The story of monopoly of oil sellers

"Oil peddlers are the best" is a famous title in the novel collection Xing Shi Heng Yan compiled by Ming novelist Feng Menglong. It tells the love story between Shen Qiqin, a famous prostitute with both talents and looks, and Qin Zhong, an oil dealer.

The protagonist Shen Qihan was born in a well-off family on the outskirts of the capital of song dynasty. Smart and witty since childhood, he can write poetry at the age of ten. Qinqi calligraphy and painting, needle and thread are pervasive.

However, the Jingkang Rebellion broke the capital of song dynasty, and Gengchen was separated from his family when he fled. He was sold to Lin 'an (present-day Hangzhou) and became a prostitute, renamed Wang Mei and called Mei Niang.

With her talent and appearance, Wang Meiniang became a famous prostitute in Lin 'an and won the title of "Mrs. based on flowers". She is still admired by many people, one night 12 silver. Wang Mei Niang also wanted to get married, but she never saw a suitable candidate.

Zhu, the owner of Lin 'an takeaway oil mill, adopted a page. His original surname was Qin, and he also escaped from the capital of song dynasty. Qin Zhong's mother died early, and his father sold him to an oil mill when he was thirteen and went north to do business himself. After Qin Zhong adopted Zhu, he changed his name to Zhu Zhong.

One day in February one year, after delivering oil to Zhaoqing Temple, Zhu Zhong happened to see Wang Mei Niang who lived nearby. She was attracted by her beauty, so she saved 12 taels of silver and bought Wang Mei Niang to spend the night in the spring night.

The procuress disliked his selling oil and repeatedly shirked it. Later, when she saw that he was sincere, she told him to wait a few days and come back dressed as a gentleman. However, Mei Niang arrived, who was drunk and thought Zhu Zhong was not a son with a name, so he picked him up and was laughed at.

But Zhu Zhong did not care, and waited on the drunken mother all night. The next day, Mei Niang woke up feeling very sorry and gave Zhu Chong double money for whoring as a thank you.

Boss Zhu died of illness soon, and Zhu Zhong took over the shop. At this time, Mei Niang's biological parents came to Lin 'an to look for her lost daughter and went to Zhujiayuan for a job.

A year later, Mei Niang was humiliated by Fuzhou satrap Hachiko, living on the street, unable to move, and happened to meet Zhu Zhong passing by. Zhu Zhonglian is busy taking Mei Niang back to the brothel. In return for Zhu Zhong, Mei Niang kept him overnight and promised to marry Zhu Zhong.

Mei Niang redeemed herself with the money she had saved for many years, married Zhu Zhong and recognized her biological parents in the store. Zhu Zhong finally recognized his father and changed back to his original surname. Everyone was very happy.

Extended data:

The material and protagonist of "Selling Oil Lang monopolizes Flowers" are very different from those of previous talented people, beautiful women, emperors and princes, heroes and so on.

The hero of this novel is a businessman and the heroine is a prostitute, which makes the material more vivid. Qin Zhong's love for Mei Niang began with her beauty, and Mei Niang decided to marry Qin Zhong because he was honest and sincere, which was different from the feudal ethical themes of "being a wife, being faithful to the end, being strong and unyielding".

The novel describes the realistic love view of ordinary citizens, emphasizes the humanity and true feelings in life, and reflects the love, marriage and life ideals of ordinary citizens in the emerging capital class.

Among them, the concept of love contains erotic elements, and even focuses on how to please women. It also reflects the affirmation of "human desire" in three words and two beats, which is different from previous love novels.

In an era, to judge which class is the most powerful, we only need to see who the most beautiful woman marries. In the long two thousand years in China, the values of beauty are all scholars, literati and literati.

So in the end, she married herself to a businessman, which is basically one of the most tragic fate of prostitutes. It is not the amount of money, but the low social status. The combination of Shen Qilv and Qin Zhong is considered as a symbol of the rise of the civil class in the Southern Song Dynasty.

The marriage story between Shen Qiqin and Qin has been adapted into various forms of literary works and widely circulated, such as the newly edited Legend of Li 'an.

Shen Qixian (Mei Niang, Liu Dan) in Kunqu Opera "Zhanhuakui" is one of the representative roles of nine bomb experts.