Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Ma Erhun, who lives in Dongmen, Qingzhou, sells noodles for a living.The family is poor and has no wife, and lives with his mother.One day, my mother was living alone at home, and suddenly a beautiful woman walked into the house. She was sixteen or seventeen years old, plainly dressed, and beautiful.The mother asked her where she came from, and the woman smiled and said, "Your son is an honest man, and I want to marry him." The mother said in shock: "My lady is a fairy, and my old woman can't afford it. Just one word, it will cost me several years of life. The woman insisted repeatedly, the mother thought she was a woman who had escaped from a rich family and dared not take her in, the woman smiled and said goodbye and left.

Three days later, the woman came to the door again and lingered.Asked her name, the woman said: "If mother is willing to accept me, I will naturally say; otherwise, you don't need to ask again." The mother said: "The old woman's family is poor, and the girl is too beautiful. I am not worthy to marry you, and I don't know." Sitting on the head of the bed with a smile, reluctant to leave.The mother said: "My lady, please go back, don't cause trouble for the old lady." The woman had no choice but to go west, and soon disappeared.

A few days later, Mrs. Lu in West Alley came to visit and said to her mother, "Dong Huifang, a girl next door, is lonely and helpless. She volunteered to be your daughter-in-law. Why did she refuse?" Taidao: "What's the matter? If there is any mistake, just call me." The mother was overjoyed and nodded in agreement.Then Mrs. Lu left, and the mother cleaned the bed, waiting for her son to come back to propose marriage.

At dusk, Huifang drifted over and went into the house to pay homage to her mother. She was very polite and said to her, "There are two maids by my side. I dare not let them in without my mother's order." The mother said: "My mother and my son are poor. There is only one thatched hut left, and we can’t afford maidservants. The silver taels we earn every day are just enough for food and clothing. Now that we have added a daughter-in-law, it’s even a problem to eat, so two more maidservants will make them suffer?”

Huifang laughed and said, "The maidservant can work to support the family by herself, so she doesn't have to worry about my mother." The mother asked, "Where is the maidservant?" Huifang called out, "Qiuyue, Qiusong!" Descending, appearing in front of you out of thin air.Huifang ordered her maidservants to kneel and kowtow to see her mother.

Then Ma Erhun returned, and his mother welcomed him into the house and informed him of the marriage.Ma Erhun was overjoyed, and went into the room to check, only to see carved beams and painted buildings, the bedroom was more luxurious than the palace, the tables, chairs and bed curtains were dazzling.Ma Erhun was quite surprised and dared not enter the room.Huifang got out of bed and approached, greeted her with a smile, took Ma's arm, and spoke softly.

Ma was overjoyed and didn't know what to do. He was sitting on pins and needles, rubbing his hands together, and said, "I'm going to get wine." Hui Fang smiled and said, "No need."Qiuyue took out a leather bag, walked to the door, reached out and shook the leather bag twice, then reached into the bag, took out a jug of fine wine, and many delicacies, and filled the table.

After the meal, the two of them went to bed, and the bed was warm and creamy with brocade quilts and soft pillows.When I went out the next day, the palace turned back into a hut, and the mother and son were surprised.Mother went to Mrs. Lu's house and asked about Hui Fang's identity. First of all, she thanked her for being a matchmaker. Mrs. Lu said, "I haven't been out for a long time. When did I match for the girl next door?"

The mother became more and more suspicious, so she told the story of the incident. Mrs. Lu was horrified, and immediately went home with her mother to visit her new daughter-in-law.Huifang greeted her warmly, and said, "My mother acted as a matchmaker for me the other day, and I am very grateful." Seeing her beautiful appearance, Mrs. Lu fell in love with her, and she wanted to cover up for him.Huifang took out a white wooden palm and gave it to Mrs. Lu, saying: "There is no way to repay my kindness. This palm is for my mother to tickle." silver.

Ma Erhun married Huifang himself and stopped selling noodles. The house was completely new, and there were countless sable furs in the closet, which were inexhaustible.But once you go out, the sable fur turns into a commoner again, but the warmth remains the same.In the blink of an eye, four or five years later, Hui Fang said: "I have been demoted to the mortal world for more than ten years, and I came here to meet you because of fate with the young master. Now that the disaster is over, it's time to break up."

Ma Erhun struggled to stay, Huifang said: "Young master, please choose another good match to continue the incense. We will have a chance to meet again in the future." After finishing speaking, he disappeared.After Huifang left, Ma Erhun hired a girl from the Qin family as his wife. Three years later on Qixi Festival, when the couple were chatting at home, Huifang suddenly appeared and said with a smile: "Newly married, don't you remember your old friend?" Shocked, she burst into tears, took Huifang's arm, and poured out her heart.

Huifang said: "Just now I sent the Weaver Girl across the Milky Way, and I took the time to come and see you."Suddenly, someone called "Hui Fang" in mid-air, Hui Fang hurriedly got up, said goodbye, and Ma Erhun asked, "Who called you?" I can't bear it anymore." Ma Erhun sent her away, Huifang said: "Young master has 80 years of lifespan, when you die, I will collect your bones."

When I wrote the book, Ma Erhun was over 60 years old, but he had no other strengths except being honest.