原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
詐病索僧鞋
The Feigned Illness and the Shoes
卻說小姐自見兒子之後，心內一憂一喜。忽一日推病，茶飯不吃，臥於床上。劉洪歸衙，問其原故。小姐道：「我幼時曾許下一願，許捨僧鞋一百雙。昨五日之前，夢見個和尚手執利刃，要索僧鞋，便覺身子不快。」劉洪道：「這些小事，何不早說？」隨升堂，吩咐王左衙、李右衙：江州城內百姓，每家要辦僧鞋一雙，限五日內完納。百姓俱依派完納訖。小姐對劉洪道：「僧鞋做完，這裡有甚麼寺院，好去還願？」劉洪道：「這江州有個金山寺、焦山寺，聽你在那個寺裡去。」小姐道：「久聞金山寺好個寺院，我就往金山寺去。」劉洪即喚王、李二衙辦下船隻。小姐帶了心腹人，同上了船，梢子將船撐開，就投金山寺去。却说小姐自见儿子之后，心内一忧一喜。忽一日推病，茶饭不吃，卧于床上。刘洪归衙，问其原故。小姐道：「我幼时曾许下一愿，许舍僧鞋一百双。昨五日之前，梦见个和尚手执利刃，要索僧鞋，便觉身子不快。」刘洪道：「这些小事，何不早说？」随升堂，吩咐王左衙、李右衙：江州城内百姓，每家要办僧鞋一双，限五日内完纳。百姓俱依派完纳讫。小姐对刘洪道：「僧鞋做完，这里有甚么寺院，好去还愿？」刘洪道：「这江州有个金山寺、焦山寺，听你在那个寺里去。」小姐道：「久闻金山寺好个寺院，我就往金山寺去。」刘洪即唤王、李二衙办下船只。小姐带了心腹人，同上了船，梢子将船撑开，就投金山寺去。
逐句解 Line by line
卻說小姐自見兒子之後，心內一憂一喜。
却说小姐自见儿子之后，心内一忧一喜。
Now after the lady had seen her son, her heart was half grief and half joy.
一憂一喜, at once grieved and gladdened; 兒子, son — 子 here neutral zi.
忽一日推病，茶飯不吃，臥於床上。
忽一日推病，茶饭不吃，卧于床上。
One day she feigned sickness, would touch neither tea nor rice, and lay abed.
推病, to feign illness.
劉洪歸衙，問其原故。
刘洪归衙，问其原故。
When Liu Hong came back to the yamen and asked the cause,
原故, the reason.
小姐道：「我幼時曾許下一願，許捨僧鞋一百雙。
小姐道：「我幼时曾许下一愿，许舍僧鞋一百双。
the lady said, 'In my youth I once made a vow — to give away a hundred pairs of monk's shoes.'
許下一願, to make a vow; 捨, to give in alms.
昨五日之前，夢見個和尚手執利刃，要索僧鞋，便覺身子不快。」
昨五日之前，梦见个和尚手执利刃，要索僧鞋，便觉身子不快。」
'Five days ago I dreamed of a monk with a sharp blade in hand demanding the shoes, and at once felt unwell.'
利刃, a sharp blade; 身子, the body — 子 neutral zi.
劉洪道：「這些小事，何不早說？」
刘洪道：「这些小事，何不早说？」
Liu Hong said, 'Such a small matter — why not say so earlier?'
何不早說, why not speak sooner.
隨升堂，吩咐王左衙、李右衙：
随升堂，吩咐王左衙、李右衙：
He went up to the hall at once and ordered his two aides, Wang of the left office and Li of the right:
王左衙、李右衙, the magistrate's left and right yamen aides.
江州城內百姓，每家要辦僧鞋一雙，限五日內完納。
江州城内百姓，每家要办僧鞋一双，限五日内完纳。
every household among the people of Jiangzhou city was to make one pair of monk's shoes, to be delivered within five days.
限五日內完納, to be paid in full within five days.
百姓俱依派完納訖。
百姓俱依派完纳讫。
The people all duly delivered their full quota.
完納訖, paid in complete.
小姐對劉洪道：「僧鞋做完，這裡有甚麼寺院，好去還願？」
小姐对刘洪道：「僧鞋做完，这里有甚么寺院，好去还愿？」
The lady said to Liu Hong, 'The shoes are made; what temple is there hereabouts, where I might go to redeem the vow?'
還願, to fulfill a vow — 還 is huán.
劉洪道：「這江州有個金山寺、焦山寺，聽你在那個寺裡去。」
刘洪道：「这江州有个金山寺、焦山寺，听你在那个寺里去。」
Liu Hong said, 'Here at Jiangzhou there is Gold Mountain Monastery and Jiao Mountain Monastery — go to whichever you please.'
那個寺, 'whichever temple' — indefinite 那 is nǎ; 焦山寺, Jiao Mountain Monastery (a real temple near Zhenjiang).
小姐道：「久聞金山寺好個寺院，我就往金山寺去。」
小姐道：「久闻金山寺好个寺院，我就往金山寺去。」
The lady said, 'I have long heard Gold Mountain is a fine temple; I will go to Gold Mountain.'
久聞, long to have heard.
劉洪即喚王、李二衙辦下船隻。
刘洪即唤王、李二衙办下船只。
Liu Hong at once had Wang and Li ready a boat.
辦下船隻, to make a boat ready.
小姐帶了心腹人，同上了船，梢子將船撐開，就投金山寺去。
小姐带了心腹人，同上了船，梢子将船撑开，就投金山寺去。
The lady took her trusted people, boarded together, and the boatman poled off, making straight for Gold Mountain Monastery.
心腹人, trusted confidants; 梢子, boatman (子 neutral, zi).
總評 Commentary
The mother's plan unfolds as a small comedy of bureaucratic abuse turned to good ends. To manufacture a pretext for the temple journey, she feigns illness and a vow of a hundred pairs of monk's shoes; Liu Hong, eager to please, simply conscripts the whole population of Jiangzhou — one pair per household, in five days. The usurper's commandeered authority, which cost the true magistrate his life, is here bent unwittingly to the scheme that will destroy him. The choice of Gold Mountain (金山寺) over Jiao Mountain (焦山寺) — both real Yangzi temples near Zhenjiang — steers her to her son.