王公筠蒼，蒞任楚中。擬登龍虎山謁天師。及湖，甫登舟，即有一人駕小艇來，使舟中人為通。公見之，貌修偉。懷中出天師刺，曰：「聞騶從將臨，先遣負弩。」公訝其預知，益神之，誠意而往。天師治具相款。其服役者，衣冠鬚鬣，多不類常人。前使者亦侍其側。少間，向天師細語。天師謂公曰：「此先生同鄉，不之識耶？」公問之。曰：「此即世所傳雹神李左車也。」公愕然改容。天師曰：「適言奉旨雨雹，故告辭耳。」公問：「何處？」曰：「章丘。」公以接壤關切，離席乞免。天師曰：「此上帝玉敕，雹有額數，何能相徇？」公哀不已。天師垂思良久，乃顧而囑曰：「其多降山谷，勿傷禾稼可也。」又囑：「貴客在坐，文去勿武。」神出，至庭中，忽足下生煙，氤氳匝地。俄延逾刻，極力騰起，才高于庭樹；又起，高于樓閣。霹靂一聲，向北飛去，屋宇震動，筵器擺簸。公駭曰：「去乃作雷霆耶！」天師曰：「適戒之，所以遲遲；不然，平地一聲，便逝去矣。」公別歸，志其月日，遣人問章丘。是日果大雨雹，溝渠皆滿，而田中僅數枚焉。
王公筠苍，莅任楚中。拟登龙虎山谒天师。及湖，甫登舟，即有一人驾小艇来，使舟中人为通。公见之，貌修伟。怀中出天师刺，曰：「闻驺从将临，先遣负弩。」公讶其预知，益神之，诚意而往。天师治具相款。其服役者，衣冠须鬣，多不类常人。前使者亦侍其侧。少间，向天师细语。天师谓公曰：「此先生同乡，不之识耶？」公问之。曰：「此即世所传雹神李左车也。」公愕然改容。天师曰：「适言奉旨雨雹，故告辞耳。」公问：「何处？」曰：「章丘。」公以接壤关切，离席乞免。天师曰：「此上帝玉敕，雹有额数，何能相徇？」公哀不已。天师垂思良久，乃顾而嘱曰：「其多降山谷，勿伤禾稼可也。」又嘱：「贵客在坐，文去勿武。」神出，至庭中，忽足下生烟，氤氲匝地。俄延逾刻，极力腾起，才高于庭树；又起，高于楼阁。霹雳一声，向北飞去，屋宇震动，筵器摆簸。公骇曰：「去乃作雷霆耶！」天师曰：「适戒之，所以迟迟；不然，平地一声，便逝去矣。」公别归，志其月日，遣人问章丘。是日果大雨雹，沟渠皆满，而田中仅数枚焉。
Lord Wang Yuncang took up an official post in Chu. He planned to climb Mount Longhu to pay his respects to the Celestial Master. When he reached the lake and had just boarded his boat, a man rowed up in a small skiff and had the boatmen announce him. Wang received him. The man was tall and finely made. From the breast of his robe he took out the Celestial Master’s visiting card. “Hearing that your retinue would soon arrive,” he said, “my master sent me ahead to clear the way.” Wang was surprised that the Master had known beforehand, thought him all the more divine, and went on in a spirit of true reverence. The Celestial Master laid out a feast to receive him. The servants who waited at table, in their clothes and caps, their beards and whiskers, mostly did not look like ordinary men. The messenger from the lake stood in attendance at the Master’s side. After a while he whispered something to the Celestial Master. The Celestial Master said to Wang, “This man is from your part of the country. Don’t you know him?” Wang asked who he was. “This is the one the world calls the Hail God, Li Zuoche.” Wang was startled, and his face changed. “He was just telling me he has orders to send down hail,” said the Celestial Master, “so he is taking his leave.” “Where?” Wang asked. “Zhangqiu.” Zhangqiu bordered on Wang’s home, and in his concern he left his seat and begged that it be spared. “This is a jade decree from the Lord on High,” said the Celestial Master. “The hail has a fixed quota. How can I bend it for you?” Wang pleaded and would not stop. The Celestial Master pondered a long while, then turned to the god and instructed him: “Let most of it fall in the mountain valleys. So long as you do not harm the crops, that will do.” And further: “We have an honoured guest at table. Leave gently, not violently.” The god went out. In the middle of the courtyard smoke suddenly rose from beneath his feet and spread thick over the ground. He hung there for some time, then with a great effort rose, only just above the trees in the courtyard; rose again, above the towers. With a crack of thunder he flew off to the north. The house shook, and the dishes on the table rattled and jumped. “So he goes off as thunder!” Wang said in alarm. “I warned him just now, which is why he went so slowly,” said the Celestial Master. “Otherwise there would have been one clap from level ground and he would have been gone.” Wang took his leave and went home. He noted the month and day, and sent someone to ask in Zhangqiu. On that day there had indeed been a great fall of hail; the ditches and channels were all full, but in the fields there were only a few stones.