明朝初年，京城有个叫郑兴儿的人，他在一个姓王的侍郎家中做仆人，又老实又勤快，主人对他也很不错。有一天，当时非常有名的相士袁尚宝到王侍郎家中来，见了郑兴儿一面后，对王侍郎说，郑兴儿这个人留在家中不吉祥，会给家中带来很多灾难的。无奈，王侍郎只好忍痛割爱让郑兴儿离开王家，出去自谋生路。郑兴儿离开后，王家确实比以前安宁了很多。

郑兴儿离开王家后，无处落脚，只好暂时在一所古庙中栖身。有一天，郑兴儿回到庙中，发现墙上挂了一个包裹，打开一看，是二十多两银子。他正要为得到这意外横财而高兴，转念一想：“我命中注定贫穷，投靠了王侍郎，却又因为对家主不利而被赶了出来，我怎么会有福气来受用这些财物呢？而且这银子的主人说不定拿这银子有什么急事要用，不小心遗失在这里，说不定关系著几条性命呢？我如果拿走了，虽然没人会知道，但毕竟是做了有损阴德的事了。我还是在这里等著，如果有人来找还给他吧！”于是，郑兴儿便在这里等候失主。

直到第二天，有一人懊恼的前来寻找银子，郑兴儿询问后，果然是此人掉的，便将银子还给了他。这人原来是河间府郑指挥使家中的管家，奉命带着银子到京城办事，结果不小心将银子掉在了这里。管家非要送给郑兴儿一半银子作为报答，郑兴儿说：“我如果贪图你的银子，还不如我昨天夜里连包带银子都拿走好呢？也不必在这坑板上忍着臭气睡了一夜了。不要昧了我的心。”言谈之中，那人得知了郑兴儿的遭遇，见他如此有德行，便邀他一同前往河间府郑指挥使府上，或许可以找到点差事做。郑兴儿本来就无处可去，就跟他回到了郑指挥使府上。

郑指挥使得知事情原委后，非常高兴，感叹郑兴儿竟如此有德行，见他相貌忠厚，气量宽洪，又因为自己没有儿女，便想认郑兴儿为养子。郑兴儿起初不敢高攀，一直推辞，郑指挥使说：“你的德行真是在古人之上，我如果给你金钱酬谢你，你轻财重义肯定不会要；如果不酬谢你，那我岂不成了忘恩负义的人了？况且你我居然同姓，这真是天赐的缘分，我还怕屈就了你呢？你为什么这么见外呢？”实在盛情难却，郑兴儿便同意了。

北方长大的郑兴儿自小会骑马射箭，在指挥使的栽培下，没几年就升为应袭舍人。有一年，他陪同郑指挥使一起去京城，睹物思情，想起了以前的旧事，因为感念以前王侍郎的收留之恩，现在多年未见，所以前去看望。换上便服的郑兴儿来到王侍郎家中，拜帖称谓和拜见的礼节仍旧按照以前主仆身分相称。王侍郎在得知他就是当年那个郑兴儿后，非常吃惊，想起当年的往事又尴尬又惭愧。两人都取笑那个袁尚宝真是浪得虚名。

两人正准备要吃饭时，有人前来通报说袁尚宝前来拜见。王侍郎便与郑兴儿商议，两人准备捉弄取笑他一番。郑兴儿披上件旧衣服，等袁尚宝来后，恭恭敬敬的为他端茶送水。袁尚宝一见，惊问这是什么人在这儿送茶。王侍郎说他就是当年被赶出去的郑兴儿，至今没处安身，又回到这里来了。袁尚宝笑道：“你为什么要骗我啊？这人暂且不论日后，现在就是束金带的武职官员，这哪是你府上的仆人呀？”王侍郎又问他：“你当年不是说他不吉利，会连累我们家人吗？”袁尚宝说：“我以前没看错，现在也没看错。此君现在满面阴德纹起，不是救了人性命，就是还了人家东西，他的骨相已经变了。看来是他有德于人，人也报答于他。今日之所以能够显贵，原因就在这里。”

郑兴儿听后，不觉失声道：“您真是神人啊！”随即将古庙还银之事的前后述说了一遍，大家都恍然大悟，原来郑兴儿的命运发生如此大的变化，全是因他拒私不贪，还人银子积下阴德的福报啊！郑兴儿后来做到游击将军，子孙也受到荫泽，这真是“善有善报”。

人通过行善积德，或者真正修炼等，天命在一定程度上是可以被改变的。因为畏天敬神的人们知道“祸福无门，惟人自召”的道理，明白行善者会得善报，作恶者会得恶报，这完全是由人自己决定的。故事中的郑兴儿不就是因为一念之善而改变命运了吗？当然，反之，人如果执意作恶也同样会改变自己的命运。

可见，为人哪能不多行善事，广积阴德呢？要知道上天不曾亏待过好人。

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, there was a man called Zheng Xingr. He worked as a servant in the household of a court official in the capital city with the surname Wang. Zheng Xingr was very honest and diligent and his master also treated him quite well. One day, a well-known fortune-teller, Yuan Shangbao, came to Wang's house, and after he saw Zheng Xingr, said to Wang that it would bring him bad luck to keep Zheng Xingr in his household. With painful regret, Wang told his servant to leave his house and to seek a livelihood somewhere else. After Zheng Xingr left, things in Wang's household indeed became more peaceful.

Zheng Xingr had no place to stay after he left Wang's household, so he lived temporarily in an ancient temple. One day, when Zheng Xingr came back to the temple, he saw a parcel hanging on the wall. He opened it and found more than twenty liang (a measurement unit of silver) of silver inside. Just as he was about to celebrate the unexpected fortune, he thought, "I'm decreed by fate to be poor. I sought refuge with the Wang family, but was driven out because I would bring bad luck to the household. How could I have the good luck to enjoy this good fortune? Also, the owner of the the silver might have needed it for some emergency use and might have left it here by accident. This silver may have a bearing on several lives. Even though nobody would know, if I take it, it could be something that damages my virtue. I'd better wait here, so that if someone comes back to look for it, I will give them back." Having had these thoughts, he just waited there for the owner.

It was not until the next day that a man who looked upset came looking for the silver. Zheng Xingr asked him a few questions and knew that the silver indeed belonged to the man, so he returned it to him. It turned out that the man was the housekeeper of General Zheng in the prefecture of Hejian. He had received orders to handle something in the capital city, but lost the silver by accident. The housekeeper insisted on giving half of the silver to Zheng Xingr, but the latter said, "If I had been after your silver, I would have taken the lot last night instead of sleeping on a smelly bed board for the night. Do not betray my conscience." From talking with Zheng Xingr, the housekeeper learned about the misery he had been experiencing. Seeing that he was a man with such high morals, the housekeeper invited him to go back to General Zheng's household with him, in the hope that he might be able to find some work there. As Zheng Xingr had nowhere else to go, he went with the housekeeper.

After General Zheng heard what had happened, he was very pleased. Impressed with Zheng Xingr's virtue and seeing that Zheng Xingr was very honest and had a big heart, he wanted to adopt him as his son since he did not have any children of his own. In the beginning, Zheng Xingr refused as he did not want to claim kinship with someone of high social status. General Zheng said to him, "Your virtues are truly above our ancestors. If I give you money as reward, you would not accept it, as you treat morals as being more important than money. And if I do not reward you, I would be seen as being ungrateful.

Furthermore, we share the same surname, and this is indeed a predestined relationship bestowed upon us by heaven. I'm worried that my place may not even be good enough for you, so why are you still treating yourself as an outsider?" Feeling that it would ungracious to refuse such kindness, Zheng Xingr agreed.

Having grown up in the North, Zheng Xingr had learned archery and how to ride horses when he was young. With the help of General Zheng, he was promoted to a respectable rank in the military service. One year, he accompanied General Zheng to the capital city. He felt quite nostalgic when he saw those familiar scenes. Feeling grateful for the kindness Wang had shown him when he served in his household, he decided to pay him a visit. Zheng Xingr changed into plain clothes and went to Wang's house. He still addressed Wang in the same way as when he was his servant and followed the rituals from the old days. Wang was very surprised that the visitor was Zheng Xingr and felt very embarrassed and ashamed when he recalled what had happened in the past. Both of them laughed at the fortune-teller, saying that he was famous only in name.

When the two were about to have dinner, a servant came to report that the fortune-teller, Yuan Shangbao, had come for a visit. Wang and Zheng Xingr decided to play a joke on him, so Zheng Xingr put on his old clothes. When Yuan Shangbao came in, he respectfully brought him a cup of tea. When Yuan Shangbao saw him, he was very surprised and asked who this person was that was serving him tea. Wang said he was none other than Zheng Xingr who had been driven out from his house years ago, and because he had no place to stay, had come back again. Upon hearing this, Yuan Shangbao laughed and said, "Why are you lying to me? Let's not talk about the future of this man, for right now he is a military officer wearing gold bands. He is not at all a servant in your household." Wang asked him, "In the past, you said he would bring us bad luck and involve my family members." Yuan Shangbao replied, "I did not make a mistake then, and I am not mistaken now. This gentleman's face is full of the wrinkles of virtue. He has either saved someone's life or returned something of value to its rightful owner. His bone physiognomy has already changed. It seems that he has done good deeds for others and has been rewarded for his good deeds, and this is the reason why he has become an illustrious person of high position."

When Zheng Xingr heard these words, he could not help but say, "You are truly a great seer!" He then described what had happened in the ancient temple, and everyone suddenly realized that the reason there was such a big change in Zheng Xingr's fate was because he was unselfish and had no greed, and he was rewarded with good because he returned the silver and accumulated virtue. Zheng Xingr later became a general and his children and grandchildren also benefited from his virtue. This is a good example that validates the old saying: Good will be rewarded with good.

Through doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, one's fate can change to a certain extent, because people who respect heaven and the gods understand the principle that "disasters and good fortunes do not have gates, and are called upon by people themselves." People doing good deeds will be rewarded with good, and those doing evil deeds will be met with evil. All these are decided by human beings themselves. Didn't Zheng Xingr's fate change simply because of a kind thought? Of course, if people insist on doing evil deeds, their fate will also change accordingly.

As human beings, how can we not do more good deeds and accumulate virtue? One must understand that heaven has never treated anyone unfairly.