卻說蔣爺在艙門側耳細聽，原來是小童（就是當初服侍李平山的），手中拿的個字簡道：「奉姨奶奶之命，叫先生即刻拆看。」李平山接過，映著月光看了，悄悄道：「吾知道了。你回去上復姨奶奶，說夜闌人靜，吾就過去。」原來巧娘與幕賓相好就是他。蔣爺聽在耳內，暗道：「敢則這小子，還有這等行為呢。」又聽見跳板響，知道是小童過去。他卻回身歪在牀上，假裝睡著。李平山喚了兩聲不應。他卻賊眉賊眼在燈下將字簡又看了一番，樂的他抓耳撓腮，坐立不安，無奈何也歪在牀上裝睡。那裡睡得著，呼吸之氣不知怎樣才好。蔣爺聽了，不由的暗笑，自己卻呼吸出入，極其平勻，令人聽著，直是真睡一般。
却说蒋爷在舱门侧耳细听，原来是小童（就是当初服侍李平山的），手中拿的个字简道：「奉姨奶奶之命，叫先生即刻拆看。」李平山接过，映着月光看了，悄悄道：「吾知道了。你回去上复姨奶奶，说夜阑人静，吾就过去。」原来巧娘与幕宾相好就是他。蒋爷听在耳内，暗道：「敢则这小子，还有这等行为呢。」又听见跳板响，知道是小童过去。他却回身歪在床上，假装睡着。李平山唤了两声不应。他却贼眉贼眼在灯下将字简又看了一番，乐的他抓耳挠腮，坐立不安，无奈何也歪在床上装睡。那里睡得着，呼吸之气不知怎样才好。蒋爷听了，不由的暗笑，自己却呼吸出入，极其平匀，令人听着，直是真睡一般。
Now, Jiang Ping cocked his ear at the cabin door and listened closely. It was the page boy (the same one who had waited on Li Pingshan in the old days), holding a note. “By the junior mistress’s orders,” he said, “you’re to open this and read it at once, sir.” Li Pingshan took it and read it by the moonlight, then said softly, “I understand. Go back and give the junior mistress my respects, and tell her that when the night is late and all is still, I’ll come over.” So the private secretary who had been carrying on with Qiaoniang was none other than he! Jiang Ping took it all in and thought, “Well, well, so the little rat gets up to this sort of thing too.” Then he heard the gangplank creak and knew the page boy had gone back across. He himself turned over, lay sprawled on the bed and pretended to be asleep. Li Pingshan called him twice and got no answer. Then, all shifty eyes and thievish brows, he read the note over again under the lamp, so delighted that he scratched his ears and rubbed his cheeks and could neither sit nor stand still. There was nothing for it but to lie down on the bed too and pretend to sleep. But how could he sleep? He did not know what to do with his own breathing. Hearing it, Jiang Ping could not help laughing to himself, while his own breath went in and out so slow and even that anyone listening would have taken it for real sleep.
李平山耐了多時，悄悄的起來奔到艙門，又回頭瞧了瞧蔣爺，猶疑了半晌，方才出了艙門。只聽跳板咯噔咯噔亂響。蔣爺這裡翻身起來，脫了長衣，出了艙門，只聽跳板咯噔一響跳上去。到了大船之上，將跳板輕輕扶起，往水內一順。他方到三船上窗板外細聽，果然聽見有男女淫欲之聲，又聽得女音悄悄說：「先生，你可想煞我也！」蔣爺卻不性急，高高的嚷了兩聲：「三船上有了賊了！有了喊了！」他便刺開水面下水去了。
李平山耐了多时，悄悄的起来奔到舱门，又回头瞧了瞧蒋爷，犹疑了半晌，方才出了舱门。只听跳板咯噔咯噔乱响。蒋爷这里翻身起来，脱了长衣，出了舱门，只听跳板咯噔一响跳上去。到了大船之上，将跳板轻轻扶起，往水内一顺。他方到三船上窗板外细听，果然听见有男女淫欲之声，又听得女音悄悄说：「先生，你可想煞我也！」蒋爷却不性急，高高的嚷了两声：「三船上有了贼了！有了喊了！」他便刺开水面下水去了。
Li Pingshan held out a long while. Then he got up quietly and made for the cabin door, looked back at Jiang Ping, hesitated a good while more, and only then went out. The gangplank went clack, clack, clatter. Jiang Ping at once rolled over and got up, threw off his long gown, went out of the cabin and, with a single thump on the gangplank, sprang across. Once on the big boat, he gently lifted the gangplank and slid it down into the water. Only then did he go to the window boards of the third boat and listen closely outside. Sure enough, he heard the sounds of a man and a woman at their lust, and then a woman’s voice whispering, “Oh, sir, how I’ve pined for you!” Jiang Ping was in no hurry. He shouted twice at the top of his voice, “Thieves on the third boat! Thieves!” Then he parted the surface of the river and slipped down into the water.
金福祿立刻帶領多人，各船搜查。到了第三船，正見李平山在那邊著急：因沒了跳板，不能夠過在小船之上。金福祿見他慌張形景，不容分說，將他帶到頭船，回稟老爺。金公即叫帶進來。李平山戰戰哆嗦，哈著腰兒，進了艙門，見了金公，張口結舌，立刻形景難畫難描。金公見他哈著腰兒，不住的將衣襟兒遮掩，仔細看時，原來他赤著雙腳。
金福禄立刻带领多人，各船搜查。到了第三船，正见李平山在那边着急：因没了跳板，不能够过在小船之上。金福禄见他慌张形景，不容分说，将他带到头船，回禀老爷。金公即叫带进来。李平山战战哆嗦，哈着腰儿，进了舱门，见了金公，张口结舌，立刻形景难画难描。金公见他哈着腰儿，不住的将衣襟儿遮掩，仔细看时，原来他赤着双脚。
Jin Fulu, the steward, at once led a crowd of men to search each boat. When they reached the third boat, there was Li Pingshan in a great state, because with the gangplank gone he could not get across to the little boat. Seeing how flustered he looked, Jin Fulu gave him no chance to explain but took him to the lead boat and reported to the master. Lord Jin had him brought in at once. Trembling and shaking, bent double, Li Pingshan came in at the cabin door. Face to face with Lord Jin, his mouth hung open and his tongue was tied; the look on him that moment was beyond any painter’s brush. Seeing him stooped over and forever tugging at the skirts of his gown to hide something, Lord Jin looked closely — and found the man was barefoot.