原文: 聊斋故事:公孙九娘(全文加注释)
作者: 蒲松龄
所属文学时期: 清代文学
所属朝代: 清代
作品体裁: 小说
公孙九娘①
于七一案②,连坐被诛者③,栖霞、莱阳两县最多。一日俘数百人,尽戮于演武场中。碧血满地,白骨撑天④。上官慈悲,捐给棺木,济城工肆⑤,材木一空⑥。以故伏刑东鬼⑦,多葬南郊。
甲寅间⑧,有莱阳生至稷下⑨。有亲友二三人,亦在诛数,因市楮帛,酹奠榛墟⑩,就税舍于下院之僧(11)。
明日,入城营干(12),日暮未归。忽一少年,造室来访(13),见生不在,脱帽登床,着履仰卧。仆人问其谁何(14),合眸不对。既而生归,则暮色朦胧,不甚可辨(15),自诣床下问之。瞠目曰(16):“我候汝主人,絮絮逼问,我岂暴客耶?”生笑曰:“主人在此。”少年急起着冠(17),揖而坐,极道寒暄。听其音,似曾相识。急呼灯至,则同邑朱生,亦死于七之难者。大骇,却走。朱曳之云:“仆与君,文字交(18),何寡于情?我虽鬼,故人之念(19),耿耿不去心。今有所渎(20),愿无以异物遂猜薄之(21)。”生乃坐,请所命(22)。曰:“令女甥寡居无耦(23),仆欲得主中馈(24)。屡通媒妁,辄以无尊长之命为辞。幸无惜齿牙馀惠(25)。”先是,生有甥女,早失恃(26),遗生鞠养(27),十五始归其家。俘至济南,闻父被刑,惊恸而绝。生曰:“渠自有父,何我之求(28)?”朱曰:“其父为犹子启梓去(29),今不在此。”问:“女甥向依阿谁(30)?”曰:“与邻媪同居。”生虑生人不能作鬼媒,朱曰:“如蒙金诺(31),还屈玉趾(32)。”遂起握生手。生固辞,问:“何之?”曰:“第行(33)。”勉从与去。
北行里许,有大村落,约数十百家。至一第宅,朱叩扉。即有媪出,豁开二扉,问朱何为。曰:“烦达娘子,阿舅至。”媪旋反,须臾复出,邀生入。顾朱曰:“两椽茅舍子(34),大隘,劳公子门外少坐候。”生从之入,见半亩荒庭,列小室二。甥女迎门啜泣,生亦泣。室中灯火荧然。女貌秀洁如生时,凝眸含涕(35),遍问妗、姑。生曰:“俱各无恙,但荆人物故矣(36)。”女又呜咽,曰:“儿少受舅妗抚育,尚无寸报,不图先葬沟渎(37),殊为恨恨。旧年,伯伯家大哥迁父去,置儿不一念(38),数百里外,伶仃如秋燕(39)。舅不以沉魂可弃(40),又蒙赐金帛,儿已得之矣。”生乃以朱言告,女俛首无语。媪曰:“公子曩托杨姥三五返(41)。老身谓是大好,小娘子不肯自草草,得舅为政(42),方此意慊得(43)。”
言次,一十七、八女郎,从一青衣(44),遽掩入;瞥见生,转身欲遁。女牵其裾曰(45):“勿烦尔!是阿舅,非他人。”生揖之,女郎亦敛衽(46)。甥曰:“九娘,栖霞公孙氏。阿爹故家子,今亦‘穷波斯’(47),落落不称意(48)。旦晚与儿还往。”生睨之(49),笑弯秋月,羞晕朝霞(50),实天人也,曰:“可知是大家,蜗庐人那如此娟好(51)!”甥笑曰:“且是女学士,诗词俱大高。昨儿稍得指教。”九娘微哂曰(52):“小婢无端败坏人,教阿舅齿冷也(53)。”甥又笑曰:“舅断弦未续(54),若个小娘子(55),颇能快意否?”九娘笑奔出,曰:“婢子颠疯作也(56)!”遂去。言虽近戏,而生殊爱好之。甥似微察,乃曰:“九娘才貌无双,舅倘不以粪壤致猜(57),儿当请诸其母。”生大悦,然虑人鬼难匹。女曰:“无伤,彼与舅有夙分。”生乃出。女送之,曰:“五日后,月明人静,当遣人往相迓(58)。”
生至户外,不见朱。翘首西望,月衔半规(59),昏黄中犹认旧径。见南向一第,朱坐门石上,起逆曰(60):“相待已久。寒舍即劳垂顾(61)。”遂携手入,殷殷展谢。出金爵一、晋珠百枚(62),曰:“他无长物(63),聊代禽仪(64)。”既而曰:“家有浊醪,但幽室之物(65),不足款嘉宾,奈何?”生□谢而退(66)。朱送至中途,始别。生归,僧、仆集问。生隐之,曰:“言鬼者妄也,适赴友人饮耳。”
后五日,果见朱来,整履摇箑(67),意甚忻适;才至户庭,望尘即拜(68)。少间,笑曰:“君嘉礼既成(69),庆在今夕,便烦枉步。”生曰:“以无回音,尚未致聘,何遽成礼?”朱曰:“仆已代致之矣。”生深感荷,从与俱去。直达卧所,则甥女华妆迎笑。生问:“何时于归(70)?”朱云:“三日矣。”生乃出所赠珠,为甥助妆(71)。女三辞乃受,谓生曰:“儿以舅意白公孙老夫人,夫人作大欢喜,但言老耄无他骨肉(72),不欲九娘远嫁,期今夜舅往赘诸其家。伊家无男子,便可同郎拜也。”朱乃导去。村将尽,一第门开,二人登其堂。俄白:“老夫人至。”有二青衣扶妪升阶。生欲展拜,夫人云:“老朽龙钟,不能为礼,当即脱边幅(73)。”乃指画青衣(74),追酒高会(75)。朱乃唤家人,另出肴俎(76),列置生前;亦别设一壶,为客行觞(77)。筵中进馔,无异人世,然主人自举,殊不劝进。
既而席罢,朱归,青衣导生去。入室,则九娘华烛凝待。邂逅含情(78),极尽欢昵。初,九娘母子原解赴都,至郡(79),母不堪困苦死,九娘亦自刭。枕上追述往事,哽咽不成眠,乃口占两绝云:“昔日罗裳化作尘,空将孽果恨前身(80)。十年露冷枫林月,此夜初逢画阁春(81)。”“白杨风雨绕孤坟,谁想阳台更作云(82)?忽启镂金箱里看(83),血腥犹染旧罗裙。”天将明,即促曰:“君宜且去,勿惊厮仆(84)。”自此昼来宵往,嬖惑殊甚(85)。一夕,问九娘:“此村何名?”曰:“莱霞里(86)。里中多两处新鬼,因以为名。”生闻之欷歔。女悲曰:“千里柔魂,蓬游无底(87);母子零孤,言之怆恻。幸念一夕恩义,收儿骨归葬墓侧(88),使百世得所依栖,死且不朽。”生诺之。女曰:“人鬼路殊,君亦不宜久滞。”乃以罗袜赠生,挥泪促别。生凄然而出,忉怛若丧(89),心怅怅不忍归,因过拍朱氏之门。朱白足出逆(90);甥亦起,云鬓笼松(91),惊来省问。生怊怅移时,始述九娘语。女曰:“妗氏不言,儿亦夙夜图之。此非人世,久居诚非所宜。”于是相对氿澜(92)。生亦含涕而别。叩寓归寝,展转申旦(93)。欲觅九娘之墓,则忘问志表(94)。及夜复往,则千坟累累,竟迷村路,叹恨而返。展视罗袜,着风寸断,腐如灰烬,遂治装东旋。
半载不能自释,复如稷门,冀有所遇。及抵南郊,日势已晚,息驾庭树(95)。趋诣丛葬所,但见坟兆万接(96),迷目榛荒,鬼火狐鸣,骇人心目,惊悼归舍。失意遨游,返辔遂东。行里许,遥见女郎独行丘墓间,神情意致,怪似九娘。挥鞭就视,果九娘。下骑欲语,女竟走,若不相识,再逼近之,色作努(97),举袖自障。顿呼“九娘”,则烟然灭矣(98)。
异史氏曰:香草沉罗(99),血满胸臆;东山佩玦(100),泪渍泥沙。古有孝子忠臣,至死不谅于君父者。公孙九娘岂以负骸骨之托,而怨怼不释于中耶(101)?脾鬲间物(102),不能掬以相示(103),冤乎哉!
注释
①本篇以当时胶东于七起义遭残酷镇压为背景,虚构莱阳一书生入鬼村为株连致死的甥女主婚,与同死于非命的公孙九娘相爱的故事,为死难者一掬同情之泪,凄怆动人。结末以莱阳生之疏忽而不见谅于公孙九娘作结,寄寓深邃。
②于七一案:清顺治五年(1649)山东栖霞县民于七聚众起义,以锯齿山为依托,先后攻占莱阳、栖霞、蓬莱等县,持续十馀年。清廷派大军围剿,康熙元年(1662)始败,于七突围,不知所终。嗣后大肆搜捕,株连极广。(参看《山东通志·兵防志·国朝兵事》)
③连坐:株连获罪。
④“碧血”二句:极言杀戮之多。碧血,原出《庄子·外物篇》:“苌弘死于蜀,藏其血,三年而化为碧。”后用以称冤死、死于国事者之血。
⑤济城:济南。工肆:指棺材铺。
⑥材木一空:指棺材全被卖光。
⑦伏刑:被判刑处死。栖霞、莱阳在山东东部,故称被逮来在济南杀戮的于七一案中的人为“东鬼”。⑧甲寅:康熙十三年(1674)。因该故事是虚构的,故年代当是就近随意拈出。⑨稷(jì寄)下:此指济南。春秋战国时,齐都临淄有稷山、稷门。《史记·田敬仲完世家》:“(齐)宣王喜文学游说之士”,“是以稷下学士复盛。”集解引刘向《别录》:“齐有稷门,城门也。谈说之士期会于稷下也。”济南北魏时为齐州,唐为临淄郡。(参看《济南府志·沿革》)后来诗文中也常以“稷下”、“稷门”指称济南。
⑩楮(chǔ楚)帛:祭鬼神时焚化的纸钱,也称楮钱、冥钱。榛墟:荆棘丛生的荒野,指野葬坟地。
(11)税舍:租房居停。下院:大佛寺的分院。
(12)营干:办事。
(13)造室:到房里来。造,到。
(14)谁何:谁,何人。《庄子·应帝王》:“吾虚而与之委蛇(yí夷),不知其谁何。”
(15)辨:辨认。
(16)瞠(chēng撑)目:瞪眼。
(17)着冠:戴帽子。
(18)文字交:以诗文相交的朋友。
(19)故人之念:对旧友故交的思念。
(20)渎(dú独):冒犯,轻漫,这里是烦劳之意。
(21)“愿无”句:希望勿以我为已死之人而有所猜疑、嫌弃。猜薄,猜疑、轻视。
(22)请所命:问对方有何事分付。命,分付。
(23)女甥:外甥女。
(24)主中馈:主办家务饮食,意即作主妇。(25)“幸无”句:希望多说成全话。《南史·谢朓传》:谢朓好奖掖人才,对人说:“士子声名未立,应共奖成,无惜牙齿馀论。”即此句所本。
(26)失恃:丧母。语本《诗经·小雅·蓼莪》:“无母何恃。”
(27)遗生鞠养:交给莱阳生抚养。鞠养,抚育。
(28)“渠自”二句:彼自有父亲,为何求我。渠,她,指甥女。(29)犹子:《礼记·丧服》:“兄弟之子,犹子也。”启榇:开棺取骨殖,谓迁葬。(30)阿谁:即谁,什么人。
(31)金诺:由“一诺千金”化出,对对方诺言之敬语。(32)屈玉趾:请委屈走一趟。玉趾,对人行止的敬词。《左传·僖公二十六年》:“闻君亲举玉趾,将辱于敝邑。”
(33)第行:只管去。第,但,只。
(34)椽(chuán船):屋梁上支架屋顶的木棍,亦作房屋间数之量词。
(35)凝眸:眼睛呆滞。涕:泪。
(36)荆人:称妻子的谦词,取东汉梁鸿妻孟光“荆钗布裙”故事。物故:死亡。《汉书·苏武传》:“前以降及物故,凡随武还者九人。”颜师古注:“物故谓死也,言其同于鬼物而故也。”
(37)葬沟渎:谓死。
(38)“置儿”句:承上句,谓对自己完全不问。儿,甥女自指。
(39)伶仃:孤独无依貌。
(40)沉魂:沉冥、沉冤之鬼魂。
(41)曩(nǎng攘):往日。
(42)为政:主持。(43)慊(qiè窃):满足。(44)青衣:古时地位低下者着青衣,后用作婢女之代称。(45)裾(jū居):衣前襟。(46)敛衽(rèn认):整整衣襟,表示恭敬。原为古代一种拜礼,元以后专指妇女行礼。(参看赵翼《陔馀丛考》)(47)穷波斯:唐代俗语。波斯,古西域国名,即今伊朗。唐代长安等大城市居住着许多经营珠宝的波斯富商。李商隐《义山杂纂》有“不相称”条,列举“瘦人相扑”、“屠家念经”、“先生不识字”等其人与其行事不相合的现象,“穷婆斯”为其中一项。此处用其意,谓公孙氏原为故家大族,现已零落,如同“波斯人”而“穷”,名实不相称了。(48)落落:零落,落寞。(49)睨(ní泥):斜视。(50)“笑弯”二句:形容公孙九娘美丽而带娇羞之态。秋月,喻眉。朝霞,喻脸颊红晕。(51)蜗庐人:乡村小户人家。《古今注·鱼虫》:“野人结圆舍,如蜗牛之壳,曰蜗舍。”(52)微哂(shěn审):微笑。(53)齿冷:耻笑。
(54)继弦未续:《风俗编·妇女·续弦》:“丧妻曰断弦,再娶曰续弦。”未续,即未续娶。
(55)若个:这个。
(56)颠疯作:犹发疯。
(57)粪壤:粪土,泉壤,引伸为死去的人。曹丕《与吴质书》:“观其姓名(指徐干、陈琳等)已为鬼录,追思昔游,犹在心区,而此诸子,化为粪壤,可复道哉!”(58)迓:迎。
(59)月衔半规:月亮半圆。衔,含。规,圆。
(60)逆:相迎。(61)垂顾:对来访的敬语。
(62)晋珠:晋地(山西)产的珠玉。《尔雅·释地》:“西方之美者,有霍山之多珠玉焉。”霍山在山西霍县境。
(63)长(zhàng丈)物:多馀之物。《世说新语·德行》:王大索取了王恭所坐竹席,王恭无馀席,便坐草垫上。后王大闻之,甚惊曰:“吾本谓卿多,故求耳。”王恭对曰:“恭作人无长物。”(64)禽仪:聘婚礼物。古时订婚以雁为聘礼,称“委禽”。仪,礼品。
(65)幽室:指阴间。
(66)□(huī挥)谢:谦谢。□,谦逊,退让。(67)箑(shà霎):扇子。《淮南子·精训》:“知冬日之箑,夏日之裘,无用于己。”高诱注:“箑,扇也。”
(68)望尘即拜:谓迎候权贵,望见其车尘即叩拜,喻卑恭屈膝或敬畏之态。语出《晋书·潘岳传》:“(岳)与石崇等谄事贾谧,每候其出,与崇辄望尘而拜焉。”这里表极其感激恭敬之意。
(69)嘉礼:古代五礼(吉、凶、军、宾、嘉)之一。《周礼·春官·大宗伯》:“以嘉礼,亲万民。”后世多专指婚礼。
(70)于归:《诗经·周南·桃夭》云:“之子于归,宜其家室。”后遂称女子出嫁为“于归”。
(71)助妆:女子出嫁,亲友赠送衣饰。
(72)老耄(mào茂):老年。古称大约七十至九十的年纪曰耄。
(73)脱边幅:不拘礼节。(74)指画:指挥、布置。
(75)追酒高会:语出唐沈亚之《秦梦记》,谓开筵。(76)肴:荤菜。俎:本为祭器,泛指食具。
(77)行觞(shāng商):行酒。觞,酒杯。
(78)邂(xiè懈)逅:欢悦貌。语出《诗经·唐风·绸缪》:“今夕何夕,见此邂逅!子兮子兮,如此邂逅何!”亦指不期之遇合。
(79)郡:指济南。(80)“昔日”二句:空自怨恨遭惨死之不幸。业果,佛教语,谓前世之业必有后世之果报。
(81)“十年”二句:十年沉魂荒野,今逢新婚之喜。画阁,装饰华美之楼阁,指闺房。春,此喻新婚之喜。
(82)阳台:宋玉《高唐赋序》:楚襄王游高唐,梦一妇人来会,自云:“妾在巫山之阳,高丘之阻,朝为行云,暮为行雨,朝朝暮暮,在阳台之下。”后因指“阳台”为男女欢爱之所。
(83)镂金箱:饰有雕金花纹的箱子。
(84)厮仆:仆人。
(85)嬖(bì闭)惑:宠爱迷恋。(86)莱霞里:承本篇开头所说:“于七一案,连坐被诛者,栖霞、莱阳两县最多。”此作者臆造鬼村名,后竟流传世间。
(87)蓬游无底:喻飘泊无依归。底,归宿。
(88)“收儿骨”句:古时风俗,夫妇合葬。白居易《赠内》云:“生为同室亲,死为同穴尘。”公孙九娘要莱阳生收其骨殖“归葬墓侧”,表达终有所“归”之意。儿,古代年轻女子的自称。《乐府诗集·木兰诗》:“木兰不用尚书郎,愿驰千里足,送儿还故乡。”(89)忉怛(dāodá刀达):哀伤貌。
(90)白足:赤脚,谓出迎仓促,不及着履。
(91)笼松:蓬松散乱的样子。
(92)氿(wán完)澜:流泪貌。
(93)展转申旦:通宵未入睡。申旦,自夜达旦。宋玉《九辩》:“独申旦而不寐兮,哀蟋蟀之宵征。”李周翰注:“申,至也。”
(94)志表:碑志、墓表。此指墓前标志。
(95)息驾庭树:谓停车马于(下院)庭中,顾不上解装。
(96)坟兆:坟地。
(97)努:青柯亭本作“怒”,是。当从。(98)烟然:如烟貌。青柯亭本作“湮”。
(99)香草沉罗:屈原受谗被放,自沉汨罗江。屈原《离骚》中以香草喻忠贞之士,这里指屈原。
(100)东山佩玦:晋太子申生为晋献公所恶,命之伐东山皋落氏,临行佩之金玦,表示决绝。(参看《左传·闵公二年》)玦,佩器,圆形而有玦,古时又用作表示决绝。
(101)怨怼(duì队):怨恨。中:通“衷”,内心。
(102)脾鬲间物:指心。鬲,同“膈”。(103)掬(jū居):捧出。 英译部分(全部由我一人翻译。 聊斋故事公孙九娘(全文) A Pitiful Woman Ghost: Gong-Sun Jiu-Niang Author: Bu Songling; Literature Time Belonged: Literature of the Qing Dynasty; Type of Literature: Short Novel. People being punished for relation to Yuqi, who had committed an offence of rebelling the highest level of the Qing Dynasty, and put to death, were most of the Counties of Qixia and Laiyang in ShanDong Province. One day, all Several Hundreds of captives were killed in the military field of Jinan City so as to that the blood of these victims shed all over the ground and their white bones had piled up on a hill seemed to rush toward the sky. The city's officials of high class contributed so many coffins to bury them from the so called good minds of "lenity" and then all the goods of the coffin shops in Jinan City were be bought out at once. Therefore people often say: the ghosts, who were executed, came from eastern but most of them were buried in the south suburb of Jinan City. In the year of Jia-Yin in lunar calendar, a scholar from Laiyang County came to Jinan, who had also two or three relatives or friends were in the death's group. Then he bought some paper currencies and cottons and silks, which ordinary considering by people were popularity in hell, to pour a libation at the ruins where were growing up the barbed wild grass grown abundantly, and buried the dead. He (later called him Scholar in this text) lent and resided in a lower chamber of a temple. Next day, Scholar entered the city to treat his personal affairs, but at nightfall he had not returned back. Suddenly there was a young person, who came to the temple for visiting Scholar. When he saw Scholar was out of, he took off his hat and got to bed, wearing shoes and lying on his back. The Scholar servant asked who he was, but the young person did not answer but closed his eyes. Soon after Scholar returned, because the time had been glimmering twilight, he also could not distinguish out who the visitor was. Then he walked nearby bed and asked the visitor again. The visitor watching his eyes and said: "I am waiting for your master, garrulously compelling to inquire me, isn't I am a robber?" Scholar smiled and said:"The master is at here." The young person got up quickly, putting on his hat, bowing his hands clasped and saying many chinchining words. From his voice, as if he was Scholar's old friend before. Urgently calling on the lamp, he began to be aware of that the visitor was the scholar Zhu in the same county, who died away too in the Yuqi disaster. Being in great surprise, Scholar stepped back. However Zhu dragged him and said: "You and I are associated only with wordage, why without any feeling for me ? Though I am a ghost, the memory of an old friend was still in my moral heart. Now, even if I have violated your sanctity, but I wish you don't suspect and underestimate me only because I am not alive man." Then Scholar sat down and asked what the visitor wanted to offer? Zhu answered:"Now your niece was widowed without a spouse. I intend to marry her and please her to take charge of my housewifery. Although repeatedly through the matchmaker to persuade her to agree this marriage, but she always did not agree with the reason of having no order of the elders. Since you are her mother's brother, would you like to say some fine words to promote the lovers to get together?" At early age, Scholar had a niece, who had lost a mother able to be depended on and then been left behind him to bring up. Until she was in fifteen age, then she headed back to her own home. However, she was also captured to Jinan together with her father. When she heard her father killed, she got frightened greatly and felt deep sorrow so as to also die away after her father's death soon. Scholar said:"Since she has her own father, why request me?" Zhu answered: "Her father's nephew had removed her father's coffin to other place, so her father now is not here." Scholar asked again:"Now who did my niece depend on?" The answer is "She was resided together with a neighbor goody." Scholar was still afraid of that a living man could not make the matchmaker for the ghosts. Zhu said: "If you can recognize your sincere promise to my request, I wish you can agree with moving your gracious steps, going out with me. Then Zhu grasped the hand of Scholar further. Scholar firmly declined again and asked: "Where shall we go?" Zhu answered:"You only need to walk together with me." Then Scholar reluctantly followed Zhu to go out. Walking towards north probably one li, they discovered a large village, which was with about several decades of families. Zhu knocked the door leaf when they come to a house. An old woman came out and opened two small door leaves, asking Zhu what will he do? Zhu answered:"Trouble you to tell the young lady, her uncle has come here." The old woman soon turned back, only after a very short time she came out again to visit Scholar to come in. She turned around her head to look at Zhu and said: "Only two thatched cottages, it was too narrow. Trouble respected childe to sit outside the door and wait a while. Scholar followed her walking in and catching sight of half mu of desolate courtyard and there was arranged for two small rooms side by side. His niece moved towards him by the door and sobbed, Scholar did so. In room lamplight was a glimmering . Yet she looks as beautiful as her living time, focusing her eyes upon Scholar and shedding tears in eyes, asking all her aunts and father's sisters. Scholar said: "All are safe and sound, but only my spouse has passed away! " The young woman cried again and said: "From childhood, I accepted my aunt’s foster. Up to now, I still have no any reward to show my filial respect for her; unexpectedly, she had been buried under the ground before me, which will give me a gnawing regret. Last year, the elder brother of my elder uncle family moved my fathe's coffee away and putting me aside and was not identical in view to me. Outside hundreds li, I was lonely as an autumn swallow. Uncle, you do not take the sunken soul of mine as what is able to be given up, and bestowed on me the gold and silk, which I have got it at all. Scholar told her the request of Zhu, she dropped her head without words. The old woman continue to say:"Childe Zhu had entrusted me, the grandma Yang, to advise the young lady repeatedly in the olden time. I, although only as an old foolish woman, think this marriage is nice indeed; yet the young lady was willing not hastily to agree with it . Now since her relative uncle is willing to take charge of this good thing, I think, she may agree to marry Zhu." After talking, a girl about seventeen or eighteen year's old followed by a maid servant silently came in the room immediately. When she saw Scholar, she turned on her heels soon, attempting to escape. However, Niece pulled her jacket and said:"need not to trouble you, he is my uncle, is not a stranger." Then Scholar bowed with hands clasped to salute her; she also puts her clothes in order and answered with a good manner. Niece introduced: "Jiu-Niang, she belongs the Gong-Sun surname in the Qixia County, was born in a distinguished family, which was acquainted with my father for a long time. But now she also is in the unfortunate situation and only can run around. She is desolated and is not on the high ropes for me . Day and night she talks together with me frequently. Scholar peeped at her, discovered that the girl's eyebrow is like the autumn moon when she smiles, her face color is just like the pink cloud when she was with slight shame or in dizzy. Indeed, she is as beautiful as a fairy. Then he said to his niece: "Surely, she has come from a distinguished family. A small family village was unable to start out such beautiful girl as her. " Niece smiled and said: "She is also a woman scholar; poem and ci are very great and high. Yesterday I had slightly got her advice in literature." Jiu-Niang smiled and answered:"Little 'slave-girl' corrupts me for no reason, it may be arousing uncle's scorn." Niece smiled and said again:"Uncle just lost his spouse, until now he has not married again. Such beautiful and graceful girl like you , I think, can make uncle accept as his second wife. `` Jiu-Niang smiled, rushed out and said:" 'Slave-girl' broke out her disease of mad to the extreme! "Then she went out. These words although close to a joke, yet Scholar really was very fond of her. Niece seemed to recognize her uncle’s sense slightly, then said: "Both Jiu-Niang's talent and appearance are very good. If uncle do not suspect her or regard her as dung, I am willing to propose this marriage to her mother for you." Scholar exults very much, but he was afraid of that living man couldn't match with the woman ghost. Niece said: "It is not harmful to you because she has the appointed relationship with you in fate." Therefore, Scholar agreed and went out. Niece sent-off him and said:"after five days, when the moon is bright and the world is quiet, I ought to dispatch someone to meet you." Going outside the house, Scholar hadn't met Zhu. Raising his head and looking westerly, he could see one-half the moon was observed. By the soft moonlight he still found the former route. Seeing a mansion southerly, Zhu sat on the stone of whose door step. When saw Scholar, Zhu stood up and said:"Waiting you for a long time, please you visit my humble home at once." Then they went hand in hand into the mansion and Zhu thanked Scholar sincerely. Zhu took out a wine vessel made of gold and hundred pieces of Jing Dynasty's pearl as gifts to be presented to Scholar and said: "It is nothing more then these, which merely do for marriage presents." Afterwards, Zhu said again: "There is wine dregs in home, but these things were in the darkroom, couldn't use to feast the respected guest. What can I do?" Scholar thanked very much and went out. Zhu sent off Scholar to the midway, and then took his departure. After Scholar returned, the monks and servants all gathered and asked Scholar's experience. Scholar obscured the real process and said: "Talking about meeting ghost is absurd, just only going to visit an old friend and drink together with him." After five days, Zhu came exactly as was expected. He put his shoes in order and waved a fan as if he was very glad and comfortable. Just coming to the courtyard, he immediately makes a ceremonial call towards Scholar. After that, he said Scholar: "Since your wedding has succeeded, celebrating joyously is arranged by tonight , trouble you stepping to attend the ceremony." Scholar said: "Due to without reply, at present I didn't deliver the betrothal presents, why execute the wedding so swiftly?" Zhu said: "I have taken the place of you to deliver the betrothal presents." Scholar was deeply moved and then went there with Zhu. Immediately reaching the place of sleeping room, his niece with beautiful dressing met him and smiled at the door. Scholar asked: "When she turned back from her husband’s home?" Zhu replied: "Already three days." Then Scholar took out some perils, which were presented by Zhu, as the trousseau of his niece. Niece accepted it after declining repeatedly and then said to her uncle: "I told uncle's desire to the old Gong-Sun madam. She was filled with joy greatly, only said to me that she was decrepitude without other flesh and blood, so she doesn’t wish Jiu-Niang married to faraway place. She expected uncle can go to live in the household of his wife on getting married. Their family has no manhood, in her family the bridegroom and the bride can worship of heaven and earth at their wedding. Then Zhu managed Scholar to go there. At the near end of the village, there is a mansion with the doors open, both Scholar and Zhu stepped on the hall. Presently they heard:"Old Madame comes out!" They viewed two maid servants support an old woman with hands ascending to the hall. Scholar intended to kneel on knees, however the old Madame said: "I am a decrepit old woman, already old and useless, not enough for your kowtow. Please neglect of the trade rules." Then she asked the maid servants to spread the wedding feasts. Zhu called his servants taking out other delicious dishes putting front Scholar. At the same time, he set up another pot of wine for the visitor. The food in the grand banquet was not different with the living, yet the master drinks by him and did not advise the visitor to drink too. Soon after the holiday ended, Zhu turn to his own home and a maid servant leaded Scholar coming to the bridal chamber. Entering the room, see Jiu-Niang fixing her attention to wait for him nearby bright wedding candles. They meet with each other unexpectedly, but both of them all have a deep love feeling. In the precious moment of happy wedding night, they all enjoy the pleasure between the sexes of a man and woman in the extreme as in the living world. At the beginning, Jiu-Niang and her mother, both all wanted to be sent away under escort to the capital originally. When they went to the Jinan City, the mother died by tribulations, which she couldn't bear. After that Jiu-Niang cut her own throat and passed away too. Telling of the past upon the pillow, she choked with sobs so as to be unable to sleep. Then she delivered two poems, said:"The past silk skirt had converted to dust; making account of the evil result to complain previous existence was in vain. Ten years I was adrift in the dew's cold air of the maple forest and under the desolated moonlight. Tonight I was first coming upon the spring in the magnificent boudoir" and "Poplars in the wind and rain passed round my isolated grave, but who would think I could enjoy again the pleasure of affection among the living? Suddenly opening the golden carved chest and looking in, my old silk skirt was still contaminated by the blood." The morning time shall be coming, and then Jiu-Niang urged Scholar and said:"You are suitable to go out at once, please don't surprise the servants." ince then, Scholar turned in daytime and went to night , falling in a deep love to the woman ghost really. One night, Scholar asked Jiu-Niang:"What name this village is?" The answer was "Laiyang Lane, it was named after two places of the new Laiyang ghosts in it". Hearing it Scholar sighed and sobbed again, the woman was also sad and said:"Tender soul came from thousand li and drifted aimlessly, having no one to depend on. Both our mother and daughter are very desolate and lonely. Speak it with sorrowful and sad. I expect you can think of the spiritual debt in these nights , would you can collect our bones and bury in your families', it can make me having people to depend on in a the period of hundred generations. In this way,in spite of death I will feel satisfied." Scholar promised. Jiu-Niang said again: "The living and died are very different, you are not suitable staying here for long time." Hence , she presented her silk socks to Scholar, shedding tears and promoting him to leave quickly . Scholar went out in sadness and distressed as if making a funeral arrangement. Disappointed in heart, he cannot bear to return. Therefore when he pass ed through the Zhu’s family he knocked door of it. Zhu came out to welcome him with barefoot. Niece also got up with her thick and beautiful hair in loosing state, inquiring about the situation with surprise . Scholar was sad and regretful for a long while, and then began to state Jiu-Niang's words. Niece said:"Even if aunt doesn't say such words, I also considered it morning and night. Here is not the living world, residing for a long time really is not appropriate." Upon that, after sobbing face to face, scholar took departure with tears in his eyes. By k nocking open the lodging door, scholar intend to sleep, but could not fall to sleep until the day time. Expecting to search the grave of Jiu-Niang, but he had forgotten to ask the marks of the graves . At night , scholar went there again, yet he only saw thousands of graves heaping in clusters . Eventually he got lost in the village path, was only able to return to the sense of signing and regretting. Unfolding and seeing the silk socks, which Jiu-Niang presented, but it had broken up into very short pieces, and then he had no alternative but to pack his clothes and go easterly. In half a year, he could not release himself and went to Jinan again, trying to look forward to meet Jiu-Niang. When he arrived at the south suburb, the sun began to set down. He stopped his horse under the tree in a courtyard. Hastening towards the buried place, however he only could see the graves joining together with mega-millions, which were confusing people's eye and many, many nut trees being crushed . The wildfire and fox-cry was shocked to people's heart. Then he had to go back to his residing house with a sense of surprising and grieving. He was dejected and roamed around. Eventually, he had to turn back his horse saddle and bridle towards east. When travelling about one li, he saw at a distance a young woman walking alone in the group of graves,whose expression and appearance was very similar to Jiu-Niang . Brandishing horsewhip to go ahead to see who she is, she was Jiu-Niang exactly as was expected. Descending down from the horse, intended to say something to her, unexpectedly the young woman went on as if they were unacquainted with each other.Pressing on towards her again, her expression suddenly changed to anger and she lifted sleeve to hide herself. Suddenly shout "Jiu-Niang" towards her, but she eliminated gradually as the spread smoke.
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