且說蔣平要去打聽白玉堂下落，急急奔到八寶莊找著了雷震。恰好雷英在家，聽說蔣爺到了，父子一同出迎。雷英先叩謝了救父之恩。雷震連忙請蔣爺到書房獻茶，寒暄敘罷，蔣爺便問白玉堂的下落。雷英歎道：「說來實在可慘可傷。」便一長一短說出。蔣爺聽了，哭了個哽氣倒噎，連雷震也為之掉淚。
且说蒋平要去打听白玉堂下落，急急奔到八宝庄找着了雷震。恰好雷英在家，听说蒋爷到了，父子一同出迎。雷英先叩谢了救父之恩。雷震连忙请蒋爷到书房献茶，寒暄叙罢，蒋爷便问白玉堂的下落。雷英叹道：「说来实在可惨可伤。」便一长一短说出。蒋爷听了，哭了个哽气倒噎，连雷震也为之掉泪。
Now, Jiang Ping, wanting to find out what had become of Bai Yutang, hurried to Babao Village and sought out Lei Zhen. As it happened, Lei Ying was at home, and when he heard that Jiang Ping had come, father and son went out together to meet him. Lei Ying first knelt and kowtowed to thank him for saving his father’s life. Lei Zhen at once asked Jiang Ping into the study and served tea. When the courtesies were over, Jiang Ping asked what had become of Bai Yutang. Lei Ying sighed. “It is a truly pitiful, heartbreaking tale,” he said, and told him all of it from beginning to end. Hearing it, Jiang Ping wept till he choked and gasped for breath, and even Lei Zhen shed tears.
這段情節不好說，不忍說，又不能不說。你道白玉堂端的如何？自那日改了行裝，私離衙署，找了個小廟存身，卻是個小天齊廟，自己暗暗思索道：「白玉堂英名一世，歸結卻遭了別人的暗算，豈不可氣可恥。按院的印信別人敢盜，難道奸王的盟書我就不敢盜麼？前次沈仲元雖說銅網陣的利害，他也不過說個大概，並不知其中的底細，大約也是少所見而多所怪的意思。如何能夠處處有線索，步步有消息呢？但有存身站腳之處，我白玉堂仗著一身武藝，也可以支持得來。倘能盟書到手，那時一本奏上當今，將奸王參倒，還愁印信沒有麼？」越思越想，甚是得意。
这段情节不好说，不忍说，又不能不说。你道白玉堂端的如何？自那日改了行装，私离衙署，找了个小庙存身，却是个小天齐庙，自己暗暗思索道：「白玉堂英名一世，归结却遭了别人的暗算，岂不可气可耻。按院的印信别人敢盗，难道奸王的盟书我就不敢盗么？前次沈仲元虽说铜网阵的利害，他也不过说个大概，并不知其中的底细，大约也是少所见而多所怪的意思。如何能够处处有线索，步步有消息呢？但有存身站脚之处，我白玉堂仗着一身武艺，也可以支持得来。倘能盟书到手，那时一本奏上当今，将奸王参倒，还愁印信没有么？」越思越想，甚是得意。
This part of the story is hard to tell and painful to tell, and yet it must be told. What, you may ask, had really become of Bai Yutang? On the day he changed his clothes and slipped away from the yamen, he found a little temple to stay in — a small Tianqi Temple, as it happened — and there he turned things over in his mind. “All his life Bai Yutang has had a hero’s name,” he thought, “and in the end he falls victim to another man’s scheming. Isn’t it maddening, isn’t it shameful? If others dare to steal the Inspector’s seal, am I not to dare to steal the treacherous prince’s covenant? Last time, for all Shen Zhongyuan said about how deadly the Copper Net Array is, he only gave the rough idea of it. He doesn’t know the ins and outs. Most likely it’s a case of ‘the less a man has seen, the more he marvels.’ How could there be a trip cord at every spot and a trigger at every step? So long as there’s somewhere to set my feet, I, Bai Yutang, can hold my own on the strength of my skill. If I can get my hands on the covenant, one memorial to His Majesty will bring the treacherous prince down — and then why worry about the seal?” The more he thought it over, the more pleased he was with himself.
到了夜間二鼓之時，便到了木城之下。來過二次，門戶已然看慣，毫不介意。端詳了端詳，就由坎門而入。轉了幾個門戶。心中不耐煩，在百寶囊中掏出如意縧來。凡有不通閉塞之處，也不尋門，也不找戶，將如意縧拋上去，用手理定絨繩，便過去。一連幾次，皆是如此，更覺爽快無阻，心中暢快，暗道：「他雖然設了疑陣，其奈我白玉堂何！」越過多少板牆，便看見沖霄樓。仍在石基之上歇息了歇息，自己犯想道：「前次沈仲元說過，樓梯在正北。我且到樓梯看看。』順著臺基，繞到樓梯一看，果與馬道相似。才待要上，只見有人說道：「什麼人？病太歲張華在此。」「嗖」的一刀砍來。白玉堂也不招架，將身一閃，刀卻砍空。張華往前一撲，白玉堂就勢一腳。張華站不穩栽將下來，刀已落地。白玉堂趕上一步，將刀一拿，覺著甚是沉重壓手，暗道：「這小子好大力氣。不然，如何使這樣的笨物呢！」
到了夜间二鼓之时，便到了木城之下。来过二次，门户已然看惯，毫不介意。端详了端详，就由坎门而入。转了几个门户。心中不耐烦，在百宝囊中掏出如意绦来。凡有不通闭塞之处，也不寻门，也不找户，将如意绦抛上去，用手理定绒绳，便过去。一连几次，皆是如此，更觉爽快无阻，心中畅快，暗道：「他虽然设了疑阵，其奈我白玉堂何！」越过多少板墙，便看见冲霄楼。仍在石基之上歇息了歇息，自己犯想道：「前次沈仲元说过，楼梯在正北。我且到楼梯看看。』顺着台基，绕到楼梯一看，果与马道相似。才待要上，只见有人说道：「什么人？病太岁张华在此。」「嗖」的一刀砍来。白玉堂也不招架，将身一闪，刀却砍空。张华往前一扑，白玉堂就势一脚。张华站不稳栽将下来，刀已落地。白玉堂赶上一步，将刀一拿，觉着甚是沉重压手，暗道：「这小子好大力气。不然，如何使这样的笨物呢！」
At the second watch of the night he came to the foot of the wooden stockade. He had been here twice before and was used to its doors and gates by now, so he gave them no thought. He looked them over and went in by the Kan door. He passed through a few more doors and grew impatient, so he took the as-you-wish rope out of his hundred-treasure pouch. Wherever the way was shut or blocked, he didn’t look for a gate or hunt for a door: he flung the as-you-wish rope up, steadied the cord in his hand and went over. Time after time he did the same, and finding that nothing could stop him, he felt freer and more cheerful still. “He may lay out a maze to baffle men,” he thought, “but what can it do to me, Bai Yutang!” Over who knows how many board walls he went, and then he saw the Chongxiao Tower. Again he rested a little on the stone base and thought to himself, “Last time Shen Zhongyuan said the stairs are due north. I’ll go and have a look at them.” Following the terrace round, he came to the stairs and looked: they were indeed like the ramp up a city wall. He was just about to climb when someone said, “Who’s there? The Sickly Terror, Zhang Hua, is here!” — and whoosh, a blade came slashing down. Bai Yutang didn’t parry it but swayed aside, and the blow struck empty air. Zhang Hua lurched forward, and Bai Yutang followed it up with a kick. Zhang Hua lost his footing and toppled down, and his sword fell to the ground. Bai Yutang stepped after him and picked it up. It felt very heavy, a dead weight in his hand. “This fellow must be strong as an ox,” he thought. “Otherwise why would he use such a clumsy great thing!”