erly left at the Inn of Ten Thousand Flowers,
and then on to Ch'ang-an to take to her father Yin K'ai-shan a letter,
putting him in possession of the chief facts concerning Liu Hung,
and praying him to avenge her.

She gave him a stick of incense to take to her mother-in-law. The old
lady lived the life of a beggar in a wretched hovel near the city gate,
and had become blind from weeping. The priest told her of the tragic
death of her son, then touched her eyes with the stick of incense, and
her sight was restored. "And I," she exclaimed, "have so often accused
my son of ingratitude, believing him to be still alive!" He took her
back to the Inn of Ten Thousand Flowers and settled the account, then
hastened to the palace of Yin K'ai-shan. Having obtained an audience,
he showed the minister the letter, and informed him of all that had
taken place.

The Murderer Executed

The following day a report was presented to the Emperor, who gave
orders for the immediate arrest and execution of the murderer of
Ch'en Kuang-jui.

Yin K'ai-shan went with all haste to Chen-chiang, where he arrived
during the night, surrounded the official residence, and seized
the culprit, whom he sent to the place where he had committed the
murder. His heart and liver were torn out and sacrificed to the victim.

The Carp's Gratitude

Now it happened that Ch'en Kuang-jui was not dead after all. The
carp released by him was in fact no other than Lung Wang, the God
of the River, who had been going through his kingdom in that guise
and had been caught in the fisherman's net. On learning that his
rescuer had been cast into the river, Lung Wang had saved him, and
appointed him an officer of his Court. On that day, when his son,
wife, and father-in-law were sacrificing the heart of his assassin
to his _manes_ on the river-bank, Lung Wang ordered that he return
to earth. His body suddenly appeared on the surface of the water,
floated to the bank, revived, and came out full of life and health. The
happiness of the family reunited under such unexpected circumstances
may well be imagined. Ch'en Kuang-jui returned with his father-in-law
to Chen-chiang, where he took up his official post, eighteen years
after his nomination to it.

Hsuean Chuang became the Emperor's favourite priest. He was held in
great respect at the capital, and had innumerable honours bestowed upon
him, and in the end was chosen for the journey to the Western Paradise,
where Buddh