A man surnamed Xu lived in the northern outskirts of Zichuan and made his living as a fisherman. Every night, he carried wine to the river, drinking while he fished. As he drank, he would pour a libation onto the ground, praying, 'May the drowned ghosts in the river have a drink.' He did this as a matter of course. Other fishermen never caught anything, yet Xu alone filled his basket. One night, as he was drinking alone, a young man appeared, pacing beside him. Xu warmly invited him to share his wine, and they drank together. However, they caught not a single fish all night, which greatly disappointed Xu. The young man stood up and said, 'Please let me drive the fish to you from downstream.' He then drifted away. After a short while, he returned and said, 'The fish are coming in great numbers.' Sure enough, they heard the sound of fish splashing. Xu lifted his net and caught several, each a full foot long. Overjoyed, he thanked the young man profusely. As Xu prepared to leave, he offered the fish as a gift, but the young man refused, saying, 'I have often enjoyed your fine wine; how could such a small gift be considered repayment? If you do not disdain me, I hope to make this a long-term arrangement.' Xu replied, 'We have only shared one night together; why speak of often? If you are willing to keep me company forever, that is truly my wish; but I am ashamed that I have nothing to offer in return.' When he asked for his name, the young man said, 'My surname is Wang; I have no courtesy name. You may call me Wang Liulang.' They then parted. The following day, Xu sold his fish and bought extra wine. When he reached the river that evening, the young man was already waiting, and they drank happily together. After a few cups, the young man would drive the fish toward Xu’s net.
This continued for half a year. Suddenly, Wang told Xu, 'Having had the pleasure of your acquaintance, our bond is stronger than that of flesh and blood. Yet the day of our parting is near.' His voice was full of sorrow. Xu asked him in surprise. Wang hesitated twice before speaking, then said, 'Given the closeness of our friendship, you will perhaps not be startled by what I am about to say. Since we are about to part, I may as well tell you plainly: I am actually a ghost. I have always loved wine, and I drowned in a drunken stupor several years ago. The reason you have caught more fish than others is that I have been secretly driving them to you to repay your libations. Tomorrow, my term of service is complete, and there will be a replacement. I am about to go to be reborn. We will only be together tonight, so I cannot help but feel moved.' At first, Xu was very frightened; but having been so intimate for so long, he was no longer afraid. He too began to weep, poured a cup, and said, 'Liulang, drink this, and do not be sad. Although it is truly sad to part so suddenly, the fact that your term is complete and you are freed from your ordeal is something to celebrate; sadness would be out of place.' They then drank heartily. Xu asked, 'Who is the replacement?' Wang replied, 'Brother, watch the riverbank. At noon, a woman will cross the river and drown; that is the one.' After hearing the village roosters crow, they shed tears and parted.
The next day, Xu waited respectfully by the river to observe the event. Sure enough, a woman carrying an infant came, and fell into the river upon reaching it. The child was thrown onto the bank, crying with flailing arms and legs. The woman sank and floated several times, but suddenly, dripping wet, she climbed onto the bank. She rested on the ground for a moment, then picked up her child and left. When the woman was drowning, Xu felt great pity and wanted to run to her rescue, but then remembered that she was the one destined to replace Liulang, so he stopped himself from saving her. When the woman emerged on her own, Xu suspected that Wang’s words had not come true. In the evening, he went to his usual fishing spot. The young man arrived again and said, 'Now we are together again, and we need not speak of parting.' Xu asked why. Wang said, 'The woman was to take my place; but I pitied the infant in her arms. If one person replaces me, two lives would be ruined, so I let her go. I do not know when another replacement will come. Perhaps the bond between us two is not yet exhausted?' Xu sighed and said, 'This is the heart of a benevolent person, which can reach the Jade Emperor.' From then on, they gathered as before.
A few days later, Wang came to say goodbye again. Xu suspected there was another replacement. Wang said, 'No. My previous moment of compassion truly reached the Heavenly Court. I have now been appointed as the local tutelary deity of Wuzhen in Zhaoyuan County, and I will take up my post tomorrow. If you do not forget our old friendship, please come to visit; do not be deterred by the distance.' Xu congratulated him, saying, 'Your righteousness has won you a place among the gods; how heartening! But the path between humans and gods is separated; even if I travel all that way, how can we meet?' The young man said, 'Just come, do not worry.' He repeated this advice several times before leaving.
Xu returned home and immediately wanted to pack and head east. His wife laughed and said, 'It is hundreds of miles away. Even if the place exists, I fear a clay idol cannot converse with you.' Xu did not listen and eventually reached Zhaoyuan. He asked the locals, and indeed there was a place called Wuzhen. He found the spot, rested at an inn, and asked where the shrine was. The innkeeper was surprised and said, 'Could it be that your surname is Xu?' Xu said, 'Yes. How do you know?' The innkeeper asked again, 'Could it be that you are from Zichuan?' Xu said, 'Yes. How do you know?' The innkeeper did not answer but quickly went out. Soon, men carrying children and wives peeking through the door came in a crowd, surrounding Xu like a wall. The villagers explained, 'Several nights ago, we dreamed that the god said: My friend Xu from Zichuan will arrive shortly; you may help him with his travel expenses. We have been waiting for you.' Xu was also surprised by this, so he went to the shrine to offer sacrifices and pray, saying, 'Since parting with you, you have not left my mind in waking or sleeping. I have traveled far to fulfill our old promise. I am also grateful for the dream that informed the locals. I am ashamed to have no substantial gift; I only have a cup of wine. If you do not disdain me, let us drink as we did by the river.' After finishing the prayer, he burned paper money. Soon, a wind rose behind the seat, swirling for a while before dispersing.
That night, Xu dreamed the young man came, dressed in fine robes, very different from usual. He thanked him, saying, 'You have traveled far to inquire after me; I am moved to tears. But my position is minor, and it is not convenient to meet face to face. Though we are close, the distance feels like a mountain and river, which is very distressing. The locals have given a small gift to repay our old friendship. If your return is scheduled, I should go to see you off.' After staying a few days, Xu wanted to go home. The people insisted on keeping him, inviting him morning and evening, changing hosts several times a day. Xu firmly declined and wanted to leave. The people then folded letters and packed bundles, competing to give gifts. Before the morning was over, his bags were full of presents. Servants and young children all gathered to see him off out of the village.
Suddenly, a whirlwind rose, following him for over ten miles. Xu bowed twice and said, 'Liulang, take care! Do not trouble yourself with the long journey. Your heart is full of love and compassion; you will naturally bring blessings to this region, so there is no need for an old friend’s instructions.' The wind swirled for a long time before leaving. The villagers also sighed in amazement and returned. Xu went home, and his family became slightly better off, so he no longer fished. Later, when he met people from Zhaoyuan and asked them, they said his spiritual responses were as clear as an echo. Some said it was Shikeng Village in Zhangqiu. It is unknown which is correct.
