且說那正西來的姓姚行六，外號兒搖晃山；那正東北來的姓費行七，外號兒叫爬山蛇。他二人路上說話，不提防樹後有人竊聽。姚六走得遠了；這裡費七被丁二爺追上，從後面一伸手將脖項搯住，按倒在地，道：「費七，你可認得我麼？」費七細細一看道：「丁二爺，為何將小人擒住？」丁二爺道：「我且問你，通天窟在於何處？」費七道：「從此往西去不遠，往南一稍頭，便看見隨山勢的石門，那就是通天窟。」二爺道：「既如此，我合你借宗東西，將你的衣服腰牌借我一用。」費七連忙從腰間遞過腰牌，道：「二員外，你老讓我起來，我好脫衣裳呀。」丁二爺將他一提，攏住髮綹，道：「快脫。」費七無奈，將衣裳脫下。丁二爺拿了他的搭包，又將他拉到背眼的去處，揀了一棵合抱的松樹，叫他將樹抱住，就用搭包捆縛結實。費七暗暗著急道：「不好！我別要栽了罷。」忽聽丁二爺道：「張開口。」早把一塊衣襟塞住，道：「小子，你在此等到天亮，橫豎有人前來救你。」費七哼了一聲，口中不能說，心裡卻道：「好德行！虧了這個天不甚涼；要是冷天，饒凍死了，別人遠遠的瞧著，拿著我還當做旱魃呢。」
且说那正西来的姓姚行六，外号儿摇晃山；那正东北来的姓费行七，外号儿叫爬山蛇。他二人路上说话，不提防树后有人窃听。姚六走得远了；这里费七被丁二爷追上，从后面一伸手将脖项搯住，按倒在地，道：「费七，你可认得我么？」费七细细一看道：「丁二爷，为何将小人擒住？」丁二爷道：「我且问你，通天窟在于何处？」费七道：「从此往西去不远，往南一稍头，便看见随山势的石门，那就是通天窟。」二爷道：「既如此，我合你借宗东西，将你的衣服腰牌借我一用。」费七连忙从腰间递过腰牌，道：「二员外，你老让我起来，我好脱衣裳呀。」丁二爷将他一提，拢住发绺，道：「快脱。」费七无奈，将衣裳脱下。丁二爷拿了他的搭包，又将他拉到背眼的去处，拣了一棵合抱的松树，叫他将树抱住，就用搭包捆缚结实。费七暗暗着急道：「不好！我别要栽了罢。」忽听丁二爷道：「张开口。」早把一块衣襟塞住，道：「小子，你在此等到天亮，横竖有人前来救你。」费七哼了一声，口中不能说，心里却道：「好德行！亏了这个天不甚凉；要是冷天，饶冻死了，别人远远的瞧着，拿着我还当做旱魃呢。」
Now, the one who had come from due west was named Yao, the sixth of his family, and went by the nickname Shaky Mountain (Yaohuangshan); the one from the north-east was named Fei, the seventh of his family, and was called the Hill-Climbing Snake (Pashanshe). The two of them had talked on the road, never guessing that someone behind a tree was listening. Yao the Sixth had gone a good way off; and here Second Master Ding caught up with Fei the Seventh, reached out from behind, seized him by the scruff of the neck and pinned him to the ground. “Fei the Seventh, do you know who I am?” Fei looked hard at him. “Second Master Ding! Why have you laid hold of a nobody like me?” “Let me ask you something,” said Second Master Ding. “Where is the Tongtian Grotto?” “Not far west of here,” said Fei. “Bear off a little to the south and you’ll see a stone door set into the hillside, following the lie of the rock. That’s the Tongtian Grotto.” “In that case,” said the Second Master, “I’ll borrow something from you. Lend me your clothes and your waist token.” Fei hurriedly handed over the token from his belt. “Second Squire, let me get up, sir, so I can take my clothes off.” Second Master Ding hauled him up by the hair and said, “Quick, off with them.” There was nothing Fei could do but strip. Second Master Ding took his sash, dragged him off to a spot out of sight, picked out a pine as thick as a man could get his arms around, made him hug it, and tied him to it fast with the sash. Fei the Seventh was frantic inside. “This is bad! Don’t let me come a cropper here!” Then he heard Second Master Ding say, “Open your mouth,” and a wad of coat-flap was stuffed in. “Now, my lad, you wait here till daylight. Somebody’s bound to come and set you loose.” Fei grunted. He could not say a word, but in his heart he said, “Lovely manners! Lucky it isn’t too cold tonight. If it were winter I’d freeze to death — and anyone seeing me from far off would take me for a drought demon.”
丁二爺此時已將腰牌掖起，披了衣服，竟奔通天窟而來。果然隨山石門，那邊又有草團瓢三間。已聽見有人唱：「有一個柳迎春哪，他在那個井呵，井呵唔邊哪，汲哧汲哧水喲！」丁二爺高聲叫道：「李三哥，李三哥。」只聽醉李道：「誰呀？讓我把這個巧腔兒唱完了呵。」早見他趔趄趔趄的出來，將二爺一看，道：「噯呀！少會呀，尊駕是誰呀？」二爺道：「我姓費行七，是五員外新挑來的。」說話間，已將腰牌取出，給他看了。」醉李道：「老七，休怪哥哥說，你這個小模樣子伺候五員外，叫哥哥有點不放心呀。」丁二爺連忙喝道：「休得胡說！我奉員外之命。因姚六回了員外，說姓展的挑眼將酒飯砸了，員外不信，叫我將姓展的帶去與姚六質對質對。」醉李聽了道：「好兄弟，你快將這姓展的帶了去罷！他沒有一頓不鬧的，把姚六罵得不吐核兒，卻沒有罵我。──甚麼緣故呢？我是不敢上前的。再者那個門我也拉不動他。」丁二爺道：「員外立等，你不開門，怎麼樣呢？」醉李道：「七兄弟，勞你的駕罷！你把這邊假門的銅環拿住了，往懷裡一帶，那邊的活門就開了。哥哥喝醉了，那裡有這樣的力氣呢？你拉門，哥哥叫姓展的，好不好？」丁二爺道：「既是如此……」上前攏住銅環，往懷裡一拉，輕輕的門就開了。醉李道：「老七，好兄弟！你的手頭兒可以。怨得五員外把你挑上呢。」他又扒著石門道：「展老爺，展老爺，我們員外請你老呢。」只見裡面出來一人道：「夤夜之間，你們員外又請我作甚麼？難道我怕他有甚麼埋伏麼？快走，快走！」
丁二爷此时已将腰牌掖起，披了衣服，竟奔通天窟而来。果然随山石门，那边又有草团瓢三间。已听见有人唱：「有一个柳迎春哪，他在那个井呵，井呵唔边哪，汲哧汲哧水哟！」丁二爷高声叫道：「李三哥，李三哥。」只听醉李道：「谁呀？让我把这个巧腔儿唱完了呵。」早见他趔趄趔趄的出来，将二爷一看，道：「嗳呀！少会呀，尊驾是谁呀？」二爷道：「我姓费行七，是五员外新挑来的。」说话间，已将腰牌取出，给他看了。」醉李道：「老七，休怪哥哥说，你这个小模样子伺候五员外，叫哥哥有点不放心呀。」丁二爷连忙喝道：「休得胡说！我奉员外之命。因姚六回了员外，说姓展的挑眼将酒饭砸了，员外不信，叫我将姓展的带去与姚六质对质对。」醉李听了道：「好兄弟，你快将这姓展的带了去罢！他没有一顿不闹的，把姚六骂得不吐核儿，却没有骂我。──甚么缘故呢？我是不敢上前的。再者那个门我也拉不动他。」丁二爷道：「员外立等，你不开门，怎么样呢？」醉李道：「七兄弟，劳你的驾罢！你把这边假门的铜环拿住了，往怀里一带，那边的活门就开了。哥哥喝醉了，那里有这样的力气呢？你拉门，哥哥叫姓展的，好不好？」丁二爷道：「既是如此……」上前拢住铜环，往怀里一拉，轻轻的门就开了。醉李道：「老七，好兄弟！你的手头儿可以。怨得五员外把你挑上呢。」他又扒着石门道：「展老爷，展老爷，我们员外请你老呢。」只见里面出来一人道：「夤夜之间，你们员外又请我作甚么？难道我怕他有甚么埋伏么？快走，快走！」
By now Second Master Ding had tucked the token away and thrown on the clothes, and he went straight for the Tongtian Grotto. Sure enough, there was a stone door set into the hillside, and off to one side a three-bay hut of thatch. Already he could hear someone singing: “Oh, there was a Liu Yingchun, ah, and by the well, the well, the we-ell-side, ah, she draws and draws and draws the water, oh!” Second Master Ding called out loudly, “Brother Li the Third! Brother Li the Third!” Drunken Li answered, “Who’s that? Let me finish this fancy twirl first, eh?” Out he came, lurching and staggering, and took a look at the Second Master. “Aiya! Haven’t had the pleasure — and who might you be?” “The name’s Fei, seventh of my family,” said the Second Master. “The Fifth Squire’s just picked me.” As he spoke he took out the token and showed it to him. “Old Seven,” said Drunken Li, “don’t hold it against your elder brother, but a pretty little thing like you waiting on the Fifth Squire — it makes your elder brother a bit uneasy, you know.” Second Master Ding snapped at him, “Don’t talk rubbish! I’m here on the squire’s orders. Yao the Sixth told the squire that the Zhan fellow found fault with his food and wine and smashed the lot. The squire doesn’t believe it, so he’s told me to take Zhan along to have it out face to face with Yao the Sixth.” “Good brother,” said Drunken Li, “take this Zhan fellow away, quick! There isn’t a meal he doesn’t make a row over. He cursed Yao the Sixth up and down without stopping for breath — but he never cursed me. And why’s that, eh? Because I don’t dare go near him. Besides, I can’t budge that door anyhow.” “The squire’s waiting this very minute,” said Second Master Ding. “If you won’t open the door, what then?” “Seventh Brother, you do me the favour,” said Drunken Li. “Take hold of the bronze ring on the false door here and pull it toward you, and the real door over there will open. Your elder brother’s drunk — where’s he going to find that kind of strength? You pull the door and your elder brother will call the Zhan fellow. How’s that?” “If that’s how it is…” said Second Master Ding. He stepped up, took hold of the bronze ring and pulled it toward him, and the door swung open with no effort at all. “Old Seven, good brother!” said Drunken Li. “You’ve got a fine pair of hands on you. No wonder the Fifth Squire picked you.” Then, hanging on to the stone door, he called, “Master Zhan, Master Zhan! Our squire’s asking for you, sir.” A man came out from inside and said, “In the dead of night, what does your squire want with me now? Does he think I’m afraid of some ambush of his? Come on, then — come on!”
丁二爺見展爺出來，將手一鬆，那石門已然關閉。向前引路，走不多遠，便煞住腳步，悄悄的道：「展兄可認得小弟麼？」展爺猛然聽見，方細細留神，認出是兆蕙，不勝歡喜，道：「賢弟從何而來？」二爺便將眾兄弟俱各來了的話說了。又見迎面有燈光來了。他二人急閃入林後，見二人抬定一壇酒，前面是姚六，口中抱怨道：「真真的咱們員外，也不知是安著甚麼心？好酒好菜的供養著他，還討不出好來。也沒見這姓展的太不知好歹，成日家罵不絕口。……」
丁二爷见展爷出来，将手一松，那石门已然关闭。向前引路，走不多远，便煞住脚步，悄悄的道：「展兄可认得小弟么？」展爷猛然听见，方细细留神，认出是兆蕙，不胜欢喜，道：「贤弟从何而来？」二爷便将众兄弟俱各来了的话说了。又见迎面有灯光来了。他二人急闪入林后，见二人抬定一坛酒，前面是姚六，口中抱怨道：「真真的咱们员外，也不知是安着甚么心？好酒好菜的供养着他，还讨不出好来。也没见这姓展的太不知好歹，成日家骂不绝口。……」
When Second Master Ding saw Zhan Zhao come out, he let go of the ring, and the stone door closed again. He led the way. They had not gone far when he stopped short and said quietly, “Brother Zhan, do you know me?” Startled, Zhan Zhao looked carefully and recognised Zhaohui. Overjoyed, he said, “Where have you come from, my good brother?” The Second Master told him how all the brothers had come. Just then they saw a light coming toward them. The two of them quickly slipped behind the trees and saw two men carrying a jar of wine between them, with Yao the Sixth in front, grumbling, “Honestly, our squire — who knows what he’s got in mind? Good wine and good food to keep him, and still not a kind word in return. I’ve never seen anybody so ungrateful as this Zhan fellow, cursing from morning to night, never letting up. …”