A long time ago, a girl named Li-Li got married and went
to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short
time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law
at all. Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li
was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition,
she criticized Li-Li constantly. Days passed days, and weeks
passed weeks. Li-Li and her other-in-law never stopped arguing
and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was
that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had
to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish.
All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing
the poor husband great distress. Finally, Li-Li could not
stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and dictatorship any
longer, and she decided to do something about it.
Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang,
who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked if
he would give her some poison so that she could solve the
problem once and for all. Mr. Huang thought for a while,
and finally said, Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem,
but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you. Li-Li
said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell
me to do."
Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few
minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You
can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law,
because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore,
I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build
up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some pork
or chicken and put a little of these herbs in her serving.
Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you when
she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly
towards her. Don't argue with her, obey her every wish,
and treat her like a queen."
Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home
to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law. Weeks
went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li
served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law.
She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion,
so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law and
treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed,
the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling
her temper so much that she found that she almost never
got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument in six months
with her mother-in-law, who now seemed much kinder and easier
to get along with. The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li
has also changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own
daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li
was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li
and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like
a real mother and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy
to see what was happening.
One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his
help again. She said, "Dear Mr Huang, please help me
to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law! She has
changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own
mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I
gave her."
Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's
nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The
herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The
only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her,
but that has been all washed away by the love which you
gave to her."
