Chapter 54: True Nature Comes West and Meets the Women's Kingdom; the Mind-Monkey Hatches a Plan to Escape the Bridal Net

Now then: after taking leave of the cottage family, Tripitaka and his three disciples followed the road westward. In less than thirty or forty li they reached the border of the Women's Kingdom. Sitting upon his horse, Tripitaka pointed ahead and said, "Wukong, the city lies close before us. I can hear the market noise already. It must be the Women's Kingdom. You three must be careful. Keep strict to discipline and ceremony, and do not let your hearts wander loose, lest you disturb the teaching of our gate."

The three of them heard and obeyed in all things.

He had scarcely finished speaking when they came to the eastern gate street. The people there all wore long skirts and short jackets, with powder on their faces and oil in their hair. Young and old alike were all women. They were buying and selling in the two streets when they suddenly saw the four of them arrive. At once they all clapped their hands and laughed, saying, "The male race has come! The male race has come!"

Tripitaka was so startled that he drew rein and could not go forward.

Before long the street was packed full, and only laughter and chatter could be heard. Bajie shouted wildly, "I am a market pig! I am a market pig!"

Wukong said, "Dummy, stop babbling. Put on your old ugly face and that will do."

Bajie really did shake his head twice, stick out his fan-like ears, twist his lotus-pod hanging lips, and let out a roar that frightened the women into stumbling and scrambling away. There is a poem to prove it:

The holy monk bowed to Buddha and came to Western Liang;
within the kingdom all was yin, and scarcely a breath of yang.
Farmers, scholars, merchants, and craftsmen were all women;
fishers, woodcutters, tillers, and herders were all in red dress.
Pretty maidens filled the road, calling for men;
young wives packed the streets, greeting powder-faced lads.

If not for Bajie putting on his ugly face, the snare of lust would have been hard to endure. So the whole crowd grew afraid and did not dare come forward. One by one they pinched their hands, bent their waists, shook their heads, bit their fingers, and stood trembling as they pressed against the roadside, all staring at Tripitaka.

Sun the Great Sage also put on an ugly face to clear the road ahead. Sha Wujing likewise made himself fierce to hold the line. Bajie strutted by the horse, puckering his mouth and flapping his ears.

The party went on and saw that the city houses were neat and orderly, the shops tall and imposing, with salt shops and rice shops, wine houses and tea stalls. Drum towers and horn towers stood beside the trade pavilions, and the market booths and post houses all hung with curtains.

As they wound through the turning streets, they suddenly saw a female official standing by the road, calling out in a loud voice, "Travelers from afar may not enter the city at will. Please go to the post house, enter your names in the register, and wait until I report to the throne and check your travel passes before you are allowed on."

Tripitaka heard this and dismounted. He looked up and saw that the office door had a plaque over it reading Sunward Station. The elder said, "Wukong, what the cottage family told us is true. There really is a Sunward Station."

Sha Wujing laughed and said, "Second Brother, why don't you go look in the Fetus-Reflecting Spring and see whether there is a double shadow?"

Bajie said, "Do not make sport of me. I already drank from the Fetus-Dispelling Spring and had the fetus knocked away. Why should I look now?"

Tripitaka turned back and warned him, "Bajie, mind your words. Mind your words."

He then stepped forward and bowed to the female official.

The official led them inside and asked them all to sit in the main hall, then called for tea. The servants under her were all of the sort with three-strand braids and two-piece gowns. Even the one who brought the tea was smiling.

After a while the tea was finished. The official bent slightly and asked, "From where do the travelers come?"

Wukong said, "We are imperial envoys from Great Tang in the Eastern Land, traveling west to pay homage to Buddha and seek the scriptures. My master is the Tang emperor's sworn brother, known as Tripitaka. I am his eldest disciple, Sun Wukong. These two are my junior brothers, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. Together with the horse, there are five mouths. We carry travel passes and beg you to inspect them and let us pass."

When she had written everything down, the official came down and kowtowed. "Forgive me, lords. I am the station master of Sunward Station and truly did not know that such high-born travelers were before me. I should have come out to meet you at once."

After the bowing was done, she ordered the attendants to prepare food and drink. She said, "Lords, sit and rest a while. I will go into the city and report to our ruler, exchange your travel passes, and send you on your way west."

Tripitaka sat down gladly, so we will not dwell on that here.

Now then: the station master put on her robes and cap and went straight into the city to the Five Phoenix Tower before the yellow gate official and said, "I am the keeper of Sunward Station. I have a matter to report and seek audience."

The yellow gate official at once went in to announce her. An order came down and the report was presented in the hall. The queen asked, "What matter does the station master bring?"

The station master said, "This humble one has received at the station the Tang emperor's imperial brother from the Eastern Land, Tripitaka, with three disciples named Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, together with five mouths including the horse. They wish to go west to pay homage to Buddha and seek the scriptures.

"I have come to ask whether Your Majesty will allow the passes to be exchanged and let them continue."

When the queen heard this report, she was overjoyed. She said to the civil and military ranks, "Last night I dreamed of a golden screen blooming with bright color and a jade mirror spreading light. Surely this was a sign for today."

The female officials bowed before the red steps and said, "Your Majesty, how do you know it is an omen for today?"

The queen said, "The man from the Eastern Land is the Tang emperor's imperial brother. Since the beginning of our kingdom, through all the ages since chaos was first divided, no male has ever come here. Now at last the Tang emperor's brother has descended upon us. It must be heaven's gift. I am willing to use the wealth of an entire kingdom to marry the imperial brother as my husband. I will be the queen-consort, and together we will unite yin and yang, bear sons and grandsons, and pass on the royal line forever. Is this not a happy omen for today?"

The officials all bowed and danced in praise, and no one was not delighted.

The station master then reported, "Your Majesty's plan is a good one for ten thousand generations. Only the imperial brother's three disciples are fierce and ugly in appearance."

The queen said, "How does the imperial brother himself look? And how ugly are his disciples?"

The station master answered, "The imperial brother is noble in form and handsome in bearing. He is truly a man from the Celestial Court, a figure from Central China. The three disciples, however, are fierce and ugly, almost like spirits."

The queen said, "If that is so, then let them go with their travel passes and send them west. Leave only the imperial brother here. What is impossible about that?"

The officials bowed and said, "What Your Majesty says is most fitting. We respectfully obey. Only in marriage matters cannot there be no go-between.

"As the old saying goes, 'Marriages are matched by red leaves; husband and wife are tied by the old man's red cord.'"

The queen said, "According to what you advise, let the Grand Tutor of the Court serve as go-between, and let the station master take charge of the wedding. Go first to the station and ask for the imperial brother's hand. If he agrees, I will then set out in state and come to meet him."

The Grand Tutor and the station master received the order and left the court.

Meanwhile Tripitaka and his disciples were in the station hall enjoying their vegetarian meal when someone came to report, "The Grand Tutor of the Court and our station matron have arrived."

Tripitaka said, "What business brings the Grand Tutor?"

Bajie said, "Most likely the queen has sent them to invite us."

Wukong said, "If it is not an invitation, then it is a marriage proposal."

Tripitaka said, "Wukong, suppose they will not let us go and insist on forcing a wedding. What then?"

Wukong said, "Master, just agree to it. Old Sun will take care of the rest."

He had scarcely finished before the two officials came in and bowed to the elder. Tripitaka returned their courtesy one by one and said, "I am a poor monk. What virtue do I have that you should trouble yourselves to bow to me?"

The Grand Tutor, seeing how lofty and handsome Tripitaka looked, was pleased in his heart and thought, "Our kingdom truly has fortune. This man would make a husband fit for our queen."

After the two officials had bowed and risen, they stood at either side and said, "Imperial brother, this is a great joy indeed."

Tripitaka said, "I am a monk. What joy is this you speak of?"

The Grand Tutor bent slightly and said, "This place is the Women's Kingdom. Since ancient times there have been no men in the realm. Now, by good fortune, Your Imperial Brother has descended here. The queen has ordered us to come and ask for your hand."

Tripitaka said, "Wonderful, wonderful. I came to this fine land alone, with no wife or child following me. I have only three stubborn disciples. I do not know which marriage proposal you mean."

The station master said, "I have just come from the court with a report. The queen was overjoyed and said that last night she dreamed of a golden screen blooming with color and a jade mirror shining bright. Your Imperial Brother is a man from the Central Kingdom. She wishes to spend the wealth of a whole realm and take you as her husband. You will sit facing south and rule as the lord, while our queen will become empress-consort. By order of the court, the Grand Tutor will serve as go-between and I will manage the wedding, and so we have come to ask for this marriage."

Tripitaka heard this and lowered his head without a word.

The Grand Tutor said, "A true man must not miss his moment. Such a marriage, though rare even in the world, is indeed rare in the wealth of an entire kingdom. Please, Imperial Brother, accept at once so that I may return and make my report."

The elder grew only more mute and dazed.

Bajie stood at the side, puckering his mouth and sticking out his long chin as he cried, "Grand Tutor, go tell the queen this: my master is an arhat who has cultivated the Way for a long time. He absolutely does not care for your kingdom's wealth, nor does he care for your kingdom's beauty. Quickly exchange the travel pass and send him west. Leave me here to take the marriage contract. How would that be?"

The Grand Tutor heard this and trembled all over, not daring to answer.

The station master said, "Though you are male, your face is too ugly and does not suit our queen's taste."

Bajie laughed. "You are far too rigid. As the old saying goes, 'A coarse willow makes a basket and a fine willow makes a bucket. Who in this world has ever seen an ugly man?'"

Wukong said, "Dummy, do not spout nonsense. Let the master decide. If it can be done, do it; if it cannot, then do not. Do not delay the go-betweens' work."

Tripitaka said, "Wukong, whatever you say. What do you think is best?"

Wukong said, "In Old Sun's view, staying here is not bad. As the old saying goes, a thousand-li marriage is tied by a thread. Where else could we find a better match?"

Tripitaka said, "Disciples, if we stay here and seek only wealth and rank, who will go west to fetch the scriptures? Are we to fail our great Tang sovereign?"

The Grand Tutor said, "Imperial Brother, I dare not hide the truth. Our queen's order was only to ask for your hand. Your three disciples are to be invited to the marriage feast, where the travel pass will be exchanged and they will be sent west to seek the scriptures."

Wukong said, "The Grand Tutor speaks reasonably. We need not make a difficulty of it. We are willing to leave our master here and let him be the husband of your sovereign. Quickly exchange the pass and send us on our way west. When we have fetched the scriptures and return, we will come here to pay our respects to father and mother and ask for our road expenses before going back to Great Tang."

The Grand Tutor and the station master bowed to Wukong and said, "Many thanks, Teacher, for helping bring this about."

Bajie said, "Grand Tutor, do not carry your dishware in your mouth. Since we have agreed, let your ruler first prepare a table for us and let us drink a few cups of wine to seal the matter."

The Grand Tutor said, "Yes, yes, yes. We will have the feast set out at once."

The station master and the Grand Tutor went back overjoyed to report to the queen.

Now then: Tripitaka pulled Wukong aside and cursed him, saying, "You monkey head, you are trying to kill me. How can you speak like that and tell them I should stay here for a marriage while you go west to worship Buddha? Even if I died, I would never dare do such a thing."

Wukong said, "Master, do not worry. Does Old Sun not know your nature? We have only reached such a place and met such people, so we must use the scheme that fits the moment."

Tripitaka said, "What do you mean by using the scheme that fits the moment?"

Wukong said, "If you obstinately refuse them, they will not exchange the travel pass and will not let us go. If their minds turn evil and their hearts grow cruel, they may order a crowd to cut your flesh and sew it into scented sachets. What good would our blessings be then?

"We must use the powers that subdue demons and drive away monsters. You know our hands are heavy and our weapons fierce. If we so much as move our arms, we could kill the people of the whole kingdom. Though they block our path, they are not demons or spirits; they are still flesh-and-blood people of the realm. And you have always been a kind and compassionate man. On the road you have harmed no sentient being. If you were to kill countless innocent people, how could your heart endure it? That would indeed be wrong.

"But if we agree to the engagement today, they will surely set out in imperial style and come out of the city to meet you. You need not refuse. Just sit in their phoenix carriage and dragon chariot and go up to the palace. When you get there, ask the queen to produce the imperial seal and command paper, and have our travel pass stamped. Then ask the queen to write her signature and hand it back to us. In the meantime they will set out a banquet, thinking it a happy celebration for the queen and a send-off feast for us.

"After the feast is over, let them harness the carriage again and say they are escorting us out of the city. Once we are outside the walls, you step down from the dragon carriage and phoenix chariot. Let Sha Wujing stand by your side and help you onto the white horse. Then Old Sun will cast a spell of stillness so that the queen and her court cannot move. We can travel straight west on the main road. After a day and a night I will recite a charm and release the spell, and then their court can wake up and return to the city.

"In this way we do not harm their lives, and we do not injure your primal spirit either. This is called the false marriage escape plan. Is it not a way to gain both sides at once?"

Tripitaka, hearing this, seemed like a drunk man suddenly sobered and a sleeper suddenly awakened. His worries were forgotten in an instant. He thanked Wukong again and again, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your excellent judgment."

The four of them were then all of one mind and continued to make their arrangements, so we will not dwell on that here.

Now then: the Grand Tutor and the station master did not wait for any formal summons. They went straight through the palace gates and up before the white jade steps to report, "Your Majesty's dream was most accurate. The joy of husband and wife is at hand."

When the queen heard the report, she drew back the pearl curtain, stepped down from the dragon bed, lifted her cherry lips, showed her silver teeth, and asked with a smiling, sweet voice, "What did you see when you met the imperial brother?"

The Grand Tutor said, "After we arrived at the station and bowed to the imperial brother, we explained the matter of marriage. At first he tried to refuse, but fortunately his eldest disciple gladly accepted, saying he was willing to leave his master with Your Majesty as husband and let him sit facing south as ruler.

"He only asked first to exchange the travel pass and send the three of them west. When he has fetched the scriptures and returned, he will come here to bow to his father and mother and ask for road expenses before going back to Great Tang."

The queen smiled. "What more did the imperial brother say?"

The Grand Tutor reported, "The imperial brother said little and was willing to match our sovereign. Only his second disciple first wanted food and drink at the feast."

When the queen heard this, she at once issued an order to the Ministry of Rites to prepare a banquet. At the same time she ordered the state carriage made ready to go out of the city to welcome her husband.

The female officials all obeyed the royal command at once, sweeping the palace and arranging the courts and terraces.

One group hurried to set the feast; another group rushed to prepare the carriage. As you can see, although the Women's Kingdom was a realm of women, its splendid carriages were no less impressive than those of Central China. See it:

Six dragons spouted colors, and twin phoenixes brought good omen.
Six dragons spouting colors drew the carriage out; twin phoenixes bringing good omen led the chariot on.
Strange fragrant mist rose in layers, and auspicious vapor opened wide.
Gold fish and jade pendants crowded the officials around; jeweled hair buns and cloudlike coils lined up the women in ranks.
Mandarin-duck fans shaded the royal carriage, and green-jade bead curtains flickered over phoenix hairpins.
Flutes and songs were sweet, and strings and pipes were in tune.
A single flood of joy surged up into the blue heavens; boundless happiness rose from the spirit terrace.
Three-tiered gauze canopies swayed across the sky; five-colored banners glowed against the imperial steps.
Since this land had never known a wedding pair, today the queen was to be joined to a man of worth.

Before long the great carriage left the city and reached Sunward Station. Someone came at once to report to Tripitaka and his disciples, "The carriage has arrived."

Tripitaka heard and immediately went with his three disciples to adjust their robes and come out of the hall to welcome the royal carriage.

The queen drew back the curtain and stepped down from her chariot, saying, "Which one is the Tang imperial brother?"

The Grand Tutor pointed and said, "The one in the lined robe standing before the incense table outside the post house is he."

The queen flashed her phoenix eyes and knitted her crescent brows as she looked carefully. Sure enough, he was extraordinary. See him:

A man of fine bearing and lofty manner, with a truly grand appearance.
Teeth white as silver tiles, lips red and mouth square.
His crown-like forehead was broad and his heavenly vault full; his brows were clear and his eyes refined, and his jawline ran long and handsome.
His two ears bore true marks of a noble man; his whole body was unlike the common sort, a figure fit for a talented youth.
What a bright and handsome young man, well suited to a lovely Western lady.

When the queen saw how pleasing he was, her heart leaped and her desire rose. She could not restrain herself and called in a sweet, urgent voice, "Tang imperial brother, why do you not come and mount the phoenix carriage with me?"

Tripitaka, hearing this, blushed from ear to ear and did not dare raise his head.

Bajie stood nearby, puckering his mouth and staring sidelong at the queen. She too was graceful beyond compare. Truly:

Brows like green feathers, skin like mutton-fat jade.
Peach blossoms framed her face, while golden phoenix threads piled in her hair.
Her autumn eyes held a deep, bewitching charm; her spring-bamboo fingers were slender and lovely.
A slanting red gauze veil spread brilliant color; high jeweled hairpins flashed with splendor.
Do not speak of Lady Zhao's beauty, for she truly surpassed Xi Shi.
A willow waist swayed lightly, ringing the gold pendants; lotus steps moved softly, shifting the jade limbs.
Chang'e in the moon could never reach her; how could the fairies of the Nine Heavens compare?
Her court dress was wondrous and unlike the common sort, as though the Queen Mother herself had descended from the Jade Pool.

When Bajie saw such beauty, he could not hold his saliva, and his heart began pounding like a deer. In an instant his bones went soft and his sinews weak. He was just like a snow lion meeting fire, melting away without knowing it.

The queen then came close, seized Tripitaka by the hand, and in a sweet, tender voice said, "Imperial Brother, please ride in the carriage with me and go together to the golden palace, where we shall be husband and wife."

The elder trembled so badly that he could not stand, half drunk and half dazed. Wukong on the side advised him, "Master, there is no need to be too modest. Please accompany your mistress to the carriage. Quickly exchange the travel pass and let us set out west."

Tripitaka dared not answer. He only glanced twice at Wukong and could not hold back his tears.

Wukong said, "Master, do not grieve. Such wealth and rank, if you will not enjoy them, what else are you waiting for?"

With no other choice, Tripitaka obeyed. He wiped away his tears, forced his face into a smile, stepped forward, and with the queen:

Joined hands of white and sat together in the dragon carriage. The queen was delighted and wished to be paired as husband and wife, while the elder was full of worry and only thought of paying homage to Buddha. One wanted bridal candles and a chamber of mandarin ducks; the other wanted only the Western Paradise and the sacred mountain of the Buddha. The queen was sincere, the holy monk false. The queen sincerely hoped to grow old in harmony with him, while the holy monk only hid his feelings and guarded his vital spirit. One was glad to see a man's body and wished the pair to be joined before the day was done; the other feared the sight of female beauty and only thought of escaping the net at once and reaching Thunderclap. Though the two rode the carriage together, each held a different heart.

When the civil and military officials saw their ruler seated in the phoenix carriage beside the elder, smiling from ear to ear, they turned the procession around and returned to the city.

Only then did Sun the Great Sage tell Sha Wujing to shoulder the luggage and lead the white horse behind the carriage.

Bajie ran forward in a wild hurry and reached the Five Phoenix Tower ahead of them. He shouted, "How easy, how ready-made! This will never do, this will never do. We must first drink the wedding wine before we go in!"

This frightened the attendants who were leading the ceremonial procession. They hurried back to the carriage and reported, "Your Majesty, that long-mouthed, big-eared one is shouting before the Five Phoenix Tower that he wants wedding wine."

When the queen heard this report, she leaned against Tripitaka's fragrant shoulder and cheek and asked in a sweet voice, "Imperial Brother, is that long-mouthed, big-eared disciple yours?"

Tripitaka said, "He is my second disciple."

Then he explained, "He has a wide stomach and a greedy mouth. He has spent his whole life loving food and drink. We must first set out some wine and food for him to eat before anything else can be done."

The queen asked at once, "Has the Ministry of Rites finished preparing the banquet?"

The female official answered, "It is ready. Meat and vegetarian dishes have both been set out in the eastern loft."

The queen asked, "Why both kinds?"

The official said, "I feared the Tang imperial brother and his disciples might usually eat vegetarian food, so I had both meat and vegetarian tables prepared."

The queen then smiled and leaned against Tripitaka's fragrant cheek. "Imperial Brother, do you eat meat or vegetarian food?"

Tripitaka said, "This poor monk eats vegetarian. But I have not yet given up wine. Please set out a few cups of vegetarian wine, and let my second disciple have something to eat."

He had scarcely finished speaking when the Grand Tutor reported, "Please come to the eastern loft for the banquet. Since this is an auspicious day and propitious hour, we may now complete the wedding for Your Imperial Brother. Tomorrow, when the heavenly signs are right, Your Imperial Brother may ascend the golden hall, face south, change the reign title, and take the throne."

The queen was overjoyed. She took Tripitaka by the hand, helped him down from the dragon carriage, and entered the formal gate together.

See there:

Immortal music drifted down from the towers on the wind; through the Gate of Heaven the green carriage came.
Phoenix towers opened wide, bright with a shining glow; the imperial chambers were no longer closed, and brocade ranks stood in order.
In the Qilin Hall the incense curled upward; by the peacock screen the shadows of the rooms shifted.
The pavilions rose grand and steep as in an imperial court; jade halls and golden mounts were even more marvelous.

Once they had reached the eastern loft, they heard the music from the flutes and strings, sweet and full, and saw two rows of powdered faces, lovely and graceful.

In the center hall two fine banquets had been laid out. On the left was a vegetarian feast; on the right was a meat feast. Below both rows were single seats.

The queen gathered up her robe sleeves, lifted a jade cup in her slender fingers, and came forward to place the guests. Wukong stepped up and said, "My master and disciples all eat vegetarian food. Please let our master sit first at the vegetarian table on the left. Then let the three seats beneath be arranged to the left and right, so that my brothers and I may sit."

The Grand Tutor laughed. "Just so, just so. Master and disciples are as father and sons. They should not sit side by side."

The female officials quickly rearranged the seats.

The queen passed the cups one by one and seated the three brothers. Wukong gave Tripitaka a glance to remind him to return the greeting. Tripitaka came down, lifted a jade cup, and helped the queen place the seat of honor.

The civil and military officials bowed in thanks to the royal favor and took their places according to rank, while the music only then stopped and the wine was poured.

Bajie did not care about good or bad. He opened his belly and ate with abandon. He did not stop to think whether it was jade crumbs, rice, steamed buns, sugar cakes, mushrooms, fragrant mushrooms, bamboo shoots, wood ear, daylilies, laver, turnips, taro, radishes, mountain yam, or polygonatum root. He devoured everything clean. Then he drank five or seven cups of wine.

He called out, "Bring more! Bring the big goblets! Let me have a few more cups, and then each man can go do his own business."

Sha Wujing asked, "Why not eat a good banquet and instead go do what business?"

The fool laughed. "As the old saying goes, the bowmaker makes bows and the arrowmaker makes arrows. We have those who are marrying and those who are marrying off, those who go west to seek scriptures and those who travel the road. We must not keep on drinking and ruin the business. Hurry and send off the travel pass. As the saying goes, the general does not dismount; each man must run his own road."

When the queen heard this, she immediately ordered big cups to be brought. The attendants hastened to produce parrot cups, cormorant ladles, gold bowls, silver cups, glass goblets, crystal basins, Penglai bowls, and amber cups. They filled them to the brim with jade liquid and poured out cups of nectar, and indeed all of them drank in turn.

Tripitaka rose and joined his palms to the queen. "Your Majesty, I am grateful beyond measure for your generous banquet. We have drunk enough. Please ascend to the golden hall, exchange the travel pass, and before daybreak send the three of them out of the city."

The queen agreed. She took the elder by the hand, dismissed the banquet, and went up to the golden throne hall, where she asked him to sit in the seat of honor.

Tripitaka said, "No, no. Just now the Grand Tutor said that tomorrow, when the heavenly signs are right, I may dare to ascend the throne and call myself lord. Today I would only trouble myself by stamping the pass and sending them off."

The queen agreed, sat again on the dragon couch, and had a single gold chair set on her left hand. She asked Tripitaka to sit there and told the disciples to bring up the travel pass.

The Great Sage had Sha Wujing untie the bundle and take out the pass. Wukong then held it up in both hands.

The queen examined it closely. There were nine imperial seals from the Tang emperor, and below them the seals of Precious Elephant Kingdom, Crow-Cock Kingdom, and Chechi Kingdom. After looking it over, the queen smiled sweetly and said, "Imperial Brother, your surname is Chen?"

Tripitaka said, "My lay surname is Chen, and my monastic name is Xuanzang. Because the Tang king took pity on me and made me his imperial brother, he also bestowed the surname Tang upon me."

The queen said, "Why are your disciples' names not written on the pass?"

Tripitaka said, "These three stubborn disciples are not of the Tang realm."

The queen asked, "If they are not people of Tang, why are they willing to travel with you?"

Tripitaka said, "My eldest disciple is from Aolai Country in East Victory God Continent. My second disciple is from U-Stone Village in West Bull Continent. My third disciple is from the Flowing-Sand River. The three of them once broke the heavenly law. The Bodhisattva Guanyin of South Sea released them from suffering and taught them to turn from evil to good and seek merit to cancel their sins. They willingly protect me on the road west to fetch the scriptures. Since they were gathered along the journey, their monastic names were never entered on the pass."

The queen said, "May I add their monastic names for you?"

Tripitaka said, "I leave that to Your Majesty's noble wish."

The queen at once had ink and brush brought. She ground fragrant ink thick, soaked the fragrant brush well, and then wrote the names Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing after the text of the pass. Only then did she bring out the royal seal and stamp it carefully and properly. She also wrote her own signature by hand. The pass was then handed back down. The Great Sage received it and told Sha Wujing to wrap up the baggage neatly.

The queen then presented a tray of broken gold and silver and handed it down from the dragon couch to Wukong, saying, "Take this as your road money for now and hurry west to the scriptures. When you return, I shall have a great reward for you."

Wukong said, "We monks do not take gold and silver. Along the road we naturally have places to beg our food."

The queen saw that he would not accept and took out ten bolts of silk brocade. She said, "You are traveling in haste and could not have had time to make clothing. Take this and make yourselves garments to keep off the cold on the road."

Wukong said, "A monk cannot wear silk brocade. We have our own plain cloth robes to protect us."

Seeing that he still would not take it, the queen then said, "Bring three sheng of royal rice and let it serve as a meal on the road."

Bajie heard the word "meal" and at once took it, tucking it into the bundle.

Wukong said, "Brother, the luggage is heavy enough already. Why are you still taking rice?"

Bajie laughed. "What do you know? Rice is a thing that is consumed in a day. One meal and the matter is settled."

He then joined his palms and thanked her.

Tripitaka said, "May I trouble Your Majesty to accompany this poor monk and escort the three of them out of the city, so that I may give them a few final instructions and send them properly west? Then I can return and enjoy Your Majesty's endless splendor without a care or worry, and only then may I keep company with phoenix and mandarin-duck alike."

The queen did not know this was all a scheme, so she gave an order to prepare the state carriage and went with Tripitaka, shoulder to shoulder and fragrant side by fragrant side, up into the phoenix chariot and out through the western gate.

All through the city people set out bowls of clean water and burned precious incense: partly to watch the queen's carriage, and partly to look upon the body of the Tang imperial brother. Young and old alike, all were powdered faces and lovely cheeks, with green temples and cloudlike hair. Before long the great carriage left the city and reached the ground beyond the west gate.

Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing stood together in one mind. They had dressed themselves neatly and came straight forward to meet the chariot, shouting in a loud voice, "Your Majesty need not escort us farther. We will take our leave here."

Tripitaka slowly stepped down from the dragon carriage and folded his hands. "Your Majesty, please return. Let this poor monk go fetch the scriptures."

When the queen heard this, she changed color in shock and clutched Tripitaka tightly. "Imperial Brother, I am willing to use the wealth of a whole kingdom to take you as my husband. Tomorrow you may ascend the throne in grandeur and call yourself ruler, while I become your queen-consort. The wedding banquet has already been eaten. Why have you suddenly changed your mind?"

Bajie, hearing this, whipped up a gust of anger, twisted his mouth wildly, and shook his ears from side to side. He rushed to the front of the carriage and shouted, "What do we monks have to do marrying your pink skeletons? Let my master go on his way!"

The queen saw him behaving so rudely and clownishly that she was frightened out of her wits and tumbled back into the carriage.

Sha Wujing seized Tripitaka out of the crowd and helped him onto the horse.

Just then a woman flashed out from the roadside and shouted, "Tang imperial brother, where are you going? Come play wind and moon with me!"

Sha Wujing cursed her, "You thief, how dare you!"

He raised his precious staff and struck at her head, but the woman stirred up a whirlwind with a whoosh and snatched Tripitaka away in an instant. He vanished without a trace, and no one knew where he had gone.

Ah! He had escaped the net of sensual pleasure only to meet the demon of wind and moon. As for what sort of woman she was, whether human or monster, and whether the master lives or dies, listen to the next chapter to find out.