The daughter of Cui Maobo married one Pei Zu’er. Her husband’s home was more than five hundred li distant, and after several years had passed she had still not arrived there. During the eighth month, she died suddenly. Pei was not yet aware of this when, as darkness was about to fall, the woman appeared at Pei’s gate, clapping her hands and requesting entry. Carrying a gold jar a little over two sheng (2 litres) in size, she came to his bed and stood before it. Pei told her to sit, and asked where she had come from. The woman told him: “I am the daughter of Cui, Magistrate of Qinghe. While still young I learned of the gentleman’s betrothal to me. Unfortunately I passed away, so our happy union was not to be. Although our wedding feast will never take place, we are already united in purpose, and I therefore came to inform the gentleman.” She then presented Pei with the gold vessel as a parting gift.
After she had departed, Pei informed his father of the matter. His father wanted to send a message to confirm this, but Pei said: “Betrothed to the Cuis as a child, we should not now react like this. I should go there in person.” His father permitted this. When Pei arrived, the woman had indeed been buried, so they exchanged condolences, and Pei described the whole affair, bringing out the jar to show Maobo. This had been placed with the woman in her grave, so they all went to visit the tomb. More than ten li before they arrived, Pei saw the woman again, and she spoke to him. Those around him all heard her voice, but were unable to see her form. Pei yearned to be united with her, and soon fell ill and died. They were buried together.
Li Fang 李昉, et al., Taiping guangji 太平廣記 (Extensive Gleanings from the Era of Great Harmony), 10 vols (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1961), vii, 324.2574:
崔茂伯
崔茂伯女。結婚裴祖兒。婚家相去五百餘里。數歲不通。八月中。崔女暴亡。裴未知也。日將暮。女詣裴門。拊掌求前。提金罌。受二升許。到牀前而立。裴令坐。問所由。女曰。我是清河崔府君女。少聞大人以我配君。不幸喪亡。大義不遂。雖同牢未顯。然斷金已著。所以故來報君耳。便別以金罌贈裴。女去後。裴以事啟父。父欲遣信參之。裴曰。少結崔氏姻。而今感應如此。必當自往也。父許焉。裴至。女果喪。因相弔唁。裴具述情事。出罌示茂伯。先以此罌送女入瘞。既見罌。遂與裴俱造女墓。未至十餘里。裴復見女在墓言語。旁人悉聞聲。不見其形。裴懷內結。遂發病死。因以合葬。