Now Bajie, following his mother-in-law, walked on inside — chamber upon chamber, past counting how many — stumbling and knocking along, with door-sills everywhere to trip his feet.

卻說那 nà. 跟著丈母 “following his mother-in-law,” 著 durative zhe; 行入裡面 “walked inside,” 行 xíng (“to walk”). 盡都是門檻絆腳 “all door-sills tripping the feet,” 盡 jìn, 都 dōu.

The blockhead said, “Ma'am, go a little slower — I don't know the way in here; give me a little guiding.”

獃子 (子 zi). 路生 “unfamiliar with the way.” 帶我帶兒 “lead me along a bit,” 兒 the diminutive. Bajie, blundering in the dark maze, pleads to be guided.

The woman said, “These are all granaries, storerooms, and milling-rooms — the various outbuildings; we've not yet even reached the kitchen quarter.”

這都是 (那 nà ×2; 都 dōu). 倉房、庫房、碾房 “granary, treasury, milling-house.” 還不曾到 “have not yet reached,” 還 hái. The endless outbuildings advertise the household's wealth even now.

Bajie said, “What a great house!”

好大人家 “what a grand household.” Bajie's admiration — the wealth still working its intended effect on him.

Bumping and knocking, round bends and past corners, they walked on a good while more before reaching the inner-hall apartments.

轉彎抹角 “rounding bends and turning corners.” 又走了半會 “walked another good while.” 內堂房屋 “the inner-hall chambers,” the household's private heart.

The woman said, “Son-in-law, your elder brother says today is a Heaven-favored, auspicious day, so we've had you married in at once.”

那婦人 nà. 今朝 “today,” 朝 zhāo. 天恩上吉日 “a day of Heaven's grace, most propitious.” 就教你招進來 “had you taken in (as husband),” 教 the causative jiào.

“Only, in the haste, we've not managed to summon a yin-yang master for the hall-bowing and the bed-strewing rites.”

倉卒間 “in the hurry.” 請得個陰陽 “to fetch a yin-yang (diviner),” 得 the resultative de; the 陰陽 master sets auspicious times and conducts the rites. 拜堂撒帳 “bowing in the hall and strewing (grain/coins over) the bridal bed,” the core wedding ceremonies.

“You may just face forward and make eight bows.”

朝上 “facing forward/upward,” 朝 here cháo (“to face”), distinct from the zhāo of 今朝 above. 拜八拜 “to make eight obeisances,” 兒 the suffix.

Bajie said, “What you say is right, ma'am.”

娘說得是 “what you say is so,” 得 the structural de. Bajie, all eagerness, agrees at once.

“You take the seat of honor; let me make a few bows — count it as the hall-bowing, count it as the thanks to the in-laws, two things in one — is that not a saving of trouble?”

就當拜堂，就當謝親 “count it as the hall-bowing, count it as the thanking of kin,” 當 here dàng (“to reckon as, treat as”). 兩當一 “two reckoned as one,” 兒 the suffix; 當 dàng. 省事 “to save trouble.” Bajie's shortcut through the rites.

His mother-in-law said with a laugh, “Well then, well then.”

也罷，也罷 “very well, very well.” The widow indulges his shortcut.

“A trouble-saving, house-managing son-in-law indeed.”

省事幹家 “trouble-sparing and house-keeping.” The widow's amused approval of Bajie's eagerness to cut the ceremony short.

“I'll sit, then; you make your bows.”

我坐著 “I'll be seated,” 著 the durative zhe. 你拜麼 “you bow, then.” The widow takes the seat of honor as Bajie prepares to bow — the sham ceremony about to begin.