話說李福撿了一個婦人的人頭，正被官人看見，將王全、李福鎖上。
话说李福捡了一个妇人的人头，正被官人看见，将王全、李福锁上。
Now, Li Fu had picked up a woman’s head, and just then the constables saw him with it and put Wang Quan and Li Fu in chains.
書中交代，原本蕭山縣出了一件無頭案。西門外梁官屯，有一個賣肉的名叫劉喜，家中夫婦兩口度日，劉喜在東關鄉賣肉。這天七月十五，天已日色西斜，劉喜到東關外鄉村去要帳，走在蕭山縣衙門門口，碰見衙門的官人劉三。這個人最愛玩笑，外號叫笑話劉三。劉三就問劉喜上哪去，劉喜說：「我上東關外鄉村要帳去。」劉三說：「天不早了，你今天還回來的么？」劉喜說：「我就住在東關外鄉村之中，明天回來。」劉三是愛說玩笑，說：「劉喜你今天不回去，我晚上到你家裡，跟你媳婦睡去。」劉喜說：「你敢去，我媳婦把你罵出來。」劉三說：「她敢罵我，我把她宰了。」說完了話，劉喜就走了。
书中交代，原本萧山县出了一件无头案。西门外梁官屯，有一个卖肉的名叫刘喜，家中夫妇两口度日，刘喜在东关乡卖肉。这天七月十五，天已日色西斜，刘喜到东关外乡村去要帐，走在萧山县衙门门口，碰见衙门的官人刘三。这个人最爱玩笑，外号叫笑话刘三。刘三就问刘喜上哪去，刘喜说：「我上东关外乡村要帐去。」刘三说：「天不早了，你今天还回来的幺？」刘喜说：「我就住在东关外乡村之中，明天回来。」刘三是爱说玩笑，说：「刘喜你今天不回去，我晚上到你家里，跟你媳妇睡去。」刘喜说：「你敢去，我媳妇把你骂出来。」刘三说：「她敢骂我，我把她宰了。」说完了话，刘喜就走了。
A word of explanation: Xiaoshan County already had a headless case on its hands. In Liangguan Village, outside the West Gate, there lived a butcher named Liu Xi, he and his wife, the two of them getting by; Liu Xi sold his meat out in the villages of the East Suburb. On this day, the fifteenth of the seventh month, when the sun was already slanting to the west, Liu Xi set off for the villages beyond the East Suburb to collect what he was owed. As he passed the gate of the Xiaoshan county yamen, he ran into one of the yamen’s constables, Liu San. This fellow loved a joke more than anything, and his nickname was Liu San the Joker. Liu San asked Liu Xi where he was off to. “I’m going out to the villages past the East Suburb to collect some debts,” said Liu Xi. “It’s getting late,” said Liu San. “Will you be back today?” “I’ll stay the night out in the villages past the East Suburb,” said Liu Xi, “and come back tomorrow.” Liu San, who did love a joke, said, “Liu Xi, if you’re not going home tonight, I’ll go round to your place this evening and sleep with your wife.” “You just try it,” said Liu Xi. “My wife will curse you right out of the house.” “If she dares curse me,” said Liu San, “I’ll butcher her.” With that, Liu Xi went on his way.
次日劉喜一回家，他妻子被人殺了，人頭蹤跡不見。劉喜到蕭山縣一喊冤，就把劉三告下來，說劉三因奸不允，把他妻子殺了。老爺是清官，姓張名甲三，是兩榜出身，立刻一升堂，把劉三帶上來，一問劉喜，劉喜就把昨天劉三所說的話一回，「今天我妻子果被他殺了。」老爺一問：「劉三，為什麼殺劉喜之妻？」劉三嚇了一驚，就回稟老爺：「昨天我是跟劉喜說玩笑，他妻子被誰所殺，下役實不知道。昨天我在衙門上班，看守差事，一夜並沒出衙門。」老爺不信，一問眾官人，大家遞保狀，保劉三實系一夜沒出去。老爺這才派兩個班頭王雄、李豹三天限，出去拿兇手，拿著有重賞，拿不著重責不貸。王雄、李豹領諭，帶領手下夥計出來辦案。三天蹤影皆無，限滿一見老爺，老爺把官人每人打了四十板，又給三天限。又過了三天，沒拿著，老爺又打，一連打了三回。今天是十二天，要拿不著又得挨打。王雄、李豹帶領眾夥計出門，剛走到大柳林，見李福正打開包裹看，眾官人一瞧是少婦的人頭，鮮血淋漓。大眾說：「這可活該，今天不能挨打了。」過來就把王全、李福鎖上，一直夠奔衙門。
次日刘喜一回家，他妻子被人杀了，人头踪迹不见。刘喜到萧山县一喊冤，就把刘三告下来，说刘三因奸不允，把他妻子杀了。老爷是清官，姓张名甲三，是两榜出身，立刻一升堂，把刘三带上来，一问刘喜，刘喜就把昨天刘三所说的话一回，「今天我妻子果被他杀了。」老爷一问：「刘三，为什么杀刘喜之妻？」刘三吓了一惊，就回禀老爷：「昨天我是跟刘喜说玩笑，他妻子被谁所杀，下役实不知道。昨天我在衙门上班，看守差事，一夜并没出衙门。」老爷不信，一问众官人，大家递保状，保刘三实系一夜没出去。老爷这才派两个班头王雄、李豹三天限，出去拿凶手，拿着有重赏，拿不着重责不贷。王雄、李豹领谕，带领手下伙计出来办案。三天踪影皆无，限满一见老爷，老爷把官人每人打了四十板，又给三天限。又过了三天，没拿着，老爷又打，一连打了三回。今天是十二天，要拿不着又得挨打。王雄、李豹带领众伙计出门，刚走到大柳林，见李福正打开包裹看，众官人一瞧是少妇的人头，鲜血淋漓。大众说：「这可活该，今天不能挨打了。」过来就把王全、李福锁上，一直够奔衙门。
The next day, when Liu Xi came home, his wife had been murdered, and her head was nowhere to be found. Liu Xi went to Xiaoshan County and cried out that he had been wronged, and he brought a charge against Liu San: Liu San, he said, had tried to have his way with his wife, and when she would not give in, he had killed her. The magistrate was an honest official named Zhang Jiasan, who had passed both higher examinations. At once he took his seat in court and had Liu San brought up. When he questioned Liu Xi, Liu Xi repeated everything Liu San had said the day before. “And today my wife has been killed by him, just as he said.” “Liu San,” said the magistrate, “why did you kill Liu Xi’s wife?” Liu San had a fright. “Your Honour,” he said, “yesterday I was only joking with Liu Xi. Who killed his wife, your humble servant truly does not know. Yesterday I was on duty at the yamen, guarding prisoners, and I never left the yamen all night.” The magistrate did not believe him. But when he asked the other constables, they all gave a written guarantee that Liu San really had not gone out all night. Only then did the magistrate send two head constables, Wang Xiong and Li Bao, out with a three-day deadline to catch the murderer: catch him, and there would be a handsome reward; fail, and they would be severely punished, without mercy. Wang Xiong and Li Bao took their orders and went out with their men to work the case. Three days, and not a trace. When the deadline was up they went before the magistrate, who had each of them given forty strokes of the board and set them another three days. Three more days went by and still they had not caught him, so the magistrate had them beaten again: three beatings, one after another. Today was the twelfth day, and if they did not catch him they were in for another beating. Wang Xiong and Li Bao had gone out with their men and had just reached Daliu Grove when they saw Li Fu opening a bundle to look inside. The constables saw that it was a young woman’s head, dripping with fresh blood. “Just what we needed!” they all said. “No beating today!” They came over, put Wang Quan and Li Fu in chains, and made straight for the yamen.