Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Wen Shengsheng, a native of Henan, was sick in bed for many days, and was recuperating in bed that day. He saw a scholar walk into the house, knelt down and saluted, and said, "Please come out, sir. I have something to say." Holding Wen's arm, walking and chatting, unknowingly walked for more than a mile, Wen Sheng stopped, and bid farewell, the scholar said: "Sir, don't go, I have something to ask."

Wen Sheng asked: "What's the matter?" The scholar said: "To tell you the truth, I am a scribe in the underworld, under the jurisdiction of the 'Department of Examination of Frauds', and the head of the department is called 'King of Ghosts with a Void Belly'. This person has a quirk. Anyone who meets will cut off a piece of flesh from his thigh as a gift. I don’t want to cut flesh, so I want to ask my husband to intercede for me.” Wen Shengsheng asked, “What crime did my friend commit to endure such torture?” The scholar said: "I didn't commit a crime. This is the ghost king's private rules. It has always been like this. The only way to get rid of punishment is to bribe, but I am so poor that I really can't afford any money."

Wen Sheng said: "I have never met the ghost king, even if I am willing to intercede, it is useless." The scholar said: "Mr. was the elder of the ghost king in his previous life. Maybe he will listen to what you say."

While talking, the two came to a city, to an official office, the building was not very grand, there was only one lobby, which was very wide, and there was a stone tablet on the east and west sides of the hall, with big green characters written on the stone tablet. On the one side is "filial piety, loyalty and trustworthiness", and on the other side is "propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame".

Wen Shengsheng stepped into the hall, only to see a plaque hanging on his head, with the three characters "Department of Examination and Fraud" written on it.There is a pair of couplets engraved on the columns on both sides. The upper couplet is: Yue Xiao, Yue Xu, and Yue Xiang, with two characters of virtue and Yin education;

Wen Shengsheng was watching the couplets, when an official stepped forward, with curly hair, hunchback, upturned nostrils, turned lips, and dense wrinkles on his forehead, he seemed to be [-] years old, if not [-] years old.Next to the official was a magistrate with the head of a tiger, and behind the magistrate were more than a dozen ghost messengers, all of them with hideous faces.

The scholar introduced in a low voice: "This is the ghost king." Wen Sheng was horrified and tried to run away. The ghost king had already seen it and stopped him. He respectfully invited Wen into the house, asked his health, and spoke very politely, and finally asked: " How did you get here, sir?" Wen Sheng said: "I'm here to intercede for the scholar." The ghost king changed his face when he heard the words, and said: "It's an old practice to cut the thigh, even if my own father comes, it can't be changed." Wen Sheng Seeing that his weather was solemn and inviolable, he didn't dare to persuade him any more, so he took his leave immediately and left. The ghost king personally saw him off and sent him outside the door.

Wen Sheng waited for the ghost king to leave, and sneaked under the lobby to observe the movement.I saw Xiucai and several scholars together with their hands tied behind their backs, not free.A ghost guard held a sharp knife in his hand and pierced Xiucai's clothes and pants. With the sharp knife waving, he cut off a piece of muscle on Xiucai's thigh, and Xiucai yelled in pain.

Seeing this, Wen Sheng was filled with anger, and shouted: "Is there any law for such cruelty?" The ghost king got up in surprise, and waved his hands: "Don't be too busy cutting flesh." Looking at Wen, he said with a smile: " Sir, what advice do you have for going back and forth?" Wen Sheng said bitterly, "You are so careless about human life, I want to sue the Jade Emperor." After finishing speaking, he turned around and left.

When he came outside, Wen Shengsheng asked passers-by about the residence of the Jade Emperor. Someone laughed and said, "Your Excellency is so pedantic. How can there be a Jade Emperor in the Yin Company? Even if you sue, you should find the Hades." While talking, he pointed out the way.

Wen Shengsheng came to the Senluo Hall according to the guidance of passers-by, and saw the solemn and majestic hall, with a king sitting on the head, full of righteousness. Undoubtedly, it must be Pluto, and immediately fell to his knees, crying for grievances.

Pluto interrogated the case carefully, and when he learned that the ghost king had done evil, his face showed anger, and he ordered: "Left and right, quickly capture the ghost king here." Driven away, he came to Senluo Hall.Pluto scolded: "Bold ghost king, I pity you for studying hard all your life, and I specially entrust you with a heavy responsibility. Who knows that you are arrogant and domineering, disregarding the law and discipline, it is really hateful. Come on, pick out the ghost king's 'good tendons' and add 'evil bones' , and punish him for life and life, never to be an official."

The ghost messenger suddenly agreed, took out a copper hammer, and knocked the ghost king to the ground with one hammer. With a scream, the ghost king opened his lips and spit out a mouthful of blood. Several teeth were mixed in the blood, which was bright red and dazzling.The ghost guard was expressionless, and took out a small knife, cut through the finger of the ghost king, and pulled out a small meridian, which was as white as silk, and the ghost king cried out in pain like killing a pig.The ghost guard was proficient in his hands and feet, he pumped the veins in his fingers, and then his toes. It lasted for half an hour before he finished pumping.

After the execution, the ghost messenger took the ghost king into prison.Wen Sheng kowtowed to thank him, got up and left, and the scholar followed.The two of them were walking in the market, passing by a door, the embroidered curtain inside the door was drooping, and inside the curtain was a woman with a beautiful appearance and overwhelming beauty.Wen Sheng asked, "Where is this?" The scholar said, "This is a jiyuan."

The two talked and left. Wen Sheng never forgets the beautiful woman, turns his head frequently, and then stops, saying: "Send you a thousand miles, and you must say goodbye. Friends don't need to send you off, so let's say goodbye." The scholar said: "I came with Mr. , now let you go back alone, how can you bear it?"

Wen Shengsheng persisted repeatedly, but Xiucai had no choice but to leave.Seeing the scholar walking away, Wen Sheng hurriedly got into the embroidered curtain, and the woman greeted her with a smile, beaming with joy.The two gave each their names, and the woman called herself: "My surname is Liu, and my nickname is Qiuhua." An old woman came out of the room during the conversation, holding delicious wine and food in her hand, entertaining the guests.

After the meal, the two went to bed for lingering love and endless love. After hearing about life and death, they swore to each other and made a white-headed promise with the woman.Then the east turned pale, and the old woman walked into the house and said: "The firewood and rice are exhausted, please give me some silver to make ends meet." Wen Shengsheng groped in his arms, penniless, and said embarrassingly: "I'm sorry, I'm going out this time. Too anxious, I forgot to bring money with me. How about I make a written receipt for my mother, and send the piao money as soon as I go back." The old woman changed her face when she heard the words: "How can a piao visitor not give money when visiting the brothel? Make a written receipt Well, the idea is good, but it’s a pity that the old woman can’t read, so it’s useless to write.”

Wen Sheng pondered for a while, and said, "So, how about I bet my clothes on to my mother?" The old woman said, "Don't blame me for being straightforward, my lord. You can buy a pot of wine at most with this ragged robe on your body." , complained for a long time, then took the woman's palm, turned and entered the house.

Wen Sheng didn't know what the two of them were going to do with him, so he quietly went to the window to peek, and saw the old woman and the woman, they changed their appearance in the blink of an eye, they were originally peerless beauties, but now they turned into the body of a bull head, with ugly faces , extremely terrifying.

Wen Sheng was terrified, fled in a hurry, and wanted to go home, but the streets were full of forks, and he really didn't know how to choose.Just running around like this, exhausted and hungry, just when he was in a dilemma, he suddenly met Xiucai. Seeing him in a panic, Xiucai asked, "Why did you get into such a state, you even lost your clothes?" ?”

Wen Shengsheng sighed and said: "Don't mention it, hey, it's all caused by lust." The scholar smiled and said: "Needless to say, the son must have been fascinated by Hua Yasha. Hmph, Qiuhua mother and son are old friends with me, but unexpectedly Dare to bully my friend, it is simply disrespectful to me." After finishing speaking, he left angrily.

After a while, the scholar went back, holding a coat in his hand, and said: "The maidservant is shameless, I have already scolded her." He sent Wen Shengsheng home, said goodbye and left.

At the moment of returning home, Wen Shengsheng had been dead for three days, and it was only at this time that he returned to the sun.