不知怎的忽然就在城中传起来了
“somehow spread through the city overnight.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
王爷染疳霉疮的事
“(Three Judicial Offices) News of His Highness contracting a syphilis infection”
不知怎的 忽然 就 在城中传 起来了
“somehow spread through the city overnight.”
“There are also inexplicable rumors smearing you and…”
“Someone is deliberately sabotaging your reputation, and it spread too fast to be an accident.”
In ancient Chinese court politics, weaponizing public slander and street rumors was a common tactic used to ruin an opponent's moral standing.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
somehow / for some unknown reason
Used to introduce an unexpected event when the underlying cause is mysterious or unverified.
began spreading (of news, rumors)
Combines '传' (spread/pass) with the directional complement '起来' to show an action starting and gaining momentum.
Indicates a change of state, showing that the rumors have now begun actively circulating.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“Word has spread all over the Capital.”
“has spread all over Chang'an.”
“Why else would you suddenly show up”