且說丁二爺到了院中，只見丫鬟抱著花瓶，換水插花。見了二爺進來，丫鬟揚聲道：「二官人進來了。」屋內月華小姐答言：「請二哥哥屋內坐。」丁二爺掀起繡簾，來至屋內，見小姐正在炕上弄針黹呢。二爺問道：「妹子做什麼活計？」小姐說：「鎖鏡邊上頭口兒呢。二哥，前廳有客，你怎麼進來裡面了呢？」丁二爺佯問道：「妹子如何知道前廳有客呢？」月華道：「方才取劍，說有客要領教，故此方知。」丁二爺道：「再休提劍，只因這人乃常州府武進縣遇杰村姓展名昭，表字熊飛，人皆稱他為南俠，如今現作皇家四品帶刀的護衛。哥哥已知道此人，但未會面。今日見了，果然好人品、好相貌，好本事，好武藝；未免才高必狂，藝高必傲，竟將咱們家的湛盧劍貶得不成樣子。哥哥說，此劍是另有個主兒的。他問是誰，哥哥就告訴他，是妹子的。他便鼻孔裡一笑，道：「一個閨中弱秀。焉有本領！」」月華聽至此，把臉一紅，眉頭一皺，便將活計放下了。丁二爺暗說：「有因，待我再激他一激。」又說道：「我就說：「我們將門中豈無虎女？」他就說：「雖是這麼說喲，未必真有本領。」妹子，你真有膽量，何不與他較量較量呢？倘若膽怯，也只好由他說去罷。現在老太太也在廳上，故此我來對妹妹說。」小姐聽畢，怒容滿面，道：「既如此，二哥先請，小妹隨後就到。」
且说丁二爷到了院中，只见丫鬟抱着花瓶，换水插花。见了二爷进来，丫鬟扬声道：「二官人进来了。」屋内月华小姐答言：「请二哥哥屋内坐。」丁二爷掀起绣帘，来至屋内，见小姐正在炕上弄针黹呢。二爷问道：「妹子做什么活计？」小姐说：「锁镜边上头口儿呢。二哥，前厅有客，你怎么进来里面了呢？」丁二爷佯问道：「妹子如何知道前厅有客呢？」月华道：「方才取剑，说有客要领教，故此方知。」丁二爷道：「再休提剑，只因这人乃常州府武进县遇杰村姓展名昭，表字熊飞，人皆称他为南侠，如今现作皇家四品带刀的护卫。哥哥已知道此人，但未会面。今日见了，果然好人品、好相貌，好本事，好武艺；未免才高必狂，艺高必傲，竟将咱们家的湛卢剑贬得不成样子。哥哥说，此剑是另有个主儿的。他问是谁，哥哥就告诉他，是妹子的。他便鼻孔里一笑，道：「一个闺中弱秀。焉有本领！」」月华听至此，把脸一红，眉头一皱，便将活计放下了。丁二爷暗说：「有因，待我再激他一激。」又说道：「我就说：「我们将门中岂无虎女？」他就说：「虽是这么说哟，未必真有本领。」妹子，你真有胆量，何不与他较量较量呢？倘若胆怯，也只好由他说去罢。现在老太太也在厅上，故此我来对妹妹说。」小姐听毕，怒容满面，道：「既如此，二哥先请，小妹随后就到。」
Now, when Second Master Ding came into the courtyard, he found a maid with a flower vase in her arms, changing the water and arranging the flowers. Seeing the Second Master come in, the maid called out, “The Second Master is here!” From inside the room Miss Yuehua answered, “Come in and sit down, Second Brother.” Second Master Ding lifted the embroidered door curtain and went in, and found the young lady sitting on the kang, busy with her needlework. “What are you working on, sister?” asked the Second Master. “I’m stitching the edging round the opening of a mirror cover,” said the young lady. “Second Brother, you have a guest in the front hall. What are you doing back here?” Second Master Ding pretended to be surprised. “How do you know there’s a guest in the front hall, sister?” “When they came for the sword just now,” said Yuehua, “they said a guest was to give his opinion of it. That’s how I know.” “Don’t talk to me about the sword!” said Second Master Ding. “It’s all because of this man. He comes from Yujie Village in Wujin County, Changzhou Prefecture. His name is Zhan Zhao, and he’s styled Xiongfei. Everyone calls him the Southern Hero, and now he serves the imperial house as a Sword-Bearing Guard of the fourth rank. I’d heard of him, but we’d never met. Today I met him, and sure enough: a fine character, fine looks, fine abilities, fine fighting skills. But talent breeds arrogance and skill breeds pride, as they’re bound to, and he ran down our family’s Zhanlu sword till there was nothing left of it. I told him this sword belonged to someone else. He asked who, and I told him it was yours, sister. At that he gave a scornful snort and said, ‘A frail little miss from the inner chambers! What skill could she have?’” When Yuehua heard this, her face flushed, her brows knitted, and she put down her work. Second Master Ding said to himself, “It’s working. Let me goad her a little more.” And he went on, “So I said, ‘What, can’t a general’s house breed tigresses?’ And he said, ‘That’s as may be, but I doubt she has any real skill.’ Sister, if you’ve really got the nerve, why not try a bout with him? If you’re afraid, well, we’ll just have to let him talk. Mother is in the hall too just now — that’s why I came to tell you.” When the young lady had heard him out, her face was full of anger. “In that case,” she said, “you go ahead, Second Brother. I’ll be right behind you.”
二爺得了這個口氣，便急忙來到前廳，在丁母耳邊悄悄說道：「妹子要與展哥比武。」話剛然說完，只見丫鬟報道：「小姐到。」丁母便叫，過來與展爺見禮。展爺立起身來一揖。小姐還了萬福。
二爷得了这个口气，便急忙来到前厅，在丁母耳边悄悄说道：「妹子要与展哥比武。」话刚然说完，只见丫鬟报道：「小姐到。」丁母便叫，过来与展爷见礼。展爷立起身来一揖。小姐还了万福。
Having got the answer he wanted, the Second Master hurried to the front hall and whispered in Madam Ding’s ear, “Sister wants a bout with Big Brother Zhan.” He had barely finished speaking when a maid announced, “The young lady is here.” Madam Ding called her over to greet Zhan Zhao. Zhan Zhao rose and bowed, and the young lady answered with a lady’s curtsy.
展爺見小姐莊靜秀美，卻是一臉的怒氣。又見丁二爺轉過身來，悄悄的道：「大哥，都是你褒貶人家劍，如今小妹出來，不依來了。」展爺道：「豈有此理？」二爺道：「什麼理不理的。我們將門虎女，焉有怕見人的理呢。」展爺聽了，便覺不悅。丁二爺卻又到小姐身後，悄悄道：「展大哥要與妹子較量呢。」小姐點頭首肯。二爺又轉到展爺身後，道：「小妹要請教大哥的武藝呢。」展爺此時更不耐煩了，便道：「既如此，劣兄奉陪就是了。」
展爷见小姐庄静秀美，却是一脸的怒气。又见丁二爷转过身来，悄悄的道：「大哥，都是你褒贬人家剑，如今小妹出来，不依来了。」展爷道：「岂有此理？」二爷道：「什么理不理的。我们将门虎女，焉有怕见人的理呢。」展爷听了，便觉不悦。丁二爷却又到小姐身后，悄悄道：「展大哥要与妹子较量呢。」小姐点头首肯。二爷又转到展爷身后，道：「小妹要请教大哥的武艺呢。」展爷此时更不耐烦了，便道：「既如此，劣兄奉陪就是了。」
Zhan Zhao saw that the young lady was poised and lovely, but her face was full of anger. Then Second Master Ding turned to him and said under his breath, “Big Brother, it’s all because you ran down somebody’s sword. Now my little sister has come out, and she won’t let it go.” “The very idea!” said Zhan Zhao. “Idea or no idea,” said the Second Master, “we’re a general’s family, and our girls are tigresses. The idea of being afraid to face people would never enter her head.” Zhan Zhao was displeased to hear it. Then Second Master Ding went round behind the young lady and whispered, “Big Brother Zhan wants to try a bout with you, sister.” The young lady nodded her consent. Then the Second Master went round behind Zhan Zhao and said, “My little sister would like to take a lesson from you in the martial arts, Big Brother.” By now Zhan Zhao was more put out than ever. “In that case,” he said, “I’ll be glad to oblige her.”