26.西门豹治邺

Lesson Twenty-Six

Ximen Bao Governs Ye County

1.During the Warring States Period, the monarch of Wei sent Ximen Bao to manage Ye County on the edge of Zhanghe River.

2.When Ximen Bao arrived at that place, he saw that the fields were deserted and sparsely populated, so he called an old man and asked him what happened.

3.The old man said, “It’s the River God who takes a wife.

4.River God is the god of Zhanghe River, and he marries a beautiful young lady every year.

5.Otherwise, there will be a flood in Zhanghe River, which will flood all the fields.”

6.Ximen Bao asked, “Who said this?”

7.The old man said, “The witch.

8.Local officials and gentry manage a wedding for the River God every year, but they force the common people to pay for that.

9.Every time, they charge millions of qian, and only spend two or three hundred thousand on the wedding ceremony.And they spilt the rest money with the witches.”

10.“Where did the bride come from?” asked he.

11.The old man said, “Whoever had a daughter, the witch took people to these families to choose.

12.The rich can bribe these people with money, but the poor can do nothing but allowing them to take their daughters away.

13.On the day when River God takes a wife, they put a reed mat beside the Zhanghe River, dressed the girl up, and let her sit on the reed mat and drift along the water.

14.The reed mat was floating first, and even the girls sank in the center of the river.

15.Almost all families with girls have fled to other places, so the population is getting smaller and smaller, and this place is getting poorer and poorer.”

16.Ximen Bao was confused, “So has there been a flooding of Zhanghe River?

17.The old man said, “I haven’t sent it.

18.But there is less rain in summer and drought every year.”

19.Ximen Bao said, “With that said, the River God is really clever.

20.Next time he marries a lady, please let me know, and I’ll see the bride off, too.

21.Another wedding day is coming.The ordinary people gathered by the river bank.

Ximen Bao, with his guards, really came.Witches and officials hasted to meet him.

22.The witch was over seventy years old, followed by a dozen female apprentices in silk gowns.

23.Ximen Bao said, “Show me the bride.”

24.The witch asked her apprentice to bring the dressed girl.

25.When Ximen Bao saw her, the girl was full of tears.

26.He turned to the witch and said, “This girl is not beautiful enough, and the River God will not be satisfied.

27.Please tell the River God that I want to choose a more beautiful one and send her in a few days.”

28.After that, he called the guard to set up the witch and threw her into the Zhanghe River.

29.The witch fluttered in the river and then sank.

30.After waiting for a while, Ximen Bao said to the leader of the official gentry, “Why hasn’t the witch come back yet? Please hurry her up.”

31.And then, the leader of the official gentry was also thrown into the river by the guards.

32.Ximen Bao stood facing Zhanghe River for a long time.

33.Those officials and gentry were worried, and dared not to breathe.Ximen Bao turned around and looked at them, said, “Why haven’t they come back yet? Maybe you guys can urge them!”

34.As he spoke, he asked the guards to throw them down the Zhanghe River.

35.Officials and gentry were so frightened that they knelt down and kowtowed for mercy, who had broken their heads and bled.

36.Ximen Bao said, “OK, let’s wait a little longer.”

37.After a while, he said, “It’s fine.

38.It seems that the River God kept them.

39.You all can go home.

40.The common people understand that the witch and officials and gentry had cheated them.

41.From then on, no one dared to ask the River God to marry a lady, and there was no flood in Zhanghe River.

42.Ximen Bao mobilized the common people to dig twelve channels to lead the water from Zhanghe River to the fields.

43.Crops were irrigated and people could have a good harvest every year.