Ghost Story of Liaozhai

Jia Zilong, a scholar from Chang'an, happened to pass by the alley next door on this day, and saw a guest with a handsome demeanor, asked his name, and replied, "My name is Zhensheng." , I went there three times in a row, but Zhensheng was not at home.

For the fourth time, Jia Zilong found out in advance that Zhensheng was indeed in the mansion, so he went to pay a visit.Zhensheng avoided seeing him, so Jia Zilong searched around and found him.I was really helpless, so I had to host a banquet.The two had a long talk and were happy with each other.Jia Zilong took out his savings and ordered Tong'er to buy wine.Zhensheng drinks a lot and is good at joking. After a while, the wine has bottomed out and there is not much left.Jia Zilong was still not enjoying himself and couldn't help complaining.

Zhensheng smiled faintly, stretched out his hand to open the bamboo box, and took out a large jade cup. The jade cup was exquisite in shape, but it had no bottom.Zhensheng poured the leftover wine from the jug into the glass, just filled it full, and the wine stayed steadily, neither overflowing nor missing.Zhensheng held a small cup in his hand, kept filling the cup with wine, and poured it into the wine jug. The jug was filled with wine, and the wine in the jade cup was as usual, without any drop.

Jia Zilong yelled strangely, and asked Zhensheng to teach this technique. Zhensheng said: "Brother Jia is good at everything, but he is too greedy. That's why I don't want to meet you. This is the secret technique of the fairy family. Pass it on to mortals?" Jia Zilong said: "I'm wronged! How can I be greedy, and I occasionally have extravagant thoughts, and I'm really poor." He laughed and said goodbye.

Since then, the two have been in close contact.Whenever Jia Zilong was in distress, Zhensheng would take out a black stone and grind the rubble while chanting a mantra. In an instant, the rubble would turn into silver.

Jia Zilong often complained: "Why don't you spend more time?" Zhensheng said with a smile: "I said you are greedy, what's the matter?" There is a calculation, and he plans to steal the black stone while Zhensheng is asleep, and use it as a threat.

This day, when Zhensheng fell asleep after drinking, Jia Zilong searched him, looking for the black stone, not wanting that Zhensheng was not asleep, so he immediately noticed, and sighed: "Jiaxiong really has no conscience, I can't get along with you anymore." He said goodbye and left.

A year passed in the blink of an eye, and there was no trace of Zhensheng.On this day, Jia Zilong went to the river to play, and saw a black stone on the beach, crystal clear, very similar to the real one.Overjoyed, he immediately picked up the black stone, treasured it, and took it home.

A few days later, Zhensheng paid a sudden visit. Feeling lost, Jia Zilong expressed his condolences, and Zhensheng said: "Brother Jia saw the golden stone of an immortal. I used to follow Baozhenzi to practice Taoism. He saw that I was upright, so he gave the golden stone to me. A gift. The day before when I was drunk and passed by the river, I accidentally lost the stone. After divination, it turned out that it was in Jia Xiong's hands. If Jia Xiong has "returned the favor" to me, return the stone, and I will repay it."

Jia Zilong smiled and said: "I have never lied to a friend in my life. It is true that your stone is indeed in my hands. But in the past, Guan Zhong and Bao met each other. Guan Zhong's family was poor, and Uncle Bao often helped him. My situation is not much different from that of Guan Zhong. You How are you going to repay me?" Zhensheng said, "I will give you 100 taels of silver."

Jia Zilong said: "100 taels of silver is indeed a lot. But please pass on the formula, I want to try to turn stone into gold, but it's just a wish." Zhensheng said: "It's okay to teach the formula, but I'm afraid you are not greedy enough. Talking is nothing." Jia Zilong said: "You are a god, why don't you understand me, I, Jia, am I a person who broke his promise to a friend?"

Really helpless, immediately teach Jia the formula.Jia Zilong saw a huge stone on the steps and planned to use it to test the authenticity.Zhensheng quickly stopped him, frowned and said, "It's too big." Jia Zilong sighed, bent over and picked up half a green brick, put it on the anvil, and said, "Half a green brick, is it enough?" Zhensheng is sincere Those who do not doubt it, nodded immediately.

But he didn't know that Jia Zilong was a cunning man. When grinding, he only grinds the anvil, not the green brick.When Zhensheng saw this, his face was displeased, and he was about to take back the black stone, but Jia Zilong moved very quickly, clicking left and right, and in an instant, the anvil weighing more than ten kilograms was all turned into gold, and then returned the black stone.

Zhensheng sighed and said: "The matter has come to this, what can I say? It's just that I will be punished by God if I give Fulu to Jiaxiong casually. If Jiaxiong does not forget the old friend, please atone for my sin and donate one hundred coffins, one hundred pieces Mianyi, I wonder if you would be willing to help?"

Jia Zilong said: "Don't worry, I'm not a miser. Since gold is easy to come by, I should do more good deeds." Zhensheng was overjoyed and left.Jia Zilong became rich overnight, and since then he abandoned his studies and started a business. While doing business, he also helped the poor. In less than three years, he had given away the coffins and cotton clothes.

On this day, Zhensheng suddenly appeared, held Jia's palm, and said, "Brother Jia is a true believer! Since the last time we parted, I was impeached by the God of Fortune and deprived of my immortal status by the Jade Emperor; fortunately, Brother Jia has accumulated virtue for me, and now I have merit It is full, the sins are eliminated, and you will no longer be punished. I hope you continue to do good deeds, and you will be blessed and live longer."

Jia Zilong asked: "What position do you hold in the Heavenly Court?" Zhensheng said: "I was originally a fox demon, but because I was promoted by Taoism, I finally escaped life and death. Because of my humble background, I dare not do evil in my life, and I have never done bad things." The two reconciled, and Jia Zilong lived to be in his 90s and still kept in touch with the fox fairy.

Also bring grace: When Pei Du, a famous official of the Tang Dynasty, was living in poverty when he was young, a magician gave him a face-to-face interview and said, "The young master has a strange appearance. Either he will be a very good minister, or he will starve to death." Pei Du laughed when he heard this. Laughed, but didn't take it to heart.

On this day, Pei Du went to Xiangshan Temple to play, and saw a woman in the Buddhist temple carrying a package.The woman put the package on the ground, prayed on her knees, and then left in a hurry, leaving the package behind and forgetting to take it away.

Pei Du picked up the package and opened it. Inside were two jade belts and a rhinoceros belt, each of which was worth thousands of gold.At dusk, the woman returned again, looking around for the package, looking anxious. Pei Du asked her why, and the woman cried: "Father was framed and went to prison without charge. I finally borrowed three tapes and prepared to bribe the government to rescue him. Difficult, but I lost it, what should I do?" Pei Du asked about the size, shape, type and characteristics of the belt, and the woman said everything exactly.

Pei Du nodded, and returned the package to the woman. The woman was overjoyed, took out the rhinoceros belt, and gave it to Pei Du. Pei Du didn't want it, and turned to leave.Later, when Pei Du saw the warlock again, the warlock said, "The young master must have accumulated good virtues, and his future is endless and limitless."

The magician did not make a mistake in his calculations. Pei Du passed the Jinshi examination when he was 25 years old. He has been in politics for decades, from officials to prime ministers, and was named the Duke of Jin. He has served four emperors successively. He can be said to be the elder of the four dynasties and has a prominent position.