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35 The Prefecture of Fengxian

The sight filled the Tang Monk's heart with grief, and he bade Sandy share out the dry provisions they carried. The old woman thanked him a thousand times over, and said, "No rain has fallen here for three years, the harvest has failed utterly, and the poor can scarcely keep themselves alive." They walked on to the crossroads, where many guards in dark blue stood drawn up in ranks and several officials waited beneath the eaves; yet when these saw them coming, not one would step aside to let them pass. Seeing this, Bajie thrust out his long snout on purpose and shouted again and again, "Out of the way! Out of the way!" At the sight of him the people's bones turned to water; they staggered back, crying, "A demon! A demon is upon us!" Fearing that Bajie would stir up trouble, the Tang Monk hurried forward and bowed to them all, saying, "This humble monk comes from the great land of Tang in the east, bound for the Temple of Great Thunder to fetch the scriptures, and so passes through your noble region. May I ask what place this is?" One official, trembling, bent low and answered, "This is an outlying prefecture of the kingdom of India, and its name is Fengxian. Because the drought has lasted year after year, our prefect ordered us to post a notice calling for a master of the arts who can pray for rain." Wukong asked with curiosity, "Where is this notice?" The official replied, "It is here with me, not yet posted." With that he brought the paper out and spread it open. Master and disciples stepped nearer and read it carefully. It ran: "Fengxian has suffered drought year upon year, not a single grain has been gathered in, and countless people in the city have starved to death. This notice is therefore posted: whoever can pray down rain and save the people shall be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold, and no word of this is empty." When the Tang Monk had finished reading he turned to Wukong and the rest and said, "Disciples, whichever of you has the skill, pray down a sweet rain for them and save these people." Wukong laughed and said, "Old Sun can churn the rivers and disturb the seas, shift the stars and turn the Dipper. What is a little rain to me?" At once the official sent a man to report to the prefect of Fengxian. The prefect was overjoyed; he straightened his robes in haste and, neither riding a horse nor taking a sedan chair, came on foot into the street to welcome them. The moment he saw them, the prefect cared nothing for the frightful faces of Bajie and the others, but fell to his knees in the open street and bowed, saying, "This humble officer is Shangguan, prefect of Fengxian. I beg you, Master, in your great mercy, to pray down sweet rain and deliver my people!" Then the prefect escorted them to his residence, where he ordered tea to be poured and a vegetarian feast set out, and entertained them most warmly. Before long the servants carried in the meal. At the sight of it Bajie fell upon the food like a famished tiger, swallowing it in great mouthfuls. The terrified servants, their hearts quaking, hurried to and fro like figures in a turning lantern, bringing soup and rice one dish after another, and even so could barely keep pace with him. When the meal was done, the Tang Monk questioned the prefect about the drought. The prefect replied, "For three years running not one drop of rain has fallen here. If you, Master, can pray down sweet rain, I shall surely reward you with a thousand pieces of gold." Wukong laughed and said, "If it is a reward of gold you speak of, you will not get a single drop of rain. But if it is a good deed to be done, then old Sun will give you a great rain for nothing." Hearing this, the prefect gave Wukong the seat of honour, bowed his head and said, "You are truly merciful, Master." Wukong raised him up and said, "Watch well over my Master, and I will go about this business at once."

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