廣平馮生，少輕脫，縱酒。昧爽偶行，遇一少女，著紅帔，容色娟好。從小奚奴，躡露奔波，履襪沾濡。心竊好之。薄暮醉歸，道側故有蘭若，久蕪廢，有女子自內出，則向麗人也，忽見生來，即轉身入。陰思：「麗者何得在禪院中？」縶驢於門，往覘其異。入則斷垣零落，階上細草如毯。彷徨間，一斑白叟出，衣帽整潔，問：「客何來？」生曰：「偶過古剎，欲一瞻仰。」因問：「翁何至此？」叟曰：「老夫流寓無所，暫借此安頓細小。既承寵降，山茶可以當酒。」乃肅賓入。見殿後一院，石路光明，無復榛莽。入其室，則簾幌床幕，香霧噴人。坐展姓字，云：「蒙叟姓辛。」生乘醉遽問曰：「聞有女公子未適良匹，竊不自揣願以鏡臺自獻。」辛笑曰：「容謀之荊人。」生即索筆為詩曰：
「千金覓玉杵，殷勤手自將。雲英如有意，親為搗玄霜。」
主人笑付左右。少間，有婢與辛耳語。辛起慰客耐坐，牽幕入，隱約數語即趨出。生意必有佳報，而辛乃坐與嗢噱，不復有他言。生不能忍，問曰：「未審意旨，幸釋疑抱。」辛曰：「君卓犖士，傾風已久，但有私衷所不敢言耳。」生固請，辛曰：「弱息十九人，嫁者十有二。醮命任之荊人，老夫不與焉。」生曰：「小生衹要得今朝領小奚奴帶露行者。」辛不應，相對默然。聞房內嚶嚶膩語，生乘醉搴簾曰：「伉儷既不可得，當一見顏色，以消吾憾。」內聞鉤動，群立愕顧。果有紅衣人，振袖傾鬟，亭亭拈帶。望見生入，遍室張皇。辛怒，命數人捽生出。酒愈涌上，倒榛蕪中，瓦石亂落如雨，幸不著體。
广平冯生，少轻脱，纵酒。昧爽偶行，遇一少女，着红帔，容色娟好。从小奚奴，蹑露奔波，履袜沾濡。心窃好之。薄暮醉归，道侧故有兰若，久芜废，有女子自内出，则向丽人也，忽见生来，即转身入。阴思：「丽者何得在禅院中？」絷驴于门，往觇其异。入则断垣零落，阶上细草如毯。彷徨间，一斑白叟出，衣帽整洁，问：「客何来？」生曰：「偶过古刹，欲一瞻仰。」因问：「翁何至此？」叟曰：「老夫流寓无所，暂借此安顿细小。既承宠降，山茶可以当酒。」乃肃宾入。见殿后一院，石路光明，无复榛莽。入其室，则帘幌床幕，香雾喷人。坐展姓字，云：「蒙叟姓辛。」生乘醉遽问曰：「闻有女公子未适良匹，窃不自揣愿以镜台自献。」辛笑曰：「容谋之荆人。」生即索笔为诗曰：
「千金觅玉杵，殷勤手自将。云英如有意，亲为捣玄霜。」
主人笑付左右。少间，有婢与辛耳语。辛起慰客耐坐，牵幕入，隐约数语即趋出。生意必有佳报，而辛乃坐与嗢噱，不复有他言。生不能忍，问曰：「未审意旨，幸释疑抱。」辛曰：「君卓荦士，倾风已久，但有私衷所不敢言耳。」生固请，辛曰：「弱息十九人，嫁者十有二。醮命任之荆人，老夫不与焉。」生曰：「小生衹要得今朝领小奚奴带露行者。」辛不应，相对默然。闻房内嘤嘤腻语，生乘醉搴帘曰：「伉俪既不可得，当一见颜色，以消吾憾。」内闻钩动，群立愕顾。果有红衣人，振袖倾鬟，亭亭拈带。望见生入，遍室张皇。辛怒，命数人捽生出。酒愈涌上，倒榛芜中，瓦石乱落如雨，幸不着体。
Feng, a young man of Guangping, was flighty and careless in his youth, and drank without restraint. Once, at first light, he happened to be out walking when he met a young girl in a red cape, lovely to look at. A little serving boy followed her, and she was hurrying along through the dew, her shoes and stockings soaked. He was secretly taken with her. At dusk, on his way home drunk, he passed an old temple by the roadside that had long stood empty and overgrown. A girl came out of it — the same beauty. Seeing Feng coming, she turned at once and went back in. He thought to himself, “What would a beauty be doing in a Buddhist temple?” He tied his donkey at the gate and went in to see what was so strange. Inside, the walls were broken and crumbling, and fine grass covered the steps like a carpet. While he wandered about, a grey-haired old man came out, neatly dressed and capped. “Where have you come from, sir?” he asked. “I happened to be passing the old temple and wished to look around,” said Feng, and asked in turn, “And what brings you here, old sir?” “I am a wanderer with no home of my own,” said the old man, “and have borrowed this place for a while to settle my little ones. Since you honour us with a visit, mountain tea may stand in for wine.” He bowed his guest in. Behind the main hall was a courtyard; the stone path was clean and bright, with no more brambles. In his rooms there were blinds and curtains and bed hangings, and a fragrant mist puffed in their faces. They sat down and gave their names. “This foolish old man is called Xin,” he said. Bold with drink, Feng asked straight out, “I hear you have a daughter not yet matched to a good husband. I do not know my own measure, but I would offer a mirror stand for her hand.” Xin laughed. “Let me discuss it with my wife.” Feng at once called for a brush and wrote a poem:
A thousand in gold to find a jade pestle,and gladly I carry it in my own two hands.If Yunying has a mind to me,I myself will pound the dark frost.
The host laughed and handed it to his attendants. Shortly a maid came and whispered in Xin’s ear. Xin rose, asked his guest to sit patiently a while, lifted the curtain and went in. A few muffled words, and he hurried out again. Feng was sure he had good news, but Xin only sat chuckling with him and said nothing more. Feng could not bear it. “I do not yet know your mind,” he said. “Please put my doubts to rest.” “You are a man of rare gifts,” said Xin, “and I have long admired you. But there is something private I dare not say.” Feng pressed him. “I have nineteen daughters,” said Xin, “and twelve of them are married. Their marriages are left to my wife; this old man has no say.” “I want only the one who walked through the dew this morning with a little serving boy,” said Feng. Xin did not answer, and they sat facing each other in silence. From the inner room came the soft, sweet murmur of girls’ voices. Bold with drink, Feng lifted the curtain. “If I cannot have her as a wife, let me at least see her face, to ease my regret.” Inside, they heard the curtain hook move, and they all stood and stared in alarm. There indeed was the girl in red, shaking out her sleeves, her hair-coils tilted, standing tall and fingering her sash. When they saw Feng come in, the whole room was thrown into a flurry. Xin was furious and ordered several men to drag Feng out. The wine rose higher in him, and he fell down among the brambles. Tiles and stones came pelting down like rain, but luckily none hit him.
臥移時，聽驢子猶齕草路側，乃起跨驢，踉蹌而行。夜色迷悶，誤入澗谷，狼奔鴟叫，豎毛寒心。踟躕四顧，并不知其何所。遙望蒼林中燈火明滅，疑必村落，竟馳投之。仰見高閎，以策撾門，內問曰：「何人半夜來此？」生以失路告，內曰：「待達主人。」生累足鵠俟。忽聞振管闢扉，一健僕出，代客捉驢。生入，見室甚華好，堂上張燈火。少坐，有婦人出，問客姓氏，生以告。踰刻，青衣數人扶一老嫗出，曰：「郡君至。」生起立，肅身欲拜。嫗止之坐，謂生曰：「爾非馮雲子之孫耶？」曰：「然。」嫗曰：「子當是我彌甥。老身鐘漏并歇，殘年向盡，骨肉之間，殊多乖闊。」生曰：「兒少失怙，與我祖父處者，十不識一焉。素未拜省，乞便指示。」嫗曰：「子自知之。」生不敢復問，坐對懸想。
卧移时，听驴子犹龁草路侧，乃起跨驴，踉跄而行。夜色迷闷，误入涧谷，狼奔鸱叫，竖毛寒心。踟蹰四顾，并不知其何所。遥望苍林中灯火明灭，疑必村落，竟驰投之。仰见高闳，以策挝门，内问曰：「何人半夜来此？」生以失路告，内曰：「待达主人。」生累足鹄俟。忽闻振管辟扉，一健仆出，代客捉驴。生入，见室甚华好，堂上张灯火。少坐，有妇人出，问客姓氏，生以告。逾刻，青衣数人扶一老妪出，曰：「郡君至。」生起立，肃身欲拜。妪止之坐，谓生曰：「尔非冯云子之孙耶？」曰：「然。」妪曰：「子当是我弥甥。老身钟漏并歇，残年向尽，骨肉之间，殊多乖阔。」生曰：「儿少失怙，与我祖父处者，十不识一焉。素未拜省，乞便指示。」妪曰：「子自知之。」生不敢复问，坐对悬想。
He lay there a while. Hearing his donkey still cropping the grass by the road, he got up, mounted and rode off, swaying. The night was thick and murky. He strayed into a gorge, where wolves ran and owls screeched, and his hair stood on end and his heart went cold. He hesitated, looking all around, with no idea where he was. Far off in a dark wood he saw a lamp flickering; that must be a village, he thought, and hurried toward it. Looking up, he saw a high gate, and beat on it with his whip. A voice inside asked, “Who comes here in the middle of the night?” Feng said he had lost his way. “Wait while I tell the master,” said the voice. Feng stood shifting from foot to foot, craning his neck. Suddenly he heard the bolt shoot back and the door open. A sturdy servant came out and took the guest’s donkey. Feng went in. The rooms were very fine, and lamps burned in the hall. He had sat a little while when a woman came out and asked his name, and he told her. After a time several maids came out supporting an old woman. “Her Ladyship is here,” they said. Feng rose and drew himself up to bow, but the old woman stopped him and had him sit. “Are you not the grandson of Feng Yunzi?” she asked. “I am.” “Then you must be my great-nephew,” she said. “This old body is nearly done — the bell has stopped and the water clock run dry, and my last years are running out. Between kin, we have drifted far apart.” “I lost my father young,” said Feng. “Of the people my grandfather knew, I do not know one in ten. I have never paid my respects to you before. Please tell me who you are.” “You will know for yourself,” said the old woman. Feng did not dare ask again, and sat facing her, puzzling over it.
嫗曰：「甥深夜何得來此？」生以膽力自矜詡，遂歷陳所遇。嫗笑曰：「此大好事。況甥名士，殊不玷於姻婭，野狐精何得強自高？甥勿慮，我能為若致之。」生謝唯唯。嫗顧左右曰：「我不知辛家女兒遂如此端好。」青衣人曰：「渠有十九女，都翩翩有風格，不知官人所聘行幾？」生曰：「年約十五餘矣。」青衣曰：「此是十四娘。三月間，曾從阿母壽郡君，何忘卻？」嫗笑曰：「是非刻蓮瓣為高履，實以香屑，蒙紗而步者乎？」青衣曰：「是也。」嫗曰：「此婢大會作意，弄媚巧。然果窈窕，阿甥賞鑒不謬。」即謂青衣曰：「可遣小貍奴喚之來。」青衣應諾去。
妪曰：「甥深夜何得来此？」生以胆力自矜诩，遂历陈所遇。妪笑曰：「此大好事。况甥名士，殊不玷于姻娅，野狐精何得强自高？甥勿虑，我能为若致之。」生谢唯唯。妪顾左右曰：「我不知辛家女儿遂如此端好。」青衣人曰：「渠有十九女，都翩翩有风格，不知官人所聘行几？」生曰：「年约十五余矣。」青衣曰：「此是十四娘。三月间，曾从阿母寿郡君，何忘却？」妪笑曰：「是非刻莲瓣为高履，实以香屑，蒙纱而步者乎？」青衣曰：「是也。」妪曰：「此婢大会作意，弄媚巧。然果窈窕，阿甥赏鉴不谬。」即谓青衣曰：「可遣小狸奴唤之来。」青衣应诺去。
“Nephew, how do you come to be here so late at night?” Feng, who prided himself on his nerve, told her everything that had happened. The old woman laughed. “That is a fine thing. And you, nephew, a scholar of some name — you would be no disgrace as a son-in-law. What right has a wild fox spirit to give herself such airs? Don’t worry, nephew, I can bring her to you.” Feng thanked her: yes, yes. The old woman turned to her attendants. “I never knew the Xin family’s daughters were so lovely.” One of the maids said, “He has nineteen daughters, all graceful and charming. Which one has the young gentleman asked for?” “She is fifteen or a little more,” said Feng. “That is Shisiniang,” said the maid. “In the third month she came with her mother to wish Your Ladyship long life on your birthday. How could you forget?” The old woman laughed. “Isn’t she the one who carved lotus petals into high soles, filled them with scented powder, covered them with gauze, and walked about in them?” “That’s the one,” said the maid. “That girl knows all about making an effect and playing the charmer,” said the old woman. “But she is a beauty all right. My nephew’s taste is not wrong.” She said to the maid, “Send Little Cat to call her here.” The maid said yes and went.