萊蕪張虛一者，學使張道一之仲兄也，性豪放自縱。聞邑中某宅為狐貍所居，敬懷刺往謁，冀一見之。投刺隙中，移時扉自辟，僕大愕卻走，張肅衣敬入，見堂中幾榻宛然，而闃寂無人，揖而祝曰：「小生齋宿而來，仙人既不以門外見斥，何不竟賜光霽？」忽聞空中有人言曰：「勞君枉駕，可謂跫然足音矣。請坐賜教。」即見兩坐自移相向。甫坐，即有鏤漆朱盤貯雙茗盞，懸目前。各取對飲，吸嚦有聲，而終不見其人。茶已，繼之以酒。細審官閥，曰：「弟姓胡，行四，曰相公，從人所呼也。」于是酬酢議論，意氣頗洽。鱉羞鹿脯，雜以薌蓼。進酒行炙者，似小輩甚夥。酒後思茶，意才動，香茗已置幾上。凡有所思，應念即至。張大悅，盡醉而歸。自是三數日必一往，胡亦時至張家，俱如主客往來禮。
莱芜张虚一者，学使张道一之仲兄也，性豪放自纵。闻邑中某宅为狐狸所居，敬怀刺往谒，冀一见之。投刺隙中，移时扉自辟，仆大愕却走，张肃衣敬入，见堂中几榻宛然，而阒寂无人，揖而祝曰：「小生斋宿而来，仙人既不以门外见斥，何不竟赐光霁？」忽闻空中有人言曰：「劳君枉驾，可谓跫然足音矣。请坐赐教。」即见两坐自移相向。甫坐，即有镂漆朱盘贮双茗盏，悬目前。各取对饮，吸呖有声，而终不见其人。茶已，继之以酒。细审官阀，曰：「弟姓胡，行四，曰相公，从人所呼也。」于是酬酢议论，意气颇洽。鳖羞鹿脯，杂以芗蓼。进酒行炙者，似小辈甚伙。酒后思茶，意才动，香茗已置几上。凡有所思，应念即至。张大悦，尽醉而归。自是三数日必一往，胡亦时至张家，俱如主客往来礼。
Zhang Xuyi of Laiwu, the second son of his family, was an elder brother of the education commissioner Zhang Daoyi. He was a bold, free-living man who did as he pleased. He heard that a certain house in the county was occupied by foxes, so he took his calling card and went respectfully to pay them a visit, hoping to meet them. He pushed the card through a crack in the gate. After a while the gate opened of itself. His servant, aghast, turned and ran. Zhang straightened his clothes and walked respectfully in. In the hall the tables and couches stood just as they should, but all was silent and there was no one there. He bowed and prayed: “I fasted and kept vigil before coming. Since the immortal has not turned me away at the gate, why not grant me the light of your countenance?” Suddenly a voice spoke out of the air: “You have troubled yourself to come all this way. That is the sound of footsteps in an empty valley! Please be seated and give me the benefit of your conversation.” At once two chairs moved of their own accord to face each other. No sooner was Zhang seated than a carved red-lacquer tray holding two cups of tea hung in the air before his eyes. Each took a cup and they drank facing each other. He could hear the slurping, but he never saw anyone. When the tea was finished, wine followed. Zhang asked closely about his host’s family and rank. “My surname is Hu,” came the answer. “I am fourth among my brothers. ‘Master’ is only what people call me.” Then they toasted each other and talked, and got on very well. There was turtle and dried venison, with fragrant herbs and smartweed. Those pouring the wine and bringing the roasts seemed to be a great many young servants. After the wine Zhang thought of tea; the thought had barely stirred when fragrant tea was on the table. Whatever he thought of came as soon as he thought it. Zhang was delighted, and went home thoroughly drunk. From then on he went every three or four days without fail, and Hu often came to Zhang’s house too; they visited back and forth with all the courtesies of host and guest.
一日，張問胡曰：「南城中巫媼，日托狐神漁利。不知其家狐君識之否？」曰：「妄耳，實無狐。」少間，張起溲溺，聞小語曰：「適所言南城狐巫，未知何如人。小人欲從先生往觀之，煩一言請于主人。」張知為小狐，乃應曰：「諾。」即席請于狐曰：「我欲得足下服役者一二輩，往探狐巫，敬請君命。」狐固言不必，張言之再三，乃許之。既而張出，馬自至，如有控者。既騎而行，狐相語于途，曰：「今後先生于道途間，覺有細沙散落衣襟上，便是吾輩從也。」語次入城，至巫家。巫見張生，笑逆曰：「貴人何忽降臨？」張曰：「聞爾家狐子大靈應，果否？」巫正容曰：「若個蹀躞語，不宜貴人出得！何便言狐子？恐吾家花姊不歡！」言未已，空中發半磚來，中巫臂，踉蹡欲跌。驚謂張曰：「官人何得拋擊老身也？」張笑曰：「婆子盲也！幾曾見自己額顱破，冤誣袖手者？」巫錯愕不知所出。正回惑間，又一石子落，中巫，顛蹶，穢泥亂墜，塗巫面如鬼。惟哀號乞命。張請恕之，乃止。巫急起奔遁房中，闔戶不敢出。張呼與語曰：「爾狐如我狐否？」巫惟謝過。張招之，且仰首望空中，戒勿傷巫，巫始惕惕而出。張笑諭之，乃還。
一日，张问胡曰：「南城中巫媪，日托狐神渔利。不知其家狐君识之否？」曰：「妄耳，实无狐。」少间，张起溲溺，闻小语曰：「适所言南城狐巫，未知何如人。小人欲从先生往观之，烦一言请于主人。」张知为小狐，乃应曰：「诺。」即席请于狐曰：「我欲得足下服役者一二辈，往探狐巫，敬请君命。」狐固言不必，张言之再三，乃许之。既而张出，马自至，如有控者。既骑而行，狐相语于途，曰：「今后先生于道途间，觉有细沙散落衣襟上，便是吾辈从也。」语次入城，至巫家。巫见张生，笑逆曰：「贵人何忽降临？」张曰：「闻尔家狐子大灵应，果否？」巫正容曰：「若个蹀躞语，不宜贵人出得！何便言狐子？恐吾家花姊不欢！」言未已，空中发半砖来，中巫臂，踉蹡欲跌。惊谓张曰：「官人何得抛击老身也？」张笑曰：「婆子盲也！几曾见自己额颅破，冤诬袖手者？」巫错愕不知所出。正回惑间，又一石子落，中巫，颠蹶，秽泥乱坠，涂巫面如鬼。惟哀号乞命。张请恕之，乃止。巫急起奔遁房中，阖户不敢出。张呼与语曰：「尔狐如我狐否？」巫惟谢过。张招之，且仰首望空中，戒勿伤巫，巫始惕惕而出。张笑谕之，乃还。
One day Zhang asked Hu: “There is an old witch in the south part of town who makes a living by claiming she has a fox god. I wonder whether you know her household fox?” “It’s a lie,” said Hu. “There is no fox.” A little later Zhang got up to relieve himself, and heard a small voice say: “This fox witch in the south of town you were speaking of — I wonder what sort of person she is. I would like to go with you, sir, and have a look. Would you be so kind as to put in a word for me with our master?” Zhang knew it was one of the little foxes. “Very well,” he said. Back at the table he asked the fox: “I would like one or two of your servants to come with me and look into the fox witch. May I respectfully ask your leave?” The fox insisted there was no need, but Zhang asked again and again, and at last he agreed. When Zhang went out, his horse came up of itself, as if someone were leading it. As he rode on, the foxes spoke to him along the way: “From now on, sir, whenever you are on the road and feel fine sand falling on your clothes, that will be us following you.” Talking so, they entered the town and came to the witch’s house. The witch saw Zhang and came out smiling to meet him. “What brings your honour here so suddenly?” “I hear your fox is a great one for answering prayers,” said Zhang. “Is it so?” The witch’s face turned stern. “Such loose talk is not fit for an honourable gentleman’s mouth! How can you just say ‘fox’? I fear our Sister Flower will not be pleased!” Before she had finished, half a brick came flying out of the air and struck her arm; she staggered and nearly fell. “Sir,” she cried to Zhang, “how can you throw things at an old woman?” Zhang laughed. “You’re blind, granny! Who ever heard of someone getting her own head broken and blaming a man who stood by with his hands in his sleeves?” The witch was dumbfounded and could not tell where it had come from. While she was still puzzling over it, a stone fell and hit her, and she went sprawling. Filthy mud came raining down and plastered her face till she looked like a ghost. All she could do was wail and beg for her life. Zhang asked them to spare her, and it stopped. The witch scrambled up, fled into her room, shut the door, and dared not come out. Zhang called to her: “Is your fox as good as mine?” The witch could only beg his pardon. Zhang beckoned to her and, looking up into the air, warned them not to hurt her. Only then did she creep out, trembling. Zhang laughed, gave her a word of advice, and went home.