During the Warring States period, Zhuang Zhou, a native of the Song Dynasty, advocated honesty and self-control, hated the darkness of officialdom and was reluctant to go out. Later, I had a son to raise, and I had no choice but to go to the lacquer garden to become a lacquer garden official, but I was very generous to the lacquer workers, and the raw lacquer produced in the lacquer garden and only the rich and noble people could afford to use it was not touched.
Zhuang Zhou has a classmate named Cao Shang, who was an official in the Song Dynasty, heard that Zhuang Zhou was a lacquer garden official, and he came to visit, and when he saw Zhuang Zhou, he begged in a low manner: "My family is going to make a furniture to paint lacquer, but lacquer is too expensive." For the sake of you and me, let's send a little secretly, right? ”
Zhuang Zhou shook his head and said: "Brother Cao, the lacquer garden belongs to the state, and the lacquer workers are all staring at it, who dares to make a mistake?" I want to buy it at the original price with lacquer. ”
Cao Shang was so angry that he scolded: "I don't believe you are really honest, you must find evidence to discredit you!" ”
Zhuang Zhou said with a smile: "I take everything lightly, but I only pay attention to conduct, all the furniture in my house is white stubble, even the coffin prepared for myself early is white stubble." Why are you afraid to check? ”
Zhuang Zhou brushed his sleeves out, Zhuang Gongzi hurriedly came in to apologize to Cao Shang, Cao Shang said that he was not strange, but he was willing to give up in his heart, desperately looking for evidence of Zhuang Zhou**, but he never succeeded.
A year later, news suddenly reached the national capital, saying that Zhuang Zhou was overworked and had been ill for a long time. When King Song heard this, he was very anxious, and remembered that Cao Shang was Zhuang Zhou's classmate, so he sent him to accompany the imperial doctor to treat Zhuang Zhou.
When the group arrived at the dealer's house, they saw Zhuang Zhou lying on the bed, his face was like ashes, and his breath was weak, but when he saw Cao Shang, he tried his best to talk about what happened a year ago, and exhorted Cao Shang to be honest and honest, and Cao Shang hurriedly asked the imperial doctor to diagnose. After the imperial doctor diagnosed, he only invited Cao Shang to a no-man's place outside the house, and whispered: "Zhuang Zhou is blocked by blood and phlegm, and he needs to be angry to cough it out." As for how to make him so, I don't dare to say more. ”
Cao Shang remembered the white stubble coffin that Zhuang Zhou had said, and felt that he would be able to toss Zhuang Zhou hard with it, and then coerce Zhuang Zhou to join him with him by virtue of saving his life, which can not only relieve his anger but also get benefits, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone. Thinking of this, he whispered to the imperial doctor, and the imperial doctor nodded again and again.
The two called the Zhuang family out of the house again and walked into the distance. Cao Shangcai showed a sad look on his face and said, "Everyone, the imperial doctor diagnosed Zhuang Zhou as terminally ill, so you can prepare for him." ”
The imperial doctor also nodded again and again, sighing. The Zhuang family was in a mess for a moment, Cao Shang signaled them to be quiet, then sent the imperial doctor away, and came back to Zhuang Gongzi and said, "I heard that Zhuang Zhou had prepared a coffin for himself, and I want to go and see if it is in line with the etiquette." ”
Zhuang Gongzi complied and led Cao Shang to the back of the house, only to see a white stubble coffin placed there, Cao Shang immediately shook his head and said: "Zhuang Zhou is famous all over the world, and it is **, how can the coffin be so simple?" It is necessary to paint the lacquer to meet the etiquette! ”
Zhuang Gongzi sighed: "Uncle Cao, you know what your father is, how can the family have the money to buy expensive lacquer?" ”
Cao Shang said with a smile: "Zhuang Zhou has always been honest and self-disciplined as a lacquer garden official. It's going to die, can't you get some raw paint to brush the coffin? Leave this matter to me, but don't tell Zhuang Zhou, lest he pretend to object. ”
After Zhuang Gongzi hesitated for a long time, he still agreed.
Cao Shang immediately went to the lacquer garden, summoned the lacquer workers and said: "Zhuang Zhou has always taken care of you, but now he is terminally ill, but the coffin prepared is white stubble, do you take out the raw lacquer to help him brush the coffin?" Rest assured, this matter will be kept confidential. ”
The lacquer workers nodded one after another, and took out the best black and red lacquer from the warehouse, which can keep the coffin from rotting for thousands of years. Cao Shang was overjoyed in his heart, and said secretly: "Zhuang Zhou, I was smeared by the raw lacquer that I was greedy for in your name, even if you don't die, you can't get clean, see if you still pretend to be high?" ”
The lacquer workers carried the paint buckets on their backs and followed Cao Shang to the dealer's house. When they arrived at the gate of the courtyard, Cao Shang asked the painters to stop and instructed: "After entering the door, you must be light-handed, and do not alarm Zhuang Zhou, otherwise you will be reprimanded again." ”
The painters nodded again and again, and cautiously followed Cao Shang into the courtyard. As soon as Zhuang Gongzi saw it, he led everyone to the back of the house, and the painters began to paint the white stubble coffin, painting black on the outside and red on the inside. Although he was very careful, Zhuang Zhou still heard the movement, and forced himself to get up and go out of the house**, blocking everyone behind the house.
Zhuang Zhou leaned against the wall, pointed to the coffin that had been painted with raw paint, coughed and questioned the painters: "Say, who asked you to do it?" ”
The painters all looked at Cao Shang, and when Cao Shang saw that he couldn't hide it, he came out and said with a smile: "Zhuang Zhou, it's me." You used to always advocate honesty and self-discipline, but now your coffin is painted with the best lacquer in the lacquer garden, is this a **? ”
Zhuang Zhou pointed at Cao Shang and scolded: "Shameless! ”
Cao Shang replied confidently: "It's better than you selling your reputation and deceiving yourself!" ”
Zhuang Zhou was in a hurry, with a "wow" sound, he collapsed to the ground after spitting out a mouthful of bloody phlegm, still pointing to the coffin and glaring at his son: "I will never be corrupt after I die, I sold it and returned the raw lacquer money, and burned my body, Yang!" "
Zhuang Gongzi was so frightened that he fell to his knees and shouted repeatedly: "The father can't die, the son is guilty, guilty!" ”
Unexpectedly, Cao Shang smiled all over his face and said, "Don't panic, eldest nephew, your father won't die." ”
Cao Shang helped Zhuang Zhou up and let everyone see that his complexion was much better, and everyone was pleasantly surprised. Cao Shang said the words of the imperial doctor, and the Zhuang family hurriedly thanked Cao Shang for their kindness, only Zhuang Zhou still stared at him coldly.
Cao Shang was proud, turned to Zhuang Zhou and said, "Zhuang Zhou, the lacquer workers have promised to keep it secret, and you still have the handle of bribery in our hands." You have also experienced life and death, so you don't need to be coy, think about how to repay your life-saving benefactor, right? In other words, the furniture in my house that was finished last year has not been lacquered so far. ”
Zhuang turned his eyes and said with a smile: "Brother Cao's words made me pause, so make an exception and give a gift." ”
Zhuang Zhou said, summoned the lacquer workers to come over, Cao Shang thought that he was going to send him lacquer, and couldn't help but be overjoyed, but Zhuang Zhou pointed to the lacquered coffin, and instructed the lacquer workers: "You send this coffin to Lord Cao's mansion, and shout loudly along the way, 'Zhuang is polluted, die and live.'" Cao Shang succeeded, and made a coffin! 'As for the lacquer money, it will be deducted from my money every month.' ”
Cao Shang was so ashamed that the sleeves of his robe covered his face, and immediately ran away, the lacquer workers refused to give up, lifted the coffin and shouted while chasing, and no one questioned Zhuang Zhou's incorruptibility and praised him as "the proud official of the lacquer garden".