席方平，東安人。其父名廉，性戇拙。因與里中富室羊姓有郤，羊先死；數年，廉病垂危，謂人曰：「羊某今賄囑冥使搒我矣。」俄而身赤腫，號呼遂死，席慘怛不食，曰：「我父樸訥，今見陵於強鬼；我將赴地下，代伸冤氣耳。」自此不復言，時坐時立，狀類癡，蓋魂已離舍矣。
席方平是東安人。他的父親名叫席廉，性情憨直老實，因為和鄉里一個姓羊的富人有過節，結下了仇怨。羊某先死了。過了幾年，席廉病得快要死了，對人說：「羊某如今買通了陰間的差役，讓他們拷打我。」不一會兒，他全身紅腫，慘叫著死去了。席方平悲痛得吃不下飯，說：「我父親老實，不善言辭，如今卻受惡鬼欺凌。我要到陰間去，替他伸冤。」從此，他不再說話，時而坐著，時而站著，樣子像痴呆了一般，其實魂魄已經離開了身體。
席方平，东安人。其父名廉，性戆拙。因与里中富室羊姓有郤，羊先死；数年，廉病垂危，谓人曰：「羊某今贿嘱冥使搒我矣。」俄而身赤肿，号呼遂死，席惨怛不食，曰：「我父朴讷，今见陵于强鬼；我将赴地下，代伸冤气耳。」自此不复言，时坐时立，状类痴，盖魂已离舍矣。
席方平是东安人。他的父亲名叫席廉，性情憨直老实，因为和乡里一个姓羊的富人有过节，结下了仇怨。羊某先死了。过了几年，席廉病得快要死了，对人说：“羊某如今买通了阴间的差役，让他们拷打我。”不一会儿，他全身红肿，惨叫着死去了。席方平悲痛得吃不下饭，说：“我父亲老实，不善言辞，如今却受恶鬼欺凌。我要到阴间去，替他伸冤。”从此，他不再说话，时而坐着，时而站着，样子像痴呆了一般，其实魂魄已经离开了身体。
Xi Fangping was a man of Dong’an. His father, named Lian, was blunt and simple by nature. He had fallen out with a rich man of the village surnamed Yang, and Yang died first. Some years later, when Lian lay sick and close to death, he said to those around him, “Yang has bribed the messengers of the underworld to flog me.” Soon his body turned red and swollen, and he died screaming. Xi was so stricken with grief that he would not eat. “My father was simple and slow of speech,” he said, “and now a powerful ghost is bullying him. I will go down below and see that he gets justice.” From then on he spoke no more. Sometimes he sat, sometimes he stood, like a man gone simple: his soul had already left its house.
席覺初出門，莫知所往，但見路有行人，便問城邑。少選，入城。其父已收獄中。至獄門，遙見父臥簷下，似甚狼狽；舉目見子，潸然涕流。便謂：「獄吏悉受賕囑，日夜搒掠，脛股摧殘甚矣！」席怒，大罵獄吏：「父如有罪，自有王章，豈汝等死魅所能操耶！」遂出，抽筆為詞。值城隍早衙，喊冤以投。羊懼，內外賄通，始出質理。城隍以所告無據，頗不直席。席忿氣無所復伸，冥行百餘里，至郡，以官役私狀，告之郡司。遲之半月，始得質理。郡司扑席，仍批城隍覆案。席至邑，備受械梏，慘冤不能自舒。城隍恐其再訟，遣役押送歸家。役至門辭去。席不肯入，遁赴冥府，訴郡邑之酷貪。冥王立拘質對。二官密遣腹心，與席關說，許以千金。席不聽。過數日，逆旅主人告曰：「君負氣已甚，官府求和而執不從，今聞於王前各有函進，恐事殆矣。」席以道路之口，猶未深信。俄有皂衣人喚入。升堂，見冥王有怒色，不容置詞，命笞二十。席厲聲問：「小人何罪？」冥王漠若不聞。席受笞，喊曰：「受笞允當，誰教我無錢耶！」冥王益怒，命置火床。兩鬼捽席下，見東墀有鐵床，熾火其下，床面通赤。鬼脫席衣，掬置其上，反復揉捺之。痛極，骨肉焦黑，苦不得死。約一時許，鬼曰：「可矣。」遂扶起，促使下床著衣，猶幸跛而能行。復至堂上，冥王問：「敢再訟乎？」席曰：「大冤未伸，寸心不死，若言不訟，是欺王也。必訟！」又問：「訟何詞？」席曰：「身所受者，皆言之耳。」冥王又怒，命以鋸解其體。二鬼拉去，見立木，高八九尺許，有木板二，仰置其上，上下凝血模糊。方將就縛，忽堂上大呼「席某」，二鬼即復押回。冥王又問：「尚敢訟否？」答云：「必訟！」冥王命捉去速解。既下，鬼乃以二板夾席，縛木上。鋸方下，覺頂腦漸闢，痛不可禁，顧亦忍而不號。聞鬼曰：「壯哉此漢！」鋸隆隆然尋至胸下。又聞一鬼云：「此人大孝無辜，鋸令稍偏，勿損其心。」遂覺鋸鋒曲折而下，其痛倍苦。俄頃，半身闢矣。板解，兩身俱仆。鬼上堂大聲以報。堂上傳呼，令合身來見。二鬼即推令復合，曳使行。席覺鋸縫一道，痛欲復裂，半步而踣。一鬼於腰間出絲帶一條授之，曰：「贈此以報汝孝。」受而束之，一身頓健，殊無少苦。遂升堂而伏。冥王復問如前；席恐再罹酷毒，便答：「不訟矣。」冥王立命送還陽界。隸率出北門，指示歸途，反身遂去。
席方平覺得自己剛走出家門，卻不知道該往哪裡去，只要看見路上有人，就上前詢問去城裡的路。不久，他進了城。父親已經被關進監獄。他來到監獄門口，遠遠看見父親躺在屋簷下，樣子十分悽慘。父親抬頭看見兒子，眼淚便流了下來，對他說：「獄吏全都收了賄賂，聽人指使，日夜拷打我，我的小腿和大腿都被打壞了！」席方平大怒，痛罵獄吏：「我父親如果有罪，自有國家的法律處置，哪裡輪得到你們這些死鬼隨意擺佈！」隨後，他走出去，取筆寫了狀子。正趕上城隍早上升堂，他便喊著冤枉，把狀子遞了上去。羊某害怕了，買通了衙門內外的人，這才出庭對質。城隍說席方平的控告沒有根據，認為他很沒有道理。席方平滿腔憤恨，無處申訴，便在陰間走了一百多里，來到郡城，向郡司控告城隍和差役徇私舞弊的情形。他等了半個月，才得到對質的機會。郡司卻把席方平打了一頓，仍把案子批迴城隍那裡複審。席方平回到縣城，受盡鐐銬拘禁之苦，滿腹冤屈，無從申訴。城隍怕他再次告狀，便派差役把他押送回家。差役到了門口，告辭離去。席方平不肯進門，偷偷趕往冥府，控告郡司和城隍殘酷貪婪。冥王立即把兩名官員拘來對質。兩名官員暗中派心腹來向席方平說情，答應給他千金。席方平不肯答應。過了幾天，旅店主人告訴他：「你意氣用事，實在太過了。官府要跟你講和，你卻執意不肯。如今聽說他們各自往冥王那裡送了禮，恐怕事情要糟。」席方平覺得這只是道聽途說，還不大相信。不一會兒，一個穿黑衣的人來叫他進去。他上了公堂，見冥王面帶怒色，不許他開口，便下令打他二十下。席方平厲聲問：「我有什麼罪？」冥王冷漠地坐著，像沒聽見一樣。席方平捱打時喊道：「我這頓打捱得真是應該，誰叫我沒有錢呢！」冥王更加憤怒，下令把他放到火床上。兩個鬼差揪住席方平，拖下堂去。他看見東邊臺階旁有一張鐵床，下面燒著旺火，床面通紅。鬼差脫去他的衣服，把他抬到床上，來回翻動，揉壓他的身體。他痛苦到了極點，骨肉燒得焦黑，卻怎麼也死不了。大約過了一個時辰，鬼差說：「可以了。」他們把他扶起來，催他下床穿衣服。幸好他雖然瘸了，還能走路。他又來到公堂上，冥王問：「還敢再告狀嗎？」席方平說：「大冤還沒得到昭雪，我這顆心就不會死。如果說不告了，就是欺騙大王。我一定要告！」冥王又問：「你要告些什麼？」席方平說：「我親身受過的這些苦，全都要說出來。」冥王又怒了，下令用鋸子把他的身體鋸開。兩個鬼差把他拉走。他看見一根豎著的木柱，大約八九尺高，兩塊木板靠放在上面，從上到下都是凝結的血汙。正要把他綁上去，忽然聽見堂上大聲喊「席某」，兩個鬼差便又把他押了回去。冥王再次問：「還敢告狀嗎？」他回答：「一定要告！」冥王命令把他帶走，趕快鋸開。到了堂下，鬼差用兩塊木板夾住席方平，把他綁在木柱上。鋸子剛落下來，他就覺得頭頂漸漸裂開，疼痛難以忍受，可他還是忍著，沒有喊叫。他聽見一個鬼差說：「這漢子真有膽氣！」鋸子隆隆作響，很快鋸到了胸口下面。他又聽見一個鬼差說：「這人是個大孝子，並沒有罪。把鋸子稍微偏開一點，別傷了他的心。」隨後，他便覺得鋸鋒轉了方向，曲折著往下鋸，疼痛加倍。不一會兒，他的身體就被鋸成了兩半。木板一解開，兩半身體都倒在地上。鬼差上堂，大聲稟報。堂上傳下命令，叫他們把身體合起來，帶他來見。兩個鬼差便推攏兩半身體，使它們重新合在一起，拉著他走。席方平只覺得鋸過的那道傷口疼得像要再次裂開，才走了半步就摔倒了。一個鬼差從腰間取出一條絲帶，遞給他說：「把這個送給你，報答你的一片孝心。」席方平接過來，束在身上，頓時全身有了力氣，連一點疼痛也沒有了。他便上堂，伏在地上。冥王又像先前一樣問他。席方平怕再遭受酷刑，便回答：「不告了。」冥王立即命人送他回陽間。差役領他出了北門，指明回家的路，便轉身離去了。
席觉初出门，莫知所往，但见路有行人，便问城邑。少选，入城。其父已收狱中。至狱门，遥见父卧檐下，似甚狼狈；举目见子，潸然涕流。便谓：「狱吏悉受赇嘱，日夜搒掠，胫股摧残甚矣！」席怒，大骂狱吏：「父如有罪，自有王章，岂汝等死魅所能操耶！」遂出，抽笔为词。值城隍早衙，喊冤以投。羊惧，内外贿通，始出质理。城隍以所告无据，颇不直席。席忿气无所复伸，冥行百余里，至郡，以官役私状，告之郡司。迟之半月，始得质理。郡司扑席，仍批城隍覆案。席至邑，备受械梏，惨冤不能自舒。城隍恐其再讼，遣役押送归家。役至门辞去。席不肯入，遁赴冥府，诉郡邑之酷贪。冥王立拘质对。二官密遣腹心，与席关说，许以千金。席不听。过数日，逆旅主人告曰：「君负气已甚，官府求和而执不从，今闻于王前各有函进，恐事殆矣。」席以道路之口，犹未深信。俄有皂衣人唤入。升堂，见冥王有怒色，不容置词，命笞二十。席厉声问：「小人何罪？」冥王漠若不闻。席受笞，喊曰：「受笞允当，谁教我无钱耶！」冥王益怒，命置火床。两鬼捽席下，见东墀有铁床，炽火其下，床面通赤。鬼脱席衣，掬置其上，反复揉捺之。痛极，骨肉焦黑，苦不得死。约一时许，鬼曰：「可矣。」遂扶起，促使下床着衣，犹幸跛而能行。复至堂上，冥王问：「敢再讼乎？」席曰：「大冤未伸，寸心不死，若言不讼，是欺王也。必讼！」又问：「讼何词？」席曰：「身所受者，皆言之耳。」冥王又怒，命以锯解其体。二鬼拉去，见立木，高八九尺许，有木板二，仰置其上，上下凝血模糊。方将就缚，忽堂上大呼「席某」，二鬼即复押回。冥王又问：「尚敢讼否？」答云：「必讼！」冥王命捉去速解。既下，鬼乃以二板夹席，缚木上。锯方下，觉顶脑渐辟，痛不可禁，顾亦忍而不号。闻鬼曰：「壮哉此汉！」锯隆隆然寻至胸下。又闻一鬼云：「此人大孝无辜，锯令稍偏，勿损其心。」遂觉锯锋曲折而下，其痛倍苦。俄顷，半身辟矣。板解，两身俱仆。鬼上堂大声以报。堂上传呼，令合身来见。二鬼即推令复合，曳使行。席觉锯缝一道，痛欲复裂，半步而踣。一鬼于腰间出丝带一条授之，曰：「赠此以报汝孝。」受而束之，一身顿健，殊无少苦。遂升堂而伏。冥王复问如前；席恐再罹酷毒，便答：「不讼矣。」冥王立命送还阳界。隶率出北门，指示归途，反身遂去。
席方平觉得自己刚走出家门，却不知道该往哪里去，只要看见路上有人，就上前询问去城里的路。不久，他进了城。父亲已经被关进监狱。他来到监狱门口，远远看见父亲躺在屋檐下，样子十分凄惨。父亲抬头看见儿子，眼泪便流了下来，对他说：“狱吏全都收了贿赂，听人指使，日夜拷打我，我的小腿和大腿都被打坏了！”席方平大怒，痛骂狱吏：“我父亲如果有罪，自有国家的法律处置，哪里轮得到你们这些死鬼随意摆布！”随后，他走出去，取笔写了状子。正赶上城隍早上升堂，他便喊着冤枉，把状子递了上去。羊某害怕了，买通了衙门内外的人，这才出庭对质。城隍说席方平的控告没有根据，认为他很没有道理。席方平满腔愤恨，无处申诉，便在阴间走了一百多里，来到郡城，向郡司控告城隍和差役徇私舞弊的情形。他等了半个月，才得到对质的机会。郡司却把席方平打了一顿，仍把案子批回城隍那里复审。席方平回到县城，受尽镣铐拘禁之苦，满腹冤屈，无从申诉。城隍怕他再次告状，便派差役把他押送回家。差役到了门口，告辞离去。席方平不肯进门，偷偷赶往冥府，控告郡司和城隍残酷贪婪。冥王立即把两名官员拘来对质。两名官员暗中派心腹来向席方平说情，答应给他千金。席方平不肯答应。过了几天，旅店主人告诉他：“你意气用事，实在太过了。官府要跟你讲和，你却执意不肯。如今听说他们各自往冥王那里送了礼，恐怕事情要糟。”席方平觉得这只是道听途说，还不大相信。不一会儿，一个穿黑衣的人来叫他进去。他上了公堂，见冥王面带怒色，不许他开口，便下令打他二十下。席方平厉声问：“我有什么罪？”冥王冷漠地坐着，像没听见一样。席方平挨打时喊道：“我这顿打挨得真是应该，谁叫我没有钱呢！”冥王更加愤怒，下令把他放到火床上。两个鬼差揪住席方平，拖下堂去。他看见东边台阶旁有一张铁床，下面烧着旺火，床面通红。鬼差脱去他的衣服，把他抬到床上，来回翻动，揉压他的身体。他痛苦到了极点，骨肉烧得焦黑，却怎么也死不了。大约过了一个时辰，鬼差说：“可以了。”他们把他扶起来，催他下床穿衣服。幸好他虽然瘸了，还能走路。他又来到公堂上，冥王问：“还敢再告状吗？”席方平说：“大冤还没得到昭雪，我这颗心就不会死。如果说不告了，就是欺骗大王。我一定要告！”冥王又问：“你要告些什么？”席方平说：“我亲身受过的这些苦，全都要说出来。”冥王又怒了，下令用锯子把他的身体锯开。两个鬼差把他拉走。他看见一根竖着的木柱，大约八九尺高，两块木板靠放在上面，从上到下都是凝结的血污。正要把他绑上去，忽然听见堂上大声喊“席某”，两个鬼差便又把他押了回去。冥王再次问：“还敢告状吗？”他回答：“一定要告！”冥王命令把他带走，赶快锯开。到了堂下，鬼差用两块木板夹住席方平，把他绑在木柱上。锯子刚落下来，他就觉得头顶渐渐裂开，疼痛难以忍受，可他还是忍着，没有喊叫。他听见一个鬼差说：“这汉子真有胆气！”锯子隆隆作响，很快锯到了胸口下面。他又听见一个鬼差说：“这人是个大孝子，并没有罪。把锯子稍微偏开一点，别伤了他的心。”随后，他便觉得锯锋转了方向，曲折着往下锯，疼痛加倍。不一会儿，他的身体就被锯成了两半。木板一解开，两半身体都倒在地上。鬼差上堂，大声禀报。堂上传下命令，叫他们把身体合起来，带他来见。两个鬼差便推拢两半身体，使它们重新合在一起，拉着他走。席方平只觉得锯过的那道伤口疼得像要再次裂开，才走了半步就摔倒了。一个鬼差从腰间取出一条丝带，递给他说：“把这个送给你，报答你的一片孝心。”席方平接过来，束在身上，顿时全身有了力气，连一点疼痛也没有了。他便上堂，伏在地上。冥王又像先前一样问他。席方平怕再遭受酷刑，便回答：“不告了。”冥王立即命人送他回阳间。差役领他出了北门，指明回家的路，便转身离去了。
When Xi first went out of the gate, he did not know which way to go. He simply asked anyone he saw on the road the way to the city. Shortly he entered the city. His father was already in prison. At the prison gate he saw him in the distance, lying under the eaves in a sorry state. Looking up and seeing his son, the old man burst into tears. “The jailers have all been bribed,” he said. “Day and night they flog me. My legs are shattered!” Xi was enraged and cursed the jailers loudly: “If my father has done wrong, there are the king’s laws for it. Is it for dead goblins like you to deal with?” Then he went out, took up a brush and wrote a complaint. It was the hour of the City God’s morning court, and he went in crying out his wrong and handed it up. Yang took fright and bribed everyone, inside the court and out, before he appeared to answer the charge. The City God ruled that the complaint had no grounds, and gave Xi no satisfaction. With nowhere left to vent his anger, Xi travelled more than a hundred li through the dark to the prefecture, and accused the officers and runners of corruption before the Prefect. He was kept waiting half a month before he got a hearing. The Prefect had Xi beaten, and sent the case back to the City God to be reviewed. Back in the county, Xi suffered every kind of shackle and torture; his wrongs were cruel, and he had no way to air them. The City God, afraid that he would sue again, sent runners to take him home under guard. At the gate the runners took their leave. Xi would not go in. He slipped away to the court of the underworld and accused the prefecture and the county of cruelty and greed. The King of the Underworld at once had both officials arrested to face him. The two officials secretly sent trusted men to talk Xi round, offering him a thousand taels. Xi would not listen. Some days later the landlord of his inn told him, “You’ve carried your pride too far. The officials asked to make peace and you stubbornly refused. Now I hear each of them has sent a letter up to the King. I’m afraid things look bad.” Xi took it for gossip on the road and did not quite believe it. Presently a man in black came to call him in. He went up into the hall and saw anger on the face of the King of the Underworld. Without letting him say a word, the King ordered twenty strokes. “What crime have I committed?” Xi demanded. The King acted as if he had not heard. As he was beaten Xi shouted, “I deserve the beating! Who told me to have no money?” The King grew angrier still, and ordered him put on the fire bed. Two ghosts seized Xi and dragged him down. By the eastern steps he saw an iron bed with a fierce fire beneath it; its surface glowed red all over. The ghosts stripped off Xi’s clothes, picked him up and laid him on it, and rolled and pressed him back and forth. The pain was beyond bearing; his flesh and bones were scorched black, yet to his torment he could not die. After about two hours a ghost said, “That will do.” They helped him up and hurried him off the bed to put on his clothes. Luckily, though he limped, he could still walk. Back in the hall, the King asked, “Will you dare to sue again?” “My great wrong is not yet righted,” said Xi, “and my heart is not dead. If I said I would not sue, I would be lying to Your Majesty. I will sue!” “And what will your complaint be?” “All that has been done to me — I will tell it all.” The King was angry again and ordered that he be sawn in two. The two ghosts dragged him off. He saw an upright post some eight or nine feet tall, with two boards laid face up against it, smeared top to bottom with clotted blood. Just as they were about to tie him, there came a great shout from the hall: “Xi!” The two ghosts marched him straight back. Again the King asked, “Do you still dare to sue?” “I will sue!” he answered. The King ordered them to take him away and saw him quickly. When he was down, the ghosts clamped Xi between the two boards and bound him to the post. As the saw came down, he felt his skull slowly splitting open. The pain was unbearable, but he endured it and did not cry out. He heard a ghost say, “A brave fellow, this one!” The saw rumbled on until it was below his chest. Then he heard another ghost say, “This man is a devoted son and has done no wrong. Turn the saw a little aside, so as not to harm his heart.” He felt the blade bend and twist on its way down, and the pain was twice as bad. In a moment half his body was split open. When the boards were undone, the two halves of him fell to the ground. The ghosts went up into the hall and loudly reported. From the hall came the order to put his body back together and bring him in. The two ghosts pushed the halves together and dragged him off to walk. Xi felt the seam where the saw had gone through, so painful it seemed about to split again, and after half a step he fell. One ghost took a silk sash from his own waist and handed it to him. “This is a gift, to reward your devotion to your father.” Xi took it and tied it on, and at once his whole body was strong, without the least pain left. He went up into the hall and lay prostrate. The King asked him the same question as before. Afraid of more cruel torture, Xi answered, “I will not sue.” The King at once ordered that he be sent back to the world of the living. The runners led him out of the north gate, pointed out the way home, then turned and left.
席念陰曹之暗昧尤甚於陽間，奈無路可達帝聽。世傳灌口二郎為帝勳戚，其神聰明正直，訴之當有靈異。竊喜兩隸已去，遂轉身南向。奔馳間，有二人追至，曰：「王疑汝不歸，今果然矣。」捽回復見冥王。竊意冥王益怒，禍必更慘；而王殊無厲容，謂席曰：「汝志誠孝。但汝父冤，我已為若雪之矣。今已往生富貴家，何用汝鳴呼為。今送汝歸，予以千金之產、期頤之壽，於願足乎？」乃註籍中，嵌以巨印，使親視之。席謝而下。鬼與俱出，至途，驅而罵曰：「奸猾賊！頻頻翻覆，使人奔波欲死！再犯，當捉入大磨中，細細研之！」席張目叱曰：「鬼子胡為者！我性耐刀鋸，不耐撻楚。請反見王，王如令我自歸，亦復何勞相送。」乃返奔。二鬼懼，溫語勸回。席故蹇緩，行數步，輒憩路側。鬼含怒不敢復言。約半日，至一村，一門半闢，鬼引與共坐；席便據門閾。二鬼乘其不備，推入門中。
席方平心想，陰間的黑暗腐敗比陽間還厲害，無奈沒有途徑把冤情上達上帝。他聽世人說，灌口二郎是上帝有功的親屬，聰明正直，向他申訴，應該會有神明相助。他暗自慶幸兩個差役已經走了，便轉身朝南趕去。奔走之間，有兩個人追上來，說：「大王懷疑你不會回家，如今果然如此。」他們揪住他，帶回去再見冥王。席方平暗想，冥王一定更加憤怒，自己遭受的災禍必定更慘。可是冥王竟沒有一點兇惡的神色，對他說：「你確實一心盡孝。不過你父親的冤情，我已經替你昭雪了。他如今已經投生到富貴人家，還用得著你喊冤嗎？現在我送你回去，給你價值千金的家產，讓你活到一百歲，這樣能滿足你的心願嗎？」說著，便把這些寫進簿冊，蓋上大印，讓席方平親眼看。席方平道了謝，退下堂去。鬼差和他一起出來，到了路上，一邊驅趕他，一邊罵道：「奸詐狡猾的賊！反反覆覆，害得我們來回奔跑，快要累死了！再敢這樣，就把你捉進大磨裡，細細磨碎！」席方平瞪大眼睛，喝道：「你們這些鬼東西想幹什麼！我受得了刀鋸，卻受不了鞭打。請回去見大王，大王如果讓我自己回家，又何必勞煩你們相送！」說完，便轉身往回跑。兩個鬼差害怕了，連忙好言勸他回來。席方平故意拖著腳慢慢走，每走幾步，就在路邊歇一會兒。鬼差滿腹怒氣，卻不敢再說什麼。大約過了半天，他們來到一個村莊，見一戶人家的門半開著。鬼差領他過去，和他一起坐下，席方平便坐在門檻上。兩個鬼差趁他不防備，把他推進門裡。
席念阴曹之暗昧尤甚于阳间，奈无路可达帝听。世传灌口二郎为帝勋戚，其神聪明正直，诉之当有灵异。窃喜两隶已去，遂转身南向。奔驰间，有二人追至，曰：「王疑汝不归，今果然矣。」捽回复见冥王。窃意冥王益怒，祸必更惨；而王殊无厉容，谓席曰：「汝志诚孝。但汝父冤，我已为若雪之矣。今已往生富贵家，何用汝鸣呼为。今送汝归，予以千金之产、期颐之寿，于愿足乎？」乃注籍中，嵌以巨印，使亲视之。席谢而下。鬼与俱出，至途，驱而骂曰：「奸猾贼！频频翻覆，使人奔波欲死！再犯，当捉入大磨中，细细研之！」席张目叱曰：「鬼子胡为者！我性耐刀锯，不耐挞楚。请反见王，王如令我自归，亦复何劳相送。」乃返奔。二鬼惧，温语劝回。席故蹇缓，行数步，辄憩路侧。鬼含怒不敢复言。约半日，至一村，一门半辟，鬼引与共坐；席便据门阈。二鬼乘其不备，推入门中。
席方平心想，阴间的黑暗腐败比阳间还厉害，无奈没有途径把冤情上达上帝。他听世人说，灌口二郎是上帝有功的亲属，聪明正直，向他申诉，应该会有神明相助。他暗自庆幸两个差役已经走了，便转身朝南赶去。奔走之间，有两个人追上来，说：“大王怀疑你不会回家，如今果然如此。”他们揪住他，带回去再见冥王。席方平暗想，冥王一定更加愤怒，自己遭受的灾祸必定更惨。可是冥王竟没有一点凶恶的神色，对他说：“你确实一心尽孝。不过你父亲的冤情，我已经替你昭雪了。他如今已经投生到富贵人家，还用得着你喊冤吗？现在我送你回去，给你价值千金的家产，让你活到一百岁，这样能满足你的心愿吗？”说着，便把这些写进簿册，盖上大印，让席方平亲眼看。席方平道了谢，退下堂去。鬼差和他一起出来，到了路上，一边驱赶他，一边骂道：“奸诈狡猾的贼！反反复复，害得我们来回奔跑，快要累死了！再敢这样，就把你捉进大磨里，细细磨碎！”席方平瞪大眼睛，喝道：“你们这些鬼东西想干什么！我受得了刀锯，却受不了鞭打。请回去见大王，大王如果让我自己回家，又何必劳烦你们相送！”说完，便转身往回跑。两个鬼差害怕了，连忙好言劝他回来。席方平故意拖着脚慢慢走，每走几步，就在路边歇一会儿。鬼差满腹怒气，却不敢再说什么。大约过了半天，他们来到一个村庄，见一户人家的门半开着。鬼差领他过去，和他一起坐下，席方平便坐在门槛上。两个鬼差趁他不防备，把他推进门里。
Xi thought that the underworld was even darker and more corrupt than the world of the living, but he had no way to bring the matter to the ears of the Lord on High. It was said in the world that Erlang of Guankou was a kinsman of the Lord on High, a wise and upright god; a complaint to him would surely bring a miracle. Glad that the two runners were gone, he turned and headed south. As he hurried along, two men came after him. “The King suspected you wouldn’t go home,” they said, “and so it is.” They seized him and brought him before the King of the Underworld again. Xi supposed the King would be angrier than ever and his punishment crueller still. But the King showed no harshness at all. “Your purpose shows true devotion,” he said to Xi. “But I have already cleared your father’s wrong for you. He has now been reborn into a rich and noble family. What need is there for you to cry out? Now I will send you home, and give you an estate worth a thousand taels and a life of a hundred years. Will that satisfy your wishes?” He wrote it into the register, stamped it with a great seal and had Xi see it with his own eyes. Xi thanked him and went down. The ghosts went out with him, and once they were on the road they drove him along, cursing him: “You sly crook! Turning back and forth, running us off our feet! Try it again and we’ll put you in the big millstone and grind you fine!” Xi glared at them and shouted, “What are you devils up to? I can bear knives and saws, but I won’t bear whipping. Let’s go back to the King. If the King tells me to go home alone, why trouble yourselves to see me off?” And he turned and ran back. The two ghosts were afraid, and coaxed him back with gentle words. Xi deliberately dawdled and limped; every few steps he rested by the roadside. The ghosts seethed but dared not say another word. After about half a day they came to a village where a door stood half open. The ghosts led him over to sit down with them, and Xi sat on the threshold. Catching him off guard, the two ghosts pushed him through the door.