Chapter 38: The Prince Questions His Mother and Discerns False from True; Metal and Wood Meet in Mystery and Expose the False King

Meeting you, one speaks only of the cause of birth, and at once one becomes a man of the Tathagata's assembly.
With one still thought one contemplates the Buddha in the dusty world; the ten directions all behold the descending mighty god.
If you would know today's true and rightful lord, you must ask the body of his own mother from those former years.

There is another sight the world has never seen: with every line and every step, a new flower springs forth.

Now then: the crown prince of Wuji Kingdom took leave of the Great Sage and before long returned to the city. As promised, he did not go to the court gate or dare announce himself by imperial edict. Instead he went straight to the rear gate, where several eunuchs stood guard. Seeing the prince arrive, they did not dare block him, and let him pass in at once.

The fine prince spurred his horse once and rode inside, where he came all at once beneath Jinxiang Pavilion. There he saw the queen mother seated in the pavilion, with dozens of consorts on either side holding fans, while she leaned against the carved rail and wept. Why was she weeping? It was because she too had had a dream at the fourth watch and remembered half of it, while the other half remained vague and troubled in her mind.

The prince dismounted, knelt below the pavilion, and cried, "Mother."

The queen mother forced a smile and said, "My son, what joy! What joy! For these two or three years I have been talking with your father in the front palace and have not been able to see you. I have longed for you terribly. How did you find time today to come see me? This is joy beyond measure, joy beyond measure! My child, why does your voice sound so mournful? Your father is already advanced in years. One day he will ride the dragon back to the green sea and the phoenix back to the crimson sky, and then you will inherit the throne. What is there to be unhappy about?"

The prince kowtowed and said, "Mother, let me ask you: who is it that ascends the dragon throne and takes up the rule? Who is it that calls himself lord and master?"

The queen mother said, "Has this child lost his wits? The one who sits the throne is your father. Why do you ask?"

The prince kowtowed again. "I beg you, Mother, pardon your son if he is in error. I dare ask this question; if you do not pardon me, I dare not ask."

The queen mother said, "What sin can child or mother have between them? I pardon you, I pardon you. Speak quickly."

The prince said, "Mother, I ask you about the matter in the married chambers three years ago, and whether the love and tenderness of the next three years was the same or not."

When the queen mother heard this, her soul flew and her spirit scattered. She hurried down from the pavilion, took him in her arms, and held him close as tears fell from her eyes. "My child," she said, "for so long I have not seen you. Why do you come into the palace today to ask me this?"

The prince grew angry. "Mother, if you have anything to say, say it quickly. If you do not, you will spoil a great matter."

Only then did the queen mother dismiss the attendants. Through her tears she said in a low voice, "This matter, child, if you had never asked, I would still not understand it even if I went to the Yellow Springs. Since you have asked, listen to me: for three years before, it was warm and gentle; for three years after, it was cold as ice. I asked him again and again beside the pillow, and he said old age had weakened him and that such matters were no longer fit to be done."

When the prince heard this, he let go and mounted at once. The queen mother clutched him and said, "My child, what is the matter? Why do you leave before you have finished speaking?"

The prince knelt before her and said, "Mother, I did not dare say it. This morning at court, by imperial commission, I led hawks and hounds out of the city to hunt. By chance I met a holy monk from the Eastern Land, and under him was a great disciple named Sun Wukong, who is most skilled at subduing demons. It turns out my father died in the octagonal glazed well in the imperial garden, and that false and true thing changed into my father and seized the dragon throne. At the third watch tonight my father sent a dream to ask that monk to the city to seize the monster. I did not dare believe it fully, so I came to ask you. Since what you said just now is exactly like that, it must indeed be a demon."

The queen mother said, "My son, why do you believe a stranger's words so quickly?"

The prince said, "I do not yet dare accept them as true, but my father left a token with him."

The queen mother asked what it was. The prince took the gold-cased white jade tablet from his sleeve and handed it to her. As soon as she recognized it as the king's treasure of old, tears gushed from her like a spring.

"My lord," she cried, "how could you die three years ago and never come see me, yet first see the holy monk and then see your son?"

The prince said, "Mother, what do you mean?"

The queen mother said, "My child, at the fourth watch I too had a dream. I saw your father standing before me, drenched through and through, and heard him say in person that he had died. His ghost had begged Tripitaka to subdue the false emperor and rescue his former body. I can remember those words, but only half of them are clear. While I was still puzzled, how could I have known that today you would come and say the same thing, and even bring out the treasure? Let me keep it. You go at once and invite that holy monk to act quickly. If he can truly sweep away the demon vapor and distinguish false from true, that will be enough to repay your father's kindness in raising you."

The prince hastily mounted and left by the rear gate, keeping well away from the city walls. Truly he bid farewell to his country mother with tears in his eyes and returned in sorrow to Tripitaka. Before long he had gone out through the city gate and ridden straight to the gate of Bao Lin Temple, where he dismounted.

The soldiers received the prince, and the red sun was already sinking. The prince gave orders that the troops were not to move about. Then he went in alone through the temple gate, set his cap and robe in order, and went to bow before Wukong.

The Monkey King came swaying out from the main hall, and the prince dropped to both knees. "Master, I have come."

Wukong reached out and helped him up. "Please rise. When you went into the city, did you ask anyone?"

"I asked my mother," the prince said, and then repeated everything from before.

Wukong smiled faintly. "If it was that cold, then it must have been some cold thing that changed into a shape. No matter, no matter. Leave Old Sun to clear it out for you. Only, today is already late, and it is not a good time to act. Go back first and wait until tomorrow morning. Then I will come."

The prince knelt again and bowed. "Master, I will stay right here and wait until tomorrow, then go with you on the road."

Wukong said, "No, no. If you go into the city with me, the monster will grow suspicious. He will not say I came upon you by chance. He will say instead that you invited Old Sun here, and then he will blame you for it."

The prince said, "If I go into the city now, he will also blame me."

Wukong asked, "Why would he blame you?"

The prince said, "At dawn I received orders and led a number of troops, hawks, and hounds out of the city. Now the whole day has passed and I have not brought back a single beast. How can I face the court? If he asks why I was so useless, he may have me trapped in prison. And if you come into the city tomorrow, what can you rely on? There is not a single person in the court I can count on."

Wukong said, "What is there to worry about? If only you had said so earlier, I would have laid something aside and waited for you."

The Great Sage then displayed his skill right there before the prince. He leaped up into the clouds, pinched a mudra, and recited the true words of "Om Blue, Pure the Dharma Realm." At once he summoned the mountain gods and earth spirits, who bowed in the air and said, "Great Sage, you have called us. What are your commands?"

Wukong said, "Old Sun has escorted Tripitaka here and wishes to capture the evil spirit, but the prince has hunted and come away with nothing, and so he dares not return to court. I ask you for a favor: quickly gather deer, antelope, rabbits, beasts, and birds of every kind and send them to drive him back."

The mountain gods and earth spirits heard this and dared not refuse. They asked how many were wanted.

The Great Sage said, "No matter how many. Bring some here and that will do."

At once the local spirits ordered the yin troops of the area to whip up a wind that gathered beasts. They seized wild chickens and mountain pheasants, antlered deer and fat antelope, foxes, badgers, civets, rabbits, tigers, leopards, wolves, and insects - more than a hundred thousand in all - and presented them to Wukong.

Wukong said, "Old Sun does not want them. You may twist them all into proper shape and set them down on both sides of the forty-li road. Make sure those men do not loose the hawks and hounds, but take them back to the city, and count that as your merit."

The gods obeyed. They gathered back the yin wind and laid the animals down on both sides of the road.

Wukong then lowered his cloud and said to the prince, "Your Highness, you may return. There are already beasts along the road. Take them yourself."

The prince saw Wukong display such divine power in the air and could hardly fail to believe him. He kowtowed and took leave. After he came out of the temple gate, he gave orders for the troops to return to the city. Sure enough, all along the roadside there were countless wild beasts. The soldiers did not loose the hawks or hounds, but one by one they rushed out to seize them, cheering all the while and saying it was all due to the prince's great fortune. They had no idea it was Old Sun's divine skill. To the sound of triumphant cries they all surged back to the city.

Wukong remained to protect Tripitaka. The monks of that temple, seeing how close the prince and the pilgrims were, could only treat them with the utmost respect. They arranged a vegetarian meal, entertained Tripitaka, and once again let him rest in the meditation hall.

Toward the first watch, Wukong had business on his mind and could not sleep.

He rolled up at once and went to Tripitaka's bedside, calling, "Master."

By then the elder had not yet slept. He knew Wukong liked to startle people, so he closed his eyes and did not answer. Wukong felt his bald head, shook it about, and said, "Master, why are you asleep?"

Tripitaka snapped, "This naughty fellow, why are you still not asleep at this hour? Why are you shouting?"

Wukong said, "Master, there is one matter I want to discuss with you."

The elder asked, "What matter?"

Wukong said, "During the day I boasted to that prince that my skills were higher than mountains and deeper than the sea, that I would take the demon as easily as one reaches into a bag and snatches out a thing. But now I cannot sleep. Thinking it over, I find there is some difficulty."

Tripitaka said, "If it is difficult, then do not take it."

Wukong said, "I still mean to take it, but the principle is not right."

Tripitaka said, "This monkey talks nonsense. A demon has seized the throne of a human ruler. How can you say the principle is not right?"

Wukong said, "You only know how to recite scriptures, worship the Buddha, and sit in meditation. Have you ever seen the statutes of Chancellor Xiao He? As the saying goes, 'Catch the thief by the stolen goods.' That monster has been emperor for three years and has not once made a slip or let a whisper leak out. He sleeps with the queen and consorts and joins the civil and military officers in their amusements. Even if Old Sun has the skill to seize him, it would still be hard to define the charge.

He could say, 'I am the King of Wuji Kingdom. What crime against Heaven have you come to arrest me for?' What proof could you produce to argue with him?"

Tripitaka said, "Then what would you have me do?"

Wukong laughed. "Old Sun's plan is already set. It is only that it concerns your old honored self, so you are a little too protective."

Tripitaka asked, "How am I protective?"

Wukong said, "Bajie is a simple fellow, and you are rather partial to him."

Tripitaka said, "How am I partial?"

Wukong said, "If you are not partial, then for now set your courage a little wider and stay here with Sha Wujing. Let Old Sun and Bajie go first into Wuji Kingdom, find the imperial garden, open the glazed well, and haul the emperor's corpse out. We will wrap it in our baggage. Tomorrow, when we enter the city, we will pay no attention to any travel pass. When we see the monster, we will swing our staffs and strike at once. If he says anything, we will show him the corpse and say, 'You killed this man.' Then the prince can come up and weep for his father, the queen can come out and identify her husband, and the civil and military officials can see their true ruler. Only then will Old Sun and his brothers move their hands. That is the sort of lawsuit with an opponent that can be fought properly."

Tripitaka was secretly delighted. "I am only afraid Bajie will not go."

Wukong laughed. "Why? I told you that you were too protective. How do you know he will not go? Just as you did not answer me at once when I called you, he will settle down in half an hour. I will go now, and with my three-inch tongue I will be able to make him come. Let alone Zhu Bajie - even a Zhu Ninth-Precept, I could make him follow me."

Tripitaka said, "Very well. Go ask him."

Wukong left his master and went straight to Bajie's bed.

"Bajie, Bajie."

The fool was worn out from traveling. He had dropped his head and was snoring away; there was no way to wake him by calling. Wukong grabbed his ear and mane and yanked him upright, then called again, "Bajie."

The fool still bobbed and struggled in confusion. Wukong called him once more, and he muttered, "Go to sleep. Quit fooling. We have a road to travel tomorrow."

Wukong said, "I am not fooling. There is a business deal I want to do with you."

Bajie asked, "What sort of business deal?"

Wukong said, "Did you hear what the prince said?"

Bajie said, "I never saw him, so I never heard him say anything."

Wukong said, "The prince told me the monster has a treasure with which he can take on a thousand men at once. Tomorrow when we go into the city, we will surely have to fight him. If he gets hold of that treasure and knocks us flat, would that not be most unpleasant? I think that if we cannot beat him in a fair fight, then it is better to strike first.

Let us go and steal it from him. Would that not be good?"

Bajie said, "Brother, you are tricking me into being a thief. Still, I can go along with that sort of business. If you truly know for certain that it will help, then I will be plain with you: after we steal the treasure and subdue the monster, I do not care for any of this petty nonsense about dividing spoils. I want the treasure."

Wukong said, "What do you want it for?"

Bajie said, "I am not as clever or eloquent as you fellows, and I cannot make offerings from people's mouths. Old Pig has a stout body and rough speech, and I cannot recite scriptures. If we reach some place where there is no profit, perhaps the treasure could be exchanged for food?"

Wukong said, "Old Sun only wants the fame. What would I want with any treasure? It shall be yours."

When the fool heard that everything would be his, he was overjoyed. He rolled up at once, put on his clothes, and went off with Wukong. Such is the effect of clear wine on the face and gold on the heart of the road.

The two of them quietly opened the door and slipped away from Tripitaka. They rode their auspicious light straight toward the city. Before long they arrived and lowered their cloud. Looking up, they saw it was already about the second watch.

Wukong said, "Brother, it is the second watch."

Bajie said, "Just right, just right. Everyone is in the deepest sleep of the first round."

The two of them did not go to the main southern gate, but headed straight for the rear gate, where they heard the clacking of the watch-bell. Wukong said, "Brother, both the front and rear gates are tight. How are we to get in?"

Bajie said, "Have you ever seen a thief go through a gate? Just jump over the wall and be done."

Wukong agreed. He leaped up and landed on the inner city wall. Bajie followed. The two slipped inside, found their way, and made straight for the imperial garden.

As they walked, they saw a three-tiered gate tower painted white, with three bright characters gleaming in the moon and starlight: "Imperial Garden." Wukong went up to look. There were several layers of seals, and the gate lock was rusted shut. He ordered Bajie to strike it. The fool drew out his iron rake and smashed with all his might, reducing the gate to pieces.

Wukong stepped inside first, only to jump up in spite of himself and cry out. Bajie was startled and rushed forward to grab him. "Brother! You will kill me! What thief ever makes such a racket? If you wake people and they catch us, then even if we do not die on the spot, they will send us back to our home districts in shackles and draft us for military labor."

Wukong said, "Brother, why do you think I am so upset? Look at this:

The painted railings lie shattered and weary, the jeweled pavilions stand crooked and askew.
The rush banks and smartweed shores are buried in dust; the peonies and tea flowers have all withered.
The jasmine and roses have lost their fragrance; the peonies and lilies bloom in vain.
Hibiscus and hibiscus trees stand like weeds; strange flowers and rare blossoms are choked and spoiled.
Clever stone peaks have all toppled over; the pools are dry and the fish have thinned.
Green pines and purple bamboo look like firewood, and the road is covered with tender wormwood and mugwort.
The red osmanthus and green peach trees have broken boughs; the pomegranates and flowering pears have crooked roots.
At the bridge head the winding path is covered with green moss, a lonely and desolate garden scene.

Bajie said, "Why sigh over him? Get on with our business."

Wukong, though moved, remembered Tripitaka's dream and knew the banana tree marked the well. As they walked, they indeed came upon a banana tree, lush and flourishing, unlike all the other flowers and trees.

Truly:

A single spiritual sprout, graceful and pure in its nature,
branch by branch sending out paper-like strips, leaf by leaf curling into fragrant clusters.
Fine green threads hang a thousand in number, while one red heart glows in the midst.
In lonely rain at night it looks sorrowful and worn; in autumn wind it seems to fear the cold.
It nourishes the strength of original vitality, a planting wrought by the skill of transformation.
Shut away, it becomes wondrously useful; when scattered, it shows uncanny power.
No phoenix feather could match it, nor any luan tail compare.
Thin dewdrops drip upon it, and pale smoke softly veils it.
Green shade covers the doors and windows; blue shadow climbs the curtains and screens.
It cannot let wild geese roost, nor can it bear a jade horse tied to it.
In frosty weather it looks withered and faded; on moonlit nights its color is dim and blurred.
It can only relieve the heat of summer, yet it is also good for warding off the sun's blaze.
Shamefacedly it lacks the colors of peach and plum, lonely beside the powder wall to the east.

Wukong said, "Bajie, get to work. The treasure is buried under this banana tree."

The fool raised his rake in both hands and brought the banana tree crashing down. Then he shoved with his snout, gouging three or four feet down until he found a stone slab covering something.

Bajie was delighted. "Brother, fortune has truly arrived. There really is treasure here, and it is covered by a stone slab. I wonder whether it is in a vessel or stored in a chest."

Wukong said, "Lift it and take a look."

Bajie shoved it aside with his snout again, and inside they saw a blazing glow and bright white vapor. Bajie laughed. "Fortune, fortune! The treasure is shining."

But when he leaned closer and looked carefully, ah! It turned out to be only the moon and starlight reflected in the water of the well.

Bajie said, "Brother, if you are going to do a thing, you should leave a way back."

Wukong asked, "What way back?"

Bajie said, "This is a well. You said in the temple that there was treasure in the well, but I brought two ropes for the baggage. How am I to get Old Pig down there? We came empty-handed. How are we supposed to get anything in and out?"

Wukong said, "You want to go down?"

"Yes," Bajie said, "but we have no rope."

Wukong laughed. "Take off your clothes, and I will show you a trick."

Bajie said, "What good clothes? This is just the straight robe; once I take it off, that is that."

The Great Sage took out his cudgel, gave it a twist at both ends, and cried, "Long!"

It grew to seven or eight zhang. He said, "Bajie, hold one end, and I will lower you into the well."

Bajie said, "Brother, if you are going to lower me, do so. But when I get to the water, stop."

Wukong said, "I know."

The fool hugged the iron staff. Wukong lifted him lightly and lowered him down. Before long he had reached the water's edge.

"I am at the water," Bajie called.

Wukong heard him and pressed the staff down.

The fool fell headfirst with a splash, dropped the staff, and struggled in the water, grumbling, "This damned monkey! I told him to stop at the water, and he went and shoved me down anyway."

Wukong drew up the staff and laughed. "Brother, have you found the treasure?"

"What treasure?" Bajie said. "It is only a well of water."

Wukong said, "The treasure lies beneath the water. Go down and feel around for it."

The fool truly understood water well. He plunged in with a dive and went down again. Ah! The bottom of the well was very deep.

He dived with real effort once more, and when he opened his eyes he saw a grand archway with three characters on it: "Crystal Palace." Bajie was startled. "This is bad, this is bad. I have taken the wrong road and fallen into the sea. There is a Crystal Palace in the sea, but how can there be one in a well?" He did not know this was the Water Crystal Palace of the Well Dragon King.

As Bajie was speaking, a night-hawk who patrolled the water had already opened the gate and, seeing his appearance, hurried inside to report: "Great King, disaster! A monk with a long mouth and big ears has fallen into the well. He is naked, not yet dead, and can even speak by force."

When the Well Dragon King heard this, he was greatly alarmed. "This is Marshal Tianpeng. Last night the Night-Wandering God brought an imperial decree to take the soul of the King of Wuji Kingdom and present it to Tripitaka, and to ask the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to subdue the demon. I fear it is the Great Sage and Marshal Tianpeng. We must not slight them. Hurry and receive him."

The Dragon King straightened his robe and hat, led the water tribe out, and cried loudly at the gate, "Marshal Tianpeng, please come inside and sit."

Bajie was delighted at once. "So it is an old acquaintance."

That fool did not care what was proper or not, but went straight into the Crystal Palace.

He sat there in the raw, having no sense of the world above or below. The Dragon King said, "Marshal, I hear you have regained your life, have taken refuge in Buddhism, and are escorting Tripitaka west to seek the scriptures. How did you come here?"

Bajie said, "That is exactly why I came. My elder brother Sun Wukong sends many respects and asked me to come and take whatever treasure you have."

The Dragon King said, "Poor me, how could I have any treasure here? I am not like the dragon kings of the Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Huai, and the Ji, who can fly and transform and thus possess treasures. I have been trapped here for so long that I can scarcely see the sun or moon. How could a treasure come from me?"

Bajie said, "Do not make excuses. If you have one, bring it out."

The Dragon King said, "I do have one treasure, but it cannot be brought out. Would the Marshal care to see it for himself?"

Bajie said, "Excellent, excellent. It must be seen."

The Dragon King led the way, with the fool following behind. When they turned past the Crystal Palace, they saw beneath the corridor a body six feet long, lying flat. The Dragon King pointed to it and said, "Marshal, there is the treasure."

Bajie looked closely. Ah! It was a dead emperor, wearing a towering crown, a dark yellow robe, carefree shoes, and a blue jade belt, lying stiff as a stick.

Bajie laughed. "No, no, no. This can hardly count as a treasure. When I was a mountain monster, I often ate such things. Not only have I seen many of them, I have eaten more than I can count. How could that be called a treasure?"

The Dragon King said, "Marshal, you do not understand.

This is the corpse of the King of Wuji Kingdom. After it came into the well, I used a face-stabilizing pearl to keep it from decaying. If you are willing to carry it out and let the Great Sage see it, and if there is any hope of bringing it back to life, then let alone a treasure, you may have whatever you wish."

Bajie said, "If that is so, I will carry it out for you. But how much burial money do you give me?"

The Dragon King said, "There is really no money."

Bajie said, "You want to use me for nothing? If there is no money, I will not carry it."

The Dragon King said, "If you will not carry it, then please go."

Bajie started to leave. The Dragon King ordered two strong night-hawks to lift the corpse out and carry it to the gate of the Crystal Palace, where they dropped it there. When they removed the Water-Repelling Pearl, there came a rush of water and sound.

Bajie hurriedly turned back, but he could no longer see the Crystal Palace gate. All he could do was grope at the emperor's corpse. His legs went weak and his sinews numb with fright, and he shot up out of the water, clinging to the well wall as he cried, "Brother, lower your staff and save me!"

Wukong asked, "Did you find the treasure?"

Bajie cried, "There is none! There is only a Well Dragon King under the water. He told me to carry a dead man, and when I would not, he sent me out the door. Then I could no longer see the Crystal Palace and was left only with the corpse. It scared me so badly that my hands went numb and my legs would not move. Brother, save me, whatever you do."

Wukong said, "That is the treasure. Why did you not carry it up?"

Bajie said, "Who knows how long he has been dead? What would I be carrying him for?"

Wukong said, "If you will not carry him, I will go back."

Bajie asked, "Where would you go back to?"

Wukong said, "I will return to the temple and sleep with the master."

Bajie said, "And leave me here?"

Wukong said, "If you can climb up, I will take you with me. If you cannot, then so be it."

Bajie panicked. "How am I supposed to climb? Even a city wall is hard to scale. This well has a wide body and a narrow mouth, with steep walls like a circle-wall, and it has not been used for drawing water for years. All around it is covered with moss, so slippery. How am I to climb? Brother, do not break the harmony between brothers. Let me carry him up."

Wukong said, "Exactly so. Quickly carry him up, and I will go back and sleep."

The fool dived down once more, found the corpse, hauled it over, put it on his back, and shot out of the water, bracing himself against the well wall. "Brother, I have carried him up," he said.

Wukong opened his eyes and looked. Sure enough, the corpse was on his back. Only then did he lower the cudgel to the bottom of the well. The fool, angry now, opened his mouth and bit the iron staff. Wukong lightly lifted him out.

Bajie set the corpse down and fished up the clothing to put on. When Wukong looked at the emperor, his face was unchanged, as if he had never died at all.

Wukong said, "Brother, this man has been dead three years. How can his face remain uncorrupted?"

Bajie said, "You do not know. The Well Dragon King told me he had used a face-stabilizing pearl to fix it, so the corpse did not decay."

Wukong said, "Fortune, fortune. First, his wrong has not yet been avenged; second, it is our turn to succeed.

Brother, quickly carry him away."

Bajie asked, "Carry him where?"

Wukong said, "Carry him to see the master."

Bajie muttered under his breath, "What a thing! What a thing! I was sound asleep, and this monkey tricked me with sweet words into doing some business with him. Now he has made me carry a dead man.

If I carry him, filthy water will run over me and stain my clothes, and no one will wash them for me. There are patches up top, and when the weather is damp they get clammy. How am I supposed to wear them?"

Wukong said, "Just carry him. When we get back to the temple, I will change your clothes."

Bajie said, "Shame on you. You do not even have clothes for yourself, and you want to change mine?"

Wukong said, "If you keep babbling like that, then will you not carry him?"

Bajie said, "I will not."

Wukong said, "Then stretch out your leg and take twenty blows."

Bajie panicked. "Brother, that staff is heavy. If you hit me twenty times, I will be like that emperor."

Wukong said, "If you fear the blows, then quickly carry him and go."

Bajie was indeed afraid of being beaten. In a foul mood, he dragged the corpse over, slung it on his back, and trudged out of the garden.

The Great Sage pinched a spell, recited an incantation, drew a breath from the southeast, and blew. At once a great wind swept Bajie out of the imperial inner palace, carried him far from the city, and died away. The two of them landed on the ground and walked slowly back.

The fool was secretly bitter and plotted to take revenge on Wukong. He thought, "This monkey tricks me. When I get back to the temple, I will trick him in turn. I will tell Master that the emperor can be brought back to life. If he cannot be brought back, I will have Master recite the Tightening Spell and squeeze the monkey's brains out. That would satisfy me."

He walked along, then thought again and again: "No, no. If I let him heal a man, that would be easy enough. He could go to the King's court in Hell and bring back the soul, and then the man would live again. Better to say only that he must not go to the underworld. If he can revive him in the world of the living, that will be the best trick."

Before he had finished thinking it through, they had reached the mountain gate. He went straight inside and dumped the corpse before the meditation hall, saying, "Master, get up and see what is evil."

Tripitaka had not been able to sleep and was speaking with Sha Wujing about how Wukong had tricked Bajie into going out and had not yet returned.

Suddenly he heard Bajie call out. Tripitaka rose at once and asked, "Disciple, what are you bringing?"

Bajie said, "Old Sun's grandfather has had me carry him here."

Wukong said, "You idiot full of spoiled grain, what grandfather of mine do I have?"

Bajie said, "Brother, if he is not your grandfather, why should Old Pig have to carry him here? You do not know how much effort it took."

Tripitaka and Sha Wujing opened the door and looked. The emperor's face had not changed at all; he looked almost alive. The elder suddenly filled with sorrow and said, "Your Majesty, you do not know the enemy from another life, and in this life you met him and lost your body in secret, leaving your wife and son behind and causing the civil and military officers to know nothing and understand nothing. Poor your wife and child, still muddled in darkness. Who ever saw them burn incense and offer tea?" And with that he burst into loud sobs and tears fell like rain.

Bajie laughed. "Master, why does his death concern you? He is not your own father or grandfather. Why cry for him?"

Tripitaka said, "Disciple, a monk's foundation is compassion, and skillful means is his gate. Why are you so hard-hearted?"

Bajie said, "I am not hard-hearted. Senior Brother and I have already spoken of it. He says he can bring him back to life. If he could not, I would not have carried him here."

The elder, who was fully softened by the fool's words, said, "Wukong, if you truly have a way to bring this emperor back to life, then it would be as the saying goes: 'To save a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.' That would be even better than our worship of the Buddha at Ling Mountain."

Wukong said, "Master, how can you believe this fool's wild talk? Once a man is dead, after three seven-day cycles, five seven-day cycles, or all seven hundred days are complete and his punishment in the world of the living has been paid, he is reborn. This one has already been dead three years. How could he be saved?"

Tripitaka heard that and said, "Very well."

Bajie, unable to swallow his anger, said, "Master, do not be fooled by him. He has a bit of a headache in the skull. Just keep reciting that spell, and he will have no choice but to return you a live man."

So Tripitaka truly did recite the Tightening Spell, and it squeezed the monkey until his eyes bulged and his head ached.

As for how he is to be healed, that must wait for the next chapter.