It is said that there lived a wealthy businessman named Zhang Tian in Nanyang City at the end of the Tang Dynasty, but his son Zhang Cheng stumbled and fell off a cliff ten years ago while climbing a mountain and died.
This day is the memorial day of his son. So Zhang Tian accompanied her wife Li to visit the grave and offer incense, and performed rituals for her in a nearby temple. After that, the two went home with memories and sadness.
In the middle of the night, when both of them were fast asleep. Li Shi vaguely heard his son calling her, and slowly opened his eyes. Because of Aiko’s eagerness, she put on her coat and boldly walked into the garden following the sound.
In the hexagonal pavilion in the garden, she saw a well-dressed man, and upon closer inspection, it was her dead son.
Li cried and walked over and said, “Son, is that you? Is it you?”
The young man turned his head and said, “Yes, Mom, it’s me.”
Seeing her son for the first time in ten years, Li burst into tears. Said: “Son, are you okay? Why do you look so haggard?”
Zhang Cheng sighed and said: “Oh, it’s not very good. Because my father and mother often did good deeds, and I never did any bad deeds before my death, I served as a soldier with the Lord Chenghuang. But I am a scholar after all. It wasn’t very good in the first place, and on top of the hard work all day long, sometimes he was scolded!” As he spoke, Zhang Cheng himself shed tears.
Listening to her son’s narration, Mrs. Li cried and said, “Son, from tomorrow onwards, your father and I will do more good deeds, do more Buddhist rituals, and beg Lord Chenghuang to change your job.”
Zhang Cheng said: “Actually, it doesn’t have to be so hard. I have a way.”
Mrs. Li said, “Is there any way? You say it, and we will try our best to do it.”
Zhang Cheng continued: “In a few days, I will welcome a man named Liu Tao. He will be the new City God Lord Ling. As long as we talk to him, it will be done.”
After speaking, Zhang Chenggong disappeared. No matter how much Mrs. Li called her son, she couldn’t call her son back. When I opened my eyes again, I found that I was still in bed, but I never fell asleep that night.
Early the next morning, Mrs. Li told Zhang Tian the entrustment of her son in her dream. But Zhang Tian said: “It’s unbelievable, it’s unbelievable. You missed your son so much that you dreamed of him. Besides, there is no one named Liu Tao in Nanyang City.”
Li said that she had often dreamed about her son over the years, but it was not as real as this time. But no matter what Li Shi said, Zhang Tian didn’t believe it.
That night, Zhang Cheng woke up his mother Li again and said, “Mom, have you talked to your father? Did he agree?”
Li said helplessly: “Son, I told you, but your father doesn’t believe me! What should I do?”
Zhang Cheng thought for a while and said, “Mom, Liu Tao is not a local. He will enter the city from the north after noon the day after tomorrow. You can talk to your father tomorrow!” After that, Zhang Cheng detailed Liu Tao’s appearance and clothes I said it several times.
Li said after listening, “Can he really arrange a good job for you?”
Zhang Cheng said: “Liu Tao is a man of faith, as long as he promises, he will definitely do it!” After saying that, Zhang Cheng disappeared again.
After Li woke up, she pushed Zhang Tian to wake him up, told all about the dream she had just had, and cried out that Narita must send someone to find a person named Liu Tao the day after tomorrow. Zhang Tianxuan, but Li Shi had to agree.
On that day, Zhang Tian sent a housekeeper to guard the gate in the north of the city early in the morning, and if he met someone who matched Li’s description, he would bring him back.
In the evening, the steward came back in a hurry and reported to Zhang Tian that he had found it. Zhang Tian came out suspiciously and saw that it was exactly as his wife described. Asking for his name again, it was confirmed that he was Liu Tao. Zhang Tianda patted his thigh, and said annoyedly: “My son, my father almost broke something big!”
So Zhang Tian invited Liu Tao to take the seat and said: “I heard that I will soon become the local city god, congratulations!”
Liu Tao didn’t know how to answer this question.
Looking at Liu Tao’s embarrassing expression, Zhang Tian thought he had leaked the secret, so he apologized: “This is what the dead child said in his dream!”
Liu Tao was displeased when he heard it, but out of face, he said: “What orders does Mr. Zhang have, I will do my best if I can!”
Zhang Tian told Liu Tao what Li said. And Liu Tao just listened quietly.
After finishing speaking, Liu Tao said: “I don’t know what you want to arrange for your son to do?”
Zhang Tian said: “Xiao’er is originally a scholar, as long as it doesn’t take too much physical effort.”
Liu Tao hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Zhang Tian offered him a hundred taels of silver, but Liu Tao refused to accept it and left.
After Liu Tao left, Zhang Tian was thinking that Liu Tao was just a commoner now, and he agreed to my request because I was a wealthy businessman. I wonder if he will fulfill his promise?
A few days later, Liu Tao died without a problem in the inn. The news quickly reached the ears of Zhang Tian and Li Shi.
On the night of Liu Tao’s death, Zhang Cheng came to his mother Li again and said, “Mom, I have welcomed Liu Tao today. He is now the Lord of the City.”
Mrs. Li asked eagerly: “Your father has asked him to transfer you, and he agreed. Did he change it for you?”
Zhang Cheng said happily: “It’s changed. As soon as he saw me, he told me about his relationship with my father. Now I’m in charge of keeping records. He specially approved my visit this time.”
After listening to her son’s words, Mrs. Li showed a smile. After all, Zhang Cheng is a ghost, so he said goodbye to his mother reluctantly, and said sadly when he left: “Mom, it will be difficult to see you again in the future. You and father should take care of your health!”
When Zhang Tian learned about it, he said with emotion: Liu Tao is indeed a gentleman who speaks his word and is hard to follow. Although he is dead, he still does not forget his promise in Yangjian.