先輸後贏 Lose First And Win After
御狀可是輕易告的？你也不訪的實，似這般亂弄，傷其性命，怎生是好？」行者全然不懼，笑吟吟的道：「老官兒放心，一些沒事。老孫的買賣，原是這等做，一定先輸後贏。」御状可是轻易告的？你也不访的实，似这般乱弄，伤其性命，怎生是好？」行者全然不惧，笑吟吟的道：「老官儿放心，一些没事。老孙的买卖，原是这等做，一定先输后赢。」
逐句解 Line by line
Is an accusation before the throne a thing to be laid lightly?
Venus repeats, word for word, the warning Bajie gave in the road before Pilgrim set out. Two characters who could not be less alike have now said the same sentence, which is the novel's way of telling you it was true.
You did not even establish the facts, and you go blundering about like this. If it costs you your life, what then?"
訪的實 is to enquire until the thing is certain — to establish the facts before laying a charge. 亂弄 is to muddle about, and coming from Venus it is nearly tender.
Pilgrim was not in the least afraid. He said, smiling all over his face, "Set your mind at rest, old sir. There is nothing in it at all.
笑吟吟 is smiling and smiling, and the doubled ending softens the whole picture — this is not a defiant grin but an easy one. He is tied up, a blade is coming, and he is comforting the man who is not.
Old Monkey does business this way as a rule. It always goes lose first and win after."
買賣 is trade, buying and selling — Pilgrim describes a capital trial as his line of work. 先輸後贏 is a real saying about gambling and trading alike: take the early loss, collect later. He has said this before and he will say it again in this chapter, which makes it less a boast than a working method.
The scene ends with the hero tied up and cheerful, and everyone else in the room terrified on his behalf. The reversal of who is frightened is the whole characterisation.
His explanation is the chapter's own structure said out loud. Lose first, win after — he has already lost the master, the fight and now his liberty, and he is treating each loss as a payment made toward something.