話說淫賊華雲龍在大柳林用毒鏢打了雷鳴、陳亮，正要過去殺二人。只聽後面有人說：「華二賢弟，你要殺什麼人？」華雲龍回頭一看，只見後面來了一人。身高八尺，頭戴翠藍色扎巾，擂金抹額，二龍斗寶，迎門一朵絨球，禿禿亂晃。身穿藍箭袖袍，絲鸞帶系腰，足下薄底快靴，身披寶藍英雄大氅，周身繡牡丹花。面如滿月，眉分八彩，目如朗星，準頭端正，頷下三綹須髯，飄灑胸前，肋下佩刀。手中提小包袱，來者非別，正是大義威鎮八方楊明！華雲龍一看，吃一驚。暗說：「他來了可不好辦。」賊人眼珠一轉，計上心頭，趕緊說：「楊大哥，一向可好？」楊明說：「你要殺什麼人？」華雲龍說：「我要殺雷鳴、陳亮。」楊明一聽一愣，說：「華二弟，為什麼要殺他兩個人？」華雲龍說：「兄長要問，只因雷鳴、陳亮兩個人無所不為。
话说淫贼华云龙在大柳林用毒镖打了雷鸣、陈亮，正要过去杀二人。只听后面有人说：「华二贤弟，你要杀什么人？」华云龙回头一看，只见后面来了一人。身高八尺，头戴翠蓝色扎巾，擂金抹额，二龙斗宝，迎门一朵绒球，秃秃乱晃。身穿蓝箭袖袍，丝鸾带系腰，足下薄底快靴，身披宝蓝英雄大氅，周身绣牡丹花。面如满月，眉分八彩，目如朗星，准头端正，颔下三绺须髯，飘洒胸前，肋下佩刀。手中提小包袱，来者非别，正是大义威镇八方杨明！华云龙一看，吃一惊。暗说：「他来了可不好办。」贼人眼珠一转，计上心头，赶紧说：「杨大哥，一向可好？」杨明说：「你要杀什么人？」华云龙说：「我要杀雷鸣、陈亮。」杨明一听一愣，说：「华二弟，为什么要杀他两个人？」华云龙说：「兄长要问，只因雷鸣、陈亮两个人无所不为。
Now, the lecherous villain Hua Yunlong had struck down Lei Ming and Chen Liang with poisoned darts in Daliu Grove and was just going over to kill the pair of them when he heard someone behind him say, “Younger Brother Hua, who is it you mean to kill?” Hua Yunlong turned his head and saw a man coming up behind him. He stood eight chi tall. On his head was a headcloth of kingfisher blue with a gold-worked forehead band showing two dragons vying for a jewel, and at the front a velvet pompom that bobbed and quivered. He wore a blue robe with archer’s sleeves, a silk sash with luan birds about his waist and thin-soled boots for swift movement, and over his shoulders hung a royal-blue hero’s cloak embroidered all over with peonies. His face was like a full moon, his brows shone with eight hues, his eyes were bright as stars and his nose was straight, and a beard in three flowing locks fell over his chest. A blade hung at his side, and in his hand he carried a small bundle. The newcomer was none other than that man of great honour, Awe of the Eight Directions, Yang Ming! At the sight of him Hua Yunlong got a fright. “If he’s here, this won’t be easy,” he said to himself. The villain’s eyes rolled, a scheme came to him, and he hastily said, “Brother Yang, I hope you’ve been well all this while?” “Who is it you mean to kill?” said Yang Ming. “I mean to kill Lei Ming and Chen Liang,” said Hua Yunlong. Yang Ming was taken aback. “Younger Brother Hua,” he said, “why would you want to kill those two?” “Since you ask, Brother,” said Hua Yunlong, “it’s because Lei Ming and Chen Liang will stoop to anything.
在臨安府烏竹庵採花，因奸不允，殺死帶髮修行的少婦，刀傷老尼姑。又在泰山樓殺死淨街太歲秦祿。在秦相府盜了秦相的玉鐲鳳冠。昨天在這龍游縣北門裡趙家樓採花。是我今天碰見他兩個人。我用好言相勸，他兩個人拉刀跟我動手，反殺我。我才用毒藥鏢將他二人打倒。我一想不必叫他兩人受罪，我要殺他。」楊明一聽說：「二弟，你不該用毒藥鏢打他。自己弟兄，下這樣的毒手。」華雲龍說：「兄長，你看有人來了。」用手一指。楊明一回頭，華雲龍也就抖手一毒鏢，正打在楊明的琵琶骨上。眼瞧楊明翻身栽倒。
在临安府乌竹庵采花，因奸不允，杀死带发修行的少妇，刀伤老尼姑。又在泰山楼杀死净街太岁秦禄。在秦相府盗了秦相的玉镯凤冠。昨天在这龙游县北门里赵家楼采花。是我今天碰见他两个人。我用好言相劝，他两个人拉刀跟我动手，反杀我。我才用毒药镖将他二人打倒。我一想不必叫他两人受罪，我要杀他。」杨明一听说：「二弟，你不该用毒药镖打他。自己弟兄，下这样的毒手。」华云龙说：「兄长，你看有人来了。」用手一指。杨明一回头，华云龙也就抖手一毒镖，正打在杨明的琵琶骨上。眼瞧杨明翻身栽倒。
“At Wuzhu Nunnery in Lin’an Prefecture they went flower-plucking, and when she wouldn’t give in, they killed the young woman who lived there practising religion without shaving her head, and wounded the old nun with a blade. Then at Taishan Tower they killed Qin Lu, the Street-Clearing Grand Duke. At Chancellor Qin’s mansion they stole the Chancellor’s jade bracelets and phoenix crown. And yesterday, right here in Longyou County, inside the North Gate, they went flower-plucking at Zhao Family Tower. Today I happened to run into the two of them. I tried to talk sense into them, kindly, and the pair of them drew their blades and went for me — they wanted to kill me! Only then did I knock them both down with poisoned darts. Then I thought there was no need to let them suffer, so I was going to kill them.” When Yang Ming heard this he said, “Younger Brother, you shouldn’t have used poisoned darts on them. They’re our own brothers, and you deal them a blow as vicious as this?” “Brother, look — someone’s coming,” said Hua Yunlong, pointing. Yang Ming turned his head, and with a flick of his hand Hua Yunlong threw a poisoned dart. It struck Yang Ming right on the shoulder blade, and in the blink of an eye Yang Ming toppled over.
書中交代，楊明本不是出門的人。家中開著鏢局子，又有銀錢，又有勢利。皆因華雲龍有一個拜弟，叫黑風鬼張榮，也是西川人。張榮這天到楊明家找華雲龍。家人進去一回稟，楊明出來一看，見張榮有二十來往的年歲，武生公子打扮。楊明說：「尊駕貴姓，來此何幹？」張榮說：「我乃是西川人，姓張名榮，跟華雲龍是拜兄弟。我聽說他在這如意村楊大爺家中住著，我特來找他。」楊明一聽，說：「你既是華雲龍的拜弟，你我弟兄，都不是外人。現在華雲龍到臨安城逛去了，又約三兩個月就回來。你也不必去找他，就在我這裡住罷。」楊明這個人最好交友，就把張榮讓到家中。說：「你要悶時，可到鏢局子去坐坐。」
书中交代，杨明本不是出门的人。家中开着镖局子，又有银钱，又有势利。皆因华云龙有一个拜弟，叫黑风鬼张荣，也是西川人。张荣这天到杨明家找华云龙。家人进去一回禀，杨明出来一看，见张荣有二十来往的年岁，武生公子打扮。杨明说：「尊驾贵姓，来此何干？」张荣说：「我乃是西川人，姓张名荣，跟华云龙是拜兄弟。我听说他在这如意村杨大爷家中住着，我特来找他。」杨明一听，说：「你既是华云龙的拜弟，你我弟兄，都不是外人。现在华云龙到临安城逛去了，又约三两个月就回来。你也不必去找他，就在我这里住罢。」杨明这个人最好交友，就把张荣让到家中。说：「你要闷时，可到镖局子去坐坐。」
A word of explanation: Yang Ming was not a man who travelled. He ran an escort agency from his home and had both money and influence. It had all come about because Hua Yunlong had a sworn younger brother called Zhang Rong, the Black-Wind Ghost, who was also from Xichuan. One day Zhang Rong came to Yang Ming’s house looking for Hua Yunlong. A servant went in to announce him, and Yang Ming came out to look. He saw a man of twenty or so, dressed as a young gentleman of the martial sort. “May I ask your honourable name, sir,” said Yang Ming, “and what brings you here?” “I’m from Xichuan,” said Zhang Rong. “My surname is Zhang and my name is Rong, and I’m Hua Yunlong’s sworn brother. I heard he was staying here in Ruyi Village at Master Yang’s house, so I’ve come especially to find him.” When Yang Ming heard this he said, “Since you’re Hua Yunlong’s sworn brother, you and I are brothers too — we’re no strangers. Hua Yunlong has gone off to Lin’an to see the sights just now; he’ll be back in two or three months or so. There’s no need for you to go looking for him. Stay here with me.” Yang Ming loved nothing better than making friends, and he invited Zhang Rong into his house. “If you get bored,” he said, “you can go and sit in the escort agency.”