否则我定不会托李兄递话
“Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked Li to deliver a message”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
之前并未告知我邶山之事
“and didn't tell me about Mount Bei before.”
否则 我定 不会 托李兄 递话
“Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked Li to deliver a message”
“and trouble His Majesty at such a time. Please don't blame yourself.”
“I only broke protocol because I was kept in the dark and had no other choice.”
In traditional Chinese officialdom, directly escalating matters to a ruler could be lethal; using reliable intermediaries to test the waters was essential survival etiquette.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
entrust someone to pass a message / send word through
A common social formula for having a trusted mutual contact discreetly relay sensitive news.
definitely would not
A decisive, formal phrase used to emphasize firm principle or certainty in one's intentions.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“Mr. Li Jr., are you sure you don't want me to follow you?”
“Mr. Li Jr., are you sure you don't want me to follow you?”
“Of course I should reciprocate.”
“she wanted to ask me to play matchmaker.”
“And if I refuse to say?”
“is inviting you to meet him.”