朱生，陽穀人。少年佻達，喜詼謔。因喪偶，往求媒媼。遇其鄰人之妻，睨之美。戲謂媼曰：「適睹尊鄰，雅少麗，若為我求凰，渠可也。」媼亦戲曰：「請殺其男子，我為若圖之。」朱笑曰：「諾。」更月餘，鄰人出討負，被殺於野。邑令拘鄰保，血膚取實，究無端緒；惟媒媼述相謔之詞，以此疑朱。捕至，百口不承。令又疑鄰婦與私，搒掠之，五毒參至，婦不能堪，誣伏。又訊朱。朱曰：「細嫩不任苦刑，所言皆妄。既是冤死，而又加以不節之名，縱鬼神無知，予心何忍乎？我實供之可矣：欲殺夫而娶其婦，皆我之為，婦實不知之也。」問：「何憑？」答言：「血衣可證。」及使人搜諸其家，竟不可得。又掠之，死而復蘇者再。朱乃云：「此母不忍出證據死我耳，待自取之。」因押歸告母曰：「予我衣，死也；即不予，亦死也：均之死，故遲也不如其速也。」母泣，入室移時，取衣出，付之。令審其跡確，擬斬。再駁再審，無異詞。經年餘，決有日矣。令方慮囚，忽一人直上公堂，努目視令而大罵曰：「如此憒憒，何足臨民！」隸役數十輩，將共執之。其人振臂一揮，頹然並仆。令懼，欲逃，其人大言曰：「我關帝前周將軍也！昏官若動，即便誅卻！」令戰懼悚聽。其人曰：「殺人者乃宮標也，於朱某何與？」言已，倒地，氣若絕。少頃而醒，面無人色。及問其人，則宮標也。搒之，盡服其罪。蓋宮素不逞，知其討負而歸，意腰橐必富，及殺之，竟無所得。聞朱誣服，竊自幸。是日身入公門，殊不自知。令問朱血衣所自來，朱亦不知之。喚其母鞫之，則割臂所染；驗其左臂，刀痕猶未平也。令亦愕然。後以此被參揭免官，罰贖羈留而死。年餘，鄰母欲嫁其婦；婦感朱義，遂嫁之。
朱生是陽穀人，年輕時輕浮放縱，喜歡說笑。妻子去世後，他去找一位老媒婆，遇見媒婆鄰居的妻子，覺得她很美，便開玩笑對媒婆說：「剛才看見您的鄰居，年輕又漂亮。您要是替我找妻子，她就很合適。」媒婆也開玩笑說：「請你先殺了她丈夫，我就替你想辦法。」朱生笑著說：「好。」過了一個多月，那鄰居出門討債，在野外被人殺死。縣令拘來鄰居和保甲人員，把他們打得皮開肉綻，逼問實情，最終卻毫無頭緒。只有媒婆說起那次互相開玩笑的話，縣令便因此懷疑朱生。朱生被捕到案，無論怎樣訊問都不承認。縣令又懷疑那鄰居的妻子與朱生私通，便對她嚴刑拷打，各種酷刑輪番施加。女子受不了，只得作了假供認。縣令又審朱生。朱生說：「她身體嬌嫩，受不住酷刑，說的都是假話。既要含冤而死，又被加上不守貞節的汙名，就算鬼神不知道，我心裡又怎麼忍得下去？讓我如實招供就是了：想殺死丈夫，娶他的妻子，都是我一個人乾的，那女子確實毫不知情。」縣令問：「有什麼證據？」朱生回答：「血衣可以作證。」等派人去他家搜查，卻根本找不到。縣令又拷打他，他兩次昏死過去，又甦醒過來。朱生這才說：「這是母親不忍心拿出證據來置我於死地。等我自己去取吧。」於是差役押著他回家。他對母親說：「把衣服給我，我要死；不給我，我也要死。同樣是死，拖延著死，還不如快些死。」母親哭著進了屋，過了好一會兒，拿出衣服，交給了他。縣令檢視血跡，認為證據確鑿，擬定將他斬首。案件兩次被駁回重審，朱生的供詞始終沒有改變。過了一年多，行刑的日子已經定了。縣令正在複審囚犯的案件，忽然有個人徑直走上公堂，瞪著縣令大罵：「這樣昏聵，哪裡配治理百姓！」幾十個差役要一起捉住他，那人揮了一下胳膊，眾人便全都倒了下去。縣令害怕，想要逃跑，那人大聲說：「我是關帝座前的周將軍！昏官，你敢動，我立刻殺了你！」縣令嚇得發抖，戰戰兢兢地聽著。那人說：「殺人的是宮標，關朱某什麼事？」說完倒在地上，彷彿已經斷了氣。過了一會兒，他醒過來，臉上毫無血色。問他是誰，原來就是宮標。縣令拷問他，他把罪行全部招認了。原來，宮標向來是個無賴，知道那鄰居討債回來，料想他腰間的錢袋裡必定有很多錢，等殺了他，卻什麼也沒得到。聽說朱生屈打成招，他暗自慶幸。這一天，他自己進了衙門，卻全然不知是怎麼回事。縣令問朱生血衣是哪裡來的，朱生也不知道。叫來他的母親審問，才知道是她割傷自己的胳膊，把血染在衣服上。檢視她的左臂，刀傷還沒有癒合。縣令也驚呆了。後來，縣令因此被彈劾，免了官，又被判繳納罰金，在拘留期間死去。過了一年多，那鄰居的母親想讓兒媳改嫁。女子感念朱生的義氣，便嫁給了他。
朱生，阳谷人。少年佻达，喜诙谑。因丧偶，往求媒媪。遇其邻人之妻，睨之美。戏谓媪曰：「适睹尊邻，雅少丽，若为我求凰，渠可也。」媪亦戏曰：「请杀其男子，我为若图之。」朱笑曰：「诺。」更月余，邻人出讨负，被杀于野。邑令拘邻保，血肤取实，究无端绪；惟媒媪述相谑之词，以此疑朱。捕至，百口不承。令又疑邻妇与私，搒掠之，五毒参至，妇不能堪，诬伏。又讯朱。朱曰：「细嫩不任苦刑，所言皆妄。既是冤死，而又加以不节之名，纵鬼神无知，予心何忍乎？我实供之可矣：欲杀夫而娶其妇，皆我之为，妇实不知之也。」问：「何凭？」答言：「血衣可证。」及使人搜诸其家，竟不可得。又掠之，死而复苏者再。朱乃云：「此母不忍出证据死我耳，待自取之。」因押归告母曰：「予我衣，死也；即不予，亦死也：均之死，故迟也不如其速也。」母泣，入室移时，取衣出，付之。令审其迹确，拟斩。再驳再审，无异词。经年余，决有日矣。令方虑囚，忽一人直上公堂，努目视令而大骂曰：「如此愦愦，何足临民！」隶役数十辈，将共执之。其人振臂一挥，颓然并仆。令惧，欲逃，其人大言曰：「我关帝前周将军也！昏官若动，即便诛却！」令战惧悚听。其人曰：「杀人者乃宫标也，于朱某何与？」言已，倒地，气若绝。少顷而醒，面无人色。及问其人，则宫标也。搒之，尽服其罪。盖宫素不逞，知其讨负而归，意腰橐必富，及杀之，竟无所得。闻朱诬服，窃自幸。是日身入公门，殊不自知。令问朱血衣所自来，朱亦不知之。唤其母鞫之，则割臂所染；验其左臂，刀痕犹未平也。令亦愕然。后以此被参揭免官，罚赎羁留而死。年余，邻母欲嫁其妇；妇感朱义，遂嫁之。
朱生是阳谷人，年轻时轻浮放纵，喜欢说笑。妻子去世后，他去找一位老媒婆，遇见媒婆邻居的妻子，觉得她很美，便开玩笑对媒婆说：“刚才看见您的邻居，年轻又漂亮。您要是替我找妻子，她就很合适。”媒婆也开玩笑说：“请你先杀了她丈夫，我就替你想办法。”朱生笑着说：“好。”过了一个多月，那邻居出门讨债，在野外被人杀死。县令拘来邻居和保甲人员，把他们打得皮开肉绽，逼问实情，最终却毫无头绪。只有媒婆说起那次互相开玩笑的话，县令便因此怀疑朱生。朱生被捕到案，无论怎样讯问都不承认。县令又怀疑那邻居的妻子与朱生私通，便对她严刑拷打，各种酷刑轮番施加。女子受不了，只得作了假供认。县令又审朱生。朱生说：“她身体娇嫩，受不住酷刑，说的都是假话。既要含冤而死，又被加上不守贞节的污名，就算鬼神不知道，我心里又怎么忍得下去？让我如实招供就是了：想杀死丈夫，娶他的妻子，都是我一个人干的，那女子确实毫不知情。”县令问：“有什么证据？”朱生回答：“血衣可以作证。”等派人去他家搜查，却根本找不到。县令又拷打他，他两次昏死过去，又苏醒过来。朱生这才说：“这是母亲不忍心拿出证据来置我于死地。等我自己去取吧。”于是差役押着他回家。他对母亲说：“把衣服给我，我要死；不给我，我也要死。同样是死，拖延着死，还不如快些死。”母亲哭着进了屋，过了好一会儿，拿出衣服，交给了他。县令查看血迹，认为证据确凿，拟定将他斩首。案件两次被驳回重审，朱生的供词始终没有改变。过了一年多，行刑的日子已经定了。县令正在复审囚犯的案件，忽然有个人径直走上公堂，瞪着县令大骂：“这样昏聩，哪里配治理百姓！”几十个差役要一起捉住他，那人挥了一下胳膊，众人便全都倒了下去。县令害怕，想要逃跑，那人大声说：“我是关帝座前的周将军！昏官，你敢动，我立刻杀了你！”县令吓得发抖，战战兢兢地听着。那人说：“杀人的是宫标，关朱某什么事？”说完倒在地上，仿佛已经断了气。过了一会儿，他醒过来，脸上毫无血色。问他是谁，原来就是宫标。县令拷问他，他把罪行全部招认了。原来，宫标向来是个无赖，知道那邻居讨债回来，料想他腰间的钱袋里必定有很多钱，等杀了他，却什么也没得到。听说朱生屈打成招，他暗自庆幸。这一天，他自己进了衙门，却全然不知是怎么回事。县令问朱生血衣是哪里来的，朱生也不知道。叫来他的母亲审问，才知道是她割伤自己的胳膊，把血染在衣服上。查看她的左臂，刀伤还没有愈合。县令也惊呆了。后来，县令因此被弹劾，免了官，又被判缴纳罚金，在拘留期间死去。过了一年多，那邻居的母亲想让儿媳改嫁。女子感念朱生的义气，便嫁给了他。
A scholar named Zhu, of Yanggu, was flippant and loose as a young man, and loved a joke. When his wife died, he went to see an old matchmaker. There he happened to see the wife of her neighbour, and one glance told him she was beautiful. “I just caught sight of your neighbour,” he said to the old woman in jest. “Very young and very pretty. If you mean to help me in my search for a phoenix mate, she would do.” The old woman joked back: “Kill her husband, then, and I’ll see what I can do for you.” Zhu laughed. “Done.” A month or so later the neighbour went out to collect a debt and was murdered in the fields. The county magistrate arrested the neighbours and the ward headman and had them beaten bloody to get at the truth, but found no clue. Only the matchmaker reported the joke she and Zhu had traded, and on that account the magistrate suspected Zhu. Zhu was arrested and brought in, and denied it over and over. The magistrate also suspected the neighbour’s wife of an affair with him, and had her flogged. All five tortures were laid on her in turn; she could not bear it, and falsely confessed. Then he questioned Zhu again. “She is young and tender and cannot stand torture,” Zhu said. “Everything she said is false. To die wronged, and to have the name of an unchaste woman added to it — even if the gods and spirits know nothing of it, how could my heart bear that? Let me confess the truth. I wanted to kill the husband and marry the wife. It was all my doing. The wife truly knew nothing about it.” “What proof is there?” “The bloodstained clothes will prove it.” But when men were sent to search his house, none could be found. He was flogged again, and twice he died under it and came back to life. Then Zhu said, “It is only that my mother cannot bear to hand over the proof that will kill me. Let me fetch it myself.” So he was taken home under guard. “Give me the clothes, and I die,” he told his mother. “Don’t give them, and I still die. It is death either way, so better quick than slow.” His mother wept. She went into the inner room, and after a while came out with the clothes and gave them to him. The magistrate examined the stains, judged the evidence sound, and proposed that Zhu be beheaded. The case was sent back and tried again, more than once, and Zhu never changed his story. More than a year passed, and the day of execution was fixed. The magistrate was going over the prisoners’ cases when suddenly a man strode straight up into the courtroom, glared at him and cursed him: “A muddlehead like you — how are you fit to govern the people?” The runners, several dozen of them, moved together to seize him. He swung his arm once, and they all collapsed in a heap. The magistrate, terrified, tried to flee. “I am General Zhou, who stands before Lord Guan!” the man roared. “Move, you benighted official, and I’ll kill you on the spot!” The magistrate trembled and listened. “The murderer is Gong Biao,” said the man. “What has it to do with Zhu?” With that he fell to the ground as if his breath had stopped. In a moment he came to, his face drained of colour. When they asked who he was, he was Gong Biao. He was flogged, and confessed the whole crime. Gong had always been a lawless rogue. Knowing the neighbour was on his way home from collecting a debt, he assumed the purse at his waist would be full; but when he had killed him he found nothing. When he heard that Zhu had falsely confessed, he congratulated himself in secret. That day he had walked into the courthouse without knowing it at all. The magistrate asked Zhu where the bloodstained clothes had come from. Zhu did not know either. His mother was summoned and questioned: she had cut her own arm to stain them. They examined her left arm, and the knife wound had not yet healed. The magistrate, too, was aghast. Afterwards he was impeached for this and dismissed from office. He was fined and held in custody, and died there. A year or so later the neighbour’s mother wanted to marry off her son’s widow. Moved by Zhu’s chivalry, the young woman married him.