Original Text
A certain scholar from Anqiu was skilled in the art of divination. He was by nature lecherous and wicked, given to improper conduct, and whenever he planned some clandestine affair, he would first cast a divination. One day, he suddenly fell ill, and taking medicine proved of no avail. He said, "I have long foreseen this. The underworld is angered by my frivolous tampering with the celestial order and intends to inflict severe punishment upon me. What use is mere medicine?" Shortly thereafter, his eyes went blind without warning, and both his hands were broken for no apparent reason.
A certain man, whose uncle had no offspring, coveted his uncle's wealth and offered to become his adopted son. After the uncle died, all his lands and property fell into this man's hands, whereupon he repudiated his former pledge. He also had another uncle, a man of considerable means who was likewise childless. This man again acknowledged him as his father, but after that uncle's death, he betrayed him as well. Thus, the man seized the estates of all three households and became the wealthiest man in the region. One day, he suddenly fell ill, raving as if possessed, and muttered to himself, "Do you wish to enjoy abundant riches and live?" With that, he took a sharp blade and sliced off his own flesh, casting the pieces to the ground. Then he said, "You cut off another's lineage—do you still hope for descendants?" He then ripped open his belly, and his intestines spilled out; thus he died. Soon after, his son also perished, and the property passed into other hands. The retribution of cause and effect is so manifest—truly a fearsome thing!
Commentary
These two tales both discuss the principle of karmic retribution, sharing a common theme of punishing evil. Although the wicked deeds committed by the villains were all concealed—the first using the art of divination to burrow through walls and crevices, the second employing inheritance schemes to swindle estates—the retribution they received was exceedingly severe and manifest, serving as a warning to the world to refrain from all evil acts.