10.21 小龙女为牛郎赎身 Little Dragoness Redeems Cowboy's Freedom

 

一天，小龙女收到了另一家能设计龙骨锁穹顶公司的报价，150公斤黄金。小龙女，娥黄，女婴，还有牛郎和瞽叟去谈判了。那家公司给出了报价清单和样品，但龙骨锁的设计方案只给出了檀香木等三种木料供顾客选择。那三种木料造出的龙骨锁价钱差不多，都是150公斤黄金；原因是人工费和工具损耗费约占总成本的70%。

One day, Little Dragoness received a quote from another company capable of designing dragon-spine-lock domes: 150 kilograms of gold. Little Dragoness, Beauty Yellow, Heroine, along with Cowboy and Blind-Drummer, went to negotiate. The company provided a quotation list and samples, but the dragon-spine-lock design only offered three types of wood for customer selection: sandalwood, etc. The prices for dragon-spine locks made from these three woods were nearly identical—all 150 kilograms of gold. This was because labor costs and tool depreciation accounted for roughly 70% of the total expenses.

这五个人一起研究。牛郎根据报价清单，估算出了用山核桃木为材料造出的龙骨所穹顶的价钱约为120公斤黄金。

小龙女和娥黄商量说：“我在夏国的典兵学院上学时，学校里的教学模型大部分是用山核桃木做的，我就以为山核桃木是最好的建筑材料。”

These five people are conducting research together. Based on the quotation list, Cowboy estimated that a dome with a dragon-spine-lock made from hickory wood would cost approximately 120 kilograms of gold.

Little Dragoness discussed Beauty Yellow: “When I attended Codex Soldier Academy in Xia Kingdom, most of the teaching models were made from hickory wood. I assumed hickory was the best building material.”

娥黄回答：“我们巫毒学院的教学模型也大多是用山核桃木做的，我也以为山核桃木是万能建筑材料。要不咱问问用山核桃木做龙骨锁穹顶的价钱！？”

女婴说：“我不懂教学模型是用什么木头做的，近几天才知道了硬木的概念。我知道壳体最坚固。我看你们的设计，虽说是九条龙脊承重，但当建成后，把龙脊拆下来，上面的壳体仍能满足全部的需求。”

Beauty Yellow replied, “Our Voodoo Academy's teaching models were mostly made of hickory wood too. I also thought hickory was the ultimate building material. Why don't we ask about the price for using hickory wood to make the keel and lock the dome!?”

Heroine said, “I didn't know what kind of wood the teaching model was made of until recently, when I learned about hardwood. I know the shell is the strongest part. Looking at your design, even though it relies on nine dragon ridges for support, once it's built, if you remove the dragon ridges, the shell above will still meet all the requirements.”

瞽叟也发言了：“我不同意牛郎的用山核桃木的提议。如果用山核桃木或胡桃木做龙骨锁，我拒绝施工。”

设计院很快就给出了答复：“用山核桃木来造龙骨锁穹顶的价钱是120公斤黄金，但是山核桃木的强度不够，我们不能用山核桃木做龙骨锁。”

小龙女说：“那我们定做行不行？”

设计院的代表回答：“定做也不做！”

Blind-Drummer also spoke up: “I disagree with Cowboy's proposal to use hickory wood. If hickory or walnut is used for the dragon-spine locks, I refuse to proceed with the construction.”

The design institute promptly responded: “The cost for using hickory wood to construct the dragon-spine-lock dome is 120 kilograms of gold. However, hickory lacks sufficient strength, so we cannot use it for the dragon-spine-lock.”

Little Dragoness asked, “What about custom-made?”

The design institute representative replied, "We won't do custom orders!"

娥黄说：“我们要定做，你们怎么可能不做呢！？你说不算，让们的院长出来说话！”

设计院的院长出来后，说：“我得找律师问问，然后答复你们！”

据说这位院长直接找到了当地的法官，法官回复说：“代加工可以！你们所用的材料是质量合格的山核桃木。把你们的代加工职责在合同上写清楚。并且附加条款，你们对成品部件的功能和质量不负责。”

Ehuang retorted, “We're placing a custom order—how could you possibly refuse!? If you say no, have your director come out and explain!”

After the design institute's director emerged, he stated, “I need to consult a lawyer before giving you an answer!”

It's said the director went straight to the local judge, who replied: “Contract manufacturing is permissible! The material you use is certified hickory wood. Clearly define your contract manufacturing responsibilities in the agreement. Include an additional clause stating you bear no liability for the functionality or quality of the finished components.”

小龙女和娥黄听说设计院不负责质量，迷惑了。设计院的院长说：“我们和下面的七十几家分包商就是这种关系。我们和他们不同的是，我们可以让你们免费使用我们的资料库。你可得想好了，一但交了钱，签了合同，七十几家分包商，一千来人开始昼夜生产，一个半月交付产品。我们签合同之前，就验收山核桃木。我们先把你们买山核桃木板的帐算了。你放心，我帮你们买最好的山核桃木版。”

Little Dragoness and Beauty Yellow were perplexed upon hearing that the design institute was not responsible for quality. The institute's director explained, "This is precisely the arrangement we have with our seventy more subcontractors. What sets us apart is that we grant you free access to our database. But consider carefully: once payment is made and the contract signed, over seventy subcontractors, a thousand workers, will begin round-the-clock production, delivering the product in a month and a half. Before signing the contract, we'll inspect the hickory wood. Let's settle the accounts for your hickory wood plank first. Rest assured, I'll help you secure the finest hickory wood planks."

小龙女和娥黄决定自己组织龙骨所穹顶的施工，她俩和瞽叟单项终结了龙骨锁穹顶的施工合同后和这家设计院签了代加工合同。

Little Dragoness and Beauty Yellow decided to organize the construction of the dragon-spine-lock dome themselves. After terminating the construction contract for the dragon-spine-lock dome with Blind-Drummer, they signed a subcontracting agreement with this design institute.

2

这项穹顶龙骨的单项工程预算是：30公斤黄金买山核桃木，70公斤黄金用于木材加工，油漆费10公斤黄金，施工费10公斤黄金。

牛郎废寝忘食地搭建安装施工的工房，烘干室等设备。新研究出来的施工工序把施工周期的9个月缩短到了一个月。小龙女非常高兴，对他说： “这龙骨锁施工的工作都让你一个人干了，省下来的钱给你赎身。你问问你们的公司，为你赎身得多少钱？”

The budget for this single dome keel project is as follows: 30 kilograms of gold for purchasing hickory wood, 70 kilograms of gold for cutting and sanding the timber, 10 kilograms of gold for paint costs, and 10 kilograms of gold for assembly fees.

Cowboy worked tirelessly day and night to construct workshops, drying rooms, and other facilities. The newly developed construction process reduced the project timeline from nine months to just one month. Little Dragoness was overjoyed and told him, “Since you handled all the dragon-spine-lock construction work single-handedly, I'll use the savings to buy your freedom. Ask your company how much it will cost to redeem you.”

几天之后，牛郎失望地回复小龙女说：“我的赎身价是六公斤黄金。”

小龙女惊讶地叨咕：“我不知道奴隶这么贵！是你们公司有问题吧？”

牛郎回答：“我朋友去查过账了。奴隶的赎身价格是奴隶主投资的100倍。我朋友说， ‘他查看了对我的每一笔花费。我朋友的家佣部的成本还没报上去，就没算进成本。按照投资的100倍算，我的赎身价格远远多过六公斤黄金。这六公斤黄金是武汉地区奴隶赎身价格的上限。他让我接受这个上限，不要去查帐。”

A few days later, Cowboy replied disappointedly to the Little Dragoness "My ransom is six kilograms of gold."

Little Dragoness exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't know slaves were so expensive! Is there something wrong with your company?"

Cowboy replied, "My friend checked the accounts. The ransom for a slave is 100 times the slave owner's investment. My friend said, 'He checked every expense I incurred. My friend's household staff costs haven't been reported yet, so they weren't included in the cost. Based on 100 times the investment, my ransom is far more than six kilograms of gold. These six kilograms of gold is the upper limit for the ransom of slaves in Wuhan area. He told me to accept this upper limit and not to check the accounts.'"

小龙女问娥黄：“你听说过这么贵的奴隶吗？”

娥黄摇摇头，说：“6公斤黄金乘以15，等于90公斤白银。牛郎比银子贵！”她转脸问牛郎：“你的朋友可靠吗？”

牛郎回答：“可靠，我们两家是世交，爷爷辈就是朋友。我从小就跟着他，一起做买卖。”

Little Dragoness asked Beauty Yellow, "Have you ever heard of such expensive slaves?" Beauty Yellow shook her head and said, "Six kilograms of gold multiplied by 15 equals ninety kilograms of silver. Cowboy is more valuable than silver!" She turned to Cowboy and asked, "Is your friend reliable?"

Cowboy replied, "Reliable. Our two families have been friends for generations; our grandfathers were friends. I've been with him since I was a child, doing business together."

小龙女问：“你们俩做什么买卖？”

牛郎回答：“做我给你们做的那种桌子。我负责做，他负责卖。”

娥黄问：“那他是怎么变成奴隶的？”

Little Dragoness asked, "What kind of business do you two do?"

Cowboy replied, "We make the kind of tables I make for you. I'm in charge of making them, and he's in charge of selling them."

Beauty Yellow asked, "Then how did he become a slave?"

牛郎回答：“他们家的人都是把自己卖了作奴隶的，所以他们家的物质生活条件挺好！”

娥黄问：“正常的奴隶价格是多少？”

牛郎回答：“我卖我自己的时候，这家奴隶公司出价一两半银子。我朋友帮忙，他们给了我二两半。”

Cowboy replied, "His family all sold themselves into slavery, so their material living conditions are quite good!"

Beauty Yellow asked, "What is the normal price of a slave?"

Cowboy replied, "When I sold myself, the slave company offered one and a half taels of silver. My friends helped me, and they gave me two and a half taels."

3 小龙女是龙女 Little Dragoness is a Dragon Girl

读者可能会有疑问，牛郎怎么这么贵？前文说了，奴隶公司雇佣了法师来培训牛郎。法师很贵。这时，那位法师已经辞职了。原故事里，奴隶公司的大老板又请了两位法师旁听这位法师的论述。

Readers might wonder, why is Cowboy so expensive? As mentioned earlier, the slave company hired a Juristic Teacher (i.e., Priest, Mage, Sorcerer) to train Cowboy. Juristic Teachers are very expensive. By this time, the sorcerer had already resigned. In the original story, the slave company's boss invited two more Juristic Teachers to listen to this Juristic Teacher's discourse.

这位法师说他用牛郎来诱惑小龙女的做法全都成功了，但被小龙女发现了。小龙女就在这几个月里也成为了法师，而且她在利用奴隶公司的法师。小龙女的法力增长的特别快，估计三年她就能长成武汉这么大。现在看，我们已经成功了，而且我们没做违法的事。如果我们继续做，后果是我们会被小龙女吃掉。

The Juristic Teacher claimed his JURISTC MAKINGS of using Cowboy to seduce Little Dragoness were all successful, but Little Dragoness discovered them. Within those few months, Little Dragoness also became a Juristic Teacher, and she was using the Juristic Teacher from our slave company.

Little Dragoness' juristic power was growing exceptionally fast; he estimated she would grow to the size of Wuhan in three years. Now, it seems we've succeeded, and we haven't done anything illegal. If we continue, the consequence will be that we'll be eaten by Little Dragoness.

奴隶公司的大老板和雇来的旁听法师都对这位法师的论述心悦诚服，同意停止做法。 据说，奴隶公司的大老板赏了一个金元宝给这位法师。

奴隶公司老板的这些花费都记在了牛郎的账上，所以牛郎的朋友建议牛郎不要查账。

The slave company's big boss and the hired observer juristic teachers were both thoroughly convinced by the Juristic Teacher's arguments and agreed to halt the Making Law. It is said that the slave company's big boss rewarded the Juristic Teacher with a gold ingot.

The expenses incurred by the slave company's boss were all charged to Cowboy's account, so Cowboy's friend advised Cowboy not to check the accounts.

4

穹顶的龙骨开始组装施工没多久，牛郎发现构件上出现了裂缝，他每天都查看裂缝的发展情况。一天牛郎爬到了穹顶的龙骨上查看裂缝时，龙骨塌了。牛郎掉到防火用的水缸里了，没受伤。

天塌了！小龙女，娥黄，女婴，和牛郎坐在事故的现场，没人出声。这时瞽叟一边敲鼓一边跳舞，在庆祝！

Shortly after assembly began on the dome's keel, Cowboy noticed cracks appearing in the components. He inspected the cracks daily to monitor their progression. One day, while climbing the keel to examine the cracks, the keel collapsed. Cowboy fell into a water tank used for firefighting but escaped unharmed.

The sky has fallen! Little Dragoness, Beauty Yellow, Heroine, along with Cowboy sat at the scene of the accident, none uttering a word. At that moment, Blind-Drummer danced while beating a drum, celebrating!

小龙女生气地对女婴说：“你去金库取六公斤黄金，给牛郎赎身。”

女婴没动。

小龙女愤怒地问：“那是我的钱，你凭啥不给？”

女婴把金库的钥匙递给了小龙女。然后爬到了房顶上。

Little Dragoness angrily told Heroine, “Go to the treasury and fetch six kilograms of gold to redeem Cowboy's freedom.”

Heroine didn't move.

Little Dragoness demanded furiously, “That's my money! Why won't you give it to Cowboy?”

Heroine handed Little Dragoness the key to the treasury. Then she climbed onto the roof.

小龙女自己去金库取了六公斤黄金，回来后放在了牛郎的跟前，说：“这六公斤黄金是你的了！”

娥黄愤怒地向女婴摆手。女婴从房顶下来了，伸手向小龙女要钥匙。

小龙女回答：“你不是已经辞职了吗！？”

女婴回答：“我给你钥匙是让你看看金库里还有多少钱！”

Little Dragoness went to the vault herself and retrieved six kilograms of gold. Upon returning, she placed it before Cowboy and declared, “These six kilograms of gold are yours!”

Beauty Yellow waved angrily at Heroine. Heroine descended from the roof and reached out to Little Dragoness for the key.

Little Dragoness retorted, “Didn't you resign already!?”

Heroine replied, “I gave you the key so you could see how much gold remains in the vault!”

娥黄说：“走，咱们一起去整理一下金库！”

小龙女看见牛郎还愣愣地站在那里，说：“你怎么还没离开！？”

牛郎立刻捡起了装着黄金的袋子，问小龙女：“我把钱都拿走了，你怎么办？”

小龙女回答：“我回家如实向父母汇报。大不了，他们不用我了，还能把我怎么地！”

Beauty Yellow said, “Come on, let's go sort out the treasury together!”

Seeing Cowboy still standing there dumbfounded, Little Dragoness exclaimed, “Why haven't you left yet!?”

Cowboy immediately picked up the sack of gold and asked Little Dragoness, “If I take all the money, what will you do?”

Little Dragoness replied, “I'll go home and tell my parents the truth. At worst, they don’t use me anymore—what else can they do to me?”

牛郎迅速地离开了。

娥黄跟着小龙女和女婴来到了金库，发现金库里几乎没钱了。小龙女说：“我和女婴去中华食品街的苏州商会看看。娥黄整理一下事故的现场，去那家设计院和法院看看，能不能索赔！”

Cowboy quickly departed.

Beauty Yellow followed Little Dragoness and Heroine to the treasury, only to find it nearly empty. Little Dragoness said, “Heroine and I will head to the Suzhou Chamber of Commerce on China Food Street. Beauty Yellow, tidy up the accident scene and visit that design institute and the court to see if we can claim compensation!”

返回中华法典的目录Return Catalog of Chinese Codex