且說蔣四爺與千總清平押解水寇上船，直奔按院衙門而來。此刻顏大人與白五爺俱各知道蔣四爺如此調度，必然成功，早已派了差人在湖邊等候瞭望。見他等船隻過了旋渦，蕩蕩漾漾回來，連忙跑回衙門稟報。白五爺迎了出來，與蔣爺清千總見了，方知水寇已平，不勝大喜。同到書房，早見顏大人階前立候。蔣爺上前見了，同到屋中坐下，將拿獲水寇之事敘明；並提螺螄莊毛家父子極其高雅，頗曉治水之道，公孫先生叫回稟大人，務必備禮聘請出來，幫同治水。顏大人聽見了，甚喜，即備上等禮物，就派千總清平帶領兵弁二十名押解禮物，前到螺螄莊，一來接取公孫先生，即請毛家父子同來。清平領命，帶領兵弁二十名，押解禮物，只用一隻大船，竟奔螺螄灣而去。
且说蒋四爷与千总清平押解水寇上船，直奔按院衙门而来。此刻颜大人与白五爷俱各知道蒋四爷如此调度，必然成功，早已派了差人在湖边等候瞭望。见他等船只过了旋涡，荡荡漾漾回来，连忙跑回衙门禀报。白五爷迎了出来，与蒋爷清千总见了，方知水寇已平，不胜大喜。同到书房，早见颜大人阶前立候。蒋爷上前见了，同到屋中坐下，将拿获水寇之事叙明；并提螺蛳庄毛家父子极其高雅，颇晓治水之道，公孙先生叫回禀大人，务必备礼聘请出来，帮同治水。颜大人听见了，甚喜，即备上等礼物，就派千总清平带领兵弁二十名押解礼物，前到螺蛳庄，一来接取公孙先生，即请毛家父子同来。清平领命，带领兵弁二十名，押解礼物，只用一只大船，竟奔螺蛳湾而去。
Now, Jiang Ping, the Fourth Master, and Lieutenant Qing Ping took the water bandits aboard under guard and made straight for the Inspector’s yamen. By now Lord Yan and Bai Yutang both knew that with Jiang Ping making the arrangements, success was certain, and they had long since sent runners to wait at the lakeside and keep a lookout. When the runners saw the boats pass the whirlpool and come rocking and bobbing back, they ran to the yamen to report. Bai Yutang came out to meet them, and when he had greeted Jiang Ping and Lieutenant Qing he learned that the water bandits had been put down, and he was overjoyed. They went together to the study, and there was Lord Yan already standing before the steps waiting for them. Jiang Ping went up and paid his respects, and they went in and sat down together. He told the whole story of how the water bandits had been caught. He mentioned too that the Maos, father and son, of Luosi Village were men of great refinement who knew a good deal about the ways of taming water, and that Mr. Gongsun had asked him to tell His Excellency that he must on no account fail to send gifts and invite them to come and help with the work. Lord Yan was delighted to hear it. He had gifts of the finest kind made ready at once and sent Lieutenant Qing Ping with twenty soldiers to escort them to Luosi Village, both to fetch Mr. Gongsun back and to invite the Maos to come with him. Qing Ping took his orders, and with twenty soldiers escorting the gifts in a single big boat, he set off straight for Luosi Bay.
這裡顏大人立刻升堂，將鎮海蛟鄔澤帶上堂來審問。鄔澤不敢隱瞞，據實說了。原來是襄陽王因他會水，就派他在洪澤湖攪擾，所有拆埽毀壩，俱是有意為之，一來殘害百姓，二來消耗國帑，復又假裝水怪，用鐵錐鑿漏船隻，為的是鄉民不敢在此居住，行旅不敢從此經過，那時再派人來占住了洪澤湖，也算是一個咽喉要地。可笑襄陽王無人，既有此意，豈是鄔澤一人帶領幾個水寇就能成功，可見將來不能成其大事。
这里颜大人立刻升堂，将镇海蛟邬泽带上堂来审问。邬泽不敢隐瞒，据实说了。原来是襄阳王因他会水，就派他在洪泽湖搅扰，所有拆埽毁坝，俱是有意为之，一来残害百姓，二来消耗国帑，复又假装水怪，用铁锥凿漏船只，为的是乡民不敢在此居住，行旅不敢从此经过，那时再派人来占住了洪泽湖，也算是一个咽喉要地。可笑襄阳王无人，既有此意，岂是邬泽一人带领几个水寇就能成功，可见将来不能成其大事。
Meanwhile Lord Yan at once opened court and had Wu Ze, the Sea-Quelling Dragon, brought up for questioning. Wu Ze did not dare hide anything and told the truth. It turned out that because he was good in the water, the Prince of Xiangyang had sent him to make trouble on Hongze Lake. All the tearing down of fascines and wrecking of dikes had been done on purpose: first, to bring ruin on the common people, and second, to drain the state treasury. Then, pretending to be a water monster, he had bored holes in boats with an iron awl, so that the villagers would not dare live there and travellers would not dare pass that way. After that the prince would send men to take over Hongze Lake, and he would hold a place that had the country by the throat. It is laughable: the Prince of Xiangyang had no one worth having. If that was his plan, how could it ever be carried out by Wu Ze alone with a handful of water bandits? From this one could see that he would never accomplish anything great.
且說顏大人立時取了鄔澤的口供，又問了水寇眾人。水寇四名雖然不知詳細，大約所言相同，也取了口供，將鄔澤等交縣寄監嚴押，候河工竣時一同解送京中，歸部審訊。
且说颜大人立时取了邬泽的口供，又问了水寇众人。水寇四名虽然不知详细，大约所言相同，也取了口供，将邬泽等交县寄监严押，候河工竣时一同解送京中，归部审讯。
Now, Lord Yan had Wu Ze’s confession taken down at once, and questioned the other water bandits as well. The four of them did not know the details, but what they said was much the same, and their confessions were taken down too. Wu Ze and the others were handed over to the county to be held in its jail under close guard until the river works were finished, when they would all be sent together to the capital to be tried by the Ministry.