ChinesePod
@ 51200 小太監進宮三
A 娘娘，皇上今天翻的是您的牌子，今兒晚上是娘娘您侍寢。我給您準備好了沐浴熱水，放上了您最愛的牡丹花瓣。
niángniang, huángshàng jīntiān fān de shì nín de páizi, jīnr wǎnshang shì niángniang nín shìqǐn. wǒ gěi nín zhǔnbèi hǎo le mùyù rèshuǐ, fàng shàng le nín zuì ài de mǔdānhuābàn.
My lady, the emperor has chosen you this evening. You shall serve him in the Imperial chambers. I’ve prepared a warm bath for you, and I’ve prepared your favorite peony petals.
B 瞧你這德性，好像比本宮還高興呢！怎麼聽你這話像是說本宮沒伺候過皇上一樣？
qiáo nǐ zhè déxing, hǎoxiàng bǐ běngōng hái gāoxìng ne! zěnme tīng nǐ zhè huà xiàng shì shuō běngōng méi cìhòu guo huángshang yíyàng?
Look at you—you’re even happier than me! Why does it sound like you think I’ve never served the Emperor?
A 哎呀，奴才該死！奴才嘴笨！
āiyā, āiyā, núcái gāi sǐ! núcai zuǐ bèn!
Your humble servant deserves to die! Your humble servant spoke foolishly!
B 給我一邊去！狗嘴裡吐不出象牙！
gěi wǒ yībiānr qù! gǒuzuǐ li tǔbuchū xiàngyá!
Get out of my way! A filthy mouth like yours couldn't say anything decent, anyway. [Lit：Dogs can’t spit out ivory!—Ed.]
A 喳！
zhā!
Eek!
B 慢著，小順子，本宮問你，最近皇上常去哪個宮啊？
mànzhe, Xiǎoshùnzi, běngōng wèn nǐ, zuìjìn huángshang cháng qù nǎge gōng a?
Wait a moment, Xiao Shunzi. Tell me, which lady has the Emperor been visiting the most lately?
A 回娘娘，奴才聽說，皇上最近造訪最多的是皇后的寢宮。
huí niángniang, núcái tīngshuō, huángshang zuìjìn zàofǎng zuì duō de shì huánghòu de qǐngōng.
My lady, your humble servant has heard that the Emperor has been visiting the Empress' chambers.
B 都那麼久了，那沒用的東西也沒能給皇上生出個一兒半女的。怎麼皇上還不把她打入冷宮？反而又得寵了。
dōu nàme jiǔ le, nà méiyòng de dōngxi yě méi néng gěi huángshang shēng chū ge yī ér bàn nǚ de. zěnme huángshang hái bù bǎ tā dǎrù lěnggōng? fǎnér yòu déchǒng le.
It’s been so long now, and that useless thing still hasn’t been able to come up with a child for the Emperor. Why hasn't the Emperor kicked her aside? Just the opposite-- she's enjoying his favors yet again.
A 娘娘，奴才有一事，不知道該不該說？
niángniang, núcái yǒu yī shì, bù zhīdào gāibùgāi shuō?
My lady, there is something else. Your humble servant isn't sure if he should tell you or not...
B 說吧，什麼事？
shuō ba, shénme shì?
Speak! What is it?
A 奴才聽說，皇后一直懷不上龍子，是因為，太醫給皇后熬的龍鳳保胎湯被人做了手腳。
núcai tīngshuō, huánghòu yīzhí huáibushàng lóngzǐ, shì yīnwèi, tàiyī gěi huánghòu áo de lóngfèng bǎotāitāng bèi rén zuò le shǒujiǎ.
Your humble slave has heard that the reason the Empress has never produced any Imperial offspring is that someone has meddled with the Dragon-Phoenix soup that the palace doctor prepares for her.
B 什麼？誰那麼膽大包天啊？這要是被查出來，是要被滅九族的！小順子，這事非同小可，可不能亂說。本宮現在問你，這消息是從哪裡聽來的，可靠嗎？
shénme? shéi nàme dǎndàbāotiān ā? zhè yàoshì bèi chá chūlai, shì yào bèi mièjiǔzú de! Xiǎoshùnzi, zhè shìr fēitóngxiǎokě, kě bùnéng luànshuō. běngōng xiànzài wèn nǐ, zhè xiāoxi shì cóng nǎli tīnglái de, kěkào ma?
What? Who could be so bold? If they were discovered, their entire family would be annihilated! Xiao Shunzi, this is no small matter! You must not speak groundlessly! I'm asking you, where did you get this information? Is it reliable?
A 宮裡現在有人在暗中調查這個事，而嫌疑最大的是容娘娘。
gōng lǐ xiànzài yǒurén zài ànzhōng diàochá zhè ge shìr, ér xiányí zuìdà de shì Róng niángniang.
There are people in the palace discreetly looking into this matter as we speak. The prime suspect is Lady Rong.
B 哦？是她？哈哈哈哈，這狐狸精終於被我抓住把柄了！好啊，小順子，幹得好！把這件事查清楚了，本宮重重有賞！
ǒ? shì tā? hāhāhāhā, zhè húlíjīng zhōngyú bèi wǒ zhuāzhù bǎbǐng le! hǎoā, Xiǎoshùnzi, gàn de hǎo! bǎ zhè jiàn shì chá qīngchǔ le, běngōng zhòngzhòngyǒushǎng!
Oh, it's her? Ha-ha-ha-ha. Now I’ve finally got something on that little vixen! Good, Xiao Shunzi. Well done. When you've gotten to the bottom of this, there will be a great reward for you!
A 謝娘娘！
xiè niángniang!
Thank you, my lady!
Key Vocabulary
牌子 páizi sign
侍寢 shìqǐn to visit the Emperor in his chambers for his sexual pleasure
沐浴 mùyù to take a bath
牡丹花瓣 mǔdānhuābàn peony petal
德性 déxing appearance, way
伺候 cìhòu to wait upon, to care for
狗嘴裡吐不出象牙 gǒuzuǐ li tǔbuchū xiàngyá a dog can't spit out ivory-- nothing good could come from a filthy mouth
慢著 mànzhe slowly
造訪 zàofǎng to visit (formal)
寢宮 qǐngōng Imperial sleeping quarters
一兒半女 yī ér bàn nǚ children
冷宮 lěnggōng a position of low status (originally for concubines)
得寵 déchǒng to enjoy the favor of someone powerful
龍子 lóngzǐ Emperor's son
太醫 tàiyī Palace doctor
龍鳳保胎湯 lóngfèng bǎotāitāng Imperial fertility soup
做手腳 zuò shǒujiǎ to meddle with, to tamper with
膽大包天 dǎndàbāotiān nervy, bold
滅九族 mièjiǔzú to slaughter an entire family as punishment for offending the Emperor
非同小可 fēitóngxiǎokě no small matter
狐狸精 húlíjīng vixen, temptress
把柄 bǎbǐng handle
重重有賞 zhòngzhòngyǒushǎng There will be a great reward!
Supplementary Vocabulary
言歸正傳 yánguīzhèngzhuàn to get back to business, to return to the topic at hand
失寵 shīchǒng to fall out of favor
服侍 fúshì to wait upon, to attend to
侍候 shìhòu to care for, to look after
寢室 qǐnshì bedroom
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