且說施生同錦箋乘馬，佳蕙坐了一乘小轎，私自來到江邊，擺下祭禮，換了素服。施生拜奠，錦箋佳蕙跟在相公後面行禮。佳蕙此時哀哀戚戚的痛哭至甚，施生也是慘慘淒淒淚流不止，錦箋在旁懇懇切切百般勸慰。痛哭之後，復又拈香。候香燼的工夫，大家觀望江景。只見那邊來了一幫官船，卻是家眷行囊，船頭上艙門口一邊坐著一個丫環，裡面影影綽綽有個半老的夫人同著一位及笄的小姐，還有一個年少的相公。船臨江近，不由的都往岸邊瞭望。見施生背著手兒遠眺江景，瞧佳蕙手持羅帕，仍然拭淚。小姐看了多時，搭訕著對相公說道：「兄弟，你看那人的面貌好似佳蕙。」小相公尚未答言，夫人道：「我兒悄言，世間面貌相同者頗多。他若是佳蕙，那廂必是施生了。」小姐方不言語，惟有秋水凝眸而已。
且说施生同锦笺乘马，佳蕙坐了一乘小轿，私自来到江边，摆下祭礼，换了素服。施生拜奠，锦笺佳蕙跟在相公后面行礼。佳蕙此时哀哀戚戚的痛哭至甚，施生也是惨惨凄凄泪流不止，锦笺在旁恳恳切切百般劝慰。痛哭之后，复又拈香。候香烬的工夫，大家观望江景。只见那边来了一帮官船，却是家眷行囊，船头上舱门口一边坐着一个丫环，里面影影绰绰有个半老的夫人同着一位及笄的小姐，还有一个年少的相公。船临江近，不由的都往岸边瞭望。见施生背着手儿远眺江景，瞧佳蕙手持罗帕，仍然拭泪。小姐看了多时，搭讪着对相公说道：「兄弟，你看那人的面貌好似佳蕙。」小相公尚未答言，夫人道：「我儿悄言，世间面貌相同者颇多。他若是佳蕙，那厢必是施生了。」小姐方不言语，惟有秋水凝眸而已。
Now, Shi Jun rode out with Jinjian, and Jiahui went in a small sedan chair. They came privately to the riverside, set out the offerings and changed into plain mourning white. Shi Jun poured the libation and bowed, and Jinjian and Jiahui followed behind their young master in the rites. Jiahui wept as if her heart would break, Shi Jun’s tears flowed on and on in his grief, and Jinjian at his side tried earnestly, every way he knew, to comfort them. When they had wept their fill they lit fresh incense, and while they waited for it to burn down they all stood looking out over the river. Just then a string of official boats came along, carrying a household and its baggage. At the cabin door on the bow sat a maid on either side, and within could be dimly seen a lady of middle years with a young lady just come of age, and a young gentleman as well. As the boat drew near the bank, they could not help looking out at the shore. They saw Shi Jun with his hands behind his back, gazing out over the river, and Jiahui, a silk handkerchief in her hand, still wiping away her tears. The young lady looked a long while, then said to the young gentleman, as if in passing, “Brother, look: doesn’t that face look like Jiahui’s?” Before the young gentleman could answer, the lady said, “Hush, child. There are plenty of people in the world who look alike. If that were Jiahui, the other one would have to be Shi Jun.” Only then did the young lady fall silent, and simply gazed with eyes clear as autumn water.
原來此船就是金太守的家眷，何氏夫人帶著牡丹小姐金章公子。何氏夫人早已看見岸邊有素服祭奠之人，仔細看來，正是施生與佳蕙。施生是自幼兒常見的，佳蕙更不消說了，心中已覺慘切之至。一來惟恐小姐傷心，現有施生，不大穩便；二來又因金公脾氣不敢造次相認，所以說了句「世間面貌相同者頗多」。
原来此船就是金太守的家眷，何氏夫人带着牡丹小姐金章公子。何氏夫人早已看见岸边有素服祭奠之人，仔细看来，正是施生与佳蕙。施生是自幼儿常见的，佳蕙更不消说了，心中已觉惨切之至。一来惟恐小姐伤心，现有施生，不大稳便；二来又因金公脾气不敢造次相认，所以说了句「世间面貌相同者颇多」。
This boat, as it happened, carried Governor Jin’s household: Madam He with Miss Mudan and young Master Jin Zhang. Madam He had long since noticed the people in white making offerings on the bank, and looking closely she saw that it was indeed Shi Jun and Jiahui. Shi Jun she had seen often since he was a little boy, and Jiahui went without saying, so her heart was already wrung with grief. But for one thing, she was afraid of breaking her daughter’s heart, and with Shi Jun right there it would not be quite seemly; for another, knowing Lord Jin’s temper, she did not dare to hail them rashly. So she said only, “There are plenty of people in the world who look alike.”
船已過去，到了停泊之處，早有丁雄呂慶在那裡伺候迎接。呂慶已從施公處回來，知是金公家眷到了，連忙伺候。僕婦丫環上前攙扶著，棄舟乘轎，直奔長沙府衙門去了。不多時，金老爺也到，丁雄呂慶上前請安，說：「家老爺備的馬匹在此，請老爺乘用。」金公笑吟吟的道：「你家老爺在那裡呢？」丁雄道：「在公館恭候老爺。」金公忙接絲韁，呂慶墜鐙，上了坐騎。丁雄呂慶也上了馬。呂慶在前引路，丁雄策著馬在金公旁邊。金公問他：「幾時到的長沙？你家老爺見了書信說些什麼？」丁雄道：「小人回來時極其迅速，不多幾日就到了。家老爺見了老爺的書信，小人不甚明白。等老爺見了家老爺，再為細述。」金公點了點頭。說話間，丁雄一伏身，唿喇喇馬已跑開。
船已过去，到了停泊之处，早有丁雄吕庆在那里伺候迎接。吕庆已从施公处回来，知是金公家眷到了，连忙伺候。仆妇丫环上前搀扶着，弃舟乘轿，直奔长沙府衙门去了。不多时，金老爷也到，丁雄吕庆上前请安，说：「家老爷备的马匹在此，请老爷乘用。」金公笑吟吟的道：「你家老爷在那里呢？」丁雄道：「在公馆恭候老爷。」金公忙接丝缰，吕庆坠镫，上了坐骑。丁雄吕庆也上了马。吕庆在前引路，丁雄策着马在金公旁边。金公问他：「几时到的长沙？你家老爷见了书信说些什么？」丁雄道：「小人回来时极其迅速，不多几日就到了。家老爷见了老爷的书信，小人不甚明白。等老爷见了家老爷，再为细述。」金公点了点头。说话间，丁雄一伏身，唿喇喇马已跑开。
The boat passed on and came to the moorings, where Ding Xiong and Lü Qing were already waiting to receive them. Lü Qing had come back from Lord Shi’s, and knowing that Lord Jin’s household had arrived, he hurried to attend them. Serving women and maids stepped up to help the ladies, who left the boat for sedan chairs and went straight to the yamen of Changsha Prefecture. Before long Lord Jin arrived too. Ding Xiong and Lü Qing stepped up to pay their respects and said, “My master has had horses got ready here. Will Your Lordship please ride?” Lord Jin smiled broadly. “And where is your master?” “Waiting for Your Lordship at the official guesthouse,” said Ding Xiong. Lord Jin took the silk reins, Lü Qing held the stirrup, and he mounted. Ding Xiong and Lü Qing mounted too. Lü Qing led the way in front, and Ding Xiong kept his horse at Lord Jin’s side. “When did you get to Changsha?” Lord Jin asked him. “And what did your master say when he saw my letter?” “I came back very fast, sir,” said Ding Xiong. “It took me only a few days. As for my master and Your Lordship’s letter, I don’t rightly understand it. When Your Lordship sees my master, he can tell you all about it himself.” Lord Jin nodded. As they talked, Ding Xiong bent low over his horse, and with a clatter of hooves he was off at a gallop.