話說知縣用刑一拷宋八仙，賊人實在支架不住了，這才說：「老爺不要動刑，並沒有雷鳴、陳亮。」知縣說：「既沒有雷鳴、陳亮，你為何要攀拉好人？」宋八仙說：「倒不是我要拉雷鳴、陳亮，原本是皮緒昌他給我二百銀子，他叫我拉雷鳴、陳亮。」老爺一聽，心中就明白了，這必是因為謀算陳廣泰的侄女兒，先買盜攀賊害雷鳴、陳亮。老爺這才立刻出簽票，急拘鎖帶皮緒昌。值日班領堂諭，帶領手下夥計，去少時，把皮緒昌傳到，帶上堂來。皮緒昌給知縣一叩頭，鄭元龍一見，勃然大怒，說：「皮緒昌你這廝好大膽量，在我地面上，硬下花紅彩禮，謀算良家婦女，買盜攀賊，誣良為盜，你所作所為，還不從實招來！」皮緒昌嚇得戰戰兢兢，此時悔之晚矣。人心似鐵非似鐵，官法如爐真是爐，皮緒昌還打算不招說：「老爺在上，小人務本度日，並不敢買盜攀贓，謀算良家婦女，求老爺恩典。」知縣氣往上沖，說：「皮緒昌好大膽量，見了本縣還敢狡展，用夾棍把他夾起來！」皮緒昌一想：「不招，大概是不行。」這才說：「老爺不必動怒，小人有招。」
话说知县用刑一拷宋八仙，贼人实在支架不住了，这才说：「老爷不要动刑，并没有雷鸣、陈亮。」知县说：「既没有雷鸣、陈亮，你为何要攀拉好人？」宋八仙说：「倒不是我要拉雷鸣、陈亮，原本是皮绪昌他给我二百银子，他叫我拉雷鸣、陈亮。」老爷一听，心中就明白了，这必是因为谋算陈广泰的侄女儿，先买盗攀贼害雷鸣、陈亮。老爷这才立刻出签票，急拘锁带皮绪昌。值日班领堂谕，带领手下伙计，去少时，把皮绪昌传到，带上堂来。皮绪昌给知县一叩头，郑元龙一见，勃然大怒，说：「皮绪昌你这厮好大胆量，在我地面上，硬下花红彩礼，谋算良家妇女，买盗攀贼，诬良为盗，你所作所为，还不从实招来！」皮绪昌吓得战战兢兢，此时悔之晚矣。人心似铁非似铁，官法如炉真是炉，皮绪昌还打算不招说：「老爷在上，小人务本度日，并不敢买盗攀赃，谋算良家妇女，求老爷恩典。」知县气往上冲，说：「皮绪昌好大胆量，见了本县还敢狡展，用夹棍把他夹起来！」皮绪昌一想：「不招，大概是不行。」这才说：「老爷不必动怒，小人有招。」
Now, when the magistrate had Song Baxian put to torture, the villain truly could hold out no longer, and only then did he say, “Don’t torture me, Your Honour. Lei Ming and Chen Liang weren’t in it.” “If Lei Ming and Chen Liang weren’t in it,” said the magistrate, “why did you drag in good men?” “It wasn’t me who wanted to drag in Lei Ming and Chen Liang,” said Song Baxian. “It was Pi Xuchang. He gave me two hundred taels of silver and told me to drag them in.” When His Honour heard this, he understood at once: Pi Xuchang must have had designs on Chen Guangtai’s niece, and so he had first bribed a thief to name Lei Ming and Chen Liang and ruin them. His Honour at once issued a warrant slip to have Pi Xuchang arrested, chained and brought in without delay. The runners on duty that day took the order from the bench and set off with their men, and before long they had Pi Xuchang summoned and brought up into court. Pi Xuchang kowtowed to the magistrate. At the sight of him Zheng Yuanlong flew into a rage. “Pi Xuchang, you wretch, what nerve you have! Here in my district you forced betrothal gifts on a family, schemed to get your hands on a respectable girl, bribed a thief to accuse others and branded good men as robbers. Out with the truth about all you’ve done!” Pi Xuchang trembled with fright, but by now it was too late for regrets. A man’s heart may seem like iron, yet it is not iron; the law of the land is a furnace, and a furnace indeed. Pi Xuchang still meant not to confess. “Your Honour above me,” he said, “this humble person minds his business and lives an honest life. I would never dare bribe a thief to accuse anyone, or scheme against a respectable girl. I beg Your Honour’s mercy.” The magistrate’s anger boiled up. “Pi Xuchang, what nerve! Standing before this court, you still dare to quibble! Put him in the leg press!” Pi Xuchang thought, “Not confessing probably won’t work.” Only then did he say, “No need for anger, Your Honour. This humble person will confess.”
當時把已往真情實話全皆招認，當堂畫了供。知縣吩咐將皮緒昌釘鐐入獄，當堂將雷鳴、陳亮、陳廣泰開放回家，安分度日。書吏稿案貪贓受賄，同謀作弊，革去差事，永不準更名復充。老爺暫且退堂，同濟公來到書房，天色已晚，吩咐擺酒，同和尚開懷歡飲，直喝到天有初鼓以後。和尚偶然打了一個冷戰，羅漢爺一按靈光，心中明白，和尚說：「阿彌陀佛。善哉，善哉！好東西。」知縣說：「聖僧什麼事？」和尚說：「你不知道，咱們這么喝悶酒沒趣味。」知縣說：「聖僧想開心，叫幾個唱曲的，可以解悶，或者猜拳行令也好。」和尚說：「我想變個戲法看看。」鄭元龍說：「誰會變戲法，叫他們出去找去。」和尚說：「我會變戲法。」鄭元龍說：「聖僧會變戲法？」和尚說：「你瞧我變。」用手往外一指，口念「唵嘛呢叭迷吽，唵，敕令赫。」
当时把已往真情实话全皆招认，当堂画了供。知县吩咐将皮绪昌钉镣入狱，当堂将雷鸣、陈亮、陈广泰开放回家，安分度日。书吏稿案贪赃受贿，同谋作弊，革去差事，永不准更名复充。老爷暂且退堂，同济公来到书房，天色已晚，吩咐摆酒，同和尚开怀欢饮，直喝到天有初鼓以后。和尚偶然打了一个冷战，罗汉爷一按灵光，心中明白，和尚说：「阿弥陀佛。善哉，善哉！好东西。」知县说：「圣僧什么事？」和尚说：「你不知道，咱们这么喝闷酒没趣味。」知县说：「圣僧想开心，叫几个唱曲的，可以解闷，或者猜拳行令也好。」和尚说：「我想变个戏法看看。」郑元龙说：「谁会变戏法，叫他们出去找去。」和尚说：「我会变戏法。」郑元龙说：「圣僧会变戏法？」和尚说：「你瞧我变。」用手往外一指，口念「唵嘛呢叭迷吽，唵，敕令赫。」
There and then he confessed the whole truth of everything that had gone before and signed his statement in open court. The magistrate ordered Pi Xuchang put in irons and thrown into jail, and in open court he released Lei Ming, Chen Liang and Chen Guangtai to go home and live quietly about their business. The clerks and the draft clerk, who had taken bribes and plotted together to pervert the case, were stripped of their posts, never to serve again even under another name. His Honour then withdrew from court for the time being and went with Ji Gong to his study. It was already dark, so he ordered wine laid out and drank with the monk to their hearts’ content until after the first watch of the night. All of a sudden the monk gave a shiver. Lord Arhat worked it out by his inner light and understood. “Amitabha,” said the monk. “Good, good! Here’s a fine one.” “What is it, holy monk?” said the magistrate. “You don’t know,” said the monk. “Sitting here drinking glumly like this is no fun.” “If the holy monk wants some amusement,” said the magistrate, “we could call in a few ballad singers to cheer us up, or play a finger-guessing drinking game.” “I’d like to watch a conjuring trick,” said the monk. “If anyone knows how to do conjuring tricks,” said Zheng Yuanlong, “I’ll have them go out and find him.” “I know how to do conjuring tricks,” said the monk. “The holy monk does conjuring tricks?” said Zheng Yuanlong. “Watch me do one,” said the monk. He pointed a finger outside and chanted, “Om mani padme hum — om — by command — he!”
就聽外面嘩嘩嘩噗冬，由房中掉下一個賊人，落下好幾塊瓦來。家人立刻喊嚷：「有賊！」趕過去將賊人按住捆上。鄭元龍倒大吃一驚，手下人說：「回稟老爺，拿住賊人。」和尚說：「你瞧這戲法變的好不好？」鄭元龍吩咐將賊人帶進來。手下人把賊人帶進來，鄭元龍一看，原本是一個大脫頭和尚，黑臉膛，粗眉大眼，怪肉橫生，披散著頭髮，打著一道金箍，穿著一身夜行衣，身背後背著戒刀。書中交代：拿住的這個和尚非是別人，正是通天和尚法雷。只因丹陽縣官人去把皮緒昌拿來，法雷正同賽雲龍黃慶、小喪門謝廣，在皮緒昌家裡。
就听外面哗哗哗噗冬，由房中掉下一个贼人，落下好几块瓦来。家人立刻喊嚷：「有贼！」赶过去将贼人按住捆上。郑元龙倒大吃一惊，手下人说：「回禀老爷，拿住贼人。」和尚说：「你瞧这戏法变的好不好？」郑元龙吩咐将贼人带进来。手下人把贼人带进来，郑元龙一看，原本是一个大脱头和尚，黑脸膛，粗眉大眼，怪肉横生，披散着头发，打着一道金箍，穿着一身夜行衣，身背后背着戒刀。书中交代：拿住的这个和尚非是别人，正是通天和尚法雷。只因丹阳县官人去把皮绪昌拿来，法雷正同赛云龙黄庆、小丧门谢广，在皮绪昌家里。
At once there came a clatter outside — clatter, clatter, clatter, thump! — and a villain fell off the roof, bringing several tiles down with him. The servants at once shouted, “Thief!” They ran over, pinned him down and tied him up. Zheng Yuanlong got a great fright. “Reporting to Your Honour,” said his men, “we’ve caught a thief.” “Well,” said the monk, “how was that for a conjuring trick?” Zheng Yuanlong ordered the thief brought in. When his men had brought him in, Zheng Yuanlong looked and saw a big long-haired ascetic monk with a black face, thick brows and big eyes, and brutish lumps of flesh all over his face. His hair hung loose, held by a gold band; he wore a suit of night-walker’s clothes and carried a precept knife on his back. A word of explanation: the monk they had caught was none other than the monk Tongtian, Falei. When the Danyang county runners went to arrest Pi Xuchang, Falei happened to be at Pi Xuchang’s house with Huang Qing, the Cloud Dragon’s Better, and Xie Guang, Little Mourning Spirit.