目錄 Catalog：（1）桃花運 Peach Flower Fortune；（2）前世姻緣 Marriage Factor of Former Generation；（3）命中注定 Predetermining Fate；（4）歡喜佛 Consummation Buddha

1 桃花運 Peach Flower Fortune

常公是個孤兒，自幼在劉員外的藥莊做長工。他自小就笨，書讀得不好，長大了學做生意也老是出錯，可是劉員外不但對他方方面面都很照顧，而且總是寬容包庇他，不追究他的過失。常公從小到大都沒和劉員外見過面；他也常想見一見劉老員外，當面行禮致謝，卻總是不逢事宜，被一些奇出不意打亂安排。

常公知道，這個劉員外為人古怪，常常外出雲遊，閒時在書房研究古書，不喜歡見人。另外，常公還知道，他身體不好，有一種什麼，誰也說不清楚的怪病。

Constant Fair is an orphan since childhood in Publican Liu’s pharmacy as a long laborer. He was not smart since he was a child, score of school was not that good, and always made mistakes when he grew up and learned how to do business. However, Publican Liu not only took good care of him in every aspect, but also always tolerated and harbored him, and did not hold him accountable for his faults. Constant Fair had never met Publican Liu since he was a child; he also often wanted to see him to salute and thank him in person, but it was always out of place and was disrupted by some strange and unexpected arrangements.

Constant Fair knows, Publican Liu is eccentric, often go out to travel, leisure time in the study of ancient books, do not like to see people. In addition, Constant Fair also knows that he is not good health, there is a kind of what, no one can say the strange disease.

一天，劉老員外委託媒人向常公提親，要把女兒桃花女許配給他。常公聽說過，桃花女聰慧貌美、醫術更是高明，給她提親的媒人多到踢破門檻，就是不成婚姻。媒人給他看桃花女寫的文章，講她做過的事，還製造機會，讓他和桃花女偶遇，有機會看看桃花女本人。常公看桃花女確實美麗；她寫的文章層理清晰，妙語連華；她做過的事，件件妙算巧安排。常公覺得自己配不上她，就拒絕了。結果，後來他聽說，桃花女也不願意，還說他傻。

一些天后，劉員外又托媒人給桃花女和常公說親，而且想盡辦法勸說常公。常公最後說：“只要桃花女願意，我就願意” 。結果常公聽說桃花女又不願意。

One day, Publican Liu commissioned a matchmaker to propose marriage to Constant Fair, to betroth his daughter, Peach Flower Girl, to him. He heard that Peach Flower Girl is intelligent, beautiful, and her medical skills are even more brilliant, to her matchmaking are more than to kick through the threshold, is not marriage. The matchmakers showed him articles written by Peach Flower Girl, told him what she had done, and created opportunities for him to meet her, so have a chance to see her in person. Constant Fair saw that Peach Flower Girl was beautiful; the articles she wrote were clearly organized, with wonderful words; the affairs she had done were all skillfully arranged. Constant Fair thought he was not worthy of her, so he refused. As a result, he heard later that the Peach Flower Girl was also unwilling and called him stupid.

Some days later, again, Publican Liu asked the matchmaker to marry Peach Flower Girl to Constant Fair and tried to persuade him. Constant Fair finally said, "As long as Peach Flower Girl is willing, I am willing." As a result, Constant Fair heard that Peach Flower Girl was not willing again.

又過了一段時間，劉員外又托媒人給常公和桃花女說親，說，這次，桃花女已經同意了。常公聽說了，這段日子，劉員外和媒人們一直在勸桃花女，父女倆還因為這事吵架，就想：這是讓我拖幾天，好讓她爸休息休息，樂呵幾天，然後讓我給拒絕了。常公就對媒人說：“那我就想想” 。過了幾天，他告訴媒人：不同意。

就這樣，劉員外和媒人們用多種辦法撮合桃花女和常公的婚姻，曠日持久，就是不成。時光流逝，桃花女和常公都過了正常婚嫁的年齡。

After some time, Publican Liu asked the matchmaker to marry Constant Fair and Peach Flower Girl again, saying that, this time, Peach Flower Girl had already agreed. Constant Fair heard that Publican Liu and the matchmakers had been trying to persuade Peach Flower Girl to marry him, and that the father and daughter had quarrelled over the matter often recently. He thought to himself, "This is that Peach Flower Girl let me to delay for a few days so as to let her father have a rest and a few days of fun, and then it is me to reject it. Constant Fair then said to the matchmaker, “I'll think about it then”. After a few days, he told the matchmaker: “No.”

In this way, Publican Liu and the matchmakers used many ways to set up the marriage between Peach Flower Girl and Constant Fair, which was a long time coming, but just not possible. Time passed, Peach Flower Girl and Constant Fair both passed the age of normal marriage.

1.2 死不瞑目 Die with Eyes Open

一天半夜，一個已經和常公成為朋友的媒人跑來告訴他：“也不知道咋回事！劉老東家像瘋了似的！說，他不親眼看見你和桃花女成親入洞房，他死不瞑目。他還密密地讓人在準備一個小內院兒，要把你和桃花女關在裡面；不成親就不放你們倆出來。我想，這是咋辦事兒呢！得告訴你一聲！我還發現他們知道我和你是朋友，派人看着我，所以我這是找機會偷偷地跑出來的。話說完了，我得回去了，看讓人發現了。”

常公聽後大驚失色，心想，“這事兒可不能這麼辦！那我不毀了桃花女一輩子嗎！不行，我得走！” 當夜，常公從劉員外的藥莊裡逃走了。他怕劉員外派人抓他，就沒回老家。

In one middle night, a matchmaker who had become friends with Constant Fair came running to tell him, “I don't know what's wrong! Old Publican Liu is acting like crazy! He said he would ‘die with eyes open’, until he sees you and Peach Flower Girl get married, and enter honeymoon house. He also secretly let people in the preparation of a small inner courtyard, to you and the Peach Flower Girl locked inside; not married to not let you two out. I thought, ‘What's going on here! I had to tell you!’ I also found out that they know that you and I are friends and have sent someone to watch me, so I found a chance to sneak out. With that said, I must return, in case of that I am discovered.”

Constant Fair was shocked when he heard this and thought, “This can't be done! Then I ruin Peach Flower Girl for life! No! I must Leave!” That night, he escaped from Publican Liu's pharmacy. He didn't go back to his hometown because he was afraid that Publican Liu would send someone to catch him.

常公過着隱姓瞞名，到處流浪的生活。當然，他也需要生計，後來他在一家藥店給人家當掌柜的。開始的幾年，生意做得挺好，生意的規模也越來越大。後來，他發現有人在生意上跟他作對，去跟東家辭職。東家說：“現在，咱們的生意這麼大，咱可以跟他們斗！我相信你，賠了，我也不怪你。” 常公說：“我不願意和他們斗。實話實說，我懷疑對方和我以前的一位恩人有關係” 。東家對此事很理解，說： “這樣！我不能勉強你” 。

Constant Fair lived a life of anonymity, wandering around. Of course, he also needed to make a living, and later he worked as a shopkeeper in a pharmacy. For the first few years, the business did quite well, and the business grew. Later, he realized that someone was working against him in business and went to resign with the proprietor. The proprietor said, "Now, our business is so big that we can fight with them! I trust you, and I don't blame you if you lose money." Constant Fair said, “I don't want to fight with them. To tell you the truth, I suspect those opponents are related to one of my former benefactors”. The proprietor understood the matter well and said: “In that case! I cannot force you.”

常公離開了這家藥莊，流浪到另外一個地方，又找到了一份藥莊的工作。結果發生了和上份工作類似的事兒。他又發現有人和他在生意上作對，還是認為那些人和以前的劉員外有關係，就又主動放棄了這份工作。

就這樣，常公換了一個工作又一個工作，他總是覺得有人和他鬥爭，不願意還擊對手，但是他的壞名聲傳播開了，找不着工作了。他就回老家了。

Constant Fair left the pharmacy and wandered to another place, where he found another job in a pharmacy. Something similar happened to the last job. He found out that there were against him in business and still thought that those people were related to the former boss Publican Liu, so he voluntarily gave up the job again.

In this way, Constant Fair changed job after job, always feeling that someone was struggling with him and unwilling to fight back against his opponents, but his bad reputation spread, and he couldn't find a job. So, he went back home.

常公在臨近老家村子的路上，遇到個信使。送信的人問他：“你認識常家莊常公不？” 他回答：“我就是！” 送信人說：“你老家的人讓我告訴你，你爸爸過世了。” 常公心想，我從小就是孤兒，回答：“你弄錯了！我不是你要找的人！” 送信人又核實了一遍常公的身份信息，完全符合，就又說：“你老家的人讓我傳達給你的消息是：你爸爸去世了。我只是個送信的，其餘的，我不知道！”

對此常公覺得心裡不舒服，感覺有事兒不對。到家後打聽村裡有沒有別人也叫常公。他發現：沒有。一連幾天，他都覺得胸口悶。

On his way to his old village, Constant Fair met a messenger. The messenger asked him, "Do you know Constant Fair from Fair Family Village?" He replied, “I am!” The messenger said, “The people in your home asked me to tell you that your father passed away.” Constant Fair thought to himself, “I have been an orphan since I was a child, and replied, “You are mistaken! I'm not the person you're looking for!” The messenger verified, “XXX County, YYY town, Fair Family Village, the name is Constant Fair!” Constant Fair replied immediately, “Yes! It is me!” The messenger added, “The news that the people in your hometown asked me to convey to you is that your father has passed away. I'm just a messenger, and the rest, I don't know!”

At this, Constant Fair felt uncomfortable in his heart and sensed that something was wrong. When he arrived home, he inquired if there was anyone else in the village also name Constant Fair. He found out, in his county, only has one Fair Family Village, and in the past 40 years, only his name is Constant Fair in the Village. For several days in a row, he felt a tightness in his chest.

1.3 桃花運 Peach Flower Fortune

這天，常公去集市上散心。從遠處，他就看見一群人圍着一個算命的。常公從來不信鬼神、相面之類的。不知怎地！那天他就站到排隊人的後面，想聽聽。

算命先生一眼就看見常公了，說：“排在最後的那個人着急！讓他先來！前面的人等一會兒。”

常公說：“我不着急，我可以等。”

算命先生說：“讓你過來你就過來！”

常公走到算命先生跟前，還沒說話，算命先生就說：“這位相公，你知道不？你有了桃花運了！”

On this day, Constant Fair went to the marketplace for a walk. From a distance, he saw a group of people surrounding a fortune-teller. Constant Fair never believed in ghosts, gods, fortune-telling, and the like. But somehow! That day he stood at the back of the queue and wanted to listen.

The fortune-teller saw Constant Fair immediately and said, “The one at the end of the line is in a hurry! Let him come first! Those in front wait a while.”

Constant Fair said, "I'm not in a hurry, I can wait."

The fortune-teller said, "Come over here if you're told to!"

Constant Fair walked up to the fortune-teller, and before he could say anything, the fortune-teller said, “Congratulation! You've got Peach Flower Fortune!”

常公回答：“不知道！我還能有桃花運！”

算命先生問: “以前，你給人打工，有沒有一個東家對你特別好，而你想見卻從來也沒見過他？”

常公驚奇地回答：“有啊！”

算命先生說：“他死了，而且是死不瞑目。”

Constant Fair replied, “I don't know! I can still have Peach Flower Fortune!”

The fortune teller asked, "In the past, when you worked for someone, was there a proprietor who treated you very well, but you never saw him?"

Constant Fair replied, "Yes!"

The fortune-teller said, “He is dead, and with eyes glaringly open!”

常公一聽，感覺頭裡“嗡”一下，天旋地轉，五臟六腑都在移動。等常公鎮靜下來，他感覺胸口堵得厲害，像是壓了一塊石頭，聽見人群中七嘴八牙地說着：真是神算，一看就知道！不怪說他急！

常公轉身就走。算命先生說: “等等，我還沒說完呢！我看你是真不知道啊！桃花運來了，誰也擋不住，沒有別的辦法。你只能順從你的那位老東家的願望，趕快去他的家。即便傾家蕩產湊聘禮，你也要聘得人家的閨女，拜堂成親入洞房，你才能解脫此桃花劫。”

Constant Fair heard, feel the head "buzz" a moment, the sky spinning, earth gravity vanishing, organs are moving. When he calmed down, felt his chest clogged, as if pressing a stone, heard the crowd talking about really God's calculations, a look to know! No wonder that he was said to be in a hurry!

Constant Fair turned around and started to walk home. The fortune-teller said: “Wait, I haven't finished yet! I think you really don't know! When Peach Flower Fortune comes, no one can stop it, there's no other way. You can only obey the wish of that old proprietor of yours and go to his house quickly. Even if you must spend all your money to pay for the betrothal gift, you still must gain their favor, wed their daughter, and enter honeymoon house, before you can be relieved of this Peach Flower Catastrophe.”

常公伸手摸兜兒，發現自己沒帶錢，就說：“我這就回去取錢，回來還你。”

算命先生說：“不必了，我不要你的錢。”

常公感覺奇怪，問為什麼不要他的錢？算命先生說：“說實話！從你的面相上看，你活不過一百天。花死人錢不吉利！”

常公說：“多謝！日後有機會，我一定報答你。”

Constant Fair reached into his pocket and realized he had no money with him, so he said, "I'll go back to get the money and return it to you."

The fortune-teller said, “No need, I don't want your money.”

Constant Fair felt strange and asked why he didn't want his money. The fortune-teller said, “To tell the truth! Judging from your face, you won't live more than a hundred days. It's unlucky to spend dead people's money!"

Constant Fair said, "Thank you very much! I will definitely repay you when I have the chance in the future."

算命先生又說：“等等！路上，你一定要多喝水；喝水可以續你的命。另外，你一定要堅持走動；如果你倒下了，就可能再也起不來了！”

常公再次感謝，回家就收拾行李，當晚就上路了。

幾天之後，常公感覺胸口堵得越來越厲害，肚子裡嘰里咕嚕，胃腸蠕動有問題；皮膚上開始長瘡。他每到一個地方就先找井，喝飽了，再灌滿兩壺水隨身攜帶，吃點東西就馬上趕路。就這樣常公日夜兼程，趕往劉員外的藥莊。

The fortune-teller added, "Wait! On the way, you must drink more water; drinking water will renew your life. Also, you must keep walking; if you fall, you may never get up again!"

Thanking again, Constant Fair went home, packed his bags, and went on his way that night.

A few days later, Constant Fair felt his chest getting more and more clogged, his stomach gurgling, and problems with his stomach and intestinal motility; sores began to grow on his skin. Whenever he arrived at a place, he first looked for a well, drank his fill, then filled two jugs of water to carry with him, ate something and immediately rushed on. In this way Constant Fair traveled day and night, rushing to Liu's medicine farm.

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