A wealthy and noble family named Zou lived in Changzhou County of Suzhou Prefecture. Their ancestors and elders were renowned for their chivalry and generosity. Anyone who came seeking aid received help, and so their home was always filled with guests.
However, the family had fallen on hard times by the third generation. The young master, Zou Pingshi, though a scholar of modest rank, inherited his forebears’ spirit of hospitality. The scholar often gave what little he had to those in need. When he lacked money and saw someone suffering, he wouldn’t hesitate to pawn or sell his property to help. Eventually, all the family’s fine lands were sold off, and he was impoverished.
With no livelihood, the scholar remembered that some years earlier, during his father’s time, a man named Li Yuan from Guanzhong had borrowed 10,000 taels of silver from his family to purchase tribute goods, but left before repaying the debt. Zou found the old promissory note in a box in a drawer. He decided to get the money back, and after selling a house for travel expenses, he set off to Guanzhong.
Upon arrival, the scholar found Li Yuan’s residence and introduced himself. But Li pretended not to recognize him. Zou presented the promissory note as proof, only to have it torn away. Li then ordered his servants to throw Zou out.
Disheartened, the scholar returned to the inn where he was staying. Being stranded in an unfamiliar land without documents or money, even returning home seemed impossible. He sat by the lamp, lost in despair. Just as he was about to sleep, a soft tapping came at the door.
A beautiful young maiden knocks on the scholar’s door
To the scholar’s astonishment, a beautiful young maiden with a warm smile entered his room. Cautious and confused, Zou asked who she was. She replied: “I’m the innkeeper’s sister. You’re a sincere and upright man who’s been cruelly deceived. I have a modest amount of savings and want to offer it to you for your journey home.” She placed a bundle of silver on the table and left swiftly.
Zou ran after her, but she had vanished. The silver was more than 80 taels — a staggering amount. Grateful, unwilling to accept such generosity, he spoke with the innkeeper the next morning and insisted on returning it. The man replied: “Sir, there must be a mistake. I have no sister — only a seven-year-old daughter. And I’m far too poor to give away such silver. You are in a difficult situation, so please accept the money for now. Later, you can repay her when you find out who your benefactor was.”
Zou saw the wisdom in his words and followed his advice, but his life remained miserable. All servants had left, and he lived alone. Despite being of marriageable age, his reputation for generosity amid poverty led others to shun him, calling him a spendthrift.
One day, a friend gifted him two peony pots with gorgeous blooms. While placing them, his cat and dog began fighting and knocked one pot to the ground. The broken pot revealed gold hidden in the base. Upon checking the second pot, he found more gold! Alarmed, he rushed to his friend to return them.
The friend was baffled and confessed he’d bought the flowers from a florist while passing through Shantang. Seeing Zou’s insistence, he asked what had happened. Zou explained the discovery and insisted on returning the hidden gold, thinking it must have been mistakenly offered.
The friend, moved by Zou’s integrity, recalled the incident at the florist: “When I couldn’t decide which flowers to buy, the old shopkeeper asked whom they were for. When I said it was for a friend going through hardship and mentioned your name, he beamed and brought out these two pots from inside. When I was ready to pay, he refused, saying: ‘Good people should help each other. I provide the plants, and you bring them to him. Let’s share this good deed.’ He was very persistent, and I found his surname was Sun, and he was from Guanzhong.”
The scholar meets the maiden’s father
The two friends returned to the flower shop by boat, bringing the pots. They met the old man, who had white hair and a noble bearing and was dressed modestly yet with dignity. Upon seeing Zou, he greeted him warmly, calling him “dear son-in-law,” which startled him. The florist invited them inside and explained:
“Not long ago, you visited Guanzhong seeking repayment from Li Yuan. That night, the girl who gave you silver at the inn was my daughter. I was away in Hebei and couldn’t meet you. Later, I ensured Li Yuan repaid his debt with interest, which I will hand to you tomorrow.”
Zou was grateful, but still confused. The old man continued: “I was present when Li Yuan borrowed money from your father. And now, I won’t tolerate such ungrateful behavior!”
He added: “The gold in the flower pots totaled 100 taels — half for your honest friend, as a token of thanks and to serve as your matchmaker; the other half for you to restore your home and prepare for marriage. I will personally escort the bride to your house.”
Following his instructions, Zou refurbished his home and prepared a beautiful wedding chamber. On the wedding day, old friends and relatives, who had once abandoned him, eagerly returned. The house was filled with joy and celebration. The bride arrived in a grand procession, with musicians, firecrackers, and a lavish dowry filling the entire street.
After the wedding, the couple shared deep love and harmony. One day, Zou asked his wife: “Your father called me son-in-law the first time we met — how was our marriage arranged without my knowing?”
She smiled and replied: “My father came to repay a debt of gratitude. Years ago, before he mastered swordsmanship, he traveled the land as a humble medicine seller. He once stayed at the Xuanmiao Temple, but couldn’t pay the rent and was harassed by the Daoist priests. Your grandfather helped him settle his debt and even gave him money to pursue his dreams. In deep gratitude, my father offered me in marriage to your family, even as a concubine. But your grandfather sternly refused, saying, ‘I help out of kindness, not for reward. I could never accept your daughter in exchange for money.’ Still, my father silently vowed to one day fulfill his promise.”
She added: “If I had been an unworthy girl, he would never have insisted. Do you think I’m a good match for you? Did my father force this on you?” Zou embraced her and said: “Such a virtuous wife is a treasure beyond compare. I only fear I am not worthy of such a chivalrous woman.” Only then did he realize that the old man was a true swordmaster, and his daughter was a heroine in her own right, worthy of historical legends like “Hongxian.”
Moral reflection
This tale reminds us that genuine kindness never fades into obscurity — it echoes across generations. A single act of compassion from a grandfather bore fruit in his grandson’s life. Honor, righteousness, and gratitude are never wasted. As the saying goes: “Good will always be rewarded in time.” Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap a harvest of blessing.
Translated by Katy Liu and edited by Laura Cozzolino
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