且說白玉堂聽蔣平之言，猛然省悟，道：「是呀！虧得四哥提拔；不然，我白玉堂豈不成了叛逆了麼？展兄快拿刑具來。」展爺道：「暫且屈尊五弟。」吩咐伴當：「快拿刑具來。」不多時，不但刑具拿來，連罪衣罪裙俱有。立刻將白玉堂打扮起來。此時盧方同著眾人連王馬張趙俱隨在後面。展爺先到書房，掀起簾櫳，進內回稟。
且说白玉堂听蒋平之言，猛然省悟，道：「是呀！亏得四哥提拔；不然，我白玉堂岂不成了叛逆了么？展兄快拿刑具来。」展爷道：「暂且屈尊五弟。」吩咐伴当：「快拿刑具来。」不多时，不但刑具拿来，连罪衣罪裙俱有。立刻将白玉堂打扮起来。此时卢方同着众人连王马张赵俱随在后面。展爷先到书房，掀起帘栊，进内回禀。
Now, when Bai Yutang heard Jiang Ping’s words, he suddenly saw the light. “You’re right! Thank goodness you set me straight, Fourth Brother. Otherwise wouldn’t I, Bai Yutang, have turned into a rebel? Brother Zhan, quick, bring the irons.” “I must ask you to bear the indignity for a while, Fifth Brother,” said Zhan Zhao, and he told the attendants, “Quick, bring the irons.” Before long, not only were the irons brought, but the convict’s jacket and skirt as well, and Bai Yutang was decked out in them at once. By now Lu Fang and all the others, Wang, Ma, Zhang and Zhao included, were following behind. Zhan Zhao went ahead to the study, lifted the door curtain and went in to report.
不多時，李才打起簾子，口中說道：「相爺請白義士。」只一句弄得白玉堂欲前不前，要退難退，心中反倒不得主意。只見盧方在那裡打手式，叫他屈膝。他便來到簾前，屈膝前進，口內低低說道：「罪民白玉堂有犯天條，懇祈相爺筆下超生。」說罷，匍匐在地。包公笑容滿面道：「五義士不要如此，本閣自有保本。」回頭吩咐展爺，去了刑具，換了衣服，看座。白玉堂那裡肯坐。包相把白玉堂仔細一看，不由得滿心歡喜。白玉堂看了包相，不覺得凜然敬畏。包相卻將梗概略為盤詰。白玉堂再無推諉，滿口應承。包相點了點頭，道：「聖上屢屢問本閣要五義士者，並非有意加罪，卻是求賢若渴之意。五義士只管放心。明日本閣保奏，必有好處。」
不多时，李才打起帘子，口中说道：「相爷请白义士。」只一句弄得白玉堂欲前不前，要退难退，心中反倒不得主意。只见卢方在那里打手式，叫他屈膝。他便来到帘前，屈膝前进，口内低低说道：「罪民白玉堂有犯天条，恳祈相爷笔下超生。」说罢，匍匐在地。包公笑容满面道：「五义士不要如此，本阁自有保本。」回头吩咐展爷，去了刑具，换了衣服，看座。白玉堂那里肯坐。包相把白玉堂仔细一看，不由得满心欢喜。白玉堂看了包相，不觉得凛然敬畏。包相却将梗概略为盘诘。白玉堂再无推诿，满口应承。包相点了点头，道：「圣上屡屡问本阁要五义士者，并非有意加罪，却是求贤若渴之意。五义士只管放心。明日本阁保奏，必有好处。」
Before long Li Cai held up the curtain and called out, “His Excellency invites Gallant Bai in.” That one sentence left Bai Yutang wanting to go forward and not going, wanting to draw back and unable to; for once he could not make up his mind. Then he saw Lu Fang over there making signs to him to go down on his knees. So he came before the curtain and went forward on his knees, saying in a low voice, “The guilty subject Bai Yutang has committed crimes against the laws of Heaven, and humbly begs Your Excellency to let your brush spare his life.” With that he lay prostrate on the floor. Lord Bao, all smiles, said, “There is no need for this, gallant sir. This Academician has a memorial of his own to vouch for you.” He turned and told Zhan Zhao to take off the irons, have him change his clothes and give him a seat. Bai Yutang would not hear of sitting. Minister Bao looked Bai Yutang over carefully, and could not help being delighted with him. Bai Yutang, looking at Minister Bao, could not help feeling a deep awe. Minister Bao questioned him briefly on the main points of the affair, and Bai Yutang, making no more excuses, owned to all of it. Minister Bao nodded. “His Majesty has asked me again and again to produce the fifth of the gallants — not because he means to punish you, but because he thirsts for worthy men. You may set your mind at rest, gallant sir. Tomorrow I shall vouch for you to the throne, and good will surely come of it.”
外面盧方聽了，連忙進來，一齊跪倒。白玉堂早已跪下。盧方道：「卑職等仰賴相爺的鴻慈。明日聖上倘不見怪，實屬萬幸；如若加罪時，盧方等情願納還職銜以贖弟罪，從此作個安善良民，再也不敢妄為了。」包公笑道：「盧校尉不要如此，全在本閣身上，包管五義士無事。你等不知聖上此時勵精圖治，惟恐野有遺賢，時常的訓示本閣，叫細細訪查賢豪俊義，焉有見怪之理。只要你等以後與國家出力報效，不負聖恩就是了。」說罷，吩咐眾人起來。又對展爺道：「展護衛與公孫主簿，你二人替本閣好好看待五義士。」展爺與公孫先生一一領命，同定眾人，退了出來。到了公廳之內，大家就座。
外面卢方听了，连忙进来，一齐跪倒。白玉堂早已跪下。卢方道：「卑职等仰赖相爷的鸿慈。明日圣上倘不见怪，实属万幸；如若加罪时，卢方等情愿纳还职衔以赎弟罪，从此作个安善良民，再也不敢妄为了。」包公笑道：「卢校尉不要如此，全在本阁身上，包管五义士无事。你等不知圣上此时励精图治，惟恐野有遗贤，时常的训示本阁，叫细细访查贤豪俊义，焉有见怪之理。只要你等以后与国家出力报效，不负圣恩就是了。」说罢，吩咐众人起来。又对展爷道：「展护卫与公孙主簿，你二人替本阁好好看待五义士。」展爷与公孙先生一一领命，同定众人，退了出来。到了公厅之内，大家就座。
Outside, Lu Fang heard this and hurried in, and they all knelt down together; Bai Yutang was on his knees already. “Your humble officers rely on Your Excellency’s great kindness,” said Lu Fang. “If His Majesty does not hold it against him tomorrow, it will be our great good fortune. But if he is to be punished, Lu Fang and the others are willing to hand back our posts and ranks to redeem our brother’s crime, and from then on be quiet, law-abiding common folk who will never again dare to act rashly.” Lord Bao laughed. “There’s no need for this, Captain Lu. Leave it all to me; I guarantee no harm will come to the fifth of the gallants. What you do not know is that His Majesty is now bending all his efforts to good government. His one fear is that some worthy man may be left out in the wilds, and he often instructs me to search carefully for men of talent and heroes of honour. How could he hold it against him? All you need do is serve the state with all your strength from now on and not fail His Majesty’s grace.” With that he told them all to rise. Then he said to Zhan Zhao, “Guard Zhan, you and Registrar Gongsun look after the fifth of the gallants well for me.” Zhan Zhao and Mr. Gongsun took the order and withdrew with all the others. When they reached the officers’ hall, everyone took a seat.