Hearing this, Taizong bowed his body in thanks. The Ten Kings dispatched two officers, Magistrate Cui and Marshal Zhu, to escort Taizong back to life.

差 chāi, to dispatch. 朱太尉 Marshal Zhu, an infernal officer. 還魂 (huán hún) to return the soul to the body.

As Taizong left the Hall of Judgment, he raised his hands once more and asked the Ten Kings, 'And how fare the old and young of my palace?'

老少 (lǎo shào) 'old and young'; 少 here shào. 安否 'whether safe or not,' a formula of solicitous inquiry.

The Ten Kings said, 'All are well — only we fear that the imperial sister's span may not be long.'

御妹 the emperor's younger sister. 壽似不永 'her life seems not to be lasting'; 似 sì. This foreshadows the death of Li Yuying, whose body will later receive a returning soul.

Taizong bowed again in thanks and said, 'When I return to the world of light I shall have nothing with which to repay you, save only to send some melons and fruit.'

酬謝 to requite with thanks. 答 here 'to render in return.' This offhand pledge sets in motion the melon-errand of Liu Quan later in the chapter.

The Ten Kings said gladly, 'Here we have winter-melons and watermelons in plenty — we lack only pumpkins.'

A homely, half-comic turn: 東瓜 = 冬瓜, winter-melon; 西瓜, watermelon; 南瓜, pumpkin ('southern melon'). Here 只少 is 'lack only,' 少 shǎo. The play on directional 'melons' lightens the parting.

'When I return,' said Taizong, 'I shall send them at once, at once.' And with that they bowed to one another and parted.

相揖 (xiāng yī) to bow to each other with clasped hands. The doubled 即送來 conveys the eager promise soon fulfilled by Liu Quan.