In the eastern part of Zhejiang, there is a scholar named Ning Caichen, who is generous and straightforward in temperament, with good conduct. He often encourages himself with the saying ‘one heart and one mind, not seeking extravagance’. One day, on his way to Jinhua, Ning Caichen encountered an ancient temple in the north of the city. The temple was towering, but the courtyard was overgrown with weeds, indicating that no one had been there for a long time. The doors of the eastern monk’s quarters are half closed, except for the southern cottage which seems to have traces of a new lock. Surrounded by bamboo groves, the pond water is clear, and wild lotus flowers bloom. Ning Caichen fell in love with it. In addition, due to the residence of the school envoy in the city, housing prices skyrocketed. Therefore, he decided to temporarily reside in this temple until the monks returned.
That night, with the moonlight shining like practice, Ning Caichen encountered a scholar who called himself Yan Chixia. Through his words, he knew that he was not from Zhejiang, but a distant guest from Shaanxi. The two of them had a great conversation and settled down in their respective beds. Ning Caichen was struggling to fall asleep when he suddenly heard a woman whispering in the north wing. Under his gaze, he saw an old woman talking to a young woman named Xiaoqian, who had a stunning appearance. Xiaoqian visited Ning Caichen late at night, intending to sleep together, but was sternly refused by Ning and offered gold as a gift, which was also rejected. Xiaoqian felt that she was just and upright, and revealed the truth, saying that she was forced by ghosts and demons to do unjust things. She also warned of the danger in the temple and advised Ning to live with Yan Chixia to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.
The next day, a scholar from Lanxi died suddenly in the temple, with prickly marks on the soles of his feet. His servant also died shortly after, with the same symptoms. Yan Chixia returned, determined to be the work of demons and evil spirits. Ning Caichen believed in the existence of ghosts. At night, Xiaoqian arrived again and explained the situation in detail. She begged Ning to help her escape from the sea of suffering and guided Yan Chixia to protect her thoroughly. Ning Caichen promised to assist in the relocation of the tomb, and Xiaoqian was grateful and informed of the location of the grave.
The next day, Ning Caichen invited Yan Chixia to drink together and take the opportunity to sleep together to practice the preface. At night, there was a foreign object peeking at him, but he was repelled by the magical weapon distributed by Yan Chixia, revealing his swordsman identity. Ning Caichen learned the truth and admired Yan even more. On the way back, Ning Caichen followed the instructions and relocated the remains of Xiaoqian to his own study, and built a tomb to pay tribute.
Xiaoqian was grateful for the kindness of Ning Caichen and appeared before Ning’s mother, willing to serve as a servant to repay her kindness. Ning’s mother was initially surprised but later delighted. Seeing her gentle and virtuous demeanor, she allowed her to stay. Xiaoqian is diligent in managing the household and has a deep affection for Ning Caichen as a mother and son. Not long after, Ning’s wife passed away, and Xiaoqian was approved by Ning’s mother to marry Ning Caichen. Although they went through different paths, they loved each other and lived a harmonious life.
A few years later, Ning Caichen passed the imperial examination for high school, and Xiaoqian also gave birth to a son who was exceptionally intelligent and later became a pillar of society. This period of human ghost love has been passed down as a good story, and people all sigh at Ning Caichen’s integrity and Xiaoqian’s deep affection. They even praise the fact that true love in the world can transcend life and death and achieve extraordinary results.
