Original Text
In Jinan there was an old man who sold wine, and he sent his son Xiao Er to Qihe to collect outstanding debts for wine. Xiao Er left the west gate and encountered his elder brother A Da, who had been dead for a long time. Startled, Xiao Er asked, "Brother, how is it that you have come here?" A Da replied, "There is a doubtful case in the underworld that requires you to come and testify." Xiao Er's face changed color, and he reproached his elder brother. A Da pointed to a man dressed as a runner behind him and said, "This is an official runner from the yamen; how could I act on my own authority?" Then he raised his hand and beckoned to Xiao Er, who found himself unable to resist and followed along. They ran wildly through the entire night until they reached the foot of Mount Tai. Suddenly they saw an official building, and as they were about to enter together, a crowd of people came streaming out. The runner stepped forward and asked with a bow, "How did that case turn out?" One of the people replied, "There is no need to go in; the case has already been settled." The runner then released Xiao Er and told him to go home. A Da worried that his younger brother had no money for the journey home, and after the runner thought for a long while, he led Xiao Er away. After walking twenty or thirty li, they entered a village and came to the eaves of a house. The runner instructed, "If someone comes out, let him send you home; if he refuses, say that Wang Huolang told him to do so." Having said this, the runner departed. Xiao Er fell into a deep, deathlike sleep. At dawn, the master of the house came out and saw a man dead outside his door, greatly alarmed. He kept watch beside him for a while, and then saw Xiao Er gradually revive. He helped him into the house and fed him some food. Xiao Er then told him his residence and begged the master to spend money to send him home. The master was troubled, and Xiao Er repeated what the runner had taught him. Upon hearing this, the master turned pale with fright and hastily hired a cart and horse to send Xiao Er home. Xiao Er wanted to repay him the money, but the master refused to accept it. When asked the reason, he would not say, but merely took his leave and departed.
Commentary
The story is narrated in a hazy and indistinct manner. In Jinan, a young man named Xiao Er was summoned for some unknown reason to the underworld of Mount Tai to serve as a witness, but by the time he arrived, the case had already been settled, and his testimony was no longer needed. When he was sent back, he was given no travel expenses and was merely told to inform a certain household, saying, 'Wang Liulang has spoken,' and thus he would receive assistance. At the story's conclusion, Xiao Er returns home and seeks to repay his benefactor, but 'when he offered compensation, it was refused; when he asked the reason, the benefactor remained silent, and then took his leave and departed.'
"Wang the Peddler" is the title of this tale, yet he never makes an appearance. It is bewildering and mysterious, strange and uncanny. Could it be that the story precisely seeks to achieve such an inexplicable, unfathomable effect—a solution that is no solution at all?