且說蔣爺救了小童，竟奔臥虎溝而來，這是什麼原故？小童到底說的什麼？蔣爺如何就給銀子呢？列位不知，此回書是為交代蔣平。這回把蔣平交代完了，再說小童的正文，又省得後來再為敘寫。
且说蒋爷救了小童，竟奔卧虎沟而来，这是什么原故？小童到底说的什么？蒋爷如何就给银子呢？列位不知，此回书是为交代蒋平。这回把蒋平交代完了，再说小童的正文，又省得后来再为叙写。
Now, after Jiang Ping had saved the boy, he headed straight for Wohugou. Why was that? What exactly had the boy told him? And why should Jiang Ping have given him silver? You may not know it, reader, but this part of the story is here to finish with Jiang Ping. Once Jiang Ping’s affairs are wound up, we will come to the boy’s own story, and so spare ourselves telling it later on.
蔣爺到了臥虎溝，見了沙員外，彼此言明。蔣爺已知北俠等上了襄陽，自己一想：「顏巡按同了五弟前赴襄陽，我正愁五弟沒有幫手。如今北俠等既上襄陽，焉有不幫五弟之理呢？莫若我且回轉開封，將北俠現在襄陽的話回稟相爺，叫相爺再為打算。」沙龍又將艾虎留下的龍票當面交付明白。蔣爺便回轉東京，見了包相，將一切說明。包公即行奏明聖上，說歐陽春已上襄陽，必有幫助巡按顏查散之意。聖上聽了大喜，道：「他行俠尚義，實為可嘉。」又欽派南俠展昭同盧方等四人陸續前赴襄陽，俱在巡按衙門供職，等襄陽平定後，務必邀北俠等一同赴京，再為升賞。此是後話，慢慢再表。
蒋爷到了卧虎沟，见了沙员外，彼此言明。蒋爷已知北侠等上了襄阳，自己一想：「颜巡按同了五弟前赴襄阳，我正愁五弟没有帮手。如今北侠等既上襄阳，焉有不帮五弟之理呢？莫若我且回转开封，将北侠现在襄阳的话回禀相爷，叫相爷再为打算。」沙龙又将艾虎留下的龙票当面交付明白。蒋爷便回转东京，见了包相，将一切说明。包公即行奏明圣上，说欧阳春已上襄阳，必有帮助巡按颜查散之意。圣上听了大喜，道：「他行侠尚义，实为可嘉。」又钦派南侠展昭同卢方等四人陆续前赴襄阳，俱在巡按衙门供职，等襄阳平定后，务必邀北侠等一同赴京，再为升赏。此是后话，慢慢再表。
When Jiang Ping reached Wohugou and saw Squire Sha, each told the other all he knew. Learning that the Northern Hero and the others had gone to Xiangyang, Jiang Ping thought to himself: “Inspector Yan has gone to Xiangyang with Fifth Brother, and I was just worrying that Fifth Brother had no one to help him. Now that the Northern Hero and the others have gone to Xiangyang too, how could they not lend Fifth Brother a hand? Better for me to go back to Kaifeng first, report to the Minister that the Northern Hero is in Xiangyang, and let the Minister make his plans afresh.” Sha Long also handed over to him, in person and in good order, the dragon warrant that Ai Hu had left behind. Jiang Ping then returned to the Eastern Capital, saw Minister Bao and told him everything. Lord Bao at once memorialized the throne, saying that Ouyang Chun had gone to Xiangyang and must surely mean to help Inspector Yan Chasan. His Majesty was overjoyed to hear it and said, “He acts the knight-errant and holds to what is right. That is truly worthy of praise.” He further commissioned the Southern Hero, Zhan Zhao, together with Lu Fang and three others, to go to Xiangyang one after another, all to serve in the Inspector’s yamen; and once Xiangyang was pacified, they were without fail to invite the Northern Hero and his companions to come to the capital with them, to be promoted and rewarded. But that comes later, and will be told in its turn.
蔣平既已交代明白，翻回頭來再說小童之事。你道這小童是誰？原來就是錦箋。自施公子賭氣離了金員外之門，乘在馬上，越想越有氣，一連三日，飲食不進，便病倒旅店之中。小童錦箋見相公病勢沉重，即托店家請醫生調治，診了脈息，乃鬱悶不舒，受了外感，意是夾氣傷寒之症。開方用藥。錦箋衣不解帶，晝夜服侍，見相公昏昏沉沉，好生難受。又知相公沒多餘盤費，他又把艾虎賞的兩錠銀子換了，請醫生，抓藥。好容易把施俊調治的好些了，又要病後的將養。偏偏的馬又倒了一匹，正是錦箋騎的。他小孩子家心疼那馬，不肯售賣，就托店家僱人掩埋。誰知店家悄悄的將馬出脫了，還要合錦箋要工飯錢。這明是欺負小孩子。再加這些店用房錢草料麩子七折八扣，除了兩錠銀子之外，倒該下了五六兩的帳。錦箋連急帶氣，他也病了。先前還掙扎著服侍相公。後來施俊見他那個形景，竟是中了大病，慢慢的問他，他不肯實說。問的急了，他就哭了。施俊心中好生不忍，自己便掙扎起來，諸事不用他服侍，得便倒要服侍服侍錦箋。一來二去，錦箋竟自伏頭不起。施俊又托店家請醫生。醫生道：「他這雖是傳染，卻比相公沉重，而且症候耽誤了，必須趕緊調治方好。」開了方子卻不走，等著馬錢。施俊向櫃上借。店東道：「相公帳上欠了五六兩，如何還借呢？很多了，我們墊不起。」施俊沒奈何，將衣服典當了，開發了馬錢並抓藥。到了無事，自己到櫃上從新算帳，方知錦箋已然給了兩錠銀子，就知是他的那兩錠賞銀，又是感激，又是著急。因瞧見馬工飯銀，便想起他自己騎的那匹馬來了。就合店東商量要賣馬還帳。店東樂得的賺幾兩銀子呢，立刻會了主兒，將馬賣了。除了還帳，剛剛的剩了一兩頭。施俊也不計較，且調治錦箋要緊。
蒋平既已交代明白，翻回头来再说小童之事。你道这小童是谁？原来就是锦笺。自施公子赌气离了金员外之门，乘在马上，越想越有气，一连三日，饮食不进，便病倒旅店之中。小童锦笺见相公病势沉重，即托店家请医生调治，诊了脉息，乃郁闷不舒，受了外感，意是夹气伤寒之症。开方用药。锦笺衣不解带，昼夜服侍，见相公昏昏沉沉，好生难受。又知相公没多余盘费，他又把艾虎赏的两锭银子换了，请医生，抓药。好容易把施俊调治的好些了，又要病后的将养。偏偏的马又倒了一匹，正是锦笺骑的。他小孩子家心疼那马，不肯售卖，就托店家雇人掩埋。谁知店家悄悄的将马出脱了，还要合锦笺要工饭钱。这明是欺负小孩子。再加这些店用房钱草料麸子七折八扣，除了两锭银子之外，倒该下了五六两的帐。锦笺连急带气，他也病了。先前还挣扎着服侍相公。后来施俊见他那个形景，竟是中了大病，慢慢的问他，他不肯实说。问的急了，他就哭了。施俊心中好生不忍，自己便挣扎起来，诸事不用他服侍，得便倒要服侍服侍锦笺。一来二去，锦笺竟自伏头不起。施俊又托店家请医生。医生道：「他这虽是传染，却比相公沉重，而且症候耽误了，必须赶紧调治方好。」开了方子却不走，等着马钱。施俊向柜上借。店东道：「相公帐上欠了五六两，如何还借呢？很多了，我们垫不起。」施俊没奈何，将衣服典当了，开发了马钱并抓药。到了无事，自己到柜上从新算帐，方知锦笺已然给了两锭银子，就知是他的那两锭赏银，又是感激，又是着急。因瞧见马工饭银，便想起他自己骑的那匹马来了。就合店东商量要卖马还帐。店东乐得的赚几两银子呢，立刻会了主儿，将马卖了。除了还帐，刚刚的剩了一两头。施俊也不计较，且调治锦笺要紧。
With Jiang Ping’s affairs wound up, let us turn back to the boy. Who was he, you ask? None other than Jinjian. After Young Master Shi left Lord Jin’s door in a huff, he rode along growing angrier the more he thought about it; for three days running he took neither food nor drink, and at last he fell ill at an inn. Seeing how gravely ill his master was, the page boy Jinjian asked the innkeeper to fetch a doctor. The doctor felt his pulse and found pent-up gloom on top of a chill caught from outside: a case, he thought, of cold-damage fever brought on by anger. He wrote a prescription and gave the medicine. Jinjian never took off his clothes, tending his master day and night, and it pained him to see him lying there in a stupor. Knowing besides that his master had no money to spare, he changed the two ingots of silver Ai Hu had given him, to pay the doctor and buy the medicine. With great trouble he nursed Shi Jun somewhat better, but then there was the convalescence to see to. As luck would have it, one of the horses died too, and it was the very one Jinjian rode. Being only a child, he grieved for the horse and would not sell it, and asked the innkeeper to hire someone to bury it. Who would have thought the innkeeper would quietly sell it off, and then ask Jinjian for the men’s wages and meals besides? It was plain bullying of a child. On top of that came the inn’s charges for room, fodder and bran, all docked from his silver every which way, so that when the two ingots were gone he still owed five or six taels on the account. What with worry and anger, Jinjian fell ill too. At first he still struggled on, nursing his master. Later, seeing the state he was in, Shi Jun realized he had come down with something serious and gently asked him about it, but he would not tell the truth. When pressed, he burst into tears. Shi Jun could not bear it. He struggled up himself and would not let the boy wait on him in anything; whenever he could, it was he who waited on Jinjian. Little by little Jinjian took to his bed and could not lift his head. Shi Jun again asked the innkeeper to fetch the doctor. The doctor said, “He caught it from you, but he’s worse off than you were, sir, and it’s been left too long. He must be treated at once.” He wrote a prescription but did not leave: he was waiting for his horse money. Shi Jun asked to borrow from the counter. “You owe five or six taels on your account already, sir,” said the owner. “How can you borrow more? That’s plenty. We can’t keep advancing it.” With no way out, Shi Jun pawned his clothes, paid the horse money and bought the medicine. When things were quiet, he went to the counter himself to go over the account afresh, and only then learned that Jinjian had already paid two ingots. He knew they must be the two the boy had been given as a reward, and he was both grateful and anxious. Seeing the wages and meals charged for the horse, he thought of the horse he rode himself, and talked with the owner about selling it to clear the account. The owner was only too glad to make a few taels out of it; he found a buyer at once and sold the horse. When the account was cleared, there was barely a tael or so left. Shi Jun did not haggle. What mattered was getting Jinjian well.