遊擊官某，妻妾甚多。最諱某小字，呼年曰歲，生曰硬，馬曰大驢；又諱敗曰勝，安為放。雖簡札往來，不甚避忌，而家人道之，則怒。一日，司札吏白事，悞犯；大怒，以研擊之，立斃。三日後，醉臥，見吏持刺入。問：「何為？」曰：「『馬子安』來拜。」忽悟其鬼，急起，拔刀揮之。吏微笑，擲刺几上，泯然而沒。取刺視之，書云：「歲家眷硬大驢子放勝。」暴謬之夫，為鬼挪揄，可笑甚已！
游击官某，妻妾甚多。最讳某小字，呼年曰岁，生曰硬，马曰大驴；又讳败曰胜，安为放。虽简札往来，不甚避忌，而家人道之，则怒。一日，司札吏白事，悮犯；大怒，以研击之，立毙。三日后，醉卧，见吏持刺入。问：「何为？」曰：「『马子安』来拜。」忽悟其鬼，急起，拔刀挥之。吏微笑，掷刺几上，泯然而没。取刺视之，书云：「岁家眷硬大驴子放胜。」暴谬之夫，为鬼挪揄，可笑甚已！
A certain major had a great many wives and concubines. He was most touchy about the characters in a certain childhood name. For ‘year’ he said ‘age’, for ‘raw’ he said ‘hard’, and for ‘horse’ he said ‘big donkey’. He also forbade ‘defeat’ and said ‘victory’ instead, and for ‘set down’ he said ‘let off’. In letters he was not so strict, but if anyone in his household said one of these words, he flew into a rage. One day his secretary, reporting on some matter, let one slip. In a fury the major struck him with an inkstone and killed him on the spot. Three days later, as the major lay drunk, he saw the secretary come in holding a visiting card. “What is it?” he asked. “Ma Zi’an has come to pay his respects.” Suddenly the major realized this was a ghost. He leapt up, drew his sword and slashed at him. The secretary gave a faint smile, tossed the card onto the table and vanished without a trace. The major picked up the card. It read: “Age-family kinsman-hard Big Donkey Zi let off victory.” A violent, wrong-headed man made a fool of by a ghost: laughable indeed!