Xia Shang was a native of Hejian County. His father, Xia Dongling, was a man of extravagance; every time he ate steamed buns, he would discard the crusts, leaving a mess everywhere. Coupled with his stout physique, the common folk secretly nicknamed him "The Grand Commandant of Discarded Edges."

In his later years, Xia Dongling’s family fortune declined, and he often went hungry, becoming emaciated. Before his death, he told his son, "My extravagance in this life has offended Heaven. Dying of cold and hunger now is nothing less than karmic retribution. After I die, you must be diligent and frugal, and perform many good deeds to atone for my sins."

Xia Shang followed his father’s teachings, living honestly. He and his wife cultivated a few plots of land, achieving self-sufficiency. A certain wealthy merchant, seeing his abject poverty, lent him a few ounces of silver to start a business. However, he lost everything. Unable to repay the debt, Xia Shang sold his fields and home to raise the silver and returned it to the merchant.

The merchant refused to accept it, returning the land deed to Xia Shang, and offered to lend him more money for commerce. Xia Shang declined, saying, "I couldn't even cover the initial capital last time; what if I lose money again this time? As the saying goes, one must repay borrowed money in the next life as an ox or a horse; I have no desire to be livestock."

The merchant sighed, "Very well, if you do not wish to engage in trade, I will not insist." From then on, Xia Shang diligently worked as a farmer. His life remained difficult, and recalling his lack of accomplishments, he couldn't help but feel self-pity, often lamenting, "When a man lives in this world, he cannot possibly remain down on his luck forever; why has my turning point not yet arrived?"

Coincidentally, a soothsayer arrived from another region, skilled in divination, whose predictions of a person’s destiny were never wrong. Xia Shang went to seek a reading. The soothsayer was an old woman. She accepted a payment of one hundred wen, placed it all into a bamboo tube, and shook it gently. Then, she poured the coins onto the table, arranging them one by one.

Fifty-eight coins were laid out, every single one facing heads-up. Xia Shang looked on in confusion, not understanding. The soothsayer said, "I have a rule when reading fortunes: if the side with the inscription faces up, it means the inquirer's destiny is unfavorable. If the side with the image faces up, it signals the beginning of a turn in fortune. According to this reading, sir, you will not prosper until you reach the age of fifty-eight. However, in that year, you will make a significant fortune."

Xia Shang asked, "I am only twenty-eight now—does this mean I must endure another thirty years of poverty? Why is this so?" The soothsayer replied, "Everything has its cause and effect. As the saying goes: Ancestors who do good deeds bring fortune to their descendants; ancestors who commit evil bring disaster. It appears your forefathers had poor conduct, and this is the retribution you bear. But sir, you need not worry; you yourself have maintained an unblemished record, and your future descendants will surely enjoy continuous prosperity. Moreover, the reading indicates that in the five years leading up to your turning point, your circumstances will see a slight improvement."

Hearing this, Xia Shang was half-believing, half-doubting, and returned home. From then on, he contentedly accepted his poverty, daring not to aspire to too much. By the time he reached fifty-three, a great drought struck the land, and the crops withered. Only toward autumn did the rain finally fall. Xia Shang’s household had only a few bundles of grain left. Seeing his neighbors planting wheat and beans, while he had nothing to sow, he selected a portion of his grain and planted it in his field.

Soon after, another dry spell hit, and all the wheat and beans died. Only the millet seedlings, being drought-resistant, narrowly survived. Then, heavy rains descended, and the millet grew vigorously. At harvest time, the yield was significantly increased—a full double that of previous years. In the following year, famine spread, but Xia Shang's home was filled with grain, and they did not starve. Consequently, he became entirely convinced of the soothsayer’s skill.

Years slipped by, and Xia Shang was now fifty-seven. While repairing a wall that day, he unearthed an iron pot from the ground. Lifting the lid, he saw thick smoke billowing out, which took a long time to dissipate. Focusing his gaze, he saw that the pot was filled with gleaming white metal—pure silver ingots. When weighed, the total came to exactly one thousand three hundred and twenty-five liang. Xia Shang was overjoyed, but then he thought, "The soothsayer said I would only become rich in my fifty-eighth year; it seems her calculation was slightly off."

Just then, the neighbor's wife came to call. Secretly glimpsing the silver, she told her husband. The husband grew jealous and then informed the County Magistrate. The Magistrate was a greedy man and immediately arrested Xia Shang, demanding the silver. The wife wished to offer only half, but Xia Shang said, "What is yours cannot be taken by force; what is not yours cannot be held onto, and clinging to it will only invite disaster." Thus, he surrendered all the silver. The Magistrate took the money but suspected Xia Shang had hidden some for himself. He ordered the iron pot to be weighed—it was full, neither more nor less—and only then was satisfied. He happily released Xia Shang and sent him home. Not long after, the Magistrate was transferred to take up his post in Nanchang.

The following year, Xia Shang traveled to Nanchang on some business. Upon arrival, he learned the Magistrate had already died. His wife, unwilling to remain a widow, sold off the miscellaneous items in the manor, gathering funds to return home. Among them were several baskets of tung oil, which she sold cheaply, and Xia Shang bought them. Returning home, the oil baskets were leaking. Xia Shang poured the oil out and discovered two silver ingots at the bottom of each basket. He tested them, and indeed, every oil basket contained some amount of silver, totaling exactly one thousand three hundred and twenty-five liang.

From that moment on, Xia Shang became instantly wealthy. He dedicated himself to helping the poor and performing acts of charity, ensuring his descendants enjoyed prosperity for generations to come.