During the Longqing period of the Ming Dynasty, in Shaoxing Mansion, Zhejiang Province, the satin merchant Peng Yaozu was one of the richest people in the area.

That night, a burglary took place in the Peng family, and a box of expensive jewelry disappeared. Peng Yaozu suspected that the servant Zhang Zhaolong was guarding his own theft, so he sued him to the yamen with a lawsuit. The prefect of Shaoxing, who tried the case, was biased and determined that Zhang Zhaolong was the thief, and put him in prison. Zhang Zhaolong was wronged, angry, and anxious, and soon died of illness in prison.

Half a year later, the real thief was caught selling the stolen goods, and the whole case finally fell into stone. This time, the Zhang and Peng families forged a blood feud.

Zhang Zhaolong had a son named Zhang Hao, who was a smart and studious young man. Zhang Hao swore to heaven that he would study harder from now on, and when he got a reputation in the future, he would definitely avenge his father.

These words reached Peng Yaozu's ears, and he was worried and restless all day long.

Zhang Haotian is smart, and now he is working hard to avenge his father. In the long run, there is a good chance that he will be named to the gold list in the future! By then, Zhang Hao carp jumped through the dragon gate, and the Peng family would be in bad luck. Thinking of this, Peng Yaozu broke out in a cold sweat. Hey, what should I do? After thinking about it, he decided to go to his good friend Xu Wantong for an idea.

Xu Wantong has been a teacher in the government office for many years and is a resourceful old fox.

After figuring out the purpose of Peng Yaozu's visit, Xu Wantong said nonsense to the goat: "I just met an expert who can count, nicknamed Wang Banxian. Let's ask Wang Banxian to meet Zhang Haoxiang first, see how this kid's future is, and then make a decision."

Hearing this, Peng Yaozu nodded again and again. He and Xu Wantong agreed to invite Wang Banxian to meet Zhang Hao tomorrow.

The next morning, Xu and Peng made an appointment with Wang Banxian, quietly came to the door of Zhangjiayuan, and hid behind a big tree to peep.

Not long after, the courtyard door "squeaked" and Zhang Hao walked out with a volume of books in his hands. Wang Banxian opened his eyes wide and looked carefully at Zhang Haozai.

After Wang Banxian finished reading it, Peng Yaozu asked cautiously, "How is it, does this kid have a show?"

Wang Banxian nodded and said word by word, "From the look of it, Zhang Xiaoguan has a bright future, and he will be rich and prosperous in the future!"

When Peng Yaozu heard this, his face turned white with fright, and Xu Wantong also secretly pinched a cold sweat.

After sending Wang Banxian away, Peng Yaozu pulled Xu Wantong and nervously asked, "Brother Xu, how is this good?"

Xu Wantong's eyes rolled, and he immediately had an idea. He attached himself to Peng Yaozu's ear, and in this way he told his wonderful plan. Peng Yaozu heard the continuous applause, and he admired it.

Soon after, a rich boy named Zhu Bin made friends with Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao's family was poor and relied on his widowed mother, Feng's, to weave and weave fabric day and night, barely making a living. Zhu Bin was wealthy and often helped the Zhang family. Zhang Hao was very grateful to him, and the two became close friends over and over again.

Zhu Bin liked to gamble and often invited Zhang Hao to to the casino with him. Zhang Hao immersed himself in his studies all day, and had neither the time nor the capital to gamble, so he refused again and again. But Zhu Bin kept his eyes on it. He gave Zhang Hao money and insisted that Zhang Hao accompany him to the casino to try his luck.

Zhu Bin said to Zhang Hao, "If I lose the money, it's all on my head; if I lose the money, we will add two to five, and split it half." Zhang Hao was very puzzled and asked, "Brother Zhu, why do you have to ask my younger brother to accompany you to the casino?"

Zhu Bin explained, "Recently, there has been a lot of rumors in Shaoxing. It is said that Wang Banxian has seen a photo for the good brother and thinks that you have a bright future and will be rich in the future. You can have good luck with the noble brother, so I want to gamble with the good brother."

Only then did Zhang Hao realize that, out of affection, he had to agree to Zhu Bin's invitation.

Strange to say, after entering the casino, Zhang Hao was really lucky. Whether he rolled the dice or pushed Pai Gow, he would win almost every game. When Zhu Bin was with him, he would win more and lose less.

Zhang Hao's wallet quickly bulged. After a long time, he became obsessed with gambling and spent three days in the casino.

In addition to gambling, Zhu Bin also liked to visit the kilns. After winning money, he often dragged Zhang Hao to look for flowers and ask for willows. At first, Zhang Hao felt that this was insulting and refused to comply, but he could not stand Zhu Bin's repeated temptation. Finally, he half-pushed and entered the Hundred Flowers Hall.

Baihuatang is the most famous brothel in Shaoxing Mansion, and there is a girl named Cuiyu who is particularly popular. Cuiyu not only looks beautiful, but is also proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Before long, Zhang Hao got into a hot fight with Cuiyu and threw all the money won in the casino into Baihuatang. In this way, Zhang Hao gambled money during the day and prostitutes at night, throwing the four books and five classics into the sky.

Seeing that her son was so unbearable, Feng Shi was extremely distressed. She first persuaded her son, and then threatened him with death, hoping Zhang Hao's prodigal son would turn back. But Zhang Hao was addicted to eating, drinking, prostitutes and gambling, and turned a deaf ear to his mother's advice. In the end, Feng shi was completely desperate, and she left her son and moved to her mother's house in the countryside alone.

Without the constraints of his mother, Zhang Hao became even more unscrupulous. He simply moved to Baihuatang and became a dewy couple with Cuiyu.

Zhang Hao went from a diligent and studious teenager to a scoundrel step by step, and the neighbors were very sad to see it. But there was one person who was very happy. He was Peng Yaozu.

It turned out that all this was orchestrated by Peng Yaozu and Xu Wantong: Peng Yaozu paid Zhu Bin to lure Zhang Hao to gamble. The reason why Zhang Hao had to gamble was also deliberately arranged by Peng Yaozu. When Zhang Hao had money, Zhu Bin took him to visit the kiln and made him fall into a gentle village. Peng Yaozu did this for only one purpose, to make Zhang Hao debauched and degenerate from then on, and no longer study hard in a cold window, so that he could ruin his rich future!

Now, Peng Yaozu's goal has been achieved, and he even laughs out loud in his dreams.

In the blink of an eye, two years later, seeing that Zhang Hao had completely fallen, Peng Yaozu stopped his action.

Overnight, Zhang Hao's good luck of winning every gamble vanished, and Zhu Bin also broke off contact with him. Zhang Hao became a pauper again, and Cuiyu immediately turned his face and drove him out of Baihua Hall. After returning home, Zhang Hao idled around all day and lived selling his belongings. Not long after, the belongings were sold out, and even the house was sold, so Zhang Hao had to move to live outside the city.

Peng Yaozu and Xu Wantong were happy to see all this.

Xu Wantong had a daughter named Xu Xiuqin. Xiuqin was beautiful and dignified, gentle and virtuous, and Xu Wantong regarded her as a pearl in the palm of his hand. At this time, Xiuqin had reached the age of marriage, and Xu Wantong decided to choose carefully and choose a good husband for his daughter with a bright future. Therefore, Xu Wantong found Wang Banxian with a generous gift and asked him to search carefully in Shaoxing City to find a young genius with a rich face. Wang Banxian agreed and immediately began to act.

Half a month later, Wang Banxian excitedly arrived at the Xu Family.

As soon as they met, he congratulated Xu Wantong: "Congratulations to Brother Xu, congratulations to Brother Xu, Your Excellency's son-in-law, I finally found it!"

Xu Wantong's eyes lit up when he heard it, and he couldn't wait to ask, "Tell me, which young master is it?"

Wang Banxian said, "I've searched all over Shaoxing, but there's no one suitable. But outside the city, I found a young man with a bright future... Speaking of which, Brother Xu also recognizes this young master."

"I recognize him too? Who is he?" Xu Wantong was confused.

Wang Banxian replied, "It's Zhang Hao, Young Master Zhang. Compared to two years ago, his face is even richer now!"

"Zhang, Zhang Hao? Is that poor Zhang Hao who is a gambler?" Xu Wantong widened his eyes in surprise.

Wang Banxian nodded, "Yes, it's him!"

Xu Wantong was confused when he heard that. He was stunned for a while before he asked in disbelief, "Then that kid almost asked for a meal, and he still has a bright future?"

Wang Banxian said categorically, "I will not miss it. Zhang Hao's face is indeed rich!"

Xu Wantong didn't believe it at all, and decided that Wang Banxian was talking nonsense, so he sent him out with a straight face.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, Zhang Hao actually sent a matchmaker to the Xu family to propose marriage.

Xu Wantong almost tilted his nose. He sneered at the matchmaker and said, "If in two days Zhang Hao can take out 1,000 taels of silver as a betrothal gift, I will marry my daughter to him!"

Hearing this, the matchmaker immediately said, "Okay, I'll pass the word on!"

After about half an hour, Zhang Hao led a porter to Xu's house with a fresh face. The porter took off the pole and opened the cages at both ends, revealing a lot of white silver. Count, no more, no less, exactly 1,000 taels.

Zhang Hao bowed to Xu Wantong and said with a smile, "1000 taels of silver is here, please fulfill your promise!"

Xu Wantong looked at silver, then at Zhang Hao, and was immediately dumbfounded. After a while, he rolled his eyes and argued: "There was still half a sentence just now, but the matchmaker didn't hear it clearly. I said that in addition to 1,000 taels of silver, I want Zhang Gongzi to be proud, so I married my daughter to him."

Zhang Hao smiled slightly and said, "A gentleman's word is hard to chase. Xiaosheng will leave the betrothal gift here first, and then marry Ling Ai when he is named on the gold list!"

After Zhang Hao left, Xu Wantong immediately found Peng Yaozu.

Xu Wantong frowned and asked doubtfully, "Zhang Hao even sold the house where he lived. Where did he get these 1,000 taels of silver?"

Peng Yaozu scratched his scalp and guessed, "Maybe it's borrowed."

Xu Wantong shook his head again and again: "No, absolutely impossible. Zhang Hao is destitute, no one will lend him so much money!"

"Then could it be that he colluded with the villains and joined the gang to become a robber?" Peng Yaozu continued to speculate.

Xu Wantong narrowed his eyes and thought for a while, then nodded and said, "There is such a possibility. There is a lot of slander in the den of thieves. Some robbers call Dangshan King the title of the Golden List, and let me investigate it carefully."

However, before Xu Wantong could investigate clearly, the news that Zhang Hao had been mentioned in the township examination came. Then Zhang Hao made good news in the examination and palace examination. Finally, as champion of the new department, he was appointed as the prefect of Shaoxing by the emperor.

This time, Xu Wantong was both surprised and delighted, while Peng Yaozu was so scared that he was out of his mind.

That evening, Sun Dutou of Shaoxing Mansion rushed into Peng's house with a few yamen servants.

Sun Dutou said to Peng Yaozu, "The prefect has an order, please come with us!"

Peng Yaozu stammered and asked, "Zhang, Lord Zhang is looking for me, what, what are your orders?"

Sun Du pouted his head and said, "I'm not very clear about this. When you arrive at the yamen later, you will naturally understand."

Hearing the word "yamen", Peng Yaozu's legs were so frightened that his legs went soft. He secretly complained in his heart. This is the end. Zhang Hao has come to me to settle accounts.

Seeing that Peng Yaozu was just standing stupidly, Sun Du winked at the yamen. The two yamen immediately walked forward, raised Peng Yaozu on the left and right, and came to the door in a flash.

There was a small palanquin parked outside the door. The yamen stuffed Peng Yaozu into the palanquin, lifted it up and left.

After a while, the palanquin was carried to the back hall of the mansion. There was a sumptuous banquet in the back hall of the mansion, where Zhang Hao, mother and son, and Xu Wantong were already waiting.

Seeing this, Peng Yaozu understood everything in his heart: Xu Wantong must have shaken out all the things he had assassinated Zhang Hao. Today, Zhang Hao wants to pay a tooth for a tooth, and the old and new accounts will be settled together.

Thinking of this, Peng Yaozu knelt on the ground with a "plop", kowtowed his head and begged, "Lord Zhang, forgive me! Lord Zhang, forgive me!" Zhang Hao grabbed a few steps, helped Peng Yaozu up, and pulled him to the side of the banquet to sit down. Then Zhang Hao said to Peng Yaozu, "Today, I invited Peng Yaowai here not for revenge, but for gratitude!"

"Feeling grateful?" Peng Yaozu was stunned.

Zhang Hao nodded and said, "Yes, I really want to thank Peng Yaowai. A few years ago, you secretly gave me so much money, which made my mother and son well-fed, so that I could study with peace of mind. In addition, this money also helped me marry the beautiful and virtuous Miss Xu!" Hearing this, Peng Yaozu was even more confused. He looked at Zhang Hao and then at Xu Wantong, wondering what was going on. Seeing Peng Yaozu's confused face, Zhang Hao explained the whole story:

Back then, Xu Wantong and Peng Yaozu's plan to frame Zhang Hao was overheard by Xu Xiuqin. Miss Xu was kind-hearted and couldn't bear for Zhang Hao to be killed, so she sent her confidant maid to the Zhang family to report the news quietly. After getting the secret report, Zhang Hao immediately thought about countermeasures. In order to numb Peng and Xu so that he could study with peace of mind, Zhang Hao decided to take a plan.

Therefore, Zhang Hao pretended to be good friends with Zhu Bin and followed him to eat, drink and gamble. Behind the scenes, Zhang Hao quietly bribed the prostitute of Baihuatang and rented a secret room there. On the surface, Zhang Hao stayed in Baihuatang every night, but in fact, he read at night in the secret room with lights on. As for the money he won from gambling, he saved up all the money. At the same time, Feng cooperated with his son and played a good show of running away in anger. After Peng Yaozu relaxed his vigilance, Zhang Hao sold his house and moved to live with his mother outside the city.

Zhang Hao had always been grateful to Xu Xiuqin, and loved her appearance and character. Therefore, when he heard that Xu Wantong wanted to choose a son-in-law, he immediately asked the matchmaker to propose marriage...

Speaking of this, Zhang Hao picked up his wine glass and said to Peng Yaozu, "It is better to solve the enemy than to tie the knot. The Peng and Zhang families still want harmony!"

At this time, Xu Wantong on the side smiled and said, "Prosperous people have their own heaven. My son-in-law came to earth from Wenqu Star. His rich future cannot be stopped by ordinary people."

Peng Yaozu shook his head again and again and sighed, "What is really unstoppable is Lord Zhang's hard-working spirit and broad mind."