Listen to this article97瑞栋是奉了太后的懿旨来杀韦小宝的，韦小宝本想穿窗逃走，不料扑通一声，摔入房内海公公留下的那口大水缸中，瑞栋哈哈大笑，伸手入缸，将韦小宝湿淋淋地提将上来。
97 Rui Dong came to kill Wei Xiaobao at the Queen Mother’s order. Wei Xiaobao wanted to escape through the window, but with a splash, he fell into the big water tank left by Grandpa Hai in the room. Rui Dong laughed, reached into the tank, and lifted Wei Xiaobao up wet.
98韦小宝一张嘴，一口水喷向瑞栋眼中，跟着身子前纵，扑入他怀中，左手搂住他头颈，右手捏了匕首，从他胸口直划而下，直至小腹，剖了一道长长的口子。
Wei Xiaobao opened his mouth and sprayed water into Ruidong’s eyes. He followed his body forward and threw himself into his arms. His left hand wrapped around his head and neck, and his right hand held a dagger. He pulled straight from his chest to his lower abdomen and cut a long cut.
99瑞栋倒地而死后，韦小宝从他怀中找出了一部红绸白边的《四十二章经》。韦小宝取出刚从康亲王府盗来的那部经书，两部经书放在桌上，除了封皮一是红绸，一是红绸镶白边之外，全然一模一样。
After Ruidong fell to the ground and died, Wei Xiaobao found a “42 Chapters Classic” with red silk and white border in his arms. Wei Xiaobao took out the scripture that had just been stolen from the Kangqin Palace. The two scriptures were placed on the table. Except for the red silk cover and the red silk with white edges, they were identical.
100韦小宝正想把瑞栋的尸体移走，忽听得屋外有几人走近，一人道:“皇上有命，吩咐小桂子前往侍候。”韦小宝匆匆换下湿衣，将两部《四十二章经》和大叠银票揣在怀里，这才熄灯出房。
Wei Xiaobao was trying to remove the body of Ruidong when he heard several people approaching outside the house. One man said, “The emperor has orders to go to wait.” Wei Xiaobao hurriedly changed his wet clothes, carried two copies of the “42 Chapters Classic” and a large stack of silver notes in his arms, and then turned out the light.
101韦小宝走出大门，见门外的四名太监都不是熟人。跟着他们没走多久，那四名太监突然分站前后左右，将韦小宝按在中间。韦小宝暗叫:“糟糕!哪里是皇上来叫我去，分明是太后前来捉拿我。”
When Wei Xiaobao walked out of the gate, he saw that the four eunuchs outside were not acquaintances. Not long after they followed, the four eunuchs suddenly stood around and pressed Wei Xiaobao in the middle. Wei Xiaobao said to himself, “Awful! Where is the emperor calling me to go? It is clear that the empress dowager came to arrest me.”
102韦小宝从怀中摸出一叠银票，撒手一扬，银票飘飘荡荡，飞上花丛。四名太监拔步去追银票，韦小宝身形一矮，钻入了假山涧中。
Wei Xiaobao took out a stack of silver notes from his arms and waved them. The silver notes fluttered and flew into the flowers. Four eunuchs stepped forward to chase the silver note, and Wei Xiaobao, who was short, got into the rockery.
103韦小宝兴匆匆回到住处，将到门口，忽听得花丛中有人冷冷地道:“小桂子，你好!”韦小宝一听得是太后的声音，转身便逃，但太后的一只手早已搭在他肩上，使他难移半步。
When he hurried back to his residence and was about to get to the door, he suddenly heard someone in the flowers say coldly, “Hello, little laurel!” As soon as he heard the Queen Mother’s voice, he turned and ran away, but the Queen Mother’s hand was already on his shoulder, making it difficult for him to move half a step.
104韦小宝灵机一动，跪地磕头道:“瑞栋到五台山找老皇帝去了，跟我约定每隔两月在天桥见面，你若杀了我，瑞栋就会把你的秘密禀明皇上。奴才对太后忠心耿耿，天天侍候皇上，可没露过半点口风。”
Wei Xiaobao had a brainwave, knelt down and kowtowed, “Ruidong went to Mount Wutai to find the old emperor. He promised to meet me at the overpass every two months. If you kill me, Ruidong will tell your secret to the emperor. The servant is loyal to the empress dowager. He waits on the emperor every day, but he doesn’t tell the emperor anything.”
105太后信以为真，不敢杀死韦小宝，便使出“化骨绵掌”，在韦小\宝背上连击三掌，哈哈大笑一声，转身没入花丛。韦小宝胸腹间气血翻涌，“哇”地一声，一口鲜血，一口清水地吐出来。
105 The Empress Dowager believed it and dared not kill Wei Xiaobao, so she used the “bone-melting soft palm”, hit Wei Xiaobao three times on the back, laughed loudly, and turned away into the flowers. Wei Xiaobao’s chest and abdomen swelled with blood, and with a “wow”, he spit out blood and water.
106韦小宝心想:“要是皇太后知道瑞栋已死，我这小命只怕再也挨不过半个时辰。”他挣扎着回到房中，取出化尸粉，倒在瑞栋尸体的伤囗之中，伤口冒出烟雾，化出许多黄水。方沐二人见此情景，满脸惊骇之色。
Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, “If the Empress Dowager knew that Ruidong was dead, I would not be able to live for half an hour.” He struggled to return to the room, took out the powder, and poured it into the wound of Ruidong’s body. The wound emitted smoke and turned into a lot of yellow water. The two of Fang Mu were shocked when they saw the scene.
