且說倪忠在公堂之上，便說起奉旨上杭州接太守之任，如何暗暗私訪，如何被馬強拿去兩次。「頭一次多虧了一個難女，名叫朱絳貞，乃朱舉人之女，被惡霸搶了去的，是他將我主僕放走。慌忙之際，一時失散，小人遇見個義士歐陽春，將此事說明。義士即到馬強家中，打聽小人的主人下落。誰知小人的主人又被馬強拿去下在地牢，多虧義士歐陽春搭救出來。就定於次日，義士幫助捉拿馬強，護送到府。我家主人審了馬強幾次，無奈惡霸總不招承。不想惡霸家中被劫，他就一口咬定，說小人的主人結連大盜明火執杖，差遣惡奴進京呈控。可憐小人的主人堂堂太守，因此解任，遭這不明不白的冤枉。望乞眾位大人明鏡高懸，細細詳查是幸。」范大人道：「你主人既有此冤枉，你如何此時方來申訴呢？」倪忠道：「只因小人奉家主之命，前往揚州接取家眷。及至到了任所，方知此事，因此急急趕赴京師，替主鳴冤。」說罷，痛哭不止。陳公公點頭道：「難為這老頭兒，眾位大人當怎麼辦呢？」文大人道：「倪忠的呈詞正與太守倪繼祖、義士歐陽春、小童艾虎所供俱各相符。惟有被劫一案，尚不知何人，須問倪繼祖歐陽春，便見明白。」吩咐帶倪太守與歐陽春。
且说倪忠在公堂之上，便说起奉旨上杭州接太守之任，如何暗暗私访，如何被马强拿去两次。「头一次多亏了一个难女，名叫朱绛贞，乃朱举人之女，被恶霸抢了去的，是他将我主仆放走。慌忙之际，一时失散，小人遇见个义士欧阳春，将此事说明。义士即到马强家中，打听小人的主人下落。谁知小人的主人又被马强拿去下在地牢，多亏义士欧阳春搭救出来。就定于次日，义士帮助捉拿马强，护送到府。我家主人审了马强几次，无奈恶霸总不招承。不想恶霸家中被劫，他就一口咬定，说小人的主人结连大盗明火执杖，差遣恶奴进京呈控。可怜小人的主人堂堂太守，因此解任，遭这不明不白的冤枉。望乞众位大人明镜高悬，细细详查是幸。」范大人道：「你主人既有此冤枉，你如何此时方来申诉呢？」倪忠道：「只因小人奉家主之命，前往扬州接取家眷。及至到了任所，方知此事，因此急急赶赴京师，替主鸣冤。」说罢，痛哭不止。陈公公点头道：「难为这老头儿，众位大人当怎么办呢？」文大人道：「倪忠的呈词正与太守倪继祖、义士欧阳春、小童艾虎所供俱各相符。惟有被劫一案，尚不知何人，须问倪继祖欧阳春，便见明白。」吩咐带倪太守与欧阳春。
Now, there in the court, Ni Zhong told how his master had been sent by imperial command to Hangzhou to take up the post of governor, how he had gone about in secret to look into things, and how Ma Qiang had twice taken him prisoner. “The first time, we owed everything to a girl in distress named Zhu Jiangzhen, the daughter of Zhu the provincial graduate, whom the bully had carried off. It was she who let master and servant go. In the hurry and confusion we lost each other, and I met a gallant named Ouyang Chun and told him the whole story. The gallant went straight to Ma Qiang’s house to find out what had become of my master. But who would have thought it — Ma Qiang had caught my master again and put him down in the dungeon, and it was only thanks to the gallant Ouyang Chun that he was rescued. They settled then that the gallant would help seize Ma Qiang the following day and escort him to the prefecture. My master tried Ma Qiang several times, but the bully would never confess. Then, as it happened, the bully’s house was robbed, and he flatly insisted that my master had joined with great robbers to plunder openly by torchlight, and sent his vicious servants to the capital to lodge a complaint. My poor master, a governor in his own right, was relieved of his post for it, and suffers this murky injustice. I beg all you lords, be the bright mirror hung on high, and look into it closely — that is all I ask.” Lord Fan said, “If your master has suffered such a wrong, why do you only come now to plead it?” “Because I had my master’s orders to go to Yangzhou to fetch his family,” said Ni Zhong. “Only when I got back to his post did I learn of this, and so I hurried to the capital to cry out the wrong for my master.” With that he wept and could not stop. Eunuch Chen nodded. “Bless the old fellow, the trouble he’s taken. Gentlemen, what is to be done?” Lord Wen said, “Ni Zhong’s petition agrees in every point with the depositions of Governor Ni Jizu, the gallant Ouyang Chun and the boy Ai Hu. Only the robbery — we still don’t know who did it. We must question Ni Jizu and Ouyang Chun, and then it will be clear.” He ordered Governor Ni and Ouyang Chun brought in.
不多時，二人上堂。文大人問太守道：「你與歐陽春定於何時捉拿馬強？又於何時解到本府？」倪繼祖道：「定於二更帶領差役捉拿馬強，於次日黎明方才到府。」文大人又問歐陽春道：「既是二更捉拿馬強，為何於次日黎明到府呢？」歐陽春道：「原是二更就把馬強拿住，只因他家招募了許多勇士與小人對壘，小人好容易將他等殺退，於五更時方將馬強馱在馬上。因霸王莊離府衙二十五六里之遙，小人護送到府時，天已黎明。」
不多时，二人上堂。文大人问太守道：「你与欧阳春定于何时捉拿马强？又于何时解到本府？」倪继祖道：「定于二更带领差役捉拿马强，于次日黎明方才到府。」文大人又问欧阳春道：「既是二更捉拿马强，为何于次日黎明到府呢？」欧阳春道：「原是二更就把马强拿住，只因他家招募了许多勇士与小人对垒，小人好容易将他等杀退，于五更时方将马强驮在马上。因霸王庄离府衙二十五六里之遥，小人护送到府时，天已黎明。」
Before long the two came up into the court. Lord Wen asked the Governor, “When did you and Ouyang Chun arrange to seize Ma Qiang? And when was he brought to your prefecture?” “We arranged to lead the runners to seize Ma Qiang at the second watch,” said Ni Jizu, “and he only reached the prefecture at dawn the next day.” Lord Wen asked Ouyang Chun, “If you seized Ma Qiang at the second watch, why did you reach the prefecture only at dawn the next day?” “I did lay hands on Ma Qiang at the second watch,” said Ouyang Chun, “but his house had taken on a good many fighting men, and they stood against me. Only with great trouble did I beat them off, and it was the fifth watch before I had Ma Qiang slung over a horse. Bawang Village is a good twenty-five or twenty-six li from the prefectural seat, so by the time I had escorted him in, it was already dawn.”
文大人又叫帶郭氏上來，問道：「你丈夫被何人拿住？你可知道麼？」郭氏道：「被個紫髯大漢拿住，連小婦人一同捆縛的。」文大人道：「你丈夫幾時離家的？」郭氏道：「天已五鼓。」文大人道：「你家被劫是什麼時候？」郭氏道：「天尚未亮。」文大人道：「我看失單內劫去許多物件，非止一人，你可曾看見麼？」郭氏道：「來的人不少，小婦人嚇的以被蒙頭，那裡還敢瞧呢。後來就聽賊人說：『我們乃北俠歐陽春帶領官役前來搶掠』，因此小婦人失單上有北俠的名字。」文大人道：「你丈夫結交招賢館的朋友，如何不見？」郭氏道：「就是那一夜的早起，小婦人因查點東西，不但招賢館內無人，連那裡的東西也短了許多。回大人，我丈夫交的這些朋友，全不是好朋友。」文大人聽了，笑對眾人道：「列位聽見了。這明是眾寇打劫，聲言北俠與官役、移害於人之意無疑了。」眾人道：「大人高見不差。歐陽春五鼓護送馬強，焉有黎明從新帶領人役打劫之理？此是眾寇打劫無疑了。」又把馬強帶上來，與倪忠當面質對。馬強到了此時再無折辯，就一一招了。
文大人又叫带郭氏上来，问道：「你丈夫被何人拿住？你可知道么？」郭氏道：「被个紫髯大汉拿住，连小妇人一同捆缚的。」文大人道：「你丈夫几时离家的？」郭氏道：「天已五鼓。」文大人道：「你家被劫是什么时候？」郭氏道：「天尚未亮。」文大人道：「我看失单内劫去许多物件，非止一人，你可曾看见么？」郭氏道：「来的人不少，小妇人吓的以被蒙头，那里还敢瞧呢。后来就听贼人说：『我们乃北侠欧阳春带领官役前来抢掠』，因此小妇人失单上有北侠的名字。」文大人道：「你丈夫结交招贤馆的朋友，如何不见？」郭氏道：「就是那一夜的早起，小妇人因查点东西，不但招贤馆内无人，连那里的东西也短了许多。回大人，我丈夫交的这些朋友，全不是好朋友。」文大人听了，笑对众人道：「列位听见了。这明是众寇打劫，声言北侠与官役、移害于人之意无疑了。」众人道：「大人高见不差。欧阳春五鼓护送马强，焉有黎明从新带领人役打劫之理？此是众寇打劫无疑了。」又把马强带上来，与倪忠当面质对。马强到了此时再无折辩，就一一招了。
Lord Wen then had Madam Guo brought up. “Who seized your husband?” he asked. “Do you know?” “A big man with a purple beard seized him,” said Madam Guo, “and tied me up along with him.” “When did your husband leave home?” said Lord Wen. “It was already the fifth watch,” said Madam Guo. “And when was your house robbed?” “It wasn’t light yet.” “I see from the list of stolen goods that a great many things were taken,” said Lord Wen. “That was more than one man. Did you see them?” “There were a lot of them,” said Madam Guo. “I was so frightened I pulled the covers over my head — how would I dare look? Afterwards I just heard the robbers saying, ‘We are yamen men led by the Northern Hero Ouyang Chun, come to plunder,’ and that’s why the Northern Hero’s name is on my list.” Lord Wen said, “Your husband kept company with friends at the Zhaoxian Lodge. Why were they nowhere to be seen?” “That very morning,” said Madam Guo, “when I was checking over our things, not only was there nobody left in the Zhaoxian Lodge, but a good many things were missing from there as well. If it please Your Excellency, those friends my husband made weren’t good fellows at all.” Hearing this, Lord Wen smiled and said to the others, “You heard her, gentlemen. This was plainly the band of robbers doing the plundering, giving out the Northern Hero’s name and the yamen men’s to shift the blame onto another — there’s no doubt of it.” “Your Excellency sees it rightly,” said the others. “Ouyang Chun was escorting Ma Qiang in the fifth watch — how could he have come back at dawn with a fresh band of men to rob the house? It was the robbers, beyond doubt.” Then Ma Qiang was brought up again and confronted face to face with Ni Zhong. By now Ma Qiang had no more excuses to make, and confessed to everything point by point.