Meanwhile, on the other side.
In the imperial palace, after Bajie and Sha Seng left, Tang Seng also prepared to leave the palace for a walk.
Tang Seng had lived in the palace for quite some time, and because he had been bedridden for half a month with a head-wind illness, he inevitably felt somewhat stifled. Now that he had just recovered from a long sickness, he thought to go out and walk around, taking it as a way to dispel his gloom.
Tang Seng walked out of the imperial palace and along the streets. He saw that the streets of Baoxiang Kingdom were filled with merchants buying and selling, performers showing off their skills, fortune-tellers and diviners—it could be said that people gathered in great numbers, and business was exceedingly prosperous.
As Tang Seng walked among them, he felt his mood ease.
Just then, the sound of pursuit suddenly came from ahead.
He saw a young monk, only in his teens, weaving and fleeing through the crowd, while several fierce, vicious-looking soldiers chased after him.
“Move aside, move aside!”
“Little bastard, stop right there!”
“Run again and I’ll kill you!”
When the crowd heard the soldiers’ shouts and curses, none dared to obstruct them, and they hurriedly parted to either side.
The young monk had nowhere to hide. Seeing Tang Seng, he quickly ducked behind him and pleaded pitifully, “Master, Master, please save me!”
Seeing how pitiful the young monk looked, Tang Seng’s heart was moved with compassion.
At this time, those soldiers came over and said,
“Monk, this has nothing to do with you. Get out of the way!”
Tang Seng shielded the young monk and said, “Officers, may I ask what fault this child has committed that you would make such a great commotion?”
Hearing this, the leading soldier shoved Tang Seng, pushing him so that he staggered, and said, “Damn it, monk, mind your own business! We are acting under the king’s orders, understand?”
Seeing that the situation was bad, the young monk hurriedly ran off.
When the soldiers saw this, they immediately tried to give chase, but Tang Seng blocked them and said,
“This humble monk has come from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, traveling west to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. I am also acquainted with your king. How dare you act in such a way in broad daylight?”
When those soldiers heard that Tang Seng knew the king, they grew somewhat afraid.
One of them said nervously, “Chief, he says he knows His Majesty. Could it be true?”
Another said, “I did hear that recently several monks from the Great Tang helped His Majesty retake the throne, and His Majesty places great trust in them. This monk’s attire is different from the monks here. Could he be…”
The leader swallowed, forced himself to stay calm, and said,
“Afraid? What’s there to be afraid of? We’re acting according to orders too.”
Though he said this, the men were still somewhat frightened, and their attitude toward Tang Seng changed in an instant. The leader said fawningly,
“Holy Monk, we brothers were only acting according to orders. We did not know your identity and have offended you greatly. We beg the Holy Monk to forgive us, forgive us!”
Tang Seng did not mind this. Instead, he asked, “You say you were acting according to orders. That young monk just now is no more than fifteen or sixteen. What wrong has he committed that you would arrest him like this?”
The soldier answered respectfully,
“Replying to the Holy Monk, that young monk was originally the son of a household in the south of the city. Half a year ago, he killed two people from a neighboring family and stole money to gamble with. After the matter was exposed, he entered Guo’en Monastery and became a monk. Because temples are places beyond the secular world, he was never arrested. Recently, His Majesty ordered us to investigate major criminals from past years, and so we came to pursue him.”
Hearing this, Tang Seng froze where he stood.
He recalled what Ao Tu had once said, remained silent for a long time, then lowered his head and said, “Amitabha. This is this humble monk’s fault!”
The soldiers hurriedly said, “We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare. If the Holy Monk has no other instructions, then we will continue the pursuit.”
Tang Seng said, “This humble monk failed to distinguish right from wrong and allowed a murderer to escape. Allow this humble monk to go with you as well, so that I may atone for my fault.”
The soldiers said in surprise, “Holy Monk, you will pursue him together with us?”
Tang Seng did not speak. He merely tightened his monk’s robe, tied up his sleeves, recited the six-syllable mantra, and shot forward in pursuit.
The soldiers could not help but stare dumbfounded at the sight.
Tang Seng chased him all the way. He had eaten the ginseng fruit and also knew the six-syllable mantra; how could that young monk outrun him?
Before long, Tang Seng caught up and seized him.
By then, they had arrived before a monastery. Its name was “Guo’en Monastery.”
The young monk cried out loudly, “Senior brothers, Master, save me!”
A group of monks came out of Guo’en Monastery and surrounded Tang Seng with unfriendly expressions.
The soldiers behind them also caught up at this time. Seeing the situation, they stepped forward and said, “Impudent! Monks of Guo’en Monastery, what do you think you’re doing? This is an eminent monk from the Great Tang. How dare you act so insolently!”
Hearing this, the abbot of Guo’en Monastery walked out and said,
“You are that monk from the Tang dynasty?”
Tang Seng replied, “This humble monk indeed comes from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land.”
The abbot said, “Why are you holding Huiren?”
Only then did Tang Seng learn that the young monk’s Buddhist name was Huiren.
Tang Seng asked, “Did he kill people?”
The abbot sighed. “That is indeed the case.”
Tang Seng said, “Since that is so, he ought to submit to the law.”
The abbot said, “Huiren has already entered the Buddhist order and receives the teachings of the Dharma. Why is there any need for secular punishment?”
Tang Seng lowered his eyes and said, “The Four-Part Vinaya clearly records: ‘If a bhikkhu commits killing, theft, sexual misconduct, or false speech, he may not dwell together with the community.’ The Buddhist gate delivers all beings, but it does not shelter the roots of calamity.”
The abbot said, “Amitabha. Since Huiren entered the monastery, his nature has been gentle and kind, and he has thoroughly repented of his past wrongs. Is repentance truly not permitted? Must one insist on exterminating him completely?”
The soldiers behind him said, “Old monk, what’s the use of all this nonsense? This is a decree issued by His Majesty. Are you trying to defy the imperial order?”
Hearing this, the abbot no longer spoke.
The soldiers, one on each side, twisted Huiren’s arms and escorted him to the yamen.
Tang Seng gave a salute and was just about to take his leave.
The abbot said, “Wait.”
Tang Seng said, “Old abbot, is there something else?”
The abbot said, “This old monk is one who has left the secular world and does not fear royal laws and statutes, so I dare to ask: you, a monk from elsewhere, why did you help others usurp the rivers and mountains of my Baoxiang Kingdom? Are you not afraid that the Buddha will blame you?”
Hearing this, Tang Seng said, “Old abbot, there are things you do not know. Thirteen years ago, during the Mid-Autumn moon-viewing, demons caused chaos, abducted the princess, and a usurper brought disaster to the kingdom. The previous king was transformed from a demon; the present king is the rightful ruler.”
The abbot said, “How do you know that the previous king was transformed from a demon?”
Tang Seng said, “His Highness the prince saw it with his own eyes. Moreover, under the demon’s rule, the common people lost all their kin, and the people had no means of livelihood.”
The abbot said, “In the thirty years of my Baoxiang Kingdom, no prince has ever been born. Everyone knows this. Under the former ruler, though one could not say every commoner praised him, at the very least, the people lived and worked in peace. How could there be talk of losing all their kin and having no means of livelihood?”
Hearing this, Tang Seng was somewhat shocked.
The abbot continued, “These things you learned—were they all from the one-sided words of others?”
Tang Seng’s expression changed abruptly. Recalling all that had happened, he faintly heard the sound of a temple bell in his mind, as though everything had been linked together.
He hurriedly took his leave and personally visited the common folk, asking about matters concerning Baoxiang Kingdom.
He first inquired about news of Ao Tu. As a result, after asking several people, the information he obtained was all the same: from beginning to end, Baoxiang Kingdom had only ever had three princesses, and there had never been any prince.
Tang Seng’s face turned pale. He then asked about the matter the old woman had spoken of before, of human bones being used to brew wine. The result was the same—no one knew anything about it.
Everyone said that although the previous king of Baoxiang Kingdom could not be called especially diligent in government or loving toward the people, at the very least, he had never committed any acts of cruelty.
Tang Seng looked toward the palace in terror and hurriedly rushed back.