In the mansion of Jiang Bilang in Weinan, Shaanxi, there were many ghosts and monsters that came out from time to time to confuse people. As a result, Mr. Jiang moved away. He left a servant to look after the house, but he died soon afterward; he replaced several servants, but all of them died as well. The house was then abandoned.
There was a scholar in the village called Tao Wangsan, who was always bold and free, and liked to be intimate with prostitutes, but always sent them away after drinking. A friend intentionally let a prostitute run to his house to find him, he did not refuse, laughing and kept the prostitute; but in fact the whole night to her autumn no offense. He once spent the night in the house of Kang Buk-lang, and a maid came to him at night to elope; he firmly refused to fornicate with her, and Kang Buk-lang honored him for it. His family was very poor, and his wife died, living in a few thatched rooms, humid and hot summer days, the heat can not stand; so he went to beg the Kang Minister Lang, want to borrow the abandoned house to live. He went to Jiang Bilang and asked him to borrow the abandoned mansion to live. He then wrote an essay called "A Discourse on the Absence of Ghosts" and offered it to Kang, saying, "What can ghosts do to me?" Seeing how resolute he was in his request, Kang Beilang agreed.
Tao Wangsan went ahead to clean the house. In the evening he left a book in the house; went home to get something else, and when he returned the book was gone. Feeling strange, he lay on his back and watched with bated breath to see what had changed. After a meal's work, he heard footsteps, and, looking askance, saw two ladies come out of the room, and return his lost book to the table, one about twenty years old, and the other about seventeen or eighteen, both very pretty. They came over and stood in front of the bed, looking at each other and laughing. Tao Wangsan didn't say a word and didn't move. The older woman raised a foot and kicked him in the stomach, while the younger one covered her mouth and snickered. Tao Wangsan felt his heart shaking and swaying, almost unable to control himself, so he hurriedly and seriously corrected his thoughts, always ignoring. The woman came over and ran her left hand through his beard, and her right hand gently patted his cheek, making a slight ringing sound. The young one laughed even harder. Tao Wangsan suddenly jumped up and shouted, "How dare a ghostly thing do that!" The two ladies ran away in fear. Tao Wangsan was afraid of being harassed at night, and wanted to withdraw to his home, but was ashamed that his speech was in bad taste; so he lit a lamp and read. Ghosts and shadows came and went in the darkness, but he did not look at them. It was almost midnight when he went to bed with the light on. When he closed his eyes, he felt that someone poked his nostrils with something very fine, and it tickled so much that he sneezed heavily; he only heard a faint laughter from the darkness. He said nothing, pretended to be asleep and waited. A moment later, see the young girl with a note twisted into a fine twist, tiptoe cat waist over; Tao Wang San suddenly jumped up and loudly rebuked, they fluttered away. When he fell asleep, and then came to poke his ears with paper twists. The whole night harassment, he really can not stand. After the cock crows, only silence, Tao Wangsan sleep well, the whole day did not see or hear anything.
After the sun went down, the ghostly shadows appeared again in a trance. Tao Wangsan then cooked the night meal, intending to stay up all night. The older woman gradually bent her arm over the table and watched Tao Wangsan read. Later closed his book. Tao Wangsan angrily went to grab her, she immediately drifted away; a moment later came to slap him. Tao Wangsan used his hand to press the book to read. The young girl secretly behind his head with both hands to cover his eyes, a turn of the eye and ran away, standing far away laughing. Tao Wangsan pointed and cursed, "Little brats! Kill them all if you catch them!" But the two girls were not afraid of him. So he joked, "I don't know anything about men and women having fun, so it's useless for you to pester me." The two girls smiled faintly, turned around and walked to the kitchen, chopped wood and panned rice, and cooked porridge for him. Tao Wangsan looked at them and complimented, "You two do this, isn't it better than foolishly jumping around?" Not long after, the porridge was cooked, and the two of them scrambled to put spoons, chopsticks and tile bowls on the table. Tao Wangsan said, "Thank you for serving me, how can I repay you for your favor?" The woman laughed and said, "The rice is laced with poison!" Tao Wangsan said, "I have never had any grievances with you, so how could you harm me with poison?" When he finished eating, they gave him another serving and scrambled to run for him.
Tao Wangsan was very happy and gradually became accustomed to them. He grew familiar with the ladies day by day, sitting and talking with them, asking their names. The older one said, "My name is Qiu Rong, surnamed Qiao; she is Xiao Xie of the Ruan family." Tao Wangsan asked them where they came from. Xiao Xie laughed and said, "Silly Mr. Lang! I don't even dare to offer myself, who wants you to inquire about the family, to be married?" Tao Wangsan said seriously: "In the face of beauty, is it possible that I will not move? It's just that when a person suffers from the ghostly qi of the netherworld, he is bound to die. If you are not happy to be with me, just go; if you are happy to be with me, stay at ease. If you do not love me, why should I dishonor you two beauties? If you love me, why do you want to kill me, a wild scholar?" The two girls looked at each other, were very touched, and from then on did not tease him much; only sometimes put their hands into his arms, and stroked his pants to the ground, and he ignored it, and did not think it strange.
One day, Tao Wang San book did not finish copying went out, came back to see Xiao Xie lying on the table, holding a pen to copy for him. Seeing him, Xie threw down the pen, squinted at him and smiled. Tao Wangsan approached to see, although the word is written very poorly, not like, but sparse between the lines neatly. He praised: "You are really a man of elegance! If you like this, I'll teach you." So he took her in his arms and held her wrist to teach her to write. Qiu Rong came in from outside and her face suddenly changed, looking as if she was jealous. Xiao Xie smiled and said, "When I was a child, I once learned to write from my father, so I haven't written for so long, it's like a dream." Qiu Rong also did not say anything. Tao Wangsan understood her mind and pretended not to notice, so he hugged her and also handed her a pen, saying, "Let me see if you can write?" Putting his hand to write a few words, he stood up and said, "Qiu Niang is really good at writing!" Qiu Rong was then happy. Tao Wangsan then took two sheets of paper and folded them into a grid, telling them to copy together; he lit another lamp to read. Tao Sheng was secretly happy that they each had something to do and no longer came to disturb him. The two girls finished copying, respectfully stood in front of the table, listening to Tao Sheng evaluation. Qiu Rong never know how to read, painted in a messy way, can not see the words, Tao Wangsan circle finished, she saw that she is not as good as Xiao Xie, full of shame. Tao Wangsan encouraged and comforted her a bit, her face only cheerful.
The two girls from now on Tao Wangsan as a master to serve, sitting to scratch his back, lying down to give him legs, not only do not dare to bully him, but also strive to please him. After a month, Xiao Xie's words actually look good. Tao Wangsan occasionally praised a few words, Qiu Rong very ashamed, tears wash off the face of the powder, tear marks like a line; Tao Wangsan comfort and persuasion, she did not cry. Tao Sheng is to teach them to read, they are very smart, explain once, never ask again. They read more than Tao Sheng, often all night long. Xiao Xie also brought her younger brother, Ruan Sanlang, to study with Tao Sheng. Sanlang was fifteen or sixteen years old, with a beautiful face, and brought a gold ruyi as a gift to his master. Tao Wangsan asked Sanlang and Qiu Rong to read a scripture, and the hall was filled with the sound of babbling and reading, where Tao Sheng ran a ghost school. When Jiang Bilang heard about it, he was very happy and sent firewood, rice, oil and salt to Tao Wangsan on time. After a few months, Qiu Rong and San Lang were able to recite poems and used to give each other poems from time to time. Xiao Xie secretly urged Tao Sang not to teach Qiu Rong, and he promised; Qiu Rong also secretly urged him not to teach Xiao Xie, and he likewise promised down.
One day, Tao Wang San was going to the Prefecture to take the examination, and the two girls said goodbye to him with tears in their eyes. Sanlang said, "Don't go to this examination on account of your illness; otherwise I am afraid you will run into evil." Tao Sheng thought it dishonorable to sue for illness, and went on his way. Earlier, Tao Sheng liked to write poems to satirize some things in the society, and offended the powerful figures in the county, who thought of vilifying him every day. They secretly bribed the school secretary to falsely accuse Tao Sheng of misbehavior and put him in jail. Tao Sheng spent all his money and begged for food from his fellow inmates, thinking that he could not live. Suddenly a person fluttered into the cell, it turned out to be Qiu Rong. She brought him food in a food box. The two of them wept, and Qiu Rong said: "Sanlang was worried about you, and now he has been right. Sanlang came with me; he went to the governor's office to plead your case." She said a few words and went out, and no one else could see her.
The next day, when the governor went out, Sanlang stopped the road and cried out for justice, and the governor took him back to the Yamen. Qiu Rong went into the prison to report to Tao Sheng, turned back and went to inquire about the situation, and did not return for three days. Tao Sheng is sad and hungry, no way, days like years. Suddenly, Xiao Xie came, extremely sad and angry, said: "Qiu Rong went back, passing by the City God Temple, by the temple inside the corridor of the Black Judge hard to capture, forced her to be a concubine. Qiu Rong refused to submit, and is now also imprisoned. I have run a hundred miles, and am very weary; and when I came outside the north city, I was pricked in the heart of my foot by a great thorn, and the pain is so great that I am afraid I cannot come again." Then she showed Tao Sheng her foot, which was made red with blood. She took out three taels of silver, and limped away into obscurity. The governor interrogated Sanlang, found that he and Tao Wangsan always non-relationship, no reason to fight for people, very suspicious, and was about to torture him, he fell to the ground and disappeared. The governor felt strange. Look at his pleadings, feelings, words of sadness and sorrow. The governor brought Tao Sheng to the face of the interrogation, asked: "Ruan Sanlang is what person?" Tao Sheng pretended not to know. The governor realized that he had been wronged and released him.
Tao Sheng returned to that courtyard, and no one came all night. It was nearly dawn before Xiao Xie came, saying miserably, "Sanlang was escorted to the netherworld by the gods protecting the magistrate's office; the King of Yan said he was righteous and let him be born into a rich and noble family. Qiu Rong has been imprisoned for a long time; I cast a petition to the City God, but it was suppressed and could not be handed in; what can I do?" Tao Wangsan said angrily, "How dare the old black ghost do this! Tomorrow, I will go to knock down his statue and kick it into the mud; I will criticize the City God and ask him if he was in a drunken dream when his subordinate officials were so tyrannical and rude!" The two people are sad and angry relative, do not realize that will be to the fourth night. Autumn Rong suddenly drifted to. The two men were shocked and delighted, and hurriedly inquired. Autumn Rong said with tears in her eyes, "I have suffered a lot this time for Tao Lang! The Black Judge forced me every day with a knife and stick, but this evening he suddenly let me back and said: 'I didn't do anything else, I did it because I love you; since you don't want to, I didn't actually defile you either. I trouble you to tell Officer Tao not to condemn me.'" Tao Wangsan, hearing this, became somewhat pleased, and, wishing to share the bed with the girls, said, "I am willing to die for you today." The two girls said sadly, "Having been enlightened by you some time ago, and having known a good deal of truth, how can I bear to kill you because I love you?" They firmly disagreed; yet they were as close to Tao Sheng as husband and wife, with their heads and necks, and their ears and temples together. Because of their suffering, their jealousy had all disappeared.
It so happened that a Taoist priest met Tao Sheng on the road, looked at him and said that he "had a ghostly aura on him". Tao Sheng thought his words were unusual, so he told him the truth. The Taoist priest said, "These two ghosts are very good, we should not let them down." So he drew two talismans and gave them to Tao Sheng, saying, "Go back and give them to the two female ghosts, depending on their luck: if you hear any crying daughters outside the door, swallow the talismans and hurry out, and the one who gets there first can be resurrected." Tao Sheng bowed his thanks, took them, and went back to exhort the two female spirits.
A month or so later, I did hear someone outside crying for their daughter. The two girls scrambled outside. In her haste, Xiao Xie forgot to swallow the talisman. Seeing a hearse passing by, Qiu Rong kept running out and got into the coffin and disappeared; Xiao Xie could not get in and came back crying bitterly. Tao Sheng went out to take a look, it turned out to be a rich man surnamed Hao to his daughter's funeral. Everyone saw a woman into the coffin to go, everyone was shocked and puzzled; a moment to hear the sound of the coffin, put down to open the inspection, Hao female has come to life. The people then temporarily settled her outside Tao Sheng's study and gathered around her to keep watch. The girl suddenly opened her eyes and asked Tao Wang San where she was. Old man Hao questioned her carefully. She replied, "I am not your daughter." Then she told the truth. Old man Hao did not believe, want to carry her home; the girl refused to listen, straight into Tao's study, lying on the bed did not get up. Hao old man then recognized Tao Wang San as a son-in-law, went home. Tao Sheng went up to see, the girl's face is not the same as Qiu Rong, but the splendor and beauty is not worse than Qiu Rong, he was overjoyed, and she fondly talk about the past. Suddenly heard a whimpering ghost cry, it turned out to be Xiao Xie crying in the dark corner. Tao Sheng heart very pity her. So he took the lamp to the past, with words to relieve her, but her tears are still the lapel sleeves are soaked, mournful, can not be resolved. She left only when it was almost dawn. After dawn, the Hao family called the maids to send the dowry, and Tao Wang three really do son-in-law.
When I entered the room at night, I heard Xie crying again. So six or seven nights, the couple were crying by her miserable moving, can not hold the wedding. Tao Sheng thought bitterly and was at his wits' end. Qiu Rong said, "That Taoist priest is an immortal. Go and beg him again, maybe we can get him to be kind enough to save Xiao Xie." Tao Sheng thought it made sense. He found the Taoist priest's residence, knelt down and kowtowed, saying his request. The Taoist priest said repeatedly that there was nothing he could do. Tao Sheng kept begging. The Taoist priest laughed and said, "The silly scholar is really pestering! It is also you who are fated to be with her, so let me use all my spells." He then came with the Taoist Scholar, asked for a quiet room, closed the door and meditated, warning not to inquire or disturb. For ten days in all, he did not eat or drink. Tao Sheng secretly went to peep, see his eyes closed as if asleep. Wake up one morning, a young girl lifted the curtains to come in, bright eyes, white teeth, radiant. She smiled and said to Tao Sheng, "I am tired after walking all night! It was only because I was endlessly pestered by you that I was made to run a hundred miles before I found a beautiful shell, and the Taoist I came along in it. When you see that person, just deliver this carapace to her." Toward dusk, Little Xie came, and the maiden rose at once to meet and embrace Little Xie, and at once became one, and flung herself to the ground, and lay upright. Taoist priest came out of the house, arching his hand and walked away. Tao Sheng to thank him, sent out the door. When he came back, the young girl had already woken up. Tao Sheng helped her to the bed. Spirit and body are gradually stretching, just put the foot rubbing, said the toes and thighs sore, after a few days to get up.
Later, Tao Sheng was admitted as a scholar. A man named Cai Zijing, who was admitted to the same list as him, came to visit him and stayed for a few days. When Xiao Xie came back from her neighbor's house, Cai Zijing saw her and followed her quickly; Xiao Xie sidestepped and avoided her, secretly annoyed at this man's lightness of touch. Cai Zijing said to Tao Sheng, "There is something very surprising, can I tell you?" Tao Sheng asked him, and he replied, "Three years ago, my little sister died young, and after two nights, the body disappeared, and I am still very puzzled and thoughtful. Just now I saw your lady, how come she looks so much like my sister?" Tao Sheng smiled and said, "My wife is ugly and clumsy, how can she compare with your sister? But you and I are on the same list, love is deep and thick, might as well let you see the family?" So into the inner room, let Xie put on the year to prepare for burial wear clothes out. Cai Zijing was shocked, said: "really my sister ah!" Then tears flowed. Tao Sheng then told him all the original story. He said happily, "My sister is not dead, I must hurry home and let my father and mother be happy." After a few days, the whole Cai family came, and later, like the Hao family, they often came and went with the Tao family.