Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Liu in Zichuan County is domineering, with a beastly face, and the villagers fear him like a tiger.Later, Liu moved to live in Linyi County, and his bad habits did not change.Liu's family has several acres of land, which is connected to the field of Miao's family.Miao is a diligent person and has planted many peach trees on Tianba.

This year the peaches were ripe, and Miao's son was going to pick peaches in the field. Liu happened to see him and said angrily, "This is my peach. Who will allow you to pick it? Go, go." Miao's son was still young, only about ten years old. , Seeing this, wept loudly, and complained to my father after returning home.Before he finished speaking, Liu broke into the house, turned the truth upside down, and scolded: "My surname is Liu, your child ran to my field to steal peaches, this matter cannot be left alone."

Miao laughed again and again and said many good things.Liu was still not relieved, so he wrote a pleading paper and went to the county government to file a complaint.When I came to the market, I met my old friend Li Cuishi. Li Cuishi asked, "Brother Liu, what is the purpose of this trip?" Liu told the truth, and Li Cuishi smiled and said, "I know this old man Miao. , How could he steal your peaches? You must be slandering a good person again. Listen to my advice, this matter ends here." While speaking, he took the pleading paper from Liu's hand and tore it to pieces.

Liu hated it so much that, taking advantage of Li Cuishi's unpreparedness, he rewrote another pleading paper and put it in his arms.Not long after, Miao came to visit and begged Li Cuishi to intercede for him. He said, "The old man has been a farmer all his life. He has never seen a government office, and he does not want to step into court in this life. As long as the Liu family promises not to sue, a few peach trees , I’d rather see you off.” Li Cuishi called out Liu and intervened.When Liu heard the words, he was not forgiving when he was in power, pointing out the sky and scolding him endlessly.Miao kept nodding and bowing, not daring to argue.

After cursing for a while, Liu was full of ambition, and returned home proudly. Not long after, he died.When Li Cuishi heard about this, he was very surprised.On this day, when Li Cuishi was out on business, he suddenly saw an old man walking towards him with a cane in his hand. It was none other than Liu.

Liu had also seen Li Cuishi, went up to hear the news, and invited him to his home.Li Cuishi asked: "I heard that Brother Liu passed away suddenly the other day. Could it be a rumor?" Iron chain, said, "Liu, come with me to see the official." I thought to myself, "I have been in and out of the court for decades, I don't know how many heroes I have met, and I will see the official when I see the official. Who is afraid of whom?" People, came to a big hall. In the big hall sat a king, with an angry face, said: "Are you Liu? I heard that you are full of crimes, and you don't want to repent; now you are taking other people's property for yourself. For such a crime, the dark law should be put into the frying pan." One person held the book and said, "Liu has done a good deed, and he cannot be executed." The king picked up the book and looked at it. Send him back for the time being.' Dozens of people shouted in unison and drove me out. I asked, "I will arrest you later, release me later. Please explain why." The person holding the booklet said earlier. "In the 13th year of Chongzhen, you paid 20 yuan to save a couple, so you should not die. Otherwise, you would have been thrown into the tunnel of reincarnation and punished as a beast." When I heard this, I was shocked and dare not Stayed, escorted by two officials, and walked out quickly. When I came outside the main hall, the two officials asked me for bribes. I said angrily: "I have been in and out of the public for [-] years, and I have never been the only one asking for money. You are so bold. Dare to ask for meat from a tiger?' The two of them were shocked by me, and they dared not talk back, so they sent me to the entrance of the village, bid farewell and left. When we got home, we knew that I had been dead for three days."

Hearing this, Li Cuishi was secretly surprised, and immediately asked Liu about his good deeds.

At the beginning, in the 13th year of Chongzhen, there was a famine all over the world. At that time, Liu was still young and worked as a government servant in Zichuan County.One day when I was out on business, I saw a man and a woman weeping and weeping during the trip. They came up to ask why, and they said, "We are husband and wife. We have been married for more than a year. Now there is a great famine, and we are short of food and clothing, so we are troubled. "

When Liu heard the words, he didn't take it seriously, and continued on his way, and then came to an oil shop, where he met the husband and wife unexpectedly.They were arguing with the owner of the oil shop with red faces, as if they were bargaining.I went up to ask the reason, and the shop owner said: "This couple lives in poverty, and they often come to the Xiaolaoer shop to beg for food. This time it was a little different. The man told me, 'I want to sell my wife to me', and offered three hundred copper coins. The little old man is only willing to give one hundred coins, and the two of them think it is too little, so it is really funny to babble and pester endlessly."

Hearing this, the man's expression was displeased, and he said, "If I hadn't rushed to return to my hometown, who would sell your wife? Three hundred copper coins are just enough to cover the travel expenses, so why are you so stingy?"

Liu agreed: "Yes, three hundred copper coins to buy a charming young woman. This price can't be considered expensive. Just treat it as a good deed and agree to forget it." Otherwise, how about I pay half of the price for you?"

The shop owner shook his head, still unmoved, and said: "One hundred pennies, one more penny is worthless." Liu was young and vigorous, seeing that the shop owner was a philistine, he was indignant, and said to the man: "This person is a businessman. Se, with a heart of stone, don't ask him. I'll pay the three hundred copper coins, so it's better to collect the money and don't have to break up the expensive couple, isn't it better?" While talking, he took out the copper coins and gave them to the two.

After Liu told the story, Li Cuishi greatly appreciated it.Since then, Liu has abandoned evil and pursued good, and has never done anything bad again.