揚州督同將軍梁公，解組鄉居，日攜棋酒，游林丘間。會九日登高與客弈，忽有一人來，逡巡局側，耽玩不去。視之，目面寒儉，懸鶉結焉，然意態溫雅，有文士風。公禮之，乃坐。亦殊撝謙。分指棋謂曰：「先生當必善此，何不與客對壘？」其人遜謝移時，始即局。局終而負，神情懊熱，若不自己。又著又負，益憤慚。酌之以酒，亦不飲，惟曳客弈。自晨至于日昃，不遑溲溺。方以一子爭路，兩互喋聒，忽書生離席悚立，神色慘阻。少間，屈膝向公座，敗顙乞救，公駭疑，起扶之曰：「戲耳，何至是？」書生曰：「乞囑付圉人，勿縛小生頸。」公又異之，問：「圉人誰？」曰：「馬成。」
揚州的督同將軍梁公辭官回鄉居住，每天帶著棋具和酒，到樹林山丘之間遊玩。一次，重陽節登高時，他正和客人下圍棋，忽然來了一個人，在棋盤旁徘徊，看得入迷，不肯離開。梁公打量他，只見他面容寒酸，衣服破爛，東一處西一處打著結，但舉止溫和文雅，有讀書人的風度。梁公以禮相待，他才坐下，態度也十分謙遜。梁公指著棋盤說：「先生想必精通此道，何不與我的客人較量一下？」那人推辭了好一會兒，才坐到棋盤前。一局結束，他輸了，神情懊惱，滿臉發熱，彷彿控制不住自己。再下一局，又輸了，更加憤懣羞慚。給他斟酒，他也不喝，只拉著客人繼續下棋。從早晨一直下到太陽偏西，連小便的工夫都顧不上。兩人正在為一枚棋子爭路，彼此爭論不休，書生忽然離開座位，驚恐地站著，神色慘淡不安。過了一會兒，他朝著梁公的座位跪下，磕得額頭破了，乞求救命。梁公又驚又疑，起身扶他說：「不過是下棋，何至於這樣？」書生說：「求您吩咐馬伕，不要綁小生的脖子。」梁公更加奇怪，問：「馬伕是誰？」書生說：「馬成。」
扬州督同将军梁公，解组乡居，日携棋酒，游林丘间。会九日登高与客弈，忽有一人来，逡巡局侧，耽玩不去。视之，目面寒俭，悬鹑结焉，然意态温雅，有文士风。公礼之，乃坐。亦殊㧑谦。分指棋谓曰：「先生当必善此，何不与客对垒？」其人逊谢移时，始即局。局终而负，神情懊热，若不自己。又着又负，益愤惭。酌之以酒，亦不饮，惟曳客弈。自晨至于日昃，不遑溲溺。方以一子争路，两互喋聒，忽书生离席悚立，神色惨阻。少间，屈膝向公座，败颡乞救，公骇疑，起扶之曰：「戏耳，何至是？」书生曰：「乞嘱付圉人，勿缚小生颈。」公又异之，问：「圉人谁？」曰：「马成。」
扬州的督同将军梁公辞官回乡居住，每天带着棋具和酒，到树林山丘之间游玩。一次，重阳节登高时，他正和客人下围棋，忽然来了一个人，在棋盘旁徘徊，看得入迷，不肯离开。梁公打量他，只见他面容寒酸，衣服破烂，东一处西一处打着结，但举止温和文雅，有读书人的风度。梁公以礼相待，他才坐下，态度也十分谦逊。梁公指着棋盘说：“先生想必精通此道，何不与我的客人较量一下？”那人推辞了好一会儿，才坐到棋盘前。一局结束，他输了，神情懊恼，满脸发热，仿佛控制不住自己。再下一局，又输了，更加愤懑羞惭。给他斟酒，他也不喝，只拉着客人继续下棋。从早晨一直下到太阳偏西，连小便的工夫都顾不上。两人正在为一枚棋子争路，彼此争论不休，书生忽然离开座位，惊恐地站着，神色惨淡不安。过了一会儿，他朝着梁公的座位跪下，磕得额头破了，乞求救命。梁公又惊又疑，起身扶他说：“不过是下棋，何至于这样？”书生说：“求您吩咐马夫，不要绑小生的脖子。”梁公更加奇怪，问：“马夫是谁？”书生说：“马成。”
General Liang, deputy commander at Yangzhou, gave up his post and lived at home in the country. Every day he took his go board and his wine and wandered among the woods and hills. On the Double Ninth he climbed to a high place and sat down to play go with a guest. Suddenly a man came up and hovered by the board, so absorbed in the game that he would not leave. Liang looked at him: his face was pinched and poor, his clothes hung in knotted rags, yet his manner was gentle and refined, with the air of a scholar. Liang treated him with courtesy, and he sat down, very modest in his ways. Liang pointed to the board and said, “You, sir, must surely be good at this. Why not take on my guest?” The man declined for some while before he took his place. When the game ended he had lost. He flushed with vexation, as if he could not master himself. He played again and lost again, and grew angrier and more ashamed. Liang poured him wine, but he would not drink; he only kept pulling the guest back to play. From morning until the sun was slanting west he could not spare the time even to relieve himself. They were fighting over the path of a single stone, both squabbling at once, when the scholar suddenly left his seat and stood up in terror, his face stricken and ashen. A moment later he went down on his knees toward Liang’s seat and knocked his head on the ground till his forehead was broken, begging to be saved. Liang, startled and puzzled, rose and helped him up. “It is only a game,” he said. “Why come to this?” “I beg you,” said the scholar, “tell your groom not to bind my neck.” Liang thought this stranger still. “Who is the groom?” he asked. “Ma Cheng.”