14.10 尘香当村长 Dust-scent Becomes Village Chief

 

话说尘香看见行政给舅舅造假身份证的几天后，他就根据从捕快们得来的信息，在档案库中找到了合适的  “复活人选” （冒充已死亡但没有注销的人）。大虎山地区本来隶属于法库县东部的黑山县，最近才被划分给法库县。档案刚被送过来。

A few days after Dust-scent witnessed Administrative forging his uncle's ID card, he used information obtained from the constables to find two suitable "resurrected candidates" (a person impersonating someone who was dead, but whose registration hadn't been cancelled) in the archives. The Big-tiger Mountain area originally belonged to Heishan County in the eastern part of Faku County but was only recently assigned to Faku County. The files had just been delivered.

卢堂左和卢堂右是两兄弟，七年前进山打猎，被洪水冲走了。他们的父母卢岩和刘健君因为怀念孩子，就病了。不久后，这地区发生了瘟疫，这对儿可怜得父母都在瘟疫中死了。随后，整个大虎山地区被封锁了。这时，瘟疫的封锁刚被解除半年。尘香看档案中对这俩兄弟的年龄体貌的描述和自己及弟弟都很相近，就决定去调查一下。

Hall-left Lu and Hall-right Lu were two brothers who went hunting in the mountains seven years ago and were swept away by a flood. Their parents, Yan Lu and Eve Liu, fell ill with grief for their children. Soon after, a plague broke out in the area, and the two unfortunate parents both died from it. Subsequently, the entire Big-tiger Mountain area was sealed off. At this time, the lockdown had only been lifted six months prior. Dust-scent noticed that the descriptions of the two brothers' age and physical appearance in the files closely matched those of himself and his younger brother, so she decided to investigate.

这时，大虎山地区的人口很少。尘香根据道路的标识，很快就找到了那个村子和卢堂左的家。进屋后，他还找到了这家的家谱。他又根据邻居“跤手”的介绍，找到了卢堂左父母的坟。跤手拿来一把铁锹。卢堂左（即尘香）就开始给父母添坟了。然后他给父母卢岩和刘健君磕头。卢堂左问跤手：“这附近有没有以前的住户？”

At that time, the population in Big-Tiger Mountain area was sparse. Following the road signs, Dust-scent quickly located the village and Hall-left Lu's home. Upon entering the house, he also discovered the family genealogy. Following the guidance of a neighbor known as “Wrestler,” he located the graves of Hall-left Lu's parents. Wrestler fetched an iron shovel. Hall-left Lu (aka. Dust-scent) then began adding soil to his parents' graves. Afterward, he kowtowed to his parents, Yan Lu and Eve Liu. Hall-left Lu asked Wrestler, “Are there any former residents in this vicinity?”

跤手回答：“没有！我是从山东济南逃荒出来的，看这里有山有水的，就在这儿住下了。我已经在这里住半年了。以前这地方方圆十里就我一个人住，前几天，村东头儿来了一对儿夫妇。他们俩是从河南逃荒出来的；男人叫秀才。”

Wrestler replied, “No! I fled famine from Jinan in Shandong. Seeing these mountains and waters, I settled here. I've lived here for half a year now. Before, I was the only one within ten miles of this place. A few days ago, a couple arrived at the eastern end of the village. They fled famine from Henan; the man is called Scholar.”

卢堂左假装伤心，对跤手说：“兄弟！我给你二两银子，你帮我给我父母的坟立块碑，把房子修修，再在后园里种些菜。我在县里工作，很少回来。我不回来，那菜你就自己吃。我现在去村东头儿秀才家看看。” 这时，秀才不在家。卢堂左听说她家没锅，想有两只羊，就送给了她二两银子。

Hall-left Lu (aka. Dust-scent) feigned sadness as he said to Wrestler, “Brother! I'll give you two taels of silver. Use it to erect a tombstone for my parents' graves, repair the house, and plant some vegetables in the backyard. I work in the county seat and rarely return. If I don't come back, you can eat the vegetables yourself. I'm heading to Scholar's house at the eastern end of the village now.” At the time, Scholar was not home. Hearing that his wife lacked a cooking pot and wanted two sheep, Hall-left Lu gave her two taels of silver.

2

尘香回到县政府后，就开始制做卢堂左和卢堂右的身份证明，但他发现怎么也不能通过验算。最后他来找行政了，说不想节省300两银子了。行政进到档案室查看后说：“你不能依照我给你舅舅做档案的方式做你自己的档案。他去的地方你现在还不能去。” 行政说着，就开始教尘凡制作 “复活卢堂左” 的档案。

Upon returning to the county government, Dust-scent began preparing identity documents for Hall-left Lu and Hall-right Lu. However, he found he couldn't get the calculations to pass verification no matter what he tried. Finally, he sought out Administrative, saying he no longer wished to save the 300 taels of silver. After reviewing the records in the archives, Administrative stated, “You cannot create your own records using the method I employed for your uncle's files. The place he went to are not yet accessible to you.” With that, Administrative began instructing Dust-scent on how to create the file for “resurrecting Hall-left Lu.”

行政帮尘香制作完身份证后，说：“这个身份证你在不用的时候，不要带在身上。另外，我是借调过来这个县的，等你学会了管理档案库，我就走了。你得常来上班，我教你填写和核实档案。半个月后，市里会来人检查咱的档案库，取走基数。也就是说，半个月后，你和你弟弟的新身份证就生效了。”

After finishing the ID card, Administrative said to Dust-scent, “When you're not using this ID, don't carry it on your person. Also, I'm only here on temporary assignment to this county. Once you've learned how to manage the archives, I'll be leaving. You need to come to work regularly so I can teach you how to fill out and verify the records. In two weeks, someone from the city will come to inspect our archives and take the baseline data. That means in two weeks, your new ID and your brother's new ID will become valid.”

3

尘香回到家后，告诉弟弟他们俩已经有了新的身份证。他说：”大虎山那地方可好啦，有山有湖。你得去看看。我已经给咱们新的爹妈磕过头了。你也得去磕头。”

After returning home, Dust-scent told his younger brother that they had obtained new ID cards. He said, “Big-tiger Mountain is such a beautiful place—with mountains and lakes. You really should go see it. I've already paid respects to our new parents. You need to go pay respects too.”

这天尘香和尘凡就一起去大虎山了。路过集市时，尘凡买了口锅，进入卢堂左的村子时，遇见一个人赶着两只羊。尘香就对赶羊的人说：“我用二两银子买你这两只羊？” 赶羊的人同意了。尘香和尘凡把羊和锅给村东边的秀才家送去了。秀才家里没人，他俩就把羊赶进了羊圈。把锅放在了院子里。

That day, Dust-scent and Dust-mortal set off together for Big-tiger Mountain. Passing through the market, Dust-scent bought a pot. Upon entering the village of Hall-left Lu, they encountered a man herding two sheep. Dust-scent said to the shepherd, “I'll buy these two sheep from you for two taels of silver.” The shepherd agreed. Dust-scent and Dust-mortal took the sheep and the pot to the scholar's house on the eastern edge of the village. Finding no one at home, they drove the sheep into the pen and placed the pot in the courtyard.

尘凡到这个新家一看，也喜欢这里的环境。他俩给新父母卢岩和刘健君磕完头，刚要离开，秀才就赶着两只羊来了，说：“刚才我把这两只羊卖给你了。你没注意，这两只羊又跑回到我们家了。” 这时邻居跤手，“嗖”一声，从墙的另一边蹦了过来，说：“你到处发银子，引起混乱！”

卢堂左（即尘香）看见了，惊叹道：“好身手！我怎么以前没看出来你是个武林高手！？”

跤手立刻变得弓腰驼背了，说：“怕你找我打架！”

Upon seeing this new home, Dust-scent also grew fond of its surroundings. After kowtowing to their new parents, Yan Lu and Eve Liu, the two brothers were about to leave when Scholar arrived, herding two sheep. He declared, “I sold these two sheep to you earlier. You didn't notice, but they've run back to our place.” Just then, the neighbor Wrestler leapt over the wall with a whoosh and declared, “You're causing chaos by handing out silver everywhere!”

Hall-left Lu (aka. Dust-scent) witnessed this and exclaimed in awe, “What incredible skill! How did I never realize you were a martial arts master before!?”

Wrestler immediately hunched his back and said, “I was afraid you'd challenge me to a fight!”

秀才说：“我去县里问过了。一个村子有三户人家就可申请注册村名。咱村子该叫什么名字？”

跤手说：“有钱好说话，卢家屯！有钱好办事，村长是卢堂左，副村长是卢堂右！”

卢堂左说：“我们哥俩在别的地方工作，不常回家，不能当村长。”

跤手说：“你们哥俩负责出钱。秀才和我分别是执行村长，和执行副村长，负责管理村里的事务！”

Scholar said, "I went to the county to ask. A village with three households can apply to register a village name. What should our village be called?"

Wrestler said, "Money makes speaking easier, Lu Family Village! Money makes affair easier, the village chief is Hall-Left Lu, and the deputy village chief is Hall-Right Lu!"

Hall-left Lu said, “We brothers work elsewhere and rarely come home, so we can't serve as village chief.”

Wrestler replied, “You two brothers handle the finances. Scholar and I will serve as acting village chief and acting deputy village chief respectively, managing the village affairs!”

卢堂左说：“那好吧！县政府里有我的20两银子，就提出来作为卢家屯村委会的基金吧！”

秀才说：“今天我到县里问过，最少50两银子才能设立基金。”

卢堂右（即尘凡）说：“那我捐30两银子。”

Hall-Left Lu said, "Okay then! The county government has my 20 taels of silver, so let's use it as a fund for the Lu Family Village Committee!"

Scholar said, "I went to the county to ask today, and it takes at least 50 taels of silver to set up a fund."

Hall-Right Lu (i.e. Dust-mortal) said, "Then I will donate 30 taels of silver."

秀才说：“哇！这么快就筹到了五十两银子。我去取笔和纸，明天就到县里去注册。” 他问卢堂右：“你那30两银子什么时候能送到？”

卢堂右回答：“既然你着急用，明天早晨我就送到县政府。”

Scholar exclaimed, “Wow! Fifty taels of silver raised so quickly. I'll fetch a pen and paper and register at the county office tomorrow.” He asked Hall-right Lu, “When can you deliver your thirty taels?”

Hall-Right Lu replied, “Since you need it urgently, I'll bring it to the county government first thing tomorrow morning.”

卢堂左看了秀才写的字，惊叹道：“这字写得真漂亮！”

秀才回答：“我的字写得很好，可我只认识900个字，所以我爷爷称呼我为秀才。”

卢堂左问：“那我认识1500个字，我该被称呼为什么？”

秀才说：“你认识那么多的字，我应该崇拜你，所以你是‘贡生’。”

Dust-scent looked at the words written by Scholar and exclaimed: "This is so beautiful!"

Scholar replied: "My handwriting is very good, but I only know 900 hieroglyphics, so my grandfather calls me a Scholar."

Hall-Left Lu asked: "Then I know 1,500 hieroglyphics, what should I be called?"

Scholar said: "You know so many hieroglyphics, I should admire you, so you are a 'tribute student'."

4

第二天早晨，秀才到县政府为卢家屯登记。行政与秀才和跤手谈了一会儿后认为：这个基金应该被称作大虎山乡扶贫基金。由秀才和跤手作为基金会的主席和副主席，负责给每家每月发一吊钱，并且代理卢家屯的村委会事务。行政向这个基金捐了300两银子，他还说： “等你们俩把这笔钱花没了，你们俩就可以做大虎山乡的乡长和副乡长了。”

The next morning, Scholar went to the county government to register for Lu Family Village. After discussing with Scholar and Wrestler, Administrative decided: This fund should be named the Big-tiger Mountain Township Poverty Alleviation Foundation. Scholar and Wrestler would serve as its chairman and vice-chairman, responsible for distributing one string of coins to each household monthly and handling the village committee affairs of Lu Family Village. Administrative donated 300 taels of silver to the fund, adding: “Once you two have spent this money, you can become the township chief and deputy township chief of Big-tiger Mountain Township.”

卢堂右因为工地有事，去县政府比约定的时间晚了两个小时。他到那里时，已经有30多人向大虎山扶贫基金会捐了银子，惊讶地问：“这个基金是什么时候成立的？怎么这么多人捐款？”

行政回答：“两个小时之前成立的。”

卢堂右心想：“这个县的民风可真好！”

Hall-Right Lu arrived at the county government two hours later than planned due to construction site matters. When he got there, over thirty people had already donated silver to the Big-tiger Mountain Poverty Alleviation Foundation. Surprised, he asked, “When was this foundation established? How come so many people are donating?”

Administrative replied, “It was established just two hours ago.”

Hall-Right Lu thought to himself, “The people of this county are truly generous!”

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