by Guo Xiaoting
When Chen Liang heard that it was Ji Gong, the young robber parted the bed curtains and saw the monk enter. In the room there was a square “eight immortals” table with two chairs flanking it. Ji Gong sat down in the chair at the head of the table and Han Wenzheng sat opposite. Su Beishan asked, “Teacher, will you first drink wine or will you first drink tea?”
Ji Gong answered, “First, we will hold court. Have Su Fu brought here.”
The yuanwai ordered one of the household persons: “Bring Su Fu to me.”
Ji Gong said, “Su Fu, tonight you must speak the truth to me. Who planned the kidnapping? If you speak the truth, I, as a monk, will be merciful to you. If you do not speak the truth, I will send you to court to be punished.”
Hearing these words, Su Fu understood that Ji Gong went beyond all others in his forgiveness and mercy. He therefore did not dare to lie to the monk and began: “It was suggested by the man in whose house I live. When I was staying at an inn, the Goldfish, Yu Tong, took me to live in his house. As long as I had good clothing and silver, he helped me. When the money was gone, he wanted to send me away. His wife told me that because I had no money, he did not want me to live in his home. In my miserable poverty, I thought of the time when Han Wenzheng had borrowed two hundred ounces of silver from my master—it was sent to him by me. I thought if I could get it, I could use that for a while. I did not imagine that he could not pay. When Yu Tong learned of this, he suggested that I seize the younger sister and sell her to young master Lo of Purification Street. The debt would be exchanged for a person. I did not think that my old master would learn about it and bring me here. Truly, this is what happened.”
After listening Ji Gong said, “Come some of you people, take him and put him in front of the bed. Have him kneel close up against the bed.”
Chen Liang, under the bed, had heard and understood quite clearly. Silently he said to himself, “Ai yah! I have been wrong in this matter. In reality this yuanwai, Su Beishan, is a good person. In everything that was done, this servant of his was pretending to carry out his orders. Luckily, Ji Gong appeared. If not, I probably would have killed some good people by mistake.”
Outside the curtains of the bed, Ji Gong pointed at Su Fu and said, “I want you to remember his face. Tomorrow you may pay him back for the fact that for no reason you were going to take your knife and kill someone. You have a great deal of gall, but now you realize you were wrong.”
Su Beishan, who had been listening, asked, “Teacher, to whom is it that you are speaking?”
Ji Gong said, “You do not know, but do not say any more.” Then to the others he commanded, “Now, fellows, bring Yu Tong in here.”
The household people brought in Yu Tong, who knelt before Ji Gong. The monk pointed at him and said, “Yu Tong, you scoundrel, you became very daring indeed! You did not think that the things you did would be found out by me! Now, if you speak the truth this time, I will show mercy and not have you executed. If you do not, I will send you to be punished.”
Yu Tong said, “Listen, everyone, I am not to blame for what happened. Actually it was Su Fu who wanted to get the money owing to his employer. I had nothing to do with it.”
The monk commented, “Even though it was Su Fu who wanted to collect the money, did you not give him some other idea?”
Yu Tong thought to himself: “In this matter I cannot avoid speaking. If I tell the truth and beg the monk to forgive me, perhaps he will release me.” After thinking it over he said, “Saintly monk, you need not ask me further. I was to blame in this matter. It was all because Su Fu was living in my house, and he thought of going to Han Wenzheng for the money. When Han Wenzheng did not give it, Su Fu and I talked the matter over and decided to kidnap someone from the family in place of money.”
The monk nodded his head as he said, “Have him kneel up against the bed. Did you hear me?”
Chen Liang’s heart began to pound as he thought, “That was intended for me to hear.”
The monk said, “But it was not simply for you to hear.”
Chen Liang thought, “Ji Gong must know that I am in here!”
The monk laughed and said, “That is certain. If I did not know, I would not be here. I want you to remember these two men well so that tomorrow you may repay them.”
Su Beishan exclaimed, “Teacher, who is it you are speaking with?”
The monk answered. “Do not worry about it.”
Su Beishan then directed that wine should be served. When it was ready, he said, “Han Wenzheng, let us go on with our business connection as before, and may we always remember the ties of friendship that bind us together. I have always tried to behave as a man should. You probably know this. How could I do something that offends against heaven and all the rules of propriety?”
Han Wenzheng said, “You are also most compassionate. Let us allow bygones to be bygones.”
Su Beishan said, “Pour a cup of wine for the saintly monk.”
The monk said, “To pour wine is no small thing. But I can detect that there is an odor here.”
Su Beishan asked, “What odor?”
The monk answered, “The smell of robbers.”
Su Beishan asked, “Where is there the smell of robbers?”
The monk replied, “Under the bed.”
CHAPTER 30
Master and monkey enter the Monastery of the Soul’s Retreat for the first time
WHEN Ji Gong told Su Beishan that there was a robber under the bed, Su Beishan immediately called some household people. They came, bringing a rope and wooden staves that they thrust under the bed a number of times without touching anything that moved.
At this time, the already frightened Chen Liang had leaped up onto the canopy of the bed concealed by the hangings in the rear. He did this in less time than it takes to draw a breath.
While the men were thrusting their staves under the bed without touching anything, Chen Liang, believing that he had safely hidden from them, was thinking to himself, “Teacher is playing with me, but if those people catch me, what should I do?”
Then he heard the household people say, “There is no robber under this bed, Teacher. If there were, we would have brought him out with our staves.”
The monk said, “How can there not be any robber? Bring lights and examine the bed carefully. Or you four men can overturn the bed. Then see if there is not someone there. If I say there is a robber, there must be one!”
Su Beishan called in more household men to turn the bed upside down. The other men entered the room, and as the four men started to tip the bed, Chen Liang, who was no longer able to conceal himself, leapt down, brandishing his knife and giving everyone a fright. The household men came at him with their wooden staves and Chen Liang’s knife was knocked from his hand. In his terror, Chen Liang made one great leap, broke out of the circle of men and dashed outside, leaving his knife behind. After him the men came, shouting, “Catch the robber!” But Chen Liang was already on the roofs.
He dared not linger before reaching a deserted area. First, he changed from his close-fitting black suit of darkness and waited in secret until the sky became light. Then he returned to the outside of the Su family mansion, where he saw the great gate open and Su Fu come out. Su Fu was speaking to himself. “The yuanwai does not want me anymore. What can I do?”
While Su Fu was feeling sorry for himself, he saw Chen Liang approaching, saying, “Stand where you are and do not move! I am going to give you a beating.” With that, Chen Liang seized him with one hand and began striking him with the other. After he had beaten the miscreant into begging for his life, Chen Liang began to feel somewhat happier.
Then two men came by who were on their way to the vegetable market. Seeing what looked like a fight, the passersby came up and said, “Stop fighting, you two. How did you get into a quarrel so early in the morning? Do not hit him any more.”
Chen Liang retorted, “When one has done enough of a good thing, it is time to stop. Since you ask me, this i
s the time to end it.”
The two passersby saw that they had been successful in ending the beating. Looking again, they recognized Su Fu, and asked, “Is this not the manager of the Su household? How did you two get into a fight?”
Su Fu replied, “I do not know either. I do not know this gentleman. When I left the house this morning, this man against whom I had committed no offense or given any grievance called upon me to stop. I do not know why he beat me.”
The two men said, “Go now, Master Su.”
Su Fu was afraid to leave, feeling that his punishment was not complete. Yet uneasily he moved along.
He had just left when Yu Tong came out of the gate. Su Beishan had wanted to send the two kidnappers to the yamen to be punished, but Ji Gong had said, “It is not necessary. The two men will suffer enough. They only need to understand that, if they continue in their ways, they will be punished even more severely.”
Su Beishan said, “Since our teacher has spoken up for you two, we will let you go after daybreak.” He then instructed his men to release the two after daybreak.
Yu Tong had just been released and gone out through the gate when Chen Liang saw him and became furious, saying to himself: “You thing! If it were not for you, I would not now be in disgrace.”
He quickly went up to Yu Tong. With no explanation, Chen Liang immediately began to beat and kick the man, not stopping until he had beaten Yu severely. Then, after being urged by other passersby to stop, he refrained, simply saying, “It is finished.”
Yu Tong went on his way, not knowing what to make of his beating.
Chen Liang stood there. Not very long afterward, he saw Ji Gong come out, carrying Chen Liang’s knife. Su Beishan had said to Ji Gong, “Please, teacher. Have breakfast here and then go. Why must you go back to the temple so early?”
Ji Gong replied, “I must go back to the temple right now. Somehow I feel uneasy. It has been half a year since I last returned.” With these words, he went on his way.
He had not gone far when Chen Liang, seeing that there was no one else in sight, wanted to go up to him and ask for his knife. Still, he was afraid to do so. Then he heard Ji Gong say, “You really have a lot of gall! You want to ask me for the knife. If you approach me, I will take this knife and kill you!”
From Ji Gong’s appearance, Chen Liang could not tell whether this was Ji Gong’s intention or not, but from the sound of his voice Chen Liang guessed that Ji Gong might not mean it.
Chen Liang wondered, “Would he kill me for no reason in this place where so many people live close together? It is hard to tell the false from the true.”
Then he heard Ji Gong say, “Perhaps I can sell the knife. I will sell it to anyone who wants it.” He saw a man whose business it was to buy antique paintings and other antique articles.
Hearing Ji Gong’s words, the man came up to him to examine the knife and then asked, “Teacher, how much will you sell it for, sir? I will buy it.”
The monk replied, “Give me enough for two pots of wine and you may take it away.”
“Teacher,” the man asked, “what price will you ask for each pot?”
The monk answered, “I drink wine at ten ounces of silver a pot.”
The man laughed and walked away.
They had now reached the Cold Spring Pavilion at West Lake. Chen Liang came and knelt at Ji Gong’s feet, saying, “Teacher, I became confused and made a mistake.Will you take pity on me, sir?”
Ji Gong said, “Get up and I will give you back your knife. Come with me to the temple.” Chen Liang agreed and followed behind him. When they reached the mountain gate of the temple, they saw two monks acting as gatemen there. Ji Gong said, “Brother teachers, I have taken a disciple. How does he look to you two?”
Jing Ming looked at him and said several times, “Great happiness, great happiness! Welcome, Brother Teacher.”
Ji Gong said, “I must also introduce him to you. Chen Liang, you must come and kowtow to your teacher uncles.”
The monk in charge of the gate said, “We do not deserve this.”
Ji Gong retorted, “You need not be polite. If he kowtows, you should accept his obeisance. And how much money will you give to your nephew disciple?”
The two replied, “We have nothing. Where would we get money? You must not joke!”
Ji Gong took Chen Liang through the mountain gate of the temple. Just inside Ji Gong saw the superintendent of the monks, who happened to be standing there. Ji Gong said, “Chen Liang, come and make a kowtow to the master of the monks.”
Guang Liang, the superintendent, said, “Do not kowtow. I have no money!”
Ji Gong took Chen Liang on into the room of the master of the temple, where he respectfully greeted the old temple master. Afterward Ji Gong went to the Great Treasure Hall, where he first worshipped the Buddha’s image. He then struck the bell summoning the monks to assemble. To them he said, “Brother teachers and younger brother teachers, I have taken a disciple. You must all look after him. But there is one condition, Chen Liang. You are my disciple. If I want to drink, you must get the wine for me. If I want to eat meat, you must purchase it for me.”
Chen Liang assented, “Yes, the disciple must serve his teacher!”
Ji Gong continued, “What if you have no money?”
Chen Liang answered, “Whether your disciple has money or not, he knows a place to find it.”
The monk said, “You need not go to find it! If you steal it within the temple, these are all your uncle teachers and your master teachers, and if they see you, they dare not speak of it!” Looking around, Ji Gong asked them, “Have I spoken correctly about this matter or not?”
The assembled monks all laughed when they heard him and said, “Good! First you teach him to steal. What kind of a teacher—and what kind of a disciple!” The monks did not dare to oppose Ji Gong because of his powerful connection with the prime minister, but Chen Liang knew nothing of all that had gone before.
From this day forward, Chen Liang bought wine and meat and served them to Ji Gong. Although both were forbidden to monks, nothing was said against Ji Gong. After he had spent all the money he had, Chen Liang pawned his clothing. After a couple of weeks, there was nothing left that he could pawn, and there came a day when there truly was no money. Chen Liang thought to himself, “Tonight I must go out and steal some money.” He got out the bundle containing his suit of darkness, intending to go out from the monastery.
At the third watch he looked to see that Ji Gong was sleeping. Then Chen Liang rose, took the bundle with his thief’s clothing, and was about to leave when he heard Ji Gong speak. “I told you not to steal here in the monastery and you did not listen to me! Well, then. First, I will get the hair off your head and then I will be able to manage you!”
Ji Gong got up and went into the kitchen. There he said, “Kitchen workers, give me a pot of boiling water.”
The kitchen monks asked, “What are you going to do with the hot water in the middle of the night?”
Ji Gong replied, “I am going to shave the hair off my disciple’s head.”
While the water was being heated, other monks, hearing the sound of loud talking, had come to the kitchen. One of them said, “Even in the middle of the night you do these crazy things!”
Chen Liang did not dare to move, but some of the monks, out of good or malicious intentions, pulled him out of the room, saying, “Go quickly! Run! He is mad!” Now Chen Liang could move.
Once away from the monastery, he put on his suit of darkness and stole some forty or fifty ounces of silver. When it was morning, he redeemed all of his pawned clothing. Then he found a small restaurant. Going in, he chose a seat near the back door and ordered four dishes and drank a mouthful of wine. He was thinking to himself: “When I first had the idea of leaving the world, I did not imagine it would be so much trouble. I thought that Ji Gong was a monk who had great abilities and who followed the way of Dao. He would not cut off my hair when we first went into the monastery
. Perhaps it was not my fate to leave the world.”
He was sitting thus filled with melancholy regret when he heard a voice outside. “Good! A wine shop! I would like to get drunk and have a rest. As the ancients said, ‘Men are born that they may drink and forget that they must die.’” With these words the speaker entered—and it was indeed Senior Monk Ji Gong.
CHAPTER 31
Ji Gong is recalled to Linan; Cloud Dragon Hua looks into a sedan chair and sees a victim
THE story goes that for some time Ji Gong had been at leisure in the Zhao home in Kunshan prefecture. He had completely cured the old lady’s eyes and repeatedly he had asked to leave. However, he was urged to stay by the second Zhao Yuanwai, prefect of Kunshan and younger brother to the first Zhao Yuanwai, high protector of Linan, the Southern Sung capital. In the library each day, the second Zhao Yuanwai and Ji Gong talked of poetry and essays. Ji Gong was eloquent, and the Second Yuanwai looked upon him with increasing respect, saying, “How hateful it will be not to see Ji Gong. I must see you again soon, and the letters must be long.”
Without realizing it, Ji Gong had passed a hundred days there. On the hundredth day someone came in, bringing two headmen from the high protector of Linan. They stood before Ji Gong and greeted him respectfully. “Holy monk, during these days while you have been away from Linan, there has been mischief that has offended heaven and appalled earth. We two are here especially to invite you, sir, to come.”
When the monk asked the two headmen what had happened, the two explained all from beginning to end. A major riverene robber from Four Rivers had come to everyone’s attention. His surname was Hua and his personal name was Jong, but he was called Yun Long (“Cloud Dragon”). He was also nicknamed “the Robber Rat of the Universe.” He had fallen into the Greenwood when he was eighteen, and for a long time he had been among the followers of the sinister ghost, Reng Tian Shou.
They all lived in the farming country at Jen Mountain, where there were leopards. They had many friendly connections, but there were only five intimates who were actually members of the Greenwood, whom people called the Five Ghosts. Among them were the Kaifeng Ghost, Li Zhaoming; the Cockcrow Ghost, Chuan Deliang; the Tangled Hair Ghost, Yun Fang; and the Black Wind Ghost, Jang Ying. People who knew of them spoke of the five ghosts that made up the Long Dragon. Because the gang leader who had protected and sheltered them moved away from Four Rivers and they had no place to go, the ghosts scattered, four of them finding other relatives and friends. As for Cloud Dragon, he was accused of nine cases of rape and murder. Local officials had dispatched deputies to search for signs of him and to bring him back at once.
