这是一则在明代轰动朝野的“还魂退金”的故事。毛吉（约1426 ～1465）：明代进士，任刑部广东司主事。该司归锦衣卫管辖，但毛吉秉公执法，不畏强豪，对锦衣卫中的犯罪者同样严惩不贷。

有一年，敌军来犯，凶猛异常，官军兵败如山倒。这时毛吉挺身而出，大声疾呼，以阻止官兵溃逃。他的下属劝他避敌自保，毛吉严词拒绝。在敌众我寡之际，他英勇顽强，力竭遇难。过了8天，人们才找到他的尸体，但见他的面貌栩栩如生。

毛吉受命于危难之时，出征前，上峰犒赏将士，他交给余文管理这笔钱，到他战死时只用掉3/10。余文感念毛吉家境清贫，便将剩余的这笔犒赏金，交给毛的家仆，以便归里治丧。

这天夜里，那个家仆的妻子，忽然端坐到厅堂，用毛吉办公时的姿势和声音，对手下人发话说：“快去请夏宪长来！”全家人对她的举动大为震惊，赶忙报告广东按察史夏宪长。夏赶到毛家，她向夏起身作揖，迎客的姿态也跟毛吉生前一样，夏宪长也很诧异。她向夏宪长说：“我毛吉身受国恩，不幸死于贼手。如今余文把剩下的犒赏金交给我家，此事虽无帐可查，但使我在九泉之下蒙受玷污，我不愿贪占公款。请你尽快帮我把这笔钱归还公家，勿污我！”话说完后，家仆的妻子倒扑在地，过了一会才苏醒过来。

夏宪长且惊且佩，迅即将该款收回交官入库。事蹟载于《明史》。

毛吉为国捐躯，一生廉洁奉公，可歌可泣。他死后尚且急于退赃，可见在阴曹地府，也是以奉公守法为荣，以贪赃枉法为耻。并且善恶有报，一切都是要算总帐的。

Adhering to Ethics, even after Death

This is a story that shook the nation during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD). Mao Ji (around 1426-1465 AD) was a scholar. He was in charge of the Guangdong division of the Department of Justice, which was under the authority of the Royal Guard. Mao Ji was noble and fair, never feared the authorities, and brought criminals in the Royal Guard to justice without any clemency.

One year, when the enemy was attacking, the Royal Guards were defeated badly. At this critical moment, with an outcry, Mao Ji stood out bravely to stop the soldiers from fleeing. His subordinates persuaded him to hide and avoid being killed himself, but Mao Ji resolutely refused. He fought courageously even with the enemy outnumbering the Royal Guards, and died in the battle. After eight days, people found his body, and yet he still had a lively expression on his face.

Mao Ji had his helper, Yu Wen, take care of a sum of money that was to be used as rewards for the troops. Only thirty percent of the amount had been spent when Mao Ji died. Yu Wen thought of how Mao Ji's family was very poor, so he gave the remaining money to Mao Ji's family servant for use on his funeral and other expenses.

One night, the servant's wife sat in a formal posture in the main hall and began to speak with Mao Ji's voice and gestures. She ordered those around her, "Go invite Mr. Xia here!" The whole family was shocked, but quickly reported to Xia, the emperor's official in Guandong Province. Xia rushed to Mao Ji's house and the servant's wife stood and bowed with her hands clasped, just like Mao Ji did when he greeted his guests. Xia was shocked to see her like this. She said to Xia, "I, Mao Ji, was blessed by the State's grace, but unfortunately died by the enemy's hands. Yu Wen gave all the leftover reward money to my family. Even though there is no book-keeping in the human world, it has stained my record and I’ll have to pay the consequences in the afterlife. I do not want to use the State's money. Please help me return this money quickly, so that it does not soil my name!" As soon she finished talking, she passed out on the floor, only to return to her senses after a while.

Mr. Xia was shocked, but also admired Mao's virtue. He quickly returned the money for Mao Ji. This story was recorded in Ming History, one of the twenty four history book series, mainly consisting of biographies which were recorded for the 276 years of the Ming dynasty.

Mao Ji died for his country and lived a simple, noble life. He urged people to give back the money that did not belong to him, even after his death. That proved that even in the underworld, beings still feel proud for having honor and dignity, and are ashamed for corruption. Good will be rewarded with good, and evil will meet with karmic retribution. All must pay what they owe.