In Tongxiang County, Xixing, Zhejiang, there is a scholar named Shen Canruo. He is over 20 years old and is a famous talent in Jiaxing area. This man is handsome and open-minded. His wife, Wang, is beautiful, virtuous, and well-organized. They are a match made in heaven.
Husband and wife are in love, like fish in water, like glue like paint. It's just that Wang was weak and often sick. Within a few years of his life, he fell ill and died soon after.
After his wife died, Canruo cried so hard that he fainted several times. After Mrs. Wang was buried, the coffin was placed in the center of the hall. Canruo accompanied Mr. Wang in front of the coffin at night. After March 7th and April 7th, many friends came to express their condolences.
Qiqi passed in the blink of an eye, and relatives and friends all advised Canruo: "My wife has passed away, and there is no way she can come back to life. If you go on like this and ruin your ambitions, what's the point? What's more, staying at home It is inevitable to feel sad, so why not come to the capital with us, firstly, you can watch the scenery and relieve your sorrow, and secondly, you can talk about current affairs with your friends, which can relieve your boredom.
How can you delay yourself with sadness that has no benefit at all? Where are your lofty ambitions?" Canruo couldn't resist, and felt that what they said was reasonable, so he said goodbye to his wife's soul and went to the capital.
Canruo returned home after visiting the capital for a while. Naturally, it was inevitable to cry loudly in front of his wife's soul again. It took two months before Wang's coffin was buried. From then on, people gradually came to propose marriage to him, but Canruo politely refused.
Three years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Canruo is preparing to go to Beijing to take the exam again, but he feels very regretful that there is no one to take care of him at home. As the saying goes: "A house without an owner is a house that stands on end." Since Wang's death, Canruo studied hard all day long, and without a good wife like Wang to take care of him, his life was naturally very boring.
Sometimes he couldn't help but think to himself: "It would be great to remarry a woman who is in charge of the family affairs. It's a pity that there is really no suitable one." Thinking of this, he felt a little more depressed and missed the Wang family in his heart. He had no choice but to entrust the affairs at home to Butler Li and let him take care of the food. He packed some luggage and set off for Beijing.
It was the weather in August at this time, with a cool breeze and crisp autumn air; it was a good time to travel in such a season. At night, the bright moon shines brightly in the sky, stretching thousands of miles, making the sky and the earth contrast with each other.
Canruo was bored alone while drinking wine. Feeling sad about the scene, he sang loudly. After singing, he drank bitter wine. After getting drunk, he fell asleep in the boat unknowingly. After more than 20 days of traveling, we finally arrived in Beijing.
He rented a hotel not far to the east of the examination room and stored his luggage. One day, he and several friends went to drink and talk outside Qihua Gate, and happened to see a woman here.
I saw her wearing plain clothes, sitting on a donkey, followed by a family member carrying clothes, as if she had just returned from visiting a grave. When Canruo saw this fairy-like woman, it was as if three souls were missing from the top of the door and seven souls were running away from beneath the feet.
So he also hired a donkey and followed her, just watching her. From time to time, the woman turned her head to look at him on the donkey's back. After walking for a while, they came to a secluded place. The woman got off the donkey and walked to a house.
Canruo got off the donkey, came to the door of the house and stared blankly at the woman through the crack in the door. After a long time, a person walked out of the house and asked Canruo: "What are you looking at here, sir? What's the matter?"
Canruo replied: "Just now, a young lady in white invited me here. She came in. But you can't see the door, so I'm waiting here." The man said: Since it's my cousin who made the appointment, please come in and talk. My cousin Lu Huiniang has just been widowed. She plans to remarry, so she came to discuss it with me. "
Canruo couldn't wait to ask after hearing this: "I wonder what kind of person your sister wants to marry? Are you willing to marry somewhere else?" The man replied: "As long as they are scholars and of the same age, it doesn't matter where they are. It will be all right."
Canruo then introduced himself and said: To be honest, I am a former imperial examination candidate, and this time I came to Beijing to take the exam. I just saw my cousin Ling, who is so beautiful and charming that she is unparalleled in the world, and I feel very admired. If you are willing to do it Matchmaker, if you marry your cousin to me, I will thank you very much."
The man said: "I guess it's not a big problem. You can go back and wait for me to discuss it with my cousin. You can come back tomorrow to hear the answer." After hearing this, Ruo was overjoyed, took out a bag of silver from his arms and handed it to the man, saying, "This is a small gift to express your sincerity. Thank you again when it's done. "The man declined politely and accepted."
Early the next day, Canruo came to inquire about the news. The man came out with a smile and said: "Congratulations to my husband! I mentioned it to my cousin yesterday, who knew that my cousin has already fallen in love with my husband. All you have to do is prepare some betrothal gifts and get married. My cousin is willing, so the gift does not matter how much. It’s just that you think you can handle it, sir.” After hearing this, Canruo took out 30 taels of silver and some clothes and sent them over. Seeing that the man didn’t argue for much, he decided on a date for the wedding on the spot. On the wedding night, Huiniang just sat on the chair alone.
It was around one o'clock, in the dead of night, but Huiniang hadn't gone to bed yet. Canruo said: "Madam, come and have a rest!" Huiniang replied in a delicate voice: "Mr., please go to bed first!" Canruo thought she was shy, so he stopped forcing her and went to bed first.
But how could he sleep alone at this time? After midnight, Madam Hui was still sitting alone on the chair. Canruo begged again: "Madam, I have been very tired for the past few days, why don't you come? Rest? What does it mean to just sit there alone?"
Hui Niang said again: "Mr., please go to bed first and let me sit down for a while." While she was talking, her eyes were secretly observing. Looks Canruo. Canruo was worried that he would be unhappy on his wedding night, so he had to go to bed first.
After a while, he asked again: "Why aren't you sleeping?" Madam Hui looked Canruo up and down carefully and asked: "Do you know anyone who is powerful in the capital? "Who?" Canruo was puzzled and replied: "Xiaosheng has many friends who are officials in the capital, and the relationship is very close!" After hearing this, Huiniang said with relief: "In that case, I will do it this time. I really want to marry you." After hearing this, Canruo asked in confusion: "What are you kidding me! We met thousands of miles away, hired a matchmaker, and paid a betrothal gift, so that we could get married. Now we are married. We are husband and wife, but why do you think it is true or false?"
Madam Hui then said in detail: "The official does not know something, but the man who told you that he is my cousin is named Zhang Liu. He is a well-known human trafficker and is involved in the business of kidnapping women. Where is the concubine? It is just a sign for him to attract business.
Because the concubine is somewhat pretty, he deliberately uses her to lure men. In his home. But he made up the lie he told you and deceived many men who admired my beauty.
On the wedding night, he asked his concubine to pretend to be shy. Don't sleep with a man so that you won't be humiliated by a man. Otherwise, if he takes action, he will rush in with a group of thugs and tell you that you are cheating on a good woman, and they will rob you of both your people and your property. .
The men who were lured here had no choice but to swallow their anger and consider themselves unlucky. Yesterday, the concubine came back from paying homage to her mother's grave. She didn't know that she met the official, so she tried her old trick again. I'm thinking privately, am I going to spend my life this way? If something happens one day, my concubine's beauty will be in vain. What's more, with my innocent body, I can secretly welcome the new and send the old away. How can I bear it emotionally?
The concubine tried to persuade him several times that he really should get married, but he just refused. So the concubine secretly thought that she could only use the trick if she met her soulmate. , willing to pledge herself to him and elope with him.
Today I saw that the official is very popular, sincere and approachable. My concubine really loves her from the bottom of her heart. But I'm just afraid that after marrying an official, they might find me. If no one helps us, it will harm you.
Now we must escape overnight. Only in this way can we, as husband and wife, live a comfortable life without causing any trouble. This time, the concubine acted as a matchmaker and offered herself to the official. I hope the official will not forget my concubine's affection in the future. "
After listening to the lady's words, Canruo stayed for a while and then said: "Thank you, the lady didn't mind it and told Xiaosheng the truth of the matter. Otherwise, the niche will be in disaster. After saying that, they hurriedly packed up their things and ran away. Before leaving, they said to the shop owner: "There is an emergency at home, we are going back." "
Canruo knew that He Cheng lived in the capital with his family, so they went to He Cheng's house overnight. They knocked on the door and told them what happened in detail. So Canruo's family lived with He Cheng's family in one house and two courtyards.
The next day, Zhang Liuer came with thugs to grab people and things. He saw that the room was empty, the door was open, and there was no one around. So he hurriedly asked the owner: "We got married yesterday. Where did that Juren move to today?"
The owner of the store replied: The husband said that there was something urgent at home and went home overnight." After hearing this, the thugs were stunned for a moment, and then shouted: "Hurry up and chase him!" "After saying that, they chased in the direction of Zhangjiawan like a swarm of swarms. Think about it, how can we catch up when we are completely opposite!
Canruo stayed at He Cheng’s house for two months and read books for two months. In a blink of an eye, it was time to take the imperial examination again, so he went to take the exam. He passed the three levels smoothly and was very happy.
The imperial list was posted, and as expected, Canruo was named the county magistrate of Jiangyin, and Lu Huiniang naturally became the wife of the magistrate.
