討個寬限 A Plea for More Time
那三星以晚輩之禮見了大仙，方才敘坐。坐定，祿星道：「我們一向久闊尊顏。有失恭敬，今因孫大聖攪擾仙山，特來相見。」大仙道：「孫行者到蓬萊去的？」壽星道：「是，因為傷了大仙的丹樹，他來我處求方醫治。我輩無方，他又到別處求訪，但恐違了聖僧三日之限，要念緊箍兒咒。我輩一來奉拜，二來討個寬限。」三藏聞言，連聲應道：「不敢念，不敢念。」那三星以晚辈之礼见了大仙，方才叙坐。坐定，禄星道：「我们一向久阔尊颜。有失恭敬，今因孙大圣搅扰仙山，特来相见。」大仙道：「孙行者到蓬莱去的？」寿星道：「是，因为伤了大仙的丹树，他来我处求方医治。我辈无方，他又到别处求访，但恐违了圣僧三日之限，要念紧箍儿咒。我辈一来奉拜，二来讨个宽限。」三藏闻言，连声应道：「不敢念，不敢念。」
逐句解 Line by line
The three Stars greeted the Great Immortal with the courtesies of juniors, and only then sat down to talk.
晚輩之禮, the etiquette of a younger generation. The gods of fortune, rank and longevity defer to a country abbot, which tells you where Zhenyuan sits in this hierarchy. 敘坐 is to be seated and fall to talking.
Once settled, the Star of Rank said, "We have long been strangers to your honored countenance.
一向久闊 is long out of touch; 尊顏, your honoured countenance, is the polite formula for a face one has not seen in some time. The Chinese of civility runs on set phrases of this kind, and the Star is producing them by the handful.
We have been remiss in our respects; today, because the Great Sage Sun has thrown your immortal mountain into turmoil, we have come on purpose to call."
有失恭敬, we have been remiss in our respects, is polite self-blame for a visit not paid. 攪擾 is to throw into disorder; 相見 is to come and see you, 相 = xiāng.
The Great Immortal said, "So Sun the pilgrim has gone off to Penglai?"
Zhenyuan has guessed the whole errand from the fact of the visit. 孫行者, Sun the pilgrim, is Wukong's travelling name.
Said the Star of Longevity, "Just so. Because he damaged your cinnabar tree, he came to us seeking a prescription to heal it.
因為 is because, 為 = wèi. 丹樹, cinnabar tree, treats the ginseng tree as though its fruit were pills straight out of an alchemist's furnace. 求方醫治 is to seek a remedy and cure it.
We had no remedy, so he has gone on to seek elsewhere; but fearing he may overrun the holy monk's three-day term, and that the Tight-Fillet Spell will then be recited—
我輩 is we, our sort. 違 ... 限 is to overrun a deadline. The Star sets out Wukong's predicament carefully before asking for anything -- the case first, the request afterwards. 緊箍兒咒 is the Tight-Fillet Spell, 兒 the suffix er.
we have come, firstly to pay our respects, and secondly to beg an extension of the term."
一來 ... 二來, firstly and secondly. 討個寬限 is to ask for a grace period, and it is still exactly what you say to a landlord. Courtesy and petition are stitched together so neatly that refusing one would mean refusing both.
Hearing this, Tripitaka answered at once, over and over: "I would not dare recite it — I would not dare."
連聲應道 is to answer over and over in quick succession, 應 = yìng, to reply. 不敢念 is I would not dare recite it. Tripitaka gives way before the request has even finished landing.
After the horseplay, the narrative gets down to business: the Stars' formal petition to Zhenyuan. The scene is a small study in the etiquette that governs this heaven -- the Stars greeting the Immortal with the courtesies of juniors, the exchange of self-deprecating politeness, the careful ordering of purposes, respects first and the favour second. Even among gods, a request comes wrapped.
What they are actually asking is small: that Tripitaka hold back the headache-spell if Wukong runs late. Tripitaka's instant, doubled assent -- I would not dare, I would not dare -- is entirely in character; pious to a fault, he yields to visiting immortals without a murmur. The reprieve the Stars win is the practical fruit of the whole Penglai episode, and it buys Wukong the time his search is going to need.