癸亥歲，余館於畢刺史公之綽然堂。公家花木最盛，暇輒從公杖履，得恣游賞。一日，眺覽既歸，倦極思寢，解屨登床。夢二女郎，被服豔麗，近請曰：「有所奉託，敢屈移玉。」余愕然起，問：「誰相見召？」曰：「絳妃耳。」恍惚不解所謂，遽從之去。俄睹殿閣，高接雲漢。下有石階，層層而上，約盡百餘級，始至顛頭。見朱門洞敞。又有二三麗者，趨入通客。無何，詣一殿外，金鉤碧箔，光明射眼。內一女人降階出，環佩鏘然，狀若貴嬪。方思展拜，妃便先言：「敬屈先生，理須首謝。」呼左右以毯貼地，若將行禮。余惶悚無以為地，因啟曰：「草莽微賤，得辱寵召，已有餘榮。況敢分庭抗禮，益臣之罪，折臣之福！」妃命撤毯設宴，對筵相向。酒數行，余辭曰：「臣飲少輒醉，懼有愆儀。教命云何？幸釋疑慮。」妃不言，但以巨杯促飲。余屢請命。乃言：「妾，花神也。合家細弱，依棲於此，屢被封家婢子，橫見摧殘。今欲背城借一，煩君屬檄草耳。」余皇然起奏：「臣學陋不文，恐負重託；但承寵命，敢不竭肝鬲之愚。」妃喜，即殿上賜筆札。諸麗者拭案拂座，磨墨濡毫。又一垂髫人，折紙為範，置腕下。略寫一兩句，便二三輩疊背相窺。余素遲鈍，此時覺文思若湧。少間，稿脫，爭持去，啟呈絳妃。妃展閱一過，頗謂不疵，遂復送余歸。醒而憶之，情事宛然。但檄詞強半遺忘，因足而成之：
癸亥年，我在畢刺史家的綽然堂教書。畢公家花木繁盛，閒暇時，我常跟著他拄杖散步，盡情遊覽觀賞。一天，我看完景緻回來，疲倦極了，想睡一覺，就脫鞋上床。夢見兩個年輕女子，衣著豔麗，走近請我說：「有件事想託付您，冒昧請您移步。」我驚訝地起身，問：「是誰請我去見面？」她們說：「是絳妃。」我迷迷糊糊，不明白她們說的是誰，便立刻跟著去了。不久，看見殿閣高聳，彷彿直達銀河。下面有石階，一層層向上，走了大約一百多級，才到頂端。硃紅色的大門敞開著，又有兩三個美貌女子快步進去通報客人。沒多久，我們來到一座殿堂外，金鉤掛著碧綠的簾子，光彩耀眼。裡面一個女子走下臺階，身上的環佩叮噹作響，樣子像位尊貴的妃嬪。我正想下拜，她先開口說：「勞煩先生前來，按理該先向您致謝。」她叫身邊的人在地上鋪好毯子，像是準備行禮。我惶恐得不知如何是好，便說：「我是個卑微的平民，蒙您恩寵召見，已經十分榮耀。哪裡還敢同您平起平坐，彼此行禮？那隻會增加我的罪過，折損我的福分！」絳妃命人撤去毯子，擺上酒宴，我們各坐一席，面對著面。喝過幾輪酒，我推辭說：「我酒量很小，稍喝一點就醉，怕失了禮數。您有什麼吩咐？還請告訴我，解除我的疑慮。」絳妃不說話，只拿大酒杯催我喝酒。我一再請問她有什麼事，她才說：「我是花神。全家都是嬌弱的女子，寄居在這裡，屢次遭到封家那個婢女的蠻橫摧殘。如今想傾盡全力，同她決一死戰，要勞煩您替我起草一篇檄文。」我惶恐地起身回答：「我學識淺陋，不善作文，恐怕辜負您的重託。不過既然蒙您吩咐，怎敢不竭盡這點愚笨的心思。」絳妃很高興，當即在殿上賜給我紙筆。那些美貌女子擦淨桌子，拂淨座位，磨好墨，潤好筆。又有一個尚未挽起頭髮的小姑娘，把紙折成墊襯，放在我手腕下面。我才寫了一兩句，就有兩三個人擠在一起，從背後探頭來看。我平日寫文章很慢，這時卻覺得文思不斷湧出。沒多久，草稿寫好了，她們爭著拿去，呈給絳妃。絳妃從頭到尾看了一遍，認為大致沒有什麼毛病，便又送我回來。醒後回想，夢裡的情景仍歷歷在目，只是檄文的詞句已經忘了大半，於是補寫成篇：
癸亥岁，余馆于毕刺史公之绰然堂。公家花木最盛，暇辄从公杖履，得恣游赏。一日，眺览既归，倦极思寝，解屦登床。梦二女郎，被服艳丽，近请曰：「有所奉托，敢屈移玉。」余愕然起，问：「谁相见召？」曰：「绛妃耳。」恍惚不解所谓，遽从之去。俄睹殿阁，高接云汉。下有石阶，层层而上，约尽百余级，始至颠头。见朱门洞敞。又有二三丽者，趋入通客。无何，诣一殿外，金钩碧箔，光明射眼。内一女人降阶出，环佩锵然，状若贵嫔。方思展拜，妃便先言：「敬屈先生，理须首谢。」呼左右以毯贴地，若将行礼。余惶悚无以为地，因启曰：「草莽微贱，得辱宠召，已有余荣。况敢分庭抗礼，益臣之罪，折臣之福！」妃命撤毯设宴，对筵相向。酒数行，余辞曰：「臣饮少辄醉，惧有愆仪。教命云何？幸释疑虑。」妃不言，但以巨杯促饮。余屡请命。乃言：「妾，花神也。合家细弱，依栖于此，屡被封家婢子，横见摧残。今欲背城借一，烦君属檄草耳。」余皇然起奏：「臣学陋不文，恐负重托；但承宠命，敢不竭肝鬲之愚。」妃喜，即殿上赐笔札。诸丽者拭案拂座，磨墨濡毫。又一垂髫人，折纸为范，置腕下。略写一两句，便二三辈叠背相窥。余素迟钝，此时觉文思若涌。少间，稿脱，争持去，启呈绛妃。妃展阅一过，颇谓不疵，遂复送余归。醒而忆之，情事宛然。但檄词强半遗忘，因足而成之：
癸亥年，我在毕刺史家的绰然堂教书。毕公家花木繁盛，闲暇时，我常跟着他拄杖散步，尽情游览观赏。一天，我看完景致回来，疲倦极了，想睡一觉，就脱鞋上床。梦见两个年轻女子，衣着艳丽，走近请我说：“有件事想托付您，冒昧请您移步。”我惊讶地起身，问：“是谁请我去见面？”她们说：“是绛妃。”我迷迷糊糊，不明白她们说的是谁，便立刻跟着去了。不久，看见殿阁高耸，仿佛直达银河。下面有石阶，一层层向上，走了大约一百多级，才到顶端。朱红色的大门敞开着，又有两三个美貌女子快步进去通报客人。没多久，我们来到一座殿堂外，金钩挂着碧绿的帘子，光彩耀眼。里面一个女子走下台阶，身上的环佩叮当作响，样子像位尊贵的妃嫔。我正想下拜，她先开口说：“劳烦先生前来，按理该先向您致谢。”她叫身边的人在地上铺好毯子，像是准备行礼。我惶恐得不知如何是好，便说：“我是个卑微的平民，蒙您恩宠召见，已经十分荣耀。哪里还敢同您平起平坐，彼此行礼？那只会增加我的罪过，折损我的福分！”绛妃命人撤去毯子，摆上酒宴，我们各坐一席，面对着面。喝过几轮酒，我推辞说：“我酒量很小，稍喝一点就醉，怕失了礼数。您有什么吩咐？还请告诉我，解除我的疑虑。”绛妃不说话，只拿大酒杯催我喝酒。我一再请问她有什么事，她才说：“我是花神。全家都是娇弱的女子，寄居在这里，屡次遭到封家那个婢女的蛮横摧残。如今想倾尽全力，同她决一死战，要劳烦您替我起草一篇檄文。”我惶恐地起身回答：“我学识浅陋，不善作文，恐怕辜负您的重托。不过既然蒙您吩咐，怎敢不竭尽这点愚笨的心思。”绛妃很高兴，当即在殿上赐给我纸笔。那些美貌女子擦净桌子，拂净座位，磨好墨，润好笔。又有一个尚未挽起头发的小姑娘，把纸折成垫衬，放在我手腕下面。我才写了一两句，就有两三个人挤在一起，从背后探头来看。我平日写文章很慢，这时却觉得文思不断涌出。没多久，草稿写好了，她们争着拿去，呈给绛妃。绛妃从头到尾看了一遍，认为大致没有什么毛病，便又送我回来。醒后回想，梦里的情景仍历历在目，只是檄文的词句已经忘了大半，于是补写成篇：
In the guihai year I was a tutor in the house of Prefect Bi, living in his Chuoran Hall. His family’s flowers and trees were the finest anywhere, and whenever I had leisure I followed him about with staff and sandals and could wander and look to my heart’s content. One day, back from taking in the views, I was so tired that I wanted only to sleep, so I took off my shoes and got into bed. I dreamed that two young women, splendidly dressed, came up to me and said, “There is something we would ask of you. Would you condescend to come with us?” I sat up in surprise. “Who is it that summons me?” “The Crimson Consort,” they said. Dazed, not understanding what they meant, I went with them at once. In a moment I saw halls and pavilions rising to the Milky Way. Below them was a stone stair; I climbed it flight after flight, a hundred steps or more, before I reached the top. There a vermilion gate stood wide open. Two or three more beauties hurried in to announce the guest. Before long we came to the outside of a hall hung with jade-green blinds on golden hooks, so bright they dazzled the eyes. A woman came down the steps from within, her pendants chiming; she looked like a consort of high rank. I was about to bow down to her when she spoke first: “I have put you to great trouble, sir. It is right that I thank you first.” She called to her attendants to lay a carpet on the floor, as if she meant to make a formal bow. I was so alarmed that I did not know where to put myself, and said, “I am a humble man from the wilds. To be honoured with your summons is glory enough. How could I dare stand as your equal and exchange bows? It would add to my offence and use up my good fortune!” The Consort had the carpet taken away and a banquet laid, and we sat facing each other. After several rounds of wine I excused myself: “Your servant gets drunk on very little, and I fear I may forget my manners. What is it you would command of me? I beg you to set my mind at rest.” The Consort said nothing, but only pressed me to drink from a great cup. Again and again I asked what she wished. At last she said, “I am the Flower God. My whole household, all of us frail and young, lives here, and again and again we have been cruelly ravaged by that maid of the Feng family. Now I mean to fight one last battle beneath our walls, and I must trouble you to draft the proclamation of war.” I rose in a fluster and said, “Your servant’s learning is shallow and he is no writer; I fear I will fail so weighty a charge. But since you honour me with the command, how could I not give it all the poor wit I have?” The Consort was pleased, and there in the hall she gave me brush and paper. The beauties wiped the table and dusted the seat, ground the ink and wet the brush. A girl whose hair still hung loose folded a sheet of paper into a guide and set it under my wrist. I had barely written a line or two when two or three of them were crowding one behind another to peep. I am slow by nature, but now I felt the words come pouring out. In a little while the draft was done; they fought to take it and presented it to the Crimson Consort. She read it through once and thought it rather well done, and then had me sent home. When I woke I remembered it all, every detail clear. But more than half the words of the proclamation I had forgotten, so I filled it out to make it whole: