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28 The Purple-Gold Bells

At last Bajie was stung into anger. He turned around, showed his true snout and face, put on a fearsome scowl, and gave a great roar. The crowd was so terrified that they cried for their fathers and mothers and fled in every direction. Asking their way as they went, the four came to the gate of the Huitong Hostel. The Tang Monk dismounted and knocked. The steward came out, asked who they were and whence they came, and ushered all four into the hostel. The steward had his servants sweep out a guest room and invited the Tang Monk and his disciples to rest there. He then sent a bailiff with rice and flour, green vegetables, bean curd, dried bamboo shoots, wood ears and the like, telling them to cook for themselves in the kitchen of the western wing. The Tang Monk asked the bailiff whether the king was holding court, for he wished to have his travel pass exchanged. The bailiff said, "Our king has not held court for a long while. Today is an auspicious day, and he is even now consulting with his civil and military officers about the posting of a royal proclamation. If you wish to exchange your pass, this is the best time to go. Miss today and who knows how long you will have to wait." At this the Tang Monk hastily told Bajie to bring out the travel pass, took it himself, and hurried off to the palace. In a little while he came to the Five Phoenix Tower and asked the officer of petitions to announce him to the king. The officer of the Yellow Gate came to the jade steps and reported, "Outside the palace gate is the Master Sanzang of the Great Tang in the East, who is bound for the Thunder Sound Monastery in the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. He wishes to have his travel pass exchanged, and waits without for your summons." The king was delighted. "I have been long ill and long away from court. Today I went up to the hall and put out a proclamation calling for physicians, and lo, a holy monk comes to our land!" He at once ordered that the Tang Monk be brought into the hall. The Tang Monk went in, bowed to the king, and presented the pass. The king bade them give him a seat and examined the document closely. Stealing a glance at the emperor, the Tang Monk saw that his face was sallow and his flesh wasted, his body worn and his spirit spent, like a man who had been sick for a very long time. When the king had read the pass he was greatly pleased, and gave orders for a vegetarian feast to be laid in the Pixiang Hall in honor of the Tang Monk. The Tang Monk gave thanks, and he and the king ate together and talked most pleasantly. Meanwhile, back at the Huitong Hostel, Wukong told Sandy to prepare tea and a vegetarian meal. Sandy said, "The rice and tea are easily cooked, but we have no oil, salt, sauce or vinegar, so the vegetables are hard to manage." Wukong told Bajie to go and buy some, but Bajie pleaded that he was too ugly and would frighten people, and made excuses to stay behind. Wukong said, "Just now in the busy market there were many stalls selling baked cakes, sugar pastries, steamed crisps, tidbits, fried dainties and honeyed sweets, countless good things. How if I buy some for you to eat?" At this Bajie's mouth began to water and his throat to swallow, and he quickly took up a bowl for carrying things and followed Wukong out of the gate. Wukong asked the way to the place where seasonings were sold, and the two set off together toward the west of the street. Before long they came to the drum tower, and saw a great crowd packed beneath it, choking the street and blocking the road with a mighty hubbub. Bajie said, "If I push through, I may frighten a few of them to death and bring trouble on us. Better that I wait here and you go and buy." Wukong said, "So be it. Wait here by the foot of the wall. When I come back with the seasonings I will buy you some vegetarian cakes as well." Bajie handed him the bowl, turned his snout to the wall and his back to the crowd, and would not budge for anything. Wukong walked up to the tower and squeezed into the crowd for a closer look. A royal proclamation was posted beneath it, saying that the king was sick with a lingering illness that would not yield, and offering a vast reward for a physician or a remedy; whoever cured the king would be given half the kingdom. Wukong rolled his eyes and an idea came to him. Wukong muttered a spell and made himself invisible. He stepped softly forward and took down the proclamation. Then he breathed out a breath of immortal air and raised a whirlwind that made everyone cover their heads and shut their eyes. Taking advantage of the confusion, Wukong carried the proclamation back to where Bajie stood. Bajie had his snout propped against the wall, as if he were fast asleep. Wukong did not disturb him. He rolled the proclamation into a tube, tucked it into Bajie's breast, turned around and went back to the Huitong Hostel.

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