Idiom story of water under the bridge

In the Western Han Dynasty, there was a man named Zhu Maichen in Huiji (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). His family is very poor. At the age of forty, he was still down and out, chopping wood for a living. But he loves reading, and he doesn't forget to recite poems when collecting firewood. People around him regard him as a joke. Every time he picks firewood, these people point to his back. Zhu Maichen is not only indifferent to this, but the louder he reads, even like singing folk songs, making people around him watch the fun.

His wife was ashamed and demanded a divorce from Zhu Maichen. Zhu Maichen smiled and said to her, "Don't treat me like a poor ghost. The fortune teller told me that I would be rich and expensive at 50. You have suffered me for more than 20 years, and I am over forty years old. Please wait for me for a few more years, and when I have money, I will definitely repay you. " The wife said angrily, "People like you can only starve to death in the end. How can they be rich enough?" Zhu Maichen tried to persuade her again and again, but his wife just cried and made a scene. Zhu Maichen had no choice but to agree to a divorce. My wife left home without any nostalgia.

After the divorce, Zhu Maichen, as before, cut wood and sold money, studying while walking on the road. His ex-wife and new husband once met him when they visited the grave. Seeing that Zhu Maichen was cold and hungry, they gave him some food.

After the death of Emperor Jing of Han Dynasty, Che succeeded to the throne, namely Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu liked Confucian scholars, and Zhu Maichen was summoned by Emperor Wu with the help of his friends. Zhu Maichen explained the Spring and Autumn Annals and commented on the Songs of the South for Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was very satisfied and appointed Zhu Maichen as a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. Later, he was appointed as the Governor of Huiji, and Zhu Maichen returned to his hometown in rags.

After taking office in Huiji, Zhu Maichen once met his ex-wife and husband on the road. They were recruited as migrant workers to build roads. Zhu Maichen didn't forget the old feelings. He stopped, invited them to get on the bus, took them to his home and treated them warmly. A month later, his ex-wife hanged herself, and Zhu Maichen gave her husband some silver as a formal funeral.

When Zhu Maichen returned to his hometown, he also thanked many people who treated him well in those years. He gave preferential treatment to his ex-wife out of this mentality, and there should be no intention to humiliate him.

But later people polished it and created conflicts to enhance the dramatic effect.

Therefore, Zhu Maichen's ex-wife is portrayed as a person who hates poverty and loves wealth. When Zhu Maichen became rich, she was so depressed that she had the cheek to ask Zhu Maichen to remarry. Zhu Maichen took out a basin of water and threw it in front of the horse, saying that if he could get it back, he would agree to remarry. The ex-wife was ashamed and committed suicide.