話說梅成玉同著僕婦來到刑廷衙門，僕婦先進去一回稟，陸炳文趕緊把成玉讓到書房，今天分外透著恭敬，說：「先生請坐！」梅成玉一想，我一個窮儒，刑廷大人這樣謙恭？自己倒覺著詫異。坐下一談話，陸炳文說：「先生今年貴甲子？」梅成玉說：「小生今生二十七歲。」陸炳文說：「聽說先生家中有一位令妹，沒有婆家，這倒是天緣湊合，我給你說一門親罷。現在大理寺正卿花花太歲王大人，新失的家，尚未續室，我給你說一門親，倒是甚好。」梅成玉也來到臨安住了好幾個月，向有耳聞，知道王勝仙乃是本地的惡霸，趕緊說：「小生乃一介窮儒，不敢仰視高攀，大人不必分心了。」陸炳文說：「先生，你倒別推辭，這門親你我都找不到。王大人乃是當朝秦相爺的兄弟，他是我的老師，將來過了門，論起親戚來，你還是我舅舅呢！」
话说梅成玉同着仆妇来到刑廷衙门，仆妇先进去一回禀，陆炳文赶紧把成玉让到书房，今天分外透着恭敬，说：「先生请坐！」梅成玉一想，我一个穷儒，刑廷大人这样谦恭？自己倒觉着诧异。坐下一谈话，陆炳文说：「先生今年贵甲子？」梅成玉说：「小生今生二十七岁。」陆炳文说：「听说先生家中有一位令妹，没有婆家，这倒是天缘凑合，我给你说一门亲罢。现在大理寺正卿花花太岁王大人，新失的家，尚未续室，我给你说一门亲，倒是甚好。」梅成玉也来到临安住了好几个月，向有耳闻，知道王胜仙乃是本地的恶霸，赶紧说：「小生乃一介穷儒，不敢仰视高攀，大人不必分心了。」陆炳文说：「先生，你倒别推辞，这门亲你我都找不到。王大人乃是当朝秦相爷的兄弟，他是我的老师，将来过了门，论起亲戚来，你还是我舅舅呢！」
Now, Mei Chengyu came with the serving woman to the Criminal Court yamen. The serving woman went in first to announce him, and Lu Bingwen hurried to show Chengyu into his study; today he was more respectful than ever. “Please be seated, sir!” he said. Mei Chengyu thought, “I’m a poor scholar. Why is the Lord of the Criminal Court being so humble with me?” He found it strange himself. They sat down and talked. “May I ask your honorable age, sir?” said Lu Bingwen. “I am twenty-seven this year,” said Mei Chengyu. “I hear you have a younger sister at home who isn’t yet promised to anyone,” said Lu Bingwen. “Well, this is a match made in Heaven. Let me arrange a marriage for you. Lord Wang, the Flashy Libertine, Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, has just lost his wife and hasn’t yet taken another. If I arrange this match for you, it will be a very fine one.” Mei Chengyu had been living in Lin’an for several months by now and had heard plenty of talk; he knew Wang Shengxian was the local bully. “I am only a poor scholar,” he said quickly. “I wouldn’t dare look so high or climb so far above my station. Your Lordship needn’t trouble yourself.” “Don’t turn it down, sir,” said Lu Bingwen. “A match like this, neither you nor I could find another. Lord Wang is the brother of His Excellency Chancellor Qin of the present court, and he is my teacher. Once she has married into his house, when we reckon up the kinship, you’ll even be my uncle!”
梅成玉心裡說：「我不給你當舅舅，恐怕多挨罵。」連忙說：「大人放心，我領情。這件事我也不能自主，還得回去，和妹子商量商量。」陸炳文說：「不用商量，你不願意也得願意。來，拿二百銀子來，你帶了去作為定禮，也不便打首飾，擇吉日就娶。你請回去聽信罷，這件事我給你作主。」梅成玉不拿銀子不行，勒令叫他拿著，梅成玉無奈，拿著二百銀子回了家。一見姑娘，梅成玉說：「妹妹，你快把細軟東西收拾收拾，你我快逃走罷。我去僱船去。」姑娘說：「呦，哥哥什麼事這樣慌張？」梅成玉說：「我也不便告訴你，沒有工夫，你快收拾，我去僱船去。」說著話，由家中出來，焉想到剛走到東胡同口，有兩位班頭帶著十個夥計，在這裡扎住。眾人一見梅成玉，大眾說：「梅先生你哪去？我等奉京營殿帥之令，在這裡把守，你要打算逃跑，那是不行。你要走可以，可得把家眷留下。」梅成玉一聽就愣了，自己想著要跑，焉想到陸炳文早派人看上了。自己撥頭又往西走來，到西胡同口一看，也有兩位班頭十個夥計把上。梅成玉一看，心中真急了，這便如何是好？自己正在發愣，只見對面來了一人，說：「賢弟，為何在此發愣？」梅成玉一看，說：「表兄，你來了好，我這裡出了塌天大禍。」
梅成玉心里说：「我不给你当舅舅，恐怕多挨骂。」连忙说：「大人放心，我领情。这件事我也不能自主，还得回去，和妹子商量商量。」陆炳文说：「不用商量，你不愿意也得愿意。来，拿二百银子来，你带了去作为定礼，也不便打首饰，择吉日就娶。你请回去听信罢，这件事我给你作主。」梅成玉不拿银子不行，勒令叫他拿着，梅成玉无奈，拿着二百银子回了家。一见姑娘，梅成玉说：「妹妹，你快把细软东西收拾收拾，你我快逃走罢。我去雇船去。」姑娘说：「呦，哥哥什么事这样慌张？」梅成玉说：「我也不便告诉你，没有工夫，你快收拾，我去雇船去。」说着话，由家中出来，焉想到刚走到东胡同口，有两位班头带着十个伙计，在这里扎住。众人一见梅成玉，大众说：「梅先生你哪去？我等奉京营殿帅之令，在这里把守，你要打算逃跑，那是不行。你要走可以，可得把家眷留下。」梅成玉一听就愣了，自己想着要跑，焉想到陆炳文早派人看上了。自己拨头又往西走来，到西胡同口一看，也有两位班头十个伙计把上。梅成玉一看，心中真急了，这便如何是好？自己正在发愣，只见对面来了一人，说：「贤弟，为何在此发愣？」梅成玉一看，说：「表兄，你来了好，我这里出了塌天大祸。」
Mei Chengyu said to himself, “I won’t be your uncle — I’m afraid I’d only get cursed all the more.” Aloud he said quickly, “Your Lordship may rest assured, I’m grateful for the kindness. But I can’t decide this on my own. I’ll have to go home and talk it over with my sister.” “No need to talk it over,” said Lu Bingwen. “You’ll be willing whether you’re willing or not. Here, bring two hundred taels of silver! Take it with you as the betrothal gift. There’s no time to have jewelry made; we’ll pick a lucky day and fetch the bride. Go on home and wait for word. I’ll see this business through for you.” Mei Chengyu could not get out of taking the silver; it was forced on him. With no way out, Mei Chengyu carried the two hundred taels home. As soon as he saw the girl he said, “Sister, quick, pack up your jewelry and valuables. You and I must run away at once. I’ll go and hire a boat.” “Oh!” said the girl. “Brother, what has you in such a fluster?” “I can’t tell you now, there’s no time,” said Mei Chengyu. “Hurry and pack. I’ll go and hire a boat.” As he spoke he came out of the house. Who would have thought that when he had only got as far as the mouth of East Lane, there would be two head constables with ten men posted there? When they saw Mei Chengyu, they all said, “Mr. Mei, where are you off to? We have orders from the commander of the capital garrison to keep guard here. If you’re thinking of running off, that won’t do. You can go if you like, but you’ll have to leave your family behind.” Mei Chengyu was struck dumb when he heard it. He had meant to run, and he had never imagined Lu Bingwen had already sent men to watch him. He turned round and headed west, and when he reached the mouth of West Lane, there too two head constables and ten men were keeping guard. When Mei Chengyu saw it he was truly frantic. What was he to do? He was standing there at a loss when a man came toward him and said, “Cousin, why are you standing here in a daze?” Mei Chengyu looked. “Cousin, it’s good you’ve come!” he said. “A disaster as big as the sky falling has come down on me.”
書中交代：來者這人非是別人，正是探囊取物趙斌。原來趙斌的母親是梅成玉的姑母，這兩個人是表兄弟，趙斌一看梅成玉這樣驚恐，問：「賢弟什麼事？」梅成玉說：「到我家再說。」二人一同來到梅成玉家中。趙斌說：「賢弟因為什麼？」梅成玉說：「我賣畫賣出禍來了。」趙斌說：「怎么？」梅成玉就把陸炳文勒令說親之故，如此這般一說，「現在要跑也跑不了啦，東西胡同都有官人紮上，兄長你給我出個主意罷。」趙斌一聽，把眼一睜，說：「好狗娘養的，終日搶人害人，欺負到你我兄弟的頭上！我拿把刀到京營殿帥府，見一個殺一個，然後連王勝仙全部把他們殺了，方出我胸中之氣。」梅成玉說：「兄長這話不行，你一個人焉能反的了？京營殿帥有多少兵，你就滿打殺一個殺兩個，叫人家拿住，你便糟了。再說你又無兄弟幾個，不但你救不了我，你再有個差錯，那時姑母她老人家怎么辦？兄長總得想個萬全之策才好。」趙斌愣了半天，自己一想，說：「我有主意了。」梅成玉說：「兄長有什麼高明主意呢？」趙斌說：「我有個師父，乃是靈隱寺濟公活佛，他老人家能掐會算，善曉過去未來之事。你我兄弟去請他老人家來，給出個主意罷。」梅成玉說：「也好。」二人這才趕緊站起身往外走，由他家中出來。
书中交代：来者这人非是别人，正是探囊取物赵斌。原来赵斌的母亲是梅成玉的姑母，这两个人是表兄弟，赵斌一看梅成玉这样惊恐，问：「贤弟什么事？」梅成玉说：「到我家再说。」二人一同来到梅成玉家中。赵斌说：「贤弟因为什么？」梅成玉说：「我卖画卖出祸来了。」赵斌说：「怎么？」梅成玉就把陆炳文勒令说亲之故，如此这般一说，「现在要跑也跑不了啦，东西胡同都有官人扎上，兄长你给我出个主意罢。」赵斌一听，把眼一睁，说：「好狗娘养的，终日抢人害人，欺负到你我兄弟的头上！我拿把刀到京营殿帅府，见一个杀一个，然后连王胜仙全部把他们杀了，方出我胸中之气。」梅成玉说：「兄长这话不行，你一个人焉能反的了？京营殿帅有多少兵，你就满打杀一个杀两个，叫人家拿住，你便糟了。再说你又无兄弟几个，不但你救不了我，你再有个差错，那时姑母她老人家怎么办？兄长总得想个万全之策才好。」赵斌愣了半天，自己一想，说：「我有主意了。」梅成玉说：「兄长有什么高明主意呢？」赵斌说：「我有个师父，乃是灵隐寺济公活佛，他老人家能掐会算，善晓过去未来之事。你我兄弟去请他老人家来，给出个主意罢。」梅成玉说：「也好。」二人这才赶紧站起身往外走，由他家中出来。
A word of explanation: the man who had come was none other than Zhao Bin, Pick-It-from-a-Pocket. Zhao Bin’s mother was Mei Chengyu’s aunt, his father’s sister, so the two of them were cousins. Seeing Mei Chengyu so frightened, Zhao Bin asked, “Cousin, what is it?” “Let’s talk at my house,” said Mei Chengyu. The two of them went together to Mei Chengyu’s house. “Cousin, what’s the trouble?” said Zhao Bin. “I sold a painting, and selling it brought trouble on me,” said Mei Chengyu. “How’s that?” said Zhao Bin. Mei Chengyu told him the whole story of how Lu Bingwen had forced the match on him. “Now I can’t run away even if I try. Officers have the lane blocked at both ends, east and west. Cousin, you’ve got to think of a way out for me.” When Zhao Bin heard it, his eyes went wide. “The sons of bitches!” he said. “All day long they snatch people and ruin people, and now they come bullying the likes of us! I’ll take a knife to the Capital Garrison Headquarters and kill every one I see, and then kill Wang Shengxian and the whole lot of them. Only then will I get this rage out of my chest.” “That won’t do, Cousin,” said Mei Chengyu. “How can one man take them all on? Think how many soldiers the commander of the capital garrison has. Even if you kill one or two at the most, they’ll catch you, and then you’re finished. Besides, you have no brothers. Far from saving me, if anything happened to you, what would become of Aunt, the dear old lady? You must think of a plan that’s safe all round, Cousin.” Zhao Bin stood dazed for a long while, thinking it over. “I have an idea,” he said. “What’s your brilliant idea, Cousin?” said Mei Chengyu. “I have a master,” said Zhao Bin, “the living Buddha Ji Gong of Lingyin Temple. He can reckon on his fingers and work anything out; he knows what’s past and what’s to come. Let’s go together and ask him to come and give us an idea.” “Very well,” said Mei Chengyu. So the two of them got up in a hurry and went out, leaving the house.