In a prominent, wealthy household in Hebei, Master Zhang posted a recruitment notice seeking a tutor. A scholar arrived to recommend himself. The master came out to greet him. The scholar’s speech was exquisite, his demeanor cheerful, and the master was so pleased that he hired him on the spot.

The scholar introduced himself as Mr. Hu, a man of profound learning who ran a school for disciples, both diligent and devoted to his profession. However, he had one distinct flaw: he would occasionally slip out for jaunts, returning only late at night. Upon his return, he never knocked; he would simply phase through the wall or burrow beneath the earth—his supernatural abilities were extraordinary. The master secretly suspected he was a fox spirit, but because Mr. Hu was always courteous, polite, and never displayed any malice, the master felt no fear, continuing to treat him with the utmost respect.

Mr. Hu had long heard tell of the master's beautiful daughter and desperately wished to marry her. He repeatedly brought the matter up with the master, who pretended deafness and repeatedly declined. One day, Mr. Hu took leave under some pretext. The very next day, a visitor suddenly arrived, riding a donkey. The master welcomed him inside. The visitor was about fifty years old, impeccably dressed, with an air of refined elegance. He announced his purpose: entrusted by Mr. Hu, he had come to propose marriage.

The master remained silent for a long moment before saying, "Old Mr. Hu and I are the closest of friends; why bother with a marital alliance? Furthermore, my young daughter is already promised to another. This old man is truly unable to help."

The visitor countered, "Why must the esteemed elder speak untruths? Your daughter clearly remains awaiting a husband in her chambers; why push away a suitor so thoroughly?" Despite repeated requests, the master remained steadfast in his refusal.

The visitor became visibly displeased and declared, "The Hu family is also a prominent clan; are they not good enough for your daughter?"

The master stated plainly, "I mean nothing else, only that humans and spirits walk different paths." Hearing this, the visitor was enraged, and the master grew equally angry. Both men’s faces lengthened, poised for a physical confrontation at any moment.

The visitor struck first, reaching out to grab the master's chest. The master, agile of movement, easily sidestepped the attack, shouting, "Men! Escort this guest out!" Several servants rushed in wielding brooms and wooden clubs, beating the visitor out with a flurry of strikes. The visitor fled in disarray, hastily abandoning his donkey in the large courtyard, too panicked to retrieve it.

That donkey had a long tail, upright ears, a coat as black as ink, and a massive frame. The master approached to prod it, but the beast remained woodenly unresponsive. With a light push, the donkey tumbled to the ground, then shook itself and transformed into nothing more than a common field insect.

Since the visitor’s departure, the master worried that Mr. Hu would seek revenge and kept a quiet watch. The next day, a large contingent of fox soldiers indeed arrived to provoke them—cavalry, infantry, archers, and spearmen—their neighing and shouting creating a fearsome clamor. The master dared not show himself, and the fox spirits threatened to set the house ablaze, increasing the master’s terror.

With disaster looming, the loyal servants rallied, charging out and hurling stones and shooting arrows. A battle between men and spirits commenced, clashing back and forth, both sides suffering casualties. As time dragged on, the fox spirits’ morale waned, and they dispersed, leaving a ground littered with swords, spears, and halberds. Picking them up, they discovered they were nothing more than piles of sorghum leaves.

The servants burst into laughter. "The fox spirit has exhausted its tricks; that’s all it amounts to." Though boasting outwardly, they dared not relax their vigilance in private, maintaining tight defenses.

The following day, patrols were sent out in shifts. Suddenly, a giant descended from the sky, nearly three meters tall and six feet around the waist, wielding a massive blade and cutting down all he encountered. The servants fought back with bows and arrows. After several volleys, the giant collapsed, dead, revealing its true form: a scarecrow.

Having won two battles in succession, the servants gradually lowered their guard. One morning, while the master was in the privy, fox soldiers suddenly gathered outside, drew their bows, and loosed a barrage of arrows, all striking his backside. The master cried out in terror for help. The servants rushed to his aid, but the fox spirits had already vanished completely. The master, burning with resentment, pulled out the arrows sticking in his backside one by one. Under the sunlight, it was clear: these were no deadly shafts, but mere stalks of wheat and straw that had transformed.

This harassment continued intermittently for over a month. Although the damage was slight, the constant state of alarm wearied the master.

One day, Mr. Hu personally led a throng of demons to cause a disturbance. Upon seeing the master’s face, he became somewhat abashed, quickly hiding among the crowd, unwilling to show himself. When the master called out his name, Mr. Hu had no choice but to steel himself and emerge.

The master said, "I believe I have treated you well, offering no neglect whatsoever. Why the resort to arms, forcing a life-or-death struggle?" The assembled foxes scoffed at this, drawing their bows to shoot, but Mr. Hu waved them to stop. The master stepped forward, took his hand, and invited Mr. Hu inside for a serious discussion. After pouring wine and entertaining him, the master spoke calmly, "Sir is a reasonable man; I beg you to understand my position. Our bond is deep; do you truly believe I am unwilling to ally with you? But your carriages and horses, your palaces, your family and servants—all are vastly different from those of humans. If my young daughter were to marry suddenly, how could she adapt? Besides, as the saying goes, 'A forced melon yields no sweetness.' I have said all I can. Whether you accept or reject, the decision is yours."

Mr. Hu lowered his head and said nothing, his expression a mixture of shame and embarrassment. The master smiled gently and said kindly, "Let the past events scatter with the wind. We remain good friends. If young master does not object, I have a young son at home, only fifteen years old, who is yet unmarried. I am willing to join our families through marriage. What say you?"

Mr. Hu replied joyfully, "Excellent, let it be so. I have a younger sister, fourteen years old, whose looks are not at all unpleasant. Let us settle the betrothal today."

Their eyes met, and they bowed several times, signifying the resolution of past grievances. The master then commanded his staff to prepare a grand feast for the assembled fox soldiers and demons. After several cups of wine, men and spirits mingled harmoniously, everyone joyous. The master inquired about Mr. Hu's homeland, intending to formally propose, but Mr. Hu laughed, "No need for such trouble. When my little sister turns fifteen, I will personally bring her for the wedding." He downed half a bottle of wine on the table, his eyes glazed over with drink, and strode away.

A year later, as the wedding date neared, Mr. Hu was nowhere to be seen. His family suspected he had broken his word, but the master laughed, "It won't happen. Mr. Hu is a true gentleman and will surely keep his promise." Another half-year passed, and finally, Mr. Hu arrived with his sister. He announced, "My sister has grown into a woman. We only need to select an auspicious day, and the young couple can be married at any time."

The master was delighted. The two families set a date and began preparations for the festivities. On the agreed-upon night, Mr. Hu arrived with gongs and drums, riding horses and carried in palanquins, escorting his sister in a lively procession. The bride’s dowry was magnificent, filling an entire room. The fox woman was incomparably beautiful and gentle, possessing a virtuous and filial nature. Her demeanor was gracious when paying respects to her in-laws, and she quickly won the master's deep affection.

Mr. Hu, accompanied by his younger brother, saw her off. The brother was eloquent and fond of drink; the two brothers continued drinking until dawn before departing.

After the new bride entered the household, she demonstrated an uncanny ability to predict the outcome of harvests, never being wrong. In daily household management, all major and minor affairs were decided and assigned by her with precise orderliness. Mr. Hu and his brother frequently visited their sister, and as time passed, everyone became familiar with the fox spirits.