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39 The Prefecture of Tongtai

Wukong reached the Kou house, and saw in the main hall a coffin set up, lamps burning beside it, incense, candles, flowers and fruit laid out. The squire's wife and her two sons were weeping beside it. Wukong alighted on the coffin and deliberately coughed. The two sons, frightened out of their wits, dropped to the ground and called out again and again, "Father! Father!" The lady of the house, plucking up her courage, gave the coffin a pat and asked in a trembling voice, "Master, have you come back to life?" Wukong, imitating the squire's voice, said, "I have not come back. The King of Hell sent a little imp to bring me here to speak to you. You have laid a false charge against good men; the Tang Monk and his disciples are suffering for it this very moment!" The two brothers kowtowed and pleaded, "Set your mind at rest, father. Tomorrow we shall go and withdraw the charge." Leaving the squire's house, Wukong flew next to the prefect's residence. There, with the lamp lit within, the prefect was at his devotions before the spirit-tablet of his late uncle. Wukong alighted on the tablet, took on the appearance of the prefect's uncle, and whispered, "Dear nephew, yesterday you wrongly seized four holy monks. Today you must release them." The prefect, hearing this, started in fright, but quietly took the words to heart. Out of the prefect's house, the sky was already light. Wukong flew next to the county of Diling, where, high in the air, he took on a giant's form. He stretched down a single foot, stamped hard on the floor of the county hall, and made the very ground shake. Then Wukong cried in a great voice, "Hear me, all of you! I am the Wandering Spirit sent by the Jade Emperor himself. Your Prefecture of Bronze Terrace has wrongly seized the pilgrim-monk who fetches the scriptures; the gods of the three realms are troubled. He has sent me to bid you release the prisoners at once. If there is any delay, I shall trample the whole city into ashes!" The magistrate and his officers, terrified, fell to their knees together and bowed in worship. Wukong laughed, recalled his magic body, took once more the form of a small grasshopper, and flew back to the cell. The next day, when the prefect took his seat, the two Kou brothers knelt before him and begged to withdraw the charge. The prefect thundered, "Yesterday we had the criminals and the goods; why withdraw today?" With tears streaming down, the brothers told of the spirit of their father that had appeared to them in the night. Even as they spoke, an officer from the county of Diling came running in. "A wandering spirit, sent by the Jade Emperor, has just appeared and bids you release the monks in the prison at once." The prefect, recalling the words he had heard at dawn before his uncle's tablet, felt the scales fall from his eyes, and ordered the prisoners to be set free. The four came out of the prison, and the prefect and his officers stepped forward to salute them. Together the company went to the Kou house. Wukong said, "Wait while Old Sun goes and brings the squire back to life, that we may learn who struck him down." Wukong left the Kou house and came to the dark underworld, to the Hall of the Ten Kings of Hell. The Ten Yan Lords, on seeing Wukong arrive, hurried out to meet him and asked with one voice, "To what do we owe the honour of the Great Sage's coming?" "The spirit of Kou Hong of the Prefecture of Bronze Terrace — who has taken it in charge?" said Wukong. "Look into the matter at once!" The Ten Lords replied, "We never sent any messenger to summon him. He came of his own accord, and went to King Dizang." Wukong went on to the Turquoise-Cloud Palace to see King Dizang. The king said, "Kou Hong's allotted span had run out, but, seeing that he had fed monks and honoured the good, I kept him here to keep the ledger of virtuous bonds. Since the Great Sage has come to fetch him, I shall grant him twelve more years of life, and let him go back with you."

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