《资治通鉴·汉纪·汉纪四十二》
于是邓康声称有病，不去朝见。
康谢病不朝，太后使内侍者问之；所使者乃康家先婢，自通 中大人 ，康闻而诟之。
As a result, Deng Kang claimed to be ill and declined to attend.
<s>[INST] Given the Classical Chinese text: 康谢病不朝，太后使内侍者问之；所使者乃康家先婢，自通 中大人 ，康闻而诟之。, provide a step-by-step translation process to arrive at the English translation. [/INST]
Step 1: Identify and translate individual words and phrases:
康: Deng Kang
谢病不朝: claimed to be ill and declined to attend court
太后: empress dowager
使: sent
内侍者: eunuch
问之: to ask about his condition
所使者: the one who was sent
乃: was
康家先婢: a former maid in Deng Kang's household
自通: had an affair with
中大人: a high-ranking eunuch
康闻而诟之: Deng Kang heard about it and scolded her

Step 2: Analyze grammatical structure:
The sentence is a compound sentence consisting of two clauses. The first clause, "康谢病不朝，太后使内侍者问之", describes the empress dowager sending a eunuch to inquire about Deng Kang's condition. The second clause, "所使者乃康家先婢，自通中大人，康闻而诟之", explains that the eunuch who was sent was a former maid in Deng Kang's household who had an affair with a high-ranking eunuch, and that Deng Kang scolded her when he found out.

Step 3: Combine individual translations and grammatical analysis to form a coherent English translation:
As a result, Deng Kang claimed to be ill and declined to attend court. The empress dowager sent a eunuch to inquire about his condition, but the eunuch who was sent was a former maid in Deng Kang's household who had an affair with a high-ranking eunuch. Deng Kang heard about it and scolded her.

Final English translation: As a result, Deng Kang claimed to be ill and declined to attend court. The empress dowager sent a eunuch to inquire about his condition, but the eunuch who was sent was a former maid in Deng Kang's household who had an affair with a high-ranking eunuch. Deng Kang heard about it and scolded her.</s>
Given the Classical Chinese text: 康谢病不朝，太后使内侍者问之；所使者乃康家先婢，自通 中大人 ，康闻而诟之。, provide a step-by-step translation process to arrive at the English translation.
user
Step 1: Identify and translate individual words and phrases:
康: Deng Kang
谢病不朝: claimed to be ill and declined to attend court
太后: empress dowager
使: sent
内侍者: eunuch
问之: to ask about his condition
所使者: the one who was sent
乃: was
康家先婢: a former maid in Deng Kang's household
自通: had an affair with
中大人: a high-ranking eunuch
康闻而诟之: Deng Kang heard about it and scolded her

Step 2: Analyze grammatical structure:
The sentence is a compound sentence consisting of two clauses. The first clause, "康谢病不朝，太后使内侍者问之", describes the empress dowager sending a eunuch to inquire about Deng Kang's condition. The second clause, "所使者乃康家先婢，自通中大人，康闻而诟之", explains that the eunuch who was sent was a former maid in Deng Kang's household who had an affair with a high-ranking eunuch, and that Deng Kang scolded her when he found out.

Step 3: Combine individual translations and grammatical analysis to form a coherent English translation:
As a result, Deng Kang claimed to be ill and declined to attend court. The empress dowager sent a eunuch to inquire about his condition, but the eunuch who was sent was a former maid in Deng Kang's household who had an affair with a high-ranking eunuch. Deng Kang heard about it and scolded her.

Final English translation: As a result, Deng Kang claimed to be ill and declined to attend court. The empress dowager sent a eunuch to inquire about his condition, but the eunuch who was sent was a former maid in Deng Kang's household who had an affair with a high-ranking eunuch. Deng Kang heard about it and scolded her.
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