As it happened, Bajie had fought a great battle with Sun Wukong and had been captured by him.
Sun Wukong bound Zhu Bajie’s hands and feet, returned to report to his master, then rode a cloud to the Southern Sea.
He saw the vast ocean stretching far into the distance, its waters merging with the sky; a thousand layers of snow-white waves, ten thousand folds of misty billows; spray flying in all directions, waves rolling all around. Mount Luojia rose with towering peaks; in the Purple Bamboo Grove stood precious trees and golden lotuses.
Sun Wukong arrived outside the mountain, sent word to the Bodhisattva, then entered within, escorting Bajie forward to bow. He recounted everything that had happened that day from beginning to end and asked the Bodhisattva to judge the matter.
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “Wuneng, you are the one at fault. The pilgrim has been by Wukong’s side all along, with Dingjia, Gongcao, and Jialan taking turns to guard him, never leaving him day or night. The one you met was a fake.”
Bajie still did not believe it and said,
“Bodhisattva, I spent many days with Master. He had a heart full of compassion, was shrouded in Buddha-light, and would not accept the slightest bribe. How could he possibly be fake?
He even gave this old pig a golden flower of the Buddhist sect, saying that Venerable Anan had given it to my master, who then passed it on to me.”
When Sun Wukong heard this, he stood up and said, “What did you say? Anan!”
Bajie said, “What about him?”
Sun Wukong turned to Guanyin Bodhisattva and said, “Bodhisattva, back at Guanyin Monastery, it was this ‘Anan’ who caused us master and disciples to suffer imprisonment. I hope the Bodhisattva will investigate clearly!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “I already know this person’s origins.”
Sun Wukong said, “What origins does he have?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said,
“In the past, beneath the Buddha’s seat, there was a little dragon in charge of the bell. Because his will was unsteady, he missed the appointed time to ring it.
After Venerable Anan discovered this, he reported it to the Buddha. The little dragon, afraid of punishment, fled privately to the lower realm.
Because he had listened to teachings beneath the Buddha’s seat, he carried some Buddha-aura upon him. That is why you, Bajie, found it difficult to tell true from false.”
Sun Wukong said, “So that’s how it is! Huh. This old Sun has never provoked him before. Why has he been opposing us master and disciples all along the way?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “There is also some history behind this.”
Sun Wukong said, “I beg the Bodhisattva to enlighten me.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said,
“This little dragon is named Ao Tu, the fifth son of the Jing River Dragon King outside Chang’an City. That Jing River Dragon King violated the laws of Heaven and was escorted to the Dragon-Slashing Platform to be executed.
The mortal official supervising the execution was named Wei Zheng, a minister of Emperor Taizong of the Great Tang.
In order to preserve his life, the Jing River Dragon King entrusted a dream to Emperor Taizong at night, asking the emperor to plead for him and spare him from death.
Emperor Taizong agreed. The next day, he summoned Wei Zheng into the palace to play chess, thinking he could detain Wei Zheng and save the Jing River Dragon King. Yet he never expected that Wei Zheng would slay the dragon in a dream, and so the Jing River Dragon King died.
Afterward, the Jing River Dragon King’s dragon-soul lingered in the underworld and would not disperse. He accused Emperor Taizong of the crime of ‘promising rescue but causing death instead,’ and thus came Emperor Taizong’s three-day journey through the underworld.
After Emperor Taizong’s journey to the underworld, having seen far too many wronged souls, he developed a Buddhist heart. Only then came the mission for your master to travel thousands upon thousands of li to seek the Mahayana true scriptures of our Buddha.”
After hearing this, Sun Wukong understood and said,
“So that ‘muddy little loach’ resents the Tang king for not saving his father, and has therefore taken his anger out on my master!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “Precisely.”
Bajie cut in, “Then where did that golden flower of his come from?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “I imagine he stole it from Venerable Anan!”
Sun Wukong said angrily, “That ‘muddy little loach’ only knows how to do sneaking, thieving things. If this old Sun catches him, I’ll peel off his dragon hide and pull out his dragon tendons!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “Wukong, do not lose your temper. If you encounter him again, you need only go to the Western Heaven and invite Venerable Anan over. Then you will be able to subdue him.”
Sun Wukong said joyfully, “Many thanks for the Bodhisattva’s guidance!”
After that, Sun Wukong took Zhu Bajie and left the Southern Sea, returning to Gao Village. He gave Tang Seng a proper explanation of the cause and circumstances, and had Tang Seng accept Zhu Bajie.
By then, the sky had already grown late, and the three master and disciples entered the village to seek lodging.
Because Ao Tu, while impersonating Tang Seng, had done many good deeds, the villagers of Gao Village were all extremely enthusiastic. Every household offered vegetarian meals, and everyone turned toward the Buddha.
Tang Seng thought to himself that the Buddha had blessed them, and spent a comfortable night in Gao Village.
As for Ao Tu, as Tang Seng and his disciples began to linger in the area around Gao Village, his system progress increased accordingly.
The next day, Tang Seng and his disciples prepared to leave the Gao Village area.
When the villagers of Gao Village heard this, they rushed over one after another and refused to let Tang Seng leave.
Tang Seng was at a loss.
“Why will you not allow this poor monk to leave?”
When the villagers heard this, they said,
“Why? Holy Monk, you truly are a noble man with a short memory. You still haven’t settled the land you promised us!”
After Tang Seng heard this, he was even more baffled.
The villagers wasted no more words and all took out their documents.
“Monk, are you trying to deny it?”
“We already paid the money!”
“If you can’t produce the land, don’t even think of leaving!”
Tang Seng looked at those documents and said, “These… these were not signed by this poor monk.”
But the villagers would not accept that.
“Not signed by you? Who are you trying to fool? It’s written clearly here in black and white. Isn’t Chen Xuanzang you?”
“This…” Tang Seng had no way to defend himself. “This poor monk’s secular name is indeed Chen Xuanzang, but the Chen Xuanzang written here is not this poor monk.”
The villagers said,
“Not you? How could it not be you? In our entire Gao Village, you’re the only bald man. You dare say it wasn’t you?”
Tang Seng did not know how to refute them.
Sun Wukong bared his teeth and grimaced as he said, “The one who signed it was not my master. It was signed by a demon, and has nothing to do with my master. Hurry up and move aside!”
When the villagers heard this, they said, “A demon? I think you’re the one who looks like a demon!”
Sun Wukong was so angry smoke seemed to pour from all seven orifices. He pulled out the Jingu Bang in one motion, but faced with these ordinary common folk, he could neither strike nor harm them.
In the end, there was no other way. Tang Seng and his disciples were blocked by the villagers and forced back.
The villagers entertained the three master and disciples with good food and drink, but simply would not allow the three of them to leave.
Another day passed like this. Tang Seng tried to explain to the villagers, but everyone was only longing for the land, and no one listened to his explanation at all.
Tang Seng also thought of leaving in the night.
But the villagers were afraid Tang Seng would flee and had long since sent people to keep watch in shifts. That night, as soon as Tang Seng and his disciples tried to leave, they were discovered.
“This monk is trying to run!”
The people once again blocked Tang Seng and forced him back.
With no other choice, Tang Seng called to Sun Wukong and said,
“Wukong, you possess great abilities. Why not open up farmland for them, so they will let us continue west?”
Sun Wukong said, “This old Sun never does anything without proper cause. That farmland was promised by that demon, so that demon should be the one to do it. How can this old Sun be made to do it? Wouldn’t that lower the reputation of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?”
Tang Seng said, “Then can you find that demon?”
Sun Wukong said, “Well— That demon is slippery as a thief. If he doesn’t show himself, this old Sun won’t have an easy time finding him!”
Tang Seng sighed and looked toward Zhu Bajie, saying,
“Bajie, do you think you could…”
Seeing this, Bajie hurriedly said, “Master, I can’t do it! Back when they collected the money, it was agreed that Senior Brother would till that farmland.”
When Sun Wukong heard this, he grabbed Bajie by the ear and said,
“Agreed with whom? With whom! With whom!”
Bajie cried out in pain and begged for mercy. “Senior Brother, no one, no one! I remembered wrong!”
Sun Wukong said, “You’re the one who should till this land. Who told you to provoke that demon!”
Bajie said, “How was I the one who provoked him? Even the Bodhisattva said it was the Tang king’s ‘promising rescue but causing death instead’ that brought about this trouble. How can you blame this old pig?”
Tang Seng said, “Bajie, do not speak nonsense!”
Sun Wukong tightened his grip and said,
“Idiot, what did you say? Hurry up and go, or I’ll beat you with two thousand strokes!”
Zhu Bajie had no choice but to go till the fields.
As he walked, he grumbled and cursed, “Damned Bi Ma Wen, making me come here to till fields and do hard labor. This old pig came to protect the pilgrim on his journey west to retrieve the scriptures, not to be a coolie! You want me to till the fields? I won’t till them!”
Over the next few days, Bajie went out early and returned late, pretending to work but putting in no effort. After several days in a row, he had not tilled more than a few mu of land.