話說眾人各持刀槍棍棒，來到萬珍樓。廖廷貴說：「眾位來了，姓鄭的坐在樓上呢！」眾人說：「是。」立刻上樓。大眾來到樓上一瞧是鄭雄，大眾都愣了。這些人都受過鄭雄好處的，逢年按節，一沒落子，就去找鄭大爺，都知道鄭雄慷慨，誰一找借錢，多少不拘，鄭雄沒駁回過，常周濟他們。今天眾人一瞧是鄭雄，大眾就不敢睜眼了。鄭雄說：「你們做什麼來了？」大眾說：「鄭爺，是你跟孫泰來嘔氣？」鄭雄說：「是呀。」眾人說：「我們要知道是你老人家，我們也不來。鄭大爺因為什麼找孫泰來？我們給說合說合。」鄭雄說：「你不必，你們管不了。」大眾說：「我們要是管不了，幫你老人家拆他，反正不能幫他跟你翻臉。」鄭雄說：「我也不用幫著，你等去罷。」眾人這才下樓說：「這個架我們打不了，叫你們掌柜的另請高明罷。」
话说众人各持刀枪棍棒，来到万珍楼。廖廷贵说：「众位来了，姓郑的坐在楼上呢！」众人说：「是。」立刻上楼。大众来到楼上一瞧是郑雄，大众都愣了。这些人都受过郑雄好处的，逢年按节，一没落子，就去找郑大爷，都知道郑雄慷慨，谁一找借钱，多少不拘，郑雄没驳回过，常周济他们。今天众人一瞧是郑雄，大众就不敢睁眼了。郑雄说：「你们做什么来了？」大众说：「郑爷，是你跟孙泰来呕气？」郑雄说：「是呀。」众人说：「我们要知道是你老人家，我们也不来。郑大爷因为什么找孙泰来？我们给说合说合。」郑雄说：「你不必，你们管不了。」大众说：「我们要是管不了，帮你老人家拆他，反正不能帮他跟你翻脸。」郑雄说：「我也不用帮着，你等去罢。」众人这才下楼说：「这个架我们打不了，叫你们掌柜的另请高明罢。」
Now, the crowd, every man with a sword, spear, club or staff in his hand, arrived at Wanzhen Tower. “Here you are, gentlemen,” said Liao Tinggui. “The fellow named Zheng is sitting upstairs!” “Right,” said the men, and went straight up. When they reached the top and saw that it was Zheng Xiong, the whole lot of them stood there stunned. Every one of these men had had some kindness from Zheng Xiong. At New Year and the festivals, whenever they were down on their luck, they went to Master Zheng; they all knew how open-handed he was. Whoever came to borrow money from him, much or little, Zheng Xiong had never once turned away, and he often helped them out. Today, seeing it was Zheng Xiong, none of them dared even look him in the eye. “What have you come for?” said Zheng Xiong. “Master Zheng,” they said, “is it you that’s quarrelling with Sun Tailai?” “It is,” said Zheng Xiong. “If we’d known it was you, sir, we’d never have come,” said the men. “Master Zheng, what are you after Sun Tailai for? Let us patch it up between you.” “Don’t bother,” said Zheng Xiong. “This is beyond you.” “If it’s beyond us,” they said, “then we’ll help you, sir, and take him apart. One way or another, we’re not helping him turn on you.” “I don’t need your help either,” said Zheng Xiong. “Off you go.” Only then did the men go back downstairs. “This is one fight we can’t take on,” they said. “Tell your boss to find somebody better.”
說罷各自去了。廖廷貴一看，說：「這一干人都是虎頭蛇尾。」他焉知道鄭雄比孫泰來眼皮雜的多。廖廷貴正生氣，見麻面虎孫泰來來了，帶著一個大脫頭和尚。這個和尚原本是陸安山蓮花島的，叫神拳羅漢法元。他到臨安來逛，常在萬珍樓吃飯。孫泰來一盤問和尚，知道和尚有一身好本領，他套著一交朋友，兩個人倒很親近，孫泰來把法元讓到他家裡住著。今天孫泰來一想：「要約別人，打不了鄭雄，認得鄭雄的人多。非得找生臉色，不可打鄭雄。」孫泰來知道神拳羅漢法元，本領高強，而武藝出眾。
说罢各自去了。廖廷贵一看，说：「这一干人都是虎头蛇尾。」他焉知道郑雄比孙泰来眼皮杂的多。廖廷贵正生气，见麻面虎孙泰来来了，带着一个大脱头和尚。这个和尚原本是陆安山莲花岛的，叫神拳罗汉法元。他到临安来逛，常在万珍楼吃饭。孙泰来一盘问和尚，知道和尚有一身好本领，他套着一交朋友，两个人倒很亲近，孙泰来把法元让到他家里住着。今天孙泰来一想：「要约别人，打不了郑雄，认得郑雄的人多。非得找生脸色，不可打郑雄。」孙泰来知道神拳罗汉法元，本领高强，而武艺出众。
With that they all went their ways. Liao Tinggui watched them go. “Tiger at the head and snake at the tail, the whole crew of them,” he said. How was he to know that Zheng Xiong knew far more people than Sun Tailai did? Liao Tinggui was still fuming when he saw the Pockmarked Tiger, Sun Tailai, come back with a big long-haired ascetic monk. This monk came from Lianhua Island on Mount Luyang, and he was called Fayuan, the Arhat of the Divine Fist. He had come to Lin’an to see the sights and often ate at Wanzhen Tower. Sun Tailai had sounded the monk out and learned that he was a man of great skill, so he had set about making a friend of him. The two had grown very close, and Sun Tailai had invited Fayuan to stay at his house. Today Sun Tailai had thought it over: “If I call in anyone else, they won’t be able to fight Zheng Xiong: too many people know him. To beat Zheng Xiong, I need a face nobody knows.” He knew that Fayuan, the Arhat of the Divine Fist, had great skill and was a fighter out of the common run.
孫泰來回到家中，一見法元，造出一片捏詞，說：「法師兄，我這買賣開不來了。」法元說：「怎么？沒有本錢不要緊，我有銀子，你只管使。」孫泰來說：「不是，本錢倒有。現在這臨安城有一個鐵面天王鄭雄，他是本地的惡霸，結交官長，走動衙門，欺壓良善。常到我鋪子吃飯，不給錢還不算，挑鼻子弄眼，吃完了就摔就砸。今天他又來了，一進門說：‘孫泰來，鄭大太爺來照顧照顧你小子。’夥計一勸他，他就張嘴罵。我在櫃房，我沒有答言，要一答言，當時就得打起來。有人把他勸到樓上喝酒去，我這才回來，你想我還怎么能混？」法元一聽說：「不要緊，我去替你報仇去。你不便跟他翻面，把他叫出來指與我，我跟他分個高低上下，我若把他打死，不用你打官司，你說都是酒醉鬧座，你都不認識，一問三不知，神仙也沒法辦。你我一回陸安山蓮花島，他也沒地方拿兇手去。」孫泰來說：「好。」立時同法元僧夠奔萬珍樓來，法元在門口站著，說：「你把他叫出來。」孫泰來這才登樓梯上樓。
孙泰来回到家中，一见法元，造出一片捏词，说：「法师兄，我这买卖开不来了。」法元说：「怎么？没有本钱不要紧，我有银子，你只管使。」孙泰来说：「不是，本钱倒有。现在这临安城有一个铁面天王郑雄，他是本地的恶霸，结交官长，走动衙门，欺压良善。常到我铺子吃饭，不给钱还不算，挑鼻子弄眼，吃完了就摔就砸。今天他又来了，一进门说：‘孙泰来，郑大太爷来照顾照顾你小子。’伙计一劝他，他就张嘴骂。我在柜房，我没有答言，要一答言，当时就得打起来。有人把他劝到楼上喝酒去，我这才回来，你想我还怎么能混？」法元一听说：「不要紧，我去替你报仇去。你不便跟他翻面，把他叫出来指与我，我跟他分个高低上下，我若把他打死，不用你打官司，你说都是酒醉闹座，你都不认识，一问三不知，神仙也没法办。你我一回陆安山莲花岛，他也没地方拿凶手去。」孙泰来说：「好。」立时同法元僧够奔万珍楼来，法元在门口站着，说：「你把他叫出来。」孙泰来这才登楼梯上楼。
Sun Tailai had gone home, and when he saw Fayuan he spun him a pack of lies. “Brother,” he said, “I can’t keep my business going.” “Why not?” said Fayuan. “If you’re short of capital, never mind. I have silver; use as much as you like.” “It isn’t that,” said Sun Tailai. “I have capital enough. But here in Lin’an there’s an Iron-Faced Heavenly King, Zheng Xiong, the local bully. He keeps in with the officials, has the run of the yamen, and tramples on decent folk. He’s always coming to my place to eat, and never pays, and that’s not the worst of it: he finds fault with everything, and when he’s finished eating he throws things and smashes them. Today he came again, and the moment he was in the door he said, ‘Sun Tailai, Eldest Grand Master Zheng has come to give you some custom, you little punk.’ When my waiters tried to calm him down, he cursed them to their faces. I was in the counting room and didn’t say a word: if I had, we’d have come to blows on the spot. Somebody coaxed him upstairs to drink, and only then could I get away and come back. How am I supposed to get by now, I ask you?” “Don’t worry,” said Fayuan. “I’ll go and settle the score for you. It won’t do for you to fall out with him openly. Just call him out and point him out to me, and I’ll fight him and see who’s the better man. If I beat him to death, you won’t have to stand trial. Just say it was a drunken brawl and you don’t know any of them. Whatever they ask, you know nothing about anything, and not even the immortals could do a thing. Once you and I are back on Lianhua Island on Mount Luyang, there’ll be nowhere for them to go and arrest the killer.” “Good,” said Sun Tailai. At once he and the monk Fayuan headed for Wanzhen Tower. Fayuan stood at the door. “Call him out,” he said. Then Sun Tailai climbed the stairs.