且說白玉堂到了巡按衙門，請見大人。顏大人自西虛山回來，甚是耽心，一夜未能好生安寢，如今聽說白五爺回來，心中大喜，連忙請進相見。白玉堂將水怪說明。顏大人立刻升堂審問了一番，原來是十三名水寇，聚集在三皇廟內，白日以劫掠客船為生，夜間假裝水怪要將赤堤墩的眾民趕散，他等方好施為作事。偏偏這些難民惟恐赤墩的堤岸有失，故此雖無房屋，情願在窩棚居住，死守此堤，再也不肯遠離。
且说白玉堂到了巡按衙门，请见大人。颜大人自西虚山回来，甚是耽心，一夜未能好生安寝，如今听说白五爷回来，心中大喜，连忙请进相见。白玉堂将水怪说明。颜大人立刻升堂审问了一番，原来是十三名水寇，聚集在三皇庙内，白日以劫掠客船为生，夜间假装水怪要将赤堤墩的众民赶散，他等方好施为作事。偏偏这些难民惟恐赤墩的堤岸有失，故此虽无房屋，情愿在窝棚居住，死守此堤，再也不肯远离。
Now, Bai Yutang arrived at the Inspector’s yamen and asked to see His Excellency. Lord Yan had come back from Xixu Mountain sorely worried and had not slept properly all night; now, hearing that Bai Yutang was back, he was overjoyed and quickly had him shown in. Bai Yutang explained about the water monster. Lord Yan at once took his seat in the hall and put the prisoner to the question. It turned out there were thirteen water bandits gathered in the temple of the Three Sovereigns. By day they lived by plundering passenger boats; by night they posed as water monsters to drive off the people of Chiti Mound, so that they could go about their business. But as it happened, these refugees were afraid above all that the dike at Chiti Mound would give way. So, though they had no houses, they were willing to live in sheds and hold the dike to the death, and would on no account go far from it.
白玉堂又將鄉老說的旋渦說了。公孫策聽了，暗想道：「這必是別處有壅塞之處，發洩不通，將水攻激於此，洋溢泛濫，埽壩不能疊成。必須詳查根源，疏濬開了，水勢流通，自無災害。」想罷，回明按院，他要明日親去探水。顏大人應允。玉堂道：「既有水寇，我想水內本領，非我四哥前來不可。必須急速具折寫信，一面啟奏，一面稟知包相，方保無虞。」顏大人連忙稱是，即叫公孫策先生寫了奏折，具了稟帖，立刻拜發起身。
白玉堂又将乡老说的旋涡说了。公孙策听了，暗想道：「这必是别处有壅塞之处，发泄不通，将水攻激于此，洋溢泛滥，埽坝不能叠成。必须详查根源，疏濬开了，水势流通，自无灾害。」想罢，回明按院，他要明日亲去探水。颜大人应允。玉堂道：「既有水寇，我想水内本领，非我四哥前来不可。必须急速具折写信，一面启奏，一面禀知包相，方保无虞。」颜大人连忙称是，即叫公孙策先生写了奏折，具了禀帖，立刻拜发起身。
Bai Yutang also told them what the village elders had said about the whirlpool. When Gongsun Ce heard it, he thought to himself: “There must be a blockage somewhere else, so the water can’t drain away and is driven hard against this spot. It spills over and floods, and the fascine dikes can never be built up. We must search out the source and dredge it open. Once the water flows freely, there’ll be no more disasters.” Having thought it through, he informed the Inspector that he meant to go himself the next day and survey the waters. Lord Yan agreed. “Since there are water bandits,” said Yutang, “I think that for skill under water nothing will do but to have my Fourth Brother come. We must write a memorial and a letter at once — report to the throne on the one hand and inform Minister Bao on the other. Only then can we be sure of no mishap.” Lord Yan quickly agreed and had Mr. Gongsun write out the memorial and draw up a report to Lord Bao, and they were sent off at once with due ceremony.
到了次日，顏大人派了兩名千總，一名黃開，一名清平，帶了八名水手，兩隻快船，隨了公孫先生前去探水。知府又來稟見，顏大人請到書房相見，商議河工之事。忽見清平驚慌失色，回來稟道：「卑職跟隨公孫先生前去探水，剛至旋渦，卑職攔阻，不可前進。不想船頭一低，順水一轉，將公孫先生與千總黃開俱各落水不見了。卑職難以救援，特來在大人跟前請罪。」顏大人聽了，心裡著忙，便問道：「這旋渦可有往來船隻麼？」清平道：「先前本有船隻往來，如今此處成了匯水之所，船隻再也不從此處走了。」顏大人道：「難道黃開他不知此處麼？為何不極力的攔阻先生呢？」清平道：「黃開也曾攔阻至再，無奈先生執意不聽，卑職等也是無法的。」顏大人無奈，叱退了清平，吩咐知府多派水手前去打撈屍首。知府回去派人去了半天，再也不見蹤影，回來稟知按院。顏大人只急得唉聲歎氣。白玉堂道：「此必是水寇所為，只可等蔣四哥來了，再做道理。」顏大人無法，只好靜聽消息罷了。
到了次日，颜大人派了两名千总，一名黄开，一名清平，带了八名水手，两只快船，随了公孙先生前去探水。知府又来禀见，颜大人请到书房相见，商议河工之事。忽见清平惊慌失色，回来禀道：「卑职跟随公孙先生前去探水，刚至旋涡，卑职拦阻，不可前进。不想船头一低，顺水一转，将公孙先生与千总黄开俱各落水不见了。卑职难以救援，特来在大人跟前请罪。」颜大人听了，心里着忙，便问道：「这旋涡可有往来船只么？」清平道：「先前本有船只往来，如今此处成了汇水之所，船只再也不从此处走了。」颜大人道：「难道黄开他不知此处么？为何不极力的拦阻先生呢？」清平道：「黄开也曾拦阻至再，无奈先生执意不听，卑职等也是无法的。」颜大人无奈，叱退了清平，吩咐知府多派水手前去打捞尸首。知府回去派人去了半天，再也不见踪影，回来禀知按院。颜大人只急得唉声叹气。白玉堂道：「此必是水寇所为，只可等蒋四哥来了，再做道理。」颜大人无法，只好静听消息罢了。
The next day Lord Yan assigned two lieutenants, one named Huang Kai and one named Qing Ping, with eight boatmen and two fast boats, to go with Mr. Gongsun and survey the waters. The Governor came again to report, and Lord Yan received him in the study to discuss the river works. Suddenly Qing Ping came back, pale with fright, and reported: “Your humble subordinate went with Mr. Gongsun to survey the waters. Just as we reached the whirlpool, I tried to stop him going any further. But all of a sudden the bow dipped and the boat spun round with the current, and Mr. Gongsun and Lieutenant Huang Kai both fell into the water and vanished. I could not save them, and I have come to beg Your Excellency’s punishment.” Lord Yan was alarmed. “Do boats come and go by this whirlpool?” he asked. “Boats used to pass that way,” said Qing Ping, “but now the waters all run together there, and boats no longer go by that way at all.” “Didn’t Huang Kai know about the place?” said Lord Yan. “Why didn’t he do his utmost to stop Mr. Gongsun?” “Huang Kai did try to stop him, again and again,” said Qing Ping, “but Mr. Gongsun was set on it and wouldn’t listen. There was nothing we could do.” Lord Yan could do nothing either. He sent Qing Ping away with a rebuke and told the Governor to send plenty of boatmen to drag for the bodies. The Governor went back and sent men out, who searched for half the day without finding a trace, and he came back to report to the Inspector. Lord Yan could only sigh and groan in his distress. “This must be the bandits’ doing,” said Bai Yutang. “We can only wait till Fourth Brother Jiang comes, and then decide what to do.” There was nothing else for Lord Yan to do but sit quietly and wait for news.