Canonical Classics ← 第八十五回
第八十五回
xīnyuán
zhǔtūnchán

The Mind-Ape Envies the Wood Mother · The Fiend Lord Plots to Swallow the Chan

一聲號令
模式 Mode Read Study
拼音 Pinyin Off
字體 Script
原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

一聲號令 One Command and the Garden

lǎoguàixiàodào:「zhèngshìzhèngshìxiānfēngshuōdeyǒu。」shēnghàolìngtángsēnghòuyuántiáoshéngbǎngzàishùshàngzhòngxiǎoyāodōuqiánmiàntīnghòulǎoguàixiàodào:「zhèngshìzhèngshìxiānfēngshuōdeyǒu。」shēnghàolìngtángsēnghòuyuántiáoshéngbǎngzàishùshàngzhòngxiǎoyāodōuqiánmiàntīnghòu


逐句解 Line by line

lǎoguàixiàodào:「zhèngshìzhèngshìxiānfēngshuōdeyǒu。」 lǎoguàixiàodào:「zhèngshìzhèngshìxiānfēngshuōdeyǒu。」

The old fiend laughed. "Just so, just so. The vanguard talks sense."

is de, hanging the judgement on the verb — talks so that it is reasonable. The doubled 正是 is the same delighted agreement he gave the plan that brought the monk in.

shēnghàolìngtángsēnghòuyuántiáoshéngbǎngzàishùshàngzhòngxiǎoyāodōuqiánmiàntīnghòu shēnghàolìngtángsēnghòuyuántiáoshéngbǎngzàishùshàngzhòngxiǎoyāodōuqiánmiàntīnghòu

At a word of command the Tang Monk was carried into the back garden and tied to a tree with a single rope, and all the imps went off to the front to await orders.

一條繩, one single rope, is the whole of the security arrangement, and the novel counts it. 聽候 is to stand by for instructions — the cave empties toward the gate, which is exactly what the plan requires and exactly what will leave the master alone with somebody to talk to.


總評 Commentary

The cave has now been running on its imps' ideas for two full scenes, and the commander has been reduced to agreeing twice and laughing.

One rope, one tree, and everybody sent to the front gate. The novel is clearing the stage, and what it clears it for is not a rescue but a conversation.