且說小俠艾虎自從離了臥虎溝，要奔襄陽。他因在莊三日未曾飲酒，頭天就飲了個過量之酒，走了半天就住了。次日也是如此。到了第三日，猛然省悟道：「不好！若要如此，豈不又象上臥虎溝一樣麼？倘然再要誤事，那就不成事了。從今後酒要檢點才好。」自己勸了自己一番。因心裡惦著走路，偏偏的起得早了，不辨路逕，只顧往前進發。及至天亮，遇見行人問時，誰知把路走錯了。理應往東，卻岔到東北，有五六十里之遙。幸喜此人老成，的的確確告訴他，由何處到何鎮，再由何鎮到何堡，過了何堡幾里方是襄陽大路。艾虎聽了，躬身道謝，執手告別，自己暗道：「這是怎麼說！起了個五更，趕了個晚集。這半夜的工夫白走了。仔細想來，全是前兩日貪酒之過。若不是那兩天醉了，何至有今日之忙，何至有如此之錯呢？可見酒之誤事不小。」自己悔恨無及。
且说小侠艾虎自从离了卧虎沟，要奔襄阳。他因在庄三日未曾饮酒，头天就饮了个过量之酒，走了半天就住了。次日也是如此。到了第三日，猛然省悟道：「不好！若要如此，岂不又象上卧虎沟一样么？倘然再要误事，那就不成事了。从今后酒要检点才好。」自己劝了自己一番。因心里惦着走路，偏偏的起得早了，不辨路径，只顾往前进发。及至天亮，遇见行人问时，谁知把路走错了。理应往东，却岔到东北，有五六十里之遥。幸喜此人老成，的的确确告诉他，由何处到何镇，再由何镇到何堡，过了何堡几里方是襄阳大路。艾虎听了，躬身道谢，执手告别，自己暗道：「这是怎么说！起了个五更，赶了个晚集。这半夜的工夫白走了。仔细想来，全是前两日贪酒之过。若不是那两天醉了，何至有今日之忙，何至有如此之错呢？可见酒之误事不小。」自己悔恨无及。
Now, after the Young Hero Ai Hu left Wohugou, he set out for Xiangyang. Because he had gone three days at the manor without a drop of wine, on the very first day he drank more than his fill, walked for half a day and stopped for the night. The next day it was the same. On the third day it suddenly came home to him. “This won’t do! If I carry on like this, won’t it be the trip to Wohugou all over again? If I botch things a second time, that’s the end of it. From now on I’d better watch my drinking.” And he gave himself a good talking-to. Since his mind was on the road, he got up too early, as luck would have it, and could not make out the way; he simply pressed on ahead. When day broke and he met someone on the road and asked, it turned out he had taken the wrong road. He should have gone east, but he had strayed off to the northeast, a good fifty or sixty li out of his way. Luckily the man was a steady sort and told him exactly: from here to such-and-such a town, from that town to such-and-such a village, and a few li past that village he would be on the high road to Xiangyang. Ai Hu heard him out, bowed his thanks, clasped his hands to the man in farewell, and said to himself, “What a business! Up at the fifth watch and still late for market. Half a night’s walking for nothing. When I think it over, it’s all because I was greedy for wine these last two days. If I hadn’t been drunk those two days, why would I be in such a rush today, and how could I have gone so far wrong? It shows how much harm drink can do.” He was full of regret, but it was too late.
那知他就在此一錯上，便把北俠等讓過去了，所以直到襄陽全未遇見。這日好容易到了襄陽，各處店寓詢問，俱各不知。他那知道北俠等三人再不住旅店，惟恐怕招人的疑忌，全是在野寺古廟存身。小俠尋找多時，心內煩躁，只得找個店寓住了。
那知他就在此一错上，便把北侠等让过去了，所以直到襄阳全未遇见。这日好容易到了襄阳，各处店寓询问，俱各不知。他那知道北侠等三人再不住旅店，惟恐怕招人的疑忌，全是在野寺古庙存身。小侠寻找多时，心内烦躁，只得找个店寓住了。
Little did he know that with this one wrong turn he had let the Northern Hero and the others go by him, and so he never met them all the way to Xiangyang. At long last he reached Xiangyang one day and asked at every inn and lodging, but no one knew anything. How was he to know that the Northern Hero and his two companions never stayed at inns for fear of drawing suspicion, but always put up in lonely temples and old shrines? The Young Hero searched for a long time and grew fretful, and in the end there was nothing for it but to find an inn and take a room.
次日便在各處訪查，酒也不敢多吃了。到處聽人傳說，新升來一位巡按大人姓顏，是包丞相的門生，為人精明，辦事梗直。倘若來時，大家可要把冤枉申訴申訴。又有悄悄低言講論的，他卻聽不真切。他便暗暗生智，坐在那裡，彷彿瞌睡，前仰後合，卻是閉目合睛，側耳細聽，漸漸的聽在耳內。原來是講究如何是立盟書，如何是蓋沖霄樓，如何設銅網陣。一連探訪了三日，到處講究的全是這些，心內早得了些主意。
次日便在各处访查，酒也不敢多吃了。到处听人传说，新升来一位巡按大人姓颜，是包丞相的门生，为人精明，办事梗直。倘若来时，大家可要把冤枉申诉申诉。又有悄悄低言讲论的，他却听不真切。他便暗暗生智，坐在那里，仿佛瞌睡，前仰后合，却是闭目合睛，侧耳细听，渐渐的听在耳内。原来是讲究如何是立盟书，如何是盖冲霄楼，如何设铜网阵。一连探访了三日，到处讲究的全是这些，心内早得了些主意。
The next day he went asking about everywhere, and he no longer dared drink much. Wherever he went he heard people saying that a new Inspector had been appointed, an official by the name of Yan, a protégé of Minister Bao, shrewd and clear-headed and straight as a die in his dealings. When he came, they meant to lay their grievances before him. There were others, too, who talked things over in low whispers, and those he could not quite make out. So he hit on a quiet trick. He sat there as if he were dozing, nodding and swaying back and forth, his eyes shut but his ears cocked, and little by little he took it all in. They were talking of how the covenant had been drawn up, how the Chongxiao Tower had been built, how the Copper Net Array had been laid. For three days running he went about listening, and everywhere they talked of nothing else, and by now he had more or less made up his mind what to do.