Man Sheng, who taught in Yu Hang, was a resident of Changhua County. Once, while passing beneath a multi-storied building in the marketplace, a single lychee suddenly fell from above, striking him squarely on the shoulder. Looking up, Man Sheng saw a maiden leaning against the window, possessing an exquisite bearing. His heart stirred instantly, and he stared for a long time, utterly mesmerized. The girl lowered her gaze, smiled faintly, and retreated back into the room.

Man Sheng was consumed with the desire to approach the maiden. After inquiring with nearby residents, he learned she was Xi Hou, the daughter of Madam Jia, a renowned brothel keeper. Her price was exorbitant, and knowing he could never afford her, his hopes seemed dashed. He returned home, lost in deep contemplation, unable to sleep that night.

The next day, Man Sheng prepared a formal request and went to the brothel to ask for an audience with the girl. Upon meeting, their conversation flowed wonderfully. Man Sheng was utterly captivated, so he borrowed a few taels of silver from a friend and presented it to Madam Jia, hoping for a night of intimacy with Xi Hou. They shared rapturous affection, their joy boundless. Afterward, nestled in the pillows, Man Sheng composed a poem: "The greasy bronze platter marks the night's untimely end, while sweet orchid scents drift from the bedside small talk. Tomorrow the new maid will adorn the phoenix anew, never again to be the cloud-wandering King of Chu's dream."

Xi Hou frowned, saying, "Though my status is lowly, I have always longed to marry into a good family—not for riches, but simply for the true love of a husband. Sir is unmarried; are you willing to stay with me forever?" Man Sheng was overjoyed. The two exchanged vows, secretly pledging their lives to one another. Xi Hou added, "Composing verses and matching couplets is not my strength; in the future, I hope you will guide me often. By the way, how much land does your family possess?"

Man Sheng replied, "A meager fifty mu of fields, and a few dilapidated rooms." Xi Hou declared, "After I marry you, I hope you will cease teaching. Forty mu of land is enough for us to subsist. The remaining ten mu can be planted with millet, and we can weave five bolts of cloth. In peaceful times, we shall never want for food or clothing. Henceforth, we shall live quietly together: you study, and I weave. In our leisure, we can drink wine and recite poetry, a joy superior to that of princes and kings."

Man Sheng asked, "How much is the lady's price?" Xi Hou answered, "Madam is greedy; without two hundred taels of silver, she likely won't release me. I rarely manage to save money and have few personal funds. If you can devise a way to gather one hundred taels, I will manage the rest."

Man Sheng lamented, "I am destitute and impoverished; where can I possibly acquire one hundred taels? At this juncture, I must seek help from friends. I have a classmate serving as a magistrate in Hunan; he has repeatedly invited me to visit, but I have always declined due to the distance. Now, for your sake, I must make an exception. Wait for me here; I should return in about three or four months."

Man Sheng closed his school and traveled south to visit his friend. Upon arriving in Hunan, he discovered his friend had already been dismissed from office and was now residing in a rented house, in dire straits. Man Sheng was deeply disappointed. After the long journey, his travel funds were nearly exhausted, making his return home impossible. He had no choice but to establish a modest school in Hunan. Three years passed in a flash, yet he still had not managed to scrape together one hundred taels of silver, leaving him too ashamed to face his beloved, daring not to return home.

On one occasion, Man Sheng disciplined a wayward disciple with several sharp strikes of his teaching ruler. Unexpectedly, the disciple took the harshness too severely and drowned himself in the river. The disciple's father was furious and reported the incident to the magistrate, who issued a warrant and had Man Sheng arrested and imprisoned. Fortunately, his students pooled their resources, visited him frequently, and thus, although Man Sheng was incarcerated, he did not suffer excessive hardship.

Since parting with Man Sheng, Xi Hou had remained confined to her rooms, refusing all visitors. Madam Jia, learning the truth, understood her daughter's stubborn nature and dared not press her too hard, allowing the situation to stand for the time being. A certain wealthy merchant, having long heard of Xi Hou’s beauty, sent the madam to negotiate a marriage, offering a hefty sum, determined to have her. Xi Hou refused.

Coincidentally, the merchant traveled to Hunan on business and heard that Man Sheng had been released from prison. He then bribed officials with silver, requesting they find a way to keep Man Sheng detained and prevent his release. Upon returning, he instructed the madam to relay a message to Xi Hou, fabricating the news that Man Sheng was dead.

Xi Hou did not believe it. The madam urged her, saying, "Whether Man Sheng is dead or alive, he is still a pauper. Rather than suffer hardship alongside a poor wretch, it is better to follow the rich merchant and enjoy silks and fine cuisine." Xi Hou retorted, "Though Man Sheng is poor, his character is noble. The merchant is steeped in the stench of copper and possesses a sordid mind; I refuse to marry him. Moreover, hearsay is not to be trusted; Man Sheng must surely be alive."

The merchant’s first scheme having failed, he devised another: he dispatched someone to forge a suicide note in Man Sheng’s handwriting. Upon receiving the letter, Xi Hou’s heart grew cold; she wept morning and night. The madam pleaded, "I raised you since childhood; these many years were not easy. If you will neither receive guests nor marry, how will you sustain yourself? I cannot support you forever."

Xi Hou reluctantly agreed and married the merchant, who showered her with fine clothes and jewels, doting on her deeply. A year later, Xi Hou gave birth to a son.

Meanwhile, with the help of his students, Man Sheng’s unjust conviction was overturned, and he was released. Learning of the merchant’s deception, he pondered, "I have no enmity with this merchant; why would he plot against me?" Baffled, he returned home only to hear that Xi Hou was married. Overcome with melancholy, he wrote down the entire sequence of events and entrusted the letter to an old woman who sold wine for delivery to Xi Hou.

When Xi Hou learned the truth, her grief was uncontrollable. She finally understood that everything had been the merchant's wicked machination. Enraged, she seized the opportunity while the merchant was away, killed their infant child swaddled in the cradle, and fled with her jewelry to seek out Man Sheng.

The merchant erupted in fury and went to the magistrate to file a complaint. However, the magistrate, disgusted by the merchant’s despicable actions, suppressed the official complaint and refused to hear the case.