冥報記 3.21

3.21

洛州都督酇公竇軌。性好殺戮。初為益州行臺僕射。多殺將士。又害行臺尚書韋雲起。貞觀二年冬。在洛州。病甚篤。忽言。有人餉我瓜來。左右報。冬無瓜也。公曰。一盤好瓜。何謂無。既而驚視曰。非瓜也。並是人頭。從我債命。又曰。扶我起。見韋尚書。言畢而薨。

Dou Gui, the Area Commander of Luozhou and Duke of Cuan, was cruel by nature and fond of killing. Early on, when he served as vice director of the branch department of state affairs in Yizhou, he killed many officers and soldiers, and also murdered Wei Yunqi, the minister of the branch department. In the winter of the second year of the Zhenguan era, while in Luozhou, he fell gravely ill. He suddenly said, 'Someone has brought me melons as a gift.' His attendants reported, 'There are no melons in winter.' The Duke said, 'A plate of fine melons—how can you say there are none?' Soon, looking in terror, he said, 'They are not melons; they are all human heads demanding the debt of life from me!' He further said, 'Support me to get up; I see Minister Wei.' Having spoken, he died.