He Shican, styled Zixiao, resided east of the Yuxi River, his gate opening onto the open fields. One dusk, riding out, he saw a woman approaching on a donkey, followed by a youth. The woman was about fifty, possessed of a refined demeanor, while the youth, perhaps fifteen or sixteen, had an extraordinary bearing, his grace surpassing even that of famed beauties. He Sheng, who had long harbored a penchant for beautiful young men, was utterly captivated by the sight of the youth, craning his neck to watch him depart until the shadow vanished.

The very next morning, He Sheng went early to wait by the roadside, hoping to see the youth again. As the sun began to set, the youth indeed appeared. He Sheng approached him with intentional charm, smilingly inquiring whence he came. The youth replied, "From my maternal grandmother's house." He Sheng invited him in for a discourse, but the youth politely declined, citing a lack of time. He Sheng implored him repeatedly, and the youth reluctantly agreed, staying only a short while before asking to leave. He Sheng held his hand, escorting him to the gate, and charged him, "If you pass this way again, you must remember to call on me." The youth murmured assent and hurried away.

From that time forward, He Sheng thought of the youth day and night, restless whether sitting or standing, frequently gazing out the doorway. One evening, the youth finally appeared. He Sheng was overjoyed, invited him inside, and ordered his servant to prepare a banquet. When asked his name, the youth said, "My surname is Huang, and I am the ninth-born; being young, I have no given name." He Sheng inquired, "Why do I so often see you passing by my gate?" Ninth-born replied, "My mother is frail and often ill, so she stays at my grandmother's house, and I must visit her frequently."

After several cups of wine, Ninth-born excused himself to depart. He Sheng seized his arm, detaining him, and closed the doors and windows, refusing to let him go. Ninth-born, helpless, could only sit down with a flushed face. They talked by lamplight for a while, and Ninth-born was as gentle and reserved as a maiden. At times, when He Sheng spoke too boldly, Ninth-born would turn his face away in shy refusal to engage further.

He Sheng desired to share the bed with him, but Ninth-born would not consent, protesting, "I am not accustomed to sleeping with others." He Sheng pressed his request again and again. Unable to refuse further, Ninth-born removed his outer garment and lay down on the ** wearing only his trousers. He Sheng extinguished the candle, pressed close to Ninth-born, nudging and rubbing against him, reaching out to draw him into his embrace with the intent of intimacy. Ninth-born grew angry and declared, "I considered the young master a man of refinement, which is why I lingered. But observing your conduct—this molestation between men—it is worse than that of beasts." He angrily scrambled up and went off on his own. He Sheng stared forlornly out at the faintly glittering stars, sighing deeply.

Since Ninth-born's departure, He Sheng worried he would never see him again, brooding listlessly day after day, longing for the youth until his gaze pierced the constellations. After several days, Ninth-born finally showed himself again. He Sheng was greatly delighted, stepped forward to apologize, and forcibly drew him into the study. They sat, exchanging pleasantries, and Ninth-born appeared completely natural. He Sheng secretly rejoiced that the youth held no grudge for the past offense. After a while, He Sheng removed his clothes and ascended the bed, again requesting to share a pillow with Ninth-born. Ninth-born responded, "I have taken your affectionate intention to heart. However, in friendship, why must it come to this?" He Sheng persisted in his pleas, begging only for a single touch of his jade-like skin. Ninth-born, out of necessity, finally agreed. He Sheng waited until he was deeply asleep, then secretly touched him wantonly. Ninth-born awoke with a start, snatched up his clothes, and fled into the night.

He Sheng became profoundly melancholic, feeling a profound sense of loss, neglecting food and sleep, growing thinner day by day. His only daily activity was ordering his servant to wait outside for Ninth-born. One day, Ninth-born passed by the door, and the servant seized his robe and pulled him into the house. Ninth-born saw He Sheng's gaunt appearance and was greatly shocked, stepping forward to inquire after him. He Sheng recounted the truth, tears streaming down his face as he spoke. Ninth-born spoke softly and gently, saying, "My intention was only because our affection, while perhaps no benefit to me, could be a harm to you, so I was unwilling. But since you insist so strongly, what need have I to hold back? Wait until you have recovered your health, and then we shall discuss it." He Sheng was greatly pleased. Since Ninth-born's departure, his condition had considerably improved, and he was fully recovered within a few days. Soon thereafter, Ninth-born returned as promised. The two cast off their clothes and lay in bed, entwined in mutual delight.

Afterward, Ninth-born said, "I indulged you this one night, but this cannot become a habit." He then added, "I have a favor to ask of you; I hope you will help me." He Sheng replied, "Tell me, what is it?" Ninth-born said, "My mother suffers from heart pain, and only the Innate Elixir of Grand Tutor Qi Yewang can cure it. You are well acquainted with Grand Tutor Qi; please beg a few pills for me." He Sheng nodded his agreement, rode into the city to ask for the medicine, and handed it to Ninth-born the next day. Ninth-born was overjoyed and repeatedly thanked him. He Sheng again desired intimacy, but Ninth-born shook his head, saying, "Do not cling to this. I shall find another beauty for you, one superior to me by ten thousand times." He Sheng asked, "Who?" Ninth-born replied, "I have a cousin, unparalleled in beauty. If you wish, I will mediate for you." He Sheng smiled faintly and made no reply, and Ninth-born left with the medicine.

Three days later, Ninth-born returned, again asking for medicine. He Sheng, resentful of his absence over the past few days, spoke with undeniable sarcasm. Ninth-born said, "I never wished to harm you. Since you persist in delusion, do not regret it later." From that time on, the two enjoyed intimacy every night. Every few days, Ninth-born would ask He Sheng to seek medicine again. Grand Tutor Qi grew quite suspicious and said to He Sheng, "My elixir is remarkably efficacious; three courses should cure any persistent ailment. How is it that you are not yet well?" As he spoke, he wrapped up three packets of pills at once for him. Looking intently at He Sheng, he said, "You look dispirited; are you perhaps unwell?" He Sheng replied, "No." Grand Tutor Qi took his pulse and exclaimed, "You have a spectral pulse, an illness in the Shaoyin meridian. If you do not take care, your life will be in peril soon."

He Sheng returned and mentioned this to Ninth-born. Ninth-born praised him, "Grand Tutor Qi is truly a skilled physician. I am, in fact, a fox spirit. We cannot associate any longer, or it will harm you." He Sheng did not believe him, but feared Ninth-born would not see him again, so he gave him only a portion of the medicine. The two continued their assignations, and before long, He Sheng indeed fell ill. Grand Tutor Qi diagnosed him and stated, "You did not heed my warning before; now your soul has left your body, and it is beyond recovery. I can do nothing." Ninth-born visited He Sheng's study daily, sighing, "You did not heed my words, and so this has come to pass."

Not long after, He Sheng died, and Ninth-born wept bitterly before returning.

Prior to this, there was a Grand Historian in the county town who had studied with He Sheng in their youth and achieved the rank of Hanlin Academician at seventeen. At that time, the court was corrupt, and the powerful official Qin Fan held absolute sway; no one dared oppose him. The Grand Historian submitted a memorial impeaching Qin Fan for his crimes but was consequently dismissed from office. Qin Fan and the Grand Historian were irreconcilable enemies, constantly scheming to destroy one another. Coincidentally, when the Grand Historian was young, he had been too closely associated with a rebellious prince—a vulnerability that fell into Qin Fan's hands. Knowing his life was forfeit, the Grand Historian committed suicide, and his wife hanged herself as well.

After the Grand Historian's death, he suddenly awoke the night following his demise, crying out, "I am He Zixiao." His family questioned him repeatedly, and the Grand Historian spoke only of matters pertaining to the He family. It turned out that He Sheng had borrowed the corpse for his spirit to re-inhabit.

After his resurrection, He Sheng bolted out the door and rushed back to his old residence. This news quickly reached Qin Fan, who assumed the Grand Historian had feigned death to escape danger and was intent on ensuring his demise. He sent men to demand a thousand taels of gold, which He Sheng pretended to agree to, though he was in utter despair.

While agonizing over this, Ninth-born suddenly called upon him. Upon meeting, they were overcome with a mix of sorrow and joy. He Sheng again sought intimacy with Ninth-born, who cursed him, "Do you have three lives that you are so unafraid of death?" He Sheng replied, "Life is joyless; it is better to die and end it all," recounting his hardships. Ninth-born frowned in thought, and after a long pause, said, "We should rejoice in our reunion; why contemplate suicide? Young Master has been alone for a long time. My cousin Huili is resourceful and can surely ease your burdens." He Sheng asked, "How can I meet your cousin?"

Ninth-born said, "That is not difficult. Tomorrow my cousin and I will pass by this place. You can claim to be my elder brother. I will pretend to be thirsty and ask for water, bringing my cousin in with me. Then you may act as circumstances allow. The moment you see me wink, cry out, 'The donkey has run off,' and I will know what to do." Having set their plan, Ninth-born took his leave.

At noon the next day, Ninth-born and his cousin indeed passed by the door. He Sheng bowed in greeting, and the three conversed at length. He Sheng covertly observed the young lady, seeing her brows delicate and exquisite, her beauty like that of an immortal; he was immensely pleased. Ninth-born coughed and said, "It is very hot; do you have any tea to drink?" He Sheng quickly nodded, "Yes, yes. Please come in, please come in."

Ninth-born led his cousin into the room. The young lady's expression was hesitant, seeming quite unwilling. Ninth-born laughed, "Third Sister need not be surprised; this Brother He is my elder brother. We are all family, no need for modesty." Hearing this, the young lady no longer insisted and nodded. Ninth-born tied his donkey to a post outside, and the three stepped inside.

He Sheng served tea, looked at Ninth-born, and said, "If what you told me last time cannot be fulfilled, then I might as well die." The young lady was intelligent; seeing He Sheng glance at her intentionally or unintentionally as he spoke, she understood: they were plotting against me. She rose lightly from the couch and whispered, "Let's go."

He Sheng grew anxious and quickly called out, "The donkey has run off!" Ninth-born leaped up, his expression flustered, and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh dear, the donkey has run off! I must go look. Cousin, please wait for me, do not leave until I return." He hurried out and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Leaving only the lone man and woman in the room, He Sheng seized the woman and forcefully embraced her, proceeding to force intimacy upon her. The woman's face turned pale with fright, and she cried out repeatedly, "Ninth Cousin, save me!" But the outside was silent, with no reply. The young lady became frantic, pleading softly, "The young master already has a wife; how can you be so shameless as to bully a weak woman like me?"

He Sheng laughed, "I have no wife; I am still a bachelor." The woman fell silent in contemplation, and after a long while said, "Then take an oath: even if the mountains and rivers perish, you shall never abandon me after leading me astray, and then I will yield to you." He Sheng did not hesitate; he pointed to the heavens and swore the oath immediately. The woman offered no further resistance, and the two went to bed and knew conjugal bliss.

Afterward, Ninth-born returned. The woman, feeling tricked and wronged, hated him intensely, her expression full of anger. Ninth-born consoled her, "This is He Zixiao, a famous scholar of the past, now a Grand Historian. I have long been close friends with him; he is trustworthy for a lifetime commitment. Even if Aunt knows of this, she will not blame me."

As they spoke, the sky grew darker. He Sheng invited the lady to stay, but she worried about her aunt's censure and was unwilling to spend the night. Ninth-born said, "Do not worry about Mother; I will explain things to her. Stay with ease." He smiled faintly and rode off on the donkey.

The lady stayed at the He residence for several days. One day, a woman accompanied by a maid passed by the gate; she was about forty, with a countenance and bearing strongly resembling the Third Lady. He Sheng called the lady out to look, and it turned out to be her mother.

The woman was greatly surprised to see her daughter and asked, "Why are you here?" The Third Lady was too ashamed to answer. He Sheng invited the woman into the house, knelt down, and explained the circumstances. The woman laughed, "Ninth-born is truly reckless, arranging a marriage in haste without consulting me!"

The Third Lady cooked a meal to treat her mother, who ate and then excused herself to leave. He Sheng gained a fine wife and felt quite pleased, but remembering the matter of Qin Fan extorting a thousand taels of gold, he could not shake off his worry, frowning constantly with a worried expression. The Third Lady learned the reason and laughed, "There is no need to worry about this; Ninth Cousin alone can settle it." He Sheng asked, "How can that be?"

The Third Lady said, "I hear that Qin Fan is fond of handsome men, and captivating men is precisely Ninth Cousin's specialty. If he takes the initiative to seduce Qin Fan and cater to his tastes, the grievance can be resolved, and the revenge exacted." He Sheng hesitated, "I only fear Ninth-born might refuse." The Third Lady said, "Ninth Cousin has the softest heart; just plead with him persistently, and nothing will be impossible."

The next day, Ninth-born arrived. He Sheng knelt down, begging for help. Ninth-born exclaimed, "We have known each other for two lives; whatever help you need, just ask. As long as I can contribute, I will never refuse. Why be so distant?" He Sheng was overjoyed, fully explaining his scheme. Ninth-born looked troubled upon hearing it. The Third Lady interjected, "Who caused me to lose my virtue to my husband? If my husband is harmed by a villain, what will become of me?" Ninth-born, having no choice, finally agreed.

The three acted according to the plan. He Sheng wrote a letter notifying his friend, Grand Historian Wang, asking him to help deal with Qin Fan and introduced Ninth-born to him. Grand Historian Wang understood, hosted a banquet for Qin Fan, and instructed Ninth-born to dress as a woman and perform the Celestial Demon Dance during the feast, appearing exactly like a beautiful woman. Qin Fan's lust was aroused, and he immediately discussed with Grand Historian Wang the desire to purchase Ninth-born for a large sum. Wang pretended to ponder reluctantly, made excuses, and finally nodded in agreement.

Qin Fan was overjoyed. He took Ninth-born back to his residence immediately, enjoying intimacy with him day and night, treating his original wife and concubines as dust. Ninth-born gained considerable favor with Qin Fan; his food and supplies were as luxurious as an emperor's, and he was gifted ten thousand taels of gold.

After half a year, Qin Fan was confined to bed with illness. Ninth-born knew his end was near, so he packed his gold, silver, and valuables, used the excuse of returning home to visit relatives, and seized the opportunity to flee.

Not long after, Qin Fan died. Ninth-born returned to He Sheng's dwelling, financed the construction of a new mansion, purchased fields and maids, and brought his mother and the entire family of the Third Lady to live there. Human and spirit lived together, as close as one family.

When Ninth-born went out, carriages, horses, and servants were numerous, yet the common people had no idea he was a fox spirit.

For more novels, visit storyread.net.