Chapter 9: Exorcism In Gao Lao Village
However, the villagers of Gao Lao Village heard that Ao Tu’s land was only sold for one qian of silver per mu, and they all rushed to purchase it.
Unfortunately, there were many people but little land, so it was impossible to satisfy everyone.
The villagers could not help but say: “Holy Monk, how can such a small amount of land be enough to divide? Since you are willing to do good deeds, why not see it through? Have your disciple reclaim more fertile fields for us?”
Ao Tu smiled and said:
“Easy, easy. My disciple has great supernatural power. Reclaiming several thousand mu of land in one day is no problem at all. You all just hand over the money, record your names, and once the land is reclaimed, it will be divided among you!”
As soon as these words were spoken, Ba Jie immediately felt uneasy.
He was Marshal Tian Peng who had descended to the mortal world, enlightened and protected by Guanyin Bodhisattva to escort the pilgrim on the journey for sutras to the Western Heaven. How could he do hard labor?
Ao Tu gave Ba Jie a look.
Ba Jie remembered Ao Tu’s previous instructions and could only hold back and say nothing.
After hearing Ao Tu’s words, the villagers were all overjoyed, but they were still somewhat worried, afraid that Ao Tu would take the money and break his promise.
Ao Tu saw everyone’s concerns and said:
“I am willing to write an IOU for you as a certificate. My disciple and I will stay in this village first and leave only after the land is reclaimed.”
Upon hearing this, the villagers all happily went back to get their money.
Ao Tu specifically chose a poor household to borrow lodging from.
Soon, each household sent silver money over. Ao Tu wrote an IOU certificate for every household, limiting each to purchasing ten mu of land, noting the deadline, signing the name, and writing the three big characters Chen Xuanzang.
Thus, every household was overjoyed.
The matter quickly spread to nearby villages and towns, and the common people from those nearby villages and towns also came to buy this cheap land, kneeling and begging Ao Tu to show mercy.
Ao Tu accepted all comers, collected the money, and signed the IOUs.
In this constant coming and going, from chen hour to you hour, about several hundred households came, selling several thousand mu of land and gaining six hundred sixty-eight taels of silver.
When night fell, Ao Tu closed the door to thank guests and stopped selling land, yet there were still many people waiting outside the door, thinking to beg Ao Tu tomorrow to buy some land.
Inside the house, Ba Jie leaned against the wall in the corner, sulking.
Seeing that Ao Tu had finally stopped selling land, Ba Jie said:
“Master, you are too untrustworthy.”
Ao Tu said: “Wretch, why are you cursing me?”
Ba Jie muttered:
“It’s not that the disciple is cursing you; it’s that Master, what you did is too unethical. If you lack silver money to use, just tell me, and old pig will figure out a way to get it for you. Why deceive me and sign IOUs with people, making old pig do the work of plowing and harrowing fields?”
Ao Tu said: “When did I ever say you had to plow and harrow fields?”
Ba Jie said:
“Didn’t you say: ‘My disciple has great supernatural power; reclaiming several thousand mu of land in one day is no problem.’ Wasn’t that about me?
Now you’ve taken people’s money and signed IOUs with your name. If you don’t deliver the land by the deadline, won’t they sue and have the officials arrest us?”
Ao Tu said:
“I did say that, it’s true, but I wasn’t talking about you. What you don’t know is that before you, I had another disciple, your senior brother.
He is also a heavenly immortal who descended to the mortal world, enlightened by Guanyin Bodhisattva, to protect me on the journey for sutras to the west. He once managed agriculture and animal husbandry in the Heavenly Court, and in terms of official rank, he is higher than you.
Because his temperament is restless and he doesn’t focus on the journey, I left him behind. When he arrives, I’ll have him plow these fields; no need for you to lift a hand!”
Upon hearing this, Ba Jie was somewhat disbelieving and said:
“In the Heavenly Court, those who manage agriculture and animal husbandry are all minor officials. How could there be one with a higher rank than old pig? Master, you’re not fooling me, are you?”
Ao Tu said: “Idiot, monks do not lie. I am your master; how could I fool you? Your senior brother said he knew you when you were in heaven!”
Ba Jie said: “He knew me? Master, what is senior brother’s name? Which god is he?”
Ao Tu said: “You’ll know when he arrives.”
Ba Jie thought it over but couldn’t figure out who it was, so he still didn’t quite believe it in his heart.
While the master and disciple were talking, an old woman came in carrying a basin of vegetable congee, with a five- or six-year-old child following beside her.
“Two elders, please have your vegetarian meal!”
The old woman placed the vegetable congee on the table.
The household where Ao Tu was borrowing lodging was one he had specifically chosen as a poor family. There was only an elderly woman in the home, raising a five- or six-year-old grandson, and their days were very hard.
The child looked at the steaming vegetable congee on the table, swallowed his saliva, tugged at the old woman’s clothes, and asked: “Grandma, what are we eating?”
The old woman said: “Don’t be rude. The two elders are guests; let the guests eat the vegetarian meal first.”
Ao Tu looked at the vegetable congee; it was all coarse grain and wild vegetables, and said:
“This congee is too plain. Does benefactor have any other vegetarian meals at home?”
The old woman said: “Elder, this old body truly has no other vegetarian food at home; this is already the best. Please don’t disdain it.”
Ba Jie helped himself to a bowl of vegetable congee and said:
“Master, just make do and eat it. This family is so poor; how could there be any other vegetarian meals?”
Ao Tu shook his head and said:
“Ba Jie, this vegetarian meal doesn’t suit my taste. Go buy some good grain.”
Hearing this, Ba Jie put down his bowl and chopsticks and said:
“Master, buying grain is easy, but the disciple has no money. What to use to buy it?”
Ao Tu pointed to the broken silver received today and said: “Isn’t this money?”
Ba Jie rubbed his hands and said: “Using this silver money to buy, the disciple dares not.”
Ao Tu said: “Why not?”
Ba Jie said:
“Because that senior brother Master mentioned, we don’t know if he’s real or fake, and Master won’t say his background.
If he’s real, all is well. But if fake, and we can’t deliver the land by the deadline, won’t you and I, master and disciple, be taken to the yamen?
At that time, even if not sentenced to death, we’ll get exile. If old pig returns this money, the punishment would be lighter; otherwise, it will surely be severe.”
Ao Tu shook his head with a smile: “You idiot, you don’t trust your master like this?”
Ba Jie just lowered his head and said nothing.
Ao Tu said:
“No need to worry. The IOUs I signed only have my name, not mentioning your surname. If it really turns out as you say and we get into a lawsuit, I’ll write a document to defrock you, so you won’t be implicated.”
Ba Jie, upon hearing this, happily said: “Master, are you serious?”
Ao Tu deliberately teased Ba Jie and said:
“Of course it’s true. If that day really comes, after all, we’ve been master and disciple; I won’t treat you poorly.
I have a brocade monk’s robe and a nine-ringed monk’s staff, both gifts from Guanyin Bodhisattva.
The former is worth five thousand taels, the latter two thousand taels. I’ll give you one as recompense for your service. Which one do you want?”
Ba Jie, upon hearing this, moved to tears, said:
“Master, you truly have feeling and righteousness. If that day really comes, the disciple is willing to take the lesser one. Just give me the monk’s staff and leave the kassaya to you.”
Ao Tu laughed inwardly but showed nothing on the surface, and said:
“Alright, go buy the grain.”
Ba Jie asked: “Master, what grain to buy?”
Ao Tu said: “Rice, millet, panicled millet, wheat, soybeans—two hundred jin each.”
Ba Jie said: “Master, buying so much, can you eat it?”
Ao Tu said: “If I can’t eat it all, leave it stored here for when I return later.”
Ba Jie said: “Master, you’re joking again. The journey to the Western Heaven is still tens of thousands of li away. By the time you return, the grain will have long spoiled.”
Ao Tu said: “Don’t worry about it; go buy it quickly. Remember to speak nicely to the merchants, don’t alarm them. If the shop is closed, offer more silver to have them open.”
Ba Jie said yes, picked up the silver, and went.
