Li Zhuming was a man of generosity and boundless charity. His fellow townsman, Wang Zhuo, resided in the Li household as a servant; this man had been idle since youth, possessed a naturally lazy temperament, was ill-suited for fieldwork, and came from a poor background. Nevertheless, he possessed minor skills and often performed odd jobs for the Li family, receiving generous rewards. Whenever the household faced a shortage of food, he would borrow grain from his benefactor. Li Zhuming never refused, often lending several dou at a time.

One day, Wang Zhuo approached Li Zhuming, saying, “Your Lordship constantly supports me and my family of three or four, allowing us to survive. However, continuing like this is hardly a sustainable plan. I humbly request the Master lend me one shi of green beans as seed capital, so that I might attempt to go into trade.” Li Zhuming readily agreed, immediately handing over the beans. Wang Zhuo offered his thanks and departed.

A year spun by, yet Wang Zhuo made no move to repay the debt. Curious, Li Zhuming inquired into the matter, only to learn that the capital in green beans had long since been spent. Li Zhuming, pitying his poverty, chose not to press the issue.

Three years later, while studying at a temple, Li Zhuming dreamed that Wang Zhuo appeared, saying, “I still owe your Lordship one shi of green beans, and I have come today to settle the account.” Li Zhuming comforted him, saying, “Forget it. If we were truly to nitpick every detail, the countless sums of money and grain borrowed over the years could never truly be tallied.”

Hearing this, Wang Zhuo sighed and replied, “What you say is true. But a person who achieves little can accept a thousand pieces of gold and owe no debt of gratitude. Conversely, one who receives bounty without earning it cannot accept even a single dou of profit, let alone more?” With these words, he departed. Li Zhuming, however, grew even more perplexed, utterly failing to grasp the meaning behind Wang Zhuo’s statement.

Soon after, a servant came reporting: The old mare had given birth in the night to a magnificent, well-formed foal.

Li Zhuming awoke with a start, pondering, “Could it be that Wang Zhuo has returned in the form of this donkey to repay his kindness?” Several days later, upon returning home, he visited the little foal in the stable, calling out Wang Zhuo’s name. The foal immediately trotted forward, nuzzling closely, displaying an affectionate demeanor.

From that day forward, Li Zhuming referred to the donkey by the name Wang Zhuo. One day, while riding this donkey toward Qingzhou, the steward of Prince Heng’s manor caught sight of the animal and was so taken with it that he offered a high price for purchase. Before any agreement could be finalized, Li Zhuming, having urgent business at home, hastily excused himself, leaving the sale unsettled.

Another year passed. The donkey was stabled with a stallion, and was severely bitten, fracturing its tibia beyond remedy. Coincidentally, a certain bovine physician was visiting the estate. Seeing the condition of the animal, he offered, “Please, my Lord, entrust the donkey to me. I shall nurse it diligently day and night at my home, and in a few months, it might possibly recover. I will then sell the donkey, and we shall split the profits evenly.” Li Zhuming willingly granted his request.

Several months later, the physician sold the donkey for one thousand eight hundred copper coins in profit. He took half of the earnings and presented them to Master Li. Li Zhuming accepted the coins, and a sudden realization struck him: Nine hundred copper coins—was this not precisely the price of one shi of green beans?

Alas! A debt incurred in one life is repaid in the next; this event serves as a profound lesson.