Lord Zhao, a native of Wuling in Huguang, once held a post in the Crown Prince's residence. Upon retiring, he returned to his hometown to cultivate his character, deliberately avoiding any involvement in political affairs. One day, a young man arrived seeking an audience, hoping to pledge his service to Lord Zhao by managing his correspondence. Lord Zhao, noticing the youth’s refined appearance, inquired after his name. The youth replied, "My surname is Lu, and my given name is Yaguan. I only seek employment and require no wages."

Lord Zhao kept the young man close to attend to his affairs. The youth proved incredibly sharp; he handled letters and ledgers with impeccable order and propriety, and his skill at chess was exceptional. Whenever Lord Liu (Lord Zhao) played against guests and found himself at a disadvantage, a slight suggestion from the youth was enough to turn defeat into victory, which only deepened Lord Zhao’s affection for him.

The servants, observing the youth’s favored status, began loudly insisting that he treat them to a feast. The youth readily agreed, asking, "How many guests in total?" They replied, "No less than thirty." Hearing this, the youth’s expression shifted to one of difficulty. The others taunted him, "If you don't want to spend money, then forget it."

The youth grew displeased. "Am I such a stingy person? I shall reserve a banquet at the inn tomorrow at noon. I expect you all to be there without fail." The next day at noon, the group arrived at the inn and took their seats. The youth stood up to pour wine. One man reached out and placed his hand on the wine pot, saying, "Wait a moment. Who is the host of today’s feast? It would be best to present the deposit first. Otherwise, if everyone gorges themselves and then simply dusts off their hands and disperses, who will settle the bill?" The others nodded in agreement, their gazes fixed squarely upon the youth.

The youth laughed. "Do you think I lack money? I have plenty." As he spoke, he walked to the kitchen and returned with a basin of flour, wetting it with water and kneading it into small balls, which he tossed onto the table. He worked continuously, shaping and throwing, and in a flash, the tabletop was covered with dough. As soon as a lump of dough touched the wooden surface, it instantly transformed into a white mouse, scurrying back and forth across the table, darting left and right. The youth extended his palm, grasped one white mouse, tore open its belly, and extracted a piece of silver shard. He repeated this action—catching a mouse, opening its abdomen, retrieving silver—over and over. Soon, his palm was filled with silver ingots, and he laughed, "Is this enough?" The crowd marveled, exclaiming, "Enough, enough."

After finishing the meal, the guests took their leave. One servant asked the youth for a piece of silver shard and later mentioned the incident to Lord Zhao. Lord Zhao ordered him to hand over the silver. The servant patted his body, but his purse was empty; the silver shard had already dissolved into thin air, vanishing without a trace. Lord Zhao immediately suspected something unusual and instructed the servant to return to the inn to inquire about the fate of the silver. The innkeeper met him with a pained expression, cursing, "The silver shard, the silver shard! The silver shard all turned into thorns!"

Upon hearing this, Lord Zhao severely reprimanded the youth, angrily demanding, "What in the world happened?" The youth laughed, "My supposed friends forced me to treat them, but I was penniless. I had no choice but to employ a minor trick. Do not worry, esteemed master; I am not one to cheat people out of food and drink. At the threshing floor in the eastern village, after sweeping away the dust from the accumulated chaff, there are at least two shi of wheat, which is more than enough to cover the cost of the wine debt." Lord Zhao nodded, immediately dispatching a household slave to accompany the youth to the eastern village to collect the wheat. When they reached the threshing floor, there was indeed a large pile of scattered grain. After clearing it, they collected exactly two shi of wheat, neither more nor less.

One day, Lord Zhao attended a gathering at a friend's house. In the main hall was a pot of orchids, blooming vigorously with an enveloping fragrance. Lord Zhao was greatly taken with it and praised it incessantly upon his return. The youth remarked, "If you truly admire the orchid, Master, obtaining it is no difficult matter." Lord Zhao listened, half-believing and half-doubting.

The next morning, Lord Zhao went to his study to read. Suddenly, a rich fragrance permeated the air. Focusing his gaze, he saw on the windowsill a pot of orchids, their green leaves sharp as arrows—the very specimen from his friend's house. He thought, "Could the youth have stolen it?" He summoned the youth for interrogation. The youth replied, "I am very fond of growing flowers, Master. I have tens of thousands of blossoms at home; why would I resort to theft?" Lord Zhao remained unconvinced.

Coincidentally, the friend arrived for a visit. Upon seeing the orchid, he exclaimed, "That orchid looks very familiar; where did it come from?" Lord Zhao said, "I bought it in the marketplace; I'm not quite sure of its origin. By the way, when you left this morning, was the orchid at your house still there?" The friend replied, "I didn't go to the study today, so I don't know if the orchid is there. If this pot were mine, how could it have ended up here?"

The youth smiled. "This is easy to discern. Your orchid’s pot was cracked and had been mended; my flower pot is perfectly intact." The friend examined it closely and indeed found this to be true, thus dispelling his doubts and settling his mind.

That evening, the youth told Lord Zhao, "I truly do cultivate many flowers at my home. If you doubt me, Master, tonight's bright moonlight is perfect for a visit to admire them. However, the servants are not trustworthy, so we cannot bring many. Only the study boy, A’Ya, is honest and simple enough to accompany us." Lord Zhao agreed. The party set off. Upon reaching the entrance, four strong men were waiting, holding a sedan chair. Lord Zhao stepped into the sedan, feeling it move as swiftly as a galloping horse. In a short while, they arrived at a mountain cavern. Inside, it was illuminated by inlaid pearls, bright as daylight. Pavilions and terraces, with carved beams and painted rafters, were exquisitely luxurious. Rare flowers and strange stones were abundant everywhere, countless in number. The orchid variety alone accounted for dozens of flourishing pots.

Lord Zhao was astounded and offered continuous praise. After touring for some time, the night grew deep. He promptly took his leave. The youth closed the cavern entrance and escorted him all the way home. Later, the youth followed Lord Zhao for over ten years, until the latter’s death.

After Lord Zhao passed away, the youth took A’Ya, and the two wandered the world, never to be heard from again.