Chapter 104: with translation of chapter title

In the morning, Pingle practiced tai chi in the courtyard, her small frame swaying, like a little duck learning to walk. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the old locust tree, casting dappled spots on her face.

Named: Pingle (Pingle? Not in glossary; but it's a name? It's a nickname? The glossary only gave Li Ping'an, Zhou Shichang, Sun Kezhang, etc. Pingle is a name (the sister). Not in glossary; we need to decide: Should we translate? The glossary list includes only those given; but we must list every named entity appearing in these lines. The instruction: "List every NAMED entity / coined term in these lines: characters (incl. the protagonist & minor ones), places, sects/clans/factions/peoples, official & sect ranks/titles, techniques, cultivation realms/pills/treasures, named beasts/items, fan-fiction names." So we need to include Pingle as a character name. However we have no glossary entry for it; we must provide its English form. The rule: Use Hanyu Pinyin ONLY for a person's actual NAME. So we should romanize Pingle as Ping le? Actually Pinyin: Pínglè. Should we keep tone marks? Typically we omit tone marks. So "Ping le"? Usually "Pingle". We'll output "Pingle". Since not in glossary, we need to add to glossary list.

Similarly, Li Ping'an is Li Ping'an (provided). Good.

Brother, do you think my move 'White Crane Spreads Wings' looks like it? She stands on one leg, swaying gently.

Named: White Crane Spreads Wings is a technique name (White Crane Spreads Wings). Should translate by meaning: "White Crane Spreads Wings". Not a proper noun needing pinyin. So we translate.

Li Ping'an leaned against the doorframe and laughed: 'Like a flopping chick.' Before he finished speaking, Ping Le plopped down on the ground.

Names: Li Ping'an, Ping Le.

She puffed out her cheeks and glared at him.

Li Ping'an quickly helped his sister up, brushing off the dirt from her clothes: 'Practice well, I'll check when I'm back.' He looked up at the sun, remembered to lock the door, and told her not to open it for anyone.

Names: Li Ping'an.

Ping Le grabbed the corner of his shirt: 'Brother, come back early.'

Names: Ping Le.

Lao Zhao was already waiting at the teahouse. Seeing Li Ping'an enter, he pushed a bowl of tea over: 'Try this, just brewed jasmine tea.'

Names: Lao Zhao, Li Ping'an.

Li Ping'an took a sip, the tea fragrance refreshing: 'What's so urgent?'

Names: Li Ping'an.

Lao Zhao lowered his voice: 'That old bastard Zhou Shichang was still helping Japanese people deal in antiquities before he died. Now the Japanese soldiers have surrendered, but the whereabouts of those treasures are unknown.'

Names: Lao Zhao, Zhou Shichang, Japanese person.

The tea cup paused in Li Ping'an's hand: 'Isn't the police station investigating the Zhou mansion case?'

Names: Li Ping'an, Police Station, Zhoufu.

Investigating the case openly, secretly looking for antiquities. Lao Zhao sneered: 'Some people, during the Japanese occupation, were traitors; even after the Japanese left, they're still wiping their backsides for them.'

Names: Lao Zhao, Japanese Soldiers.

Li Ping'an looked out the window. A few kids across the street were spinning tops, their laughter clear and bright. He remembered his promise to Ping Le to open an embroidery shop.

Names: Li Ping'an, Ping Le.

Lao Zhao, I've just found my sister…

Names: Lao Zhao, Li Ping'an.

I understand. Lao Zhao sighed, but those are treasures left by our ancestors! We can't just watch them flow overseas.

Names: Lao Zhao.

The tea had gone cold. Li Ping'an traced the crack on the teacup, remembering the brothers who sacrificed themselves in the northeastern mountains to protect cultural relics.

Names: Li Ping'an, Dongbei.

What do you need me to do?

(no names)

Find out where the artifacts went. Lao Zhao's eyes flashed with relief: 'We'll send people to protect Ping Le.'

Names: Lao Zhao, Ping Le.

At parting, Lao Zhao slipped him an address: 'This is my cousin's place; if anything happens, you can ask her to look out for you.'

Names: Lao Zhao.

Li Ping'an went to the grain store to buy white flour and weighed out two catties of pork. Passing by the silver shop, he paused a moment and bought Ping Le a wooden comb—little girls all love beauty.

Names: Li Ping'an, Ping Le, Wooden Comb.

On the way home, he always felt someone was following him. Turning into the alley, he pretended to tie his shoelaces and caught a glimpse of a man in a top hat darting into a corner.

Names: Alley (provided).

The lingering spirit. He muttered, deliberately taking a few extra loops before heading home.

(no names)

Ping Le was stir-frying vegetables at the stove, the pan sizzling. Seeing her brother return, she raised the spatula and laughed: 'Brother, I've learned how to stir-fry cabbage!'

Names: Ping Le.

Dinner was plentiful: braised pork, stir-fried cabbage, and white rice. Ping Le ate with grease all over her mouth, but her eyes kept glancing at her brother.

Names: Ping Le, Red Braised Pork.

Le'er, Brother might be busy with things. Li Ping'an gave her a piece of meat, though he might not be home sometimes, you…

Names: Le'er, Li Ping'an.

I know. Ping Le lowered her head to eat rice, Brother is someone who does big things.

Names: Ping Le.

Li Ping'an felt a sour ache in his heart, took out the wooden comb: 'This is for you.' If you encounter an emergency, go to this address and find Aunt Zhao. He slipped the note into his sister's palm, remembering: 'If anyone asks, say I'm a rickshaw puller.'

Names: Li Ping'an, Wooden Comb, Aunt Zhao.

Ping Le clenched the note, the silver hairpin glinting in the lamp light: 'Brother, I'll take good care of the home.'

Names: Ping Le.

At night, Li Ping'an couldn't sleep. He heard sobbing next door and gently pushed the door open.

Names: Li Ping'an.

Ping Le clung to her pillow, crying. Seeing him enter, she hastily wiped her face: 'Brother, I'm fine…'

Names: Ping Le.

Li Ping'an sat on the edge of the bed and patted her back as he used to when they were small: 'Brother promised you, this is the last trip. Once we finish the business, we'll open the embroidery shop.'

Names: Li Ping'an.

Ping Le buried her head in his shoulder: 'I'm afraid… afraid that Brother will leave like Mom and Dad and never come back…'

Names: Ping Le.

Moonlight shone on the silver hairpin on the windowscreen, bright and sparkling.

(no names)

Starting the next day, Li Ping'an went out every day. He pedaled the rickshaw he had previously stored in his space, running specifically between antique shops and the dock.

Names: Li Ping'an, Rickshaw.

Sometimes he waited for customers at the police station gate, listening to the dark-skinned officers chat.

Names: Police Station.

Chief Wang's temper has been explosive these days. Can't he not be in a hurry? The Japanese keep urging him day after day… I'd say, those broken jars are better smashed…

Names: Chief Wang, Japan.

Li Ping'an silently noted it in his heart. One evening, he picked up a Japanese person wearing a kimono. The man carried a suitcase, constantly checking his watch in the car.

Names: Li Ping'an, Japanese person.

'Where are you going, sir?' Li Ping'an asked in stiff Japanese.

Names: Li Ping'an.

The Japanese person blinked: 'You speak Japanese?'

Names: Japanese person.

He had previously pulled a rickshaw for a Sir. Li Ping'an gave an apologetic smile.

Names: Sir (honorific for Japanese officer? Not a proper noun; generic). Not needed.

The Japanese person let down his guard, gave an address. It was a guesthouse converted from a former Qing prince's mansion.

Names: Japanese person, Former Qing Prince's Mansion.

When the car arrived, the Japanese person gave extra tip. Li Ping'an bowed his thanks, catching a glimpse of bright yellow silk peeking from the suitcase seam— that was the color reserved for imperial use.

Names: Japanese person, Li Ping'an.

Afterwards, Li Ping'an often lingered nearby. He discovered that every Wednesday afternoon, a black sedan came to pick up the Japanese person.

Names: Li Ping'an, Japanese person.

One day he pretended the rickshaw broke down, crouched by the road to fix it. When the sedan passed, he saw a Chinese man in a Sun Yat-sen suit sitting in the back seat.

Names: Sun Yat-sen suit, Chinese man.

He was Section Chief Sun of the police bureau!

Names: Police Station, Sun Kezhang.

He quietly followed the car. The sedan twisted and turned, stopping in front of a secluded warehouse. Section Chief Sun and the Japanese person got out and went inside, with someone guarding the entrance.

Names: Sun Kezhang, Japanese person.

Li Ping'an hid the rickshaw, climbed onto the opposite roof. Through the vent, he saw the inside piled with wooden crates, some opened, revealing corners of bronze ware and porcelain.

Names: 李平安.

Good heavens… he sucked in a cold breath. This scale equals half of the Forbidden City!

Names: Gugong.

Suddenly, an argument broke out below. Section Chief Sun and the Japanese person argued until their faces turned red.

Names: Sun Kezhang, Japanese person.

This batch can't be shipped! Section Chief Sun shouted loudly, they're all registered!

Names: Sun Kezhang.

The Japanese person sneered: 'Chief Wang took the money, do you want to back out?'

Names: Japanese person, Chief Wang.

Li Ping'an hastily pulled out his notebook to jot down notes. At that moment, the warehouse door opened and several workers carried out crates.

Names: Li Ping'an.

He had a brainwave, slipped down from the roof and blended into the worker crowd.

(no names)

What are you standing there for? Lend a hand! The foreman called out to him.

Names: foreman.

Li Ping'an then lifted the crate, which was very heavy. The seal on the crate read 'Beiping Provisional Government Cultural Relics Administration'.

Names: Li Ping'an, Beiping, Government.

As the workers loaded the crate onto the vehicle, the seal suddenly split. Li Ping'an caught a glimpse inside: a bronze cauldron, its inscription corroded but still legible.

Names: Li Ping'an.

What are you looking at! The foreman barked, hurry up and load the vehicle!

(no names)

As the truck drove off, Li Ping'an noted the license plate number. He watched the dust-raising vehicle disappear, his fists clenched white.

Names: Li Ping'an.

These scoundrels! The Japanese soldiers have surrendered, yet they're still helping them smuggle national treasures!

Names: Japanese Soldiers.

Back home, Ping Le was embroidering under the lamp. Seeing her brother return, she hurried to heat up the meal: 'Brother, why are you so late today?'

Names: Ping Le.

Li Ping'an watched his sister's busy figure and suddenly asked: "Le'er, what if I go and do something dangerous…"

Ping Le's hand trembled, the ladle fell into the pot. She turned to look at her brother, eyes misty: Brother, when Mom and Dad left I was little, I can't remember their faces. If you…

Before she could finish speaking, there came a hurried knocking at the door.

Li Ping'an! Open the door! Police are checking household registration!