話說王勝仙的愛妾被鏇風颳去了，婆子丫環被殺，一無兇手，二無對證。有人報與王勝仙，王勝仙勃然大怒，給錢塘縣三天限，要破案。錢塘縣一聽這個信息，趕緊帶領刑房仵作一驗屍，婆子丫環都是哽嗓咽喉，一刀之傷身亡，生前致命，並無二處。知縣一想，這件事甚是奇異，回到衙門，派趙頭、張頭、王頭、李頭趕緊捉拿兇手。趙頭、王頭趕緊給老爺磕頭，說：「回稟老爺，這件案，求老爺開恩，下役辦不了。老爺想情，要是人可以鎖來，這鏇風怎么拿得了？」知縣說：「這鏇風其中定有緣故，你們得想法子給我辦。現在王大人給三天限，要不把兇手拿著，連本縣也耽不了。」趙頭說：「老爺要辦這奇巧案，可有一個人辦的了。」老爺說：「誰？快說來！」趙頭說：「現在靈隱寺濟公長老，他乃是當世的活佛，神通廣大，法術無邊，善曉過去未來之事。老爺去到靈隱寺拜訪濟公，求他老人家給占算占算，可以能把這案辦出來。」知縣一聽，說：「好。」立刻傳轎，帶領趙頭、王頭、張頭、李頭、孫頭、劉頭、耿頭、馬頭，一齊來到靈隱寺。當差人過去一問，門頭僧說：「濟公沒在廟裡。」正趕上孫道全在廟內住著，他由天台山回到自己廟內，安置好了，來到靈隱寺找濟公。濟公未在廟內，孫道全就在廟內等著。
话说王胜仙的爱妾被旋风刮去了，婆子丫环被杀，一无凶手，二无对证。有人报与王胜仙，王胜仙勃然大怒，给钱塘县三天限，要破案。钱塘县一听这个信息，赶紧带领刑房仵作一验尸，婆子丫环都是哽嗓咽喉，一刀之伤身亡，生前致命，并无二处。知县一想，这件事甚是奇异，回到衙门，派赵头、张头、王头、李头赶紧捉拿凶手。赵头、王头赶紧给老爷磕头，说：「回禀老爷，这件案，求老爷开恩，下役办不了。老爷想情，要是人可以锁来，这旋风怎么拿得了？」知县说：「这旋风其中定有缘故，你们得想法子给我办。现在王大人给三天限，要不把凶手拿着，连本县也耽不了。」赵头说：「老爷要办这奇巧案，可有一个人办的了。」老爷说：「谁？快说来！」赵头说：「现在灵隐寺济公长老，他乃是当世的活佛，神通广大，法术无边，善晓过去未来之事。老爷去到灵隐寺拜访济公，求他老人家给占算占算，可以能把这案办出来。」知县一听，说：「好。」立刻传轿，带领赵头、王头、张头、李头、孙头、刘头、耿头、马头，一齐来到灵隐寺。当差人过去一问，门头僧说：「济公没在庙里。」正赶上孙道全在庙内住着，他由天台山回到自己庙内，安置好了，来到灵隐寺找济公。济公未在庙内，孙道全就在庙内等着。
Now, Wang Shengxian’s favourite concubine had been carried off by a whirlwind and the old serving woman and the maid had been killed: there was no murderer to be found, and no witness to speak to it. Someone reported it to Wang Shengxian, who flew into a rage and gave Qiantang County three days to break the case. When the magistrate of Qiantang heard the news, he hurried out with the clerks of his punishment section and the coroner to examine the bodies. The old woman and the maid had each died of a single knife wound to the throat, a fatal blow dealt while they were alive, and there was no second wound on either of them. The magistrate thought it a very strange business. Back at the yamen he sent Head Constable Zhao, Head Constable Zhang, Head Constable Wang and Head Constable Li to catch the murderer without delay. Head Constables Zhao and Wang promptly kowtowed to His Honour. “Begging Your Honour’s pardon,” they said, “have mercy on us: this case is beyond your humble runners. Consider, Your Honour: a man we can put in chains, but how are we supposed to arrest a whirlwind?” “There must be something behind this whirlwind,” said the magistrate. “You’ll have to find a way to deal with it for me. Lord Wang has given us three days. If we don’t catch the murderer, even I won’t be able to answer for it.” “If Your Honour wants this strange case solved,” said Head Constable Zhao, “there is one man who could do it.” “Who?” said His Honour. “Tell me, quick!” “Ji Gong of Lingyin Temple,” said Head Constable Zhao. “He’s the living Buddha of our day. His supernatural powers are vast, his magic has no limit, and he knows what has been and what is to come. If Your Honour goes to Lingyin Temple to call on Ji Gong and begs him to work it out by divination, the case can be solved.” “Good,” said the magistrate. At once he called for his sedan chair and, taking Head Constables Zhao, Wang, Zhang, Li, Sun, Liu, Geng and Ma, went straight to Lingyin Temple. When his men went over to ask, the gate monks said, “Ji Gong isn’t in the temple.” As it happened, Sun Daoquan was staying there. He had gone back from Mount Tiantai to his own temple, set things in order, and come to Lingyin Temple to look for Ji Gong; finding Ji Gong away, he was waiting for him there.
今天聽說錢塘縣來拜訪濟公，孫道全出來一見，說：「我師父上萬緣橋去了，老爺有什麼事？」知縣說：「尊駕原來是少師父。」孫道全說：「是。」知縣說：「少師父，求你辛苦辛苦，把聖僧請回行不行？」孫道全說：「那倒行，老爺有什麼要緊事么？」知縣就把王勝仙的夫人被鏇風颳去了，婆子丫環被殺之故一說，孫道全說：「請老爺回衙門去聽信罷，我去找我師父去。」知縣說：「少師父要去，得明天回來才好，往返有二三百里。」孫道全說：「那行，一千里我也能一天回來了。」知縣半信半疑回去，孫道全架著趁腳風，兩個時辰就來到萬緣橋。見濟公一行禮，說：「奉錢塘縣知縣之命，來請師父。」和尚說：「錢塘縣幹什麼請我？」孫道全把鏇風殺人之故，從頭至尾一說，和尚說：「我現在不能回去呀，我得等萬緣橋工竣，才能回去。我給你寫一封信，你給錢塘縣知縣送去，叫他照我書信的話行事，就把兇手拿著了。」孫道全點頭答應，和尚寫了一封信，交與孫道全，信面上是一個紹興酒罈子，上面有著七個釘子，這是和尚的花押。孫道全把書信收好，辭別了濟公，仍駕著趁腳風回來。到了縣衙門，往裡一回稟，知縣趕緊吩咐有請。孫道全來到書房，知縣說：「少師父真快，往返才幾個時辰。」孫道全說：「我還耽誤了半天，要不然，早來了。」知縣說：「可曾見著聖僧？」孫道全說：「我師父暫時不能來，叫我帶了一封信來。」立時把信掏出來，遞與知縣。知縣一瞧，信面上畫著一個酒罈子，釘著七個釘子，打開書信一看，上面寫的是：
今天听说钱塘县来拜访济公，孙道全出来一见，说：「我师父上万缘桥去了，老爷有什么事？」知县说：「尊驾原来是少师父。」孙道全说：「是。」知县说：「少师父，求你辛苦辛苦，把圣僧请回行不行？」孙道全说：「那倒行，老爷有什么要紧事幺？」知县就把王胜仙的夫人被旋风刮去了，婆子丫环被杀之故一说，孙道全说：「请老爷回衙门去听信罢，我去找我师父去。」知县说：「少师父要去，得明天回来才好，往返有二三百里。」孙道全说：「那行，一千里我也能一天回来了。」知县半信半疑回去，孙道全架着趁脚风，两个时辰就来到万缘桥。见济公一行礼，说：「奉钱塘县知县之命，来请师父。」和尚说：「钱塘县干什么请我？」孙道全把旋风杀人之故，从头至尾一说，和尚说：「我现在不能回去呀，我得等万缘桥工竣，才能回去。我给你写一封信，你给钱塘县知县送去，叫他照我书信的话行事，就把凶手拿着了。」孙道全点头答应，和尚写了一封信，交与孙道全，信面上是一个绍兴酒坛子，上面有着七个钉子，这是和尚的花押。孙道全把书信收好，辞别了济公，仍驾着趁脚风回来。到了县衙门，往里一回禀，知县赶紧吩咐有请。孙道全来到书房，知县说：「少师父真快，往返才几个时辰。」孙道全说：「我还耽误了半天，要不然，早来了。」知县说：「可曾见着圣僧？」孙道全说：「我师父暂时不能来，叫我带了一封信来。」立时把信掏出来，递与知县。知县一瞧，信面上画着一个酒坛子，钉着七个钉子，打开书信一看，上面写的是：
That day, hearing that the magistrate of Qiantang had come to call on Ji Gong, Sun Daoquan came out to see him. “My master has gone to Wanyuan Bridge,” he said. “What can I do for Your Honour?” “So you, sir, are the young Master,” said the magistrate. “I am,” said Sun Daoquan. “Young Master,” said the magistrate, “might I trouble you to bring the holy monk back?” “That I can do,” said Sun Daoquan. “Is it something urgent, Your Honour?” The magistrate told him how Wang Shengxian’s lady had been carried off by a whirlwind and the old serving woman and the maid killed. “Please go back to your yamen, Your Honour, and wait for word,” said Sun Daoquan. “I’ll go and find my master.” “If you’re going, young Master,” said the magistrate, “tomorrow will be soon enough to be back. It’s two or three hundred li there and back.” “That’s nothing,” said Sun Daoquan. “I could go a thousand li and still be back the same day.” Half believing and half doubting, the magistrate went back. Sun Daoquan rode the foot-wind and in two double-hours reached Wanyuan Bridge. He bowed to Ji Gong. “The magistrate of Qiantang has sent me to fetch you, Master.” “What does the magistrate of Qiantang want me for?” said the monk. Sun Daoquan told him the whole story of the whirlwind and the killings from beginning to end. “I can’t go back now,” said the monk. “I have to wait till the work on Wanyuan Bridge is done before I can go back. I’ll write a letter, and you take it to the magistrate of Qiantang. Tell him to do as my letter says, and he’ll catch the murderer.” Sun Daoquan nodded and agreed. The monk wrote a letter and handed it to him. On the envelope was a Shaoxing wine jar with seven nails in it: this was the monk’s signature mark. Sun Daoquan put the letter away safely, took leave of Ji Gong, and rode the foot-wind back again. At the county yamen he sent word in, and the magistrate hurriedly gave orders to show him in. When Sun Daoquan came into the study, the magistrate said, “How quick you are, young Master! There and back in only a few double-hours.” “And I wasted half the day besides,” said Sun Daoquan, “or I’d have been here long ago.” “Did you see the holy monk?” said the magistrate. “My master can’t come for the moment,” said Sun Daoquan. “He had me bring a letter.” He took the letter out at once and handed it to the magistrate. The magistrate looked: on the envelope was drawn a wine jar with seven nails driven into it. He opened the letter. It read:
字啟，錢塘縣老爺知悉，貧僧乃世外之人，不能與國家辦理公事。老爺要捉拿兇手，照貧僧下面這八句話行事，可能拿獲賊人。余容晤談，書不盡言。
字启，钱塘县老爷知悉，贫僧乃世外之人，不能与国家办理公事。老爷要捉拿凶手，照贫僧下面这八句话行事，可能拿获贼人。余容晤谈，书不尽言。
“To His Honour the magistrate of Qiantang: this poor monk is a man outside the world and cannot handle the business of the state. If Your Honour wishes to catch the murderer, act on the eight lines below this, and you may well lay hands on the villain. The rest must wait until we meet; a letter cannot say it all.”