家徒四壁 — “Utterly impoverished”

During the Han Dynasty, Sima Xiangru was a famous scholar, but his family was very poor. One day, a wealthy magnate, Zhuo Wangsun, invited him to dinner and asked him to play his zither. Zhuo Wangsun's daughter, Wenjun, who had recently become a widow, was very fond of music.

When Sima Xiangru played at the banquet, knowing Wenjun was present, he used his music to express his affection. After the banquet, Sima Xiangru bribed Wenjun's attendants, hoping they would help convey his feelings. As a result, that very night, Zhuo Wenjun left her home and went to Sima Xiangru's inn, and they returned to Chengdu together.

However, upon arriving at Sima Xiangru's house, there was nothing inside but the four bare walls. They lived in extreme hardship.

With the help of friends, they managed to open a wine shop near Zhuo Wangsun's residence. Before long, all the neighbors knew that Zhuo Wangsun's daughter was selling wine on the street! To save face, Zhuo Wangsun reluctantly gave Zhuo Wenjun a hundred servants and a hundred taels of gold, allowing them to purchase land and a house.