Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Cheng Sheng, Bai Xiacheng, has an upright personality and despises etiquette.

One day, returning from the outside, undressing and taking off the belt, I felt that the belt was heavy, as if something had fallen to the ground.Look at it, and see nothing.Suddenly, a woman came out from behind her clothes, her hair was swept away and she smiled, her face was beautiful.Cheng suspected his ghost, and the woman said: "I am not a ghost, but a fox." Cheng Sheng said: "If you get a beautiful woman, you will not be afraid of ghosts, let alone a fox."In the second year, a daughter was born, with a small character of Qingmei. The woman often said to her husband, "Don't marry again, I will give birth to a man for the king." Cheng Xinzhi refused to marry.Relatives and friends laughed at his stupidity, and Cheng Sheng's will was shaken, so he hired the Hudong Wang family as his concubine.

When the fox wife heard this, she was furious. After feeding the green plums and milk, she threw her daughter to the husband-in-law, and said, "This is a money-losing item for your family. It's up to you whether you live or kill. It's up to you. Why should I be a slave for others? I'm smart and beautiful. It was exactly like her mother. Then Cheng died of illness, Wang remarried, and Qingmei lived with her uncle's house. The uncle behaved dissolutely and wanted to sell his niece in exchange for money.

It happened that there was a Wang Jinshi who was a candidate at home. He heard that Qingmei was smart, so he bought her as a maidservant at a high price and asked her to serve his daughter Axi.Ah Xi was only fourteen years old, and when he saw Qingmei, he was very happy, and slept with her, and they were inseparable.Qingmei is also good at serving, observing words and deeds, and the whole family likes her very much.

Zhang Sheng in the county seat, whose name is Jieshou, is poor and propertyless, and rented in the palace. Pure and filial character, good at learning.Occasionally, Qingmei came to her home and saw Zhang Sheng sitting on a stone bench and eating bran porridge; she entered the room and chatted with her biological mother, and saw delicious pig's trotters on the table.Zhang Weng was sick in bed, Zhang Sheng entered the house, hugged his father to urinate, the urine stained his clothes, he didn't care at all, covered up the stains, cleaned them up, for fear that his father would find it embarrassing.

Qingmei was secretly surprised, and when she returned, she said to Axi, "My guest is very human. If you don't want a good match, it's fine; if you want a good match, then Zhang Sheng can be entrusted to you for life." Qingmei said: "No. It's up to people. If Miss is satisfied, I will match you up. Please ask Mr. Zhang to come to propose marriage. Madam will call Miss to discuss. When answering, just say 'agree', and everything will be done." Ah Xi said : "Mr. Zhang is poor, if you marry him, you might make the world laugh." Qingmei said: "I can read the face, Zhang is born to be a prosperous man, he can't be wrong."

Tomorrow, Qingmei came to the door to talk about matchmaking, Zhang's mother was shocked, and said: "Propose a marriage? It's not right to be in the right family, isn't the girl a pastime old woman?" Make a match. Don't hesitate, send a matchmaker to propose marriage quickly. With the secret help of my lady and I, the master will definitely agree. Take a step back and say, even if the marriage fails, what loss will there be to Mr. Zhang?" Zhang's mother said: "Okay, tell me It’s reasonable, let’s do it this way.” The Hou family’s flower seller was entrusted to go to the matchmaker, the wife laughed when she heard it, and told Wang Jinshi, Wang also laughed.Call the girl to tell the intention of Hou's visit.Ah Xi hadn't answered yet, Qingmei's witty words were like pearls, and she had no choice but to praise Zhang Sheng's virtue, saying: "Young master Zhang is not something in the pool, he will definitely be prominent in the coming day."

The wife asked Ah Xi: "Marriage is a century-old event. If my daughter is used to poor food and drink, then it is absolutely necessary to promise marriage for you." If you have a good life, you will not be poor forever; if you have a bad life, even the king and grandson of Jinxiu will lose their wealth and have no place to stand. This matter depends entirely on the parents."

Wang Jinshi had no intention of marrying a daughter, so he called Axi here just to make a laugh.Hearing her daughter's answer, she felt unhappy and said, "Are you really going to marry Zhang Sheng?" Axi didn't answer, asked again, and didn't answer again.Wang Jinshi said angrily: "Bitch's bones don't grow! I want to marry a beggar as my wife. Do you want to beg with a bamboo basket? I'm so ashamed." Ah Xi blushed and left with tears in her eyes.The matchmaker also retreated in embarrassment.

Seeing that things were not harmonious, Qingmei turned to plan for herself.A few days later, I visited Zhang Sheng at night, Zhang Sheng was studying, and asked in surprise: "What are you doing here, miss?" She is a woman from a good family, not an elopement; she feels the virtuousness of the king and is willing to follow her around." Zhang Shengdao: "Thanks to my lady for looking up to me and praising my virtue. But men and women have sex without a match, and those who are clean and self-sufficient are not ashamed, let alone a virtuous person? Even if you get married because of this, I will also be made fun of, how will I deal with it? Not to mention whether it will succeed or not, it is hard to say."

Qingmei said: "If I can succeed, will the young master take me in?" Zhang Sheng said: "If you get a wife like a Qing, what more can a husband ask for. But I have three worries, so I dare not promise lightly." Qingmei asked: "Which three?" Zhang Sheng said: "Qing can't be independent, this is the first level; if you can be independent, my parents are not happy, this is the second level; even if the parents are happy, the girl must be worth a lot, but my family is poor and it is difficult to raise ransom, this is the third level. The girl should leave quickly Go, let me go down to the melon field, people speak fearsome words." Qing Mei nodded her goodbye, and said: "As long as you are sincere, we can slowly figure out a way." Zhang Sheng Nuo Nuo agreed.

When Qingmei came back, Axi asked: "Damn girl, where did you go?" Qingmei said: "The Zhang family." Axi frowned and said, "Why are you going to the Zhang family? Could it be that you have taken a fancy to Mr. Zhang and want to elope with him? Hey , you are really courageous. You are itchy and need to be beaten, do you want my family to deal with it?" Qingmei had no way to explain, so she had to tell the truth in every detail.

Ah Xi sighed after hearing the words: "If you don't agree with someone else, you should be polite; if you must tell your parents, you should be filial; if you don't make promises lightly, you should be trustworthy; if you have these three virtues, you will be blessed by God. Why worry about poverty?" After a pause, he added: "Are you going to What should I do?" Qingmei said: "I don't want to marry unless you are Mr. Zhang." Axi smiled and said: "Idiot maid, how can you be independent?" Qingmei said: "If things don't work, the only thing to do is die." Axi said: "Don't worry, I will As you wish." Qingmei Jishou thanked him.

A few days later, Qingmei said to Axi: "Miss, what you said to me the day before was a joke, or did you mean it sincerely? If it is sincere and compassionate, I have one more thing to ask for your mercy." Axi asked: "What's the matter?" Qingmei said: "Zhang Sheng is poor and can't marry, and the servant girl can't redeem herself. When the master bought me, he spent a lot of gold and silver. If the ransom was charged at the original price, marrying me means not marrying." Ah Xi He pondered: "I can't do anything about this matter. The amount of the ransom is up to my father to decide, and I dare not intercede." Hearing this, Qing Mei burst into tears, but begged for mercy.Ah Xi pondered for a long time, and said: "Don't be afraid, I have saved a lot of private money, and I will help you with all my money."

Qingmei thanked her, and secretly notified Zhang's family to propose marriage. Zhang's mother was overjoyed, and begged in many ways, collected the ransom, and waited for a good news.When Wang Jinshi was transferred to be the magistrate of Quwo County, Axi took the opportunity to tell his mother, "Qingmei has grown up, and now my father is going to be an official in a foreign country. It is better to dismiss her." , Every time I want to marry her, I am afraid that my daughter will be unhappy, so I am very happy to hear the words.