Chui Meng of Jianchang was the scion of a noble house. Possessed of a resolute nature, he attended the private academy in his youth, where he often resorted to blows and kicks against any companion who slightly crossed him, much to the repeated, futile dismay of his tutor.

By the time he was sixteen or seventeen, his martial prowess was unmatched; wielding a long staff, he could scale walls and walk along eaves as if on level ground. His lifelong passion was righting wrongs, aiding the weak against the strong, and never shying from a just cause. Yet, he was deeply filial. When his mother urged him to keep to himself and avoid trouble, Chui Meng would dutifully agree, only to forget his promise the moment he stepped out the door.

It so happened that a certain neighbor’s wife was notoriously vicious. The neighbor’s mother suffered constant abuse, often going without adequate food or clothing, growing sallow and thin, hovering near death. The neighbor, unable to bear it, would secretly bring food to sustain his elderly mother. When the shrewish wife learned of this, she unleashed a torrent of curses that echoed throughout the neighborhood.

Chui Meng heard of this and was consumed by fury. In the dead of night, he scaled the wall and entered their dwelling, slicing off the cruel woman’s ears, nose, lips, and tongue, thereby causing her death. Chui Meng’s mother was horrified almost to the point of death upon seeing the carnage; her son had incurred a homicide charge, and her anxiety was boundless. She hastily summoned the neighbor, offering every form of comfort and appeasement, and even offered her personal maidservant in marriage to the man to settle the matter. Through much pleading and persuasion, the crisis was finally quelled.

Chui Meng, knowing the gravity of his transgression, knelt to beg forgiveness. His mother ignored him, but his wife interceded, saying, “My lord is indeed rash, and it is his fault. But since he already knows his error, a sound beating to vent your anger should suffice.” The mother’s rage somewhat subsided. She seized a wooden staff and beat Chui Meng thoroughly across the back, then took silver needles and pricked his arm. Dipping the needles into the fresh blood, she tattooed a “cruciform pattern” onto his skin, then painted it with red lacquer as a mark of severe admonishment.

One day, a Daoist priest arrived in the village. He fixed his gaze upon Chui Meng and declared, “Young master, your countenance carries a mark of violence; I fear a peaceful end will elude you. A family that accumulates merit should not meet such a fate.”

Chui Meng replied, “The Daoist speaks wisely. I know well my own impetuosity and the trouble I cause. But this is my nature; I cannot abide injustice. From this day forward, I vow to thoroughly correct my past errors. If I do so, can disaster be averted?”

The priest smiled. “Do not ask if it can be averted or not. First, ask yourself if you can truly change. If you can temper your disposition, even by a fraction of one percent, I will find a way to ease your burden and point you toward the path.”

Hearing this, Chui Meng smiled but remained silent.

The priest said, “What, does the young master not trust this humble Daoist? Let me be plain: I am no mere charlatan who knows only how to deceive. If you wish to live, you must practice good deeds.”

Chui Meng asked, “How does one perform good deeds?”

The Daoist inquired, “There is a young man in the village named Zhao, from Nanchang—you must know him?”

Chui Meng responded, “You mean Zhao Sengge? That boy is barely twelve. Aside from being clever in his studies, there is nothing remarkable about him, and his family is poor.”

The Daoist countered, “Do not look down upon him! As the saying goes, the young are to be respected; who can predict the future? Heed my advice: starting today, treat Sengge well, offer him generosity and favor. Even if you commit a capital crime, he can save you.” With that, the priest strode away.

Chui Meng followed the advice and truly cultivated a friendship with Sengge, providing him with meals and frequent assistance. They even became sworn brothers, their bond intimate and unbreakable.

A year passed in this manner, when Sengge came to bid farewell. He said, “I must depart. Brother, you must keep yourself upright and cultivate your spirit. There will be opportunities to meet again.” His entire family moved away, and all traces of him vanished.

That autumn, Chui Meng’s maternal uncle passed away, and he and his mother went to attend the funeral rites. On the road, they encountered a group of household servants dragging a man along, hurling insults and beating him mercilessly.

After a brief inquiry, they learned the man’s surname was Li and his given name Shen. Li Shen possessed a wife of unparalleled beauty. A local young master, upon catching sight of her, became infatuated and plotted to seize her. Li Shen, being a gambler by nature and addicted to the vice, happened to be participating in a high-stakes game hosted by the young master and his associates that day. Li Shen’s luck was dire; he lost every last one of his several dozen copper coins and turned to leave. The young master immediately stopped him, saying, “Brother Li, the game is getting exciting; why leave so soon?” Li Shen retorted irritably, “I’ve lost all my money; what else is there to stay for?”

The young master said, “No money? I’ll lend it to you, at three parts interest. Borrow whatever you need, but you must sign an IOU to prevent default.”

Li Shen exclaimed, “Three parts interest? Isn’t that usury? I can’t possibly repay that.”

The young master laughed. “If you can’t repay it, you can take your time. I won’t press you. Tell me, how much do you need to borrow?”

Li Shen held up three fingers and said, “Thirty coins.”

The young master chuckled. “Brother Li is cautious indeed; thirty coins won’t last long, will they? Very well, I will lend you thirty coins.” He immediately drew up an IOU and handed over the silver.

With the gambling stake secured, Li Shen resumed his play. By late afternoon, he had lost and borrowed repeatedly, accumulating a debt of three thousand copper coins, which he was powerless to repay, leaving him depressed and heading home dejectedly.

The young master pressed the debt aggressively, turning treacherous. He came to the house daily demanding repayment, and finally, forcibly seized the wife, claiming she was collateral for the debt. In this manner, he violently possessed the beautiful wife, subjecting her to relentless violation day and night.

Li Shen protested and went to appeal, but the young master ordered his servants to bind him, dragging and whipping him, tormenting him in every possible way, just as he was about to force Li Shen to sign a “Waiver of Regret,” voluntarily surrendering his wife—it was at this precise moment that Chui Meng happened to pass by and witnessed every detail.