Chapter 141
Chinese block:
Let's produce English:
Hu Xiaotian naturally wouldn't stand on ceremony with him; he directly handed the twenty people over to Murong Feiyan, letting her take charge of assigning tasks, while he and Liu Baoju sat in the Wind-Rain Pavilion. Just then, the proprietor of the Return Spring Hall, Liu Danggui, came over bringing food and drink, using the pretext of consolation to come see his son. Having heard that his son had followed the newly appointed County Magistrate Sir to help defend the dikes, as parents they were still somewhat worried. Liu Kuohai was leading six constables on patrol along the river dikes, striding head high and shoulders back through wind and rain, indeed imposing. Seeing his son so imposing, Liu Danggui felt greatly relieved; he sent the food basket to the Wind-Rain Pavilion, having prepared quite a feast with wine and dishes.
We need to keep as one line.
The translations are: Wind-Rain Pavilion, Return Spring Hall, newly appointed County Magistrate Sir, Constables, River dikes, Food basket, and Feast.
Make sure we keep numbers: twenty, six.
Now 【2】:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian had in fact already contacted the nearby taverns, giving them money to have meals delivered; in fact this sort of expense should have been covered by the Government Office, but Hu Xiaotian found it too troublesome, plus he would have to ask County Magistrate Xu Qinglian for approval, and besides there wasn't much money to begin with, so he simply paid out of his own pocket.
The translations are: nearby taverns, Government Office, County Magistrate Xu Qinglian, and paid out of his own pocket.
Hu Xiaotian had actually already contacted the nearby taverns, giving them silver to have them deliver food over; actually this sort of thing should have been paid for from the government office, but Hu Xiaotian found it too troublesome and still had to ask for instructions from County Magistrate Xu Qinglian, and besides there originally wasn't much money, so he simply paid out of his own pocket.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Upon hearing that Hu Xiaotian was treating everyone out of his own pocket, Liu Baoju couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up, saying: "Sir Hu, you are truly generous and righteous, a real model for us all." This guy thought to himself, having been an official for so many years, I've only heard officials lining their own pockets; hardly anyone ever takes money out. When a new official takes office, he's supposed to make a splash—you're just putting on a show, trying to win people over?
We need to keep quotes? Probably keep as is.
The translations are: Sir Hu, model, lining their own pockets, takes money out, new official takes office, make a splash, putting on a show, and win people over.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian opened a jar of wine, and the two sat in the grass pavilion drinking and chatting. At first Liu Baoju was still wary, speaking evasively, but this fellow should be a heavy drinker; by midway his face was flushed and his speech a bit slurred, his voice much louder than before.
The translations are: grass pavilion, jar of wine, heavy drinker, face flushed, speech a bit slurred, and voice much louder.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
That's exactly the effect Hu Xiaotian wanted; he realized that although alcohol is bad for the body, it often serves as a social lubricant—for someone like Liu Baoju, once he's had enough drink he'll voluntarily spill what's on his mind without being asked.
The translations are: social lubricant, had enough drink, and spill what's on his mind.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju said: "Refurbishing Qingyun Bridge will certainly need a fair amount of silver, right?"
Refurbishing Qingyun Qiao will certainly need a fair amount of silver, right?
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Indeed, I've been worrying about this; the county won't contribute a single coin, and Magistrate Xu told me to solve it myself. I've just arrived, I know no one here—where am I supposed to find that much silver?" After saying that he sighed again.
Sir Xu
Thus: "Sir Xu told me to solve it myself."
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju said: "I heard Sir Hu proposed that each household in Qingyun contribute five taels of silver——" Before he could finish, Hu Xiaotian cut him off, angrily cursing: "Which bastard came up with that? It's outright slander against my reputation. I wouldn't even be angry if we weren't talking about this." He slammed his wine bowl heavily on the table, spilling quite a bit of the wine.
The translations are: each household in Qingyun, five taels of silver, bastard, slander against my reputation, slammed his wine bowl, and spilling quite a bit of the wine.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju felt embarrassed: "Sir Hu, I only heard it, I didn't say it myself."
Sir Hu
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Sir Liu, you look like an honest man—come, let's drink!"
Sir Liu
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju drained the bowl with him, then said insincerely: "I can't drink any more; I have a low tolerance for alcohol."
The translations are: drained the bowl, insincerely, and low tolerance for alcohol.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian said: "I've long heard that Sir Liu can hold his liquor; in all of Qingyun County, you're the one who drinks most heartily. Since we get along so well today, we ought to drink until we're drunk."
The translations are: hold his liquor, Qingyun Xian, drinks most heartily, and we ought to drink until we're drunk.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju said: "But Sir Hu bears a heavy responsibility." As he spoke, he glanced specifically at the river dikes.
The translations are: Sir Hu, heavy responsibility, and river dikes.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian lowered his voice: "We're in charge of command; the patrol and dike-defense duties will be handled by others. Compared to those colleagues hiding in their rooms enjoying ease, we can already be considered to have made great efforts and achieved merit."
The translations are: patrol and dike-defense duties, colleagues, hiding in their rooms enjoying ease, and made great efforts and achieved merit.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
"That's right!" Liu Baoju felt Hu Xiaotian's words exactly suited his taste. Delighted, he and Hu Xiaotian then downed three more bowls in succession.
The translations are: felt exactly suited his taste, and downed three more bowls in succession.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Seeing Liu Baoju's drunken, hazy-eyed state and knowing he was drunk, Hu Xiaotian deliberately asked: "Where does Sir Liu live?"
The translations are: drunken, hazy-eyed, and Sir Liu.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju replied: "Fifth house on the right side of Wuliuxiang, West City——" He hiccuped from the alcohol.
He lived in the fifth house on the right side of Five Willow Lane in the western part of the city and hiccuped from the alcohol.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian asked: "Sir Liu doesn't live inside the Government Office either?"
Sir Liu doesn't live inside the Government Office either?
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju grinned and gave a hehe laugh: "Apart from Sir Xu, we don't have that kind of fortune."
The translations are: Sir Xu, and fortune (luck).
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian said: "Just talking about it gives me a headache; our meager salary isn't even enough to pay rent."
The translations are: meager salary, and isn't even enough to pay rent.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju also sighed: Qingyun Xian is a poor place; although he holds the post of County Sergeant, his finances are still tight. Magistrate Xu Qinglian monopolizes power, ruthlessly extracting the people's fat and ointment, yet this man is extremely stingy, allocating only a tiny fraction to us subordinates. Liu Baoju said: "Sometimes I think it would be better to just go home and farm."
The translations are: County Sergeant, Magistrate Xu Qinglian, monopolizes power, ruthlessly extracting the people's fat and ointment, extremely stingy, allocating only a tiny fraction to us subordinates, and go home and farm.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian said: "To be frank, I obtained this County Magistrate position through donation." This guy's lies come as easily as they come.
The translations are: County Magistrate position, obtained through donation, and his lies come as easily as they come.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju stared for a moment, then burst out laughing. Under the influence of alcohol, his self-control waned, and he belonged to the type who would say: "I've long heard this, they say… they say your father is a salt merchant from the Eastern Sea… with wealth beyond measure."
The translations are: stared for a moment, burst out laughing, under the influence of alcohol his self-control waned, and he belonged to the type who would say.
We need to keep the ellipsis as in original? We'll keep "…". Use three dots.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian enthusiastically slung his arm around Liu Baoju's shoulder. Mysteriously he said: "Brother Liu, you must keep this matter secret."
The translations are: enthusiastically slung his arm around, mysteriously he said, Brother Liu, and keep this matter secret.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju laughed: "Keep it secret? In the Government Office, everyone knows, everyone's aware of it." If he were sober, he would never say such a thing no matter what.
The translations are: Government Office, everyone knows, everyone's aware of it, and if he were sober, he would never say such a thing no matter what.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian said: "I originally thought that by coming to Qingyun to serve as County Magistrate and putting in a few years, I could somehow recoup the cost of buying the office, but looking at things now……" This guy let out a long sigh.
The translations are: County Magistrate, putting in a few years, recoup the cost of buying the office, and this guy let out a long sigh.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
Liu Baoju said: "I really can't figure it out—why give up a comfortable life as a wealthy young master to come to this poor, remote backwater and serve as some menial County Magistrate?"
The translations are: wealthy young master, poor, remote backwater, and menial County Magistrate.
:
Chinese block:
Translate:
"It's that officialdom outweighs the populace; although this County Magistrate post is minor, it's still a ninth-rank position. My Hu family, though we've been in trade for generations, has had not a single official in eight generations up the line, so my father regarded it as a regret and spared no expense to help me purchase this ninth-rank office. He originally thought that holding office would guarantee income rain or shine, that even if we didn't strike it rich we wouldn't lose money—but I never expected it, never expected it!" Hu Xiaotian slapped his thigh, his face full of regret.
The translations are: ninth-rank position, My Hu family, has had not a single official in eight generations up the line, regarded it as a regret, spared no expense, purchase this ninth-rank office, originally thought that holding office would guarantee income rain or shine, even if we didn't strike it rich we wouldn't lose money, I never expected it, never expected it!, slapped his thigh, and his face full of regret.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Liu Baoju narrowed his eyes, his short, stubby fingers waving in front of Hu Xiaotian: "Brother Hu, it seems you truly don't understand how the officialdom works; since you bought an office, you should have gone all the way—even though you've come to such a remote place where things aren't satisfactory, why not simply spend a bit more money and buy a prefectural magistrate position?"
The translations are: narrowed his eyes, short, stubby fingers, waving in front of Hu Xiaotian, Brother Hu, officialdom, how the officialdom works, since you bought an office, you should have gone all the way, even though you've come to such a remote place where things aren't satisfactory, and why not simply spend a bit more money and buy a County Magistrate position?
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
"Er……"
We keep as is.
:
Chinese block.
Translate:
Liu Baoju said: "You should know that holding office at the lower levels, authority is inherently limited; whoever is the chief must keep a tight grip on power, and trying to get a share from his hands is difficult—difficult!" From Liu Baoju's remarks it's not hard to hear that he also bears some grudge against Magistrate Xu Qinglian.
is Check terms.
We need to keep the trailing comma? The original line ends with a comma. We'll keep it? Probably we should keep punctuation as is. We'll end with a comma.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian had a few more drinks with Liu Baoju, then took the opportunity to say: "Brother Liu, I think Sir Xu seems to have some prejudice against me."
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
At this point Liu Baoju was already seven-tenths drunk, he gave a hehe cold laugh: "His breadth of mind simply cannot tolerate others; Brother Hu, you're a newborn calf unafraid of tigers—just arrived and you want to… contend with him for power and profit… how could he not target you?"
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian said: "I really have no intention of contending with him, Brother Liu——" Suddenly he heard snoring from beside him; it turned out Liu Baoju had already fallen asleep with his head on the table. Hu Xiaotian gave a knowing smile; it seemed that Xu Qinglian and his crowd weren't a monolith—this man is miserly and harsh, naturally hard to win over. Hu Xiaotian looked at the still-sleeping Liu Baoju and secretly thought, to break up Xu Qinglian's faction we must start from within.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
At this point the rain seemed to have lessened somewhat; Hu Xiaotian picked up his oilcloth umbrella and walked onto the Tongji He dikes, gazing at the murky, surging waters within Tongji He, the water level still appearing to rise continuously. In the distance two patrol units went back and forth; because Liu Baoju had brought twenty soldiers, there was naturally no need for prisoners to continue helping with the dikes. Hu Xiaotian ordered Liu Kuohai to lead two constables in escorting the six prisoners back to the jail, lest anyone grow suspicious.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Before departing, Zhou Batian came up to Hu Xiaotian's side and whispered: "Watch out for that person!" His gaze drifted toward the distant Liu Baoju.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian's heart gave a start; Zhou Batian had already walked past him, and although Zhou Batian's voice earlier wasn't particularly low, it seemed no one else had heard it—could this be the legendary art of voice transmission?
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
If Zhou Batian hadn't given the warning, Hu Xiaotian would surely have thought Liu Baoju was just a drunk who'd spoken rashly after drinking; it was precisely his timely reminder that made Hu Xiaotian suddenly become vigilant—could Liu Baoju merely be feigning intoxication in order to let his guard down? If that were the case, this person would truly be hateful to the extreme; human hearts are unfathomable—when you scheme against others you must never let your guard down, for perhaps the other party is just turning the tables, and you never know who's scheming whom. Reflecting that he had never been in contact with Liu Baoju, yet the latter had shown up with twenty soldiers, this guy might not have such good intentions; perhaps he's merely using the pretense of helping to come monitor his every move.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
A flash of lightning cut across the dim sky, illuminating Hu Xiaotian's inner thoughts; his whole being felt as if enlightened. Zhou Batian had warned him to guard against Liu Baoju—it seemed Zhou Batian already knew something about Liu Baoju; as the County Sergeant of Qingyun Xian responsible for local military affairs, perhaps earlier the Tiger Head Battalion, while escorting the Prince of Nan Yue across the border, had also had contact with him. Such a tiny Qingyun Xian, yet its internal relations are surprisingly complex.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Boom—low thunder rumbled in succession. Hu Xiaotian exhaled as if waking from a dream, only to discover that Murong Feiyan, wearing a raincoat and bamboo hat, had somehow already arrived at his side.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian earnestly raised his umbrella to shield Murong Feiyan from the fine drizzle, but she seemed unimpressed; her clear, limpid eyes glanced at him as she said: "Find a place to take shelter from the rain—watch out for lightning strikes."
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Hu Xiaotian pushed the umbrella forward: "If it's going to strike, you need something to brace against."
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Murong Feiyan said: "I'd rather keep my distance from you; out of respect for our acquaintance, at least someone will be there to collect your corpse."
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
"How vicious!" Hu Xiaotian smiled all over; trading flirtatious barbs with a beauty was quite enjoyable.
Check terms.
:
Chinese:...
Translate:
Murong Feiyan had already turned and headed down the dike; Hu Xiaotian followed after her, seeing that Liu Baoju was still unconscious, he summoned his two soldiers and, taking advantage of the lull in the rain, sent him home.
Check terms.
After Liu Boju left, Murong Feiyan sat down in the grass pavilion, gave Hu Xiaotian a somewhat annoyed look and said, "You still think you haven't made enough enemies, making them into that state."
End of Chapter
