話說雷鳴、陳亮正往前走，只聽樹林內一聲喊嚷：「吾神來也！」二人睜眼一看，只見由樹林子出來一個顯大神，身高丈六，頭如麥斗，頭上戴著風翅盔，五色的臉膛，五色的衣裳，兩隻眼似兩盞燈相仿，一張嘴由嘴內噴出一股黑煙起在半懸空，這股煙不散。雷鳴、陳亮大吃一驚，雷鳴說：「這是什麼東西？」二人打算要跑。陳亮說：「二哥且慢，你我弟兄在綠林這些年，可沒遇見過這事。大道邊什麼裝神弄鬼的事可都有，真要是神他也不能害人，要是妖魔鬼怪你我跑也跑不了，莫若你我壯起膽子，問他一問。」雷鳴說：「對。」二人立刻拉出刀來，一聲喊嚷：「呔，對面你是神，趁此歸廟，你是鬼，趁此歸墳。我二人也是綠林人，也沒做過傷天害理的事情，跟你遠日無冤，近日無讎，你別嚇唬我們。」這個鬼「呀」了一聲，說：「原來是雷鳴、陳亮。」說完了這句話，晃晃悠悠復又進了樹林中。雷鳴、陳亮心裡說：「怪呀，他怎么知道我二人是雷鳴、陳亮呢？」兩個人在這裡站著發愣，工夫不大，只見由樹林子出來一人，頭上青壯帽，青綢氅，說：「原來是雷爺、陳爺！」雷鳴、陳亮一看，這人原來是綠林中小夥計姓王，叫王三虎，外號叫雲中火。雷鳴、陳亮說：「原來是王三虎呀！你怎么幹這個？」王三虎說：「我也是不得已而為之。我就在這江陰縣住，我家中七十多歲的老娘，病著家裡沒有吃的。我在這裡雖然裝神，我可不截孤行客，我怕把人家嚇死。我瞧有兩三個人，方才出來，也不害人，只要得點財帛就罷了，沒想今天遇見你們二位。」雷鳴、陳亮說：「我跟你打聽打聽，你是這本地人，在這八里舖，門窗壁未動，殺死命案兩條，盜去黃金百兩，你知道這案是誰做的不知？」王三虎說：「這件事我倒知道，你們二位怎不知道？做這案的人，跟你們二位聯盟的拜兄弟呀。也是西川路的人。」雷鳴、陳亮說：「我們拜兄弟里，沒有甚能為的人。你說是哪位？」王三虎說：「這個人是乾坤盜鼠華雲龍的拜兄，叫鬼頭刀鄭天壽。當初他把華雲龍帶出來的，不是跟你二位聯盟的嗎？」雷鳴說：「你知道這個鄭天壽，他在哪裡住著？」王三虎說：「他就在這西邊，有個地名叫盆底坑，那裡有座廟，叫大悲佛院。廟裡有兩個和尚，一個叫鐵面佛月空，一個叫豆兒和尚拍花僧月靜。他們雖是和尚廟，可跟常州府慈雲觀的老道是一黨，這廟是慈雲觀的下院，鄭天壽就在那廟裡住著。聽說他們都會邪術，牆上畫個門就能走。」雷鳴、陳亮說：「你帶我們到廟瞧瞧去，你只要指給我們就得了。」王三虎說：「可以。」
话说雷鸣、陈亮正往前走，只听树林内一声喊嚷：「吾神来也！」二人睁眼一看，只见由树林子出来一个显大神，身高丈六，头如麦斗，头上戴着风翅盔，五色的脸膛，五色的衣裳，两只眼似两盏灯相仿，一张嘴由嘴内喷出一股黑烟起在半悬空，这股烟不散。雷鸣、陈亮大吃一惊，雷鸣说：「这是什么东西？」二人打算要跑。陈亮说：「二哥且慢，你我弟兄在绿林这些年，可没遇见过这事。大道边什么装神弄鬼的事可都有，真要是神他也不能害人，要是妖魔鬼怪你我跑也跑不了，莫若你我壮起胆子，问他一问。」雷鸣说：「对。」二人立刻拉出刀来，一声喊嚷：「呔，对面你是神，趁此归庙，你是鬼，趁此归坟。我二人也是绿林人，也没做过伤天害理的事情，跟你远日无冤，近日无雠，你别吓唬我们。」这个鬼「呀」了一声，说：「原来是雷鸣、陈亮。」说完了这句话，晃晃悠悠复又进了树林中。雷鸣、陈亮心里说：「怪呀，他怎么知道我二人是雷鸣、陈亮呢？」两个人在这里站着发愣，工夫不大，只见由树林子出来一人，头上青壮帽，青绸氅，说：「原来是雷爷、陈爷！」雷鸣、陈亮一看，这人原来是绿林中小伙计姓王，叫王三虎，外号叫云中火。雷鸣、陈亮说：「原来是王三虎呀！你怎么干这个？」王三虎说：「我也是不得已而为之。我就在这江阴县住，我家中七十多岁的老娘，病着家里没有吃的。我在这里虽然装神，我可不截孤行客，我怕把人家吓死。我瞧有两三个人，方才出来，也不害人，只要得点财帛就罢了，没想今天遇见你们二位。」雷鸣、陈亮说：「我跟你打听打听，你是这本地人，在这八里铺，门窗壁未动，杀死命案两条，盗去黄金百两，你知道这案是谁做的不知？」王三虎说：「这件事我倒知道，你们二位怎不知道？做这案的人，跟你们二位联盟的拜兄弟呀。也是西川路的人。」雷鸣、陈亮说：「我们拜兄弟里，没有甚能为的人。你说是哪位？」王三虎说：「这个人是乾坤盗鼠华云龙的拜兄，叫鬼头刀郑天寿。当初他把华云龙带出来的，不是跟你二位联盟的吗？」雷鸣说：「你知道这个郑天寿，他在哪里住着？」王三虎说：「他就在这西边，有个地名叫盆底坑，那里有座庙，叫大悲佛院。庙里有两个和尚，一个叫铁面佛月空，一个叫豆儿和尚拍花僧月静。他们虽是和尚庙，可跟常州府慈云观的老道是一党，这庙是慈云观的下院，郑天寿就在那庙里住着。听说他们都会邪术，墙上画个门就能走。」雷鸣、陈亮说：「你带我们到庙瞧瞧去，你只要指给我们就得了。」王三虎说：「可以。」
Now, Lei Ming and Chen Liang were walking on when they heard a shout from inside the wood: “Your god is here!” The two of them opened their eyes wide and looked. Out of the wood came a huge god made manifest, sixteen feet tall, with a head the size of a grain measure. On his head he wore a winged helmet; his face was of five colors and so were his clothes; his two eyes were like two lamps; and out of his mouth he spewed a stream of black smoke that rose and hung in mid-air, and this smoke did not scatter. Lei Ming and Chen Liang got a great fright. “What is that thing?” said Lei Ming. The two of them meant to run for it. “Wait, Second Brother,” said Chen Liang. “All these years we’ve been in the greenwood, and we’ve never come across anything like this. Out on the highways you get every kind of trick, people dressing up as gods and playing ghost. If it really is a god, it won’t harm anyone; if it’s some demon or monster, we couldn’t get away from it by running anyway. Better we screw up our courage and ask it.” “Right,” said Lei Ming. At once the two of them drew their sabers and shouted, “Hey! You over there! If you’re a god, go back to your temple this minute; if you’re a ghost, go back to your grave this minute! We two are men of the greenwood too, but we’ve never done anything to outrage Heaven and conscience. We’ve no old grudge against you and no new one, so don’t try to scare us.” The ghost gave an “Ah!” and said, “So it’s Lei Ming and Chen Liang.” With that, it went swaying and tottering back into the wood. Lei Ming and Chen Liang thought, “That’s strange! How does he know we’re Lei Ming and Chen Liang?” The two of them stood there in a daze, and before long a man came out of the wood, wearing a dark blue workman’s cap and a dark blue silk cloak. “So it’s Master Lei and Master Chen!” he said. Lei Ming and Chen Liang looked, and the man turned out to be a small-time hand in the greenwood surnamed Wang, called Wang Sanhu, who went by the name of Fire in the Clouds (Yunzhonghuo). “So it’s Wang Sanhu!” said Lei Ming and Chen Liang. “What are you up to this for?” “I had no choice,” said Wang Sanhu. “I live right here in Jiangyin County, and at home I’ve an old mother past seventy who’s sick, and there’s nothing in the house to eat. I may play the god out here, but I don’t hold up a man traveling alone; I’m afraid I’d scare him to death. I only come out when I see two or three together, and I don’t harm them either; I just want a little money and that’s all. I never thought I’d run into you two today.” “Let me ask you something,” said Lei Ming and Chen Liang. “You’re from these parts. Here at Bali Post Station, with doors, windows and walls untouched, two people were murdered and a hundred taels of gold were stolen. Do you know who did that job or not?” “That one I do know,” said Wang Sanhu. “How is it you two don’t? The man who did it is a sworn brother of yours, sworn in with the two of you. He’s from the Xichuan Circuit too.” “Among our sworn brothers there’s nobody that capable,” said Lei Ming and Chen Liang. “Who do you mean?” “This man is the sworn elder brother of Hua Yunlong, the Thieving Rat of Heaven and Earth,” said Wang Sanhu. “He’s called Zheng Tianshou, the Demon-Head Saber. It was he who brought Hua Yunlong out in the first place. Wasn’t he sworn in with you two?” “Do you know where this Zheng Tianshou lives?” said Lei Ming. “Just west of here,” said Wang Sanhu. “There’s a place called Pendi Pit, and there’s a temple there called Dabei Temple. There are two monks in it: one’s called Yuekong, the Iron-Faced Buddha, and the other’s Yuejing, the Bean Monk, the Kidnapping Monk. It may be a monks’ temple, but they’re in one gang with the Daoists of Ciyun Temple in Changzhou Prefecture; this temple is a branch house of Ciyun Temple. Zheng Tianshou lives right there in that temple. They say they all know black magic: they can draw a door on a wall and walk through it.” “Take us to the temple to have a look,” said Lei Ming and Chen Liang. “Just point it out to us, that’s all.” “All right,” said Wang Sanhu.
立時到樹林拿他自己的包裹，帶領陳亮、雷鳴往前走。雷鳴說：「你方才拿什麼弄的那么大個？」王三虎說：「我拿竹皮子支的架子，假人腦袋有一個銅筒子，一燒狼糞就由嘴裡冒出煙來不散。」雷鳴說：「這就是了。」三個人說著話，來到盆底坑，王三虎用手一指說：「就是這座廟。」雷鳴、陳亮說：「我二人到裡面去探探，你在外面等著。」王三虎說：「就是罷。」
立时到树林拿他自己的包裹，带领陈亮、雷鸣往前走。雷鸣说：「你方才拿什么弄的那么大个？」王三虎说：「我拿竹皮子支的架子，假人脑袋有一个铜筒子，一烧狼粪就由嘴里冒出烟来不散。」雷鸣说：「这就是了。」三个人说着话，来到盆底坑，王三虎用手一指说：「就是这座庙。」雷鸣、陈亮说：「我二人到里面去探探，你在外面等着。」王三虎说：「就是罢。」
At once he went into the wood to fetch his own bundle and led Chen Liang and Lei Ming on. “What was it you used just now to make yourself so big?” said Lei Ming. “I rigged up a frame out of bamboo strips,” said Wang Sanhu. “The dummy’s head has a copper tube in it, and when I burn wolf dung, the smoke comes out of the mouth and doesn’t scatter.” “So that’s it,” said Lei Ming. Talking as they went, the three of them came to Pendi Pit. Wang Sanhu pointed. “That’s the temple.” “We two will go inside and scout it out,” said Lei Ming and Chen Liang. “You wait out here.” “All right,” said Wang Sanhu.
雷鳴、陳亮二人這才來到廟界牆，擰身躥上房去，在東配房後房坡，臥著望下一瞧，借著月亮看的甚真。正大殿頭裡有月台，月台上有一張牙桌，牙桌上放著茶壺茶碗，旁邊坐著一個大脫頭和尚。黑臉膛，穿著青僧衣，看那個樣子，身軀胖大，就聽和尚那裡叫：「來人！」只見配房出來兩個小和尚，都是長得凶眉惡目，來到月台前，說：「師父呼喚我等有什麼事？」就聽那脫頭和尚說：「今天白天這件事，你鄭大叔回來別跟他提，叫他一知道有錢，他就愛花。無論有多少錢，到他手一嫖一賭就完了，我是把他慝透了。」兩個小和尚說：「師父心裡既慝他，不會把他攆走了，不叫他住？」大和尚說：「你兩個小孩子懂得什麼？滿嘴胡說。去亮青字，把那個溜丁的瓢兒摘了，把他一埋，你鄭大叔回家別提。」兩個小和尚一聲答應，到東屋裡拿了一把刀，往後夠奔。雷鳴、陳亮在暗中一聽，「這是殺人哪！」
雷鸣、陈亮二人这才来到庙界墙，拧身蹿上房去，在东配房后房坡，卧着望下一瞧，借着月亮看的甚真。正大殿头里有月台，月台上有一张牙桌，牙桌上放着茶壶茶碗，旁边坐着一个大脱头和尚。黑脸膛，穿着青僧衣，看那个样子，身躯胖大，就听和尚那里叫：「来人！」只见配房出来两个小和尚，都是长得凶眉恶目，来到月台前，说：「师父呼唤我等有什么事？」就听那脱头和尚说：「今天白天这件事，你郑大叔回来别跟他提，叫他一知道有钱，他就爱花。无论有多少钱，到他手一嫖一赌就完了，我是把他慝透了。」两个小和尚说：「师父心里既慝他，不会把他撵走了，不叫他住？」大和尚说：「你两个小孩子懂得什么？满嘴胡说。去亮青字，把那个溜丁的瓢儿摘了，把他一埋，你郑大叔回家别提。」两个小和尚一声答应，到东屋里拿了一把刀，往后够奔。雷鸣、陈亮在暗中一听，「这是杀人哪！」
Only then did Lei Ming and Chen Liang go up to the temple’s boundary wall, give a twist of their bodies and spring up onto the roofs. They lay flat on the back slope of the east side room’s roof and looked down, and by the light of the moon they could see very clearly. In front of the main hall was a terrace, and on the terrace stood a carved table with a teapot and teacups on it. Beside it sat a big long-haired ascetic monk. He had a dark face and wore a dark blue monk’s robe, and by the look of him he was a big, heavy man. Then they heard the monk call out, “Somebody come here!” Two young monks came out of the side rooms, both of them with fierce brows and wicked eyes. They came up in front of the terrace. “Master, what did you call us for?” they said. “About this business today,” said the ascetic monk, “when your Uncle Zheng comes back, don’t say a word to him about it. Once he knows there’s money, he’ll want to spend it. However much money there is, once it gets into his hands he’ll whore and gamble it away and that’s the end of it. I’m sick to death of him.” “If you’re so sick of him, Master,” said the two young monks, “why not just throw him out and not let him stay?” “What do you two brats know?” said the big monk. “Talking nonsense! Go and bare the steel, take that mark’s gourd off and bury him. When your Uncle Zheng comes home, don’t mention it.” The two young monks said yes together, went into the east room for a knife and headed for the back. Lei Ming and Chen Liang heard it from where they were hidden. “That’s murder!”