连城（割肉追魂皆为情）：聊斋故事系列四合一（原著-注释-白话-英译）
连城
原文：
乔生，晋宁人。少负才名。年二十余，犹淹蹇*。为人有肝胆。与顾生善﹔顾卒，时恤其妻子。邑宰以文相契重*﹔宰终于任，家口淹滞不能归，生破产扶柩，往返二千余里。以故士林益重之，而家由此益替*。史孝廉*有女，字连城，工刺绣，知书。父娇爱之。出所刺“倦绣图”，征少年题咏，意在择婿。生献诗云：“慵鬟高髻绿婆娑，早向兰窗绣碧荷﹔刺到鸳鸯魂欲断，暗停针线蹙双蛾。”*又赞挑绣之工云：“绣线挑来似写生，幅中花鸟自天成﹔当年织锦非长技，幸把回文感圣明。”*女得诗喜，对父称赏。父贫之。女逢人辄称道﹔又遣媪矫父命，赠金以助灯火*。生叹曰：“连城我知己也！”倾怀结想，如饥思啖。
注释：
晋宁：今云南晋宁县。 2．淹蹇：滞留困顿，指科举不得志。 3．契重：同“器重”，赏识尊重。4．替：衰败，走下坡路。5。孝廉：明清科考的举人。而举人就是在乡试考中的人。6．“ 慵鬟”四句：清晨，少女临窗刺绣，绣到绿荷叶底下的鸳鸯时，不禁感伤惆怅，停针蹙眉。慵鬟，刺绣太久慵倦不堪，发鬟散乱。兰窗，兰闺之窗，少女寝室的窗户。双蛾，双眉。7。“绣线”四句：连城绣到锦缎上的花鸟栩栩如生。与连城相比，当年苏蕙把回文诗绣在锦缎上也算不得神乎其技，只是侥幸获宠于武则天罢了。回文诗，可以回转往复而读的诗。苏蕙，晋窦滔之妻，擅长于回文诗。她曾经把回文诗绣在锦缎上，武则天侥幸看到，赞赏其为“五彩相宣，晶莹心晖目。”8。助灯火：资助读书费用。
白话：
乔生，晋宁人。从小颇具才气，远近闻名。奋斗二十多年，依然很不得志。为人肝胆相照。与顾生是好友﹔顾生去世后，时常向他的妻儿伸出援助之手。县令因为他的文才而十分器重他﹔县令死于任上，一家人滞留在此无法回归故里，乔生变卖家产为他扶柩归葬，往返二千余里。因此在读书人之中，备受敬重，但家境却因此衰败下来。史孝廉有个女儿，叫连城，刺绣技艺超群，知书达理。父亲十分娇爱，公开展示她的绣品“倦绣图”，征集少年题诗，意在选择女婿。乔生献诗：“慵鬟高髻绿婆娑，早向兰窗绣碧荷﹔刺到鸳鸯魂欲断，暗停针线蹙双蛾。”*又赞扬她的刺绣技艺：“绣线挑来似写生，幅中花鸟自天成﹔当年织锦非长技，幸把回文感圣明。”*连城得到诗后非常喜欢，对父亲连声称赏。可父亲嫌他穷。连城逢人就夸奖乔生﹔还让母亲劝父亲改变主意，并向乔生赠金以资助读书费用。乔生感叹说：“连城真是我的知己呀！”他思念深切，如同饥肠辘辘，想吃东西那样。
英译：
Qiao was an honest young man of remarkable talent in Jinjing County, Yunan Provincie. Yet, at the age of twenty, his official career was still at a low tide. Qiao had a good friend Gu. They had an intimate association with each other. After Gu’s death, Qiao often gave financial support to his widow and son.
The county magistrate highly appreciated Qiao’s talent. After the magistrate died at his post, his family was detained and couldn’t go back to his native place. Completely selling off his property, Qiao personally sent the magistrate’s coffin to his birthplace. It took more than two thousand miles for him to make a round trip.
Because of all these good deeds, Qiao enjoyed high reputation. But his family was getting poorer day by day.
Liancheng was an intelligent and pretty young girl. She was good at both embroidery and poems. Her family made a pet of her. Her father often showed her embroidered pictures publicly expecting some young men would compose poems for her. But the real aim of her father was to choose a son-in-law for himself.
Qiao composed two poems, one praising her beauty, the other praising her embroidery. Liancheng was delighted and showed the two poems to her father. She highly appreciated his elegant poems, but her father complained of his poor family.
Liancheng spoke well of Qiao to whoever she met. Besides, she also urged her mother to persuade her father into changing his attitude towards Qiao and giving financial support to him.
“Liancheng is my intimate friend!” Qiao said in admiration for the girl.
From then on, Qiao missed Liancheng very much like wanting to eat something when hungry.
原文：
无何，女许字于鹾贾*之子王化成，生始绝望﹔然梦魂中犹佩戴*之。未几，女病瘵*，沉痼*不起。有西域头陀*自谓能疗﹔但须男子膺肉*一钱，捣合药屑。史使人诣王家告婿。婿笑曰：“痴老翁，欲我剜心头肉也！”使返，史乃言于人曰：“有能割肉者妻之*。”生闻而往，自出白刃，刲*膺授僧。血濡袍袴，僧敷药始止。合药三丸。三日服尽，疾若失。史将践其言，先告王。王怒，欲讼官。史乃设筵招生，以千金列几上，曰：“重负大德，请以相报。”因具白背盟之由。生怫然曰：“仆所以不爱*膺肉者，聊以报知己耳，岂货肉哉！”拂袖而归。女闻之，意良不忍，托媪慰谕之。且云：“以彼才华，当不久落。天下何患无佳人？我梦不祥，三年必死，不必与人争此泉下物*也。”生告媪曰：“‘士为知己者死’，不以色也。诚恐连城未必真知我，但得真知我，不谐*何害？”媪代女郎矢诚自剖。生曰：“果尔，相逢时，当为我一笑，死无憾！”媪既去，踰数日，生偶出，遇女自叔氏归，睨之。女秋波转顾，启齿嫣然。生大喜曰：“连城真知我者！”会王氏来议吉期，女前症又作，数月寻死。生往临吊，一痛而绝。史舁送其家。
注释：
1．许字：许配婚姻。2。鹾贾：盐商。鹺，盐，读“蹉”。贾，商人，读“古”。3。佩戴：佩恩戴德，就是平时所说的“感恩戴德”。此处不是佩戴胸章的“佩戴”。4。瘵：肺结核。读“债”。5。沉痼：病势加重难以医治。痼，读“故”，长久难治。另指长久养成的难以改变的习惯，如“痼癖”。6。头陀：梵文音译，泛指一切僧众。本文特指常说的“行脚僧”。行脚，云游四方。7。膺肉：心头肉。膺，胸部，读“应”。8。妻之：给某人做妻子。妻，此处是动词。9。刲：刮，读“魁”。10。不爱：此处指不吝惜。11。泉下物：九泉之下的东西，即死鬼。12。不谐：不成功。谐，办成事情。13。会：正赶上。“会”有“机会”的意思，如“恰逢其会”，正赶上机会。
白话：
不久，女子许配给盐商儿子王化成，乔生这才死心﹔可是心中仍然对她感恩戴德。没过多久，女子病势加剧，卧床不起，已经很难医治。有个西域的行脚僧，自称能治疗﹔但需要男子的心头肉一钱，捣烂后与药拌在一起。史孝廉派人到王家告诉女婿。女婿讥笑说：“傻老冒，想让我剜心头肉呀！”那人返回后，史孝廉就对人说：“谁能割心头肉，就把女儿嫁给谁。”乔生听到后立即前往，自己拿出锋刃雪白的刀子，割了心头肉交给僧人。鲜血染红了衣服，僧人给他上了药血才止住。做成三个药丸。三天吃完，病似乎好了。史孝廉打算实践自己的诺言，先去告诉王家。王家大怒，想打官司。史孝廉于是设筵款待乔生，并把千两黄金放在桌上，说：“太辜负你的大恩大德了，请接受这些金子作为回报。”然后如实说出背弃盟约的理由。乔生气愤地说：“我不吝惜心头肉的原因，就是想以此报答你女儿的一片知心之情，哪能卖肉呢！”说完甩着袖子回家了。女子知道后，非常不忍心，就托母亲去安慰乔生。说：“以你的才华，应当不会长期不得志。天底下还愁没有佳人？我梦见不祥之兆，三年必死，不必和人争我这个九泉之下的死鬼。”乔生告诉老太太：“‘士为知己者死’，不是为的容貌。恐怕连城未必真地了解我，如果她真地了解我，此时不成又有什么害处呢？”老太太代替女郎发誓表白诚意。乔生说：“果真如此的话，相逢时，应当为我一笑，我死而无憾！”老太太回去后，没过几天，乔生偶然外出，遇到女郎从叔叔家回来，偷偷地看他。女郎暗送秋波，笑容美艳迷人。乔生非常高兴地说：“连城真了解我呀！”正赶上王家来商议良辰吉日，女郎旧病复发，数月后死去。乔生前往临吊唁，悲痛之下气绝身亡。史孝廉派人把他抬回家。
英译：
Lian Cheng was betrothed to a rich man, Wang Huacheng, before long. Qiao became disappointed. But he still couldn’t forget Liancheng and often dreamt of her.
Shortly, Liancheng contracted tuberculosis and was laid up.
There came a foreign monk who said he could treat Liancheng for her disease. But he needed a piece of flesh which will be pounded into a jelly and then mixed with his remedy. And the flesh must be cut off from a man’s chest where his heart was located.
Liancheng’s father sent a servant to give a massage to his son-in-law, Wang.
“The stupid old man!” Wang laughed. “He should ask me to cut out my flesh!”
The servant came back and told what Wang said to Liancheng’s father. The old man could do nothing but make a public promise.
“Whoever is willing to cut off his flesh,” the old man said, “can marry my daughter.”
Learning this, Qiao went to Liancheng’s home immediately and publicly cut off a piece of flesh and gave it to the monk. His clothes were stained with blood. The monk applied some remedy to the wound and the blood stopped bleeding.
Then the monk made three pills and let Liancheng completely take them within three days. Liancheng was cured of her disease before long. The old man was going to fulfill his promise but he let Wang know it beforehand.
Wang was angry and was going to sue the old man.
Liancheng’s father entertained Qiao at a banquet and put a large amount of money on the table.
“I’m terribly sorry!” said the old man. “I’m afraid I have to disappoint you in spite of your kind intentions.”
The old man then made an explanation in details about the reasons he had to break his promise.
Qiao said angrily, “I didn’t hesitate to cut off my flesh. My purpose is only to repay my intimate friend Liancheng for her kindness, but not to sell flesh!”
Qiao left angrily with a flick of his sleeves.
Learning this, Liancheng had no heart to hurt Qiao and urged her mother to go comforting him. She also sent him a message saying, “Regarding your talent, you’ll certainly free yourself from a predicament before long. What’s the need to worry about your marriage? Don’t tell me you think there’re no beautiful girls in the world. I dreamt an unlucky dream. I’ll certainly die within three years. It’s unnecessary for you to vie with others for a ghost.”
Qiao told the old lady, “Gentlemen die for intimate friends. But they don’t do it for their beautiful looks. I’m afraid Liancheng doesn’t really know me. There’s nothing extraordinary even if we two cannot be tied in wedlock.”
The old lady conveyed Liancheng’s sincere feelings to Qiao.
“If so,” Qiao said, “she should give me a smile whenever we meet. I’ll die content!”
Liancheng’s mother left.
One day later on, Qiao went out and chanced to see Liancheng. She’d just come back from her uncle’s home. Stealthily looking at her, he found the girl smilingly making eyes at him.
Beside himself with joy, Qiao said, “Liancheng really understands me.”
Just on this day, Wang sent a go-between to Liancheng’s home discussing the wedding schedule. But unfortunately, Liancheng had a recurrence of her old illness. She died several months later.
Qiao went to condole the old couple upon the death of their daughter. He was so sorrowful that he suddenly died. The old man asked his servants to carry his body home.
原文：
生自知已死，亦无所戚。出村去，犹冀一见连城。遥望南北一道，行人连绪如蚁，因亦混身杂迹其中。俄顷，入一廨署*，值*顾生，惊问：“君何得来？”即把手将送令归。生太息，言：“心事殊未了。”顾曰：“仆在此典牍*，颇得委任。倘可效力，不惜也。”生问连城。顾即导生旋转多所，见连城与一白衣女郎，泪睫惨黛*，藉坐*廊隅。见生至，骤起似喜，略问所来。生曰：“卿死，仆何敢生！”连城泣曰：“如此负义人，尚不吐弃之，身殉何为？然已不能许君今生，愿矢来世耳。”生告顾曰：“有事君自去，仆乐死不愿生矣。但烦稽*连城托生何里，行*与俱去耳。”顾诺而去。白衣女郎问生何人，连城为缅述之。女郎闻之，若不胜悲。连城告生曰：“此妾同姓，小字宾娘，长沙史太守女。一路同来，遂相怜爱。”生视之，意态怜人。方欲研问，而顾已返，向生贺曰：“我为君平章已确*，即教小娘子从君返魂，好否？”两人各喜。方将拜别，宾娘大哭曰：“姊去，我安归？乞垂怜救，妾为姊捧帨*耳。”连城凄然，无所为计，转谋生。生又哀顾。顾难之，峻辞以为不可。生固强之。乃曰：“试妄为之*。”去食顷而返，摇手曰：“何如！诚万分不能为力矣！”宾娘闻之，宛转娇啼，惟依连城肘下，恐其即去。惨怛*无术，相对默默﹔而睹其愁颜戚容，使人肺腑酸柔。顾生愤然曰：“请携宾娘去。脱有愆尤*，小生拚身受之！”宾娘乃喜，从生出。生忧其道远无侣。宾娘曰：“妾从君去，不愿归也。”生曰：“卿大痴矣！不归，何以得活也？他日至湖南，勿复走避，为幸多矣。”适有两媪摄牒*赴长沙，生属宾娘，泣别而去。
注释：
廨署：古代称官员办公的地方。廨，读“谢”。2。值：遇到，碰上。3。典牍：主管文书案卷。典，主持，主管。牍：古代写字用的木简。后指书信、文件、案卷等。4。泪睫惨黛：愁眉苦脸，眼泪汪汪。睫，睫毛；黛，眉毛。5。藉坐：席地而坐。藉，同“借”，凭借。本文指凭借地面而坐。另“藉”指垫在底下的东西，如衬、垫等。6。稽：稽查，检查。7。行：将。8。平章已确：商办妥当。平章，商议处理意见。9。捧帨：拿着抹布。指做家务，处于婢妾的地位。帨，古时的佩巾，类似手帕。读“税”。10。试妄为之：试着办一下看看。11。惨怛：悲伤。怛，伤心。读“达”。12：脱有愆尤：假如有罪责。脱有，假如有。愆尤，过失，罪过。愆，读“千”，不读“眼”，不是敷衍的“衍”。13。摄牒：携带公文，牒，公文。此处指出公差。
白话：
乔生自知已死，也没有什么可悲伤的。走出村去，还希望能见一见连城。远远地朝一条贯穿南北的大道望去，只见行人如蚂蚁那样熙熙攘攘，就势混在里面。不久，进入一所官府，意外地碰到了已故好友顾生。顾生吃惊地问：“你从哪里来？”说完就拉着他的手，叫他赶紧回去。乔生叹息着说：“心事还没有了断。”顾生说：“我在这里主管文书案卷，非常受重用。假如可以为你效力，我一定不遗余力。”乔生问连城的事。顾生就领着他拐弯抹角地往前走，见连城和一个白衣女郎，愁眉苦脸，眼泪汪汪，在走廊的一个角落里席地而坐。看到乔生来了，突然起身，看上去很高兴，还问他从哪里来。乔生说：“你死了，我哪里还敢再活着！”连城哭泣着说：“我这么一个忘恩负义的人，你却不嫌弃，还为我殉情而死，这到底为什么？既然已经不能在今生许配给你，我愿来世再报答你。”乔生告诉顾生说：“你有事尽管去办，我愿意死，不愿再活了。只想麻烦你检查一下连城将来要托生在哪里，将来我和她一起去。”顾生答应着离开了。白衣女郎问乔生是什么人，连城详详细细地为她讲述一遍。女郎听之，似乎非常悲伤。连城告诉乔生：“她和我同姓，小名宾娘，是长沙史太守的女儿。和我一路同来，于是互相疼爱。”乔生看她的神态，非常怜惜。刚想细问，顾生已经返回来，向乔生祝贺：“我已经为你把事情办妥，叫小娘子随你去还魂，好不好？”两人都非常高兴。刚要拜别，宾娘大哭：“姐姐走了，我到哪里去？求你可怜可怜，救救我，我愿意侍奉姐姐。”连城很难过，但不知所措，求乔生想办法。乔生又苦苦哀求顾生。顾生很为难，言辞坚决地说不行。乔生固执地哀求，顾生才说：“那就试一下。”他离开后不久就返回来，摆着手说：“怎么样！实在是无能为力呀！”宾娘听后，悲伤地哭起来，只是依偎在连城的胳膊肘下面，恐怕她马上离开。悲伤而没有办法，只好相对默默无语﹔而看到她那愁眉苦脸的样子，令人心酸落泪。顾生激动地说：“请你带着宾娘去吧。如果有什么罪责，就都包在我身上！”宾娘这才高兴起来，跟着乔生走出去。乔生担忧路途遥远没有伴侣。宾娘说：“我愿意跟你一起去，不愿回老家。”乔生说：“你太傻了！不回老家，怎么能再还魂托生呢？将来有一天我到湖南去，你别躲着不见我，就算万幸了。”正好有两名女差役要到长沙出差，乔生反复嘱咐宾娘，而后洒泪而别。
英译：
Qiao knew he’d already died and had nothing to feel sorrowful about. His soul went out of the village still hoping to see Liancheng.
Looking at the broad road lying before his eyes from south to north, he found numerous people constantly coming and going busily like little ants. He sneaked into the crowd.
Shortly, he came to a government department and found his deceased friend, Gu.
“How can you come here?” Gu asked surprisingly.
Holding his hands, Gu was going to send him back. Qiao gave a deep sigh.
“My wish hasn’t been fulfilled,” Qiao told his friend.
“I’m in charge of various kinds of documents and files. Nether Kind highly regards me,” Gu said. “I’ll help you at all costs so long as I can.”
Qiao asked him about Liancheng. Gu guided Qiao turning one corner after another and finally found Liancheng, tears in eyes, sitting in a corner of a corridor together with a young girl in white.
On seeing Qiao, Liancheng rose to her feet immediately as if very happy. She asked him something about why he came here.
“Now that you’ve already died, how can I live alone?” Qiao said.
“I simply don’t have any sense of justice or gratitude. But still, you don’t desert me. Why are you willing to sacrifice your life for me?” Liancheng asked. “But I’ve already been unable to marry you in my this- life. I wish I could do it my next life.”
“Now you can leave if you have anything to do.” Qiao told his friend. “I’d rather die than live alone. If it is convenient to you, please get me some information about Liancheng, such as where she would be reborn, so that I can follow her.”
Gu made a promise and left.
The girl in white asked Liancheng who Qiao was. Liancheng told her the whole story. Learning this, the girl seemed rather sorrowful.
“It’s Binniang. Her family name is same as yours. It’s also Qiao.” Liancheng said to him. “She’s the daughter of Mr. Qiao, the mayor of Changsha City. We’ve lived together for so long a time so we know each other quite well and take pity on each other.”
Qiao found Binniang quite lovely. He was just going to ask something more, Gu had come back.
“Congratulations!” Gu said to Qiao. “I’ve made you a good arrangement. Let Liancheng leave the nether world and get reborn together with you. O.K.?”
Wild with joy, the two were going to thank Gu. But Binniang began to cry.
“Sister!” Binniang said to Liancheng. “You leave today. But where can I go? Please save me! I’m willing to go with you and serve you as a maid.”
Much sorrowful, Liancheng didn’t know what to do and turned to Qiao for an advice. But Qiao turned to Gu.
Gu seemed to be landed in a predicament. He thought a firm refusal was improper. But Qiao urged him time and again.
“Let me have a try!” Gu said.
Gu left and came back soon.
“As expected, I can do nothing about it.” Gu said waving his hand helplessly.
Hearing this, Binniang began to weep again and snuggled up to Liancheng for fear Liancheng should leave her immediately. Heartbroken, the two sisters were looking at each other without saying anything. The miserable scene was too horrible to look at.
“Take Binniang away!” torn by sorrow and anger, Gu said to Qiao. “I’ll take all consequences!”
Binniang was beside herself with joy and followed Qiao. Qiao worried about her future life for fear she feel lonely. Binniang persisted in living together with Liancheng.
“I don’t want to leave you,” she said.
But Qiao didn’t agree.
“How stupid you are!” Qiao said to Binniang. “If you don’t leave us, how can you get reborn? Go back to your native place Changsha City.” Qiao then made a joke. “I just hope you don’t turn the cold shoulder to us if we go to see you later on.”
Two female officials happened to go to Changsha City on an errand. Qiao therefore left Bianniang to them. Binniang left for her native place Changsha City with tears streaming down on her cheeks.
原文：
途中，连城行蹇缓，里余辄一息﹔凡十余息，始见里门。连城曰：“重生后，惧有反复。请索妾骸骨来，妾以君家生，当无悔也。”生然之。偕归生家。女惕惕若不能步，生伫待之。女曰：“妾至此，四肢摇摇，似无所主。志恐不遂，尚宜审谋，不然，生后何能自由？”相将入侧厢中。嘿定*少时，连城笑曰：“君憎妾耶？”生惊问其故。赧然曰：“恐事不谐，重负君矣。请先以鬼报也。”生喜，极尽欢恋。因徘徊不敢遽出，寄厢中者三日。连城曰：“谚有之：“丑妇终须见姑嫜。”戚戚于此，终非久计。”乃促生入。纔至灵寝，豁然顿苏。家人惊异，进以汤水。生乃使人要史来，请得连城之尸，自言能活之。史喜，从其言。方舁入室，视之已醒。告父曰：“儿已委身乔郎矣，更无归理。如有变动，但仍一死！”史归，遣婢往役给奉。王闻，具词申理。官受赂，判归王。生愤懑欲死，亦无奈之。连城至王家，忿不饮食，惟乞速死。室无人，则带悬梁上。越日，益惫，殆将奄逝。王惧，送归史。史复舁归生。王知之，亦无如何，遂安焉。连城起，每念宾娘，欲遣信探之，以道远而艰于往。一日，家人进曰：“门有车马。”夫妇出视，则宾娘已至庭中矣。相见悲喜。太守亲诣送女，生延入。太守曰：“小女子赖君复生，誓不他适，今从其志。”生叩谢如礼。孝廉亦至，叙宗好焉*。生名年，字大年。
注释：
1．里门：家门。里，邻里。古时五家为邻，五邻为里。本文指家。2。嘿定：沉默定息。嘿，音义都同“默”。3。姑嫜：婆婆。4。纔：音义都同“才”，“刚”。5。灵寝：停尸床。6。殆：差不多。读“带”。7。叙宗好焉：公叙同族的情谊。孝廉和太守正好都姓史，所以是同一家族。
白话：
途中，连城步履艰难缓慢，走一里多路就要休息一下﹔总共歇了十多次，才见到（乔生的）家门。连城说：“还阳后，恐怕有反复。请你把我的尸骨要来，我要以你的家为家，决不后悔。”乔生答应了，就和她一起回家。女郎战战兢兢好像迈不开步，乔生就站在那儿等待她。女郎说：“我到了这儿，四肢摇摇晃晃，好像做不了主。恐怕达不到目的，还需要好好商量一下，不然，复生后怎么能得到自由？”两个人于是先进了厢房。默默地喘口气，片刻之后连城笑着说：“你憎恨我吗？”乔生吃惊地问她说此话的目的。连城面红耳赤地说：“怕的是事情办不成，太辜负你的一片好心。请你还是先把我当成鬼向你的家人通报一下。”乔生很高兴，极尽鱼水之欢。因为犹豫不决不敢马上露面，在厢房中连待三天。连城说：“俗话说：‘丑媳妇早晚得见婆婆。’畏畏缩缩，终究不是长久之计。”于是就催促乔生出去。才到停尸床跟前，他立即就复生了。家人非常吃惊，喂他汤水。乔生就派人把史孝廉找来，请求得到连城的尸体，自称能使她复活。史孝廉满心欢喜，听从他的话。刚把（连城的尸体）抬进屋，一看她已经苏醒过来。她告诉父亲：“女儿我已经是乔郎的人了，没有再回家的道理。如果再有变动，我还想再死！”史孝廉回去，派婢女前来侍奉。王家听说后，据理力争。官员受赂，把连城判归王家。乔生愤懑得想死，也没有办法。连城到王家，气得不吃不喝，只想从速死去。室内无人，就把带子悬挂在屋梁上（想上吊）。转天，感到越发疲惫，几乎就要断气了。王家害怕，就把她送还给史家。史家又把她抬着送还给乔生。王家知道后，也不知如何是好，这件事就慢慢平息下来。连城起身，总是思念宾娘，打算派人去打听一下，但是因为路途遥远总没去成。一天，家人进来说：“门口有车马。”乔生夫妇出去一看，宾娘已经来到庭院中。相见之后悲喜交加。太守亲自来送女儿，乔生把他请进来。太守说：“小女仰赖你才得以复生，她发誓不嫁给别人，今天的举动就是尊重她的意见。”乔生叩谢施礼。史孝廉也到了，共叙宗亲情谊。乔生的名字叫年，字叫大年。
英译：
On the way, Liancheng walked very slowly and had a rest every other mile. After having rest more than ten times, she saw her native place.
“I’m afraid there will be some changes after our rebirth,” said Liancheng. “You’d better ask my parents for my body. I want to get reborn in your home. I have no regrets at all.”
Qiao agreed to take Liancheng to his home. Heavy-hearted, Liancheng could hardly walk. Whenever she wanted to have a rest, Qiao would stand at the roadside waiting for her.
“I feel so limp as if I can do nothing.” Liancheng said. “I’m afraid we cannot realize our plan. We’d better have a careful reconsideration about our strategy. Otherwise, how can we live leisurely and carefree after rebirth?”
They entered the wing-room of her home.
“You hate me?” keeping silent for a while, Liancheng said smilingly.
On hearing her words, Qiao felt surprised and asked why she should raise this sort of question.
“I’m afraid we cannot be tied in wedlock,” she flushed with shyness. “In this case, I would fall short of your kindness. This explains why I say this sort of things when I’m still a ghost.”
Qiao was delighted. But they didn’t dare to get reborn too fast so they just secretly stayed in the wing-house in the next three days.
“As the saying goes,” Liancheng said. “As far as a daughter-in-law is concerned, she must face her parents-in-law sooner or later no matter how ugly she is.” She said continuously, “Stealthily hiding here is not a permanent arrangement after all.”
Liancheng urged Qiao to enter the central house. Qiao waked up immediately as soon as he came near his death-bed. The whole family was wild with joy and let him drink some water.
Qiao asked his family to call over Liancheng’s father who came immediately. Qiao asked the old man for Liancheng’s body and told him that he could save her. The old man was beside himself with joy and acted accordingly. Shortly, Liancheng’s body was brought to Qiao’s home. Liancheng waked up very soon.
“I’ve already given myself to Qiao.” Liancheng told her father. “There’re no reasons for me to go back home. If you change your mind, I’d rather die again!”
Back at home, the old man immediately sent over a maid to serve Liancheng.
Liancheng’s ex-boy friend Wang sued the old man. Taking Wang’s bribes, the court made a decision that Liancheng should marry Wang.
Angry and depressed, Qiao could do nothing about it. Liancheng married Wang at lat. Staying in Wang’s home, Liancheng was too angry to eat and drink, longing for a quick death. One day, there was no one at home. Taking this opportunity, Liancheng hung herself to the beam. Only because someone found it in time did she avert a tragedy. But she became weaker and weaker with every passing day. She was on the verge of her grave before long. Scared to death, Wang sent Liancheng back.
Liancheng was finally brought to Qiao again. Wang could do nothing but leave things as they were. And all was well from then on.
Liancheng became better and better. She missed her friend Binniang very much and was going to send someone to her home checking if she was all right or not. Only because there was too long a way to go, did she dismiss the idea.
One day, a servant came in and told his master, “A wagon stopped outside.”
The old couple went out and found Binniang standing there. All of these two families were tearful with mingled feelings of joy and sorrow. Seeing Binniang was sent here personally by her father all the way from afar, Qiao was deeply moved and ushered the guests into the room without any delay.
“My daughter got reborn thanks to your help,” Binniang’s father said to Qiao. “She vowed not to marry others. I agree to her decision. ”
Lian Cheng’s father came too. Since belonging to a same clan, they had a very cordial talk. By the way, Qiao was only the last name of this young man, and his first name was Nian and another name, Da Nian.
原文：
异史氏曰：“一笑之知，许之以身，世人或议其痴﹔彼田横五百人*，岂尽愚哉。此知希之贵*，贤豪所以感结而不能自已也。顾茫茫海内，遂使锦绣才人*，仅倾心于蛾眉之一笑也。悲夫*！”
注释：
1．田横五百人：以田横部下五百人忠于田横的故事赞扬乔生“士为知己者死”的精神。据《史记》记载：秦朝末年，齐国人田横，据项羽，复齐地为王。刘邦称帝后，率五百人逃亡海岛。刘邦怕他造反作乱，下诏强令他入洛阳，并答应将他封王封侯。田横行至距离洛阳三十里的尸乡，因耻于向刘邦称臣，与随从一起自杀。海岛上的五百人闻讯也全部自杀。2。知希之贵：因知己难求，圣贤者对知遇之恩总是铭记在心。“知希之贵”脱化于《老子》：“知我者希，则我者贵”。3。锦绣才人：才学富艳，诗文精美如锦绣的才子。本文指乔生。4。悲夫：悲壮。悲在此处不是悲伤。
白话：
《聊斋志异》作者感言：“（乔生）仅仅因为（连城朝他）笑一笑这儿点知遇之恩，就以身相许，世人或者会说他痴；当年田横部下那五百人，岂不是愚蠢至极。这种知希之贵，这就是圣贤豪士感激涕零而不能克制的原因。纵观茫茫人海，大千世界，居然有才华横溢的才子，仅仅倾心于（对方）眉宇之间的一笑。悲壮呀！”
英译：
Author’s Commentary:
Getting acquainted with a strange girl just according to her one smile, does the man decide to marry her. Maybe he will be considered too foolish. Tian Heng, a general in ancient China, committed suicide and all his five hundred followers killed themselves too. Could it be said that all these people were stupid? No. This is only because it’s too difficult to find a true friend. And therefore, once the worthy persons find real friends, they will be unable to restrain their feelings. Nevertheless, if every virtuous and able person is infatuated only with one smile of a beautiful woman, it can make people affected with deep feelings indeed!
