3.5.4 苦肉计 Feigning Injury Stratagem
一天顺皇又来这座行宫烧汉窑了；这次是大禹陪她来的。尘香和尘凡陪着大禹和顺皇再一次走亲戚。大禹和这哥俩都不喜欢走在那些被汉子们簇拥着的顺皇身边。
One day, Emperor Shun came to this Migration Palace to burn the Han Kiln again. This time, Big Yu accompanied her. Dust-scent and Dust-mortal accompanied Big Yu and Emperor Shun on another round of visiting relatives. Neither Big Yu nor the two brothers liked walking beside Emperor Shun, who was always surrounded by her Hans (adult men).
又一次走到了那个名为断桥的桥边房子。一位汉推开门对里面喊：“女人来了！” 里面有人答应着：“女娲来了！”顺皇进到屋子里了。大禹和这哥俩不想进去了，坐在了路边唠嗑，等着他们出来。忽然一个汉子过来招呼他们仨说： “魃！女人让你们进去！人家要看女魃！” 大禹惊惶地拉着他们俩跑进了屋子！
Once more, they arrived at the house by the bridge called Broken Bridge. A Han man pushed open the door and called inside: “Woman is here!” Someone inside answered: “Nüwa has arrived!” Emperor entered the room. Big Yu and the two brothers didn't want to go in. They sat by the roadside chatting, waiting for them to come out. Suddenly, a Han man approached them and said: "Bā (i.e., drought)! Woman wants you to come in! People want to see “Woman Bā (i.e., drought)!" Startled, Yu hurriedly pulled the other two into the house!
随后尘香和尘凡领着大禹参观他们的工地。看后，大禹开始给他们俩讲如何建立建筑公司，还列出了一份详细的清单，比如所推荐的公司经理的名字，设计公司，预算公司，和几个施工队。并对这哥俩说：“要做一项工程，你得先花两千两银子，然后依照施工进度表和预算逐步实施！”
Dust-scent and Dust-mortal showed Big Yu around their construction sites. After the visit, Big Yu began to tell them how to set up a construction company and listed a detailed list, such as the name of the recommended company manager, the design company, the budget company, and several construction teams. He told the brothers that to do a project, you must spend two thousand taels of silver first, and then implement it step by step according to the construction schedule and budget!
尘香和尘凡开始数银子，还剩下两千三百两。
这天晚上，这哥俩决定去行宫看看大禹。卫兵不让进，回答： “这里没有叫大禹叔叔的。”
Dust-scent and Dust-mortal began to count the silver, and there were still two thousand three hundred taels left.
That night, the brothers decided to go to the palace to see Uncle Big Yu, but the guards refused to let them in and replied, “No one here calls Uncle Big Yu.”
2.
这时大禹出来了，领着他们俩迅速地走到了院子一端，他自己的房间。进屋后，尘香和尘凡惊呆了：屋子里就只有一张床，别的什么都没有！这哥俩看完四壁看屋顶：没有天棚！
尘凡注意到了大禹的后背在流血。他好奇地捅了一下流血的地方，大禹 “啊”地叫了一声！尘凡闻了闻，认为是人血。
At that moment Big Yu came out and led them quickly to his own room at one end of the courtyard. When they entered the room, Dust-scent and Dust-mortal were stunned: there was only a bed in the room, nothing else! The two brothers looked at the four walls and the roof: there was no canopy!
Dust-mortal noticed blood flowing from Big Yu's back. Curious, he poked the bleeding spot, causing Yu to cry out in pain! Dust-mortal sniffed the blood and concluded it was human blood.
大禹似乎懂得了他俩的意思，说：“这座行宫是我五年前督建的，还没有全部竣工。那时建的时候就有设计缺陷。开间大，隔间多，采光和通风不好。我已经考虑多年了，可以这么改进。大禹就在地上画如何建立通风系统和开天窗。又补充说：“你们俩可别说这是我的主意，否则你妈不会把这项工程交给你俩。”
Big Yu seemed to understand what they meant and said, “I supervised the construction of this palace five years ago, and it is not yet fully completed. There were design flaws when it was built. The openings are large and there are many compartments, so the lighting and ventilation are not good. I have been thinking for years that it could be improved in this way. Big Yu then drew on the ground how to set up the ventilation system and open the skylight. And added, “You two can't say that this was my idea, otherwise your mom wouldn't have given this project to you two.”
3.
很快，卫兵来招呼尘香和尘凡说：“顺皇听说你们俩来了，要见你们俩。”
在去见顺皇的路上，尘香对尘凡说：“一定要把这项工程搞到手。你一见到那个女人，就抱住她不放手！”
Soon, the guards came to greet Dust-scent and Dust-mortal said, “Emperor Shun has heard that you two are here and wants to see you both.”
On the way to see Emperor Shun, Dust-scent said to Dust-mortal: "We must get this project. As soon as you see that woman, hug her and don't let go!"
尘凡很尊敬哥哥，见到顺皇后，就扑到了她的怀里，抱住不放。顺皇惊讶地叨咕：“你们哥俩今天这是怎么了，上次离开没多久，这次就来了。说着她搂着尘凡躺到了床上。尘香也躺到了顺皇的旁边。
无意中，尘香看到了屋顶，他站了起来向上看，在屋子里走了一圈。顺皇说：“别看了，没天棚！”
Dust-mortal respected his brother very much. When he saw Emperor Shun, he threw himself into her arms and hugged her. Emperor Shun muttered in surprise: "What happened to you two brothers today? I left not long ago, and I’m here this time." As she said that, she hugged Dust-mortal and lay on the bed. Dust-scent also lay next to Emperor Shun.
Inadvertently, Dust-scent saw the roof. He stood up and looked up and walked around the room. Emperor Shun said: "Don't look anymore, there is no ceiling!"
尘香惊讶地说：“没天棚！这屋子里怎么还有发霉的味儿！通风不好！” 说着，他又躺回了顺皇的身边。娘儿三个聊了几句后，尘香忽然高兴了，站起来走到了屋地的中央说：“妈！我现在有建筑施工公司了！我给你安个天棚！”
Dust-scent said in surprise: "There is no ceiling! Why is there a musty smell in this room! The ventilation is not good!" As he said that, he lay back next to Emperor Shun. After the mother and sons chatted for a few words, Dust-scent suddenly became happy, stood up and walked to the center of the room and said: "Mom! I have a construction company now! I will install a ceiling for you!"
顺皇高兴地回答：“是啊！你一来这里就开了家建筑施工公司，做了几个工程了？”
尘香回答：“已经完成了两个，还有一个正在进行！”
顺皇好奇地问：“赚了多少钱了？”
尘香羞涩地回答：“赔了三十两银子！”
Emperor Shun replied happily, “Yes! You opened a construction company as soon as you came here, how many projects have you done?”
Dust-scent replied, “Two have been completed, and one is in progress!”
Emperor Shun asked curiously, “How much money have you made?”
Dust-scent shyly replied, “Lost thirty taels of silver!”
顺皇高兴地说：“这么成功！我爸爸，你们的外公玉皇大帝，第一年做金华火腿生意，把一万两本钱赔得一两银子没剩。你真的才赔30两？”
尘香无可奈何地回答：“我撒谎了；我们已经赔了300两银子了！”
Emperor Shun said happily, "Such a success! My father, your grandfather, Turquoise White-king Great Creator, lost all his 10,000 taels of capital in the first year of his Jinhua ham business. Did you only lose 30 taels?"
Dust-scent replied hopelessly, “I lied; we've already lost 300 taels of silver!”
顺皇说：“我知道300两银子也是谎话，这次就算了。如果你敢再对我撒谎，我把你的屁股打得半个月坐不了凳子。” 说着，她抱紧了尘凡的头，嗯嗯地亲了几下。她又说：“承揽皇家的工程，你得先去县政府登记，做资格审查。过一段时间，我把这项工程的招标合同发到县政府。”
Emperor Shun said, "I know that 300 taels of silver is also a lie, so let's forget it this time. If you dare to lie to me again, I'll beat your ass so hard that you can't sit on a stool for half a month." With that, she hugged Dust-mortal's head tightly and mummed and kissed him a few times. She added, "To undertake the Royal's project, you have to go to the county government to register and do a qualification check first. After some time, I will send the bidding contract for this project to the county government."
这时，有汉子进来说：“汉来伺候您了！”
顺皇对尘香和尘凡说：“那你们俩就回家好好准备吧！”
At this time, a Han came in and said: "Han is here to serve you!"
Emperor Shun said to Dust-scent and Dust-mortal: "Then you two go home and prepare well!"
4.
这哥俩被送出行宫后，尘凡说：“哥哥！我才知道，你真是个演戏的天才！”
尘香回答：“我看你一直紧紧地抱着那个女人！”
After these two brothers were sent out of the palace, Dust-scent said, “Brother! I just realized that you are really a genius at acting!”
Dust-scent replied, “I saw you holding that woman tightly all the time!”
尘凡说：“你让我一直抱着她！我讨厌她，怕她看出来，所以我一直没敢抬头！奇怪了，她知道你撒谎后，还高兴了，抱紧了我，亲我的头发！”
尘香说：“她发现我长大了，谈话有策略了，当然高兴。走，咱俩回去找棵树上去看看！”
Dust-mortal said, “You told me to hold her all the time! I hated her and was afraid she'd see it, so I never dared to look up! It's weird, she got happy when she realized you were lying, hugged me tight, even kissed my hair!”
Dust-scent said, “Of course she was happy when she found out I'd grown up and the conversation was strategic. Come on, let's go back and find a tree to check it out!”
这哥俩溜到了行宫的院墙旁边，在树上向院子里面看。行宫里除了大禹的房间都是灯火通明。一些汉子和士兵在排队进入顺皇的寝宫，不断地有人出来，又有人进去。
哥俩看了很长时间，没琢磨出来任何结论。他们回家后，又出来爬上树，继续看。直到午夜，他俩才看见汉子和士兵们陆续回到了各自的房间，熄灭了灯。
这哥俩怎么也没琢磨出来那些人进入顺皇的寝宫去干什么！
The two brothers slipped next to the courtyard wall of the palace and looked inside the courtyard from a tree. The palace was brightly lit except for Uncle Big Yu's room. Some Hans and soldiers were lining up to enter Emperor Shun's bedroom, and people were constantly coming out and going in.
The two brothers watched for a long time without working out any conclusions. They went home, came out and climbed the tree again, and continued to watch. It wasn't until midnight that the two of them saw the Hans and the soldiers return to their rooms one after another and put out their lights.
The two brothers couldn't figure out what those people had gone into Emperor Shun's bedroom to do!
5.
第二天早晨，卫兵来招呼尘香和尘凡为大禹送行。顺皇告诉他们大禹病了，需要送回武汉疗养。他俩看着大禹被两个士兵搀扶着，上了马车。顺皇过去送行，却拉住了马车夫的手，亲密地交谈了很长时间。
The next morning, the guards come to summon Dust-scent and Dust-mortal to see Big Yu off. Emperor Shun told them that Uncle Big Yu was sick and needed to be sent back to Wuhan to recuperate. They watched as Big Yu was assisted by two soldiers and got into a carriage. Emperor Shun goes over to see him off but takes the carriage driver's hand and talks intimately for a long time.
回家的路上，尘凡被气哭了，说：“我看这个黑心的女人是纯心要害死大禹叔叔。咱爸爸牛郎就是这么被她整死的！”
尘香问：“你为什么这么想？”
On the way home, Dust-mortal was enraged and cried, saying, “I think this black-hearted woman is purely trying to kill Uncle Big Yu. This is how our father, Cowboy, was screwed to death by her!”
Dust-scent asked, “Why do you think so?”
尘凡回答：“昨天，咱俩去他屋的时候，他刚被鞭刑过，伤口流出的血都从衣服上渗出来了。我还以为我看错了，就在他的伤口上用手指捅了一下。他疼得 ‘啊’ 一声，伤口又流血了。大禹叔叔的床上是空的，没有被子，天这么冷，所以他被冻感冒了。我对天发誓，这个仇我一定要报！”
Dust-mortal replied, “Yesterday, when we went to his house, he had just been whipped, and the blood from his wounds was oozing out of his clothes. I thought I was mistaken, so I stabbed my finger in his wound. He let out an 'ah' in pain, and the wound bled again. Uncle Big Yu's bed was empty, there was no blanket, and it was so cold, so he caught a cold. I swear to Sky that I will avenge this!”
尘香说：“你可不要胡乱行动！大禹叔叔是圣人，是玉皇大帝给那个女人造的丈夫。目前他不会有生命危险！你答应过我：20岁开始造刀，22岁才开始复仇。”
尘凡说：“我知道，我保证现在不会动手；我不会破坏你的计划的。”
Dust-scent said, “Don't act recklessly! Uncle Big Yu is a sage, the husband made by Turquoise White-King Great Creator for that woman. At present, his life will not be in danger! You promised me: you'll start making sword at 20 years old, and you won't start taking revenge until you're 22.”
Dust Mortal replied, “I know, and I promise I won't do anything now; I won't ruin your plans.”
尘香说：“我按照大禹叔叔说的，去找那个人来当咱们建筑公司的经理，得三天后才能回来。然后由他来负责组织投标和整修行宫的工程。你若有机会，再进行宫看看，数数行宫里面有多少个男人，多少个女人。每天晚上爬到树上数数有多少人进入那个女人的卧室，记录下来。如果我回来了，你不在，我就去替换你。”
Dust-scent said, "I went to find that person to be the manager of our construction company, as Uncle Big Yu said, and will have to come back in three days. Then he will be responsible for organizing the bidding and refurbishing the palace. If you have a chance, go back to the palace and count the number of men and women in the palace. Climb up a tree every night and count how many men enter that woman's bedroom and record it. If I come back and you are not here, I will go and replace you."
尘凡问：“数那个人数有什么用？”
尘香回答：“我们有可能从每晚进入她卧室的人数发现些什么！”
Dust-mortal asked, “What's the point of counting that number of people?”
Dust-scent replied, “We could possibly discover something from the number of people who enter her bedroom each night!”
6.
怎么顺皇打大禹这么狠？这不合常理！《中华法典》中说这是顺皇在做法。一天，她忽然有了这个想法，就派人去把大禹接来了。女婴担心他们俩的关系紧张，怕闹出事故来，就跟了过来。顺皇就说出要激发尘香和尘凡内心的仇恨的做法。他们俩自幼崇拜大禹，如果大禹挨欺负了，这哥俩肯定会有救大禹的愿望，那样他们俩就成为了有用之人。顺皇说完，笑着问大禹：“你看行吗？”
Why did Emperor Shun beat Yu so cruelly? This doesn't make sense! The *Chinese Codex* says this was Emperor Shun performing “Making Law” (i.e., a purposeful doing). One day, she suddenly had this idea and sent someone to bring Yu to her. Heroine, worried about the tension between the two and fearing an accident, came along. Empress Shun then explained her plan to incite hatred in Dust-scent and Dust-mortal's hearts. The two brothers had admired Yu since childhood, and if Yu were bullied, they would surely want to save him, that way, they would both become useful people. After Emperor Shun finished speaking, she smiled and asked Yu, "What do you think?"
大禹也笑了，回答：“我觉着这个想法挺好！”
女婴看他们俩都笑了，就没反对。
大禹说：“海南的记录里有：尘凡是个天生的猎人。要做，就必须是真的，把我的后背打出血。”
Big Yu laughed and replied, "I think this is a great idea!"
Seeing that they were both laughing, Heroine didn't object.
Big Yu said, "The records from Hainan say: Dust-mortal is a born hunter. If you're going to do it, it has to be real—make my back bleed."
前文，当他们看见尘香和尘凡来了，就开始准备。执行鞭刑的将军就开始打大禹。一连打了几鞭子，大禹疼的咬牙挺着，可是他的后背没出血。女婴被气得一把推开了那位将军，夺过了鞭子，啪啪两鞭子打在了同一个地方，鲜血立刻流出来了。
Earlier, when they saw Dust-scent and Dust-mortal arrive, they began preparations. The general who was to carry out the whipping began to beat Big Yu. Several lashes were delivered in succession, and Big Yu gritted his teeth and endured the pain, but his back did not bleed. Heroine was so angry that she pushed the general away, snatched the whip, and struck the same spot twice, and blood immediately flowed out.
大禹坚持不要在伤口上上药，尘凡会嗅出来的。当天夜里，大禹确实脱了衣服，没盖被，第二天早晨，他真的开始发烧了。大禹又让女婴把他打出血了。
结果这一切，就在大禹路过尘凡的瞬间，尘凡全都嗅到了。
Yu insisted that no medicine be applied to the wound, as Dust-mortal would smell it. That night, Yu indeed took off his clothes and went without a blanket, and the next morning, he did indeed develop a fever. Yu then had Heroine beat him until he bled.
As it turned out, all of this happened the instant Yu passed by Dust-mortal, who smelled it all.
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