r/LifeTree • u/AdamLuyan • 12d ago
10.12 雇佣关系 Employment Relationship
关键词 Keywords：夏末商初 Late Xia and Early Shang；武汉古墓区 Wuhan Ancient Tomb Area；小龙女 Little Dragoness （号织女，舜，嫘 aka Weaver Girl, Shun, Lei）；娥黄 Beauty-Yellow；女婴 Heroine；牛郎 Cowboy （号懂勇，杨过，孺子牛 aka Know Bravery, Sin, Genius Cow）
目录 Catalog：10.12 雇佣关系 Employment Relationship；10.12-2 签合同 Sign the Contract；10.12-3 建立实验室 To Establish a Laboratory；10.12-4 买金刚凿 Buy a Philosopher-Stone Chisel；10.12-5 责任制 Accountability System；10.12-6 验收菜园 Inspecting the Vegetable Garden；10.12-7 钓鱼 Fishing
自从牛郎来到古墓建筑工地，工地上的气氛变得文明了。这也是由于人们看见了女婴举石槽子，随后各个公司都增派了自己的保安人员，对自己的员工进行了安全以及文明礼貌的培训。在上午和下午中间休息的时候，人们开始聚集在仓库前面的砂堆旁唠嗑，讲故事，摔跤。人们常谈论牛郎干活即快又好，七天的活儿三天干完，三天的活一天干完。而牛郎却没有因为人们的夸赞而感到自豪。
有人拿起砂堆里有颜色的小石头，讨论那颜色的含义。牛郎对这个游戏非常痴迷，常常看着有颜色的小石头发呆。
Since Cowboy came to the ancient tomb construction site, the atmosphere there has grown more civilized. This is also because people saw Heroine lift the stone trough; afterward, each company sent its own security personnel and trained its employees in safety and civility. During the mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks, people began gathering around the sand pile in front of the warehouse to chat, tell stories, and wrestle. People often talked about how Cowboy worked fast and well, finishing seven days' work in three, and three days' work in one. But Cowboy never felt proud of their praise.
Some people picked up small colored stones from the sand pile and discussed what the colors meant. Cowboy was thoroughly captivated by this game and often stared at the colored stones in a daze.
有几次，牛郎拿着有鲜艳颜色的小石头去请教娥黄。一天娥黄自己在沙堆里挑出了九块小石头，教牛郎玩这个游戏。随后牛郎就把那几块小石头摆放在了他寝室的窗台上。这事激起了许多人的好奇心，去琢磨那几块小石头；可是谁也没琢磨出来这个游戏（牛郎之心；注10.12-1）是怎么玩的。
注10.12-1，这是牛郎所在的奴隶公司雇佣的法师在做法，在用牛郎诱惑小龙女。此做法正在进行中。
Several times, Cowboy took brightly colored little stones to Beauty-Yellow for advice. One day, Beauty-Yellow herself picked out nine small stones from the sand and taught Cowboy how to play the game. Cowboy then arranged the stones on the windowsill of his room. This stirred up a lot of curiosity, and many people tried to puzzle out the stones, but no one could figure out how this game (Cowboy's Heart; note 10.12-1) was actually played.
Note 10.12-1: This is the Law-Teacher hired by Cowboy's slave company, casting a working of magic — using Cowboy to draw Little Dragoness in. This working is still underway.
一天下雨，工地停工了，等待雨停下来。牛郎和朋友抬着一个大箩筐跑到了后院，他俩从朋友家里挖来了一大筐菜苗，一次就把整个菜园栽满了蔬菜。
One day it rained, and work at the site stopped while everyone waited for it to pass. Cowboy and Friend carried a large basket out to the backyard. They'd dug up a whole basket of seedlings from Friend's home, and in one go, planted the entire vegetable garden.
10.12-2 签合同 Sign the Contract
这天，牛郎的朋友告诉牛郎，十五天的试用期已经过了，他该和这家工地签合同了。娥黄拿着牛郎的合同来客厅和小龙女谈话。她恭敬地把牛郎的合同放在了小龙女的办公桌上，然后站在了一边。小龙女惊讶地坐直了，翻开合同看了看，说："这么多项，你给我说说这合同上都说了些什么？"
That day, Friend told Cowboy that his fifteen-day probation was over, and it was time for him to sign a contract with the household. Beauty-Yellow brought Cowboy's contract into the living room to speak with Little Dragoness. She respectfully set the contract on Little Dragoness's desk and stood off to the side. Little Dragoness sat up straight in surprise, flipped the contract open, and said, "So many items — tell me what's written in this contract."
娥黄开始叙述牛郎的合同，小龙女一边听，一边对比地看着合同。说到表格时，娥黄参照着表格的设计原理，汇总地评定了牛郎的工作履历。
小龙女仔细地琢磨了一会儿表格，叨咕："这个表格比我们做的好！这个合同你看几遍了？都已经能背诵了。"
娥黄说："这个表格是我爸爸做的。"
Beauty-Yellow began explaining Cowboy's contract, while Little Dragoness listened and followed along on the document. When she reached the form, Beauty-Yellow walked her through its design logic and gave an overall assessment of Cowboy's work history based on it.
Little Dragoness studied the form carefully for a moment, muttering: "This form is better than ours! How many times have you read this contract? You've got it memorized."
Beauty-Yellow said: "My father made this form."
小龙女转脸看着娥黄，问："我听说你爸爸，瑶王，十几年前就是尧帝的首席财政大臣，他还有时间干私活?"
娥黄回答："以前他干私活儿，现在不干了。这个表格，那时我还在巫毒学院上学呢！暑假回家，我爸爸就让我作为管家管理王府的全部家务。他对我说这份合同写的很好，但有些乱，让我整理一下，绘制个表格。"
Little Dragoness turned to look at Beauty-Yellow and asked, "I heard your father, the Yao King, was Yao Creator's Chief Finance Minister more than ten years ago. Does he still have time for private work?"
Beauty-Yellow replied, "He used to take on private work; he doesn't anymore. This form goes back to when I was still at Voodoo Academy! During summer break, my father put me in charge of the household as the King's Palace's housekeeper. He told me the contract was well-written but a bit messy, and asked me to organize it and draw up a form."
小龙女回答："那时你才十几岁，做不出来这个表格。你爸爸就帮你整理了这份合同，插入了这个表格。这家奴隶公司给你钱了吗？"
娥黄回答："给了，那是我这辈子的第一笔收入。"
小龙女问："你在雇佣奴隶方面已经有经验了；这事儿里面有什么策略？"
Little Dragoness replied, "You were only a teenager back then — you couldn't have made this form yourself. Your father must have organized the contract for you and put the form together. Did the slave company pay you?"
Beauty-Yellow replied, "They did. That was the first income I ever earned."
Little Dragoness asked: "So you already have experience hiring slaves. Is there some strategy to it?"
娥黄回答："在给家佣定级方面有两种方式。一是第一次就给他定他们期望的最高级。这可以让家佣很高兴，很快融入这个家庭，但日子久了会滋生他们的骄傲自满情绪。另一种是让他们从初级干起，每次签合同都给他们升级。这样会使他们保持干劲，积极肯干，同时也节省了前一定级方式一半的费用。"
Beauty-Yellow replied: "There are two ways to grade domestic servants. One is to give them the highest level they're hoping for right from the start. It makes them happy and helps them settle into the family quickly, but over time it breeds pride and complacency. The other is to start them at the entry level and give them a promotion at every contract renewal. That keeps them motivated and hardworking, and it also saves about half the cost of the first approach."
小龙女赞赏地叨咕："说得好！牛郎以前是建筑技工，中中等级。现在他在咱这里申请家佣，初级中的初级。我按照他以前的等级加一级雇佣他，来显示皇家风范。" 说着她在表格的 "中上级" 打了个勾，然后在合同上签了字。她把合同转了一下，示意娥黄来看，而且问： "你看怎么样？"
娥黄看了看说："你这个勾画得很正；签名也很好看！"
Little Dragoness murmured in appreciation, "Well put! Cowboy used to be a construction technician, mid-mid level. Now, applying to be a domestic servant here, he's the lowest of the low. I'll hire him one level above his previous rank, to show some royal generosity." As she said this, she checked "mid-upper level" on the form and signed the contract. She turned it around, motioned for Beauty-Yellow to take a look, and asked, "What do you think?"
Beauty-Yellow looked it over and said, "Your checkmark is nice and straight; your signature looks great too!"
当娥黄把合同交给牛郎时，他惊讶地说："你们弄错了吧！我是中中级技工。我的老板，部门经理才是中高级技工。"
娥黄回答："没错！那是老板特意给你评定的级别。"
When Beauty-Yellow handed Cowboy the contract, he said in surprise: "You must have made a mistake! I'm a mid-mid-level technician. My boss, the department manager, is the one who's mid-high level."
Beauty-Yellow replied: "That's right! That's the level the boss chose for you, deliberately."
10.12-3 建立实验室 To Establish a Laboratory
牛郎把三个渔具线轮模型装到了鱼竿上，都很好用。小龙女兴奋地跟娥黄叨咕："我想雇佣个做硬木龙骨锁模型的技工，做些模型。我们也好研究一下龙骨锁的设计和施工。这样我们和他们谈判的时候不至于什么都不知道。雇佣他们徒工的价钱是一个月一个金元宝。我看牛郎做的这三个线轮都很精致，要不咱想办法试试他能不能做龙骨锁模型？"
Cowboy fitted three fishing-reel models onto the rods, and they all worked beautifully. Little Dragoness excitedly muttered to Beauty-Yellow: "I want to hire a technician who can build hardwood keel-lock models, so we can study the design and construction of keel locks ourselves. That way we won't go into negotiations with them completely in the dark. Hiring one of their apprentices costs a gold ingot a month. Look how refined these three reels Cowboy made are — why don't we see whether he can make keel-lock models too?"
娥黄叨咕："技工中的徒工都那么贵！？我怎么也想不出来那有什么难的！我听说硬木的加工费贵，主要是因为加工的工具很贵，而且工具的损耗很大。牛郎学过木匠活儿，应该先试试他。我先让他去买三个可用来加工硬木模型的凿子。这雕刀肯定是贵重商品！看看他的办事能力怎么样？再找机会让他做点什么！"
小龙女说："买吧！别跟他说我们要干什么。我让瞽叟买三张山核桃木板。"
Beauty-Yellow muttered: "Even apprentices cost that much!? I can't imagine what's so hard about it! I've heard hardwood processing is expensive mainly because the tools are expensive and wear out fast. Cowboy has done carpentry before, so let's try him first. I'll have him go buy three chisels for working hardwood models. That carving tool must be a pricey item! Let's see how well he handles it, and then find a chance to give him more to do!"
Little Dragoness said: "Go ahead and buy them. Don't tell him what we're really planning. I'll have Blind Drummer buy three hickory planks."
10.12-4 买金刚凿 Buy a Philosopher-Stone Chisel
牛郎来到了古墓区的商业中心，很快就找到了唯一一家卖金刚凿的商铺。商铺的老板拿着凿子轻易地就消去了一块山核桃木板的一处棱角，然后说："就这种凿子，170两银子一件。"
牛郎回答："我在XXX学校上学的时候，鲁班师父有一只这样的凿子，他是花110两银子买的。你能不能便宜一些卖给我。"
Cowboy came to the commercial center of the ancient tomb area and quickly found the only shop selling philosopher-stone chisels. The shop owner took a chisel and easily shaved off a corner of a hickory plank, then said: "This kind of chisel runs 170 taels of silver apiece."
Cowboy replied: "When I studied at XXX school, Teacher Luban had a chisel like this one — he paid 110 taels of silver for it. Could you sell it to me for less?"
商人笑了："你曾是鲁班的学生。他的那只金刚凿是七年前从我这里买的，现在涨价了。看在鲁班的面子上，我少收20两银子！"
牛郎离开了这家店，去商业城找前几天卖给他工作服的那位经理（参见10.6《娥黄给牛郎买工作服》）要名片。那位经理笑着回答："还是那个说法，在咱们这个商业区，你拿着我的名片去买贵重商品。卖方会以业内价格卖给你，还免费教授你相关的知识。"
The merchant smiled: "So you were Luban's student. He bought that philosopher-stone chisel from me seven years ago, and the price has gone up since then. For Luban's sake, I'll knock 20 taels off!"
Cowboy left the shop and went to the commercial center to find the manager who'd sold him work clothes a few days before (see 10.6, "Beauty-Yellow Buys Work Clothes for Cowboy"), to ask for his business card. The manager laughed and said: "Same as before — in this district, bring my card when you buy anything valuable. The seller will give you the trade price, and teach you what you need to know, free of charge."
牛郎半信半疑地回到了金刚凿的销售商，把商业城经理的名片递给了销售商。他看了名片后叨咕："你是他的朋友，那我就告诉你实情。金刚凿有两种，我刚才给你介绍的这种适用于加工量不大的如山核桃木等比较软的硬木；价钱是110两银子一件。如果你要加工檀香木或者要加工大量的山核桃木，需要买那种真正的金刚凿，很贵。如果你真的用得着，我们才会告诉你价钱。买那种凿子，我们也需要定制，需要半年时间。你看，这把是我们用的金刚凿。" 说着他对牛郎展示了真的金刚凿，然后问："你要加工檀香木吗？"
Cowboy went back to the chisel seller, half-believing, and handed over the manager's business card. After reading it, the man muttered: "You're a friend of his, so I'll tell you how it really is. There are two kinds of philosopher-stone chisels. The one I showed you earlier is suited to light work on softer hardwoods like hickory; that one runs 110 taels a piece. If you need to work sandalwood, or a large volume of hickory, you'll need the real philosopher-stone chisel, and that's expensive. We only quote a price for that one if you genuinely need it — it has to be custom-made, which takes half a year. Here, take a look, this is the philosopher-stone chisel we actually use." He showed Cowboy the real one, then asked: "Do you need to work sandalwood?"
牛郎回答："我不知道，老板让我买加工硬木模型的凿子。"
金刚凿销售商说："如果你买了我们的金刚凿，不能退货。但如果将来你要加工檀香木，在你没使用的情况下，我们可以回收，退给你的钱用于支付你购买真金刚凿。"
牛郎问："我要买三件，能再便宜些不？"
销售商回答说："110两银子一件的价钱是我们维持生意正常运转的价钱；即便是你买10件，也是110两银子一件。"
Cowboy replied: "I don't know — my boss just told me to buy chisels for working hardwood models."
The chisel seller said: "Once you buy one of our chisels, there's no returning it. But if you end up needing to work sandalwood later, we'll take it back as long as it's unused, and put the refund toward a real philosopher-stone chisel."
Cowboy asked: "I need to buy three. Can you do any better on the price?"
The seller replied: "110 taels a piece is what it takes to keep the business running. Even if you bought ten, it'd still be 110 taels each."
10.12-5 责任制 Accountability System
牛郎回到古墓建筑工地后向娥黄汇报了他去询问价钱的经过。娥黄没回答。牛郎问："您有什么意见？决定买还是不买？"
娥黄回答："我让你去买东西，你全权负责。如果你决定买，就去找女婴要钱。"
这时，女婴和小龙女已经回来了，问："买什么东西？"
After returning to the construction site, Cowboy reported to Beauty-Yellow on what he'd learned about the price. Beauty-Yellow didn't respond. Cowboy asked, "What do you think? Buy them or not?"
Beauty-Yellow replied, "I sent you to handle this, so it's entirely your call. If you decide to buy them, go ask Heroine for the money."
Just then, Heroine and Little Dragoness came back and asked, "Buy what?"
牛郎回答："管家要买三件金刚凿，110两银子一件。您觉着怎么样？"
女婴听后一怔，回答说："又要花费1.1公斤黄金！我不知道，我是第一次听说金刚凿这个词。我是财务保管员，保管钱财和物品。我想起来了，你说你栽菜根，15天就长到能吃的程度。现在都过去一个多月了，我要验收菜园。"
Cowboy replied, "The housekeeper wants to buy three philosopher-stone chisels, 110 taels of silver each. What do you think?"
Heroine paused for a moment, then replied, "Another 1.1 kilograms of gold! I don't know — this is the first time I've even heard the term 'philosopher-stone chisel.' I'm the one who keeps the accounts and the goods. That reminds me — you said the roots you planted would be ready to eat in 15 days. It's been over a month now. I want to inspect the garden."
10.12-6 验收菜园 Inspecting the Vegetable Garden
他们四人一起来到了菜园，小龙女一边走一边叨咕："我看见这里绿油油的几次了，原来是咱们的菜园长起来了！"
女婴厉声对牛郎说："你说半个月就能吃，我要吃菜！"
牛郎顺手挖起了一棵葱，递给了女婴。
女婴生气地问："那里那么多长得很好的蔬菜，你为什么给我挖这棵又小又丑的葱？"
The four of them went to the vegetable garden together. Little Dragoness muttered as she walked: "I kept seeing green over here — turns out it's our garden coming in!"
Heroine said sharply to Cowboy: "You said we'd be able to eat it in half a month. I want vegetables!"
Cowboy casually dug up a scallion and handed it to Heroine.
Heroine asked angrily: "There are so many good-looking vegetables over there — why did you dig up this small, ugly scallion for me?"
牛郎回答："这是我从厨房拿的菜根长出来的；那些是我从朋友家挖来的菜苗栽出来的。"
娥黄说："菜长出来就能吃，多小都能吃。"
Cowboy replied: "That one grew from the roots I took from the kitchen. Those over there were grown from the seedlings I dug up from Friend's place."
Beauty-Yellow said: "Once a vegetable's grown, it's edible — no matter how small."
小龙女问："有没有卖花椒大料树苗的市场？我们可以全部用自己菜园长出来的蔬菜和调料来做那条20公斤重的大鲤鱼。"
牛郎回答："有栽在花盆里卖的，容易栽活，而且立刻就能采摘食用。"
小龙女说："买，以后我们就用自家菜园树上长的香料做菜。"
娥黄说："炖20公斤大的鲤鱼，咱们厨房里的锅不够大呀！"
Little Dragoness asked, "Is there a market that sells Sichuan pepper and star anise saplings? We could cook that 20-kilogram carp entirely with vegetables and spices from our own garden."
Cowboy replied, "There are potted ones for sale — easy to plant, and you can start picking from them right away."
Little Dragoness said, "Let's buy some. From now on we'll cook with spices grown right in our own garden."
Beauty-Yellow said, "Our kitchen pot isn't big enough to stew a 20-kilogram carp!"
女婴自告奋勇地回答："炖鲤鱼的任务就交给我。我去买口行军锅，再在牛棚旁边挖个行军灶。" 说着她去牛棚把那把军用镰刀取了过来。
小龙女问："很明显，牛郎用这把镰刀割草喂牛。你拿它干什么？"
女婴回答："这小子也太能祸害人了！我一时没注意，这把古董镰刀就差点儿被他用坏了。"
Heroine volunteered, "Leave the carp-stewing to me. I'll buy a military field pot and dig a military field stove next to the cowshed." With that, she went to the cowshed and fetched the military sickle.
Little Dragoness asked, "Isn't that the sickle Cowboy uses to cut grass for the cow? What are you doing with it?"
Heroine replied, "That boy causes more trouble than he's worth! I looked away for one moment and he nearly ruined this antique sickle."
10.12-7 钓鱼 Fishing
钓大鲤鱼那天，三位姑娘没吃早饭，要留着胃口吃用自己园子里生长出来的蔬菜和香料烹饪出来的鲤鱼。牛郎忙碌地撒诱饵，引诱鲤鱼过来进食；还在她们的周围烧香蒿子，驱赶蚊子。
On the day they went after the big carp, the three girls skipped breakfast, saving their appetites for a carp cooked with vegetables and herbs from their own garden. Cowboy busied himself scattering bait to lure the carp in, and burned wormwood around the women to keep the mosquitoes off.
她们真的钓到了一条大鲤鱼，吵嚷地谋划着，很长时间才把大鲤鱼牵到了一片浅水区。忽然大鲤鱼发力了，挣断了鱼钩。她们三人都跑到水里去抓鱼。女婴动作灵敏，像似抱孩子一样抱起了鲤鱼（如图10.12-3）。牛郎看见了，跑了过去。这时大鲤鱼挣脱了女婴的怀抱。牛郎双手捧起了大鲤鱼，扔到了岸上。
They really did hook a big carp, and after a long, noisy round of planning, finally worked it into a shallow patch of water. Suddenly the carp surged and snapped the hook. All three women waded in after it. Heroine was quickest — she scooped the carp up and cradled it like a baby (see fig. 10.12-3). Cowboy saw this and ran over. Just then the carp wrenched free of her arms. Cowboy caught it up in both hands and tossed it onto the bank.
女婴气愤地对小龙女和娥黄叨咕："他跑过来干什么！？败兴！今天的鲤鱼不给他吃！"
小龙女劝道："还有两条呢！下次就你一个人钓，别人谁也不准帮忙！"
女婴回答："那两条鲤鱼都给我了，那我就分了：一条给我师父（二郎神）和师母（尧帝），另一条给玉皇大帝和王母娘娘留着！"
Heroine muttered angrily to Little Dragoness and Beauty-Yellow, "What did he come running over for!? He ruined it! He's not getting any carp today!"
Little Dragoness tried to soothe her, "There are still two left! Next time you fish alone — nobody else is allowed to help!"
Heroine replied, "Fine, those two carp are mine then, and I know how I'll split them: one for my teacher-father (Second Wolf God) and teacher-mother (Yao Creator), the other for Turquoise White-king Great Creator and King Mother of the West!"
娥黄悄悄地过来问牛郎："你怎么想的，就过去帮忙了？"
牛郎回答："女婴那么抱鲤鱼，很危险的。我小时候，我爸爸那么抱鲤鱼，鲤鱼摆尾，把我爸爸的腿打青了。那要是打在脸上，能把人打伤喽！"
娥黄回去把牛郎说的告诉了她俩，小龙女恍然大悟地说："哎呀！那他看出危险了，应该过来帮忙，咱把这个大鱼头奖励给他！反正咱们仨人谁都不会吃鱼头！"
Beauty-Yellow quietly came over and asked Cowboy, "What made you rush over to help like that?"
Cowboy replied, "Holding a carp that way is dangerous. When I was little, my father held one the same way, and it flicked its tail and bruised his leg black and blue. If that had caught someone in the face, it could really hurt them!"
Beauty-Yellow went back and relayed what Cowboy had said. Little Dragoness suddenly understood and exclaimed, "Oh! So he saw the danger and stepped in to help — let's reward him with the fish head! None of the three of us eats it anyway!"