不知岳丈 可否答应孤的请求？
“I wonder if you will agree to my request.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
“As for the border, I'll have everything arranged.”
不知 岳丈 可否答应 孤的请求？
“I wonder if you will agree to my request.”
陛下
“Your Majesty,”
“I am giving you face by asking nicely, but you are expected to comply.”
The speaker balances his superior royal authority ('孤') with filial deference to his wife's father ('岳丈'), yielding polite pressure.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
I wonder if / whether
A polite, classical preface used to soften requests, inquiries, or proposals in formal registers.
could you perhaps / is it possible to
A formal and written/ceremonial synonym for '能不能' or '可以吗'.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“she'd gone to visit her in-laws,”
“But don't think you can ever leave me.”
“Uncle, what is it that you wish to tell me?”
“my father-in-law killed his wife?”
“we really ought to seek Madam Yulan's consent first.”
“a negotiation between a prospective son-in-law and father-in-law.”