話說濟公出離了酒館，一直夠奔永寧村，來到故土原籍。濟公一看，嘆了一聲，離家這幾年的光景，村莊都改了樣子。正是兔走荒苔，狐眠敗葉，俱是當年歌舞之地；露冷黃花，煙迷剩草，亦系舊日征戰之場。濟公一看舊日兒童皆長大，昔時親友半凋零。羅漢爺一進西村口，見路北一座大門封鎖，正是當年濟公自己的住宅。緊挨著三座大門，正當中就是王安士的住家，東隔壁是韓員外的宅子，西隔壁是李修緣的宅子。自修緣走後，王員外派人就把這所房子騰空了，用封條封上，濟公今日一看，睹物傷情，回憶當年有父母在堂，家中一呼百諾，如今只落得空房一所，自己孤身一人，未免心中可慘。濟公再抬頭一看，見娘舅王安士正在門口站定，兩眼發直，似乎心有所思的樣子。
话说济公出离了酒馆，一直够奔永宁村，来到故土原籍。济公一看，叹了一声，离家这几年的光景，村庄都改了样子。正是兔走荒苔，狐眠败叶，俱是当年歌舞之地；露冷黄花，烟迷剩草，亦系旧日征战之场。济公一看旧日儿童皆长大，昔时亲友半凋零。罗汉爷一进西村口，见路北一座大门封锁，正是当年济公自己的住宅。紧挨着三座大门，正当中就是王安士的住家，东隔壁是韩员外的宅子，西隔壁是李修缘的宅子。自修缘走后，王员外派人就把这所房子腾空了，用封条封上，济公今日一看，睹物伤情，回忆当年有父母在堂，家中一呼百诺，如今只落得空房一所，自己孤身一人，未免心中可惨。济公再抬头一看，见娘舅王安士正在门口站定，两眼发直，似乎心有所思的样子。
Now, Ji Gong left the tavern and made straight for Yongning Village, the old home where he was born. Ji Gong looked about him and sighed: in the few years he had been away, the village had changed its face. Truly: where hares now ran over the wild moss and foxes slept among the fallen leaves, there had once been song and dance; where the dew lay cold on the yellow flowers and mist veiled the last of the grass, there had been a field of battle in days gone by. Ji Gong saw that the children of the old days had all grown up, and that of the kin and friends of former times, half had withered away. As Lord Arhat came in at the west end of the village, he saw a gate on the north side of the road, sealed and locked: it was the house where Ji Gong himself had lived in years past. Three gates stood side by side. The one in the middle was Wang Anshi’s house, the one next door on the east was the house of Old Master Han, and the one next door on the west was Li Xiuyuan’s house. After Xiuyuan left, Squire Wang had sent people to clear the house out and had shut it up with paper seals. Seeing it today, Ji Gong was pained by the sight of things he had known. He remembered how in the old days, with his father and mother still living, a single call in that house would bring a hundred answers; and now all that was left was an empty house, and he himself alone in the world. He could not help feeling wretched at heart. Ji Gong raised his head and looked again, and saw his uncle Wang Anshi standing at his gate, staring blankly ahead, as if lost in thought.
書中交代：王員外為什麼今天在門口站著呢？皆因韓成韓員外把老道打了一個嘴巴，挾著捺出去，王員外覺著臉上下不去，見韓成進來，王安士就說：「韓賢弟，你這件事做的太莽撞了。老道同我過來，乃是一番好意，賢弟你就粗魯太過。」韓成說：「兄長有所不知，這是我兒婦，無緣無故，哪來的這么個老道，拿寶劍威嚇我兒媳婦，倘若要嚇著怎么辦呢？本來你侄兒韓文美就有病。」王員外自己頗覺無味，甚為後悔，不該多管閒事，立刻告辭。回到自己家中，一問家人，老道並沒回來，王員外一想：「老道是我的救命恩人，這一來，老道大概是沒臉見人，不肯回來。」王員外打算要謝老道幾千兩銀子，也不知老道哪去了，自己覺得頗為煩悶，又想對不起老道，故此來到門口瞭望。正在發愣，濟公趕奔上前，跪倒在地，口稱：「舅舅在上，甥男李修緣給舅舅行禮。」王安士一瞧，是一個窮和尚，襤褸不堪。
书中交代：王员外为什么今天在门口站着呢？皆因韩成韩员外把老道打了一个嘴巴，挟着捺出去，王员外觉着脸上下不去，见韩成进来，王安士就说：「韩贤弟，你这件事做的太莽撞了。老道同我过来，乃是一番好意，贤弟你就粗鲁太过。」韩成说：「兄长有所不知，这是我儿妇，无缘无故，哪来的这么个老道，拿宝剑威吓我儿媳妇，倘若要吓着怎么办呢？本来你侄儿韩文美就有病。」王员外自己颇觉无味，甚为后悔，不该多管闲事，立刻告辞。回到自己家中，一问家人，老道并没回来，王员外一想：「老道是我的救命恩人，这一来，老道大概是没脸见人，不肯回来。」王员外打算要谢老道几千两银子，也不知老道哪去了，自己觉得颇为烦闷，又想对不起老道，故此来到门口瞭望。正在发愣，济公赶奔上前，跪倒在地，口称：「舅舅在上，甥男李修缘给舅舅行礼。」王安士一瞧，是一个穷和尚，褴褛不堪。
A word of explanation: why was Squire Wang standing at his gate today? It was because Old Master Han, Han Cheng, had slapped the old Daoist across the face, seized him under the arm and thrown him out, and Squire Wang felt he had lost face. When Han Cheng came back in, Wang Anshi said, “Younger Brother Han, you acted far too rashly in this. The old Daoist came over with me out of pure good will, and you, Brother, were much too rough.” “There’s something you don’t know, Elder Brother,” said Han Cheng. “That’s my daughter-in-law. Where does an old Daoist like that come from, out of nowhere, waving a sword to frighten my son’s wife? What if he frightened her into a fit? And your nephew Han Wenmei is ill as it is.” Squire Wang felt rather foolish and very sorry he had done it: he should never have meddled in what was none of his business. He took his leave at once. Back at his own house he asked the servants, and the old Daoist had not come back. Squire Wang thought, “The old Daoist is the man who saved my life. After this, the old Daoist is probably too ashamed to show his face and won’t come back.” Squire Wang had meant to thank the old Daoist with several thousand taels of silver, and now he had no idea where the old Daoist had gone. He felt very low, and felt he had wronged the old Daoist besides, and so he had come out to the gate to look for him. He was standing there in a daze when Ji Gong hurried up to him, fell on his knees and said, “Uncle, your nephew Li Xiuyuan pays his respects to you.” Wang Anshi looked and saw a poor monk, ragged beyond words.
老員外一愣，並不認識，連忙說：「來人哪！給拿出兩吊錢來，給這位大師父，你趁此去罷。」王員外終朝每日找李修緣，恨不能李修緣一時回來，怎么見了李修緣倒叫給兩吊錢叫去呢？皆因王員外看著不是李修緣，想當年李修緣在家之時，是白臉膛，富豪公子的打扮。現在一臉的泥，又是窮和尚，老員外哪裡認的出來？王員外只打算是和尚必是知道我的心思，他故意要這么說，故此要給兩吊錢，叫和尚去罷。濟公跪著不起來，說：「舅舅不必拿錢，實是甥兒李修緣回來了。」王員外一聽，「啊」了一聲，正在發愣，王全、李福來到，王全一瞧這個窮和尚在這跪著，也不知所因何故，趕緊上前行禮說：「爹爹在上，孩兒有禮。」王全是在鳳鳴居聽王祿說老員外差點死了，王全甚不放心，因此趕緊回來，見老員外正在門首，王全上前一磕頭。
老员外一愣，并不认识，连忙说：「来人哪！给拿出两吊钱来，给这位大师父，你趁此去罢。」王员外终朝每日找李修缘，恨不能李修缘一时回来，怎么见了李修缘倒叫给两吊钱叫去呢？皆因王员外看着不是李修缘，想当年李修缘在家之时，是白脸膛，富豪公子的打扮。现在一脸的泥，又是穷和尚，老员外哪里认的出来？王员外只打算是和尚必是知道我的心思，他故意要这么说，故此要给两吊钱，叫和尚去罢。济公跪着不起来，说：「舅舅不必拿钱，实是甥儿李修缘回来了。」王员外一听，「啊」了一声，正在发愣，王全、李福来到，王全一瞧这个穷和尚在这跪着，也不知所因何故，赶紧上前行礼说：「爹爹在上，孩儿有礼。」王全是在凤鸣居听王禄说老员外差点死了，王全甚不放心，因此赶紧回来，见老员外正在门首，王全上前一磕头。
The old squire was taken aback; he did not know him at all. “Someone come here!” he called at once. “Bring out two strings of cash for this Reverend Master. Take it and be on your way.” Squire Wang searched for Li Xiuyuan every day from morning to night and wished nothing more than that Li Xiuyuan would come home that very moment. So why, when he saw Li Xiuyuan, did he give him two strings of cash and send him off? Because to Squire Wang’s eyes this was not Li Xiuyuan. In the days when Li Xiuyuan was at home, he had a fair face and dressed like the son of a rich house. Now his face was all mud and he was a poor monk besides: how was the old squire to recognize him? Squire Wang simply supposed that the monk must have guessed what was on his mind and was saying so on purpose, and that was why he meant to give him two strings of cash and send him away. Ji Gong stayed on his knees and would not get up. “Uncle, there’s no need for money. It really is your nephew Li Xiuyuan come home.” Squire Wang let out an “Ah!” and was still standing there in a daze when Wang Quan and Li Fu arrived. Wang Quan saw this poor monk kneeling there and had no idea why. He hurried forward to pay his respects. “Father, your son greets you.” Wang Quan had heard from Wang Lu at the Fengming Tavern that the old squire had very nearly died, and he was so worried that he had hurried home. Finding the old squire at the gate, Wang Quan stepped up and kowtowed.