且說智化兆蘭兆蕙與小爺艾虎送了北俠玉堂回來，在廳下閒坐，彼此悶悶不樂。艾虎一旁短歎長吁。只聽智化道：「我想此事關係非淺。倪太守乃是為國為民，如今反遭誣害；歐陽兄又是濟困扶危，遇了賊扳。似這樣的忠臣義士負屈含冤，仔細想來，全是馬強叔姪過惡。除非設法先將馬朝賢害倒，剩了馬強，也就不難除了。」丁二爺道：「與其費兩番事，何不一網打盡呢？」智化道：「若要一網打盡，說不得卻要作一件欺心的事，生生的訛在他叔姪身上，使他贓證俱明，有口難分。所謂『奸臣賊子人人得而誅之』。我雖想定計策，只是題目太大，有些難作。」丁大爺道：「大哥何不說出，大家計較計較呢？」智化道：「當初劣兄上霸王莊者，原為看馬強的舉動；因他結交襄陽王，常懷不軌之心。如今既為此事鬧到這步田地，何不借題發揮，一來與國家除害，二來剪卻襄陽王的羽翼。－－話雖如此，然而其中有四件難事。」
且说智化兆兰兆蕙与小爷艾虎送了北侠玉堂回来，在厅下闲坐，彼此闷闷不乐。艾虎一旁短叹长吁。只听智化道：「我想此事关系非浅。倪太守乃是为国为民，如今反遭诬害；欧阳兄又是济困扶危，遇了贼扳。似这样的忠臣义士负屈含冤，仔细想来，全是马强叔姪过恶。除非设法先将马朝贤害倒，剩了马强，也就不难除了。」丁二爷道：「与其费两番事，何不一网打尽呢？」智化道：「若要一网打尽，说不得却要作一件欺心的事，生生的讹在他叔姪身上，使他赃证俱明，有口难分。所谓『奸臣贼子人人得而诛之』。我虽想定计策，只是题目太大，有些难作。」丁大爷道：「大哥何不说出，大家计较计较呢？」智化道：「当初劣兄上霸王庄者，原为看马强的举动；因他结交襄阳王，常怀不轨之心。如今既为此事闹到这步田地，何不借题发挥，一来与国家除害，二来剪却襄阳王的羽翼。－－话虽如此，然而其中有四件难事。」
Now, Zhi Hua, Zhaolan, Zhaohui and young Ai Hu, having seen off the Northern Hero and Yutang, came back and sat idly in the hall, all of them glum and out of sorts. Ai Hu, off to one side, kept heaving long sighs and short ones. Then Zhi Hua spoke. “The way I see it, this business is no small matter. Governor Ni serves the country and the people, and now he has been falsely accused for it; Brother Ouyang helps those in trouble and rescues those in danger, and he has been dragged in by a villain’s charge. When loyal ministers and righteous men like these have been wronged — think it over carefully — it is all the doing of Ma Qiang and his uncle. Unless we find some way to bring down Ma Chaoxian first: once only Ma Qiang is left, he won’t be hard to get rid of.” “Why go to the trouble twice?” said Second Master Ding. “Why not catch them both in one net?” “If we’re to catch them in one net,” said Zhi Hua, “there’s no help for it: we shall have to do something against our conscience — pin a crime squarely on uncle and nephew, so that the evidence and the goods are both plain to see, and they’ll have mouths but no way to clear themselves. As the saying goes, ‘Traitorous ministers and rebellious sons — any man may put them to death.’ I have thought out a plan, but the stakes are so high that it’s rather hard to pull off.” “Brother, why not tell us,” said Elder Master Ding, “and we can all talk it over?” “When your elder brother first went to Bawang Village,” said Zhi Hua, “it was only to watch what Ma Qiang was up to, because he was in league with the Prince of Xiangyang and always harbouring treason in his heart. Now that this business has come to such a pass, why not seize on it as a pretext — first to rid the country of a menace, and second to clip the Prince of Xiangyang’s wings? — That said, there are four hard things in it.”
丁二爺道：「那四件？」智化道：「第一要皇家緊要之物。－－這也不必推諉，全在我的身上。第二，要一個有年紀之人，一個或童男或童女隨我前去，誆取緊要之物回來。要有膽量，又要有機變，又要受得苦。第三件，我等盜來緊要之物，還得將此物送到馬強家，藏在佛樓之內，以為將來的真贓實犯。……」丁二爺聽了，不由的插言道：「此事小弟卻能夠。只要有了東西，小弟便能送去。這第三件算是小弟的了。第四件又是什麼呢？」智化道：「惟有第四件最難，必須知根知底之人前去出首，不但出首，還要單上開封府出首去。別的事情俱好說，惟獨這第四件是最要緊的，成敗全在此一舉。此一著若是錯了，滿盤俱空。這個人竟難得的很呢。」口裡說著，眼睛卻瞟著艾虎。艾虎道：「這第四件莫若徒弟去吧。」智化將眼一瞪，道：「你小孩家，懂得什麼，如何幹得這樣大事！」艾虎道：「據徒弟想來，此事非徒弟不可。徒弟去了有三益。」
丁二爷道：「那四件？」智化道：「第一要皇家紧要之物。－－这也不必推诿，全在我的身上。第二，要一个有年纪之人，一个或童男或童女随我前去，诓取紧要之物回来。要有胆量，又要有机变，又要受得苦。第三件，我等盗来紧要之物，还得将此物送到马强家，藏在佛楼之内，以为将来的真赃实犯。……」丁二爷听了，不由的插言道：「此事小弟却能够。只要有了东西，小弟便能送去。这第三件算是小弟的了。第四件又是什么呢？」智化道：「惟有第四件最难，必须知根知底之人前去出首，不但出首，还要单上开封府出首去。别的事情俱好说，惟独这第四件是最要紧的，成败全在此一举。此一着若是错了，满盘俱空。这个人竟难得的很呢。」口里说着，眼睛却瞟着艾虎。艾虎道：「这第四件莫若徒弟去吧。」智化将眼一瞪，道：「你小孩家，懂得什么，如何干得这样大事！」艾虎道：「据徒弟想来，此事非徒弟不可。徒弟去了有三益。」
“What are the four?” asked Second Master Ding. “The first,” said Zhi Hua, “is that we need some object of great importance to the imperial house. — No need to pass that one off on anyone else; it’s all on me. Second, I need a man getting on in years, and a child, boy or girl, to go along with me and help me trick the important object out and bring it back. They must have nerve, have their wits about them, and be able to bear hardship. Third, once we have stolen the important object, it still has to be taken to Ma Qiang’s house and hidden in his Buddha hall upstairs, to serve later as the real stolen goods and hard evidence. …” Hearing this, Second Master Ding could not help breaking in. “That I can do. Just get hold of the thing, and I’ll deliver it. Let the third be mine. And what is the fourth?” “The fourth alone is the hardest,” said Zhi Hua. “Someone who knows the whole story inside out must go and inform against them — and not just inform, but go straight to the Kaifeng yamen to do it. Everything else can be managed, but the fourth matters most of all; success or failure hangs on this one move. If this move goes wrong, the whole game is lost. Such a man will be very hard to find.” As he said it, his eyes kept sliding toward Ai Hu. “The fourth,” said Ai Hu, “had better be your pupil’s job.” Zhi Hua glared at him. “You’re a child — what do you know? How could you manage such a big business?” “The way your pupil sees it,” said Ai Hu, “this is something only I can do. If I go, there are three advantages.”
丁二爺先前聽艾虎要去，以為小孩子不知輕重。此時又見他說出三益，頗有意思，連忙說道：「智大哥不要攔他。」便問艾虎道：「你把三益說給我聽聽。」艾虎道：「第一，小姪自幼在霸王莊，所有馬強之事小姪盡知。而且三年前馬朝賢告假回家一次，那時我師父尚未到霸王莊呢。如今盜了緊要東西來，就說三年前馬朝賢帶來的，於事更覺有益。這是第一益。第二，別人出首，不如小姪出首。什麼緣故呢？俗語說的好，『小孩嘴裡討實話』。小姪要到開封府舉發出來，叫別人再想不到這樣一宗大事，卻是個小孩子作個硬證。此事方是千真萬真，的確無疑。這是第二益。第三益卻沒有什麼，一來為小姪的義父，二來也不枉師父教訓一場。小姪兒要借著這件事，也出場出場，大小留個名兒，豈不是三益麼？」丁大爺丁二爺聽了，拍手大笑道：「好！想不到他竟有如此的志向。」
丁二爷先前听艾虎要去，以为小孩子不知轻重。此时又见他说出三益，颇有意思，连忙说道：「智大哥不要拦他。」便问艾虎道：「你把三益说给我听听。」艾虎道：「第一，小姪自幼在霸王庄，所有马强之事小姪尽知。而且三年前马朝贤告假回家一次，那时我师父尚未到霸王庄呢。如今盗了紧要东西来，就说三年前马朝贤带来的，于事更觉有益。这是第一益。第二，别人出首，不如小姪出首。什么缘故呢？俗语说的好，『小孩嘴里讨实话』。小姪要到开封府举发出来，叫别人再想不到这样一宗大事，却是个小孩子作个硬证。此事方是千真万真，的确无疑。这是第二益。第三益却没有什么，一来为小姪的义父，二来也不枉师父教训一场。小姪儿要借着这件事，也出场出场，大小留个名儿，岂不是三益么？」丁大爷丁二爷听了，拍手大笑道：「好！想不到他竟有如此的志向。」
At first Second Master Ding had taken Ai Hu’s wish to go for a child’s thoughtlessness. Now, hearing him speak of three advantages, he found it rather interesting and said quickly, “Brother Zhi, don’t stop him.” Then he asked Ai Hu, “Tell me these three advantages.” “First,” said Ai Hu, “your nephew grew up at Bawang Village from a little boy, and I know everything Ma Qiang has been up to. What’s more, three years ago Ma Chaoxian came home on leave once, and that was before my master ever came to Bawang Village. If we steal the important thing now and say Ma Chaoxian brought it three years ago, it’ll serve the business all the better. That’s the first advantage. Second, it’s better for your nephew to inform than anyone else. Why? As the saying goes, ‘For the truth, ask a child.’ If your nephew goes to the Kaifeng yamen and lays it all bare, no one would ever think that in such a big affair it would be a child standing as the hard witness. That’s what makes it true a thousand times over, beyond any doubt. That’s the second advantage. The third is nothing much: one, it’s for my adoptive father; two, it means my master’s teaching won’t have been wasted. Your nephew wants to use this business to make his own entrance on the stage and leave a bit of a name, big or small. Aren’t those three advantages?” Elder Master Ding and Second Master Ding clapped their hands and laughed. “Good! Who’d have thought he had such ambition!”