Chapter 9

During the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty, Wang Xiangxu and Huang Zhouxing added the appendix to this chapter. The story tells of Chang’an City, the great capital of Shaanxi, which was the place where emperors of successive ages established their capitals. Since the time of Zhou, Qin, and Han, the flowers of the three regions had been like brocade, and the eight rivers flowed around the city. Truly, it was a land of famous sights. At that time, the Great Tang Emperor Taizong had ascended the throne and changed the era name to Zhenguan. Thirteen years had already passed since his accession; the year was Jisi. All under Heaven was peaceful, tribute came from the eight directions, and the four seas acknowledged submission. Suddenly one day, Taizong ascended the throne, assembled all the civil and military officials, and, after the court audience rites were completed, Chancellor Wei Zheng stepped forth from the ranks and奏道: “At present, all under Heaven is peaceful and the eight directions are tranquil. We ought to follow the ancient laws, establish examination grounds, summon worthy scholars, promote and employ talented men, and thereby assist in transforming and governing the realm.” Taizong said, “What my worthy minister has奏 is reasonable.” He then ordered a proclamation summoning worthy men to be prepared and issued throughout the realm: In every prefecture, commandery, and county, whether military or civilian, anyone among the scholarly students who had read books, understood literary meaning clearly and fluently, and was proficient in all three examination sessions was to proceed to Chang’an to sit for the examinations. When this proclamation reached the region of Haizhou, there was a man surnamed Chen, named E, with the courtesy name Guangrui. Upon seeing the proclamation, he immediately returned home and said to his mother, Lady Zhang: “The imperial court has issued the yellow proclamation and ordered the Southern Examination Bureau opened to examine and select worthy talents. Your child wishes to go and sit for the examination. If I should obtain even an official post of half a rank, I could honor my parents and make my name known, receive a title for my wife and provide protection for my sons, and bring glory to our family gate. This is your child’s ambition. I have come especially to inform Mother that I am going.” Lady Zhang said, “My son is a scholar. ‘Learn when young, and put it into practice when grown’; this is precisely what you ought to do. But when you go to sit for the examination, you must be careful on the road. Once you obtain office, return early.” Guangrui therefore instructed the household servants to pack the luggage, then bade farewell to his mother and hastened onward. When he reached Chang’an, the examination grounds had just opened wide, and Guangrui entered. After the examinations were completed, he was selected. When he presented his three policy essays at the palace examination, the Tang king personally bestowed upon him, with his imperial brush, the title of Presented Scholar Number One. He mounted a horse and toured the streets for three days. Unexpectedly, as he toured to the gate of Chancellor Yin Kaishan’s residence, there was a daughter born to the Chancellor, named Wenjiao, also called Mantangjiao. She had not yet been married and was at that very moment ascending a tower adorned with colored silk, where she was throwing an embroidered ball to determine her husband. It happened that Chen Guangrui was passing beneath the tower. When the young lady saw that Guangrui was exceptionally handsome and learned that he was the newly appointed Presented Scholar Number One, she was inwardly delighted and threw down the embroidered ball. It happened to strike Guangrui’s black gauze cap. Suddenly, a great array of sheng and xiao and delicate music was heard. More than a dozen maidservants and concubines came down from the tower, caught hold of the head of Guangrui’s horse, and welcomed the Presented Scholar into the Chancellor’s residence to marry. The Chancellor and his wife immediately came out into the hall, summoned the usher to praise the rites, and matched their daughter with Guangrui. After they worshiped Heaven and Earth and the husband and wife bowed to each other, they again bowed to the father and mother-in-law. The Chancellor ordered a banquet arranged, and they drank merrily through the night. The two of them clasped hands and entered the fragrant inner chamber together. The next day, at the third watch and third quarter, Taizong sat upon the Golden Carriage Palace, and the civil and military officials hurried to court. Taizong asked, “To what office should the newly appointed Presented Scholar Chen Guangrui be assigned?” Chancellor Wei Zheng奏道: “I have examined the prefectures and commanderies under our jurisdiction. Jiangzhou has an official vacancy. I beg my lord to grant him this post.” Taizong thereupon appointed him lord of Jiangzhou and ordered him to prepare at once for departure, without missing the prescribed deadline. Guangrui thanked the emperor for his favor, left the court, and returned to the Chancellor’s residence. After discussing matters with his wife, he bade farewell to his father- and mother-in-law and, together with his wife, proceeded to Jiangzhou to take up his office. He left Chang’an and took to the road. It was precisely the weather of late spring: the gentle wind greened the willows, and fine rain dotted the red flowers. Guangrui therefore returned home and, together with his wife, bowed to his mother, Lady Zhang. Lady Zhang said, “Congratulations, my son, and you have returned having taken a wife as well.” Guangrui said, “Through Mother’s blessings and protection, your child has presumptuously become the Presented Scholar Number One and, by imperial favor, toured the streets. Passing before the residence of Chancellor Yin in, I happened to be struck by the embroidered ball that was thrown, and the Chancellor immediately betrothed his daughter to your child as his son-in-law. The court has appointed your child lord of Jiangzhou. I have now come to fetch Mother so that she may go with us to take up the post.” Lady Zhang was overjoyed and made preparations for the journey. After several days on the road, they came to Wanhuadian and lodged at the home of Liu Xiao’er. Lady Zhang suddenly fell ill and said to Guangrui, “I feel unwell. Let me recuperate at the inn for two days before we go on.” Guangrui obeyed. The next morning, he saw a man before the inn carrying a golden carp and crying it for sale. Guangrui immediately bought it for one string of cash. He was about to have it cooked for his mother when he saw the carp’s eyes flash and blink. Guangrui was astonished and said, “I have heard that when fish or snakes blink their eyes, they must be no ordinary creatures.” He then asked the fisherman, “Where did you catch this fish?” The fisherman said, “I caught it in the Hong River, fifteen li from the prefectural seat.” Guangrui took the fish to the Hong River and released it alive, then returned to the inn and told his mother what had happened. Lady Zhang said, “Releasing life is a good deed; my heart is greatly pleased.” Guangrui said, “We have already stayed at this inn for three days. The imperial deadline is pressing, and your child wishes to set out tomorrow. I do not know whether Mother’s health has improved?” Lady Zhang said, “My body is unwell, and the road is hot at this season; I fear the illness will worsen. You can rent a room here for me and let me stay temporarily, leaving some travel expenses here. You and your wife go first to take up the post, and when autumn cools the weather, come back to fetch me.” Guangrui discussed it with his wife, rented a house, left travel funds with his mother, and bade her farewell before departing with his wife. The roads were arduous; they traveled by day and lodged by night. Before they knew it, they had reached the crossing at the Hong River. They saw the boatmen Liu Hong and Li Biao, who rowed the boat to shore to receive them. It was also because Guangrui was destined in his former life to suffer this disaster that he encountered these enemies. Guangrui ordered the household servant to carry the luggage aboard. Just as husband and wife were boarding together, Liu Hong opened his eyes and saw that Lady Yin’s face was like the full moon, her eyes like autumn waves, her mouth a small cherry, and her waist like a green willow. Truly, she possessed the beauty that would cause fish to sink and geese to fall, and the appearance that would make the moon hide and flowers blush. A wolfish heart suddenly arose in him. He therefore plotted with Li Biao and steered the boat to a place without human habitation. When the night had grown still and the third watch arrived, they first killed the household servant, then beat Guangrui to death and pushed both corpses into the water. When the young lady saw that they had beaten her husband to death, she too threw herself into the water. Liu Hong caught her in his arms and said, “If you submit to me, all will be well; if you do not, one stroke of the knife will make two severed halves.” The young lady pondered but had no plan; she could only consent for the moment and yield to Liu Hong. The bandit ferried the boat to the southern bank, handed it over to Li Biao to manage, then put on Guangrui’s official robes and cap, took the official credentials, and went with the young lady to Jiangzhou to assume office. As for the corpse of the household servant killed by Liu Hong, it drifted away with the current. Only the corpse of Chen Guangrui sank to the bottom of the water and remained there unmoving. A sea-patrolling yaksha at the mouth of the Hong River saw it and flew like a star to report the matter to the Dragon Palace. It happened that the Dragon King had just ascended the throne hall. The yaksha reported, “At the mouth of the Hong River, I do not know who has beaten a young scholar to death and cast his corpse into the depths.” The Dragon King ordered the corpse carried up and placed before him. Looking closely, he said, “This man is precisely the benefactor who saved me. How could he have been plotted against and killed? As the saying goes, ‘A kindness should be repaid with kindness.’ Today I must rescue his life in order to repay the kindness he showed me before.” He immediately wrote a document and dispatched the yaksha straight to the City God and Earth God of Hongzhou, ordering them to hand over the Presented Scholar’s soul so that his life might be saved. The City God and Earth God accordingly summoned the little ghosts and had Chen Guangrui’s soul delivered to the yaksha. The yaksha carried the soul to the Crystal Palace and presented it before the Dragon King. The Dragon King asked, “What is your surname and name, Scholar? From what place are you? Why did you come here, and why were you beaten to death?” Guangrui performed a courtesy and said, “This humble student is Chen E, courtesy name Guangrui, a native of Hongnong County in Haizhou. I have presumptuously become the newly appointed Presented Scholar and have been granted the post of lord of Jiangzhou. I was traveling with my wife to take up office. When we reached the riverbank and boarded a boat, I unexpectedly encountered the boatman Liu Hong, who coveted and plotted to seize my wife. He beat me to death and cast my corpse away. I beg Your Majesty the Great King to save me.” Hearing this, the Dragon King said, “So that is how it was. Sir, the golden carp you released earlier was none other than me. You are the benefactor who saved me. Now that you are in difficulty, how could I not save you?” He placed Guangrui’s corpse to one side and put a Pearl of Fixed Appearance in his mouth so that it would not decay, allowing him to restore his soul to the body and avenge himself in the future. He then said, “Your true soul may for the time being serve in my watery domain as a commander.” Guangrui knocked his head and bowed in thanks. The Dragon King prepared a banquet to receive him; this need not be discussed further. As for Lady Yin, she hated the bandit Liu so bitterly that she wished she could eat his flesh and sleep upon his hide. Since she was pregnant and did not know whether the child was male or female, she had no alternative but to force herself temporarily to submit to him. In the blink of an eye, they had arrived at Jiangzhou. The clerks, scribes, gate attendants, and yamen servants all came to welcome them. The officials under his jurisdiction arranged a banquet in the public hall to receive him. Liu Hong said, “This student’s arrival here is entirely due to the great strength and support of all the gentlemen.” The subordinate officials replied, “The Honorable Director is a great literary victor of lofty talent. Naturally, he will regard the people as his children; lawsuits will be few and punishments clear. All of us under his jurisdiction will depend upon him. Why be so modest?” When the official banquet had ended, everyone dispersed. Time passed swiftly. One day, Liu Hong went far away on official business. The young lady, thinking of her mother-in-law and husband, sighed in the flower pavilion. Suddenly her body grew weary, pain arose in her abdomen, and she fell unconscious to the ground. Before she knew it, she had given birth to a son. At her ear, someone instructed her: “Mantangjiao, listen to my admonition. I am the Southern Pole Star Lord, acting under the decree of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and I have specially sent this child to you. In another day his fame will spread far and wide; he will be no ordinary person. If the bandit Liu returns, he will surely harm this child. You must take care to protect him. Your husband has already been rescued by the Dragon King. In the future, husband and wife will meet again, mother and child will be reunited, and the day of clearing your wrongs and taking revenge will come. Remember my words. Wake quickly, wake quickly.” Having spoken, he departed. The young lady awoke, remembering every word. She took the child firmly into her arms but could think of no plan. Suddenly Liu Hong returned, and upon seeing the child, he wanted to drown him. The young lady said, “It is already late today. Allow me to cast him into the river tomorrow.” Fortunately, early the next morning Liu Hong suddenly had urgent official business and went away. The young lady secretly thought, “If this child waits for the bandit to return, his life will be lost. It would be better to cast him into the river at once and leave his life or death to fate. If August Heaven should take pity and someone save and raise him, perhaps we may meet again someday.” Yet she feared that he would be difficult to identify, so she bit through her finger and wrote a blood letter, giving in full the names of his parents and the circumstances and causes of his birth. She also bit off, with her mouth, the little toe on the child’s left foot, to serve as proof of identification. Taking a sweat shirt worn next to her body, she wrapped the child in it, waited for an opportunity, and carried him secretly out of the yamen. Fortunately, the official residence was not far from the river. The young lady reached the riverbank and wept bitterly. Just as she was about to cast the child away, she suddenly saw a piece of wooden board drifting up beside the riverbank. The young lady immediately bowed and prayed toward Heaven, placed the child upon the board, bound him to it with her sash, tied the blood letter to his chest, and pushed him into the river, leaving him to go wherever fate carried him. With tears in her eyes, the young lady returned to the yamen; this need not be discussed further. As for the child, he drifted downstream upon the wooden board until he stopped beneath Jinshan Temple. The abbot of Jinshan Temple was called the monk Faming. He had cultivated the true way and awakened to the Dao, and had already attained the wondrous secret of non-birth. He was seated in meditation, investigating Chan, when he suddenly heard the cries of an infant. His heart stirred at once, and he hurried to the riverbank to look. There, upon a wooden board at the edge of the bank, lay a sleeping infant. The abbot hastily rescued him. Seeing the blood letter in his bosom, he then learned the child’s origins. He gave him the milk name Jiangliu and entrusted others to raise him. The blood letter was carefully preserved. Time flew like an arrow, and the sun and moon passed like a shuttle. Before long, Jiangliu had reached the age of eighteen. The abbot then had him shave his head and cultivate the Way, gave him the Dharma name Xuanzang, rubbed his crown, bestowed the precepts upon him, and instructed him to devote his heart firmly to cultivation. One day, in the weather of late spring, everyone was beneath the shade of the pines discussing the scriptures and investigating Chan, speaking of its mysteries. That meat-and-wine monk happened to be defeated by Xuanzang in argument. The monk became furious and cursed, “You wicked beast, you do not even know your own name or recognize your parents, yet you are still here playing what sort of devilry?” Xuanzang was cursed with such words. He entered the temple, knelt before his master, and reported the matter, tears streaming from both eyes: “A person is born between Heaven and Earth, receiving yin and yang and drawing upon the five phases. All are born from a father and raised by a mother. How could there be a person living in this world who has no parents?” Again and again he pleaded, asking to learn his parents’ names. The abbot said, “If you truly wish to seek your parents, follow me into the abbot’s quarters.” Xuanzang followed him there. The abbot reached above the heavy beams, took down a small box, opened it, removed a blood letter and a sweat shirt, and handed them to Xuanzang. Xuanzang opened the blood letter and read it. Only then did he learn in full the names of his parents and the story of the wrongs and enmity. After Xuanzang finished reading, he could not help falling weeping to the ground. He said, “If I cannot avenge the wrong done to my parents, how can I be called a human being? For eighteen years I did not know my birth parents; only today have I learned that I have a mother. If my master had not fished this body from the water and raised me, how could I have reached this day? Allow this disciple to go find my mother. Afterward I shall carry an incense brazier upon my head and rebuild the temple halls, thereby repaying my master’s profound kindness.” The master said, “If you wish to seek your mother, take this blood letter and sweat shirt with you. Pretend to be a monk soliciting alms and go straight to the private yamen at Jiangzhou; only then will you be able to meet your mother.” Xuanzang received his master’s instructions, became a monk soliciting alms, and went straight to Jiangzhou. It happened that Liu Hong had gone out on business. It was also Heaven’s will that mother and son should meet, so Xuanzang went directly to the gate of the private yamen to solicit alms. As it happened, Lady Yin had dreamed during the night. In her dream, the moon, having waned, became full again. She secretly thought, “I do not know what has become of my mother-in-law. My husband was plotted against and killed by this bandit. My son was cast into the river. If someone rescued and raised him, he would now be eighteen years old. Perhaps Heaven has arranged for us to meet today; it cannot be known.” While she was pondering these things, she suddenly heard someone reciting scriptures before the private yamen and repeatedly calling out, “Solicit alms!” The young lady took the opportunity to come out and ask, “Where have you come from?” Xuanzang answered, “This poor monk is a disciple of the abbot Faming of Jinshan Temple.” The young lady said, “Since you are a disciple of the abbot of Jinshan Temple…” She had him brought into the yamen and gave Xuanzang vegetarian food to eat. Looking closely at his bearing and conversation, she found him very much like her husband. The young lady sent the attending maid away and asked, “Young master monk, did you enter monastic life in childhood, or did you become a monk in middle age? What is your surname and name? Do you have parents?” Xuanzang answered, “I did not become a monk in childhood, nor did I become a monk in middle age. If I speak of it, the wrong done to me is as great as Heaven and my enmity as deep as the sea. My father was plotted against and killed, while my mother was seized by a bandit. My master, the abbot Faming, instructed me to seek my mother within the Jiangzhou yamen.” The young lady asked, “What is your mother’s surname?” Xuanzang said, “My mother’s surname is Yin, and her name is Wenjiao. My father’s surname is Chen, and his name is Guangrui. My childhood name was Jiangliu, and my Dharma name is Xuanzang.” The young lady said, “Wenjiao is me. But what proof do you have?” When Xuanzang heard that she was his mother, he fell to his knees and wept bitterly. “If Mother does not believe me, there is a blood letter and a sweat shirt as proof.” Wenjiao took them and looked. They were indeed genuine. Mother and son embraced and wept. Then she said, “My son, go quickly.” Xuanzang said, “For eighteen years I did not know my birth parents. Only today have I seen my mother. How can you ask your child to leave?” The young lady said, “My son, withdraw at once and go. If the bandit Liu returns, he will surely take your life. Tomorrow I shall pretend to be ill and say that years ago I vowed to give away a hundred pairs of monks’ shoes and have now come to your temple to fulfill the vow. At that time, I shall have words to speak with you.” Xuanzang obeyed her words and bowed farewell. After seeing her son, the young lady felt both sorrow and joy in her heart. Suddenly one day she pretended to fall ill, refused tea and food, and lay upon the bed. Liu Hong returned to the yamen and asked the reason. The young lady said, “When I was young, I once made a vow to donate one hundred pairs of monks’ shoes. Five days ago, I dreamed of a monk holding a sharp blade and demanding the monks’ shoes; since then I have felt unwell.” Liu Hong said, “Such a small matter—why did you not say so earlier?” He then ascended the hall and instructed Wang, the left yamen assistant, and Li, the right yamen assistant: Every household in Jiangzhou City was to prepare one pair of monks’ shoes, to be completed and delivered within five days. The people all complied and delivered them. The young lady said to Liu Hong, “The monks’ shoes have been completed. What temples are there here where I may go to fulfill my vow?” Liu Hong said, “Jiangzhou has Jinshan Temple and Jiaoshan Temple. Choose whichever temple you wish to visit.” The young lady said, “I have long heard that Jinshan Temple is a fine temple. I shall go to Jinshan Temple.” Liu Hong immediately summoned Wang and Li to arrange a boat. The young lady took her trusted attendants and boarded the boat. The boatman pushed off and headed for Jinshan Temple. As for Xuanzang, he returned to the temple and told the abbot Faming all that had happened. The abbot was greatly pleased. The next day, they saw a maidservant arrive first and announce that the madam had come to the temple to fulfill her vow. All the monks came out of the temple to welcome her. The young lady went directly through the temple gate, paid her respects to the Bodhisattva, and arranged an extensive vegetarian offering. She called for a maidservant to place the monks’ shoes and summer socks upon a tray and brought them to the Dharma Hall. The young lady again took up incense in her heart and worshiped, then instructed the abbot Faming to distribute them among the monks. After the monks had dispersed and there was no one else in the Dharma Hall, Xuanzang came forward and knelt down. The young lady told him to remove his shoes and socks and looked. Indeed, his left foot was missing one little toe. At that moment, the two embraced and wept again, and they bowed to thank the abbot for raising and nurturing him. Faming said, “Now that mother and son have met, if the wicked man learns of it, you must quickly withdraw and return, so that you may avoid calamity.” The young lady said, “My son, I shall give you one incense ring. Go directly to the northwest of Hongzhou, a journey of approximately fifteen hundred li. There is a place called Wanhuadian. Your grandmother, Lady Zhang, was left there at that time; she is your father’s birth mother. I shall also write you a letter. Go straight to the imperial capital of the Tang, to the residence of Chancellor Yin Kaishan beside the Golden Palace. He is your mother’s birth father and your maternal grandfather. Deliver my letter to your maternal grandfather and have him奏 it to the Tang king. Let him lead troops, capture and kill this bandit, and avenge your father. Only then can your old mother be rescued from her present condition. I dare not remain long, for I fear the bandit will blame me for returning late.” She then left the temple, boarded the boat, and departed. Xuanzang returned to the temple weeping, informed his master, and immediately bade him farewell before proceeding directly to Hongzhou. When he reached Wanhuadian, he asked the shopkeeper Liu Xiao’er, “Many years ago, an official guest from Jiangzhou named Chen had a mother staying in your shop. How is she now?” Liu Xiao’er said, “She was indeed staying at my shop. Later her eyes became clouded, and for three or four years she had no rent with which to repay me. Now she lives in a ruined tile kiln at the southern gate, going into the streets every day to beg for her livelihood. That guest left a long time ago and has sent no word to this day. I do not know what happened.” After hearing this, Xuanzang immediately asked where the ruined tile kiln at the southern gate was and found his grandmother. The old lady said, “Your voice sounds very much like that of my son Chen Guangrui.” Xuanzang said, “I am not Chen Guangrui. I am Chen Guangrui’s son. Lady Wenjiao is my mother.” The old lady said, “Why have your father and mother not come?” Xuanzang said, “My father was beaten to death by bandits, and my mother was seized by a bandit and made his wife.” The old lady said, “How did you know to come and seek me?” Xuanzang said, “My mother sent me to seek my grandmother. She has a letter here, as well as one incense ring.” The old lady received the letter and incense ring and burst into loud sobs. “My son came here for fame and office. I thought he had turned his back on righteousness and forgotten kindness; how could I have known that he had been plotted against and killed? It is fortunate that August Heaven took pity and did not cut off my son’s descendants. Today I still have a grandson who has come to seek me.” Xuanzang asked, “Why have Grandmother’s eyes become entirely blind?” The old lady said, “Because I thought of your father and waited for him all day long, yet he never came. Thus I wept until both my eyes became blind.” Xuanzang then knelt and prayed toward Heaven: “Today Xuanzang is eighteen years old, yet I cannot avenge the wrong done to my parents. Today I have come at my mother’s command to seek my grandmother. If Heaven pities and witnesses this disciple’s sincerity, protect my grandmother and restore sight to both her eyes.” After praying, he used the tip of his tongue to lick his grandmother’s eyes. In a short while, her eyes opened, and they were restored as before. The grandmother looked at the little monk and said, “You truly are my grandson. You look exactly like my son Guangrui.” The grandmother was both joyful and sorrowful. Xuanzang led her out of the kiln and back to Liu Xiao’er’s shop. He rented a room with some money for lodging and gave his grandmother provisions, saying, “I am going away now, but I shall return in only a little more than a month.” He immediately bade farewell to his grandmother and proceeded directly to the capital. He found the residence of Chancellor Yin on East Street within the imperial city and said to the gate attendant, “This little monk is a relative and has come to visit the Chancellor.” The gate attendant reported this to the Chancellor. The Chancellor said, “I have no family relationship with a monk.” His wife said, “Last night I dreamed that our daughter Mantangjiao came home. Could it be that our son-in-law has sent a letter back?” The Chancellor then ordered that the little monk be invited into the hall. The little monk saw the Chancellor and his wife, fell to the ground weeping and bowing, then took a letter from his bosom and handed it to the Chancellor. The Chancellor opened it and, having read it from beginning to end, burst into loud sobs. His wife asked, “My husband, what has happened?” The Chancellor said, “This monk is our grandson. Our son-in-law Chen Guangrui was plotted against and killed, and Mantangjiao was seized by a bandit and made his wife.” Hearing this, his wife also wept bitterly without stopping. The Chancellor said, “Wife, do not distress yourself. Tomorrow I shall奏 the matter to the sovereign, personally lead troops, and surely avenge our son-in-law.” The next day, the Chancellor entered the court and reported to the Tang king: “My son-in-law, the Presented Scholar Chen Guangrui, was traveling with his household to Jiangzhou to assume office when he was beaten to death by the boatman Liu Hong, who seized his daughter and made her his wife. He impersonated my son-in-law and has served as an official for many years. This matter is an extraordinary transformation of affairs. I beg Your Majesty to immediately dispatch troops and horses to eliminate the bandit.” When the Tang king saw the memorial, he was furious. He dispatched sixty thousand imperial guards and ordered Chancellor Yin to supervise the army. The Chancellor received the edict, left the court, mustered the troops at the drilling grounds, and proceeded straight to Jiangzhou. They traveled by day and lodged by night; stars fell and birds flew, and before they knew it they had reached Jiangzhou. Chancellor Yin’s troops all established camp on the northern bank. That very night, he sent a golden tablet under seal to summon the Assistant Prefect and the Deputy Prefect of Jiangzhou. The Chancellor explained the matter to them and ordered them to bring troops to help, then cross the river together. Before dawn, they had surrounded Liu Hong’s yamen. Liu Hong was still dreaming when he heard a cannon blast, gongs and drums sounding together, and the soldiers storming into the private yamen. Liu Hong was caught unprepared and was promptly captured. The Chancellor issued a military order to bind Liu Hong and the other criminals and take them to the execution ground, then ordered all the troops to establish camp outside the city. The Chancellor went directly into the yamen and sat in the main hall, inviting the young lady to come out and meet him. The young lady was about to come out, but, ashamed to face her father, she intended to hang herself. When Xuanzang heard of it, he hurriedly rescued his mother, fell to both knees, and said to her, “Your child and Grandfather have led troops here to avenge Father. Today the bandit has been captured. Why does Mother instead wish to die? If Mother dies, how can your child continue to live?” The Chancellor also entered the yamen to comfort her. The young lady said, “I have heard it said, ‘A woman follows one man and remains faithful until death.’ My husband was cruelly killed by a bandit; how could I show my face and follow the bandit? Only because I carried an unborn child did I have no choice but to endure humiliation and steal a living. Now, fortunately, my son has grown, and I have seen my aged father lead troops to avenge him. As a daughter, what face do I have to meet him? I have only death with which to repay my husband.” The Chancellor said, “This was not a matter of my daughter changing her virtue because of prosperity or decline; everything arose from circumstances beyond her control. How could it be considered shameful?” Father and daughter embraced and wept, and Xuanzang also wept bitterly without stopping. The Chancellor wiped his tears and said, “The two of you must cease your distress. I have already captured the enemy. I shall now go and deal with him.” He rose and went to the execution ground. Just then, the Assistant Prefect of Jiangzhou also sent scouts who captured the river bandit Li Biao and brought him in. The Chancellor was overjoyed. He ordered the military guards to bring Liu Hong and Li Biao forward. Each was beaten with one hundred heavy blows. Their confessions were taken, and they admitted the circumstances of their wrongful plot to kill Chen Guangrui years before. Li Biao was first nailed to a wooden donkey, pushed to the market, and flayed with a thousand cuts; his head was then hung up for public display. Liu Hong was taken to the crossing at the Hong River, the place where he had beaten Chen Guangrui to death years earlier. The Chancellor, the young lady, and Xuanzang went personally to the riverbank, looked into empty space, and made offerings. They cut out Liu Hong’s heart and liver while he was alive, used them to sacrifice to Guangrui, and burned a memorial offering. The three of them gazed at the river and wept bitterly. They had already stirred the watery domain. A sea-patrolling yaksha presented the memorial offering to the Dragon King. After reading it, the Dragon King dispatched Marshal Bie to invite Guangrui to him and said, “Congratulations, Sir, congratulations. Your wife, your son, and your father-in-law are all at the riverbank making offerings to you. I shall now send you back to restore your soul. In addition, I present one Wishful Pearl, two Walking-Plate Pearls, ten lengths of twisted xiao silk, and one luminous pearl-and-jade belt. Today you may be reunited with your wife, child, and mother. Guangrui bowed his thanks again and again. The Dragon King then ordered a yaksha to send Guangrui’s corpse out through the mouth of the river so that he could restore his soul. The yaksha received the command and departed. As for Lady Yin, after weeping and making offerings to her husband, she again intended to throw herself into the water and die. Xuanzang desperately struggled to hold her back. While they were in this confusion, they suddenly saw a corpse floating upon the surface of the water and drifting close to the riverbank. The young lady hurried forward to examine it and recognized her husband’s corpse. She immediately wailed and wept without end. Everyone came to look. They saw Guangrui clench and stretch his hands and feet; his body gradually began to move, and suddenly he crawled up and sat down. The crowd was overcome with shock and terror. Guangrui opened his eyes and immediately saw Lady Yin, his father-in-law Chancellor Yin, and the little monk all weeping beside him. Guangrui said, “Why are you all here?” The young lady said, “Because you were beaten to death by a bandit. Later I gave birth to this child. Fortunately, the abbot of Jinshan Temple raised him to adulthood, and he sought me out and reunited with me. I instructed him to seek his maternal grandfather. When Father learned of the matter, he reported it to the imperial court and led troops here. He captured the bandit, and just now we tore out his heart and liver alive and offered them to my husband in the empty air. How did my husband come to restore his soul?” Guangrui said, “It was all because, years ago, when you and I were at Wanhuadian, we bought and released that golden carp. Who could have known that the carp was this very Dragon King? Later, when the rebel bandit pushed me into the water, I was saved entirely through his efforts. Just now he also granted me restoration of my soul and sent me treasures, all of which are upon my person. And who could have imagined that you would give birth to this son, and that my father-in-law would avenge me? Truly, bitterness has ended and sweetness arrived; this is the greatest of joys.” When the officials heard what had happened, they all came to offer congratulations. The Chancellor ordered a banquet arranged to thank the officials under his jurisdiction. That same day, the army and horses began the return journey. When they reached Wanhuadian, the Chancellor ordered the troops to establish camp. Guangrui then went with Xuanzang to the Liu family’s shop to seek his mother. That very night the old lady had a dream. She dreamed that a withered tree blossomed and that magpies behind the house chattered repeatedly. She thought, “Could my grandson have come?” Before she had finished speaking, father and son Guangrui arrived together outside the shop gate. The little monk pointed and said, “Is this not my grandmother?” When Guangrui saw his aged mother, he quickly fell to his knees. Mother and son embraced and wept bitterly, and he recounted all the foregoing events. They settled the money owed to Xiao’er’s shop and set out, returning to the capital. Entering the Chancellor’s residence, Guangrui, the young lady, the grandmother, and Xuanzang all came to meet the Chancellor’s wife. The wife was overcome with joy and ordered the household servants to arrange a grand banquet in celebration. The Chancellor said, “Today this banquet may be named the Reunion Gathering.” Truly, the entire family rejoiced together. The next day, at the morning court, the Tang king ascended the throne hall. Chancellor Yin stepped forth from the ranks and reported in full the events from beginning to end, also recommending that Guangrui’s abilities were fit for great employment. The Tang king approved the奏 memorial and immediately ordered Chen E promoted to the office of Academician, to attend court and administer government affairs. Xuanzang resolved to dwell in meditation and was sent to Hongfu Temple to cultivate. Later, Lady Yin ultimately took her own life peacefully. Xuanzang himself went to Jinshan Temple to repay the abbot Faming. What happened afterward is not known. Hear how it is explained in the next chapter. Chapter Eight: My Buddha Creates the Scriptures and Transmits Them to Ultimate Bliss; Guanyin Receives the Decree and Goes to Chang’an ◄ ► Chapter Ten: The Old Dragon King’s Clumsy Scheme Violates the Heavenly Law; Chancellor Wei Entrusts a Letter to the Underworld Clerk This work belongs to the public domain throughout the world because its author died more than one hundred years ago and the work was published before January 1, 1931. Public domain Public domain false false