話說楊猛、陳孝剛出了酒樓，往前走了不遠，又碰見一個醉漢。
话说杨猛、陈孝刚出了酒楼，往前走了不远，又碰见一个醉汉。
Now, Yang Meng and Chen Xiao had just left the wine house and gone a little way when they ran into another drunk.
書中交代：來的這個人，此人姓黃名忠，是長隨路跟官的。當年跟過兩任外任知府，手裡有兩個錢，也沒剩下。此人心地最直，最好交友，把銀錢都交了朋友了。
书中交代：来的这个人，此人姓黄名忠，是长随路跟官的。当年跟过两任外任知府，手里有两个钱，也没剩下。此人心地最直，最好交友，把银钱都交了朋友了。
A word of explanation: the man who had come up was named Huang Zhong, a personal attendant who followed officials to their posts. In his time he had served two prefects in posts out in the provinces, and though a little money had passed through his hands, none of it was left. He was the most straightforward of men and loved nothing better than making friends, and all his silver had gone on his friends.
現在跟著舊主人來京引見，把他薦到花花太歲王勝仙手下當管家。他在這臨安城又交了一般朋友，上至紳董富戶，買賣商賈，下至街上乞丐，他都認識，跟楊猛、陳孝也有來往。今天碰見楊猛、陳孝，黃忠說：「二位跟我喝酒去罷，我方才一個人喝了半天無味，我心裡不用提有多煩了。咱們哥們素常最對勁，今天總得喝喝。」楊猛、陳孝雖然心中有事，又不好駁復，反同著黃忠仍回到這座酒樓。夥計一瞧，剛把白平挽到雅座去睡著了，這二位又同了一位醉鬼來。三個人坐下，夥計過來擦抹桌案，黃忠說：「給我來三百壺酒。」
现在跟着旧主人来京引见，把他荐到花花太岁王胜仙手下当管家。他在这临安城又交了一般朋友，上至绅董富户，买卖商贾，下至街上乞丐，他都认识，跟杨猛、陈孝也有来往。今天碰见杨猛、陈孝，黄忠说：「二位跟我喝酒去罢，我方才一个人喝了半天无味，我心里不用提有多烦了。咱们哥们素常最对劲，今天总得喝喝。」杨猛、陈孝虽然心中有事，又不好驳复，反同着黄忠仍回到这座酒楼。伙计一瞧，刚把白平挽到雅座去睡着了，这二位又同了一位醉鬼来。三个人坐下，伙计过来擦抹桌案，黄忠说：「给我来三百壶酒。」
Now he had come to the capital with his old master, who was here to be presented at court, and the master had recommended him to the Flashy Libertine, Wang Shengxian, as a steward in his household. Here in Lin’an he had again made a whole crowd of friends: from gentry and rich householders and merchants and traders at the top, down to the beggars on the street at the bottom, he knew them all, and he was on visiting terms with Yang Meng and Chen Xiao too. Running into Yang Meng and Chen Xiao today, Huang Zhong said, “Come and drink with me, you two. I’ve been sitting drinking on my own for ages and there was no fun in it, and I can’t begin to tell you how wretched I feel. We brothers always got on best together, so today we’ve simply got to have a drink.” Yang Meng and Chen Xiao had business on their minds, but they couldn’t very well turn him down, and so they went back with Huang Zhong to the very same wine house. The waiter took one look. He had only just helped Head Constable Bai into a private room to sleep, and here were these two back again with another drunk. The three of them sat down, and the waiter came over to wipe the table. “Bring me three hundred pots of wine,” said Huang Zhong.