Chapter 123: Encountering The Black Water River On The Road
However, Wukong and Ba Jie came over to question Ao Tu.
Ao Tu laughed, “No matter what, I am still the lord of a river. What’s wrong with indulging in some fine food for my appetite? Is it really worth the Great Sage and the Marshal coming personally to question me?”
Wukong said, “It’s not wrong for you to eat good food, but now in front of everyone, if only you eat well, regardless of right or wrong, it will surely lead to gossip.”
Ba Jie stared at those dishes and said, “Exactly, everyone else is eating plain porridge and vegetable soup, tasteless and bland, while your place here is filled with enticing aromas. How can that be?”
Upon hearing this, Ao Tu waved his hand and produced two sets of bowls and chopsticks, saying, “Great Sage, Marshal Tian Peng, why not sit down and eat some?”
Wukong said, “Who would eat yours?”
Ba Jie said, “Then this old pig won’t hold back!”
Hearing this, Wukong grabbed Ba Jie’s ear and said, “Idiot, didn’t you just say this shouldn’t be done?”
Ba Jie said, “Brother Dragon cast a spell to build the bridge and worked hard all day. Now eating some good food is only right and proper. Who would dare object?”
Ao Tu laughed, “Well said by the Marshal. Let us toast a cup!”
Ba Jie grinned and picked up the wine.
Wukong laughed and scolded, “You idiot.”
Ao Tu said, “Great Sage, please join us and take a seat as well.”
Wukong took out a glass bowl and said, “No rush to eat first. There are plenty of dishes here. May I take some to give to Master?”
Ao Tu said, “How could I neglect the Holy Monk? Please invite the Holy Monk to join us.”
Wukong said, “My Master is thin-skinned. If I call him, he definitely won’t come. It’s better if I take some for him to eat.”
Ao Tu said, “Great Sage, please help yourself.”
Wukong scooped some of each vegetable dish and offered it to Tang Sanzang.
Tang Sanzang indeed refused.
Wukong persuaded him on the grounds that it should not be wasted, and only then did Tang Sanzang accept it.
After the meal was finished, Ao Tu ordered the laborers to camp on site and build sheds with wood and stone to live in.
The Imperial Envoy came to find Ao Tu and said, “Dragon God, this official saw today that the great bridge was built over ten zhang in one day, which is extremely fast. However, calculating by the sixty-li river surface, if we want to complete the great bridge, it will still take three years. This official fears that two hundred thousand silver taels are not enough to pay the wages. Do you think this official should petition Your Majesty for more silver taels?”
Ao Tu laughed, “No need. Today was slow in progress because of building wooden carts, opening roads, and constructing the camp. Tomorrow you will see the difference.”
The Imperial Envoy said happily, “Yes, this official understands.”
By the next day, the bridge construction speed had indeed increased.
In just the morning half-day, the great bridge extended over twenty zhang, and below the great bridge, two gigantic bridge piers were built with massive stones to support the weight of the great bridge.
After a few more days, as the laborers became more familiar with their tasks, the bridge-building speed became even faster, extending sixty or seventy zhang in a single day.
One day, while a group of laborers were felling trees, a large tree was about to fall.
All the laborers dodged away.
However, one laborer among them was accidentally tripped by a tree root and failed to dodge in time.
The large tree was about to crash down.
At that moment, the two little tigers arrived just in time, held up the large tree, and saved the laborer’s life.
The rescued laborer was endlessly grateful.
Everyone praised the righteous act of the two little tigers.
Compared to the little tigers, nothing life-threatening had happened on the little wolves’ side.
However, wooden carts often got stuck in the roads there.
Because the roads were dirt paths, they were naturally difficult to travel and frequently got mired.
In such cases, ordinary people would have to unload the mud from the cart to push it out.
But the little wolves would simply lift a hand and pull, drawing the cart out.
Gradually, as time passed, the laborers no longer feared the two little tigers and the two little wolves, and their relations became increasingly harmonious.
Everyone performed their respective duties.
The little tigers led people to fell trees.
The little wolves led people to dig earth.
The old river god helped build the bridge piers.
Ming Niang provided meals for everyone.
After staying here for a while, Tang Sanzang looked at the toiling crowd and said to Ao Tu:
“River god, this poor monk requests to contribute a little effort to help build the bridge.”
Ao Tu said, “Why does the Holy Monk have this kind intention?”
Tang Sanzang said, “It’s because this poor monk was once treated with courtesy by the people of Huoluo Kingdom from top to bottom. Now, if I sit by and watch the great bridge be completed without lifting a finger, would that not be shameful?”
Ao Tu laughed, “The Holy Monk is compassionate; this little dragon admires you. But please be very careful, Holy Monk, and do not harm your body.”
Tang Sanzang said, “Thank you for your concern, Benefactor. This poor monk will act within his capacity.”
At this time, Wukong came over and said:
“Master, for such a small matter, no need for you to act. Just call your disciple, and no matter how much wood is needed, it will be gathered in less than half an hour.”
Ao Tu said, “Great Sage, I know you have supernatural power, but for this bridge-building matter, please do not intervene.”
Wukong said, “Why?”
Ao Tu said, “If the Great Sage acts, the bridge will be completed in an instant.”
Wukong said, “Building it faster isn’t a good thing?”
Ao Tu said, “But the common people hope the bridge can take longer to build.”
Wukong said, “You little dragon, talking nonsense. Who likes doing hard labor?”
Ao Tu said, “If the Great Sage doesn’t believe me, dare you bet with me again?”
Wukong said, “What… Hmm, I’ll go scout first!”
Wukong turned into a sparrow and flew into the woods, overhearing the tree-felling laborers say, “Wang Er, how long do you think we can work on this job? I heard the great bridge extended over sixty zhang in one day yesterday.”
Wang Er said, “I heard this river is sixty or seventy li across. At over sixty zhang a day, it should take several months.”
The laborer said, “Several months is several months?”
Wang Er scratched his head and said, “This… I don’t know.”
The laborer said, “And you call yourself a carpenter? You can’t even calculate this.”
Wang Er said, “We carpenters use a square ruler to measure. If you let me measure with a square ruler, I’d know.”
The laborer said, “Forget it. If you tried measuring with a square ruler, you’d probably fall into the river before getting the dimensions—either drowned or poisoned by the black water. Sigh, I only hope the construction period can be longer. It would be great if we could work a few more months.
That way, by New Year’s, my family could buy some meat. With the remaining money, I could get my mother a piece of new cotton cloth. She’s worn that old cotton jacket for over thirty years. I’d take out the cotton inside, fluff it up, and remake it into a new one with new cloth to make her happy.”
Hearing this, Wukong understood the reason. He scouted around a bit more and got mostly similar information. Then he returned and told the matter to Tang Sanzang.
Tang Sanzang said upon hearing this, “Amitabha, these common people have hard lives. Let the great bridge take longer to build.”
Ao Tu said, “If the Holy Monk really wants to help them, there are actually other ways.”
Tang Sanzang said, “What ways?”
Ao Tu said, “These laborers were conscripted here to work and cannot go home. Over time, they will surely miss their families. Most of them are illiterate. If the Holy Monk is willing to write letters for them for free, that would be the greatest help.”
Tang Sanzang was overjoyed upon hearing this and said, “This poor monk can do that.”
Thus, from then on, Tang Sanzang wrote letters for free for the laborers.
Wukong and the others were not idle either; when Tang Sanzang received the letters, they delivered them to the families.
With communication to their families, the laborers worked even more at ease each day.
Thus, everyone praised the Great Tang Holy Monk.
Tang Sanzang also felt happy in his heart.
Doing this, if the Buddha Ancestor knew, he would surely be pleased as well.
