During the Qianlong period, there was a scholar named Lei Chunsheng in Leiyang County, southern Hunan. Lei Chunsheng is kind-hearted , knows some medical skills, and wants to study and get a good reputation.
One day in the twelfth lunar month of this year, a little beggar came to Lei Chunsheng's house to beg for food. The little beggar was unkempt, thinly dressed, and had chilblains all over his face and hands. When Lei Chunsheng saw him, he couldn't help feeling pity, invited the little beggar into the house, let him sit by the fire, filled two big bowls of rice for him to eat, and found out a cotton coat that he didn't wear for him. He put it on, and finally asked where the little beggar was from? Why would you go out to beg?
With tears in his eyes, the little beggar told him that he was from Henan and was 12 years old this year. Last year, the Yellow River flooded his village and all his relatives drowned. He was the only one left. He had no choice but to come out to beg .
Lei Chunsheng felt deeply sympathetic when he heard this, and said: "Let's do it! It's freezing cold now, if you don't dislike it, you can live in my house. Anyway, I'm the only one in my house, and if you eat what I eat, you will eat what I eat. Knowing medical skills, I will help you cure the frostbite on your face and hands…"
Hearing this, the little beggar immediately kowtowed to Lei Chunsheng on the ground, and said, "You are willing to take me in, and you will be my reborn parents. What else do I want or not?"
In this way, the little beggar lived in Lei Chunsheng's house. The little beggar only knew what his surname Xu Magui was referring to . He didn't have a name, so Lei Chunsheng called him Xu Zi. Soon, Lei Chunsheng helped Xu Zi cure chilblains. Xu Zi is also very well-behaved, cleaning the yard, carrying water, chopping firewood, and doing everything every day. With enough food and warm clothes, Xu Zi's health improved day by day, and two years later he turned into a handsome young man.
This year is also the year of the rural examination, and it is a critical moment for scholars. Needless to say, Lei Chunsheng decided to go to the county government to take the exam. After he was ready to spend money, Xu Zi asked to go with Lei Chunsheng, the reason being that he could take good care of him along the way and open his eyes by the way. Lei Chunsheng agreed after a little thought.
Early the next morning, the two talked and laughed and hit the road.
One day, the two walked to a mountain depression, and suddenly, a masked man with a knife jumped out of the tree. Pointing to the two men, the big man said, "I opened this road, and I planted this tree; if you pass by from now on, keep the road money; if you say no, just kill it and don't bury it!"
When the two saw each other, they thought to themselves: It's broken, I've met a trail scissors!
Lei Chunsheng lost his mind for a moment, his legs trembled.
The big man shouted: "Take out the money quickly, or don't blame me for being rude!"
Lei Chunsheng bowed and said: "This good man, Xiao Ke is just a scholar who is going to the county to take the exam. How can he have any money on him! Except for a few books of Confucius, he really has nothing."
The big man scolded: "Don't fucking talk nonsense in front of me! If you don't take the money, you will take your life!"
As he said that, the big man swung his machete at Lei Chunsheng.
When Lei Chunsheng saw it, he quickly took out the few coins and silver that he had on his body. The big man grabbed the silver, took a look, put it in his arms and said: "That's all? What else?"
Lei Chunsheng said with a sad face, "It's really gone, that's all."
The big man grabbed Xu Zi who was next to him, put the knife on his neck, and said sharply: "If you don't take out the silver, watch me kill this kid!"
When Lei Chunsheng saw it, he shook his hands in fright, and said: "I beg you, the good man, it has nothing to do with this child! I really don't have any money, why don't you give me the long gown I'm wearing, and you let the child go!" "
Lei Chunsheng unbuttoned his gown while talking. The big man stared and scolded: "You are a miser at first glance, if you don't give you some blood, you don't know how many eyes Prince Ma has!"
As he spoke, he pushed Xu Zi away, picked up the knife and slashed at Lei Chunsheng's shoulder. When Xu Zi saw it, courage came out of nowhere, rushed over and pushed Lei Chunsheng aside, and shouted: "Hugh hurt my master!"
It was too late to say, but soon, the big man's knife fell on Xu Zi's head, and Xu Zi's face was covered with blood, and he fell to the ground, his body twitched a few times, and he died.
Lei Chunsheng was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but slumped on the ground.
The big man glanced at the dead Xu Zi and said, "You're looking for death!" Then he walked towards Lei Chunsheng step by step with a knife in his hand.
When Lei Chunsheng saw him, he couldn't help looking at the big man in horror, he was too scared to say a word. The moment the big man raised the machete, a barking wild dog suddenly rushed out from the stabbing. The wild dog rushed at the big man fiercely and bit off his nose. The big man rolled on the ground in pain, and he no longer cared about killing Lei Chunsheng, but swung his knife and roared to chop the wild dog. The wild dog dodged left and right and ran down the mountain. The big man followed quickly with a knife, and he didn't know where he went.
Seeing that the big man ran away, Lei Chunsheng wiped the sweat from his forehead, got up, walked in front of Xu Zi, checked his pulse, but found nothing. Knowing that Xu Zi was really hacked to death by the big man, he cried bitterly endlessly. Seeing a pit not far away, they dragged Xu Zi's body into the pit, filled it with soil, and buried it. In the end, he bowed three more times, and left sobbing.
That night, Lei Chunsheng stayed in an inn. In the middle of the night, Lei Chunsheng dreamed that Xu Zi came to the bed, knelt down and kowtowed his head, saying: "Xu Zi was taken in by your benefactor, he has had enough food for several years, and lived a few years of good life. He wants to repay your kindness." Today, I was robbed and murdered by gangsters on the road, and you gave me your silver and clothes to save me. Xu Zi stepped forward to rescue him, but he was unable to do what he wanted, and died of an accident. He had to possess his soul on a wild dog in the mountains, bit the gangster, and then led him to jump off the rock. Even if you die, you can rest in peace." After speaking, Xu Zi disappeared.
The next day, Lei Chunsheng went to the streets to inquire, and sure enough, he heard from the mountain people that a big man whose nose was bitten by a dog jumped off the rock for some reason, and died on the spot.