Discover the incredible journey of Le Yunhe, his unwavering friendship with Xia Pingzi, a life-changing encounter with a Thunder God, and the remarkable destiny that awaited him in this captivating narrative of virtue and destiny.
Le Yunhe and Xia Pingzi grew up together in the same village when they were young, and they attended the same school as they grew older, becoming very close friends. Xia Pingzi was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and had already gained some fame by the age of ten. Le Yunhe humbly learned from him, and Xia Pingzi tirelessly imparted his knowledge. As a result, Le Yunhe’s literary talents improved daily, and soon both of them became equally renowned. However, both Le Yunhe and Xia Pingzi faced unfortunate circumstances in the imperial examination, as they failed every time they participated.
Before long, Xia Pingzi succumbed to a plague, leaving his family in dire straits with no means for a proper burial. Le Yunhe stepped forward willingly and took on the responsibility of burying his deceased friend. He provided timely assistance to Xia Pingzi’s widow and infant left behind. Every time he received one and a half sheng of grain, Le Yunhe would divide it equally, ensuring both families shared it. It was through his support that Xia Pingzi’s widow and orphans were able to survive. As a result, scholars held Le Yunhe in even higher esteem for his virtuous and righteous deeds.
Le Yunhe had little family wealth and had to share the burden of Xia Pingzi’s responsibilities, which made their livelihood increasingly difficult. Thus, Le Yunhe sighed and said, “Talented individuals like Pingzi have died in obscurity. What’s more, someone as ordinary as me! In this world, we should enjoy life in a timely manner. Living in misery year-round, I fear that I won’t live long enough to achieve fame and contribute to the country. I’ve lived in vain for a lifetime; it’s better to find a solution early.” Consequently, he gave up the imperial examination and turned to business. After half a year of effort, he achieved a comfortable life with his growing wealth.
One day, Le Yunhe was staying as a guest in Jinling city, resting in an inn. He saw a man with a tall and robust physique, but with a sorrowful expression, wandering around him. Le Yunhe asked him, “Would you like to have something to eat?” The man remained silent. Le Yunhe pushed some food towards him and encouraged him to eat. The man reached out and quickly devoured the food. Le Yunhe then bought two more meals for both of them, and the man ate them all. Le Yunhe instructed the innkeeper to cut a large piece of pork knuckle and arranged a table full of steamed cakes for the man to eat. The man consumed several people’s worth of food in one go, finally filling his stomach. He thanked Le Yunhe and said, “I haven’t eaten this much in three years.” Le Yunhe remarked, “You must be a strong man. Why have you fallen into such poverty?” The man replied, “I have offended the heavens and received punishment, which I cannot speak of.” Le Yunhe asked where he lived, and the man said, “I have no house on land, no boat on the water. I wander in the village during the morning and in the city at night, with no fixed abode.”
Le Yunhe packed his belongings, preparing to leave, but the man followed him, reluctant to part. When Le Yunhe bid him farewell, the man said, “You are about to face great adversity, and I cannot forget the kindness of the meal you provided.” Le Yunhe found it strange but agreed to let him accompany him. On the way, Le Yunhe offered the man another meal, but the man declined, saying, “I only eat a few meals a year; that’s enough.” Le Yunhe felt even more puzzled.
The next day, as Le Yunhe was crossing the river with his cargo, a sudden and violent wind arose, causing the river waves to surge. Shortly thereafter, the merchant ship capsized, and both Le Yunhe and the other man fell into the river. After a while, the wind ceased, and the man emerged from the water with Le Yunhe on his back, walking on the waves. He boarded a passenger boat, placed Le Yunhe on it, and then jumped back into the water. Before long, he dragged another boat from the water and helped Le Yunhe onto it. He instructed Le Yunhe to lie still in the boat and not move. Once again, the man jumped into the river, using his arms to carry the cargo to the surface. He tossed the cargo into the boat that Le Yunhe was on, then plunged back into the water. After several back-and-forths like this, the boat was filled to the brim with cargo. Le Yunhe was extremely grateful to the man and said, “You’ve saved my life, and that’s more than enough. I dare not hope to recover these goods!” When Le Yunhe counted the cargo on the boat, he realized that not a single item was lost. He grew even fonder of the man, believing he had encountered a divine being.
Le Yunhe untied the moorings, preparing to set sail. The man bid him farewell, but Le Yunhe refused to let him go, pleading with him to stay. Eventually, the man agreed to accompany Le Yunhe across the river. Le Yunhe smiled and said, “After enduring this calamity, I’ve only lost a golden hairpin. It’s truly a great fortune.” Hearing this, the man was about to jump into the river to search for it, but Le Yunhe quickly dissuaded him. However, the man had already disappeared into the river. Le Yunhe stood there in astonishment for a while, but suddenly, he saw the man resurface with a smile on his face. He handed the golden hairpin to Le Yunhe, saying, “Thank goodness I didn’t disappoint your expectations.” Those on the riverbanks witnessed this scene in amazement.
Le Yunhe and the other man returned to their hometown, spending their days together. The man would only eat a meal every ten days, and each time, the amount of food he consumed was immeasurable. One day, the man bid farewell to Le Yunhe, who tried hard to persuade him to stay. Although it was daytime, the sky was covered by dark clouds, as if it was about to rain. Distant rumbling thunder could be heard. Le Yunhe said, “I wonder what’s happening in the clouds? What is thunder? If we could go up to the sky, we could unravel this mystery.” The man smiled and said, “Are you planning to roam in the clouds?”
Not long after, Le Yunhe felt unusually tired and lay down on the bed for a nap. When he woke up, he felt his body swaying, as if he wasn’t lying on the bed. Opening his eyes, he found himself surrounded by clouds, with fluffy clouds all around him. Le Yunhe stood up in amazement and felt dizzy, as if he was sitting on a boat. When he tried to step on the clouds with his feet, they were soft, and it seemed as though he wasn’t touching anything solid. Looking up, he saw countless stars right before his eyes, embedded in the sky like lotus seeds on a lotus pod. Some were as large as big jars, others as medium-sized jars, and the smallest ones were as large as wine glasses or rice bowls. Le Yunhe reached out and touched the stars; the large ones remained unmoved, but the small ones could be moved and seemed like they could be plucked. So, Le Yunhe plucked one of the small stars and concealed it in his sleeve. He pushed aside the clouds and looked down, only to see an endless sea of silvery clouds, and the outlines of the cities on the ground were as small as beans. He couldn’t help but be terrified, thinking that if he slipped and fell, he had no idea where his body would end up.
After a while, Le Yunhe saw two dragons comfortably driving a magnificent carriage from a distance. The dragon tails cracked like whips, making crisp sounds. The carriage was loaded with various utensils, and it had a circumference of several zhang, all filled with water. There were dozens of people, using these utensils to scoop water and sprinkle it throughout the clouds. They suddenly noticed Le Yunhe and found it very strange. Le Yunhe saw the strong man who had previously saved him among them and told everyone, “He is my friend.” The man then brought an implement and handed it to Le Yunhe, allowing him to join in the water-sprinkling efforts. At that time, the earth was suffering from drought, and Le Yunhe took the implement, cleared the clouds, and poured water in the direction of his hometown. Before long, the man approached Le Yunhe and said, “I am a thunder god. I was punished to descend to the human world for three years due to a mistake in my work. Today, my sentence is complete, so let’s bid farewell here.” Saying this, the thunder god threw a rope, more than ten thousand feet long, in front of Le Yunhe and told him to hold onto the rope and descend. Le Yunhe was very afraid and hesitant to take the rope, but the thunder god smiled and said, “It’s okay.” Following his instructions, Le Yunhe firmly grasped the rope and descended. He heard the sound of the wind rushing past his ears, and in the blink of an eye, he landed on the ground. Le Yunhe looked around and found himself outside the village. The rope that had lowered him was slowly drawn back into the clouds and soon disappeared. At that time, due to the prolonged drought, there was only a shallow rain shower in places ten miles away, but Le Yunhe’s village was exceptionally fortunate as the rainwater filled the ditches to the brim.
When Le Yunhe returned home, he reached into his sleeve and found that the small star he had plucked was still there. He took it out and placed it on the table. It appeared dark and dull, like a stone. However, at night, the star emitted a radiant light, illuminating the surrounding walls. Le Yunhe treasured this gem immensely and carefully wrapped it in layers for safekeeping. Only when noble and refined guests visited would he take it out, letting it shine within the room and adding to the ambiance of the gathering. When people looked directly at the star, its brilliant beams would be so intense that they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
One night, as Le Yunhe’s wife was washing her hair facing the star, she suddenly noticed the starlight diminishing. Eventually, it started fluttering around the room like fireflies. Bewildered, Le’s wife tried to get rid of it but couldn’t, and the star ended up in her mouth, swallowed into her stomach. She was filled with fear and hurried to inform Le Yunhe, who was equally puzzled by the strange occurrence.
That night, after falling asleep, Le Yunhe dreamt that Xia Pingzi had come to him. Xia Pingzi said, “I am the Little Dipper star from the heavens. I will forever remember your kindness and favor. Furthermore, you brought me from the heavens to the human realm, so our bond remains unbroken. Today, I wish to be reborn as your son, to repay your great kindness and virtue.” Le Yunhe was thirty years old at this time and had no children, so he was overjoyed by the dream. From that moment on, his wife indeed became pregnant. On the day of delivery, the entire room was filled with radiant light, just like the star had shone on the table. As a result, Le Yunhe named his child “Xing’er” (meaning “Star Child”). Xing’er grew up to be very sharp and exceptionally intelligent, and at the young age of sixteen, he passed the imperial examination to become a scholar.
The chronicler of strange tales said: Le Yunhe had gained great fame in the world for his skill in writing, but suddenly, he felt that his destined place was not here. He abandoned the life of studying and writing, much like Ban Chao, who left his writing behind to become a soldier. How different their paths were. As for the Thunder God’s gratitude for a single meal and Xia Pingzi’s repayment of his friend’s kindness, can it be said that gods and humans repay personal favors? In reality, it is the Creator who justly rewards virtuous and exceptional individuals!
《雷曹》
乐云鹤、夏平子，二人少同里，长同斋，相交莫逆。夏少慧，十岁知名。乐虚心事之，夏亦相规不倦，乐文思日进，由是名并著。而潦倒场屋，战辄北。无何，夏遘疫卒，家贫不能葬，乐锐身自任之。遗襁褓子及未亡人，乐以时恤诸其家，每得升斗，必析而二之，夏妻子赖以活。于是士大夫益贤乐。乐恒产无多，又代夏生忧内顾，家计日蹙，乃叹曰：“文如平子，尚碌碌以没，而况于我！人生富贵须及时，戚戚终岁，恐先狗马填沟壑，负此生矣，不如早自图也。”于是去读而贾。操业半年，家赀小泰。
一日，客金陵，休于旅舍。见一人颀然而长，筋骨隆起，彷徨座侧，色黯淡，有戚容。乐问：“欲得食耶？”其人亦不语。乐推食食之，则以手掬啖，顷刻已尽。乐又益以兼人之馔，食复尽。遂命主人割豚肩，堆以蒸饼，又尽数人之餐始果腹而谢曰：“三年以来，未尝如此饫饱。”乐曰：“君固壮士，何飘泊若此？”曰：“罪婴天谴，不可说也。”问其里居，曰：“陆无屋，水无舟，朝村而暮郭耳。”乐整装欲行，其人相从，恋恋不去。乐辞之，告曰：“君有大难，吾不忍忘一饭之德。”乐异之，遂与偕行。途中曳与同餐，辞曰：“我终岁仅数餐耳。”益奇之。
次日，渡江，风涛暴作，估舟尽覆，乐与其人悉没江中。俄风定，其人负乐踏波出，登客舟，又破浪去；少时，挽一船至，扶乐入，嘱乐卧守；复跃入江，以两臂夹货出，掷舟中，又入之。数入数出，列货满舟。乐谢曰：“君生我亦良足矣，敢望珠还哉！”检视货财，并无亡失。益喜，惊为神人。放舟欲行，其人告退，乐苦留之，遂与共济。乐笑云：“此一厄也，止失一金簪耳。”其人欲复寻之，乐方劝止，已投水中而没。惊愕良久，忽见含笑而出，以簪授乐曰：“幸不辱命。”江上人罔不骇异。
乐与归，寝处共之。每十数日始一食，食则啖嚼无算。一日，又言别，乐固挽之。适昼晦欲雨，闻雷声，乐曰：“云间不知何状，雷又是何物？安得至天上视之，此疑乃可解。”其人笑曰：“君欲作云中游耶？”少时，乐倦甚，伏榻假寐。既醒，觉身摇摇然，不似榻上，开目，则在云气中，周身如絮。惊而起，晕如舟上。踏之，耎无地。仰视星斗，在眉目间。遂疑是梦。细视星嵌天上，如老莲实之在蓬也，大者如瓮，次如瓿，小如盎盂。以手撼之，大者坚不可动，小星动摇，似可摘而下者，遂摘其一，藏袖中。拨云下视，则银海苍茫，见城郭如豆。愕然自念：设一脱足，此身何可复问。俄见二龙夭矫，驾缦车来，尾一掉，如鸣牛鞭。车上有器，围皆数丈，贮水满之。有数十人，以器掬水，遍洒云间。忽见乐，共怪之。乐审所与壮士在焉，语众曰：“是吾友也。”因取一器授乐，令洒。时苦旱，乐接器排云，约望故乡，尽情倾注。未几，谓乐曰：“我本雷曹，前误行雨，罚谪三载。今天限已满，请从此别。”乃以驾车之绳万尺掷前，使握端缒下。乐危之，其人笑言：“不妨。”乐如其言，飗飗然瞬息及地。视之，则堕立村外。绳渐收入云中，不可见矣。时久旱，十里外，雨仅盈指，独乐里沟浍皆满。
归探袖中，摘星仍在。出置案上，黯黝如石，入夜，则光明焕发，映照四壁。益宝之，什袭而藏。每有佳客，出以照饮。正视之，则条条射目。一夜，妻坐对握发，忽见星光渐小如萤，流动横飞。妻方怪咤，已入口中，咯之不出，竟已下咽。愕奔告乐，乐亦奇之。既寝，梦夏平子来，曰：“我少微星也。君之惠好，在中不忘。又蒙自天上携归，可云有缘。今为君嗣，以报大德。”乐三十无子，得梦甚喜。自是妻果娠。及临蓐，光耀满室，如星在几上时，因名“星儿”。机警非常，十六岁，及进士第。
异史氏曰：乐子文章名一世，忽觉苍苍之位置我者不在是，遂弃毛锥如脱屣，此与燕颔投笔者，何以少异？至雷曹感一饭之德，少微酬良友之知，岂神人之私报恩施哉？乃造物之公报贤豪耳！