Zhao Sheng's father passed away when he was very young. His mother single - handedly took on the heavy responsibility of raising him. She toiled day and night, enduring hardship. Fortunately, Zhao Sheng was a well - behaved and sensible child since childhood. He remembered his mother's kindness of raising him in his heart and studied hard, reciting poems and books. After Zhao Sheng got married, he had a son. His wife was a virtuous and kind - hearted woman who managed the household affairs in an orderly manner. The family lived in harmony, and their family situation could be considered moderately well - off. With his solid knowledge, Zhao Sheng passed both the provincial examinations and the metropolitan examinations in succession. When the good news came, the whole family was immersed in joy. He was then appointed as the magistrate of a certain county.

However, fate took a sudden turn at this moment. On the eve of Zhao Sheng's departure to take up his post, a sudden serious illness mercilessly claimed his life. His mother was like being struck by lightning, and she was grief - stricken. There was originally a study building in the family, where Zhao Sheng had studied day and night. Now it had become the most painful place in his mother's heart. Unable to bear going up to check it, she locked the door and closed it. Since then, every morning and evening, Zhao Sheng's mother would light incense and recite scriptures in front of the statue of the Bodhisattva of Compassion in the main hall of the house. Every time she recited the words "When the world calls on the All - pervading and Penetrating Venerable One, He comes to save the suffering upon hearing the cries," she couldn't help but cry. Twenty years passed like this, but her yearning for her son had not diminished in the slightest.

One night, Zhao Sheng's mother entered a dream in a trance. In the dream, the Bodhisattva of Compassion showed mercy and said, "For twenty years, you have been yearning for your son too deeply! When reciting scriptures, you should understand that all life - and - death separations in the world have their reasons, and you should perceive the true nature of the world. On the first day of next month, there will be a person riding a black mule passing by your door. That person is the reincarnation of your son. After fulfilling your wish in the future, you should carefully study the scriptures and practice cultivation to achieve liberation." Early the next morning, the mother told her daughter - in - law, "I'm old and weak, often forgetful about many things. But I remember this dream clearly last night. Perhaps the gods have noticed my grief and thus gave me this indication." Then she told what she had dreamed, asking the family to remember it firmly. Although the family was skeptical about the dream, they dared not go against the old woman's wishes.

On the first day of the month, Zhao Sheng's mother got up early, carefully tidied her clothes, put aside other things, and then leaned against the door, looking out with full anticipation and nervousness. At noon, sure enough, a young man was seen riding a mule coming from the front. When the young man was about to reach the door, Zhao Sheng's son was stunned at first, and then surprised, as if there was a special sense of connection in the dark. Zhao Sheng's mother herself was so excited that she leaned on her walking stick and walked forward quickly. She grabbed the young man's clothes and burst into tears, too grief - stricken to speak, with tears streaming down like a broken dam.

For this young man surnamed Zhou, this scene was a great shock. He was on this trip to deal with the affairs of the family shop and passed by here on the way. There were five or six people following him, all family servants. When they saw Zhao Sheng's mother's behavior, they thought she was a tough beggar asking for money and shouted loudly, making a gesture of wanting to hit her. Young Master Zhou looked at the woman's sad and sincere face, couldn't bear it, and ordered those people to step back. He asked softly, "Why are you holding my clothes, ma'am?" Zhao Sheng's mother said while crying, "Young man, don't be afraid. I'm not a bad person. I have a puzzling matter, which was guided by the gods. I didn't do this casually. Please come to my humble abode and stay for a while. I'll tell you about this in detail." Although Young Master Zhou was puzzled, seeing the sincere words of Zhao Sheng's mother, he felt that he seemed to have seen her somewhere, and there was an inexplicable sense of intimacy. He just felt that he shouldn't reject the old woman's kindness. So he got off the mule and followed Zhao Sheng's mother into the house. He saw that the yard of this family was quite clean and elegant, with flowers, plants and trees arranged in a well - organized way. He felt as if he had been here before, and he also knew that this was not a poor and helpless family.

When they entered the inner - house hall, he politely bowed to Zhao Sheng's mother and then sat down. Zhao Sheng's mother pointed to her daughter - in - law and grandson and said, "This is my daughter - in - law, and this is my grandson. My son, Zhao Sheng, was fortunate to pass the imperial examinations and was appointed as a magistrate. But he died before taking up his post, leaving only this grandson. I have always often recited scriptures. Because I miss my son so much, the Bodhisattva of Compassion indicated in my dream a few days ago that I could see him today. Today, you, young master, came riding a mule, and the situation is exactly the same as what the gods told me. That's why I held you. And looking at your face, you look very much like my son, so I'm so sad." Young Master Zhou saw that the woman's grandson was not much older than himself. While looking at them and thinking, suddenly a scene emerged in his mind, as if he had studied and practiced calligraphy here before. So he asked, "Is there a small building on the left? Why not open it and have a look?" Zhao Sheng's son was surprised and said, "How do you know? This small building hasn't been opened for twenty years. If you want to see it, come with me." When they opened the door of the small building, they saw that there was a thick layer of dust in the room. The sunlight shone through the cracks in the window, forming beams of light. Young Master Zhou found a manuscript book and saw that it was the articles written by Zhao Sheng when preparing for the imperial examinations. The content written on it was actually similar to the articles he had written, as if it were written by himself. After reading a few more pages, he was even more shocked in his heart, "Could it be that my body is really the reincarnation of this Zhao Sheng!"

Young Master Zhou bid farewell to Zhao Sheng's family and returned home. Along the way, his heart was full of emotions, and what he had seen and heard in Zhao Sheng's family kept emerging in his mind. After returning home, he sat in the study, thought carefully about the scriptures and legends he had read before. The next day, Young Master Zhou told his parents about the strange things he had encountered yesterday. He originally thought that his parents might say it was a ridiculous story. Unexpectedly, his father said, "My son, there are all kinds of strange things in this vast world. But I've actually heard about this kind of thing. Our family has passed down the traditions of loyalty and filial piety from generation to generation. Now that you've grown up, if you have any ideas, you might as well say them out." "Father, mother," Young Master Zhou said, "I felt a real sense of intimacy when I saw that woman. Seeing her grief - stricken from missing her son, I really can't bear it. How about I recognize her as my adoptive mother, treat her with courtesy, and relieve her heart knot." "That's very good. This is a good compromise. It's worthy of all the sage books you've read," Young Master Zhou's mother said gratifyingly.

Subsequently, Young Master Zhou came to Zhao Sheng's house again, bowed to Zhao Sheng's mother, and said, "If this is really the place where I lived in my previous life, then you are my mother in my past life. You raised me with great hardship. But now many things seem like a past life to me. From now on, I'll call you adoptive mother and take care of you in your old age. Now I've been lucky enough to pass the provincial examinations and am about to go north to take the next exam. If I can achieve good results in the imperial examinations like in my previous life, after taking up my post, I will definitely send someone to pick you up." Zhao Sheng's mother kept saying yes, wiped her tears happily, and went to the shrine to burn three sticks of incense devoutly, "Bodhisattva of Compassion, thank you for your compassionate guidance. Now I have fulfilled my wish!"

Later, Young Master Zhou really passed the metropolitan examinations with high honors and was appointed as the magistrate of Taihe County in Shanxi. Since he had other brothers and there were still fields, shops and other properties to be managed at home, his parents still lived in their hometown and did not go with him to take up his post. They only came to visit him in their spare time. Young Master Zhou then brought his mother, wife and son from his previous life to the official residence to live together. And Zhao Sheng's mother, because her wish was fulfilled, became more devout in reciting scriptures, doing good deeds, often giving alms, releasing captive animals and helping the widowed and orphaned. After this matter was known, someone wrote a doggerel poem: "Transplanting flowers and grafting trees is also natural. Reunion today is complete, both before and after. Formerly of the Zhao family, now of the Zhou family. I wonder what the future holds."

Generally speaking, the birth, aging, illness and death of people in the world all have their reasons. Those who are learned originally possess innate intelligence; those who encounter great disasters, lose their lives, and even go bankrupt and bring misfortune to their families also have secretly committed faults; and other changes in the cycle of life and death are also the common principles of cause - and - effect inheritance.