Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Yang Wanshi, a scholar in the Daming Mansion, was most afraid of his wife in his life.His wife, Yin Shi, has a fierce personality, and if her husband disobeys him a little, he will immediately fight with fists.Yang Wanshi's father, in his sixties, was old and widowed. The Yin family didn't know how to be filial to his father-in-law, but treated him like a slave.Seeing their father suffering, Yang Wanshi and his younger brother Yang Wanzhong secretly took some food to help, but they never dared to let Yin Shi know about it.

Old man Yang's clothes were in tatters, and the two brothers were afraid of being ridiculed by outsiders, so they dared not let their father see guests.Yang Wanshi was nearly forty years old and still had no heirs, so he took the Wang family as his concubine. The husband and wife trembled, fearing the majesty of the Yin family, and rarely spoke.

The Yang brothers were studying at home and waiting for the scientific examination. On this day, a young man passed by the door. He was dressed in splendid clothes and had a handsome appearance.After some conversation, the two brothers fell in love with each other, and asked the boy's name, and the boy said: "My surname is Ma, and my name is Jiefu." Since then, the three of them have been in close contact.

After parting, about half a year later, Ma Jiefu and his servant came to visit again.It just so happened that old man Yang was also resting outside the door, basking in the sun while catching lice.When Ma Jiefu saw his poor clothes, he thought he was a servant of the Yang family, so he didn't take it seriously, and said to old man Yang, "I am an old friend of the master, please let me know." After hearing this, old man Yang put on a ragged cotton jacket, turned and left.

Someone said to Ma Jiefu: "This is the father of the master." Ma Jiefu was very surprised. At this moment, the Yang brothers came out to greet the guests with smiles on their faces.A group of people came to the hall and sat down on the chairs. Ma Jiefu asked, "Where is Uncle, I want to see him."

Yang Wanshi declined and said, "It's inconvenient for him to be sick."The host and guest sat facing each other, laughing and chatting happily, and the sky became dark before they knew it. Yang Wanshi repeatedly ordered his servants to prepare dinner, but there was no answer for a long time.The two brothers entered the room to urge them, and after a long time, a thin slave took a jug of bad wine, put it on the table without saying a word, turned and left.

After a while, when the wine was finished, Yang Wanshi ordered the food to be served, and after calling seven or eight times, the skinny servant came out slowly, brought several bowls of brown rice and a plate of pickles, put them on the table, and said weakly: "The food is here, please take your time." .”

The taste of the food was so bad that it was hard to swallow. The Yang brothers looked embarrassed and apologized and said with a smile: "The family is poor, the diet is shabby, please forgive me for neglecting." Ma Jiefu didn't mind, and smiled: "It's okay." Chopsticks, eat as if nothing had happened.

After the meal, Yang Wanshi left in a hurry. Yang Wanzhong took two quilts and accompanied the guests to bed. Ma Jiefu said, "I made friends with you because of the high moral character of the virtuous Kunzhong. But the two of you saw your father suffering, but were indifferent. Such behavior is really unfair." It's shameful." Yang Wanzhong burst into tears, and sighed: "The family is unfortunate, the sister-in-law is fierce, the family is young and old, and they are bullied. The hardships are really not for outsiders."

Ma Jiefu remained silent, and after a while he said: "I was planning to leave early tomorrow morning. Now that something injustice has happened, I can't ignore it. Give me a vacant room, and I can cook myself, so you don't have to trouble the two of you."

Yang Wanzhong nodded and obeyed, prepared an empty room for Ma Jiefu, and asked him to rest. In the dead of night, he stole rice and vegetables from the kitchen and gave them to Ma, fearing that Yin would find out.Ma Jiefu understood his situation, refused with a smile, and said, "I will figure out a solution for rice, vegetables, and fruits. Don't bother Brother Yang, so as not to embarrass you. It's getting late, please come back."

After sending Yang Wanzhong away, Ma Jiefu invited old man Yang to the house, ate and lived with him, went to the market to buy new clothes, and changed old man Yang's clothes.Yang's father and son are all grateful.

Yang Wanzhong's son, named Xi'er, was seven years old and slept with his grandfather at night. Ma Jiefu stroked Xi'er's head and said, "This son will have a bright future, but he will be very lonely."

When Yin heard that old man Yang had no worries about food and clothing, she was furious and scolded Ma sharply, saying that he was meddling in his own business.At first, he only cursed in the bedroom, but then he was not relieved, and went directly to Ma Jiefu's residence to yell.The Yang brothers lingered in sorrow and tried to persuade them boldly, but they still couldn't stop them.Ma Jiefu let Yin's scolding, turned a deaf ear and was not angry.

The concubine, Wang Shi, was pregnant for more than five months. Yin Shi just found out, and immediately became jealous. Without saying a word, she stripped Wang Shi's clothes and beat her severely.After venting, he summoned Mr. Yang, ordered him to kneel down to be punished, and wore a woman's silk scarf on his head, and then whipped him out.It happened that Ma Jiefu was outside the house, and Yang Wanshi was too ashamed to go forward.Yin's persecution was hard, but Yang Wanshi had no choice but to take the door and escape, and Yin's chased him out afterwards.

The two chased after each other until they reached the downtown area, where Yin stood with his arms akimbo, pointed at Yang, and yelled insults.The people around were curious, and they gathered together to watch the excitement, and the spectators gathered.Ma Jiefu saw Yin's scoundrel behaving badly, he was displeased, and shouted: "Slut, go back quickly."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yin couldn't help but turned around and ran, as if being chased by a ghost, and his shoes and socks fell off.When he returned home barefoot, his face was ashen.The maid picked up the shoes and socks and put them on for Yin Shi. She looked bleak and suddenly burst into tears. The family members were all surprised, but feared by Yin's majesty, they didn't dare to ask why.

Ma Jiefu reached out to pick off the silk scarf on Yang's head. Yang Wanshi waved his hands repeatedly and shouted, "Don't take it off, don't take it off, let your wife know, it's another beating." Ma Jiefu was angry and funny, and forced him to take off the silk scarf. He was nervous and fidgeting, fearing that Mrs. Yin would blame him, so he paced back and forth outside the house alone.

When Yin's crying stopped, Yang Wanshi dared to enter the house. When Yin saw him coming back, he got up and went to bed without saying a word, without getting angry.Yang Wanshi breathed a sigh of relief, finally let go of his hanging heart, and discussed the matter with his younger brother in private, amazed.Seeing Yin's embarrassment with their own eyes, the family members talked about it in private. When Yin found out, he was furious, summoned servants and maids, and whipped him severely.After disposing of the servants, Yin's lingering anger still ran to Wang's room and took the initiative to provoke.

Since the last time she was beaten, Wang's condition has not recovered and she has been resting in bed.Yin didn't have any sympathy. Seeing the concubine was weak, it was a good opportunity to make trouble. Immediately, she held the rattan cane and beat her violently. Wang couldn't bear it, blood stained the bed mat, and she miscarried.

When Yang Wanshi heard the news, he was filled with grief and indignation. He complained to Ma Jiefu in a place where there was no one else, and wept bitterly.Ma Jiefu comforted him and said, "Don't go back tonight, live with me." Yang Wanshi nodded vigorously.

In the middle of the night, Mrs. Yin was furious when she didn't see her husband coming back. When she was feeling angry, she suddenly heard a knock outside the window, as if someone had broken open the door.Yin's face turned pale in fright, and she repeatedly called out to her servants, when suddenly there was a bang, the door was pushed open, and a giant broke into the room with a hideous face.

In a short time, several people with sharp knives came in one file at a time.Yin's heart jumped wildly, and he opened his mouth to scream, the giant snorted coldly, pulled out a sharp knife, put it between Yin's neck, and said gloomily: "Dare to scream, I will kill you with one knife!"

Yin shivered all over, and begged: "Hero, spare your life! I have a lot of private money, and I will give it all to you." The giant said: "I am the messenger of hell, and I have been ordered to take your heart without money." Yin became more and more frightened, and knelt down repeatedly. Kowtowing, the giant ignored him, pierced the skin of Yin's chest with a sharp knife, and said: "Should I kill the elders who are enslaved?" Yin's face was pale, and he did not dare to refute.The giant's sharp knife moved again, drawing another scar several inches long, and said, "Should I be killed for insulting my husband?" Yin Shi resisted the pain, and only begged for mercy.

The giant's mouth was like a river, and he counted Yin's crimes, and every time he listed a crime, he cut Yin's chest with a knife, a total of more than ten cuts, and finally said: "My concubine gave birth to a child, which is also your descendant. Why is it so cruel that the king is so cruel? Abortion? This is absolutely unforgivable." Instructed the left and right to "cut Yin's hands behind her back, open her heart and see if it is red or black."

Yin was terrified, kowtowed like pounding garlic, and cried, "Prince Immortal, please forgive me. I know I was wrong." Suddenly hearing footsteps outside the house, the giant said, "Yang Wanshi is back. Since you know your mistake, I will go around you." This time." With a wave of his hand, the group of people dispersed instantly.

After a while, Yang Wanshi stepped into the house and saw that Yin Shi was naked, her hands were tightly bound, and her chest was full of scars, countless scars. He was shocked, so he quickly untied the rope for her and asked why.Yin said one by one, Yang Wanshi was shocked and pale, and secretly suspected that Ma Jiefu was the culprit.The next day, when I mentioned this matter to Ma Jiefu, Ma Jiefu looked blank and said, "Is there such a thing? I don't know at all."

Since then, Yin's temperament has been restrained, and for several months, he dare not utter bad words.Ma Jiefu was overjoyed, and said to Yang Wanshi with a smile, "To tell you the truth: I used some spells earlier, which made Mrs. Yin fearful. Now that you two are in harmony, I should go too." After saying that, he left.

Yin slept with Yang Wanshi every night, greeted them with a smile, and took good care of him. Yang Wanshi had never been so beautiful in his life, but it was a bit unbearable and restless.During this day, Yin Shi occasionally recalled the face of the giant, shivering in fear and trembling in all limbs.Yang Wanshi was all about flattery, and his words revealed a little.Yin's complexion changed drastically, he jumped up suddenly, and asked hard. Yang Wanshi felt that he had slipped his words and regretted it endlessly. Up to now, he could only confess.

Yin Shi cursed furiously, Yang Wanshi knelt down to apologize, but Yin Shi ignored him.Yang Wanshi knelt until the third watch, and Yin said bitterly: "I can forgive you. I was stabbed more than ten times in the chest by Ma at the beginning. If I don't avenge this revenge, I will never let go of my anger. You just stand up Stay still, open your chest, let me chop a few knives, and then I will forgive you." While speaking, he walked into the kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife, and approached Yang step by step.

Yang Wanshi was terrified, and ran wildly, Yin Shi followed after him, shouting for help, shouting and cursing, the whole room was full of chickens and dogs barking, and it was a mess.Everyone in the family woke up, younger brother Yang Wanzhong was confused, seeing Yin's murderous expression, worried about his brother's safety, dragged him behind him, and shouted: "Sister-in-law calm down, I have something to say."

Mrs. Yin didn't listen, she yelled and cursed, she saw that old man Yang was dressed gorgeously, she became more and more annoyed, quickly rushed to him, brandished a kitchen knife, cut the clothes on old man Yang's body into pieces, then grabbed her father-in-law's beard and tore it hard.

Seeing his father being humiliated, Yang Wanzhong was furious. He leaned over to pick up a stone and threw it hard, hitting Yin's forehead. Yin didn't even groan, and passed out.Yang Wanzhong knew that he had caused a catastrophe, so he said with a sad smile: "As long as my father and elder brother are safe, even if I die, I will have no regrets." After speaking, he committed suicide by throwing himself into the well.

After a while, Mrs. Yin woke up slowly, and when she heard that Yang Wanzhong was dead, she calmed down a bit.Then Yang Wanzhong was buried in the earth, and his wife decided not to marry in order to take care of Xi'er.Yin scolded endlessly, refused to feed his wife, and forced her to remarry.The wife had no choice but to leave.

Xi'er was alone, desolate and miserable, and every day, half a year later, she was dying.