原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
京城投書
The Letter to the Chancellor
隨即辭了婆婆，徑往京城。尋到皇城東街殷丞相府上，與門上人道：「小僧是親戚，來探相公。」門上人稟知丞相，丞相道：「我與和尚並無親眷。」夫人道：「我昨夜夢見我女兒滿堂嬌來家，莫不是女婿有書信回來也？」丞相便教請小和尚來到廳上。小和尚見了丞相與夫人，哭拜在地，就懷中取出一封書來，遞與丞相。丞相拆開，從頭讀罷，放聲痛哭。夫人問道：「相公，有何事故？」丞相道：「這和尚是我與你的外孫。女婿陳光蕊被賊謀死，滿堂嬌被賊強占為妻。」夫人聽罷，亦痛哭不止。丞相道：「夫人休得煩惱，來朝奏知主上，親自統兵，定要與女婿報仇。」随即辞了婆婆，径往京城。寻到皇城东街殷丞相府上，与门上人道：「小僧是亲戚，来探相公。」门上人禀知丞相，丞相道：「我与和尚并无亲眷。」夫人道：「我昨夜梦见我女儿满堂娇来家，莫不是女婿有书信回来也？」丞相便教请小和尚来到厅上。小和尚见了丞相与夫人，哭拜在地，就怀中取出一封书来，递与丞相。丞相拆开，从头读罢，放声痛哭。夫人问道：「相公，有何事故？」丞相道：「这和尚是我与你的外孙。女婿陈光蕊被贼谋死，满堂娇被贼强占为妻。」夫人听罢，亦痛哭不止。丞相道：「夫人休得烦恼，来朝奏知主上，亲自统兵，定要与女婿报仇。」
逐句解 Line by line
隨即辭了婆婆，徑往京城。
随即辞了婆婆，径往京城。
He took leave of his grandmother at once and went straight to the capital.
徑往, to go directly to.
尋到皇城東街殷丞相府上，與門上人道：
寻到皇城东街殷丞相府上，与门上人道：
Finding his way to Chancellor Yin's residence on the east street of the imperial city, he said to the gatekeeper:
丞相, Chancellor — 相 is xiàng.
「小僧是親戚，來探相公。」
「小僧是亲戚，来探相公。」
'This humble monk is a kinsman, come to call on his lordship.'
相公, 'his lordship' — 相 is xiàng.
門上人稟知丞相，丞相道：「我與和尚並無親眷。」
门上人禀知丞相，丞相道：「我与和尚并无亲眷。」
The gatekeeper reported to the Chancellor, who said, 'I have no kin among monks.'
親眷, kin, relations; both 丞相 take 相 = xiàng.
夫人道：「我昨夜夢見我女兒滿堂嬌來家，
夫人道：「我昨夜梦见我女儿满堂娇来家，
The lady said, 'Last night I dreamed my daughter Mantangjiao came home;'
Recognition is again eased by a dream-portent.
莫不是女婿有書信回來也？」
莫不是女婿有书信回来也？」
'might it not be that our son-in-law has sent a letter back?'
女婿, son-in-law.
丞相便教請小和尚來到廳上。
丞相便教请小和尚来到厅上。
The Chancellor then had the little monk brought to the hall.
丞相, 相 = xiàng; 廳, the reception hall.
小和尚見了丞相與夫人，哭拜在地，
小和尚见了丞相与夫人，哭拜在地，
Seeing the Chancellor and his lady, the little monk wept and bowed to the ground,
丞相, 相 = xiàng.
就懷中取出一封書來，遞與丞相。
就怀中取出一封书来，递与丞相。
took a sealed letter from his bosom, and handed it to the Chancellor.
遞與丞相, handed to the Chancellor — 相 = xiàng.
丞相拆開，從頭讀罷，放聲痛哭。
丞相拆开，从头读罢，放声痛哭。
The Chancellor opened it, read it through from the beginning, and wept aloud.
從頭讀罷, read from start to finish; 相 = xiàng.
夫人問道：「相公，有何事故？」
夫人问道：「相公，有何事故？」
The lady asked, 'My lord, what is the matter?'
相公, my lord — 相 = xiàng.
丞相道：「這和尚是我與你的外孫。
丞相道：「这和尚是我与你的外孙。
The Chancellor said, 'This monk is your grandson and mine.'
外孫, a daughter's son; 相 = xiàng.
女婿陳光蕊被賊謀死，滿堂嬌被賊強占為妻。」
女婿陈光蕊被贼谋死，满堂娇被贼强占为妻。」
'Our son-in-law Chen Guangrui was murdered by a villain, and Mantangjiao seized by force as his wife.'
強占為妻, taken by force as wife — 為 is wéi.
夫人聽罷，亦痛哭不止。
夫人听罢，亦痛哭不止。
The lady, hearing this, also wept without ceasing.
痛哭不止, to weep without end.
丞相道：「夫人休得煩惱，來朝奏知主上，親自統兵，定要與女婿報仇。」
丞相道：「夫人休得烦恼，来朝奏知主上，亲自统兵，定要与女婿报仇。」
The Chancellor said, 'Do not grieve, my lady; tomorrow I shall memorialize the sovereign and lead troops myself, that our son-in-law be surely avenged.'
來朝, 'tomorrow morning' — 朝 here is zhāo; 丞相, 相 = xiàng.
總評 Commentary
The second token reaches its mark: the blood-letter, carried from the mother through the son, is delivered at last to Chancellor Yin, who reads in it the truth of his daughter's eighteen-year silence. As at the grandmother's, recognition is eased by a dream — the lady's vision of Mantangjiao 'come home' primes her to expect word from the son-in-law. The Chancellor's response moves the chapter from private grief to the machinery of state: where the family could only endure, the grandfather can memorialize the throne and raise an army. His resolve — 親自統兵, to lead the troops himself — converts the revenge into an imperial campaign.