利津王蘭暴病死。閻王覆勘，乃鬼卒之誤勾也。責送還生，則尸已敗。鬼懼罪，謂王曰：「人而鬼也則苦，鬼而仙也則樂。苟樂矣，何必生？」王以為然。鬼曰：「此處一狐，金丹成矣。竊其丹吞之，則魂不散，可以長存。但憑所之，罔不如意。子願之否？」王從之。鬼導去，入一高第，
見樓閣渠然，而悄無一人。有狐在月下，仰首望空際。
氣一呼，有丸自口中出，直上入于月中；一吸，輒復落，以口承之，則又呼之：如是不已。鬼潛伺其側，俟其吐，急掇于手，付王吞之。狐驚，盛氣相嚮。見二人在，恐不敵，憤恨而去。王與鬼別，至其家，妻子見之，咸懼卻走。王告以故，乃漸集。由此在家寢處如平時。
利津王兰暴病死。阎王覆勘，乃鬼卒之误勾也。责送还生，则尸已败。鬼惧罪，谓王曰：「人而鬼也则苦，鬼而仙也则乐。苟乐矣，何必生？」王以为然。鬼曰：「此处一狐，金丹成矣。窃其丹吞之，则魂不散，可以长存。但凭所之，罔不如意。子愿之否？」王从之。鬼导去，入一高第，
见楼阁渠然，而悄无一人。有狐在月下，仰首望空际。
气一呼，有丸自口中出，直上入于月中；一吸，辄复落，以口承之，则又呼之：如是不已。鬼潜伺其侧，俟其吐，急掇于手，付王吞之。狐惊，盛气相向。见二人在，恐不敌，愤恨而去。王与鬼别，至其家，妻子见之，咸惧却走。王告以故，乃渐集。由此在家寝处如平时。
Wang Lan of Lijin died of a sudden illness. When Yama went over the case again, it turned out that a ghost runner had fetched him by mistake. Yama ordered the runner to take him back to life, but his body had already rotted. The ghost, afraid of punishment, said to Wang, “A man who becomes a ghost suffers; a ghost who becomes an immortal is happy. If you can be happy, why must you be alive?” Wang agreed. “There is a fox near here,” said the ghost, “that has completed its golden elixir. Steal the elixir and swallow it, and your soul will never scatter; you can last forever. You may go wherever you please, and everything will go your way. Will you do it?” Wang went along with him. The ghost led him off, and they entered a lofty mansion.
Its towers and pavilions rose deep and high,but all was hushed; there was no one there.A fox sat in the moonlight,head tipped back, gazing into the sky.
It breathed out, and a ball came from its mouth and flew straight up into the moon; it breathed in, and the ball dropped back, and it caught it in its mouth and breathed it out again, over and over without end. The ghost crept up beside it and waited. The moment the fox spat the ball out, he snatched it in his hand and gave it to Wang to swallow. The fox started and turned on them in a fury, but seeing there were two of them, it feared it could not win, and went off seething. Wang parted from the ghost and went home. When his wife and children saw him, they all fled in terror. Wang told them what had happened, and little by little they gathered round again. From then on he lived and slept at home as he always had.
其友張姓者，聞而省之，相見話溫涼。因謂張曰：「我與若家夙貧，今有術，可以致富。子能從我游乎？」張唯唯。曰：「我能不藥而醫，不卜而斷。我欲現身，恐識我者相驚以怪。附子而行，可乎？」張又唯唯。於是即日趣裝，至山西界。富室有女，得暴疾，眩然瞀瞑。前後藥禳既窮，張造其廬，以術自炫。富翁止此女，常珍惜之，能醫者，願以千金為報。張請視之。從翁入室，見女瞑臥；啟其衾，撫其體，女昏不覺。王私告張曰：「此魂亡也，當為覓之。」張乃告翁：「病雖危，可救。」問：「需何藥？」俱言不須，「女公子魂離他所，業遣神覓之矣。」約一時許，王忽來，具言已得。張乃請翁再入，又撫之。少頃，女欠伸，目遽張。翁大喜，撫問。女言：「向戲園中，見一少年郎，挾彈彈雀；數人牽駿馬，從諸其後。急欲奔避，橫被阻止。少年以弓授兒，教兒彈。方羞訶之，便攜兒馬上，累騎而行。笑曰：『我樂與子戲，勿羞也。』數里入山中，我馬上號且罵；少年怒，推墮路旁，欲歸無路。適有一人至，捉兒臂，疾若馳，瞬息至家，忽若夢醒。」翁神之，果貽千金。王夜與張謀，留二百金作路用，余盡攝去，款門而付其子；又命以三百饋張氏，乃復還。次日，與翁別，不見金藏何所，益異之，厚禮而送之。
其友张姓者，闻而省之，相见话温凉。因谓张曰：「我与若家夙贫，今有术，可以致富。子能从我游乎？」张唯唯。曰：「我能不药而医，不卜而断。我欲现身，恐识我者相惊以怪。附子而行，可乎？」张又唯唯。于是即日趣装，至山西界。富室有女，得暴疾，眩然瞀瞑。前后药禳既穷，张造其庐，以术自炫。富翁止此女，常珍惜之，能医者，愿以千金为报。张请视之。从翁入室，见女瞑卧；启其衾，抚其体，女昏不觉。王私告张曰：「此魂亡也，当为觅之。」张乃告翁：「病虽危，可救。」问：「需何药？」俱言不须，「女公子魂离他所，业遣神觅之矣。」约一时许，王忽来，具言已得。张乃请翁再入，又抚之。少顷，女欠伸，目遽张。翁大喜，抚问。女言：「向戏园中，见一少年郎，挟弹弹雀；数人牵骏马，从诸其后。急欲奔避，横被阻止。少年以弓授儿，教儿弹。方羞诃之，便携儿马上，累骑而行。笑曰：『我乐与子戏，勿羞也。』数里入山中，我马上号且骂；少年怒，推堕路旁，欲归无路。适有一人至，捉儿臂，疾若驰，瞬息至家，忽若梦醒。」翁神之，果贻千金。王夜与张谋，留二百金作路用，余尽摄去，款门而付其子；又命以三百馈张氏，乃复还。次日，与翁别，不见金藏何所，益异之，厚礼而送之。
A friend of his, a man surnamed Zhang, heard about it and came to see him. They talked over how things had gone with each of them. Then Wang said to Zhang, “Your family and mine have always been poor. Now I have an art that can make us rich. Will you travel with me?” Zhang said yes. “I can heal without medicine and foretell without divining,” said Wang. “I would show myself, but I fear that people who knew me would be frightened by something so uncanny. Would it be all right if I went about attached to you?” Zhang said yes again. So that same day they packed and set off, and came to the borders of Shanxi. There a rich family’s daughter had fallen suddenly ill and lay dazed and senseless. Every medicine and every exorcism had been tried when Zhang came to the house and boasted of his art. The rich old man had only this one daughter and had always doted on her; he promised a thousand in gold to whoever could cure her. Zhang asked to see her. He followed the old man into her room and found the girl lying with her eyes shut. He drew back the quilt and felt her body; she lay unconscious and knew nothing of it. Wang whispered to Zhang, “Her soul is lost. I must go and find it.” So Zhang told the old man, “Her illness is grave, but she can be saved.” “What medicine will you need?” Zhang said none was needed: “The young lady’s soul has wandered off elsewhere. I have already sent a spirit to find it.” About two hours later Wang suddenly came back and said he had it. Zhang asked the old man to go in with him again, and once more felt the girl’s body. In a moment she yawned and stretched, and her eyes flew open. The old man was overjoyed; he stroked her and asked what had happened. The girl said, “I was playing in the garden just now when I saw a young gentleman with a pellet bow, shooting at sparrows. Several men leading fine horses followed behind him. I wanted to run and hide, but he blocked my way. He handed me the bow and showed me how to shoot. I was just scolding him for it, all embarrassed, when he swept me up onto his horse and rode off with me in front of him. He laughed and said, ‘I like playing with you. Don’t be shy.’ We rode several li into the mountains. On the horse I wailed and cursed him, and he got angry and pushed me off by the roadside. I wanted to go home but could not find the way. Then someone came and took me by the arm and ran with me as fast as a galloping horse, and in an instant I was home. It was like waking from a dream.” The old man thought it miraculous, and paid the thousand in gold as he had promised. That night Wang and Zhang made their plans. They kept two hundred for the road, and Wang spirited all the rest away, knocked at his own door and handed it to his son; he also had his son send three hundred to Zhang’s family, and then came back. The next day, when Zhang took his leave, the old man could see no sign of where the gold had been put. He was all the more amazed, and sent Zhang off with rich gifts.
逾數日，張于郊外遇同鄉人賀才。才飲博不事生產，奇貧如丐。聞張得異術，獲金無算，因奔尋之。王勸薄贈令歸。才不改故行，旬日蕩盡，將復覓張。王已知之，曰：「才狂悖，不可與處，只宜賂之使去，縱禍猶淺。」逾日，才果至，強從與俱。張曰：「我固知汝復來。日事酗賭，千金何能滿無底竇？誠改若所為，我百金相贈。」才諾之。張瀉囊授之。才去，以百金在橐，賭益豪；益之狹邪游，揮灑如土。邑中捕役疑而執之，質于官，拷掠酷慘。才實告金所自來。乃遣隸押才捉張。數日，創劇，斃于途。魂不忘張，復往依之，因與王會。一日聚飲于煙墩，才大醉狂呼，王止之不聽。適巡方御史過，聞呼搜之，獲張。張懼，以實告，御史怒，笞而牒于神。夜夢金甲人告曰：「查王蘭無辜而死，今為鬼仙。醫亦仁術，不可律以妖魅。今奉帝命，授為清道使。賀才邪蕩，已罰竄鐵圍山。張某無罪，當宥之。」御史醒而異之，乃釋張。張治裝旋里。囊中存數百金，敬以半送家。王氏子孫，以此致富焉。
逾数日，张于郊外遇同乡人贺才。才饮博不事生产，奇贫如丐。闻张得异术，获金无算，因奔寻之。王劝薄赠令归。才不改故行，旬日荡尽，将复觅张。王已知之，曰：「才狂悖，不可与处，只宜赂之使去，纵祸犹浅。」逾日，才果至，强从与俱。张曰：「我固知汝复来。日事酗赌，千金何能满无底窦？诚改若所为，我百金相赠。」才诺之。张泻囊授之。才去，以百金在橐，赌益豪；益之狭邪游，挥洒如土。邑中捕役疑而执之，质于官，拷掠酷惨。才实告金所自来。乃遣隶押才捉张。数日，创剧，毙于途。魂不忘张，复往依之，因与王会。一日聚饮于烟墩，才大醉狂呼，王止之不听。适巡方御史过，闻呼搜之，获张。张惧，以实告，御史怒，笞而牒于神。夜梦金甲人告曰：「查王兰无辜而死，今为鬼仙。医亦仁术，不可律以妖魅。今奉帝命，授为清道使。贺才邪荡，已罚窜铁围山。张某无罪，当宥之。」御史醒而异之，乃释张。张治装旋里。囊中存数百金，敬以半送家。王氏子孙，以此致富焉。
Several days later, outside town, Zhang ran into He Cai, a man from his home village. He Cai drank and gambled and did no work, and was as poor as a beggar. Hearing that Zhang had come by a marvellous art and made more money than could be counted, he hurried to find him. Wang advised giving him a little and sending him home. He Cai did not mend his ways; within ten days he had squandered it all and was about to look for Zhang again. Wang knew of it already. “He Cai is wild and perverse,” he said. “You cannot keep company with him. The only thing to do is pay him to go away; then even if trouble comes, it will not go deep.” The next day He Cai did come, and insisted on going along with them. Zhang said, “I knew you would come back. You spend your days drunk and gambling — how could even a thousand in gold fill a bottomless hole? If you truly change your ways, I will give you a hundred.” He Cai promised. Zhang emptied his bag and gave it to him. He Cai left, and with a hundred in his purse he gambled bigger than ever; on top of that he took to the brothels, throwing money about like dirt. The county constables grew suspicious and arrested him and brought him before the magistrate, who had him cruelly beaten. He Cai told the truth about where the money had come from. So runners were sent to take He Cai along and seize Zhang. A few days later his wounds grew worse and he died on the road. His ghost did not forget Zhang and went to cling to him, and so he joined Wang. One day they were drinking together at a beacon mound. He Cai got very drunk and began shouting wildly; Wang told him to stop, but he would not listen. Just then a touring censor passed by, heard the shouting and had the place searched, and they found Zhang. Zhang was frightened and told the whole truth. The censor was angry; he had Zhang flogged and sent a dispatch about him to the gods. That night he dreamed that a man in golden armour told him: “It is found that Wang Lan died through no fault of his own and is now a ghost immortal. Healing too is an art of kindness, and he is not to be judged as an evil spirit. Now by command of the Emperor on High he is appointed Clearer of the Way. He Cai was wicked and dissolute and has already been banished to the Iron Ring Mountains. Zhang has done no wrong and should be pardoned.” The censor woke amazed, and released Zhang. Zhang packed up and went home. He still had several hundred in his bag, and with all respect he sent half of it to the family. Wang’s sons and grandsons grew rich from it.