早已旁落 数年了
“has been in other hands for years.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
贡墨权
“the Tribute Ink commission”
早已 旁落 数年了
“has been in other hands for years.”
诸位
“Everyone.”
“Face the truth: we lost control of this lucrative privilege a long time ago.”
Supplying imperial tribute conferred immense commercial prestige, legal protection, and profit; losing such imperial favor usually signaled the decline of a merchant family.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
long ago / already
A formal adverb highlighting that a change of state occurred well before the present moment.
(of power or rights) fall into other hands
A literary collocation typically paired with authority, power, or exclusive rights (e.g., 权柄旁落).
Indicates a completed state change that has persisted over time.