Explore Chapter 76 of 'Spring Ming Outer History' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Now, Yang Xingyuan, ever since parting with He Jianchen the other day, had been preoccupied with the matter of picking up the gold. On this day, the weather was fine. Yang Xingyuan went out alone and strolled into a small alley. As he walked, he suddenly saw something glinting gold at his feet. Picking it up, he found it was a packet of broken silver, roughly several dozen taels. Yang Xingyuan's heart stirred. He thought, "I wonder who lost this. If it were a poor person, wouldn't they be anxious?" He stood there waiting. Before long, indeed, a man who looked like he was from Zhejiang came hurrying over, sweating profusely, searching with his head down. Yang Xingyuan stepped forward and asked, "Are you looking for something lost?" The man quickly nodded and said, "Yes, I lost a packet of silver." Yang Xingyuan then handed back the silver. The man expressed endless gratitude, but Yang Xingyuan felt his face grow hot, filled with shame. Returning home, Yang Xingyuan recalled the day's events. He couldn't help but sigh at the decline of public morals, feeling it was pitiable that he should feel ashamed for doing what was right.
A few days later, as Yang Xingyuan was short of money, he went to a pawnshop to pawn some clothes. When he opened the bundle to take out the pawn ticket, he accidentally let a private garment fall to the ground. Others saw it and whispered among themselves. Yang Xingyuan hurriedly picked it up, his face flushed red. He quickly completed the formalities and left in haste.