No one to rely (無依無靠)
During the late Ming dynasty in China, a
famous writer named Feng Menglong wrote a collection of short stories.
One of these stories is about a loyal old
servant named Aji, who worked for a woman named Ms Yan.
Through his intelligence and prudence, Aji
changed the fate of Ms Yan and their two families, transforming them from
modestly well-off to extremely wealthy.
This story, written by Feng Menglong, is
set in the mid-Ming Dynasty, a peaceful era of national strength.
Aji lived in a small village in Zhejiang
Province and was over fifty years old.
Ms Yan's husband was Xu Zhe, who had two
older brothers, Xu Yan and Xu Zhao.
"Xu Zhe died of illness before
reaching the age of thirty, leaving Ms Yan and her five children without a
vital source of income.
At this time, his two older brothers
demanded the division of the family property. The terms of the property
division document drafted by Xu Yan and Xu Zhao were unfair to Ms Yan. They
allocated the oxen and horses that could be used for ploughing and
transportation to themselves and gave Aji to Ms Yan.
After being forced to accept this agreement
in the hall, Ms Yan returned to her room.
Sitting in her bedroom, she felt terrified
thinking about her uncertain future. She had no skills with which to earn a
living and had five children to support. She felt that she and her children had
no one to rely on in this world.
Tears streamed down her face as she thought
about these things. She couldn't help but mutter to herself, addressing her
deceased husband.
Just then, someone knocked on her door.
Startled, she asked,
"Who's there?"
An old voice came from outside.
"It's me, A-Ji." I want to
discuss something with you.'
After wiping away her tears, Ms Yan opened
the door and welcomed Aji inside.
Aji sat down and said to Ms Yan,
'I just heard you talking to yourself in
there. You were complaining that the property was distributed unfairly. You
said that the ox and the horse were very important and valuable, but that I was
less valuable in comparison.
You said that the ox and horse could help
with farming and be rented out, but I'm old and not as strong as younger
people.
Now, as well as supporting your own family
of six, you also have to support me, my wife and our child — three people in
total. This is a huge financial burden for you. Plus, you have no income. Under
these circumstances, in a few months' time, once we've spent all the money
we've been given, all nine of us will be plunged into extreme poverty.
You're very worried about this, which is
why you were crying just now.'
Ms Yan nodded gently, indicating that Aji
was right.
"I don't think you need to worry,
though. Although I'm over 50 and I'm not as strong as younger people, I'm still
very healthy and I have a lifetime of wisdom.
Given the current situation, I believe that
we should change our thinking and methods to break through our current
predicament.
In my opinion, the only way to make money
quickly is to do business.
Ms Yan nodded in agreement after hearing
A-Ji's suggestion.
A-Ji continued to Ms Yan.
'I would like to ask you to provide me with
some capital so I can start a business.
Business requires travelling between
cities, but I'm not afraid of hardship — I believe I am physically strong
enough.
While I'm away, my wife can stay with you
and weave. The two of you could earn an income by selling textiles.
"Although the land you've been
allocated isn't fertile, I think you could rent it out to farmers who don't own
their own land at a lower price. If we are frugal with our living expenses, I
believe the assets we have been allocated will support both our families for
several years.
I will start a business, and as long as I
am careful and diligent, it will definitely improve day by day. In a few years,
I believe that the income I earn from my business will become a significant
source of income for both our families.
After listening to Aji, Mrs Yan felt that
her advice was very insightful, but she still had some concerns. After thinking
for a few minutes, she said to Aji,
'You are already in your fifties, and I am
still a little worried that you are too old. I worry that, given your current
level of physical fitness, you won't be able to sustain the long-term travel
between different cities.
This idiom translates as 'having no one to
rely on'.
It is used to describe a person or family
who are lonely and have no help from anyone or anything.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
did you gain from this story?
How will you choose to face a desperate
situation? Have you ever felt courage ignite when others looked down on you?
I
hope this story gives you some new insights.
無依無靠(No one to rely)
中國的明王朝末年，有一個著名的文學家，他的名字叫做(馮夢龍)，他寫過一本短篇小說集。
他的這本小說集中有一個有關於一個忠誠的老僕人的故事，這個老僕人的名字叫做(阿寄)，他的女主人是顏女士。
(阿寄)經由自己的聰明與謹慎而改變了顏女士與自己的兩個家庭的命運，他透過他的智慧與運氣讓顏女士的家庭從小康變成大富戶。
馮夢龍說的這個故事發生在明王朝的中葉，那是一個國力強盛的和平時代。
(阿寄)住在浙江省的一個小村莊內，他的年紀已經50幾歲了。
顏女士的先生的名字叫做(徐哲)，徐哲有兩個哥哥，這兩個哥哥的名字是(徐言)與(徐召)。
徐哲因為生病所以不到30歲就病逝，他病逝後顏女士與五個孩子失去了重要的經濟支柱。
在這個時刻，許哲的兩個哥哥提出了分拆家族財產的要求，徐言與徐召擬定的這份拆分財產的文件中的條件對顏女士並不公平，他們把可以幫忙耕地與運輸的牛與馬分配給自己，他們把年紀老邁的阿寄分配給顏女士。
顏女士在大廳中被迫接受這個不公平的拆分家中財產的協議後，她回到自已的房間內。
顏夫人坐在她的臥室內，她想到自己的未來如此茫然，她感到非常的恐慌，她沒有任何謀生的技能，她還有五個孩子要扶養，她感覺自己與五個小孩在這個世界上沒有任何依靠。
想到這些事情，她的眼淚就不停地流。她忍不住自言自語，她低聲地向她死去的丈夫傾訴。
就在這個時候，有人敲她的房間的門，她嚇了一跳，她問。
外面是誰在敲門呢?
門外傳來一個蒼老的聲音。
我是(阿寄)，我想要跟你討論一些事情。
顏女士擦乾眼淚後把房門打開並迎接阿寄到房間中坐下。
阿寄坐下後對顏女士說。
我剛才聽到妳在房間內自言自語，妳正在抱怨這次財產拆分的分配結果並不公平，妳認為牛與馬很重要很有價值，相比之下我就沒有那麼有價值。
妳認為牛與馬可以協助耕作，也可以租用給別人，但是我的年紀已經老了，我的體力比不上年輕人。
妳現在除了自己一家6個人之外還要多負擔我和我的妻子和孩子共3個人的生活開銷，這對妳來說是非常沉重的經濟負擔，加上妳沒有經濟收入，在這種情況下，幾個月後當我們把所分配到的財產花光，那麼我們這9個人都會陷入極端的貧困狀態。
妳為此感到很憂心，所以妳剛才正在哭泣。
顏女士輕輕地點了點頭表示阿寄說的話並沒有錯。
我認為妳並不用擔心，我雖然年紀已經50幾歲了，我的體力比不上那些年輕人，但是我的身體還很健康，我的頭腦中藏著我一生的智慧。
我認為就現狀看來，我們應該改變我們的想法與作法才可能突破現在的困境。
在現在這種情況之下，我認為只有做生意才能夠快速讓我們賺到錢。
顏女士聽完這些阿寄這些話後點頭表示同意。
阿寄繼續對顏女士說。
我想要請求妳提供我一些本錢，讓我出門去從事商業買賣。
做商業買賣要在各個城市中奔走，但我不怕辛苦，我認為我的體力可以負擔。
在我外出做商業買賣時，我的妻子可以陪著妳在家中一起從事紡織，你們兩個人一起紡織也可以藉由販售紡織品賺取到一定的收入。
妳分到的那些田地雖然不肥沃，但我認為妳可以用便宜一點的價格租給那些沒有自己讀的田地的農夫。
如果我們在生活上盡量節省生活開支，那麼現在分配到的這些財產我認為可以養活我們兩個家庭好幾年。
我出門從事商業買賣，只要我小心謹慎且認真地做生意，生意一定會一天比一天更好，幾年後，我相信我出門做生意所得到的收入就可以成為我們兩個家庭的重要的經濟收入來源。
顏夫人聽完阿寄的話後，她覺得阿寄的建議很有道哩，但她的內心還是有擔心，，她思考了幾分鐘後對阿寄說。
妳已經50幾歲了，我還是有點擔心你的年紀太大，我擔心以你目前的體力，你撐不住長期在各個城市中奔走。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是沒有任何依靠。
這句成語被用來形容一個人或一個家庭處於一種孤單且得不到任何人、事、物的幫助的狀態。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你在遇到絕境的時候，你會選擇怎樣面對呢?你是否曾經因為被別人藐視而激發起你心中的勇氣呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為馮夢龍-醒世恆言-卷35-徐老僕義憤成家
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