話說張士芳把借字寫完了，一問老道，老道說：「你只要把你姑父的生日八字問來，我就能把他的魂拘來，叫他七天準死。」張士芳說：「那容易。」
话说张士芳把借字写完了，一问老道，老道说：「你只要把你姑父的生日八字问来，我就能把他的魂拘来，叫他七天准死。」张士芳说：「那容易。」
Now, when Zhang Shifang had finished writing out the loan note, he asked the old Daoist how it was to be done. “All you have to do,” said the old Daoist, “is find out the eight characters of your uncle’s birth, and I can seize his soul and bring it here, and in seven days he’ll be dead for certain.” “That’s easy,” said Zhang Shifang.
立刻他就夠奔王員外家裡來。眾人看見他，就不耐煩，王福說：「王孝，你瞧這小子又來了，不要臉，不是來借錢，就是來偷點什麼。」大眾當著面，可又不敢得罪他，他是老安人的內侄。見張士芳來到切近，大眾都嚷：「張公子來了。」張士芳說：「來了。」邁步就往裡走。他一過去，眾家人又罵他：「這小子家裡沒做好事，早晚餵了狗。」張士芳來到裡面，王安士正吃飯，一瞧見他，就一皺眉。張士芳說：「姑父才吃飯呀？」王安士說：「你這孩子又做什麼來了？我瞧見你，又氣又疼。瞧著你父母都死了，又怪苦的，可氣你這孩子不務正，在外面無所不為。你自己要務本分，我的鋪子那都交給你管，給你成家立業。無奈你是癩狗，扶不上牆去。」張士芳也不愛聽。
立刻他就够奔王员外家里来。众人看见他，就不耐烦，王福说：「王孝，你瞧这小子又来了，不要脸，不是来借钱，就是来偷点什么。」大众当着面，可又不敢得罪他，他是老安人的内侄。见张士芳来到切近，大众都嚷：「张公子来了。」张士芳说：「来了。」迈步就往里走。他一过去，众家人又骂他：「这小子家里没做好事，早晚喂了狗。」张士芳来到里面，王安士正吃饭，一瞧见他，就一皱眉。张士芳说：「姑父才吃饭呀？」王安士说：「你这孩子又做什么来了？我瞧见你，又气又疼。瞧着你父母都死了，又怪苦的，可气你这孩子不务正，在外面无所不为。你自己要务本分，我的铺子那都交给你管，给你成家立业。无奈你是癞狗，扶不上墙去。」张士芳也不爱听。
He set off at once and made straight for Squire Wang’s house. The servants lost patience the moment they saw him. “Wang Xiao,” said Wang Fu, “look, that brat is here again. No shame at all. If he isn’t here to borrow money, he’s here to steal something.” To his face, though, none of them dared offend him, since he was the old lady’s nephew. When Zhang Shifang came near, they all called out, “Young Master Zhang is here!” “I’m here,” said Zhang Shifang, and strode on inside. As soon as he had passed, the servants cursed him again: “That brat’s family never did a good deed. Sooner or later he’ll end up feeding the dogs.” When Zhang Shifang came inside, Wang Anshi was eating. One look at him and he frowned. “Only just eating, Uncle?” said Zhang Shifang. “What have you come for this time, boy?” said Wang Anshi. “When I see you I’m angry and sorry both at once. Your father and mother are both dead, and that’s hard on you. But it makes me angry that you won’t keep to honest work and get up to every kind of thing out there. If you would only do your proper part, I’d hand my shops over for you to run and help you set up a family and a living. But there’s no help for it: you’re a mangy dog, and nobody can prop you up onto the wall.” Zhang Shifang did not like hearing that either.
來到裡間屋中，一見安人，安人一見說：「這孩子又來了，不用說，必是又沒錢花了。來要錢對不對？我這有二兩碎銀子給你罷，你自己留著吃飯，我也不敢多給你，多給你，你也是胡花去。」張士芳把銀子取過來，說：「姑母，我並不是要錢來了，我是來打聽打聽，我姑父多怎的生日。」老安人一聽說：「罷了，你還惦念著你姑父的生日呢，總算沒白疼了。你姑父的生日，你也應該來給磕頭。你姑父的生日快到了，他是八月二十七日生的。」張士芳說：「什麼時辰？」安人說：「午時。」老太太哪想到他生出這樣狠毒之計？拿他不當外人，全部信口說了。
来到里间屋中，一见安人，安人一见说：「这孩子又来了，不用说，必是又没钱花了。来要钱对不对？我这有二两碎银子给你罢，你自己留着吃饭，我也不敢多给你，多给你，你也是胡花去。」张士芳把银子取过来，说：「姑母，我并不是要钱来了，我是来打听打听，我姑父多怎的生日。」老安人一听说：「罢了，你还惦念着你姑父的生日呢，总算没白疼了。你姑父的生日，你也应该来给磕头。你姑父的生日快到了，他是八月二十七日生的。」张士芳说：「什么时辰？」安人说：「午时。」老太太哪想到他生出这样狠毒之计？拿他不当外人，全部信口说了。
He went into the inner room and saw his aunt. When she saw him she said, “Here’s this boy again. No need to ask: he’s run out of money to spend again and has come for more. Isn’t that right? I have two taels of silver in broken bits here; take them, and keep them for your meals. I don’t dare give you more. If I gave you more, you’d only squander it.” Zhang Shifang took the silver. “Aunt, I didn’t come for money. I came to ask when Uncle’s birthday is.” When the old lady heard this, she said, “Well, well, so you still think of your uncle’s birthday! All my fondness for you hasn’t been wasted after all. You ought to come and kowtow to him on his birthday, too. It’s coming up soon. He was born on the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month.” “At what hour?” said Zhang Shifang. “The noon hour,” said the old lady. How could the old lady have guessed that he was hatching such a vicious scheme? She did not treat him as an outsider, and told him everything without a second thought.