安生大成，重慶人。父孝廉，早卒。弟二成，幼。生娶陳氏，小字珊瑚，性嫻淑。而生母沈，悍謬不仁，遇之虐，珊瑚無怨色。每早旦，靚妝往朝。值生疾，母謂其誨淫，詬責之。珊瑚退，毀妝以進。母益怒，投顙自撾。生素孝，鞭婦，母始少解。自此益憎婦。婦雖奉事惟謹，終不與交一語。生知母怒，亦寄宿他所，示與婦絕。久之，母終不快，觸物類而罵之，意皆在珊瑚。生曰：「娶妻以奉姑嫜，今若此，何以妻為！」遂出珊瑚，使老嫗送諸其家。方出里門，珊瑚泣曰：「為女子不能作婦，歸何以見雙親？不如死！」袖中出翦刀刺喉。急救之，血溢沾衿。扶歸生族嬸家。嬸王氏，寡居無耦，遂止焉。媼歸，生囑隱其情，而心竊恐母知。過數日，探知珊瑚創漸平，登王氏門，使勿留珊瑚。王召之入；不入，但盛氣逐珊瑚。無何，王率珊瑚出，見生，便問：「珊瑚何罪？」生責其不能事母。珊瑚脈脈不作一言，惟俯首嗚泣，淚皆赤，素衫盡染，生慘惻不能盡詞而退。又數日，母已聞之，怒詣王，惡言誚讓。王傲不相下，反數其惡；且言：「婦已出，尚屬安家何人？我自留陳氏女，非留安氏婦也，何煩強與他家事！」母怒甚而窮於詞，又見意氣詾詾，慚沮大哭而返。珊瑚意不自安，思他適。先是，生有母姨于媼，即沈姊也。年六十餘，子死，止一幼孫及寡媳；又嘗善視珊瑚。遂辭王往投媼。媼詰得故，極道妹子昏暴，即欲送之還。珊瑚力言其不可，兼囑勿言，於是與于媼居，類姑婦焉。珊瑚有兩兄，聞而憐之，欲移之歸而嫁之。珊瑚執不肯，惟從于媼紡績以自度。生自出婦，母多方為子謀婚，而悍聲流播，遠近無與為耦。積三四年，二成漸長，遂先為畢姻。二成妻臧姑，驕悍戾沓，尤倍於母。母或怒以色，則臧姑怒以聲。二成又懦，不敢為左右袒。於是母威頓減，莫敢攖，反望色笑而承迎之，猶不能得臧姑懽。臧姑役母若婢；生不敢言，惟身代母操作，滌器灑掃之事皆與焉。母子恆於無人處，相對飲泣。無何，母以鬱積病，委頓在床，便溺轉側皆須生；生晝夜不得寐，兩目盡赤。呼弟代役，甫入門，臧姑輒喚去之。生於是奔告于媼，冀媼臨存。入門，泣且訴。訴未畢，珊瑚自幃中出。生大慚，禁聲欲出。珊瑚以兩手叉扉。生窘急，自肘下沖出而歸，亦不敢以告母。無何，于媼至，母喜止之。由此媼家無日不以人來，來輒以甘旨餉媼。媼寄語寡媳：「此處不餓，後勿復爾。」而家中餽遺，卒無少間。媼不肯少嘗食，緘留以進病者。母病亦漸瘥。媼幼孫又以母命將佳餌來問疾。沈嘆曰：「賢哉婦乎！姊何修者！」媼曰：「妹以去婦何如人？」曰：「嘻！誠不至夫己氏之甚也！然烏如甥婦賢！」媼曰：「婦在，汝不知勞；汝怒，婦不知怨：惡乎弗如？」沈乃泣下，且告之悔，曰：「珊瑚嫁也未者？」答云：「不知，請訪之。」又數日，病良已。媼欲別。沈泣曰：「恐姊去，我仍死耳！」媼乃與生謀，析二成居。二成告臧姑。臧姑不樂，語侵兄，兼及媼。生願以良田悉歸二成，臧姑乃喜。立析產書已，媼始去。明日，以車乘來迎沈。沈至其家，先求見甥婦，極道甥婦德。媼曰：「小女子百善，何遂無一疵？余固能容之。子即有婦如吾婦，恐亦不能享也。」沈曰：「鳴呼冤哉！謂我木石鹿豕耶！具有口鼻，豈有觸香臭而不知者？」媼曰：「被出如珊瑚，不知念子作何語？」曰：「罵之耳。」媼曰：「誠反躬無可罵，亦惡乎而罵之？」曰：「瑕疵人所時有，惟其不能賢，是以知其罵也。」媼曰：「當怨者不怨，則德焉者可知；當去者不去，則撫焉者可知。向之所餽遺而奉事者，固非予婦也，而婦也。」沈驚曰：「如何？」曰：「珊瑚寄此久矣。向之所供，皆渠夜績之所貽也。」沈聞之，泣數行下，曰：「我何以見吾婦矣！」媼乃呼珊瑚。珊瑚含涕而出，伏地下。母慚痛自撾，媼力勸始止，遂為姑媳如初。十餘日偕歸，家中薄田數畝，不足自給，惟恃生以筆耕，婦以針耨。二成稱饒足，然兄不之求，弟亦不之顧也。臧姑以嫂之出也鄙之；嫂亦惡其悍，置不齒。兄弟隔院居。臧姑時有凌虐，一家盡掩其耳。臧姑無所用虐，虐夫及婢。婢一日自經死。婢父訟臧姑，二成代婦質理，大受扑責，仍坐拘臧姑。生上下為之營脫，卒不免。臧姑械十指，肉盡脫。官貪暴，索望良奢。二成質田貸貲，如數納入，始釋歸。而債家責負日亟，不得已，悉以良田鬻於村中任翁。翁以田半屬大成所讓，要生署券。生往，翁忽自言：「我安孝廉也。任某何人，敢市吾業！」又顧生曰：「冥間感汝夫妻孝，故使我暫歸一面。」生出涕曰：「父有靈，急救吾弟！」曰：「逆子悍婦，不足惜也！歸家速辦金，贖吾血產。」生曰：「母子僅自存活，安得多金？」曰：「紫薇樹下有藏金，可以取用。」欲再問之，翁已不語；少時而醒，茫不自知。生歸告母，亦未深信。臧姑已率數人往發窖，坎地四五尺，止見磚石，並無所謂金者，失意而去。生聞其掘藏，戒母及妻勿往視。後知其無所獲，母竊往窺之，見磚石雜土中，遂返。珊瑚繼至，則見土內悉白鏹；呼生往驗之，果然。生以先人所遺，不忍私，召二成均分之。數適得揭取之二，各囊之而歸。二成與臧姑共驗之，啟囊則瓦礫滿中，大駭。疑二成為兄所愚，使二成往窺兄，兄方陳金几上，與母相慶。因實告兄，生亦駭，而心甚憐之，舉金而並賜之。二成乃喜，往酬債訖，甚德兄。臧姑曰：「即此益知兄詐。若非自愧於心，誰肯以瓜分者復讓人乎？」二成疑信半之。次日，債主遣僕來，言所償皆偽金，將執以首官。夫妻皆失色。臧姑曰：「如何哉！我固謂兄賢不至於此，是將以殺汝也！」二成懼，往哀債主，主怒不釋。二成乃券田於主，聽其自售，始得原金而歸。細視之，見斷金二鋌，僅裹真金一韭葉許，中盡銅耳。臧姑因與二成謀：留其斷者，餘仍返諸兄以覘之。且教之言曰：「屢承讓德，實所不忍。薄留二鋌，以見推施之義。所存物產，尚與兄等。余無庸多田也，業已棄之，贖否在兄。」生不知其意，固讓之。二成辭甚決，生乃受。稱之，少五兩餘。命珊瑚質匳妝以滿其數，攜付債主。主疑似舊金，以翦刀斷驗之，紋色俱足，無少差謬，遂收金，與生易券。二成還金後，意其必有參差；既聞舊業已贖，大奇之。臧姑疑發掘時，兄先隱其真金，忿詣兄所，責數詬厲。生乃悟返金之故。珊瑚逆而笑曰：「產固在耳，何怒為？」使生出券付之。二成一夜夢父責之曰：「汝不孝不弟，冥限已迫，寸土皆非己有，占賴將以奚為！」醒告臧姑，欲以田歸兄。臧姑嗤其愚。是時二成有兩男，長七歲，次三歲。無何，長男病痘死。臧姑始懼，使二成退券於兄，言之再三，生不受。未幾，次男又死。臧姑益懼，自以券置嫂所。春將盡，田蕪穢不耕，生不得已，種治之。臧姑自此改行，定省如孝子，敬嫂亦至。未半年而母病卒。臧姑哭之慟，至勺飲不入口。向人曰：「姑早死，使我不得事，是天不許我自贖也！」產十胎皆不育，遂以兄子為子。夫妻皆壽終。生三子，皆舉進士。人以為孝友之報云。
書生安大成是重慶人。他的父親是孝廉，早年去世，弟弟二成還小。大成娶了陳氏，小名珊瑚，性情溫柔賢淑。大成的母親沈氏卻兇悍乖張，待人刻薄，對珊瑚十分虐待，珊瑚從不露出怨恨的神色。每天清早，她都梳妝整齊，去向婆婆請安。有一次大成生病，母親說珊瑚打扮得這樣，是在引誘丈夫縱慾，便辱罵責備她。珊瑚退下，卸了妝再來。母親更加惱怒，用頭撞地，捶打自己。大成一向孝順，便鞭打妻子，母親的怒氣才稍稍平息。從此，她越發憎恨珊瑚。珊瑚雖然小心盡力地侍奉她，她始終不肯跟珊瑚說一句話。大成知道母親生氣，也到別處借宿，表示自己已經和妻子斷絕往來。過了很久，母親還是不痛快，碰到什麼都要罵，話裡針對的全是珊瑚。大成說：「娶妻是為了侍奉父母，如今成了這樣，還要妻子做什麼！」於是休了珊瑚，讓一個老婦人送她回孃家。剛出村口，珊瑚便哭著說：「身為女子，卻不能做好人家的媳婦，回去怎麼面對父母？不如死了！」說著從袖子裡取出剪刀，刺向自己的喉嚨。老婦人急忙救她，鮮血湧出，沾溼了衣襟。老婦人把她扶到大成族嬸家裡。族嬸王氏守寡獨居，便讓珊瑚住了下來。老婦人回來後，大成囑咐她隱瞞這件事，心裡卻暗暗怕母親知道。過了幾天，大成打聽到珊瑚的傷口漸漸癒合，就到王氏門前，要她不要收留珊瑚。王氏請他進去，他不肯進，只氣勢洶洶地要求趕走珊瑚。不一會兒，王氏帶著珊瑚出來，見到大成便問：「珊瑚有什麼罪？」大成責備珊瑚不能侍奉母親。珊瑚默默含情，一句話也不說，只低頭嗚咽，流下的眼淚都是紅的，把白衣服全染紅了。大成心裡悲痛，不忍再看，話沒說完便退了回去。又過了幾天，母親已經聽說這件事，氣沖沖地到王氏家，用惡毒的話責罵她。王氏毫不退讓，反過來數說沈氏的過錯，還說：「媳婦已經被休了，如今還算安家的什麼人？我收留的是陳家的女兒，不是安家的媳婦，何必硬來干涉別人家的事！」母親惱怒到了極點，卻找不出話來反駁，又見王氏氣勢逼人，羞慚沮喪，大哭著回去了。珊瑚心裡不安，想搬到別處。大成有個姨母於老太太，就是沈氏的姐姐，已經六十多歲，兒子死了，只剩一個年幼的孫子和守寡的兒媳。她從前也常常善待珊瑚。珊瑚便辭別王氏，去投奔她。於老太太問清緣故，狠狠數落妹妹糊塗兇暴，立刻就想把珊瑚送回去。珊瑚極力說不能這樣，又囑咐她不要聲張，於是留在於老太太家裡，兩人像婆媳一樣相處。珊瑚有兩個哥哥，聽說後很憐惜她，想接她回家，讓她另嫁。珊瑚堅決不肯，只跟著於老太太紡紗織布，靠自己的勞動過活。大成休妻以後，母親想盡辦法替他另找親事，可她兇悍的名聲已經傳開，遠近都沒有人肯把女兒嫁來。過了三四年，二成漸漸長大，便先給他成了親。二成的妻子臧姑驕橫兇悍，乖戾蠻橫，比母親還厲害得多。母親若臉上露出怒色，臧姑就開口發怒。二成又懦弱，不敢偏向任何一方。母親的威風頓時消減，誰也不敢招惹臧姑，她反而要看臧姑的臉色，賠笑迎合，即使這樣，也不能讓臧姑高興。臧姑把婆婆當婢女使喚。大成不敢說什麼，只能親自替母親做事，洗滌器皿、灑水掃地，都由他來幹。母子常常在沒人的地方相對落淚。不久，母親因鬱悶積在心裡而病倒，虛弱地躺在床上，大小便、翻身都要大成照料。大成晝夜不能睡覺，兩隻眼睛都熬紅了。他叫弟弟來替換，二成剛進門，臧姑就把他叫走。大成於是跑去找於老太太，希望她來探望母親。他進門就一邊哭，一邊訴苦。還沒說完，珊瑚忽然從帷幕後走了出來。大成十分羞慚，馬上住了口，想要出去。珊瑚伸出兩隻手攔住門口。大成窘迫著急，從她胳膊底下衝出去，回了家，也不敢把這件事告訴母親。不久，於老太太來了，母親高興地留她住下。從此，於老太太家每天都有人來，每次都帶著好吃的給她。於老太太託人告訴守寡的兒媳：「我在這裡餓不著，往後不要再送了。」可家裡送來的食物始終一天也沒斷。於老太太一點也捨不得嘗，都留著給病人吃，母親的病也漸漸好轉。於老太太的小孫子又奉母親的吩咐，帶著精美的糕餅來問候病人。沈氏感嘆說：「多麼賢惠的媳婦啊！姐姐，你修了什麼福，才有這樣的媳婦！」於老太太說：「妹妹，你覺得那個被你休掉的媳婦怎麼樣？」沈氏說：「唉！她確實沒有那個女人那麼壞！可又怎麼比得上外甥媳婦賢惠！」於老太太說：「她在的時候，你從不知道勞苦；你生氣的時候，她從不心生怨恨。她哪裡比不上？」沈氏這才流下眼淚，向姐姐說自己後悔了，又問：「珊瑚嫁人了沒有？」於老太太回答：「不知道，讓我打聽一下。」又過了幾天，沈氏的病已經大好，於老太太想告辭。沈氏哭著說：「恐怕姐姐一走，我還是要死啊！」於老太太便和大成商量，讓二成分家另過。二成告訴臧姑，臧姑不高興，話裡辱罵哥哥，連於老太太也一起罵。大成願意把好田全給二成，臧姑才高興。分產的文書立好後，於老太太才離開。第二天，她派車來接沈氏。沈氏到了姐姐家，先要求見外甥媳婦，極力稱讚她的品德。於老太太說：「一個年輕女子，即使有百般好處，怎麼就會沒有一點毛病？只是我能容忍她罷了。你即使有個像我兒媳這樣的媳婦，恐怕也享受不了。」沈氏說：「哎呀，真是冤枉我了！難道你把我看成木頭石頭、鹿豬一樣嗎！我也有嘴有鼻子，難道聞到香臭還會不知道？」於老太太說：「像珊瑚這樣被休出去的人，不知道想起你時，會說些什麼？」沈氏說：「不過是罵我罷了。」於老太太說：「要是你反省自己，確實沒有什麼可罵的，她又為什麼罵你？」沈氏說：「誰都會有些毛病，只因她不夠賢惠，我才知道她會罵我。」於老太太說：「應該怨恨卻不怨恨，就能知道她的品德；應該離開卻不肯離開，就能知道她對你的關懷。先前送東西來侍奉你的，本來就不是我的媳婦，而是你的媳婦。」沈氏吃驚地問：「怎麼回事？」於老太太說：「珊瑚住在這裡很久了。先前供給你的那些東西，都是她夜裡紡織掙來的。」沈氏聽了，眼淚接連流下來，說：「我還有什麼臉見我的媳婦！」於老太太便把珊瑚叫出來。珊瑚含著眼淚出來，伏在地上。母親又羞慚又痛悔，捶打自己，於老太太極力勸說，她才停下。兩人於是像從前一樣，重新做了婆媳。十多天後，她們一起回家。家裡只有幾畝貧瘠的田地，不夠維持生活，全靠大成替人寫字掙錢，珊瑚做針線活謀生。二成算是富足，可哥哥不向他求助，弟弟也不來關照哥哥。臧姑因為嫂子曾經被休而看不起她；珊瑚也厭惡臧姑兇悍，不屑理會她。兄弟隔著院子居住。臧姑時常欺凌辱罵，大成一家都捂住耳朵。臧姑無處施展兇橫，便虐待丈夫和婢女。有一天，婢女上吊死了。婢女的父親把臧姑告到官府，二成代妻子應訴，捱了重重的責打，官府仍然下令拘捕臧姑。大成到處奔走，求上求下，想替她脫罪，最終還是沒能免掉刑罰。臧姑的十根手指被夾刑具夾住，皮肉都脫落了。官員貪婪殘暴，索要的賄賂數目很大。二成抵押田地，借來錢，按數交上，臧姑才被釋放回家。可債主一天比一天催得緊，二成不得已，要把好田全賣給村裡的任老翁。因為田地有一半是大成讓給二成的，任老翁要求大成在契約上簽字。大成去了，任老翁忽然開口說：「我是安孝廉。姓任的是什麼人，竟敢買我的產業！」又轉向大成說：「陰間被你們夫妻的孝心感動，所以讓我暫時回來見你一面。」大成流著眼淚說：「父親若在天有靈，請趕快救救我的弟弟！」父親說：「忤逆的兒子，兇悍的媳婦，不值得憐惜！你回家趕快籌辦銀子，贖回我用心血掙下的產業。」大成說：「我和母親勉強才能活下去，哪裡來那麼多銀子？」父親說：「紫薇樹下藏著銀子，可以取來用。」大成還想再問，任老翁已經不說話了。過了一會兒，他清醒過來，對剛才的事全然不知。大成回家告訴母親，也沒有十分相信。臧姑卻已經帶了幾個人去挖藏銀，挖下四五尺，只見磚頭石塊，根本沒有什麼銀子，便失望地離開了。大成聽說她去挖藏銀，囑咐母親和妻子不要過去看。後來知道她什麼也沒找到，母親偷偷過去看了看，見磚石混在泥土裡，就回來了。珊瑚隨後過去，卻看見泥土裡全是白銀，便叫大成來檢視，果然如此。大成覺得這是父親留下的，不忍獨佔，就叫二成來平分。銀子的總數恰好是二成借款的兩倍，兩人各裝進袋子，帶回家去。二成和臧姑一起檢視，打開袋子，裡面卻全是碎瓦石塊，兩人大吃一驚。臧姑懷疑二成被哥哥騙了，讓他去看看哥哥的情形。大成正把銀子擺在桌上，和母親一起慶賀。二成便如實告訴哥哥，大成也很吃驚，心裡十分憐惜弟弟，就把自己的銀子也全給了他。二成高興地去還清了債，很感激哥哥。臧姑卻說：「這件事更能看出你哥哥騙人。要不是心裡有愧，誰肯把自己分得的那一份再讓給別人？」二成半信半疑。第二天，債主派僕人來說，他們還的全是假銀，要把他們抓去告官。夫妻倆都變了臉色。臧姑說：「怎麼樣！我早就說，你哥哥不會賢惠到這個地步，他這是要害死你啊！」二成害怕了，去哀求債主，債主惱怒，不肯罷休。二成只好把田地立契交給債主，任憑他出售，才取回原先的銀子回家。仔細檢視，發現有兩錠已經被剪開，外面只包著韭菜葉那麼薄的一層真銀，裡面全是銅。臧姑便和二成商量，留下剪開的兩錠，其餘仍還給哥哥，看看他怎麼處置。她又教二成這樣說：「哥哥多次把財物讓給我，我實在過意不去。我只留下兩錠，表示領受哥哥慷慨相助的好意。我剩下的產業，還和哥哥差不多。我不需要那麼多田地，已經把它放棄了，贖不贖由哥哥決定。」大成不知道他的用意，堅決推讓。二成辭讓得十分堅決，大成才收下。稱過以後，銀子還差五兩多。大成讓珊瑚典當首飾，補足數目，帶去交給債主。債主懷疑還是先前的銀子，用剪刀剪開驗看，紋理和成色都十足，沒有一點不對，便收下銀子，把田契交給大成。二成還了銀子後，心想一定會出差錯，等聽說祖傳的田產已經贖回，非常驚訝。臧姑懷疑挖銀子的時候，哥哥先藏起了真銀，便氣沖沖地到哥哥家，大聲責罵。大成這才明白弟弟歸還銀子的緣故。珊瑚迎上去，笑著說：「田產還在，有什麼可生氣的？」便讓大成取出田契，交給臧姑。有一夜，二成夢見父親責備他說：「你不孝順父母，也不敬愛兄長，陰間定下的期限已經快到了，沒有一寸土地屬於你，佔著不肯交還，又有什麼用！」二成醒來告訴臧姑，想把田地還給哥哥。臧姑笑他愚蠢。當時二成有兩個兒子，大的七歲，小的三歲。不久，大兒子出痘死了。臧姑這才害怕，讓二成把田契退還哥哥。二成再三勸說，大成不肯收。沒過多久，小兒子也死了。臧姑更加害怕，親自把田契放到嫂子那裡。春天快過完了，田裡長滿雜草，沒有耕種，大成不得已，便去耕種料理。從此，臧姑改了品行，早晚向婆婆請安，像個孝順的孩子，對嫂子也極其恭敬。不到半年，母親病故。臧姑哭得十分悲痛，連一勺水也喝不下。她對人說：「婆婆這麼早就死了，讓我沒法侍奉她，這是上天不許我贖回自己的罪過啊！」她生了十胎，都沒養活，便把哥哥的兒子收作自己的兒子。夫妻兩人都活到壽終。大成有三個兒子，全都考中了進士。人們說，這是他孝順父母、友愛兄弟得到的報答。
安生大成，重庆人。父孝廉，早卒。弟二成，幼。生娶陈氏，小字珊瑚，性娴淑。而生母沈，悍谬不仁，遇之虐，珊瑚无怨色。每早旦，靓妆往朝。值生疾，母谓其诲淫，诟责之。珊瑚退，毁妆以进。母益怒，投颡自挝。生素孝，鞭妇，母始少解。自此益憎妇。妇虽奉事惟谨，终不与交一语。生知母怒，亦寄宿他所，示与妇绝。久之，母终不快，触物类而骂之，意皆在珊瑚。生曰：「娶妻以奉姑嫜，今若此，何以妻为！」遂出珊瑚，使老妪送诸其家。方出里门，珊瑚泣曰：「为女子不能作妇，归何以见双亲？不如死！」袖中出翦刀刺喉。急救之，血溢沾衿。扶归生族婶家。婶王氏，寡居无耦，遂止焉。媪归，生嘱隐其情，而心窃恐母知。过数日，探知珊瑚创渐平，登王氏门，使勿留珊瑚。王召之入；不入，但盛气逐珊瑚。无何，王率珊瑚出，见生，便问：「珊瑚何罪？」生责其不能事母。珊瑚脉脉不作一言，惟俯首呜泣，泪皆赤，素衫尽染，生惨恻不能尽词而退。又数日，母已闻之，怒诣王，恶言诮让。王傲不相下，反数其恶；且言：「妇已出，尚属安家何人？我自留陈氏女，非留安氏妇也，何烦强与他家事！」母怒甚而穷于词，又见意气詾詾，惭沮大哭而返。珊瑚意不自安，思他适。先是，生有母姨于媪，即沈姊也。年六十余，子死，止一幼孙及寡媳；又尝善视珊瑚。遂辞王往投媪。媪诘得故，极道妹子昏暴，即欲送之还。珊瑚力言其不可，兼嘱勿言，于是与于媪居，类姑妇焉。珊瑚有两兄，闻而怜之，欲移之归而嫁之。珊瑚执不肯，惟从于媪纺绩以自度。生自出妇，母多方为子谋婚，而悍声流播，远近无与为耦。积三四年，二成渐长，遂先为毕姻。二成妻臧姑，骄悍戾沓，尤倍于母。母或怒以色，则臧姑怒以声。二成又懦，不敢为左右袒。于是母威顿减，莫敢撄，反望色笑而承迎之，犹不能得臧姑懽。臧姑役母若婢；生不敢言，惟身代母操作，涤器洒扫之事皆与焉。母子恒于无人处，相对饮泣。无何，母以郁积病，委顿在床，便溺转侧皆须生；生昼夜不得寐，两目尽赤。呼弟代役，甫入门，臧姑辄唤去之。生于是奔告于媪，冀媪临存。入门，泣且诉。诉未毕，珊瑚自帏中出。生大惭，禁声欲出。珊瑚以两手叉扉。生窘急，自肘下冲出而归，亦不敢以告母。无何，于媪至，母喜止之。由此媪家无日不以人来，来辄以甘旨饷媪。媪寄语寡媳：「此处不饿，后勿复尔。」而家中餽遗，卒无少间。媪不肯少尝食，缄留以进病者。母病亦渐瘥。媪幼孙又以母命将佳饵来问疾。沈叹曰：「贤哉妇乎！姊何修者！」媪曰：「妹以去妇何如人？」曰：「嘻！诚不至夫己氏之甚也！然乌如甥妇贤！」媪曰：「妇在，汝不知劳；汝怒，妇不知怨：恶乎弗如？」沈乃泣下，且告之悔，曰：「珊瑚嫁也未者？」答云：「不知，请访之。」又数日，病良已。媪欲别。沈泣曰：「恐姊去，我仍死耳！」媪乃与生谋，析二成居。二成告臧姑。臧姑不乐，语侵兄，兼及媪。生愿以良田悉归二成，臧姑乃喜。立析产书已，媪始去。明日，以车乘来迎沈。沈至其家，先求见甥妇，极道甥妇德。媪曰：「小女子百善，何遂无一疵？余固能容之。子即有妇如吾妇，恐亦不能享也。」沈曰：「鸣呼冤哉！谓我木石鹿豕耶！具有口鼻，岂有触香臭而不知者？」媪曰：「被出如珊瑚，不知念子作何语？」曰：「骂之耳。」媪曰：「诚反躬无可骂，亦恶乎而骂之？」曰：「瑕疵人所时有，惟其不能贤，是以知其骂也。」媪曰：「当怨者不怨，则德焉者可知；当去者不去，则抚焉者可知。向之所餽遗而奉事者，固非予妇也，而妇也。」沈惊曰：「如何？」曰：「珊瑚寄此久矣。向之所供，皆渠夜绩之所贻也。」沈闻之，泣数行下，曰：「我何以见吾妇矣！」媪乃呼珊瑚。珊瑚含涕而出，伏地下。母惭痛自挝，媪力劝始止，遂为姑媳如初。十余日偕归，家中薄田数亩，不足自给，惟恃生以笔耕，妇以针耨。二成称饶足，然兄不之求，弟亦不之顾也。臧姑以嫂之出也鄙之；嫂亦恶其悍，置不齿。兄弟隔院居。臧姑时有凌虐，一家尽掩其耳。臧姑无所用虐，虐夫及婢。婢一日自经死。婢父讼臧姑，二成代妇质理，大受扑责，仍坐拘臧姑。生上下为之营脱，卒不免。臧姑械十指，肉尽脱。官贪暴，索望良奢。二成质田贷赀，如数纳入，始释归。而债家责负日亟，不得已，悉以良田鬻于村中任翁。翁以田半属大成所让，要生署券。生往，翁忽自言：「我安孝廉也。任某何人，敢市吾业！」又顾生曰：「冥间感汝夫妻孝，故使我暂归一面。」生出涕曰：「父有灵，急救吾弟！」曰：「逆子悍妇，不足惜也！归家速办金，赎吾血产。」生曰：「母子仅自存活，安得多金？」曰：「紫薇树下有藏金，可以取用。」欲再问之，翁已不语；少时而醒，茫不自知。生归告母，亦未深信。臧姑已率数人往发窖，坎地四五尺，止见砖石，并无所谓金者，失意而去。生闻其掘藏，戒母及妻勿往视。后知其无所获，母窃往窥之，见砖石杂土中，遂返。珊瑚继至，则见土内悉白镪；呼生往验之，果然。生以先人所遗，不忍私，召二成均分之。数适得揭取之二，各囊之而归。二成与臧姑共验之，启囊则瓦砾满中，大骇。疑二成为兄所愚，使二成往窥兄，兄方陈金几上，与母相庆。因实告兄，生亦骇，而心甚怜之，举金而并赐之。二成乃喜，往酬债讫，甚德兄。臧姑曰：「即此益知兄诈。若非自愧于心，谁肯以瓜分者复让人乎？」二成疑信半之。次日，债主遣仆来，言所偿皆伪金，将执以首官。夫妻皆失色。臧姑曰：「如何哉！我固谓兄贤不至于此，是将以杀汝也！」二成惧，往哀债主，主怒不释。二成乃券田于主，听其自售，始得原金而归。细视之，见断金二铤，仅裹真金一韭叶许，中尽铜耳。臧姑因与二成谋：留其断者，余仍返诸兄以觇之。且教之言曰：「屡承让德，实所不忍。薄留二铤，以见推施之义。所存物产，尚与兄等。余无庸多田也，业已弃之，赎否在兄。」生不知其意，固让之。二成辞甚决，生乃受。称之，少五两余。命珊瑚质匳妆以满其数，携付债主。主疑似旧金，以翦刀断验之，纹色俱足，无少差谬，遂收金，与生易券。二成还金后，意其必有参差；既闻旧业已赎，大奇之。臧姑疑发掘时，兄先隐其真金，忿诣兄所，责数诟厉。生乃悟返金之故。珊瑚逆而笑曰：「产固在耳，何怒为？」使生出券付之。二成一夜梦父责之曰：「汝不孝不弟，冥限已迫，寸土皆非己有，占赖将以奚为！」醒告臧姑，欲以田归兄。臧姑嗤其愚。是时二成有两男，长七岁，次三岁。无何，长男病痘死。臧姑始惧，使二成退券于兄，言之再三，生不受。未几，次男又死。臧姑益惧，自以券置嫂所。春将尽，田芜秽不耕，生不得已，种治之。臧姑自此改行，定省如孝子，敬嫂亦至。未半年而母病卒。臧姑哭之恸，至勺饮不入口。向人曰：「姑早死，使我不得事，是天不许我自赎也！」产十胎皆不育，遂以兄子为子。夫妻皆寿终。生三子，皆举进士。人以为孝友之报云。
书生安大成是重庆人。他的父亲是孝廉，早年去世，弟弟二成还小。大成娶了陈氏，小名珊瑚，性情温柔贤淑。大成的母亲沈氏却凶悍乖张，待人刻薄，对珊瑚十分虐待，珊瑚从不露出怨恨的神色。每天清早，她都梳妆整齐，去向婆婆请安。有一次大成生病，母亲说珊瑚打扮得这样，是在引诱丈夫纵欲，便辱骂责备她。珊瑚退下，卸了妆再来。母亲更加恼怒，用头撞地，捶打自己。大成一向孝顺，便鞭打妻子，母亲的怒气才稍稍平息。从此，她越发憎恨珊瑚。珊瑚虽然小心尽力地侍奉她，她始终不肯跟珊瑚说一句话。大成知道母亲生气，也到别处借宿，表示自己已经和妻子断绝往来。过了很久，母亲还是不痛快，碰到什么都要骂，话里针对的全是珊瑚。大成说：“娶妻是为了侍奉父母，如今成了这样，还要妻子做什么！”于是休了珊瑚，让一个老妇人送她回娘家。刚出村口，珊瑚便哭着说：“身为女子，却不能做好人家的媳妇，回去怎么面对父母？不如死了！”说着从袖子里取出剪刀，刺向自己的喉咙。老妇人急忙救她，鲜血涌出，沾湿了衣襟。老妇人把她扶到大成族婶家里。族婶王氏守寡独居，便让珊瑚住了下来。老妇人回来后，大成嘱咐她隐瞒这件事，心里却暗暗怕母亲知道。过了几天，大成打听到珊瑚的伤口渐渐愈合，就到王氏门前，要她不要收留珊瑚。王氏请他进去，他不肯进，只气势汹汹地要求赶走珊瑚。不一会儿，王氏带着珊瑚出来，见到大成便问：“珊瑚有什么罪？”大成责备珊瑚不能侍奉母亲。珊瑚默默含情，一句话也不说，只低头呜咽，流下的眼泪都是红的，把白衣服全染红了。大成心里悲痛，不忍再看，话没说完便退了回去。又过了几天，母亲已经听说这件事，气冲冲地到王氏家，用恶毒的话责骂她。王氏毫不退让，反过来数说沈氏的过错，还说：“媳妇已经被休了，如今还算安家的什么人？我收留的是陈家的女儿，不是安家的媳妇，何必硬来干涉别人家的事！”母亲恼怒到了极点，却找不出话来反驳，又见王氏气势逼人，羞惭沮丧，大哭着回去了。珊瑚心里不安，想搬到别处。大成有个姨母于老太太，就是沈氏的姐姐，已经六十多岁，儿子死了，只剩一个年幼的孙子和守寡的儿媳。她从前也常常善待珊瑚。珊瑚便辞别王氏，去投奔她。于老太太问清缘故，狠狠数落妹妹糊涂凶暴，立刻就想把珊瑚送回去。珊瑚极力说不能这样，又嘱咐她不要声张，于是留在于老太太家里，两人像婆媳一样相处。珊瑚有两个哥哥，听说后很怜惜她，想接她回家，让她另嫁。珊瑚坚决不肯，只跟着于老太太纺纱织布，靠自己的劳动过活。大成休妻以后，母亲想尽办法替他另找亲事，可她凶悍的名声已经传开，远近都没有人肯把女儿嫁来。过了三四年，二成渐渐长大，便先给他成了亲。二成的妻子臧姑骄横凶悍，乖戾蛮横，比母亲还厉害得多。母亲若脸上露出怒色，臧姑就开口发怒。二成又懦弱，不敢偏向任何一方。母亲的威风顿时消减，谁也不敢招惹臧姑，她反而要看臧姑的脸色，赔笑迎合，即使这样，也不能让臧姑高兴。臧姑把婆婆当婢女使唤。大成不敢说什么，只能亲自替母亲做事，洗涤器皿、洒水扫地，都由他来干。母子常常在没人的地方相对落泪。不久，母亲因郁闷积在心里而病倒，虚弱地躺在床上，大小便、翻身都要大成照料。大成昼夜不能睡觉，两只眼睛都熬红了。他叫弟弟来替换，二成刚进门，臧姑就把他叫走。大成于是跑去找于老太太，希望她来探望母亲。他进门就一边哭，一边诉苦。还没说完，珊瑚忽然从帷幕后走了出来。大成十分羞惭，马上住了口，想要出去。珊瑚伸出两只手拦住门口。大成窘迫着急，从她胳膊底下冲出去，回了家，也不敢把这件事告诉母亲。不久，于老太太来了，母亲高兴地留她住下。从此，于老太太家每天都有人来，每次都带着好吃的给她。于老太太托人告诉守寡的儿媳：“我在这里饿不着，往后不要再送了。”可家里送来的食物始终一天也没断。于老太太一点也舍不得尝，都留着给病人吃，母亲的病也渐渐好转。于老太太的小孙子又奉母亲的吩咐，带着精美的糕饼来问候病人。沈氏感叹说：“多么贤惠的媳妇啊！姐姐，你修了什么福，才有这样的媳妇！”于老太太说：“妹妹，你觉得那个被你休掉的媳妇怎么样？”沈氏说：“唉！她确实没有那个女人那么坏！可又怎么比得上外甥媳妇贤惠！”于老太太说：“她在的时候，你从不知道劳苦；你生气的时候，她从不心生怨恨。她哪里比不上？”沈氏这才流下眼泪，向姐姐说自己后悔了，又问：“珊瑚嫁人了没有？”于老太太回答：“不知道，让我打听一下。”又过了几天，沈氏的病已经大好，于老太太想告辞。沈氏哭着说：“恐怕姐姐一走，我还是要死啊！”于老太太便和大成商量，让二成分家另过。二成告诉臧姑，臧姑不高兴，话里辱骂哥哥，连于老太太也一起骂。大成愿意把好田全给二成，臧姑才高兴。分产的文书立好后，于老太太才离开。第二天，她派车来接沈氏。沈氏到了姐姐家，先要求见外甥媳妇，极力称赞她的品德。于老太太说：“一个年轻女子，即使有百般好处，怎么就会没有一点毛病？只是我能容忍她罢了。你即使有个像我儿媳这样的媳妇，恐怕也享受不了。”沈氏说：“哎呀，真是冤枉我了！难道你把我看成木头石头、鹿猪一样吗！我也有嘴有鼻子，难道闻到香臭还会不知道？”于老太太说：“像珊瑚这样被休出去的人，不知道想起你时，会说些什么？”沈氏说：“不过是骂我罢了。”于老太太说：“要是你反省自己，确实没有什么可骂的，她又为什么骂你？”沈氏说：“谁都会有些毛病，只因她不够贤惠，我才知道她会骂我。”于老太太说：“应该怨恨却不怨恨，就能知道她的品德；应该离开却不肯离开，就能知道她对你的关怀。先前送东西来侍奉你的，本来就不是我的媳妇，而是你的媳妇。”沈氏吃惊地问：“怎么回事？”于老太太说：“珊瑚住在这里很久了。先前供给你的那些东西，都是她夜里纺织挣来的。”沈氏听了，眼泪接连流下来，说：“我还有什么脸见我的媳妇！”于老太太便把珊瑚叫出来。珊瑚含着眼泪出来，伏在地上。母亲又羞惭又痛悔，捶打自己，于老太太极力劝说，她才停下。两人于是像从前一样，重新做了婆媳。十多天后，她们一起回家。家里只有几亩贫瘠的田地，不够维持生活，全靠大成替人写字挣钱，珊瑚做针线活谋生。二成算是富足，可哥哥不向他求助，弟弟也不来关照哥哥。臧姑因为嫂子曾经被休而看不起她；珊瑚也厌恶臧姑凶悍，不屑理会她。兄弟隔着院子居住。臧姑时常欺凌辱骂，大成一家都捂住耳朵。臧姑无处施展凶横，便虐待丈夫和婢女。有一天，婢女上吊死了。婢女的父亲把臧姑告到官府，二成代妻子应诉，挨了重重的责打，官府仍然下令拘捕臧姑。大成到处奔走，求上求下，想替她脱罪，最终还是没能免掉刑罚。臧姑的十根手指被夹刑具夹住，皮肉都脱落了。官员贪婪残暴，索要的贿赂数目很大。二成抵押田地，借来钱，按数交上，臧姑才被释放回家。可债主一天比一天催得紧，二成不得已，要把好田全卖给村里的任老翁。因为田地有一半是大成让给二成的，任老翁要求大成在契约上签字。大成去了，任老翁忽然开口说：“我是安孝廉。姓任的是什么人，竟敢买我的产业！”又转向大成说：“阴间被你们夫妻的孝心感动，所以让我暂时回来见你一面。”大成流着眼泪说：“父亲若在天有灵，请赶快救救我的弟弟！”父亲说：“忤逆的儿子，凶悍的媳妇，不值得怜惜！你回家赶快筹办银子，赎回我用心血挣下的产业。”大成说：“我和母亲勉强才能活下去，哪里来那么多银子？”父亲说：“紫薇树下藏着银子，可以取来用。”大成还想再问，任老翁已经不说话了。过了一会儿，他清醒过来，对刚才的事全然不知。大成回家告诉母亲，也没有十分相信。臧姑却已经带了几个人去挖藏银，挖下四五尺，只见砖头石块，根本没有什么银子，便失望地离开了。大成听说她去挖藏银，嘱咐母亲和妻子不要过去看。后来知道她什么也没找到，母亲偷偷过去看了看，见砖石混在泥土里，就回来了。珊瑚随后过去，却看见泥土里全是白银，便叫大成来查看，果然如此。大成觉得这是父亲留下的，不忍独占，就叫二成来平分。银子的总数恰好是二成借款的两倍，两人各装进袋子，带回家去。二成和臧姑一起查看，打开袋子，里面却全是碎瓦石块，两人大吃一惊。臧姑怀疑二成被哥哥骗了，让他去看看哥哥的情形。大成正把银子摆在桌上，和母亲一起庆贺。二成便如实告诉哥哥，大成也很吃惊，心里十分怜惜弟弟，就把自己的银子也全给了他。二成高兴地去还清了债，很感激哥哥。臧姑却说：“这件事更能看出你哥哥骗人。要不是心里有愧，谁肯把自己分得的那一份再让给别人？”二成半信半疑。第二天，债主派仆人来说，他们还的全是假银，要把他们抓去告官。夫妻俩都变了脸色。臧姑说：“怎么样！我早就说，你哥哥不会贤惠到这个地步，他这是要害死你啊！”二成害怕了，去哀求债主，债主恼怒，不肯罢休。二成只好把田地立契交给债主，任凭他出售，才取回原先的银子回家。仔细查看，发现有两锭已经被剪开，外面只包着韭菜叶那么薄的一层真银，里面全是铜。臧姑便和二成商量，留下剪开的两锭，其余仍还给哥哥，看看他怎么处置。她又教二成这样说：“哥哥多次把财物让给我，我实在过意不去。我只留下两锭，表示领受哥哥慷慨相助的好意。我剩下的产业，还和哥哥差不多。我不需要那么多田地，已经把它放弃了，赎不赎由哥哥决定。”大成不知道他的用意，坚决推让。二成辞让得十分坚决，大成才收下。称过以后，银子还差五两多。大成让珊瑚典当首饰，补足数目，带去交给债主。债主怀疑还是先前的银子，用剪刀剪开验看，纹理和成色都十足，没有一点不对，便收下银子，把田契交给大成。二成还了银子后，心想一定会出差错，等听说祖传的田产已经赎回，非常惊讶。臧姑怀疑挖银子的时候，哥哥先藏起了真银，便气冲冲地到哥哥家，大声责骂。大成这才明白弟弟归还银子的缘故。珊瑚迎上去，笑着说：“田产还在，有什么可生气的？”便让大成取出田契，交给臧姑。有一夜，二成梦见父亲责备他说：“你不孝顺父母，也不敬爱兄长，阴间定下的期限已经快到了，没有一寸土地属于你，占着不肯交还，又有什么用！”二成醒来告诉臧姑，想把田地还给哥哥。臧姑笑他愚蠢。当时二成有两个儿子，大的七岁，小的三岁。不久，大儿子出痘死了。臧姑这才害怕，让二成把田契退还哥哥。二成再三劝说，大成不肯收。没过多久，小儿子也死了。臧姑更加害怕，亲自把田契放到嫂子那里。春天快过完了，田里长满杂草，没有耕种，大成不得已，便去耕种料理。从此，臧姑改了品行，早晚向婆婆请安，像个孝顺的孩子，对嫂子也极其恭敬。不到半年，母亲病故。臧姑哭得十分悲痛，连一勺水也喝不下。她对人说：“婆婆这么早就死了，让我没法侍奉她，这是上天不许我赎回自己的罪过啊！”她生了十胎，都没养活，便把哥哥的儿子收作自己的儿子。夫妻两人都活到寿终。大成有三个儿子，全都考中了进士。人们说，这是他孝顺父母、友爱兄弟得到的报答。
An Dacheng was a scholar of Chongqing. His father, a provincial graduate, had died young, and his younger brother, Ercheng, was still a child. An married a girl of the Chen family whose childhood name was Shanhu. She was gentle and good. But An’s mother, née Shen, was shrewish, perverse and unkind. She treated Shanhu cruelly, and Shanhu never showed resentment. Every morning Shanhu made herself up and went to pay her respects. Once, when An was ill, his mother said she was painting herself to lead him into lewdness, and scolded her. Shanhu withdrew, took off her make-up and came back. His mother grew angrier still, knocking her head on the ground and beating herself. An had always been a dutiful son. He whipped his wife, and only then was his mother somewhat appeased. From then on she hated the girl all the more. Though Shanhu served her with the utmost care, she would never speak a word to her. Knowing his mother was angry, An too slept elsewhere, to show he had broken with his wife. Time passed, and still his mother was not pleased. She cursed at anything that came her way, and all of it was meant for Shanhu. “A man takes a wife to wait on his parents,” said An. “If it is like this, what use is a wife?” So he divorced Shanhu and had an old woman take her back to her family. They had just gone out of the village gate when Shanhu said, weeping, “A woman who cannot be a wife — how can I go home and face my parents? Better to die!” She took scissors from her sleeve and stabbed her throat. The old woman rushed to save her, but blood welled out and soaked her collar. She helped her to the house of An’s clan aunt, Mrs. Wang, a widow who lived alone, and there Shanhu stayed. When the old woman came back, An told her to keep it quiet, but secretly he was afraid his mother would find out. Some days later, learning that Shanhu’s wound was healing, he went to Mrs. Wang’s door and told her not to keep Shanhu. Mrs. Wang asked him in. He would not come in, but angrily demanded that Shanhu be sent away. Before long Mrs. Wang came out with Shanhu. Seeing An, she asked straight off, “What has Shanhu done wrong?” An charged her with failing to serve his mother. Shanhu gazed at him without a word, only hung her head and sobbed. Her tears were all red, and her white jacket was stained through. An was so stricken that he could not finish what he had to say, and left. A few days later his mother heard of it. She went to Mrs. Wang in a rage and berated her. Mrs. Wang proudly refused to give an inch, and listed the mother’s own wrongs back at her. “The girl has been divorced,” she said. “What is she to the An family now? I am keeping a daughter of the Chens, not a wife of the Ans. Why should you go poking into other families’ business?” The mother was furious but at a loss for words; and seeing how fierce Mrs. Wang was, she went home ashamed and crushed, wailing. Shanhu felt uneasy staying there and thought of going elsewhere. Now An had an aunt on his mother’s side, old Mrs. Yu, Mrs. Shen’s elder sister. She was over sixty; her son had died, leaving her only a young grandson and her widowed daughter-in-law. She had always been kind to Shanhu. So Shanhu took leave of Mrs. Wang and went to her. The old woman questioned her and got the story. She railed at her sister for a muddle-headed brute and wanted to take Shanhu straight back. Shanhu insisted it would not do, and begged her to say nothing. So she lived with old Mrs. Yu, much like a daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law. Shanhu had two elder brothers. Hearing of this, they pitied her and wanted to bring her home and marry her off again. Shanhu would not have it, and supported herself by spinning and weaving with old Mrs. Yu. After An divorced his wife, his mother tried every way to find him another match, but her name as a shrew had spread, and no one near or far would marry into the family. Three or four years went by. Ercheng was growing up, so they married him off first. Ercheng’s wife, Zanggu, was arrogant, fierce, perverse and quarrelsome — twice as bad as the mother. If the mother showed anger in her face, Zanggu showed it in her voice. Ercheng, moreover, was a weakling and dared not take either side. So the mother’s authority crumbled at once. No one dared cross Zanggu; instead the mother watched her face for a smile and fawned on her, and still she could not please her. Zanggu worked the mother like a maid. An dared not say anything; he could only do the work in his mother’s place, washing the dishes, sprinkling and sweeping and all. Mother and son would often weep quietly together where no one could see. Before long the mother fell ill from pent-up grief and lay helpless in bed. She needed An to relieve herself and to turn over. Day and night he got no sleep, until both his eyes were red. He called his brother to take a turn, but Ercheng had no sooner come in the door than Zanggu called him away. So An ran to old Mrs. Yu, hoping she would come and look in on his mother. He came in weeping and poured out his troubles. Before he had finished, Shanhu came out from behind the curtain. An, deeply ashamed, fell silent and made to leave. Shanhu barred the door with both hands. In desperation An ducked under her elbow, dashed out and went home. He did not dare tell his mother either. Before long old Mrs. Yu arrived, and the mother gladly kept her there. From then on not a day passed without someone coming from old Mrs. Yu’s house, and each time they brought her delicacies. Old Mrs. Yu sent word to her widowed daughter-in-law: “I am not starving here. Do not do this any more.” But the gifts from home never stopped for a single day. The old woman would not taste a bite of them, but kept them all for the invalid, and the mother gradually got better. Old Mrs. Yu’s little grandson also came, at his mother’s bidding, with fine cakes, to ask after the invalid. Mrs. Shen sighed. “What a good daughter-in-law! Sister, what merit you must have stored up!” “And your divorced daughter-in-law, sister,” said old Mrs. Yu, “what sort of person did you think her?” “Ah! She was certainly not as bad as that so-and-so,” said Mrs. Shen. “But how could she be as good as my nephew’s wife?” “When she was with you,” said old Mrs. Yu, “you never knew what work was; when you were angry, she never knew what resentment was. How is she not as good?” At this Mrs. Shen wept, and told her sister she was sorry. “Has Shanhu married again?” she asked. “I don’t know,” said old Mrs. Yu. “Let me find out.” After a few more days Mrs. Shen was quite well, and old Mrs. Yu wanted to leave. “I am afraid if you go, sister, I will die after all,” said Mrs. Shen, weeping. So old Mrs. Yu and An agreed to set Ercheng up in a separate household. Ercheng told Zanggu. She was displeased and said insulting things about her brother-in-law, and about the old woman too. An offered to give all the good land to Ercheng, and then Zanggu was pleased. Only when the deed dividing the property had been drawn up did old Mrs. Yu leave. The next day she sent a carriage for Mrs. Shen. When Mrs. Shen arrived, the first thing she asked was to see her nephew’s wife, and she praised the woman’s virtues to the skies. “The girl has a hundred good points,” said old Mrs. Yu, “but how could she be without a single flaw? It is just that I can put up with them. Even if you had a daughter-in-law like mine, I am afraid you could not enjoy her.” “Oh, how unjust!” said Mrs. Shen. “Do you take me for wood or stone, a deer or a pig? I have a mouth and a nose like anyone — how could I not know fragrance from stench?” “When someone like Shanhu is put out of the house,” said old Mrs. Yu, “what do you suppose she says when she thinks of you?” “She curses me, no doubt.” “If you look into yourself and truly find nothing to curse,” said old Mrs. Yu, “why would she curse you?” “Everyone has faults at times,” said Mrs. Shen. “It is only because she was not good that I know she curses me.” “When one who has every reason to resent you does not,” said old Mrs. Yu, “you can tell how much goodness is in her. When one who has every reason to leave you does not, you can tell how devoted she is. The one who has been sending those gifts and serving you all this time was not my daughter-in-law. It was yours.” “What do you mean?” said Mrs. Shen, startled. “Shanhu has been living here a long time. Everything you were given came from her spinning at night.” Hearing this, Mrs. Shen wept streams of tears. “How can I face my daughter-in-law?” Old Mrs. Yu called Shanhu, who came out with tears in her eyes and prostrated herself on the ground. The mother, in shame and anguish, beat herself, and only stopped when old Mrs. Yu begged her hard. And so they were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law again, as before. After ten days or so they went home together. The family had only a few mu of poor land, not enough to live on, and depended on An ploughing with his brush and his wife hoeing with her needle. Ercheng was well enough off, but the elder brother asked nothing of him, and the younger gave him no thought. Zanggu despised her sister-in-law for having once been divorced; her sister-in-law, for her part, loathed Zanggu’s shrewishness and would have nothing to do with her. The brothers lived on opposite sides of a courtyard. Zanggu was given to fits of bullying, but the whole family simply stopped their ears. With no one else to vent her cruelty on, she turned it on her husband and her maid. One day the maid hanged herself. The maid’s father brought a suit against Zanggu. Ercheng answered the charge in his wife’s place and was soundly beaten for it, but Zanggu was arrested all the same. An went to everyone, high and low, to get her off, but in the end it was no use. Zanggu’s ten fingers were put in the finger-press, and the flesh came clean off them. The magistrate was greedy and cruel and expected a large bribe. Ercheng mortgaged his land and borrowed money, paid in the full sum, and only then was she released and sent home. But his creditors pressed harder every day, and he had no choice but to sell all his good land to an old man named Ren in the village. Because half the land had been ceded by Dacheng, old Ren insisted that An sign the deed. An went. Suddenly the old man said, “I am Provincial Graduate An. Who is this Ren, that he dares buy my estate?” Then he turned to An. “The underworld was moved by the filial piety of you and your wife, so they have let me come back for a moment to see you.” An burst into tears. “Father, if your spirit is here, save my brother, quickly!” “An unfilial son and a shrew of a wife — they are not worth pitying. Go home and get money together quickly, and buy back the land I sweated blood for.” “Mother and I barely keep ourselves alive,” said An. “Where would I get so much money?” “There is silver buried under the crape myrtle. You may dig it up and use it.” An wanted to ask more, but the old man had fallen silent. A little later he came to himself, with no idea what had happened. An went home and told his mother, but they did not set much store by it. Zanggu, though, had already taken several men to dig up the hoard. They dug four or five feet down and found only bricks and stones, no silver at all, and went away disappointed. When An heard she had been digging, he warned his mother and wife not to go and look. Later, learning she had found nothing, his mother stole over for a look, saw bricks and stones mixed in the earth, and came back. Then Shanhu went, and she saw that the earth was full of silver ingots. She called An to come and see, and it was true. Because it had been left by their father, An could not bear to keep it for himself, and called Ercheng to share it equally. The total was exactly twice the amount Ercheng had borrowed; they divided it equally; they each put their share in a bag and went home. Ercheng and Zanggu examined theirs together. When they opened the bag it was full of broken tiles and gravel. They were aghast. Suspecting that Ercheng had been duped by his brother, Zanggu sent him to spy on An. An was just laying out the silver on the table and rejoicing with his mother. So Ercheng told his brother the truth. An was astonished too, but he felt very sorry for him and gave him all the silver. Ercheng was delighted. He went and paid off his debts, and was very grateful to his brother. Zanggu said, “This only proves your brother is a cheat. If he did not have a guilty conscience, who would hand over his own share to someone else?” Ercheng half believed her and half did not. Next day the creditor sent a servant to say the silver they had paid him was all counterfeit, and he was going to take them before the magistrate. Husband and wife both turned pale. “What did I tell you?” said Zanggu. “I always said your brother was not as good as all that. He means to kill you!” Ercheng was frightened. He went and begged the creditor, but the man was angry and would not let it go. So Ercheng signed his land over to him, to sell as he pleased, and only then got the original silver back and went home. Looking at it closely, he found two ingots that had been cut open: they had only a skin of real silver the thickness of a chive leaf, and inside was nothing but copper. So Zanggu laid a plan with Ercheng: keep the cut ingots and give the rest back to his brother, to see what he would do. And she taught him what to say: “You have yielded to me so generously, so many times, I really cannot bear it. I am keeping just two ingots, as a token of your kindness in sharing. What property I have left is still as much as yours. I have no need of more land; I have already given it up. Whether to redeem it is up to you.” An did not see what he meant, and pressed him to keep the silver. Ercheng refused very firmly, so An accepted. When he weighed it, it was over five taels short. He had Shanhu pawn her dowry things to make up the sum, and took it to the creditor. The creditor suspected it was the same silver as before. He cut it with shears to test it: grain and colour were both full and true, without the slightest flaw. So he took the silver and exchanged the deed with An. After returning the silver, Ercheng had expected something would go wrong. When he heard the old land had been redeemed, he was amazed. Zanggu suspected that An had hidden away the real silver when it was dug up. She stormed over to his house and cursed and railed at him. Only then did An understand why the silver had been returned. Shanhu met her with a smile. “The land is still there. Why be angry?” And she had An bring out the deed and give it to her. One night Ercheng dreamed that his father rebuked him: “You are no good son and no good brother. Your days on the underworld’s reckoning are nearly up. Not an inch of land is yours. What use is it to grab and cling?” Waking, he told Zanggu and wanted to give the land back to his brother. Zanggu laughed at him for a fool. At that time Ercheng had two sons, the elder seven, the younger three. Before long the elder died of smallpox. Now Zanggu began to be afraid, and had Ercheng take the deed back to his brother. He urged it again and again, but An would not accept. Not long after, the younger son died too. Zanggu, more frightened still, took the deed herself and left it with her sister-in-law. Spring was nearly over and the fields lay weedy and unploughed, so An had no choice but to plant and tend them. From then on Zanggu mended her ways. She waited on her mother-in-law morning and evening like a dutiful child, and was all respect to her sister-in-law. Less than half a year later the mother fell ill and died. Zanggu mourned her bitterly, until she could not take even a spoonful of water. She told people, “My mother-in-law died too soon, before I could serve her. Heaven will not let me redeem myself!” She bore ten children, and none of them lived, so they adopted one of An’s sons as their own. Husband and wife both lived out their full span. An had three sons, and all of them passed the jinshi examination. People said it was the reward for filial piety and brotherly love.