保定有國學生某，將入都納貲，謀得縣尹。方趣裝而病，月餘不起。忽有僮入曰：「客至。」某亦忘其疾，趨出逆客。客華服類貴者。三揖入舍，叩所自來。客曰：「僕，公孫夏，十一皇子坐客也。聞治裝將圖縣尹，既有是志，太守不更佳耶？」某遜謝，但言：「貲薄，不敢有奢願。」客請效力，俾出半貲，約於任所取盈。某喜求策，客曰：「督、撫皆某最契之交，暫得五千緡，其事濟矣。目前真定缺員，便可急圖。」某訝其本省。客笑曰：「君迂矣！但有孔方在，何問吳、越桑梓耶？」某終躊躕，疑其不經。客曰：「無須疑惑。實相告：此冥中城隍缺也。君壽盡，已注死籍。乘此營辦，尚可以致冥貴。」即起告別，曰：「君且自謀，三日當復會。」遂出門跨馬去，某忽開眸，與妻子永訣。命出藏鏹，市楮錠萬提，郡中是物為空。堆積庭中，雜芻靈鬼馬，日夜焚之，灰高如山。三日，客果至。某出貲交兌，客即導至部署，見貴官坐殿上，某便伏拜。貴官略審姓名，便勉以「清廉謹慎」等語。乃取憑文，喚至案前與之。某稽首出署。自念監生卑賤，非車服炫耀，不足震懾曹屬。於是益市輿馬；又遣鬼役以彩輿迓其美妾。區畫方已，真定鹵簿已至。途百里餘，一道相屬，意甚得。忽前導者鉦息旗靡。驚疑間，見騎者盡下，悉伏道周；人小徑尺，馬大如狸。車前者駭曰：「關帝至矣！」某懼，下車亦伏，遙見帝君從四五騎，緩轡而至。鬚多繞頰，不似世所模肖者；而神采威猛，目長幾近耳際。馬上問：「此何官？」從者答：「真定守。」帝君曰：「區區一郡，何直得如此張皇！」某聞之，灑然毛悚；身暴縮，自顧如六七歲兒。帝君令起，使隨馬蹤行。道傍有殿宇，帝君入，南向坐，命以筆札，俾自書鄉貫姓名。某書已，呈進。帝君視之，怒曰：「字訛誤不成形象！此市儈耳，何足以任民社！」又命稽其德籍。傍一人跪奏，不知何詞。帝君厲聲曰：「干進罪小，賣爵罪重！」旋見金甲神綰鎖去。遂有二人捉某，褫去冠服，笞五十，臀肉幾脫，逐出門外。四顧車馬盡空，痛不能步，偃息草間。細認其處，離家尚不甚遠。幸身輕如葉，一晝夜始抵家。豁若夢醒，床上呻吟。家人集問，但言股痛。蓋瞑然若死者，已七日矣，至是始寤。便問：「阿憐何不來。」──蓋妾小字也。先是，阿憐方坐談，忽曰：「彼為真定太守，差役來接我矣。」乃入室麗妝，妝竟而卒，才隔夜耳。家人述其異。某悔恨椎胸，命停尸勿葬，冀其復還。數日杳然，乃葬之。某病漸瘳，但股瘡大劇，半年始起。每自曰：「官貲盡耗，而橫被冥刑，此尚可忍；但愛妾不知舁向何所，清夜所難堪耳。」
保定有国学生某，将入都纳赀，谋得县尹。方趣装而病，月余不起。忽有僮入曰：「客至。」某亦忘其疾，趋出逆客。客华服类贵者。三揖入舍，叩所自来。客曰：「仆，公孙夏，十一皇子坐客也。闻治装将图县尹，既有是志，太守不更佳耶？」某逊谢，但言：「赀薄，不敢有奢愿。」客请效力，俾出半赀，约于任所取盈。某喜求策，客曰：「督、抚皆某最契之交，暂得五千缗，其事济矣。目前真定缺员，便可急图。」某讶其本省。客笑曰：「君迂矣！但有孔方在，何问吴、越桑梓耶？」某终踌蹰，疑其不经。客曰：「无须疑惑。实相告：此冥中城隍缺也。君寿尽，已注死籍。乘此营办，尚可以致冥贵。」即起告别，曰：「君且自谋，三日当复会。」遂出门跨马去，某忽开眸，与妻子永诀。命出藏镪，市楮锭万提，郡中是物为空。堆积庭中，杂刍灵鬼马，日夜焚之，灰高如山。三日，客果至。某出赀交兑，客即导至部署，见贵官坐殿上，某便伏拜。贵官略审姓名，便勉以「清廉谨慎」等语。乃取凭文，唤至案前与之。某稽首出署。自念监生卑贱，非车服炫耀，不足震慑曹属。于是益市舆马；又遣鬼役以彩舆迓其美妾。区画方已，真定卤簿已至。途百里余，一道相属，意甚得。忽前导者钲息旗靡。惊疑间，见骑者尽下，悉伏道周；人小径尺，马大如狸。车前者骇曰：「关帝至矣！」某惧，下车亦伏，遥见帝君从四五骑，缓辔而至。须多绕颊，不似世所模肖者；而神采威猛，目长几近耳际。马上问：「此何官？」从者答：「真定守。」帝君曰：「区区一郡，何直得如此张皇！」某闻之，洒然毛悚；身暴缩，自顾如六七岁儿。帝君令起，使随马踪行。道傍有殿宇，帝君入，南向坐，命以笔札，俾自书乡贯姓名。某书已，呈进。帝君视之，怒曰：「字讹误不成形象！此市侩耳，何足以任民社！」又命稽其德籍。傍一人跪奏，不知何词。帝君厉声曰：「干进罪小，卖爵罪重！」旋见金甲神绾锁去。遂有二人捉某，褫去冠服，笞五十，臀肉几脱，逐出门外。四顾车马尽空，痛不能步，偃息草间。细认其处，离家尚不甚远。幸身轻如叶，一昼夜始抵家。豁若梦醒，床上呻吟。家人集问，但言股痛。盖瞑然若死者，已七日矣，至是始寤。便问：「阿怜何不来。」──盖妾小字也。先是，阿怜方坐谈，忽曰：「彼为真定太守，差役来接我矣。」乃入室丽妆，妆竟而卒，才隔夜耳。家人述其异。某悔恨椎胸，命停尸勿葬，冀其复还。数日杳然，乃葬之。某病渐瘳，但股疮大剧，半年始起。每自曰：「官赀尽耗，而横被冥刑，此尚可忍；但爱妾不知舁向何所，清夜所难堪耳。」
In Baoding there was a certain student of the National Academy who was about to go to the capital, pay a contribution, and try to get himself a county magistracy. He was just packing for the journey when he fell ill, and for more than a month he could not get up. Suddenly a pageboy came in and said, “A visitor.” The man forgot his illness and hurried out to receive him. The visitor was splendidly dressed, like a noble. After the three bows they went into the house, and the man asked where he had come from. “I am Gongsun Xia,” said the visitor, “a retainer of the Eleventh Prince. I hear you are getting ready to try for a county magistracy. Since that is your ambition, wouldn’t a prefecture be better?” The man modestly declined, saying only, “My means are slender. I dare not hope for so much.” The visitor offered his services: the man need put up only half the money, and they agreed the rest would be made up once he was at his post. Delighted, the man asked how it could be done. “The governor-general and the governor are both my closest friends,” said the visitor. “Give me five thousand strings of cash for now, and the thing is done. Zhending happens to have a vacancy at the moment. We can go after it at once.” The man was surprised that it was in his own province. The visitor laughed. “How behind the times you are! So long as there is Square Hole about, who asks whether your home is in Wu or in Yue?” The man still hesitated, suspecting it was not quite proper. “There is no need for doubt,” said the visitor. “I will tell you the truth. This is a vacancy for City God in the underworld. Your life is at an end, and your name is already entered in the register of the dead. If you see to it now, you can still become a man of rank down there.” He rose at once to take his leave. “Make your own plans. In three days we shall meet again.” He went out the gate, mounted his horse and rode away.