Ruiyun, the peerless courtesan of Hangzhou, possessed both unparalleled beauty and artistic talent. At the tender age of fourteen, her mother, Lady Cai, insisted she begin receiving guests. Ruiyun demurred, saying, "This is the first time I receive a patron; it cannot be handled carelessly. My mother may set the price, but I must choose the client myself." Lady Cai agreed, setting the fee at fifteen taels of silver. Every day, Ruiyun met with eager supplicants, all bearing generous gifts.

Those who offered substantial gifts might be treated to a game of Go or presented with a painting; those who offered less would receive only a few polite words and a cup of tea, and nothing more. This continued for many days, yet she found no suitable match.

He Sheng, a scholar from Yuhang County, possessed considerable talent though his family background was modest. Long having admired Ruiyun’s reputation, he scraped together a few ounces of silver and went to call upon her. He thought to himself, "Given my own station, I dare not even dream of sharing a bed with such a beauty. Merely to see her face once would satisfy me. But Miss Ruiyun holds such a lofty position; I wonder if she will even consent to see me?" His mind raced with anxious speculation.

Upon arriving at the establishment, Ruiyun herself attended to him with utmost cordiality. Their conversation flowed easily, and Ruiyun regarded him with meaningful glances. She composed a poem and presented it to He Sheng. The poem read: "Why seek for water at the dawn? At Blue Bridge, knocking at the closed gate? With heart set on seeking the jade pestle, the goal lies only here on earth." He Sheng was ecstatic upon receiving the poem. Just as he was about to speak, a maid entered the room and announced, "A visitor has arrived." Hearing this, He Sheng made a hasty farewell. Back home, he pored over the verses, his soul captured by reverie.

Two days flew by, and He Sheng, unable to contain his longing, gathered more money and returned to the courtesan’s residence. Ruiyun was equally delighted to see him again, inviting him to sit. She leaned in and whispered, "I wish to offer my self to you, young master, but I wonder if you can gather the silver?" He Sheng sighed, "My devotion to you, maiden, is witnessed by heaven and earth. But alas, I am poor and down on my luck; this visit has consumed all my savings. To be permitted to gaze upon your beautiful face already satisfies me beyond measure. As for physical intimacy, I have the will, but lack the means."

Hearing this, Ruiyun’s mood darkened. The two sat in silence, neither speaking. He Sheng remained seated for a long time, reluctant to leave. The madam grew impatient, urging him repeatedly. He Sheng returned home heavy-hearted, brooding: "If I sought only a single night’s pleasure, I could perhaps manage by pawning my fields. But after the passion fades, we must part the next day—how could I endure the torment of that separation?" At this thought, the heat of his passion cooled entirely, and from that day forward, he ceased all contact with Ruiyun.

Ruiyun searched for a suitable husband for months with no result. The madam grew increasingly resentful, contemplating forcing matters but fearing an adverse outcome, she held her temper for the time being. One day, a certain scholar arrived. After exchanging only a few words with Ruiyun, he suddenly stood up, reached out, and flicked her forehead once, remarking, "A pity, what a pity." With that, he departed. Ruiyun escorted him out. Returning to the parlor, her fellow sisters noticed a stark, inky black mark imprinted on her forehead, and they began to whisper amongst themselves.

Ruiyun caught sight of herself in a mirror—sure enough, a black spot marred her brow. Startled, she rushed to fetch water to wash it away. To her dismay, the more she scrubbed, the dirtier it became, impossible to remove by any means. Days later, the ink stain began to spread, creeping across both cheeks, down the bridge of her nose, and across her chin. Her appearance became hideously ugly and frightening, drawing mockery from all who saw her. Patrons, upon hearing the news, also stopped coming.

Seeing that she could no longer earn money, the madam’s attitude soured instantly. She confiscated Ruiyun’s few possessions and jewelry, forcing her to live and work alongside the serving maids, enduring endless toil with laundry and firewood, tormenting her mercilessly. Ruiyun, delicate of frame, could not withstand the labor. Her countenance grew haggard, her circumstances truly wretched. He Sheng heard of this and visited her. He saw Ruiyun, disheveled and as hideous as a specter. The moment she saw He Sheng, she turned her head away, ashamed to be recognized.

He Sheng’s heart swelled with pity. He approached the madam and negotiated to buy Ruiyun’s freedom, intending to marry her. The madam readily agreed. He Sheng sold his fields to raise the ransom and brought Ruiyun home. Upon entering the house, Ruiyun clutched the corner of He Sheng’s robe, weeping, "With this frightful appearance, how can I be worthy of being your wife? I beg you, find a beautiful lady instead." He Sheng looked at her seriously. "Friendship, when true, rests on knowing the heart. When you were rich and honored, you treated me with great kindness. Now that you are in distress, how could I abandon you? In this life, besides you, maiden, I shall never marry another." His friends mocked He Sheng as a fool upon hearing this, but He Sheng remained unmoved, his respect and affection for Ruiyun only deepening.

Several years passed. He Sheng was traveling through Jiangsu when, in an inn, he encountered a scholar who introduced himself as He. This man inquired after news, asking, "I hear there was a courtesan in Hangzhou named Ruiyun. What has become of her?" He Sheng replied, "She is married now." Mr. He asked further, "To whom did she marry?" He Sheng answered, "To a man much like myself." Mr. He remarked, "If that is true, then Miss Ruiyun has married well. But I wonder, what price did the madam demand for selling her?"

He Sheng explained, "Miss Ruiyun contracted a strange malady, so she was sold cheaply. Otherwise, a buyer like myself, just an ordinary scholar, could hardly hope to acquire such a peerless beauty from a pleasure house." Mr. He inquired, "What is the character of the buyer? Does he compare favorably to you, esteemed brother?" He Sheng asked, "Why do you inquire so?" Mr. He laughed heartily. "To tell you the truth: I once saw Miss Ruiyun myself. Seeing such unparalleled beauty forced to languish in a house of ill repute, I felt a pang of pity. Thus, I employed a small artifice, marring her features to preserve her purity, waiting for the destined one to appear."

He Sheng was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Since Brother He possesses the skill to place the ink mark, can he perhaps remove it?" Mr. He replied, "Of course I can! But only if the buyer himself requests it, and he must do so with genuine sincerity." He Sheng rose and bowed deeply, saying, "I am Ruiyun’s husband; I implore you to save her." Mr. He rejoiced, "Only a truly talented man understands true affection, one whose heart does not waver with changes in beauty or ugliness. I shall return with you at once and restore your lovely wife to you."

The two returned to the lodging. He Sheng prepared wine for a celebration, but Mr. He waved him off, saying, "Let us first restore Miss Ruiyun's looks before we drink. It will not be too late." He fetched a basin of clear water, waved his hand over the surface, drawing talismans, and chuckled, "Take this water to your wife for washing; her features will surely be restored. Hurry, hurry! I am waiting for the bride herself to offer her thanks."

He Sheng smiled, carrying the basin into the inner chamber. Ruiyun scooped the water to wash her face. The ink stains dissolved instantly upon contact with the water, her loveliness as radiant as in the past. The couple, filled with gratitude, went out together to thank Mr. He, but he had already departed. They searched everywhere, finding no trace of him. He Sheng pondered briefly, and suddenly understood: Mr. He must surely be an immortal.