話說張士芳暗帶砒霜紅礬，來到王安士家。一見老員外，張士芳說：「姑父你好了，我聽說我兩個兄弟回來了，我特意來瞧瞧。」王安士並不知張士芳勾串老道陷害他，還以為張士芳是好人。怎么一段緣故呢？皆因老安人偏疼內侄，王安士病好了，老安人給士芳倒說了許多的好話，說：「你病著，還是張士芳這孩子眼不錯，見他兄弟不在家，瞧你要死，什麼事都張羅在頭裡。又給講棚，又去講槓，在這裡幫忙，亂了好幾天，見你好了才走的。」
话说张士芳暗带砒霜红矾，来到王安士家。一见老员外，张士芳说：「姑父你好了，我听说我两个兄弟回来了，我特意来瞧瞧。」王安士并不知张士芳勾串老道陷害他，还以为张士芳是好人。怎么一段缘故呢？皆因老安人偏疼内侄，王安士病好了，老安人给士芳倒说了许多的好话，说：「你病着，还是张士芳这孩子眼不错，见他兄弟不在家，瞧你要死，什么事都张罗在头里。又给讲棚，又去讲杠，在这里帮忙，乱了好几天，见你好了才走的。」
Now, Zhang Shifang, with white arsenic and red arsenic hidden on him, came to Wang Anshi’s house. As soon as he saw the old squire, he said, “Uncle, you’re well again! I heard my two cousins are back, so I came specially to see them.” Wang Anshi had no idea that Zhang Shifang had conspired with the Daoist to do him harm; he still took Zhang Shifang for a good fellow. How did that come about? It was all because the old lady doted on her nephew. Once Wang Anshi was better, she had said a great many nice things to him about Shifang: “While you were ill, that boy Zhang Shifang was the one who kept his eyes open. He saw his cousins weren’t home and you looked like dying, so he took the lead in everything. He saw to the mourning sheds, he went and saw about the bier, he stayed here helping out, run off his feet for days on end, and only left when he saw you were better.”
王安士聽夫人所說，信以為真，說：「這孩子就是不務正，其實倒沒別的不好。」今天張士芳一來，王安士倒很歡喜。說：「張士芳，你瞧你兩個表弟都回來了，你從此改邪歸正，我給修緣把喜事辦了，我也給你說個媳婦。」
王安士听夫人所说，信以为真，说：「这孩子就是不务正，其实倒没别的不好。」今天张士芳一来，王安士倒很欢喜。说：「张士芳，你瞧你两个表弟都回来了，你从此改邪归正，我给修缘把喜事办了，我也给你说个媳妇。」
Wang Anshi heard what his wife said and took it for the truth. “The boy just won’t put his mind to anything proper,” he said, “but really there’s nothing else bad about him.” So when Zhang Shifang turned up today, Wang Anshi was rather pleased. “Zhang Shifang,” he said, “look, both your cousins are back. From now on you mend your ways and go straight. I’m going to see to Xiuyuan’s wedding, and I’ll find you a wife too.”
張士芳一瞧說：「表弟，你這幾年哪去了？我還真想你。」這小子嘴裡說好話，心裡盤算：「回頭我抽冷子，就把毒藥給擱在茶里，再不然擱在酒里，飯碗裡，把他們兩個人一害死，我就發了財。」心裡思想害人，嘴裡很是仁義道德。李修緣說：「張大哥來了！咱們回頭一處吃飯罷。」王安士說：「好，你三個人在一桌吃，我瞧著倒喜歡。」說著話，家人把酒茶擺上，王全、李修緣、張士芳在當中上坐，這兩個人皆在兩旁邊。剛要喝酒，濟公說：「張大哥你瞧我這時候，要一跟人家在一個桌上吃飯，我就害怕，心裡總留著神。如今好人少，壞人多，我總怕嘴裡說好話，心裡打算要害我，買一百錢砒霜，一百錢紅礬，抽冷子給擱到飯碗裡，再不然給擱到酒里。」張士芳一聽，說：「表弟，你這是瘋了？誰能夠害你呀？」濟公說：「去年有我們一個同伴的，也是窮和尚，他跟我一處吃飯，帶著毒藥，差點把我害了，由那一回，我跟人家一處吃飯，我常留神。其實，咱們自己哥們，你還能害我么？張大哥，你別多心，你身上帶著砒霜沒有？」張士芳說：「沒有。」濟公說：「你帶著紅礬哪？」張士芳說：「更沒有。」濟公說：「我也知道，你不能，總是留點神好。」說的張士芳心裡亂跳。本來他心裡有病，他還納悶，怎么世界上有這一件事，嚇的他也不敢往出掏？一天兩頓飯，他也沒敢擱。天色已晚，老員外說：「張士芳你要沒走，你們三個人在這書房睡，我到後面去。」張士芳說：「就是罷。」
张士芳一瞧说：「表弟，你这几年哪去了？我还真想你。」这小子嘴里说好话，心里盘算：「回头我抽冷子，就把毒药给搁在茶里，再不然搁在酒里，饭碗里，把他们两个人一害死，我就发了财。」心里思想害人，嘴里很是仁义道德。李修缘说：「张大哥来了！咱们回头一处吃饭罢。」王安士说：「好，你三个人在一桌吃，我瞧着倒喜欢。」说着话，家人把酒茶摆上，王全、李修缘、张士芳在当中上坐，这两个人皆在两旁边。刚要喝酒，济公说：「张大哥你瞧我这时候，要一跟人家在一个桌上吃饭，我就害怕，心里总留着神。如今好人少，坏人多，我总怕嘴里说好话，心里打算要害我，买一百钱砒霜，一百钱红矾，抽冷子给搁到饭碗里，再不然给搁到酒里。」张士芳一听，说：「表弟，你这是疯了？谁能够害你呀？」济公说：「去年有我们一个同伴的，也是穷和尚，他跟我一处吃饭，带着毒药，差点把我害了，由那一回，我跟人家一处吃饭，我常留神。其实，咱们自己哥们，你还能害我幺？张大哥，你别多心，你身上带着砒霜没有？」张士芳说：「没有。」济公说：「你带着红矾哪？」张士芳说：「更没有。」济公说：「我也知道，你不能，总是留点神好。」说的张士芳心里乱跳。本来他心里有病，他还纳闷，怎么世界上有这一件事，吓的他也不敢往出掏？一天两顿饭，他也没敢搁。天色已晚，老员外说：「张士芳你要没走，你们三个人在这书房睡，我到后面去。」张士芳说：「就是罢。」
Zhang Shifang took a look and said, “Cousin, where have you been all these years? I really missed you.” The young wretch said fine things with his mouth while his heart did its sums: “In a while I’ll catch them off guard and slip the poison into the tea, or else into the wine or a rice bowl. Once I’ve done the two of them in, I’ll be rich.” In his heart he was plotting murder; on his lips it was all kindness and virtue. “Brother Zhang has come!” said Li Xiuyuan. “Let’s eat together in a bit.” “Good,” said Wang Anshi. “You three eat at one table. It does me good to see it.” As they talked, the servants set out wine and tea. Zhang Shifang took the seat of honour in the middle, with Wang Quan and Li Xiuyuan on either side. They were just about to drink when Ji Gong said, “Brother Zhang, you know, these days, whenever I sit down at the same table as somebody, I get scared, and I keep my wits about me the whole time. Nowadays there are few good people and plenty of bad ones. I’m always afraid somebody’s saying nice things to my face while he’s planning in his heart to do me in: buys a hundred cash of arsenic and a hundred cash of red arsenic, catches me off guard and drops it in my rice bowl, or else in my wine.” “Cousin,” said Zhang Shifang, “have you gone mad? Who would want to harm you?” “Last year,” said Ji Gong, “there was a fellow I went about with, a poor monk too. He ate with me with poison on him, and he very nearly did for me. Ever since that time, whenever I eat with anyone, I’m always on my guard. Of course, we’re brothers, you and me; you’d never harm me, would you? Brother Zhang, don’t take it the wrong way. Have you got any arsenic on you?” “No,” said Zhang Shifang. “Red arsenic, then?” said Ji Gong. “Even less,” said Zhang Shifang. “I knew you wouldn’t,” said Ji Gong. “Still, it’s always best to be careful.” His words set Zhang Shifang’s heart thumping wildly. He had a guilty conscience to begin with, and now he was baffled: how could such a thing happen in this world? He was so frightened he didn’t dare take the stuff out, and through both meals that day he never dared slip it in. When it grew late, the old squire said, “Zhang Shifang, if you’re not leaving, you three can sleep here in the study. I’ll go to the back.” “All right,” said Zhang Shifang.