話說濟公禪師由金好善家中出來，一直往北，走了有五六里之遙，來到一座石洞門首。和尚說：「開門來。」叫了兩聲，裡面並無人說話。
话说济公禅师由金好善家中出来，一直往北，走了有五六里之遥，来到一座石洞门首。和尚说：「开门来。」叫了两声，里面并无人说话。
Now, Chan Master Ji Gong came out of Jin Haoshan’s house and went straight north. When he had gone some five or six li, he came to the mouth of a stone cave. “Open up!” said the monk. He called twice, but no one inside said a word.
書中交代：這石洞內原本住著一個精靈。原本金公子在莊上念書用功，他本是一個書呆子，就知道念書，別無所好，每天念完了書，就在花園子看看花散散悶，活動活動。這天金公子在花園子遊玩，見天上星斗滿天，皓月當空，自己出了莊子，就在莊子左右閒步，也不敢往遠處去。這天忽然心裡一迷，往北走出來有一里多地，自己止住腳步，正在發愣，忽然由對面來了一個四十多歲的僕婦，來至切近說：「金公子，我家主人叫我來請你來了。」金公子一看並不認識這僕婦，連忙問道：「你家主人是誰呀？」僕婦說：「你跟我去，一見就知道了，不是外人是故友，都到齊了，淨等候金公子你了。」
书中交代：这石洞内原本住着一个精灵。原本金公子在庄上念书用功，他本是一个书呆子，就知道念书，别无所好，每天念完了书，就在花园子看看花散散闷，活动活动。这天金公子在花园子游玩，见天上星斗满天，皓月当空，自己出了庄子，就在庄子左右闲步，也不敢往远处去。这天忽然心里一迷，往北走出来有一里多地，自己止住脚步，正在发愣，忽然由对面来了一个四十多岁的仆妇，来至切近说：「金公子，我家主人叫我来请你来了。」金公子一看并不认识这仆妇，连忙问道：「你家主人是谁呀？」仆妇说：「你跟我去，一见就知道了，不是外人是故友，都到齐了，净等候金公子你了。」
A word of explanation: a spirit creature had long lived in this stone cave. Young Master Jin had been studying hard at the family’s country estate. He was a bookworm who knew nothing but his books and cared for nothing else. Every day, when he had finished his reading, he would go into the garden to look at the flowers, ease his mind and stretch his legs. One evening Young Master Jin was strolling in the garden. Seeing the sky full of stars and a bright moon high overhead, he left the estate and wandered about close by, not daring to go far. That evening his mind suddenly clouded over, and he walked north a li or more. He stopped and stood there in a daze, when a serving woman of forty-odd came toward him. When she was close, she said, “Young Master Jin, the head of our house has sent me to invite you.” Young Master Jin looked at her; he did not know her at all. “Who is the head of your house?” he asked at once. “Come with me,” said the woman, “and you’ll know as soon as you see. It’s no stranger, it’s an old friend. Everyone has arrived; they’re only waiting for you, Young Master Jin.”
金公子一想，也不知道是誰，跟著這僕婦就走。往前走了不遠，只見一座廣亮大門，門內有幾個家人，就問僕婦說：「金公子來了么？」僕婦說：「來了。」立刻帶領金公子往裡就走，金公子一看這所房子甚為齊整，頗有大戶人家的樣子，金公子心中甚為納悶。僕婦帶著來到上面一打帘子，金公子一看，這屋中靠北牆有一張俏頭案，擺設著各樣玩物，頭前一張八仙桌，兩邊有椅子，上首椅子上坐著一位千嬌百媚的女子，長得夠十成人才。頭上烏雲巧挽盤龍髻，耳墜竹葉梅的鉗子，戴著赤金的首飾，鬢邊斜戴一朵桃紅海棠花。真稱得起眉舒柳葉，唇綻櫻桃，杏眼含情，香腮帶笑，梨花面，杏蕊腮，瑤池仙子，月殿嫦娥，不如也；身上穿著銀紅色的女衫，周身走金線掐金邊，上繡三藍的花朵，品藍縐綢的中衣，青緞子鑲褲腳，織金的花朵，淡青繪綢的汗巾，上繡三藍的五福捧壽；足下真是窄小金蓮，二寸有餘，不到三寸；大紅緞子花鞋，上繡金線斗翅蜂，月白裹腳，綠紫腿帶，真是頭上腳下無一不好。
金公子一想，也不知道是谁，跟着这仆妇就走。往前走了不远，只见一座广亮大门，门内有几个家人，就问仆妇说：「金公子来了幺？」仆妇说：「来了。」立刻带领金公子往里就走，金公子一看这所房子甚为齐整，颇有大户人家的样子，金公子心中甚为纳闷。仆妇带着来到上面一打帘子，金公子一看，这屋中靠北墙有一张俏头案，摆设着各样玩物，头前一张八仙桌，两边有椅子，上首椅子上坐着一位千娇百媚的女子，长得够十成人才。头上乌云巧挽盘龙髻，耳坠竹叶梅的钳子，戴着赤金的首饰，鬓边斜戴一朵桃红海棠花。真称得起眉舒柳叶，唇绽樱桃，杏眼含情，香腮带笑，梨花面，杏蕊腮，瑶池仙子，月殿嫦娥，不如也；身上穿着银红色的女衫，周身走金线掐金边，上绣三蓝的花朵，品蓝绉绸的中衣，青缎子镶裤脚，织金的花朵，淡青绘绸的汗巾，上绣三蓝的五福捧寿；足下真是窄小金莲，二寸有余，不到三寸；大红缎子花鞋，上绣金线斗翅蜂，月白裹脚，绿紫腿带，真是头上脚下无一不好。
Young Master Jin thought it over, but he had no idea who it could be, and he followed the serving woman. They had not gone far when he saw a grand open gateway, with several servants inside it. “Has Young Master Jin come?” they asked the woman. “He has,” she said, and at once she led Young Master Jin inside. He saw that the house was handsome and well kept, with all the look of a great family, and he was more puzzled than ever. The serving woman brought him up to the main hall and lifted the door curtain. Young Master Jin looked in. Against the north wall stood a long table with upturned ends, set out with all kinds of curios; in front of it was an Eight Immortals table with chairs on either side, and in the chair at the head sat a young woman of a thousand charms and a hundred graces, a perfect beauty in every way. Her black cloud of hair was deftly coiled in a dragon bun; from her ears hung clip earrings of bamboo leaves and plum blossoms; she wore ornaments of red gold, and a peach-pink crabapple flower was tucked aslant at her temple. Truly her brows spread like willow leaves, her lips parted like cherries, her almond eyes were full of feeling and her fragrant cheeks wore a smile; her face was a pear blossom, her cheeks apricot buds, and the fairies of the Jade Pool and Chang’e in the Moon Palace could not compare with her. She wore a silvery-red blouse, edged all round with gold thread and trimmed with gold, embroidered with flowers in three shades of blue; trousers of royal-blue crepe silk, with black satin trimming at the cuffs woven with gold flowers; and a pale green silk sash embroidered in three blues with the Five Blessings embracing Longevity. Her feet were truly tiny golden lotuses, a little over two inches and not quite three; on them were bright red satin shoes embroidered in gold thread with bees on fluttering wings, with moon-white foot bindings and leg ties of green and purple. Truly, from her head to her feet there was nothing about her that was not lovely.