某御史家人，偶立市間，有一人衣冠華好，近與攀談。漸問主人姓字、官閥，家人並告之。其人自言：「王姓，貴主家之內使也。」語漸款洽，因曰：「宦途險惡，顯者皆附貴戚之門，尊主人所託何人也？」答曰：「無之。」王曰：「此所謂惜小費而忘大禍者也。」家人曰：「何託而可？」王曰：「公主待人以禮，能覆翼人。某侍郎係僕階進。倘不惜千金贄，見公主當亦不難。」家人喜，問其居止。便指其門戶曰：「日同巷不知耶？」家人歸告侍御。侍御喜，即張盛筵，使家人往邀王。王欣然來。筵間道公主情性及起居瑣事甚悉。且言：「非同巷之誼，即賜百金賞，不肯效牛馬。」御史益佩戴之。臨別訂約。王曰：「公但備物，僕乘間言之，旦晚當有報命。」越數日始至，騎駿馬甚都。謂侍御曰：「可速治裝行。公主事大煩，投謁者踵相接，自晨及夕，不得一間。今得少隙，宜急往，誤則相見無期矣。」侍御乃出兼金重幣，從之去。曲折十餘里，始至公主第，下騎祗候。王先持贄入。久之，出，宣言：「公主召某御史。」即有數人接遞傳呼。侍御傴僂而入，見高堂上坐麗人，姿貌如仙，服飾炳耀；侍姬皆著錦繡，羅列成行。侍御伏謁盡禮。傳命賜坐簷下，金椀進茗。主略致溫旨，侍御肅而退。自內傳賜緞靴、貂帽。既歸，深德王，持刺謁謝，則門闔無人。疑其侍主未歸。三日三詣，終不復見。使人詢諸貴主之門，則高扉扃錮。訪之居人，並言：「此間曾無貴主。前有數人僦屋而居，今去已三日矣。」使反命，主僕喪氣而已。
某位御史的家僕偶然站在街市上，有個衣帽華麗的人走近，同他攀談起來。那人漸漸問起他主人的姓名和官職，家僕都告訴了他。那人自稱：「我姓王，是公主府裡的內使。」兩人越談越投機，那人便說：「做官的道路險惡，有地位的人都依附皇親國戚。你家主人依靠的是誰？」家僕回答：「沒有。」姓王的說：「這就是捨不得花小錢，卻忘了防備大禍。」家僕問：「依靠誰才好？」姓王的說：「公主待人有禮，能庇護別人。某位侍郎就是經我引薦才升上去的。你家主人要是捨得拿出價值千金的見面禮，想見公主應該也不難。」家僕很高興，問他住在哪裡。他隨手指著自己的門戶說：「天天住在同一條巷子裡，你竟不知道嗎？」家僕回去告訴了御史。御史大喜，立刻擺下豐盛的酒席，叫家僕去請姓王的。姓王的欣然前來。席間，他把公主的性情和日常起居的瑣事說得十分詳細，還說：「要不是看在同巷鄰居的情分上，就是賞我百金，我也不肯這樣奔走效勞。」御史越發感激他。臨別時，兩人約定了這件事。姓王的說：「您只管準備禮物，我找個空當提一提，早晚會來回話。」過了幾天，他才騎著一匹駿馬來了，十分氣派。他對御史說：「趕快收拾好，動身吧。公主事務繁忙，前去拜見的人一個接著一個，從早到晚，片刻不得閒。現在好不容易有了一點空閒，得趕緊過去，錯過了，以後什麼時候能見就難說了。」御史便取出上等金子和貴重絲綢，跟他去了。一路曲折走了十多里，才到公主府，御史下了坐騎，恭敬地等候。姓王的先拿著禮物進去。過了很久，他出來高聲說：「公主召見某御史。」立刻有幾個人接連傳呼。御史彎著腰進去，看見高堂上坐著一位美人，容貌如仙，服飾耀眼；侍女們都穿著錦繡衣裳，排列成行。御史伏地拜見，禮數十分周全。裡面傳命，賜他坐在簷下，又用金碗端來茶。公主略說了幾句溫和的話，御史便恭敬地退了出來。裡面又傳出賞賜，給了他緞靴和貂帽。回家後，御史十分感激姓王的，拿著名帖去登門道謝，卻見大門緊閉，空無一人。他猜想那人還在侍奉公主，沒有回來。接連三天去了三次，始終沒再見到。他又派人到公主府打聽，只見高大的門戶鎖得嚴嚴實實。問附近居民，大家都說：「這裡從來沒有什麼公主。先前有幾個人租下這所房子住，如今已經走了三天了。」派去的人回來報告，主僕二人也只能垂頭喪氣。
某御史家人，偶立市间，有一人衣冠华好，近与攀谈。渐问主人姓字、官阀，家人并告之。其人自言：「王姓，贵主家之内使也。」语渐款洽，因曰：「宦途险恶，显者皆附贵戚之门，尊主人所托何人也？」答曰：「无之。」王曰：「此所谓惜小费而忘大祸者也。」家人曰：「何托而可？」王曰：「公主待人以礼，能覆翼人。某侍郎系仆阶进。倘不惜千金贽，见公主当亦不难。」家人喜，问其居止。便指其门户曰：「日同巷不知耶？」家人归告侍御。侍御喜，即张盛筵，使家人往邀王。王欣然来。筵间道公主情性及起居琐事甚悉。且言：「非同巷之谊，即赐百金赏，不肯效牛马。」御史益佩戴之。临别订约。王曰：「公但备物，仆乘间言之，旦晚当有报命。」越数日始至，骑骏马甚都。谓侍御曰：「可速治装行。公主事大烦，投谒者踵相接，自晨及夕，不得一间。今得少隙，宜急往，误则相见无期矣。」侍御乃出兼金重币，从之去。曲折十余里，始至公主第，下骑祗候。王先持贽入。久之，出，宣言：「公主召某御史。」即有数人接递传呼。侍御伛偻而入，见高堂上坐丽人，姿貌如仙，服饰炳耀；侍姬皆着锦绣，罗列成行。侍御伏谒尽礼。传命赐坐檐下，金椀进茗。主略致温旨，侍御肃而退。自内传赐缎靴、貂帽。既归，深德王，持刺谒谢，则门阖无人。疑其侍主未归。三日三诣，终不复见。使人询诸贵主之门，则高扉扃锢。访之居人，并言：「此间曾无贵主。前有数人僦屋而居，今去已三日矣。」使反命，主仆丧气而已。
某位御史的家仆偶然站在街市上，有个衣帽华丽的人走近，同他攀谈起来。那人渐渐问起他主人的姓名和官职，家仆都告诉了他。那人自称：“我姓王，是公主府里的内使。”两人越谈越投机，那人便说：“做官的道路险恶，有地位的人都依附皇亲国戚。你家主人依靠的是谁？”家仆回答：“没有。”姓王的说：“这就是舍不得花小钱，却忘了防备大祸。”家仆问：“依靠谁才好？”姓王的说：“公主待人有礼，能庇护别人。某位侍郎就是经我引荐才升上去的。你家主人要是舍得拿出价值千金的见面礼，想见公主应该也不难。”家仆很高兴，问他住在哪里。他随手指着自己的门户说：“天天住在同一条巷子里，你竟不知道吗？”家仆回去告诉了御史。御史大喜，立刻摆下丰盛的酒席，叫家仆去请姓王的。姓王的欣然前来。席间，他把公主的性情和日常起居的琐事说得十分详细，还说：“要不是看在同巷邻居的情分上，就是赏我百金，我也不肯这样奔走效劳。”御史越发感激他。临别时，两人约定了这件事。姓王的说：“您只管准备礼物，我找个空当提一提，早晚会来回话。”过了几天，他才骑着一匹骏马来了，十分气派。他对御史说：“赶快收拾好，动身吧。公主事务繁忙，前去拜见的人一个接着一个，从早到晚，片刻不得闲。现在好不容易有了一点空闲，得赶紧过去，错过了，以后什么时候能见就难说了。”御史便取出上等金子和贵重丝绸，跟他去了。一路曲折走了十多里，才到公主府，御史下了坐骑，恭敬地等候。姓王的先拿着礼物进去。过了很久，他出来高声说：“公主召见某御史。”立刻有几个人接连传呼。御史弯着腰进去，看见高堂上坐着一位美人，容貌如仙，服饰耀眼；侍女们都穿着锦绣衣裳，排列成行。御史伏地拜见，礼数十分周全。里面传命，赐他坐在檐下，又用金碗端来茶。公主略说了几句温和的话，御史便恭敬地退了出来。里面又传出赏赐，给了他缎靴和貂帽。回家后，御史十分感激姓王的，拿着名帖去登门道谢，却见大门紧闭，空无一人。他猜想那人还在侍奉公主，没有回来。接连三天去了三次，始终没再见到。他又派人到公主府打听，只见高大的门户锁得严严实实。问附近居民，大家都说：“这里从来没有什么公主。先前有几个人租下这所房子住，如今已经走了三天了。”派去的人回来报告，主仆二人也只能垂头丧气。
A censor’s servant happened to be standing in the market when a man in fine clothes and a handsome cap came up and fell into talk with him. Little by little he asked the master’s name and rank, and the servant told him everything. The man said of himself, “My name is Wang. I am an inner attendant in the household of the Princess.” As they grew friendlier, he said, “The road of office is full of dangers. Men of standing all attach themselves to the gate of some imperial in-law. Whom does your honoured master rely on?” “No one,” said the servant. “That is what they call sparing a small expense and forgetting a great disaster,” said Wang. “Whom should he rely on?” asked the servant. “The Princess treats people with courtesy,” said Wang, “and can shelter them under her wing. Vice-Minister So-and-so rose through me. If your master does not grudge a gift of a thousand in gold, an audience with the Princess should not be hard.” The servant was delighted and asked where he lived. Wang pointed to a gate. “We live on the same lane, and you never knew?” The servant went home and told the censor. The censor was delighted, laid on a great feast at once and sent the servant to invite Wang. Wang came gladly. Over the wine he talked of the Princess’s temper and the small details of her daily life, and knew them all. He also said, “If we were not neighbours on the same lane, I would not slave for you like an ox or a horse even for a hundred in gold.” The censor was all the more grateful. When they parted they settled the arrangement. Wang said, “You need only get the gifts ready. I will speak of it when I find a moment, and bring you word any day now.” Several days passed before he came, riding a fine horse, very splendid. “Get ready to go at once,” he said to the censor. “The Princess has a great deal of business. Callers arrive on each other’s heels from morning to night, and she has not a moment to spare. Now she has a little free time. We must hurry; if we miss it, there is no telling when you will see her.” The censor brought out gold of the finest and rich silks and went with him. They wound this way and that for more than ten li before they reached the Princess’s mansion, where the censor dismounted and waited respectfully. Wang went in first with the gifts. After a long while he came out and announced, “The Princess summons Censor So-and-so.” At once several people passed the call along, one to the next. The censor went in bent double. In a high hall sat a beautiful woman, lovely as an immortal, her clothes and ornaments dazzling; her waiting women, all in brocade and embroidery, stood in rows. The censor prostrated himself and paid his respects with full ceremony. Word came that he was to be given a seat beneath the eaves, and tea was brought in a gold bowl. The Princess said a few gracious words, and the censor withdrew with deep respect. From within came gifts for him of satin boots and a sable hat. Back home, deeply grateful to Wang, he took his card and went to thank him, but the gate was shut and there was no one there. He supposed Wang was in attendance on the Princess and had not come back. Three times in three days he called, and never saw him again. He sent someone to inquire at the Princess’s gate: the tall doors were locked fast. The neighbours, when asked, all said, “There has never been any princess here. Some time ago a few men rented the house and lived in it. They left three days ago.” The messenger reported back, and master and servant could do nothing but lose heart.