Once upon a time, there had a boy named Ho Sinh. He was a normal student and pretty wealthy. He had house, fields and others but what he desired was a position in mandarin office. Therefore, when he heard that district mandarin needed a person to help him in office, he hurriedly sold his house and field to have money. He used the money, met people who were related with the mandarin and asked them to help him. He had met some people but he didn’t have what he wanted. At last he remembered to his old friend who knew the mandarin.
When the friend had heard his aspiration, he advised him honestly:
“You should know not all people who work in mandarin office are happy. While people who have never stepped in mandarin office desire to go in, people who are working in mandarin office want to escape from it. The place is not heaven as you think”, “You who don’t lack of any thing, why must you made yourself in difficulties?”
But, the student seemed not to hear his friend’s words. He's sure that what he want only the position. At last, his friend made himself to introduce him his friend. the friend said:
“My friend who you want to meet has no power to help you but I know a hermit in Ba Vi mountain. The hermit was more powerful than district mandarin so he can help you. I will write a letter for you to bring to him”.
Ho Sinh brought the letter and found the way to go to Ba Vi mountain. At last, he arrived to a cave but which was filled by a large rock.
“Is here hermit cave?”, he called loudly, “I want to go in”.
Suddenly the rock trembled and moved aside showed the entrance leading into the cave. That was very quiet but light and wide when he stepped in. Ten hermits were lying in a large bed and next to them was other bed. They all were chewed betel. There had only two betel serving for their guest in a bowl setting on other bed. He asked them and went to the hermit who was related to his friend. He gave the hermit the letter. The hermit grabbed the letter and read but he didn’t sat up he still lied on the bed. Later, the hermit stared at him and said:
“I will help you to be mandarin. Do you want to be normal mandarin or powerful mandarin?”
“I am only a normal student so I only want a position in district office. That is enough for me”, he replied happily.
“Oke, take a betel serving and chew while I am thinking”, said the hermit.
He took a betel serving and started chewing. It had nice taste but it made him fall in fast sleep after that. He slept.
Few days later, soldiers came to his home and asked to meet him. Thought that some dangerous things went to him, he felt nervous. But, when he was brought to district office the district mandarin showed up and treated him well. He didn’t become a servant in district office but had a position in province office. He was happy. Every day, he went to province office and served province mandarin politely but front of district mandarin and others who were under he could force them. Then people who found the way to meet and ask him to help them; having a position, getting rid of guilty,… Firstly, he refused them but later he turned smarter and reckless. He had many dodges to have money from others. He made evidences in case became misleading. He took money from both accuser and accused and many other guilty he had done.
Therefore, he had gotten much money for three years. He bought a mansion, large fields and lived in wealth. Besides, he married with a landlord’s daughter. His live seemed to be very lucky. Ten years later, his wife had given birth to two sons and two daughters and they all were assigned to be small mandarins when they grew up. Thought that he could live the life till he died but…
One day, While Ho Sinh was combing his wife's hair, soldiers came and escorted out. He was prisoned. While he was staying in prison, people let him know that the king had ordered a powerful to come the province and investigate previous cases and all marks led to him. Course, all of people who he had taken money from them came and accused him. The crime he had done was very serious. He was charged with capital punishment. While he was escorting, he thought about previous time. He wished that he had not met the hermit.
A tinkle of breaking china made him woke up. He got up and realized he was still in hermit cave. He had just kicked on bowl of betel. The hermit who was chewing betel suddenly sat up, looked at him and asked:
“So, you will take my letter to mandarin and have you position, don’t you?”
Ho Sinh, now, seemed not to have enough courage to be a mandarin. He hurriedly made his way to escape the place. He said goodbye hermits and come back his home, worked as a farmer till he died
THE END
"Translated by Hung Nguyen"
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