In the bustling town of Jiaxing, there lived a scholar named Zhu, who was originally from Huizhou. Gifted and eager to study from a young age, Zhu faced the unfortunate demise of his parents when he was just in his early teens. This calamity forced him to abandon his education, but not his acts of kindness.
By a stroke of fate, a fellow townsman, who had ventured to Jiaxing and established a flourishing trading store, took Zhu under his wing to teach him the ropes of business. In this new environment, Zhu, seeing his employer as a mentor, devoted himself to his work. His diligence, insight, and integrity did not go unnoticed, earning him the affection and trust of his mentor.
Zhu amassed a modest fortune of a hundred silver taels through hard work and frugality. He had been betrothed since childhood and planned to return to his native town to marry. His mentor, recognizing Zhu’s financial constraints, generously doubled his savings to aid his matrimonial plans.
A sudden turn of misfortune
However, Zhu’s journey home was cut short when he became a victim of theft, losing all his money. He returned to Jiaxing, dejected and unable to proceed with his marriage. Upon hearing this, his mentor expressed deep sympathy for Zhu’s plight, unaware that the tale of robbery was a fabrication.
An act of compassion
While en route to his hometown, Zhu stopped at an inn, where the sorrowful cries of a mother and daughter-in-law next door touched his heart. Their story was one of dire hardship: The family, already struggling, had sent the son to Sichuan in hopes of earning a livelihood. However, years passed with no word from him, pushing the mother to the brink of selling her daughter-in-law to a wealthy man as a concubine in order to survive.
Moved by their plight, Zhu decided to intervene. Posing as a messenger from the son in Sichuan, he delivered a letter and his two hundred silver taels to the family, claiming it was sent by their absent son. This act of kindness brought immense relief and joy to the family, preventing the sale of the daughter-in-law and restoring their hope.
The unfolding of divine favor for an act of kindness
Years later, Zhu learned that the family’s fortunes had miraculously turned. The son had returned home with considerable wealth, and the family, once on the brink of despair, had become affluent. This remarkable turnaround was attributed to divine intervention in gratitude for the mother’s steadfast virtue and the daughter-in-law’s filial piety.
Zhu’s life continued to be marked by acts of kindness and humility. Despite his initial reluctance, he was eventually honored by the family he had helped, forming a deep and lasting bond. His discreet acts of generosity and the refusal to seek recognition for them earned him respect and trust in his community and led to a prosperous partnership with a local businessman.
Zhu’s story exemplifies the profound impact of kindness and the belief that good deeds are rewarded, often in unexpected ways. His life’s journey, from hardship to prosperity, reinforced the idea that compassion and humility can indeed invite divine favor, bringing blessings not just to oneself, but also future generations.
Translated article
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