金大用，中州舊家子也。聘尤太守女，字庚娘，麗而賢。逑好甚敦。以流寇之亂，家人離逷。金攜家南竄。途遇少年，亦偕妻以逃者，自言廣陵王十八，願為前驅。金喜，行止與俱。至河上，女隱告金曰：「勿與少年同舟。彼屢顧我，目動而色變，中叵測也。」金諾之。王殷勤，覓巨舟，代金運裝，劬勞臻至。金不忍卻。又念其攜有少婦，應亦無他。婦與庚娘同居，意度亦頗溫婉。王坐舡頭上，與櫓人傾語，似甚熟識戚好。未幾，日落，水程迢遞，漫漫不辨南北。金四顧幽險，頗涉疑怪。頃之，皎月初升，見彌望皆蘆葦。既泊，王邀金父子出戶一豁。乃乘間擠金入水。金父見之，欲號。舟人以篙築之，亦溺。生母聞聲出窺，又築溺之。王始喊救。母出時，庚娘在後，已微窺之。既聞一家盡溺，即亦不驚。但哭曰：「翁姑俱沒，我安適歸！」王入勸：「娘子勿憂，請從我至金陵。家中田廬，頗足贍給，保無虞也。」女收涕曰：「得如此，願亦足矣。」王大悅，給奉良殷。既暮，曳女求懽。女託體姅，王乃就婦宿。初更既盡，夫婦喧競，不知何由。但聞婦曰：「若所為，雷霆恐碎汝顱矣！」王乃撾婦。婦呼云：「便死休！誠不願為殺人賊婦！」王吼怒，捽婦出。便聞骨董一聲，遂譁言婦溺矣。
金大用，中州旧家子也。聘尤太守女，字庚娘，丽而贤。逑好甚敦。以流寇之乱，家人离逷。金携家南窜。途遇少年，亦偕妻以逃者，自言广陵王十八，愿为前驱。金喜，行止与俱。至河上，女隐告金曰：「勿与少年同舟。彼屡顾我，目动而色变，中叵测也。」金诺之。王殷勤，觅巨舟，代金运装，劬劳臻至。金不忍却。又念其携有少妇，应亦无他。妇与庚娘同居，意度亦颇温婉。王坐舡头上，与橹人倾语，似甚熟识戚好。未几，日落，水程迢递，漫漫不辨南北。金四顾幽险，颇涉疑怪。顷之，皎月初升，见弥望皆芦苇。既泊，王邀金父子出户一豁。乃乘间挤金入水。金父见之，欲号。舟人以篙筑之，亦溺。生母闻声出窥，又筑溺之。王始喊救。母出时，庚娘在后，已微窥之。既闻一家尽溺，即亦不惊。但哭曰：「翁姑俱没，我安适归！」王入劝：「娘子勿忧，请从我至金陵。家中田庐，颇足赡给，保无虞也。」女收涕曰：「得如此，愿亦足矣。」王大悦，给奉良殷。既暮，曳女求懽。女托体姅，王乃就妇宿。初更既尽，夫妇喧竞，不知何由。但闻妇曰：「若所为，雷霆恐碎汝颅矣！」王乃挝妇。妇呼云：「便死休！诚不愿为杀人贼妇！」王吼怒，捽妇出。便闻骨董一声，遂哗言妇溺矣。
Jin Dayong came of an old family of the Central Plains. He was married to the daughter of Prefect You, a girl named Gengniang, who was both beautiful and good, and the two were deeply devoted to each other. When the roving bandits brought chaos to the land, households were scattered, and Jin fled south with his family. On the road they fell in with a young man who was also fleeing with his wife. He said he was Wang Shiba of Guangling, and offered to go ahead and lead the way. Jin was glad of it, and they travelled and stopped together. When they reached the river, Gengniang said to Jin privately, “Don’t take the same boat as that young man. He keeps looking at me; his eyes shift and his colour changes. There’s no telling what is in his heart.” Jin agreed. But Wang was all attention: he found a big boat, carried Jin’s baggage aboard for him, and spared himself no trouble. Jin hadn’t the heart to turn him away. Besides, he thought, the man had a young wife with him, so he could hardly mean any harm. The wife shared a cabin with Gengniang and seemed gentle and agreeable. Wang sat up at the bow talking closely with the oarsmen, as if they were old friends. Soon the sun went down. The waterway stretched on and on, a vast blur in which north could not be told from south. Jin looked around at the dark, forbidding place and began to feel uneasy. Presently a bright moon rose, and as far as the eye could see there was nothing but reeds. When they had moored, Wang invited Jin and his father out on deck for some air. Then, seizing his chance, he shoved Jin into the water. Jin’s father saw it and was about to cry out, but a boatman struck him with a pole, and he too went in and drowned. Jin’s mother heard the noise and came out to look; they struck her into the water as well. Only then did Wang shout for help. When the mother went out, Gengniang had been behind her and caught a glimpse of it all. So when she heard that the whole family had drowned, she showed no alarm. She only wept and said, “My husband’s father and mother are both gone. Where am I to go now?” Wang came in to comfort her. “Don’t worry, madam. Come with me to Jinling. I have land and a house there, more than enough to keep you. You’ll want for nothing.” She dried her tears. “If it can be so, I ask no more.” Wang was delighted and waited on her most attentively. When night came he pulled at her, wanting her. She pleaded that she had her monthly flow, so Wang went to sleep with his wife. At the end of the first watch, husband and wife began quarrelling; about what, she could not tell. All that could be heard was the wife saying, “For what you have done, thunder will split your skull!” Wang beat her. She cried out, “Kill me, then, and be done with it! I will not be a murderer’s wife!” Wang roared with rage and dragged her out by the hair. Then came a great splash, and he raised a clamour that his wife had drowned.
未幾，抵金陵，導庚娘至家，登堂見媼。媼訝非故婦。王言：「婦墮水死，新娶此耳。」歸房，又欲犯之。庚娘笑曰：「三十許男子，尚未經人道耶？市兒初合巹，亦須一杯薄漿酒；汝家沃饒，當即不難。清醒相對，是何體段？」王喜，具酒對酌。庚娘執爵，勸酬殷懇。王漸醉，辭不飲。庚娘引巨椀，強媚勸之。王不忍拒，又飲之。於是酣醉，裸脫促寢。庚娘撤器滅燭，託言溲溺。出房，以刀入，暗中以手索王項，王猶捉臂作昵聲。庚娘力切之，不死，號而起；又揮之，始殪。媼彷彿有聞，趨問之。女亦殺之。王弟十九覺焉。庚娘知不免，急自刎。刀鈍鈌不可入，啟戶而奔。十九逐之，已投池中矣。呼告居人，救之已死，色麗如生。共驗王尸，見窗上一函，開視，則女備述其冤狀。羣以為烈，謀斂貲作殯。天明，集視者數千人；見其容，皆朝拜之。終日間，得金百，於是葬諸南郊。好事者，為之珠冠袍服，瘞藏豐滿焉。
未几，抵金陵，导庚娘至家，登堂见媪。媪讶非故妇。王言：「妇堕水死，新娶此耳。」归房，又欲犯之。庚娘笑曰：「三十许男子，尚未经人道耶？市儿初合卺，亦须一杯薄浆酒；汝家沃饶，当即不难。清醒相对，是何体段？」王喜，具酒对酌。庚娘执爵，劝酬殷恳。王渐醉，辞不饮。庚娘引巨椀，强媚劝之。王不忍拒，又饮之。于是酣醉，裸脱促寝。庚娘撤器灭烛，托言溲溺。出房，以刀入，暗中以手索王项，王犹捉臂作昵声。庚娘力切之，不死，号而起；又挥之，始殪。媪仿佛有闻，趋问之。女亦杀之。王弟十九觉焉。庚娘知不免，急自刎。刀钝鈌不可入，启户而奔。十九逐之，已投池中矣。呼告居人，救之已死，色丽如生。共验王尸，见窗上一函，开视，则女备述其冤状。群以为烈，谋敛赀作殡。天明，集视者数千人；见其容，皆朝拜之。终日间，得金百，于是葬诸南郊。好事者，为之珠冠袍服，瘗藏丰满焉。
Before long they reached Jinling. Wang took Gengniang home and up into the hall to meet his mother. The old woman was surprised that she was not his former wife. “My wife fell in the water and drowned,” said Wang. “This is my new one.” In their room he again tried to force himself on her. Gengniang laughed. “A man of thirty or so, and you’ve never been with a woman? Even a market lad has a cup of thin wine when he shares the wedding cup with his bride. Your family is well off; that should be no trouble. To face each other stone sober — what sort of way is that?” Wang was pleased. He set out wine, and they drank together. Gengniang held the cup and pressed him to drink, toast after toast, with every show of warmth. As Wang grew drunk he refused any more. Gengniang took up a big bowl and coaxed him with all her charm; he could not bring himself to refuse, and drank again. Now thoroughly drunk, he stripped naked and urged her to bed. Gengniang cleared away the dishes, put out the candle, and said she had to relieve herself. She left the room and came back with a knife. In the dark she felt for Wang’s neck with her hand; Wang caught her arm and murmured endearments. Gengniang cut hard. He did not die, but rose howling. She struck again, and he was dead. The old woman seemed to have heard something and hurried in to ask. Gengniang killed her too. Wang’s younger brother, Shijiu, was roused. Gengniang knew she could not escape and quickly tried to cut her own throat, but the knife was blunt and notched and would not go in. She threw open the door and ran. Shijiu chased her, but she had already thrown herself into the pond. He called out the neighbours. When they pulled her out she was dead, but her face was as lovely as in life. Together they examined Wang’s body and found a letter on the windowsill. They opened it: she had set down in full the wrong that had been done to her. All of them held her a true heroine, and they planned to take up a collection for her burial. At daybreak several thousand people gathered to look at her, and when they saw her face they all bowed down to her. In a single day a hundred taels were raised, and she was buried in the southern outskirts. Some well-wishers gave a pearl headdress and robes for her, and the things buried with her were rich indeed.
初，金生之溺也，浮片板上，得不死。將曉，至淮上，為小舟所救。舟蓋富民尹翁專設以拯溺者。金既蘇，詣翁申謝。翁優厚之。留教其子。金以不知親耗，將往探訪，故不決。俄曰：「撈得死叟及媼。」金疑是父母，奔驗果然。翁代營棺木。生方哀慟，又白：「拯一溺婦，自言金生其夫。」生揮涕驚出，女子已至，殊非庚娘，乃王十八婦也。向金大哭，請勿相棄。金曰：「我方寸已亂，何暇謀人？」婦益悲。尹得其故，喜為天報，勸金納婦。金以居喪為辭，且將復仇，懼細弱作累。婦曰：「如君言，脫庚娘猶在，將以報仇居喪去之耶？」翁以其言善，請暫代收養，金乃許之。卜葬翁媼，婦縗絰哭泣，如喪翁姑。既葬，金懷刃托缽，將赴廣陵。婦止之曰：「妾唐氏，祖居金陵，與豺子同鄉。前言廣陵者，詐也。且江湖水寇，半伊同黨，仇不能復，祇取禍耳。」金徘徊不知所謀。忽傳女子誅仇事，洋溢河渠，姓名甚悉。金聞之一快，然益悲。辭婦曰：「幸不污辱。家有烈婦如此，何忍負心再娶？」婦以業有成說，不肯中離，願自居於媵妾。
初，金生之溺也，浮片板上，得不死。将晓，至淮上，为小舟所救。舟盖富民尹翁专设以拯溺者。金既苏，诣翁申谢。翁优厚之。留教其子。金以不知亲耗，将往探访，故不决。俄曰：「捞得死叟及媪。」金疑是父母，奔验果然。翁代营棺木。生方哀恸，又白：「拯一溺妇，自言金生其夫。」生挥涕惊出，女子已至，殊非庚娘，乃王十八妇也。向金大哭，请勿相弃。金曰：「我方寸已乱，何暇谋人？」妇益悲。尹得其故，喜为天报，劝金纳妇。金以居丧为辞，且将复仇，惧细弱作累。妇曰：「如君言，脱庚娘犹在，将以报仇居丧去之耶？」翁以其言善，请暂代收养，金乃许之。卜葬翁媪，妇缞绖哭泣，如丧翁姑。既葬，金怀刃托钵，将赴广陵。妇止之曰：「妾唐氏，祖居金陵，与豺子同乡。前言广陵者，诈也。且江湖水寇，半伊同党，仇不能复，祇取祸耳。」金徘徊不知所谋。忽传女子诛仇事，洋溢河渠，姓名甚悉。金闻之一快，然益悲。辞妇曰：「幸不污辱。家有烈妇如此，何忍负心再娶？」妇以业有成说，不肯中离，愿自居于媵妾。
Now, when Jin went into the water, he floated on a plank and did not die. Toward dawn he drifted to the Huai and was picked up by a small boat. It belonged to a rich man, old Mr. Yin, who kept it for no other purpose than rescuing the drowning. When Jin came round he went to the old man to thank him. Yin treated him generously and asked him to stay and tutor his son. But Jin had no news of his parents and meant to go and look for them, so he could not decide. Then word came: “We have pulled out the bodies of an old man and an old woman.” Jin feared they were his parents. He ran to look, and so they were. Old Yin provided the coffins for him. Jin was still in the depths of his grief when word came again: “We have saved a drowning woman. She says Mr. Jin is her husband.” Jin wiped away his tears and rushed out in astonishment. The woman had already been brought in — and she was not Gengniang at all, but Wang Shiba’s wife. She wept aloud before Jin and begged him not to cast her off. “My heart is in turmoil,” said Jin. “How can I think about anyone else?” She wept all the harder. When Yin learned the story, he rejoiced at it as Heaven’s requital and urged Jin to take her as his wife. Jin declined: he was in mourning, and besides he meant to take revenge and feared a wife would be a burden. “By that reasoning,” she said, “if Gengniang were still alive, would you put her away for the sake of revenge and mourning?” The old man thought she spoke well and offered to keep her in his own house for the time being, and to this Jin agreed. When a day had been chosen to bury the old couple, the woman put on hempen mourning and wept as though they were her own husband’s parents. After the burial Jin hid a knife in his clothes, took up a begging bowl, and made ready to set out for Guangling. The woman stopped him. “My family name is Tang,” she said. “My people have always lived in Jinling, the same place as that jackal. When he said Guangling, he lied. And half the pirates on the rivers and lakes are his confederates. You won’t get your revenge; you’ll only bring disaster on yourself.” Jin hesitated, not knowing what to do. Then suddenly news spread of a woman who had killed her enemy. It was all up and down the rivers and canals, with her name given in full. When Jin heard it he felt a rush of joy, but his grief was all the greater. He said to the woman, “Thank Heaven she was not defiled. With a heroine like that for a wife, how could I betray her by marrying again?” But the woman held that it had all been settled, and refused to break it off halfway; she was willing to take the place of a concubine.