"The Magical Mud Puppet and the Greedy Father and Sons"

This story is a traditional Chinese folk tale about two brothers who convince their father to swindle a con artist by pretending to sell him a magical mud figurine. The con artist, known as Li Ermao, is tricked into buying the figurine for a high price, but in the process, the figurine is accidentally dropped and destroyed. The father and his sons make a quick escape with the money, leaving Li Ermao to realize he has been tricked. The two brothers are disappointed with the outcome and pressure their father to swindle Li Ermao again. However, Li Ermao is wise to their scheme and the story ends with him wondering if he himself will be tricked by the two boys and sent to the underworld to be judged by the gods. The story highlights themes of deception, greed, and karma.