Feng Shusheng of Lintao County came from a wealthy background, though by his generation, the family fortunes had begun to wane. There was a turtle-catching fisherman who owed the scholar some silver; unable to repay the debt, he often substituted fish and turtles instead. One day, the fisherman delivered an old turtle with a white spot on its forehead. The scholar, struck by the creature's odd appearance, dared not cook it and instead carried it to the riverbank to set it free.

Later, returning from his son-in-law’s house, the scholar passed the Heng River as dusk was settling. By the bank, a drunken man, attended by a few servants, spotted the scholar from afar and called out, “Who goes there?” The scholar casually replied, “Just passing through.” The drunkard roared, “I know you’re passing through! State your name!”

Eager to hurry on his way, the scholar ignored him, which only enraged the drunkard further. He seized the scholar’s sleeve, preventing him from leaving. They stood close, and the stench of wine rolling off the man was enough to cause nausea. The scholar, greatly annoyed, demanded, “And who might you be, sir?” The drunkard declared, “I am the former County Magistrate. Why do you ask?”

The scholar sneered, “Is there truly a magistrate like you in this world? You are nothing but a drunkard. Thank heavens you hold no office now, or who knows how tyrannical you would be?” The drunkard became furious and made a gesture as if to strike. The scholar stood tall and declared, “So disagreement leads immediately to violence? Come then, I am not afraid of you.” The drunkard narrowed his slender eyes, studying the scholar intently, and suddenly his anger dissolved into delight. He apologized, “Ah, you are my benefactor! Please forgive my offense.” He commanded his servants, “Go back and prepare wine and dishes; I must host my benefactor.”

While speaking, he took the scholar’s hand and invited him to his residence. After walking several li, they arrived at a small village where the pavilions were magnificent, suggesting a great noble family. The scholar asked the drunkard his name. The drunkard replied, “I must speak truthfully to my benefactor, and I hope you will not be alarmed. I am no mortal man, but a spirit of the Tao River, known by all as the Eighth Great King. I was just invited to a gathering by the Azure Boy of the Western Mountain and drank a bit too much, offending my benefactor with my words. I am deeply ashamed.”

The scholar knew he was a demon, but seeing the Eighth Great King’s respectful demeanor, he felt no fear. Soon, a banquet was spread with delicacies and opulent dishes. The Eighth Great King had a formidable capacity, downing four or five cups of wine without change in expression. The scholar, worried he might become drunk and rowdy again, quickly said, “My capacity for drink is shallow; I cannot drink more. Do you have a bed? I wish to sleep.”

The Eighth Great King guessed his intentions and laughed, “My benefactor must fear I will become unruly when drunk. There is no need for such worry. My benefactor saved my life; no matter how base I am, I would never dare act improperly before you.” The scholar said seriously, “Since you know that drinking leads to trouble, why do you not quit?”

The Eighth Great King sighed, “When I served as magistrate in the past, my drunkenness was even worse than today. Because of this, I angered the Jade Emperor and was banished to the mortal realm. Since then, I have thoroughly reformed and have not touched a wine cup in over ten years, thinking this would atone for my sins and allow me to return to the Heavenly Court. Yet, more than ten years have passed, and now I am old and near death, feeling defeated and lost, and the Jade Emperor still refuses to pardon me. The anger and distress in my heart caused my old habits to return, leading me to drink myself senseless. Since my benefactor has spoken, I will naturally obey. Rest assured, I shall never drink again.”

As they spoke, the sound of a bell chimed in the distance. The Eighth Great King rose from the feast and said, “Our meeting is brief, and we must soon part. I possess a treasure that I wish to give my benefactor now, as a small token of my feelings and to repay your life-saving grace. Benefactor, remember this: this treasure must not be worn for too long; once your wish is fulfilled, it must be returned.” He opened his mouth and spat out a small figurine, about an inch long.

The Eighth Great King extended his palm, his fingernails extended, and sliced open the scholar’s arm muscle, inserting the figurine into the sinew. The scholar cried out in pain. Looking down, he saw the figurine had fused with the skin, forming a lump the size of an egg, and he gasped, “What have you done to me?” The Eighth Great King smiled without answering, escorted the scholar outside, and then turned back alone.

When the scholar looked back, the village was gone. Only the old turtle remained, crawling sluggishly, before it slipped into the river water and vanished. The scholar stood stunned for a long time before returning home.

From then on, the scholar’s eyesight became vastly sharper. Wherever precious objects lay, even hidden deep underground, they could not escape his notice. His knowledge also increased abruptly; things he once didn't recognize, he could now name with a single glance. Beneath the soil of his bedroom floor lay hundreds of strings of copper coins. The scholar dug them up, and from then on, he wanted for nothing, never lacking silver. Later, a merchant put his mansion up for sale. The scholar went to inspect it and saw countless amounts of gold and silver buried beneath the estate. He bought the house at a high price, excavated the wealth, and his family became instantly rich, rivaling princes and nobles, possessing all manner of rare treasures.

The scholar also dug up a magical mirror from underground. On the reverse was painted the "Water Cloud Consort Xiang," radiating brilliant light that could illuminate objects several li away. The mirror had another marvelous quality: if pointed at a beautiful woman, it would capture her likeness within the glass, and no amount of scraping could ever erase the image.

At that time, there was a Third Princess in the residence of Prince Su, whose beauty was legendary. The scholar had long admired her renown. Learning that the Third Princess would be visiting Mount Kongtong, he lay in wait by the roadside beforehand and used the magical mirror to capture the princess’s image. Back home, he kept it by his bedside, admiring it day and night. In the mirror, the beautiful woman seemed to smile while adjusting her handkerchief, her lips about to speak and her eyes about to move—it was utterly exquisite.

A year later, his wife inadvertently revealed the secret. Prince Su learned of the matter, became uncontrollably enraged, and immediately had the scholar seized, confiscating the mirror, and ordering his execution. The scholar secretly bribed an intimate confidant within the Prince’s residence, asking him to intercede, saying, “If Your Highness spares my life, I will offer all the world’s rare treasures—pearls and jade—name your price. If not, once I am dead, Your Highness will gain nothing; in the end, you will be the one who loses out.”

The Prince would not listen and planned to confiscate the scholar’s property and send him into exile. The Third Princess intervened, saying, “Since the scholar has seen and gazes upon my appearance day and night, even killing him will not erase my shame. It would be better to marry him off.” The Prince refused. The princess, in a fit of pique, refused to eat and was confined to her room, stewing in her anger.

The Princess Consort was deeply worried and pleaded earnestly for the scholar’s life. The Prince finally relented, telling the scholar, “You may live, but you must marry my daughter.” The scholar shook his head, “I already have a wife. If my first wife does not agree, I would rather die than comply.”

The Prince became furious again and had the scholar thrown into the great jail. The Princess Consort secretly summoned the scholar’s wife to the palace, intending to poison her with wine. The wife came as summoned and presented the Princess Consort with a coral mirror stand. The Consort, seeing her gentle demeanor and proper speech, was greatly pleased and immediately discarded the thought of murder. She then led the wife to pay respects to the Third Princess. When the two met, they felt an instant affinity and became sworn sisters.

With matters having reached this point and the wife having given her consent, the scholar no longer insisted. He told his wife, “The Princess holds a noble rank; after she marries in, I fear you will be relegated to a lesser status. If you regret this now, there is still time to change your mind.” The wife refused, and upon returning home, she prepared the betrothal gifts, sending many jewels and jades, all rare treasures. Although the Prince was worldly-wise, he could not identify every single piece.

The scholar married the Princess and was exceedingly content. That night, as they slept, the Eighth Great King appeared in his dream, saying, “The object I gave my benefactor must now be returned to its rightful owner. Wearing it too long drains a person’s vital essence and shortens one’s lifespan.” The scholar mumbled his assent and invited the Eighth Great King to dine. The Eighth Great King declined, saying, “Since I last received my benefactor’s instruction, I have not touched a cup of wine in three years. I appreciate my benefactor’s kindness, but I must decline.” As he spoke, he parted his lips, bit open the scholar’s arm, removed the figurine, and took his leave.

The pain from the wound caused the scholar to wake with a start. He focused his eyes and saw that the lump on his arm had vanished. From that moment on, the scholar lost his supernatural powers and became indistinguishable from an ordinary man.

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