Continuation of Lanny Lin's Translation of Smiling Proud Wanderer
I have tried my hand at translating this from the word document I downloaded from a link posted in translation requests. I know no chinese so I am working completely blind. Please feel free to correct my mistakes. It'd be great if you let me know if you wish me to continue with this effort. Thanks!
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From the sound of the speech, Linghu Chong recognizes the speaker as Mr. Black-White. If Mr Black-White had come to his cell a month before, Linghu Chong would have shouted abuses and swore visciously at him. However, having spent quite some time being imprisoned, his anger had greatly disappeared and he was able to think calmly. He thought "Why does he call me Mr. Ren? Has he gotten the prison cells mixed up?" Immediately, he kept silent and only listened to Mr. Black-White who continued "Every two months, I come and ask you the same question. Today is the first day of July so please let me ask again. Would you agree to my request?" Mr. Black-White asked this question very respectfully. Linghu Chong secretly laughed and thought "Mr. Black-White really got the wrong prison cell and thinks I am Senior Ren. How did it happen?" Immediately, his heart turned cold when he thought "Among the Jian-nan four play fellows, Mr. Black-White is the most meticulous. If this person were Mr. Bald-Brush or Mr. Paint, it's possible that they could get the wrong prison cell. But how can Mr. Black-White actually make such a mistake. There must be a reason behind this." Therefore, he still kept slient while Mr. Black-White said, "Venerable Ren, you are a great hero. Why do you choose to languish and decay in an underground prison? If you consent to my request, I will keep my promise and help you get out of this prison." Hearing this, Linghu Chong’s heart thumped madly and innumerable thoughts raced through his mind "Mr. Black-White comes by himself to ask a request, but I don't have any clues what his intentions are." Mr Black-White asked again "Venerable Ren, will you consent to my request?"
Linghu Chong knew that this currently may be the opportunity to get out of his trouble. (He doesn't know why he is inexplicably stranded in this jail cell. He doesn't know what Mr. Black-White is after or what his intentions are. For fear that Mr. Black-White may recognize his voice and to see what kind of opportunity might present itself, he held his tongue and kept silent.)
Mr. Black-White sighed and said, "Venerable Ren, how can you not make a sound? Previously, when that boy surnamed Feng came to compare sword skills with you, with great kindness, you kept my requests and visits secret. I thought that sword fight might have aroused great heroic feelings in your heart. Outside, the world is broad and alive. Once, you leave this dark prison cell, nobody in the world, male or female, old or young would dare defy you and the world would be yours for the taking. Wouldn't that be very satisfying rather than rotting in his jail cell? Why do you stubbornly keep refusing me for 12 years?"
Linghu Chong felt that Mr. Black-White seems to sincerely believe that he is addressing Senior Ren. He was more puzzled in his heart and wondered what this matter was that Mr. Black-White wants consent for. Linghu Chong desired to learn more details about the matter but he was also anxious that if he revealed himself, the situation could turn bad immediately and thus, dared not make a sound.
Mr. Black-White continued, "Old gentleman Ren, you are indeed very tenacious, I'll be back again in two months. Goodbye." Suddenly, with a gentle smile, he added "Today, unlike other times, you did not scold me, it looks like you may be thinking more favorably towards my request. I will come back in two months time to ask you to consider my request again." Saying this, Mr. Black-White turned around to go to the exit. Linghu Chong became quite worried when he thought Mr. Black-White would not come back for 2 months once he quite the underground. A day in this dark prison seemed like a year for him already, how can he bear to wait 2 months? He waited for Mr. Black-White to take several steps away, and then clears his throat and said in a thick voice "What matter do you ask me to consent?"
Mr. Black-White turns around immediately and came quickly to the square hole in front of the prison door and said tremblingly "You…. You are willing to consent?"
Linghu Chong turned around to the wall, put the palm of his hand on mouth and said in a muffled voice: "What matter do you want to me consent to?"
Mr. Black-White answered, "For 12 years, I have taken a lot of risk visiting you 6 times a year to earnestly request the same matter. How could Mr. Ren not know already what I am requesting?"
Linghu Chong let out a humph and muttered, "I have forgotten." Mr. Black-White replied, "I asked Senior to teach me your great (?? Qi-Gong?) method fully and in exchange promised to help you escape from prison."
Linghu Chong deliberated, "Has he really mistaken me for Senior Ren? Or is this a clever trick that he is pulling with me? I am not sure what he really means and must think for a while." Thinking this, Linghu Chong mumbled something indistinct. Mr. Black-White naturally could not understand the reply so asked repeatedly "Does Senior consent? Does Senior consent?"
Linghu Chong asked, "How can I trust you to keep your word in this arrangement?"
Mr. Black-White asked in reply, "What will serve as a guarantee for Senior to believe my words?"
Linghu Chong said, "We must have an agreement."
Mr. Black-White answered, "Senior is worried that after teaching me this big method ??, I will break my promise and not let you escape, right? Senior must put your trust in my arrangment."
Linghu Chong asked, "What kind of arrangement?"
Mr. Black-White asked in return with evident surprise and pleasure, "So, Senior have consented?"
Linghu Chong thought very quickly, "He asked if I will pass him the big way method ??. How do I pass on this method ?? to him? I might as well listen to what he means by this arrangement. If I manage to deceive him using these secrets on the iron panel, he can let me out of here."
When Mr. Black-White did not hear an answer, he added, "After Senior pass the big method to me, I then will be your disciple. Disciples of the (Sun-Moon) Sect who deceive their teachers (masters) and obliterate their roots have always been punished with the slow and lingering process of having their skin peeled off and their limbs dismembered. No one has been able to escape it in the past several hundred years.How will then disciple dare not help Senior escape?"
Linghu Chong humphed and replied, "So that's how it is. Then, after three days, you can come and get your answer from me."
Mr. Black-White said, "If Senior will consent to my request, why would you want to delay and spend three days in this dark prison cell?"
Linghu Chong thought, "He is much more impatient than me. Even though I will have to suffer for three more days, it might give me time to see what clever trick he might pull" and produced several humph as if he was really angry at Mr. Black-White's impertinance.
Hearing the humphs, Mr. Black-White hurriedly agreed and said "Right! Yes! After three days, I will come here and consult you again."