且說盧方出廟觀看山景。急見那邊來了個婦人慌慌張張，見了盧方，說道：「救人呀，救人呀！」說著話，邁步跑進廟去了。盧方才待要問，又見後面有一人穿著軍卒服色，口內胡言亂道，追趕前來。盧方聽了，不由的氣往上衝，迎面將掌一晃，腳下一踢，那軍卒栽倒在地。盧方趕步，腳踏胸膛，喝道：「你這廝擅自追趕良家婦女，意欲何為？講！」說罷，揚拳要打。那軍卒道：「你老爺不必動怒，小人實說。小人名叫劉立保，在飛叉太保鐘大王爺寨內做了四等的小頭目。只因前日襄陽王爺派人送來一個罈子，裡面裝定一位英雄的骨殖，說此人姓白名玉堂。襄陽王爺恐人把骨殖盜去，因此交給我們大王，我們大王說，這位姓白的是個義士好朋友，就把他埋在九截松五峰嶺下。今日又派我帶領一十六個嘍囉抬了祭禮前來，與姓白的上墳。小人因出恭，落在後面，恰好遇見這個婦人。小人以為幽山荒僻，欺負他是個孤行的婦女，也不過是臊皮打哈哈兒，並非誠心要把他怎麼樣。就是這麼一件事情，你老聽明白了？」劉立保一壁說話，一壁偷眼瞅盧方。見盧方愣愣柯柯，不言不語，彷彿出神，忘其所以，後面說的話大約全沒聽見。劉立保暗道：「這位別有什麼症候吧？我不趁此時逃走，還等什麼？」輕輕從盧方的腳下滾出，爬起來就往前追趕嘍囉去了。
且说卢方出庙观看山景。急见那边来了个妇人慌慌张张，见了卢方，说道：「救人呀，救人呀！」说着话，迈步跑进庙去了。卢方才待要问，又见后面有一人穿着军卒服色，口内胡言乱道，追赶前来。卢方听了，不由的气往上冲，迎面将掌一晃，脚下一踢，那军卒栽倒在地。卢方赶步，脚踏胸膛，喝道：「你这厮擅自追赶良家妇女，意欲何为？讲！」说罢，扬拳要打。那军卒道：「你老爷不必动怒，小人实说。小人名叫刘立保，在飞叉太保钟大王爷寨内做了四等的小头目。只因前日襄阳王爷派人送来一个坛子，里面装定一位英雄的骨殖，说此人姓白名玉堂。襄阳王爷恐人把骨殖盗去，因此交给我们大王，我们大王说，这位姓白的是个义士好朋友，就把他埋在九截松五峰岭下。今日又派我带领一十六个喽啰抬了祭礼前来，与姓白的上坟。小人因出恭，落在后面，恰好遇见这个妇人。小人以为幽山荒僻，欺负他是个孤行的妇女，也不过是臊皮打哈哈儿，并非诚心要把他怎么样。就是这么一件事情，你老听明白了？」刘立保一壁说话，一壁偷眼瞅卢方。见卢方愣愣柯柯，不言不语，仿佛出神，忘其所以，后面说的话大约全没听见。刘立保暗道：「这位别有什么症候吧？我不趁此时逃走，还等什么？」轻轻从卢方的脚下滚出，爬起来就往前追赶喽啰去了。
Now, Lu Fang had come out of the temple to look at the mountain scenery. All at once he saw a woman come hurrying that way in a great fluster. When she saw Lu Fang she cried, “Help! Help!” and with that she ran on into the temple. Lu Fang was about to ask what was the matter when he saw a man behind her in a soldier’s uniform, babbling filth as he came chasing after her. Hearing it, Lu Fang felt his anger surge up before he could help it. He met the man with a feint of his palm and a kick from below, and the soldier went sprawling. Lu Fang stepped up, planted a foot on his chest and roared, “You wretch, chasing a respectable woman as you please — what do you mean by it? Speak!” With that he raised his fist to strike. “Don’t be angry, sir,” said the soldier. “I’ll tell you the truth. My name is Liu Libao. I’m a petty headman of the fourth grade in the stronghold of the Flying-Fork Guardian, Great King Zhong. The other day His Highness the Prince of Xiangyang sent someone over with a jar, and in it were the bones of a hero. They said the man’s name was Bai Yutang. His Highness was afraid someone would steal the bones, so he handed them over to our Great King, and our Great King said this Bai was a man of honour and a good fellow, and buried him under Wufeng Ridge at Jiujiesong. Today he sent me with sixteen lackeys to carry offerings up there and sacrifice at Bai’s grave. I stopped to answer a call of nature and fell behind, and that’s just when I ran into this woman. I thought, these hills are lonely and out of the way, and here’s a woman walking by herself, so I took advantage. But it was only teasing and larking about; I never truly meant to do anything to her. That’s all there is to it. Have you got it straight, sir?” All the while he talked, Liu Libao was stealing glances at Lu Fang. He saw Lu Fang standing there dazed and dumb, not saying a word, as if his wits had wandered off and he had forgotten where he was; most of what came after, he had probably not heard at all. Liu Libao thought to himself, “Has this fellow got some kind of fit coming on? If I don’t slip off now, what am I waiting for?” Quietly he rolled out from under Lu Fang’s foot, scrambled up and ran on ahead after the lackeys.
到了那裡，見眾人祭禮擺妥，單等劉立保。劉立保也不說長，也不道短，走到祭桌跟前雙膝跪倒。眾人同聲道：「一來奉上命差遣，二來聞聽說死者是個好漢。來，來，來，大家行個禮兒，也是應當的。」眾人跪倒，剛磕下頭去。只聽劉立保哇的一聲，放聲大哭。眾人覺得詫異，道：「行禮使得，哭他何益？」劉立保不但哭，嘴裡還數數落落的道：「白五爺呀！我的白五爺！今日奉大王之命前來與你老上墳，差一點兒沒叫人把我毀了。焉知不是你老人家的默佑保護，小人方才得脫。若非你老的陰靈顯應，大約我這劉立保保不住，叫人家弄死了。哎呀！我那有靈有聖的白五爺呀。」眾人聽了不覺要笑，只得上前相勸，好容易方才住聲。眾人原打算祭奠完了，大家團團圍住，一吃一喝。不想劉立保餘慟尚在。眾人見頭兒如此，只得仍將祭禮裝在食盒裡面，大家抬起。也有抱怨的，辛苦了這半天連個祭餘也沒嘗著；也有納悶的，劉立保今兒受了誰的氣來到這裡借此發洩呢？俱各猜不出是什麼緣故。
到了那里，见众人祭礼摆妥，单等刘立保。刘立保也不说长，也不道短，走到祭桌跟前双膝跪倒。众人同声道：「一来奉上命差遣，二来闻听说死者是个好汉。来，来，来，大家行个礼儿，也是应当的。」众人跪倒，刚磕下头去。只听刘立保哇的一声，放声大哭。众人觉得诧异，道：「行礼使得，哭他何益？」刘立保不但哭，嘴里还数数落落的道：「白五爷呀！我的白五爷！今日奉大王之命前来与你老上坟，差一点儿没叫人把我毁了。焉知不是你老人家的默佑保护，小人方才得脱。若非你老的阴灵显应，大约我这刘立保保不住，叫人家弄死了。哎呀！我那有灵有圣的白五爷呀。」众人听了不觉要笑，只得上前相劝，好容易方才住声。众人原打算祭奠完了，大家团团围住，一吃一喝。不想刘立保余恸尚在。众人见头儿如此，只得仍将祭礼装在食盒里面，大家抬起。也有抱怨的，辛苦了这半天连个祭余也没尝着；也有纳闷的，刘立保今儿受了谁的气来到这里借此发泄呢？俱各猜不出是什么缘故。
When he got there, he found the offerings all laid out and everyone waiting only for him. Without a word one way or the other, Liu Libao walked up to the offering table and dropped to both knees. “For one thing, we’re under orders,” the others said together, “and for another, we hear the dead man was a real hero. Come on, come on, let’s all make our bow. It’s only proper.” They all knelt, and had just knocked their heads to the ground when Liu Libao let out a howl and burst into loud sobs. The others were astonished. “Bowing is all very well,” they said, “but what good does crying over him do?” Liu Libao not only wept but kept up a wailing chant: “Oh, Fifth Master Bai! My own Fifth Master Bai! Today the Great King sent me to sacrifice at your grave, and I came within a hair of being done for. Who’s to say it wasn’t your honour watching over me unseen that let me get away just now? If your spirit hadn’t shown its power, I reckon this Liu Libao couldn’t have saved his skin — they’d have done me in. Oh, my Fifth Master Bai, so mighty and so holy!” The others could hardly keep from laughing, but they had to go up and coax him, and it was all they could do to make him stop. They had meant, when the sacrifice was over, to sit round in a ring and eat and drink. But Liu Libao’s grief had not yet spent itself, and seeing their leader in this state, they had no choice but to pack the offerings back into the food hampers and shoulder them again. Some grumbled that after all that toil they had not tasted so much as a scrap of the sacrificial leftovers; some were puzzled, wondering who had upset Liu Libao today that he should come here and pour it all out. Not one of them could guess the reason.
劉立保眼尖，見那邊來了幾個獵戶，各持兵刃，知道不好，他便從小路溜之乎也。這裡嘍囉抬著食盒，冷不防劈叉拍一陣亂響，將食盒傢伙砸個稀爛。其中有兩個獵戶，一個使棍，一個托叉，問道：「劉立保那裡去了？」眾嘍囉中有認的二人的，便說道：「陸大爺，魯二爺，這是怎麼說？我等並沒敢得罪尊駕，為何將傢伙俱各打碎？我們如何回去交差呢？」只聽使棍的說：「你等休來問俺。俺只問你，劉立保在那裡？」嘍囉道：「他早已從小路逃走，大爺找他則甚？」使棍的冷笑道：「好呀！他竟逃走了，便宜這廝。你等回去上復你家大王，問他這洞庭之內，可有無故劫掠良家婦女的規矩麼？而且他敢邀截俺的妻小，是何道理？」眾嘍囉聽了，方明白劉立保所做之事。大約方才慟哭，想來是已然受了委屈了，便向前央告道：「大爺二爺不要動怒，我們回去必稟知大王，將他重處，實實不干小人們之事。」使叉的還要搶叉動手，使棍的攔住道：「賢弟休要傷害他等。且看鐘大王素日情面。」又對眾嘍囉道：「俺若不看你家大王的分上，將你等一個也是不留。你等回去，務必將劉立保所做之惡說明，也叫你家大王知道俺等並非無故廝鬧。且饒恕爾等去吧。」眾嘍囉抱頭鼠竄而去。
刘立保眼尖，见那边来了几个猎户，各持兵刃，知道不好，他便从小路溜之乎也。这里喽啰抬着食盒，冷不防劈叉拍一阵乱响，将食盒家伙砸个稀烂。其中有两个猎户，一个使棍，一个托叉，问道：「刘立保那里去了？」众喽啰中有认的二人的，便说道：「陆大爷，鲁二爷，这是怎么说？我等并没敢得罪尊驾，为何将家伙俱各打碎？我们如何回去交差呢？」只听使棍的说：「你等休来问俺。俺只问你，刘立保在那里？」喽啰道：「他早已从小路逃走，大爷找他则甚？」使棍的冷笑道：「好呀！他竟逃走了，便宜这厮。你等回去上复你家大王，问他这洞庭之内，可有无故劫掠良家妇女的规矩么？而且他敢邀截俺的妻小，是何道理？」众喽啰听了，方明白刘立保所做之事。大约方才恸哭，想来是已然受了委屈了，便向前央告道：「大爷二爷不要动怒，我们回去必禀知大王，将他重处，实实不干小人们之事。」使叉的还要抢叉动手，使棍的拦住道：「贤弟休要伤害他等。且看钟大王素日情面。」又对众喽啰道：「俺若不看你家大王的分上，将你等一个也是不留。你等回去，务必将刘立保所做之恶说明，也叫你家大王知道俺等并非无故厮闹。且饶恕尔等去吧。」众喽啰抱头鼠窜而去。
Liu Libao had sharp eyes. Seeing several hunters coming that way, each with a weapon in hand, he knew there was trouble, and slipped off down a side path and made himself scarce. Back here, the lackeys were carrying the food hampers along when, without warning, there came a crash and a clatter, and hampers and dishes alike were smashed to pieces. Two of the hunters, one with a staff and one holding a fork, demanded, “Where has Liu Libao gone?” Some of the lackeys knew the pair and said, “Master Lu Bin, Master Lu Ying, what’s all this? We’ve never dared offend you gentlemen. Why smash all our things? How are we to go back and answer for it?” The one with the staff said, “Don’t you ask me questions. I’m asking you: where is Liu Libao?” “He ran off down a side path long ago,” said the lackeys. “What do you want with him, Master?” The one with the staff laughed coldly. “Oh, fine! So he ran off, did he? The wretch got off lightly. You go back and give your Great King this from me: ask him whether, here on Dongting, there is any rule that a man may lay hands on respectable women for no reason. And what does he mean by daring to waylay my wife?” Only then did the lackeys understand what Liu Libao had done. His great weeping just now, they supposed, must mean he had already been given a taste of it. They stepped forward and pleaded, “Master Lu Bin, Master Lu Ying, don’t be angry. When we get back we’ll report it to the Great King and have him punished severely. It truly has nothing to do with us.” The one with the fork was still for swinging it at them, but the one with the staff held him back. “Brother, don’t hurt them. Let us have regard for Great King Zhong’s face, as we always have.” Then he said to the lackeys, “If it weren’t for your Great King’s sake, I wouldn’t leave a single one of you alive. Go back, and be sure to tell him plainly the wrong that Liu Libao did, so your Great King knows we aren’t making a row over nothing. We’ll spare you this time. Be off!” The lackeys fled with their hands over their heads, scurrying like rats.