Bi Yi’an was stout of build, with a dense, wiry beard, yet possessed of uncommon brilliance. One day, he paid a visit to his uncle’s house and rested upstairs. Rumor had it that fox spirits often haunted the upper floor. Bi Yi’an, who loved reading The Tale of Qing Feng, longed for such an encounter, though he had never had the chance to experience it firsthand. Thus, while upstairs, he engaged in deep reverie, hoping to meet a fox maiden.

Later, returning home as dusk settled, the summer heat was oppressive. Bi Yi’an slept with the window open. In a dream, he felt his body sway, startling him awake. He peered intently and saw a woman before him, perhaps in her forties, still possessing a lingering allure. When Bi Yi’an asked who she was, the woman chuckled, “I am a fox spirit. I am grateful for your recent thoughts of me, sir.” Bi Yi’an was overjoyed, bantering and teasing her, intending intimacy. The woman laughed, “I am too old now to have the fortune to serve you, sir. My younger daughter is only fifteen; if you do not disdain her, she will attend to you tomorrow evening.” With that, she departed.

The next evening, Bi Yi’an prepared incense in his room, waiting. The woman arrived as promised, bringing her daughter. The young girl possessed an elegant demeanor and a countenance unparalleled in beauty. The mother said to her, “You and Young Master Bi are fated; stay tonight to keep him company. Remember to return early tomorrow morning, do not linger in sleep.” Bi Yi’an and the girl retired to bed, sharing boundless pleasure. Afterwards, the girl laughed, “Sir, your body is too heavy; it is quite overwhelming.” Before dawn, she took her leave. She visited again that night, saying, “My sisters heard I found a husband and have all offered congratulations. They request your presence at a gathering tomorrow; please do not forget.”

Bi Yi’an inquired, “Where is it?” The girl replied, “At my eldest sister’s house, not far from here.” The next day, Bi Yi’an waited at home. The girl was long in coming. After a while, fatigued, he was about to rest his head on the table when the girl suddenly appeared, saying, “I have kept you waiting long.” They took hands and walked, arriving in a flash at a large courtyard. They proceeded directly to the main hall, where the candlelight flickered, brilliant as scattered stars.

Presently, the hostess came out to greet them—a woman in her prime, exquisitely beautiful. The hostess performed a deep bow, offering congratulations. Just as the party was about to be seated, a maid called out, “The Second Mistress has arrived!” A woman entered, eighteen or nineteen years old, smiling as she asked the girl, “Sister, you must have lost your bloom. How was the groom’s skill? Are you satisfied?” The girl, teased by her second sister, rolled her eyes and lightly struck her sister’s back with her fan.

The Second Mistress said, “Do you remember when we played as children? Sister was most afraid of having her ribs tickled. A mere gesture of my fingers from afar would send her into peals of laughter. Sometimes, when I angered her, she would say, ‘I wish Second Sister marries a prince from the Land of Dwarfs.’ I would reply, ‘Second Sister wishes you marry a bearded man, and that his whiskers scratch your lips when you kiss.’ Seeing the groom today, I was indeed right!”

The Eldest Sister laughed, “No wonder Third Sister resents you. With the groom right beside you, you still speak without restraint.” Soon, the banquet began, and everyone conversed merrily. Suddenly, a young girl, holding a cat, approached gracefully. She was eleven or twelve, still bearing the air of childhood, yet possessing an innate, captivating charm. The Eldest Sister said, “Does Fourth Sister also wish to meet her brother-in-law? Alas, you are too young; we haven’t prepared a seat for you.” She lifted the girl onto her lap and fed her many fruits.

After a time, the Eldest Sister passed the girl to the Second Mistress, saying, “Fourth Sister is so heavy; my waist and legs are aching.” The Second Mistress remarked, “The little one is not old, but she is certainly weighty. Second Sister is too frail; since Fourth Sister wants to see her brother-in-law, and he is powerfully built, let him hold you instead.”

Bi Yi’an held the girl in his arms; the scent of fine perfume filled his nostrils, and she felt as light as nothing. He asked, “Do you drink?” The girl nodded and drained the cup in her hand. The Eldest Sister said, “Fourth Sister is still small; don’t drink too much. Otherwise, if you lose your composure when drunk, you might be laughed at by your brother-in-law.”

The girl smiled faintly and stopped drinking. She toyed with the cat, which meowed incessantly. The Eldest Sister said, “Toss it away! The kitten is full of fleas and lice; aren’t you afraid of infection?” The Second Mistress declared, “I have an idea. Let’s use the cat for a drinking game, passing chopsticks around for amusement. When the cat cries out, whoever is holding the chopsticks is fined a drink.” Everyone applauded the suggestion.

Once the game began, every time Bi Yi’an grasped the chopsticks, the cat would cry out non-stop. Bi Yi’an had a massive capacity for alcohol and drank several cups in succession. Finally, he realized that the kitten’s cries were entirely orchestrated by the girl in secret, and he burst into hearty laughter. The Second Mistress said, “Fourth Sister should go home now. Lingering in Brother-in-law’s arms like that—beware, Third Sister will be angry.” The girl then took her cat and left.

Seeing Bi Yi’an’s great tolerance for wine, the Eldest Sister took a lotus leaf, used it as a cup, and urged him to drink deeply. Bi Yi’an saw the lotus leaf was small, holding perhaps a liter of wine at most, but the more he drank, the more it seemed to contain—a full dou capacity. The Second Mistress, unwilling to be outdone, also began urging him to drink. Bi Yi’an demurred, “I truly cannot drink any more.” The Second Mistress pulled out a rouge box from her bosom and smiled, “Then drink just a little more, as a sign of goodwill.”

Bi Yi’an thought, A rouge box is only the size of a pellet; how much wine can it hold? I’ll drain it in one gulp. Yet, after several hundred sips, it was still not empty. The Third Sister watched from the side, feeling pity, and replaced the rouge box with a small lotus cup, saying, “Young Master, you’ve been tricked; Second Sister is teasing you.” She placed the rouge box on the table, and Bi Yi’an looked closely: it was as large as a washbasin.

The Second Mistress grumbled, “Third Sister always has to meddle. After being married to Young Master Bi for three days, you are already so affectionate? Truly, girls grow up too fast.” Bi Yi’an picked up the small lotus cup to drink. It felt soft in his hand. There was little wine in the cup, and he finished it instantly. Looking closely, he saw it was not a wine cup at all, but merely an embroidered shoe. The Second Mistress snatched the shoe away, cursing, “Cunning girl! When did you steal Second Sister’s embroidered shoe? No wonder my left foot is cold.” She stood up and went into the inner room to change her footwear.

The Third Sister and Bi Yi’an rose to bid farewell, seeing him out and letting him find his own way back. Bi Yi’an suddenly woke up; it had all been a fleeting dream. Yet, the strong scent of wine near his nose and lips was undeniably real, leaving him filled with wonder.

At dusk, the Third Sister arrived, saying, “You weren’t drunk to death last night, were you?” Bi Yi’an replied, “I thought it was all a dream.” The Third Sister said, “My sisters worried you might become manic, so they visited you in a dream. It was not a dream, in fact.”

The Third Sister often played chess with Bi Yi’an, and he lost nine out of ten games. The Third Sister laughed, “I thought you were skilled in chess, seeing your fondness for the game, but now that I see you play, your skill is merely average, nothing more.”

Bi Yi’an said, “My chess playing is poor; I beg your guidance, esteemed lady.” The Third Sister replied, “The game of Go relies most on comprehension. How can I help? If you study diligently day and night from now on, perhaps you will improve.” Several months later, Bi Yi’an, believing his chess skill had reached mastery, played a match against the woman, only to be soundly defeated again. The Third Sister laughed, “Still not good enough.”

Bi Yi’an felt aggrieved. He went out to play against his neighbors and won consistently, much to their surprise. Bi Yi’an was frank by nature and could not keep secrets. Through a slight slip of the tongue during conversation, the Third Sister learned of it and rebuked him, “No wonder the sisters are reluctant to associate with an impetuous scholar. I repeatedly warned you to keep our secret; why didn't you listen?” She turned away in displeasure, ready to leave. Bi Yi’an quickly apologized, her anger somewhat subsided. Thereafter, their visits gradually became less frequent.

A year later, one evening, the Third Sister came. They sat opposite each other. Bi Yi’an requested a game of chess; the Third Sister ignored him. He requested sleep; she still ignored him. After a long silence filled with melancholy, the Third Sister said, “You have read Strange Tales extensively. Who is superior, I or Qing Feng?” Bi Yi’an replied, “You are better, madam.” The Third Sister said, “I do not consider myself equal to Qing Feng. However, since you are intimate with the author of Strange Tales, could you perhaps ask him to write a biography for me? Perhaps a thousand years hence, someone might remember me!”

Bi Yi’an answered, “I have long intended to do so, but I honored your request to keep our acquaintance confidential, so I kept it secret.” The Third Sister said, “That was one time; this is another. I am leaving now, so there is no need for caution.” Bi Yi’an asked, “Where are you going?” The Third Sister explained, “Fourth Sister and I have been commanded by the Queen Mother to be promoted as 'Flower and Bird Envoys,' and we have come specifically to bid you farewell. Previously, an elder sister among the fox clan had an affair with your uncle’s brother, and when she left, she gave birth to two daughters who are still slighted and can never marry. Fortunately, since Fourth Sister and I have no offspring, we will not be burdened.”

Bi Yi’an asked, “As you depart, do you have any final words of advice?” The Third Sister said, “Temper your arrogance, and your mistakes will naturally lessen.” She rose, took Bi Yi’an’s arm, and requested, “Please escort me a short way.”

They walked for about half a li, then parted with tears. The Third Sister said, “As long as there is love in the heart, a reunion may not be impossible.” With those words, she vanished.

On the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the twenty-first year of the Kangxi reign, Bi Yi’an slept beside me in the Chuoran Hall and recounted this entire experience in detail. I told him, “To have such a fox spirit! The brushwork of Strange Tales is indeed gloriously illuminated.” And so, I recorded this story.