Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 353 Nezha's Assistance, the Emperor of Great Qi

The story takes place in the demon's cave on Mount Jiu'e.

Sun Wukong, wielding his golden cudgel, chased Zhu Bajie all over the cave.

Pigsy panicked and begged for mercy, fearing that if Sun Wukong really hit him with his staff, he would surely die.

Sun Wukong scolded, "You fool, I was worried about your life, but you just fell asleep in the steamer, all my efforts were in vain."

Pigsy said, “Brother, I was poisoned by that guy’s gas and couldn’t move. Luckily, you protected me, Brother Monkey, and I wasn’t steamed alive. But I have no way to escape, so I can only sleep soundly in the cage to conserve my energy and wait for you to come and save me.”

Sun Wukong scratched his ears and cheeks and said, "Fool, you don't know, but if my protective magic dissipates and you are fast asleep, you will definitely be boiled alive."

Pigsy said, “Brother, it was the same when we traveled west in the past. You will definitely come to save me, and I will feel very at ease.”

Sun Wukong said, “Even if you, a fool, believe me, you must be careful. Furthermore, you were careless in your duel with that demon. Even if you have some confidence in your abilities, you must not rush forward recklessly. You must know that there are always people stronger than you, and there are always higher realms beyond the heavens. Just like the scorpion demon we encountered on our journey to the West, it could even break the Buddha’s sixteen-foot golden body. One thing can overcome another, and you must understand this principle.”

Pigsy turned around, bowed, and said, "I have remembered this, and I will not do it again in the future. This is indeed my fault. I did not know his origins and rushed forward recklessly, which almost ruined a great matter."

Upon hearing what Zhu Bajie said, Sun Wukong immediately put away his golden cudgel and said, "I hope you will remember this well, and not just spout nonsense to appease me."

Pigsy said, "Brother, I will remember this. It was my fault, and I dare not forget it."

Sun Wukong nodded and said, "That's excellent."

Nezha, who was nearby, stepped forward and said, "I have long wanted to ask you about the Dharma you speak of. What is the Dharma you speak of? Is it the Dharma of the True Man?"

Sun Wukong then conveyed the Immortal's decree to Nezha.

Upon hearing this, Nezha laughed and said, "Since the True Man has issued this decree, and I am in the mortal realm, it is only right that I lend a hand. However, my days are numbered, and I will soon be returning to Heaven. Therefore, I can travel with you for a while and together we will clean up Xiniu Hezhou."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong said happily, "Then I will trouble you, Your Highness. With your help, things will be much faster."

Nezha said, "Let's not go there yet. Let's have a feast and have some fun here first, and then we can talk about leaving."

Sun Wukong agreed, nodding and saying, "That's right, that's right."

The group then feasted and made merry there, and this feasting continued every two days before they finally departed, heading west along the main road to various places. If they encountered any demons, they were to subdue them.

The road to the west is teeming with demons, many of them possessing extraordinary abilities. However, for Sun Wukong and his companions, subduing them is merely a minor inconvenience.

……

Time flies, and two or three years have passed in this way.

Meanwhile, as Zuo Liang traveled among the people, the aura of the three calamities in the world grew heavier and heavier, resulting in more and more refugees. Zuo Liang and Wang Shou were simply unable to treat them all. In just one city, they were unable to leave for several months, and their efforts to treat the refugees could not be accomplished. They had no choice but to stay in the city for several months to treat the refugees.

To better treat the refugees, Zuo Liang chose to take on followers, teach them medical skills, and work together to treat them.

After a few visits, Zuo Liang had several dozen followers.

One day, Zuo Liang was resting at an inn in the city. He had just summoned his attendants and instructed them to practice medicine at the inn and not to go out. Wang Shou was sent out by him to gather information.

Zuo Liang sighed and said, “The human world is in great chaos. This chaos has lasted for countless years, and the sea of ​​suffering is boundless. I do not have my master’s magical power, so it is difficult to save even one person. Even if I save one person, they will still be burdened by the sea of ​​suffering, and in the end, they may be afflicted by illness or killed by weapons. In the end, my magical power is too shallow to be of any use.”

He was sighing inwardly.

Suddenly, Wang Shou strode over, his face still showing panic, as if he had heard some bad news outside.

Zuo Liang said, "Shou'er, you should calm down and not let things get to you. If you get flustered, you will lose your composure and how will you be able to come up with a good solution?"

Wang Shou entered, bowed, and said, "Master, this is my fault. The news I just heard has truly stirred my heart, so I was momentarily distracted. Please forgive my rudeness."

Zuo Liang said, "Tell me the news, and I will listen. What news has caused you to lose your composure? If I am not mistaken, the news must be related to your friend Huang Chao."

Wang Shou nodded and said, "Master, it is indeed related to my good friend Huang Chao. I heard before that my good friend Huang Chao parted ways with that great general who mended the heavens and balanced the earth, and called himself the 'Great General Who Soars to the Sky'. He led his army south, conquered Lingnan, and used mobile warfare to harass the Tang army, making the Tang army exhausted and defeating the Tang army in many places. In recent years, my good friend Huang Chao led his army to counterattack Chang'an. Not long ago, he even broke through the city of Chang'an, causing His Majesty to flee. He now occupies Chang'an, makes Chang'an the capital, and calls himself emperor, with the country name Great Qi and the era name Jintong."

Zuo Liang was slightly startled upon hearing this. He had never imagined that Huang Chao would have such an opportunity to defeat the Li Tang dynasty, capture its capital, and proclaim himself emperor. This was no small matter.

Zuo Liang asked, "But what's the situation in other places now?"

Wang Shou shook his head and said, "Chang'an has fallen, and the whole country is in chaos and cannot continue. There can only be two suns in the sky. Now Tang and Qi are standing side by side. I don't know what will happen next. But I never thought that my good friend Huang Chao would become emperor. Could it be that his appearance has changed in recent years and he has such a destiny?"

Zuo Liang smiled without saying anything, offering no further comment.

Wang Shouze said, "Master, shall we go to Chang'an City to investigate whether Huang Chao has changed his ways?"

Zuo Liang said, "We are currently in Yongzhou, not far from Chang'an, but I fear that if we enter Chang'an, we will encounter a chaotic army, and then something will definitely happen."

Wang Shou said, "Master, Huang Chao is my friend. Even if we encounter Huang Chao's army in Chang'an, how could they harm us? We will be fine, we will be fine."

Zuo Liang gave Wang Shou a deep look, and unexpectedly, he did not refute Wang Shou, but instead agreed to Wang Shou's request to go to Chang'an City.

Wang Shou was overjoyed and agreed to get down. He was preparing to go to Chang'an to see Huang Chao.

Zuo Liang did not stop it.

Many of the attendants in the post station were there to carry out orders.

He and his group then headed towards Chang'an. They were not far from Chang'an, and after a few days, they were near the city.

As the group approached Chang'an, the sight of the city filled them with dread. The setting sun seemed to weep blood, the Wei River murmured, and the area outside Chang'an resembled a ghost town. Ruins and scorched earth stretched for miles; the once magnificent mansions were now overgrown with weeds. White bones lay strewn along the roadside, the stench of decay rising to the sky. Crows and kites pecked at the carcasses, old dogs licked the bones, and the wind whistled as skulls struck each other, clanging like metal.

Zuo Liang was particularly moved, recalling that he had followed his master to Chang'an when the city was prosperous, but now it had fallen into ruin.

Before the group could express their feelings, a group of soldiers suddenly appeared and surrounded them. These soldiers were bandits, carefree and dissolute.

The soldier shouted, "Where do you all come from?"

Zuo Liang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "But we are all physicians, and we have come to Chang'an, so we wish to enter the city." The soldier said, "How can so many of you be physicians? In my opinion, you must be the work of that false emperor. You should all be killed."

One of the attendants stepped forward, drew his sword, and said, "My master is the current Celestial Master, but you dare to be disrespectful to him. The people of the world will not forgive you."

Upon hearing this, the soldier became somewhat fearful and asked, "Sir, are you the Celestial Master who travels the world?"

Zuo Liang did not reply.

The attendant answered on his behalf, saying, "Indeed! My master is healing the people, the Heavenly Master!"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang smiled and admitted it.

Upon hearing this, the soldier immediately knelt down, kowtowed, and said, "I did not know that the Celestial Master was in person. I beg the Celestial Master to forgive me for actually attacking the Celestial Master with weapons. This is my fault."

The remaining soldiers also knelt on the ground, kowtowed and apologized.

Zuo Liang shook his head, stepped forward and helped them all up, saying, "Why are you all bowing to me?"

The soldier said with remorse, “Ten years ago, I was the son of a refugee. My father was healed by the Celestial Master. I remember the Celestial Master’s kindness. However, I have not seen the Celestial Master for a long time and have forgotten him. I did not recognize him and even fought with him. It was my fault.”

Another soldier said, "But my mother was also healed by the Celestial Master."

An old soldier said, “I am different. I was personally healed by the Celestial Master, but my old eyes are dim and I could not see the Celestial Master’s face clearly. I did not recognize him. Now that I know the Celestial Master is in front of me, please accept my bow.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang understood the soldiers' intention in bowing to him. He had the soldiers help him up, saying that treating patients was his duty and there was no need for such formalities.

But the soldiers refused and insisted on bowing.

Zuo Liang had no choice but to give up and accept the bow.

After the soldiers bowed, they asked Zuo Liang where he was going in Chang'an. When Zuo Liang said he was going to the post station, the soldiers volunteered to escort him to the post station in Chang'an. Despite Zuo Liang's refusal, the soldiers insisted on their own way and refused to listen.

The entourage was overjoyed, feeling that Zuo Liang was quite remarkable, and that he had ordered his soldiers to follow him after he had only shown his face.

He and his entourage entered Chang'an City.

However, upon entering Chang'an, many soldiers patrolled the city. When they saw Zuo Liang and his group, they all came forward to ask questions. After learning that he was the Celestial Master, they spontaneously followed him. They were all people who had received the Celestial Master's grace and favor.

In a short while, the number of people guarding Zuo Liang had grown to several hundred.

But those who have benefited from his grace are far more than just the masses.

Zuo Liang led hundreds of guards into the city, which inevitably attracted attention. Before long, the news reached Huang Chao in the imperial palace of Chang'an.

Upon hearing this, Huang Chao sighed deeply and said, "The Celestial Master? This must be the Celestial Master who travels all over the country. I met him once when I was young, and he took my friend away. Speaking of which, my friend had foresight. He knew that the court was corrupt and incompetent, and that he would hardly succeed in the imperial examinations. So he went to study medicine with the Celestial Master. In this respect, I am not as good as him, but he is not as good as me either, because he is now the Emperor of the Great Qi, ruling the world!"

A fawning eunuch beside him said, “Your Majesty’s divine might is invincible. How can those two lowly physicians compare? There is a saying, ‘Wealth and honor without returning home is like wearing brocade at night.’ Your Majesty should summon them here and show them Your Majesty’s current appearance, so that they will be terrified.”

Huang Chao, feeling smug, said, "That makes sense, that makes sense. In that case, go and summon him to meet me."

The eunuch immediately got up and left to deliver the imperial edict.

One of the princes' generals was somewhat dissatisfied and said, "Your Majesty, although we have now captured Chang'an, many places in the world do not submit to us. We cannot be so complacent. We should lead our troops out of Chang'an and attack other places. We must know that wealth and honor can be blinding."

Before Huang Chao could utter a word after these words were spoken, Huang Chao had already spoken.

Many generals below retorted, saying, "Nonsense! Now that we have captured Chang'an, it is time for us to rest and recuperate. This is the capital of the Li Tang dynasty. We can use this place to transform the fate of the Li Tang dynasty into the fate of our Great Qi dynasty."

Another general said, "Now that we have captured Chang'an, how can we be rivals in the world? We only need to issue a proclamation to pacify the world. There is no need to go on another expedition. Chang'an is very rich and prosperous, so let's enjoy it to the fullest."

Many generals shared this view.

Some generals had different opinions, but seeing the general trend, they could only follow the trend and agree with it.

The general was disheartened and said, "In war, courage is paramount. One must strike with full force at the first drumbeat, for the second will be weaker, and the third will be exhausted. Now that we have taken Chang'an, we should conquer the world with our sharp military might. If we do not exhaust our courage and wait for the morale of the army to change, then it will be the day we die. You do not even realize this, you are all generals destined to bring about the downfall of the country."

Huang Chao, impatient with the quarreling among his generals, drove them all away, for he now only cared about the wealth and glory before him.

He waited in the hall for Zuo Liang and Wang Shou to arrive.

After waiting for a long time, a eunuch finally came to report that Zuo Liang and Wang Shou had been brought there.

Huang Chao then summoned the two men to an audience.

Before long, Zuo Liang and Wang Shou entered the hall and paid their respects to Huang Chao.

Both men bowed to Huang Chao.

Huang Chao was somewhat displeased that neither of them addressed him as "Your Majesty," but he did not say much. Instead, he said, "Celestial Master, Wang Shou, it has been many years since we last met. I hope you two are well. When we met in the past, I was still a young man, but now I am old."

Wang Shou was somewhat excited and said, "In the past, we only took the imperial examination, but you were extraordinary. Now you are the emperor of the Great Qi."

Huang Chao was very pleased with himself and said, "The imperial examination is very difficult, but starting a rebellion is very easy. Those powerful families will not allow me to pass the exam, which has caused me to fail repeatedly. So I will not take the exam. I will start a rebellion and invade. Where are those who were disrespectful to me in the past? They are all just bones under my feet!"

After bowing, Wang Shou said, "Brother, you are very powerful and admirable. When I first heard about your uprising, I thought it would be difficult for you to succeed. I never expected that you would go against the tide and succeed now, becoming the emperor of the Great Qi. It is my honor to be your friend."

Huang Chao laughed heartily, stood up and said, "It has been a long time since we last met, so it is time to catch up on our old friendship. Stay here for a while, and I will treat you well."

Wang Shouxin readily agreed.

Zuo Liang looked around without saying much, smiling broadly as if he didn't care.

Huang Chao spoke at length with the two men in the palace, then sent Zuo Liang and his entourage to rest, while he reminisced with Wang Shouyan about their past friendship.

The two laughed heartily as they discussed the delightful aspects of their conversation, as if they had rediscovered the joy of childhood companionship.

(End of this chapter)