Explore the captivating story of Zhang Sheng, who encounters the Sea Lord and a mysterious woman on an uninhabited island, leading to a life-changing encounter with a snake spirit.
The ancient island in the East China Sea is covered with winter-resistant flowers of five colors, which never wither throughout the year. The island has been uninhabited since ancient times, and it is extremely rare to see people on the island. Zhang Sheng from Dengzhou is curious by nature and enjoys wandering and hunting. After hearing about the beautiful scenery on the island, he prepared food and wine and set off in his own small boat.
Upon arriving on the island, there, the flowers were in full bloom, their fragrance spreading for miles. Some of the trees were so thick that they could only be encircled by a dozen or so people. Zhang Sheng was captivated by the scenery and felt extremely content. He opened a bottle of wine, poured it for himself, but regretted not having a companion to share in the joy of the moment.
Suddenly, a beautiful woman emerged from among the flowers. She wore a dazzling red dress that outshone all other women. When she saw Zhang Sheng, she smiled and said, “I thought I had an extraordinary taste, but I never expected to find someone here with a similar sense of style.” Zhang Sheng, surprised, inquired about the woman’s identity. The beauty replied, “I am a courtesan from Jiaozhou and have just come from the Sea Lord’s place. He went off in search of better scenery, but I couldn’t walk any further, so I decided to stay here.” Zhang Sheng, feeling lonely, was delighted to meet the beautiful woman. He invited her to sit with him and share a drink.
The woman spoke gently and seductively, enchanting Zhang Sheng. He was very fond of her. Worried that the Sea Lord might return and spoil their enjoyment, Zhang Sheng pulled her close, and they shared an intimate moment. The woman willingly complied with his desires.
Before the two of them could become intimate, they suddenly heard the wind howling, and the vegetation swayed, making a rustling sound. The beautiful woman hastily pushed Zhang Sheng away and stood up, saying, “The Sea Lord is here.” Zhang Sheng quickly fastened his clothing and looked around in astonishment, but the beautiful woman had already disappeared.
In no time, Zhang Sheng saw a large snake crawling out from the bushes, thicker than a barrel. Zhang Sheng was filled with fear and hid behind a big tree, hoping the snake wouldn’t notice him. The snake slithered up to Zhang Sheng and wrapped itself around him and the tree, coiling around several times. Zhang Sheng’s arms were firmly bound to his waistbone, rendering him completely immobile. The snake raised its head and used its tongue to prick Zhang Sheng’s nose, causing it to bleed. The blood dripped onto the ground, forming a puddle, which the snake eagerly drank.
Zhang Sheng realized he was undoubtedly doomed, but suddenly remembered the pouch at his waist, containing poison used for killing foxes. He used two fingers to extract some, broke the paper packet, and piled the powdered poison into the palm of his hand. Then, he tilted his neck to let the blood drip onto the poison. In no time, he had accumulated a handful of blood. Sure enough, the snake approached his palm to suck the blood. Before it could finish, the snake straightened its body, wagged its tail, and emitted a thunderous sound. It collided with a tree, causing the trunk to split in half. Finally, the snake lay on the ground, lifeless, like a beam of timber.
Zhang Sheng felt dizzy and couldn’t stand up. It took him over a month to recover. He suspected that the woman was also a snake spirit.
《海公子》
东海古迹岛，有五色耐冬花，四时不凋。而岛中古无居人，人亦罕到之。登州张生，好奇，喜游猎。闻其佳胜，备酒食，自棹扁舟而往。
至则花正繁，香闻数里，树有大至十馀围者。反复留连，甚慊所好。开尊自酌，恨无同游。忽花中一丽人来，红裳炫目，略无伦比。见张，笑曰：“妾自谓兴致不凡，不图先有同调。”张惊问何人，曰：“我胶娼也。适从海公子来。彼寻胜翱翔，妾以艰于步履，故留此耳。”张方苦寂，得美人，大悦，招坐共饮。女言词温婉，荡人神志，张爱好之。恐海公子来，不得尽欢，因挽与乱。女忻从之。
相狎未已，忽闻风肃肃，草木偃折有声。女急推张起，曰：“海公子至矣。”张束衣愕顾，女已失去。旋见一大蛇，自丛树中出，粗于巨筩。张惧，幛身大树后，冀蛇不睹。蛇近前，以身绕人并树，纠缠数匝，两臂直束胯间，不可少屈。昂其首，以舌刺张鼻。鼻血下注，流地上成窪，乃俯就饮之。张自分必死，忽忆腰中佩荷囊，有毒狐药，因以二指夹出，破裹堆掌中，又侧颈自顾其掌，令血滴药上，顷刻盈把。蛇果就掌吸饮。饮未及尽，遽伸其体，摆尾若霹雳声，触树，树半体崩落，蛇卧地如梁而毙矣。张亦眩莫能起，移时方苏，载蛇而归。大病月馀。疑女子亦蛇精也。