且說馬強擔了一天驚怕，到了晚間，見毫無動靜，心裡稍覺寬慰，對眾人說道：「今日白等了一天，並沒見有個人來。別是那老蒼頭也死了吧？」眾光棍道：「員外說的是。一個老頭子有多大氣脈，連嚇帶累，准死無疑。你老可放心吧。」眾人只顧奉承惡賊歡喜，也不想想朝廷家平空的丟了一個太守，也就不聞不問，焉有是理。其中獨有兩個人明白：一個是黑妖狐智化，心內早知就裡，卻不言語，一個是小諸葛沈仲元，瞧著事情不妥，說肚腹不調，在一邊躲了。剩下些渾蟲糊塗漿子渾吃渾喝，不說理，順著馬強的竿兒往上爬，一味的抱粗腿，說的惡賊一天愁悶都拋於九霄雲外，端起大杯來，哈哈大笑。左一巡，右一盞，不覺醺醺，便起身往後邊去了。見了郭氏，未免訕訕的沒說強說，沒笑強笑，哄的郭氏臉上下不來，只得也說些安慰的話兒，又提撥著叫他寄信與叔父馬朝賢暗裡照應。馬強更覺歡喜，喝茶談話。不多時已交二鼓，馬強將大衫脫去，郭氏也把簪環卸了，脫去裙衫。二人剛要進帳安歇，忽見軟簾唿的一聲，進來一人，光閃閃碧睛暴露，冷森森寶刀生輝。惡賊一見骨軟筋酥，雙膝跪倒，口中哀求：「爺爺饒命！」北俠道：「不許高聲。」惡賊便不敢言語。北俠將帳子上絲縧割下來，將他夫婦捆了，用衣襟塞口。回身出了臥室，來到花園，將雙手「拍」「拍」「拍」一陣亂拍。見王愷張雄帶了捕快俱各出來。
且说马强担了一天惊怕，到了晚间，见毫无动静，心里稍觉宽慰，对众人说道：「今日白等了一天，并没见有个人来。别是那老苍头也死了吧？」众光棍道：「员外说的是。一个老头子有多大气脉，连吓带累，准死无疑。你老可放心吧。」众人只顾奉承恶贼欢喜，也不想想朝廷家平空的丢了一个太守，也就不闻不问，焉有是理。其中独有两个人明白：一个是黑妖狐智化，心内早知就里，却不言语，一个是小诸葛沈仲元，瞧着事情不妥，说肚腹不调，在一边躲了。剩下些浑虫糊涂浆子浑吃浑喝，不说理，顺着马强的竿儿往上爬，一味的抱粗腿，说的恶贼一天愁闷都抛于九霄云外，端起大杯来，哈哈大笑。左一巡，右一盏，不觉醺醺，便起身往后边去了。见了郭氏，未免讪讪的没说强说，没笑强笑，哄的郭氏脸上下不来，只得也说些安慰的话儿，又提拨着叫他寄信与叔父马朝贤暗里照应。马强更觉欢喜，喝茶谈话。不多时已交二鼓，马强将大衫脱去，郭氏也把簪环卸了，脱去裙衫。二人刚要进帐安歇，忽见软帘唿的一声，进来一人，光闪闪碧睛暴露，冷森森宝刀生辉。恶贼一见骨软筋酥，双膝跪倒，口中哀求：「爷爷饶命！」北侠道：「不许高声。」恶贼便不敢言语。北侠将帐子上丝绦割下来，将他夫妇捆了，用衣襟塞口。回身出了卧室，来到花园，将双手「拍」「拍」「拍」一阵乱拍。见王恺张雄带了捕快俱各出来。
Now, Ma Qiang spent the whole day in fear and dread, but by evening, seeing that nothing at all had stirred, he felt a little easier at heart. “I waited the whole day for nothing,” he said to the company, “and not a soul came. You don’t suppose that old greybeard servant is dead too?” “The Squire is right,” said the ruffians. “How much breath can an old fellow like that have in him? What with the fright and the hard going, he’s dead for certain. You can rest easy, sir.” They were all bent only on flattering the villain into good spirits; not one of them stopped to think that the court had lost a Governor out of thin air — was it likely to ask no questions and let the matter drop? Only two among them saw clearly. One was Zhi Hua, the Black Fox, who already knew the inside of it but said nothing; the other was Shen Zhongyuan, the Little Zhuge, who saw that things were going wrong, said his stomach was upset, and kept out of the way. The rest were muddleheads and dimwits who ate their fill and drank their fill and never reasoned about anything. Whatever pole Ma Qiang put up, they shinned up it; they clung to the big man’s legs for all they were worth, and their talk blew the villain’s whole day of gloom beyond the clouds of the Nine Heavens. He lifted a big cup and roared with laughter. A round from the left, a cup from the right, and before he knew it he was tipsy, so he got up and went to the inner rooms. When he saw Madam Guo he was a little sheepish: he made talk when he had nothing to say and forced a laugh when there was nothing to laugh at, and coaxed her until she could not keep up her cold face. She had no choice but to say a few comforting things herself, and she reminded him to send a letter to his uncle Ma Chaoxian, asking him to look after things for them in secret. This pleased Ma Qiang even more, and they drank tea and talked. Before long the second watch had sounded. Ma Qiang took off his long gown, and Madam Guo took out her hairpins and earrings and took off her skirt and jacket. Just as the two of them were about to go behind the bed curtains to sleep, the soft door curtain swished aside and in came a man — green eyes bulging and gleaming, a precious sabre shining with a chill light. At the sight of him the villain went limp in every bone and sinew. He dropped to his knees and begged, “Mercy, sir! Spare my life!” “Not a sound,” said the Northern Hero, and the villain dared not say a word. The Northern Hero cut the silk cords from the bed curtains, tied up husband and wife, and stuffed the hems of their clothes into their mouths. Then he turned, left the bedroom, went into the garden and clapped his hands — clap, clap, clap — in a quick flurry. Out came Wang Kai and Zhang Xiong with their constables.
他等眾人都是在瘟神廟會齊，見了北俠。北俠引著王愷張雄，認了花園後門，叫他們一更之後俱在花園藏躲，聽拍掌為號。一個個雄赳赳，氣昂昂，跟了北俠來到臥室。北俠吩咐道：「你等好生看守兇犯。待我退了眾賊，咱們方好走路。」
他等众人都是在瘟神庙会齐，见了北侠。北侠引着王恺张雄，认了花园后门，叫他们一更之后俱在花园藏躲，听拍掌为号。一个个雄赳赳，气昂昂，跟了北侠来到卧室。北侠吩咐道：「你等好生看守凶犯。待我退了众贼，咱们方好走路。」
They had all gathered at the temple of the Plague God, where they met the Northern Hero. He took Wang Kai and Zhang Xiong to see where the back gate of the garden was, and told them that once the first watch had begun they were all to hide in the garden and wait for the signal of his clapping. Now every one of them, bold and full of fight, followed the Northern Hero to the bedroom. “Guard the prisoners well,” the Northern Hero told them. “Once I’ve driven off the robbers, we can be on our way.”
說話間，只聽前面一片人聲鼎沸。原來有個丫環從窗下經過，見屋內毫無聲響，撕破窗紙一看，見馬強郭氏俱各捆綁在地，只嚇的膽裂魂飛，忙忙的告訴了眾丫環，方叫主管姚成到招賢館請眾寇。神手大聖鄧車、病太歲張華聽了，帶領眾光棍，各持兵刃，打著亮子，跟隨姚成往後面而來。
说话间，只听前面一片人声鼎沸。原来有个丫环从窗下经过，见屋内毫无声响，撕破窗纸一看，见马强郭氏俱各捆绑在地，只吓的胆裂魂飞，忙忙的告诉了众丫环，方叫主管姚成到招贤馆请众寇。神手大圣邓车、病太岁张华听了，带领众光棍，各持兵刃，打着亮子，跟随姚成往后面而来。
As he spoke, a great hubbub of voices broke out at the front. A maid, it turned out, had passed under the window, and finding the room deathly quiet, she had poked a hole in the window paper and peeped in. There lay Ma Qiang and Madam Guo, both trussed up on the floor. Frightened half out of her wits, she hurried to tell the other maids, and they sent the steward, Yao Cheng, to the Zhaoxian Lodge to call the robber band. Deng Che, the Divine-Handed Great Sage, and Zhang Hua, the Sickly Terror, heard the news and, leading the ruffians, each with a weapon in hand and torches held high, followed Yao Cheng toward the back of the house.