且說盧方自白玉堂亡後，每日茶飯無心，不過應個景而已。不多時，酒飯已畢，四人閒坐。盧方因一夜不曾合眼，便有些困倦，在一旁和衣而臥。韓彰與蔣平二人計議如何盜取骨殖，又張羅行李馬匹。獨獨把個愣爺撇在一邊，不瞅不睬，好生氣悶，心內輾轉道：「同是結義弟兄，如何他們去得，我就去不得呢？難道他們盡弟兄的情長，單不許我盡點心麼？豈有此理！我看他們商量的得意，實實令人可氣。」站起身來，出了房屋，便奔展爺的單間而來。
且说卢方自白玉堂亡后，每日茶饭无心，不过应个景而已。不多时，酒饭已毕，四人闲坐。卢方因一夜不曾合眼，便有些困倦，在一旁和衣而卧。韩彰与蒋平二人计议如何盗取骨殖，又张罗行李马匹。独独把个愣爷撇在一边，不瞅不睬，好生气闷，心内辗转道：「同是结义弟兄，如何他们去得，我就去不得呢？难道他们尽弟兄的情长，单不许我尽点心么？岂有此理！我看他们商量的得意，实实令人可气。」站起身来，出了房屋，便奔展爷的单间而来。
Now, ever since Bai Yutang’s death Lu Fang had had no heart for food or drink, and ate only for form’s sake. Before long the wine and the meal were over and the four of them sat at their ease. Lu Fang, who had not closed his eyes all night, was rather drowsy, and lay down to one side in his clothes. Han Zhang and Jiang Ping put their heads together over how to steal the bones, and saw to the luggage and the horses. The madcap Xu Qing alone was left out in the cold; nobody looked his way or paid him any mind. He was thoroughly put out, and turned it over and over: “We’re all sworn brothers alike. How come they can go and I can’t? Are they the only ones allowed to show what they feel for a brother, and I’m not allowed to do my bit? The very idea! Look how pleased they are with their scheming. It’s enough to make a man boil.” He got up, left the room and headed straight for Zhan Zhao’s room.
剛然進屋，見展爺方才睡醒，在那裡擦臉，他也不管事之輕重，撲翻身跪倒道：「哎呀！展大哥呀！委屈煞小弟了。求你老幫扶幫扶呀！」說罷，痛哭。倒把展爺嚇了一跳，連忙拉起他道：「三弟，這是為何？有話起來說。」徐慶更會撒潑，一壁抽泣著，一壁說道：「大哥，你老若應了幫扶小弟，小弟方才起來；你老若不應，小弟就死在這裡了！」展爺道：「是了，劣兄幫扶你就是了。三弟快些起來講。」徐慶又磕了一個頭，道：「大哥應了，再無反悔。」方立起身來，拭去淚痕，坐下道：「小弟非為別事，求大哥同小弟到五峰嶺走走。」展爺道：「端的為著何事？」徐慶便將盧方要盜白玉堂的骨殖說了一遍。「他們三個怎麼拿著我不當人，都說我不好。我如今偏要賭賭這口氣。沒奈何，求大哥幫扶小弟走走。」展爺聽了，暗暗思忖道：「原來為著此事。我想蔣四弟是個極其精細之人，必有一番見解。而且盜骨是機密之事，似他這魯莽烈性，如何使得呢？若要不去，已然應了他，又不好意思。而且他為此事屈體下禮，說不得了，好歹只得同他走走。」便問道：「三弟幾時起身？」徐慶道：「就在今晚。」展爺道：「如何恁般忙呢？」徐慶道：「大哥不曉得，我二哥與四弟定於後日起身。我既要賭這口氣，須早兩天。及至他們到時，咱們功已成了。那時方出這口惡氣。還有一宗，大哥千萬不可叫二哥四弟知道。晚間我與大哥悄悄的一溜兒，急急趕向前去，方妙。」展爺無奈何，只得應了。徐慶立起身來道：『小弟還到那邊照應去。大哥暗暗收拾行李器械馬匹。起身以前，在衙門後牆專等。」展爺點頭。
刚然进屋，见展爷方才睡醒，在那里擦脸，他也不管事之轻重，扑翻身跪倒道：「哎呀！展大哥呀！委屈煞小弟了。求你老帮扶帮扶呀！」说罢，痛哭。倒把展爷吓了一跳，连忙拉起他道：「三弟，这是为何？有话起来说。」徐庆更会撒泼，一壁抽泣着，一壁说道：「大哥，你老若应了帮扶小弟，小弟方才起来；你老若不应，小弟就死在这里了！」展爷道：「是了，劣兄帮扶你就是了。三弟快些起来讲。」徐庆又磕了一个头，道：「大哥应了，再无反悔。」方立起身来，拭去泪痕，坐下道：「小弟非为别事，求大哥同小弟到五峰岭走走。」展爷道：「端的为着何事？」徐庆便将卢方要盗白玉堂的骨殖说了一遍。「他们三个怎么拿着我不当人，都说我不好。我如今偏要赌赌这口气。没奈何，求大哥帮扶小弟走走。」展爷听了，暗暗思忖道：「原来为着此事。我想蒋四弟是个极其精细之人，必有一番见解。而且盗骨是机密之事，似他这鲁莽烈性，如何使得呢？若要不去，已然应了他，又不好意思。而且他为此事屈体下礼，说不得了，好歹只得同他走走。」便问道：「三弟几时起身？」徐庆道：「就在今晚。」展爷道：「如何恁般忙呢？」徐庆道：「大哥不晓得，我二哥与四弟定于后日起身。我既要赌这口气，须早两天。及至他们到时，咱们功已成了。那时方出这口恶气。还有一宗，大哥千万不可叫二哥四弟知道。晚间我与大哥悄悄的一溜儿，急急赶向前去，方妙。」展爷无奈何，只得应了。徐庆立起身来道：『小弟还到那边照应去。大哥暗暗收拾行李器械马匹。起身以前，在衙门后墙专等。」展爷点头。
He had barely stepped into the room when he saw that Zhan Zhao had just woken and was wiping his face. Never stopping to think how serious a matter it was, Xu Qing flung himself down on his knees. “Oh! Brother Zhan! I’ve been wronged something terrible! You’ve got to help me out!” With that he burst into loud sobs. Zhan Zhao was quite startled, and hurried to pull him up. “Third Brother, what is all this? If you have something to say, get up and say it.” But Xu Qing was better still at making a scene. Sobbing all the while, he said, “Brother, if you’ll promise to help me, then I’ll get up. If you won’t, I’ll die right here!” “All right,” said Zhan Zhao, “I’ll help you, and that’s that. Get up quickly, Third Brother, and tell me.” Xu Qing knocked his head on the floor once more. “You’ve promised, Brother. No going back on it.” Only then did he stand up, wipe away his tears and sit down. “It’s nothing else,” he said. “I want you to come with me to Wufeng Ridge, Brother.” “What in the world for?” asked Zhan Zhao. So Xu Qing told him all about Lu Fang’s plan to steal Bai Yutang’s bones. “How come the three of them treat me like I’m not even a person, and all say I’m no good? Well, now I’m going to show them, just to spite them. There’s nothing else for it. Please, Brother, help me out and come along.” Hearing this, Zhan Zhao thought to himself: “So that’s what this is about. Fourth Brother Jiang thinks of everything; he must have his reasons. Besides, stealing the bones is secret work. How could a rash, hot-blooded fellow like him be trusted with it? But if I don’t go, when I’ve already promised him, I couldn’t face him. And he went down on his knees and humbled himself over this. There’s no more to be said: one way or another I’ll just have to go with him.” So he asked, “When do you mean to start, Third Brother?” “Tonight,” said Xu Qing. “Why in such a hurry?” said Zhan Zhao. “You don’t know, Brother,” said Xu Qing. “My Second Brother and Fourth Brother have fixed on the day after tomorrow to set off. If I’m going to show them, we’ve got to be two days ahead. By the time they get there, we’ll have done the job already, and then I’ll finally get this bile off my chest. And another thing: Brother, whatever you do, don’t let Second Brother and Fourth Brother know. Tonight you and me slip off on the quiet and hurry on ahead. That’s the way.” Zhan Zhao could do nothing about it and had to agree. Xu Qing stood up. “I’ll go back over there and keep an eye on things. Brother, you get your luggage, your weapons and your horse ready on the quiet. Before we start, I’ll be waiting for you at the back wall of the yamen.” Zhan Zhao nodded.
徐慶去後，展爺又好笑又後悔，笑是笑他粗鹵，悔是不該應他。事已如此，無可如何，只得叫過伴當來，將此事悄悄告訴他，叫他收拾行李馬匹。又取過筆硯來，寫了兩封字兒藏好。然後到按院那裡看了一番，又同眾人吃過了晚飯。看天已昏黑，便轉回屋中，問伴當道：「行李馬匹俱有了？」伴當道：「方才跟徐爺的伴當來了，說他家爺在衙門後頭等著呢。將爺的行李馬匹也攏在一處了。」展爺點了點頭，回手從懷中掏出兩個字柬來道：「此柬是給公孫老爺的，此柬是給蔣四爺的。你在此屋等著，候初更之後再將此字送去，就交與跟爺們的從人，不必面遞。交待明白，急急趕赴前去。我們在途中慢慢等你。這是怕他們追趕之意，省得徐三爺抱怨於我。」伴當一一答應。
徐庆去后，展爷又好笑又后悔，笑是笑他粗卤，悔是不该应他。事已如此，无可如何，只得叫过伴当来，将此事悄悄告诉他，叫他收拾行李马匹。又取过笔砚来，写了两封字儿藏好。然后到按院那里看了一番，又同众人吃过了晚饭。看天已昏黑，便转回屋中，问伴当道：「行李马匹俱有了？」伴当道：「方才跟徐爷的伴当来了，说他家爷在衙门后头等着呢。将爷的行李马匹也拢在一处了。」展爷点了点头，回手从怀中掏出两个字柬来道：「此柬是给公孙老爷的，此柬是给蒋四爷的。你在此屋等着，候初更之后再将此字送去，就交与跟爷们的从人，不必面递。交待明白，急急赶赴前去。我们在途中慢慢等你。这是怕他们追赶之意，省得徐三爷抱怨于我。」伴当一一答应。
When Xu Qing had gone, Zhan Zhao did not know whether to laugh or to kick himself: laugh at the man’s crude ways, kick himself for having given his word. But what was done was done, and nothing could be helped. He called his attendant over, told him the whole thing in private, and had him get the luggage and the horse ready. Then he took brush and inkstone, wrote two notes and put them away. After that he went over to the Inspector’s to look in on him, and then had supper with everyone else. When he saw that it was dark, he went back to his room. “Are the luggage and the horse all seen to?” he asked his attendant. “Master Xu’s attendant came just now,” said the man. “He said his master is waiting behind the yamen. Your luggage and horse are over there with theirs, sir.” Zhan Zhao nodded. Then he reached into his breast and drew out the two notes. “This note is for Mr. Gongsun, and this one is for Master Jiang. Wait here in this room. Once the first watch has been drummed, take these notes over. Give them to the gentlemen’s servants; there’s no need to hand them over in person. When that’s done, hurry after us. We’ll be going slowly along the road, waiting for you. It’s in case they come chasing after us; that will save Third Master Xu from blaming me.” The attendant said yes to every word.