During the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, there was a young scholar named Liu Sheng. Liu Sheng has clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, with a thin but resolute face. Wearing a blue shirt on his thin body, he looks even more refined. He lost both parents since childhood and barely made a living by teaching in a private school.
On this day, Liu Sheng went to borrow a book from an old friend’s house in the neighboring village and passed by an abandoned ancient house. The ancient mansion is surrounded by overgrown weeds and mottled walls, exuding a sinister atmosphere. Liusheng was about to leave quickly, but suddenly heard a whimpering cry. The crying was particularly abrupt in this quiet place, and Liu Sheng was surprised. He was already a bold person, and under the influence of curiosity, he searched for the source of the crying.
In a corner of the ancient mansion, he saw a woman. The woman was wearing a white silk skirt, with loose hair draped over her shoulders. Her face was thin and pale, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying, like pear blossoms in the rain, making her lovable. Miss, why are you crying here? This deserted house is very dangerous, “Liu Sheng walked up and asked softly
The woman lifted her head and glanced at Liu Sheng, then lowered her head and sobbed, saying, “Young master, the young woman’s name is Yue Li. She was originally passing through this place, but was robbed by criminals and lost all her money. Now she has nowhere to go.” Liu Sheng felt pity in his heart and said, “If you don’t mind, you can come back with me first and make plans when you find a way.” Yue Li looked at Liu Sheng gratefully and nodded slightly.
Returning home, Liu Sheng gave his bed to Yue Li and slept in the study. After staying at Liusheng’s house, Yueli took care of it in an orderly manner. Every day when Liu Sheng comes back from teaching, he can see steaming hot meals on the table, and his heart is full of gratitude to Yue Li.
As the days passed, Liu Sheng found himself gradually developing feelings for Yue Li. Yueli seems to be interested in Liusheng as well, and the two often recite poems and lines under the moon, deepening their feelings. However, the good times did not last long. One day, when Liu Sheng returned home, he found Yue Li sitting by the bed crying. Liusheng hurriedly approached and asked, “Yueli, why are you crying so sadly?” Yueli looked at Liusheng with pain in her eyes and said, “Liusheng, I didn’t want to hide it from you. I’m actually not an ordinary person, I’m a sealed ghost in this ancient mansion. Many years ago, I was killed by a villain and died unjustly. My soul was sealed here. That day, when I saw you passing by, I felt a love for you and only appeared to meet you. But now, my injustice is still unresolved. Every night when the moon is full, I have to suffer the pain of my soul being torn apart
Upon hearing this, Liu Sheng was greatly surprised, but looking at Yue Li’s painful expression, his heart was filled with tenderness. He tightly held Yue Li’s hand and said, “Yue Li, whether you are a human or a ghost, I will help you unlock the seal and clear up your grievances.” Yue Li shook her head and said anxiously, “This is not easy. The person who harmed me is quite powerful, and my grievances involve some evil techniques. To unlock the seal, you need to find a tear water mark. Legend has it that this tear water mark was condensed by a high monk using the tears of countless wronged people to resolve the grievances in the world, and now it is unknown where it is.” Liu Sheng firmly said, “Anyway, I will give it a try
Since then, Liu Sheng has been inquiring everywhere about the whereabouts of the tear watermark. He traveled around the nearby towns and asked all the temples and Taoist temples. Finally, in a remote small temple, an old monk told him that the tear water mark was in the secret room underground of the ancient mansion, but there were many mechanisms in the secret room. Liusheng thanked the old monk and hurried back to the ancient mansion. He followed the old monk’s instructions and found the entrance to the secret room. After entering the secret room, it was dark and damp, filled with a putrid odor. Liusheng walked cautiously, avoiding various mechanisms and hidden weapons.
Suddenly, a sharp arrow shot towards him, and Liu Sheng quickly dodged sideways. His heart was beating rapidly, and sweat was glistening on his forehead, but the thought of the pain that Yueli had suffered gave him courage again. Finally, at the end of the secret room, he saw a box emitting a faint light, engraved with runes. Liusheng knew that this was the box containing the tear watermark. He opened the box with trembling hands, and there was indeed a crystal clear tear watermark inside. Liusheng returned home with the tear water mark and used it to unlock the seal according to the method suggested by Yueli. I saw a flash of light, and the pain on Yueli’s body disappeared. Yue Li hugged Liu Sheng excitedly and said, “Liu Sheng, thanks to you, my injustice has finally been resolved
With the resolution of her grievances, Yueli gradually regained her vitality, no longer the pale appearance of a vengeful soul. She and Liu Sheng rebuilt their home on the ruins of the ancient mansion and lived a happy and fulfilling life. And the tear water mark, enshrined in the ancestral hall of their new home, seemed to be telling this story full of love and courage.
