Chapter 37: Ghost King Visits Tang Sanzang at Night Wukong Transforms to Help the Infant

Sanzang was sitting in the meditation hall of Baolin Temple. By lamplight, he recited the "Lianghuang Water Repentance Sutra" for a while and then read the "Peacock True Sutra." He sat until the third watch, then wrapped his scriptures in a bag, intending to get up and sleep. Just then, he heard a loud rustling sound outside the door, followed by a gust of fierce wind. Fearing the lamp would be extinguished, the venerable monk hastily shielded it with the sleeve of his cassock. Seeing the lamp flickering between bright and dim, he felt a sudden tremor of fear. Overcome by weariness, he dozed off, resting his head on the scripture table. Although his eyes were closed in slumber, his mind remained somewhat clear, and he vaguely heard the mournful wind whistling outside the window. What a wind it was—

Whistling and soughing, swaying and swirling.Whistling and soughing, fallen leaves flew; swaying and swirling, floating clouds rolled.Stars throughout the sky dimmed; dust and sand scattered everywhere.At times fierce, at times pure.When pure, pines and bamboo tapped out clear melodies; when fierce, rivers and lakes churned with muddy waves.It blew so hard that mountain birds struggled to perch, their cries choked; sea fish restlessly leaped and splashed.Doors and windows of eastern and western pavilions were ripped off; front and back corridors became chaotic, as if haunted by spirits.Vases in the Buddha hall were blown to the ground; glazed tiles fell, and the wisdom lamp flickered dimly.Incense burners were overturned, scattering ashes; candle holders leaned askew, their flames swayed horizontally.Banners, streamers, and ornate canopies were torn apart; bell and drum towers shook to their foundations.

In his drowsy state, the venerable monk heard the wind subside, and then from outside the meditation hall, a faint voice called out, "Master!" He suddenly lifted his head in his dream and saw a man standing outside the door, drenched from head to toe, tears streaming from his eyes, continuously calling, "Master, Master!"

Sanzang leaned forward and said, "Are you a goblin, demon, or evil spirit, coming to play tricks on me in the dead of night? I am not one to be swayed by greed or anger. I am an upright and virtuous monk, commanded by the Great Tang of the Eastern Land to go to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. I have three disciples under me, all heroes who subdue dragons and tigers, mighty warriors who vanquish monsters and eliminate demons. If they see you, they will pulverize your body into dust. This is my great compassion and convenience. You should quickly hide yourself and flee far away; do not come to my meditation hall."

The man leaned against the meditation hall and said, "Master, I am not a demon or ghost, nor an evil spirit."

Sanzang asked, "If you are not one of those, why do you come here in the middle of the night?"

The man said, "Master, please deign to look at me."

The venerable monk indeed fixed his gaze and looked carefully. Oh! He saw that the man—

Wore a sky-piercing crown on his head,A jade belt around his waist,An ochre-yellow robe embroidered with flying dragons and dancing phoenixes,Cloud-embroidered, worry-free shoes on his feet,And held a white jade gui scepter adorned with constellation patterns.His face resembled the Eastern Peak Emperor of Longevity,And his form was like that of the Lord of Wenchang, the deity of culture and civilization.

Seeing this, Sanzang was greatly startled. He quickly bowed and cried out loudly, "Which dynasty's emperor is this? Please be seated." He hastily extended a hand to help, but grasped only empty air. Turning, he sat back down. When he looked again, it was still the same person.

The venerable monk then asked, "Your Majesty, what kingdom are you from? What nation's emperor are you? You must have fled here in the middle of the night because your country is troubled or you were oppressed by treacherous ministers. What do you have to say? Tell me."

The man then let tears stream down his cheeks as he spoke of past events, his brows furrowed with sorrow as he recounted the cause. He said, "Master, my home is to the west, only about forty li from here. Over there is a city, which is where my kingdom was founded."

Sanzang asked, "What is the name of that place?"

The man said, "To tell you the truth, Master, it is the Uji Kingdom, which I founded and named myself."

Sanzang asked, "Your Majesty, why are you so distressed and here at this hour?"

The man said, "Master, five years ago, our land suffered a severe drought. Not a single blade of grass grew, and my people starved to death. It was truly heartbreaking."

Hearing this, Sanzang nodded and sighed, "Your Majesty, the ancients said, 'When the country is just, Heaven's will is favorable.' Perhaps you did not show compassion to your people. Since you suffered from famine, why did you flee the city? You should open your granaries and provide relief to the common people; repent your past wrongdoings, promote good deeds now, and pardon those who were wrongly accused. Then, naturally, Heaven's will would align, and there would be timely rain and favorable winds."

The man said, "Our national granaries were empty, and all money and grain were exhausted. Both civil and military officials had their salaries suspended, and I, the king, had no meat in my diet. Emulating King Yu's efforts in flood control, I shared the hardships with my people, bathed, fasted, and burned incense day and night in prayer. For three years, this continued, but only resulted in dried rivers and parched wells. Just as we were in dire straits, a Quanzhen Daoist suddenly arrived from Mount Zhongnan. He could summon wind and rain, and turn stone into gold. He first met my civil and military officials, and then met me. I immediately invited him to ascend the altar and pray. It indeed worked. As soon as the command tablet sounded, heavy rain poured down instantly. I, the king, had only hoped for three feet of rain, which would have been enough, but he said a long drought required more moisture, so he brought two more inches. Seeing his righteousness, I bowed to him eight times and called him my brother."

Sanzang said, "This is indeed a great blessing for Your Majesty."

The man asked, "Where does the joy come from?"

Sanzang said, "Since that Quanzhen Daoist possesses such abilities, if you want rain, instruct him to make it rain; if you want gold, instruct him to turn stone into gold. What else could be lacking that would make you leave your palace and come here?"

The man said, "I shared bed and board with him for only two years. Then came spring, with red apricots and delicate peaches blooming and budding. Every family's men and women, and every prince, went out to enjoy the spring scenery. At that time, civil and military officials returned to their offices, and concubines retired to their quarters. I walked slowly hand-in-hand with the Quanzhen Daoist into the imperial garden. We suddenly arrived at the octagonal glazed well. He threw something into it, and ten thousand rays of golden light shone from the well. He tricked me into looking at some treasure by the well. Suddenly, he became malicious and pushed me into the well with a splash. He then covered the well mouth with a stone slab, piled earth on top, and transplanted a banana tree there. Alas, I have been dead for three years, a wronged ghost who perished in a well!"

When Tang Monk heard he was a ghost, he was so frightened that his limbs went weak and his hair stood on end. Despite his fear, he had no choice but to ask, "Your Majesty, what you say makes no sense at all. If you have been dead for three years, why did your many civil and military officials, and the empresses of your three palaces, not seek you out during their thrice-daily audiences in the palace?"

The man said, "Master, speaking of his abilities, they are indeed rare in this world! After he harmed me, he transformed himself into my likeness right there in the garden, without any difference. He has now usurped my throne and secretly seized my country. He has brought both my civil and military officials, four hundred court officials, the empresses of the three palaces, and the concubines of the six compounds, all under his sway."

Sanzang said, "Your Majesty, you are too weak."

The man asked, "How am I weak?"

Sanzang said, "Your Majesty, that monster does possess some magical powers, transforming into your likeness and usurping your kingdom. Your civil and military officials cannot recognize him, nor can your empresses. Only you know clearly how you died. Why didn't you report your grievances to King Yama in the underworld and appeal your case?"

The man said, "His magical powers are vast, and he is very familiar with the officials. The City God often drinks with him, the Dragon Kings of the seas are all his relatives, the Eastern Peak Emperor is his good friend, and the Ten Yama Kings are his sworn brothers. Because of this, I have no way to make a complaint."

Sanzang asked, "Your Majesty, since you have no means to accuse him in the underworld, why have you come to the mortal realm to seek me?"

The man said, "Master, how dare this wronged soul of mine come to your door? Before your temple gate are the Dharma Protectors, the Six Ding and Six Jia divine generals, the Five Directional Revealers, the Four Duty Deities, and the eighteen Guardian Monks, all closely guarding your retinue. Just now, the Night Roaming Deity sent a divine wind that carried me in. He said my three years of water misfortune were complete and instructed me to pay my respects to you, Master. He said you have a great disciple, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who is extremely capable of slaying monsters and subduing demons. I have come now with utmost sincerity to beg you, to please come to my country, capture the demon, and distinguish between right and wrong. I will then repay your kindness, Master, even if it means transforming into a blade of grass or a ring in a bird's beak to do so!"

Sanzang asked, "Your Majesty, have you come to ask my disciple to get rid of that demon for you?"

The man said, "Precisely, precisely!"

Sanzang said, "My disciple is not good at other things, but when it comes to subduing demons and catching monsters, it suits him perfectly. However, Your Majesty, even if I send him to capture the monster, I fear it will be difficult to justify."

The man asked, "How would it be difficult?"

Sanzang said, "Since that monster possesses vast magical powers and has transformed to look exactly like you, all the civil and military officials in the court are speaking and acting obediently, and all the empresses and concubines of the three palaces are in agreement and affectionate. Even if my disciple has the means, he certainly would not dare to lightly start a conflict. If he were caught by the many officials, they would accuse us of deceiving the nation and destroying the state, charge us with treason, and trap us in the city. Wouldn't that be like trying to draw a tiger and ending up with a duck?"

The man said, "There is still someone in my court."

Sanzang said, "That's good, that's good! Perhaps it's a prince or a royal retainer who was dispatched to guard some distant territory?"

The man said, "No. In my own palace, I have a crown prince, my very own heir."

Sanzang asked, "Has that crown prince perhaps been banished by the demon?"

The man said, "No, he is merely in the Golden Imperial Hall and the Five Phoenix Tower, either discussing books with scholars or ascending to his position alongside the Quanzhen Daoist. For three years now, the crown prince has been forbidden from entering the imperial palace and cannot meet with the empress."

Sanzang asked, "Why is that?"

The man said, "This is a trick devised by the demon, fearing that if the mother and son met, they might casually discuss things and the truth would leak out. Therefore, they are not allowed to meet, so that the demon can remain in power permanently."

Sanzang said, "Your misfortune, it seems, is heaven-sent, and quite similar to my own. At that time, my father was killed by river bandits, and my mother was violated by them. Three months later, she gave birth to me. I escaped with my life in the water, and fortunately, my benevolent master at Jinshan Temple rescued and raised me to adulthood. I remember having no parents in my youth, and now this prince has lost both. I am filled with shame and dismay!" He then asked, "Even if you have a crown prince in the court, how can I meet him?"

The man asked, "Why wouldn't you be able to meet him?"

Sanzang said, "He is restrained by the demon, unable to even see his own birth mother. How can I, a monk, hope to see him?"

The man said, "He will come out of the court tomorrow morning."

Sanzang asked, "What will he come out for?"

The man said, "Tomorrow morning, he will lead three thousand men with hawks and hounds out of the city to hunt. Master, you will certainly be able to meet him. When you meet him, if you are willing to tell him my words, he will believe you."

Sanzang said, "He is but a mortal with ordinary eyes, deceived by the demon in the palace. Every day he calls that demon 'father.' How can he possibly believe my words?"

The man said, "Since you fear he won't believe, I will leave a token with you."

Sanzang asked, "What object is it?"

The man placed the gold-inlaid white jade gui scepter he was holding down and said, "This object can serve as a token."

Sanzang asked, "What about this object?"

The man said, "Ever since the Quanzhen Daoist transformed into my likeness, he has failed to transform this precious object. When he entered the palace, he claimed that the rain-summoning Quanzhen Daoist had absconded with this scepter. For three years since, this object has been missing. If my crown prince sees it, he will be reminded of me and will surely avenge this wrong."

Sanzang said, "Very well, I will keep it and have my disciple handle your matter. Where will you wait?"

The man said, "I dare not wait. As I leave, I will beg the Night Roaming Deity to send another divine wind to carry me into the imperial inner palace, where I will appear in a dream to my empress, so that mother and son may be of one mind, and you and your disciples may be united in purpose."

Sanzang nodded and agreed, "You may go."

The wronged spirit bowed in farewell. Sanzang, taking a step to see him off, somehow stumbled and fell, which woke him with a start. It turned out to be just a dream, a Nanke dream. Panicked, he quickly called out, facing the dim lamp, "Disciple! Disciple!"

Bajie woke up and said, "What 'Tu Di, Tu Di' (Earth God)? When I was a strongman, I used to eat people to live, enjoying bloody raw meat, which was truly joyous. But then you became a monk and made us protect you on your journey! You originally said we'd only be monks, but now we're treated like servants! Carrying luggage and leading the horse by day, holding a urinal and washing your feet by night! It's so late, why are you calling your disciple again instead of sleeping?"

Sanzang said, "Disciple, I just dozed off on the table and had a strange dream."

Pilgrim leaped up and said, "Master, dreams come from thoughts. Before you even set out, you feared demons; you worried the path to Leiyin was too far to reach; you longed for Chang'an, uncertain when you would return. Therefore, much on your mind leads to many dreams. Unlike me, Old Monkey has a single, true desire: to see the Buddha in the West. Not a single dream ever comes to me."

Sanzang said, "Disciple, this dream of mine was not a dream of homesickness. Just as I closed my eyes, a fierce wind passed, and outside the meditation hall door stood an emperor, who claimed to be the King of Uji, drenched and with tears streaming from his eyes." Thus and so, he recounted every detail of the dream to Pilgrim.

Pilgrim chuckled, "No need to say more. His appearance in your dream is clearly a business opportunity for Old Monkey. It must be a demon usurping the throne there. I'll go and distinguish between true and false. That demon, wherever my staff strikes, will surely be vanquished instantly."

Sanzang said, "Disciple, he said that monster's magical powers are vast."

Pilgrim said, "What do I care about his vast powers! If he knew Old Monkey was coming, he'd find no escape!"

Sanzang said, "I also remember that he left behind a precious object as a token."

Bajie replied, "Master, don't babble nonsense. It was just a dream, so why are you taking it so seriously?"

Sandy said, "If one doesn't believe in the straightforward, one must guard against the unkind. Let's light a lamp, open the door, and see what happens."

Pilgrim indeed opened the door. When they all looked, they saw, under the starlight and moonlight, a gold-inlaid white jade gui scepter truly placed on the steps. Bajie stepped forward, picked it up, and said, "Brother, what is this thing?"

Pilgrim said, "This is the precious object the king held, called a jade gui. Master, since this object is here, I suppose this matter is true. Tomorrow, capturing the demon will all depend on Old Monkey, but you will suffer three misfortunes."

Bajie laughed, "Even one misfortune is difficult, how can you bear three?"

Tang Monk was a clever venerable monk, so he asked, "Disciple, how do you explain these three things?"

Pilgrim said, "No need to explain; let me first give you two items."

The Great Sage, pulling out a hair, blew on it with immortal breath, and cried, "Change!" It transformed into a red, gold-lacquered box. He placed the white jade gui inside and said, "Master, hold this object in your hands. At dawn, put on your brocade cassock and sit in the main hall to recite scriptures. I will go and scout out his city. If it is truly a demon, I will slay him and establish a meritorious deed here. If it is not, then let's avoid causing trouble."

Sanzang said, "Exactly, exactly!"

Pilgrim said, "If the crown prince doesn't come out of the city, then so be it. But if he truly comes out as in the dream, I will certainly lead him to see you."

Sanzang asked, "How should I receive and respond to him when he sees me?"

Pilgrim said, "When he arrives, I will first inform you. Pull open the lid of that box a little, and I will transform into a two-inch-long little monk and crawl inside the box. You can then hold me, along with the box, in your hands. When the crown prince enters the temple, he will surely worship Buddha. Let him bow however he wishes, but simply ignore him. When he sees you do not move, he will surely order you to be seized. Let him seize you; let him beat you, let him bind you, let him even kill you."

Sanzang exclaimed, "Oh! His military orders are mighty; if he truly kills me, what then?"

Pilgrim said, "No problem, I'm here. If it comes to a critical point, I will naturally protect you. If he asks, you say you are an imperial envoy from the Eastern Land going to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha, seek scriptures, and present treasures. If he asks what treasures you have, then describe your brocade cassock to him, saying, 'This is a treasure of the third rank; there are also first and second rank treasures that are even better.' Wherever he asks, just say that inside this box there is a treasure that knows everything, five hundred years into the past, five hundred years into the future, and five hundred years in the present—a total of fifteen hundred years of past and future events—it knows them all. Then, release Old Monkey. I will then recount the dream to the crown prince. If he believes, he will go and seize the demon. Firstly, it will avenge his father; secondly, we will establish our reputation. If he doesn't believe, then show him the white jade gui. I just fear he's too young and won't recognize it."

Sanzang was overjoyed to hear this and said, "Disciple, this plan is brilliant! But speaking of these treasures, one is called the Brocade Bat Cassock, one is called the White Jade Gui. What is the name of the treasure you transformed?"

Pilgrim said, "Let's just call it the 'Imperial Establisher'."

Sanzang remembered his words. The master and disciples barely slept that night. They longed for dawn, wishing they could nod and summon the Fuso sun, or blow a breath to scatter the stars across the sky.

Not long after, the east began to lighten. Pilgrim again instructed Bajie and Sandy, telling them, "Do not disturb the monks or wander around recklessly. After I succeed, we will proceed together." Having bid farewell to Tang Monk, he whistled, then somersaulted into the air. Opening his fiery eyes, he looked westward and indeed saw a city. How do you think he saw it so quickly? It was said earlier that the city was only forty li from the temple, so he could see it from high up. Pilgrim approached for a closer look and also saw a thick, ominous fog and sorrowful clouds, with demonic winds and resentful energies swirling everywhere. Pilgrim sighed in the air:

If a true king ascended the throne,There would be auspicious light and five-colored clouds.But because a demon usurped the dragon throne,Thick black mists locked the golden gates.

As Pilgrim was sighing, he suddenly heard a loud cannon blast. Then, as the east gate opened, a troop of men and horses emerged. They were truly a hunting army, and their power was indeed formidable. One could see—

At dawn, they emerged from the Forbidden City's east gate,Encircling the shallow grass.Colorful banners unfurled, reflecting the sun;White horses galloped against the wind.Alligator-skin drums boomed; javelins charged in pairs.Soldiers with falcons were fierce; generals leading hounds were brave.Cannons continuously shook the sky; bird-lime poles glowed red in the sun.Every man held a crossbow, every man carried an ornate bow.Nets were spread below the hillsides, ropes laid across small paths.With a startling thunderclap, a thousand riders surrounded fierce beasts.Cunning rabbits could not save themselves; clever deer's wit was exhausted.Foxes met their destined end; elks would surely perish.Mountain pheasants could not fly away; wild fowl could not escape harm.They intended to choose the hunting grounds to capture fierce beasts,Destroy the forests, and shoot flying insects.

Those people came out of the city and spread across the eastern suburbs. Not long after, about twenty li towards higher fields, they saw within the central army camp a small general, wearing a helmet, clad in armor adorned with fruit-belly patterns and eighteen folds, holding a gleaming green sword, mounted on a yellow-piebald horse, with a fully drawn bow at his waist. He was truly—

Faintly, the semblance of a monarch;Proudly, the bearing of an emperor.His demeanor was not that of a minor figure;His actions revealed a true dragon.

Pilgrim secretly rejoiced in the air, "No need to say more, that must be the emperor's crown prince. Let me play a trick on him." The Great Sage pressed down his cloud, descended among the troops, and appeared before the crown prince's horse. He transformed himself into a white rabbit, scampering wildly right in front of the prince's horse. The crown prince saw it, his heart filled with joy. He picked up an arrow, drew his bow to its full extent, and shot the rabbit squarely. It turned out the Great Sage deliberately let him hit it. But with quick eyes and hands, he caught the arrow's tip, letting the fletching flutter forward, then sped away. Seeing the arrow strike the jade rabbit, the crown prince spurred his horse, vying to be first as he chased after it alone. Unbeknownst to him, if his horse galloped fast, Pilgrim moved like the wind; if his horse moved slowly, Pilgrim walked slowly, always just a short distance ahead. Watching him step by step, Pilgrim lured the crown prince to the foot of Baolin Temple's mountain gate. Pilgrim then revealed his true form; the rabbit was gone, only an arrow stuck in the threshold. He darted inside, saw Tang Monk, and said, "Master, he's here, he's here!" Then, with another transformation, he became a two-inch-long little monk and squeezed into the red box.

Now, the crown prince chased up to the temple gate, but the white rabbit was gone. He only saw a feathered arrow stuck in the threshold. The crown prince was greatly astonished and exclaimed, "Strange, strange! My arrow clearly hit the jade rabbit, but why is the jade rabbit gone, and only the arrow here! I suppose it has been here for so long that it has become a spirit!" He pulled out the arrow and looked up. On the mountain gate were five large characters that read: "Imperial Baolin Temple." The crown prince said, "I know this place. Years ago, I remember my father the King dispatched officials from the Golden Imperial Hall to bring gold and silk to these monks to repair their Buddha halls and statues. I didn't expect to come here today. It is precisely like passing a Daoist temple and encountering a monk to talk with, gaining half a day of leisure in this fleeting life. I might as well go in and look around."

The crown prince dismounted, just about to enter, when he saw the escorting generals and the three thousand men catch up, surging and crowding, all entering through the mountain gate. The monks of the temple, startled, all came to kowtow and welcome them, leading them into the center of the main hall to worship the Buddha statues. Just as he raised his eyes to observe and wished to stroll through the corridors to enjoy the scenery, he suddenly saw a monk sitting right in the center. The crown prince was furious and said, "This monk is disrespectful! Half my royal retinue has entered the mountain today. Although there was no imperial decree to announce our arrival, it would not have been proper to receive us from afar, but now that the army is at your gate, you should at least stand up. How can you remain seated and unmoving?" He ordered, "Seize him!" As soon as he uttered "seize," the captains on both sides simultaneously moved, grabbing Tang Monk down and hastily preparing ropes to bind him.

Pilgrim, inside the box, silently recited a spell, commanding, "All you Dharma Protectors, Six Ding and Six Jia divine generals! I am now devising a plan to subdue a demon, but this crown prince, lacking discernment, is about to bind my master with ropes. You must immediately protect him! If he is truly bound, you will all be held accountable!" The Great Sage gave his secret command, and none dared disobey. They firmly protected Sanzang. Some people couldn't even touch his bald head; it was as if a wall blocked them, making it impossible to reach him.

The crown prince said, "Where are you from, using such an invisibility spell to deceive me!"

Sanzang stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This humble monk has no invisibility spell. I am Tang Monk from the Eastern Land, a monk on my way to Leiyin Temple to worship Buddha, seek scriptures, and present treasures."

The crown prince said, "Although your Eastern Land is the Central Plains, it is incomparably poor. What treasures could you possibly have? Tell me, and I will listen."

Sanzang said, "This cassock I am wearing is the third kind of treasure. There are also first-class and second-class items that are even better!"

The crown prince said, "That garment of yours, half covering your body and half exposing your arm, how much can it be worth to dare call it a treasure!"

Sanzang said, "Although this cassock does not fully cover, it has a few lines of poetry. The poem says:

The Buddha robe, partially exposed, needs no explanation;It conceals true reality, free from worldly dust.Ten thousand threads and a thousand needles achieve righteous fruition;Nine pearls and eight treasures merge with the primal spirit.Immortal maidens and saintly women reverently crafted it,Then bestowed it upon a meditation monk to cleanse his body.Not greeting Your Majesty upon seeing him is excusable,But your father's wrong unavenged makes you a human in vain!

Hearing this, the crown prince was enraged and said, "This impudent monk talks nonsense! That half-robe of yours, you boast and brag about it with your eloquent tongue. From where does this unavenged wrong against my father come? Tell me, and I will listen."

Sanzang took a step forward, clasped his hands, and asked, "Your Highness, living between heaven and earth, how many kinds of gratitude does a person have?"

The crown prince said, "There are four kinds of gratitude."

Sanzang asked, "Which four kinds?"

The crown prince said, "Gratitude for Heaven and Earth's covering and bearing, gratitude for the sun and moon's shining, gratitude for the king's land and water, and gratitude for parents' upbringing."

Sanzang smiled and said, "Your Highness's words are mistaken. A person only has the covering and bearing of Heaven and Earth, the shining of the sun and moon, and the king's land and water. How can there be parents' upbringing?"

The crown prince angrily said, "You monk are an idle wanderer, a shaven-headed rebel against the king! If a person does not receive upbringing from parents, where do they come from?"

Sanzang said, "Your Highness, this humble monk does not know. But inside this red box, there is a treasure called the 'Imperial Establisher.' It knows everything, five hundred years into the past, five hundred years in the present, and five hundred years into the future—a total of fifteen hundred years of past and future events. It will know about this lack of parents' upbringing. It has caused this humble monk to wait here for a long time."

Hearing this, the crown prince ordered, "Bring it here for me to see!" Sanzang pulled open the box lid, and Pilgrim leaped out, darting back and forth on both sides. The crown prince said, "This tiny little person, what can he possibly know?" Hearing himself called small, Pilgrim immediately used his magic. He stretched his waist and grew to be three or four feet tall. The soldiers were astonished and said, "If he grows this fast, in just a few days he'll burst through the sky!" Pilgrim grew to his original height and then stopped growing.

The crown prince then asked, "'Imperial Establisher,' this old monk says you can know the fortunes of the past and future. Do you use a tortoise shell for divination? Or yarrow stalks for hexagrams? Do you rely on written words to determine people's good and bad fortune?"

Pilgrim said, "I use none of those. I rely entirely on my three-inch tongue; I know everything."

The crown prince said, "This fellow is talking nonsense again! Since ancient times, the Book of Changes (I Ching) has been extremely profound, determining all fortunes and misfortunes under heaven, allowing people to know what to seek and what to avoid. That is why tortoises are used for divination and yarrow stalks for hexagrams. Listening to your words, on what principle do you base your wild claims of fortune and misfortune, swaying people's minds!"

Pilgrim said, "Your Highness, don't be hasty. Let me tell you. You are the crown prince of the Uji Kingdom. Five years ago, your land suffered a severe drought. The people endured great hardship, and your emperor and his ministers sincerely prayed. Just when there was no rain, a Daoist arrived from Mount Zhongnan. He was skilled at summoning wind and rain and turning stone into gold. Your king was too fond of him and swore brotherhood with him. Did this happen?"

The crown prince said, "Yes, yes, yes! Tell me more."

Pilgrim said, "Three years later, you did not see the Quanzhen Daoist. Who then claimed the throne?"

The crown prince said, "There was indeed a Quanzhen Daoist. My father and he swore brotherhood, eating together and sleeping in the same quarters. Three years ago, while enjoying the scenery in the imperial garden, he used a divine wind to snatch the gold-inlaid white jade gui from my father's hand and whisk it back to Mount Zhongnan. My father still misses him to this day. Because he was no longer seen, my father had no heart for enjoyment, and the garden was tightly shut. This has been for three years now. Who else could be emperor if not my father?"

Pilgrim heard this and chuckled incessantly. The crown prince questioned him again, but he did not answer, only chuckled. The crown prince angrily said, "This fellow doesn't speak when he should, why does he keep chuckling like this?"

Pilgrim said, "There's still a lot to say! But alas, with so many people around, this is not the place to speak." The crown prince saw that his words had a reason. He flicked his sleeve and ordered the soldiers to withdraw. The accompanying generals immediately relayed the order, and all three thousand men stationed themselves outside the gate. At this time, there was no one else in the hall. The crown prince sat above, the venerable monk stood in front, and Pilgrim stood to his left. All the monks of the temple had withdrawn. Only then did Pilgrim step forward solemnly and say, "Your Highness, the one who transformed into wind and left was your true birth father. The one now sitting on the throne is that rain-summoning Quanzhen Daoist."

The crown prince said, "Nonsense, nonsense! Since the Quanzhen Daoist left, my father has ensured favorable winds and rain, a prosperous country, and a peaceful populace. According to you, he wouldn't be my father. It's because I am young that I tolerate you. If my father heard these words of yours, he would have you seized and torn into ten thousand pieces!" He shouted at Pilgrim, ordering him down.

Pilgrim said to Tang Monk, "What do you think? I said he wouldn't believe, and indeed, indeed! Now, let's present him with that treasure, exchange the customs pass, and head for the West." Sanzang immediately handed the red box to Pilgrim. Pilgrim took it, shook his body, and the box instantly disappeared; it was originally transformed from his hair, and he had now retrieved it. He then held the white jade gui with both hands and presented it to the crown prince.

The crown prince saw it and said, "Good monk, good monk! Five years ago, you were originally a Quanzhen Daoist, who came and tricked my family out of our treasure, and now you pretend to be a monk to present it back!" He shouted, "Seize him!" At the sound of the order, the venerable monk was so frightened that he hastily pointed at Pilgrim and said, "You Stable Monkey! You specialize in causing baseless trouble and implicate me!"

Pilgrim stepped forward and stopped them all, saying, "Stop shouting! Don't let the news spread! I'm not called 'Imperial Establisher'; I have a true name!"

The crown prince angrily said, "Come here! I will ask your true name, so I can send you to the judicial authorities for sentencing!"

Pilgrim said, "I am the venerable monk's eldest disciple, named Sun Wukong, the Pilgrim. As I am accompanying my master to the Western Heaven to obtain scriptures, we sought lodging here last night. My master was reading scriptures last night until the third watch when he had a dream. He dreamt your father the king said he was deceived and harmed by that Quanzhen Daoist, pushed into the octagonal glazed well in the imperial garden, and the Quanzhen Daoist transformed into his likeness. None of the court officials knew, and you, being young, also had no way of knowing. You were forbidden from entering the palace, and the garden was locked, mainly for fear the news would leak out. Your father the king specifically came tonight to invite me to subdue the demon. I was concerned it might not be an evil spirit, but after observing from the sky, it is indeed a demon. I was just about to act and capture him when, unexpectedly, you came out of the city to hunt. The jade rabbit you shot with your arrow was Old Monkey. Old Monkey led you to the temple to meet my master, and every word of this heartfelt story is true. Since you recognize the white jade gui, why do you not recall the kindness of your upbringing and avenge your father?"

The crown prince heard this, and his heart was filled with sorrow. He secretly lamented, "If I don't believe these words, yet they contain some truth; but if I believe them, what about the one I see on the throne, who is my father?" This was truly a dilemma, his heart questioning his mouth, and his mouth questioning his heart, with deep thoughts of patience. Pilgrim saw his wavering doubt and stepped forward again, saying, "Your Highness, there's no need to be suspicious. Please return to your kingdom and ask your Empress Mother how her conjugal affection compares to three years ago. Just this one question, and you will know the truth."

The crown prince was swayed and said, "That's right. I will go and ask my mother." He jumped up, took the jade gui, and started to leave.

Pilgrim pulled him back and said, "If all your men and horses return, won't the news leak out, making it difficult for me to succeed? You must enter the city alone, on horseback, without making a show of yourself or drawing attention. Do not enter through the main South Gate; you must go through the Back Gate. When you reach the palace and see your mother, absolutely do not speak loudly or boastfully. You must whisper softly. I fear that if the demon, with his vast magical powers, gets wind of it, neither you nor your mother will be safe."

The crown prince respectfully obeyed the instruction. He went out of the mountain gate and ordered his generals, "Station yourselves here in camp, and do not move. I have something to attend to. I will return shortly, and we will enter the city together." Watch him: issuing commands to his stationed soldiers, mounting his horse and galloping like the wind straight back to the city. What happened upon his meeting with the empress is unknown; you must read the next chapter to find out.