Chapter 115: with translation of chapter title

Yi Zhonghai can't go on!

The expression means 'cannot continue' or 'is finished'; thus 'Yi Zhonghai can't hold on!'

But we need to keep natural English. I'd say: "【1】 Yi Zhonghai is done for!"

The eldest madam's shout flew into the neighbors' ears—this was their first reaction.

The neighbors literally angered Yi Zhonghai to death!

Translation: "Yi Zhonghai was literally angered to death by the neighbors!" Or "Yi Zhonghai was angered to death by the neighbors." Keep: "【3】 Yi Zhonghai was angered to death by the neighbors."

Upon hearing the eldest madam's wail, the neighbors all had the same second thought.

Translation: "Upon hearing the eldest madam's miserable cry, the neighbors simultaneously had a second thought." So: "【4】 Upon hearing the eldest madam's miserable cry, the neighbors simultaneously had a second thought."

Whether it's the former.

The expression means 'whether it's the former.'

Or perhaps the latter.

Translation: "Or the latter." So: "【6】 Or the latter."

They are all threaded by a main idea.

Translation: "Both are threaded through a single main line." So: "【7】 Both are threaded through a single main line."

Yi Zhonghai was on the verge of death, and these neighbors became the chief cause of his demise, all having witnessed him vomiting blood.

Translation: "Yi Zhonghai is about to die, and these neighbors have become the primary factor directly causing his death, all having witnessed the scene of him vomiting blood." Let's smooth: "【8】 Yi Zhonghai is about to die, and these neighbors have become the primary factor directly causing his death, all having witnessed him vomiting blood."

The cause of him vomiting blood.

Translation: "The cause of vomiting blood." So: "【9】 The cause of vomiting blood."

It was because more than twenty households together donated 500 to Yi Zhonghai; based on the earlier price of 10,000 per jin of rice, the courtyard neighbors kindly contributed the equivalent of five qian of rice for him.

It is because over twenty households together donated 500 to Yi Zhonghai; calculating by the earlier purchasing power of 10,000 per jin of rice, the neighbors in the courtyard kindly contributed the love of five qian of rice for Yi Zhonghai.

Either don't donate.

Translation: "Either don't donate." So: "【11】 Either don't donate."

Or donate more.

Translation: "Or donate more." So: "【12】 Or donate more."

A group together contributed just five qian of rice— not enough to feed chickens, yet they gave it to people to eat, an outright slap in the face that shoved the respectable Yi Zhonghai into the mud; no wonder he was so angry he vomited blood and fainted.

Translation: "A bunch of people together donated only five qian of rice—not enough to feed chickens, yet they gave it to people to eat, a blatant slap in the face, pressing the dignified Yi Zhonghai into the mud; no wonder he was angered to vomit blood and faint." Let's smooth: "【13】 A bunch of people together donated only five qian of rice—not enough to feed chickens, yet they gave it to people to eat, a blatant slap in the face, pressing the dignified Yi Zhonghai into the mud; no wonder he was angered to vomit blood and faint."

If it were them.

Translation: "If it were them." So: "【14】 If it were them."

They'd also be at a loss.

The expression means 'they'd also be at a loss.'

Getting back to the point.

Translation: "Speaking of which." So: "【16】 Speaking of which."

The person who thought of this idea.

Translation: "The person who came up with this idea." So: "【17】 The person who came up with this idea."

Thoroughly despicable.

Translation: "Pretty despicable." So: "【18】 Pretty despicable."

It's basically stabbing Yi Zhonghai in the back.

Translation: "It's literally stabbing a knife into Yi Zhonghai's body." So: "【19】 It's literally stabbing a knife into Yi Zhonghai's body."

With a clatter, everyone sprang into action—those putting on clothes put on clothes, those putting on pants put on pants. Yi Zhonghai was about to die; as neighbors of the siheyuan, they naturally went to have a look.

Keep the term 'Siheyuan' from the glossary.

Keep the term 'Siheyuan' from the glossary.

Some wanted to check the situation, see if Yi Zhonghai was really dying, and clear their own responsibility. Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui took the lead, while Shazhu and Xu Daming added fuel to the fire; they were merely followers. According to the principle that grudges have a head and debts have an owner, if anyone were to be held accountable, it would be Liu Haizhong, Shazhu, and Xu Daming.

Translate names: use pinyin for those not in the glossary.

Now translate line: "【21】 Some wanted to go see the situation, to see if Yi Zhonghai was really dying, and to shirk their own responsibility. Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui took the lead, Shazhu and Xu Daming added fuel to the fire; they were merely followers. According to the principle that grudges have a head and debts have a owner, if we really were to settle accounts, it would be those three—Liu Haizhong, Shazhu, and Xu Daming—who would be held accountable."

Grudges have a head and debts have an owner.

This is one group's opinion, while another group is thinking about enjoying a feast.

Translation: "This is what some people think, while others are thinking about having a feast." So: "【22】 This is what some people think, while others are thinking about having a feast."

In times of scarce resources, most people had no fat in their bellies; unlike Shazhu, who earned a lot and supported a sister, improving life became a luxury for some, eating meat-filled dumplings only during the New Year, and feasting became their only chance to better their lives.

Harboring various ulterior motives, the neighbors bustled about getting dressed to go check on Yi Zhonghai's condition.

Translation: "Harboring all sorts of unspeakable thoughts, the neighbors bustled about getting dressed to go check on Yi Zhonghai's condition." So: "【24】 Harboring all sorts of unspeakable thoughts, the neighbors bustled about getting dressed to go check on Yi Zhonghai's condition."

Among the more than twenty households,

Translation: "Among the over twenty households." So: "【25】 Among the over twenty households."

The first to reach Yi Zhonghai's home was the little‑foot old lady from the rear courtyard, who is also the deaf old matriarch of the main courtyard.

translation: same.

【64】

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Leaning on a cane, she still bore the marks of having fallen to the ground, and her face was smeared with something resembling chicken dung or possibly dog feces." So: "【27】 Leaning on a cane, she still bore the marks of having fallen to the ground, and her face was smeared with something resembling chicken dung or possibly dog feces."

line: Chinese sentence.

Look, it scared the Long Laotaitai.

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Her face turned ashen, her body trembling." So: "【29】 Her face turned ashen, her body trembling."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Upon entering Yi Zhonghai's home, the Long Laotaitai's face filled with concern, and she immediately turned her gaze toward Yi Zhonghai." So: "【30】 Upon entering Yi Zhonghai's home, the Long Laotaitai's face filled with concern, and she immediately turned her gaze toward Yi Zhonghai."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Just think." So: "【31】 Just think."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Everyone expressed understanding." So: "【32】 Everyone expressed understanding."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "If Yi Zhonghai really met with mishap—died or became disabled—the one who would suffer the greatest loss is estimated not to be the eldest madam, but the Long Laotaitai who rushed in anxiously." So: "【33】 If Yi Zhonghai really met with mishap—died or became disabled—the one who would suffer the greatest loss is estimated not to be the eldest madam, but the Long Laotaitai who rushed in anxiously."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "The Long Laotaitai, a lonely widow, now has only two thoughts." So: "【34】 The Long Laotaitai, a lonely widow, now has only two thoughts."

line: Chinese sentence.

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Second, how to enjoy her twilight years in comfort—the Long Laotaitai's later years differ from others', requiring two things: on one hand, satisfying her cravings for fine food and drink, preferably mountain delicacies and seafood; on the other, enjoying the warm family scene of being cared for, with grandchildren surrounding her knees." So: "【36】 Second, how to enjoy her twilight years in comfort—the Long Laotaitai's later years differ from others', requiring two things: on one hand, satisfying her cravings for fine food and drink, preferably mountain delicacies and seafood; on the other, enjoying the warm family scene of being cared for, with grandchildren surrounding her knees."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "In the Long Laotaitai's mind, Yi Zhonghai is her son, the eldest madam is her daughter-in-law, and Shazhu naturally becomes her grandson. Constantly instilling the idea that Shazhu is the best choice to support Yi Zhonghai in his old age is the Long Laotaitai's starting point." So: "【37】 In the Long Laotaitai's mind, Yi Zhonghai is her son, the eldest madam is her daughter-in-law, and Shazhu naturally becomes her grandson. Constantly instilling the idea that Shazhu is the best choice to support Yi Zhonghai in his old age is the Long Laotaitai's starting point."

line: Chinese sentence.

【88】

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Given all these factors." So: "【39】 Given all these factors."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Shazhu entered the Long Laotaitai's sight." So: "【40】 Shazhu entered the Long Laotaitai's sight."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Basically speaking." So: "【41】 Basically speaking."

line: Chinese sentence.

The Long Laotaitai's kindness toward Shazhu also stems from selfishness; in her previous life she locked Shazhu and Lou Xiaoe in one room, hoping to make Shazhu turn raw rice into cooked rice with Lou Xiaoe.

line: Chinese sentence.

The starting point was aiming at Lou Xiaoe's family's properties, intending to use Lou Xiaoe's family's assets to realize the Long Laotaitai's dream of eating her way across the Capital City.

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "At bottom, it's just two words." So: "【44】 At bottom, it's just two words."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Selfish." So: "【45】 Selfish."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "All of these have a foundation." So: "【46】 All of these have a foundation."

line: Chinese sentence.

line: Chinese sentence.

line: quoted speech Chinese. Need to translate.

meta note about quoted speech translation. Need to output translation of the quoted speech: "【109】 "Old Yi's wife, what's wrong with Zhonghai? Don't scare me—Zhonghai must not come to harm!""

line: Chinese sentence with quoted speech.

meta note about translation of that line. Need to output translation: "【111】 "Old lady, I'm just messing around—I won't mess around with you on this matter." The eldest madam's tearful voice rang out as she pointed to the dazed Yi Zhonghai in her arms, saying: "Take a look—Old Yi has lost all consciousness.""

Old Yi said, "This is really too hard."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "The matter of Yi Zhonghai waking up and fainting was recounted in detail." So: "【51】 The matter of Yi Zhonghai waking up and fainting was recounted in detail."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Only then did the Long Laotaitai learn that Yi Zhonghai had been angered to faint by the 500." So: "【52】 Only then did the Long Laotaitai learn that Yi Zhonghai had been angered to faint by the 500."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "She sighed inwardly." So: "【53】 She sighed inwardly."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "It's all money that brought disaster." So: "【54】 It's all money that brought disaster."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "She casually gathered the 500 on the table into her pocket." So: "【55】 She casually gathered the 500 on the table into her pocket."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "Even a mosquito, small as it is, is still meat." So: "【56】 Even a mosquito, small as it is, is still meat."

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "The excuse given was that she didn't want Yi Zhonghai to suffer a second injury." So: "【57】 The excuse given was that she didn't want Yi Zhonghai to suffer a second injury."

line: Chinese sentence.

line: Chinese sentence.

Translation: "The Long Laotaitai also didn't give a useful reply." So: "【59】 The Long Laotaitai also didn't give a useful reply."

Liu Haizhong and the neighbors all rushed into the house at this moment, Xu Daming and Shazhu also squeezed into the crowd.

Seeing a purple-gold face, breath like gossamer, lying in the arms of an elder aunt is Yi Zhonghai; Shazhu's mind is dazed.

Look at Yi Zhonghai's posture.

An appearance as if he could let go of the mortal world at any moment.

Is this hypocrite going to die?

A creepy feeling welled up in Shazhu's heart; if Yi Zhonghai really died, as the initiator of Yi Zhonghai's donation drive, Shazhu would surely get into trouble.

His reputation would also be ruined.

This is one aspect.

On the other hand.

The hypocrite Yi Zhonghai, nicknamed Moral Heavenly Venerable, excels at moral blackmail; he is an indispensable beast in the Siheyuan, and together with Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, Liu Haizhong, Long Laotaitai, and Xu Damiao they are known as 'one harm, two beasts, three villains'.

Without Yi Zhonghai, can the Siheyuan still be called a Siheyuan?

The things Shazhu foresaw could no longer happen; essentially, the course of events was changed.

"Dead?"

People's gazes fell on Shazhu.

Shazhu silently cursed; despite his daily bird‑hunting, he still got his eyes pecked by a goose, and when someone shouted 'He's dead!', everyone piled the blame on him.

He's bearing this blame.

Wronged.

"I didn't say that."

"I can testify." Xu Damiao bore witness: "Shazhu didn't say those words."

Shazhu glared at Xu Damiao with disdain.

This testimony is like a soft‑shelled turtle.

Better not to testify at all.

If Xu Damiao doesn't show up, people believe him; but once he appears, nobody believes him.

Personal connections.

Unprecedentedly good.

Xu Damiao.

Thank you.

"Just say a few less words and I'll stand in front of Shazhu." Yan Fugui lent Shazhu a scarf, saying, "Those words 'he's dead' came from behind."

"What are you doing? The elder uncle is fine, he still has breath, yet you wish him dead—what's the meaning? Even if you want to feast, you shouldn't think like that."

Many people snorted inwardly; they were just here for the feast, secretly hoping Yi Zhonghai would die soon.

Some old bachelors even set their sights on the elder aunt; if Yi Zhonghai died, she would become a widow, giving them someone to pursue.

"Shazhu, say a few less words too—don't talk about feasting or not feasting, that's inauspicious; what's wrong with Old Yi?"

Liu Haizhong asked carefully.

He worried that Yi Zhonghai might meet with misfortune.

Regarding the donation.

It was Shazhu who persuaded him.

At that time only Shazhu and Liu Haizhong were present, with no third party.

In other words.

If Yi Zhonghai were really angered to death over the donation matter, Liu Haizhong would fare badly, and Shazhu could easily pin the blame on him; at the Great Assembly many heard and saw that it was Liu Haizhong who proposed donating money and goods to Yi Zhonghai.

This is both human and material evidence.

Long Laotaitai repeated to Liu Haizhong and the others what the elder aunt had just told her; as two women, they could do nothing—whether folk remedy or sending to hospital, they needed the men in the courtyard to help.

"So Old Yi just fainted."

Liu Haizhong's heart hung in mid‑air.

It barely came down.

Fainting means he's not dead yet, there's still hope; he secretly resolved to treat Shazhu's future suggestions with caution.

Too indecent.

He almost angered Yi Zhonghai to death.

After gathering his thoughts, Liu Haizhong suggested to the elder aunt pinching the philtrum to wake Yi Zhonghai first.

"Where is the philtrum?"

"The middle of the body."

His gaze fell where it shouldn't.

He waved his hand.

He was about to strike.

"Below the nose." Unable to watch, Shazhu corrected, "Above the upper lip."

The elder aunt pressed hard with her thumb on Yi Zhonghai's philtrum.

It had no effect.

Yi Zhonghai remained unconscious.

In the crowd.

Someone shouted that Yi Zhonghai needed to be sent to the hospital; if delayed, he might turn into something else, and a feigned death would become real, so the courtyard residents would indeed be feasting.

Liu Haizhong panicked.

The elder aunt was startled.

Long Laotaitai got anxious.

Yi Zhonghai cannot die.

"Hurry up and send him to the hospital, get a cart." Liu Haizhong, in his capacity as steward elder, directed everyone to get busy: "Put Old Yi on the cart and send him to the hospital."

Human life is of utmost importance.

It must be taken seriously.

"Old Yi's condition is unknown; we're not doctors. If his condition can't be moved and can't tolerate any jostling, and we put Old Yi on a cart to the hospital, and the doctor says he was fine but our jostling caused harm, who bears the responsibility?"

These words from the crowd left Liu Haizhong and others stunned on the spot; several people who had been shouting to get a cart also fell silent and motionless.

What they said makes sense.

After all, they're amateurs.

Shazhu, who was pinching the philtrum, reminded where the philtrum was; at first he really rushed toward that thing, almost turning Yi Zhonghai into a eunuch.

「Liu Haizhong, please save our Yi Zhonghai; you two used to be on good terms. 」

Shazhu let out a cold snort in his heart.

Even the big yellow dog in the courtyard wouldn't believe that.

Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai have no relationship to speak of; they've been fighting at the steel plant, fighting in the siheyuan, nothing more than not having torn their faces yet.

And they're supposed to be on good terms?

They really know how to put gold on their own faces.

Ptooey.

Good people don't live long, misfortunes last a thousand years; the virtue‑lacking, smoke‑belching Moral Heavenly Venerable couldn't possibly die so easily.

「I think, Old Yi needs to try a folk remedy now. 」

Everyone's gaze.

It gathered on Shazhu.

Don't say.

A folk remedy might be worth a try.

What exactly is the reason?

It's because of this folk remedy—it's so strong, it makes your scalp tingle and leaves you dazed.

「Exactly, exactly, let's try a folk remedy. 」 Xu Daming said earnestly: 「When I went to the countryside to show movies, people said that once someone faints and can't wake up, you get two large hammers, then find a stone, place the stone on the person, call two strong young fellows, use the large hammers to smash the stone, through the stone's cushioning, let the hammer's impact act on the person, gradually waking them up. 」

「Xu Daming, your folk remedy won't work; the one I've heard of goes like this: when the eldest uncle faints and won't wake up, we find a rope, tie him up, hang him from the beam, and lash him hard with a feather duster until he wakes up—whenever he wakes, we stop. Your hammer-and-stone remedy to wake the eldest uncle is no good; it's just stone and hammer—why not just slap the eldest uncle hard a few times until he wakes up? 」

「How many big slaps would that take? Wouldn't your hand hurt? Even if your hand didn't hurt, the eldest uncle's face would hurt! 」

「Find a wooden plank and directly slap the eldest uncle's face with it—then your hand won't hurt. 」

The folk remedy got the neighbors talking.

Xu Daming, Liu Guangtian, Yan Jiefang, and others each spoke up, sharing the folk remedies they'd heard from somewhere.

It's not about tying stones.

It's just about lashing with a feather duster.

Someone also suggested pouring donkey urine.

It's said this folk remedy has been tested; in Anqiu's Dingxianglou, Detective Squad Captain Jia learned it from a wandering herbalist and used it on the second-in-command He Tenggui San; afterward Jia Gui received several hard slaps from He Tenggui San.

Limited by conditions.

No donkey urine, no donkey dung balls.

The suggester cleverly swapped the donkey dung and urine for dog feces and urine, arguing that since both are animal waste, why not use them?

The eldest aunt was a bit unhappy, thinking: You're treating Yi Zhonghai's mouth like a cesspool. She noticed that those suggesting the folk remedy seemed to be adding insult to injury.

Indeed it is.

They were all taking the chance to get revenge on Yi Zhonghai.

「Eldest aunt, we're not deliberately bullying the eldest uncle; folk remedies have their own logic. Saying we should give the eldest uncle an enema of dog feces and urine isn't wrong—bat feces, known as night-bright sand, is a medicinal herb; bat dung is medicine, and dog dung is also medicine. Don't worry, I'll go get some right now. 」

That fellow turned and left.

He lasted only a minute.

He came back holding a small jar.

Shazhu recognized it.

A chamber pot.

Without waiting for the eldest aunt's consent, he pinched open Yi Zhonghai's tightly shut mouth, aimed the chamber pot's spout at his mouth, and began pouring.

A pungent stench.

It filled the whole room.

Many people frowned, held their breath, and watched that fellow as he administered the remedy to Yi Zhonghai, pouring the substance into his mouth, then fetched a stick and shoved it further in.

Just watching made Shazhu feel uneasy.

Not to mention how Yi Zhonghai himself felt.

Fortunately he had fainted.

Otherwise it would have been another ordeal.

Whether it was the smell taking effect or the stick hurting Yi Zhonghai, the fainted Yi Zhonghai lying on the kang had tears welling up at the corners of his eyes.

It was noticed by the sharp-eyed.

The room instantly became an ocean of excitement.

「The eldest uncle was moved to tears, which shows the folk remedy works. 」

The fellow who had poured dog urine and feces into Yi Zhonghai took the chamber pot out, walked around, came back saying there was no more dog feces or urine, wondering whether to go next door to the dayuan to get some.

Shazhu stopped this gentleman's suggestion.

Even if it's a disaster for Yi Zhonghai, you can't just keep causing disaster for yourself alone, ah.

Everyone gets a share.

Everyone participates.

Everybody's here; if you do it all by yourself, there's nothing left for us to do—why did we come then?

"Since the folk remedy works, I have an idea." Shazhu looked around at everyone, "Recently, at the scrap yard, someone told me that if a person faints, giving them some boy's urine is best; I've also heard that some people who fall ill eat eggs boiled in boy's urine, and even use boy's urine as a guide for decocting medicine."

The eldest aunt thought Shazhu's suggestion was more reliable than that person's just now.

The boy's urine matter.

The eldest aunt has heard of it.

Old Deaf Lady also expressed agreement.

Not long.

In the courtyard, several kids aged seven or eight, even five or six, were brought to Yi Zhonghai's house, treating his mouth as a latrine—aside from urinating, they just kept urinating.

If one asks whether there is any result.

Hard to say.

Anyway, during the process of those kids urinating, the unconscious Yi Zhonghai, with tears seeping from the corners of his eyes, kept shedding tears, which seemed to increase more and more; also Yi Zhonghai's belly swelled up, looking like a pregnant woman six months along.

Someone wanted to vomit.

Someone also thought about continuing to treat Yi Zhonghai with the folk remedy.

Dog feces were poured in.

Dog urine was poured in.

Boy's urine was drunk.

What else can be done?

Acupuncture therapy.

This acupuncture is not acupuncture; the points pricked are not Yi Zhonghai's body acupoints, but the area between his toes, which could also be considered an acupoint.

They didn't use the silver or gold needles that doctors use; they used the needles that the old women in the courtyard use for sewing as acupuncture needles.

In order to show support for Yi Zhonghai.

Yan Fugui contributed his family's erguotou.

That bottle, one part white liquor plus three parts cool water, makes a whole bottle of diluted erguotou.