且說白玉堂將雨墨扶起，道：「你家相公在那裡？」賈牢頭不容雨墨答言，他便說：「顏相公在這單屋內，都是小人們伺候。」白五爺道：「好。你們用心服侍，我自有賞賜。」賈牢頭連連答應幾個「是」。
且说白玉堂将雨墨扶起，道：「你家相公在那里？」贾牢头不容雨墨答言，他便说：「颜相公在这单屋内，都是小人们伺候。」白五爷道：「好。你们用心服侍，我自有赏赐。」贾牢头连连答应几个「是」。
Now, Bai Yutang raised Yumo to his feet and said, “Where is your master?” Before Yumo could answer, Jailer Jia broke in: “Mr. Yan has this room here all to himself, sir, and it’s us who wait on him.” “Good,” said Fifth Master Bai. “See that you look after him properly, and you will be rewarded.” Jailer Jia said “Yes, sir” several times over.
此時雨墨已然告訴了顏生。白五爺來至屋內，見顏生蓬頭垢面，雖無刑具加身，已然形容憔悴。連忙上前執手道：「仁兄，如何遭此冤枉？」說至此，聲音有些慘切。誰知顏生毫不動念，說道：「嗐！愚兄愧見賢弟。賢弟到此何干哪？」白五爺見顏生並無憂愁哭泣之狀，惟有羞容滿面，心中暗暗點頭，誇道：「顏生真英雄也。」便問：「此事因何而起？」顏生道：「賢弟問他怎麼？」白玉堂道：「你我知己弟兄，非泛泛可比。難道仁兄還瞞著小弟不成？」顏生無奈，只得說道：「此事皆是愚兄之過。」便說：「繡紅寄柬，愚兄並未看明柬上是何言詞。因有人來，便將柬兒放在書內。誰知此柬遺失。到了夜間，就生出此事。柳洪便將愚兄呈送本縣。後來虧得雨墨暗暗打聽，方知是小姐一片苦心，全是為顧愚兄。愚兄自恨遺失柬約，釀成禍端。兄若不應承，難道還攀扯閨閣弱質，壞他的清白？愚兄惟有一死而已！」
此时雨墨已然告诉了颜生。白五爷来至屋内，见颜生蓬头垢面，虽无刑具加身，已然形容憔悴。连忙上前执手道：「仁兄，如何遭此冤枉？」说至此，声音有些惨切。谁知颜生毫不动念，说道：「嗐！愚兄愧见贤弟。贤弟到此何干哪？」白五爷见颜生并无忧愁哭泣之状，惟有羞容满面，心中暗暗点头，夸道：「颜生真英雄也。」便问：「此事因何而起？」颜生道：「贤弟问他怎么？」白玉堂道：「你我知己弟兄，非泛泛可比。难道仁兄还瞒着小弟不成？」颜生无奈，只得说道：「此事皆是愚兄之过。」便说：「绣红寄柬，愚兄并未看明柬上是何言词。因有人来，便将柬儿放在书内。谁知此柬遗失。到了夜间，就生出此事。柳洪便将愚兄呈送本县。后来亏得雨墨暗暗打听，方知是小姐一片苦心，全是为顾愚兄。愚兄自恨遗失柬约，酿成祸端。兄若不应承，难道还攀扯闺阁弱质，坏他的清白？愚兄惟有一死而已！」
By now Yumo had already told Yan. Fifth Master Bai came into the room and found Yan with his hair matted and his face grimy; though he wore no fetters, he had grown haggard and wan. Bai hurried forward and took his hands. “Elder Brother, how did you come to suffer such a wrong?” As he said it, his voice caught a little. But, as it turned out, Yan was not moved in the least. “Ah!” he said. “I am ashamed to face you, brother. What brings you here?” Seeing that Yan showed no sign of grief or tears, only a face full of shame, Fifth Master Bai nodded to himself and thought in admiration, “Yan is a true hero.” Then he asked, “How did this come about?” “Why do you ask about that, brother?” said Yan. “You and I are sworn brothers who know each other’s hearts,” said Bai Yutang. “We are not mere acquaintances. Surely you will not keep it from me, Elder Brother?” Yan had no choice but to say, “All of this is my own fault.” And he went on: “Xiuhong brought me a note, and I never read properly what was written on it. Someone came, so I put the note away in a book. And then, who would have thought it, the note was lost. That night this happened, and Liu Hong handed me over to the county. Afterwards, thanks to Yumo’s secret inquiries, I learned that it had all been the young lady’s doing, out of the kindness of her heart, all for my sake. I hate myself for losing that note and bringing on this disaster. If I did not take the blame, should I drag a sheltered, delicate girl into it and spoil her good name? There is nothing for me but to die!”
白玉堂聽了顏生之言，頗覺有理。復轉念一想，道：「仁兄知恩報恩，捨己成人，原是大丈夫所為。獨不念老伯母在家懸念乎？」一句話卻把顏生的傷心招起，不由得淚如雨下。半晌，說道：「愚兄死後，望賢弟照看家母。兄在九泉之下，也得瞑目。」說罷，痛哭不止。雨墨在旁也落淚。白玉堂道：「何至如此。仁兄且自寬心。凡事還要再思，雖則為人，也當為己。聞得開封府包相斷事如神，何不到那裡去伸訴呢？」顏生道：「賢弟此言差矣。此事非是官府屈打成招的，乃是兄自行承認的，又何必向包公那裡分辯去呢？」白玉堂道：「仁兄雖如此說。小弟惟恐本縣詳文若到開封，只怕包相就不容仁兄招認了。那時又當如何？」顏生道：「書云：「匹夫不可奪志也」，況愚兄乎？」
白玉堂听了颜生之言，颇觉有理。复转念一想，道：「仁兄知恩报恩，舍己成人，原是大丈夫所为。独不念老伯母在家悬念乎？」一句话却把颜生的伤心招起，不由得泪如雨下。半晌，说道：「愚兄死后，望贤弟照看家母。兄在九泉之下，也得瞑目。」说罢，痛哭不止。雨墨在旁也落泪。白玉堂道：「何至如此。仁兄且自宽心。凡事还要再思，虽则为人，也当为己。闻得开封府包相断事如神，何不到那里去伸诉呢？」颜生道：「贤弟此言差矣。此事非是官府屈打成招的，乃是兄自行承认的，又何必向包公那里分辩去呢？」白玉堂道：「仁兄虽如此说。小弟惟恐本县详文若到开封，只怕包相就不容仁兄招认了。那时又当如何？」颜生道：「书云：「匹夫不可夺志也」，况愚兄乎？」
Bai Yutang heard Yan out and found a good deal of reason in what he said. Then, turning it over again, he said, “To repay a kindness and give up your own life for another — that is just what a true man would do. But have you no thought for your old mother at home, waiting and worrying?” That one sentence stirred up all of Yan’s grief, and his tears fell like rain. After a long while he said, “When I am dead, I hope you will look after my mother, brother. Then I shall close my eyes in peace down in the Nine Springs.” With that he burst into sobs and could not stop. Yumo, standing by, wept too. “Surely it has not come to that,” said Bai Yutang. “Set your mind at ease for now, Elder Brother. Every matter deserves a second thought. We must act for others, yes, but we must act for ourselves as well. I hear that Minister Bao of Kaifeng judges cases like a god. Why not go and lay your case before him?” “You are wrong there, brother,” said Yan. “This was no confession beaten out of me by the court. I admitted it of my own accord. Why should I go and argue it before Lord Bao?” “Say what you like, Elder Brother,” said Bai Yutang. “But I fear that once the county’s report reaches Kaifeng, Minister Bao will not let you confess. What will you do then?” Yan said, “The Book says, ‘A common man cannot be robbed of his will.’ How much less can I?”