Let's be real: this isn't a simple book to summarize. It's a massive, two-part story that feels like two different novels stitched together by fate.

The Story

The first part is dark and supernatural. A scholar named Chao Yuan abuses and murders his concubine, Zhenge. She returns as a ghost to torment him to death. Fast forward to part two, and we're in a new lifetime. Chao Yuan has been reborn as Di Xichen, a kind but weak man. Zhenge is back too, as his terrifyingly abusive wife, Xue Sujie. The rest of the book is the epic, often darkly comic, saga of Di Xichen's miserable marriage and the tangled web of awful relationships around him, all seemingly orchestrated by the universe to settle old scores.

Why You Should Read It

Forget dry morality tales. Pu Songling fills this story with such vivid, flawed, and loud characters that you'll forget it's over 300 years old. Xue Sujie is a force of nature—a nightmare spouse you can't look away from. The book is less about good vs. evil and more about cause and effect. It asks: Can we ever escape the consequences of our actions, even after death? The mix of ghost story, family drama, and social satire keeps it unpredictable.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love messy, character-driven historical fiction with a supernatural twist. If you enjoy stories about complicated relationships, karmic justice, and seeing a historical society's dirty laundry aired out with brutal honesty, this is your next big read. Just be prepared for a long, chaotic, and utterly absorbing journey.