世道變遷，劉員外早就搬回老家桃花村了。幾經周折，常公被一個可憐他的車夫送到了桃花村的墳地。

The world had changed, and Publican Liu’s family moved back to his home village, Peach Flower Village, a long time ago. After a lot of trouble, Constant Fair was sent to the cemetery of Peach Flower Village by a carter who took pity on him.

在墳地，常公看了每一個墳的碑文，沒發現劉員外的名字。他太累了，就在一個無字墓碑前坐下來休息。這時，一個披麻戴孝的女人溜溜達達地來到他跟前。常公趕忙站起來，問：“敢問這位大姐，這是誰的墳？”

At the cemetery, Constant Fair read the inscriptions on every grave, but he did not find Publican Liu's name. He was so tired that he sat down to rest in front of a wordless tombstone. At that moment, a woman wearing mourning clothes came to him. He hurriedly stood up and asked, "Dare I ask this big sister, whose grave is this?"

女人回答：“這是我爸爸的墳。”

常公忙問：“能問問，你爸叫什麼名字嗎？”

Woman replied, “This is my father's grave.”

Constant Fair hurriedly asked, “Can I ask what your father's name is?”

女人說：“我爸爸說我不是他的女兒，害得他死不瞑目，不允許我在他墳前說他的名字。”

兩個人就在墳前聊起來了。常公先講了自己的故事；那女人也講了她的故事。

Woman said, “My father said I was not his daughter, caused him to die with eyes open, would not allow me to say his name at his grave.”

The two then talked at the grave. Constant Fair first told his story; then the woman told hers.

女人說：“我出生，腿上就有桃花胎痣，所以人們叫我桃花女。我長大選夫很挑剔，找不到。我爸為我指定了一個丈夫，我們家藥莊裡的一個長工。他叫常公，傻乎乎的，我不同意。後來，我爸爸讓人收拾了一個小院兒，他打算把我和常公圈禁在那兒，不結婚就不放我們出來。一天半夜，我製造了一個機會，讓常公的一個朋友溜了出去，結果常公就出走了。我爸爸派人到處找他。幾年後，我爸爸病重，我們就搬回了老家。沒多久，我爸爸就過世了。”

Woman said, “When I was born, have a peach flower birthmark on my leg, so people called me Peach Flower Girl. When I grew up, I was picky in choosing husband, couldn't find one. My father appointed one for me, a longtime laborer in our medicine farm. His name was Constant Fair, was a fool. I did not agree. Later, my father had a small courtyard built up, and he planned to confine him and me there, not letting us out until we married. In the middle of a night, I created an opportunity for one of Constant Fair's friends to slip out, so Constant Fair ran away. My father sent people to look for him everywhere. A few years later, my dad became seriously ill, so we moved back to our home village. Not long after, my dad passed away.”

桃花女說：“爸爸臨死前對我說，‘你不是一個真正的女人，命中沒有丈夫，也享受不到作為女人的快樂，因此，我為你拘了個丈夫。你只有嫁給他，才能得到幸福。我死之後，有一天，會有一個人來我的墳前祭拜我。到那時，你拿着這兩封信：一封是我的遺囑；另一封是我總結一生所學所作而成的八個字。你讓他猜這八個字。如果他猜到了，他就是你的丈夫。你就跪着請求嫁給他。’我爸爸遞給這把匕首（如圖）而且對我說，‘他不同意，你就用這個自殺。’”

Peach Flower Girl said: “Before my father died, he said to me, ‘You are not a real woman, you are not destined to have a husband, and you can't enjoy the happiness of being a woman; therefore, I have detained a husband for you. You can only be happy if you marry him. One day, after I die, a man will come to my grave to common wealth and bow to me. At that time, you will take these two letters: one is my will; another is eight hieroglyphics that I summarized what I have learned and done in my whole life. You ask him to guess the eight hieroglyphics. If he does, he is your husband. You kneel and ask to marry him.' My father handed this dagger (see picture 2.3-2) to me and said, ‘If he doesn't agree, you kill yourself with this.'"

桃花女繼續說：“多年過去了，也沒人來拜祭他的墳。我也沒心思嫁人了。前些日子，聽說一個人在到處找個墳。我就讓管家去看看怎麼回事。管家跟着你，看見你暈倒了，就把你送到這兒來了。一會兒我派人給你送點兒吃的來！”桃花女說完，轉身回村子了。

Peach Flower Girl continued, “Years passed, and no one came to visit his grave. I had not the heart to marry anyone either. A few days ago, I heard that a man was going around looking for a grave. I asked my butler to see what was going on. He followed you and saw you fainting, so he carried you here. I will send someone to bring you some food later.” Peach Flower Girl finished her talk, turned around heading back to the village.

（2）心病的治療 Mental Illness Treatment

常公覺得身上舒服多了，胸口還是很堵，在墳前放聲大哭，一邊哭一邊想：什麼是劉員外一輩子做的事？他連想了兩天兩夜，沒想出來。

Constant Fair felt more comfortable, but chest is still congested, in front of the grave to cry loudly, while crying while thinking: what is Publican Liu’s life doing? He thought about it for two days and two nights but could not figure it out.

第三天黎明，常公聽見有人叫他的名字，像是他的父親。這時那個人又說：“常公，你真的連我都認不出來了？” 那個人一邊擺下飯菜，一邊說：“你看我拿來的，都是你小時候最喜歡吃的。” 常公這才注意到這個送飯人是小時候照顧他，對他最好的糧伯。

At dawn on the third day, Constant Fair heard someone call his name, like his father. At that moment, the man said again, “Constant Fair! Do you not even recognize me!?” As the man set down the meal, he said, “Look at what I brought, all your favorite foods when you were a child.” Only then did Constant Fair notice that this meal delivery man was Uncle Grain, who had taken care of him as a child and treated him the best.

糧伯說：“老東家在世的時候，後院兒做啥好吃的；他總想着讓我給你送去一些。每次他都告訴我， ‘你就說是誰誰送的，別說我送的。’這不，都是你喜歡的，快趁熱吃吧，暖暖身子。”

Uncle Grain said, “When the old master was alive, he would always ask me to bring you some of the delicious food made in the backyard kitchen. Every time, he told me, ‘Just say whoever sent it, do not say I sent it.’ These are all your favorites, eat them while they're hot to warm your body.”

糧伯又說：“前天，小姐說，你沒病。我來給你送飯，我看你全身都是病。昨晚，我去我九舅家，他是這一帶有名的郎中。我把你的情況跟他說了，苦苦地求他。我舅舅被逼無奈，就跟我說：‘這可性命攸關，不可以跟外人說。昨天，我們幾個老郎中議論了常公的事。你們劉老東家是個有名的大善人，這方圓幾百里的人都知道。可是，他對常公極不公平，致使他有性命之憂。劉老東家是個罕見的高人，由他來下死不瞑目這個詛咒，那肯定是作得天衣無縫。’”

Uncle Grain continued, “The day before yesterday, Lady said that you were not sick. I came to bring you food, saw that you were sick all over. Last night, I went to my Ninth Uncle's house, who is a famous medical doctor in this area. I told him about your condition and begged him bitterly. My uncle was cornered, so he told me, ‘This is a matter of life and death, you must not tell outsiders. Yesterday, a few of us old doctors discussed Constant Fair’s case. Your old Master Liu is a famous benefactor, who all know for hundreds of kilometers around. But he was so unfair to Mr. Fair that he put his life in danger. Publican Liu was a rare man of the world, and if he were to cast the curse of ‘Death with Eyes Open’, it would certainly be done seamlessly.’”

糧伯又說：“我就奉承我舅舅：舅舅見多識廣。我到底也沒聽明白常公的病因是什麼？我們老東家讓常公猜總結他一生所學所作而成的八個字，就常公那點兒文墨，怎麼猜得着！你能不能給我說得簡單點兒！我得聽明白了，若不然，不是白來求您了！”

Uncle Grain said: "I then flattered my uncle: Uncle you very knowledgeable! But in the end, I didn't understand what the cause of Constant Fair's illness was. Our old master asked Constant Fair to guess the eight words that summarized his life's learning and doing, but how could Constant Fair guess out with his little literal inks? Can you make it simple for me? I need to understand, otherwise I came begging you for nothing!”

“我舅舅說，常公不也是個讀書人麼！他在劉公身邊長大，他的學識怎麼會差呢！”

“My uncle said, Constant Fair is also a scholar! He grew up with Publican Liu, how could he be less educated?”

“我說，常公是我看着長大的，他從小兒就笨，上學怕挨老師打，常逃學。老員外信任我，讓我照顧他。我是偷懶，兩頭瞞着。我們老員外每次問我，我都說常公聰明，又勤奮好學，可是常公他從小就笨，也不好學。後來，劉員外讓我把他喜歡的書借給常公看。常公看沒看的，我都告訴他說，‘常公非常喜歡，看了兩三遍，都快會背誦了’。”

“I said, I watched Constant Fair grow up, he was stupid since he was a child! He was afraid of being beaten by the teacher at school, often skipped school. Old Master Liu trusted me and asked me to take care of him. I was lazy and concealed on either end. Every time our old Master Liu asked me, I told him that Constant Fair was smart and diligent, but he was always stupid and didn't learn well. Later, Master Liu asked me to lend Constant Fair his favorite books. Whether Constant Fair read it or not, I told old Master Liu that, ‘Constant Fair liked it so much that he read it two or three times, could almost recite it'.”

“我舅舅罵我，‘你怎麼這麼辦事呢！劉公的大事都壞在你身上了！’。”

“My uncle scolded me, ‘Why do you work like this! Publican Liu's godly business is ruined by you!’.”

“我說，九舅！你罵我，你打我也沒有用。如果常公病死了，我不是枉為一世人麼！那我也活不長了。常公他從小就心地善良，又孝順，他怎麼會得這種怪病呢！這不是有人陷害他嗎！”

“I say, Uncle Ninth! It's useless for you to scold me, even to beat me. If Constant Fair sickly died, haven’t I been a man in vain! Then I won't live long. Constant Fair has been kind and filial since he was a child, how could he get this strange disease! Isn't this someone setting him up!”

“我九舅立刻說，‘這就對了！劉公死不瞑目；他和常公有父子之實。常公，他是大逆不道，自作孽，不可活呀！可是他又是被人陷害的。這就是病的所在。這事兒要是傳出去，你們家劉老員外將是身敗名裂！難道連這你都不懂！那現在劉家監視咱們村子所有的人幹什麼！”

“My Ninth Uncle immediately said, ‘That's right! Publica Liu died with eyes open; and he and Constant Fair had a factual father-son relationship. Constant Fair, he is a great rebel, self-inflicted sin, could not live! But he was framed also. That's what's illness with him. If word of this gets out, your Publican Liu will be disgraced! Don't you understand? Then what's the Liu family spying on everyone in our village now!”

糧伯對常公說：“我就給我九舅跪下了，求他給想個辦法。”

Uncle Grain said to Constant Fair, “I then knelt down to my Ninth Uncle and begged him to come up with a solution.”

“我九舅說，‘沒想到，這事兒還把你給圈進去了。也是，這事兒出在咱桃花村，我們幾個老郎中都感到沮喪窩火。這藥就是昨天我們幾個老郎中商量的結果。但是心病不除，常公身體上的病是不會痊癒的’。”

“Ninth Uncle said, ‘I didn't realize that this matter had brought you into the circle. Yes, this happened in our Peach Flower Village, several of us old doctors feel frustrated and irritated. This medicine is the result of our discussion yesterday. But if the mental illness is not removed, Constant Fair's physical illness will not be cured.'”

糧伯又說：“我對我九舅說，‘我們老東家是個飽學之士，他讓常公猜八個字，就常公那點兒學問，他猜不着啊！依舅舅你看，那幾個字是什麼？”

Uncle Grain continued to say, “I said to my Ninth Uncle, ‘Our old Master is a learned man, and he asked Constant Fair to guess eight hieroglyphics, but with Constant Fair's little learning, he couldn't guess them! What, according to you, Uncle, are those words?”

“我舅舅立刻就生氣了！大叫，‘梁子伯！論輩分，我是你舅舅；論年齡，你還比我大兩歲呢！這話你也說得出口！”

“My uncle immediately became angry! He shouted, ‘Good Son’s Uncle (that is real name for Uncle Grain)! In terms of seniority, I'm your uncle; in terms of age, you're still two years older than me.' How can you say that?”

“後來，我舅舅解釋,‘老東家早年從師於太虛真人（注，亦作無位真人，即真如，自然法）學道，是太虛真人的關門弟子，獨得真傳。論師從輩分，他是我的師叔。我師叔布下的局，我來解，那我不是欺師滅祖麼！不過從劉員外的為人來說，他不是個咬文嚼字，賣弄玄虛的人；對於一個讀書人來說，那應該是幾個常見的字。’”

“Later, my uncle explained: ‘Publican Liu learned Taoism from Extremely-Vague Real-Human (Annotation, also being called Non-Position Real-Human that is True Suchness, is nature law) in his early years and was the closed disciple, who had received real teachings. In terms of seniority, he is my teacher uncle. My teacher uncle set up a trap and I'm here to solve it, that is I am cheating on teacher, terminating ancestors! But in terms of Publican Liu's personality, he's not a man who bites off more than he can chew and shows off his metaphysics; for a scholar, those should be a few common hieroglyphics.’”

“我問我九舅，那我能為常公做些什麼？”

“I asked my Ninth Uncle what I could do for Constant Fair then?”

“他說，‘把你們劉員外讓你背着常公，對他所做的事，全都如實告訴他！讓他順了劉員外的心願，才是唯一的出路，否則，必死無疑。’”

“He said, ‘Tell Constant Fair truthfully all that Publican Liu had asked you to do to him behind his back！Let him comply with Publican Liu's wishes, that's the only way out, otherwise, he surely dies.'"

梁伯又四周看了看，把參苓白朮散等內服外用的藥交給了常公，小聲說：“我得走了，若不然他們可能就再也不讓我給你送飯了” 。

Uncle Grain looked around again, handed Constant Fair the medicines for internal and external use, such as Shenling Baizhu San (see figure 2.3-5), and whispered, “I have to go, if not they may never let me bring you food again.”

（3）宿命通 Fate Through

常公送走了糧伯，一邊流着眼淚吃飯，一邊想，時而高興，時而悲傷，時而哭泣，時而憤怒，時而悠閒，想着，想着，他就想起他小時候的事來了。常公自幼喪母，和有病的父親一起生活。一天，他看見街上的小孩兒吃糖葫蘆，他哭着朝爸爸要。他爸爸抱着他來到劉員外家的大院兒外，指着劉家的大房子說： “你和這家的大小姐有婚約，可是咱家窮哦！咱就不指望這門親事了。爸爸有病，等爸爸不在了，你就到他家來。等你長大了，自己掙錢，到那時候，你愛吃什麼就買什麼！” 這時，常公想出了那八個字的前四個字：前世姻緣。

Constant Fair sent Uncle Grain away, while eating while tears dripping. He was sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes crying, sometimes angry, sometimes leisurely, and thinking, thinking, thinking, he remembered what happened to him when he was a child. Constant Fair lost his mother when he was young and lived with his sick father. One day, he saw children eating candied haws on the street, and he cried and asked his father for them. His father carried him outside the courtyard of Publican Liu, pointed to the big house of the Liu family and said: "You are engaged to the eldest lady of this family, but our family is poor! We don't expect this marriage. Dad is sick. When Dad is gone, you come to his house. When you grow up and make money by yourself, then you can buy whatever you like!" At this time, Constant Fair came up with the first four hieroglyphics of eight, “former generation’s marriage reasoning factor”.

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