During the Ming Dynasty, there was a young wealthy merchant named Li Wannian in Zhaoyuan County. This person was very, married a total of six concubines, a total of seven wives, known as the Seven Fairies. In order to take good care of these "seven fairies" and not let them gossip, the boy went to sleep with the same wife every night in order. Because of the night song, his body bones were quickly hollowed out. In October of the tenth year of the Wanli Calendar, in the cold autumn, Li Wannian fell seriously ill again, and as a result, there was no medicine to save, and his life was whimpering.
The Li family quickly prepared a funeral for the boy. Zheng Bo served in the Li family for many years, and he also watched Li Wannian grow up, and he was very sad about the departure of the young master. Li Wannian's mother was blind a few years ago because of glaucoma, she could not handle her son's funeral, and Li Wannian's father died prematurely, so Li Wannian's mother let Zheng Bo handle her son's funeral. After Zheng Bo was busy, he traveled inside and out, and it was not easy to buy a coffin and place the young master in it. The next step is to stop the spirit, wait for relatives and friends to mourn, and then choose an auspicious day and send it to the mountain to be buried.
The day after Li Wannian's death, seven wives all gathered around his coffin to cry and cry, and Zheng Bo received the Li family's relatives and friends at the entrance of the courtyard. At about noon, a shabby-dressed Taoist priest came. He took the dust in one hand and the bowl in the other, and said to Zheng Bohua, "The benefactor is doing well, give some food or give a few rewards." ”
Zheng Bo was very angry when he saw that this Daoist priest was dirty, and pointed to the white mantle in front of the courtyard door, "You didn't see the dead people in our house, are you still here to make a relationship?" Don't look for a time, you hurry up, I don't have time for you to eat. ”
"What, there are dead people in your house?" Haha that couldn't be better! The Taoist priest not only did not get angry when he heard this, but instead danced with his hands and feet, and was schadenfreude.
Zheng Bo was even more angry, grabbed the broom under the eaves and drove away the Daoist priest, "You really can't speak, the young master of my family is dead, you don't mourn for him silently, and even said that he died well." Hurry up and go, or our old lady will find out and will find trouble for you." ”
The Daoist priest said solemnly, "Why don't you listen to what I have to say?" I didn't say your master died well! I mean: I can do it, bring your master back to life. But I'm going to take fifty taels of silver as a reward. ”
What the? Fifty taels of silver can resurrect the young master? Zheng Bo was overjoyed, immediately threw away the broom, and grabbed the Daoist priest's hand, "Is this true?" Don't lie to me! ”
"Monks don't talk." The Taoist priest had a serious face.
Zheng Bo was even happier, and Lian Lian said, "Well, you stand here for a while, and I will go and report to the old lady and the hostess." ”
Although the Li family did not lack these fifty taels of silver, Zheng Bo did not! Therefore, if he wanted to use fifty taels of silver to resurrect Li Wannian, he must also let the old lady or the seven female masters know.
After the Taoist priest promised Zheng Bo to wait at the door, Zheng Bo flew away and told the old lady and the seven female masters the news. When the old lady heard that someone could bring her dead son back to life, she said to Zheng Bo, "Quick, quickly invite that high man in!" ”
However, Li Wannian's seven mother-in-laws said with all their tongues, "If you buy dozens of pairs of high-grade medicinal materials, you can't use fifty taels of silver!" That Daoist priest must have taken the opportunity to knock the bamboo lever! Zheng Bo, negotiate with him, ask thirty-two lines is not OK, thirty-two can not be, forty-two can also be! But fifty taels of silver, too much, resolutely do not give! ”
Feelings higher than forty-two, will not let the young owner resurrect? Zheng Bo was very unhappy in his heart, but the hostess's words, he had to listen, the most important thing is that no one gave him silver! So Zheng Bo could only go to the door of the courtyard according to their wishes and come to the Taoist priest to reply.
The Daoist priest heard that Zheng Bo had only given thirty-two pieces of silver, so he turned around and left. Zheng Bo was eager to save people's hearts, and quickly persuaded the Daoist priest to say, "Dao Chief, please wait, I will go to the hostess again, let them give fifty taels of silver, no longer bargain with you, no matter what, we must also save our Shaodong family!" ”
The Taoist priest verbally agreed, but after Zheng Bo entered the hospital again to report, he turned and left. After Zheng Bo came out, there was still the shadow of a Taoist priest. When the seven aunts and grandmothers heard that the Daoist priest was gone, they all blamed Zheng Bo for running slowly, snubbed the Daoist priest, and asked him to get the Daoist back no matter what.
Zheng Bo had no choice but to inquire about the whereabouts of the Taoist priests. In the afternoon, he saw the Taoist priest outside a tailor's shop in the south of the city, so he quickly stepped forward and grabbed him and said, "Dao Chief, my hostess has agreed, I will give you fifty taels of silver, please follow me back to do it for the young master." ”
"Money is all little things. But there is still a problem - if you want to make the dead man return to the yang, you must also let a living person replace it! In other words, someone must be willing to die for your young owner's family, and I can save him. The Taoist priest touched his goatee beard, and his face was embarrassed.
Zheng Bo was suddenly shocked, "Ah, and such strange things? ”
The Daoist priest nodded, "Well, this is not a strange thing, this is just a rule over there." Ask your old lady or your mistress, who would be willing to die for your man. Tomorrow at noon, I will come to the door of your house to listen to your reply. ”
"Well, then there's The Chief." Zheng Bo hugged his fist and returned to Li Mansion and told the eight women about this not very good news. When Li Wannian's seven wives heard this, they immediately shook their heads and expressed their reluctance. When Mrs. Li sighed, she had to say, "The old man is old and can't live for a few days, so it's better for me to die instead of my son!" ”
"Old lady, you are the head of the family, you can't make this decision!" It is better to let the old slave die in place of the young master. Zheng Bo was grateful for the Care of the Li family for so many years, thought about it again and again, and made this decision. As soon as Li Wannian's seven wives heard this, they immediately burst into tears and praised with a smile, "Zheng Bo, you are really very sensible, you are really the savior of the Li family!" On behalf of Wannian, we thank you. ”
When Mrs. Li heard this, she felt that it was reasonable, so she nodded her head in agreement. At noon on the second day, the Taoist priest came to the gate of Li Mansion as promised, and Zheng Bo explained his last wishes to him, "Dao Chief, the hostesses of our family are still young, and they died like this, which is really not worth it." So the old slave thought well, the old slave is willing to die for the Shaodong family, and hopes that you will save him as soon as possible. ”
"No rush! Since you are willing to die for your family's young owner, then hurry up and say goodbye to your relatives and friends! Tomorrow at noon, I will come here again to practice. After the Taoist priest said this, he left again. Li Wannian felt that this Daoist priest had thought too thoughtfully, so he told the old lady Jun about this matter, and went to say goodbye to his relatives and friends one by one.
Of course, in order not to make everyone sad, he tried his best to pretend to be calm. Moreover, he also took out the wages given to him by the Li family over the years and sent gifts to these relatives and friends. In the evening, the city gate was almost closed, and Zheng Bo no longer stayed in the countryside, accelerated his pace, and walked toward the city.
When I was about to reach the city gate, I happened to meet a monk who came out of the city, and the monk also came to make friends with him. Zheng Bo still had one or two pieces of silver on his body at that time, thinking that he would die tomorrow, and there was no point in keeping it any longer, so he gave all the silver to the monk and was about to leave in a hurry. But the monk stopped him and said, "Lord, you think of others everywhere, but you have not received a good return. This shouldn't be at all! Heaven has the virtue of good life, and I think it will not stop me from making your life full in the future. ”
"Later? Where do I have any future, I really don't hide from Master, I will die tomorrow. Zheng Bo smiled self-deprecatingly and then prepared to step into the city. Because in the distance, he saw that the soldiers at the city gate were all fighting to return home. As soon as they entered the city, the gates of the city were bound to close, and if they could not enter the city, they would have to sleep outside the city.
"Do you really think that Daoist priest can resurrect your master?" The monk looked at Zheng Bo's back and smiled faintly. Zheng Bo was stunned and turned back sharply, "How do you know about this?" I don't think I told you just now! ”
"It doesn't matter if you say you didn't say it, in short, you don't want to follow the Taoist Tao." Lord, for the sake of your goodness, please bring this string of Buddha beads to you, at the critical moment, it can keep you safe. The monk did not say much, and immediately took out a string of dark brown Buddha beads from his sleeve and handed them to Zheng Bo. This string of Buddhist beads is relatively small, and only eighteen beads are worn on it. Zheng Bo saw that the monk said the tao, and thought to himself: Since he has the heart to give it to me, then I will take it with me, maybe at the critical moment, can I really save my own life?
Therefore, Zheng Bo thanked him, took the beads, and quickly walked into the city.
At noon on the second day, the Taoist priest came to Li Mansion as promised. Zheng Bo and the old lady Jun, as well as Li Wannian's seven wives, all came to the door of the courtyard to greet them. After grabbing some sticky rice and paper money and pretending to circle the courtyard a few times, the Taoist priest asked Zheng Bo to find someone to carry Li Wannian's coffin into a claustrophobic room. Then let the "seven fairies" stay outside, and no matter what sounds they hear, no one is allowed to enter it.
Everyone thought that this Daoist priest was a highly qualified person, so they all nodded their heads and did their own thing. After the Taoist priest took Zheng Bo into the closed room, he asked Zheng Bo to take Li Wannian's body out, put it on the bed, and then let him lie in the coffin. Zheng Bo acted very honestly according to the Taoist priest's instructions.
Although Li Wannian had been dead for several days, it was cold and the body had not yet decomposed. After Zheng Bo carried the boy's body to the bed, he honestly lay down in the coffin again. At this moment, the Taoist priest suddenly found a pillow to cover Zheng Bo's mouth and nose. Zheng Bo realized that this stinky Daoist was doing something, he was clearly murdering!
Fortunately, at this time, the prayer bead that the monk gave him actually produced a strange light. When the Daoist priest saw the light, he was instantly frightened and did not possess his body, and he pulled out his leg and ran. As a result, as soon as he ran out of the hospital, he was stopped by the monk who was already waiting outside. It turned out that this Daoist priest was nothing but a great liar who cheated people out of money. However, this liar also has a miracle: the art of transfiguration. He can make up another person who is exactly the same according to the appearance characteristics of the person. With this method, he cheated on eating, drinking, and sleeping in many places.
When the boy learned of Li Wannian's death, he came up with a wonderful idea: pretending to be a Taoist priest, pretending to bring Li Wannian back from the dead, and then taking advantage of the practice, he put Li Wannian's body on the bed; when he killed the so-called "borrowing soul to return the Yang" person and leaving the Li family compound with his body, he stole Li Wannian's body that night. Finally, he disguised himself as Li Wannian, lay down on the bed, and waited for the next day to dawn before he walked out of the house on his own. Let everyone think that the Fa done by the Taoist priest has been fulfilled, and Li Wannian has really been resurrected!
As everyone knows, his intrigue and trickery have long been discovered by a high-ranking monk who travels in all directions. In order to catch his currentity, the monk followed all the way, and finally when he harmed people, he caught him squarely, and then subdued the Daoist priest with his rosary magic device.
After experiencing this incident, Mrs. Li also discovered Zheng Bo's loyalty, not only gave him two gold bars as a reward, but also returned his deed of sale to him, and let him retire in Li Mansion. As for her seven ignorant daughters-in-law, they had no choice but to let them remarry and go to the homes of others.
Editor's note: Zheng Bo is kind, loyal, and thinks about others everywhere, so he finally got a good reward. This story tells us: good people will always have good rewards! But do good deeds, don't ask about the future.