話說邵老爺當堂叫吳玉據實招上來。吳玉道：「小……小……小人沒有招……招的。」邵老爺吩咐：「拉下去打。」左右吶了一聲喊，將吳玉拖翻在地，竹板高揚，打了十數板。吳玉嚷道：「我招呀，我招！」左右放他起來，道：「快說，快說！」
话说邵老爷当堂叫吴玉据实招上来。吴玉道：「小……小……小人没有招……招的。」邵老爷吩咐：「拉下去打。」左右呐了一声喊，将吴玉拖翻在地，竹板高扬，打了十数板。吴玉嚷道：「我招呀，我招！」左右放他起来，道：「快说，快说！」
Now, there in the court, Lord Shao ordered Wu Yu to make a true confession. “I — I — I’ve got nothing to con — confess,” said Wu Yu. “Take him down and beat him,” ordered Lord Shao. The attendants on either side gave a great shout and dragged Wu Yu down flat on the floor; the bamboo rods rose high, and he took a dozen strokes or more. “I’ll confess!” Wu Yu howled. “I’ll confess!” The attendants let him up. “Out with it, quick, quick!”
吳玉道：「小人原無生理，以賭為事。偏偏的時運不好，屢賭屢輸。東幹東不著，西幹西不著，要帳堆了門，小人白日不敢出門來。那日天色將晚，小人剛然出來，就瞧見鄭申晃裡晃蕩由東而來。我就追上前去，見他肩頭扛著個褡連，裡面鼓鼓囊囊的。小人就合他借貸，誰知鄭申他不借，還罵小人。小人一時氣忿，將他盡力一推，『噗哧』『咕咚』就栽倒了。一個人栽倒了怎麼兩聲兒呢？敢則鄭申喝成酒泡兒了，栽在地下，噗哧的一聲。倒是那大褡連摔在地下，咕咚的一聲。小人聽的聲音甚是沉重，知道裡面必是財資。我就一屁股坐在鄭申胸脯之上。鄭申才待要嚷，我將兩手向他咽喉一扣，使勁在地下一按。不大的工夫，鄭申就不動了。小人把他拉入葦塘深處，以為此財是發定了，再也無人知曉。不想冤魂告到老爺臺前。回老爺，鄭申說的全是醉話，聽不的呢。小人冤枉呀！」邵老爺問道：「你將銀褡連放在何處？」吳玉道：「那是二百兩銀子。小人將褡連理好，埋在缸後頭了，分文沒動。」
吴玉道：「小人原无生理，以赌为事。偏偏的时运不好，屡赌屡输。东干东不着，西干西不着，要帐堆了门，小人白日不敢出门来。那日天色将晚，小人刚然出来，就瞧见郑申晃里晃荡由东而来。我就追上前去，见他肩头扛着个褡连，里面鼓鼓囊囊的。小人就合他借贷，谁知郑申他不借，还骂小人。小人一时气忿，将他尽力一推，『噗哧』『咕咚』就栽倒了。一个人栽倒了怎么两声儿呢？敢则郑申喝成酒泡儿了，栽在地下，噗哧的一声。倒是那大褡连摔在地下，咕咚的一声。小人听的声音甚是沉重，知道里面必是财资。我就一屁股坐在郑申胸脯之上。郑申才待要嚷，我将两手向他咽喉一扣，使劲在地下一按。不大的工夫，郑申就不动了。小人把他拉入苇塘深处，以为此财是发定了，再也无人知晓。不想冤魂告到老爷台前。回老爷，郑申说的全是醉话，听不的呢。小人冤枉呀！」邵老爷问道：「你将银褡连放在何处？」吴玉道：「那是二百两银子。小人将褡连理好，埋在缸后头了，分文没动。」
“I never had a proper living,” said Wu Yu. “Gambling was my trade. And as bad luck would have it, I lost every time I played. Whatever I tried east of here came to nothing, whatever I tried west of here came to nothing; the creditors piled up at my door, and I didn’t dare go out by day. That evening, just as it was getting dark, I’d only just stepped out when I saw Zheng Shen come lurching and swaying along from the east. I caught up with him and saw he had a money bag over his shoulder, stuffed full and bulging. I asked him for a loan — and who’d have thought it, Zheng Shen wouldn’t lend me anything, and he cursed me into the bargain. I lost my temper and gave him a shove with all my might, and — squish, thud — down he went. How can one man falling make two noises, you ask? Turns out Zheng Shen had soaked himself through with wine like a sponge, so when he hit the ground, that was the squish. It was the big money bag hitting the ground that went thud. The sound was so heavy I knew there must be money inside. So I plonked my backside down on Zheng Shen’s chest. He was just going to yell when I clamped both hands round his throat and pressed down hard against the ground. Before long Zheng Shen stopped moving. I dragged him deep into the reed pond, thinking this fortune was mine for sure and nobody would ever know. Who’d have thought his wronged ghost would go and lodge a complaint before Your Excellency’s bench? If it please Your Excellency, everything Zheng Shen said was drunken talk — you can’t listen to it! I’ve been wronged!” “Where did you put the money bag with the silver?” asked Lord Shao. “That was two hundred taels of silver,” said Wu Yu. “I tied the money bag up tidy and buried it behind the water vat. I haven’t touched a single coin.”
邵老爺命吳玉畫了招，帶下去，即請縣宰方公將招供給他看了。叫方公派人將贓銀起來，果然未動，即叫屍親鄭王氏收領。李存與翠芳塘住的眾街坊釋放回家。獨有施生留在本府。吳玉定了秋後處決，派役押赴縣內監收。方公一一領命，即刻稟辭，回本縣去了。
邵老爷命吴玉画了招，带下去，即请县宰方公将招供给他看了。叫方公派人将赃银起来，果然未动，即叫尸亲郑王氏收领。李存与翠芳塘住的众街坊释放回家。独有施生留在本府。吴玉定了秋后处决，派役押赴县内监收。方公一一领命，即刻禀辞，回本县去了。
Lord Shao had Wu Yu put his mark to the confession and had him taken away, then asked the county magistrate, Magistrate Fang, to read it. He told Magistrate Fang to send men to dig up the stolen silver — and sure enough, it had not been touched — and had the dead man’s kin, Madam Zheng, née Wang, take it into her keeping. Li Cun and the neighbours who lived by Cuifang Pond were released and sent home. Only Shi Jun was kept on at the prefecture. Wu Yu was sentenced to be executed after the autumn assizes, and runners were sent to take him back to the county jail. Magistrate Fang received each order, at once took his leave, and went back to his own county.