priest picked it up, and laid it in the palm of his hand.
"Your appearance," he said laughingly, "may well declare you to be a supernatural object, but as you lack any inherent quality it is necessary to inscribe a few characters on you, so that every one who shall see you may at once recognise you to be a remarkable thing. And subsequently, when you will be taken into a country where honour and affluence will reign, into a family cultured in mind and of official status, in a land where flowers and trees shall flourish with luxuriance, in a town of refinement, renown and glory; when you once will have been there..."
The stone listened with intense delight.
"What characters may I ask," it consequently inquired, "will you inscribe? and what place will I be taken to? pray, pray explain to me in lucid terms." "You mustn't be inquisitive," the bonze replied, with a smile, "in days to come you'll certainly understand everything." Having concluded these words, he forthwith put the stone in his sleeve, and proceeded leisurely on his journey, in company with the Taoist priest. Whither, however, he took the stone, is not divulged. Nor can it be known how many centuries and ages elapsed, before a Taoist priest, K'ung K'ung by name, passed, during his researches after the eternal reason and his quest after immortality, by these Ta Huang Hills, Wu Ch'i cave and Ch'ing Keng Peak. Suddenly perceiving a large block of stone, on the surface of which the traces of characters giving, in a connected form, the various incidents of its fate, could be clearly deciphered, K'ung K'ung examined them from first to last. They, in fact, explained how that this block of worthless stone had originally been devoid of the properties essential for the repairs to the heavens, how it would be transmuted into human form and introduced by Mang Mang the High Lord, and Miao Miao, the Divine, into the world of mortals, and how it would be led over the other bank (across the San Sara). On the surface, the record of the spot where it would fall, the place of its birth, as well as various family trifles and trivial love affairs of young ladies, verses, odes, speeches and enigmas was still complete; but the name of the dynasty and the year of the reign were obliterated, and could not be ascertained.
On the obverse, were also the following enigmatical verses:
Lacking in virtues meet the azure skies to mend, In vain the mortal world full many a year I wend, Of a former and after life these facts that be, Who will for a tradition strange record for me?
K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, having pondered over these lines for a while, became aware that this stone had a history of some kind.
"Brother stone," he forthwith said, addressing the stone, "the concerns of past days recorded on you possess, according to your own account, a considerable amount of interest, and have been for this reason inscribed, with the intent of soliciting generations to hand them down as remarkable occurrences. But in my own opinion, they lack, in the first place, any data by means of which to establish the name of the Emperor and the year of his reign; and, in the second place, these constitute no record of any excellent policy, adopted by any high worthies or high loyal statesmen, in the government of the state, or in the rule of public morals. The contents simply treat of a certain number of maidens, of exceptional character; either of their love affairs or infatuations, or of their small deserts or insignificant talents; and were I to transcribe the whole collection of them, they would, nevertheless, not be estimated as a book of any exceptional worth."
"Sir Priest," the stone replied with assurance, "why are you so excessively dull? The dynasties recorded in the rustic histories, which have been written from age to age, have, I am fain to think, invariably assumed, under false pretences, the mere nomenclature of the Han and T'ang dynasties. They differ from the events inscribed on my block, which do not borrow this customary practice, but, being based on my own experiences and natural feelings, present, on the contrary, a novel and unique character. Besides, in the pages of these rustic histories, either the aspersions upon sovereigns and statesmen, or the strictures upon individuals, their wives, and their daughters, or the deeds of licentiousness and violence are too numerous to be computed. Indeed, there is one more kind of loose literature, the wantonness and pollution in which work most easy havoc upon youth.
"As regards the works, in which the characters of scholars and beauties is delineated their allusions are again repeatedly of Wen Chuen, their theme in every page of Tzu Chien; a thousand volumes present no diversity; and a thousand characters are but a counterpart of each other. What is more, these works, throughout all their pages, cannot help bordering on extreme licence. The authors, however, had no other object in view than to give utterance to a few sentimental odes and elegant ballads of their own, and for this reason they have fictitiously invented the names and surnames of both men and women, and necessarily introduced, in addition, some low characters, who should, like a buffoon in a play, create some excitement in the plot.
"Still more loathsome is a kind of pedantic and profligate literature, perfectly devoid of all natural sentiment, full of self-contradictions; and, in fact, the contrast to those maidens in my work, whom I have, during half my lifetime, seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. And though I will not presume to estimate them as superior to the heroes and heroines in the works of former ages, yet the perusal of the motives and issues of their experiences, may likewise afford matter sufficient to banish dulness, and to break the spell of melancholy.
"As regards the several stanzas of doggerel verse, they may too evoke such laughter as to compel the reader to blurt out the rice, and to spurt out the wine.
"In these pages, the scenes depicting the anguish of separation, the bliss of reunion, and the fortunes of prosperity and of adversity are all, in every detail, true to human nature, and I have not taken upon myself to make the slightest addition, or alteration, which might lead to the perversion of the truth.
"My only object has been that men may, after a drinking bout, or after they wake from sleep or when in need of relaxation from the pressure of business, take up this light literature, and not only expunge the traces of antiquated books, and obtain a new kind of distraction, but that they may also lay by a long life as well as energy and strength; for it bears no point of similarity to those works, whose designs are false, whose course is immoral. Now, Sir Priest, what are your views on the subject?"
K'ung K'ung having pondered for a while over the words, to which he had listened intently, re-perused, throughout, this record of the stone; and finding that the general purport consisted of nought else than a treatise on love, and likewise of an accurate transcription of facts, without the least taint of profligacy injurious to the times, he thereupon copied the contents, from beginning to end, to the intent of charging the world to hand them down as a strange story.
Hence it was that K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, in consequence of his perception, (in his state of) abstraction, of passion, the generation, from this passion, of voluptuousness, the transmission of this voluptuousness into passion, and the apprehension, by means of passion, of its unreality, forthwith altered his name for that of "Ch'ing Tseng" (the Voluptuous Bonze), and changed the title of "the Memoir of a Stone" (Shih-t'ou-chi,) for that of "Ch'ing Tseng Lu," The Record of the Voluptuous Bonze; while K'ung Mei-chi of Tung Lu gave it the name of "Feng Yueeh Pao Chien," "The Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness." In later years, owing to the devotion by Tsao Hsueeh-ch'in in the Tao Hung study, of ten years to the perusal and revision of the work, the additions and modifications effected by him five times, the affix of an index and the division into periods and chapters, the book was again entitled "Chin Ling Shih Erh Ch'ai," "The Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." A stanza was furthermore composed for the purpose. This then, and no other, is the origin of the Record of the Stone. The poet says appositely:--
Pages full of silly litter, Tears a handful sour and bitter; All a fool the author hold, But their zest who can unfold?
You have now understood the causes which brought about the Record of the Stone, but as you are not, as yet, aware what characters are depicted, and what circumstances are related on the surface of the block, reader, please lend an ear to the narrative on the stone, which runs as follows:--
In old days, the land in the South East lay low. In this South-East part of the world, was situated a walled town, Ku Su by name. Within the walls a locality, called the Ch'ang Men, was more than all others throughout the mortal world, the centre, which held the second, if not the first place for fashion and life. Beyond this Ch'ang Men was a street called Shih-li-chieh (Ten _Li_ street); in this street a lane, the Jen Ch'ing lane (Humanity and Purity); and in this lane stood an old temple, which on account of its diminutive dimensions, was called, by general consent, the Gourd temple. Next door to this temple lived the family of a district official, Chen by surname, Fei by name, and Shih-yin by style. His wife, nee Feng, possessed a worthy and virtuous disposition, and had a clear perception of moral propriety and good conduct. This family, though not in actual possession of excessive affluence and honours, was, nevertheless, in their district, conceded to be a clan of well-to-do standing. As this Chen Shih-yin was of a contented and unambitious frame of mind, and entertained no hankering after any official distinction, but day after day of his life took delight in gazing at flowers, planting bamboos, sipping his wine and conning poetical works, he was in fact, in the indulgence of these pursuits, as happy as a supernatural being.
One thing alone marred his happiness. He had lived over half a century and had, as yet, no male offspring around his knees. He had one only child, a daughter, whose infant name was Ying Lien. She was just three years of age. On a long summer day, on which the heat had been intense, Shih-yin sat leisurely in his library. Feeling his hand tired, he dropped the book he held, leant his head on a teapoy, and fell asleep.
Of a sudden, while in this state of unconsciousness, it seemed as if he had betaken himself on foot to some spot or other whither he could not discriminate. Unexpectedly he espied, in the opposite direction, two priests coming towards him: the one a Buddhist, the other a Taoist. As they advanced they kept up the conversation in which they were engaged. "Whither do you purpose taking the object you have brought away?" he heard the Taoist inquire. To this question the Buddhist replied with a smile: "Set your mind at ease," he said; "there's now in maturity a plot of a general character involving mundane pleasures, which will presently come to a denouement. The whole number of the votaries of voluptuousness have, as yet, not been quickened or entered the world, and I mean to avail myself of this occasion to introduce this object among their number, so as to give it a chance to go through the span of human existence." "The votaries of voluptuousness of these days will naturally have again to endure the ills of life during their course through the mortal world," the Taoist remarked; "but when, I wonder, will they spring into existence? and in what place will they descend?"
"The account of these circumstances," the bonze ventured to reply, "is enough to make you laugh! They amount to this: there existed in the west, on the bank of the Ling (spiritual) river, by the side of the San Sheng (thrice-born) stone, a blade of the Chiang Chu (purple pearl) grass. At about the same time it was that the block of stone was, consequent upon its rejection by the goddess of works, also left to ramble and wander to its own gratification, and to roam about at pleasure to every and any place. One day it came within the precincts of the Ching Huan (Monitory Vision) Fairy; and this Fairy, cognizant of the fact that this stone had a history, detained it, therefore, to reside at the Ch'ih Hsia (purple clouds) palace, and apportioned to it the duties of attendant on Shen Ying, a fairy of the Ch'ih Hsia palace.
"This stone would, however, often stroll along the banks of the Ling river, and having at the sight of the blade of spiritual grass been filled with admiration, it, day by day, moistened its roots with sweet dew. This purple pearl grass, at the outset, tarried for months and years; but being at a later period imbued with the essence and luxuriance of heaven and earth, and having incessantly received the moisture and nurture of the sweet dew, divested itself, in course of time, of the form of a grass; assuming, in lieu, a human nature, which gradually became perfected into the person of a girl.
"Every day she was wont to wander beyond the confines of the Li Hen (divested animosities) heavens. When hungry she fed on the Pi Ch'ing (hidden love) fruit--when thirsty she drank the Kuan ch'ou (discharged sorrows,) water. Having, however, up to this time, not shewn her gratitude for the virtue of nurture lavished upon her, the result was but natural that she should resolve in her heart upon a constant and incessant purpose to make suitable acknowledgment.
"I have been," she would often commune within herself, "the recipient of the gracious bounty of rain and dew, but I possess no such water as was lavished upon me to repay it! But should it ever descend into the world in the form of a human being, I will also betake myself thither, along with it; and if I can only have the means of making restitution to it, with the tears of a whole lifetime, I may be able to make adequate return."
"This resolution it is that will evolve the descent into the world of so many pleasure-bound spirits of retribution and the experience of fantastic destinies; and this crimson pearl blade will also be among the number. The stone still lies in its original place, and why should not you and I take it along before the tribunal of the Monitory Vision Fairy, and place on its behalf its name on record, so that it should descend into the world, in company with these spirits of passion, and bring this plot to an issue?"
"It is indeed ridiculous," interposed the Taoist. "Never before have I heard even the very mention of restitution by means of tears! Why should not you and I avail ourselves of this opportunity to likewise go down into the world? and if successful in effecting the salvation of a few of them, will it not be a work meritorious and virtuous?"
"This proposal," remarked the Buddhist, "is quite in harmony with my own views. Come along then with me to the palace of the Monitory Vision Fairy, and let us deliver up this good-for-nothing object, and have done with it! And when the company of pleasure-bound spirits of wrath descend into human existence, you and I can then enter the world. Half of them have already fallen into the dusty universe, but the whole number of them have not, as yet, come together."
"Such being the case," the Taoist acquiesced, "I am ready to follow you, whenever you please to go."
But to return to Chen Shih-yin. Having heard every one of these words distinctly, he could not refrain from forthwith stepping forward and paying homage. "My spiritual lords," he said, as he smiled, "accept my obeisance." The Buddhist and Taoist priests lost no time in responding to the compliment, and they exchanged the usual salutations. "My spiritual lords," Shih-yin continued; "I have just heard the conversation that passed between you, on causes and effects, a conversation the like of which few mortals have forsooth listened to; but your younger brother is sluggish of intellect, and cannot lucidly fathom the import! Yet could this dulness and simplicity be graciously dispelled, your younger brother may, by listening minutely, with undefiled ear and careful attention, to a certain degree be aroused to a sense of understanding; and what is more, possibly find the means of escaping the anguish of sinking down into Hades."
The two spirits smiled, "The conversation," they added, "refers to the primordial scheme and cannot be divulged before the proper season; but, when the time comes, mind do not forget us two, and you will readily be able to escape from the fiery furnace."
Shih-yin, after this reply, felt it difficult to make any further inquiries. "The primordial scheme," he however remarked smiling, "cannot, of course, be divulged; but what manner of thing, I wonder, is the good-for-nothing object you alluded to a short while back? May I not be allowed to judge for myself?"
"This object about which you ask," the Buddhist Bonze responded, "is intended, I may tell you, by fate to be just glanced at by you." With these words he produced it, and handed it over to Shih-yin.
Shih-yin received it. On scrutiny he found it, in fact, to be a beautiful gem, so lustrous and so clear that the traces of characters on the surface were distinctly visible. The characters inscribed consisted of the four "T'ung Ling Pao Yue," "Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception." On the obverse, were also several columns of minute words, which he was just in the act of looking at intently, when the Buddhist at once expostulated.
"We have already reached," he exclaimed, "the confines of vision." Snatching it violently out of his hands, he walked away with the Taoist, under a lofty stone portal, on the face of which appeared in large type the four characters: "T'ai Hsue Huan Ching," "The Visionary limits of the Great Void." On each side was a scroll with the lines:
When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false, Where naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught.
Shih-yin meant also to follow them on the other side, but, as he was about to make one step forward, he suddenly heard a crash, just as if the mountains had fallen into ruins, and the earth sunk into destruction. As Shih-yin uttered a loud shout, he looked with strained eye; but all he could see was the fiery sun shining, with glowing rays, while the banana leaves drooped their heads. By that time, half of the circumstances connected with the dream he had had, had already slipped from his memory.
He also noticed a nurse coming towards him with Ying Lien in her arms. To Shih-yin's eyes his daughter appeared even more beautiful, such a bright gem, so precious, and so lovable. Forthwith stretching out his arms, he took her over, and, as he held her in his embrace, he coaxed her to play with him for a while; after which he brought her up to the street to see the great stir occasioned by the procession that was going past.
He was about to come in, when he caught sight of two priests, one a Taoist, the other a Buddhist, coming hither from the opposite direction. The Buddhist had a head covered with mange, and went barefooted. The Taoist had a limping foot, and his hair was all dishevelled.
Like maniacs, they jostled along, chattering and laughing as they drew near.
As soon as they reached Shih-yin's door, and they perceived him with Ying Lien in his arms, the Bonze began to weep aloud.
Turning towards Shih-yin, he said to him: "My good Sir, why need you carry in your embrace this living but luckless thing, which will involve father and mother in trouble?"
These words did not escape Shih-yin's ear; but persuaded that they amounted to raving talk, he paid no heed whatever to the bonze.
"Part with her and give her to me," the Buddhist still went on to say.
Shih-yin could not restrain his annoyance; and hastily pressing his daughter closer to him, he was intent upon going in, when the bonze pointed his hand at him, and burst out in a loud fit of laughter.
He then gave utterance to the four lines that follow:
You indulge your tender daughter and are laughed at as inane; Vain you face the snow, oh mirror! for it will evanescent wane, When the festival of lanterns is gone by, guard 'gainst your doom, 'Tis what time the flames will kindle, and the fire will consume.
Shih-yin understood distinctly the full import of what he heard; but his heart was still full of conjectures. He was about to inquire who and what they were, when he heard the Taoist remark,--"You and I cannot speed together; let us now part company, and each of us will be then able to go after his own business. After the lapse of three ages, I shall be at the Pei Mang mount, waiting for you; and we can, after our reunion, betake ourselves to the Visionary Confines of the Great Void, there to cancel the name of the stone from the records."
"Excellent! first rate!" exclaimed the Bonze. And at the conclusion of these words, the two men parted, each going his own way, and no trace was again seen of them.
"These two men," Shih-yin then pondered within his heart, "must have had many experiences, and I ought really to have made more inquiries of them; but at this juncture to indulge in regret is anyhow too late."
While Shih-yin gave way to these foolish reflections, he suddenly noticed the arrival of a penniless scholar, Chia by surname, Hua by name, Shih-fei by style and Yue-ts'un by nickname, who had taken up his quarters in the Gourd temple next door. This Chia Yue-ts'un was originally a denizen of Hu-Chow, and was also of literary and official parentage, but as he was born of the youngest stock, and the possessions of his paternal and maternal ancestors were completely exhausted, and his parents and relatives were dead, he remained the sole and only survivor; and, as he found his residence in his native place of no avail, he therefore entered the capital in search of that reputation, which would enable him to put the family estate on a proper standing. He had arrived at this place since the year before last, and had, what is more, lived all along in very straitened circumstances. He had made the temple his temporary quarters, and earned a living by daily occupying himself in composing documents and writing letters for customers. Thus it was that Shih-yin had been in constant relations with him.
As soon as Yue-ts'un perceived Shih-yin, he lost no time in saluting him. "My worthy Sir," he observed with a forced smile; "how is it you are leaning against the door and looking out? Is there perchance any news astir in the streets, or in the public places?"
"None whatever," replied Shih-yin, as he returned the smile. "Just a while back, my young daughter was in sobs, and I coaxed her out here to amuse her. I am just now without anything whatever to attend to, so that, dear brother Chia, you come just in the nick of time. Please walk into my mean abode, and let us endeavour, in each other's company, to while away this long summer day."
After he had made this remark, he bade a servant take his daughter in, while he, hand-in-hand with Yue-ts'un, walked into the library, where a young page served tea. They had hardly exchanged a few sentences, when one of the household came in, in flying haste, to announce that Mr. Yen had come to pay a visit.
Shih-yin at once stood up. "Pray excuse my rudeness," he remarked apologetically, "but do sit down; I shall shortly rejoin you, and enjoy the pleasure of your society." "My dear Sir," answered Yue-ts'un, as he got up, also in a conceding way, "suit your own convenience. I've often had the honour of being your guest, and what will it matter if I wait a little?" While these apologies were yet being spoken, Shih-yin had already walked out into the front parlour. During his absence, Yue-ts'un occupied himself in turning over the pages of some poetical work to dispel ennui, when suddenly he heard, outside the window, a woman's cough. Yue-ts'un hurriedly got up and looked out. He saw at a glance that it was a servant girl engaged in picking flowers. Her deportment was out of the common; her eyes so bright, her eyebrows so well defined. Though not a perfect beauty, she possessed nevertheless charms sufficient to arouse the feelings. Yue-ts'un unwittingly gazed at her with fixed eye. This waiting-maid, belonging to the Chen family, had done picking flowers, and was on the point of going in, when she of a sudden raised her eyes and became aware of the presence of some person inside the window, whose head-gear consisted of a turban in tatters, while his clothes were the worse for wear. But in spite of his poverty, he was naturally endowed with a round waist, a broad back, a fat face, a square mouth; added to this, his eyebrows were swordlike, his eyes resembled stars, his nose was straight, his cheeks square.
This servant girl turned away in a hurry and made her escape.
"This man so burly and strong," she communed within herself, "yet at the same time got up in such poor attire, must, I expect, be no one else than the man, whose name is Chia Yue-ts'un or such like, time after time referred to by my master, and to whom he has repeatedly wished to give a helping hand, but has failed to find a favourable opportunity. And as related to our family there is no connexion or friend in such straits, I feel certain it cannot be any other person than he. Strange to say, my master has further remarked that this man will, for a certainty, not always continue in such a state of destitution."
As she indulged in this train of thought, she could not restrain herself from turning her head round once or twice.
When Yue-ts'un perceived that she had looked back, he readily interpreted it as a sign that in her heart her thoughts had been of him, and he was frantic with irrepressible joy.
"This girl," he mused, "is, no doubt, keen-eyed and eminently shrewd, and one in this world who has seen through me."
The servant youth, after a short time, came into the room; and when Yue-ts'un made inquiries and found out from him that the guests in the front parlour had been detained to dinner, he could not very well wait any longer, and promptly walked away down a side passage and out of a back door.
When the guests had taken their leave, Shih-yin did not go back to rejoin Yue-ts'un, as he had come to know that he had already left.
In time the mid-autumn festivities drew near; and Shih-yin, after the family banquet was over, had a separate table laid in the library, and crossed over, in the moonlight, as far as the temple and invited Yue-ts'un to come round.
The fact is that Yue-ts'un, ever since the day on which he had seen the girl of the Chen family turn twice round to glance at him, flattered himself that she was friendly disposed towards him, and incessantly fostered fond thoughts of her in his heart. And on this day, which happened to be the mid-autumn feast, he could not, as he gazed at the moon, refrain from cherishing her remembrance. Hence it was that he gave vent to these pentameter verses:
Alas! not yet divined my lifelong wish, And anguish ceaseless comes upon anguish I came, and sad at heart, my brow I frowned; She went, and oft her head to look turned round. Facing the breeze, her shadow she doth watch, Who's meet this moonlight night with her to match? The lustrous rays if they my wish but read Would soon alight upon her beauteous head!
Yue-ts'un having, after this recitation, recalled again to mind how that throughout his lifetime his literary attainments had had an adverse fate and not met with an opportunity (of reaping distinction), went on to rub his brow, and as he raised his eyes to the skies, he heaved a deep sigh and once more intoned a couplet aloud:
The gem in the cask a high price it seeks, The pin in the case to take wing it waits.
As luck would have it, Shih-yin was at the moment approaching, and upon hearing the lines, he said with a smile: "My dear Yue-ts'un, really your attainments are of no ordinary capacity."
Yue-ts'un lost no time in smiling and replying. "It would be presumption in my part to think so," he observed. "I was simply at random humming a few verses composed by former writers, and what reason is there to laud me to such an excessive degree? To what, my dear Sir, do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he went on to inquire. "Tonight," replied Shih-yin, "is the mid-autumn feast, generally known as the full-moon festival; and as I could not help thinking that living, as you my worthy brother are, as a mere stranger in this Buddhist temple, you could not but experience the feeling of loneliness. I have, for the express purpose, prepared a small entertainment, and will be pleased if you will come to my mean abode to have a glass of wine. But I wonder whether you will entertain favourably my modest invitation?" Yue-ts'un, after listening to the proposal, put forward no refusal of any sort; but remarked complacently: "Being the recipient of such marked attention, how can I presume to repel your generous consideration?"
As he gave expression to these words, he walked off there and then, in company with Shih-yin, and came over once again into the court in front of the library. In a few minutes, tea was over.
The cups and dishes had been laid from an early hour, and needless to say the wines were luscious; the fare sumptuous.
The two friends took their seats. At first they leisurely replenished their glasses, and quietly sipped their wine; but as, little by little, they entered into conversation, their good cheer grew more genial, and unawares the glasses began to fly round, and the cups to be exchanged.
At this very hour, in every house of the neighbourhood, sounded the fife and lute, while the inmates indulged in music and singing. Above head, the orb of the radiant moon shone with an all-pervading splendour, and with a steady lustrous light, while the two friends, as their exuberance increased, drained their cups dry so soon as they reached their lips.
Yue-ts'un, at this stage of the collation, was considerably under the influence of wine, and the vehemence of his high spirits was irrepressible. As he gazed at the moon, he fostered thoughts, to which he gave vent by the recital of a double couplet.
'Tis what time three meets five, Selene is a globe! Her pure rays fill the court, the jadelike rails enrobe! Lo! in the heavens her disk to view doth now arise, And in the earth below to gaze men lift their eyes.
"Excellent!" cried Shih-yin with a loud voice, after he had heard these lines; "I have repeatedly maintained that it was impossible for you to remain long inferior to any, and now the verses you have recited are a prognostic of your rapid advancement. Already it is evident that, before long, you will extend your footsteps far above the clouds! I must congratulate you! I must congratulate you! Let me, with my own hands, pour a glass of wine to pay you my compliments."
Yue-ts'un drained the cup. "What I am about to say," he explained as he suddenly heaved a sigh, "is not the maudlin talk of a man under the effects of wine. As far as the subjects at present set in the examinations go, I could, perchance, also have well been able to enter the list, and to send in my name as a candidate; but I have, just now, no means whatever to make provision for luggage and for travelling expenses. The distance too to Shen Ching is a long one, and I could not depend upon the sale of papers or the composition of essays to find the means of getting there."
Shih-yin gave him no time to conclude. "Why did you not speak about this sooner?" he interposed with haste. "I have long entertained this suspicion; but as, whenever I met you, this conversation was never broached, I did not presume to make myself officious. But if such be the state of affairs just now, I lack, I admit, literary qualification, but on the two subjects of friendly spirit and pecuniary means, I have, nevertheless, some experience. Moreover, I rejoice that next year is just the season for the triennial examinations, and you should start for the capital with all despatch; and in the tripos next spring, you will, by carrying the prize, be able to do justice to the proficiency you can boast of. As regards the travelling expenses and the other items, the provision of everything necessary for you by my own self will again not render nugatory your mean acquaintance with me."
Forthwith, he directed a servant lad to go and pack up at once fifty taels of pure silver and two suits of winter clothes.
"The nineteenth," he continued, "is a propitious day, and you should lose no time in hiring a boat and starting on your journey westwards. And when, by your eminent talents, you shall have soared high to a lofty position, and we meet again next winter, will not the occasion be extremely felicitous?"
Yue-ts'un accepted the money and clothes with but scanty expression of gratitude. In fact, he paid no thought whatever to the gifts, but went on, again drinking his wine, as he chattered and laughed.
It was only when the third watch of that day had already struck that the two friends parted company; and Shih-yin, after seeing Yue-ts'un off, retired to his room and slept, with one sleep all through, never waking until the sun was well up in the skies.
Remembering the occurrence of the previous night, he meant to write a couple of letters of recommendation for Yue-ts'un to take along with him to the capital, to enable him, after handing them over at the mansions of certain officials, to find some place as a temporary home. He accordingly despatched a servant to ask him to come round, but the man returned and reported that from what the bonze said, "Mr. Chia had started on his journey to the capital, at the fifth watch of that very morning, that he had also left a message with the bonze to deliver to you, Sir, to the effect that men of letters paid no heed to lucky or unlucky days, that the sole consideration with them was the nature of the matter in hand, and that he could find no time to come round in person and bid good-bye."
Shih-yin after hearing this message had no alternative but to banish the subject from his thoughts.
In comfortable circumstances, time indeed goes by with easy stride. Soon drew near also the happy festival of the 15th of the 1st moon, and Shih-yin told a servant Huo Ch'i to take Ying Lien to see the sacrificial fires and flowery lanterns.
About the middle of the night, Huo Ch'i was hard pressed, and he forthwith set Ying Lien down on the doorstep of a certain house. When he felt relieved, he came back to take her up, but failed to find anywhere any trace of Ying Lien. In a terrible plight, Huo Ch'i prosecuted his search throughout half the night; but even by the dawn of day, he had not discovered any clue of her whereabouts. Huo Ch'i, lacking, on the other hand, the courage to go back and face his master, promptly made his escape to his native village.
Shih-yin--in fact, the husband as well as the wife--seeing that their child had not come home during the whole night, readily concluded that some mishap must have befallen her. Hastily they despatched several servants to go in search of her, but one and all returned to report that there was neither vestige nor tidings of her.
This couple had only had this child, and this at the meridian of their life, so that her sudden disappearance plunged them in such great distress that day and night they mourned her loss to such a point as to well nigh pay no heed to their very lives.
A month in no time went by. Shih-yin was the first to fall ill, and his wife, Dame Feng, likewise, by dint of fretting for her daughter, was also prostrated with sickness. The doctor was, day after day, sent for, and the oracle consulted by means of divination.
Little did any one think that on this day, being the 15th of the 3rd moon, while the sacrificial oblations were being prepared in the Hu Lu temple, a pan with oil would have caught fire, through the want of care on the part of the bonze, and that in a short time the flames would have consumed the paper pasted on the windows.
Among the natives of this district bamboo fences and wooden partitions were in general use, and these too proved a source of calamity so ordained by fate (to consummate this decree).
With promptness (the fire) extended to two buildings, then enveloped three, then dragged four (into ruin), and then spread to five houses, until the whole street was in a blaze, resembling the flames of a volcano. Though both the military and the people at once ran to the rescue, the fire had already assumed a serious hold, so that it was impossible for them to afford any effective assistance for its suppression.
It blazed away straight through the night, before it was extinguished, and consumed, there is in fact no saying how many dwelling houses. Anyhow, pitiful to relate, the Chen house, situated as it was next door to the temple, was, at an early part of the evening, reduced to a heap of tiles and bricks; and nothing but the lives of that couple and several inmates of the family did not sustain any injuries.
Shih-yin was in despair, but all he could do was to stamp his feet and heave deep sighs. After consulting with his wife, they betook themselves to a farm of theirs, where they took up their quarters temporarily. But as it happened that water had of late years been scarce, and no crops been reaped, robbers and thieves had sprung up like bees, and though the Government troops were bent upon their capture, it was anyhow difficult to settle down quietly on the farm. He therefore had no other resource than to convert, at a loss, the whole of his property into money, and to take his wife and two servant girls and come over for shelter to the house of his father-in-law.
His father-in-law, Feng Su, by name, was a native of Ta Ju Chou. Although only a labourer, he was nevertheless in easy circumstances at home. When he on this occasion saw his son-in-law come to him in such distress, he forthwith felt at heart considerable displeasure. Fortunately Shih-yin had still in his possession the money derived from the unprofitable realization of his property, so that he produced and handed it to his father-in-law, commissioning him to purchase, whenever a suitable opportunity presented itself, a house and land as a provision for food and raiment against days to come. This Feng Su, however, only expended the half of the sum, and pocketed the other half, merely acquiring for him some fallow land and a dilapidated house.
Shih-yin being, on the other hand, a man of books and with no experience in matters connected with business and with sowing and reaping, subsisted, by hook and by crook, for about a year or two, when he became more impoverished.
In his presence, Feng Su would readily give vent to specious utterances, while, with others, and behind his back, he on the contrary expressed his indignation against his improvidence in his mode of living, and against his sole delight of eating and playing the lazy.
Shih-yin, aware of the want of harmony with his father-in-law, could not help giving way, in his own heart, to feelings of regret and pain. In addition to this, the fright and vexation which he had undergone the year before, the anguish and suffering (he had had to endure), had already worked havoc (on his constitution); and being a man advanced in years, and assailed by the joint attack of poverty and disease, he at length gradually began to display symptoms of decline.
Strange coincidence, as he, on this day, came leaning on his staff and with considerable strain, as far as the street for a little relaxation, he suddenly caught sight, approaching from the off side, of a Taoist priest with a crippled foot; his maniac appearance so repulsive, his shoes of straw, his dress all in tatters, muttering several sentiments to this effect:
All men spiritual life know to be good, But fame to disregard they ne'er succeed! From old till now the statesmen where are they? Waste lie their graves, a heap of grass, extinct. All men spiritual life know to be good, But to forget gold, silver, ill succeed! Through life they grudge their hoardings to be scant, And when plenty has come, their eyelids close. All men spiritual life hold to be good, Yet to forget wives, maids, they ne'er succeed! Who speak of grateful love while lives their lord, And dead their lord, another they pursue. All men spiritual life know to be good, But sons and grandsons to forget never succeed! From old till now of parents soft many, But filial sons and grandsons who have seen?
Shih-yin upon hearing these words, hastily came up to the priest, "What were you so glibly holding forth?" he inquired. "All I could hear were a lot of hao liao (excellent, finality.")
"You may well have heard the two words 'hao liao,'" answered the Taoist with a smile, "but can you be said to have fathomed their meaning? You should know that all things in this world are excellent, when they have attained finality; when they have attained finality, they are excellent; but when they have not attained finality, they are not excellent; if they would be excellent, they should attain finality. My song is entitled Excellent-finality (hao liao)."
Shih-yin was gifted with a natural perspicacity that enabled him, as soon as he heard these remarks, to grasp their spirit.
"Wait a while," he therefore said smilingly; "let me unravel this excellent-finality song of yours; do you mind?"
"Please by all means go on with the interpretation," urged the Taoist; whereupon Shih-yin proceeded in this strain:
Sordid rooms and vacant courts, Replete in years gone by with beds where statesmen lay; Parched grass and withered banian trees, Where once were halls for song and dance! Spiders' webs the carved pillars intertwine, The green gauze now is also pasted on the straw windows! What about the cosmetic fresh concocted or the powder just scented; Why has the hair too on each temple become white like hoarfrost! Yesterday the tumulus of yellow earth buried the bleached bones, To-night under the red silk curtain reclines the couple! Gold fills the coffers, silver fills the boxes, But in a twinkle, the beggars will all abuse you! While you deplore that the life of others is not long, You forget that you yourself are approaching death! You educate your sons with all propriety, But they may some day, 'tis hard to say become thieves; Though you choose (your fare and home) the fatted beam, You may, who can say, fall into some place of easy virtue! Through your dislike of the gauze hat as mean, You have come to be locked in a cangue; Yesterday, poor fellow, you felt cold in a tattered coat, To-day, you despise the purple embroidered dress as long! Confusion reigns far and wide! you have just sung your part, I come on the boards, Instead of yours, you recognise another as your native land; What utter perversion! In one word, it comes to this we make wedding clothes for others! (We sow for others to reap.)
The crazy limping Taoist clapped his hands. "Your interpretation is explicit," he remarked with a hearty laugh, "your interpretation is explicit!"
Shih-yin promptly said nothing more than,--"Walk on;" and seizing the stole from the Taoist's shoulder, he flung it over his own. He did not, however, return home, but leisurely walked away, in company with the eccentric priest.
The report of his disappearance was at once bruited abroad, and plunged the whole neighbourhood in commotion; and converted into a piece of news, it was circulated from mouth to mouth.
Dame Feng, Shih-yin's wife, upon hearing the tidings, had such a fit of weeping that she hung between life and death; but her only alternative was to consult with her father, and to despatch servants on all sides to institute inquiries. No news was however received of him, and she had nothing else to do but to practise resignation, and to remain dependent upon the support of her parents for her subsistence. She had fortunately still by her side, to wait upon her, two servant girls, who had been with her in days gone by; and the three of them, mistress as well as servants, occupied themselves day and night with needlework, to assist her father in his daily expenses.
This Feng Su had after all, in spite of his daily murmurings against his bad luck, no help but to submit to the inevitable.
On a certain day, the elder servant girl of the Chen family was at the door purchasing thread, and while there, she of a sudden heard in the street shouts of runners clearing the way, and every one explain that the new magistrate had come to take up his office.
The girl, as she peeped out from inside the door, perceived the lictors and policemen go by two by two; and when unexpectedly in a state chair, was carried past an official, in black hat and red coat, she was indeed quite taken aback.
"The face of this officer would seem familiar," she argued within herself; "just as if I had seen him somewhere or other ere this."
Shortly she entered the house, and banishing at once the occurrence from her mind, she did not give it a second thought. At night, however, while she was waiting to go to bed, she suddenly heard a sound like a rap at the door. A band of men boisterously cried out: "We are messengers, deputed by the worthy magistrate of this district, and come to summon one of you to an enquiry."
Feng Su, upon hearing these words, fell into such a terrible consternation that his eyes stared wide and his mouth gaped.
What calamity was impending is not as yet ascertained, but, reader, listen to the explanation contained in the next chapter.
shī yún
yī jú shū yíng liào bù zhēn, xiāng xiāo chá jìn shàng qūn xún。 yù zhī mù xià xīng shuāi zhào, xū wèn bàng guān lěng yǎn rén。
què shuō fēng sù yīn tīng jiàn gōngchāi chuán huàn, máng chū lái péi xiào qǐ wèn。 nà xiē rén zhǐ rǎng:“ kuài qǐng chū zhēn yé lái! " fēng sù máng péi xiào dào:“ xiǎo rén xìng fēng, bìng bù xìng zhēn。 zhǐ yòu dāng rì xiǎo xù xìng zhēn, jīn yǐ chū jiā yī 'èr nián liǎo, bù zhī kě shì wèn tā? " nà xiē gōng rén dào:“ wǒ men yě bù zhī shénme‘ zhēn’‘ jiǎ’, yīn fèng tài yé zhī mìng lái wèn, tā jì shì nǐ nǚ xù, biàn dài liǎo nǐ qù qīn jiàn tài yé miàn bǐng, shěngde luàn páo。” shuō zhe, bù róng fēng sù duō yán, dà jiā tuī yōng tā qù liǎo。 fēng jiā rén gè gèdōu jīng huāng, bù zhī hé zhào。
nà tiān yuē 'èr gēngshí, zhǐ jiàn fēng sù fāng huí lái, huān tiān xǐ dì。 zhòng rén máng wèn duān de。 tā nǎi shuō dào:“ yuán lái běn fǔ xīn shēng de tài yé xìng jiǎ míng huà, běn guàn hú zhōu rén shì, céng yǔ nǚ xù jiù rì xiāng jiāo。 fāng cái zài zán mén qián guò qù, yīn jiàn jiāo xìng nà yā tóu mǎi xiàn, suǒ yǐ tā zhǐ dāng nǚ xù yí zhù yú cǐ。 wǒ yī yī jiāng yuán gù huí míng, nà tài yé dǎo shāng gǎn tàn xī liǎo yī huí, yòu wèn wài sūn nǚ 'ér, wǒ shuō kàn dēng diū liǎo。 tài yé shuō:‘ bù fáng, wǒ zì shǐ fān yì wù bì tàn fǎng huí lái。’ shuō liǎo yī huí huà, lín zǒu dǎo sòng liǎo wǒ 'èr liǎng yín zǐ。” zhēn jiā niàn zǐ tīng liǎo, bù miǎn xīn zhōng shāng gǎn。 yīxiǔ wú huà。 zhì cì rì, zǎo yòu yǔ cūn qiǎn rén sòng liǎo liǎng fēng yín zǐ, sì pǐ jǐn duàn, dá xiè zhēn jiā niàn zǐ, yòu jì yī fēng mì shū yǔ fēng sù, zhuǎn tuō wèn zhēn jiā niàn zǐ yào nà jiāo xìng zuò 'èr fáng。 fēng sù xǐ de pì gǔn niào liú, bā bù dé qù fèng chéng, biàn zài nǚ 'ér qián yī lì cuānduo chéng liǎo, chéng yè zhǐ yòng yīshèng xiǎo jiào, biàn bǎ jiāo xìng sòng jìn qù liǎo。 yǔ cūn huān xǐ, zì bù bì shuō, nǎi fēng bǎi jīn zèng fēng sù, wài xiè zhēn jiā niàn zǐ xǔ duō wù shì, lìng qí hǎo shēng yǎng shàn, yǐ dài xún fǎng nǚ 'ér xià luò。 fēng sù huí jiā wú huà。
què shuō jiāo xìng zhè yā huán, biàn shì nà nián huí gù yǔ cūn zhě。 yīn 'ǒu rán yī gù, biàn nòng chū zhè duàn shì lái, yì shì zì jǐ yì liào bù dào zhī qí yuán。 shuí xiǎng tā mìng yùn liǎng jì, bù chéng wàng zì dào yǔ cūn shēn biān, zhǐ yī nián biàn shēng liǎo yī zǐ, yòu bàn zài, yǔ cūn dí qī hū rǎn jí xià shì, yǔ cūn biàn jiāng tā fú cè zuò zhèng shì fū rén liǎo。 zhèng shì:
ǒu yīn yīzhāo cuò, biàn wéi rén shàng rén。
yuán lái, yǔ cūn yīn nà nián shì yǐn zèng yín zhī hòu, tā yú shí liù rì biàn qǐ shēn rù dū, zhì dà bǐ zhī qī, bù liào tā shí fēn dé yì, yǐ huì liǎo jìn shì, xuǎn rù wài bān, jīn yǐ shēng liǎo běn fǔ zhī fǔ。 suī cáigàn yōu cháng, wèi miǎn yòu xiē tān kù zhī bì, qiě yòu shì cái wǔ shàng, nà xiē guān yuán jiē cè mù 'ér shì。 bù shàng yī nián, biàn bèi shàng sī xún liǎo gè kòngxì, zuò chéng yī běn, cān tā shēng qíng jiǎo huá, shàn zuǎn lǐ yí, dà nù, jí pī gé zhí。 gāi bù wén shū yī dào, běn fǔ guān yuán wú bù xǐ yuè。 nà yǔ cūn xīn zhōng suī shí fēn cán hèn, què miàn shàng quán wú yī diǎn yuàn sè, réng shì xī xiào zì ruò, jiāo dài guò gōng shì, jiāng lì nián zuò guān jī de xiē zī běn bìng jiā xiǎo rén shǔ sòng zhì yuán jí, ān pái tuǒ xié, què shì zì jǐ dān fēng xiù yuè, yóu lǎn tiān xià shèng jì。
nà rì, ǒu yòu yóu zhì wéi yáng dì miàn, yīn wén dé jīn suì cuó zhèng diǎn de shì lín rú hǎi。 zhè lín rú hǎi xìng lín míng hǎi, biǎo zì rú hǎi, nǎi shì qián kē de tàn huā, jīn yǐ shēng zhì lán tái sì dà fū, běn guàn gū sū rén shì, jīn qīn diǎn chū wéi xún yán yù shǐ, dào rèn fāng yī yuè yòu yú。 yuán lái zhè lín rú hǎi zhī zǔ, céng xí guò liè hóu, jīn dào rú hǎi, yè jīng wǔ shì。 qǐ chū shí, zhǐ fēng xí sān shì, yīn dāng jīn lóng 'ēn shèng dé, yuǎn mài qián dài, é wài jiā 'ēn, zhì rú hǎi zhī fù, yòu xí liǎo yī dài; zhì rú hǎi, biàn cóng kē dì chū shēn。 suī xì zhōng dǐng zhī jiā, què yì shì shū xiāng zhī zú。 zhǐ kě xī zhè lín jiā zhī shù bù shèng, zǐ sūn yòu xiàn, suī yòu jǐ mén, què yǔ rú hǎi jù shì táng zú 'ér yǐ, méi shèn qīn zhī dí pài de。 jīn rú hǎi nián yǐ sì shí, zhǐ yòu yī gè sān suì zhī zǐ, piān yòu yú qù suì sǐ liǎo。 suī yòu jǐ fáng jī qiè, nài tā mìng zhōng wú zǐ, yì wú kě rú hé zhī shì。 jīn zhǐ yòu dí qī jiǎ shì, shēng dé yī nǚ, rǔ míng dài yù, nián fāng wǔ suì。 fū qī wú zǐ, gù 'ài rú zhēn bǎo, qiě yòu jiàn tā cōng míng qīng xiù, biàn yě yù shǐ tā dú shū shí dé jǐ gè zì, bù guò jiǎ chōng yǎng zǐ zhī yì, liáo jiě xī xià huāng liáng zhī tàn。
yǔ cūn zhèng zhí 'ǒu gǎn fēng hán, bìng zài lǚ diàn, jiāng yī yuè guāng jǐng fāng jiàn yù。 yī yīn shēn tǐ láo juàn, èr yīn pán fèi bù jì, yě zhèng yù xún gè hé shì zhī chù, zàn qiě xiē xià。 xìng yòu liǎng gè jiù yǒu, yì zài cǐ jìng jū zhù, yīn wén dé cuó zhèng yù pìn yī xī bīn, yǔ cūn biàn xiāng tuō yǒu lì, móu liǎo jìn qù, qiě zuò 'ān shēn zhī jì。 miào zài zhǐ yī gè nǚ xué shēng, bìng liǎng gè bàn dú yā huán, zhè nǚ xué shēng nián yòu xiǎo, shēn tǐ yòu jí qiè ruò, gōng kè bù xiàn duō guǎ, gù shí fēn shěng lì。 kān kān yòu shì yīzǎi de guāng yīn, shuí zhī nǚ xué shēng zhī mǔ jiǎ shì fū rén yī jí 'ér zhōng。 nǚ xué shēng shì tānɡ fèng yào, shǒu sàng jìn 'āi, suì yòu jiāng cí guǎn bié tú。 lín rú hǎi yì yù lìng nǚ shǒu zhì dú shū, gù yòu jiāng tā liú xià。 jìn yīn nǚ xué shēng 'āi tòng guò shāng, běn zì qiè ruò duō bìng de, chù fàn jiù zhèng, suì lián rì bù céng shàng xué。 yǔ cūn xián jū wú liáo, měi dāng fēng rì qíng hé, fàn hòu biàn chū lái xián bù。
zhè rì, ǒu zhì guō wài, yì yù shǎng jiàn nà cūn yě fēng guāng。 hū xìn bù zhì yī shān huán shuǐ xuán, mào lín shēn zhú zhī chù, yǐn yǐn de yòu zuò miào yǔ, mén xiàng qīng tuí, qiáng yuán xiǔ bài, mén qián yòu 'é, tí zhe " zhì tōng sì " sān zì, mén bàng yòu yòu yī fù jiù pò de duì lián, yuē
shēn hòu yòu yú wàng suō shǒu, yǎn qián wú lù xiǎng huí tóu。 yǔ cūn kàn liǎo, yīn xiǎng dào:“ zhè liǎng jù huà, wén suī qiǎn jìn, qí yì zé shēn。 wǒ yě céng yóu guò xiē míng shān dà chà, dǎo bù céng jiàn guò zhè huà tóu, qí zhōng xiǎng bì yòu gè fān guò jīn dǒu lái de yì wèi kě zhī, hé bù jìn qù shì shì。” xiǎng zhe zǒu rù, zhǐ yòu yī gè lóng zhōng lǎo sēng zài nà lǐ zhǔ yù。 yǔ cūn jiàn liǎo, biàn bù zài yì。 jí zhì wèn tā liǎng jù huà, nà lǎo sēng jì lóng qiě hūn, chǐ luò shé dùn, suǒ dá fēi suǒ wèn。
yǔ cūn bù nài fán, biàn réng chū lái, yì yù dào nà cūn sì zhōng gū yǐn sān bēi, yǐ zhù yě qù, yú shì kuǎn bù xíng lái。 jiāng rù sì mén, zhǐ jiàn zuò shàng chī jiǔ zhī kè yòu yī rén qǐ shēn dà xiào, jiē liǎo chū lái, kǒu nèi shuō:“ qí yù, qí yù。” yǔ cūn máng kàn shí, cǐ rén shì dū zhōng zài gǔ dǒng xíng zhōng mào yì de hào lěng zǐ xīng zhě, jiù rì zài dū xiāng shí。 yǔ cūn zuì zàn zhè lěng zǐ xīng shì gè yòu zuò wéi dà běn lǐng de rén, zhè zǐ xīng yòu jiè yǔ cūn sī wén zhī míng, gù 'èr rén shuō huà tóu jī, zuì xiāng qì hé。 yǔ cūn máng xiào wèn dào:“ lǎo xiōng hé rì dào cǐ? dì jìng bù zhī。 jīn rì 'ǒu yù, zhēn qí yuán yě。” zǐ xīng dào:“ qù nián suì dǐ dào jiā, jīn yīn hái yào rù dū, cóng cǐ shùn lù zhǎo gè bì yǒu shuō yī jù huà, chéng tā zhī qíng, liú wǒ duō zhù liǎng rì。 wǒ yě wú jǐn shì, qiě pán huán liǎng rì, dài yuè bàn shí yě jiù qǐ shēn liǎo。 jīn rì bì yǒu yòu shì, wǒ yīn xián bù zhì cǐ, qiě xiē xiē jiǎo, bù qī zhè yàng qiǎo yù! " yī miàn shuō, yī miàn ràng yǔ cūn tóng xí zuò liǎo, lìng zhěng shàng jiǔ yáo lái。 èr rén xián tán màn yǐn, xù xiē bié hòu zhī shì。
yǔ cūn yīn wèn:“ jìn rì dū zhōng kě yòu xīn wén méi yòu? " zǐ xīng dào:“ dǎo méi yòu shénme xīn wén, dǎo shì lǎo xiān shēng nǐ guì tóng zōng jiā, chū liǎo yī jiàn xiǎo xiǎo de yì shì。” yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ dì zú zhōng wú rén zài dū, hé tán jí cǐ? " zǐ xīng xiào dào:“ nǐ men tóng xìng, qǐ fēi tóng zōng yī zú? " yǔ cūn wèn shì shuí jiā。 zǐ xīng dào:“ róng guó fǔ jiǎ fǔ zhōng, kě yě diàn rǔ liǎo xiān shēng de mén méi me? " yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ yuán lái shì tā jiā。 ruò lùn qǐ lái, hán zú rén dīng què bù shǎo, zì dōng hàn jiǎ fù yǐ lái, zhī pài fán shèng, gè shěng jiē yòu, shuí zhú xì kǎo chá dé lái? ruò lùn róng guó yī zhī, què shì tóng pǔ。 dàn tā nà děng róng yào, wǒ men bù biàn qù pān chě, zhì jīn gù yuè fā shēng shū nán rèn liǎo。” zǐ xīng tàn dào:“ lǎo xiān shēng xiū rú cǐ shuō。 rú jīn de zhè níng róng liǎng mén, yědōu xiāo shū liǎo, bù bǐ xiān shí de guāng jǐng。” yǔ cūn dào:“ dāng rì níng róng liǎng zhái de rén kǒu yě jí duō, rú hé jiù xiāo shū liǎo? " lěng zǐ xīng dào:“ zhèng shì, shuō lái yě huà cháng。” yǔ cūn dào:“ qù suì wǒ dào jīn líng dì jiè, yīn yù yóu lǎn liù cháo yí jì, nà rì jìn liǎo shí tóu chéng, cóng tā lǎo zhái mén qián jīng guò。 jiē dōng shì níng guó fǔ, jiē xī shì róng guó fǔ, èr zhái xiāng lián, jìng jiāng dà bàn tiáo jiē zhàn liǎo。 dà mén qián suī lěng luò wú rén, gé zhe wéi qiáng yī wàng, lǐ miàn tīng diàn lóu gé, yě hái dū zhēng róng xuān jùn, jiù shì hòu yī dài huā yuán zǐ lǐ miàn shù mù shān shí, yě hái dōuyòu wěng wèi yīn rùn zhī qì, nà lǐ xiàng gè shuāi bài zhī jiā? " lěng zǐ xīng xiào dào:“ kuī nǐ shì jìn shì chū shēn, yuán lái bù tōng! gǔ rén yòu yún:‘ bǎi zú zhī chóng, sǐ 'ér bù jiāng。’ rú jīn suī shuō bù jí xiān nián nà yàng xīng shèng, jiào zhī píng cháng shì huàn zhī jiā, dào dǐ qì xiàng bù tóng。 rú jīn shēng chǐ rì fán, shì wù rì shèng, zhù pú shàng xià, ān fù zūn róng zhě jìn duō, yùn chóu móu huà zhě wú yī, qí rì yòng pái chǎng fèi yòng, yòu bù néng jiāng jiù shěng jiǎn, rú jīn wài miàn de jià zǐ suī wèi shèn dǎo, nèi náng què yě jìn shàng lái liǎo。 zhè hái shì xiǎo shì。 gèng yòu yī jiàn dà shì: shuí zhī zhè yàng zhōng míng dǐng shí zhī jiā, hàn mò shī shū zhī zú, rú jīn de 'ér sūn, jìng yī dài bù rú yī dài liǎo! " yǔ cūn tīng shuō, yě nà hǎn dào:“ zhè yàng shī lǐ zhī jiā, qǐ yòu bù shàn jiào yù zhī lǐ? bié mén bù zhī, zhǐ shuō zhè níng, róng 'èr zhái, shì zuì jiào zǐ yòu fāng de。”
zǐ xīng tàn dào:“ zhèng shuō de shì zhè liǎng mén ní。 dài wǒ gào sù nǐ: dāng rì níng guó gōng yǔ róng guó gōng shì yī mǔ tóng bāo dì xiōng liǎng gè。 níng gōng jū cháng, shēng liǎo sì gè 'ér zǐ。 níng gōng sǐ hòu, jiǎ dài huà xí liǎo guān, yě yǎng liǎo liǎng gè 'ér zǐ: cháng míng jiǎ fū, zhì bā jiǔ suì shàng biàn sǐ liǎo, zhǐ shèng liǎo cì zǐ jiǎ jìng xí liǎo guān, rú jīn yī wèi hǎo dào, zhǐ 'ài shāo dān liàn gǒng, yú zhě yī gài bù zài xīn shàng。 xìng 'ér zǎo nián liú xià yī zǐ, míng huàn jiǎ zhēn, yīn tā fù qīn yī xīn xiǎng zuò shén xiān, bǎ guān dǎo ràng tā xí liǎo。 tā fù qīn yòu bù kěn huí yuán jí lái, zhǐ zài dū zhōng chéng wài hé dào shì men hú chàn。 zhè wèi zhēn yé dǎo shēng liǎo yī gè 'ér zǐ, jīn nián cái shí liù suì, míng jiào jiǎ róng。 rú jīn jìng lǎo diē yī gài bù guǎn。 zhè zhēn yé nà lǐ kěn dú shū, zhǐ yī wèi gāo lè bù liǎo, bǎ níng guó fǔ jìng fān liǎo guò lái, yě méi yòu rén gǎn lái guǎn tā。 zài shuō róng fǔ nǐ tīng, fāng cái suǒ shuō yì shì, jiù chū zài zhè lǐ。 zì róng gōng sǐ hòu, zhǎngzǐ jiǎ dài shàn xí liǎo guān, qǔ de yě shì jīn líng shì xūn shǐ hóu jiā de xiǎo jiě wéi qī, shēng liǎo liǎng gè 'ér zǐ: zhǎngzǐ jiǎ shè, cì zǐ jiǎ zhèng。 rú jīn dài shàn zǎo yǐ qù shì, tài fū rén shàng zài, zhǎngzǐ jiǎ shè xí zhe guān, cì zǐ jiǎ zhèng, zì yòu kù xǐ bǔ liáo *, zǔ fù zuì téng, yuán yù yǐ kē jiá chū shēn de, bù liào dài shàn lín zhōng shí yí běn yī shàng, huáng shàng yīn xù xiān chén, jí shí lìng zhǎngzǐ xí guān wài, wèn hái yòu jǐ zǐ, lì kè yǐn jiàn, suì 'é wài cì liǎo zhè zhèng lǎo diē yī gè zhù shì zhī xián, lìng qí rù bù xí xué, rú jīn xiàn yǐ shēng liǎo yuán wài láng liǎo。 zhè zhèng lǎo diē de fū rén wáng shì, tóu tāi shēng de gōng zǐ, míng huàn jiǎ zhū, shí sì suì jìn xué, bù dào 'èr shí suì jiù qǔ liǎo qī shēng liǎo zǐ, yī bìng sǐ liǎo。 dì 'èr tāi shēng liǎo yī wèi xiǎo jiě, shēng zài dà nián chū yī, zhè jiù qí liǎo, bù xiǎng hòu lái yòu shēng yī wèi gōng zǐ, shuō lái gèng qí, yī luò tāi bāo, zuǐ lǐ biàn xián xià yī kuài wǔ cǎi jīng yíng de yù lái, shàng miàn hái yòu xǔ duō zì jì, jiù qǔ míng jiào zuò bǎo yù。 nǐ dào shì xīn qí yì shì bù shì?”
yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ guǒ rán qí yì。 zhǐ pà zhè rén lái lì bù xiǎo。” zǐ xīng lěng xiào dào:“ wàn rén jiē rú cǐ shuō, yīn 'ér nǎi zǔ mǔ biàn xiān 'ài rú zhēn bǎo。 nà nián zhōu suì shí, zhèng lǎo diē biàn yào shì tā jiāng lái de zhì xiàng, biàn jiāng nà shì shàng suǒ yòu zhī wù bǎi liǎo wú shù, yǔ tā zhuā qǔ。 shuí zhī tā yī gài bù qǔ, shēn shǒu zhǐ bǎ xiē zhī fěn chāi huán zhuā lái。 zhèng lǎo diē biàn dà nù liǎo, shuō:“‘ jiāng lái jiǔ sè zhī tú 'ěr!’ yīn cǐ biàn dà bù xǐ yuè。 dú nà shǐ lǎo tài jūn hái shì mìng gēn yī yàng。 shuō lái yòu qí, rú jīn cháng liǎo qī bā suì, suī rán táo qì yì cháng, dàn qí cōng míng guāi jué chù, bǎi gè bù jí tā yī gè。 shuō qǐ hái zǐ huà lái yě qí guài, tā shuō:‘ nǚ 'ér shì shuǐ zuò de gǔ ròu, nán rén shì ní zuò de gǔ ròu。 wǒ jiàn liǎo nǚ 'ér, wǒ biàn qīng shuǎng, jiàn liǎo nán zǐ, biàn jué zhuó chòu bī rén。’ nǐ dào hǎo xiào bù hǎo xiào? jiāng lái sè guǐ wú yí liǎo! " yǔ cūn hǎn rán lì sè máng zhǐ dào:“ fēi yě! kě xī nǐ men bù zhī dào zhè rén lái lì。 dà yuē zhèng lǎo qián bèi yě cuò yǐ yín mó sè guǐ kàn dài liǎo。 ruò fēi duō dú shū shí shì, jiā yǐ zhì zhī gé wù zhī gōng, wù dào cān xuán zhī lì, bù néng zhī yě。”
zǐ xīng jiàn tā shuō dé zhè yàng zhòng dà, máng qǐng jiào qí duān。 yǔ cūn dào:“ tiān dì shēng rén, chú dà rén dà 'è liǎng zhǒng, yú zhě jiē wú dà yì。 ruò dà rén zhě, zé yìng yùn 'ér shēng, dà 'è zhě, zé yìng jié 'ér shēng。 yùn shēng shì zhì, jié shēng shì wēi。 yáo, shùn, yǔ, tānɡ, wén, wǔ, zhōu, zhào, kǒng, mèng, dǒng, hán, zhōu, chéng, zhāng, zhū, jiē yìng yùn 'ér shēng zhě。 chī yóu, gòng gōng, jié, zhòu, shǐ huáng, wáng mǎng, cáo cāo, huán wēn, ān lù shān, qínhuì děng, jiē yìng jié 'ér shēng zhě。 dà rén zhě, xiū zhì tiān xià, dà 'è zhě, náo luàn tiān xià。 qīng míng líng xiù, tiān dì zhī zhèng qì, rén zhě zhī suǒ bǐng yě, cán rěn guāi pì, tiān dì zhī xié qì, è zhě zhī suǒ bǐng yě。 jīn dāng yùn lóng zuò yǒng zhī cháo, tài píng wú wéi zhī shì, qīng míng líng xiù zhī qì suǒ bǐng zhě, shàng zhì cháo tíng, xià jí cǎo yě, bǐ bǐ jiē shì。 suǒ yú zhī xiù qì, màn wú suǒ guī, suì wéi gān lù, wéi hé fēng, qià rán gài jí sì hǎi。 bǐ cán rěn guāi pì zhī xié qì, bù néng dàng yì yú guāng tiān huà rì zhī zhōng, suì níng jié chōng sài yú shēn gōu dà hè zhī nèi, ǒu yīn fēng dàng, huò bèi yún cuī, lüè yòu yáo dòng gǎn fā zhī yì, yī sī bàn lǚ wù 'ér xiè chū zhě, ǒu zhí líng xiù zhī qì shì guò, zhèng bù róng xié, xié fù dù zhèng, liǎng bù xiāng xià, yì rú fēng shuǐ léi diàn, dì zhōng jì yù, jì bù néng xiāo, yòu bù néng ràng, bì zhì bó jī xiān fā hòu shǐ jìn。 gù qí qì yì bì fù rén, fā xiè yī jìn shǐ sàn。 shǐ nán nǚ 'ǒu bǐng cǐ qì 'ér shēng zhě, zài shàng zé bù néng chéng rén rén jūn zǐ, xià yì bù néng wéi dà xiōng dà 'è。 zhì zhī yú wàn wàn rén zhōng, qí cōng jùn líng xiù zhī qì, zé zài wàn wàn rén zhī shàng, qí guāi pì xié miù bù jìn rén qíng zhī tài, yòu zài wàn wàn rén zhī xià。 ruò shēng yú gōng hóu fù guì zhī jiā, zé wéi qíng chī qíng zhǒng, ruò shēng yú shī shū qīng pín zhī zú, zé wéi yì shì gāo rén, zòng zài 'ǒu shēng yú bó zuò hán mén, duàn bù néng wéi zǒu zú jiàn pú, gān zāo yōng rén qū zhì jià yù, bì wéi qí yōu míng chàng。 rú qián dài zhī xǔ yóu, táo qián, ruǎn jí, jī kāng, liú líng, wáng xiè 'èr zú, gù hǔ tóu, chén hòu zhù, táng míng huáng, sòng huī zōng, liú tíng zhī, wēn fēi qīng, mǐ nán gōng, shí màn qīng, liǔ qí qīng, qín shǎo yóu, jìn rì zhī ní yún lín, táng bó hǔ, zhù zhī shān, zài rú lǐ guī nián, huáng fān chuò, jìng xīn mó, zhuó wén jūn, hóng fú, xuē tāo, cuī yīng, cháo yún zhī liú, cǐ jiē yì dì zé tóng zhī rén yě。”
zǐ xīng dào:“ yǐ nǐ shuō,‘ chéng zé wáng hóu bài zé zéi liǎo。’ " yǔ cūn dào:“ zhèng shì zhè yì。 nǐ hái bù zhī, wǒ zì gé zhí yǐ lái, zhè liǎng nián biàn yóu gè shěng, yě céng yù jiàn liǎng gè yì yàng hái zǐ。 suǒ yǐ, fāng cái nǐ yī shuō zhè bǎo yù, wǒ jiù cāizháo liǎo bā jiǔ yì shì zhè yī pài rén wù。 bù yòng yuǎn shuō, zhǐ jīn líng chéng nèi, qīnchāi jīn líng shěng tǐ rén yuàn zǒng cái zhēn jiā, nǐ kě zhī me? " zǐ xīng dào:“ shuí rén bù zhī! zhè zhēn fǔ hé jiǎ fǔ jiù shì lǎo qīn, yòu xì shì jiāo。 liǎng jiā lái wǎng, jí qí qīn rè de。 biàn zài xià yě hé tā jiā lái wǎng fēi zhǐ yī rì liǎo。”
yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ qù suì wǒ zài jīn líng, yě céng yòu rén jiàn wǒ dào zhēn fǔ chù guǎn。 wǒ jìn qù kàn qí guāng jǐng, shuí zhī tā jiā nà děng xiǎn guì, què shì gè fù 'ér hǎo lǐ zhī jiā, dǎo shì gè nán dé zhī guǎn。 dàn zhè yī gè xué shēng, suī shì qǐ méng, què bǐ yī gè jǔ yè de hái láo shén。 shuō qǐ lái gèng kě xiào, tā shuō:‘ bì dé liǎng gè nǚ 'ér bàn zhe wǒ dú shū, wǒ fāng néng rèn dé zì, xīn lǐ yě míng bái, bù rán wǒ zì jǐ xīn lǐ hú tú。’ yòu cháng duì gēn tā de xiǎo sī men shuō:‘ zhè nǚ 'ér liǎng gè zì, jí zūn guì, jí qīng jìng de, bǐ nà 'ēmítuófó, yuán shǐ tiān zūn de zhè liǎng gè bǎo hào hái gèng zūn róng wú duì de ní! nǐ men zhè zhuó kǒu chòu shé, wàn bù kě táng tū liǎo zhè liǎng gè zì, yào jǐn。 dàn fán yào shuō shí, bì xū xiān yòng qīng shuǐ xiāng chá shù liǎo kǒu cái kě, shè ruò shī cuò, biàn yào záo yá chuān sāi děng shì。’ qí bào nüè fú zào, wán liè hān chī, zhǒng zhǒng yì cháng。 zhǐ yī fàng liǎo xué, jìn qù jiàn liǎo nà xiē nǚ 'ér men, qí wēn hòu hé píng, cōng mǐn wén yǎ, jìng yòu biàn liǎo yī gè。 yīn cǐ, tā lìng zūn yě céng xià sǐ chī chǔ guò jǐ cì, wú nài jìng bù néng gǎi。 měi dǎ de chī téng bù guò shí, tā biàn‘ jiě jiě’‘ mèi mèi’ luàn jiào qǐ lái。 hòu lái tīng dé lǐ miàn nǚ 'ér men ná tā qǔ xiào:‘ yīn hé dǎ jí liǎo zhǐ guǎn jiào jiě mèi zuò shèn? mò bù shì qiú jiě mèi qù shuō qíng tǎo ráo? nǐ qǐ bù kuì xiē!’ tā huí dá de zuì miào。 tā shuō:‘ jí téng zhī shí, zhǐ jiào‘ jiě jiě’ mèi mèi’ zì yàng, huò kě jiě téng yě wèi kě zhī, yīn jiào liǎo yī shēng, biàn guǒ jué bù téng liǎo, suì dé liǎo mì fǎ: měi téng tòng zhī jí, biàn lián jiào jiě mèi qǐ lái liǎo。’ nǐ shuō kě xiào bù kě xiào? yě yīn zǔ mǔ nì 'ài bù míng, měi yīn sūn rǔ shī zé zǐ, yīn cǐ wǒ jiù cí liǎo guǎn chū lái。 rú jīn zài zhè xún yán yù shǐ lín jiā zuò guǎn liǎo。 nǐ kàn, zhè děng zǐ dì, bì bù néng shǒu zǔ fù zhī gēn jī, cóng shī cháng zhī guī jiàn de。 zhǐ kě xī tā jiā jǐ gè zǐ mèi dōushì shǎo yòu de。”
zǐ xīng dào:“ biàn shì jiǎ fǔ zhōng, xiàn yòu de sān gè yě bù cuò。 zhèng lǎo diē de cháng nǚ, míng yuán chūn, xiàn yīn xián xiào cái dé, xuǎn rù gōng zuò nǚ shǐ qù liǎo。 èr xiǎo jiě nǎi shè lǎo diē zhī qiè suǒ chū, míng yíng chūn, sān xiǎo jiě nǎi zhèng lǎo diē zhī shù chū, míng tàn chūn, sì xiǎo jiě nǎi níng fǔ zhēn yé zhī bāo mèi, míng huàn xī chūn。 yīn shǐ lǎo fū rén jí 'ài sūn nǚ, dū gēn zài zǔ mǔ zhè biān yī chù dú shū, tīng dé gè gè bù cuò。 yǔ cūn dào:“ gèng miào zài zhēn jiā de fēng sú, nǚ 'ér zhī míng, yì jiē cóng nán zǐ zhī míng mìng zì, bù sì bié jiā lìng wài yòng zhè xiē‘ chūn’‘ hóng’‘ xiāng’‘ yù’ děng yàn zì de。 hé dé jiǎ fǔ yì lè cǐ sú tào? " zǐ xīng dào:“ bù rán。 zhǐ yīn xiàn jīn dà xiǎo jiě shì zhèng yuè chū yī rì suǒ shēng, gù míng yuán chūn, yú zhě fāng cóng liǎo‘ chūn’ zì。 shàng yī bèi de, què yě shì cóng xiōng dì 'ér lái de。 xiàn yòu duì zhèng: mù jīn nǐ guì dōng jiā lín gōng zhī fū rén, jí róng fǔ zhōng shè, zhèng 'èr gōng zhī bāo mèi, zài jiā shí míng huàn jiǎ mǐn。 bù xìn shí, nǐ huí qù xì fǎng kě zhī。” yǔ cūn pāi 'àn xiào dào:“ guài dào zhè nǚ xué shēng dú zhì fán shū zhōng yòu‘ mǐn’ zì, jiē niàn zuò‘ mì’ zì, měi měi rú shì, xiě zì yù zhe‘ mǐn’ zì, yòu jiǎn yī 'èr bǐ, wǒ xīn zhōng jiù yòu xiē yí huò。 jīn tīng nǐ shuō de, shì wéi cǐ wú yí yǐ。 guài dào wǒ zhè nǚ xué shēng yán yǔ jǔ zhǐ lìng shì yī yàng, bù yǔ jìn rì nǚ zǐ xiāng tóng, dù qí mǔ bì bù fán, fāng dé qí nǚ, jīn zhī wéi róng fǔ zhī sūn, yòu bù zú hǎn yǐ, kě shāng shàng yuè jìng wáng gù liǎo。” zǐ xīng tàn dào:“ lǎo zǐ mèi sì gè, zhè yī gè shì jí xiǎo de, yòu méi liǎo。 cháng yī bèi de zǐ mèi, yī gè yě méi liǎo。 zhǐ kàn zhè xiǎo yī bèi de, jiāng lái zhī dōng chuáng rú hé ní。”
yǔ cūn dào:“ zhèng shì。 fāng cái shuō zhè zhèng gōng, yǐ yòu xián yù zhī 'ér, yòu yòu zhǎngzǐ suǒ yí yī gè ruò sūn。 zhè shè lǎo jìng wú yī gè bù chéng? " zǐ xīng dào:“ zhèng gōng jì yòu yù 'ér zhī hòu, qí qiè yòu shēng liǎo yī gè, dǎo bù zhī qí hǎo dǎi。 zhǐ yǎn qián xiàn yòu 'èr zǐ yī sūn, què bù zhī jiāng lái rú hé。 ruò wèn nà shè gōng, yě yòu 'èr zǐ, cháng míng jiǎ liǎn, jīn yǐ 'èr shí lái wǎng liǎo, qīn shàng zuò qīn, qǔ de jiù shì zhèng lǎo diē fū rén wáng shì zhī nèi zhí nǚ, jīn yǐ qǔ liǎo 'èr nián。 zhè wèi liǎn yé shēn shàng xiàn juān de shì gè tóng zhī, yě shì bù kěn dú shū, yú shì lù shàng hǎo jī biàn, yán tán qù de, suǒ yǐ rú jīn zhǐ zài nǎi shū zhèng lǎo yé jiā zhù zhe, bāng zhe liào lǐ xiē jiā wù。 shuí zhī zì qǔ liǎo tā lìng fū rén zhī hòu, dǎo shàng xià wú yī rén bù chēng sòng tā fū rén de, liǎn yé dàotuì liǎo yī shè zhī dì: shuō múyàng yòu jí biāo zhì, yán tán yòu shuǎng lì, xīn jī yòu jí shēn xì, jìng shì gè nán rén wàn bù jí yī de。”
yǔ cūn tīng liǎo, xiào dào:“ kě zhī wǒ qián yán bù miù。 nǐ wǒ fāng cái suǒ shuō de zhè jǐ gè rén, dū zhǐ pà shì nà zhèng xié liǎng fù 'ér lái yī lù zhī rén, wèi kě zhī yě。” zǐ xīng dào:“ xié yě bà, zhèng yě bà, zhǐ gù suàn bié rén jiā de zhàng, nǐ yě chī yī bēi jiǔ cái hǎo。” yǔ cūn dào:“ zhèng shì, zhǐ gù shuō huà, jìng duō chī liǎo jǐ bēi。” zǐ xīng xiào dào:“ shuō zhe bié rén jiā de xián huà, zhèng hǎo xià jiǔ, jí duō chī jǐ bēi hé fáng。” yǔ cūn xiàng chuāng wài kàn dào:“ tiān yě wǎn liǎo, zǎi xì guān liǎo chéng。 wǒ men màn màn de jìn chéng zài tán, wèi wéi bù kě。” yú shì, èr rén qǐ shēn, suàn hái jiǔ zhàng。 fāng yù zǒu shí, yòu tīng dé hòu miàn yòu rén jiào dào:“ yǔ cūn xiōng, gōng xǐ liǎo! tè lái bào gè xǐ xìn de。” yǔ cūn máng huí tóu kàn shí -
To continue. Feng Su, upon hearing the shouts of the public messengers, came out in a flurry and forcing a smile, he asked them to explain (their errand); but all these people did was to continue bawling out: "Be quick, and ask Mr. Chen to come out."
"My surname is Feng," said Feng Su, as he promptly forced himself to smile; "It is'nt Chen at all: I had once a son-in-law whose surname was Chen, but he has left home, it is now already a year or two back. Is it perchance about him that you are inquiring?"
To which the public servants remarked: "We know nothing about Chen or Chia (true or false); but as he is your son-in-law, we'll take you at once along with us to make verbal answer to our master and have done with it."
And forthwith the whole bevy of public servants hustled Feng Su on, as they went on their way back; while every one in the Feng family was seized with consternation, and could not imagine what it was all about.
It was no earlier than the second watch, when Feng Su returned home; and they, one and all, pressed him with questions as to what had happened.
"The fact is," he explained, "the newly-appointed Magistrate, whose surname is Chia, whose name is Huo and who is a native of Hu-chow, has been on intimate terms, in years gone by, with our son-in-law; that at the sight of the girl Chiao Hsing, standing at the door, in the act of buying thread, he concluded that he must have shifted his quarters over here, and hence it was that his messengers came to fetch him. I gave him a clear account of the various circumstances (of his misfortunes), and the Magistrate was for a time much distressed and expressed his regret. He then went on to make inquiries about my grand-daughter, and I explained that she had been lost, while looking at the illuminations. 'No matter,' put in the Magistrate, 'I will by and by order my men to make search, and I feel certain that they will find her and bring her back.' Then ensued a short conversation, after which I was about to go, when he presented me with the sum of two taels."
The mistress of the Chen family (Mrs. Chen Shih-yin) could not but feel very much affected by what she heard, and the whole evening she uttered not a word.
The next day, at an early hour, Yue-ts'un sent some of his men to bring over to Chen's wife presents, consisting of two packets of silver, and four pieces of brocaded silk, as a token of gratitude, and to Feng Su also a confidential letter, requesting him to ask of Mrs. Chen her maid Chiao Hsing to become his second wife.
Feng Su was so intensely delighted that his eyebrows expanded, his eyes smiled, and he felt eager to toady to the Magistrate (by presenting the girl to him). He hastened to employ all his persuasive powers with his daughter (to further his purpose), and on the same evening he forthwith escorted Chiao Hsing in a small chair to the Yamen.
The joy experienced by Yue-ts'un need not be dilated upon. He also presented Feng Su with a packet containing one hundred ounces of gold; and sent numerous valuable presents to Mrs. Chen, enjoining her "to live cheerfully in the anticipation of finding out the whereabouts of her daughter."
It must be explained, however, that the maid Chi'ao Hsing was the very person, who, a few years ago, had looked round at Yue-ts'un and who, by one simple, unpremeditated glance, evolved, in fact, this extraordinary destiny which was indeed an event beyond conception.
Who would ever have foreseen that fate and fortune would both have so favoured her that she should, contrary to all anticipation, give birth to a son, after living with Yue-ts'un barely a year, that in addition to this, after the lapse of another half year, Yue-ts'un's wife should have contracted a sudden illness and departed this life, and that Yue-ts'un should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is adequately expressed by the lines:
Through but one single, casual look Soon an exalted place she took.
The fact is that after Yue-ts'un had been presented with the money by Shih-yin, he promptly started on the 16th day for the capital, and at the triennial great tripos, his wishes were gratified to the full. Having successfully carried off his degree of graduate of the third rank, his name was put by selection on the list for provincial appointments. By this time, he had been raised to the rank of Magistrate in this district; but, in spite of the excellence and sufficiency of his accomplishments and abilities, he could not escape being ambitious and overbearing. He failed besides, confident as he was in his own merits, in respect toward his superiors, with the result that these officials looked upon him scornfully with the corner of the eye.
A year had hardly elapsed, when he was readily denounced in a memorial to the Throne by the High Provincial authorities, who represented that he was of a haughty disposition, that he had taken upon himself to introduce innovations in the rites and ceremonies, that overtly, while he endeavoured to enjoy the reputation of probity and uprightness, he, secretly, combined the nature of the tiger and wolf; with the consequence that he had been the cause of much trouble in the district, and that he had made life intolerable for the people.
The Dragon countenance of the Emperor was considerably incensed. His Majesty lost no time in issuing commands, in reply to the Memorial, that he should be deprived of his official status.
On the arrival of the despatch from the Board, great was the joy felt by every officer, without exception, of the prefecture in which he had held office. Yue-ts'un, though at heart intensely mortified and incensed, betrayed not the least outward symptom of annoyance, but still preserved, as of old, a smiling and cheerful countenance.
He handed over charge of all official business and removed the savings which he had accumulated during the several years he had been in office, his family and all his chattels to his original home; where, after having put everything in proper order, he himself travelled (carried the winds and sleeved the moon) far and wide, visiting every relic of note in the whole Empire.
As luck would have it, on a certain day while making a second journey through the Wei Yang district, he heard the news that the Salt Commissioner appointed this year was Lin Ju-hai. This Lin Ju-hai's family name was Lin, his name Hai and his style Ju-hai. He had obtained the third place in the previous triennial examination, and had, by this time, already risen to the rank of Director of the Court of Censors. He was a native of Ku Su. He had been recently named by Imperial appointment a Censor attached to the Salt Inspectorate, and had arrived at his post only a short while back.
In fact, the ancestors of Lin Ju-hai had, from years back, successively inherited the title of Marquis, which rank, by its present descent to Ju-hai, had already been enjoyed by five generations. When first conferred, the hereditary right to the title had been limited to three generations; but of late years, by an act of magnanimous favour and generous beneficence, extraordinary bounty had been superadded; and on the arrival of the succession to the father of Ju-hai, the right had been extended to another degree. It had now descended to Ju-hai, who had, besides this title of nobility, begun his career as a successful graduate. But though his family had been through uninterrupted ages the recipient of imperial bounties, his kindred had all been anyhow men of culture.
The only misfortune had been that the several branches of the Lin family had not been prolific, so that the numbers of its members continued limited; and though there existed several households, they were all however to Ju-hai no closer relatives than first cousins. Neither were there any connections of the same lineage, or of the same parentage.
Ju-hai was at this date past forty; and had only had a son, who had died the previous year, in the third year of his age. Though he had several handmaids, he had not had the good fortune of having another son; but this was too a matter that could not be remedied.
By his wife, nee Chia, he had a daughter, to whom the infant name of Tai Yue was given. She was, at this time, in her fifth year. Upon her the parents doated as much as if she were a brilliant pearl in the palm of their hand. Seeing that she was endowed with natural gifts of intelligence and good looks, they also felt solicitous to bestow upon her a certain knowledge of books, with no other purpose than that of satisfying, by this illusory way, their wishes of having a son to nurture and of dispelling the anguish felt by them, on account of the desolation and void in their family circle (round their knees).
But to proceed. Yue-ts'un, while sojourning at an inn, was unexpectedly laid up with a violent chill. Finding on his recovery, that his funds were not sufficient to pay his expenses, he was thinking of looking out for some house where he could find a resting place when he suddenly came across two friends acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner. Knowing that this official was desirous to find a tutor to instruct his daughter, they lost no time in recommending Yue-ts'un, who moved into the Yamen.
His female pupil was youthful in years and delicate in physique, so that her lessons were irregular. Besides herself, there were only two waiting girls, who remained in attendance during the hours of study, so that Yue-ts'un was spared considerable trouble and had a suitable opportunity to attend to the improvement of his health.
In a twinkle, another year and more slipped by, and when least expected, the mother of his ward, nee Chia, was carried away after a short illness. His pupil (during her mother's sickness) was dutiful in her attendance, and prepared the medicines for her use. (And after her death,) she went into the deepest mourning prescribed by the rites, and gave way to such excess of grief that, naturally delicate as she was, her old complaint, on this account, broke out anew.
Being unable for a considerable time to prosecute her studies, Yue-ts'un lived at leisure and had no duties to attend to. Whenever therefore the wind was genial and the sun mild, he was wont to stroll at random, after he had done with his meals.
On this particular day, he, by some accident, extended his walk beyond the suburbs, and desirous to contemplate the nature of the rustic scenery, he, with listless step, came up to a spot encircled by hills and streaming pools, by luxuriant clumps of trees and thick groves of bamboos. Nestling in the dense foliage stood a temple. The doors and courts were in ruins. The walls, inner and outer, in disrepair. An inscription on a tablet testified that this was the temple of Spiritual Perception. On the sides of the door was also a pair of old and dilapidated scrolls with the following enigmatical verses.
Behind ample there is, yet to retract the hand, the mind heeds not, until. Before the mortal vision lies no path, when comes to turn the will.
"These two sentences," Yue-ts'un pondered after perusal, "although simple in language, are profound in signification. I have previous to this visited many a spacious temple, located on hills of note, but never have I beheld an inscription referring to anything of the kind. The meaning contained in these words must, I feel certain, owe their origin to the experiences of some person or other; but there's no saying. But why should I not go in and inquire for myself?"
Upon walking in, he at a glance caught sight of no one else, but of a very aged bonze, of unkempt appearance, cooking his rice. When Yue-ts'un perceived that he paid no notice, he went up to him and asked him one or two questions, but as the old priest was dull of hearing and a dotard, and as he had lost his teeth, and his tongue was blunt, he made most irrelevant replies.
Yue-ts'un lost all patience with him, and withdrew again from the compound with the intention of going as far as the village public house to have a drink or two, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the rustic scenery. With easy stride, he accordingly walked up to the place. Scarcely had he passed the threshold of the public house, when he perceived some one or other among the visitors who had been sitting sipping their wine on the divan, jump up and come up to greet him, with a face beaming with laughter.
"What a strange meeting! What a strange meeting!" he exclaimed aloud.
Yue-ts'un speedily looked at him, (and remembered) that this person had, in past days, carried on business in a curio establishment in the capital, and that his surname was Leng and his style Tzu-hsing.
A mutual friendship had existed between them during their sojourn, in days of yore, in the capital; and as Yue-ts'un had entertained the highest opinion of Leng Tzu-hsing, as being a man of action and of great abilities, while this Leng Tzu-hsing, on the other hand, borrowed of the reputation of refinement enjoyed by Yue-ts'un, the two had consequently all along lived in perfect harmony and companionship.
"When did you get here?" Yue-ts'un eagerly inquired also smilingly. "I wasn't in the least aware of your arrival. This unexpected meeting is positively a strange piece of good fortune."
"I went home," Tzu-hsing replied, "about the close of last year, but now as I am again bound to the capital, I passed through here on my way to look up a friend of mine and talk some matters over. He had the kindness to press me to stay with him for a couple of days longer, and as I after all have no urgent business to attend to, I am tarrying a few days, but purpose starting about the middle of the moon. My friend is busy to-day, so I roamed listlessly as far as here, never dreaming of such a fortunate meeting."
While speaking, he made Yue-ts'un sit down at the same table, and ordered a fresh supply of wine and eatables; and as the two friends chatted of one thing and another, they slowly sipped their wine.
The conversation ran on what had occurred after the separation, and Yue-ts'un inquired, "Is there any news of any kind in the capital?"
"There's nothing new whatever," answered Tzu-hsing. "There is one thing however: in the family of one of your worthy kinsmen, of the same name as yourself, a trifling, but yet remarkable, occurrence has taken place."
"None of my kindred reside in the capital," rejoined Yue-ts'un with a smile. "To what can you be alluding?"
"How can it be that you people who have the same surname do not belong to one clan?" remarked Tzu-hsing, sarcastically.
"In whose family?" inquired Yue-ts'un.
"The Chia family," replied Tzu-hsing smiling, "whose quarters are in the Jung Kuo Mansion, does not after all reflect discredit upon the lintel of your door, my venerable friend."
"What!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un, "did this affair take place in that family? Were we to begin reckoning, we would find the members of my clan to be anything but limited in number. Since the time of our ancestor Chia Fu, who lived while the Eastern Han dynasty occupied the Throne, the branches of our family have been numerous and flourishing; they are now to be found in every single province, and who could, with any accuracy, ascertain their whereabouts? As regards the Jung-kuo branch in particular, their names are in fact inscribed on the same register as our own, but rich and exalted as they are, we have never presumed to claim them as our relatives, so that we have become more and more estranged."
"Don't make any such assertions," Tzu-hsing remarked with a sigh, "the present two mansions of Jung and Ning have both alike also suffered reverses, and they cannot come up to their state of days of yore."
"Up to this day, these two households of Ning and of Jung," Yue-ts'un suggested, "still maintain a very large retinue of people, and how can it be that they have met with reverses?"
"To explain this would be indeed a long story," said Leng Tzu-hsing. "Last year," continued Yue-ts'un, "I arrived at Chin Ling, as I entertained a wish to visit the remains of interest of the six dynasties, and as I on that day entered the walled town of Shih T'ou, I passed by the entrance of that old residence. On the east side of the street, stood the Ning Kuo mansion; on the west the Jung Kuo mansion; and these two, adjoining each other as they do, cover in fact well-nigh half of the whole length of the street. Outside the front gate everything was, it is true, lonely and deserted; but at a glance into the interior over the enclosing wall, I perceived that the halls, pavilions, two-storied structures and porches presented still a majestic and lofty appearance. Even the flower garden, which extends over the whole area of the back grounds, with its trees and rockeries, also possessed to that day an air of luxuriance and freshness, which betrayed no signs of a ruined or decrepid establishment."
"You have had the good fortune of starting in life as a graduate," explained Tzu-tsing as he smiled, "and yet are not aware of the saying uttered by some one of old: that a centipede even when dead does not lie stiff. (These families) may, according to your version, not be up to the prosperity of former years, but, compared with the family of an ordinary official, their condition anyhow presents a difference. Of late the number of the inmates has, day by day, been on the increase; their affairs have become daily more numerous; of masters and servants, high and low, who live in ease and respectability very many there are; but of those who exercise any forethought, or make any provision, there is not even one. In their daily wants, their extravagances, and their expenditure, they are also unable to adapt themselves to circumstances and practise economy; (so that though) the present external framework may not have suffered any considerable collapse, their purses have anyhow begun to feel an exhausting process! But this is a mere trifle. There is another more serious matter. Would any one ever believe that in such families of official status, in a clan of education and culture, the sons and grandsons of the present age would after all be each (succeeding) generation below the standard of the former?"
Yue-ts'un, having listened to these remarks, observed: "How ever can it be possible that families of such education and refinement can observe any system of training and nurture which is not excellent? Concerning the other branches, I am not in a position to say anything; but restricting myself to the two mansions of Jung and Ning, they are those in which, above all others, the education of their children is methodical."
"I was just now alluding to none other than these two establishments," Tzu-hsing observed with a sigh; "but let me tell you all. In days of yore, the duke of Ning Kuo and the duke of Jung Kuo were two uterine brothers. The Ning duke was the elder; he had four sons. After the death of the duke of Ning Kuo, his eldest son, Chia Tai-hua, came into the title. He also had two sons; but the eldest, whose name was Hu, died at the age of eight or nine; and the only survivor, the second son, Chia Ching, inherited the title. His whole mind is at this time set upon Taoist doctrines; his sole delight is to burn the pill and refine the dual powers; while every other thought finds no place in his mind. Happily, he had, at an early age, left a son, Chia Chen, behind in the lay world, and his father, engrossed as his whole heart was with the idea of attaining spiritual life, ceded the succession of the official title to him. His parent is, besides, not willing to return to the original family seat, but lives outside the walls of the capital, foolishly hobnobbing with all the Taoist priests. This Mr. Chen had also a son, Chia Jung, who is, at this period, just in his sixteenth year. Mr. Ching gives at present no attention to anything at all, so that Mr. Chen naturally devotes no time to his studies, but being bent upon nought else but incessant high pleasure, he has subversed the order of things in the Ning Kuo mansion, and yet no one can summon the courage to come and hold him in check. But I'll now tell you about the Jung mansion for your edification. The strange occurrence, to which I alluded just now, came about in this manner. After the demise of the Jung duke, the eldest son, Chia Tai-shan, inherited the rank. He took to himself as wife, the daughter of Marquis Shih, a noble family of Chin Ling, by whom he had two sons; the elder being Chia She, the younger Chia Cheng. This Tai Shan is now dead long ago; but his wife is still alive, and the elder son, Chia She, succeeded to the degree. He is a man of amiable and genial disposition, but he likewise gives no thought to the direction of any domestic concern. The second son Chia Cheng displayed, from his early childhood, a great liking for books, and grew up to be correct and upright in character. His grandfather doated upon him, and would have had him start in life through the arena of public examinations, but, when least expected, Tai-shan, being on the point of death, bequeathed a petition, which was laid before the Emperor. His Majesty, out of regard for his former minister, issued immediate commands that the elder son should inherit the estate, and further inquired how many sons there were besides him, all of whom he at once expressed a wish to be introduced in his imperial presence. His Majesty, moreover, displayed exceptional favour, and conferred upon Mr. Cheng the brevet rank of second class Assistant Secretary (of a Board), and commanded him to enter the Board to acquire the necessary experience. He has already now been promoted to the office of second class Secretary. This Mr. Cheng's wife, nee Wang, first gave birth to a son called Chia Chu, who became a Licentiate in his fourteenth year. At barely twenty, he married, but fell ill and died soon after the birth of a son. Her (Mrs. Cheng's) second child was a daughter, who came into the world, by a strange coincidence, on the first day of the year. She had an unexpected (pleasure) in the birth, the succeeding year, of another son, who, still more remarkable to say, had, at the time of his birth, a piece of variegated and crystal-like brilliant jade in his mouth, on which were yet visible the outlines of several characters. Now, tell me, was not this a novel and strange occurrence? eh?"
"Strange indeed!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un with a smile; "but I presume the coming experiences of this being will not be mean."
Tzu-hsing gave a faint smile. "One and all," he remarked, "entertain the same idea. Hence it is that his mother doats upon him like upon a precious jewel. On the day of his first birthday, Mr. Cheng readily entertained a wish to put the bent of his inclinations to the test, and placed before the child all kinds of things, without number, for him to grasp from. Contrary to every expectation, he scorned every other object, and, stretching forth his hand, he simply took hold of rouge, powder and a few hair-pins, with which he began to play. Mr. Cheng experienced at once displeasure, as he maintained that this youth would, by and bye, grow up into a sybarite, devoted to wine and women, and for this reason it is, that he soon began to feel not much attachment for him. But his grandmother is the one who, in spite of everything, prizes him like the breath of her own life. The very mention of what happened is even strange! He is now grown up to be seven or eight years old, and, although exceptionally wilful, in intelligence and precocity, however, not one in a hundred could come up to him! And as for the utterances of this child, they are no less remarkable. The bones and flesh of woman, he argues, are made of water, while those of man of mud. 'Women to my eyes are pure and pleasing,' he says, 'while at the sight of man, I readily feel how corrupt, foul and repelling they are!' Now tell me, are not these words ridiculous? There can be no doubt whatever that he will by and bye turn out to be a licentious roue."
Yue-ts'un, whose countenance suddenly assumed a stern air, promptly interrupted the conversation. "It doesn't quite follow," he suggested. "You people don't, I regret to say, understand the destiny of this child. The fact is that even the old Hanlin scholar Mr. Cheng was erroneously looked upon as a loose rake and dissolute debauchee! But unless a person, through much study of books and knowledge of letters, so increases (in lore) as to attain the talent of discerning the nature of things, and the vigour of mind to fathom the Taoist reason as well as to comprehend the first principle, he is not in a position to form any judgment."
Tzu-hsing upon perceiving the weighty import of what he propounded, "Please explain," he asked hastily, "the drift (of your argument)." To which Yue-ts'un responded: "Of the human beings created by the operation of heaven and earth, if we exclude those who are gifted with extreme benevolence and extreme viciousness, the rest, for the most part, present no striking diversity. If they be extremely benevolent, they fall in, at the time of their birth, with an era of propitious fortune; while those extremely vicious correspond, at the time of their existence, with an era of calamity. When those who coexist with propitious fortune come into life, the world is in order; when those who coexist with unpropitious fortune come into life, the world is in danger. Yao, Shun, Yue, Ch'eng T'ang, Wen Wang, Wu Wang, Chou Kung, Chao Kung, Confucius, Mencius, T'ung Hu, Han Hsin, Chou Tzu, Ch'eng Tzu, Chu Tzu and Chang Tzu were ordained to see light in an auspicious era. Whereas Ch'i Yu, Kung Kung, Chieh Wang, Chou Wang, Shih Huang, Wang Mang, Tsao Ts'ao, Wen Wen, An Hu-shan, Ch'in Kuei and others were one and all destined to come into the world during a calamitous age. Those endowed with extreme benevolence set the world in order; those possessed of extreme maliciousness turn the world into disorder. Purity, intelligence, spirituality and subtlety constitute the vital spirit of right which pervades heaven and earth, and the persons gifted with benevolence are its natural fruit. Malignity and perversity constitute the spirit of evil, which permeates heaven and earth, and malicious persons are affected by its influence. The days of perpetual happiness and eminent good fortune, and the era of perfect peace and tranquility, which now prevail, are the offspring of the pure, intelligent, divine and subtle spirit which ascends above, to the very Emperor, and below reaches the rustic and uncultured classes. Every one is without exception under its influence. The superfluity of the subtle spirit expands far and wide, and finding nowhere to betake itself to, becomes, in due course, transformed into dew, or gentle breeze; and, by a process of diffusion, it pervades the whole world.
"The spirit of malignity and perversity, unable to expand under the brilliant sky and transmuting sun, eventually coagulates, pervades and stops up the deep gutters and extensive caverns; and when of a sudden the wind agitates it or it be impelled by the clouds, and any slight disposition, on its part, supervenes to set itself in motion, or to break its bounds, and so little as even the minutest fraction does unexpectedly find an outlet, and happens to come across any spirit of perception and subtlety which may be at the time passing by, the spirit of right does not yield to the spirit of evil, and the spirit of evil is again envious of the spirit of right, so that the two do not harmonize. Just like wind, water, thunder and lightning, which, when they meet in the bowels of the earth, must necessarily, as they are both to dissolve and are likewise unable to yield, clash and explode to the end that they may at length exhaust themselves. Hence it is that these spirits have also forcibly to diffuse themselves into the human race to find an outlet, so that they may then completely disperse, with the result that men and women are suddenly imbued with these spirits and spring into existence. At best, (these human beings) cannot be generated into philanthropists or perfect men; at worst, they cannot also embody extreme perversity or extreme wickedness. Yet placed among one million beings, the spirit of intelligence, refinement, perception and subtlety will be above these one million beings; while, on the other hand, the perverse, depraved and inhuman embodiment will likewise be below the million of men. Born in a noble and wealthy family, these men will be a salacious, lustful lot; born of literary, virtuous or poor parentage, they will turn out retired scholars or men of mark; though they may by some accident be born in a destitute and poverty-stricken home, they cannot possibly, in fact, ever sink so low as to become runners or menials, or contentedly brook to be of the common herd or to be driven and curbed like a horse in harness. They will become, for a certainty, either actors of note or courtesans of notoriety; as instanced in former years by Hsue Yu, T'ao Ch'ien, Yuan Chi, Chi Kang, Liu Ling, the two families of Wang and Hsieh, Ku Hu-t'ou, Ch'en Hou-chu, T'ang Ming-huang, Sung Hui-tsung, Liu T'ing-chih, Wen Fei-ching, Mei Nan-kung, Shih Man-ch'ing, Lui C'hih-ch'ing and Chin Shao-yu, and exemplified now-a-days by Ni Yuen-lin, T'ang Po-hu, Chu Chih-shan, and also by Li Kuei-men, Huang P'an-cho, Ching Hsin-mo, Cho Wen-chuen; and the women Hung Fu, Hsieh T'ao, Ch'ue Ying, Ch'ao Yuen and others; all of whom were and are of the same stamp, though placed in different scenes of action."
"From what you say," observed Tzu-hsing, "success makes (a man) a duke or a marquis; ruin, a thief!"
"Quite so; that's just my idea!" replied Yue-ts'un; "I've not as yet let you know that after my degradation from office, I spent the last couple of years in travelling for pleasure all over each province, and that I also myself came across two extraordinary youths. This is why, when a short while back you alluded to this Pao-yue, I at once conjectured, with a good deal of certainty, that he must be a human being of the same stamp. There's no need for me to speak of any farther than the walled city of Chin Ling. This Mr. Chen was, by imperial appointment, named Principal of the Government Public College of the Chin Ling province. Do you perhaps know him?"
"Who doesn't know him?" remarked Tzu-hsing. "This Chen family is an old connection of the Chia family. These two families were on terms of great intimacy, and I myself likewise enjoyed the pleasure of their friendship for many a day."
"Last year, when at Chin Ling," Yue-ts'un continued with a smile, "some one recommended me as resident tutor to the school in the Chen mansion; and when I moved into it I saw for myself the state of things. Who would ever think that that household was grand and luxurious to such a degree! But they are an affluent family, and withal full of propriety, so that a school like this was of course not one easy to obtain. The pupil, however, was, it is true, a young tyro, but far more troublesome to teach than a candidate for the examination of graduate of the second degree. Were I to enter into details, you would indeed have a laugh. 'I must needs,' he explained, 'have the company of two girls in my studies to enable me to read at all, and to keep likewise my brain clear. Otherwise, if left to myself, my head gets all in a muddle.' Time after time, he further expounded to his young attendants, how extremely honourable and extremely pure were the two words representing woman, that they are more valuable and precious than the auspicious animal, the felicitous bird, rare flowers and uncommon plants. 'You may not' (he was wont to say), 'on any account heedlessly utter them, you set of foul mouths and filthy tongues! these two words are of the utmost import! Whenever you have occasion to allude to them, you must, before you can do so with impunity, take pure water and scented tea and rinse your mouths. In the event of any slip of the tongue, I shall at once have your teeth extracted, and your eyes gouged out.' His obstinacy and waywardness are, in every respect, out of the common. After he was allowed to leave school, and to return home, he became, at the sight of the young ladies, so tractable, gentle, sharp, and polite, transformed, in fact, like one of them. And though, for this reason, his father has punished him on more than one occasion, by giving him a sound thrashing, such as brought him to the verge of death, he cannot however change. Whenever he was being beaten, and could no more endure the pain, he was wont to promptly break forth in promiscuous loud shouts, 'Girls! girls!' The young ladies, who heard him from the inner chambers, subsequently made fun of him. 'Why,' they said, 'when you are being thrashed, and you are in pain, your only thought is to bawl out girls! Is it perchance that you expect us young ladies to go and intercede for you? How is that you have no sense of shame?' To their taunts he gave a most plausible explanation. 'Once,' he replied, 'when in the agony of pain, I gave vent to shouting girls, in the hope, perchance, I did not then know, of its being able to alleviate the soreness. After I had, with this purpose, given one cry, I really felt the pain considerably better; and now that I have obtained this secret spell, I have recourse, at once, when I am in the height of anguish, to shouts of girls, one shout after another. Now what do you say to this? Isn't this absurd, eh?"
"The grandmother is so infatuated by her extreme tenderness for this youth, that, time after time, she has, on her grandson's account, found fault with the tutor, and called her son to task, with the result that I resigned my post and took my leave. A youth, with a disposition such as his, cannot assuredly either perpetuate intact the estate of his father and grandfather, or follow the injunctions of teacher or advice of friends. The pity is, however, that there are, in that family, several excellent female cousins, the like of all of whom it would be difficult to discover."
"Quite so!" remarked Tzu-hsing; "there are now three young ladies in the Chia family who are simply perfection itself. The eldest is a daughter of Mr. Cheng, Yuan Ch'un by name, who, on account of her excellence, filial piety, talents, and virtue, has been selected as a governess in the palace. The second is the daughter of Mr. She's handmaid, and is called Ying Ch'un; the third is T'an Ch'un, the child of Mr. Cheng's handmaid; while the fourth is the uterine sister of Mr. Chen of the Ning Mansion. Her name is Hsi Ch'un. As dowager lady Shih is so fondly attached to her granddaughters, they come, for the most part, over to their grandmother's place to prosecute their studies together, and each one of these girls is, I hear, without a fault."
"More admirable," observed Yue-ts'un, "is the regime (adhered to) in the Chen family, where the names of the female children have all been selected from the list of male names, and are unlike all those out-of-the-way names, such as Spring Blossom, Scented Gem, and the like flowery terms in vogue in other families. But how is it that the Chia family have likewise fallen into this common practice?"
"Not so!" ventured Tzu-h'sing. "It is simply because the eldest daughter was born on the first of the first moon, that the name of Yuan Ch'un was given to her; while with the rest this character Ch'un (spring) was then followed. The names of the senior generation are, in like manner, adopted from those of their brothers; and there is at present an instance in support of this. The wife of your present worthy master, Mr. Lin, is the uterine sister of Mr. Chia. She and Mr. Chia Cheng, and she went, while at home, under the name of Chia Min. Should you question the truth of what I say, you are at liberty, on your return, to make minute inquiries and you'll be convinced."
Yue-ts'un clapped his hands and said smiling, "It's so, I know! for this female pupil of mine, whose name is Tai-yue, invariably pronounces the character _min_ as _mi_, whenever she comes across it in the course of her reading; while, in writing, when she comes to the character 'min,' she likewise reduces the strokes by one, sometimes by two. Often have I speculated in my mind (as to the cause), but the remarks I've heard you mention, convince me, without doubt, that it is no other reason (than that of reverence to her mother's name). Strange enough, this pupil of mine is unique in her speech and deportment, and in no way like any ordinary young lady. But considering that her mother was no commonplace woman herself, it is natural that she should have given birth to such a child. Besides, knowing, as I do now, that she is the granddaughter of the Jung family, it is no matter of surprise to me that she is what she is. Poor girl, her mother, after all, died in the course of the last month."
Tzu-hsing heaved a sigh. "Of three elderly sisters," he explained, "this one was the youngest, and she too is gone! Of the sisters of the senior generation not one even survives! But now we'll see what the husbands of this younger generation will be like by and bye!"
"Yes," replied Yue-ts'un. "But some while back you mentioned that Mr. Cheng has had a son, born with a piece of jade in his mouth, and that he has besides a tender-aged grandson left by his eldest son; but is it likely that this Mr. She has not, himself, as yet, had any male issue?"
"After Mr. Cheng had this son with the jade," Tzu-hsing added, "his handmaid gave birth to another son, who whether he be good or bad, I don't at all know. At all events, he has by his side two sons and a grandson, but what these will grow up to be by and bye, I cannot tell. As regards Mr. Chia She, he too has had two sons; the second of whom, Chia Lien, is by this time about twenty. He took to wife a relative of his, a niece of Mr. Cheng's wife, a Miss Wang, and has now been married for the last two years. This Mr. Lien has lately obtained by purchase the rank of sub-prefect. He too takes little pleasure in books, but as far as worldly affairs go, he is so versatile and glib of tongue, that he has recently taken up his quarters with his uncle Mr. Cheng, to whom he gives a helping hand in the management of domestic matters. Who would have thought it, however, ever since his marriage with his worthy wife, not a single person, whether high or low, has there been who has not looked up to her with regard: with the result that Mr. Lien himself has, in fact, had to take a back seat (_lit_. withdrew 35 li). In looks, she is also so extremely beautiful, in speech so extremely quick and fluent, in ingenuity so deep and astute, that even a man could, in no way, come up to her mark."
After hearing these remarks Yue-ts'un smiled. "You now perceive," he said, "that my argument is no fallacy, and that the several persons about whom you and I have just been talking are, we may presume, human beings, who, one and all, have been generated by the spirit of right, and the spirit of evil, and come to life by the same royal road; but of course there's no saying."
"Enough," cried Tzu-hsing, "of right and enough of evil; we've been doing nothing but settling other people's accounts; come now, have another glass, and you'll be the better for it!"
"While bent upon talking," Yue-ts'un explained, "I've had more glasses than is good for me."
"Speaking of irrelevant matters about other people," Tzu-hsing rejoined complacently, "is quite the thing to help us swallow our wine; so come now; what harm will happen, if we do have a few glasses more."
Yue-ts'un thereupon looked out of the window.
"The day is also far advanced," he remarked, "and if we don't take care, the gates will be closing; let us leisurely enter the city, and as we go along, there will be nothing to prevent us from continuing our chat."
Forthwith the two friends rose from their seats, settled and paid their wine bill, and were just going, when they unexpectedly heard some one from behind say with a loud voice:
"Accept my congratulations, Brother Yue-ts'un; I've now come, with the express purpose of giving you the welcome news!"
Yue-ts'un lost no time in turning his head round to look at the speaker. But reader, if you wish to learn who the man was, listen to the details given in the following chapter.
yī jú shū yíng liào bù zhēn, xiāng xiāo chá jìn shàng qūn xún。 yù zhī mù xià xīng shuāi zhào, xū wèn bàng guān lěng yǎn rén。
què shuō fēng sù yīn tīng jiàn gōngchāi chuán huàn, máng chū lái péi xiào qǐ wèn。 nà xiē rén zhǐ rǎng:“ kuài qǐng chū zhēn yé lái! " fēng sù máng péi xiào dào:“ xiǎo rén xìng fēng, bìng bù xìng zhēn。 zhǐ yòu dāng rì xiǎo xù xìng zhēn, jīn yǐ chū jiā yī 'èr nián liǎo, bù zhī kě shì wèn tā? " nà xiē gōng rén dào:“ wǒ men yě bù zhī shénme‘ zhēn’‘ jiǎ’, yīn fèng tài yé zhī mìng lái wèn, tā jì shì nǐ nǚ xù, biàn dài liǎo nǐ qù qīn jiàn tài yé miàn bǐng, shěngde luàn páo。” shuō zhe, bù róng fēng sù duō yán, dà jiā tuī yōng tā qù liǎo。 fēng jiā rén gè gèdōu jīng huāng, bù zhī hé zhào。
nà tiān yuē 'èr gēngshí, zhǐ jiàn fēng sù fāng huí lái, huān tiān xǐ dì。 zhòng rén máng wèn duān de。 tā nǎi shuō dào:“ yuán lái běn fǔ xīn shēng de tài yé xìng jiǎ míng huà, běn guàn hú zhōu rén shì, céng yǔ nǚ xù jiù rì xiāng jiāo。 fāng cái zài zán mén qián guò qù, yīn jiàn jiāo xìng nà yā tóu mǎi xiàn, suǒ yǐ tā zhǐ dāng nǚ xù yí zhù yú cǐ。 wǒ yī yī jiāng yuán gù huí míng, nà tài yé dǎo shāng gǎn tàn xī liǎo yī huí, yòu wèn wài sūn nǚ 'ér, wǒ shuō kàn dēng diū liǎo。 tài yé shuō:‘ bù fáng, wǒ zì shǐ fān yì wù bì tàn fǎng huí lái。’ shuō liǎo yī huí huà, lín zǒu dǎo sòng liǎo wǒ 'èr liǎng yín zǐ。” zhēn jiā niàn zǐ tīng liǎo, bù miǎn xīn zhōng shāng gǎn。 yīxiǔ wú huà。 zhì cì rì, zǎo yòu yǔ cūn qiǎn rén sòng liǎo liǎng fēng yín zǐ, sì pǐ jǐn duàn, dá xiè zhēn jiā niàn zǐ, yòu jì yī fēng mì shū yǔ fēng sù, zhuǎn tuō wèn zhēn jiā niàn zǐ yào nà jiāo xìng zuò 'èr fáng。 fēng sù xǐ de pì gǔn niào liú, bā bù dé qù fèng chéng, biàn zài nǚ 'ér qián yī lì cuānduo chéng liǎo, chéng yè zhǐ yòng yīshèng xiǎo jiào, biàn bǎ jiāo xìng sòng jìn qù liǎo。 yǔ cūn huān xǐ, zì bù bì shuō, nǎi fēng bǎi jīn zèng fēng sù, wài xiè zhēn jiā niàn zǐ xǔ duō wù shì, lìng qí hǎo shēng yǎng shàn, yǐ dài xún fǎng nǚ 'ér xià luò。 fēng sù huí jiā wú huà。
què shuō jiāo xìng zhè yā huán, biàn shì nà nián huí gù yǔ cūn zhě。 yīn 'ǒu rán yī gù, biàn nòng chū zhè duàn shì lái, yì shì zì jǐ yì liào bù dào zhī qí yuán。 shuí xiǎng tā mìng yùn liǎng jì, bù chéng wàng zì dào yǔ cūn shēn biān, zhǐ yī nián biàn shēng liǎo yī zǐ, yòu bàn zài, yǔ cūn dí qī hū rǎn jí xià shì, yǔ cūn biàn jiāng tā fú cè zuò zhèng shì fū rén liǎo。 zhèng shì:
ǒu yīn yīzhāo cuò, biàn wéi rén shàng rén。
yuán lái, yǔ cūn yīn nà nián shì yǐn zèng yín zhī hòu, tā yú shí liù rì biàn qǐ shēn rù dū, zhì dà bǐ zhī qī, bù liào tā shí fēn dé yì, yǐ huì liǎo jìn shì, xuǎn rù wài bān, jīn yǐ shēng liǎo běn fǔ zhī fǔ。 suī cáigàn yōu cháng, wèi miǎn yòu xiē tān kù zhī bì, qiě yòu shì cái wǔ shàng, nà xiē guān yuán jiē cè mù 'ér shì。 bù shàng yī nián, biàn bèi shàng sī xún liǎo gè kòngxì, zuò chéng yī běn, cān tā shēng qíng jiǎo huá, shàn zuǎn lǐ yí, dà nù, jí pī gé zhí。 gāi bù wén shū yī dào, běn fǔ guān yuán wú bù xǐ yuè。 nà yǔ cūn xīn zhōng suī shí fēn cán hèn, què miàn shàng quán wú yī diǎn yuàn sè, réng shì xī xiào zì ruò, jiāo dài guò gōng shì, jiāng lì nián zuò guān jī de xiē zī běn bìng jiā xiǎo rén shǔ sòng zhì yuán jí, ān pái tuǒ xié, què shì zì jǐ dān fēng xiù yuè, yóu lǎn tiān xià shèng jì。
nà rì, ǒu yòu yóu zhì wéi yáng dì miàn, yīn wén dé jīn suì cuó zhèng diǎn de shì lín rú hǎi。 zhè lín rú hǎi xìng lín míng hǎi, biǎo zì rú hǎi, nǎi shì qián kē de tàn huā, jīn yǐ shēng zhì lán tái sì dà fū, běn guàn gū sū rén shì, jīn qīn diǎn chū wéi xún yán yù shǐ, dào rèn fāng yī yuè yòu yú。 yuán lái zhè lín rú hǎi zhī zǔ, céng xí guò liè hóu, jīn dào rú hǎi, yè jīng wǔ shì。 qǐ chū shí, zhǐ fēng xí sān shì, yīn dāng jīn lóng 'ēn shèng dé, yuǎn mài qián dài, é wài jiā 'ēn, zhì rú hǎi zhī fù, yòu xí liǎo yī dài; zhì rú hǎi, biàn cóng kē dì chū shēn。 suī xì zhōng dǐng zhī jiā, què yì shì shū xiāng zhī zú。 zhǐ kě xī zhè lín jiā zhī shù bù shèng, zǐ sūn yòu xiàn, suī yòu jǐ mén, què yǔ rú hǎi jù shì táng zú 'ér yǐ, méi shèn qīn zhī dí pài de。 jīn rú hǎi nián yǐ sì shí, zhǐ yòu yī gè sān suì zhī zǐ, piān yòu yú qù suì sǐ liǎo。 suī yòu jǐ fáng jī qiè, nài tā mìng zhōng wú zǐ, yì wú kě rú hé zhī shì。 jīn zhǐ yòu dí qī jiǎ shì, shēng dé yī nǚ, rǔ míng dài yù, nián fāng wǔ suì。 fū qī wú zǐ, gù 'ài rú zhēn bǎo, qiě yòu jiàn tā cōng míng qīng xiù, biàn yě yù shǐ tā dú shū shí dé jǐ gè zì, bù guò jiǎ chōng yǎng zǐ zhī yì, liáo jiě xī xià huāng liáng zhī tàn。
yǔ cūn zhèng zhí 'ǒu gǎn fēng hán, bìng zài lǚ diàn, jiāng yī yuè guāng jǐng fāng jiàn yù。 yī yīn shēn tǐ láo juàn, èr yīn pán fèi bù jì, yě zhèng yù xún gè hé shì zhī chù, zàn qiě xiē xià。 xìng yòu liǎng gè jiù yǒu, yì zài cǐ jìng jū zhù, yīn wén dé cuó zhèng yù pìn yī xī bīn, yǔ cūn biàn xiāng tuō yǒu lì, móu liǎo jìn qù, qiě zuò 'ān shēn zhī jì。 miào zài zhǐ yī gè nǚ xué shēng, bìng liǎng gè bàn dú yā huán, zhè nǚ xué shēng nián yòu xiǎo, shēn tǐ yòu jí qiè ruò, gōng kè bù xiàn duō guǎ, gù shí fēn shěng lì。 kān kān yòu shì yīzǎi de guāng yīn, shuí zhī nǚ xué shēng zhī mǔ jiǎ shì fū rén yī jí 'ér zhōng。 nǚ xué shēng shì tānɡ fèng yào, shǒu sàng jìn 'āi, suì yòu jiāng cí guǎn bié tú。 lín rú hǎi yì yù lìng nǚ shǒu zhì dú shū, gù yòu jiāng tā liú xià。 jìn yīn nǚ xué shēng 'āi tòng guò shāng, běn zì qiè ruò duō bìng de, chù fàn jiù zhèng, suì lián rì bù céng shàng xué。 yǔ cūn xián jū wú liáo, měi dāng fēng rì qíng hé, fàn hòu biàn chū lái xián bù。
zhè rì, ǒu zhì guō wài, yì yù shǎng jiàn nà cūn yě fēng guāng。 hū xìn bù zhì yī shān huán shuǐ xuán, mào lín shēn zhú zhī chù, yǐn yǐn de yòu zuò miào yǔ, mén xiàng qīng tuí, qiáng yuán xiǔ bài, mén qián yòu 'é, tí zhe " zhì tōng sì " sān zì, mén bàng yòu yòu yī fù jiù pò de duì lián, yuē
shēn hòu yòu yú wàng suō shǒu, yǎn qián wú lù xiǎng huí tóu。 yǔ cūn kàn liǎo, yīn xiǎng dào:“ zhè liǎng jù huà, wén suī qiǎn jìn, qí yì zé shēn。 wǒ yě céng yóu guò xiē míng shān dà chà, dǎo bù céng jiàn guò zhè huà tóu, qí zhōng xiǎng bì yòu gè fān guò jīn dǒu lái de yì wèi kě zhī, hé bù jìn qù shì shì。” xiǎng zhe zǒu rù, zhǐ yòu yī gè lóng zhōng lǎo sēng zài nà lǐ zhǔ yù。 yǔ cūn jiàn liǎo, biàn bù zài yì。 jí zhì wèn tā liǎng jù huà, nà lǎo sēng jì lóng qiě hūn, chǐ luò shé dùn, suǒ dá fēi suǒ wèn。
yǔ cūn bù nài fán, biàn réng chū lái, yì yù dào nà cūn sì zhōng gū yǐn sān bēi, yǐ zhù yě qù, yú shì kuǎn bù xíng lái。 jiāng rù sì mén, zhǐ jiàn zuò shàng chī jiǔ zhī kè yòu yī rén qǐ shēn dà xiào, jiē liǎo chū lái, kǒu nèi shuō:“ qí yù, qí yù。” yǔ cūn máng kàn shí, cǐ rén shì dū zhōng zài gǔ dǒng xíng zhōng mào yì de hào lěng zǐ xīng zhě, jiù rì zài dū xiāng shí。 yǔ cūn zuì zàn zhè lěng zǐ xīng shì gè yòu zuò wéi dà běn lǐng de rén, zhè zǐ xīng yòu jiè yǔ cūn sī wén zhī míng, gù 'èr rén shuō huà tóu jī, zuì xiāng qì hé。 yǔ cūn máng xiào wèn dào:“ lǎo xiōng hé rì dào cǐ? dì jìng bù zhī。 jīn rì 'ǒu yù, zhēn qí yuán yě。” zǐ xīng dào:“ qù nián suì dǐ dào jiā, jīn yīn hái yào rù dū, cóng cǐ shùn lù zhǎo gè bì yǒu shuō yī jù huà, chéng tā zhī qíng, liú wǒ duō zhù liǎng rì。 wǒ yě wú jǐn shì, qiě pán huán liǎng rì, dài yuè bàn shí yě jiù qǐ shēn liǎo。 jīn rì bì yǒu yòu shì, wǒ yīn xián bù zhì cǐ, qiě xiē xiē jiǎo, bù qī zhè yàng qiǎo yù! " yī miàn shuō, yī miàn ràng yǔ cūn tóng xí zuò liǎo, lìng zhěng shàng jiǔ yáo lái。 èr rén xián tán màn yǐn, xù xiē bié hòu zhī shì。
yǔ cūn yīn wèn:“ jìn rì dū zhōng kě yòu xīn wén méi yòu? " zǐ xīng dào:“ dǎo méi yòu shénme xīn wén, dǎo shì lǎo xiān shēng nǐ guì tóng zōng jiā, chū liǎo yī jiàn xiǎo xiǎo de yì shì。” yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ dì zú zhōng wú rén zài dū, hé tán jí cǐ? " zǐ xīng xiào dào:“ nǐ men tóng xìng, qǐ fēi tóng zōng yī zú? " yǔ cūn wèn shì shuí jiā。 zǐ xīng dào:“ róng guó fǔ jiǎ fǔ zhōng, kě yě diàn rǔ liǎo xiān shēng de mén méi me? " yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ yuán lái shì tā jiā。 ruò lùn qǐ lái, hán zú rén dīng què bù shǎo, zì dōng hàn jiǎ fù yǐ lái, zhī pài fán shèng, gè shěng jiē yòu, shuí zhú xì kǎo chá dé lái? ruò lùn róng guó yī zhī, què shì tóng pǔ。 dàn tā nà děng róng yào, wǒ men bù biàn qù pān chě, zhì jīn gù yuè fā shēng shū nán rèn liǎo。” zǐ xīng tàn dào:“ lǎo xiān shēng xiū rú cǐ shuō。 rú jīn de zhè níng róng liǎng mén, yědōu xiāo shū liǎo, bù bǐ xiān shí de guāng jǐng。” yǔ cūn dào:“ dāng rì níng róng liǎng zhái de rén kǒu yě jí duō, rú hé jiù xiāo shū liǎo? " lěng zǐ xīng dào:“ zhèng shì, shuō lái yě huà cháng。” yǔ cūn dào:“ qù suì wǒ dào jīn líng dì jiè, yīn yù yóu lǎn liù cháo yí jì, nà rì jìn liǎo shí tóu chéng, cóng tā lǎo zhái mén qián jīng guò。 jiē dōng shì níng guó fǔ, jiē xī shì róng guó fǔ, èr zhái xiāng lián, jìng jiāng dà bàn tiáo jiē zhàn liǎo。 dà mén qián suī lěng luò wú rén, gé zhe wéi qiáng yī wàng, lǐ miàn tīng diàn lóu gé, yě hái dū zhēng róng xuān jùn, jiù shì hòu yī dài huā yuán zǐ lǐ miàn shù mù shān shí, yě hái dōuyòu wěng wèi yīn rùn zhī qì, nà lǐ xiàng gè shuāi bài zhī jiā? " lěng zǐ xīng xiào dào:“ kuī nǐ shì jìn shì chū shēn, yuán lái bù tōng! gǔ rén yòu yún:‘ bǎi zú zhī chóng, sǐ 'ér bù jiāng。’ rú jīn suī shuō bù jí xiān nián nà yàng xīng shèng, jiào zhī píng cháng shì huàn zhī jiā, dào dǐ qì xiàng bù tóng。 rú jīn shēng chǐ rì fán, shì wù rì shèng, zhù pú shàng xià, ān fù zūn róng zhě jìn duō, yùn chóu móu huà zhě wú yī, qí rì yòng pái chǎng fèi yòng, yòu bù néng jiāng jiù shěng jiǎn, rú jīn wài miàn de jià zǐ suī wèi shèn dǎo, nèi náng què yě jìn shàng lái liǎo。 zhè hái shì xiǎo shì。 gèng yòu yī jiàn dà shì: shuí zhī zhè yàng zhōng míng dǐng shí zhī jiā, hàn mò shī shū zhī zú, rú jīn de 'ér sūn, jìng yī dài bù rú yī dài liǎo! " yǔ cūn tīng shuō, yě nà hǎn dào:“ zhè yàng shī lǐ zhī jiā, qǐ yòu bù shàn jiào yù zhī lǐ? bié mén bù zhī, zhǐ shuō zhè níng, róng 'èr zhái, shì zuì jiào zǐ yòu fāng de。”
zǐ xīng tàn dào:“ zhèng shuō de shì zhè liǎng mén ní。 dài wǒ gào sù nǐ: dāng rì níng guó gōng yǔ róng guó gōng shì yī mǔ tóng bāo dì xiōng liǎng gè。 níng gōng jū cháng, shēng liǎo sì gè 'ér zǐ。 níng gōng sǐ hòu, jiǎ dài huà xí liǎo guān, yě yǎng liǎo liǎng gè 'ér zǐ: cháng míng jiǎ fū, zhì bā jiǔ suì shàng biàn sǐ liǎo, zhǐ shèng liǎo cì zǐ jiǎ jìng xí liǎo guān, rú jīn yī wèi hǎo dào, zhǐ 'ài shāo dān liàn gǒng, yú zhě yī gài bù zài xīn shàng。 xìng 'ér zǎo nián liú xià yī zǐ, míng huàn jiǎ zhēn, yīn tā fù qīn yī xīn xiǎng zuò shén xiān, bǎ guān dǎo ràng tā xí liǎo。 tā fù qīn yòu bù kěn huí yuán jí lái, zhǐ zài dū zhōng chéng wài hé dào shì men hú chàn。 zhè wèi zhēn yé dǎo shēng liǎo yī gè 'ér zǐ, jīn nián cái shí liù suì, míng jiào jiǎ róng。 rú jīn jìng lǎo diē yī gài bù guǎn。 zhè zhēn yé nà lǐ kěn dú shū, zhǐ yī wèi gāo lè bù liǎo, bǎ níng guó fǔ jìng fān liǎo guò lái, yě méi yòu rén gǎn lái guǎn tā。 zài shuō róng fǔ nǐ tīng, fāng cái suǒ shuō yì shì, jiù chū zài zhè lǐ。 zì róng gōng sǐ hòu, zhǎngzǐ jiǎ dài shàn xí liǎo guān, qǔ de yě shì jīn líng shì xūn shǐ hóu jiā de xiǎo jiě wéi qī, shēng liǎo liǎng gè 'ér zǐ: zhǎngzǐ jiǎ shè, cì zǐ jiǎ zhèng。 rú jīn dài shàn zǎo yǐ qù shì, tài fū rén shàng zài, zhǎngzǐ jiǎ shè xí zhe guān, cì zǐ jiǎ zhèng, zì yòu kù xǐ bǔ liáo *, zǔ fù zuì téng, yuán yù yǐ kē jiá chū shēn de, bù liào dài shàn lín zhōng shí yí běn yī shàng, huáng shàng yīn xù xiān chén, jí shí lìng zhǎngzǐ xí guān wài, wèn hái yòu jǐ zǐ, lì kè yǐn jiàn, suì 'é wài cì liǎo zhè zhèng lǎo diē yī gè zhù shì zhī xián, lìng qí rù bù xí xué, rú jīn xiàn yǐ shēng liǎo yuán wài láng liǎo。 zhè zhèng lǎo diē de fū rén wáng shì, tóu tāi shēng de gōng zǐ, míng huàn jiǎ zhū, shí sì suì jìn xué, bù dào 'èr shí suì jiù qǔ liǎo qī shēng liǎo zǐ, yī bìng sǐ liǎo。 dì 'èr tāi shēng liǎo yī wèi xiǎo jiě, shēng zài dà nián chū yī, zhè jiù qí liǎo, bù xiǎng hòu lái yòu shēng yī wèi gōng zǐ, shuō lái gèng qí, yī luò tāi bāo, zuǐ lǐ biàn xián xià yī kuài wǔ cǎi jīng yíng de yù lái, shàng miàn hái yòu xǔ duō zì jì, jiù qǔ míng jiào zuò bǎo yù。 nǐ dào shì xīn qí yì shì bù shì?”
yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ guǒ rán qí yì。 zhǐ pà zhè rén lái lì bù xiǎo。” zǐ xīng lěng xiào dào:“ wàn rén jiē rú cǐ shuō, yīn 'ér nǎi zǔ mǔ biàn xiān 'ài rú zhēn bǎo。 nà nián zhōu suì shí, zhèng lǎo diē biàn yào shì tā jiāng lái de zhì xiàng, biàn jiāng nà shì shàng suǒ yòu zhī wù bǎi liǎo wú shù, yǔ tā zhuā qǔ。 shuí zhī tā yī gài bù qǔ, shēn shǒu zhǐ bǎ xiē zhī fěn chāi huán zhuā lái。 zhèng lǎo diē biàn dà nù liǎo, shuō:“‘ jiāng lái jiǔ sè zhī tú 'ěr!’ yīn cǐ biàn dà bù xǐ yuè。 dú nà shǐ lǎo tài jūn hái shì mìng gēn yī yàng。 shuō lái yòu qí, rú jīn cháng liǎo qī bā suì, suī rán táo qì yì cháng, dàn qí cōng míng guāi jué chù, bǎi gè bù jí tā yī gè。 shuō qǐ hái zǐ huà lái yě qí guài, tā shuō:‘ nǚ 'ér shì shuǐ zuò de gǔ ròu, nán rén shì ní zuò de gǔ ròu。 wǒ jiàn liǎo nǚ 'ér, wǒ biàn qīng shuǎng, jiàn liǎo nán zǐ, biàn jué zhuó chòu bī rén。’ nǐ dào hǎo xiào bù hǎo xiào? jiāng lái sè guǐ wú yí liǎo! " yǔ cūn hǎn rán lì sè máng zhǐ dào:“ fēi yě! kě xī nǐ men bù zhī dào zhè rén lái lì。 dà yuē zhèng lǎo qián bèi yě cuò yǐ yín mó sè guǐ kàn dài liǎo。 ruò fēi duō dú shū shí shì, jiā yǐ zhì zhī gé wù zhī gōng, wù dào cān xuán zhī lì, bù néng zhī yě。”
zǐ xīng jiàn tā shuō dé zhè yàng zhòng dà, máng qǐng jiào qí duān。 yǔ cūn dào:“ tiān dì shēng rén, chú dà rén dà 'è liǎng zhǒng, yú zhě jiē wú dà yì。 ruò dà rén zhě, zé yìng yùn 'ér shēng, dà 'è zhě, zé yìng jié 'ér shēng。 yùn shēng shì zhì, jié shēng shì wēi。 yáo, shùn, yǔ, tānɡ, wén, wǔ, zhōu, zhào, kǒng, mèng, dǒng, hán, zhōu, chéng, zhāng, zhū, jiē yìng yùn 'ér shēng zhě。 chī yóu, gòng gōng, jié, zhòu, shǐ huáng, wáng mǎng, cáo cāo, huán wēn, ān lù shān, qínhuì děng, jiē yìng jié 'ér shēng zhě。 dà rén zhě, xiū zhì tiān xià, dà 'è zhě, náo luàn tiān xià。 qīng míng líng xiù, tiān dì zhī zhèng qì, rén zhě zhī suǒ bǐng yě, cán rěn guāi pì, tiān dì zhī xié qì, è zhě zhī suǒ bǐng yě。 jīn dāng yùn lóng zuò yǒng zhī cháo, tài píng wú wéi zhī shì, qīng míng líng xiù zhī qì suǒ bǐng zhě, shàng zhì cháo tíng, xià jí cǎo yě, bǐ bǐ jiē shì。 suǒ yú zhī xiù qì, màn wú suǒ guī, suì wéi gān lù, wéi hé fēng, qià rán gài jí sì hǎi。 bǐ cán rěn guāi pì zhī xié qì, bù néng dàng yì yú guāng tiān huà rì zhī zhōng, suì níng jié chōng sài yú shēn gōu dà hè zhī nèi, ǒu yīn fēng dàng, huò bèi yún cuī, lüè yòu yáo dòng gǎn fā zhī yì, yī sī bàn lǚ wù 'ér xiè chū zhě, ǒu zhí líng xiù zhī qì shì guò, zhèng bù róng xié, xié fù dù zhèng, liǎng bù xiāng xià, yì rú fēng shuǐ léi diàn, dì zhōng jì yù, jì bù néng xiāo, yòu bù néng ràng, bì zhì bó jī xiān fā hòu shǐ jìn。 gù qí qì yì bì fù rén, fā xiè yī jìn shǐ sàn。 shǐ nán nǚ 'ǒu bǐng cǐ qì 'ér shēng zhě, zài shàng zé bù néng chéng rén rén jūn zǐ, xià yì bù néng wéi dà xiōng dà 'è。 zhì zhī yú wàn wàn rén zhōng, qí cōng jùn líng xiù zhī qì, zé zài wàn wàn rén zhī shàng, qí guāi pì xié miù bù jìn rén qíng zhī tài, yòu zài wàn wàn rén zhī xià。 ruò shēng yú gōng hóu fù guì zhī jiā, zé wéi qíng chī qíng zhǒng, ruò shēng yú shī shū qīng pín zhī zú, zé wéi yì shì gāo rén, zòng zài 'ǒu shēng yú bó zuò hán mén, duàn bù néng wéi zǒu zú jiàn pú, gān zāo yōng rén qū zhì jià yù, bì wéi qí yōu míng chàng。 rú qián dài zhī xǔ yóu, táo qián, ruǎn jí, jī kāng, liú líng, wáng xiè 'èr zú, gù hǔ tóu, chén hòu zhù, táng míng huáng, sòng huī zōng, liú tíng zhī, wēn fēi qīng, mǐ nán gōng, shí màn qīng, liǔ qí qīng, qín shǎo yóu, jìn rì zhī ní yún lín, táng bó hǔ, zhù zhī shān, zài rú lǐ guī nián, huáng fān chuò, jìng xīn mó, zhuó wén jūn, hóng fú, xuē tāo, cuī yīng, cháo yún zhī liú, cǐ jiē yì dì zé tóng zhī rén yě。”
zǐ xīng dào:“ yǐ nǐ shuō,‘ chéng zé wáng hóu bài zé zéi liǎo。’ " yǔ cūn dào:“ zhèng shì zhè yì。 nǐ hái bù zhī, wǒ zì gé zhí yǐ lái, zhè liǎng nián biàn yóu gè shěng, yě céng yù jiàn liǎng gè yì yàng hái zǐ。 suǒ yǐ, fāng cái nǐ yī shuō zhè bǎo yù, wǒ jiù cāizháo liǎo bā jiǔ yì shì zhè yī pài rén wù。 bù yòng yuǎn shuō, zhǐ jīn líng chéng nèi, qīnchāi jīn líng shěng tǐ rén yuàn zǒng cái zhēn jiā, nǐ kě zhī me? " zǐ xīng dào:“ shuí rén bù zhī! zhè zhēn fǔ hé jiǎ fǔ jiù shì lǎo qīn, yòu xì shì jiāo。 liǎng jiā lái wǎng, jí qí qīn rè de。 biàn zài xià yě hé tā jiā lái wǎng fēi zhǐ yī rì liǎo。”
yǔ cūn xiào dào:“ qù suì wǒ zài jīn líng, yě céng yòu rén jiàn wǒ dào zhēn fǔ chù guǎn。 wǒ jìn qù kàn qí guāng jǐng, shuí zhī tā jiā nà děng xiǎn guì, què shì gè fù 'ér hǎo lǐ zhī jiā, dǎo shì gè nán dé zhī guǎn。 dàn zhè yī gè xué shēng, suī shì qǐ méng, què bǐ yī gè jǔ yè de hái láo shén。 shuō qǐ lái gèng kě xiào, tā shuō:‘ bì dé liǎng gè nǚ 'ér bàn zhe wǒ dú shū, wǒ fāng néng rèn dé zì, xīn lǐ yě míng bái, bù rán wǒ zì jǐ xīn lǐ hú tú。’ yòu cháng duì gēn tā de xiǎo sī men shuō:‘ zhè nǚ 'ér liǎng gè zì, jí zūn guì, jí qīng jìng de, bǐ nà 'ēmítuófó, yuán shǐ tiān zūn de zhè liǎng gè bǎo hào hái gèng zūn róng wú duì de ní! nǐ men zhè zhuó kǒu chòu shé, wàn bù kě táng tū liǎo zhè liǎng gè zì, yào jǐn。 dàn fán yào shuō shí, bì xū xiān yòng qīng shuǐ xiāng chá shù liǎo kǒu cái kě, shè ruò shī cuò, biàn yào záo yá chuān sāi děng shì。’ qí bào nüè fú zào, wán liè hān chī, zhǒng zhǒng yì cháng。 zhǐ yī fàng liǎo xué, jìn qù jiàn liǎo nà xiē nǚ 'ér men, qí wēn hòu hé píng, cōng mǐn wén yǎ, jìng yòu biàn liǎo yī gè。 yīn cǐ, tā lìng zūn yě céng xià sǐ chī chǔ guò jǐ cì, wú nài jìng bù néng gǎi。 měi dǎ de chī téng bù guò shí, tā biàn‘ jiě jiě’‘ mèi mèi’ luàn jiào qǐ lái。 hòu lái tīng dé lǐ miàn nǚ 'ér men ná tā qǔ xiào:‘ yīn hé dǎ jí liǎo zhǐ guǎn jiào jiě mèi zuò shèn? mò bù shì qiú jiě mèi qù shuō qíng tǎo ráo? nǐ qǐ bù kuì xiē!’ tā huí dá de zuì miào。 tā shuō:‘ jí téng zhī shí, zhǐ jiào‘ jiě jiě’ mèi mèi’ zì yàng, huò kě jiě téng yě wèi kě zhī, yīn jiào liǎo yī shēng, biàn guǒ jué bù téng liǎo, suì dé liǎo mì fǎ: měi téng tòng zhī jí, biàn lián jiào jiě mèi qǐ lái liǎo。’ nǐ shuō kě xiào bù kě xiào? yě yīn zǔ mǔ nì 'ài bù míng, měi yīn sūn rǔ shī zé zǐ, yīn cǐ wǒ jiù cí liǎo guǎn chū lái。 rú jīn zài zhè xún yán yù shǐ lín jiā zuò guǎn liǎo。 nǐ kàn, zhè děng zǐ dì, bì bù néng shǒu zǔ fù zhī gēn jī, cóng shī cháng zhī guī jiàn de。 zhǐ kě xī tā jiā jǐ gè zǐ mèi dōushì shǎo yòu de。”
zǐ xīng dào:“ biàn shì jiǎ fǔ zhōng, xiàn yòu de sān gè yě bù cuò。 zhèng lǎo diē de cháng nǚ, míng yuán chūn, xiàn yīn xián xiào cái dé, xuǎn rù gōng zuò nǚ shǐ qù liǎo。 èr xiǎo jiě nǎi shè lǎo diē zhī qiè suǒ chū, míng yíng chūn, sān xiǎo jiě nǎi zhèng lǎo diē zhī shù chū, míng tàn chūn, sì xiǎo jiě nǎi níng fǔ zhēn yé zhī bāo mèi, míng huàn xī chūn。 yīn shǐ lǎo fū rén jí 'ài sūn nǚ, dū gēn zài zǔ mǔ zhè biān yī chù dú shū, tīng dé gè gè bù cuò。 yǔ cūn dào:“ gèng miào zài zhēn jiā de fēng sú, nǚ 'ér zhī míng, yì jiē cóng nán zǐ zhī míng mìng zì, bù sì bié jiā lìng wài yòng zhè xiē‘ chūn’‘ hóng’‘ xiāng’‘ yù’ děng yàn zì de。 hé dé jiǎ fǔ yì lè cǐ sú tào? " zǐ xīng dào:“ bù rán。 zhǐ yīn xiàn jīn dà xiǎo jiě shì zhèng yuè chū yī rì suǒ shēng, gù míng yuán chūn, yú zhě fāng cóng liǎo‘ chūn’ zì。 shàng yī bèi de, què yě shì cóng xiōng dì 'ér lái de。 xiàn yòu duì zhèng: mù jīn nǐ guì dōng jiā lín gōng zhī fū rén, jí róng fǔ zhōng shè, zhèng 'èr gōng zhī bāo mèi, zài jiā shí míng huàn jiǎ mǐn。 bù xìn shí, nǐ huí qù xì fǎng kě zhī。” yǔ cūn pāi 'àn xiào dào:“ guài dào zhè nǚ xué shēng dú zhì fán shū zhōng yòu‘ mǐn’ zì, jiē niàn zuò‘ mì’ zì, měi měi rú shì, xiě zì yù zhe‘ mǐn’ zì, yòu jiǎn yī 'èr bǐ, wǒ xīn zhōng jiù yòu xiē yí huò。 jīn tīng nǐ shuō de, shì wéi cǐ wú yí yǐ。 guài dào wǒ zhè nǚ xué shēng yán yǔ jǔ zhǐ lìng shì yī yàng, bù yǔ jìn rì nǚ zǐ xiāng tóng, dù qí mǔ bì bù fán, fāng dé qí nǚ, jīn zhī wéi róng fǔ zhī sūn, yòu bù zú hǎn yǐ, kě shāng shàng yuè jìng wáng gù liǎo。” zǐ xīng tàn dào:“ lǎo zǐ mèi sì gè, zhè yī gè shì jí xiǎo de, yòu méi liǎo。 cháng yī bèi de zǐ mèi, yī gè yě méi liǎo。 zhǐ kàn zhè xiǎo yī bèi de, jiāng lái zhī dōng chuáng rú hé ní。”
yǔ cūn dào:“ zhèng shì。 fāng cái shuō zhè zhèng gōng, yǐ yòu xián yù zhī 'ér, yòu yòu zhǎngzǐ suǒ yí yī gè ruò sūn。 zhè shè lǎo jìng wú yī gè bù chéng? " zǐ xīng dào:“ zhèng gōng jì yòu yù 'ér zhī hòu, qí qiè yòu shēng liǎo yī gè, dǎo bù zhī qí hǎo dǎi。 zhǐ yǎn qián xiàn yòu 'èr zǐ yī sūn, què bù zhī jiāng lái rú hé。 ruò wèn nà shè gōng, yě yòu 'èr zǐ, cháng míng jiǎ liǎn, jīn yǐ 'èr shí lái wǎng liǎo, qīn shàng zuò qīn, qǔ de jiù shì zhèng lǎo diē fū rén wáng shì zhī nèi zhí nǚ, jīn yǐ qǔ liǎo 'èr nián。 zhè wèi liǎn yé shēn shàng xiàn juān de shì gè tóng zhī, yě shì bù kěn dú shū, yú shì lù shàng hǎo jī biàn, yán tán qù de, suǒ yǐ rú jīn zhǐ zài nǎi shū zhèng lǎo yé jiā zhù zhe, bāng zhe liào lǐ xiē jiā wù。 shuí zhī zì qǔ liǎo tā lìng fū rén zhī hòu, dǎo shàng xià wú yī rén bù chēng sòng tā fū rén de, liǎn yé dàotuì liǎo yī shè zhī dì: shuō múyàng yòu jí biāo zhì, yán tán yòu shuǎng lì, xīn jī yòu jí shēn xì, jìng shì gè nán rén wàn bù jí yī de。”
yǔ cūn tīng liǎo, xiào dào:“ kě zhī wǒ qián yán bù miù。 nǐ wǒ fāng cái suǒ shuō de zhè jǐ gè rén, dū zhǐ pà shì nà zhèng xié liǎng fù 'ér lái yī lù zhī rén, wèi kě zhī yě。” zǐ xīng dào:“ xié yě bà, zhèng yě bà, zhǐ gù suàn bié rén jiā de zhàng, nǐ yě chī yī bēi jiǔ cái hǎo。” yǔ cūn dào:“ zhèng shì, zhǐ gù shuō huà, jìng duō chī liǎo jǐ bēi。” zǐ xīng xiào dào:“ shuō zhe bié rén jiā de xián huà, zhèng hǎo xià jiǔ, jí duō chī jǐ bēi hé fáng。” yǔ cūn xiàng chuāng wài kàn dào:“ tiān yě wǎn liǎo, zǎi xì guān liǎo chéng。 wǒ men màn màn de jìn chéng zài tán, wèi wéi bù kě。” yú shì, èr rén qǐ shēn, suàn hái jiǔ zhàng。 fāng yù zǒu shí, yòu tīng dé hòu miàn yòu rén jiào dào:“ yǔ cūn xiōng, gōng xǐ liǎo! tè lái bào gè xǐ xìn de。” yǔ cūn máng huí tóu kàn shí -
To continue. Feng Su, upon hearing the shouts of the public messengers, came out in a flurry and forcing a smile, he asked them to explain (their errand); but all these people did was to continue bawling out: "Be quick, and ask Mr. Chen to come out."
"My surname is Feng," said Feng Su, as he promptly forced himself to smile; "It is'nt Chen at all: I had once a son-in-law whose surname was Chen, but he has left home, it is now already a year or two back. Is it perchance about him that you are inquiring?"
To which the public servants remarked: "We know nothing about Chen or Chia (true or false); but as he is your son-in-law, we'll take you at once along with us to make verbal answer to our master and have done with it."
And forthwith the whole bevy of public servants hustled Feng Su on, as they went on their way back; while every one in the Feng family was seized with consternation, and could not imagine what it was all about.
It was no earlier than the second watch, when Feng Su returned home; and they, one and all, pressed him with questions as to what had happened.
"The fact is," he explained, "the newly-appointed Magistrate, whose surname is Chia, whose name is Huo and who is a native of Hu-chow, has been on intimate terms, in years gone by, with our son-in-law; that at the sight of the girl Chiao Hsing, standing at the door, in the act of buying thread, he concluded that he must have shifted his quarters over here, and hence it was that his messengers came to fetch him. I gave him a clear account of the various circumstances (of his misfortunes), and the Magistrate was for a time much distressed and expressed his regret. He then went on to make inquiries about my grand-daughter, and I explained that she had been lost, while looking at the illuminations. 'No matter,' put in the Magistrate, 'I will by and by order my men to make search, and I feel certain that they will find her and bring her back.' Then ensued a short conversation, after which I was about to go, when he presented me with the sum of two taels."
The mistress of the Chen family (Mrs. Chen Shih-yin) could not but feel very much affected by what she heard, and the whole evening she uttered not a word.
The next day, at an early hour, Yue-ts'un sent some of his men to bring over to Chen's wife presents, consisting of two packets of silver, and four pieces of brocaded silk, as a token of gratitude, and to Feng Su also a confidential letter, requesting him to ask of Mrs. Chen her maid Chiao Hsing to become his second wife.
Feng Su was so intensely delighted that his eyebrows expanded, his eyes smiled, and he felt eager to toady to the Magistrate (by presenting the girl to him). He hastened to employ all his persuasive powers with his daughter (to further his purpose), and on the same evening he forthwith escorted Chiao Hsing in a small chair to the Yamen.
The joy experienced by Yue-ts'un need not be dilated upon. He also presented Feng Su with a packet containing one hundred ounces of gold; and sent numerous valuable presents to Mrs. Chen, enjoining her "to live cheerfully in the anticipation of finding out the whereabouts of her daughter."
It must be explained, however, that the maid Chi'ao Hsing was the very person, who, a few years ago, had looked round at Yue-ts'un and who, by one simple, unpremeditated glance, evolved, in fact, this extraordinary destiny which was indeed an event beyond conception.
Who would ever have foreseen that fate and fortune would both have so favoured her that she should, contrary to all anticipation, give birth to a son, after living with Yue-ts'un barely a year, that in addition to this, after the lapse of another half year, Yue-ts'un's wife should have contracted a sudden illness and departed this life, and that Yue-ts'un should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is adequately expressed by the lines:
Through but one single, casual look Soon an exalted place she took.
The fact is that after Yue-ts'un had been presented with the money by Shih-yin, he promptly started on the 16th day for the capital, and at the triennial great tripos, his wishes were gratified to the full. Having successfully carried off his degree of graduate of the third rank, his name was put by selection on the list for provincial appointments. By this time, he had been raised to the rank of Magistrate in this district; but, in spite of the excellence and sufficiency of his accomplishments and abilities, he could not escape being ambitious and overbearing. He failed besides, confident as he was in his own merits, in respect toward his superiors, with the result that these officials looked upon him scornfully with the corner of the eye.
A year had hardly elapsed, when he was readily denounced in a memorial to the Throne by the High Provincial authorities, who represented that he was of a haughty disposition, that he had taken upon himself to introduce innovations in the rites and ceremonies, that overtly, while he endeavoured to enjoy the reputation of probity and uprightness, he, secretly, combined the nature of the tiger and wolf; with the consequence that he had been the cause of much trouble in the district, and that he had made life intolerable for the people.
The Dragon countenance of the Emperor was considerably incensed. His Majesty lost no time in issuing commands, in reply to the Memorial, that he should be deprived of his official status.
On the arrival of the despatch from the Board, great was the joy felt by every officer, without exception, of the prefecture in which he had held office. Yue-ts'un, though at heart intensely mortified and incensed, betrayed not the least outward symptom of annoyance, but still preserved, as of old, a smiling and cheerful countenance.
He handed over charge of all official business and removed the savings which he had accumulated during the several years he had been in office, his family and all his chattels to his original home; where, after having put everything in proper order, he himself travelled (carried the winds and sleeved the moon) far and wide, visiting every relic of note in the whole Empire.
As luck would have it, on a certain day while making a second journey through the Wei Yang district, he heard the news that the Salt Commissioner appointed this year was Lin Ju-hai. This Lin Ju-hai's family name was Lin, his name Hai and his style Ju-hai. He had obtained the third place in the previous triennial examination, and had, by this time, already risen to the rank of Director of the Court of Censors. He was a native of Ku Su. He had been recently named by Imperial appointment a Censor attached to the Salt Inspectorate, and had arrived at his post only a short while back.
In fact, the ancestors of Lin Ju-hai had, from years back, successively inherited the title of Marquis, which rank, by its present descent to Ju-hai, had already been enjoyed by five generations. When first conferred, the hereditary right to the title had been limited to three generations; but of late years, by an act of magnanimous favour and generous beneficence, extraordinary bounty had been superadded; and on the arrival of the succession to the father of Ju-hai, the right had been extended to another degree. It had now descended to Ju-hai, who had, besides this title of nobility, begun his career as a successful graduate. But though his family had been through uninterrupted ages the recipient of imperial bounties, his kindred had all been anyhow men of culture.
The only misfortune had been that the several branches of the Lin family had not been prolific, so that the numbers of its members continued limited; and though there existed several households, they were all however to Ju-hai no closer relatives than first cousins. Neither were there any connections of the same lineage, or of the same parentage.
Ju-hai was at this date past forty; and had only had a son, who had died the previous year, in the third year of his age. Though he had several handmaids, he had not had the good fortune of having another son; but this was too a matter that could not be remedied.
By his wife, nee Chia, he had a daughter, to whom the infant name of Tai Yue was given. She was, at this time, in her fifth year. Upon her the parents doated as much as if she were a brilliant pearl in the palm of their hand. Seeing that she was endowed with natural gifts of intelligence and good looks, they also felt solicitous to bestow upon her a certain knowledge of books, with no other purpose than that of satisfying, by this illusory way, their wishes of having a son to nurture and of dispelling the anguish felt by them, on account of the desolation and void in their family circle (round their knees).
But to proceed. Yue-ts'un, while sojourning at an inn, was unexpectedly laid up with a violent chill. Finding on his recovery, that his funds were not sufficient to pay his expenses, he was thinking of looking out for some house where he could find a resting place when he suddenly came across two friends acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner. Knowing that this official was desirous to find a tutor to instruct his daughter, they lost no time in recommending Yue-ts'un, who moved into the Yamen.
His female pupil was youthful in years and delicate in physique, so that her lessons were irregular. Besides herself, there were only two waiting girls, who remained in attendance during the hours of study, so that Yue-ts'un was spared considerable trouble and had a suitable opportunity to attend to the improvement of his health.
In a twinkle, another year and more slipped by, and when least expected, the mother of his ward, nee Chia, was carried away after a short illness. His pupil (during her mother's sickness) was dutiful in her attendance, and prepared the medicines for her use. (And after her death,) she went into the deepest mourning prescribed by the rites, and gave way to such excess of grief that, naturally delicate as she was, her old complaint, on this account, broke out anew.
Being unable for a considerable time to prosecute her studies, Yue-ts'un lived at leisure and had no duties to attend to. Whenever therefore the wind was genial and the sun mild, he was wont to stroll at random, after he had done with his meals.
On this particular day, he, by some accident, extended his walk beyond the suburbs, and desirous to contemplate the nature of the rustic scenery, he, with listless step, came up to a spot encircled by hills and streaming pools, by luxuriant clumps of trees and thick groves of bamboos. Nestling in the dense foliage stood a temple. The doors and courts were in ruins. The walls, inner and outer, in disrepair. An inscription on a tablet testified that this was the temple of Spiritual Perception. On the sides of the door was also a pair of old and dilapidated scrolls with the following enigmatical verses.
Behind ample there is, yet to retract the hand, the mind heeds not, until. Before the mortal vision lies no path, when comes to turn the will.
"These two sentences," Yue-ts'un pondered after perusal, "although simple in language, are profound in signification. I have previous to this visited many a spacious temple, located on hills of note, but never have I beheld an inscription referring to anything of the kind. The meaning contained in these words must, I feel certain, owe their origin to the experiences of some person or other; but there's no saying. But why should I not go in and inquire for myself?"
Upon walking in, he at a glance caught sight of no one else, but of a very aged bonze, of unkempt appearance, cooking his rice. When Yue-ts'un perceived that he paid no notice, he went up to him and asked him one or two questions, but as the old priest was dull of hearing and a dotard, and as he had lost his teeth, and his tongue was blunt, he made most irrelevant replies.
Yue-ts'un lost all patience with him, and withdrew again from the compound with the intention of going as far as the village public house to have a drink or two, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the rustic scenery. With easy stride, he accordingly walked up to the place. Scarcely had he passed the threshold of the public house, when he perceived some one or other among the visitors who had been sitting sipping their wine on the divan, jump up and come up to greet him, with a face beaming with laughter.
"What a strange meeting! What a strange meeting!" he exclaimed aloud.
Yue-ts'un speedily looked at him, (and remembered) that this person had, in past days, carried on business in a curio establishment in the capital, and that his surname was Leng and his style Tzu-hsing.
A mutual friendship had existed between them during their sojourn, in days of yore, in the capital; and as Yue-ts'un had entertained the highest opinion of Leng Tzu-hsing, as being a man of action and of great abilities, while this Leng Tzu-hsing, on the other hand, borrowed of the reputation of refinement enjoyed by Yue-ts'un, the two had consequently all along lived in perfect harmony and companionship.
"When did you get here?" Yue-ts'un eagerly inquired also smilingly. "I wasn't in the least aware of your arrival. This unexpected meeting is positively a strange piece of good fortune."
"I went home," Tzu-hsing replied, "about the close of last year, but now as I am again bound to the capital, I passed through here on my way to look up a friend of mine and talk some matters over. He had the kindness to press me to stay with him for a couple of days longer, and as I after all have no urgent business to attend to, I am tarrying a few days, but purpose starting about the middle of the moon. My friend is busy to-day, so I roamed listlessly as far as here, never dreaming of such a fortunate meeting."
While speaking, he made Yue-ts'un sit down at the same table, and ordered a fresh supply of wine and eatables; and as the two friends chatted of one thing and another, they slowly sipped their wine.
The conversation ran on what had occurred after the separation, and Yue-ts'un inquired, "Is there any news of any kind in the capital?"
"There's nothing new whatever," answered Tzu-hsing. "There is one thing however: in the family of one of your worthy kinsmen, of the same name as yourself, a trifling, but yet remarkable, occurrence has taken place."
"None of my kindred reside in the capital," rejoined Yue-ts'un with a smile. "To what can you be alluding?"
"How can it be that you people who have the same surname do not belong to one clan?" remarked Tzu-hsing, sarcastically.
"In whose family?" inquired Yue-ts'un.
"The Chia family," replied Tzu-hsing smiling, "whose quarters are in the Jung Kuo Mansion, does not after all reflect discredit upon the lintel of your door, my venerable friend."
"What!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un, "did this affair take place in that family? Were we to begin reckoning, we would find the members of my clan to be anything but limited in number. Since the time of our ancestor Chia Fu, who lived while the Eastern Han dynasty occupied the Throne, the branches of our family have been numerous and flourishing; they are now to be found in every single province, and who could, with any accuracy, ascertain their whereabouts? As regards the Jung-kuo branch in particular, their names are in fact inscribed on the same register as our own, but rich and exalted as they are, we have never presumed to claim them as our relatives, so that we have become more and more estranged."
"Don't make any such assertions," Tzu-hsing remarked with a sigh, "the present two mansions of Jung and Ning have both alike also suffered reverses, and they cannot come up to their state of days of yore."
"Up to this day, these two households of Ning and of Jung," Yue-ts'un suggested, "still maintain a very large retinue of people, and how can it be that they have met with reverses?"
"To explain this would be indeed a long story," said Leng Tzu-hsing. "Last year," continued Yue-ts'un, "I arrived at Chin Ling, as I entertained a wish to visit the remains of interest of the six dynasties, and as I on that day entered the walled town of Shih T'ou, I passed by the entrance of that old residence. On the east side of the street, stood the Ning Kuo mansion; on the west the Jung Kuo mansion; and these two, adjoining each other as they do, cover in fact well-nigh half of the whole length of the street. Outside the front gate everything was, it is true, lonely and deserted; but at a glance into the interior over the enclosing wall, I perceived that the halls, pavilions, two-storied structures and porches presented still a majestic and lofty appearance. Even the flower garden, which extends over the whole area of the back grounds, with its trees and rockeries, also possessed to that day an air of luxuriance and freshness, which betrayed no signs of a ruined or decrepid establishment."
"You have had the good fortune of starting in life as a graduate," explained Tzu-tsing as he smiled, "and yet are not aware of the saying uttered by some one of old: that a centipede even when dead does not lie stiff. (These families) may, according to your version, not be up to the prosperity of former years, but, compared with the family of an ordinary official, their condition anyhow presents a difference. Of late the number of the inmates has, day by day, been on the increase; their affairs have become daily more numerous; of masters and servants, high and low, who live in ease and respectability very many there are; but of those who exercise any forethought, or make any provision, there is not even one. In their daily wants, their extravagances, and their expenditure, they are also unable to adapt themselves to circumstances and practise economy; (so that though) the present external framework may not have suffered any considerable collapse, their purses have anyhow begun to feel an exhausting process! But this is a mere trifle. There is another more serious matter. Would any one ever believe that in such families of official status, in a clan of education and culture, the sons and grandsons of the present age would after all be each (succeeding) generation below the standard of the former?"
Yue-ts'un, having listened to these remarks, observed: "How ever can it be possible that families of such education and refinement can observe any system of training and nurture which is not excellent? Concerning the other branches, I am not in a position to say anything; but restricting myself to the two mansions of Jung and Ning, they are those in which, above all others, the education of their children is methodical."
"I was just now alluding to none other than these two establishments," Tzu-hsing observed with a sigh; "but let me tell you all. In days of yore, the duke of Ning Kuo and the duke of Jung Kuo were two uterine brothers. The Ning duke was the elder; he had four sons. After the death of the duke of Ning Kuo, his eldest son, Chia Tai-hua, came into the title. He also had two sons; but the eldest, whose name was Hu, died at the age of eight or nine; and the only survivor, the second son, Chia Ching, inherited the title. His whole mind is at this time set upon Taoist doctrines; his sole delight is to burn the pill and refine the dual powers; while every other thought finds no place in his mind. Happily, he had, at an early age, left a son, Chia Chen, behind in the lay world, and his father, engrossed as his whole heart was with the idea of attaining spiritual life, ceded the succession of the official title to him. His parent is, besides, not willing to return to the original family seat, but lives outside the walls of the capital, foolishly hobnobbing with all the Taoist priests. This Mr. Chen had also a son, Chia Jung, who is, at this period, just in his sixteenth year. Mr. Ching gives at present no attention to anything at all, so that Mr. Chen naturally devotes no time to his studies, but being bent upon nought else but incessant high pleasure, he has subversed the order of things in the Ning Kuo mansion, and yet no one can summon the courage to come and hold him in check. But I'll now tell you about the Jung mansion for your edification. The strange occurrence, to which I alluded just now, came about in this manner. After the demise of the Jung duke, the eldest son, Chia Tai-shan, inherited the rank. He took to himself as wife, the daughter of Marquis Shih, a noble family of Chin Ling, by whom he had two sons; the elder being Chia She, the younger Chia Cheng. This Tai Shan is now dead long ago; but his wife is still alive, and the elder son, Chia She, succeeded to the degree. He is a man of amiable and genial disposition, but he likewise gives no thought to the direction of any domestic concern. The second son Chia Cheng displayed, from his early childhood, a great liking for books, and grew up to be correct and upright in character. His grandfather doated upon him, and would have had him start in life through the arena of public examinations, but, when least expected, Tai-shan, being on the point of death, bequeathed a petition, which was laid before the Emperor. His Majesty, out of regard for his former minister, issued immediate commands that the elder son should inherit the estate, and further inquired how many sons there were besides him, all of whom he at once expressed a wish to be introduced in his imperial presence. His Majesty, moreover, displayed exceptional favour, and conferred upon Mr. Cheng the brevet rank of second class Assistant Secretary (of a Board), and commanded him to enter the Board to acquire the necessary experience. He has already now been promoted to the office of second class Secretary. This Mr. Cheng's wife, nee Wang, first gave birth to a son called Chia Chu, who became a Licentiate in his fourteenth year. At barely twenty, he married, but fell ill and died soon after the birth of a son. Her (Mrs. Cheng's) second child was a daughter, who came into the world, by a strange coincidence, on the first day of the year. She had an unexpected (pleasure) in the birth, the succeeding year, of another son, who, still more remarkable to say, had, at the time of his birth, a piece of variegated and crystal-like brilliant jade in his mouth, on which were yet visible the outlines of several characters. Now, tell me, was not this a novel and strange occurrence? eh?"
"Strange indeed!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un with a smile; "but I presume the coming experiences of this being will not be mean."
Tzu-hsing gave a faint smile. "One and all," he remarked, "entertain the same idea. Hence it is that his mother doats upon him like upon a precious jewel. On the day of his first birthday, Mr. Cheng readily entertained a wish to put the bent of his inclinations to the test, and placed before the child all kinds of things, without number, for him to grasp from. Contrary to every expectation, he scorned every other object, and, stretching forth his hand, he simply took hold of rouge, powder and a few hair-pins, with which he began to play. Mr. Cheng experienced at once displeasure, as he maintained that this youth would, by and bye, grow up into a sybarite, devoted to wine and women, and for this reason it is, that he soon began to feel not much attachment for him. But his grandmother is the one who, in spite of everything, prizes him like the breath of her own life. The very mention of what happened is even strange! He is now grown up to be seven or eight years old, and, although exceptionally wilful, in intelligence and precocity, however, not one in a hundred could come up to him! And as for the utterances of this child, they are no less remarkable. The bones and flesh of woman, he argues, are made of water, while those of man of mud. 'Women to my eyes are pure and pleasing,' he says, 'while at the sight of man, I readily feel how corrupt, foul and repelling they are!' Now tell me, are not these words ridiculous? There can be no doubt whatever that he will by and bye turn out to be a licentious roue."
Yue-ts'un, whose countenance suddenly assumed a stern air, promptly interrupted the conversation. "It doesn't quite follow," he suggested. "You people don't, I regret to say, understand the destiny of this child. The fact is that even the old Hanlin scholar Mr. Cheng was erroneously looked upon as a loose rake and dissolute debauchee! But unless a person, through much study of books and knowledge of letters, so increases (in lore) as to attain the talent of discerning the nature of things, and the vigour of mind to fathom the Taoist reason as well as to comprehend the first principle, he is not in a position to form any judgment."
Tzu-hsing upon perceiving the weighty import of what he propounded, "Please explain," he asked hastily, "the drift (of your argument)." To which Yue-ts'un responded: "Of the human beings created by the operation of heaven and earth, if we exclude those who are gifted with extreme benevolence and extreme viciousness, the rest, for the most part, present no striking diversity. If they be extremely benevolent, they fall in, at the time of their birth, with an era of propitious fortune; while those extremely vicious correspond, at the time of their existence, with an era of calamity. When those who coexist with propitious fortune come into life, the world is in order; when those who coexist with unpropitious fortune come into life, the world is in danger. Yao, Shun, Yue, Ch'eng T'ang, Wen Wang, Wu Wang, Chou Kung, Chao Kung, Confucius, Mencius, T'ung Hu, Han Hsin, Chou Tzu, Ch'eng Tzu, Chu Tzu and Chang Tzu were ordained to see light in an auspicious era. Whereas Ch'i Yu, Kung Kung, Chieh Wang, Chou Wang, Shih Huang, Wang Mang, Tsao Ts'ao, Wen Wen, An Hu-shan, Ch'in Kuei and others were one and all destined to come into the world during a calamitous age. Those endowed with extreme benevolence set the world in order; those possessed of extreme maliciousness turn the world into disorder. Purity, intelligence, spirituality and subtlety constitute the vital spirit of right which pervades heaven and earth, and the persons gifted with benevolence are its natural fruit. Malignity and perversity constitute the spirit of evil, which permeates heaven and earth, and malicious persons are affected by its influence. The days of perpetual happiness and eminent good fortune, and the era of perfect peace and tranquility, which now prevail, are the offspring of the pure, intelligent, divine and subtle spirit which ascends above, to the very Emperor, and below reaches the rustic and uncultured classes. Every one is without exception under its influence. The superfluity of the subtle spirit expands far and wide, and finding nowhere to betake itself to, becomes, in due course, transformed into dew, or gentle breeze; and, by a process of diffusion, it pervades the whole world.
"The spirit of malignity and perversity, unable to expand under the brilliant sky and transmuting sun, eventually coagulates, pervades and stops up the deep gutters and extensive caverns; and when of a sudden the wind agitates it or it be impelled by the clouds, and any slight disposition, on its part, supervenes to set itself in motion, or to break its bounds, and so little as even the minutest fraction does unexpectedly find an outlet, and happens to come across any spirit of perception and subtlety which may be at the time passing by, the spirit of right does not yield to the spirit of evil, and the spirit of evil is again envious of the spirit of right, so that the two do not harmonize. Just like wind, water, thunder and lightning, which, when they meet in the bowels of the earth, must necessarily, as they are both to dissolve and are likewise unable to yield, clash and explode to the end that they may at length exhaust themselves. Hence it is that these spirits have also forcibly to diffuse themselves into the human race to find an outlet, so that they may then completely disperse, with the result that men and women are suddenly imbued with these spirits and spring into existence. At best, (these human beings) cannot be generated into philanthropists or perfect men; at worst, they cannot also embody extreme perversity or extreme wickedness. Yet placed among one million beings, the spirit of intelligence, refinement, perception and subtlety will be above these one million beings; while, on the other hand, the perverse, depraved and inhuman embodiment will likewise be below the million of men. Born in a noble and wealthy family, these men will be a salacious, lustful lot; born of literary, virtuous or poor parentage, they will turn out retired scholars or men of mark; though they may by some accident be born in a destitute and poverty-stricken home, they cannot possibly, in fact, ever sink so low as to become runners or menials, or contentedly brook to be of the common herd or to be driven and curbed like a horse in harness. They will become, for a certainty, either actors of note or courtesans of notoriety; as instanced in former years by Hsue Yu, T'ao Ch'ien, Yuan Chi, Chi Kang, Liu Ling, the two families of Wang and Hsieh, Ku Hu-t'ou, Ch'en Hou-chu, T'ang Ming-huang, Sung Hui-tsung, Liu T'ing-chih, Wen Fei-ching, Mei Nan-kung, Shih Man-ch'ing, Lui C'hih-ch'ing and Chin Shao-yu, and exemplified now-a-days by Ni Yuen-lin, T'ang Po-hu, Chu Chih-shan, and also by Li Kuei-men, Huang P'an-cho, Ching Hsin-mo, Cho Wen-chuen; and the women Hung Fu, Hsieh T'ao, Ch'ue Ying, Ch'ao Yuen and others; all of whom were and are of the same stamp, though placed in different scenes of action."
"From what you say," observed Tzu-hsing, "success makes (a man) a duke or a marquis; ruin, a thief!"
"Quite so; that's just my idea!" replied Yue-ts'un; "I've not as yet let you know that after my degradation from office, I spent the last couple of years in travelling for pleasure all over each province, and that I also myself came across two extraordinary youths. This is why, when a short while back you alluded to this Pao-yue, I at once conjectured, with a good deal of certainty, that he must be a human being of the same stamp. There's no need for me to speak of any farther than the walled city of Chin Ling. This Mr. Chen was, by imperial appointment, named Principal of the Government Public College of the Chin Ling province. Do you perhaps know him?"
"Who doesn't know him?" remarked Tzu-hsing. "This Chen family is an old connection of the Chia family. These two families were on terms of great intimacy, and I myself likewise enjoyed the pleasure of their friendship for many a day."
"Last year, when at Chin Ling," Yue-ts'un continued with a smile, "some one recommended me as resident tutor to the school in the Chen mansion; and when I moved into it I saw for myself the state of things. Who would ever think that that household was grand and luxurious to such a degree! But they are an affluent family, and withal full of propriety, so that a school like this was of course not one easy to obtain. The pupil, however, was, it is true, a young tyro, but far more troublesome to teach than a candidate for the examination of graduate of the second degree. Were I to enter into details, you would indeed have a laugh. 'I must needs,' he explained, 'have the company of two girls in my studies to enable me to read at all, and to keep likewise my brain clear. Otherwise, if left to myself, my head gets all in a muddle.' Time after time, he further expounded to his young attendants, how extremely honourable and extremely pure were the two words representing woman, that they are more valuable and precious than the auspicious animal, the felicitous bird, rare flowers and uncommon plants. 'You may not' (he was wont to say), 'on any account heedlessly utter them, you set of foul mouths and filthy tongues! these two words are of the utmost import! Whenever you have occasion to allude to them, you must, before you can do so with impunity, take pure water and scented tea and rinse your mouths. In the event of any slip of the tongue, I shall at once have your teeth extracted, and your eyes gouged out.' His obstinacy and waywardness are, in every respect, out of the common. After he was allowed to leave school, and to return home, he became, at the sight of the young ladies, so tractable, gentle, sharp, and polite, transformed, in fact, like one of them. And though, for this reason, his father has punished him on more than one occasion, by giving him a sound thrashing, such as brought him to the verge of death, he cannot however change. Whenever he was being beaten, and could no more endure the pain, he was wont to promptly break forth in promiscuous loud shouts, 'Girls! girls!' The young ladies, who heard him from the inner chambers, subsequently made fun of him. 'Why,' they said, 'when you are being thrashed, and you are in pain, your only thought is to bawl out girls! Is it perchance that you expect us young ladies to go and intercede for you? How is that you have no sense of shame?' To their taunts he gave a most plausible explanation. 'Once,' he replied, 'when in the agony of pain, I gave vent to shouting girls, in the hope, perchance, I did not then know, of its being able to alleviate the soreness. After I had, with this purpose, given one cry, I really felt the pain considerably better; and now that I have obtained this secret spell, I have recourse, at once, when I am in the height of anguish, to shouts of girls, one shout after another. Now what do you say to this? Isn't this absurd, eh?"
"The grandmother is so infatuated by her extreme tenderness for this youth, that, time after time, she has, on her grandson's account, found fault with the tutor, and called her son to task, with the result that I resigned my post and took my leave. A youth, with a disposition such as his, cannot assuredly either perpetuate intact the estate of his father and grandfather, or follow the injunctions of teacher or advice of friends. The pity is, however, that there are, in that family, several excellent female cousins, the like of all of whom it would be difficult to discover."
"Quite so!" remarked Tzu-hsing; "there are now three young ladies in the Chia family who are simply perfection itself. The eldest is a daughter of Mr. Cheng, Yuan Ch'un by name, who, on account of her excellence, filial piety, talents, and virtue, has been selected as a governess in the palace. The second is the daughter of Mr. She's handmaid, and is called Ying Ch'un; the third is T'an Ch'un, the child of Mr. Cheng's handmaid; while the fourth is the uterine sister of Mr. Chen of the Ning Mansion. Her name is Hsi Ch'un. As dowager lady Shih is so fondly attached to her granddaughters, they come, for the most part, over to their grandmother's place to prosecute their studies together, and each one of these girls is, I hear, without a fault."
"More admirable," observed Yue-ts'un, "is the regime (adhered to) in the Chen family, where the names of the female children have all been selected from the list of male names, and are unlike all those out-of-the-way names, such as Spring Blossom, Scented Gem, and the like flowery terms in vogue in other families. But how is it that the Chia family have likewise fallen into this common practice?"
"Not so!" ventured Tzu-h'sing. "It is simply because the eldest daughter was born on the first of the first moon, that the name of Yuan Ch'un was given to her; while with the rest this character Ch'un (spring) was then followed. The names of the senior generation are, in like manner, adopted from those of their brothers; and there is at present an instance in support of this. The wife of your present worthy master, Mr. Lin, is the uterine sister of Mr. Chia. She and Mr. Chia Cheng, and she went, while at home, under the name of Chia Min. Should you question the truth of what I say, you are at liberty, on your return, to make minute inquiries and you'll be convinced."
Yue-ts'un clapped his hands and said smiling, "It's so, I know! for this female pupil of mine, whose name is Tai-yue, invariably pronounces the character _min_ as _mi_, whenever she comes across it in the course of her reading; while, in writing, when she comes to the character 'min,' she likewise reduces the strokes by one, sometimes by two. Often have I speculated in my mind (as to the cause), but the remarks I've heard you mention, convince me, without doubt, that it is no other reason (than that of reverence to her mother's name). Strange enough, this pupil of mine is unique in her speech and deportment, and in no way like any ordinary young lady. But considering that her mother was no commonplace woman herself, it is natural that she should have given birth to such a child. Besides, knowing, as I do now, that she is the granddaughter of the Jung family, it is no matter of surprise to me that she is what she is. Poor girl, her mother, after all, died in the course of the last month."
Tzu-hsing heaved a sigh. "Of three elderly sisters," he explained, "this one was the youngest, and she too is gone! Of the sisters of the senior generation not one even survives! But now we'll see what the husbands of this younger generation will be like by and bye!"
"Yes," replied Yue-ts'un. "But some while back you mentioned that Mr. Cheng has had a son, born with a piece of jade in his mouth, and that he has besides a tender-aged grandson left by his eldest son; but is it likely that this Mr. She has not, himself, as yet, had any male issue?"
"After Mr. Cheng had this son with the jade," Tzu-hsing added, "his handmaid gave birth to another son, who whether he be good or bad, I don't at all know. At all events, he has by his side two sons and a grandson, but what these will grow up to be by and bye, I cannot tell. As regards Mr. Chia She, he too has had two sons; the second of whom, Chia Lien, is by this time about twenty. He took to wife a relative of his, a niece of Mr. Cheng's wife, a Miss Wang, and has now been married for the last two years. This Mr. Lien has lately obtained by purchase the rank of sub-prefect. He too takes little pleasure in books, but as far as worldly affairs go, he is so versatile and glib of tongue, that he has recently taken up his quarters with his uncle Mr. Cheng, to whom he gives a helping hand in the management of domestic matters. Who would have thought it, however, ever since his marriage with his worthy wife, not a single person, whether high or low, has there been who has not looked up to her with regard: with the result that Mr. Lien himself has, in fact, had to take a back seat (_lit_. withdrew 35 li). In looks, she is also so extremely beautiful, in speech so extremely quick and fluent, in ingenuity so deep and astute, that even a man could, in no way, come up to her mark."
After hearing these remarks Yue-ts'un smiled. "You now perceive," he said, "that my argument is no fallacy, and that the several persons about whom you and I have just been talking are, we may presume, human beings, who, one and all, have been generated by the spirit of right, and the spirit of evil, and come to life by the same royal road; but of course there's no saying."
"Enough," cried Tzu-hsing, "of right and enough of evil; we've been doing nothing but settling other people's accounts; come now, have another glass, and you'll be the better for it!"
"While bent upon talking," Yue-ts'un explained, "I've had more glasses than is good for me."
"Speaking of irrelevant matters about other people," Tzu-hsing rejoined complacently, "is quite the thing to help us swallow our wine; so come now; what harm will happen, if we do have a few glasses more."
Yue-ts'un thereupon looked out of the window.
"The day is also far advanced," he remarked, "and if we don't take care, the gates will be closing; let us leisurely enter the city, and as we go along, there will be nothing to prevent us from continuing our chat."
Forthwith the two friends rose from their seats, settled and paid their wine bill, and were just going, when they unexpectedly heard some one from behind say with a loud voice:
"Accept my congratulations, Brother Yue-ts'un; I've now come, with the express purpose of giving you the welcome news!"
Yue-ts'un lost no time in turning his head round to look at the speaker. But reader, if you wish to learn who the man was, listen to the details given in the following chapter.