梁有才，故晉人，流寓於濟，作小負販。無妻子田產。從村人登岱。岱，四月交，香侶雜沓。又有優婆夷、塞，率眾男子以百十，雜跪神座下，視香炷為度，名曰「跪香」。才視眾中有女郎，年十七八而美，悅之。詐為香客，近女郎跪；又偽為膝困無力狀，故以手據女郎足。女回首似嗔，膝行而遠之。才又膝行近之；少間，又據之。女郎覺，遽起，不跪，出門去。才亦起，出履其跡，不知其往。心無望，怏怏而行。途中見女郎從媼，似為女也母者，才趨之。媼女行且語。媼云：「汝能參禮娘娘，大好事！汝又無弟妹，但獲娘娘冥加護，護汝得快婿，但能相孝順，都不必貴公子、富王孫也。」才竊喜，漸漬詰媼。媼自言為雲氏，女名翠仙，其出也。家西山四十里。才曰：「山路濇，母如此蹜蹜，妹如此纖纖，何能便至？」曰：「日已晚，將寄舅家宿耳。」才曰：「適言相婿，不以貧嫌，不以賤鄙，我又未婚，頗當母意否？」媼以問女，女不應。媼數問，女曰：「渠寡福，又蕩無行，輕薄之心，還易翻覆。兒不能為遢伎兒作婦！」才聞，樸誠自表，切矢皦日。媼喜，竟諾之。女不樂，勃然而已。母又強拍咻之。才殷勤，手於橐，覓山兜二，舁媼及女。己步從，若為僕。過隘，輒訶兜夫不得顛搖動，良殷。俄抵村舍，便邀才同入舅家。舅出翁，妗出媼也。雲兄之嫂之。謂：「才吾婿。日適良，不須別擇，便取今夕。」舅亦喜，出酒肴餌才。既，嚴妝翠仙出，拂榻促眠。女曰：「我固知郎不義，迫母命，漫相隨。郎若人也，當不須憂偕活。」才唯唯聽受。明日早起，母謂才：「宜先去，我以女繼至。」才歸，掃戶闥。媼果送女至。入視室中，虛無有。便云：「似此何能自給？老身速歸，當小助汝辛苦。」遂去。次日，有男女數輩，各攜服食器具，布一室滿之。不飯俱去，但留一婢。才由此坐溫飽，惟日引里無賴，朋飲競賭，漸盜女郎簪珥佐博。女勸之，不聽；頗不耐之，惟嚴守箱匳，如防寇。一日，博黨款門訪才，窺見女，適適驚。戲謂才曰：「子大富貴，何憂貧耶？」才問故。答曰：「曩見夫人，實仙人也。適與子家道不相稱。貨為媵，金可得百；為妓，可得千。──千金在室，而聽飲博無貲耶？」才不言，而心然之。歸輒向女欷歔，時時言貧不可度。女不顧，才頻頻擊桌，拋匕箸，罵婢，作諸態。一夕，女沽酒與飲。忽曰：「郎以貧故，日焦心。我又不能御窮，分郎憂，中豈不愧怍？但無長物，止有此婢，鬻之，可稍稍佐經營。」才搖首曰：「其直幾許！」又飲少時，女曰：「妾於郎，有何不相承？但力竭耳。念一貧如此，便死相從，不過均此百年苦，有何發跡？不如以妾鬻貴家，兩所便益，得直或較婢多。」才故愕言：「何得至此！」女固言之，色作莊。才喜曰：「容再計之。」遂緣中貴人，貨隸樂籍。中貴人親詣才，見女大悅。恐不能即得，立券八百緡，事濱就矣。女曰：「母日以婿家貧，常常縈念，今意斷矣，我將暫歸省；且郎與妾絕，何得不告母？」才慮母阻。女曰：「我顧自樂之，保無差貸。」才從之。夜將半，始抵母家。撾闔入，見樓舍華好，婢僕輩往來憧憧。才日與女居，每請詣母，女輒止之。故為甥館年餘，曾未一臨岳家。至此大駭，以其家巨，恐媵妓所不甘也。女引才登樓上。媼驚問夫妻何來。女怨曰：「我固道渠不義，今果然！」乃於衣底出黃金二鋌置几上，曰：「幸不為小人賺脫，今仍以還母。」母駭問故。女曰：「渠將鬻我，故藏金無用處。」乃指才罵曰：「豺鼠子！曩日負肩擔，面沾塵如鬼。初近我，熏熏作汗腥，膚垢欲傾塌，足手皴一寸厚，使人終夜惡。自我歸汝家，安坐餐飯，鬼皮始脫。母在前，我豈誣耶？」才垂首，不敢少出氣。女又曰：「自顧無傾城姿，不堪奉貴人；似若輩男子，我自謂猶相匹。有何虧負，遂無一念香火情？我豈不能起樓宇、買良沃，念汝儇薄骨、乞丐相，終不是白頭侶！」言次，婢嫗連衿臂，旋旋圍繞之。聞女責數，便都唾罵，共言：「不如殺卻，何須復云云！」才大懼，據地自投，但言知悔。女又盛氣曰：「鬻妻子已大惡，猶未便是劇；何忍以同衾人賺作娼！」言未已，眾眥裂，悉以銳簪翦刀股攢刺脅。才號悲乞命。女止之曰：「可暫釋卻。渠便無仁義，我不忍其觳觫。」乃率眾下樓去。才坐聽移時，語聲俱寂，思欲潛遁。忽仰視見星漢，東方已白，野色蒼莽；燈亦尋滅。並無屋宇，身坐削壁上。俯瞰絕壑，深無底。駭絕，懼墮。身稍移，塌然一聲，隨石崩墜。壁半有枯橫焉，罥不得墮。以枯受腹，手足無著。下視茫茫，不知幾何尋丈。不敢轉側，嗥怖聲嘶，一身盡腫，眼耳鼻舌身力俱竭。日漸高，始有樵人望見之；尋綆來，縋而下，取置崖上，奄將溘斃。舁歸其家。至則門洞敞，家荒荒如敗寺，床簏什器俱杳，惟有繩床敗案，是己家舊物，零落猶存。嗒然自臥。飢時，日一乞食於鄰。既而腫潰為癩。里黨薄其行，悉唾棄之。才無計，貨屋而穴居，行乞於道，以刀自隨。或勸以刀易餌，才不肯曰：「野居防虎狼，用自衛耳。」後遇向勸鬻妻者於途，近而哀語，遽出刀摮而殺之，遂被收。官廉得其情，亦未忍酷虐之，繫獄中，尋瘐死。
梁有才原是晉地人，流落到濟地，做些挑擔販賣的小生意，沒有妻子兒女，也沒有田產。他跟著村裡人去登岱山。四月初，岱山上的香客絡繹不絕，還有優婆夷、優婆塞，各自帶著數十上百名男子，混雜著跪在神像座前，以一炷香燒完為限，叫作「跪香」。梁有才看見人群裡有個姑娘，十七八歲，長得很美，便動了心。他假裝也是香客，挨著姑娘跪下，又裝出膝蓋疲倦無力的樣子，故意用手撐在姑娘腳上。姑娘回頭看他，像是有些惱怒，便跪著向遠處挪開。梁有才又跪著挪過去，不一會兒，再次把手撐在她腳上。姑娘察覺了，立刻起身，不再跪香，出門走了。梁有才也起來，跟著出去，卻不知道她去了哪裡。他覺得沒有希望，悶悶不樂地往前走。路上，他看見姑娘跟著一個老婦人，看樣子是她母親，便快步追上去。母女倆邊走邊說話。老婦人說：「你能來參拜娘娘，是件大好事！你又沒有弟弟妹妹，只要能得到娘娘暗中保佑，給你找個好丈夫，能孝順我們就行，不一定非要貴公子、富王孫。」梁有才暗自高興，漸漸湊過去同老婦人攀談，打聽她們的情況。老婦人說自己姓雲，姑娘是她親生女兒，名叫翠仙，家住西山，離這裡四十里。梁有才說：「山路難走，您老人家走得這樣慢，妹妹又這麼纖弱，怎麼能一下走到呢？」老婦人說：「天已經晚了，打算到她舅舅家住一夜。」梁有才說：「剛才您說挑女婿，不嫌他貧窮，也不輕視他出身低微。我還沒有成親，不知道合不合您的心意？」老婦人問女兒，女兒不回答。問了幾次，女兒才說：「他是個沒福氣的人，又放蕩不檢點。這樣輕薄的心性，也容易反覆無常。我不能給這種不成器的人做妻子！」梁有才聽了，連忙表白自己樸實誠懇，指著明亮的太陽鄭重起誓。老婦人很高興，竟然答應了。翠仙不樂意，只是生著悶氣。母親又硬勸著她，拍撫著哄她。梁有才十分殷勤，掏出錢，僱了兩頂山兜，抬著老婦人和翠仙，自己像僕人一樣步行跟在後面。經過狹窄的地方，他就喝令抬山兜的人不許顛簸搖晃，照顧得十分周到。不久到了一處村舍，老婦人便邀他一同進翠仙舅舅家。出來的舅舅是個老翁，舅母也是個老婦人。雲氏稱他們哥哥、嫂嫂，說：「梁有才是我女婿。今天正是好日子，不必另外挑選，就在今晚成親吧。」舅舅也很高興，拿出酒菜招待梁有才。隨後，翠仙盛裝出來，家人鋪好床，催他們去睡。翠仙說：「我本來就知道你不講情義，只是迫於母命，才姑且跟了你。你若能好好做人，就不必擔心我們一起過日子的生計。」梁有才連聲答應，恭順地聽著。第二天一早，母親對梁有才說：「你先回去，我隨後把女兒送來。」梁有才回家，把屋子和門前打掃乾淨。老婦人果然送女兒來了。她進屋一看，裡面空蕩蕩的，什麼都沒有，便說：「這個樣子，怎麼能養活自己？我趕快回去，多少幫你們減輕些生活的辛苦。」說完就走了。第二天，來了幾個男女，各自帶著衣服、食物和用具，把一間屋子擺得滿滿的。他們沒留下吃飯，就全走了，只留下一名婢女。從此，梁有才不用勞作就能吃飽穿暖，卻天天把村裡的無賴叫來，一起喝酒賭錢，漸漸還偷翠仙的簪子、耳環去作賭本。翠仙勸他，他不聽。她很不耐煩，只好嚴嚴地看守箱子和妝匣，像防賊一樣。一天，一個賭友敲門來找梁有才，瞥見翠仙，驚訝得發愣。他開玩笑似的對梁有才說：「你有這麼大的富貴，還怕什麼窮？」梁有才問他為什麼，他說：「剛才見到你夫人，真是仙女一樣的人物，跟你家的家境實在不相稱。賣去做妾，能得一百兩銀子；賣去做妓女，能得一千兩。屋裡放著一千兩銀子，你還甘心沒錢喝酒賭錢嗎？」梁有才沒有說話，心裡卻覺得他說得對。回家後，他就對著翠仙唉聲嘆氣，時時說家裡太窮，日子過不下去。翠仙不理，他便不斷拍桌子，摔下匙子和筷子，罵婢女，擺出種種難看的樣子。一天晚上，翠仙買了酒，同他一起喝，忽然說：「你因為貧窮，天天心焦。我又不能抵擋窮困，替你分憂，心裡怎麼會不慚愧？只是我也沒有多餘的東西，只有這個婢女，把她賣了，可以稍稍幫你做點生意。」梁有才搖頭說：「她能值幾個錢！」又喝了一會兒，翠仙說：「我對你，有什麼沒有盡力順從的？只是我的力氣已經用盡了。想想窮成這個樣子，就是到死都跟著你，也不過兩人一同受一輩子的苦，哪有出頭的日子？不如把我賣到富貴人家，對我們雙方都有好處，價錢也許比婢女高些。」梁有才故意裝作驚訝，說：「怎麼能到這個地步！」翠仙神色鄭重，堅持這麼說。梁有才高興了，說：「容我再想想。」於是找上一位中貴人，要把她賣進樂籍。中貴人親自來到梁家，見了翠仙，非常滿意，怕不能馬上買到，當場立下八百緡的契約，事情眼看就要辦成。翠仙說：「母親因為夫家貧窮，一直牽掛著我。現在事情已定，我要暫且回去探望她；況且你我就要斷絕夫妻關係，怎麼能不告訴母親？」梁有才擔心她母親阻攔。翠仙說：「這是我自己樂意的，保證不會出差錯。」梁有才便答應了。快到半夜，他們才來到翠仙母親家。敲門進去，看見樓房屋舍十分華美，婢女僕人來來往往。梁有才天天同翠仙住在一起，每次提出要去看她母親，翠仙都攔著他，因此做了一年多女婿，還從未到過岳母家。如今見她家如此富裕，他大吃一驚，擔心這樣的家庭不會甘心讓女兒去做妾或妓女。翠仙領他上了樓。老婦人驚訝地問他們夫妻為什麼來。翠仙怨恨地說：「我早說他不講情義，如今果然如此！」便從衣服裡面取出兩錠黃金，放在桌上，說：「幸好沒讓這個小人騙走，如今仍舊還給母親。」母親吃驚，問怎麼回事。翠仙說：「他要把我賣了，我藏著這些金子也沒用了。」接著指著梁有才罵道：「你這個豺狼老鼠一般的東西！以前肩挑貨擔，臉上沾滿灰塵，像個鬼一樣。剛靠近我的時候，汗臭燻人，身上的汙垢厚得像要塌下來，手腳皴裂的硬皮足有一寸厚，叫人整夜噁心。自從我到了你家，你安坐著吃飯，那層鬼皮才開始脫掉。母親在這裡，難道我說的是假話？」梁有才低著頭，連大氣也不敢出。翠仙又說：「我知道自己沒有傾城的容貌，不配侍奉貴人，可配你這樣的人，我自認為還夠得上。我有什麼虧欠你的地方，你竟一點夫妻情分也不念？難道我不能蓋樓房、買好田地？只是想到你輕薄的骨頭、乞丐的相貌，終究不是能陪我白頭到老的人！」她說話時，婢女和老婦人們衣袖相連，手臂相挽，慢慢圍住梁有才。聽翠仙數落他的罪過，她們便一起吐唾沫罵他，紛紛說：「不如殺了他，何必再費口舌！」梁有才害怕極了，撲倒在地，只說自己知道後悔了。翠仙更加憤怒，說：「賣妻子已經是大惡，還算不上最狠毒的；你怎麼忍心把同床共枕的人騙去做娼妓！」話沒說完，眾人已經怒睜雙眼，拿尖簪子和剪刀的尖刃，一齊往他的兩脅亂刺。梁有才哭號著求饒。翠仙制止她們說：「暫且放了他吧。他雖然沒有仁義，我卻不忍看他嚇得發抖。」便領著眾人下樓去了。梁有才坐著聽了一會兒，等到說話聲全都消失，便想偷偷逃走。忽然抬頭，看見滿天星斗和銀河，東方已經發白，四周野地蒼茫，燈也很快熄滅了。哪裡有什麼樓房屋舍，自己竟坐在一處陡峭的崖壁上。低頭看去，深谷不見底。他驚恐萬分，怕掉下去，身體稍稍一動，就聽轟然一聲，隨著石塊崩落下去。崖壁半腰橫伸著一棵枯樹，把他掛住，才沒有繼續墜落。樹幹抵著他的肚子，手腳都無處著力。往下看，一片茫茫，不知道有多深。他不敢翻身挪動，恐懼地嚎叫，直到聲音嘶啞，全身都腫了起來，眼睛、耳朵、鼻子、舌頭和整個身體都已衰竭無力。太陽漸漸升高，才有個樵夫看見他，找來繩子，順繩下去，把他救上山崖。他已經氣息奄奄，快要死了。人們把他抬回家，到家一看，大門敞開，屋裡荒涼得像座破廟，床、箱子和各種用具都不見了，只剩下一張繩床和一張破桌子，都是他原先的舊東西，零零落落地留在那裡。他失魂落魄地躺下，餓了便每天向鄰居討一回飯。不久，身上的腫處潰爛，成了癩瘡。村裡人鄙視他的品行，全都唾棄他。梁有才無計可施，賣了房子，住進山洞，在路上乞討，隨身帶著一把刀。有人勸他把刀換成食物，他不肯，說：「住在野外，要防老虎和狼，留著刀防身。」後來，他在路上碰見從前勸他賣妻子的那個人，走近去，悽慘地同他說話，忽然拔刀，把那人殺了，隨後被捕。官府查明瞭事情經過，也不忍再嚴酷地折磨他，把他關在監牢裡。他不久便因困病死在獄中。
梁有才，故晋人，流寓于济，作小负贩。无妻子田产。从村人登岱。岱，四月交，香侣杂沓。又有优婆夷、塞，率众男子以百十，杂跪神座下，视香炷为度，名曰「跪香」。才视众中有女郎，年十七八而美，悦之。诈为香客，近女郎跪；又伪为膝困无力状，故以手据女郎足。女回首似嗔，膝行而远之。才又膝行近之；少间，又据之。女郎觉，遽起，不跪，出门去。才亦起，出履其迹，不知其往。心无望，怏怏而行。途中见女郎从媪，似为女也母者，才趋之。媪女行且语。媪云：「汝能参礼娘娘，大好事！汝又无弟妹，但获娘娘冥加护，护汝得快婿，但能相孝顺，都不必贵公子、富王孙也。」才窃喜，渐渍诘媪。媪自言为云氏，女名翠仙，其出也。家西山四十里。才曰：「山路濇，母如此蹜蹜，妹如此纤纤，何能便至？」曰：「日已晚，将寄舅家宿耳。」才曰：「适言相婿，不以贫嫌，不以贱鄙，我又未婚，颇当母意否？」媪以问女，女不应。媪数问，女曰：「渠寡福，又荡无行，轻薄之心，还易翻覆。儿不能为遢伎儿作妇！」才闻，朴诚自表，切矢皦日。媪喜，竟诺之。女不乐，勃然而已。母又强拍咻之。才殷勤，手于橐，觅山兜二，舁媪及女。己步从，若为仆。过隘，辄诃兜夫不得颠摇动，良殷。俄抵村舍，便邀才同入舅家。舅出翁，妗出媪也。云兄之嫂之。谓：「才吾婿。日适良，不须别择，便取今夕。」舅亦喜，出酒肴饵才。既，严妆翠仙出，拂榻促眠。女曰：「我固知郎不义，迫母命，漫相随。郎若人也，当不须忧偕活。」才唯唯听受。明日早起，母谓才：「宜先去，我以女继至。」才归，扫户闼。媪果送女至。入视室中，虚无有。便云：「似此何能自给？老身速归，当小助汝辛苦。」遂去。次日，有男女数辈，各携服食器具，布一室满之。不饭俱去，但留一婢。才由此坐温饱，惟日引里无赖，朋饮竞赌，渐盗女郎簪珥佐博。女劝之，不听；颇不耐之，惟严守箱匳，如防寇。一日，博党款门访才，窥见女，适适惊。戏谓才曰：「子大富贵，何忧贫耶？」才问故。答曰：「曩见夫人，实仙人也。适与子家道不相称。货为媵，金可得百；为妓，可得千。──千金在室，而听饮博无赀耶？」才不言，而心然之。归辄向女欷歔，时时言贫不可度。女不顾，才频频击桌，抛匕箸，骂婢，作诸态。一夕，女沽酒与饮。忽曰：「郎以贫故，日焦心。我又不能御穷，分郎忧，中岂不愧怍？但无长物，止有此婢，鬻之，可稍稍佐经营。」才摇首曰：「其直几许！」又饮少时，女曰：「妾于郎，有何不相承？但力竭耳。念一贫如此，便死相从，不过均此百年苦，有何发迹？不如以妾鬻贵家，两所便益，得直或较婢多。」才故愕言：「何得至此！」女固言之，色作庄。才喜曰：「容再计之。」遂缘中贵人，货隶乐籍。中贵人亲诣才，见女大悦。恐不能即得，立券八百缗，事滨就矣。女曰：「母日以婿家贫，常常萦念，今意断矣，我将暂归省；且郎与妾绝，何得不告母？」才虑母阻。女曰：「我顾自乐之，保无差贷。」才从之。夜将半，始抵母家。挝阖入，见楼舍华好，婢仆辈往来憧憧。才日与女居，每请诣母，女辄止之。故为甥馆年余，曾未一临岳家。至此大骇，以其家巨，恐媵妓所不甘也。女引才登楼上。媪惊问夫妻何来。女怨曰：「我固道渠不义，今果然！」乃于衣底出黄金二铤置几上，曰：「幸不为小人赚脱，今仍以还母。」母骇问故。女曰：「渠将鬻我，故藏金无用处。」乃指才骂曰：「豺鼠子！曩日负肩担，面沾尘如鬼。初近我，熏熏作汗腥，肤垢欲倾塌，足手皴一寸厚，使人终夜恶。自我归汝家，安坐餐饭，鬼皮始脱。母在前，我岂诬耶？」才垂首，不敢少出气。女又曰：「自顾无倾城姿，不堪奉贵人；似若辈男子，我自谓犹相匹。有何亏负，遂无一念香火情？我岂不能起楼宇、买良沃，念汝儇薄骨、乞丐相，终不是白头侣！」言次，婢妪连衿臂，旋旋围绕之。闻女责数，便都唾骂，共言：「不如杀却，何须复云云！」才大惧，据地自投，但言知悔。女又盛气曰：「鬻妻子已大恶，犹未便是剧；何忍以同衾人赚作娼！」言未已，众眦裂，悉以锐簪翦刀股攒刺胁。才号悲乞命。女止之曰：「可暂释却。渠便无仁义，我不忍其觳觫。」乃率众下楼去。才坐听移时，语声俱寂，思欲潜遁。忽仰视见星汉，东方已白，野色苍莽；灯亦寻灭。并无屋宇，身坐削壁上。俯瞰绝壑，深无底。骇绝，惧堕。身稍移，塌然一声，随石崩坠。壁半有枯横焉，罥不得堕。以枯受腹，手足无着。下视茫茫，不知几何寻丈。不敢转侧，嗥怖声嘶，一身尽肿，眼耳鼻舌身力俱竭。日渐高，始有樵人望见之；寻绠来，缒而下，取置崖上，奄将溘毙。舁归其家。至则门洞敞，家荒荒如败寺，床簏什器俱杳，惟有绳床败案，是己家旧物，零落犹存。嗒然自卧。饥时，日一乞食于邻。既而肿溃为癞。里党薄其行，悉唾弃之。才无计，货屋而穴居，行乞于道，以刀自随。或劝以刀易饵，才不肯曰：「野居防虎狼，用自卫耳。」后遇向劝鬻妻者于途，近而哀语，遽出刀摮而杀之，遂被收。官廉得其情，亦未忍酷虐之，系狱中，寻瘐死。
梁有才原是晋地人，流落到济地，做些挑担贩卖的小生意，没有妻子儿女，也没有田产。他跟着村里人去登岱山。四月初，岱山上的香客络绎不绝，还有优婆夷、优婆塞，各自带着数十上百名男子，混杂着跪在神像座前，以一炷香烧完为限，叫作“跪香”。梁有才看见人群里有个姑娘，十七八岁，长得很美，便动了心。他假装也是香客，挨着姑娘跪下，又装出膝盖疲倦无力的样子，故意用手撑在姑娘脚上。姑娘回头看他，像是有些恼怒，便跪着向远处挪开。梁有才又跪着挪过去，不一会儿，再次把手撑在她脚上。姑娘察觉了，立刻起身，不再跪香，出门走了。梁有才也起来，跟着出去，却不知道她去了哪里。他觉得没有希望，闷闷不乐地往前走。路上，他看见姑娘跟着一个老妇人，看样子是她母亲，便快步追上去。母女俩边走边说话。老妇人说：“你能来参拜娘娘，是件大好事！你又没有弟弟妹妹，只要能得到娘娘暗中保佑，给你找个好丈夫，能孝顺我们就行，不一定非要贵公子、富王孙。”梁有才暗自高兴，渐渐凑过去同老妇人攀谈，打听她们的情况。老妇人说自己姓云，姑娘是她亲生女儿，名叫翠仙，家住西山，离这里四十里。梁有才说：“山路难走，您老人家走得这样慢，妹妹又这么纤弱，怎么能一下走到呢？”老妇人说：“天已经晚了，打算到她舅舅家住一夜。”梁有才说：“刚才您说挑女婿，不嫌他贫穷，也不轻视他出身低微。我还没有成亲，不知道合不合您的心意？”老妇人问女儿，女儿不回答。问了几次，女儿才说：“他是个没福气的人，又放荡不检点。这样轻薄的心性，也容易反复无常。我不能给这种不成器的人做妻子！”梁有才听了，连忙表白自己朴实诚恳，指着明亮的太阳郑重起誓。老妇人很高兴，竟然答应了。翠仙不乐意，只是生着闷气。母亲又硬劝着她，拍抚着哄她。梁有才十分殷勤，掏出钱，雇了两顶山兜，抬着老妇人和翠仙，自己像仆人一样步行跟在后面。经过狭窄的地方，他就喝令抬山兜的人不许颠簸摇晃，照顾得十分周到。不久到了一处村舍，老妇人便邀他一同进翠仙舅舅家。出来的舅舅是个老翁，舅母也是个老妇人。云氏称他们哥哥、嫂嫂，说：“梁有才是我女婿。今天正是好日子，不必另外挑选，就在今晚成亲吧。”舅舅也很高兴，拿出酒菜招待梁有才。随后，翠仙盛装出来，家人铺好床，催他们去睡。翠仙说：“我本来就知道你不讲情义，只是迫于母命，才姑且跟了你。你若能好好做人，就不必担心我们一起过日子的生计。”梁有才连声答应，恭顺地听着。第二天一早，母亲对梁有才说：“你先回去，我随后把女儿送来。”梁有才回家，把屋子和门前打扫干净。老妇人果然送女儿来了。她进屋一看，里面空荡荡的，什么都没有，便说：“这个样子，怎么能养活自己？我赶快回去，多少帮你们减轻些生活的辛苦。”说完就走了。第二天，来了几个男女，各自带着衣服、食物和用具，把一间屋子摆得满满的。他们没留下吃饭，就全走了，只留下一名婢女。从此，梁有才不用劳作就能吃饱穿暖，却天天把村里的无赖叫来，一起喝酒赌钱，渐渐还偷翠仙的簪子、耳环去作赌本。翠仙劝他，他不听。她很不耐烦，只好严严地看守箱子和妆匣，像防贼一样。一天，一个赌友敲门来找梁有才，瞥见翠仙，惊讶得发愣。他开玩笑似的对梁有才说：“你有这么大的富贵，还怕什么穷？”梁有才问他为什么，他说：“刚才见到你夫人，真是仙女一样的人物，跟你家的家境实在不相称。卖去做妾，能得一百两银子；卖去做妓女，能得一千两。屋里放着一千两银子，你还甘心没钱喝酒赌钱吗？”梁有才没有说话，心里却觉得他说得对。回家后，他就对着翠仙唉声叹气，时时说家里太穷，日子过不下去。翠仙不理，他便不断拍桌子，摔下匙子和筷子，骂婢女，摆出种种难看的样子。一天晚上，翠仙买了酒，同他一起喝，忽然说：“你因为贫穷，天天心焦。我又不能抵挡穷困，替你分忧，心里怎么会不惭愧？只是我也没有多余的东西，只有这个婢女，把她卖了，可以稍稍帮你做点生意。”梁有才摇头说：“她能值几个钱！”又喝了一会儿，翠仙说：“我对你，有什么没有尽力顺从的？只是我的力气已经用尽了。想想穷成这个样子，就是到死都跟着你，也不过两人一同受一辈子的苦，哪有出头的日子？不如把我卖到富贵人家，对我们双方都有好处，价钱也许比婢女高些。”梁有才故意装作惊讶，说：“怎么能到这个地步！”翠仙神色郑重，坚持这么说。梁有才高兴了，说：“容我再想想。”于是找上一位中贵人，要把她卖进乐籍。中贵人亲自来到梁家，见了翠仙，非常满意，怕不能马上买到，当场立下八百缗的契约，事情眼看就要办成。翠仙说：“母亲因为夫家贫穷，一直牵挂着我。现在事情已定，我要暂且回去探望她；况且你我就要断绝夫妻关系，怎么能不告诉母亲？”梁有才担心她母亲阻拦。翠仙说：“这是我自己乐意的，保证不会出差错。”梁有才便答应了。快到半夜，他们才来到翠仙母亲家。敲门进去，看见楼房屋舍十分华美，婢女仆人来来往往。梁有才天天同翠仙住在一起，每次提出要去看她母亲，翠仙都拦着他，因此做了一年多女婿，还从未到过岳母家。如今见她家如此富裕，他大吃一惊，担心这样的家庭不会甘心让女儿去做妾或妓女。翠仙领他上了楼。老妇人惊讶地问他们夫妻为什么来。翠仙怨恨地说：“我早说他不讲情义，如今果然如此！”便从衣服里面取出两锭黄金，放在桌上，说：“幸好没让这个小人骗走，如今仍旧还给母亲。”母亲吃惊，问怎么回事。翠仙说：“他要把我卖了，我藏着这些金子也没用了。”接着指着梁有才骂道：“你这个豺狼老鼠一般的东西！以前肩挑货担，脸上沾满灰尘，像个鬼一样。刚靠近我的时候，汗臭熏人，身上的污垢厚得像要塌下来，手脚皴裂的硬皮足有一寸厚，叫人整夜恶心。自从我到了你家，你安坐着吃饭，那层鬼皮才开始脱掉。母亲在这里，难道我说的是假话？”梁有才低着头，连大气也不敢出。翠仙又说：“我知道自己没有倾城的容貌，不配侍奉贵人，可配你这样的人，我自认为还够得上。我有什么亏欠你的地方，你竟一点夫妻情分也不念？难道我不能盖楼房、买好田地？只是想到你轻薄的骨头、乞丐的相貌，终究不是能陪我白头到老的人！”她说话时，婢女和老妇人们衣袖相连，手臂相挽，慢慢围住梁有才。听翠仙数落他的罪过，她们便一起吐唾沫骂他，纷纷说：“不如杀了他，何必再费口舌！”梁有才害怕极了，扑倒在地，只说自己知道后悔了。翠仙更加愤怒，说：“卖妻子已经是大恶，还算不上最狠毒的；你怎么忍心把同床共枕的人骗去做娼妓！”话没说完，众人已经怒睁双眼，拿尖簪子和剪刀的尖刃，一齐往他的两胁乱刺。梁有才哭号着求饶。翠仙制止她们说：“暂且放了他吧。他虽然没有仁义，我却不忍看他吓得发抖。”便领着众人下楼去了。梁有才坐着听了一会儿，等到说话声全都消失，便想偷偷逃走。忽然抬头，看见满天星斗和银河，东方已经发白，四周野地苍茫，灯也很快熄灭了。哪里有什么楼房屋舍，自己竟坐在一处陡峭的崖壁上。低头看去，深谷不见底。他惊恐万分，怕掉下去，身体稍稍一动，就听轰然一声，随着石块崩落下去。崖壁半腰横伸着一棵枯树，把他挂住，才没有继续坠落。树干抵着他的肚子，手脚都无处着力。往下看，一片茫茫，不知道有多深。他不敢翻身挪动，恐惧地嚎叫，直到声音嘶哑，全身都肿了起来，眼睛、耳朵、鼻子、舌头和整个身体都已衰竭无力。太阳渐渐升高，才有个樵夫看见他，找来绳子，顺绳下去，把他救上山崖。他已经气息奄奄，快要死了。人们把他抬回家，到家一看，大门敞开，屋里荒凉得像座破庙，床、箱子和各种用具都不见了，只剩下一张绳床和一张破桌子，都是他原先的旧东西，零零落落地留在那里。他失魂落魄地躺下，饿了便每天向邻居讨一回饭。不久，身上的肿处溃烂，成了癞疮。村里人鄙视他的品行，全都唾弃他。梁有才无计可施，卖了房子，住进山洞，在路上乞讨，随身带着一把刀。有人劝他把刀换成食物，他不肯，说：“住在野外，要防老虎和狼，留着刀防身。”后来，他在路上碰见从前劝他卖妻子的那个人，走近去，凄惨地同他说话，忽然拔刀，把那人杀了，随后被捕。官府查明了事情经过，也不忍再严酷地折磨他，把他关在监牢里。他不久便因困病死在狱中。
Liang Youcai came from Shanxi. He had drifted to Jinan, where he lived as a petty peddler, with no wife, no children and no land. Once he went with some people from his village to climb Mount Tai. Around the turn of the fourth month the mountain is thronged with pilgrims. There were also lay devotees, women and men, each leading followers by the hundred, who knelt all mixed together below the holy image and stayed on their knees until a stick of incense had burned down. This was called “kneeling incense.” Among the crowd Liang saw a girl of seventeen or eighteen, and she was beautiful. He took a fancy to her. Passing himself off as a pilgrim, he knelt close beside her; then, making out that his knees had given way, he put a hand on her foot on purpose, as if to steady himself. She looked round, seemingly annoyed, and shuffled away on her knees. Liang shuffled after her; a little later he leaned on her foot again. This time she understood. She got up at once, knelt no more, and went out of the gate. Liang got up too and followed her out, but could not tell where she had gone. Giving up hope, he walked on, downcast. On the road he caught sight of her walking behind an old woman who seemed to be her mother, and he hurried after them. Mother and daughter talked as they went. “It’s a very good thing you’ve paid your respects to the Lady,” the old woman was saying. “You’ve no younger brothers or sisters. If only the Lady will watch over you unseen and send you a good husband — so long as he’s dutiful to us, he needn’t be some noble young lord or rich man’s grandson.” Liang was secretly delighted, and little by little he worked his way into questioning the old woman. She told him her family name was Yun; the girl was her own daughter, and her name was Cuixian. Their home was forty li off, in the western hills. “The mountain roads are rough,” said Liang, “and you, Mother, take such small steps, and my little sister is so dainty. How will you ever get there?” “It’s late in the day,” she said. “We’ll stay the night at her uncle’s.” “Just now you were talking of a son-in-law,” said Liang, “one you wouldn’t scorn for being poor or look down on for being lowly. I’m not married. Would I suit you, Mother?” The old woman asked her daughter. The girl made no answer. Her mother asked again and again, and at last she said, “He has no luck, and he’s a loose, worthless fellow. A shallow heart like that turns over at the slightest thing. I can’t be wife to a good-for-nothing like him!” Hearing this, Liang protested his simple honesty and swore earnestly by the bright sun. The old woman was pleased and actually agreed. The girl was unhappy, but only flushed with anger, and that was all. Her mother patted her and soothed her and pressed her again. Liang was all attentiveness. He put his hand into his purse and hired two mountain litters to carry the old woman and the girl, and walked behind them himself, like a servant. At every narrow pass he shouted at the bearers not to jolt or sway them — most attentive. Before long they reached a village house, and the old woman invited Liang in with them to the uncle’s. The uncle who came out was an old man, and the aunt who came out an old woman. Cuixian’s mother greeted them as brother and sister-in-law. “Youcai here is my son-in-law,” she told them. “Today happens to be a lucky day. There’s no need to pick another: let it be tonight.” The uncle was pleased too, and brought out wine and food to treat Liang. Afterwards they dressed Cuixian in her finery and brought her out, made up the bed, and hurried the two of them off to sleep. “I knew all along you were no good,” she said. “I’m going with you only because my mother makes me. If you act like a decent man, you won’t have to worry about how we’ll live.” Liang said yes, yes, and meekly took it all in. Early the next morning her mother said to him, “You’d better go on ahead. I’ll bring the girl after you.” Liang went home and swept the place out. Sure enough, the old woman brought the girl. She came in and looked around the room: it was bare, there was nothing in it. “How can you live like this?” she said. “I’ll hurry home and send a little something to help you through.” And she left. The next day several men and women came, each carrying clothes, food or household things, and filled the room with them. They all left without staying to eat, except one maid, who was kept on. From then on Liang sat warm and well fed. All he did was bring the village wastrels home day after day to drink together and gamble, and by degrees he took to stealing Cuixian’s hairpins and earrings for stakes. She remonstrated with him; he would not listen. At last she could bear it no longer and kept a strict watch over her boxes and dressing-case, as if against thieves. One day one of his gambling cronies knocked at the door to call on Liang, caught a glimpse of Cuixian, and stood staring, dumbfounded. “You’re a rich man,” he said to Liang, half joking. “What’s all this worry about being poor?” Liang asked what he meant. “I saw your lady just now,” the man said. “She’s a real immortal — far too good for a household like yours. Sell her as a concubine and you’d get a hundred taels of silver; to a brothel, a thousand. A thousand taels sitting in your house, and you let yourself go short for drink and dice?” Liang said nothing, but in his heart he agreed. When he got home he took to sighing at his wife, always saying they were too poor to get by. She paid him no attention, so he banged the table, threw down his spoon and chopsticks, cursed the maid, and put on every kind of show. One evening Cuixian bought wine and drank with him. Suddenly she said, “You fret every day because we’re poor, and I can’t keep poverty off or share your worries. Don’t you think I feel ashamed? But I own nothing of value except this maid. Sell her, and it will help a little toward getting by.” Liang shook his head. “What would she fetch?” They drank a while longer. Then she said, “Is there anything I haven’t done for you? It’s only that my strength has run out. When I think how poor we are — if I stayed with you till I died, we’d only share a lifetime of hardship. How would we ever rise in the world? Better to sell me to some great house. It would be good for us both, and I might fetch more than the maid.” Liang put on a startled look. “How could it come to that?” She insisted, her face grave. Delighted, Liang said, “Let me think it over.” Then, through a palace eunuch, he arranged to sell her onto the register of entertainers. The eunuch came to see Liang in person, and when he saw Cuixian he was very pleased. Afraid he might not get her at once, he drew up a contract on the spot for eight hundred strings of cash, and the deal was all but done. Cuixian said, “My mother is forever worrying because your family is poor. Now that it’s settled, I’d like to go home for a short visit. Besides, if you and I are to part, how can we not tell my mother?” Liang was afraid her mother would stand in the way. “It’s what I want myself,” she said. “I promise nothing will go wrong.” Liang agreed. It was nearly midnight when they reached her mother’s house. They knocked at the gate and went in, and Liang saw fine halls and towers, with maids and menservants hurrying to and fro. In all the time he had lived with her, whenever he asked to visit her mother she had put him off, so in more than a year as a son-in-law he had never once set foot in his wife’s family home. Now he was astonished. With a family this rich, he feared they would never stand for her being sold as a concubine or a courtesan. Cuixian led him upstairs. The old woman asked in surprise why the two of them had come. “I always said he was no good,” Cuixian said bitterly, “and now it’s proved!” From under her clothes she took two ingots of gold and set them on the table. “Lucky I didn’t let this low creature cheat me out of them. Now I’m giving them back to you, Mother.” Her mother, alarmed, asked what had happened. “He’s going to sell me,” said Cuixian, “so there’s no use in my keeping the gold hidden.” Then she pointed at Liang and cursed him. “You jackal! You rat! In the old days you carried a pole on your shoulder, with dust caked on your face like a ghost’s. When you first came near me you reeked of stale sweat, the dirt on your skin was ready to fall off in flakes, and your hands and feet were cracked an inch thick. It sickened me all night long. Since I came to your house you’ve sat at ease and eaten your fill, and only then did that ghost’s hide of yours start to peel. My mother is here — am I lying?” Liang hung his head and did not dare so much as breathe. “I know I’m no beauty to topple cities,” she went on, “not fit to serve great men. But for the likes of you, I thought I was a fair match. What wrong did I ever do you, that you hadn’t one thought for the bond between us? Couldn’t I have built you a house with towers, bought you good rich fields? But I thought of your shifty, shallow bones and your beggar’s face, and I knew you would never be the one to grow old with me!” As she spoke, the maids and serving-women, arm in arm and sleeve to sleeve, closed round him in a ring. Hearing her list his wrongs, they all spat and cursed and said together, “Better kill him! Why waste any more words?” Liang, terrified, threw himself on the floor, saying only that he was sorry. Her anger rising, Cuixian said, “Selling a wife is wicked enough, but that isn’t the worst of it. How could you bear to trick the woman who shares your bed into whoring?” Before she had finished, the women, their eyes bursting with rage, all fell to jabbing at his ribs with sharp hairpins and the points of scissors. Liang howled and wept and begged for his life. Cuixian stopped them. “Let him go, for now. He may have no heart and no decency, but I can’t bear to see him shake like that.” And she led them all downstairs. Liang sat listening for a while. When every voice had died away, he thought of slipping off. Suddenly, looking up, he saw the stars and the Milky Way. The east was already pale; the wild country lay grey and vast around him; and the lamp, too, soon went out. There was no house at all. He was sitting on a sheer cliff, looking down into a gorge with no bottom. Terrified out of his wits, he dreaded falling. He shifted ever so slightly — there was a crash, and down he went with the crumbling rock. Halfway down the cliff a dead tree jutted out; he caught on it and fell no further. It held him by the belly, his hands and feet clutching at nothing. Below was only a blur, and there was no knowing how many fathoms it went down. He dared not turn or shift. He howled in terror until his voice was gone. His whole body swelled, and his eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body were all spent. Only when the sun was well up did a woodcutter spot him. He went and found a rope, let himself down on it, and brought Liang back to the top of the cliff, more dead than alive. Liang was carried home. When he got there the door stood wide open, and the place was as desolate as a ruined temple. Beds, chests, household things — all were gone. Only a rope cot and a broken table, his own old belongings, were still lying about. He lay down, dazed and empty. When he was hungry he begged food from the neighbours, once a day. Soon the swellings broke open and turned to leprosy. The villagers despised what he had done, and every one of them spurned him. At his wits’ end, Liang sold the house and lived in a cave, begging on the roads and carrying a knife with him. Someone advised him to trade the knife for food. Liang would not. “I live out in the wilds,” he said. “It’s to protect myself from tigers and wolves.” Later, on the road, he met the man who had urged him to sell his wife. He went up close and spoke to him piteously — then whipped out the knife and struck him dead. He was arrested. The magistrate looked into the case and learned the whole story, and he too could not bring himself to deal harshly with Liang. He merely held him in prison, where Liang soon died of sickness.