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38 The Kingdom of Tianzhu

The king was overjoyed and ordered his guard-officer, "Quick, fetch the four treasures of the study! Let the bridegroom write them down, that I may savour them at leisure." The Master did not refuse, but took up the brush and dashed off several poems in succession. Delighted, the king praised the verses again and again, and ordered the music office to set the new poems to song. The drinking and conversation went on. While the Tang Monk and the king were playing at being poets in the tower, Wukong and his brothers drank in the neighbouring Lingering-Spring Pavilion. After a few cups, they grew somewhat tipsy, and Bajie's folly broke out. "What fun! What freedom! It's time for bed!" he bellowed. At that moment, the false princess, standing at a distance, heard the three of them brawling. "If these three stay here, they will surely ruin my plans. I must get rid of them as soon as possible," she thought. After several days of revelry, the auspicious day of the wedding arrived. The king was about to invite the Tang Monk to the feast when the princess stepped before him, prostrated herself, and said, "Father, I have heard that the Tang Monk has three disciples of most hideous aspect, and I am frightened. I beg you, father, to send the three of them out of the city." "Had you not said so, I should have quite forgotten," the king replied. "Today I shall give them their travelling pass and send the three on their way." The false princess rejoiced in secret, and kowtowed in gratitude. At the morning court the king summoned the Tang Monk and his disciples. The chamberlain went to fetch them on imperial orders. Wukong laughed, "It must be our send-off. Only the Master will be left behind." The four gathered their things and presented themselves before the king. The king called Wukong and the other two forward and said, "Hand up your travelling pass. I shall set the royal seal upon it, and give you extra travelling money besides, so that the three of you may go to the Spirit Mountain and see the Buddha. When you return with the scriptures, you shall have rich reward. The bridegroom will stay here; do not worry on his account." Wukong agreed with alacrity, swapped the pass, and turned at once to go. In a panic the Tang Monk caught his arm. "You care nothing for me?" Wukong tipped him a wink and said, "Set your heart at rest, Master. Once I have fetched the scriptures, I shall come back for you." By now a ring of officials had gathered, taking the scene for a tearful parting between Master and disciples. With no choice, the Tang Monk let go his grip and stood watching helplessly as Wukong and the other two were escorted away. Back at the post-house, Wukong said to Bajie and Sandy, "You two stay here. If the post-master asks about me, answer him vaguely and do not mention my name. I am off to look after our Master." So saying, Wukong plucked a single hair, breathed a breath of immortal air upon it, and cried, "Change!" The hair became a Wukong of its own. His true body, meanwhile, changed into a tiny bee and flew out of the post-house. Wukong flew into the palace, where he saw the Tang Monk sitting beside the king with a face full of grief. Quietly the bee alighted at his ear and whispered, "Master, I am here. Be not afraid." Recognising Wukong's voice, the Master felt his heart lighten at last. Soon an official came to invite them, saying, "Long live the king, the wedding feast has been laid out in the Hall of the Magpie-Phoenix." The king was overjoyed and, with the Tang Monk, went together into the hall. Inside the hall drums and music thundered, strange perfumes filled the air, and bejewelled ladies stood in two rows. The Tang Monk's heart was fixed only on his westward journey; with bowed head, he looked at nothing at all.

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