話說史丹正哭之際，從裡面出來一個老班頭，姓雷名玉，乃是錢塘縣八班的總頭，今天也來送禮。一見史不得直哭，雷頭知道這個史不得，素常淨指著插圈告狀，訛人吃飯。趕緊把史不得叫到屋中，雷頭說：「史爺別哭了，死的是你什麼人？」史不得說：「死的是我舅舅，雷頭你不用管，我得給我舅舅報仇。」雷頭說：「史爺你不用著急，凡事皆是該因，這鋪子掌柜的也並沒打他，他自己大概必是病虛了的人，一口氣閉了。怎樣叫掌柜的給他買一口好棺材，給你弄個三百兩二百兩的，你逢年按節，給你舅舅上上墳，燒點紙錢，也就得了。」
话说史丹正哭之际，从里面出来一个老班头，姓雷名玉，乃是钱塘县八班的总头，今天也来送礼。一见史不得直哭，雷头知道这个史不得，素常净指着插圈告状，讹人吃饭。赶紧把史不得叫到屋中，雷头说：「史爷别哭了，死的是你什么人？」史不得说：「死的是我舅舅，雷头你不用管，我得给我舅舅报仇。」雷头说：「史爷你不用着急，凡事皆是该因，这铺子掌柜的也并没打他，他自己大概必是病虚了的人，一口气闭了。怎样叫掌柜的给他买一口好棺材，给你弄个三百两二百两的，你逢年按节，给你舅舅上上坟，烧点纸钱，也就得了。」
Now, while Shi Dan was weeping, an old head constable came out from inside, surnamed Lei and named Yu. He was chief over all eight squads of runners at the Qiantang County yamen, and he too had come today to bring a gift. When Head Constable Lei saw Shi Bude still crying, he knew this Shi Bude all right: a man who did nothing but lay snares and file complaints, squeezing people for his supper. He quickly called Shi Bude into a room. “Stop crying, Master Shi,” said Head Constable Lei. “What was the dead man to you?” “He was my uncle,” said Shi Bude. “Stay out of this, Head Constable Lei. I’m going to get justice for my uncle.” “Don’t get worked up, Master Shi,” said Head Constable Lei. “Everything happens as it’s fated. The shopkeeper here never really hit him. He must have been a sickly, run-down sort of man, and his breath just stopped. How about this: the shopkeeper buys him a good coffin and gets you three hundred taels, or two hundred, and at New Year and the festivals you visit your uncle’s grave and burn him a little paper money. Let that be the end of it.”
焉想到史不得這小子，更是打官司的油子，他一想：「我當時先別答應，要一答應，把姚荒山一成殮，一埋葬，不給我銀子，我也沒法子，我也不能再告他，連我私和人命，我也擔不了。莫如我咬定牙關，跟他打官司，過一堂下來，他給我銀子到手，我再順他的哄，那時錢也到了手，我還算好朋友。」想罷說：「雷頭，你管不了。勿論多少錢，我也不能賣我舅舅的屍骨，我非得叫他給我舅舅抵償不可！」
焉想到史不得这小子，更是打官司的油子，他一想：「我当时先别答应，要一答应，把姚荒山一成殓，一埋葬，不给我银子，我也没法子，我也不能再告他，连我私和人命，我也担不了。莫如我咬定牙关，跟他打官司，过一堂下来，他给我银子到手，我再顺他的哄，那时钱也到了手，我还算好朋友。」想罢说：「雷头，你管不了。勿论多少钱，我也不能卖我舅舅的尸骨，我非得叫他给我舅舅抵偿不可！」
But who would have thought it: this Shi Bude was an even slicker old hand at lawsuits. He thought, “I won’t agree just yet. If I agree, they’ll lay Yao Huangshan in his coffin and bury him, and if they don’t pay me then, there’s nothing I can do about it. I couldn’t sue him again, and I couldn’t answer for settling a death privately either. Better to grit my teeth and fight him in court. Once a hearing’s over and his silver’s in my hand, I’ll go along with whatever he wants. Then I’ll have the money and still pass for a stand-up fellow.” With his mind made up, he said, “Head Constable Lei, this is beyond you. No matter how much money, I’m not selling my uncle’s bones. He’s going to pay for my uncle with his life, and that’s that!”
雷頭怎么勸也不行。焉想到這時節，外面來了一個老道，正是黃面真人孫道全。老道只因被和尚把他賣切糕丸的錢，都給搬運盡了，老道要找和尚。來到這裡一看，大眾正在談論，掌柜的一個嘴巴，會把人打死了。孫道全聽明白，說：「掌柜的是哪位。」李興說：「是我。做什麼？」老道說：「我能夠叫這死屍活了，站起來走在別處再死，省得你打官司。你管我一頓飯，我就能給你辦這件事。」李興一聽，說：「好，道爺，你真能叫死屍站起來，挪開，慢說一頓飯，我還要重謝呢。」老道說：「是罷。」立刻拉出寶劍，口中念念有詞。立刻把魂拘來滴溜滴溜直轉，老道眼瞧剛要入竅，滴溜又跑了。老道一想怪呀，莫非有毛女，或四眼人給沖了，要不然不能呀。老道又念咒，又把魂拘來，眼瞧剛要入竅，滴溜又跑了。如是者三次，老道可就留了神了。老道回頭一看，見身後面有一個窮和尚，用法術給破了。老道一瞧，正是濟顛。老道照和尚臉上「呸」啐了一口。和尚說：「好的。你可啐了我。」說著話，和尚一仰身躺下。蹬蹬腿，咧咧嘴，嘔的一聲死了。大眾一亂說：「了不得，老道又啐死一個人了。」本地面官人過來，抖鐵鏈就把老道鎖上，老道直念「無量佛。無量佛。怪哉怪哉。」官人說：「嚷怪哉也不行，你跟著打官司去罷。」
雷头怎么劝也不行。焉想到这时节，外面来了一个老道，正是黄面真人孙道全。老道只因被和尚把他卖切糕丸的钱，都给搬运尽了，老道要找和尚。来到这里一看，大众正在谈论，掌柜的一个嘴巴，会把人打死了。孙道全听明白，说：「掌柜的是哪位。」李兴说：「是我。做什么？」老道说：「我能够叫这死尸活了，站起来走在别处再死，省得你打官司。你管我一顿饭，我就能给你办这件事。」李兴一听，说：「好，道爷，你真能叫死尸站起来，挪开，慢说一顿饭，我还要重谢呢。」老道说：「是罢。」立刻拉出宝剑，口中念念有词。立刻把魂拘来滴溜滴溜直转，老道眼瞧刚要入窍，滴溜又跑了。老道一想怪呀，莫非有毛女，或四眼人给冲了，要不然不能呀。老道又念咒，又把魂拘来，眼瞧刚要入窍，滴溜又跑了。如是者三次，老道可就留了神了。老道回头一看，见身后面有一个穷和尚，用法术给破了。老道一瞧，正是济颠。老道照和尚脸上「呸」啐了一口。和尚说：「好的。你可啐了我。」说着话，和尚一仰身躺下。蹬蹬腿，咧咧嘴，呕的一声死了。大众一乱说：「了不得，老道又啐死一个人了。」本地面官人过来，抖铁链就把老道锁上，老道直念「无量佛。无量佛。怪哉怪哉。」官人说：「嚷怪哉也不行，你跟着打官司去罢。」
However Head Constable Lei reasoned with him, it was no use. Who would have thought that just then a Daoist came in from outside: Sun Daoquan, the Yellow-Faced Perfected One. The monk had magically spirited away every coin the Daoist had made selling his rice-cake pills, and the Daoist was out looking for the monk. When he got here, the crowd was talking it over: the shopkeeper had killed a man with a single slap. Once Sun Daoquan had the story straight, he said, “Which of you is the shopkeeper?” “I am,” said Li Xing. “What is it?” “I can bring this corpse back to life,” said the Daoist, “have it stand up, walk off and die somewhere else, and spare you from standing trial. Stand me a meal, and I’ll take care of it for you.” “Fine, Reverend,” said Li Xing when he heard this. “If you can really make the corpse get up and move off, never mind a meal, I’ll reward you handsomely.” “Very well,” said the Daoist. At once he drew his sword and muttered an incantation. In no time he had summoned the dead man’s soul, and it came spinning round and round. The Daoist watched it about to go back into the body when — whoosh — it slipped away again. “Strange,” thought the Daoist. “Could some unwed girl or a pregnant woman have crossed the spell? Otherwise this can’t happen.” He chanted the spell again and summoned the soul again, and just as it was about to go back into the body, whoosh, it slipped away once more. When this had happened three times, the Daoist grew wary. He turned to look, and saw a poor monk behind him who had broken the spell with his magic. The Daoist looked closer: it was Crazy Ji. The Daoist spat right in the monk’s face — ptui! “Fine,” said the monk. “So you’ve spat on me.” As he spoke, the monk fell flat on his back, kicked his legs, twisted his mouth, gave a croak and died. The crowd was in an uproar. “Heavens! The Daoist has spat another man to death!” The local constable came over, shook out his iron chain and locked it on the Daoist, who kept chanting, “Limitless Buddha. Limitless Buddha. Strange, strange!” “Shouting ‘strange’ won’t do you any good,” said the constable. “You’re coming along to stand trial.”