段瑞環，大名富翁也。四十無子。妻連氏最妒，欲買妾而不敢。私一婢；連覺之，撻婢數百，鬻諸河間欒氏之家。段日益老，諸姪朝夕乞貸，一言不相應，怒徵聲色。段思不能給其求，而欲嗣一姪，則群姪阻撓之，連之悍亦無所施，始大悔。憤曰：「翁年六十餘，安見不能生男！」遂買兩妾，聽夫臨幸，不之問。居年餘，二妾皆有身，舉家皆喜。於是氣息漸舒。凡諸姪有所強取，輒惡聲梗拒之。無何，一妾生女，一妾生男而殤。夫妻失望。又將年餘，段中風不起，諸姪益肆，牛馬什物，競自取去。連詬斥之，輒反脣相稽。無所為計，朝夕嗚哭。段病益劇，尋死。諸姪集柩前，議析遺產。連雖痛切，然不能禁止之。但留沃墅一所，贍養老稚，姪輩不肯。連曰：「汝等寸土不留，將令老嫗及呱呱者餓死耶！」日不決，惟忿哭自撾。忽有客入弔，直趨靈所，俯仰盡哀。哀已，便就苫次。眾詰為誰。客曰：「亡者吾父也。」眾益駭。客從容自陳。先是，婢嫁欒氏，踰五六月，生子懷，欒撫之等諸男。十八歲入泮。後欒卒，諸兄析產，置不與諸欒齒。懷問母，始知其故。曰：「既屬兩姓，各有宗祏，何必在此承人百畝田哉！」乃命騎詣段，而段已死。言之鑿鑿，確可信據。連方忿痛，聞之大喜，直出曰：「我今亦復有兒！諸所假去牛馬什物，可好自送還；不然，有訟興也！」諸姪相顧失色，漸引去。懷乃攜妻來，共居父憂。諸段不平，共謀逐懷。懷知之，曰：「欒不以為欒，段復不以為段，我安適歸乎！」忿欲質官，諸戚黨為之排解，群謀亦寢。而連以牛馬故，不肯已。懷勸置之。連曰：「我非為牛馬也，雜氣集滿胸，汝父以憤死，我所以吞聲忍泣者，為無兒耳。今有兒，何畏哉！前事汝不知狀，待予自質審。」懷固止之，不聽，具詞赴宰控。宰拘諸段，審狀，連氣直詞惻，吐陳泉湧。宰為動容，并懲諸段，追物給主。既歸，其兄弟之子有不與黨謀者，招之來，以所追物，盡散給之。連七十餘歲，將死，呼女及孫媳曰：「汝等誌之：如三十不育，便當典質釵珥，為婿納妾。無子之情狀實難堪也！」
段瑞環是大名的富翁，到了四十歲還沒有兒子。他的妻子連氏嫉妒心很強，他想買個妾，卻不敢。他私下與一個婢女有了關係，連氏察覺後，把婢女打了幾百下，賣給了河間的欒家。段瑞環一天天老去，侄子們早晚來求他借錢，只要有一句話不順他們的意，就在言語和臉色上露出怒氣。段瑞環覺得無法滿足他們的索求，想過繼一個侄子，其他侄子卻一起阻撓。連氏再兇悍，對他們也使不上勁，這才十分後悔。她氣憤地說：「老頭子才六十多歲，怎麼就認定他不能生兒子！」於是買了兩個妾，任丈夫與她們同房，不再過問。過了一年多，兩個妾都懷了孕，全家都很高興，夫妻倆這才漸漸鬆了口氣。侄子們再來強行索取東西，他們就厲聲拒絕。不久，一個妾生了女兒，另一個妾生了兒子，卻夭折了。夫妻倆大失所望。又過了將近一年，段瑞環中風，臥床不起，侄子們更加放肆，爭著把牛馬和各種家用物品拿走。連氏責罵他們，他們就反過來頂撞。她無計可施，早晚哭泣。段瑞環的病越來越重，不久便死了。侄子們聚在靈柩前，商量分割遺產。連氏雖然悲痛萬分，卻阻止不了，只求留下一處肥沃的田莊，供養老人和孩子，侄子們也不肯。連氏說：「你們連一寸土地都不留下，是要讓老婆子和啼哭的小孩子餓死嗎！」爭了一整天也沒有結果，她只能氣憤地哭著捶打自己。忽然有個客人進來弔喪，徑直走到靈前，俯身叩拜，盡情哀哭。哭完，就到守喪的草蓆上坐下。眾人問他是誰，客人說：「死去的人是我父親。」眾人更加驚訝，客人便從容地講述了自己的身世。原來，那個婢女嫁到欒家後，過了五六個月，生下兒子懷。欒氏撫養他，和自己的其他兒子一樣。懷十八歲考取秀才。後來欒氏死了，幾個哥哥分家產，把他撇在一邊，不把他當作欒家的兒子。懷問母親，這才知道緣故。他說：「既然分屬兩個姓氏，各有各的祖宗，何必留在這裡，繼承別人的百畝田地呢！」於是叫人備馬，來到段家，可段瑞環已經死了。他說得清楚確切，確實可信。連氏正在氣憤悲痛之中，聽了大喜，徑直走出來說：「如今我也有兒子了！你們借走的牛馬和各種物品，最好自己送回來，不然就要打官司了！」侄子們面面相覷，臉色都變了，漸漸退了出去。懷便把妻子接來，一起住在段家，為父親守喪。段家的侄子們心中不服，共同謀劃趕走懷。懷知道後說：「欒家不認我是欒家人，段家又不認我是段家人，我還能到哪裡去！」他氣得想找官府評理，親戚們出面調解，侄子們的謀劃才停了下來。連氏卻為了牛馬的事，不肯罷休。懷勸她算了，連氏說：「我不是為了牛馬，各種怨氣都堵在胸口。你父親是氣死的，我之所以忍氣吞聲，含淚忍耐，只因為沒有兒子。如今有了兒子，還有什麼可怕的！以前的事情，你不知道詳情，等我親自去官府把事情說清楚。」懷再三阻止，她不聽，寫了狀子，到縣令那裡告狀。縣令拘來段家的侄子們，審問事情的經過。連氏理直氣壯，言辭悲切，積壓的委屈像泉水一樣傾瀉出來。縣令聽得動容，懲罰了那些侄子，追回物品，交還原主。連氏回家後，把丈夫兄弟的兒子中沒有參與合謀的叫來，將追回的物品全部分給了他們。連氏七十多歲時，臨死前叫來女兒和孫媳婦，說：「你們記住：到了三十歲還沒有生孩子，就該典當簪子耳環，給丈夫納妾。沒有兒子的處境，實在讓人難以忍受！」
段瑞环，大名富翁也。四十无子。妻连氏最妒，欲买妾而不敢。私一婢；连觉之，挞婢数百，鬻诸河间栾氏之家。段日益老，诸姪朝夕乞贷，一言不相应，怒徵声色。段思不能给其求，而欲嗣一姪，则群姪阻挠之，连之悍亦无所施，始大悔。愤曰：「翁年六十余，安见不能生男！」遂买两妾，听夫临幸，不之问。居年余，二妾皆有身，举家皆喜。于是气息渐舒。凡诸姪有所强取，辄恶声梗拒之。无何，一妾生女，一妾生男而殇。夫妻失望。又将年余，段中风不起，诸姪益肆，牛马什物，竞自取去。连诟斥之，辄反唇相稽。无所为计，朝夕呜哭。段病益剧，寻死。诸姪集柩前，议析遗产。连虽痛切，然不能禁止之。但留沃墅一所，赡养老稚，姪辈不肯。连曰：「汝等寸土不留，将令老妪及呱呱者饿死耶！」日不决，惟忿哭自挝。忽有客入吊，直趋灵所，俯仰尽哀。哀已，便就苫次。众诘为谁。客曰：「亡者吾父也。」众益骇。客从容自陈。先是，婢嫁栾氏，逾五六月，生子怀，栾抚之等诸男。十八岁入泮。后栾卒，诸兄析产，置不与诸栾齿。怀问母，始知其故。曰：「既属两姓，各有宗祏，何必在此承人百亩田哉！」乃命骑诣段，而段已死。言之凿凿，确可信据。连方忿痛，闻之大喜，直出曰：「我今亦复有儿！诸所假去牛马什物，可好自送还；不然，有讼兴也！」诸姪相顾失色，渐引去。怀乃携妻来，共居父忧。诸段不平，共谋逐怀。怀知之，曰：「栾不以为栾，段复不以为段，我安适归乎！」忿欲质官，诸戚党为之排解，群谋亦寝。而连以牛马故，不肯已。怀劝置之。连曰：「我非为牛马也，杂气集满胸，汝父以愤死，我所以吞声忍泣者，为无儿耳。今有儿，何畏哉！前事汝不知状，待予自质审。」怀固止之，不听，具词赴宰控。宰拘诸段，审状，连气直词恻，吐陈泉涌。宰为动容，并惩诸段，追物给主。既归，其兄弟之子有不与党谋者，招之来，以所追物，尽散给之。连七十余岁，将死，呼女及孙媳曰：「汝等志之：如三十不育，便当典质钗珥，为婿纳妾。无子之情状实难堪也！」
段瑞环是大名的富翁，到了四十岁还没有儿子。他的妻子连氏嫉妒心很强，他想买个妾，却不敢。他私下与一个婢女有了关系，连氏察觉后，把婢女打了几百下，卖给了河间的栾家。段瑞环一天天老去，侄子们早晚来求他借钱，只要有一句话不顺他们的意，就在言语和脸色上露出怒气。段瑞环觉得无法满足他们的索求，想过继一个侄子，其他侄子却一起阻挠。连氏再凶悍，对他们也使不上劲，这才十分后悔。她气愤地说：“老头子才六十多岁，怎么就认定他不能生儿子！”于是买了两个妾，任丈夫与她们同房，不再过问。过了一年多，两个妾都怀了孕，全家都很高兴，夫妻俩这才渐渐松了口气。侄子们再来强行索取东西，他们就厉声拒绝。不久，一个妾生了女儿，另一个妾生了儿子，却夭折了。夫妻俩大失所望。又过了将近一年，段瑞环中风，卧床不起，侄子们更加放肆，争着把牛马和各种家用物品拿走。连氏责骂他们，他们就反过来顶撞。她无计可施，早晚哭泣。段瑞环的病越来越重，不久便死了。侄子们聚在灵柩前，商量分割遗产。连氏虽然悲痛万分，却阻止不了，只求留下一处肥沃的田庄，供养老人和孩子，侄子们也不肯。连氏说：“你们连一寸土地都不留下，是要让老婆子和啼哭的小孩子饿死吗！”争了一整天也没有结果，她只能气愤地哭着捶打自己。忽然有个客人进来吊丧，径直走到灵前，俯身叩拜，尽情哀哭。哭完，就到守丧的草席上坐下。众人问他是谁，客人说：“死去的人是我父亲。”众人更加惊讶，客人便从容地讲述了自己的身世。原来，那个婢女嫁到栾家后，过了五六个月，生下儿子怀。栾氏抚养他，和自己的其他儿子一样。怀十八岁考取秀才。后来栾氏死了，几个哥哥分家产，把他撇在一边，不把他当作栾家的儿子。怀问母亲，这才知道缘故。他说：“既然分属两个姓氏，各有各的祖宗，何必留在这里，继承别人的百亩田地呢！”于是叫人备马，来到段家，可段瑞环已经死了。他说得清楚确切，确实可信。连氏正在气愤悲痛之中，听了大喜，径直走出来说：“如今我也有儿子了！你们借走的牛马和各种物品，最好自己送回来，不然就要打官司了！”侄子们面面相觑，脸色都变了，渐渐退了出去。怀便把妻子接来，一起住在段家，为父亲守丧。段家的侄子们心中不服，共同谋划赶走怀。怀知道后说：“栾家不认我是栾家人，段家又不认我是段家人，我还能到哪里去！”他气得想找官府评理，亲戚们出面调解，侄子们的谋划才停了下来。连氏却为了牛马的事，不肯罢休。怀劝她算了，连氏说：“我不是为了牛马，各种怨气都堵在胸口。你父亲是气死的，我之所以忍气吞声，含泪忍耐，只因为没有儿子。如今有了儿子，还有什么可怕的！以前的事情，你不知道详情，等我亲自去官府把事情说清楚。”怀再三阻止，她不听，写了状子，到县令那里告状。县令拘来段家的侄子们，审问事情的经过。连氏理直气壮，言辞悲切，积压的委屈像泉水一样倾泻出来。县令听得动容，惩罚了那些侄子，追回物品，交还原主。连氏回家后，把丈夫兄弟的儿子中没有参与合谋的叫来，将追回的物品全部分给了他们。连氏七十多岁时，临死前叫来女儿和孙媳妇，说：“你们记住：到了三十岁还没有生孩子，就该典当簪子耳环，给丈夫纳妾。没有儿子的处境，实在让人难以忍受！”
Duan Ruihuan was a rich man of Daming. At forty he still had no son. His wife, whose family name was Lian, was extremely jealous; he wanted to buy a concubine but did not dare. He had an affair with a maid. Mrs. Lian found out, had the maid given several hundred strokes, and sold her to the Luan family of Hejian. Duan grew older by the day. His nephews came to him morning and evening asking for loans, and if he refused them a single word, their anger showed in their voices and faces. Duan reckoned he could never meet all their demands, and he wanted to adopt one nephew as his heir, but the other nephews blocked it. Mrs. Lian’s ferocity had nothing to work on, and for the first time she bitterly regretted what she had done. “The old man is over sixty,” she said angrily, “but who says he can’t still father a son!” So she bought two concubines and let her husband take them to bed as he pleased, without a word. After a year or so both concubines were with child, and the whole household rejoiced. Then they began to breathe more easily. Whenever the nephews tried to take something by force, they were turned away with harsh words. Before long one concubine bore a girl, and the other bore a boy who died. Husband and wife were bitterly disappointed. Nearly a year later Duan had a stroke and took to his bed. The nephews grew bolder still and vied with one another to carry off oxen, horses and household goods. When Mrs. Lian cursed them, they answered back. She did not know what to do, and wept morning and night. Duan grew worse and soon died. The nephews gathered before the coffin to talk about dividing the estate. Mrs. Lian, bitterly grieved as she was, could not stop them. She asked only to keep one good farm to support the old and the young, but the nephews refused. “You won’t leave us an inch of ground!” she said. “Do you mean to let an old woman and a squalling baby starve to death?” All day it went unsettled, and she could only weep in rage and beat herself. Suddenly a visitor came in to mourn. He went straight to the spirit tablet, bowed and rose, and gave full vent to his grief. When he had finished, he took his place on the mourner’s mat. They asked who he was. “The dead man is my father,” said the visitor. They were more astonished than ever. Unhurried, the visitor told his story. The maid had been married into the Luan family, and five or six months later she bore a son, Huai. Luan raised him just like his other sons. At eighteen Huai entered the county school. Later Luan died, and when the elder brothers divided the property they left Huai out and would not count him as a Luan. Huai asked his mother, and only then learned why. “Since we are of two different surnames,” he said, “each with its own ancestral tablets, why should I stay here and inherit a hundred mu of another man’s fields?” So he had a horse readied and rode to the Duans’, but Duan was already dead. Everything he said was precise and could be relied on. Mrs. Lian, in the midst of her rage and grief, was overjoyed to hear it. She came straight out and said, “Now I have a son too! All the oxen and horses and things you borrowed, you had better bring back of your own accord. If not, there will be a lawsuit!” The nephews looked at one another and went pale, and one by one they slipped away. Huai then brought his wife, and they stayed to mourn his father together. The Duans resented it and plotted together to drive Huai out. Huai learned of it. “The Luans won’t count me a Luan,” he said, “and now the Duans won’t count me a Duan. Where am I to go?” In his anger he meant to take it to the magistrate, but relatives and friends of the family smoothed things over, and the plot was dropped. But Mrs. Lian, over the oxen and horses, would not let it rest. Huai urged her to drop it. “It isn’t for the oxen and horses,” she said. “My chest is full of every kind of rage. Your father died of indignation, and the only reason I swallowed my voice and held back my tears was that I had no son. Now I have a son, what is there to fear? You don’t know how things went before. Let me face them in court myself.” Huai tried hard to stop her, but she would not listen. She drew up a complaint and went to the magistrate. The magistrate summoned the Duans. At the hearing Mrs. Lian’s spirit was upright and her words moving; her account poured out like a spring. The magistrate was moved. He punished the Duans and had the goods recovered and returned to their owner. When she got home, she sent for those of her husband’s nephews who had taken no part in the plot, and gave away all the recovered goods among them. When Mrs. Lian was over seventy and near death, she called her daughter and her grandson’s wife and said, “Remember this: if you have borne no child by thirty, pawn your hairpins and earrings and buy your husband a concubine. To be without a son is truly more than anyone can bear!”