Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Laiwu Zhang Xuyi, the elder brother of Zhang Daoyi, a student envoy, has a bold and unrestrained temperament.

Zhang heard that a certain house in the county was occupied by a fox demon, so he prepared to stab the post and went to visit.Put the famous post into the crack of the door, after a while, no one will open the door.The servants who followed were all stunned and retreated one after another.Zhang Xu got fully dressed and entered, only to see that the lobby was equipped with tables and chairs, but it was empty.Immediately, I bowed and said: "Xiaosheng came here on a fast, and the immortal has already opened the door to welcome guests, why doesn't he show up to see him?"

Suddenly I heard someone say in the hall: "Mr. Lao is here, I am full of joy, please sit down." As soon as the voice fell, two chairs were slowly moving, and they were positioned opposite each other. Just as Zhang Xuyi sat down, a bird flew over from mid-air A red tray with two teacups placed in front of her eyes.Zhang Xu stretched out his hand to take the tea from the plate, took a sip, and the sound of drinking tea could be heard from the seat opposite, but there was no one there.

After drinking the tea, another jug ​​of wine flew in from the sky. While drinking, Zhang Xuyi asked about his master's background, a voice sounded from the opposite seat, and said, "My little brother's surname is Hu, and he is the fourth in rank. The servants call me Mr. Hu." .” The host and guest chatted happily over wine, talked about current affairs, congenial, and a harmonious atmosphere.

The old turtle and venison meat on the table was served like a stream of delicacies, and the sound of footsteps in the room was heard densely. Although no one was seen, one could guess by feeling that there were not a few servants serving at the side.After the banquet, Zhang Xu thought with all his heart: "It would be nice to have a cup of tea right now." Just as he finished his thoughts, the tea was already placed on the table.All requests are fulfilled one by one.Zhang Xu was overjoyed, drank to his heart's content, and returned drunk.From then on, he would visit Hu once in three or four days, and Hu would often visit Zhang's house, and he was a host and guest, with good etiquette.

One day, Zhang Xu asked Hu Si: "The witch in Nancheng relies on the help of the fox fairy every day to treat the common people for profit. Do you know her fox fairy?" Hu Si said: "The witch is lying, there is no fox fairy in her family. " Not long after, Zhang Xu went to the toilet together, and suddenly heard someone whispering in his ear: "I just heard about the Nancheng witch, I don't know who it is. The villain wants to ask Mr. for help, take me to her house, is that okay? ?”

Zhang Xu knew with all his heart that the speaker must be a fox servant, nodded and said: "Okay." Back to the banquet, he said to Hu Si: "I want to ask the master for a servant, go to Nancheng to find out, and I hope it will be done." Hu Si said: "It's not necessary." Zhang Xu begged repeatedly, but the master had no choice but to agree.

Then as soon as Zhang Xu went out to say goodbye, the horse came by itself, it must have been secretly led by the fox servant, and he got on the horse and went.In the middle of the journey, the fox servant said: "In the future, during the journey, sir, if you notice fine sand scattered on the skirt of your clothes, then the little ones will be on your left and right, and you will be there as you go."Seeing Zhang for the first time, the witch smiled and said, "Why are you here?"

Zhang Xu said: "I heard that your Fox Banxian is extremely effective. Is this true?" The witch said seriously, "My lord, don't talk nonsense. Can you talk nonsense about the word Fox Banxian? Happy." Before he finished speaking, half a blue brick flew from the void and hit the witch's arm. The old man staggered and seemed to fall, and said in surprise: "Why did you hit the old man?"

Zhang Xu said with a smile: "The old lady is blind. I have been standing by and watched. Your own forehead is injured. How can you blame me?" The witch was stunned and didn't know what to do. Just as she was in a panic, another stone flew down and hit her again. The witch He fell to the ground, dust and mud fell all over his cheeks, and in an instant, the witch's face was dark and ugly like a ghost.Only prostrate on the ground, wailing and begging for mercy.

Zhang Xuyi said to the fox servant: "Forgive her this time." Then the dust stopped flying.The witch quickly got up and hid in the room in a hurry, closing the door and not daring to go out.Zhang Xuyi shouted outside the door: "Old man, who is more powerful, your fox fairy or mine?" The witch was already frightened and just kept apologizing.Zhang Xu looked up at the sky and said: "Brother Hu, don't hurt her anymore."

The witch came out trembling when she heard the words, Zhang Xu smiled and comforted her, and then returned home.

From then on, whenever Zhang Xuyi was walking, if he saw fine sand falling, he would call the fox servant to talk to him. deceive each other.One year passed like this, Zhang Xuyi and Hu Si were very close friends, sometimes asked him his age, and replied: "I don't really remember, when Huang Chao rebelled, I experienced it personally, sometimes when I think back to the past, it seems like it was yesterday."

This night, the two were holding candles to talk at night, when they suddenly heard rustling on the wall, the voice was shrill, Zhang Xu was greatly surprised, and asked: "Where is the noise?" Hu Si said: "It must be my elder brother." Zhang Xu said: "Why don't you invite him into the house to have a talk?" Hu Si said: "No need, he has very little knowledge and has not yet cultivated into a human figure. His only hobby is catching chickens around and feasting on them." Zhang Xu smiled and said: "Fox Loving chickens is a matter of course. Brother Zhang, you and I have a very close relationship, but being a human being and not knowing what your friends look like is really a matter of hatred in your life." Hu Sidao: "The most important thing to make friends is to know each other well, why bother to meet?"

One day, Hu Si invited Zhang to a banquet, and said, "I'm leaving. This meal is a farewell." Zhang Xuyi asked, "Where are you going?" Hu Si said, "I'm from Shaanxi, and I'm going back now." Township. Brother Zhang always wanted to see his true face, no matter what, as you wish, he will recognize each other.” Zhang Xuyi looked around, seeing nothing, and asked: “Brother Hu, what do you do now? Are you dead? Why can't you see it?"

Hu Sidao: "Try to push open the bedroom door, I'm right behind the door." Zhang Xu opened the door as he said, and saw a handsome young man walking out of the room, looking at each other and smiling.Well-dressed, with picturesque eyebrows, she was no longer seen in a flash.As soon as Zhang Xu turned around and walked, there were footsteps following behind him, he said: "We meet today, brother Zhang's wish is fulfilled, from now on I will have no regrets."

Zhang Xuyi couldn't bear to part with each other, Hu Si said: "Parting and reunion have their own definite number, don't worry about it." While talking, fine wine was served, the two drank each other in giant cups, they drank until midnight, Hu Si sent Zhang home with a gauze lantern.At dawn the next day, Zhang Xuyi went to visit the house, but the building was empty, and Hu Si's whereabouts were long gone.

Later, Zhang Daoyi was promoted to Xichuan Xueshi, while Zhang Xuyi remained poor, and went to Shanxi to visit his relatives and younger brother. He left full of hope, but one month later, he returned disappointed.Turning back alone, he sighed and looked depressed on the way.Suddenly, a young man galloped up on a green horse behind him.Zhang looked back and saw the young man wearing mink fur with an elegant demeanor, so he immediately talked to him.

The young man said: "Your expression is displeased, but why?" Zhang Xu said: "I am so poor in the next day, I went to my brother for thousands of miles, and I expected him to help my brother. Who knows that human feelings are cold and warm, and the world is hot and cold. Sigh, don't mention it." The young man said. Warmly comforting, Li Xu, who was walking with him, reached the fork in the road, the young man said goodbye, said: "There is a man in the future, entrusted by the old man, I have some gifts for my brother, I hope I can accept it."

Zhang Xuyi was about to inquire about the details, but the young man had already left with his horse, so he couldn't help being filled with doubts, and after walking two or three miles, he saw an old servant by the roadside, holding a small bamboo box, offering it in front of the horse, and said: "Hu Si Xianggong ordered me to give this thing to Mr.." Zhang Xuyi suddenly realized, he opened the bamboo box and saw that the inside was bright white, but it was full of silver ingots.Looking at the old servant again, I don't know when, but he has disappeared.