将军的日记 General's Diary

似乎是神策府将军的亲笔日记。内容不多，断断续续。且不知为何，内容全都与一猫有关。 It seems to be a personal diary written in fits and starts by the general of the Seat of Divine Foresight. There is not much content in the diary, and for some

其一 Part I

九月初七

September 7

这日闲游长乐天，见一化外歌民沿街叫卖，上前一问才知此人是兜售宠物。

I was wandering around the Exalting Sanctum today, and I saw a foreign Balladian peddling along the street. I went up and found out they were selling pets.

我见那动物貌似家猫，可体格却娇小得多，卧于竹笼如蒲团，呜呜喵喵，实在惹人怜爱。然自建木生根后，仙舟民养育宠物大多以壮健庞然为美。我便问歌民这动物为何如此袖珍，可有人曾相中。

The animal I saw looked like a house cat, but its body was much smaller. It was lying down on a mat in a bamboo cage, purring and meowing affectionately. However, after the Ambrosial Arbor took root, most of the Xianzhou people preferred large and strong pets. I asked the Balladian why this animal was so small, and if anyone had shown interest in buying it.

此人对答：仙舟民诚然喜爱宠物健美，但也不妨有人独爱小巧玲珑。如今他见我眼中放光，料我定是后者，可称得上奇缘一桩。我固无法推辞。

The person responded that it is true that Xianzhou people like large and strong pets, but there are also those who love petite and delicate ones. Now that he saw the sparkle in my eyes, he expected that I must be the latter. Perhaps it was fate? I couldn't refuse.

此人又道这小动物名为狸奴，乃是古国时代仙舟先民热爱饲养的宠物族类之一，如今硕壮的仙舟家猫正是由这小巧的狸奴演化而来。这说法与我所读典籍暗合。只是狸奴早已绝迹多年，令我心中生疑，便追问其来历。

The person also said that this small animal is called a grimalkin, and it was one of the species that the ancestors of Xianzhou loved to keep during the Primeval Imperium Era. Today, the strong Xianzhou house cat evolved from this small grimalkin. This was in line with what I'd read in old texts. However, the grimalkin had been extinct for many years. This made me suspicious, and I inquired about its origin.

此人只信誓旦旦，道是狸奴虽在仙舟绝迹，可其他星球多有饲养。这动物确实不过是只普通小白狸奴罢了，既无基因调整，也非入侵物种，让我大可放心。

The person swore to me that though grimalkins were extinct in Xianzhou, they were bred on many other planets. This animal is truly just an ordinary white grimalkin. It was neither genetically modified, nor was it an invasive species, so I could rest assured.

我很难拒绝豢养一早已灭绝的小动物，为其宗脉延续出份贡献——尤其是在摸了那粉嫩的肉球后。

How could I turn down looking after a long-extinct little animal to help continue its lineage — especially after petting those tender little paws?

于是，我重金聘下这小狸奴，唤它作「咪咪」，打道回府。只是我素耽于公务，想必无暇照顾咪咪。思来想去，喂食换水等事也都一应交给青镞办理。

Eventually, I paid hefty sum for the grimalkin, named it "Mimi," and took it home. Only that I'm too busy with official business and have little time to take care of Mimi. After thinking it over, chores like feeding it and changing its water should also be entrusted to Qingzu.

其二 Part II

腊月廿二

December 22

咪咪越长越大，缱绻依人，又甚是聪慧。毛绒冉冉如流云映雪，尾长九坎而端有茸毛，大如斗。再看那眼底裂如冰纹，色泽圆润，好不俊俏威严。

Mimi is getting bigger and bigger, and becoming more and more attached. It's also very intelligent. Mimi's soft, snow-like fur flows like the clouds, and its nine ridged tail has a big ball of fuzz at the end. Mimi's round, full, and blue irises possess radiating patterns like cracks over ice. Their colors are rich, charming, and dignified.

然而，咪咪的食量有些巨大，以至于不同寻常。它果真是狸奴吗？我暗自思量，想着如今唤它咪咪确乎是不大对头了。

However, Mimi's appetite is strangely large. Is it really a grimalkin? I thought to myself that the name "Mimi" might not be too appropriate at this point.

那日青镞又同我说，她近一周以神策府膳食之名共购入合成肉二百斤，竟全都被咪咪吃干抹净。然而，事情到这里还没结束。她还说此事已见街谈巷议，称那将军整日闭目荒废政事不说，食量竟还大如牛，实在令人发指。

Qingzu told me the other day that she had purchased 200 catties worth of meat for the Seat of Divine Foresight's meals in the past week, but Mimi wiped it all clean. The story did not end there. She also said that this has become the gossip of the town, and the rumors have it that the general has been neglecting his duties and indulging in gluttony instead. This has gotten the people all riled up.

青镞担忧此事恐对我不利，我倒觉得但传无妨，便令她不必挂心。在我看来，「暴食将军」可要比「闭目将军」威风多了。

Qingzu was worried that could be bad for me, but I didn't think too much of it and told her not to worry. In my opinion, "The Glutton General" sounds more impressive than "The Dozing General."

其三 Part III

正月十九

January 19

府中膳食开支渐渐难以为继。我想确实是该有所对策，便先招来丹鼎司的医士检查了踏浪雪狮子（对不起，青镞，我实在没什么取名的天分）。医士问诊无果，建议加以基因检测，我表示同意。结果和它的食量两相映证——果然，它根本不是什么狸奴，更非普通家猫。

The food expenses are gradually becoming unsustainable. I thought that there must be some way to deal with this, so I brought in a healer from the Alchemy Commission to check on Wave-Treading Snow Lion (sorry, Qingzu, I'm horrible at naming). The healer's consultation was fruitless, instead suggesting we try some genetic testing. I agreed. The results were in line with its food intake — as expected, it was not a grimalkin after all, let alone an ordinary house cat.

它是一头狮子。这也正是我将咪咪改叫踏浪雪狮子的原因。

It was a lion. Hence the name change to from Mimi to Wave-Treading Snow Lion.

不过这一事实丝毫不耽误它平日里那颇具狸奴气的习性。雪狮子一旦得闲（它时时都很闲），不是挠丝帘便是撕毛毡，又或醉于为它专供的荊芥。不得不称赞，青镞着实将它调教得好，只是有时不免妨碍公务了。

However, this fact did not affect its usual grimalkin-like behavior. Whenever Snow Lion is free (it usually is), it either scratches the silk curtains or rips the felt, or engorges itself on its specially-prepared schizonepeta. Of course, Qingzu's effort can't be overstated. She's really trained it well, but sometimes it unfortunately gets in the way of official business.

话说回来，当务之急应是想办法缩减府中膳食开支。对此我仍未理出头绪，恐怕还需费些时日。

All that aside, the top priority now should be to find ways to reduce the food expenditure. I'm afraid this will take some time to figure it out.