隋煬帝之幸江都也，命司空楊素守西京。素驕貴，又以時亂，天下之權重望崇者，莫我若也。奢貴自奉，禮異人臣。每公卿入言，賓客上謁，未嘗不踞床而見，令美人捧出，侍婢羅列，頗僭於上。末年益甚。
隋煬帝巡幸江都時，命司空楊素留守西京。楊素驕橫顯貴，又因為時局動亂，認為天下權勢最重、名望最高的人，沒有誰比得上自己。他生活奢侈，禮儀排場不像個臣子。每當公卿來進言、賓客來拜見，他總是倚坐在床榻上接見，讓美人攙扶出來，侍婢排列兩旁，很有些僭越皇上。到了晚年更加厲害。
隋炀帝之幸江都也，命司空杨素守西京。素骄贵，又以时乱，天下之权重望崇者，莫我若也。奢贵自奉，礼异人臣。每公卿入言，宾客上谒，未尝不踞床而见，令美人捧出，侍婢罗列，颇僭于上。末年益甚。
隋炀帝巡幸江都时，命司空杨素留守西京。杨素骄横显贵，又因为时局动乱，认为天下权势最重、名望最高的人，没有谁比得上自己。他生活奢侈，礼仪排场不像个臣子。每当公卿来进言、宾客来拜见，他总是倚坐在床榻上接见，让美人搀扶出来，侍婢排列两旁，很有些僭越皇上。到了晚年更加厉害。
When Emperor Yang of the Sui made his progress to Jiangdu, he ordered Yang Su, the Minister of Works, to hold the Western Capital. Yang Su was proud and grand, and since the times were in disorder, he thought no one in the empire could match his power and prestige. He lived in luxury and took honours beyond those of a subject. Whenever ministers came to speak with him or guests came to pay their respects, he always received them sprawled on his couch, had beautiful women help him out, and kept rows of maids about him, much as if he were the emperor. In his last years it grew worse.
一日，衛公李靖以布衣來謁，獻奇策。素亦踞見之。靖前揖曰：「天下方亂，英雄競起，公為帝室重臣，須以收羅豪傑為心，不宜踞見賓客。」素斂容而起，與語大悅，收其策而退。當靖之聘辯也，一妓有殊色，執紅拂，立於前，獨目靖。靖既去，而拂妓臨軒，指吏問曰：「去者處士第幾？住何處？」吏具以對，妓頷而去。
一天，衛公李靖以平民的身份來拜見，獻上奇策。楊素也照樣倚坐著接見他。李靖上前作揖說：「天下正亂，英雄紛紛起事，您身為皇室重臣，應當以收羅豪傑為心，不該倚坐著接見賓客。」楊素收斂神色，站起身來，和他交談，十分高興，收下他的策論，退了下去。李靖侃侃而談的時候，有個容貌出眾的歌妓，手執紅拂塵，站在前面，只盯著李靖看。李靖走後，那個執拂的歌妓走到欄杆邊，指著一個吏員問道：「剛才離開的那位處士排行第幾？住在哪裡？」吏員一一回答了她，歌妓點點頭走了。
一日，卫公李靖以布衣来谒，献奇策。素亦踞见之。靖前揖曰：「天下方乱，英雄竞起，公为帝室重臣，须以收罗豪杰为心，不宜踞见宾客。」素敛容而起，与语大悦，收其策而退。当靖之聘辩也，一妓有殊色，执红拂，立于前，独目靖。靖既去，而拂妓临轩，指吏问曰：「去者处士第几？住何处？」吏具以对，妓颔而去。
一天，卫公李靖以平民的身份来拜见，献上奇策。杨素也照样倚坐着接见他。李靖上前作揖说：“天下正乱，英雄纷纷起事，您身为皇室重臣，应当以收罗豪杰为心，不该倚坐着接见宾客。”杨素收敛神色，站起身来，和他交谈，十分高兴，收下他的策论，退了下去。李靖侃侃而谈的时候，有个容貌出众的歌妓，手执红拂尘，站在前面，只盯着李靖看。李靖走后，那个执拂的歌妓走到栏杆边，指着一个吏员问道：“刚才离开的那位处士排行第几？住在哪里？”吏员一一回答了她，歌妓点点头走了。
One day Li Jing, later Duke of Wei, came to call as a man without office and presented a remarkable plan. Yang Su received him sprawled on his couch as usual. Li Jing stepped forward, bowed and said, “The empire is in turmoil and heroes are rising on every side. You are a great minister of the imperial house. You ought to make it your concern to gather men of talent, and not receive your guests sprawled on a couch.” Yang Su’s face grew serious and he rose. He talked with Li Jing and was greatly pleased, accepted his plan and withdrew. While Li Jing was holding forth, one of the courtesans, a girl of rare beauty holding a red whisk, stood before them and looked only at him. When Li Jing had gone, the girl with the whisk went to the railing, pointed out an attendant and asked him, “That gentleman who just left — what is his place among his brothers, and where does he live?” The attendant told her everything. She nodded and went away.
靖歸逆旅，其夜五更初，忽聞扣門而聲低者，靖起問焉，乃紫衣戴帽人，杖揭一囊。靖問：「誰？」曰：「妾楊家之紅拂妓也。」靖遽延入，脫衣去帽，乃十八九佳麗人也。素面華衣而拜。靖驚。答曰：「妾侍楊司空久，閱天下之人多矣，未有如公者。絲蘿非獨生，願托喬木，故來奔耳。」靖曰：「楊司空權重京師，如何？」曰：「彼屍居餘氣，不足畏也。諸妓知其無成，去者眾矣。彼亦不甚逐也。計之詳矣，幸無疑焉。」問其姓，曰：「張。」問伯仲之次，曰：「最長。」觀其肌膚儀狀，言詞氣性，真天人也。靖不自意獲之，益喜懼，瞬息萬慮不安，而窺戶者足無停履。既數日，聞追訪之聲，意亦非峻，乃雄服乘馬，排闥而去。
李靖回到客店。那天夜裡五更剛到，忽然聽見有人輕輕敲門，李靖起身詢問，原來是一個穿紫衣、戴帽子的人，用杖挑著一個包袱。李靖問：「是誰？」那人說：「我是楊家那個執紅拂的歌妓。」李靖趕忙請她進來。她脫下外衣、摘掉帽子，原來是個十八九歲的美麗女子，臉上不施脂粉，穿著華麗的衣服，向他下拜。李靖很吃驚。她說：「我服侍楊司空很久了，見過的天下人物多了，沒有一個比得上您。絲蘿不能獨自生長，願意依託喬木，所以來投奔您。」李靖說：「楊司空在京城權勢很大，怎麼辦？」她說：「他不過是一具還剩一口氣的屍體，不值得害怕。歌妓們知道他成不了事，走掉的已經很多了，他也不怎麼追究。我已經考慮周全，請您不要疑慮。」問她姓什麼，她說：「姓張。」問她排行第幾，她說：「是老大。」李靖看她的肌膚儀態、言談性情，真像是天上的仙女。李靖沒想到能得到她，越發又喜又怕，轉眼之間萬般憂慮，心神不安，不停地到門口窺看。過了幾天，聽到追查尋訪的風聲，看來也不很嚴厲，就換上男裝騎著馬，推門而去。
靖归逆旅，其夜五更初，忽闻扣门而声低者，靖起问焉，乃紫衣戴帽人，杖揭一囊。靖问：「谁？」曰：「妾杨家之红拂妓也。」靖遽延入，脱衣去帽，乃十八九佳丽人也。素面华衣而拜。靖惊。答曰：「妾侍杨司空久，阅天下之人多矣，未有如公者。丝萝非独生，愿托乔木，故来奔耳。」靖曰：「杨司空权重京师，如何？」曰：「彼尸居余气，不足畏也。诸妓知其无成，去者众矣。彼亦不甚逐也。计之详矣，幸无疑焉。」问其姓，曰：「张。」问伯仲之次，曰：「最长。」观其肌肤仪状，言词气性，真天人也。靖不自意获之，益喜惧，瞬息万虑不安，而窥户者足无停履。既数日，闻追访之声，意亦非峻，乃雄服乘马，排闼而去。
李靖回到客店。那天夜里五更刚到，忽然听见有人轻轻敲门，李靖起身询问，原来是一个穿紫衣、戴帽子的人，用杖挑着一个包袱。李靖问：“是谁？”那人说：“我是杨家那个执红拂的歌妓。”李靖赶忙请她进来。她脱下外衣、摘掉帽子，原来是个十八九岁的美丽女子，脸上不施脂粉，穿着华丽的衣服，向他下拜。李靖很吃惊。她说：“我服侍杨司空很久了，见过的天下人物多了，没有一个比得上您。丝萝不能独自生长，愿意依托乔木，所以来投奔您。”李靖说：“杨司空在京城权势很大，怎么办？”她说：“他不过是一具还剩一口气的尸体，不值得害怕。歌妓们知道他成不了事，走掉的已经很多了，他也不怎么追究。我已经考虑周全，请您不要疑虑。”问她姓什么，她说：“姓张。”问她排行第几，她说：“是老大。”李靖看她的肌肤仪态、言谈性情，真像是天上的仙女。李靖没想到能得到她，越发又喜又怕，转眼之间万般忧虑，心神不安，不停地到门口窥看。过了几天，听到追查寻访的风声，看来也不很严厉，就换上男装骑着马，推门而去。
Li Jing went back to his inn. That night, at the beginning of the fifth watch, he heard a soft knock at the door. He got up and asked who it was. It was someone in purple clothes and a hat, with a bag hung from a stick. “Who are you?” asked Li Jing. “I am the girl with the red whisk from the Yang household.” Li Jing quickly asked her in. She took off the coat and hat: it was a beautiful girl of eighteen or nineteen. Her face unpainted, in fine clothes, she bowed to him. Li Jing was astonished. “I have served Minister Yang a long time,” she said, “and seen a great many men of the empire, but none like you. The creeper cannot grow alone; it longs to cling to a tall tree. So I have run away to you.” “Minister Yang has great power in the capital,” said Li Jing. “What about him?” “He is a corpse with a little breath left in it. He is not to be feared. The girls know he will come to nothing, and many have left already. He does not try very hard to bring them back. I have thought it all through. Please have no doubts.” He asked her surname. “Zhang.” He asked her place among her sisters. “The eldest.” Looking at her skin and her bearing, her speech and her spirit, he saw she was truly a woman from heaven. Li Jing had never dreamed of winning her, and he was all the more delighted and afraid; in an instant he had ten thousand worries and no peace, and he went to the door again and again to peer out. After several days they heard that she was being searched for, but it did not seem pressing. So she dressed as a man, they mounted horses, pushed open the gate and left.