Li Hua, a peasant from Changzhou, possessed considerable property. Though in his fifties, he had no son, only a daughter named Xiao Hui, whose beauty and grace were adored by both her elderly parents. But fate is capricious; Xiao Hui was short-lived and died of illness at the age of fourteen.

After their daughter’s passing, the household was steeped in sorrow. Li Hua was overcome with grief, feeling life was no longer worth living. To secure the family line, he took a concubine who, a year later, bore him a son, whom he cherished above all else and named Zhu’er.

Several years passed, and Zhu’er grew up, robust and endearing. However, his intellect was slow; at five or six years old, he could not distinguish grains, and his speech was heavily impaired. Despite this, Li Hua doted on him completely, seeing only his virtues and ignoring his defects.

One day, a one-eyed monk arrived in the city, soliciting alms everywhere. The old monk possessed strange arts, able to discern even the most private bedroom secrets. The townsfolk proclaimed his skill miraculous, privately speculating that he was no ordinary mortal, but perhaps an immortal. Consequently, they vied to befriend him and bowed down in worship.

Each time the one-eyed monk begged for alms, he demanded an exorbitant amount; he refused anything less than a thousand copper coins. The common folk, simple and unenlightened, recognized the monk was not good, yet they obeyed his every word, daring not to defy him in the slightest.

Not long after, the one-eyed monk came to the Li estate to solicit alms, saying, "May this lay donor bestow one hundred strings of copper coins." Li Hua smiled, shook his head, and held up a single finger, stating, "Only ten strings will I give."

The monk frowned. "Too little. Does the benefactor treat me like a beggar?"

Li Hua did not take offense. "Thirty strings at most. Take it if you wish, or be on your way."

The monk commanded sternly, "One hundred strings must be given. Not one coin less."

Li Hua grew angry in turn. "If you think it's too little, then I won't bother serving you." He gathered up his few coins and angrily retreated into his residence.

The monk let out a cold laugh. "Do not regret this, do not regret this." Before he finished speaking, Zhu’er clutched his chest in agonizing pain. His face turned ashen, and he writhed and howled uncontrollably upon the bed boards.

Li Hua immediately knew the monk was behind this, that his son’s life was being manipulated. He had no choice but to yield. He rushed to fetch eighty strings of copper coins and offered them to the monk, begging him to show mercy and spare Zhu’er. The monk replied coldly, "Even now, is the donor still stubbornly defiant? I told you, one hundred strings of copper coins, not one coin less. Heh, the donor is quite generous, thinking eighty strings can buy a life? I regret to say, this monk cannot help."

Helpless, Li Hua slumped back home. A servant rushed to report, "Young Master is dead."

Struck dumb by the terrible news, Li Hua instantly froze. His boundless grief transformed into towering rage. "Hmph, a life for a life. That monk caused Zhu’er’s death; I will not let him escape justice."

After a brief moment of thought, he submitted a formal complaint to the local magistrate. Since a life was at stake, the county magistrate dared not delay. He immediately ordered the old monk arrested and brought to the yamen. After a round of interrogation, beating, and a body search, they found two small wooden figures, a tiny coffin, and five small banners.

With witnesses and material evidence present, the magistrate’s anger erupted. He immediately pronounced the sentence: "The sorcerer monk has callously taken a life; he is to be beaten to death with clubs immediately."

With the main culprit executed, Li Hua offered profuse thanks and returned home. It was already dusk. Master Li was having a quiet conversation with his wife when the door suddenly burst open. A young boy, perhaps seven or eight years old, rushed in, exclaiming, "Grandpa, why did you walk so fast? Didn’t you wait for me? I could barely keep up!"

Li Hua was completely bewildered: Who was this child? Why was he chasing him?

Before he could ask, the child’s form flickered like smoke, drifting ethereally to the head of the bed. Li Hua cried out in alarm and shoved him hard, knocking him to the floor, yet the landing made no sound.

The child laughed. "Grandpa, why did you push me?"

Li Hua’s face turned sickly pale with fright. He grabbed his wife’s hand and fled toward the exit, the child trailing closely behind, murmuring indistinctly, "Father, Mother," as he followed.

Li Hua ran to the concubine’s room and frantically locked the door. Just as he caught his breath, his vision blurred. The child, somehow, was already kneeling before him.

With matters having come to this pass, Li Hua forced himself to remain calm and asked, "Hey, child, what exactly do you want?"

The child smiled. "Grandpa need not be afraid, I mean no harm. I am from Suzhou, my surname is Zhan. When I was six, both my parents died. My elder brother and his wife could not tolerate me, so I was forced to stay with my maternal grandmother. Once, while playing outside, I was ensnared by the one-eyed monk’s dark arts and killed beneath a mulberry tree. After my death, my ghost was manipulated by the wicked monk into committing many heinous acts, thus sinking into the Nine Springs without rest." He paused. "Fortunately, Grandpa killed the wicked monk and cleared my name. If you do not despise me, I wish to be your son to repay this great kindness."

Li Hua hesitated. "Humans and ghosts follow separate paths; how can we coexist?"

The child replied, "Grandpa need not worry about that. I am very easy to care for. I only require a small room, a quilt, and a cup of cold gruel daily. Nothing else will be needed."

Li Hua nodded. "Since that is the case, I will allow you to stay. However, one thing must be strictly remembered: behave yourself and do no harm to others."

The child readily agreed. From that day on, he settled in the Li mansion, rising early and sleeping late, moving through all the rooms as if Li Hua’s own biological son.

One day, the child entered Master Li’s concubine’s room and saw her weeping bitterly, mourning her son. He asked, "How long has Zhu’er been dead?"

The concubine replied, "Seven days."

The child pondered. "The weather is severely cold; the body should not have decomposed. We can dispatch someone to exhume and examine the body. If Zhu’er’s flesh remains intact, I may still be able to facilitate a return of his spirit."

Hearing this, Li Hua was overjoyed and immediately mobilized his servants to open the grave. When they lifted the coffin lid, Zhu’er’s body appeared as if alive.

The child said, "Grandpa, I must return to the living." As soon as the words left his mouth, there was a whoosh, and in an instant, he vanished.

Li Hua marveled in secret and ordered Zhu’er’s body carried home. A short while later, "Zhu’er" awoke on the bed, crying out, "Water, bring me water quickly!"

After drinking a bowl of water, "Zhu’er" broke into a sweat, and soon after, he could walk about. Seeing his son miraculously returned to life, Li Hua was beside himself with joy. Even more gratifying was that after his spirit returned, "Zhu’er" became sharp and intelligent, no longer the foolish boy he once was.

That night, "Zhu’er" went to bed and, after closing his eyes, became utterly still. No matter how his family called him, there was no response until he woke the next morning.

Li Hua was filled with unease and questioned, "Child, what exactly happened?"

"Zhu’er" replied, "Father need not worry. The reason I was completely unresponsive last night is that I went to the Underworld to catch up with an old friend. This friend is named Gezi, someone I knew when I followed the wicked monk. He is currently serving as the adopted son of Steward Jiang in the netherworld, living without worry. Last night he invited me to play, and only just now did he send me back using a white-nosed yellow horse."

Li Hua suddenly understood: The Zhu’er before him was not truly Zhu’er, but the young Zhan. He asked, "Since you went to the Underworld, did you happen to see Zhu’er?"

Young Zhan replied, "I did. Zhu’er has already reincarnated. He had no father-son fate with you, Father. His being born into the Li household was merely to collect a debt of one hundred diao of copper coins owed to Yan Zifang of Jinling."

Li Hua remained silent, pondering: Indeed, years ago when he went to Jinling on business, he had owed Yan Zifang one hundred diao that he never repaid. This matter was extremely secret, yet Young Zhan knew it. It seemed what he said was true; Zhu’er and he truly shared no destiny.

Li Hua’s wife asked, "Child, did you see Sister Hui?"

The youth replied, "I do not know. I will try to inquire about her again if I have the chance."

After two or three days, the youth told Li Hua’s wife, "Sister Hui is doing very well in the Underworld. She married the youngest son of King Chujiang and lives in luxury; she has over a hundred servants and maids attending to her alone."

The wife asked, "Why doesn't she come home to visit her parents?"

The youth explained, "Once mortals die, they lose their connection with their parents and largely forget the affairs of their former lives. They only recall them if repeatedly prompted. Yesterday, I asked Steward Jiang for assistance, and finally met Sister Hui. I sat her down on a coral couch and told her, 'Your parents miss you greatly.' Sister Hui merely looked lost and sleepy. I continued, 'When Sister was alive, she loved embroidering paired blossoms. One time, her scissors pricked her finger, and blood dripped onto the silk. With her nimble hands, she followed the drops of blood and used the chance to embroider a red cloud. Mother still hangs it by her bed, and every time she sees that embroidery, she remembers Sister. Do you not remember these things?' Upon my reminder, Sister recalled the events of her past and said mournfully, 'Little brother, go tell Mother that once I explain to my husband, I will return to the residence to visit her esteemed self.'"

Li Hua’s wife asked, "When will Hui’er return?"

The youth answered, "I do not know."

A few days later, the youth told Li Hua’s wife, "Sister has returned, bringing many attendants. Prepare plenty of food and dishes." As he spoke, he moved chairs and tables to the central hall to receive the guests, saying, "Sister, please sit down and rest first. Do not be too sad." Li Hua’s wife busied herself, yet the room remained empty, not a single human figure visible. She felt quite strange. The youth explained, "There is a separation between the living and the dead. Although Sister is nearby, alas, you cannot see her."

A while later, the youth walked outside to see the guests off, burning paper offerings and pouring libations. He returned and reported, "The attendants and carriages have already left first. Sister asked Mother: Is the set of green quilts she used to sleep on, the one that got a hole burned in it by candlelight, still around?"

Li Hua’s wife replied, "It is." She quickly opened a chest and retrieved it.

The youth conveyed, "Sister instructed me to say: She is tired and wishes to rest in her former chamber. She ordered me to bring the quilt to her and said she would return tomorrow to converse with Mother again."

Li Hua’s wife said, "I always kept Hui’er’s room for her. Hurry and take the quilt to her, quickly!"

When alive, Xiao Hui was a close friend of Miss Zhao, the daughter of their next-door neighbor. That night, Miss Zhao dreamt that Xiao Hui visited her, her appearance and manner exactly as before. Xiao Hui told her, "I have become a spirit now, forever separated from my parents by rivers and mountains. I wish to borrow your body for a moment to see my family. Do not be afraid."

The next morning, as Miss Zhao was speaking with her mother, she suddenly collapsed unconscious. After a while, she slowly woke up and said to Mother Zhao, "Time truly ages us. Little Hui and I parted only a few years ago, yet I never imagined, Auntie, that you would have turned completely white-haired."

Mother Zhao was baffled and cried out, "Daughter, have you gone mad?"

Miss Zhao smiled without answering, curtsied deeply twice, and turned to leave the house. Mother Zhao sensed something was amiss and quietly followed behind. She watched her daughter walk swiftly until she entered the Li residence.

Upon entering the main hall, Miss Zhao embraced Li Hua’s wife and burst into tears. Old Madam Li was startled and flustered, speechless for a long moment. Miss Zhao said, "My child returned yesterday and was weary from the journey; I did not have time to speak with Mother. Your daughter is unfilial for leaving her parents halfway through, causing you to miss me daily. My transgression is great."

Old Madam Li was both shocked and overjoyed, trembling, "Are you Hui’er?"

Miss Zhao nodded.

Old Madam Li’s expression softened with relief and she smiled. "Hui’er, I am so happy to hear you are honored and prosperous below. But you are now the daughter-in-law of the King of the Underworld; you must adhere to wifely virtues from now on, do you understand?"

Miss Zhao replied, "I understand, Mother. Please rest assured, my husband treats me very well, and my in-laws dote on me; they do not scorn me for my appearance." When alive, Xiao Hui often rested her chin on her hand, and as Miss Zhao spoke, she frequently supported her jaw with her hand, her expression and gestures bearing a striking resemblance to Xiao Hui.

Not long after, Young Zhan ran in saying, "Sister's escort has arrived."

Miss Zhao rose to take her leave, weeping, "Your daughter is departing." As soon as she finished speaking, she fainted to the ground, only regaining consciousness after a long interval.

Several months later, Li Hua suddenly fell gravely ill. Physicians and medicine proved useless. The youth declared, "This is the work of vengeful ghosts demanding payment. Father cannot be saved. There are two malevolent ghosts sitting at Father’s bedside; one holds an iron staff, and the other a hemp rope. No matter how much we plead, they refuse to leave."

Old Madam Li wept while preparing burial clothes. At dusk, the youth called out, "Let all extraneous persons step aside; Brother-in-law has come to visit Father." A moment later, the youth clapped his hands and laughed aloud. Old Madam Li asked him, "What are you laughing at?"

The youth replied, "I am laughing at the two vengeful ghosts. As soon as they heard Brother-in-law arrived, they shook with terror and hid beneath the bed, turning into shrinking turtles."

Old Madam Li inquired, "Where are the ghosts now?"

The youth answered, "Brother-in-law bound them with iron chains and carried them away on the saddle of his horse. Truly satisfying! Mother, stop crying. Father will recover soon. Brother-in-law said before leaving that he would beg the King of the Underworld to grant Father and Mother a hundred years of life."

Hearing this, Old Madam Li’s sorrow turned to joy. That evening, Li Hua’s condition indeed took a turn for the better and he recovered completely.

In the days that followed, the youth devoted himself to his studies. Due to his sharp mind, he passed the county examinations at eighteen, though he continued to occasionally speak of supernatural matters from the Underworld. When neighbors fell ill, afflicted by wicked spirits, the youth invariably pinpointed the location of the evil entity, and often a simple roasting with fire cured the ailment immediately.

Because he frequently revealed secrets of heaven and earth, the youth was punished by the spirits and fell ill with a terrible disease that left his body bruised and purplish. Barely clinging to life, he thereafter curbed his temperament and never dared to speak recklessly again.