Chapter 41: Wuzhuang Temple Retains Friends
Now, Tang Sanzang and his disciples arrived at Wuzhuang Temple.
Qing Feng and Ming Yue, the two boy servants, remembered Great Immortal Zhen Yuan’s instructions, so they warmly welcomed them and invited Tang Sanzang into the temple.
Waiting until Wukong and the other two were not around, they went to the back garden and picked two fruits, giving them to Tang Sanzang to eat.
That Ginseng Fruit was a treasure produced by the innate spiritual root, truly like a child with hands and feet that could move, nodding and shaking its head. How could Tang Sanzang dare to eat it?
After repeated urging, Tang Sanzang still refused to eat.
Qing Feng and Ming Yue, the two boy servants, then took the fruits back to their room and ate the two Ginseng Fruits themselves.
Coincidentally, the room of Qing Feng and Ming Yue, the two Daoist boy servants, was right next to the kitchen, separated by only one wall.
Ba Jie was cooking in the kitchen and overheard their conversation, so he couldn’t help wanting to eat a Ginseng Fruit to taste it.
He then called Wukong over and begged Wukong to steal some fruits.
Wukong went to steal Ginseng Fruits, but not knowing that the Ginseng Fruit fears the Five Elements, he accidentally dropped one on the ground, and it burrowed into the soil.
He picked three more and shared them with Ba Jie and Sha Seng to eat.
Later, Qing Feng and Ming Yue discovered the number of fruits was wrong and came to settle accounts with Tang Sanzang, who then called Wukong over.
Wukong said he had stolen three of their fruits.
But he forgot that one had previously fallen into the ground.
Qing Feng and Ming Yue refused to let it go and increasingly hurled insults, with filthy words, calling him bald thief and greedy thief, cursing nonstop.
Wukong, how could he tolerate this?
Back at the Peach Banquet, Queen Mother had not invited him, so he had wrecked the banquet; how could he stand here now and take the scolding?
So he transformed a double to stay in place, while his true body went straight to the Ginseng Fruit garden, drew the Golden Cudgel, used divine strength to push mountains and shift ridges, and pushed the fruit tree over.
Now, the temperament of those two, Qing Feng and Ming Yue, was actually good.
It was just that the Ginseng Fruit was truly precious, bearing only thirty every ten thousand years, and they themselves were only a little over a thousand years old, so fearing their master’s reproach, they panicked and hurled extra insults at Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
After cursing for a long time, the two left, and Qing Feng said:
“That monk is quite honest; we cursed them for so long, and they didn’t retort. Perhaps the tree is tall with dense leaves, and we miscounted. They really ate three; let’s go check again.”
Ming Yue said: “Senior Brother is right.”
The two went to the garden again, only to see the tree fallen and split open, fruits gone and leaves fallen.
Qing Feng was so scared his legs went soft and he fell to the ground; Ming Yue’s waist went limp and he trembled.
The two were terrified out of their wits, their words jumbled, only crying, “What to do! What to do! When Master returns home, how can we explain?”
Suddenly, Ming Yue thought of something and said: “Ah, Senior Brother, there really is such a divine person in the mortal world! Truly someone who understands the principles of heaven and earth!”
Qing Feng said: “What divine person?”
Ming Yue said: “Senior Brother, have you forgotten that Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun who came a few days ago!”
Qing Feng slapped his thigh and said:
“Ah, indeed! Indeed! He said our temple’s immortal tree was in danger of toppling, and now it has happened! Regret not listening to him; quick, let’s go invite him!”
Ming Yue said: “Senior Brother, don’t rush. You go steady those monks first, don’t let them escape. Capture the bald thief first; I’ll go outside to invite the Heavenly Venerable.”
Qing Feng said: “Right, right!”
At once the two separated; Ming Yue hurriedly left the temple, rushed outside, and upon reaching the mountain shouted: “Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun! Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun! Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun!”
Ao Tu was on the mountain and heard Ming Yue’s shouts, knowing the Ginseng Fruit Tree had been pushed over by Wukong, so he came down the mountain and said: “Why do you call me?”
Ming Yue saw Ao Tu and immediately knelt on the ground, pleading:
“This little servant failed to recognize the Heavenly Venerable’s divine foresight. After the Heavenly Venerable left, four thieving bald monks indeed came to the temple, bold as brass; not only did they steal our temple’s fruits, they also pushed over the immortal tree. Begging the Heavenly Venerable to save our family’s immortal tree!”
He kowtowed repeatedly.
Ao Tu said: “Seeing that you little servant are somewhat sincere, I will overlook your ignorance. Take me to see.”
Ming Yue then led Ao Tu to Wuzhuang Temple.
On the other side, after Qing Feng waited for Tang Sanzang and his disciples to finish eating, he prepared a few vegetarian dishes for them to steady them, and while they were eating, he slammed the door shut and locked it with a brass lock. The front and back doors were also shut.
Ba Jie laughed: “What custom is this here, closing the door while eating?”
Qing Feng cursed: “You greedy bald donkeys! Not only did you steal our immortal fruits, you also pushed over our immortal tree, ruining Wuzhuang Temple’s spiritual root. How dare wretches like you go to Western Heaven for sutras!”
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang dropped his rice bowl, feeling a huge stone in his heart. He blamed Wukong:
“You monkey, always causing trouble! You stole their fruits, so take some anger from them, let him curse a few words and that’s it; how did you also push over his tree! By this reasoning, if he sues, even if your father were an official, it wouldn’t hold.”
Wukong said: “Master, don’t worry. Just wait until the boy servant falls asleep, and we’ll set off overnight and take you out.”
Sha Seng said: “How to get out?”
Wukong laughed: “Never mind! Never mind! Old Sun has his ways.”
Ba Jie said: “Of course you have ways to get out. You turn into some insect and fly away, but how about Master? He can’t transform and can only stay here to take the blame!”
Tang Sanzang said: “If he pulls this stunt without taking me out, I’ll recite that old scripture and see how he endures it!”
Ba Jie said: “Master, what is the old scripture?”
Wukong said: “Ba Jie, it’s the Golden Fillet Spell. He’s counting on that to torment me.”
Tang Sanzang said nothing.
At that moment, the master and disciples were already somewhat at odds, though it wasn’t yet shown.
