The Rewards of Helping a Person in Dire Straits
 
Liu Hongyi lived in Pengcheng (currently called the Xuzhou area) during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD). His family had lived in the area between the Huai and Fei Rivers for generations. They were very rich, and they often demonstrated virtuous generosity, without seeking repayment from those whom they helped. They held no resentments in their hearts and led anonymous lives.
 
One day a fortune-teller saw Liu Hongyi on the road and sighed, “Hi! Sir, please stop. I have something to tell you.” Liu then invited this fortune-teller to his home. The fortune-teller said, “You have an abundance of wealth, but you have only two to three more years left. What will you do now?”
 
Liu said with tears in his eyes, “A person’s life is predetermined by heaven. How can you help me, Sir?” The fortune-teller said, “Having a pleasing appearance is not as important as having good moral character. Having good moral character is not as important as having forbearance. Although your lifespan is not long, you have accumulated a lot of virtue. In terms of forbearance, you are especially tolerant and forgiving. In your remaining two or three years, you should seize the time to cultivate your virtue diligently, and then you might possibly extend your lifespan. One bit of virtue can eliminate a hundred mishaps and you can also enjoy a life of being a high-ranking official. There is no need for you to be worried that you cannot extend your life. You should try your best to accumulate virtue. Let’s meet again in three years.” After saying these words, the fortune-teller walked out and left. Liu bade farewell with tears in his eyes.
 
That year, Liu planned to get his daughter married. He bought four female slaves as his daughter’s dowry. Among the slaves, one was called Fang Lansun. She was very beautiful, elegant and did not seem to come from a low-class family. Liu asked her about her family situation. Fang replied, “I initially dared not to say anything about myself. My family was of high-class and well-known for generations. My father was an official in the Huaixi area. Unfortunately, he got mixed up in the rebellion of Wu’s bandits. He was framed by bad people in the Imperial Government. My parents were then horribly murdered and my family's possessions were all confiscated. Ever since then, I have been a low-class person. I could find no place to appeal. All the other family members were arrested by the Imperial Army after the rebellion was suppressed, and their whereabouts are still unknown.” Liu Hongyi sighed, “The misery your family suffered would make even a small child feel angry, not to mention a grown man! If I cannot redress the injustice done to you, the gods should kill me!”
 
Liu immediately burned the document that made Fang Lansun a slave, and took her as a niece. He spent a lot of money to have Lansun married to a dependable young man before his own daughter got married. Lansun had a blessed life after her marriage. Liu undertook many efforts to have Lansun’s family’s case re-opened and eventually her family's good reputation was restored.
 
Not long after, Liu Hongyi had a dream in which a person dressed in a purple garment, holding an ivory letter slip bowed to Liu. This person said, “I am Lansun’s father. I made a petition to the God of Heaven and fortunately got approval that your life will be prolonged for 25 more years and that the blessings will be extended to three generations of your descendants. Those who brought disaster to my family will all be put on trial. Among them, those who are still living will experience karmic retribution, while those who have died will be sent to hell for punishment. Furthermore, their descendants will also suffer. The God of Heaven has blessed me for the injustice I have suffered, and He appointed me to govern the mountains and rivers of the Huaihai area.” After speaking, he bowed again and then left.
 
Three years later, the fortune-teller returned as promised. He carefully looked at Liu Hongyi and then congratulated him, “Your life has been extended. This is a reflection of the fact that your accumulating bountiful virtue has moved the God of Heaven. You will live 25 more years. Your descendants will also be blessed for three generations to come.” Liu then told the fortune-teller about the incident with Fang Lansun and her father. The fortune-teller sighed, “family had no other children left and she had already become a slave. But you did not take advantage of the beautiful girl. Instead, you spent a lot of money to take care of a homeless girl and had her family’s injustice redressed. Isn’t this accumulation of a great deal of virtue!”
 
见难即施救　延寿又泽后
 
刘弘毅是唐朝时代的彭城人，世代居住在淮河、肥水之间，其资财甚丰，常修阴德，施不求报，怨不存心，默默无闻。
 
有一精通相术之士，忽于途中见到刘弘毅，主动叹道：“噫！君子留步，我有言相告。”刘弘毅就把这位相士请到馆舍中询问。相士讲：“您的财产甚丰，但寿命只有二三年了，如何？”
 
刘弘毅流着泪说：“人的寿夭是天定，先生能怎么帮我？”相士讲：“相貌不如品德，品德不如度量。您的寿命虽然不长，但德性甚丰；至于度量，更是特别宽弘。您应在这二三年内，抓紧有生之年，勤修美德，有可能延长寿命。一德可消百灾，并享爵禄，不愁增寿吧。君且勉力为之，三年后我们再见。”说完就出门而去，刘弘毅流泪相送。
 
这年，刘弘毅的女儿要出嫁，他买了四个女奴，准备给女儿作陪嫁。其中有个方兰荪，美丽高雅，不像出于卑微之家。他就查询她的身世。方兰荪讲：“贱妾死罪，本不敢言。我家世代名族，先父官在淮西。不幸遭逢吴寇反叛，被朝廷坏人诬陷，父母惨遭杀害，全家被抄。我从此沉为下贱，无处申冤。家中其他成员，在吴寇被平定后，全被官兵收为俘虏，至今下落不明。”刘弘毅叹息道：“你家如此悲惨的遭遇，即是三尺童子，也会为之愤慨；何况大丈夫哉！我若不为你洗雪冤枉，当为神明所诛！”
 
刘弘毅当即焚烧掉方兰荪的卖身契，把她收为外甥女，用家财五十万，先于己女而将她嫁与一位可靠的青年。方兰荪出嫁后，生活幸福。接着，刘弘毅又多方努力，为她家平反冤案，讨还了清白。
 
不久，刘弘毅夜梦一人，身穿紫袍，手执象牙简板，向他望尘而拜，道：“我是兰荪之父，侥幸得请于上帝，上帝答应我：延长您二十五年寿命，富及三代，子孙皆无灾祸。那些残害我家的人，都要受到审理。现存者，祸及其身；已死者，地狱受罚，并让其子孙遭殃。上帝怜悯我的冤情，委以重任，命我主宰淮海一带的山川。”说罢再拜而去。
 
三年以后，那位相士果然再来，仔细端详刘弘毅后，向他祝贺道：“您的寿命已经得到延长，这是厚积阴德，上感天帝的征相。从今而后，延寿二十五年，惠泽延及三代。”刘弘毅这才把方兰荪及其父亲的情况告诉相士。相士赞叹道：“兰荪之家已无后人，兰荪之身已沦为贱隶。而您如此能不贪美色，不惜多财，恤存孤女；并为其家力洗冤情，这难道不是很厚的阴德吗！”