Thirty, the Slightly Superfluous Sand Monk

After a long while, Sun Wukong returned to the hall, his thoughts heavy. Zhu Bajie hurried over and asked, “Brother Monkey, did you agree?”

“Agree to what?” Sun Wukong replied absentmindedly, but he quickly realized what was meant. He flicked Zhu Bajie hard on the forehead and snapped, “I’m not in the mood right now, don’t bother me. Get lost!”

“Brother Monkey, you…” Zhu Bajie had never seen Sun Wukong so angry before and sensibly slinked away, joining Bear Wufan and Sha Monk in quiet conversation.

Suddenly, the inner chamber doors creaked open. Several young girls entered first, carrying red lanterns and censers, and took their places on either side of the hall.

Then, the beautiful matron arrived, leading Zhenzhen, Ai’ai, and Lianlian. The three daughters were each striking in their beauty, with willow brows, rosy complexions, graceful figures, and enchanting eyes.

“Heavens forgive us!” Tang Sanzang quickly lowered his head and pressed his palms together in prayer. Sun Wukong paid them no mind, lost in thought. Sha Monk and Bear Wufan pretended to be blind and deaf, while only Zhu Bajie, emboldened by lust, stared fixedly at the daughters, swallowing hard.

Soon, the three daughters retired behind a folding screen, leaving only two gauzy lanterns and a lingering fragrance in the room.

The beautiful matron observed the reactions of the monks and was quite satisfied, yet she still asked, “Have you discussed among yourselves which one will stay and marry my daughter?”

Sha Monk, long disgusted with Zhu Bajie’s lecherous behavior, declared decisively, “We have discussed it—the one with the surname Zhu will stay as your son-in-law!”

Zhu Bajie, flustered, replied, “Brother Sha, don’t set me up! Let’s think this through!”

Sun Wukong, now resigned, didn’t even look up and said, “Bajie, do as you wish. I’m not getting involved.”

Zhu Bajie, puzzled, pressed, “Brother Monkey, what do you mean? How can you just wash your hands of me?”

Sun Wukong sighed, “Bajie, you already called her ‘Mother.’ What are you still embarrassed for? I say, just accept it—let Master and the rest of us enjoy some wedding wine.”

“Brother Monkey, what are you saying?” Zhu Bajie was secretly delighted but still twisted his body with feigned modesty.

“Enough, Bajie! You chose this path, so finish what you started on your knees if you must. Go on, now!”

With that, Sun Wukong grabbed Zhu Bajie with one hand and the beautiful matron with the other, saying, “Mother-in-law, quickly take your good son-in-law to the bridal chamber!”

“You impudent… Elder, what are you shoving for?” The matron scolded, but all the while instructed the girls to set the table and prepare the vegetarian feast to entertain Tang Sanzang and the others.

“Amitabha!” Tang Sanzang finally relaxed as the matter was resolved, but looking at the vegetarian dishes before him, he couldn’t help but worry about Zhu Bajie.

“Master, don’t worry. Bajie is enjoying himself inside!” Sun Wukong noticed Tang Sanzang’s concern and quickly tried to reassure him.

“Enough, if this is Heaven’s will, then perhaps Bajie and I were never meant to be master and disciple.” Tang Sanzang softly recited the Buddha’s name, then joined the others in their meal before retiring for the night.

But let us return to Zhu Bajie, whose fate was not so fortunate.

The beautiful matron led him into a room, and together with her three daughters, began to tease and torment him under the pretense of “testing the heavens’ marriage.” Zhu Bajie was battered and bruised, then coaxed into putting on a pearl-embroidered brocade shirt.

Yet before he could tie the sash, he suddenly toppled over and fell to the ground, thrashing helplessly.

The brocade shirt had transformed into several coarse hemp ropes, binding him tightly. His veins bulged and pain shot through him, while the beautiful matron and her daughters vanished. He was left to call for help in vain, with no answer from Heaven or Earth…

…

A wild duck startled up, flapping its wings as it skimmed over withered reeds and disappeared into the depths of the marsh.

A young woman in a red gauze dress sat with her back to him by the edge of the reeds, gazing at the boundless yellow wasteland beneath the setting sun. She spoke softly, “Last night, I sent a spider to tell you—I wanted it to tell you I missed you. Did you know that?”

“And did you know that I’ve always been lying to you?” Sun Rong approached her, but her face remained obscured.

“A lie is still a lie. Like a moth to a flame, it knows it’ll get hurt but flies to the fire anyway.” The young woman smiled, as if releasing a burden. “Moths are just that foolish.”

Sun Rong stared at her back, a thousand words on his lips, but after a long hesitation, not a single one came out.

“Wukong, Wukong!” Just then, Tang Sanzang’s voice echoed in his ears. Sun Rong started awake, finding himself once again in his monkey form, with the sky in the east paling with dawn.

The voice calling him was indeed Tang Sanzang, who stood by, pointing to the dense pines and cypresses around them. “Wukong, how did we end up sleeping here?”

Still half lost in his dream, Sun Wukong replied offhandedly, “Don’t worry, Master. Last night, it was the Old Mother of Mount Li and the Four Sages who came down to test our hearts.”

“Amitabha, Wukong, why didn’t you say so earlier?” Tang Sanzang quickly rose and bowed to the four directions in gratitude.

Sun Wukong, his spirits restored, laughed, “Master, they’ve long since returned to Heaven. They can’t see your bowing now!”

Tang Sanzang paid no heed, continuing his prayers and chanting from the Lotus Sutra for some time before stopping. Then, he noticed a letter fluttering from an ancient cypress tree. It read:

The Old Mother of Mount Li has no worldly desires,
The Bodhisattva of the Southern Sea invites her down.
Samantabhadra and Manjusri are merely guests,
Transformed into beauties within the forest.
The holy monk has virtue but is no common man,
Bajie lacks Zen and remains all too mortal.
Henceforth, keep a quiet heart and mend your ways,
For with idleness, the road ahead will be hard.

“Master, spare me! Please save me; I’ll never do it again!” Just as they were reading the letter aloud, a loud cry came from deep in the woods—Zhu Bajie’s unmistakable voice.

“Wukong, is that Bajie calling?” Tang Sanzang listened carefully and asked uncertainly.

Sha Monk listened for a moment and nodded, “Master, it should be Second Brother.”

“That fool! I’ve warned him countless times, but he never listens. Serves him right to be strung up by the Old Mother—perhaps now he’ll learn his lesson!” Sun Wukong said coldly.

“Wukong,” Tang Sanzang gently admonished, “Bajie may be foolish and stubborn, but last night he was simply confused. Bodhisattva has already taught him a lesson—surely he regrets it now.”

“That’s hard to say…” Bear Wufan shouldered the load, muttering quietly as he heard Tang Sanzang’s words.

Sun Wukong helped Tang Sanzang onto the horse, instructed Sha Monk to lead the dragon horse, and went ahead to clear the path. There they found Zhu Bajie bound to a tree with coarse ropes, shouting in pain.

Sun Wukong, grinning, approached and teased, “Well, well, isn’t this the good son-in-law of the Jia family? Why aren’t you battling your four lovely wives, but instead practicing some skill up in a tree?”

“Brother Monkey, please don’t mock me anymore. I know I was wrong!” Zhu Bajie, blushing and biting his lip, pleaded softly.

“You know you were wrong? How many times have I warned you?” Sun Wukong said, but still called for the burly Sha Monk to release Zhu Bajie.

“Master!” As soon as he was freed, Zhu Bajie ignored his pain and bowed to Tang Sanzang, then scooped up some earth and burned incense, bowing toward the sky.

“Enough, they’re long gone!” Sun Wukong shook his head, then asked Bear Wufan to hand over the food they had packed from the wedding feast. “Son-in-law, here’s the meal I wrapped for you last night at your wedding—just in case you got hungry after your nightly revels.”

Sha Monk laughed as well, “Second Brother is truly blessed, to have four Bodhisattvas come to marry him!”

Zhu Bajie tossed the letter aside, shoveling food into his mouth as he grumbled, “Stop making fun of me! I swear, from this day forward, never again!”

“Very good,” said Tang Sanzang, nodding. Then to the group he said, “Let us not tease Bajie anymore. Gather your things, and let us continue our journey.”

“Right away, Master!” Zhu Bajie rushed to lead the dragon horse, pushing Sha Monk aside, and bounced off after Sun Wukong toward the west.

Sha Monk, feeling somewhat useless, looked left and right, uncomfortable with empty hands. He tried to share Bear Wufan’s burden, but Bear Wufan glared and refused.

Now Sha Monk was anxious—the dragon horse was led by Zhu Bajie, the load carried by Bear Wufan. What was left for him? He couldn’t just loaf around like Big Brother—was he even qualified?

“No, if this continues, I’ll be excluded from the group!” Sha Monk, not as simple as he appeared, plotted inwardly:

Right now, this scripture-seeking team is led by Tang Sanzang, who greatly trusts Big Brother, so I can’t offend either of them. Second Brother has just made a mistake and is eager to redeem himself, so he won’t let me lead or feed the horse. Therefore, if I don’t want to be sidelined, I’ll have to get in good with Bear Wufan—after all, I’m the bona fide third disciple on this journey!