During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the wind and rain in the south of the Yangtze River were smooth, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. In a small village, there lived a poor peasant and peasant woman. They have been married for many years, have no children, and are very eager to have a son to inherit the incense. They work hard every day, cut down on food and clothing, and often go to the temple to burn incense and worship the Buddha and pray for the blessing of the gods.
Finally, one day, the peasant woman became pregnant. She and her husband were ecstatic and told the whole village the news. The people of the village were happy for them and sent blessings and congratulatory gifts. The farmer and the peasant woman were grateful and put all their thoughts on the child in their wombs. They hope that their children will be born safely, grow up healthily, and become a productive person in the future.
However, the good times were short-lived. Soon after the peasant woman became pregnant, various ominous signs began to appear. She often had nightmares in which she dreamed of being bitten by snakes, flooded, and struck by lightning. Her body also became weaker and weaker, unable to eat and vomiting profusely. Her belly was also unusually large, as if she was pregnant with two children. The old Chinese medicine doctor in the village treated her and said that her fetal gas was not smooth, and she needed to rest more, move less, and chant scriptures and pray. The farmer was very worried when he heard this, so he took care of all the housework and field work, and only let the peasant woman lie in bed every day to raise the baby.
But no one expected that the peasant woman would be three years pregnant, and the people in the village were reluctant to get close to their home, and rumors spread all of a sudden. When the peasant woman finally came to give birth. That day happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, and the moon hung in the sky. The farmer brought in the most experienced midwives in the village, and also called in a few women from the neighborhood to help. He himself burned incense outside the door and prayed, hoping that everything would go well.
But unexpectedly, this delivery was extremely difficult. The peasant woman died of pain, and her cry shook the sky. The midwives and the women were also sweating profusely and busy. They found that the peasant woman's fetal position was not correct, and the child was headed up and feet down, and could not come out at all. They tried all means and without success. As the minutes passed, the peasant woman's life was in danger.
Just when everyone was about to give up, suddenly there was a thunder and lightning in the sky. Then came the downpour. The rain was like a waterfall, flooding the entire village. The farmer and the other villagers were terrified and fled for their lives. They thought of the peasant woman and wanted to go back and save her, but it was too late. The water was so strong that it washed them all away.
At this moment, a loud noise suddenly sounded in the peasant woman's house. The midwife and the women were stunned. When they woke up, they found the house in shambles, and the peasant woman was dead, lying on her bed, covered in blood. And in her stomach, a strange thing appeared. It was a child, but he didn't look like a human. He has a pair of horns on his head, a layer of scales on his body, claws on his hands and feet, and two fangs in his mouth. His eyes were wide open, and he was looking at them.
The midwife and the women were stunned, thinking they had seen a ghost. They hurriedly ran out of the house, trying to escape. But as soon as he went out, he saw an even more terrifying scene. I saw a huge dragon flying in the sky, its body hundreds of feet long, and its whole body flashed with golden light. It opened its bloody jaws and spat out a ball of fire, burning the entire house to ashes. Then it lowered its head and said in a gentle voice, "Thank you for raising my son for three years." ”
It turned out that this child was the son of the Dragon King, and he was punished by the Jade Emperor to be reincarnated as a human because he caused trouble in the sky. He chose a peasant woman as his mother because she was kind-hearted and devout and faithful. He stayed in her belly for three years, just to wait for this day. This day is the most auspicious moment of his birth, and it is also his chance to return to the heavenly realm. He used the thunder and fire to open the gate to heaven and summoned his father to take him back.
The dragon king was very happy to see that his son was safe and sound. He took his son in his arms and said to him, "You have finally returned, and I want to kill you." Then he bowed deeply to the corpse of the peasant woman and said, "Thank you for raising my son for three years, you are a good mother." I will always remember your kindness. With that, he took his son and flew into the sky.
The midwife and the women watched in amazement, unable to believe their eyes. They felt terrible and sad, and felt sorry for the peasant woman and her husband. They thought of how much the couple longed to have a child, but they didn't expect to give birth to a dragon son. They are ashamed and regretful that they have once envied and envied them. They felt remorse and self-reproach for the fact that they had scolded this dragon and that they had laughed at them. They feel sad and helpless about the unfairness and cruelty of this world. They mourn and regret their ignorance and foolishness.
Just then, the farmer came running, his body soaked, his face full of horror and anxiety. He saw the house burned to ashes, he saw the corpse of the peasant woman, he saw the midwife and the expressions of the women, and he understood at once what was happening. He threw himself at the peasant woman's side, hugged her body, and cried aloud. He cried and said, "Honey, why did you leave like this? Why would you leave me alone? Why did you give me a dragon son? Why do you want me to suffer like this? ”
He cried so hard that it hurt everyone's hearts. They all wanted to come forward to comfort him, but they didn't know what to say. They could only accompany him silently and mourn this unfortunate mother and son together.
At this moment, another burst of thunder and lightning came from the sky. Immediately after, there was a loud bang. I saw a golden light descend from the sky and fall beside the farmer. The golden light dissipated, revealing the figure of a man. It was a young and handsome man, dressed in a splendid robe, wearing a crown and holding a jade seal. His eyes shone with wisdom and majesty, and his breath radiated with holiness and grace. He is the Jade Emperor, the Supreme in Heaven.
The Jade Emperor looked at the farmer, smiled slightly, and said, "Hello, I am the Jade Emperor. I'm here to apologize and thank you. When the farmer heard this, he was stunned and did not know what to say. The Jade Emperor continued: "You don't know, the dragon son born to your wife is actually my nephew. He is the son of the Dragon King and a relative of mine. Because he caused trouble in heaven, he was punished by me to be reincarnated in the mortal world. I wanted him to suffer some suffering in the world and wash away his sins. But unexpectedly, he met you couple. You have loved and cared for him immensely and have given him a warm family. You made him feel the goodness and beauty of the world, and I was also touched. ”
The Jade Emperor said, tears welling up in his eyes. He said, "I will always remember your kindness to my nephew. I'm here today to repay you. I know your greatest wish is to have a child to inherit the incense. So I decided to give you a chance. If you will, I can resurrect your wife and give you a healthy and wise son. ”
When the farmer heard this, he couldn't believe his ears. He raised his head and looked at the Jade Emperor, his eyes full of doubts and anticipation. He said, "Really? Can you really do that? Aren't you lying to me? The Jade Emperor smiled and said, "I am the Jade Emperor, and my words count." You only need to promise me one condition, and I can make your wish come true. The farmer hurriedly asked, "What conditions?" ”
The Jade Emperor said: "You have to promise me that no matter what your son does when he grows up, you will support him, respect him, and love him." You can't blame him for his choices, beat him up, or abandon him. You have to give him the freedom to pursue his own happiness without imposing any constraints and burdens on him. Can you do it? The farmer thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "I can do it." As long as I have a son, I will be good to him and will not ask anything of him. The Jade Emperor listened, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "Okay, since you agreed, then I will fulfill you." ”
After speaking, the Jade Emperor stretched out his finger and tapped it lightly on the peasant woman's forehead. The peasant woman's corpse immediately glowed with light, and then slowly regained its vitality. She opened her eyes and saw the farmer and the Jade Emperor. She was surprised and asked, "What's going on?" Am I not dead? Who are you? The farmer hugged her excitedly and said, "Honey, you are not dead, you are alive." This is the Jade Emperor, he is the emperor of heaven. He gave us a gift to resurrect you and gave us a son. When the peasant woman heard this, she was also very surprised and grateful. She looked at the Jade Emperor and said, "Thank you, Jade Emperor. You are so merciful. The Jade Emperor smiled and said, "Don't thank me, this is what you deserve." Now you can look at your sons. ”
The Jade Emperor said, taking out a baby from his arms. It was a lovely boy, fair-skinned, with bright eyes and a smile at the corner of his mouth. He looks healthy and smart. The Jade Emperor handed him to the peasant and the peasant woman, and said, "This is your son." His name is Xiao Ming. He was a child with talent and potential. In the future he will be a great person. Nurture him well, teach him, and protect him. The farmer and the peasant woman took the baby and put him in their arms. They felt extremely happy and warm. They looked at their son's face, tears and smiles intertwined.
The Jade Emperor looked at this scene and also felt relieved and happy. He said, "Alright, it's time for me to go." I wish you a happy family. With that, he turned into a golden light and flew into the sky.
The midwives and the women were amazed and envious when they saw all this. They were happy for the farmer and the peasant woman, and they were honored to be able to witness such a miracle. They came forward one after another to congratulate and bless them.
The farmer and the peasant woman thanked them for their care and blessings, and also invited them to a hearty meal to celebrate the birth of their son. They told them about their experiences and told them to keep it a secret and not spread it casually. They say that their son is a gift from the Jade Emperor and is a magical child who cannot be known to outsiders. They said that they would love him well, educate him, and make him a useful person.
Both the midwives and the women agreed, saying they would not divulge anything. They were also happy for the farmer and the peasant woman, saying that they had eyes in the sky and had received the favor of the Jade Emperor. They said that they believed that Xiao Ming would definitely be an outstanding figure who would bring them glory and happiness in the future.
In this way, the farmer and the peasant woman began a new life. They treat Xiao Ming as their own treasure and take care of him meticulously. Xiao Ming is also very sensible, very well-behaved, and very smart. He quickly learned to speak, walk, read, and write. He is very interested in everything and is easy to learn. He likes to listen to stories, draw, sing, and play games. He also enjoys playing with other children in the village and chatting with the adults. He always had a smile on his face and made everyone like him.
The farmer and the peasant woman watched their son grow up, and their hearts were filled with pride and joy. They feel like the happiest people in the world. They no longer care about their poverty and hardship, and as long as they have their son by their side, they feel that everything is worth it. They also no longer go to the temple to burn incense and worship the Buddha, as long as they thank the Jade Emperor for his grace, they feel that everything is at ease.
After more than ten years, Xiao Ming grew up into a handsome and dashing young man. He had learned everything he could in the village, and he had taught himself many books and skills. He has been involved in astronomy and geography, history and culture, medicine and divination, music and poetry, and has made achievements. He also has a good martial arts hand and is able to defeat all the young people in the village. He is recognized as a talented and beautiful woman in the village, and has been admired and loved by countless people.
Although Xiao Ming has such talent and beauty, he does not have a little pride and complacency. He was kind and humble to all people, and even more filial and respectful to his parents. He helps his parents with housework and field work every day, and often buys his parents some good food and clothing. Parents see their son so filial and virtuous, and they feel even more lucky.