話說張太素用定神法把雷鳴制住，老道心中就明白了。說：「賢弟，方才白臉上吊的，是跟他一處的。一個是調虎離山計，一個來盜瓶，對不對？」董太清說：「有理。」立刻吩咐張士芳把雷鳴捆上。兩個老道坐下說：「你這廝好大膽量，竟敢前來盜攝魂瓶？你姓什麼？誰叫你來的？那個白臉使調虎離山計是誰？趁此說實話。」雷鳴說：「我一個人來的，那個白臉不認識。」張太素說：「誰叫你來偷盜攝魂瓶的？」雷鳴說：「我自己要來偷的。」張太素說：「你怎么不偷別的，單偷我這瓶子呢？」雷鳴說：「做賊的瞧見什麼就偷什麼，我愛這瓶子，我就要偷。」張太素說：「你這廝大概不說實話，張士芳給我把繩棍拿來，我非打你，你也不說。」張士芳立刻把繩子拿來，張太素就把雷鳴的衣服解開，用繩子沾水一抽，雷鳴破口大罵，「叭叭叭」一連就是數十鞭，打的雷鳴身上儘是傷。陳亮在外面等候多時，不見雷鳴出來，陳亮暗中一探，老道正打雷鳴。陳亮一看二哥挨打，心中難受，有心下去，又知道老道妖術邪法，不是老道的對手，不下去，瞧著二哥受這樣委屈，心中又不忍。陳亮真急了，一瞧大殿後面堆著許多乾柴，陳亮立刻掏出火來，給把柴草點著，少時連大殿都著了。張士芳偶然看外面一亮，往外一瞧，大殿火起來了，張士芳說：「可了不得了，大殿著了火。」董太清一聽，先把桌上攝魂瓶揣起來，同張太素、張士芳出來，到後面打算救火。陳亮此時進去，把雷鳴背出來，一直夠奔海棠橋。再回來一看，三清觀烈焰飛騰，火光大作。陳亮來到海棠橋，孫道全說：「二位師弟把攝魂瓶盜來沒有？」陳亮說：「師兄你看，不但攝魂瓶沒盜來，我二哥被老道打了一身傷，我使調虎離山計，才救出來。咱們得找個地方、叫二哥歇歇，上點止痛的藥方好。」孫道全說：「只可到王宅去罷。」這才帶領陳亮，背著雷鳴，來到王宅。先叫陳亮在旁邊等著，老道一叫門，管家王孝開門一看，說：「仙長來了甚好。」孫道全說：「我有兩個采魂童受累了，要借你們書房歇歇。你等可別偷著瞧。」王孝說：「是了，我們躲開，你同著進去罷。」老道這才同著陳亮，把雷鳴背到書房，擱到裡間屋中，叫雷鳴定定神，敷上金瘡止痛散，把帘子落下。
话说张太素用定神法把雷鸣制住，老道心中就明白了。说：「贤弟，方才白脸上吊的，是跟他一处的。一个是调虎离山计，一个来盗瓶，对不对？」董太清说：「有理。」立刻吩咐张士芳把雷鸣捆上。两个老道坐下说：「你这厮好大胆量，竟敢前来盗摄魂瓶？你姓什么？谁叫你来的？那个白脸使调虎离山计是谁？趁此说实话。」雷鸣说：「我一个人来的，那个白脸不认识。」张太素说：「谁叫你来偷盗摄魂瓶的？」雷鸣说：「我自己要来偷的。」张太素说：「你怎么不偷别的，单偷我这瓶子呢？」雷鸣说：「做贼的瞧见什么就偷什么，我爱这瓶子，我就要偷。」张太素说：「你这厮大概不说实话，张士芳给我把绳棍拿来，我非打你，你也不说。」张士芳立刻把绳子拿来，张太素就把雷鸣的衣服解开，用绳子沾水一抽，雷鸣破口大骂，「叭叭叭」一连就是数十鞭，打的雷鸣身上尽是伤。陈亮在外面等候多时，不见雷鸣出来，陈亮暗中一探，老道正打雷鸣。陈亮一看二哥挨打，心中难受，有心下去，又知道老道妖术邪法，不是老道的对手，不下去，瞧着二哥受这样委屈，心中又不忍。陈亮真急了，一瞧大殿后面堆着许多干柴，陈亮立刻掏出火来，给把柴草点着，少时连大殿都着了。张士芳偶然看外面一亮，往外一瞧，大殿火起来了，张士芳说：「可了不得了，大殿着了火。」董太清一听，先把桌上摄魂瓶揣起来，同张太素、张士芳出来，到后面打算救火。陈亮此时进去，把雷鸣背出来，一直够奔海棠桥。再回来一看，三清观烈焰飞腾，火光大作。陈亮来到海棠桥，孙道全说：「二位师弟把摄魂瓶盗来没有？」陈亮说：「师兄你看，不但摄魂瓶没盗来，我二哥被老道打了一身伤，我使调虎离山计，才救出来。咱们得找个地方、叫二哥歇歇，上点止痛的药方好。」孙道全说：「只可到王宅去罢。」这才带领陈亮，背着雷鸣，来到王宅。先叫陈亮在旁边等着，老道一叫门，管家王孝开门一看，说：「仙长来了甚好。」孙道全说：「我有两个采魂童受累了，要借你们书房歇歇。你等可别偷着瞧。」王孝说：「是了，我们躲开，你同着进去罢。」老道这才同着陈亮，把雷鸣背到书房，搁到里间屋中，叫雷鸣定定神，敷上金疮止痛散，把帘子落下。
Now, when Zhang Taisu had pinned Lei Ming with his immobilizing spell, the old Daoist saw it all clearly. “Brother,” he said, “that white-faced fellow hanging himself just now is in league with this one. One plays a ruse to lure the tiger away from the mountain, the other comes to steal the vase. Am I right?” “You are,” said Dong Taiqing, and at once he told Zhang Shifang to tie Lei Ming up. The two old Daoists sat down. “You’ve got some nerve, you wretch,” they said, “coming here to steal the Soul-Seizing Vase! What’s your name? Who sent you? And who’s that white-faced one who played the trick to lure the tiger away? Out with the truth, now.” “I came by myself,” said Lei Ming. “I don’t know any white-faced one.” “Who told you to come and steal the Soul-Seizing Vase?” said Zhang Taisu. “I wanted to steal it myself,” said Lei Ming. “Then why didn’t you steal something else? Why just this vase of mine?” said Zhang Taisu. “A thief steals whatever he lays eyes on,” said Lei Ming. “I took a fancy to this vase, so I meant to steal it.” “It seems you won’t tell the truth, you wretch,” said Zhang Taisu. “Zhang Shifang, fetch me a rope and a stick. If I don’t beat you, you’ll never talk.” Zhang Shifang brought a rope at once. Zhang Taisu opened Lei Ming’s clothes, dipped the rope in water and lashed him, and Lei Ming cursed at the top of his voice. Crack, crack, crack: dozens of lashes in a row, until Lei Ming’s body was covered in welts. Chen Liang had waited outside a long while without seeing Lei Ming come out. He crept in for a secret look, and there was the old Daoist beating Lei Ming. Seeing his Second Brother beaten, Chen Liang was wretched. He wanted to jump down, but he knew the old Daoists had sorcery and black arts and he was no match for them; and if he didn’t, he couldn’t bear to watch his Second Brother suffer like this. Chen Liang was truly desperate. He noticed a great heap of dry firewood piled behind the main hall, pulled out his fire-starter at once and set the brushwood alight, and before long even the main hall had caught. Zhang Shifang happened to see a glow outside and looked out: the main hall was on fire. “This is terrible!” said Zhang Shifang. “The main hall’s on fire!” The moment Dong Taiqing heard it, he first tucked the Soul-Seizing Vase from the table into his robe, then went out with Zhang Taisu and Zhang Shifang and round to the back, meaning to put out the fire. Chen Liang slipped in at that moment, took Lei Ming on his back and carried him out, making straight for Haitang Bridge. When he looked back, Sanqing Temple was a mass of leaping flames, the fire blazing high. Chen Liang reached Haitang Bridge. “Have you two brothers stolen the Soul-Seizing Vase?” said Sun Daoquan. “Look at this, Brother,” said Chen Liang. “Not only didn’t we get the Soul-Seizing Vase, the old Daoist beat my Second Brother black and blue. I had to play the tiger-and-mountain trick before I could get him out. We must find somewhere to let Second Brother rest and put some pain-killing medicine on him.” “There’s nowhere but the Wang house,” said Sun Daoquan. So he led Chen Liang, with Lei Ming on his back, to the Wang house. First he told Chen Liang to wait off to one side; then the Daoist knocked at the gate. The steward, Wang Xiao, opened it and looked out. “Immortal Master, how good that you’ve come,” he said. “Two of my soul-gathering boys have worn themselves out,” said Sun Daoquan. “I’d like to borrow your study to let them rest. None of you are to sneak a look, mind.” “Very well,” said Wang Xiao. “We’ll keep out of the way. You take them in.” Only then did the Daoist and Chen Liang carry Lei Ming into the study. They laid him in the inner room, let him collect himself, spread wound powder on him to stop the pain, and let the curtain down.
老道在外間屋中一坐，少時有家人進來獻茶，說：「祖師爺你給我們員外把魂找來沒有？我們員外可咽了氣了。」老道說：「你告訴裡面安人，不要緊，可千萬別哭，我準管保死不了。」正說著話，就聽外面一亂，說：「三清觀著了火，把廟滿燒了。」孫道全見家人出去，說：「二位師弟，你們兩個人這個亂惹大了，三清觀廟都燒了，那兩個老道準要來找我拚命。」陳亮說：「那也無法，我焉能瞧我二哥活活打死呢？他不來便罷，他要來咱們三個人跟他拚命。」孫道全說：「事已至此，二位師弟也不必管。那兩個妖道都會邪術，你兩個動手也是白送死，莫若你二人逃命去罷，我自有道理。他要找我，我跟他去就是了。」說著話已然東方發白，只聽外面叫門，家人出去一看，是董太清、張太素。
老道在外间屋中一坐，少时有家人进来献茶，说：「祖师爷你给我们员外把魂找来没有？我们员外可咽了气了。」老道说：「你告诉里面安人，不要紧，可千万别哭，我准管保死不了。」正说着话，就听外面一乱，说：「三清观着了火，把庙满烧了。」孙道全见家人出去，说：「二位师弟，你们两个人这个乱惹大了，三清观庙都烧了，那两个老道准要来找我拼命。」陈亮说：「那也无法，我焉能瞧我二哥活活打死呢？他不来便罢，他要来咱们三个人跟他拼命。」孙道全说：「事已至此，二位师弟也不必管。那两个妖道都会邪术，你两个动手也是白送死，莫若你二人逃命去罢，我自有道理。他要找我，我跟他去就是了。」说着话已然东方发白，只听外面叫门，家人出去一看，是董太清、张太素。
The Daoist sat down in the outer room. Shortly a servant came in with tea. “Patriarch,” he said, “have you found our squire’s soul? Our squire has stopped breathing!” “Tell the mistress inside not to worry,” said the Daoist, “and whatever she does, she mustn’t weep. I guarantee he won’t die.” Just as he was saying this, there was a commotion outside, and someone said, “Sanqing Temple has caught fire, and the whole place has burned down!” When Sun Daoquan saw the servant go out, he said, “Brothers, you two have stirred up big trouble this time. Sanqing Temple has burned down. Those two old Daoists are sure to come looking for me, ready to fight to the death.” “It couldn’t be helped,” said Chen Liang. “How could I stand by and watch my Second Brother be beaten to death? If they don’t come, well and good. If they do, the three of us will fight them to the death.” “What’s done is done,” said Sun Daoquan. “You two needn’t concern yourselves. Those two wicked Daoists both know black magic. If you two fight them, you’ll only be throwing your lives away. Better that you two run for your lives. I know what to do. If they want me, I’ll simply go with them.” By the time they had talked this over, the east was already turning white. Then they heard knocking at the gate. A servant went out to look: it was Dong Taiqing and Zhang Taisu.
兩個老道見大殿東西配殿一點沒剩，只燒的片瓦無存，兩個老道一跺腳說：「張士芳因為你把我的廟都燒了，我兩人非得找這個梅花真人去拚命，這兩個人是必梅花真人主使來的。」張太素說：「我知道這個真人，是靈猿化身，咱們去找他去。」立刻來到王安士門首，一叫門，家人開門一看認識，說：「董道爺、張道爺，二位這么早，來此何幹？」張太素說：「你們這裡住著一個梅花真人么？」管家說：「不錯呀。」張太素說：「你叫他出來，就提我二人找他有事。」家人立刻到裡面說：「仙長爺，現在外面有三清觀的董道爺、張道爺找你。」孫道全一聽說：「二位師弟，走你們的罷。」雷鳴陳亮說：「師兄，我二人惹的禍，要一走豈不叫兄長受累？」老道說：「你二人去罷，我去見他。」
两个老道见大殿东西配殿一点没剩，只烧的片瓦无存，两个老道一跺脚说：「张士芳因为你把我的庙都烧了，我两人非得找这个梅花真人去拼命，这两个人是必梅花真人主使来的。」张太素说：「我知道这个真人，是灵猿化身，咱们去找他去。」立刻来到王安士门首，一叫门，家人开门一看认识，说：「董道爷、张道爷，二位这么早，来此何干？」张太素说：「你们这里住着一个梅花真人幺？」管家说：「不错呀。」张太素说：「你叫他出来，就提我二人找他有事。」家人立刻到里面说：「仙长爷，现在外面有三清观的董道爷、张道爷找你。」孙道全一听说：「二位师弟，走你们的罢。」雷鸣陈亮说：「师兄，我二人惹的祸，要一走岂不叫兄长受累？」老道说：「你二人去罢，我去见他。」
The two old Daoists had found the main hall and the side halls east and west all gone, burned down so that not a tile was left. The two of them stamped their feet. “Zhang Shifang, it’s on your account that my temple has burned down!” they said. “We two have got to go and have it out with this Perfected One Meihua. Those two were surely sent by the Perfected One Meihua.” “I know about this Perfected One,” said Zhang Taisu. “He’s a spirit ape in human form. Let’s go and find him.” They came at once to Wang Anshi’s gate and knocked. A servant opened, looked and knew them. “Daoist Master Dong, Daoist Master Zhang,” he said, “what brings you two here so early?” “Is there a Perfected One Meihua staying here?” said Zhang Taisu. “That’s right,” said the steward. “Tell him to come out,” said Zhang Taisu. “Just say we two have business with him.” The servant went straight inside. “Immortal Master, Daoist Master Dong and Daoist Master Zhang from Sanqing Temple are outside asking for you.” When Sun Daoquan heard this, he said, “Brothers, off you go.” “Brother,” said Lei Ming and Chen Liang, “we two caused this trouble. If we just walk off, won’t that leave you to suffer for it?” “Go on, you two,” said the Daoist. “I’ll go and see them.”