話說天子見那徐慶鹵莽非常，因問他如何穿山。徐慶道：「只因我……」蔣平在後面悄悄拉他，提拔道：「罪民；罪民。」徐慶聽了，方說道：「我罪民在陷空島連鑽十八孔，故此人人叫我罪民穿山鼠。」聖上道：「朕這萬壽山也有山窟，你可穿得過去麼？」徐慶道：「只要是通的，就鑽的過去。」聖上又派了陳林，將徐慶領至萬壽山下。徐慶脫去罪衣罪裙。陳林囑咐他道：「你只要穿山窟過去，應個景兒即便下來，不要耽延工夫。」徐慶只管答應。誰知他到了半山之間，見個山窟，把身子一順，就不見了。足有兩盞茶時，不見出來。陳林著急道：「徐慶，你往那裡去了？」忽見徐慶在南山尖之上，應道：「唔！俺在這裡。」這一聲連聖上與群臣俱各聽見了。盧方在一旁跪著，暗暗著急，恐聖上見怪。誰知徐慶應了一聲，又不見了。陳林更自著急，等了多會，方見他從山窟內穿山。陳林連忙招手，叫他下來。此時徐慶已不成模樣，渾身青苔滿頭塵垢。陳林仍把他帶至丹墀，跪在一旁。聖上連連誇獎：「果真不愧『穿山』二字。」
话说天子见那徐庆卤莽非常，因问他如何穿山。徐庆道：「只因我……」蒋平在后面悄悄拉他，提拔道：「罪民；罪民。」徐庆听了，方说道：「我罪民在陷空岛连钻十八孔，故此人人叫我罪民穿山鼠。」圣上道：「朕这万寿山也有山窟，你可穿得过去么？」徐庆道：「只要是通的，就钻的过去。」圣上又派了陈林，将徐庆领至万寿山下。徐庆脱去罪衣罪裙。陈林嘱咐他道：「你只要穿山窟过去，应个景儿即便下来，不要耽延工夫。」徐庆只管答应。谁知他到了半山之间，见个山窟，把身子一顺，就不见了。足有两盏茶时，不见出来。陈林着急道：「徐庆，你往那里去了？」忽见徐庆在南山尖之上，应道：「唔！俺在这里。」这一声连圣上与群臣俱各听见了。卢方在一旁跪着，暗暗着急，恐圣上见怪。谁知徐庆应了一声，又不见了。陈林更自着急，等了多会，方见他从山窟内穿山。陈林连忙招手，叫他下来。此时徐庆已不成模样，浑身青苔满头尘垢。陈林仍把他带至丹墀，跪在一旁。圣上连连夸奖：「果真不愧『穿山』二字。」
Now, the Emperor saw how uncommonly rough and blunt Xu Qing was, and so he asked him how he went through mountains. “It’s only that I—” Xu Qing began. Jiang Ping, behind him, quietly tugged at him and prompted, “Your guilty subject. Your guilty subject.” Only then did Xu Qing say, “I, your guilty subject, bored through eighteen caves in a row on Xiankong Island, so everybody calls me Guilty Subject the Mountain Rat.” “Our Wanshou Hill has caves in it too,” said His Majesty. “Could you go through them?” “So long as they go through,” said Xu Qing, “I can get through.” Again His Majesty sent Chen Lin, who led Xu Qing to the foot of Wanshou Hill. Xu Qing took off the convict’s jacket and skirt. Chen Lin warned him, “Just go through one cave to put on a bit of a show, then come straight down. Don’t waste time.” Xu Qing said yes to everything. But who would have thought it? When he was halfway up the hill he saw a cave, gave his body a twist, and was gone. A good two cups of tea’s time went by, and he did not come out. Chen Lin grew anxious. “Xu Qing,” he called, “where have you got to?” All at once Xu Qing appeared on the southern peak of the hill and answered, “Ho! I’m up here!” That shout was heard by His Majesty and all his ministers alike. Lu Fang, kneeling to one side, was secretly anxious, afraid His Majesty would take offence. But who would have thought it? Having answered once, Xu Qing vanished again. Chen Lin was more anxious than ever. He waited a long while before he saw him come out of a cave, and hurriedly waved to him to come down. By now Xu Qing was a sorry sight, moss all over his body and his head thick with grime. Chen Lin brought him back to the vermilion steps, where he knelt to one side. His Majesty praised him again and again. “He truly lives up to the words ‘through the mountain’!”
又見單上第四名混江鼠蔣平。天子往下一看，見他匍匐在地，身材渺小。及至叫他抬起頭來，卻是面黃肌瘦，形如病夫。仁宗有些不悅，暗想道：「看他這光景，如何配稱混江鼠呢？」無奈何，問道：「你既叫混江鼠，想來是會水了？」蔣平道：「罪民在水中能開目視物，能在水中整個月住宿，頗識水性，因此喚作混江鼠。這不過是罪民小巧之技。」仁宗聽說「頗識水性」四字，更不喜悅，立刻吩咐備船，叫陳林進內；「取朕的金蟾來。」少時，陳伴伴取到。天子命包公細看。只見金漆木桶之中，內有一個三足蟾，寬有三寸，長有五寸，兩個眼睛如琥珀一般，一張大口恰似胭脂，碧綠的身子，雪白的肚兒，更襯著兩個金眼圈兒，週身的金點兒，實實好看，真是稀奇之物。包公看了，贊道：「真乃奇寶！」天子命陳林帶著蔣平上一隻小船。卻命太監提了水桶，聖上帶領首相及諸大臣，登在大船之上。
又见单上第四名混江鼠蒋平。天子往下一看，见他匍匐在地，身材渺小。及至叫他抬起头来，却是面黄肌瘦，形如病夫。仁宗有些不悦，暗想道：「看他这光景，如何配称混江鼠呢？」无奈何，问道：「你既叫混江鼠，想来是会水了？」蒋平道：「罪民在水中能开目视物，能在水中整个月住宿，颇识水性，因此唤作混江鼠。这不过是罪民小巧之技。」仁宗听说「颇识水性」四字，更不喜悦，立刻吩咐备船，叫陈林进内；「取朕的金蟾来。」少时，陈伴伴取到。天子命包公细看。只见金漆木桶之中，内有一个三足蟾，宽有三寸，长有五寸，两个眼睛如琥珀一般，一张大口恰似胭脂，碧绿的身子，雪白的肚儿，更衬着两个金眼圈儿，周身的金点儿，实实好看，真是稀奇之物。包公看了，赞道：「真乃奇宝！」天子命陈林带着蒋平上一只小船。却命太监提了水桶，圣上带领首相及诸大臣，登在大船之上。
Then the Emperor saw the fourth name on the list: the River Rat, Jiang Ping. He looked down and saw him lying prostrate on the ground, a tiny slip of a man. When he told him to raise his head, there was a sallow face and a bony frame, like a man wasted by sickness. Renzong was somewhat displeased and thought to himself, “Look at the state of him. How can he deserve to be called the River Rat?” Having no choice, he asked, “Since you are called the River Rat, We suppose you can swim?” “Your guilty subject can open his eyes and see things under water,” said Jiang Ping, “and can stay a whole month in the water, sleeping there and all. He knows a little of the ways of water, and so he is called the River Rat. It is no more than a small, slight skill of your guilty subject’s.” When Renzong heard the words ‘knows a little of the ways of water’, he was even less pleased. At once he ordered boats made ready and told Chen Lin to go into the inner palace: “Fetch Our golden toad.” In a little while Chen Lin, the Companion, brought it, and the Emperor told Lord Bao to look at it closely. In a bucket of gold-lacquered wood was a three-legged toad, three inches wide and five long, with two eyes like amber and a great mouth as red as rouge, an emerald-green body and a snow-white belly, set off by two gold rings round its eyes and gold spots all over it: a truly handsome thing, and a rare marvel. Lord Bao looked and exclaimed, “A wondrous treasure indeed!” The Emperor ordered Chen Lin to take Jiang Ping aboard a small boat, and had a eunuch carry the bucket, while His Majesty led the Chief Minister and all his great ministers aboard a large boat.
此時陳林看蔣平光景，惟恐他不能捉蟾，悄悄告訴他道：「此蟾乃聖上心愛之物；你若不能捉時，趁早言語，我與你奏明聖上，省得吃罪不起。」蔣平笑道：「公公但請放心，不要多慮。有水靠求借一件。」陳林道：「有，有。」立刻叫小太監拿幾件來。蔣平挑了一身很小的，脫了罪衣罪裙，穿上水靠剛剛合體。只聽聖上那邊大船上太監手提水桶，道：「蔣平，咱家這就放蟾了。」說罷，將木桶口兒向下，底兒向上，連蟾帶水俱各倒在海內。只見那蟾在水皮之上發楞。陳林這裡緊催蔣平：「下去，下去，快下去！」蔣平他卻不動。不多時，那蟾靈性清醒，三足一晃，就不見了。蔣平方向船頭，將身一順，連個聲息也無，也不見了。
此时陈林看蒋平光景，惟恐他不能捉蟾，悄悄告诉他道：「此蟾乃圣上心爱之物；你若不能捉时，趁早言语，我与你奏明圣上，省得吃罪不起。」蒋平笑道：「公公但请放心，不要多虑。有水靠求借一件。」陈林道：「有，有。」立刻叫小太监拿几件来。蒋平挑了一身很小的，脱了罪衣罪裙，穿上水靠刚刚合体。只听圣上那边大船上太监手提水桶，道：「蒋平，咱家这就放蟾了。」说罢，将木桶口儿向下，底儿向上，连蟾带水俱各倒在海内。只见那蟾在水皮之上发楞。陈林这里紧催蒋平：「下去，下去，快下去！」蒋平他却不动。不多时，那蟾灵性清醒，三足一晃，就不见了。蒋平方向船头，将身一顺，连个声息也无，也不见了。
Chen Lin, seeing how Jiang Ping looked, was afraid he could not catch the toad, and quietly told him, “This toad is His Majesty’s darling. If you can’t catch it, speak up now and I’ll explain to His Majesty for you. That way you won’t be landed with a crime you can’t answer for.” Jiang Ping laughed. “Set your mind at rest, sir, and don’t worry. I would ask to borrow a water suit, if there is one.” “There is, there is,” said Chen Lin, and at once had a young eunuch bring several. Jiang Ping chose a very small one, took off the convict’s jacket and skirt and put on the water suit, which fitted him just right. Then, from the big boat on His Majesty’s side, came the voice of the eunuch holding the bucket: “Jiang Ping! I’m letting the toad go now!” With that he turned the bucket mouth down and bottom up and tipped toad and water together into the lake. The toad sat on the skin of the water, dazed. Over here Chen Lin kept urging Jiang Ping, “Go in, go in, hurry up and go in!” But Jiang Ping did not move. Before long the toad came to its senses, gave its three feet a flick, and was gone. Only then did Jiang Ping go to the bow, give his body a twist, and without the slightest sound he too was gone.