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38 The Kingdom of Tianzhu

Inside the walls the merchants scattered to their inns. The disciples found a post-house and walked in. The post-master, hearing that monks from Tang had arrived, hurried forward to greet them. "I wish to appear before His Majesty to have my travelling pass countersigned," said the Tang Monk. "May I go to court?" The post-master answered, "The king's daughter has just turned twenty. She is holding a brocade tower at the crossroads, to throw the embroidered ball and choose a husband. The king has not yet left the court, so this is a good moment to get your pass stamped." The Tang Monk bolted his meal and hurried with Wukong toward the palace. On the streets, scholars, farmers, craftsmen, merchants, gentlemen and common folk jostled and cried, "Come see the embroidered ball!" "Master," said Wukong, "let us join the fun and see whether the princess is real or false." The Tang Monk thought it reasonable, and the two fell in behind the crowd. In truth, the princess was a she-demon in disguise. She had spirited away the true princess, taken her place, and, having calculated that the Tang Monk would arrive this very day, meant to choose him as her bridegroom. At high noon, surrounded by her palace maids, the false princess mounted the brocade tower. Wedged in the throng, the Tang Monk and Wukong happened to stand just below. The false princess spied her man, took up the embroidered ball and, with her own hand, let it fly; it landed squarely on the Tang Monk's head. The Tang Monk started in fright and raised both hands to fend the ball off, but it rolled down and nestled in his sleeve. From the tower a chorus of voices rang out, "The ball has struck a monk!" At once the street surged toward him, eager to snatch the ball. Wukong gave a great shout, bent at the waist, and grew to a height of three zhang, so that the people tumbled over one another and dared not come near. After a while the crowd drifted off, and Wukong shrank back to his usual form. Then the palace maids came down the stairs and bowed before the Tang Monk. "Honoured sir, pray enter the palace to receive the congratulations of His Majesty." The Tang Monk turned and scolded Wukong. "You wretched ape, you have made a fool of me again!" Wukong grinned. "Set your heart at rest, Master. Go in and see the king. If they truly mean to make you bridegroom, tell His Majesty to summon your disciple, for I have a word to leave with you. Once I come before the hall, I shall know at a glance whether the princess is real or false." With no choice, the Tang Monk was borne by the maids to the foot of the tower. The false princess came down, and the two mounted the jeweled palanquin together, which set off back toward the palace gate. The king, hearing that the ball had fallen on a monk, was none too pleased, and, not knowing his daughter's mind, could only issue the decree to summon the Tang Monk into the hall. Together the Tang Monk and the princess approached the throne and bowed. The king questioned him about his origins; the Master answered truthfully and begged leave to continue on his way. The king then asked his daughter's wishes. The false princess replied, "A hen follows the cock, a dog follows its mate. Now that the ball has struck this holy monk, it is a bond of former lives; I would make him my bridegroom." Seeing his daughter willing, the king decreed an auspicious day for the wedding. The Tang Monk neither thanked the king nor accepted the honour; he only cried, "Let me go, let me go!" Enraged, the king thundered, "You graceless monk! Refuse once more and you shall be dragged out and beheaded!"

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