Chapter 118: Encountering The Black Water River On The Road
Yet Tang Sanzang and his disciples arrived in the Black Water River area.
Not far from the Black Water River, there was a small city where the imperial envoy resided in the city.
Upon learning that the holy monk from the Tang Dynasty had arrived, the imperial envoy hurriedly brought people to welcome him, escorting Tang Sanzang into the city and ordering his subordinates to prepare singing and dancing and a banquet.
Tang Sanzang saw this and said: “This poor monk is merely a humble cleric; how dare I trouble the imperial envoy sir to go to such lengths.”
The imperial envoy laughed: “Holy monk, these are just a tiny token of this official’s regard. This official has no other requests, only that the holy monk agree to help our country repair the great bridge.”
Tang Sanzang did not dare to agree casually and said to Wukong: “Wukong, what do you think of this…”
Wukong said to the imperial envoy: “Don’t speak of these matters yet; first tell us about the Dragon King in the river—what is his background, and why call upon us master and disciples to come here to repair the bridge?”
Hearing this, the imperial envoy recounted the events in the river from beginning to end.
Compared to others, the imperial envoy, as an eyewitness, recounted it in even greater detail.
He even spoke of all the various details of the previous sacrifices to the Dragon God.
Tang Sanzang listened to the imperial envoy’s account, and when he heard that the river god did not want boys or girls, he could not help saying: “If that’s the case, this river god is actually a good god.”
The imperial envoy said: “Whether he’s a good god or a bad god, boys and girls are a small matter, but building the bridge is a great one. If we can truly build the great bridge, our country will reap benefits for ten thousand generations. Even if we use several hundred boys and girls for sacrifice, it would not be excessive.”
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang could not help saying: “Imperial envoy sir, the common people’s children are also born and raised by their parents. You hold a high position—how can you disregard their lives like this?”
The imperial envoy said: “Holy monk, for officials: sacrifice the small to preserve the great, abandon the light to take the heavy. This official acts for the sake of the myriad people; I hope the holy monk will not take offense over this. If the holy monk can truly build the great bridge, our country’s common people will surely be endlessly grateful to the holy monk!”
Tang Sanzang shook his head: “This poor monk does not dare say he can certainly build the bridge; let’s go to the riverbank and see first.”
The imperial envoy said: “Then please rest a moment, holy monk; I will go and have people prepare at once.”
Hearing this, Wukong said: “Prepare what?”
The imperial envoy said: “Prepare carriages, horses, and canopies, along with the procession for travel.”
Wukong said: “How far is it to the river surface from here?”
The imperial envoy said: “From the city gate, it’s about twenty or thirty li.”
Wukong said: “Just twenty or thirty li—why prepare carriages, horses, and processionals? What need for such pomp? Ride a fast horse, and we’ll be there in the time it takes to eat a meal.”
The imperial envoy said: “This… very well. Will Elder Sun also ride a horse?”
Ba Jie laughed: “For just this short distance, why ride a horse? My senior brother can stomp his foot and be there!”
Wukong laughed: “Old Sun with one stomp can cover a thousand li, and he’d still have to come back nine hundred li short!”
Hearing this, the imperial envoy said: “You elders possess great supernatural power; this official will go prepare the horses at once. Though we forgo the procession, the three sacrifices and five grains for the Dragon God sacrifice must still be prepared fully—please wait a moment, holy monks.”
Wukong said: “No need for the three sacrifices and five grains either—let’s go quickly and simply!”
The imperial envoy said: “Ah! This… without sacrificial offerings, I’m afraid we’ll anger the Dragon God—what then?”
Ba Jie laughed: “You official, you truly lack eyesight. Before my senior brother, even the Four Seas Dragon Kings wouldn’t dare put on airs. For a mere little river Dragon King, what need for formalities?”
Hearing this, the imperial envoy had no choice but to agree.
Soon, the imperial envoy prepared the horses.
Though it was to be simple travel, the imperial envoy still called two teams of guards to accompany them.
Nothing else—just better safe than sorry.
After all, he had not seen Wukong and Ba Jie’s abilities with his own eyes. If he really brought no one and they encountered mountain bandits or robbers on the road who accidentally killed the Tang Dynasty monk, he as imperial envoy would be finished.
The group rode swiftly; Wukong and the others followed on clouds. Before long, they heard the roaring water, and the crowd arrived at the Black Water River bank.
Tang Sanzang dismounted and saw a stone tablet on the riverbank. He walked forward to look; on the stone tablet were engraved three seal characters reading “Black Water River,” along with four lines of regular script: “Rolling ink across the land, surging gray for a thousand li. Up close, no human shadows; from afar, hard to discern any form.”
Ba Jie came up, saw the words on the tablet, and exclaimed in surprise: “Master, we’ve taken the wrong road.”
Tang Sanzang said: “What do you mean wrong road?”
Ba Jie said: “We’re going west for sutras, so we should head west. Somehow we’ve gone east. Look at this tablet—isn’t it the one from when we subdued Junior Brother Sha? We’ve come back this way—better turn the horses around and hurry back.”
Hearing this, Wukong said: “You idiot, what nonsense? The river where Junior Brother Sha is is called Flowing Sand River; the stone tablet was changed later by someone—don’t you know that? With you saying this now, I think your old habit has flared up again—you want to trick Master into taking you back to Gao Lao Village!”
With that, he stepped forward as if to hit Ba Jie.
Ba Jie dodged around Tang Sanzang and pleaded:
“Senior brother, don’t hit! Don’t hit! Old Pig just forgot for a moment. Master, quickly put in a good word for me with senior brother!”
Tang Sanzang laughed: “Enough, Wukong—business first.”
Wukong said: “For Master’s sake, I’ll spare you this once.”
Wukong turned to look at the Black Water River and saw the river was no more than a hundred li wide, thinking it a small river.
The imperial envoy stepped forward: “This is the Black Water River. I wonder how Elder Sun plans to summon the river god?”
Wukong said: “Summon? He should be the one coming to pay respects to me!”
With that, Wukong leaped into the air, made the Golden Cudgel dozens of zhang thick, and poked it into the river—without really using force.
Ba Jie’s earlier fuss had actually reminded Wukong. The Dragon God in this river seemed to be that person’s younger brother, so he held back.
After the Golden Cudgel poked down, the river water surged, and with immediate effect, Ao Tu parted the waves and emerged from the water.
Wukong sized up Ao Tu’s appearance and said:
“What roadside deity or wild monster are you, daring to scheme against my master here?”
Ao Tu bowed: “Great Sage, this little dragon is the river god of the Black Water River. He wholeheartedly wishes to aid the Great Sage and disciples on their westward journey and would never dare scheme against the Great Sage’s master.”
Hearing this, Wukong jumped down, grabbed Ao Tu’s dragon whiskers, dragged Ao Tu before the imperial envoy, and said:
“You treacherous evil dragon, still daring to deny it—wasn’t it you who said my master should build their bridge?”
Ao Tu’s dragon whiskers hurt from being pulled; he thought that next time they met in true forms, he must ask Wukong to teach him some axe techniques.
Ao Tu said: “Great Sage, this is actually this little dragon’s selfish motive—please allow this little dragon to explain slowly.”
Wukong released his hand: “Speak—what scheme do you have?”
Ao Tu said: “Great Sage, this little dragon has no scheme; he merely covets the common people’s incense and fire, wanting to do some good deeds to leave a benevolent name. This country is called Huoluo Kingdom, rich in grain and fodder but poor in copper and iron. To the west across the river is a country called Che Chi Kingdom, rich in copper and iron but poor in grain and fodder. If we can build the great bridge to connect the two countries, it will benefit the myriad people; the common people will surely erect shrines and burn incense in thanks—that is all this little dragon seeks.”
Hearing this, Wukong said: “If that’s so, you want the bridge built—build your own bridge. Why wait for my master to come build it?”
Ao Tu said: “Great Sage may not know, but gods in the mortal realm must not casually display divine strength before mortals, nor privately bestow favors or establish incense and fire. Otherwise, it violates the heavenly rules, and this little dragon would have to take a trip to the dragon slaying platform. This little dragon’s father was executed on the dragon slaying platform precisely for violating the heavenly rules; this little dragon fears it deeply in his heart—how dare he offend again?”
Wukong said: “Are you the son of the Dragon King of Jing River?”
Ao Tu said: “Indeed, Great Sage. This little dragon is the ninth son of the Dragon King of Jing River, known as the little flood dragon.”
Wukong said: “Then your real name must be Ao Tuo?”
Ao Tu said: “No, this little dragon’s name is Ao Jie.”
Ba Jie laughed: “Senior brother, this family names without any logic—how does a flood dragon get a ‘pure’ character?”
Ao Tu said: “A flood dragon is muddy through and through, so my father chose the ‘pure’ character for it.”
Tang Sanzang, standing by, did not fuss over the name but asked Ao Tu:
“Since the heavenly rules already prohibit casually displaying divine strength before mortals, why wait for this poor monk to come and build the bridge?”
Ao Tu said: “Holy monk, how could you be a mortal? Behind you are guardian heavenly beings, above your head are the Six Ding and Six Jia, to your left the Five Directions Jiedi, to your right the Four Divisions Gong Cao, and before you eighteen Guardians of the Dharma clear the way, escorting you for ten thousand li. If I use divine strength to build a bridge for mortals to cross, it is privately bestowing favor—a great sin. But if I use divine strength to build a bridge for the holy monk’s westward journey, it aids the westward journey—a great merit. Thus I do it.”
