話說王太和給老道一相面，老道說：「可是直言無隱，尊家可別見怪。」王太和說：「道爺只管說。」老道說：「看閣下的相貌，可與眾不同，額無主骨，眼無守睛，雙眉寒散。主於兄弟無靠，山根塌陷，主於祖業不擎，準頭為土星，主人之財庫，左為井，右為灶，井灶太空，有財而無庫，你是一世不能存財。螣蛇文入口，將來必主於餓死，你七歲喪父，九歲喪母，十六歲犯驛馬星。這幾年在外面奔忙勞碌，幸喜你還勤儉，也沒落下什麼，從此之後，你是一天不如一天。尊家的相貌，貧道也就不能往下再說了。」王太和一聽老道所說之話，已過之事，果然一點不錯，大概未來之事，也必有準。把卦金給了，就回到準提寺，自己一思想：「我終歸餓死，我還往前奔什麼？莫如我趕緊回家，把親事退了，叫我岳父給姑娘另找婆家。我是這個命，別連累人家。」心中越想越難過，真如萬把鋼刀扎心一般，買賣也不做了，告訴和尚把房交了，自己挑著書箱，由松江府往回夠奔。這天走在半路上，本來是無精打彩，垂頭喪氣，也覺著累了，就在大道邊樹林子歇息歇息。剛來到樹林子一瞧，見地下有一個黃緞子包袱，自己把書挑放下，把包袱撿起來，打開一看，裡面有一個硬木小匣子，有鎖鎖著，有一個黃緞子小口袋，裡面有鑰匙。王太和拿鑰匙把鎖開開一看，匣子裡是黃澄澄，兩對金鐲子，兩頭赤金手飾。
话说王太和给老道一相面，老道说：「可是直言无隐，尊家可别见怪。」王太和说：「道爷只管说。」老道说：「看阁下的相貌，可与众不同，额无主骨，眼无守睛，双眉寒散。主于兄弟无靠，山根塌陷，主于祖业不擎，准头为土星，主人之财库，左为井，右为灶，井灶太空，有财而无库，你是一世不能存财。螣蛇文入口，将来必主于饿死，你七岁丧父，九岁丧母，十六岁犯驿马星。这几年在外面奔忙劳碌，幸喜你还勤俭，也没落下什么，从此之后，你是一天不如一天。尊家的相貌，贫道也就不能往下再说了。」王太和一听老道所说之话，已过之事，果然一点不错，大概未来之事，也必有准。把卦金给了，就回到准提寺，自己一思想：「我终归饿死，我还往前奔什么？莫如我赶紧回家，把亲事退了，叫我岳父给姑娘另找婆家。我是这个命，别连累人家。」心中越想越难过，真如万把钢刀扎心一般，买卖也不做了，告诉和尚把房交了，自己挑著书箱，由松江府往回够奔。这天走在半路上，本来是无精打彩，垂头丧气，也觉着累了，就在大道边树林子歇息歇息。刚来到树林子一瞧，见地下有一个黄缎子包袱，自己把书挑放下，把包袱捡起来，打开一看，里面有一个硬木小匣子，有锁锁着，有一个黄缎子小口袋，里面有钥匙。王太和拿钥匙把锁开开一看，匣子里是黄澄澄，两对金镯子，两头赤金手饰。
Now, when the Daoist had read Wang Taihe’s face, he said, “I’ll speak plainly and hide nothing, so don’t take offence, sir.” “Just say it, Reverend,” said Wang Taihe. The Daoist said, “Your looks, sir, are out of the common run. Your forehead has no master bone, your eyes have no steady pupils, and your eyebrows are thin and scattered: that means you will have no brothers to lean on. The bridge of your nose is sunken: that means you can’t hold on to the family estate. The tip of the nose is the Earth Star, the storehouse of a man’s wealth; on its left lies the Well and on its right the Stove. Your Well and Stove are far too empty — you’ll have money but no storehouse to keep it in, and all your life you’ll never save a thing. The Soaring Serpent lines run into your mouth, which means you are bound to starve to death in the end. You lost your father at seven and your mother at nine, and at sixteen you fell under the Post-Horse Star. These last few years you’ve been out in the world, rushing about and toiling; luckily you’re thrifty, though you haven’t put anything by. From now on, each day will be worse than the one before. Your face, sir — this poor Daoist can say no more about it.” As Wang Taihe listened to the Daoist, everything he said about the past was exactly right, not a hair off, so most likely what he said of the future would come true as well. He paid the fee for the reading and went back to Zhunti Temple, where he thought it over: “I’m going to starve to death in the end, so what’s the use of pushing on? I’d better hurry home and break off the betrothal, and let my father-in-law find his daughter another husband. This is my fate; I mustn’t drag someone else down with me.” The more he thought, the worse he felt, truly as though ten thousand steel knives were stabbing his heart. He gave up his trade, told the monks he was leaving his room, shouldered his book boxes on their pole and set off from Songjiang Prefecture for home. One day, halfway along the road, listless and downcast to begin with and tired as well, he stopped to rest in a grove beside the highway. As soon as he came into the grove he saw a yellow satin bundle lying on the ground. He set down his load of books, picked up the bundle and opened it. Inside was a small hardwood box, fastened with a lock, and a little yellow satin pouch with a key in it. Wang Taihe opened the lock with the key and looked: the box glowed yellow with two pairs of gold bracelets and two sets of pure-gold jewellery.
宋朝年間，黃金最貴，每一兩可換白銀五十兩。大概這兩對鐲有八兩一對，首飾約有五六兩一頭，大概可值一千兩銀子還多些。王太和一想：「我自己終歸得餓死，我別害人家，要是這個東西是這個本主丟的，丟的起不要緊，倘若要是家人給主人做事，或替人辦事，把這東西丟了，就有性命之憂。我莫如在這裡等等，有人來找，我給人家。」想罷，把這個包袱包好，放在書箱裡，王太和就在地下一坐，等了工夫不大，只見由北邊飛也似趕來了一個騎馬的，是一匹黑馬，走的甚快，親至切近，馬站住，這人翻身下馬。
宋朝年间，黄金最贵，每一两可换白银五十两。大概这两对镯有八两一对，首饰约有五六两一头，大概可值一千两银子还多些。王太和一想：「我自己终归得饿死，我别害人家，要是这个东西是这个本主丢的，丢的起不要紧，倘若要是家人给主人做事，或替人办事，把这东西丢了，就有性命之忧。我莫如在这里等等，有人来找，我给人家。」想罢，把这个包袱包好，放在书箱里，王太和就在地下一坐，等了工夫不大，只见由北边飞也似赶来了一个骑马的，是一匹黑马，走的甚快，亲至切近，马站住，这人翻身下马。
In the Song dynasty gold was dearest of all: one tael of it could be exchanged for fifty taels of silver. The two pairs of bracelets weighed about eight taels a pair, and the jewellery about five or six taels a set, so the whole lot was worth something over a thousand taels of silver. Wang Taihe thought: “I’m going to starve to death in the end anyway, so I mustn’t bring harm on anyone else. If the owner himself lost this and he can afford the loss, no matter. But suppose it was a servant doing something for his master, or someone running an errand for another, who lost it — his life could be at stake. I’d better wait here a while; if someone comes looking, I’ll give it to him.” With that he wrapped the bundle up again, put it in his book box and sat down on the ground. He hadn’t waited long when he saw a rider come racing up from the north as if flying, on a black horse going at a great pace. When he came close, the horse stopped and the man swung down from the saddle.
王太和一看，這個人是長隨的打扮，有二十多歲，白淨面皮，看這人臉上顏色都變了，驚惶失色的樣子，熱汗直流，下了馬趕奔上前，沖王太和一抱拳，說：「這位先生請了！在下姓蘇叫蘇興，在臨安蘇北山蘇員外家當從人。今奉我家員外之命，到松江府我們姑奶奶家，取來一個包袱，內中是兩對金鐲，兩頭金首飾。走在這裡，我這馬一眼岔驚下了去，把包袱由馬上掉下來，我也下不了馬，好容易把馬勒住，我這才回來找包袱。可沒碰見有過路的人，先生你老人家要看見我這包袱，你老人家得救我。我要把這包袱丟了，我就得一死。你老人家若見撿著，給了我，可就救了我的命了，將來我必有一分人心。」王太和點了點頭，打開書箱把包袱拿出來，說：「你瞧瞧，這點東西對是不對？」蘇興一看說：「先生，你真是我的重生父母，救了我的命了。要沒這個東西，我真得死。也就是你老人家這樣好人，千金不昧。未領教先生貴姓呀？」王太和說：「我是石杭縣興隆莊的人，我叫王太和。」蘇興說：「老人家何時到了臨安城，可千萬要到青竹巷四條胡同，蘇北山蘇員外家來找我，我叫蘇興。」王太和說：「是了罷。」蘇興實在心裡過不去，掏出五兩銀子，說：「先生，我也不敢說謝你，我盡我這點窮心，給你老人家買一杯茶吃。」王太和微然一笑，說：「你胡鬧，我打算要你的銀子，我撿著你這東西，就不給你了，你趁此拿著去罷。」蘇興見了王太和實意不肯要，自己也無法，便道：「先生，既是不要，我也不敢相強。先生哪時到了臨安，可千萬賞臉來找我。」說罷，趴地下給王太和磕了一個頭，竟自告辭走了。
王太和一看，这个人是长随的打扮，有二十多岁，白净面皮，看这人脸上颜色都变了，惊惶失色的样子，热汗直流，下了马赶奔上前，冲王太和一抱拳，说：「这位先生请了！在下姓苏叫苏兴，在临安苏北山苏员外家当从人。今奉我家员外之命，到松江府我们姑奶奶家，取来一个包袱，内中是两对金镯，两头金首饰。走在这里，我这马一眼岔惊下了去，把包袱由马上掉下来，我也下不了马，好容易把马勒住，我这才回来找包袱。可没碰见有过路的人，先生你老人家要看见我这包袱，你老人家得救我。我要把这包袱丢了，我就得一死。你老人家若见捡着，给了我，可就救了我的命了，将来我必有一分人心。」王太和点了点头，打开书箱把包袱拿出来，说：「你瞧瞧，这点东西对是不对？」苏兴一看说：「先生，你真是我的重生父母，救了我的命了。要没这个东西，我真得死。也就是你老人家这样好人，千金不昧。未领教先生贵姓呀？」王太和说：「我是石杭县兴隆庄的人，我叫王太和。」苏兴说：「老人家何时到了临安城，可千万要到青竹巷四条胡同，苏北山苏员外家来找我，我叫苏兴。」王太和说：「是了罢。」苏兴实在心里过不去，掏出五两银子，说：「先生，我也不敢说谢你，我尽我这点穷心，给你老人家买一杯茶吃。」王太和微然一笑，说：「你胡闹，我打算要你的银子，我捡着你这东西，就不给你了，你趁此拿着去罢。」苏兴见了王太和实意不肯要，自己也无法，便道：「先生，既是不要，我也不敢相强。先生哪时到了临安，可千万赏脸来找我。」说罢，趴地下给王太和磕了一个头，竟自告辞走了。
Wang Taihe looked him over. The man was dressed as a gentleman’s personal attendant, a little over twenty, fair-skinned. His face had changed colour; he looked panic-stricken, and hot sweat was streaming down him. He got off his horse, hurried up and saluted Wang Taihe with joined fists. “My respects to you, sir! My name is Su — Su Xing. I’m a servant in the house of Squire Su Beishan in Lin’an. My master sent me to his married daughter’s house in Songjiang Prefecture to fetch a bundle, and inside it are two pairs of gold bracelets and two sets of gold jewellery. When I got this far, my horse shied at something and bolted, and the bundle fell off. I couldn’t get down, and it was all I could do to rein the horse in; only now have I come back to look for it. And I haven’t met a single passer-by. Sir, if you’ve seen my bundle, you have to save me. If I lose it, it’s death for me. If you’ve found it and you give it to me, you’ll have saved my life, and one day I’ll surely show you my gratitude.” Wang Taihe nodded, opened his book box and took out the bundle. “Have a look — are these your things or not?” Su Xing looked. “Sir, you’ve given me a new life, like a father and mother — you’ve saved my life! Without this I really would have had to die. Only a good man like you, sir, would find a fortune and not keep it. May I ask your honourable name?” “I come from Xinglong Village in Shihang County,” said Wang Taihe. “My name is Wang Taihe.” “Whenever you come to Lin’an, sir,” said Su Xing, “be sure to come to Fourth Lane, Qingzhu, to the house of Squire Su Beishan, and ask for me. I’m Su Xing.” “All right,” said Wang Taihe. Su Xing really couldn’t let it rest at that. He took out five taels of silver. “Sir, I wouldn’t dare call this thanks. It’s only what a poor man can manage — buy yourself a cup of tea with it.” Wang Taihe smiled faintly. “Don’t be silly. If I’d wanted your silver, I’d have kept your things when I picked them up and not given them back. Take it and be off with you.” Seeing that Wang Taihe truly would not take it, Su Xing could do nothing about it, and said, “Sir, since you won’t take it, I daren’t press you. Whenever you come to Lin’an, sir, do me the honour of looking me up.” With that he went down on the ground and kowtowed to Wang Taihe, then took his leave and went.