Li Zhuming, son of Li Jinzhuo, the magistrate of Suining, and brother-in-law to Wang Jiliang, was a man of bold spirit and considerable courage. Wang Jiliang’s mansion boasted numerous lofts and garrets, places where strange occurrences were frequently reported.

Li Zhuming chose to lodge there, favoring the cool air of the upper floors, and insisted on setting up his bed alone in one of the garrets. Despite warnings from the more superstitious that the upper chambers were haunted by spirits, Li Zhuming merely laughed it off, unconcerned. The master of the house ordered a servant to stay with him for mutual support, but Li Zhuming flatly refused, stating, "I am accustomed to sleeping alone; I have never known fear in my life." Wang Jiliang had no choice but to light an incense burner in the room, spread out fresh quilts, and bid him goodnight before departing.

Li Zhuming lay down to rest. Before long, as the moonlight streamed in, he observed the teapot on the table begin to spin and tilt, turning incessantly—yet it never fell nor ceased its rotation. Li Zhuming shouted at it loudly. The teapot rattled with a sharp clang and instantly stopped. Next, the incense burner moved without aid, swaying in mid-air, scattering ashes everywhere in intricate, crisscrossing patterns that morphed into various designs.

Li Zhuming jumped up, shouting, "Which fiend or phantom dares to cause trouble here!" He stripped off his clothes and leapt from the bed, preparing to seize the apparition.

Searching for his shoes with his feet, he found only one. Having no time to search for the other, he dashed barefoot toward the incense burner and slapped it hard with an open palm. The ashes immediately spiraled back and settled neatly inside the vessel, but the surroundings remained silent; not a single shadow could be seen. Li Zhuming bent low to search stealthily in the gloom when suddenly an object flew through the air and struck him squarely on the cheek. By touch, it felt like a cloth shoe. He turned to look for it, but found nothing. He then opened the door and descended the stairs, calling for a servant to bring a lamp. Under the candlelight, he scrutinized the room, finding it utterly empty. Frustrated, he finally returned to bed to sleep.

The next morning, Li Zhuming, accompanied by several servants, searched the entire premises for the missing shoe, turning over boxes and rummaging through cupboards, yet it remained unfound. When Wang Jiliang heard the tale, he sent over a new pair of shoes for him. Several days later, Li Zhuming casually looked up and spotted a cloth shoe wedged in the gap between the roof beams. He retrieved it and saw it was the very one he had lost.

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Li Zhuming hailed from Yidu and sometimes resided temporarily at the Sun family estate. The Sun compound was impressively vast, with many sections left unused; Li Zhuming occupied quarters that took up half of an empty wing. The south courtyard bordered a tall building, separated only by a single wall. Occasionally, residents witnessed the doors and windows of the upper floor opening and closing without any wind, seemingly manipulated by some unseen force.

Li Zhuming was aware of this but paid it little mind. One time, while casually discussing the courtyard with the family, he personally saw the door to the high room swing open. Out stepped a small figure, sitting facing north, whose stature barely reached three feet. He was clad in a green robe and white stockings.

The others, startled by the small figure, began pointing and staring intently. The figure allowed them to chatter on, remaining perfectly still. Li Zhuming declared, "This must be a fox spirit." He swiftly took his bow and arrow, drawing the string taut to shoot. The small figure, upon seeing this, made soft, mocking sounds from its mouth, its expression showing utter disdain. With a slight twist of its body, it vanished instantly.

Li Zhuming took his saber and ascended to the upper floor, shouting curses as he searched, but he returned having accomplished nothing.

From that day forward, no more strange occurrences were reported in the garrets.