Huan Xiao
They say that once upon a time, in a small village on the banks of the Yellow River, there lived a poor man named Huang Xiao. He worked from morning till night without rest, yet barely had enough to eat. Eventually, he had to go work for his rich uncle.One morning, as Huang Xiao was feeding the birds, a huge hawk swooped down, grabbed the fattest chicken, and flew off to the west. But the chicken was heavy, so the hawk flew low over the ground. Huang Xiao immediately gave chase, hoping to snatch the chicken back once the hawk landed.
The hawk flew farther and farther until it finally landed in a garden filled with large, lush chrysanthemums. In the garden, Huang Xiao saw a girl of extraordinary beauty among the flowers. She glanced at him with her deep, autumn-water-like eyes, and they fell in love at first sight.
"What is your name?" asked Huang Xiao.
"Yuan Mei. And yours?"
"Huang Xiao."
"I love you, Huang Xiao, and I want to be your wife. Find a respectable person and send him to my father as a matchmaker."
Overjoyed, Huang Xiao returned home and begged his uncle to act as his matchmaker. But when Yuan Mei's father learned that Huang Xiao was poor, he gave the matchmaker this answer:
"If he wants to be my son-in-law, he must find and give me, as a wedding gift, ten golden bricks, a measure of golden beans, three red hairs, and a pearl that does not sink. Otherwise, he will never see my daughter again."
When Huang Xiao heard from his uncle about the rare treasures Yuan Mei's father demanded, he grieved for a long time but could think of no solution. Finally, he decided to seek advice from an old sage.
He quickly prepared and set off on a long and difficult journey.
He walked and walked until he came to a large city, where he saw a strange sight—people were building a wall, but it kept collapsing. The townsfolk asked Huang Xiao where he was going and why. When they learned he was seeking advice from the old sage, they pleaded with him:
"Please ask the sage why our wall won't stand. It's fine everywhere else, but it keeps collapsing at this spot."
Huang Xiao promised to fulfill their request and continued on his way.
He walked and walked until he reached a village. The villagers met him, learned of his quest, and begged him:
"Please ask the old sage why the cherry tree behind our village blooms but bears no fruit."
Huang Xiao promised to fulfill their request as well and continued onward.
He walked and walked until he saw an old man sitting on the doorstep of a house. The old man asked where he was going and why, then pleaded:
"Please ask the sage how to cure my daughter. She is eighteen years old but mute, and no one will marry her."
Huang Xiao promised to fulfill the old man's request and continued on his way.
He walked for many days and nights, facing numerous hardships along the way: crossing raging rivers, climbing steep cliffs, and suffering from thirst in a waterless desert. Finally, he reached the edge of an endless sea. Huang Xiao stopped on the shore and wondered aloud how he could cross the sea to reach the old sage. Just then, a large black turtle swam up, heard his words, and said:
"I can carry you across the ocean, but don't forget about me. For many years, I've been swimming the waves but cannot sink to the ocean floor. Please ask the sage how I can be rid of this curse."
Huang Xiao promised to fulfill the turtle's request, climbed onto its back, and it carried him across the ocean.
Soon, he reached the sage's dwelling. The old sage saw Huang Xiao and asked why he had come. Huang Xiao began by recounting the requests of the townsfolk, the villagers, the old man, and the turtle, and then shared his own troubles. The old sage replied:
"The townsfolk cannot build their wall because ten golden bricks are buried in the ground there. The cherry tree bears no fruit because a measure of golden beans lies beneath it. The old man's daughter cannot speak because of three red hairs on her head. If you pluck them out, she will speak. The turtle cannot sink because of a pearl in its mouth. Remove the pearl, and it will sink to the ocean floor. By helping others, you will help yourself."
Huang Xiao thanked the old sage and joyfully began his journey back.
The large black turtle was already waiting for him and asked as soon as he appeared:
"Well, what did the old sage say?"
"Carry me to the other shore, and you'll find out."
On the other shore, Huang Xiao told the turtle to open its mouth, removed the pearl that does not sink, and the turtle, satisfied, immediately sank to the ocean floor. Huang Xiao hid the pearl in his robe and happily continued on his way.
The old man was waiting on his doorstep.
"Well, what did the old sage say?" he asked.
"Take me to your daughter, and I will cure her," replied Huang Xiao.
As soon as he plucked the three red hairs from the girl's head, she began to speak. The father and daughter tearfully thanked Huang Xiao, who hid the hairs in his robe and cheerfully continued on his way.
At the edge of the village, the farmers eagerly awaited him.
"Well, what did the old sage say?" they asked.
"Show me your cherry tree, and I will make it bear fruit," replied Huang Xiao.
They led him to the cherry tree. Huang Xiao dug up the measure of golden beans, and immediately, ripe cherries appeared on the branches.
The farmers didn't know how to thank Huang Xiao, who continued on his way even more cheerfully.
The townsfolk were also waiting for him and immediately asked:
"Well, what did the old sage say?"
Huang Xiao went straight to the spot where the wall kept collapsing, dug up the ten golden bricks, and said:
"Now build your wall."
The people built the wall, and it stood firm, no longer collapsing.
Huang Xiao hurried home, overjoyed that he had helped others and obtained everything he needed.
Yuan Mei's father was astonished that Huang Xiao had managed to fulfill his demands and acquire such precious wedding gifts. Though he was reluctant to give his daughter to a poor man, he had to keep his promise.
Huang Xiao and Yuan Mei lived together in love and happiness.
Huang Xiao loved his wife so much that he couldn't bear to be apart from her for even a moment, so he asked her to paint her portrait. Whenever he left the house, he always took it with him.
One day, while working in the fields, he missed his wife, took out the portrait, and began to admire it.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew the portrait from his hands and carried it away. Huang Xiao searched and searched but returned home empty-handed.
The portrait, driven by the wind, flew and flew until it landed in the golden hall of the imperial palace.
The emperor was captivated by the image of Yuan Mei and ordered his courtiers:
"I have never seen such a beauty. Take this portrait and go find her. If you fail, I will execute you!"
The courtiers searched the entire country for a long time until they finally came to Huang Xiao's house. They saw Yuan Mei and immediately recognized her as the beauty from the portrait. Though Yuan Mei wept, the courtiers seized her and took her to the emperor. But before leaving, she managed to whisper to Huang Xiao:
"When they take me away, take a sheepskin coat, wear it inside out, and appear before the emperor in that guise. I will arrange for us to be together again."
When Yuan Mei was brought to the palace, the emperor sat her beside him and didn't want to be apart from her for even a moment. But no matter how he tried to please her, she remained silent, sad, and never smiled.
One day, as the emperor was trying in vain to cheer Yuan Mei, Huang Xiao entered the golden hall, wearing the sheepskin coat inside out. Yuan Mei looked at him and burst into laughter.
"What has made you so happy, Yuan Mei?" asked the surprised emperor.
"I like that man's coat. If you dressed like that, I would always laugh."
Delighted, the emperor called Huang Xiao over and began to exchange clothes with him. Huang Xiao took off his coat and put on the emperor's dragon-embroidered robes. But as soon as the emperor put on the sheepskin coat, Yuan Mei shouted to the courtiers:
"Hey, order the man in the coat to be beheaded immediately! He has insulted me!"
The courtiers seized the emperor and executed him, while Huang Xiao took his place beside Yuan Mei, and from that day on, they were never apart again.
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