癸亥歲，余館於畢刺史公之綽然堂。公家花木最盛，暇輒從公杖履，得恣游賞。一日，眺覽既歸，倦極思寢，解屨登床。夢二女郎，被服豔麗，近請曰：「有所奉託，敢屈移玉。」余愕然起，問：「誰相見召？」曰：「絳妃耳。」恍惚不解所謂，遽從之去。俄睹殿閣，高接雲漢。下有石階，層層而上，約盡百餘級，始至顛頭。見朱門洞敞。又有二三麗者，趨入通客。無何，詣一殿外，金鉤碧箔，光明射眼。內一女人降階出，環佩鏘然，狀若貴嬪。方思展拜，妃便先言：「敬屈先生，理須首謝。」呼左右以毯貼地，若將行禮。余惶悚無以為地，因啟曰：「草莽微賤，得辱寵召，已有餘榮。況敢分庭抗禮，益臣之罪，折臣之福！」妃命撤毯設宴，對筵相向。酒數行，余辭曰：「臣飲少輒醉，懼有愆儀。教命云何？幸釋疑慮。」妃不言，但以巨杯促飲。余屢請命。乃言：「妾，花神也。合家細弱，依棲於此，屢被封家婢子，橫見摧殘。今欲背城借一，煩君屬檄草耳。」余皇然起奏：「臣學陋不文，恐負重託；但承寵命，敢不竭肝鬲之愚。」妃喜，即殿上賜筆札。諸麗者拭案拂座，磨墨濡毫。又一垂髫人，折紙為範，置腕下。略寫一兩句，便二三輩疊背相窺。余素遲鈍，此時覺文思若湧。少間，稿脫，爭持去，啟呈絳妃。妃展閱一過，頗謂不疵，遂復送余歸。醒而憶之，情事宛然。但檄詞強半遺忘，因足而成之：
癸亥岁，余馆于毕刺史公之绰然堂。公家花木最盛，暇辄从公杖履，得恣游赏。一日，眺览既归，倦极思寝，解屦登床。梦二女郎，被服艳丽，近请曰：「有所奉托，敢屈移玉。」余愕然起，问：「谁相见召？」曰：「绛妃耳。」恍惚不解所谓，遽从之去。俄睹殿阁，高接云汉。下有石阶，层层而上，约尽百余级，始至颠头。见朱门洞敞。又有二三丽者，趋入通客。无何，诣一殿外，金钩碧箔，光明射眼。内一女人降阶出，环佩锵然，状若贵嫔。方思展拜，妃便先言：「敬屈先生，理须首谢。」呼左右以毯贴地，若将行礼。余惶悚无以为地，因启曰：「草莽微贱，得辱宠召，已有余荣。况敢分庭抗礼，益臣之罪，折臣之福！」妃命撤毯设宴，对筵相向。酒数行，余辞曰：「臣饮少辄醉，惧有愆仪。教命云何？幸释疑虑。」妃不言，但以巨杯促饮。余屡请命。乃言：「妾，花神也。合家细弱，依栖于此，屡被封家婢子，横见摧残。今欲背城借一，烦君属檄草耳。」余皇然起奏：「臣学陋不文，恐负重托；但承宠命，敢不竭肝鬲之愚。」妃喜，即殿上赐笔札。诸丽者拭案拂座，磨墨濡毫。又一垂髫人，折纸为范，置腕下。略写一两句，便二三辈叠背相窥。余素迟钝，此时觉文思若涌。少间，稿脱，争持去，启呈绛妃。妃展阅一过，颇谓不疵，遂复送余归。醒而忆之，情事宛然。但檄词强半遗忘，因足而成之：
In the guihai year I was a tutor in the house of Prefect Bi, living in his Chuoran Hall. His family’s flowers and trees were the finest anywhere, and whenever I had leisure I followed him about with staff and sandals and could wander and look to my heart’s content. One day, back from taking in the views, I was so tired that I wanted only to sleep, so I took off my shoes and got into bed. I dreamed that two young women, splendidly dressed, came up to me and said, “There is something we would ask of you. Would you condescend to come with us?” I sat up in surprise. “Who is it that summons me?” “The Crimson Consort,” they said. Dazed, not understanding what they meant, I went with them at once. In a moment I saw halls and pavilions rising to the Milky Way. Below them was a stone stair; I climbed it flight after flight, a hundred steps or more, before I reached the top. There a vermilion gate stood wide open. Two or three more beauties hurried in to announce the guest. Before long we came to the outside of a hall hung with jade-green blinds on golden hooks, so bright they dazzled the eyes. A woman came down the steps from within, her pendants chiming; she looked like a consort of high rank. I was about to bow down to her when she spoke first: “I have put you to great trouble, sir. It is right that I thank you first.” She called to her attendants to lay a carpet on the floor, as if she meant to make a formal bow. I was so alarmed that I did not know where to put myself, and said, “I am a humble man from the wilds. To be honoured with your summons is glory enough. How could I dare stand as your equal and exchange bows? It would add to my offence and use up my good fortune!” The Consort had the carpet taken away and a banquet laid, and we sat facing each other. After several rounds of wine I excused myself: “Your servant gets drunk on very little, and I fear I may forget my manners. What is it you would command of me? I beg you to set my mind at rest.” The Consort said nothing, but only pressed me to drink from a great cup. Again and again I asked what she wished. At last she said, “I am the Flower God. My whole household, all of us frail and young, lives here, and again and again we have been cruelly ravaged by that maid of the Feng family. Now I mean to fight one last battle beneath our walls, and I must trouble you to draft the proclamation of war.” I rose in a fluster and said, “Your servant’s learning is shallow and he is no writer; I fear I will fail so weighty a charge. But since you honour me with the command, how could I not give it all the poor wit I have?” The Consort was pleased, and there in the hall she gave me brush and paper. The beauties wiped the table and dusted the seat, ground the ink and wet the brush. A girl whose hair still hung loose folded a sheet of paper into a guide and set it under my wrist. I had barely written a line or two when two or three of them were crowding one behind another to peep. I am slow by nature, but now I felt the words come pouring out. In a little while the draft was done; they fought to take it and presented it to the Crimson Consort. She read it through once and thought it rather well done, and then had me sent home. When I woke I remembered it all, every detail clear. But more than half the words of the proclamation I had forgotten, so I filled it out to make it whole: