Chapter 124: Encountering The Black Water River On The Road
However, the Black Water River bridge was being built on a grand scale.
People each performed their duties, fully exerting their roles in this project.
During this time, many people inevitably came from afar to watch.
Even many people from other places specially rode carriages and horses to come, wanting to catch a glimpse of the immortals’ appearance.
After all, although most people had heard of the Dragon King, they had never truly seen the Dragon King’s appearance.
Ao Tu did not exclude people from visiting.
In this way, the bridge was built day by day, and the bridge section had already grown more than half.
Literati recorded this story in writing, using the most elaborate rhetoric to praise the merit.
Painters drew images of the Dragon God, the great bridge, tigers and wolves, the Goddess, the giant turtle, the Holy Monk, the monkey and the pig, and other things for circulation.
Storytellers in teahouses and taverns compiled and narrated this miracle story.
There were also opera troupes preparing to stage an opera based on this.
Of course, in the world, for every good there is bad, for every yang there is yin.
While many people praised and admired this miracle, spies also disclosed the news of the great bridge.
The Fadi Kingdom upstream of the Black Water River learned of the news.
The Fadi Kingdom spanned over five hundred li east to west and over four hundred li north to south, with barren land, continuous hills and mounds, few flowers and fruits in the country, and mostly beans and wheat. The people were violent and rampant, with fierce customs. The capital city had a circumference of ten li, with over thirty monasteries and over two thousand monks.
——
Time gradually reached the hot summer season.
In the forest, a group of laborers were bare-chested, wielding axes.
Sweat beads flowed down from their foreheads like water.
The tall forest could not block the rolling heat, and with prolonged high-intensity work like swinging axes, sawing, and loading carts, none of it was easy labor.
A relatively thin laborer swung his axe, his body suddenly swayed, he felt dizzy and his vision blurred, his ears buzzed, he couldn’t hold the axe steady, and he fell backward to the ground.
People saw this scene and hurriedly said:
“Quickly, carry him to a shady place and give him some water to drink.”
At the same time on the other side, the laborers digging soil were no easier than those chopping trees.
Similarly, some thin laborers fainted from exhaustion.
Fortunately, the rescue was timely, and no deaths occurred on either side.
At dinner time, the two little tigers and the two little wolves reported their respective situations to Ao Tu.
Recently, the number of people fainting from heatstroke has been increasing.
Ao Tu called everyone together to discuss.
Ao Tu said: “Recently, the number of people fainting from heatstroke has been increasing. I wonder what the reason is.”
Ba Jie said: “Do I need to ask? It’s extremely hot lately, the weather is too hot, even Old Pig sweats just sitting, let alone those mortals doing heavy labor.”
Tang Sanzang said: “That’s true, the weather has indeed been too hot lately.”
Ao Tu nodded and said: “Since that’s the case, I plan to stop work for a few days, resume after the summer heat passes. What do you all think?”
Tang Sanzang said: “That would be good.”
The Imperial Envoy said: “Holy Monk, Dragon God, actually there is no need to stop work. The laborers fainting from heatstroke is not entirely due to the heat.”
Ao Tu said: “Then what is the reason?”
The Imperial Envoy said: “Although the weather is hot, those laborers are all from commoner backgrounds, accustomed to hard labor, good at endurance. This bit of heat is nothing to them; they can endure it and get by.
The reason they suffer heatstroke and faint is more due to lack of physical strength. Dragon God, I have also overseen construction before. I have some words that are hard to say, please don’t take offense.”
Ao Tu said: “Speak freely.”
The Imperial Envoy said: “The meals made by the Goddess are truly top-quality delicious immortal dishes, but those laborers are somewhat unable to enjoy them. Their meals actually don’t need fine seasoning; just add more coarse salt.”
Ao Tu said: “Coarse salt…”
The Imperial Envoy said: “That’s right, cheap coarse salt. Eating it gives more strength, more strength allows enduring the summer heat, supplemented by…”
Ao Tu said: “Supplemented by what?”
The Imperial Envoy said: “Whipping. With whipping, it can cure this ailment and achieve twice the result with half the effort.”
Tang Sanzang couldn’t help but say: “Sir, how can you treat the common people like this? Isn’t this treating the common people like oxen, horses, and livestock?”
The Imperial Envoy said: “Holy Monk, don’t be angry. I know you have a compassionate heart and cherish these common people. But I am also thinking of the big picture; what I said is all true.
In the past, I have overseen construction where silver money was insufficient and grain was lacking. Without this method, if the construction period was delayed, how could heads be preserved? Of course, now with the Dragon God presiding, there must surely be a better way.”
Ao Tu said: “Hmm, so the laborers fainting from heatstroke is fundamentally due to lack of physical strength. Since that’s the case, no need to purchase coarse salt. Great Sage, you travel fast; I have a letter, trouble you to go to the West Sea and deliver it to my uncle, the Dragon King of West Sea Ao Run, and ask him to lend a thousand jin of snow salt.”
Wukong laughed: “You little dragon, now you’re ordering me around.”
Tang Sanzang said: “Wukong, for the common people, just make the trip.”
Wukong said: “Master, rest assured, Old Sun isn’t refusing to go; I’m just saying, this little dragon, even his brother wouldn’t dare order me around!”
Ao Tu looked at Wukong and said nothing. He continued: “Just eating some salt isn’t enough; I’ll think of other ways.”
Wukong quickly made a trip to the West Sea and borrowed the salt back.
The next morning, Ming Niang began cooking.
Ao Tu stipulated that the laborers had two meals a day, morning and evening, eating grains and vegetables. Outside the two meals, at noon, some dry rations would be distributed to eat at the work site.
But today was different from usual.
The laborers had just awakened and were preparing to come out for breakfast.
At that moment, in full view of everyone, Ao Tu cast a spell, rolled up river water, and caught a large batch of fat fish from the Black Water River.
Ao Tu handed the fish to Ming Niang and instructed her to stew them into fish soup for everyone to eat.
The laborers were all alarmed upon seeing this. They all knelt and said:
“Dragon King Grandfather, these fish have toxin and cannot be eaten!”
Hearing this, Ao Tu laughed: “Do not fear, I have divine strength and can cast a spell to remove the toxin.”
With that, Ao Tu waved his hand, scattering golden magic power across the sky.
The magic power fell on the people, and everyone felt warm all over; the magic power fell on the fish, and streams of black toxin gas rose from the fish.
Ao Tu said: “The toxin has been removed; you can eat it with peace of mind.”
Hearing this, the crowd kowtowed repeatedly, endlessly grateful.
In reality, there was no toxin gas at all; it was just Ao Tu’s illusionary tactic.
The laborers didn’t know the inside story and truly believed the Dragon King had cast a spell to remove the toxin. So after the fish was ready, they devoured it voraciously.
After everyone ate the fish, drank the fish soup, and ate the grains and vegetables, they all felt full of energy, and working wasn’t as tiring as before.
In this way, Ao Tu cast spells every day to catch fish, then removed the toxin, and gave it to everyone to eat.
The crowd quickly got used to this.
Wukong had fiery golden eyes and naturally saw something was off.
He came to ask Ao Tu what the reason was.
Ao Tu then told Wukong about the Black Water River toxin and asked Wukong not to spread it for now.
Time passed over half a month.
On this day, Ao Tu caught fish as usual, but did not cast a spell to remove the toxin; instead, he directly handed it to Ming Niang to cook for everyone to eat.
The crowd had long grown accustomed to the Dragon God removing the toxin every day, so no one noticed this point.
