《论衡·卷二十一·死伪篇》
能够知道三王必定答应自己的请求，那么他说三王是鬼，可以相信；如果不能知道，说三王是鬼，就和世俗之人一样了。与世俗之人的见解相同，那么死人的实情就不可肯定了。
能知三王之必许己，则其谓三王为鬼，可信也；如不能知，谓三王为鬼，犹世俗人也；与世俗同知，则死人之实未可定也。
If you know for sure that the Three Kings will agree to your request, then what he said about the Three Kings being spirits can be believed. If you don’t know for sure, and call the Three Kings spirits, then you are no different from secular people. With the same opinions as secular people, you cannot confirm the real situation of the dead.