且說韓二爺揣了四封銀子回歸舊路，遠遠聽見江西小車，吱吱扭扭的奔了松林而來。韓爺急中生智，揀了一株大樹，爬將上去，隱住身形。不意小車子到了樹下，咯噎的歇住。聽見一人說道：「白晝將貨物悶了一天。此時趁著無人，何不將他過過風呢？」又聽有人說道：『我也是如此想。不然悶壞了，豈不白費了工夫呢！」答言的卻是婦人聲音。只見他二人從小車上開開箱子，搭出一個小小人來，叫他靠在樹木之上。
且说韩二爷揣了四封银子回归旧路，远远听见江西小车，吱吱扭扭的奔了松林而来。韩爷急中生智，拣了一株大树，爬将上去，隐住身形。不意小车子到了树下，咯噎的歇住。听见一人说道：「白昼将货物闷了一天。此时趁着无人，何不将他过过风呢？」又听有人说道：『我也是如此想。不然闷坏了，岂不白费了工夫呢！」答言的却是妇人声音。只见他二人从小车上开开箱子，搭出一个小小人来，叫他靠在树木之上。
Now, Second Master Han, with the four packets of silver tucked into the breast of his robe, set off back the way he had come. From far off he heard a Jiangxi barrow come creaking and squeaking toward the pine wood. Thinking fast, Han Zhang picked out a big tree, climbed up it and hid himself. As it happened, the barrow came right to the foot of his tree and stopped with a jolt. He heard a man say, “The goods have been shut up in the stuffy dark all day. Now there’s nobody about, why not give it an airing?” Then he heard the other answer, “That’s just what I was thinking. Otherwise it’ll suffocate, and all our trouble will have gone for nothing!” The one who answered had a woman’s voice. He watched the two of them open a box on the barrow, lift out a tiny little person and prop it up against the tree.
韓爺見了，知他等不是好人，暗暗的把銀兩放在樹杈之上，將朴刀拿在手中，從樹上一躍而下。那男子猛見樹上跳下一人，撒腿往東就跑。韓爺那裡肯捨，趕上一步，從後將刀一搠。那人「曖喲」了一聲，早已著了利刃，栽倒在地。韓爺撤步回身，看那婦人時，見他哆嗦在一堆兒，自己打的牙山響，猶如寒戰一般。韓爺用刀一指，道：「你等所做何事？快快實說！倘有虛言，立追狗命。講！」那婦人道：「爺爺不必動怒，待小婦人實說。我們是拐帶兒女的。」韓爺問道：「拐來男女置於何地？」婦人道：「爺爺有所不知。只因襄陽王爺那裡要排演優伶歌妓，收錄幼童弱女。凡有姿色的總要賞五六百兩。我夫妻因窮所迫，無奈做此闇昧之事。不想今日遇見爺爺識破，只求爺爺饒命。」
韩爷见了，知他等不是好人，暗暗的把银两放在树杈之上，将朴刀拿在手中，从树上一跃而下。那男子猛见树上跳下一人，撒腿往东就跑。韩爷那里肯舍，赶上一步，从后将刀一搠。那人「暧哟」了一声，早已着了利刃，栽倒在地。韩爷撤步回身，看那妇人时，见他哆嗦在一堆儿，自己打的牙山响，犹如寒战一般。韩爷用刀一指，道：「你等所做何事？快快实说！倘有虚言，立追狗命。讲！」那妇人道：「爷爷不必动怒，待小妇人实说。我们是拐带儿女的。」韩爷问道：「拐来男女置于何地？」妇人道：「爷爷有所不知。只因襄阳王爷那里要排演优伶歌妓，收录幼童弱女。凡有姿色的总要赏五六百两。我夫妻因穷所迫，无奈做此暗昧之事。不想今日遇见爷爷识破，只求爷爷饶命。」
When Han Zhang saw this, he knew the pair were up to no good. Quietly he set the silver down in a fork of the branches, took his long-handled broadsword in his hand and leapt down from the tree. Seeing a man spring suddenly out of the tree, the man of the pair took to his heels and ran east. Han Zhang was not going to let him go. He caught up in one stride and thrust the broadsword into him from behind. With a cry of “Aiyo!” the man took the sharp blade and pitched to the ground. Han Zhang drew back his foot and turned to look at the woman. She was shaking in a heap, her teeth chattering loud, as if she had the ague. Han Zhang pointed his broadsword at her. “What were you two up to? Tell me the truth, and quick! One lie and I’ll have your dog’s life on the spot. Talk!” “Don’t be angry, sir,” said the woman. “I’ll tell you the truth. We steal children.” “And where do you take the boys and girls you steal?” asked Han Zhang. “You wouldn’t know, sir,” said the woman. “His Highness the Prince of Xiangyang wants a troupe of actors and singing girls trained up, so he takes in young boys and little girls. For any that are pretty he pays five or six hundred taels. It was poverty that drove my husband and me to it; we had no choice but to do this dark business. We never thought we’d meet you today, sir, and be found out. Mercy, sir! Spare my life!”
韓爺又細看那孩兒，原來是個女孩兒，見他愣愣何柯的，便知道其中有詐。又問道：「你等用何物迷了他的本性？講！」婦人道：「他那泥丸宮有個藥餅兒，揭下來，少刻就可甦醒。」韓爺聽罷，伸手向女子頭上一摸，果有藥餅，連忙揭下，拋在道旁。又對婦人道：「你這惡婦，快將裙縧解下來。」婦人不敢不依，連忙解下，遞給韓爺。韓爺將婦人發髻一提，揀了一棵小小的樹木，把婦人捆了個結實。翻身竄上樹去，揣了銀子，一躍而下。才待舉步，只聽那女孩兒「哎呀」了一聲，哭出來了。韓爺上前問道：「你此時可明白了？你叫什麼？」女子道：「我叫巧姐。」韓爺聽了，驚駭道：「你母舅可是莊致和麼？」女子道：「正是。伯伯如何知道？」韓爺聽了，想道：「無心中救了巧姐，省我一番事。」又見天光閃亮，惟恐有些不便，連忙說道：「我姓韓，與你母舅認識。少時若有人來，你就喊『救人』，叫本處地方送你回家就完了。拐你的男女，我俱已拿住了。」說罷，竟奔桑花鎮去了。
韩爷又细看那孩儿，原来是个女孩儿，见他愣愣何柯的，便知道其中有诈。又问道：「你等用何物迷了他的本性？讲！」妇人道：「他那泥丸宫有个药饼儿，揭下来，少刻就可苏醒。」韩爷听罢，伸手向女子头上一摸，果有药饼，连忙揭下，抛在道旁。又对妇人道：「你这恶妇，快将裙绦解下来。」妇人不敢不依，连忙解下，递给韩爷。韩爷将妇人发髻一提，拣了一棵小小的树木，把妇人捆了个结实。翻身窜上树去，揣了银子，一跃而下。才待举步，只听那女孩儿「哎呀」了一声，哭出来了。韩爷上前问道：「你此时可明白了？你叫什么？」女子道：「我叫巧姐。」韩爷听了，惊骇道：「你母舅可是庄致和么？」女子道：「正是。伯伯如何知道？」韩爷听了，想道：「无心中救了巧姐，省我一番事。」又见天光闪亮，惟恐有些不便，连忙说道：「我姓韩，与你母舅认识。少时若有人来，你就喊『救人』，叫本处地方送你回家就完了。拐你的男女，我俱已拿住了。」说罢，竟奔桑花镇去了。
Han Zhang looked more closely at the child and saw it was a little girl. She stood there blank and dazed, and he knew some trick had been played on her. He asked again, “What did you use to dull her wits? Talk!” “There’s a drug plaster on her Niwan Palace,” said the woman. “Peel it off and she’ll come round in a little while.” At that Han Zhang reached out and felt the top of the girl’s head. There was indeed a plaster there. He peeled it off at once and threw it by the roadside. Then he said to the woman, “You wicked woman, untie your skirt sash, quick.” The woman dared not disobey; she untied it at once and handed it to him. Han Zhang hauled her up by her topknot, picked out a small tree and tied her to it good and tight. Then he swung himself up into the big tree, tucked the silver into his robe and leapt down again. He was just about to set off when the little girl gave a cry of “Oh!” and burst into tears. Han Zhang went to her. “Do you know where you are now? What’s your name?” “My name is Qiaojie,” said the girl. Han Zhang was startled. “Is your uncle Zhuang Zhihe, your mother’s brother?” “Yes, he is,” said the girl. “How do you know, uncle?” Hearing this, Han Zhang thought, “Without even trying I’ve rescued Qiaojie. That saves me some trouble.” Seeing that the sky was already growing light, and afraid it might be awkward to be found there, he said quickly, “My name is Han, and I know your uncle. In a little while, if anyone comes by, you shout ‘Help!’ and have the ward constable here take you home, and that’s that. The man and the woman who stole you, I’ve caught them both.” With that, he made straight off for Sanghua Town.