A Plain Talk of Strange Tales (Colloquial Version)

Author: Pu Songling (Qing Dynasty) / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-12-01
Features: What a son can do. Moreover, I am already old and will soon leave this world, without even having a daughter-in-law, constantly worrying about whether our family line will die out.” At this point, Gu entered and said tearfully, “We owe the girl too much, don’t forget to repay it!” Gu knelt and bowed. The girl said, “You have been filial to my mother, and I haven’t thanked you for it.” Thus, Gu grew even more respectful of the girl. However, she kept everyone at a distance with every move she made. One day, when the girl went out, Gu watched her, and she turned around and smiled charmingly. Gu was overjoyed and immediately followed her to her home. He flattered her, and she did not refuse, leading to an intimate relationship. The girl said, “Remember! This can only happen once.” Gu agreed. The next day, he invited her for a tryst, but her expression was extremely stern, and she left without even looking at him. Afterward, he visited her daily, met her often, but she was never affectionate. If he made any playful remarks, she would respond with cold, chilling words that sent shivers down his spine. Once, she suddenly asked Gu in private, “Who is that young man who comes here every day?” Gu told her, and she said, “That man has been disrespectful to me more than once. Because of his close relationship with you, I have been enduring it. Tell him to be careful. If he does it again next time, it will be his own fault.” That night, Gu relayed this to the young man and warned him to be cautious. The young man said, “If you can’t offend her, why did you offend her?” Gu said he had no private relationship with her. The young man replied, “If you really have no private relationship, how did you hear these words?” Gu had no answer. The young man then said, “I also ask you to tell her: Don’t pretend to be proper when you’re not, or I’ll expose it.” Gu was furious and looked extremely unpleasant. The young man left angrily. Another night, Gu sat alone when the girl suddenly entered and smiled, saying, “Our fate is not yet severed, isn’t it fate?” Gu was overjoyed and hugged her. Suddenly, footsteps were heard, and they both stood up in surprise as the young man pushed the door open. Gu asked him, “Why are you here?” He smiled and said, “I came to see a chaste woman.” Turning back to the girl, he said, “Aren’t you satisfied today?” The girl blushed and frowned, saying nothing, then lifted her shirt and pulled out a bright dagger. The young man was terrified and turned to flee. The girl chased him out the door but couldn’t find him. She threw the dagger into the air, and it landed with a loud thud, like a long rainbow, emitting light. In an instant, something fell to the ground. Gu held a candle to see—it was a white fox, split in two. The girl said, “That’s your lover. I had forgiven it, but it kept pestering me, ruining my mood. We’ll meet again tonight.” The next night, she came as promised. Gu asked about her swordsmanship, and she said, “You shouldn’t know about this, and it must be kept secret. Any leaks will be bad for you.” Gu then proposed marriage, and she said, “If you share a bed and handle household chores, aren’t you already a wife? Why talk about marriage?” Gu asked, “Are you poor?” She replied, “You are poor, but am I rich? We met tonight precisely because of your poverty.” As she left, she warned, “Don’t repeat this behavior. If I come, I will; if not, forcing it is useless.” Afterward, whenever he saw her, he tried to say something romantic, but she would walk away. Yet, she did everything—sewing, lighting fires—all just like a wife. After several months, the girl’s mother passed away, and Gu did his best to arrange the funeral. The girl lived alone, and Gu thought he could now sleep with her freely. That night, he climbed over the wall and called out through the window, but there was no answer. Seeing the door locked, he suspected she had another appointment and went again the next night, only to find the same result. He then took off the jade pendant he wore and placed it on the window. The next day, he met her in her mother’s room. As she left, she said, “Do you suspect me? Everyone has their own hearts, and it’s hard to make you not suspect. But there’s something I need you to do quickly.” Gu asked what it was. She said, “I’m eight months pregnant and will give birth soon. I can bear you a child, but not nurse it. Please secretly discuss with your mother hiring a wet nurse and say you adopted an illegitimate son, don’t mention me.” Gu agreed. He told his mother, who smiled and said, “This woman is truly strange—she refused to marry you but secretly became your wife.” They prepared as she instructed. A month later, the girl didn’t visit for several days, and her mother grew suspicious, going to check on her. The courtyard was empty, the door locked tight. After knocking for a long time, the girl came, disheveled, to open it. Once inside, she closed the door. Inside the room, she saw an infant crying in bed. Her mother asked, “How many days has it been since you gave birth?” The girl replied, “Three days.” Opening the wrapping, she saw a boy with a broad forehead and full chin. Her mother was overjoyed and said, “My child, you’ve given me a grandson. Now I’ll be alone, who will I rely on?” The girl said, “My private matters, I dare not reveal to my mother. When it’s quiet at night, quickly take the baby.” Her mother told her son, and at night, he took the baby back. A few nights later, the girl came at midnight, carrying a leather bag and smiling, “I’ve finished my business and must leave now.” Gu asked why, and she said, “I’ll never forget burying my mother. I told you it could only happen once. Repaying a debt isn’t about private feelings. Though we can’t marry, I’ve ensured our family line continues. I thought one time would be enough, but I had my period again, so I had to do it again and again. Now my debt is repaid, and my purpose fulfilled. There’s nothing else holding me back.” She asked what was in the bag. “The head of my enemy.” When they looked, it was a head with matted hair and bloodstains. Gu was stunned. She explained, “I didn’t tell you before for fear of revealing it. Now that my business is done, I can tell you. I’m from Zhejiang. My father was a Marquis but was framed by my enemy. During the raid, I escaped with my mother, hiding our identities for three years. I didn’t seek revenge immediately because my mother was still alive. After she passed, with the child I carried, I kept delaying. The nights I went out recently weren’t for anything else—I was scouting the enemy’s territory to avoid mistakes.” She finished speaking, then told Gu, “Take good care of your son. You’re not blessed with long life. This son can bring honor to your family. I won’t disturb my mother at night—I’m leaving.” Just as he asked where she was going, she vanished. Gu stood outside for a long time, as if lost. The next morning, he told his mother, and they could only sigh in each other’s presence. Three years later, Gu died. His son passed the imperial exam at age 18 and served his grandmother until her death.
Lianxiang was from Yizhou. Her name was Sang Xiao, styled Ziming. Her father passed away early, and she taught at a private school in Honghua Embankment, supporting herself. She was a quiet and gentle person, except for the twice-daily visits to her neighbor’s home for meals. During free time, she would sit in her study and read. Her neighbor asked, “Don’t you fear ghosts and foxes living alone?” Sang smiled and replied, “A true man fears nothing from ghosts or foxes! If a man comes, I have a sword; if a woman comes, I’ll open the door to welcome her.” The neighbor then discussed with his friend a joke—hiring a prostitute to climb over the wall and knock on his door. Sang asked who it was, and the prostitute claimed to be a ghost. Sang was terrified, trembling and unable to move. The next morning, the neighbor came to her study, and she recounted the night’s events and said she planned to go home. The neighbor clapped and said, “Why didn’t you open the door to welcome her?” Sang then realized the ghost was fake and that her neighbor was just teasing her, so she was no longer afraid and lived normally.
About half a year later, one night a woman came to the door. Sang thought it was another prank and opened it, only to see a beautiful woman. She asked where she was from, and she replied, “I’m Lianxiang, a prostitute from a brothel in the west.” There were many brothels in Honghua Embankment, so Sang didn’t doubt her and let her stay. From then on, she visited every three or five days. One night, Sang sat alone, lost in thought, when a young woman slipped in quietly. At first, she thought it was Lianxiang but was surprised to see it wasn’t. She was no more than fifteen or sixteen, dressed in loose sleeves, her hair styled like a young girl’s—graceful and charming, walking with a slight sway. Suspicious of a fox spirit, Sang was terrified. The woman said, “I’m a proper woman, surname Li. I’ve always admired you as a refined scholar and hope you won’t be offended.” Sang happily stood up and shook her hand, noticing her hand was ice-cold. He asked, “Why is it so cold?” She replied, “I’m naturally frail, and coming out at night exposed me to the wind, so it’s very cold.” When they slept, he discovered she was still a virgin. Li said, “Out of respect for your character, I’ve given myself to you. If you don’t mind, I’d like to be with you often. Are there others in the room?” Sang said, “No one else, just a prostitute who visits every few days.” The woman said, “I’m different from her—I avoid meeting her. Please keep this secret. When she comes, I’ll go, and when she leaves, I’ll come.” At dawn, the woman stood up to leave, leaving behind a embroidered slipper. She said, “This is something from my body. Keep it and play with it. But never play with it when someone is around!” Sang took it, admiring its delicate craftsmanship and slight curvature—it was truly lovely. The next night, when he was alone, he took out the slipper to play with it, and the woman appeared. Afterward, every time he took out the slipper, she appeared. Sang found it strange and asked her, but she said it was just a coincidence. One night, Lianxiang came and exclaimed, “Why do you look so weary?” Sang said he felt fine. Lianxiang left, saying they would meet again in ten days. Li came every night, asking, “Why hasn’t your lover visited for so long?” Sang told her they had agreed to meet in ten days. Li smiled and said, “Which of us is prettier, you or Lianxiang?” Sang replied, “You’re both tuy?t, but Lianxiang has softer skin.” Li’s expression changed drastically, saying, “You say both are stunning, but saying that in front of me—I must be the moon goddess, and I can’t compare to her.” She then grew melancholic. After calculating that the ten-day period was up, she warned Sang not to reveal anything and prepared to spy on Lianxiang. The next night, Lianxiang came as promised, and when they slept, she was horrified and said, “It’s bad! After ten days, why are you so exhausted? Tell me the truth—what happened?” Sang asked how she knew. Lianxiang replied, “From your spirit and energy, your pulse is like tangled silk—thin, weak, and irregular. It’s a ghostly condition.” The next night, Li came, and Sang asked her, “How do you think Lianxiang looks?” Li said, “She’s truly beautiful. I think no one in the world is as beautiful—she must be a fox spirit. I followed her when she left and know she lives in a cave in the southern mountains.” Suspicious that she was jealous of Lianxiang and spreading rumors, Sang paid it no mind. The next night, he deliberately said to Li, “Some say you’re a fox spirit, but I don’t believe it.” Li asked, “Who said that?” Sang quickly explained, “I was just joking.” Li asked, “What’s the difference between a fox and a human?” Sang replied, “If you’re bewitched by a fox, you’ll get sick, and if the sickness is severe, you’ll die—it’s.”