Listen to this article17这日,韦小宝在天桥闲逛,忽见弓腰曲背,满头白发的“八臂猿猴“徐天川埃近身来,使个眼色,转身便走。制小宝会意,跟在他后面。
On this day, when Wei Xiaobao was strolling around the overpass, he saw Xu Tianchuan, the “eight-armed ape” with a bent back and white hair, come close, wink, turn around and walk away. He understood and followed him.
18原来是陈近南来到北京,吩咐韦小宝前去相见。韦小宝跟着徐天川来到天地会聚会之处,见陈近南居中而坐，正和李力世、关安基等人说话。韦小宝抢上前去,拜伏在地:“师父,你老人家来啦。可想煞弟子了。”
It was Chen Jinnan who came to Beijing and asked Wei Xiaobao to meet him. Wei Xiaobao followed Xu Tianchuan to the gathering place of the Heaven and Earth Society. He saw Chen Jinnan sitting in the middle, talking to Li Lishi, Guan Anji and others. Wei Xiaobao rushed forward and prostrated himself to the ground: “Shifu, you are coming. I want to kill my disciple.”
19就在这时,沐剑声、柳大洪领着吴立身等人,前来天地会道谢。吴立身等人没想到他们性命的小太监,竟然便是天地会的韦香主,大为惊讶。陈近南见大家称赞自己的徒弟,心中大喜,笑道:“可别宠坏了小孩子!”
At this time, Mu Jiansheng and Liu Dahong led Wu Lishan and others to the Heaven and Earth Society to thank them. Wu Lishen and others were surprised to find that their little eunuch was the Wei Xiangzhu of the Heaven and Earth Society. When Chen Jinnan saw that everyone praised his apprentice, he was very happy and said with a smile, “Don’t spoil children!”
20陈近南这次来到北京,原是得悉天地会和沐王府起了争执,他和沐剑声约定,天地会和沐王府哪家先杀了吴三桂,就奉哪家的号今。两人伸出手来,啪地击了一掌。按江湖规矩,若三击掌立誓,就决不可再有反悔。
When Chen Jinnan came to Beijing this time, he learned that the Heaven and Earth Society had a dispute with Lord Mu’s Mansion. He agreed with Mu Jiansheng that the Heaven and Earth Society and Lord Mu’s Mansion would take the name of the family that killed Wu Sangui first. They stretched out their hands and slapped them. According to the rules of the Jianghu, if you make an oath with three high-fives, you can never renege.
21二人正待击第二掌,忽听一声长笑:“要是我杀了吴三桂呢?”一个青影闪将进来。关安基、徐天川柳大洪、吴立身同时出掌张臂相拦，那人轻轻一纵,从四人头顶跃过,已站在陈近南和沐剑声身前。
They were about to hit the second palm when they heard a long laugh: “What if I killed Wu Sangui?” A green shadow flashed in. Guan Anji, Xu Tianchuan, Liu Dahong, and Wu Li stood at the same time with their hands and arms outstretched. The man jumped over the four heads with a gentle leap and stood in front of Chen Jinnan and Mu Jiansheng.
22陈近南右手疾抓那人左足踝上,那人右足疾出,径踢陈近南面门。
Chen Jinnan grabbed the man’s left ankle with his right hand, and the man’s right foot sprang out and kicked Chen Jinnan’s front door.
23那人笑道:“天地会和沐王府是这样对付好朋友么?”陈近南抱拳道:“足下尊姓大名,是好朋友么?”那人自报姓名为李西华,众人见他二十三四岁,身形高瘦,一副文弱书生模样,却有如此身手,大为惊异。
The man laughed and said, “Is this how the Tiandihui and the Muwang Mansion deal with good friends?” Chen Jinnan said with fists, “Your name, are you a good friend?” The man reported his name as Li Xihua. People were surprised to see that he was twenty-three or four years old, tall and thin, and a weak scholar, but he was so skilled.
24陈近南吩咐属下摆起筵席,和群雄饮宴。席间李西华谈笑风生,见闻甚博:“反清大业千头万绪,杀吴三桂为急,立新皇帝可缓。”陈近南听他说得入情入理,甚是佩服,当即二人义结金兰,陈近南为兄,李西华为弟。
Chen Jinnan ordered his subordinates to set up a banquet and drink with the heroes. During the banquet, Li Xihua talked and laughed, and heard a lot: “The great cause of the anti-Qing Dynasty is endless, killing Wu Sangui is urgent, and the establishment of a new emperor can be postponed.” Chen Jinnan listened to his words, and was very impressed. They immediately married Jinlan, Chen Jinnan as brother, and Li Xihua as brother.
25李西华起身告辞,陈近南送到门边,低声道:“李贤弟,适才愚兄不知你是友是敌,抓住你脚课之时使了‘凝血神抓’,你回去在泥地掘个洞,全身埋在其中,露出囗鼻,每日四个时辰,七日可化解。”
Li Xihua stood up to say goodbye, and Chen Jinnan went to the door and said in a low voice, “Brother Li Xiandi, just now I don’t know whether you are a friend or an enemy. When I grabbed your feet, I used the ‘blood coagulation’. You go back and dig a hole in the mud, and bury your body in it, exposing your mouth and nose. It can be dissolved four hours a day and seven days a day.”
26沐王府众人辞出后,陈近南将韦小宝领到东厢房,要查他武功进展乐如何。韦小宝心中椰桦乱跳,忙道:“师父,皇上派我查问刺客,弟子得赶着回报。”并把刺客之事详细说与陈近南听,陈近南便让他明日再来。
26 After the speech of the people in the Lord Mu’s Residence, Chen Jinnan led Wei Xiaobao to the east chamber to check his progress in martial arts. Wei Xiaobao’s heart leaped and said, “Master, the emperor sent me to inquire about the assassin, and the disciples have to hurry to report.” He told Chen Jinnan about the assassin in detail, and Chen Jinnan asked him to come back tomorrow.
