One percent or one-thousandth(一厘一毫)
During the late Ming dynasty in China,
there was a famous writer named Feng Menglong who compiled 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.
The 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. He was over fifty years old and had worked for the Xu family for many
years. 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 30. Following his death, his two elder brothers demanded the division of
the family property. The terms of the property division document, which was
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 Ms Yan the elderly Aji.
With Ms Yan's support, Aji used the 12
taels of silver she provided as start-up capital to start a business.
Aji was a very shrewd person. After about
six months, he had earned over 2,000 taels of silver.
Aji and Ms Yan agreed on how to use this
money. They later used 1,500 taels to buy 1,000 mu of land and a house from a
wealthy man named Yan Shibao.
Over the next ten years, Aji helped Ms Yan
earn a lot of money each year thanks to his caution, prudence and keen business
acumen, and her assets and land holdings increased year by year.
After consulting Ms Yan, Aji hired tutors
to educate the children from both families. The children grew up to be morally
upright and honest, and they all successfully married and started their own
families.
Aji passed away at the age of 80. Before he
died, he had seen everyone he cared about, including his family, Ms Yan's
family, and Xu Yan and Xu Zhao. After saying goodbye to everyone, Aji
peacefully closed his eyes and left this world.
Following his death, the envious Xu Yan and
Xu Zhao told Ms Yan's two sons:
'Why are you so grateful to Aji? Although
he made you look like you made a lot of money, we believe he embezzled a lot
behind the scenes, possibly more than you actually made.
We don't think he was very capable; we
think he was able to make so much money because your parents were lucky. That's
why he was able to make so much money.'
"You shouldn't be so nice to Aji. I
think your behaviour is wrong.'
These were the replies of Ms Yan's two
sons. 'Don't slander Aji's character. He was extremely loyal to our family
while he was alive. He never embezzled any of the silver, not even one percent
or one-thousandth. We don't believe what you're saying.'
Xu Yan and Xu Zhao said to Ms Yan's two
sons.
'Don't be deceived by his seemingly honest
appearance. I guarantee he has embezzled your money.
If you search his house, you will find a
great deal of silver.'
Upon hearing these words, Ms Yan's two
sons' previously firm belief began to waver.
Xu Yan and Xu Zhao took their hands and
said, 'Let's go to Aji's house now.'
Since Aji had just passed away, his family
was in chaos. Xu Yan, Xu Zhao and Ms Yan's two sons took this opportunity to
visit.
Aji's house contained very few items: only
a few cabinets and some old clothes. The other household items were simple too.
Xu Yan, Xu Zhao and Ms Yan's two sons quickly searched all the chests and
cabinets.
Ms. Yan's two sons angrily said to Xu Yan
and Xu Zhao, "You said Aji embezzled a large sum of money and hid it in
his house. Now the facts have proven that Aji is indeed a very upright and
honest person.
Let's leave Aji's house quickly. We are
both very ashamed that we believed your words and came to search Aji's
house."
This idiom directly translates to one
percent or one-thousandth.
This idiom is used to describe something in
a very small quantity.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts did you gain from this story?
Have you ever doubted your friends? Have you ever regretted believing others?
I hope this story will give you some new insights.
一厘一毫(One percent or one-thousandth)
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，他長期在徐家工作。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，徐哲病逝後，徐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。
在顏女士的支持之下，阿寄拿著顏女士所提供的12兩銀子作為創業資金去做生意。
阿寄是一個很會動腦筋的人，經過大約半年後，他賺到了超過2000兩的銀子。
阿寄與顏女士兩個人針對這筆錢的使用方式取得了一個共識，他們後來用其中的1500兩銀子跟一個名字叫做晏世保的富戶買了1000畝土地與一間房屋。
在接下來的十多年內，阿寄憑藉著他的小心與謹慎還有敏銳的商業頭腦，每年都幫顏女士賺了很多錢，顏女士所擁有的資產與土地也一年比一年增加。
阿寄在經過與顏女士商量後，聘請了老師來教導兩個家庭中的孩子們讀書，幾個孩子成年後都養成有道德感與很正直的個性，這幾個孩子也都順利的結婚成家。
阿寄在他80歲的那年去世，他死之前見到所有他所關心的人，這些人包含他的家人和顏女士的家人和徐言與徐召，當阿寄見到所有他想見的人之後，他安詳的閉上眼睛離開這個世界。
阿寄離世後，忌妒他的徐言與徐召對顏女士的兩個兒子說。
你們為何要如此的感謝阿寄呢?我們認為他雖然幫你們在帳面上賺了很多錢，但是我們認為他私底下侵占很多錢，這些錢可能超過你們在帳面上所賺的錢。
我們認為他能夠賺那麼多錢不是他很有能力，他能夠賺那麼多錢的原因是因為你的父親與母親是幸運的人，所以他才會賺那麼多錢。
你們不應該對他那麼好，我認為你們的行為是錯誤的。
顏女士的兩個兒子回答。
你們不要污衊阿寄的人格，阿寄在生前對我們這個家庭非常忠誠，他連百分之一或千分之一的銀子都不曾侵占，我們不相信你說的話。
徐言與徐召對顏女士的兩個兒子說。
你們不要被他看起來誠實的外表所欺騙，我敢保證，他一定有侵占你們的錢。
你如果去他的家裡搜索，我們敢保證，你一定可以從他的家中找出很多很多的銀子。
顏女士的兩個兒子聽到徐言與徐召的話後，他們原本堅定的信念也變的動搖。
徐言與徐召拉著顏女士的兩個兒子的手說，我們現在就到阿寄家中去看看。
由於阿寄才剛剛過世，阿寄的家人都亂成一團，徐言與徐召和顏女士的兩個兒子就利用這個機會到了阿寄的家裡。
阿寄的家中的東西非常少，只有幾個櫃子和幾件舊衣服，其他的生活用品也都非常的簡單，徐言與徐召和顏女士的兩個兒子很快的就把所有的箱子與櫃子都搜查了一遍。
顏女士的兩個兒子很生氣的對徐言與徐召說。
你們說阿寄侵占了大筆的銀子並且藏在他的家中，現在事實已經證明阿寄的確是一個非常正直與誠實的人。
我們快點離開阿寄的家中，我們兩個人感到非常羞恥，我們竟然相信你們的話然後來到阿寄的家中搜查。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是百分之一或千分之一。
這句成語被用來形容一個東西的數量非常的少。
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
你是否曾經懷疑過你的朋友呢?你是否曾經因為相信別人的話而感到後悔呢?
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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