沂水居民趙某，以故自城中歸，見女子白衣哭路側，甚哀。睨之，美。悅之，凝注不去。女垂涕曰：「夫夫也，路不行而顧我！」趙曰：「我以曠野無人，而子哭之慟，實愴于心。」女曰：「夫死無路，是以哀耳。」趙勸其復擇良匹。曰：「渺此一身，其何能擇？如得所托，媵之可也。」趙忻然自荐，女從之。趙以去家遠，將覓代步。女曰：「無庸。」乃先行，飄若仙奔。至家，操井臼甚勤。積二年余，謂趙曰：「感君戀戀，猥相從，忽已三年。今宜且去。」趙曰：「曩言無家，今焉往？」曰：「彼時漫為是言耳。何得無家？身父貨藥金陵。倘欲再晤，可載藥往，可助資斧」趙經營，為貰輿馬。女辭之，出門徑去；追之不及，瞬息遂杳。
沂水居民赵某，以故自城中归，见女子白衣哭路侧，甚哀。睨之，美。悦之，凝注不去。女垂涕曰：「夫夫也，路不行而顾我！」赵曰：「我以旷野无人，而子哭之恸，实怆于心。」女曰：「夫死无路，是以哀耳。」赵劝其复择良匹。曰：「渺此一身，其何能择？如得所托，媵之可也。」赵忻然自荐，女从之。赵以去家远，将觅代步。女曰：「无庸。」乃先行，飘若仙奔。至家，操井臼甚勤。积二年余，谓赵曰：「感君恋恋，猥相从，忽已三年。今宜且去。」赵曰：「曩言无家，今焉往？」曰：「彼时漫为是言耳。何得无家？身父货药金陵。倘欲再晤，可载药往，可助资斧」赵经营，为贳舆马。女辞之，出门径去；追之不及，瞬息遂杳。
A man named Zhao, who lived in Yishui, was coming home from the city on some business when he saw a woman dressed in white weeping by the roadside, very bitterly. He glanced at her: she was beautiful. Taken with her, he stood staring and would not move on. Tears running down, she said, “Look at this man! Instead of taking his road, he stands gawking at me!” “It is because this is open country with no one about,” said Zhao, “and you are weeping so bitterly. It truly pains my heart.” “My husband is dead and I have no road left,” she said. “That is why I grieve.” Zhao urged her to choose a good husband again. “Alone and of no account as I am, how could I choose?” she said. “If I could find someone to depend on, I would gladly be his concubine.” Zhao happily offered himself, and she went with him. Since his home was far off, Zhao was going to find her something to ride. “No need,” she said. She went on ahead, light as an immortal in flight. At his house she worked hard at drawing water and pounding grain. After more than two years she said to Zhao, “Moved by your devotion, I followed you, unworthy as I am, and all of a sudden it has been three years. Now I ought to go.” “You told me before that you had no home,” said Zhao. “Where will you go now?” “I only said that at the time,” she said. “How could I have no home? My father sells medicines in Jinling. If you want to see me again, bring a load of medicines there; it will help with your travel money.” Zhao set about hiring her a carriage and horse. She declined, went out of the gate and straight away. He ran after her but could not catch her; in the blink of an eye she was gone.
居久之，頗涉懷想，因市藥詣金陵。寄貨旅邸，訪諸衢市。忽藥肆一翁望見，曰：「婿至矣。」延之入。女方浣裳庭中，見之不言亦不笑，浣不輟。趙啣恨遽出。翁又曳之返。女不顧如初。翁命治具作飯，謀厚贈之，女止之曰：「渠福薄，多將不任；宜少慰其苦辛，再檢十數醫方與之，便吃著不盡矣。」翁問所載藥，女雲：「已售之矣，直在此。」
居久之，颇涉怀想，因市药诣金陵。寄货旅邸，访诸衢市。忽药肆一翁望见，曰：「婿至矣。」延之入。女方浣裳庭中，见之不言亦不笑，浣不辍。赵啣恨遽出。翁又曳之返。女不顾如初。翁命治具作饭，谋厚赠之，女止之曰：「渠福薄，多将不任；宜少慰其苦辛，再检十数医方与之，便吃着不尽矣。」翁问所载药，女云：「已售之矣，直在此。」
Some time later he found himself missing her a good deal, so he bought medicines and went to Jinling. He left his goods at an inn and went asking about her in the streets and markets. Suddenly an old man in a medicine shop saw him from afar and said, “My son-in-law is here!” and invited him in. The woman was washing clothes in the courtyard. When she saw him she neither spoke nor smiled, and went on washing. Zhao, stung, walked straight out. The old man pulled him back. She took no notice of him, as before. The old man had a meal prepared and meant to give Zhao a handsome present, but she stopped him. “His luck is thin,” she said. “Give him much and he will not be able to bear it. Just give him a little for his pains, and pick out a dozen or so prescriptions for him. That will keep him in food and clothes for the rest of his days.” The old man asked about the medicines Zhao had brought. “They are sold already,” she said. “Here is the money.”
翁乃出方付金，送趙歸。試其方，有奇驗。沂水尚有能知其方者。以蒜臼接茅檐雨水，洗瘊贅，其方之一也，良效。
翁乃出方付金，送赵归。试其方，有奇验。沂水尚有能知其方者。以蒜臼接茅檐雨水，洗瘊赘，其方之一也，良效。
So the old man brought out the prescriptions, gave him the money, and saw him off home. Zhao tried the prescriptions, and they worked wonders. There are still people in Yishui who know them. Catching rainwater from a thatched eave in a garlic mortar and washing warts with it is one of them. It works very well.