且說何太監聽了一怔，說：「奴婢瞧都堂為人行事，卻是極好的，而且待你老人家不錯，怎麼這樣恨他呢？想來都堂是他跟的人不好，把你老人家鬧寒了心咧。」郭安道：「你小人家不懂得聖人的道理。聖人說：「父母之仇不共戴天。」他害了我的叔叔，就如父母一般，我若不報此仇，豈不被人恥笑呢？我久懷此心，未得其便。如今他既用人參作酒，這是天賜其便。」
且说何太监听了一怔，说：「奴婢瞧都堂为人行事，却是极好的，而且待你老人家不错，怎么这样恨他呢？想来都堂是他跟的人不好，把你老人家闹寒了心咧。」郭安道：「你小人家不懂得圣人的道理。圣人说：「父母之仇不共戴天。」他害了我的叔叔，就如父母一般，我若不报此仇，岂不被人耻笑呢？我久怀此心，未得其便。如今他既用人参作酒，这是天赐其便。」
Now, when Eunuch He heard this, he was taken aback. “From all I’ve seen of the chief steward, sir, he’s a very good man in everything he does, and he’s treated you well, too. Why do you hate him so? I suppose it’s the people around him who are no good, and they’ve turned your heart cold toward him.” Guo An said, “You’re only a child — you don’t understand the teachings of the sages. The Sage says: ‘With the enemy of your father or mother you shall not live under the same sky.’ He brought about my uncle’s death, and an uncle is the same as a father or mother. If I don’t avenge it, won’t people laugh at me? I’ve had this in mind a long time, but never had the chance. Now that he’s making his wine with ginseng, Heaven itself has handed me the chance.”
何太監暗暗想道：「敢則是與都堂原有仇隙。怨不得他每每的如有所思呢。但不知如何害法？我且問明白了，再作道理。」便道：「他用人參，乃是補氣養神的，你老人家怎麼倒說天賜其便呢？」郭安道：「我且問你，我待你如何？」常喜道：「你老人家是最疼愛我的，真是吃蝨子落不下大腿，不亞如父子一般，誰不知道呢？」郭安道：「既如此，我這一宗事也不瞞你。你若能幫我辦成了，我便另眼看待於你。咱們就認為義父子，你心下如何呢？」
何太监暗暗想道：「敢则是与都堂原有仇隙。怨不得他每每的如有所思呢。但不知如何害法？我且问明白了，再作道理。」便道：「他用人参，乃是补气养神的，你老人家怎么倒说天赐其便呢？」郭安道：「我且问你，我待你如何？」常喜道：「你老人家是最疼爱我的，真是吃虱子落不下大腿，不亚如父子一般，谁不知道呢？」郭安道：「既如此，我这一宗事也不瞒你。你若能帮我办成了，我便另眼看待于你。咱们就认为义父子，你心下如何呢？」
Eunuch He thought to himself, “So there’s an old grudge between him and the chief steward. No wonder he’s always so deep in thought. But how does he mean to harm him? Let me get it all out of him first, and then decide what to do.” Aloud he said, “Ginseng strengthens the breath and nourishes the spirit. How can you say Heaven has handed you the chance, sir?” Guo An said, “Let me ask you first: how have I treated you?” “You’re fonder of me than anyone, sir,” said Changxi. “You wouldn’t eat so much as a louse without saving me a leg. It’s no different from father and son — who doesn’t know it?” “In that case,” said Guo An, “I’ll hide nothing about this business from you. If you can help me bring it off, you’ll find yourself in special favour with me. We’ll take each other as father and son by adoption. How does that sit with you?”
何太監聽了，暗忖道：「我若不應允，必與別人商議。那時不但我不能知道，反叫他記了我的仇了。」便連忙跪下，道：「你老人家若不憎嫌，兒子與爹爹磕頭。」郭安見他如此，真是樂得了不得。連忙扶起來，道：「好孩子，真令人可疼。往後必要提拔於你。只是此事須要嚴密，千萬不可泄漏。」何太監道：「那是自然，何用你老人家吩咐呢。但不知用兒子作甚麼？」郭安道：「我有個漫毒散的方子，也是當初老太爺在日，與尤奶奶商議的，沒有用著。我卻記下這個方子。此乃最忌的是人參。若吃此藥，誤用人參，猶如火上澆油，不出七天，必要命盡無常。這都是「八反」裡頭的。如今將此藥放在酒裡請他來吃。他若吃了，回去再一喝人參酒，毒氣相攻，雖然不能七日身亡，大約他有年紀的人了，也就不能多延時日。──又不露痕跡。你說好不好？」何太監說：「此事卻用兒子甚麼呢？」郭安道：「你小人家又不明白了。你想想，跟都堂的那一個不是鬼靈精兒似的。若請他吃酒，用兩壺斟酒，將來有個好歹，他們必疑惑是酒裡有了毒了。那還了得麼？如今只用一把壺斟酒。這可就用著你了。」何太監道：「一個壺裡，怎麼能裝兩樣酒呢？這可悶殺人咧。」郭安道：「原是呀，為甚麼必得用你呢？你進屋裡去，在博古閣子上，把那把洋鏨金的銀酒壺拿來。」
何太监听了，暗忖道：「我若不应允，必与别人商议。那时不但我不能知道，反叫他记了我的仇了。」便连忙跪下，道：「你老人家若不憎嫌，儿子与爹爹磕头。」郭安见他如此，真是乐得了不得。连忙扶起来，道：「好孩子，真令人可疼。往后必要提拔于你。只是此事须要严密，千万不可泄漏。」何太监道：「那是自然，何用你老人家吩咐呢。但不知用儿子作甚么？」郭安道：「我有个漫毒散的方子，也是当初老太爷在日，与尤奶奶商议的，没有用着。我却记下这个方子。此乃最忌的是人参。若吃此药，误用人参，犹如火上浇油，不出七天，必要命尽无常。这都是「八反」里头的。如今将此药放在酒里请他来吃。他若吃了，回去再一喝人参酒，毒气相攻，虽然不能七日身亡，大约他有年纪的人了，也就不能多延时日。──又不露痕迹。你说好不好？」何太监说：「此事却用儿子甚么呢？」郭安道：「你小人家又不明白了。你想想，跟都堂的那一个不是鬼灵精儿似的。若请他吃酒，用两壶斟酒，将来有个好歹，他们必疑惑是酒里有了毒了。那还了得么？如今只用一把壶斟酒。这可就用着你了。」何太监道：「一个壶里，怎么能装两样酒呢？这可闷杀人咧。」郭安道：「原是呀，为甚么必得用你呢？你进屋里去，在博古阁子上，把那把洋錾金的银酒壶拿来。」
Eunuch He thought to himself, “If I don’t agree, he’s sure to plot it with somebody else. Then not only will I never find out, he’ll hold a grudge against me besides.” So he quickly knelt and said, “If you don’t think me unworthy, sir, here is your son kowtowing to his father.” Seeing this, Guo An was beside himself with joy. He hurried to raise him up. “Good boy! You make a man’s heart warm to you. From now on I’ll be sure to push you on. Only this business must be kept close. On no account let it leak.” “That goes without saying,” said Eunuch He. “You needn’t tell me that, Father. But what do you want your son to do?” Guo An said, “I have a recipe for a slow poison powder. The old master — my uncle — worked it out with Mrs. You when he was alive, but they never used it. I kept the recipe in my head. What it can least abide is ginseng. If anyone takes this drug and then has ginseng by mistake, it’s like pouring oil on a fire: inside seven days his life runs out and Impermanence comes for him. It’s all in the ‘eight opposites’. Now, I put this drug in some wine and invite him over to drink it. If he drinks it and then goes home and has a drink of his ginseng wine, the two poisons will fight each other. Even if he doesn’t die in seven days, he’s getting on in years, so he can’t last much longer. And not a trace left behind. What do you say — isn’t that good?” “But what do you need your son for in all this?” said Eunuch He. “There you go again, child, not understanding,” said Guo An. “Think it over. Every one of the chief steward’s people is as sharp as a little imp. If I invite him to drink and pour from two pots, then if anything happens to him later, they’re sure to suspect there was poison in the wine. And then where would we be? So I’ll pour from one pot only. And that’s where you come in.” “How can one pot hold two kinds of wine?” said Eunuch He. “You’ve got me stumped.” “Just so,” said Guo An. “Why else would I need you? Go into the room and fetch the silver wine pot off the curio shelf — the foreign one chased with gold.”