冥報記 3.17

3.17

During the Sui dynasty there was a man named Kang Bao, a gentleman of the gentry from Jiangnan, who had scholarship and proper conduct in his youth. In the ninth year of the Daye era, Yang Xuanwu rebelled; Bao's elder brother accepted an official post from Xuanwu, and Bao was implicated because of his brother. Condemned to die, he went into hiding, concealing himself in the capital. By the tenth year, Bao went into the Palace Library to look for old acquaintances. At that time Emperor Yang was away, and all the gates of the Imperial City were shut, with only the Anshang Gate open, through which all traffic passed. Just as Bao entered the gate, he ran into an old acquaintance surnamed Zeng. Zeng was also a man of Jiangnan, and at the time was serving as an administrator under the regent. Seeing Bao, he spoke with him and asked where he was staying; Bao, knowing that they were well acquainted, told him the truth. After they parted and Bao went inside, Zeng dispatched men to pursue and arrest him. Bao had entered the Palace Library, and his pursuers arrested him and reported it to the authorities. At that time Wang Shao was the deputy director of the Palace Library; having previously been an acquaintance of Bao, he did not wish him to be condemned, so he came forward and said to the captors, 'I have known him for a long time.' Kang Bao understood his intention and promptly responded, 'I am in truth merely a southern laborer dodging corvée service.' Shao expelled him and ordered him to leave. The captors returned and reported to Zeng, who again lay in wait at the Anshang Gate, arresting and seizing him. Knowing that he could not escape, Bao said to Zeng, 'I have indeed failed the government, and death is my due lot; yet I have never wronged you. You and I are old acquaintances; if you could not help me, why must you do the reverse? If the dead possess awareness, I shall certainly take retribution on you.' Soon after, Bao was executed. Several days later, Zeng, whose residence was in the Taiping ward, was on his way to the regent's office; as he passed from the Shanhe ward inside the West Gate, he suddenly saw Bao riding a horse, his robes and cap very splendid, with two servant boys following behind. Bao said to Zeng, 'My life was also nearing its end, but I still had three years remaining; it was on your account that I was killed. I now serve as the registrar of Mount Tai, and have already petitioned the Heavenly Bureau to execute you in retribution.' Zeng kowtowed and begged forgiveness, asking to cultivate merit on his behalf; Bao consented, and suddenly vanished. Several days later, Zeng met Bao again at this spot, who said to him, 'I will kill you in the end; I grant you seven days to cultivate merit, after which I shall take your head and carry it away. If you do not believe me, when you die your face will be on your back.' Terrified, Zeng returned home and cultivated merit, dying when the appointed time arrived; his face had turned to his back, exactly as had been foretold (related by Kang's close acquaintances).