且說趙虎暗道：「我家相爺赤心為國，誰知他的子姪如此不法。我何不將他指引到開封府，看我們相爺怎麼辦理？是秉公呵，還是徇私呢？」想罷，道：「你正該寫個呈子分析。」趙慶道：「小老兒上京投親，正為遞呈分訴。」趙虎道：「不知你想在何處去告呢？」趙慶道：「小老兒聞得大理寺文大人那裡頗好。」趙爺道：「文大人雖好，總不如開封府包太師那裡好。」趙慶道：「包太師雖好，惟恐這是他本家之人，未免要有些袒護，於事反為不美。」趙虎道：「你不知道，包太師辦事極其公道，無論親疏，總要秉正除奸。若在別人手裡告了，他倒可托人情，或者官府作個人情，那倒有的。你要在他本人手裡告了，他便得秉公辦理，再也不能偏向的。」趙慶聽了有理，便道：「既承指教，明日就在太師跟前告就是了。」趙虎道：「你且不要忙。如今相爺現在場內，約於十五日後，你再進城，攔轎呈訴。」當下叫他吃飽了。卻又在兜肚裡摸出半錠銀子來，道：「這還有五六天工夫呢。莫不成餓著麼？拿去做盤費用罷。」趙慶道：「小老兒既蒙賞吃點心，如何還敢受賜銀兩？」趙虎道：「這有甚麼要緊？你只管拿去。你若不要，俺就惱了。」趙慶只得接過來，千恩萬謝的去了。
且说赵虎暗道：「我家相爷赤心为国，谁知他的子姪如此不法。我何不将他指引到开封府，看我们相爷怎么办理？是秉公呵，还是徇私呢？」想罢，道：「你正该写个呈子分析。」赵庆道：「小老儿上京投亲，正为递呈分诉。」赵虎道：「不知你想在何处去告呢？」赵庆道：「小老儿闻得大理寺文大人那里颇好。」赵爷道：「文大人虽好，总不如开封府包太师那里好。」赵庆道：「包太师虽好，惟恐这是他本家之人，未免要有些袒护，于事反为不美。」赵虎道：「你不知道，包太师办事极其公道，无论亲疏，总要秉正除奸。若在别人手里告了，他倒可托人情，或者官府作个人情，那倒有的。你要在他本人手里告了，他便得秉公办理，再也不能偏向的。」赵庆听了有理，便道：「既承指教，明日就在太师跟前告就是了。」赵虎道：「你且不要忙。如今相爷现在场内，约于十五日后，你再进城，拦轿呈诉。」当下叫他吃饱了。却又在兜肚里摸出半锭银子来，道：「这还有五六天工夫呢。莫不成饿着么？拿去做盘费用罢。」赵庆道：「小老儿既蒙赏吃点心，如何还敢受赐银两？」赵虎道：「这有甚么要紧？你只管拿去。你若不要，俺就恼了。」赵庆只得接过来，千恩万谢的去了。
Now, Zhao Hu thought to himself, “His Excellency is loyal to the state heart and soul — who’d have thought his own nephew could be so lawless? Why don’t I steer this fellow to Kaifeng and see how His Excellency handles it? Will he go by the law, or will he favour his own?” When he had thought it over, he said, “You ought to write out a petition and set out your case.” “My coming to the capital to stay with relatives,” said Zhao Qing, “was for just that: to hand in a petition and plead my case.” “And where do you mean to bring your complaint?” asked Zhao Hu. “I’ve heard that Lord Wen at the Court of Judicial Review is very good,” said Zhao Qing. “Lord Wen may be good,” said Zhao Hu, “but he’s nothing to Grand Preceptor Bao at Kaifeng.” “Grand Preceptor Bao may be good,” said Zhao Qing, “but I’m afraid this is one of his own family. He’s bound to shield him a little, and that would only make things worse.” “You don’t know,” said Zhao Hu. “Grand Preceptor Bao is as fair as they come. Kin or stranger, it’s all one to him: he holds to what’s right and roots out the wicked. If you brought your complaint before somebody else, then he might well get friends to put in a word, or the official might do him a favour — that could happen. But bring it before the man himself, and he has to handle it by the law. He can’t lean either way.” Zhao Qing saw the sense of this. “Since you’re kind enough to advise me,” he said, “tomorrow I’ll go and lodge it with the Grand Preceptor himself.” “Don’t be in such a hurry,” said Zhao Hu. “His Excellency is inside the examination hall right now. Wait till after about the fifteenth, then come into the city, stop his sedan chair and present your petition.” Then he had him eat his fill, and fished half an ingot of silver out of the pouch at his waist as well. “That’s still five or six days off. You can’t go hungry till then, can you? Take this for your expenses.” “You’ve already treated me to a meal,” said Zhao Qing. “How could I dare take silver from you too?” “What does that matter?” said Zhao Hu. “Just take it. If you won’t, I’ll be angry.” Zhao Qing had no choice but to take it, and went off with a thousand thanks.
趙虎見趙慶去後，自己又飲了幾杯，才出了飯鋪。也不訪查了，便往舊路歸來。心中暗暗盤算，倒替相爺為難。此事若接了呈子，生氣是不消說了。只是如何辦法呢？自己又囑咐：「趙虎呀，趙虎！你今日回開封府，可千萬莫露風聲。這是要緊的呀。」他雖如此想，那裡知道凡事不可預料。他若是將趙慶帶到開封府，倒不能錯，誰知他又細心來了，這才鬧得錯大發了呢。
赵虎见赵庆去后，自己又饮了几杯，才出了饭铺。也不访查了，便往旧路归来。心中暗暗盘算，倒替相爷为难。此事若接了呈子，生气是不消说了。只是如何办法呢？自己又嘱咐：「赵虎呀，赵虎！你今日回开封府，可千万莫露风声。这是要紧的呀。」他虽如此想，那里知道凡事不可预料。他若是将赵庆带到开封府，倒不能错，谁知他又细心来了，这才闹得错大发了呢。
When Zhao Qing had gone, Zhao Hu drank a few more cups before he left the eating house. He gave up his searching, too, and headed home the way he had come. All the way he turned it over in his mind, and found himself worrying on His Excellency’s behalf. If he accepted the petition, there was no need to say how angry he would be — but how was he to deal with it? And Zhao Hu warned himself, “Zhao Hu, oh Zhao Hu! When you get back to Kaifeng today, don’t you dare let slip a word of this. That’s important.” So he thought; but how could he know that nothing in this world can be foreseen? Had he brought Zhao Qing straight to Kaifeng, nothing could have gone wrong. But who would have thought that this time he would turn careful — and that is how things went so badly wrong.
趙虎在開封府等了幾天，卻不見趙慶鳴冤，心中暗暗輾轉道：「那老兒說是必來，如何總未到呢？難道他是個誆嘴吃的？若是如此，我那半錠銀子，花的才冤呢。」
赵虎在开封府等了几天，却不见赵庆鸣冤，心中暗暗辗转道：「那老儿说是必来，如何总未到呢？难道他是个诓嘴吃的？若是如此，我那半锭银子，花的才冤呢。」
Zhao Hu waited at Kaifeng for several days, but no Zhao Qing came crying injustice. He fretted to himself, “The old man said he’d be sure to come. How is it he still hasn’t turned up? Could he have been a sponger out for a free meal? If so, that half ingot of silver of mine was money thrown away.”