Three-step walk to two(三步兩步)
During the late Ming dynasty in China,
there was a famous writer named Feng Menglong who compiled a collection of
short stories.
One of these stories is about a loyal old
servant named Aji, who worked for a woman named Ms Yan.
Through his intelligence and prudence, Aji
changed the fate of Ms Yan and their two families, transforming them from
modest to wealthy.
The story, written by Feng Menglong, is set
in the mid-Ming Dynasty, a peaceful era of national strength.
Aji lived in a small village in Zhejiang
Province. He was over fifty years old and had worked for the Xu family for many
years. Ms Yan's husband was Xu Zhe, who had two older brothers, Xu Yan and Xu
Zhao.
Xu Zhe died of illness before reaching the
age of 30. Following his death, his two elder brothers demanded the division of
the family property. The terms of the property division document, which was
drafted by Xu Yan and Xu Zhao, were unfair to Ms Yan. They allocated the oxen
and horses that could be used for ploughing and transportation to themselves
and assigned the elderly Aji to Ms Yan.
Following discussions, Aji and Ms Yan
reached an agreement: Ms Yan would provide 12 taels of silver as start-up
capital for Aji to start a business.
Aji was a very resourceful person. After
about six months, he had earned over 2,000 taels of silver.
As he felt it was risky to carry so much
money and with Chinese New Year approaching, he decided to take the money home
to Ms Yan because he missed his family.
Aji's wife was overjoyed to see him return.
She immediately went to tell Ms Yan the news. Upon hearing the news, Ms Yan
immediately left the bedroom and went to the living room.
Eager to see Aji, Ms. Yan unconsciously
shortened her usual three-step walk to two. When she reached the hallway, she
saw Aji sitting there, smiling and waiting for her.
Seeing several boxes of personal belongings
beside Aji, Ms Yan suddenly relaxed.
'Great! Judging by Aji's expression and
what he's brought back, he probably didn't lose the twelve taels of silver I
gave him. He must have made money on this business trip.'
Thinking these things, Ms Yan asked Aji,
'How did your business trip go? Did you make any money?'
Aji replied politely and cautiously, 'Let's
close and lock the door first, and then I'll tell you about my business trip.'
After locking the door, he recounted his
recent business dealings to Ms Yan and her wife. They were astonished when he
told them he had earned approximately 2,000 taels of silver, and couldn't
believe their ears.
When Aji opened his luggage and took out
the silverware, his wife and Ms Yan embraced each other, laughing with joy
until tears streamed down their faces. Once they had calmed down, Aji asked
them,
'Let's take this money to Ms Yan's bedroom
and put it away safely. We'll discuss how to use it carefully before the New
Year.'
Once Ms Yan, Aji and his wife had put the
silver away, Ms Yan said to Aji,
'You've worked hard doing business these
past few days. I'm very grateful. You should go home and rest. I have an idea
and would like to ask for your opinion.
"I think we shouldn't let anyone else
know how much money you've earned in business. What do you think?"
Aji said.
'I agree with you. We should be cautious.'
Just then, Aji and Madam Yan heard a knock
at the door. Aji opened it to find Xu Yan and Xu Zhao standing there.
They greeted Aji, saying,
'When did you get back? I heard you went
out to do business recently, is that right? Did you make any money?'
Aji answered politely.
'I just got home a few hours ago. I went
out to do business recently and made a profit of about 50 taels of silver.'
Xu Yan and Xu Zhao asked Aji suspiciously.
'You said you earned 50 taels of silver.
Did you bring them home and give them to Ms Yan's?'
Aji replied.
'I just gave all the money to Ms Yan's.'
Upon hearing Aji's answer, Xu Yan and Xu
Zhao felt disappointed.
Xu Yan and Xu Zhao had originally thought
that Aji would lose money on this business trip and had intended to mock him
and Ms Yan.
The idiom literally translates as
'Three-step walk to two'.
It is often used to describe someone who,
in an urgent, hurried or anxious situation, speeds up and takes large strides.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
did you gain from this story? If you made a lot of money, would you immediately
flaunt your wealth? What positive actions would you take to prove yourself when
others look down on you? I hope this story gives you some new insights.
三步兩步(Three-step walk to two)
中國的明王朝末年，有一個著名的文學家，他的名字叫做(馮夢龍)，他寫過一本短篇小說集。
他的這本小說集中有一個有關於一個忠誠的老僕人的故事，這個老僕人的名字叫做(阿寄)，他的女主人是顏女士。
(阿寄)經由自己的聰明與謹慎而改變了顏女士與自己的兩個家庭的命運，他透過他的智慧與運氣讓顏女士的家庭從小康變成大富戶。
馮夢龍說的這個故事發生在明王朝的中葉，那是一個國力強盛的和平時代。
(阿寄)住在浙江省的一個小村莊內，他的年紀已經50幾歲了，他長期在徐家工作。顏女士的先生的名字叫做(徐哲)，徐哲有兩個哥哥，這兩個哥哥的名字是(徐言)與(徐召)。
徐哲因為生病所以不到30歲就病逝，徐哲病逝後，徐哲的兩個哥哥提出了分拆家族財產的要求，徐言與徐召擬定的這份拆分財產的文件中的條件對顏女士並不公平，他們把可以幫忙耕地與運輸的牛與馬分配給自己，他們把年紀老邁的阿寄分配給顏女士。
阿寄與顏女士經過討論之後，他們兩個人取得了一個共識，這個共識就是由顏女士提供12兩銀子當作創業資金，然後由阿寄拿著這筆創業資金去做生意。
阿寄是一個很會動腦筋的人，經過大約半年後，他賺到了超過2000兩的銀子。
由於阿寄覺得那麼多錢帶在身上會有風險，加上時間已經接近中國新年，他想念他的家人，所以他決定先把這些錢拿回家中交給顏女士。
阿寄的妻子看到他回家時非常的開心，他的妻子立刻去跟顏女士說這個消息，顏女士聽到阿寄已經回來的這個消息時，顏女士立刻離開臥室走到大廳。
由於顏女士的心中非常期待可以快點見到阿寄，她無意識地把平常走三步的距離倂成兩步走完，當她到大廳時她看到阿寄正微笑地坐在大廳內等候。
顏女士看到阿寄的身邊放著好幾箱隨身的行李，她原本緊張的心情突然覺得放鬆，她心中想。
太好了，看阿寄的表情與他所帶回來的這些東西，他應該是沒有把我給他的那12兩銀子的本金賠光，而且他這次出門做生意應該是賺到了錢。
顏女士心中想著這些事情的同時她問阿寄。
最近你出門做生意的情況如何呢?你有賺到錢嗎?
阿寄很有禮貌且態度很謹慎地對顏女士說。
我們先把大門關起來並且鎖上，我再把這次出門做生意的一些經過說給妳聽。
大門鎖上後，阿寄就把他這陣子做生意的一些經過說給顏女士與他的妻子聽，顏女士與他的妻子聽到他說自己賺了大約2000兩銀子的結果之後都驚訝的表示不敢相信。
阿寄打開行李拿出那些銀子的時候，阿寄的妻子與顏女士兩個人開心的抱在一起並且笑到流眼淚，等她們兩個人情緒恢復之後，阿寄就對他們兩個人說。
我們先把這些錢拿到顏女士的臥室內放好，過年前我們再來仔細研究如何運用這筆錢。
顏女士與阿寄和阿寄的妻子把這些銀子收好之後，顏女士對阿寄說。
你這陣子出門做生意辛苦了，我很感謝你，你快回家休息，我有一個想法，想徵求你的意見。
我認為我們應該暫時不要讓任何其他人知道你做生意賺的那麼多錢的消息，你覺得呢?
阿寄說。
我很認同你的看法，我們應該保持謹慎。
就在這個時候，阿寄與顏女士聽到有人敲門的聲音，阿寄把大門打開後看到徐言與徐召站在門口。
徐言與徐召看到阿寄時就對阿寄說。
你什麼時候回來的呢?聽說你最近出門做生意對嗎?你有賺到錢嗎?
阿寄很有禮貌的回答。
我幾個小時前才剛回到家，我最近出門做生意賺了一些錢，大概賺了50兩銀子左右的利潤。
徐言與徐召用很懷疑的語氣對阿寄說。
你說你賺了50兩銀子，那你有把這50兩銀子帶回家交給顏女士嗎?
阿寄回答。
我剛才已經把這些錢都交給顏女士了。
徐言與徐召聽到阿寄的回答後，他們的心中感到很失望。
徐言與徐召原本以為阿寄這次出門做生意會賠錢，他們原本想要來嘲笑阿寄與顏女士。
這句成語直接翻譯是走三步的距離倂成兩步走完。
這句成語通常被形容一個人在緊急、匆忙或心急的情況下，加快行動速度，跨大步前進。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢
你如果賺了很多錢，你會立刻表現出你很有錢的樣子嗎?當你被別人看不起時，你會採取那些積極的行動去證明自己嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些一些新的收穫。
出處為馮夢龍-醒世恆言-卷35-徐老僕義憤成家
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