話說丹陽縣知縣正要用夾棍夾雷鳴、陳亮，忽聽外面一聲喊嚷：「大老爺冤枉！」來者乃是濟公禪師。
话说丹阳县知县正要用夹棍夹雷鸣、陈亮，忽听外面一声喊嚷：「大老爷冤枉！」来者乃是济公禅师。
Now, the magistrate of Danyang County was just about to have Lei Ming and Chen Liang squeezed in the leg press when a shout went up outside: “Your Honour, injustice!” The man who had come was none other than Chan Master Ji Gong.
書中交代：和尚從哪來呢？原來濟公由藏珍塢八卦爐火燒了神術士韓祺，赤發靈官邵華風，一干群賊四散奔逃，和尚並不深為追趕。羅漢爺打了一個冷戰，按靈光一算，早已覺察明白，知道雷鳴、陳亮有難。和尚不能不管，由藏珍塢這才順大路徑奔丹陽縣而來。這天走在海潮縣地面，眼前流水，南北有一道橋，和尚正走到這座鎮店，旁邊過來一人說：「和尚你別走，我們這本地有一件新聞事。」和尚說：「什麼新聞事？」這人說：「我們這地方叫石佛鎮，南村口外路北有一座石佛院，多年坍塌失修，也沒有和尚老道。頭三天石佛顯聖，石像由廟裡自己出來，站在石橋上，過路人就得給錢，不論多少。要不給錢，石佛就不叫過去，嚇的人多了。石像會化緣，你說這事新鮮不新鮮？有和尚老道化緣，或釘釘或拉鎖，沒聽見說石佛會化緣的！」濟公一聽，用手一按靈光，早已明白。說：「要比如不給錢，由橋上走行不行呢？」這人說：「不行，多少總得給錢，要不然過不去。現在我們村莊內眾會首大眾給石佛燒香許願，幫助化緣修廟，求石佛別嚇唬人。給佛脖子上掛著一個黃口袋，上寫募化十方，在橋上擱著一個大笸蘿，過路人走在那裡，就得摔錢。這三天見了錢不少了，不信你瞧瞧去。」
书中交代：和尚从哪来呢？原来济公由藏珍坞八卦炉火烧了神术士韩祺，赤发灵官邵华风，一干群贼四散奔逃，和尚并不深为追赶。罗汉爷打了一个冷战，按灵光一算，早已觉察明白，知道雷鸣、陈亮有难。和尚不能不管，由藏珍坞这才顺大路径奔丹阳县而来。这天走在海潮县地面，眼前流水，南北有一道桥，和尚正走到这座镇店，旁边过来一人说：「和尚你别走，我们这本地有一件新闻事。」和尚说：「什么新闻事？」这人说：「我们这地方叫石佛镇，南村口外路北有一座石佛院，多年坍塌失修，也没有和尚老道。头三天石佛显圣，石像由庙里自己出来，站在石桥上，过路人就得给钱，不论多少。要不给钱，石佛就不叫过去，吓的人多了。石像会化缘，你说这事新鲜不新鲜？有和尚老道化缘，或钉钉或拉锁，没听见说石佛会化缘的！」济公一听，用手一按灵光，早已明白。说：「要比如不给钱，由桥上走行不行呢？」这人说：「不行，多少总得给钱，要不然过不去。现在我们村庄内众会首大众给石佛烧香许愿，帮助化缘修庙，求石佛别吓唬人。给佛脖子上挂着一个黄口袋，上写募化十方，在桥上搁着一个大笸萝，过路人走在那里，就得摔钱。这三天见了钱不少了，不信你瞧瞧去。」
A word of explanation: where had the monk come from? Ji Gong, you see, had burned Han Qi, the Divine Magician, in the Eight Trigrams furnace at Cangzhen Stronghold, and Shao Huafeng, the Red-Haired Divine Officer, and the whole pack of outlaws had scattered and fled in every direction. The monk did not bother to chase them hard. Lord Arhat gave a shiver, worked it out by his inner light, and saw it all clearly: Lei Ming and Chen Liang were in trouble. The monk could not leave that alone, and so from Cangzhen Stronghold he took the main road straight for Danyang County. That day he was passing through the territory of Haichao County. Ahead of him ran a stream, with a bridge across it running north and south. Just as the monk reached the little market town there, a man came up beside him. “Don’t go yet, monk. Something strange has been happening here in our parts.” “What strange thing?” said the monk. “This place is called Shifo Town,” the man said. “Outside the south end of the village, on the north side of the road, there’s a temple, Shifo Temple. It’s been tumbledown for years with nobody fixing it, and no monk or Daoist living there either. Three days ago the stone Buddha showed its power. The statue walked out of the temple by itself and stood on the stone bridge, and anybody crossing has to give it money — any amount. If you don’t pay, the stone Buddha won’t let you by. It’s scared plenty of people. A stone statue that begs for alms — now isn’t that something new? Monks and Daoists beg alms, sure — they drive nails into themselves or drag chains through their skin — but whoever heard of a stone Buddha begging?” When Ji Gong heard this, he touched his hand to his inner light and understood at once. “Say someone doesn’t pay,” he said. “Can he cross the bridge or not?” “No,” said the man. “You have to give something, however little, or you can’t get across. Now the association heads and all of us have burned incense to the stone Buddha and made vows to help it collect alms to fix the temple, and begged it not to frighten people. We hung a yellow bag round the Buddha’s neck with ‘Alms from the Ten Directions’ written on it, and put a big basket on the bridge. Anybody who walks past has to toss in some coins. It’s taken in a good deal these three days. If you don’t believe me, go and look.”
和尚邁步往前走，來到南村口一看，果然南北一道橋，橋上站著一位大石佛。
和尚迈步往前走，来到南村口一看，果然南北一道桥，桥上站着一位大石佛。
The monk strode on, and when he came to the south end of the village and looked, sure enough, there was a bridge running north and south, and on it stood a great stone Buddha.