Yang, a member of the White Lotus Sect from Teng County, was a disciple of Xu Hongru and deeply versed in unorthodox arts. Later, when Xu Hongru was executed, Yang narrowly escaped and wandered everywhere, using his unorthodox skills to amass wealth, eventually owning countless estates and mansions. One day, Yang arrived in Sishui and visited a local gentry, offering to perform magic tricks. The womenfolk came out to watch, and among them was the gentry’s daughter. Seeing her exquisite beauty, Yang conceived wicked thoughts. Upon returning home, he used sorcery to craft a wooden bird, instructing his concubine to entice the gentry’s daughter, whispering precise instructions: "Like this, and then like that."

The concubine, Madam Zhu, graceful and charming, immediately followed Yang’s orders, dressing elaborately before ascending the loft. Yang pushed her from the roof; Madam Zhu felt as light as a leaf, floating effortlessly as if riding the clouds, instantly arriving at the gentry’s residence. That night, the bright moon illuminated everything clearly. Madam Zhu stood atop the clouds, retrieved the wooden bird, and tossed it toward the ground. The bird flapped its wings and flew straight into the young lady’s private chamber. The gentry’s daughter, startled by the wooden bird, called out to her maid, "Quick, catch it!" The two approached to seize it, but the bird slipped out through the window.

They chased after it into the courtyard, where the bird suddenly dropped motionless, its wings beating with a distinct sound. The young lady stepped forward to examine it, when the wooden bird suddenly burrowed beneath her skirt, settled on her back, and shot upward into the high heavens. The maid, seeing this, burst into frantic tears.

From the clouds, Madam Zhu called down, "Little maid, do not panic. I am Chang'e from the Moon Palace. Your young mistress is the ninth daughter of the Queen Mother of the West, who accidentally descended to the mortal realm. The Queen Mother misses her beloved daughter day and night and has temporarily summoned her to reunite. She will be returned shortly." With those words, she soared away.

The two women flew through the air, reaching the border of Sishui just as fireworks were being set off below. A rocket shot upward, striking the wooden bird's wing. The young lady, caught completely off guard and panicked, grabbed hold of Madam Zhu’s collar, and the two plummeted from the sky, landing in the courtyard of a scholar.

The scholar, Xing Ziyi, came from a poor family and was known for his integrity. Once, a neighbor’s wife tried to seduce him, but Xing Ziyi sternly refused. The woman left in anger and later falsely accused him to her husband, saying, "The scholar bullied me." The husband, being a ruffian, flew into a rage upon hearing this and loitered by the scholar’s door morning and night, shouting abuse.

The scholar, utterly exasperated, decided to move to another village. In that village lived a Taoist adept skilled in divination. The scholar visited him to inquire about his future prospects. The adept said, "Young master, you should possess thousands of jin of gold; why are you wearing rags? Are you blind to my powers?" Xing Ziyi sighed, "I am utterly destitute; where would I get thousands of jin?"

The adept replied, "Though you are poor now, your fortunes will change swiftly. Not only will you become rich overnight, but you will also acquire a beautiful wife." Xing Ziyi was unconvinced and left. The adept called out, "Go on, go on. When my words come true in the future, you will return to offer your thanks."

That night, Xing Ziyi sat alone under the moon when suddenly two women descended from the sky. He looked closely and saw they were both peerlessly beautiful. He wondered, "Could they be spirits?" He approached to inquire, but Madam Zhu was initially reluctant to confess. Xing Ziyi said, "You had better speak the truth, or I will have you arrested." Madam Zhu reluctantly recounted the entire story, pleading, "Please, young master, do not reveal our secret. If you let us go, we both swear to serve you as maids for life." Xing Ziyi considered, "The gentry’s daughter is from a respectable family; how can I keep her for myself?" He therefore sent her back exactly as she was.

The gentry couple had been both fearful and worried since their daughter ascended. Seeing her return unharmed brought them immense joy. To thank the scholar, they presented him with one hundred liang of silver.

Xing Ziyi accepted the silver and took his leave, excitedly heading to the adept’s residence to offer his gratitude. The adept laughed, "Don't rush to thank me yet. One hundred liang of silver is nothing; greater fortune awaits you." Xing Ziyi was half-believing, half-doubting, and returned home. Madam Zhu came out to greet him, saying, "Master, please save me!"

Xing Ziyi asked, "What is the matter?" Madam Zhu replied, "Since I abducted the gentry’s daughter last time, I have caused great trouble. The gentry, in his fury, reported the matter to the magistrate. The yamen has ordered the arrest of all remaining White Lotus remnants. What shall we do?" Xing Ziyi said, "Don't worry, I will find a solution; at worst, we will suffer a financial loss to avert disaster. By the way, your husband Yang is the main culprit; where is he now?"

Madam Zhu said, "He got wind of the news long ago and fled. He is still at large. However, his mansion has been confiscated by the authorities, and I hear it will be auctioned off soon." Xing Ziyi nodded, immediately went to the local court, bribed the bailiffs, and pleaded for leniency for Madam Zhu. The county magistrate accepted the silver and agreed to drop the matter.

Meanwhile, the gentry’s daughter had been betrothed to the young master of the Liu family in her childhood. Mr. Liu suspected she had become intimate with Xing Ziyi and flatly refused the marriage. The gentry, having no choice, had to find a new groom for his daughter. When he discussed the matter with her, she replied, "I will marry no one but Master Xing." Hearing this, the gentry offered no objection and arranged their wedding forthwith.

After they married, the gentry purchased Yang's former mansion and gave it to his daughter to live in. The family of three moved in, arranged the furnishings, and bought servants, quickly depleting their silver. One day, Madam Zhu told Xing Ziyi, "My wicked husband, Yang, buried a great deal of silver beneath the floor of that house. I checked just now; the bricks are intact, meaning the silver is likely still there."

The two went to dig and indeed found a large cache of treasure, amounting to several thousand liang of silver. From then on, Xing Ziyi became rich overnight, and he genuinely admired the adept’s prophecy. He specially prepared a lavish gift and went to thank him personally.