论如何错误地套路一个魔教教主 / The Wrong Way to a Demon Sect Leader by 一只大雁 (Yi Zhī Dàyàn)

Notes / Glossary

General Notes

论如何错误地套路一个魔教教主 (Lùn Rúhé Cuòwù de Tàolù Yīgè Mò Jiào Jiàozhǔ) or 少年江湖物语 (Shàonián Jiānghú Wùyǔ) is a novel by 一只大雁 (Yi Zhī Dàyàn). I am not the author, I am just trying my humble hand at translating it in hopes of spreading the love. Please support the author.

I'm using the original title, roughly translating it as "The Wrong Way to a Demon Sect Leader" here. (The author's name, by the way, means "a wild goose," which is fantastic.)

Earlier this year, the novel was made into a web series by iQiyi with the second title, or its alternate English name The Birth of the Drama King. It starred some very nice-looking actors like Zhou Yanchen, Luo Mingjie, and the gorgeous Song Jiyang. I only watched about five episodes, but a lot of things were pretty similar...just not quite the same. Like the names, the initial plan, and, of course, they turned the main couple into brothers?!

The main couple is Zhao Jiangui and Ji Han. There is a lot of acting/pretending involved, but it ultimately is fine. There are no explicit sex scenes in this novel, but there are a couple of sexual situations, so please bear that in mind before you read. There is one other couple, but I'm not going to spoil it. :)

This is my first ever attempt at translating something longer than a couple of sentences for a friend. Please know that I will likely make mistakes and that there will be a couple of phrases or implications I stumble over as I am not a native Chinese speaker. If you can help me or want to correct my misunderstanding, that would be amazing. If not, please be patient. I'm an English teacher doing this in my spare time.

Most of the chapters are really short and my intention is to update every day or two.

Translation Notes

Below, there are a lot of notes about words and translation. This will be updated as I go. I find this information helpful and interesting, but it's not necessary for reading, other than the section on names and titles. Please check that out real quick before you get started just to familiarize yourself with jiaozhu, daxia, gongzi, etc. which I will be using in terms of address rather than translating literally.

Important Character Names and Titles:

Zhao Jiangui (赵剑归/Zhào Jiànguī)
His name is made up of 赵/zhào a surname which also means "to surpass," 剑/jiàn meaning "sword," and 归/guī meaning "to return/to depend/to take care of (a responsibility)." The number one swordsman has sword in his name. And surpass. And take care of responsibility. That pretty much sums him up.
>Zhao Daxia (赵大侠/Zhào Dàxiá) - Warrior/Hero Zhao. Mostly this is used by Xiao Lin, Yue Qingqing, Yu Xianr, or others from the Haoran Alliance.
>Zhao Gongzi (赵公子/Zhào Gōngzǐ) - Zhao Gongzi or "Young Lord" Zhao — This is a really common term in these novels and has been translated as "Prince" or "Childe" by others, depending. Ji Han's head maidservant refers to Zhao this way.

Ji Han (季寒/Jì Hán)
季/jì means "season" and 寒/hán means "cold." It's also pretty accurate.
>Demon Sect Leader (魔教教主/Mó Jiào Jiàozhǔ), Jiaozhu/sect leader (教主/Jiàozhǔ) or Ji Jiaozhu (季教主/Jì Jiàozhǔ) - For direct terms of address or references in speech, I've chosen to keep it as jiaozhu (or Ji Jiaozhu—Sect Leader Ji), when someone is referring to the "demon sect sect leader," I've written "Demon Sect Leader."
>Demon Head

Yan Daifu (阎大夫/Yán Dàifu)
Daifu is his title, not his name. It means doctor or physician.

Yu Xian'er (玉仙儿/Yù Xiān'er)
玉/yù means "jade," 仙儿/xiān'er means "fairy." His name or at least what he's called is Jade Fairy. It's the best name. I'm writing it, for now, as Yu Xian'er to stay consistent with my own naming practices here. If people think I should just switch it to Jade Fairy, let me know.

Xiao Lin (小林/Xiǎo Lín)
小/xiǎo means small or young, is generally used as a diminutive or affectionately, so it's not an actual part of his name, 林/lín is actually his surname, it means "forest."

Hua Hufa (花护法/Huā Hùfǎ)
花/huā is a surname meaning "flower," 护法/hùfǎ comes up as some phrase about preserving Buddhism, but separately 护/hù is "protect" and 法/fǎ is "method."

Wei Qi (卫旗/Wèi Qí)
卫/wèi is a surname meaning "guard/protect," 旗/qí meaning "flag" or "standard."

Head Maidservant (大丫鬟/Dà Yāhuan)
I can't think of a time she's ever referred to by name. I'm just translating her title pretty literally.

Other:

General Terms I've Left in Chinese

Yifu (义父/yìfù) - Adoptive father. (If you've read 杀破狼/Sha Po Lang by priest, translated here by NorthwestFlower, this term is probably familiar to you. The yifu is not like that yifu.)

Shifu (师父/shīfù) - Master. This one is common.

Shixiongdi (师兄弟/shīxiōngdì), etc. - Apprentice brothers/martial brothers (disciples with the same master).
>shixiong (师兄/shīxiōng) means older apprentice brother
>shidi (师弟/shīdì) is younger brother
>shijie (师姐/shījiě, like what Wei Wuxian calls Jiang Yanli in 墨香铜臭/Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's 魔道祖师/Mo Dao Zu Shi) for older sister
>shimei (师妹/shīmèi) for younger sister
(兄弟姐妹/xiōngdìjiěmèi means siblings but it's literally older brother, younger brother, older sister, younger sister.)

Zhanglao (长老/zhǎnglǎo) - Elder.

I've chosen to translate, depending on context, the following as "I" (or "me"):

人家 (rénjiā) - This can mean someone other than the person talking or listening, but based on context, I think Yue Qingqing and Yu Xianr use it in the rhetorical "playfully expressing displeasure" way.

本座 (běnzuò) - This could mean something like "this seat" and it's how Ji Han constantly refers to himself.

在下 (zàixià) - Occasionally used by Zhao Jiangui.

Things I've chosen to translate closer to their original form (but also basically mean "I"):

奴婢 (núbì) - Slave or servant. Ji Han's head maidservant refers to herself using this term a couple of times. It will be shown as "this servant" to refer to herself in the text of this translation.

属下 (shǔxià) - Subordinate. Wei Qi, etc. refer to themselves using this term a couple of times. It will be shown as "this subordinate" to refer to them in the text of this translation.

老夫  (lǎofū) - Old man/husband. Wen Zhanglao (Elder) refers to himself with this. I have translated it as "this old man."

小人 (xiǎorén) - Small/lowly person. Xiao Lin uses this to refer to himself. I translated it as "this lowly person."

{{{Please don't repost my translations elsewhere. I'm doing this for free and I am trying my best.}}}