Zuo's anecdotes in vernacular Chinese

My late father once said that one of his fellow villagers Zuo studied politics near Kyoto. One day, it was very cold when it was windy and snowy. Zuo Gong rode out with a few followers and went to an ancient temple in anonymity. In the wing, I saw a scholar fall asleep at his desk, and the article had just been written as a draft. Zuo Gong took off his mink coat and put it on the scholar, closing the door for him. Zuo Gong asked the monk in the temple about this scholar, who turned out to be Shi Kefa. When the exam came, the official called Shi Kefa's name. Zuo Gong stared at him in surprise. He showed his test paper and signed it. He was the first. He also called him to the inner room to meet Mrs. Zuo and said to her, "Our children are all mediocre and incompetent, and only this scholar will inherit my ambition and career in the future."

When Zuo Gong was sent to Dongchang prison, Shi Kefa stayed outside the prison gate in the morning and evening. That damn eunuch is heavily guarded. Even the servants in Zuo Zhai can't get close. After a long time, I heard that Zuo Gong was tortured by branding and was going to die soon. Shi Kefa took out five hundred and twenty pieces of silver and consulted with the guards in tears. The guards were moved. One day, the guard asked Shi Kefa to put on shabby clothes, sandals, a basket and a long shovel in his hand, pretending to be a garbage sweeper. The guard led Shi Kefa into his cell. Secretly pointed out the place where Zuo Gong stayed. Zuo Gong sat on the ground against the wall, his face and forehead were burnt beyond recognition, his left knee went down, and all his bones and muscles fell off. Shi Kefa stepped forward and knelt down, holding his left knee and crying. Zuo Gong recognized Shi Kefa's voice, but he couldn't open his eyes, struggling to raise his arm and open his eyes with his fingers. His eyes were as bright as a torch, and he said angrily, "useless slave!" What is this place? But you came to me! The situation in this country has deteriorated beyond control. I'm finished. You despise yourself. Who can support what is happening in the world? Don't leave quickly, don't wait until the bad guys make up charges to frame you, I'll kill you now! " So he groped for the instruments of torture on the ground and made a shot. Shi Kefa kept silent and came out in small steps. Later, Shi Kefa often told this story with tears and told others: "My teacher's liver and lungs are made of stone."

In the last years of Chongzhen, Zhang was active in Qichun, Huanggang, Buried Hill and Tongcheng. Shi Kefa, as a Taoist priest in Fengyang and Luzhou, was ordered to guard against the enemy. Every time there is an alarm, he can't sleep for months. He let the soldiers take turns to rest, but he sat outside the tent. Ten able-bodied foot soldiers were selected, and they were ordered to squat with their backs to him, and they took turns to replace them after one shift. Stand up every cold night and shake your clothes. The frost on your armor falls off like a loud metal noise. It is suggested that he take a short rest. He said: "I am afraid of disappointing the court, but I am afraid of disappointing the teacher!" "

Shi Kefa commanded the army and went to Tongcheng. Be sure to go to Zuo Gong Fu in person, greet Tai Gong and Tai Mu, and visit Mrs Zuo in the hall.

Toyama, my doyen, is Zuo Gong's son-in-law. He was close to my late father. He said that what Zuo Gong said to Shi Kefa in prison was what he heard from Shi Kefa himself.