Chapter 94: The Four Monks Feast and Make Merry in the Imperial Garden; a Monster Harbors Empty Desire and Joy

Now then: Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing followed the officer who had been sent to summon them and came to the Meridian Gate. There the Yellow Gate official immediately announced them and invited them in. The three of them stood together in a row and did not kneel.

The king asked, "Are these the famous disciples of the holy monk who is to become my prince consort? What are their surnames and given names? From what place do they come? Why did they leave home? And what scriptures do they seek?"

Wukong stepped forward as if he meant to mount the hall, but the guards shouted, "Do not move. If you have anything to say, stand there and report it."

Wukong laughed. "We monks always advance one step when we get a chance."

Bajie and Sha Wujing then also moved forward.

Tripitaka was afraid they might be rude and startle the court, so he stood up and called out, "Disciples, the Majesty asks about your origin. Report it at once."

Wukong saw his master standing off to one side and could not help shouting, "Your Majesty should respect others if he wants respect in return. Since you have invited my master to be your prince consort, how can you leave him standing? In the world, the husband of a woman of rank is called an honored person. How can an honored person have no seat?"

The king was startled and turned pale. He wanted to withdraw from the hall, but he feared losing face. So, swallowing his pride, he ordered a court attendant to bring a brocade stool and invited Tripitaka to sit. Only then did Wukong begin his report:

"Old Sun's native place is the Flower-Fruit Mountain in Aolai Kingdom, in the Eastern Victory Continent. Heaven was my father and earth my mother, and a stone cracked open to give me life. I once bowed before a true adept and learned the Great Way. Then I returned to my immortal homeland and gathered with my kin in a blessed grotto. I went to sea and subdued dragons, climbed mountains and captured beasts, wiped out the register of death, added my name to the celestial roll, and was appointed Great Sage Equal to Heaven. I wandered among jade towers and jeweled halls, delighting in the treasure palace. I met the heavenly immortals, and each day was full of singing and laughter; I dwelt in the sacred realm, and each morning was full of joy. Only because I had thrown the Peach Banquet into confusion and raised a great rebellion in Heaven was I seized and subdued by the Buddha. I was pressed under Five Elements Mountain, where I ate iron pellets when hungry and drank molten bronze when thirsty, and for five hundred years I never tasted tea or rice. By good fortune my master came from the Eastern Land, bowed westward to the Buddha, and was directed by Guanyin to release me from heavenly disaster and great suffering. I abandoned my old name Wukong and am now called the Pilgrim."

The king was thunderstruck by this fame and rank. He hurried down from the dragon couch and came forward to take Tripitaka by the hand. "Prince Consort," he said, "this is truly my heavenly fate. I have met this celestial match and celestial family."

Tripitaka thanked him repeatedly and begged the king to return to his seat. The king then asked, "Which is your second disciple?"

Bajie puckered his mouth and put on a grand air. He said:

"Old Pig was a man in former days, greedy for ease and given to lust. My whole life was muddled and dark, with a disordered nature and a clouded mind. I did not know the height of heaven or the depth of earth, nor could I tell the far sea from the distant mountains. While I was living in leisure, I suddenly met a true man. With half a sentence he tore open the net of karma; with two or three words he split apart the gate of disaster. In that instant I awakened, took a master, and diligently practiced the work of the two eights and the three threes. When my work was complete I soared up and escaped to the heavenly court. By the great mercy of the Jade Emperor I was granted the office of Marshal Tianpeng and was put in charge of the river soldiery, wandering freely in the Han palace. Only because I drank too much at the Peach Banquet and made sport of Chang'e was I stripped of office and banished to the mortal realm. I fell wrongfully into a pig's body, took birth in Fuling Mountain, and committed countless evil acts. Happily I met Guanyin, who pointed out the path of goodness. I took refuge in Buddhism, protected Tripitaka, and now travel straight to the Western Heaven to bow before the wondrous scriptures. My dharma name is Wuneng, and I am called Bajie."

When the king heard that, he trembled and dared not look at him. Yet the fool grew more and more pleased with himself, shaking his head, puckering his mouth, and lifting his ears in a loud laugh. Tripitaka feared he might shock the court, so he snapped, "Bajie, be restrained!"

Only then did Bajie clasp his hands and stand straight, pretending to be decent.

The king then asked, "And your third disciple, why did he enter the Buddhist path?"

Sha Wujing joined his palms and said:

"Old Sha was once an ordinary man who feared the wheel of rebirth and went seeking the Way. I wandered to the ends of the earth, roaming at large to the edge of the seas. I often kept my robes and bowl close at hand, and I refined my mind and spirit while living apart. By sincere devotion I met an immortal companion. I nurtured the child and paired the maiden, completed the work of three thousand, and brought the four forms into harmony. Then I rose beyond the heavenly ranks, bowed before the High Heaven, and was made Curtain-Rolling General, serving by the phoenix carriage and dragon chariot and bearing the title of general. But because I once broke a glass cup at the Peach Banquet, I was cast down to the Flowing-Sand River and remade in ugly shape, where I committed sins and harmed life. Happily the Bodhisattva traveled east and urged me to take refuge, awaiting the Tang monk's arrival to go west and seek the scriptures so that my conduct might be set right. From that moment I cast off my former self and practiced the Great Awakening anew. I take the river as my surname, my dharma name is Wujing, and I am called Sha Wujing."

The king was at once frightened and delighted - delighted that his daughter had matched with a living Buddha, frightened that the three disciples were, after all, demons in disguise. While he was still in this mingling of fear and joy, the chief astrologer came forward and reported, "The wedding date has already been fixed for this year, this month, the twelfth day, a most favorable time in the cycle. All is harmonious and fitting for a marriage."

The king said, "What day is it today?"

The astrologer answered, "Today is the eighth, the day of Wu-Shen. It is the day when monkeys offer fruit, and it is perfect for receiving virtue and welcoming good fortune."

The king was overjoyed and immediately ordered the master of ceremonies to clean the imperial garden, the guest chambers, the towers, and the pavilions. He also invited the prince consort and his three disciples to rest there for the time being, while the wedding banquet and all the matching rites were being prepared. The commands were obeyed, and the court was dismissed.

Now then: Tripitaka and his disciples were led to the Imperial Garden. As evening drew on, a vegetarian meal was set out. Bajie was delighted. "It is about time to eat!"

The attendants brought in basket after basket of vegetarian rice, noodle dishes, and the like. Bajie ate one helping after another until his belly was stretched taut as a drum, and only then did he stop. Soon lamps were lit and bedding was prepared. Each returned to his own sleep.

When the elder saw that no one was near, he turned and scolded Wukong in anger. "You monkey! You are always ruining me. I said only that we should go and exchange the pass, not wander to the colored tower. Why did you drag me there to see it? See what trouble you have made now! What are we to do?"

Wukong smiled and said, "Master, you yourself said that your mother was also matched by an embroidered ball and found an old bond, so the two became husband and wife. There was something of an old-fashioned tenderness in that, and I only led you to see it. I also remembered the old monk's words at Gold-Spread Chan Monastery, so I wanted to test true and false. I had a look at the emperor's face, and it seemed a little dim, but I still could not yet tell what the princess was like."

Tripitaka said, "What use is it to see the princess?"

Wukong said, "My fiery eyes and golden pupils can tell true from false, good from evil, rich from poor, by one glance at the face. I can see whether something is right or crooked and act accordingly."

Sha Wujing and Bajie laughed. "Brother, lately you have learned the art of face-reading as well."

Wukong said, "A face-reader would count me as his grandchild."

Tripitaka snapped, "Enough of this flirting with your tongues. What matters is this: since they insist on marrying me, what am I to do?"

Wukong said, "When the twelfth day comes and the feast is under way, the princess will certainly come out to pay respects to her parents. Then I will stand nearby and watch. If she is truly a woman, then you can be her prince consort and enjoy the wealth and glory of the kingdom."

Tripitaka heard this and became even more angry. "You monkey! You are still trying to harm me. What Brother Wuneng says is more sensible - we have already come nearly all the way, with only a little more than a tenth left to travel, and yet you still jab at me with your hot tongue. Shut your mouth. If you speak rudely again, I will begin the spell and make you suffer for it."

When Wukong heard the threat of the spell, he was so frightened that he knelt before Tripitaka at once and said, "Do not chant it, do not chant it. If the princess is truly a woman, then when the wedding rites begin we will all make a great uproar in the palace and lead you out."

As they talked, the night had already deepened into the watches. Truly:

The palace water clock dripped in silence, while the flower scent hung soft and deep.
Embroidered curtains drooped with bead screens; in the quiet court not a spark of fire was seen.
The swing ropes lay cold, leaving only their empty shadow;
the Qiang flute sound was broken and still in every direction.
Flowers ringed the house, bright in the moon; beyond the open space no tree showed its stars.
The cuckoo had finished crying, and the butterfly dream went on and on.
The Silver River stretched across heaven, and white clouds returned to their old home.
It was just the hour when a wanderer's heart is most desperate, while the wind shook young willows into deeper sorrow.

Bajie said, "Master, it is late. If there is anything to discuss, let us talk again tomorrow. For now, sleep, sleep."

So the four of them indeed rested for the night. At dawn the golden rooster crowed, and the king went up to the hall to hold audience. Truly:

The palace doors opened high in purple vapor; the royal drums and flutes rose to the blue sky.
Clouds drifted and the banners of leopard tails moved; sunlight struck the dragon heads and the jade pendants swayed.
Fragrant mist brightened the green of the palace willows; dew drops lightly moistened the flowers of the garden.
The thousand officials lined up bowing to the king, while the peace of river and sea filled the realm.

After the ministers and military officials had finished their bows, the king issued another command: "Have the Ministry of Rites prepare the wedding feast for the twelfth. For today, arrange the spring wine vessels and invite the prince consort to enjoy the Imperial Garden."

He then ordered the ceremonial office to escort the three worthy relatives back to the exchange hostel to wait a while, while the Ministry of Rites prepared three vegetarian tables to be sent there in attendance.

The Court of Music was also ordered to perform in both places, so that everyone might hear music and enjoy the spring scenery, passing the long daylight away. When Bajie heard this, he answered at once, "Your Majesty, my master and his disciples are never apart from one another for a moment. Since we are to feast in the Imperial Garden today, take us there to amuse ourselves for a day or two, so that Master can properly become your family son-in-law. Otherwise this deal will never go through."

The king saw how ugly he was and how crude his speech sounded. He also saw how he tossed his head, squeezed his neck, puckered his mouth, and flicked his ears in a way that seemed half possessed. Fearing that he might spoil the marriage, he had no choice but to agree. He ordered, "Arrange two tables in the Hall of Eternal Order and the Harmonizing of the Hu and Chinese, and let me sit with the prince consort. Arrange three tables in the Spring-Longing Pavilion, and let the three separate tables be set there, lest the seating of master and disciples cause confusion."

Only then did the fool make a bow upward and say, "Many thanks."

The company withdrew. The king also sent word into the inner palace for the three palace bureaus to prepare the banquet, and the three queens, six courts of concubines, and the princess herself all came to add their adornments and make ready for the matched wedding on the twelfth.

By about the hour of si, the king came in state and invited Tripitaka to the Imperial Garden to look around. It was truly a fine place:

Paths paved with colored stones, balustrades carved with rails.
Along the paths and beside the stones rare flowers grew thick; beyond the carved rails unusual blossoms rose in the enclosures.
Peach boughs dazzled the emeralds of the birds, and young willows flashed with orioles.
As one walked, fragrance filled the sleeves, and every step picked up a clean, fresh scent upon the robe.
There were Phoenix Terrace and Dragon Pool, bamboo pavilions and pine chambers.
On Phoenix Terrace, flute music called the phoenix to come in ritual grace;
between Dragon Pool's waters, fish were raised in hope of becoming dragons.
The bamboo chamber was filled with poems, worked over and over until they were like white snow;
the pine study held collected writings, proofread and polished until they shone like pearls and jade.
Rockery stones stood like clustered fists in green; winding water ran dark and deep.
There was the Peony Pavilion, the Rose Arbor, layered like brocade and spread like felt;
the Jasmine Rail and the Begonia Beds, heaped like rosy clouds and carved like jade.
Peonies gave off a strange fragrance, and mallows shone with rare beauty.
White pears and red apricots contended in bloom, while purple orchids and golden daylilies vied in full splendor.
Lively spring flowers, magnolia buds, and azaleas were all bright and flaming;
smiling flowers, balsam flowers, and jade-pin flowers stood trembly and grand.
Here and there the reds were rich as rouge, and the clusters were wrapped in thick fragrance like embroidery and brocade.
Best of all, the east wind had returned with its warm days, and the whole garden displayed its charm and brilliance.

The king and his company looked on for a long while. Then an officer of the ceremonial office invited Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing into the Spring-Longing Pavilion, while the king took Tripitaka to the Hall of the Harmonized Hua and the Yi to drink and feast. The music and dancing, the strings and flutes, the whole display and arrangement - truly:

Dawn rose from the towering gates, and auspicious mist lay across the phoenix hall and dragon chamber.
Spring color spread softly through the embroidered flowers and grasses; heavenly light cast far across the shining robes.
Songs and pipes wound around like a banquet of immortals; cups were passed on and on with clear jade wine.
The king was pleased, the ministers rejoiced, and all together they made merry,
while the Hall of Harmonized Hua stood to keep the world at peace.

Seeing that the king honored him so highly, Tripitaka had no choice but to join in the festivities, though his joy was all on the outside and his worry remained within. Hanging on the wall of the hall were four golden screens, each painted with a different season and each inscribed with a poem by a Hanlin scholar.

Spring Scene:

One breath of the round heavens turns the great axle;
the broad earth grows bright, and all things are new.
Peach and plum compete in beauty, the blossoms thick and rich;
swallows return to painted beams, where fragrant dust layers deep.

Summer Scene:

The warm breeze brushes softly, and thought lingers still;
palace courtyards glow with pomegranates and sunflowers in the sun.
Jade flute notes startle the dreams of noon;
the fragrance of lotus and water chestnut drifts to the curtains.

Autumn Scene:

By the golden well the plane-tree leaf turns yellow;
bead curtains are not rolled up, for night frost has fallen.
Swallows know the day of the soil sacrifice and leave their nests;
geese break through the reed flowers and fly over to a strange land.

Winter Scene:

Clouds fly with the rain of heaven, and the cold grows dim;
the north wind blows snow, piling it over a thousand hills.
Within the deep palace red braziers give their warmth;
word comes that the plum blossoms have opened, jade bright along the rail.

The king saw Tripitaka looking over the poems with full attention and said, "The prince consort enjoys the flavor of verse. He must surely be skilled at composing. If you do not mind parting with a few gems, would you follow the same rhymes and compose one for each scene?"

Tripitaka was a man who forgot himself whenever he saw a fitting scene. Since the king honored him so highly and asked him to reply in the same rhymes, he unconsciously said, "When the sun grows warm, ice melts, and the whole earth is balanced anew."

The king was delighted and at once called to the guards, "Bring the four treasures of the study. Ask the prince consort to finish his replies and have them copied down, so that I may slowly savor them."

Tripitaka gladly accepted and took up the brush to answer:

To the Spring Scene:

When the sun grows warm, ice melts, and the whole earth is balanced anew;
the flowers and trees in the imperial garden are again made fresh.
With gentle wind and nourishing rain the people share the bounty;
the seas are calm, the rivers clear, and all worldly dust is gone.

To the Summer Scene:

When the Dipper points south, the day lingers long;
locust-clouds and pomegranate fire contend in brilliance.
Orioles and purple swallows cry among the palace willows;
their deft double notes drift into the crimson curtains.

To the Autumn Scene:

Fragrance drifts from green tangerines and golden oranges;
pines and cypresses are still green and rejoice to meet the frost.
Half-open chrysanthemums along the hedge gather in brocaded color;
the music of the pipes and songs carries through the misty river land.

To the Winter Scene:

The propitious snow has just cleared, and the air still feels cold;
wonder peaks and clever stones are piled like jade upon jade.
The brazier burns beast-coal and warms the curds and milk;
hands tucked in sleeves, one sings high while leaning on the green rail.

The king saw the replies and was overjoyed, crying, "A fine line, that one about 'hands tucked in sleeves, one sings high while leaning on the green rail'!"

He then ordered the Court of Music to set the new poems to melody, and the whole day ended in revelry.

Wukong and the others in the Spring-Longing Pavilion were also fully entertained. Each drank a few cups and grew somewhat tipsy. Just as they were thinking of going to look for Tripitaka, they saw that he was already in a hall with the king. Bajie fell into one of his foolish spells and called out at once, "How pleasant, how free! We have had a good taste of comfort today.

We ought to go to sleep after a full belly."

Sha Wujing laughed. "Second Brother, you have no sense of decorum. How can a person sleep on a belly full of wine and food?"

Bajie said, "You do not understand. There is an old saying: 'If you do not lie down after eating, the fat will not stay in your belly.'"

Tripitaka came from the king and entered the pavilion, where he angrily blamed Bajie. "You clumsy fool, you are becoming more and more rustic. What kind of place is this, and yet you shout and cry so loudly? If you offend the king, he might well take your life."

Bajie said, "It is nothing, nothing. We are kin to him now, related by marriage. He would not dare blame us too harshly. As the saying goes, 'Kinship cannot be broken by blows, nor neighbors by scolding.' We are only playing. Why fear him?"

Tripitaka scolded him and ordered him to be seized and given twenty blows with a meditation staff. Wukong indeed twisted him down with one hand, and the elder raised the staff and struck.

The fool cried out, "Prince Consort, spare me, spare me!"

The officers at the feast intervened and stopped the punishment. Bajie scrambled up and muttered, "What a noble person, what a prince consort. The marriage isn't even complete, and already he is laying down the law."

Wukong covered his mouth and said, "Stop your wild speech, stop it. Go to sleep quickly."

They stayed one more night in the Spring-Longing Pavilion. The next morning the feasting and delight resumed as before.

In four or five days, the twelfth day arrived. The officers of the Ministry of Rites came to report, "We have, since the eighth day, completed the prince consort's residence. We are only waiting for the trousseau and furnishings to be installed. The wedding banquet is also prepared - more than five hundred tables in all, with meat and vegetarian dishes together."

The king was overjoyed and wanted to invite the prince consort to the feast. Just then a palace officer came to the front and reported, "Your Majesty, the queen wishes to see you."

The king withdrew into the inner palace. There he saw the three queens and six court ladies, leading the princess, all talking and laughing in the Hall of Bright Yang. It was all flowers and brocade, an array of luxury and beauty fit for heaven's moon palace itself, no less than a fairy jade hall. There were four new verses to prove the joy of this happy marriage.

Joy Verse:

Joy, joy, joy - the heart is glad indeed.
The marriage bond is tied, and love is fair.
Courtly makeup is finely arranged; how could Chang'e match it?
Dragon pins and phoenix pins flash with golden thread.
Cherry lips, white teeth, and a rose-red face;
graceful and light, like a flower among embroidered ranks.

Meeting Verse:

Meeting, meeting, meeting - alluring and charming beyond compare.
She outshines Mao Qiang and even shames the girls of Chu.
A kingdom could be overturned by her beauty, as if she were flower and jade itself.
Her adornment is even brighter now, her pins and rings more dazzling.
Her heart is like orchid and hyacinth, pure and high;
her powdered face and icy skin shine with noble radiance.

Lovely Verse:

Lovely, lovely, lovely - a jade maiden, a fairy child.
So deeply lovable, and truly worthy of praise.
Her fragrance is rich with perfume and rouge together;
far away is the blessed land of Tiantai, how can it equal the king's house?
Her laughter and speech are full of charming grace, while songs and pipes wind all around.
A thousand kinds of beauty pile upon the embroidered steps; how could the world compare to her?

Marriage Verse:

Marriage, marriage, marriage - the scent of orchid and musk fills the air.
A company of fair immortals, a gathering of lovely faces.
The palace ladies have changed into bright colors; the princess has new adornment.
Blue-black hair is piled high like an owl's knot; rainbow robes press down on phoenix skirts.
A chorus of immortal music rings clear and bright; two rows of red and purple glitter.
Once a flying phoenix bond was made, and today, happily, a fine marriage is met.

Now then: the king arrived, and the palace ladies led the princess, together with the embroidered girls and court maids, out to greet him. The king, smiling broadly, entered the Hall of Bright Yang and sat down. After the queens and attendants had paid their respects, he said, "My wise daughter, on the eighth day you raised the colored tower and threw the ball, and by good fortune you met a holy monk. I think your heart's wish is now fulfilled.

The officers of the several bureaus have also carried out my will, and everything is now ready. Today is the proper time. You should go early to the wedding banquet and not miss the hour."

The princess stepped forward, bowed fully to the ground, and reported, "Father king, I beg you to forgive your daughter for ten thousand sins. I have one matter to present. During these past days I have heard the palace officers say that the Tang holy monk has three disciples, and they are very ugly indeed. Your daughter dares not see them, for if I do, I fear I would be terribly frightened. I beg Your Majesty to send them out of the city, so that my weak body will not be alarmed or harmed, and the matter will not turn into a disaster."

The king said, "Child, if you had not spoken, I would almost have forgotten them. They are indeed rather ugly, and for several days I have kept them in the Imperial Garden's Spring-Longing Pavilion and treated them well. Today I will send them up to court, hand back their pass, and let them go out of the city. Then we can proceed with the banquet."

The princess kowtowed and gave thanks. The king then left in state for the hall and sent word to invite the prince consort and the three disciples.

Meanwhile Tripitaka had been counting on his fingers to measure the days and had endured until the twelfth. Before dawn he discussed matters with the others. "Today is the twelfth. How shall we handle this affair?"

Wukong said, "I have already seen that the king has some unlucky air about him, but it has not yet touched his body, so it is not a great harm. What matters is that we must not let the princess meet us. If she comes out, then with one look I shall know whether she is true or false, and only then will I act. Keep your heart at ease. They are certain to invite us and send us out of the city. You just receive the order and fear nothing. I will slip close at once and keep tight watch over you."

As they were speaking, the officer in attendance and the ceremonial officer really did arrive to invite them.

Wukong laughed. "Come, come. They are surely sending us off and only keeping Master behind for the wedding feast."

Bajie said, "If they are seeing us off, there ought to be a thousand or ten thousand taels of gold and silver as parting gifts. We could also buy a few presents and go back to visit my father-in-law's house and enjoy ourselves again."

Sha Wujing said, "Second Brother, hold your tongue. Do not speak out of turn. Let Senior Brother decide."

They loaded the luggage and led the horse, and the officials escorted them all to the vermilion steps. When the king saw them, he had them come close and said, "Bring me your pass. I shall stamp and seal it and hand it back to you, and I will also prepare extra traveling money so that the three of you may go quickly to Lingshan and see the Buddha. When you return with the scriptures, I will reward you richly. As for the prince consort, he shall remain here, so you need not worry."

Wukong thanked him. Sha Wujing took out the pass and handed it over. The king examined it, stamped it, placed his seal and signature on it, and then took out ten ingots of gold and twenty ingots of silver as a token of kinship. Bajie was greedy by nature and loved wealth, so he stepped forward and accepted them.

Wukong made a bow to the hall and said, "Apologies for the disturbance, apologies for the disturbance."

Then he turned to leave. Tripitaka was so frightened that he scrambled up in one roll and seized Wukong by the sleeve, grinding his teeth as he said, "Are you all going to leave me here and go away?"

Wukong gripped Tripitaka's palm and gave him a look, saying, "Stay here and enjoy yourself in comfort. We will go seek the scriptures and come back to see you."

The elder half believed him and half did not, and would not let go. All the officials could see it, and they thought it was truly only a farewell. Soon the king again invited the prince consort onto the hall and ordered the officials to escort the three out of the city. Only then did the elder let go and go up onto the hall.

The three disciples went out of the court gate with the crowd and then took leave of one another. Bajie said, "Are we really going now?"

Wukong did not answer, only kept walking until they reached the station, where the station master welcomed them in, served tea, and set out food.

Wukong said to Bajie and Sha Wujing, "You two stay right here and do not show your faces. If the station master asks anything at all, answer vaguely and do not speak to me. I am going to protect Master."

The great sage plucked out one hair, blew upon it with immortal breath, and cried, "Change!" At once it became his own body, so that it remained in the station with Bajie and Sha Wujing. His true body flickered upward into the air and changed into a honeybee. Truly:

Yellow wings, a sweet mouth, and a sharp tail,
drifting wildly with the wind.
Best at gathering pollen and stealing fragrance,
he flits through willows and among flowers.
He has labored through many a wash of wind and rain,
flying to and fro in empty haste.
Who would know from where the sweet thick honey is made?
Only its name can be preserved.

You could see him fly lightly into the palace. From afar he saw Tripitaka sitting on a brocade stool at the king's left hand, his brows furrowed and his heart restless. The bee flew straight to the Pilu cap and quietly crawled to his ear, where he whispered, "Master, I have come. Do not worry."

Only Tripitaka heard those words. The mortals there could not possibly know of it.

Tripitaka heard and felt his heart grow easier. Before long the palace officer came to invite them, saying, "Your Majesty, the wedding feast has been laid out in the Bijique Palace. The queen and the princess are already waiting there. We specially invite Your Majesty and the honored guest to meet the in-laws."

The king was overjoyed and at once went with the prince consort into the palace. Truly:

The evil ruler loves flowers, and flowers bring him calamity;
when the Chan heart stirs, every thought breeds sorrow.

As for how Tripitaka escaped from the inner palace, that must wait for the next chapter to tell.