長安士人賈子龍,偶過鄰巷,見一客,風度灑如。問之,則真生,咸陽僦寓者也。心慕之。明日,往投刺,適值其亡;凡三謁,皆不遇。乃陰使人窺其在舍而後過之,真走避不出;賈搜之始出。促膝傾談,大相知悅。賈就逆旅,遣僮行沽。真又善飲,能雅謔,樂甚。酒欲盡,真搜篋出飲器,玉卮無當,注杯酒其中,盎然已滿;以小琖挹取入壺,並無少減。賈異之,堅求其術。真曰:「我不願相見者,君無他短,但貪心未淨耳。此乃仙家隱術,何能相授。」賈曰:「冤哉!我何貪,間萌奢想者,徒以貧耳。」一笑而散。由是往來無間,形骸盡忘。每值乏窘,真輒出黑石一塊,吹咒其上,以磨瓦礫,立刻化為白金,便以贈生;僅足所用,未嘗贏餘。賈每求益。真曰:「我言君貪,如何,如何!」賈思明告必不可得,將乘其醉睡,竊石而要之。一日,飲既臥,賈潛起,搜諸衣底。真覺之曰:「子真喪心,不可處也!」遂辭別,移居而去。後年餘,賈遊河干,見一石瑩潔,絕類真生物。拾之,珍藏若寶。過數日,真忽至,憮然若有所失。賈慰問之。真曰:「君前所見,乃仙人點金石也。曩從抱真子游,彼憐我介,以此相貽。醉後失去,隱卜當在君所。如有還帶之恩,不敢忘報。」賈笑曰:「僕生平不敢欺友朋,誠如所卜。但知管仲之貧者,莫如鮑叔,君且奈何?」真請以百金為贈。賈曰:「百金非少,但授我口訣,一親試之,無憾矣。」真恐其寡信。賈曰:「君自仙人,豈不知賈某寧失信於朋友者哉!」直授其訣。賈顧砌上有巨石,將試之。真掣其肘,不聽前。賈乃俯掬半磚,置砧上曰:「若此者,非多耶?」真乃聽之。賈不磨磚而磨砧;真變色欲與爭,而砧已化為渾金。反石於真。真嘆曰:「業如此,復何言。然妄以福祿加人,必遭天譴。如逭我罪,施材百具、絮衣百領,肯之乎?」賈曰:「僕所以欲得錢者,原非欲窖藏之也。君尚視我為守錢鹵耶?」真喜而去。賈得金,且施且賈;不三年,施數已滿。真忽至,握手曰:「君信義人也!別後被福神奏帝,削去仙籍;蒙君博施,今以功德消罪。愿勉之,勿替也。」賈問真係天上何曹。曰:「我乃有道之狐耳。出身綦微。不堪孽累,故生平自愛,一毫不敢妄作。」賈為設酒,遂與懽飲如初。賈至九十餘,狐猶時至其家。
长安士人贾子龙,偶过邻巷,见一客,风度洒如。问之,则真生,咸阳僦寓者也。心慕之。明日,往投刺,适值其亡;凡三谒,皆不遇。乃阴使人窥其在舍而后过之,真走避不出;贾搜之始出。促膝倾谈,大相知悦。贾就逆旅,遣僮行沽。真又善饮,能雅谑,乐甚。酒欲尽,真搜箧出饮器,玉卮无当,注杯酒其中,盎然已满;以小琖挹取入壶,并无少减。贾异之,坚求其术。真曰:「我不愿相见者,君无他短,但贪心未净耳。此乃仙家隐术,何能相授。」贾曰:「冤哉!我何贪,间萌奢想者,徒以贫耳。」一笑而散。由是往来无间,形骸尽忘。每值乏窘,真辄出黑石一块,吹咒其上,以磨瓦砾,立刻化为白金,便以赠生;仅足所用,未尝赢余。贾每求益。真曰:「我言君贪,如何,如何!」贾思明告必不可得,将乘其醉睡,窃石而要之。一日,饮既卧,贾潜起,搜诸衣底。真觉之曰:「子真丧心,不可处也!」遂辞别,移居而去。后年余,贾游河干,见一石莹洁,绝类真生物。拾之,珍藏若宝。过数日,真忽至,怃然若有所失。贾慰问之。真曰:「君前所见,乃仙人点金石也。曩从抱真子游,彼怜我介,以此相贻。醉后失去,隐卜当在君所。如有还带之恩,不敢忘报。」贾笑曰:「仆生平不敢欺友朋,诚如所卜。但知管仲之贫者,莫如鲍叔,君且奈何?」真请以百金为赠。贾曰:「百金非少,但授我口诀,一亲试之,无憾矣。」真恐其寡信。贾曰:「君自仙人,岂不知贾某宁失信于朋友者哉!」直授其诀。贾顾砌上有巨石,将试之。真掣其肘,不听前。贾乃俯掬半砖,置砧上曰:「若此者,非多耶?」真乃听之。贾不磨砖而磨砧;真变色欲与争,而砧已化为浑金。反石于真。真叹曰:「业如此,复何言。然妄以福禄加人,必遭天谴。如逭我罪,施材百具、絮衣百领,肯之乎?」贾曰:「仆所以欲得钱者,原非欲窖藏之也。君尚视我为守钱卤耶?」真喜而去。贾得金,且施且贾;不三年,施数已满。真忽至,握手曰:「君信义人也!别后被福神奏帝,削去仙籍;蒙君博施,今以功德消罪。愿勉之,勿替也。」贾问真系天上何曹。曰:「我乃有道之狐耳。出身綦微。不堪孽累,故生平自爱,一毫不敢妄作。」贾为设酒,遂与懽饮如初。贾至九十余,狐犹时至其家。
Jia Zilong, a gentleman of Chang’an, happened to pass through a neighbouring lane and saw a stranger with an easy, unworldly air. He asked about him. It was a scholar named Zhen, from Xianyang, living there in rented rooms. Jia admired him. The next day he went to present his card, but Zhen happened to be out. He called three times and never found him in. So Jia secretly had someone watch until Zhen was at home, and then went over. Zhen ran off and hid and would not come out. Only when Jia searched for him did he appear. They sat knee to knee and talked their hearts out, and took a great liking to each other. Jia went with him to his lodging and sent his boy out to buy wine. Zhen was a good drinker too, and a witty, elegant joker, and they enjoyed themselves greatly. When the wine was nearly gone, Zhen searched his chest and brought out a drinking vessel: a jade cup with no bottom. He poured a cup of wine into it, and it was brimming full. He ladled from it with a little cup into the jug, and it did not go down at all. Jia marvelled at this and pressed him for the secret. Zhen said, “I did not want to meet you, not because you have any other fault, but because your greed is not yet washed away. This is a hidden art of the immortals. How could I teach it to you?” “You wrong me!” said Jia. “How am I greedy? If now and then I have extravagant thoughts, it is only because I am poor.” They laughed and parted.
