長山石進士宗玉，為新鄭令。適有遠客張某，經商於外，因病思歸，不能騎步，賃手車一輛，攜貲五千，兩夫挽載以行。至新鄭，兩夫往市飲食，張守貲獨臥車中。有某甲過，睨之，見旁無人，奪貲去。張不能禦，力疾起，遙尾綴之，入一村中；又從之，入一門內。張不敢入，但自短垣窺覘之。甲釋所負，回首見窺者，怒執為賊，縛見石公，因言情狀。問張，備述其冤。公以無質實，叱去之。二人下，皆以官無皂白。公置若不聞。頗憶甲久有逋賦，遣役嚴追之。逾日，即以銀三兩投納。石公問金所自來。甲云：「質衣鬻物。」皆指名以實之。石公遣役令視納稅人，有與甲同村者否。適甲鄰人在，喚入問之：「汝既為某甲近鄰，金所從來。爾當知之。」鄰曰：「不知。」公曰：「鄰家不知，其來曖昧。」甲懼，顧鄰曰：「我質某物、鬻某器，汝豈不知？」鄰急曰：「然，固有之矣。」公怒曰：「爾必與甲同盜，非刑詢不可！」命取梏械。鄰人懼曰：「吾以鄰故，不敢招怨；今刑及己身，何諱乎。彼實劫張某錢所市也。」遂釋之。時張以喪貲未歸，乃責甲押償之。此亦見石之能實心為政也。
长山石进士宗玉，为新郑令。适有远客张某，经商于外，因病思归，不能骑步，赁手车一辆，携赀五千，两夫挽载以行。至新郑，两夫往市饮食，张守赀独卧车中。有某甲过，睨之，见旁无人，夺赀去。张不能御，力疾起，遥尾缀之，入一村中；又从之，入一门内。张不敢入，但自短垣窥觇之。甲释所负，回首见窥者，怒执为贼，缚见石公，因言情状。问张，备述其冤。公以无质实，叱去之。二人下，皆以官无皂白。公置若不闻。颇忆甲久有逋赋，遣役严追之。逾日，即以银三两投纳。石公问金所自来。甲云：「质衣鬻物。」皆指名以实之。石公遣役令视纳税人，有与甲同村者否。适甲邻人在，唤入问之：「汝既为某甲近邻，金所从来。尔当知之。」邻曰：「不知。」公曰：「邻家不知，其来暧昧。」甲惧，顾邻曰：「我质某物、鬻某器，汝岂不知？」邻急曰：「然，固有之矣。」公怒曰：「尔必与甲同盗，非刑询不可！」命取梏械。邻人惧曰：「吾以邻故，不敢招怨；今刑及己身，何讳乎。彼实劫张某钱所市也。」遂释之。时张以丧赀未归，乃责甲押偿之。此亦见石之能实心为政也。
Shi Zongyu of Changshan, a jinshi, was magistrate of Xinzheng. A traveller from far away named Zhang had been trading away from home when he fell ill and wanted to go back. He could neither ride nor walk, so he hired a handcart. Taking five thousand cash, he set off with two porters pulling him along. At Xinzheng the two porters went to the market to eat, and Zhang lay alone in the cart, guarding the money. A certain man, whom we shall call A, came by and eyed him. Seeing no one nearby, A snatched the money and made off. Zhang could not stop him. Forcing himself up in spite of his illness, he followed at a distance into a village, and saw A go in through a gateway. Zhang did not dare go in, and only peered over a low wall. A set down his load, turned his head and saw someone watching. In a rage he seized Zhang as a thief, tied him up, and brought him before Lord Shi, where he gave his account of what had happened. When Zhang was questioned, he told the whole story of the wrong done to him. His lordship had no proof either way, and drove them out with a shout. As the two went down from the hall, both said the magistrate could not tell black from white. His lordship acted as if he had not heard. He remembered that A had owed back taxes for a long time, and sent runners to press him hard for them. The next day A paid in three taels of silver. Lord Shi asked where the money had come from. “I pawned clothes and sold things,” said A, and named each item to prove it. Lord Shi sent runners to see whether any of the people paying taxes were from A’s village. As it happened, A’s neighbour was there. He was called in. “You are A’s close neighbour,” said his lordship. “You must know where this money came from.” “I don’t know,” said the neighbour. “If his neighbour doesn’t know,” said his lordship, “then the money came from somewhere shady.” A was frightened. He turned to the neighbour. “I pawned this and sold that — how can you not know?” “Yes, yes,” the neighbour said quickly. “That’s so.” His lordship was angry. “You must be his partner in the theft! Nothing but torture will get it out of you!” He ordered the shackles brought. The neighbour was frightened. “He’s my neighbour, so I didn’t dare make an enemy of him. But now the torture is coming down on me, why should I hide it? He really bought those things with the money he robbed from Zhang.” So he was released. Zhang had lost his money and had not gone home, so A was held under guard and made to pay it back. This too shows how Shi could govern with a true heart.