且說倪忠接取家眷去後，又生出無限風波，險些兒叫太守含冤。
且说倪忠接取家眷去后，又生出无限风波，险些儿叫太守含冤。
Now, after Ni Zhong had gone to fetch the family, endless trouble arose, and the Governor very nearly suffered a grievous wrong.
你道如何？只因由京發下一套文書，言有馬強家人姚成進京上告太守倪繼祖私行出遊，詐害良民，結連大盜，明火執仗。今奉旨：「馬強提解來京，交大理寺嚴訊。太守倪繼祖暫行解任，一同來京，歸案備質。」倪太守遵奉來文，將印信事件交代委署官員，即派差役押解馬強赴京。倪太守將眾人遞的狀子案卷俱備帶好，止於派長班二人跟隨來京。
你道如何？只因由京发下一套文书，言有马强家人姚成进京上告太守倪继祖私行出游，诈害良民，结连大盗，明火执仗。今奉旨：「马强提解来京，交大理寺严讯。太守倪继祖暂行解任，一同来京，归案备质。」倪太守遵奉来文，将印信事件交代委署官员，即派差役押解马强赴京。倪太守将众人递的状子案卷俱备带好，止于派长班二人跟随来京。
How so, you ask? A dispatch came down from the capital. It said that Yao Cheng, a servant of Ma Qiang’s household, had gone to the capital and brought a charge against Governor Ni Jizu: that he had gone about in secret, ruined honest people by fraud, and joined with great bandits to rob by torchlight and force of arms. And now there was an imperial edict: “Ma Qiang is to be brought under escort to the capital and handed over to the Court of Judicial Review for strict examination. Governor Ni Jizu is suspended from office for the time being and is to come to the capital with him, to be at hand for questioning when the case is heard.” Governor Ni obeyed the dispatch. He handed over his seal and the business of his office to the official appointed to act in his place, and at once sent runners to take Ma Qiang under escort to the capital. He took with him all the plaints people had brought him and the files of the case, and only two attendants went with him to the capital.
一日來到京中，也不到開封府，因包公有師生之誼，理應迴避，就在大理寺報到。文老大人見此案人證到齊，便帶馬強過了一堂。馬強已得馬朝賢之信，上堂時一味口刁，說太守不理民情，殘害百姓，又結連大盜夤夜打搶，現有失單報縣尚未弋獲。文大人將馬強帶在一邊，又問倪太守此案的端倪原委。倪太守一一將前事說明：如何接狀；如何私訪被拿兩次，多虧難女朱絳貞、義士歐陽春搭救；又如何捉拿馬強惡賊，他家有招賢館窩藏眾寇，至五更將馬強拿獲立刻解到；如何升堂審訊，惡賊狡賴不應。「如今他暗暗使家人赴京呈控，望乞大人明鑒詳查，卑府不勝感幸。」文彥博聽了，說：「請太守且自歇息。」倪太守退下堂來。老大人又將眾人冤呈看了一番，立刻又叫帶馬強。逐件問去，皆有強辭狡賴。文大人暗暗道：「這廝明仗著總管馬朝賢與他作主，才橫了心不肯招承。惟有北俠打劫一事，真假難辨。須叫此人到案作個硬證，這廝方能服輸。」吩咐將馬強帶去收禁，又叫人請太守，細細問道：「這北俠又是何人？」太守道：「北俠歐陽春，因他行俠尚義，人皆稱他為北俠，就猶如展護衛有南俠之稱一樣。」文彥博道：「如此說來，這北俠決非打劫大盜可比。此案若結，須此人到案方妥。他現在那裡？」倪繼祖道：「大約還在杭州。」文彥博道：「既如此，我明日先將大概情形復奏，看聖意如何。」就叫人將太守帶到獄神廟好好看待。
一日来到京中，也不到开封府，因包公有师生之谊，理应回避，就在大理寺报到。文老大人见此案人证到齐，便带马强过了一堂。马强已得马朝贤之信，上堂时一味口刁，说太守不理民情，残害百姓，又结连大盗夤夜打抢，现有失单报县尚未弋获。文大人将马强带在一边，又问倪太守此案的端倪原委。倪太守一一将前事说明：如何接状；如何私访被拿两次，多亏难女朱绛贞、义士欧阳春搭救；又如何捉拿马强恶贼，他家有招贤馆窝藏众寇，至五更将马强拿获立刻解到；如何升堂审讯，恶贼狡赖不应。「如今他暗暗使家人赴京呈控，望乞大人明鉴详查，卑府不胜感幸。」文彦博听了，说：「请太守且自歇息。」倪太守退下堂来。老大人又将众人冤呈看了一番，立刻又叫带马强。逐件问去，皆有强辞狡赖。文大人暗暗道：「这厮明仗着总管马朝贤与他作主，才横了心不肯招承。惟有北侠打劫一事，真假难辨。须叫此人到案作个硬证，这厮方能服输。」吩咐将马强带去收禁，又叫人请太守，细细问道：「这北侠又是何人？」太守道：「北侠欧阳春，因他行侠尚义，人皆称他为北侠，就犹如展护卫有南侠之称一样。」文彦博道：「如此说来，这北侠决非打劫大盗可比。此案若结，须此人到案方妥。他现在那里？」倪继祖道：「大约还在杭州。」文彦博道：「既如此，我明日先将大概情形复奏，看圣意如何。」就叫人将太守带到狱神庙好好看待。
One day he reached the capital. He did not go to Kaifeng at all: because he and Lord Bao were bound as teacher and protégé, Lord Bao had to stand aside from the case, so he reported instead to the Court of Judicial Review. The venerable Lord Wen, seeing that the parties and witnesses were all present, had Ma Qiang brought in for a hearing. Ma Qiang had already had word from Ma Chaoxian, and in court he did nothing but twist and wrangle. The Governor, he said, cared nothing for the people and did cruel harm to the common folk; what was more, he had joined with great bandits to rob his house in the dead of night, and though a list of the stolen goods had been reported to the county, no one had yet been caught. Lord Wen had Ma Qiang taken aside, and asked Governor Ni how the case had begun and come about. Governor Ni explained everything that had gone before, point by point: how he had received the plaints; how he had gone out in secret to make inquiries and twice been seized, and owed his rescue to the unfortunate girl Zhu Jiangzhen and the gallant Ouyang Chun; how he had then gone to arrest the villain Ma Qiang, whose house had a Zhaoxian Lodge where a whole gang of bandits was harboured, and how Ma Qiang had been seized at the fifth watch and brought in at once; how he had held court and examined him, and the villain had brazenly denied everything. “And now he has secretly sent a servant to the capital to bring a charge. I beg Your Excellency to see clearly and look into it closely. This humble official would be more grateful than he can say.” When Wen Yanbo had heard him out, he said, “Please go and rest for now, Governor.” Governor Ni withdrew from the hall. The old lord then looked through the plaints of all the wronged people, and at once had Ma Qiang brought in again. He questioned him charge by charge, and for every one Ma Qiang had some brazen excuse or crafty denial. Lord Wen said to himself, “The fellow is plainly counting on the eunuch steward Ma Chaoxian to stand behind him; that is why he has hardened his heart and will not confess. Only the matter of the Northern Hero robbing his house — whether it is true or false is hard to tell. That man must be brought to court as a solid witness; then the fellow will have to give in.” He had Ma Qiang taken away and locked up, sent for the Governor again, and asked him closely, “And who is this Northern Hero?” “The Northern Hero is Ouyang Chun,” said the Governor. “Because he goes about doing gallant deeds and sets great store by honour, everyone calls him the Northern Hero, just as Guard Zhan is called the Southern Hero.” “In that case,” said Wen Yanbo, “this Northern Hero is surely no robber or bandit. If the case is to be settled properly, this man must come to court. Where is he now?” “Most likely still in Hangzhou,” said Ni Jizu. “If that is so,” said Wen Yanbo, “tomorrow I shall first report the outline of the case to the throne, and see what His Majesty’s will may be.” And he had the Governor taken to the shrine of the prison god and treated well.