且說艾虎聽包公問他是何人主使，心中暗道：「好利害！怪道人人說包相爺斷事如神，果然不差。」他卻故意驚慌道：「沒有什麼說的。這倒為了難了。不報吧，又怕罪加一等；報了吧，又說被人主使。要不，就算沒有這宗事，等著我們員外說了，我再呈報如何？」說罷，站起身來，就要下堂。兩邊衙役見他小孩子不懂官事，連忙喝道：「轉來，轉來。跪下，跪下。」艾虎復又跪倒。包公冷笑道：「我看你雖是年幼頑童，眼光卻甚詭詐。你可曉得本閣的規矩麼？」艾虎聽了暗暗打個冷戰，道：「小人不知什麼規矩。」包公道：「本閣有條例，每逢以下犯上者，俱要將四肢鍘去。如今你既出首你家主人，犯了本閣的規矩，理宜鍘去四肢。來呵！請御刑。」只聽兩旁發一聲喊，王馬張趙將狗頭鍘抬來，撂在當堂，抖去龍袱，只見黃澄澄冷森森一口銅鍘，放在艾虎面前。
且说艾虎听包公问他是何人主使，心中暗道：「好利害！怪道人人说包相爷断事如神，果然不差。」他却故意惊慌道：「没有什么说的。这倒为了难了。不报吧，又怕罪加一等；报了吧，又说被人主使。要不，就算没有这宗事，等着我们员外说了，我再呈报如何？」说罢，站起身来，就要下堂。两边衙役见他小孩子不懂官事，连忙喝道：「转来，转来。跪下，跪下。」艾虎复又跪倒。包公冷笑道：「我看你虽是年幼顽童，眼光却甚诡诈。你可晓得本阁的规矩么？」艾虎听了暗暗打个冷战，道：「小人不知什么规矩。」包公道：「本阁有条例，每逢以下犯上者，俱要将四肢铡去。如今你既出首你家主人，犯了本阁的规矩，理宜铡去四肢。来呵！请御刑。」只听两旁发一声喊，王马张赵将狗头铡抬来，撂在当堂，抖去龙袱，只见黄澄澄冷森森一口铜铡，放在艾虎面前。
Now, when Ai Hu heard Lord Bao ask who had put him up to it, he said to himself, “He’s a sharp one! No wonder everyone says Minister Bao judges cases like a god. It’s true, all right.” But he made a show of alarm. “There’s nothing to tell. Now I’m in a fix. If I don’t report it, I’m afraid my punishment goes up a degree; if I do report it, they say somebody put me up to it. How about this: let’s say there never was any such business, and when our squire tells it himself, I’ll come and report it then?” With that he got to his feet and started to walk out of the hall. The runners on either side, seeing that he was only a child who knew nothing of court ways, shouted at him at once, “Come back, come back! Kneel down, kneel down!” Ai Hu knelt again. Lord Bao gave a cold laugh. “Young as you are, a mere urchin, I can see the cunning in your eyes. Do you know this Academician’s rule?” At this Ai Hu shivered inside. “I don’t know about any rule,” he said. “This Academician has a standing rule,” said Lord Bao. “Any servant who has offended against his master is to have his four limbs cut off with the guillotine. Now, since you have informed against your own master, you have broken this Academician’s rule, and by rights your four limbs must be cut off. Ho there! Bring out the imperial guillotine.” A great shout went up from both sides of the hall. Wang, Ma, Zhang and Zhao carried in the dog-head guillotine and set it down in the middle of the hall, and shook off the dragon cloth. There it stood before Ai Hu: a bronze guillotine, gleaming yellow and cold as death.
小俠看了雖則心驚，暗暗自己叫著自己：「艾虎呀，艾虎！你為救忠臣義士而來，慢說鍘去四肢，縱然腰斷兩截，只要成了名，千萬不可露出馬腳來。」忽聽包公問道：「你還不說實話麼？」艾虎故意顫巍巍的道：「小人實實害怕，惟恐罪加一等，不得已呈訴呀。相爺呀！」包公命去鞋襪。張龍趙虎上前，左右一聲吶喊，將艾虎丟翻在地，脫去鞋襪。張趙將艾虎托起雙足，入了鍘口。王馬掌住鍘刀，手攏鬼頭把，面對包公。只等相爺一擺手，刀往下落，不過「𠳭嚓」一聲，艾虎的腳丫兒就結了。張龍趙虎一邊一個架著艾虎，馬漢提了艾虎的頭髮，面向包公。包公問道：「艾虎，你受何人主使？還不快招麼？」艾虎故意哀哀的道：「小人就知害怕，實實沒有什麼主使的。相爺不信，差人去取珠冠；如若沒有，小人情甘認罪。」包公點頭道：「且將他放下來。」馬漢鬆了頭髮，張趙二人連忙將他往前一搭，雙足離了鍘口。王朝馬漢將御刑抬過一邊。此時慢說艾虎心內落實，就是四義士等無不替艾虎僥倖的。
小侠看了虽则心惊，暗暗自己叫着自己：「艾虎呀，艾虎！你为救忠臣义士而来，慢说铡去四肢，纵然腰断两截，只要成了名，千万不可露出马脚来。」忽听包公问道：「你还不说实话么？」艾虎故意颤巍巍的道：「小人实实害怕，惟恐罪加一等，不得已呈诉呀。相爷呀！」包公命去鞋袜。张龙赵虎上前，左右一声呐喊，将艾虎丢翻在地，脱去鞋袜。张赵将艾虎托起双足，入了铡口。王马掌住铡刀，手拢鬼头把，面对包公。只等相爷一摆手，刀往下落，不过「𠳭嚓」一声，艾虎的脚丫儿就结了。张龙赵虎一边一个架着艾虎，马汉提了艾虎的头发，面向包公。包公问道：「艾虎，你受何人主使？还不快招么？」艾虎故意哀哀的道：「小人就知害怕，实实没有什么主使的。相爷不信，差人去取珠冠；如若没有，小人情甘认罪。」包公点头道：「且将他放下来。」马汉松了头发，张赵二人连忙将他往前一搭，双足离了铡口。王朝马汉将御刑抬过一边。此时慢说艾虎心内落实，就是四义士等无不替艾虎侥幸的。
For all his fright at the sight of it, the Young Hero called to himself in silence: “Ai Hu, oh, Ai Hu! You came here to save a loyal minister and a man of honour. Never mind your four limbs — even if they cut you in two at the waist, so long as you make your name, you mustn’t give yourself away!” Then he heard Lord Bao ask, “Still not telling the truth?” Ai Hu made his voice shake. “I’m truly scared. It’s only for fear my punishment would go up a degree that I had no choice but to come and tell. Oh, Your Excellency!” Lord Bao ordered his shoes and socks taken off. Zhang Long and Zhao Hu stepped up, and with a shout from both sides they threw Ai Hu down on the floor and pulled off his shoes and socks. Zhang and Zhao lifted him by the feet and put them into the mouth of the guillotine. Wang and Ma took hold of the blade, gripped the demon-head handle and faced Lord Bao. They were only waiting for His Excellency to wave his hand: the blade would drop, there would be one crunch, and that would be the end of Ai Hu’s feet. Zhang Long and Zhao Hu held Ai Hu up, one on each side, and Ma Han took him by the hair and turned his face toward Lord Bao. “Ai Hu,” Lord Bao asked, “who put you up to this? Won’t you confess, and quickly?” Ai Hu put on a pitiful whimper. “All I know is I’m scared. Truly, nobody put me up to anything. If Your Excellency doesn’t believe me, send someone to fetch the pearl crown. If it isn’t there, I’ll gladly take the punishment.” Lord Bao nodded. “Let him down for now.” Ma Han let go of his hair, and Zhang and Zhao hastily swung him forward so that his feet came out of the guillotine’s mouth. Wang Chao and Ma Han carried the imperial guillotine off to one side. At that moment, never mind how Ai Hu’s heart came back to rest: even the four brave men, every one of them, were thankful he had come through.
包公又問道：「艾虎，現今這頂御冠還在你家主佛樓之上麼？」艾虎道：「現在佛樓之上。回相爺，不是玉冠，小人的太老爺說是珍珠九龍冠。」包公問實了，便吩咐將艾虎帶下去。該值的聽了，即將艾虎帶下堂來。早有禁子郝頭兒接下差使，領艾虎到了監中單間屋裡，道：「少爺，你就這裡坐吧。待我取茶去。」少時取了新泡的蓋碗茶來。艾虎暗道：「他們這等光景，別是要想錢吧？怎麼打著官司的稱呼少爺，還喝這樣的好茶，這是什麼意思呢？」只見郝頭兒悄悄與伙計說了幾句話，頓時擺上菜蔬，又是酒，又是點心，並且親自慇懃斟酒，鬧的艾虎反倒不得主意了。
包公又问道：「艾虎，现今这顶御冠还在你家主佛楼之上么？」艾虎道：「现在佛楼之上。回相爷，不是玉冠，小人的太老爷说是珍珠九龙冠。」包公问实了，便吩咐将艾虎带下去。该值的听了，即将艾虎带下堂来。早有禁子郝头儿接下差使，领艾虎到了监中单间屋里，道：「少爷，你就这里坐吧。待我取茶去。」少时取了新泡的盖碗茶来。艾虎暗道：「他们这等光景，别是要想钱吧？怎么打着官司的称呼少爷，还喝这样的好茶，这是什么意思呢？」只见郝头儿悄悄与伙计说了几句话，顿时摆上菜蔬，又是酒，又是点心，并且亲自慇懃斟酒，闹的艾虎反倒不得主意了。
Lord Bao asked again, “Ai Hu, is this imperial crown still up in your master’s Buddha hall?” “It’s in the Buddha hall now,” said Ai Hu. “If it please Your Excellency, it isn’t a jade crown. My Old Master said it was a pearl crown with nine dragons.” When Lord Bao had made sure of the facts, he ordered Ai Hu taken down. The runner on duty, hearing the order, led Ai Hu down from the hall at once. There the turnkey, Headman Hao, was already waiting to take charge of him. He led Ai Hu to a room of his own in the prison and said, “Young master, you just sit here. I’ll go and fetch you some tea.” In a little while he brought a lidded bowl of freshly brewed tea. Ai Hu thought, “The way they’re carrying on, they must be after money. Why else call a fellow who’s up before the court ‘young master’, and give him tea as good as this? What’s it all about?” Then he saw Headman Hao have a few quiet words with one of his mates, and in no time dishes were laid out, and wine, and pastries too, and Hao poured the wine with his own hands, all attention, until Ai Hu did not know what to make of it.