During the Tang Dynasty, there was a man named Zhang Sen, who was burly but full of kindness in his heart. He has a unique craft of making delicious cakes, and whenever he makes them, the aroma is mouth-watering. As a result, he became a well-known master of cake making.
However, after becoming famous, Zhang Sen did not become proud and complacent, but more humble and low-key. One day, a woman named Yang Ling appeared in his life, she was very fond of eating the cakes he made, and even proposed to him through a matchmaker. Although Yang Ling was born poor, she was hardworking and kind, and Zhang Sen felt that she was the ideal wife in his mind, so the two tied the knot.
After marriage, life was plain and happy, Zhang Sen and Yang Ling ran a cake-making business together, and their lives gradually became richer. However, the good times were short-lived, and a plague of locusts that had not been seen in a century swept in, resulting in a shortage of wheat, and Zhang Sen's cake business fell into trouble. He looked at the small pot of wheat that was left with a sad face, and felt more hopeless than ever.
Just when he felt helpless, a mysterious old woman appeared. She bought all the cakes from Zhang Sen and promised to come and buy a hundred of the cakes he made every day. What surprised Zhang Sen even more was that the old woman also gave him a pile of wheat so that he could continue to make cakes. With this batch of wheat, Zhang Sen's business has been revitalized.
As time passed, Zhang Sen earned more and more silver taels, and the family's wheat piled up. However, Yang Ling began to be greedy, and she suggested that Zhang Sen stop making cakes for the old woman and make cakes from these wheat*** to make more profits. But Zhang Sen resolutely rejected her suggestion, believing that people should keep their promises and not break their promises because of immediate interests.
Yang Ling saw that Zhang Sen did not listen to the advice, and was dissatisfied, and began to find fault at home**. She complained that Zhang Sen made too little money to satisfy her vanity. In the face of Yang Ling's vexatious trouble, Zhang Sen felt very painful and helpless. But he still adhered to his principles and continued to send a hundred cakes to the old woman every day.
One day, when Zhang Sen sent the cake to the hillside again, the old woman suddenly appeared in front of him. She smiled and said to Zhang Sen, "Young man, you did a good job. You keep your word and value affection, such a person deserves my help. Now, I'm going to give you a gift. After speaking, she took out a crystal clear gem and handed it to Zhang Sen.
Zhang Sen looked at the gem in his hand in surprise, not knowing how to respond. The old woman smiled and said, "This gem can bless you and your family with peace and prosperity." But remember, don't be greedy enough to swallow elephants, or the gem will lose its magic. After saying that, the old woman turned into a puff of light smoke and disappeared into the air.
After Zhang Sen returned home, he handed over the gem to Yang Ling. After Yang Ling saw the gem, she immediately became gentle and virtuous. She understood the importance of Zhang Sen's commitment to credit, and also realized that her greed was wrong. Since then, she and Zhang Sen have worked hard to run a cake-making business, treat customers with integrity, and become rich through hard work. Their lives became better and better, and they became well-known and wealthy in the local area.
This story tells us that we should be trustworthy and affectionate, and we should not break our promises because of immediate benefits. Only in this way can we win the trust and respect of others, and can we have true happiness and success.