Once upon a time, Tang Seng and his three disciples bid farewell to a village and set off westward. After walking for thirty to forty miles, they were nearing the border of the Kingdom of Xiliang. Tang Seng pointed ahead from his horse and said, "Wukong, look! That bustling city up ahead must be the Kingdom of Xiliang. You all need to be careful and not let loose, or you’ll disrupt the rules here." Hearing their master’s words, the three disciples immediately straightened up and promised to behave.
Before long, they arrived at the entrance of Dongguan Street. Oh my, the streets were filled with women in long skirts and short jackets, their faces painted and hair oiled, all busy with shopping. Suddenly, when they saw four "foreigners" approaching, everyone burst into applause and laughter, shouting, "The foreigners have arrived! The foreigners have arrived!" This scared Tang Seng so much that he pulled the reins and stopped, and soon the street was packed with people, laughter echoing all around.
On the side, Bajie shouted, "I’m a pig for sale! I’m a pig for sale!" This infuriated Wukong: "You fool, stop talking nonsense and get back to your old self!" Bajie quickly shook his head, perked up his ears, twisted his lips, and let out a roar, which frightened the women so much that they stumbled around, and the situation got out of control. Some even composed poetry to describe the scene, saying, "The holy monk visits Xiliang, where the land is filled with women…" implying that almost all the farmers and merchants here were women, making it quite a peculiar place.
At this moment, the women were so scared they didn’t dare to approach, nervously covering their waists with their hands, shaking their heads, and biting their fingers, watching from the sidelines, all eyes on Tang Seng. Wukong wasn’t going to back down either; he deliberately made a funny face to clear a path, while Sha Seng pretended to be a fierce tiger to maintain order. Bajie, meanwhile, was twisting and turning on his horse, causing a ruckus.
As they continued on, they noticed the houses on both sides of the street were neatly arranged, with numerous shops selling salt, rice, and even taverns and tea houses, all lively and bustling. Just as they turned a corner, a female official shouted from the street, "Visitors from afar, you cannot enter the city gate casually! Please go to the post station to register, and I will report to the king for verification and permission."
Upon hearing this, Tang Seng immediately dismounted and saw the sign "Yingyang Post" hanging at the government office. He thought to himself, "So there really is such a place!" Sha Seng teased, "Second brother, go check the spring water to see if there’s a double reflection." Bajie quickly retorted, "Don’t mess with me; I’ve already drunk from that spring and have a reflection!" Tang Seng turned back sternly, saying, "Wuneng, watch your words!"
So, Tang Seng stepped forward to salute the female official, who then led them into the post station. After they sat down in the main hall, she began to serve tea. The maidservants were all styled with three braids and wore two-piece outfits, smiling as they served tea. Once they had finished their tea, the female official asked, "What brings you here?" Wukong immediately replied, "We are envoys from the Tang Dynasty in the East, here to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. My master is the king’s younger brother, named Tang Sanzang. I am his disciple, Sun Wukong, and these two are Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing. We are five in total, including our horse. Please verify our documents and let us pass."
The female official took note and bowed, saying, "Forgive me, I am the postmaster of Yingyang Post and did not recognize you. How rude of me." After the bow, she quickly arranged food and said, "Please wait a moment while I report to my king and obtain the pass for you to proceed westward." Tang Seng felt delighted upon hearing this and sat quietly without saying more.
Meanwhile, the postmaster quickly dressed in fine clothes and hurried to the Five Phoenix Tower in the city, speaking to the palace official, "I am the postmaster of Yingyang Post and have matters to discuss with the king." The palace official immediately reported, and the news reached the throne, asking, "What matters does the postmaster have?" The postmaster quickly replied, "I received the Tang Sanzang from the East at the post station, who has three disciples and wishes to go to the West to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. I come to ask for permission to obtain a pass for them."
Upon hearing this, the queen’s heart soared with joy, and she said to the officials, "I had a dream last night where golden screens shone and jade mirrors sparkled. This must be a good omen for today!" The female officials all knelt and asked, "Your Majesty, how do you know it’s a good omen today?" The queen replied, "A man from the East, the king’s younger brother! Since ancient times, we have never seen a man in our country. Today, the king’s younger brother comes, truly a blessing from heaven! I am willing to offer my kingdom’s wealth to invite him as king, and I shall be his concubine, bearing sons and daughters to continue the imperial lineage. Isn’t this a joyous occasion?" The female officials cheered with excitement, creating quite a lively atmosphere.
Once upon a time, the postmaster said, "Your Majesty, you’re right, but the three disciples of the prince don’t look so great." The queen asked, "What do you know about the prince’s appearance? And what’s wrong with his disciples?" The postmaster replied, "The prince is handsome and dashing, a true gentleman of the Tang Empire! But those three disciples? They look like monsters!" The queen chuckled and said, "Then let’s send the disciples away, get the travel documents for them to go to the West, and keep the prince here. What’s wrong with that?"
All the officials bowed and agreed, "Your Majesty’s idea is excellent! But for the marriage, we need a matchmaker. As the ancients say, ‘Marriage relies on the red thread of fate, tied by the old man of the moon.’" The queen declared, "Let the Grand Master be the matchmaker, and the postmaster can officiate. First, go to the post station and propose to the prince. If he agrees, I’ll personally go out to welcome him."
Meanwhile, Tang Seng and his disciples were enjoying a vegetarian meal in the post hall when someone reported, "The Grand Master and the official are here." Tang Seng asked, "What do they want?" Bajie chimed in, "Maybe the queen invited us!" Wukong said, "Or perhaps they’re here to propose marriage!"
Tang Seng felt uneasy: "What if they refuse to let us go and force a marriage? What will we do?" Wukong reassured him, "Master, just agree. I have my ways."
Before he could finish, two female officials arrived and bowed to the elder. The elder returned the gesture, saying, "I’m a monk; how could I deserve such honor?" The Grand Master, seeing the elder’s handsome appearance, thought to himself, "This guy is really lucky to be the husband of our queen." After the bowing, one of the female officials said, "Congratulations, Your Highness!" Tang Seng looked confused: "What joy? I’m a monk!"
The Grand Master bowed and said, "This is the Kingdom of Xiliang, where no men have been seen since ancient times. Now that the prince has arrived, I’m here on the king’s orders to propose marriage." Tang Seng fell silent. The Grand Master continued, "A man must seize the moment. While marrying into a family is common, it’s rare to do so with a kingdom’s wealth. Please agree quickly, so I can report back."
Tang Seng was even more bewildered, while Bajie grew anxious: "Grand Master, tell the king that my master is a monk who doesn’t care for riches or beauty. Just get us the travel documents so we can head west! What do you think about leaving me here to marry?" The Grand Master was so shocked he couldn't respond, and the postmaster said, "Although you’re a man, you’re not handsome enough for the king’s taste."
Bajie laughed, "You really don’t understand! There are no ugly men in this world!" Wukong interjected, "Fool, stop talking nonsense! Listen to your master—if we can go, we go; if not, don’t cause trouble." Tang Seng said, "If we seek wealth here, who will go to the West for scriptures? That would ruin our Tang Dynasty’s reputation!" The Grand Master explained, "Your Highness, I can’t hide this from you. The king simply wants to propose to you, and your three disciples can attend the banquet in exchange for the travel documents."
Wukong thought this made sense: "Let’s not complicate things. We’d rather leave our master here and get the documents to head west. Once we return with the scriptures, we can come back to meet the king." The Grand Master and the postmaster bowed, saying, "Thank you for your understanding!" Bajie added, "Grand Master, don’t just talk! Since we’ve agreed, let’s have a feast to celebrate!" The Grand Master replied, "Alright, I’ll arrange it right away!" The postmaster and the Grand Master left joyfully to report to the queen, creating quite a lively scene.
Now, Tang Seng grabbed Wukong and scolded, "You monkey! Are you trying to get me killed? How can you say such things? I’m here for marriage proposals, and you want to go to the West to worship Buddha!" Wukong quickly reassured him, "Master, don’t worry! I know your temperament, but we have to play along here!"
Tang Seng asked, "What do you mean by playing along?" Wukong explained, "If you don’t agree, they won’t give us the travel documents. If they’re cruel enough to harm you, we’re done for! We might be strong, but if we fight, we’d wipe out the whole kingdom. They may not be monsters, but they’re still people! You’ve always been compassionate; could you bear to harm innocent civilians?"
Tang Seng nodded after hearing this, "Wukong, you make a good point. But I'm worried the queen will make me perform the marriage ceremony. I can't lose my essence and tarnish the virtue of Buddhism!" Wukong chuckled, "Once you agree to the marriage, she’ll definitely come out with royal pomp to escort you. You just need to sit in her royal carriage, ascend the treasure hall, sit facing south, ask the queen for the imperial seal, and have her declare us brothers in court. Then, we can get the travel documents stamped and have her sign them for us."
Tang Seng seemed to understand, "That sounds like a good plan." Wukong continued, "After the banquet is set, you can enjoy yourself with the queen. Once the feast is over, she’ll send us out of the city. Once we’re outside, I’ll use a spell to freeze her and her ministers, and we can set off smoothly to the West. This way, we won’t harm her life, and your essence will remain intact. Isn’t that a win-win?" After hearing this, Tang Seng felt as if he had woken from a dream, filled with gratitude, and said repeatedly, "Thank you, wise disciple! What a brilliant idea!"
Meanwhile, the Grand Master and the postmaster entered the palace without waiting for an official summons, announcing, "Your Majesty, the beautiful dream is coming true, and the joy of love is approaching!" The queen heard this, lifted the pearl curtain, and stepped down from her dragon bed, revealing her silver teeth, and asked with a smile, "What did you say to the prince?"
The Grand Master replied, "After we met the prince, we bowed to him and then discussed the marriage proposal. Although he hesitated a bit, his eldest disciple is willing to let him stay as my king’s husband, ruling from the south. All he needs is to exchange the travel documents and send the three of them westward to fetch the scriptures, returning to pay respects to the king and ask for provisions to return to Tang." The queen smiled and asked, "What else did the prince say?"
The Grand Master continued, "The prince didn’t express willingness to marry, but his second disciple wanted to enjoy the feast first." Upon hearing this, the queen immediately ordered, "Prepare the banquet at the Guanglu Temple and arrange to welcome my husband out of the city." The female officials sprang into action, cleaning the palace and laying out the courtyard.
Although the Kingdom of Xiliang was a land of women, the scene was no less grand than a Chinese banquet. Six dragons sprayed colors, and two phoenixes brought good fortune. The fragrance wafted through the air, and auspicious energy filled the surroundings. Golden fish and jade ornaments surrounded by ladies, with mandarin ducks fanning the royal carriage, while emerald curtains swayed gently. The music was melodious, strings harmonized, and joy filled the atmosphere, truly a lively celebration. Today, the queen was finally going to marry a man!
Before long, the queen’s entourage left the city and arrived early at the Yingyang Pavilion. Suddenly, someone rushed to inform Tang Seng and his disciples, "The royal carriage has arrived!" Tang Seng quickly tidied up his clothes with his three disciples and went out to greet the queen. As she lifted the curtain of her dragon carriage, she smiled and asked, "Which one of you is the prince from the Tang Dynasty?" The Grand Master pointed and said, "It’s the one in the ceremonial robe by the fragrant table outside." The queen’s eyes lit up as she carefully examined Tang Seng, realizing he was truly remarkable.
Just look at him! He was tall and handsome, with white teeth like silver and red lips. His forehead was broad, his eyebrows clear, and his ears distinct—he was a true scholar. The queen felt delighted and couldn’t help but feel affection, calling sweetly, "Prince of the Tang, why don’t you come and take your place in my carriage?" Upon hearing this, Tang Seng’s face turned red, too shy to look up. Meanwhile, Bajie stood nearby, eyes wide and drooling, thinking, "This queen is unbelievably beautiful—she’s like a reincarnation of Xi Shi!"
The queen approached Tang Seng, took his hand, and said softly, "Prince brother, please get on the dragon carriage and let’s go to the Golden Luan Hall, where we will be united as husband and wife!" Tang Seng stood there trembling, feeling as if he were drunk. Wukong, anxious beside him, urged, "Master, don’t be too modest! Get on the carriage, let’s get the travel documents so we can go for the scriptures!" Tang Seng could only wipe away his tears, suppress his emotions, and force a smile as he stepped forward to take the queen’s hand and board the carriage together.
The queen was overjoyed, dreaming of becoming Tang Seng’s wife, while he only thought about getting to the Buddha. One was eagerly anticipating the wedding night, while the other just wanted to hurry to the West to see the Buddha. The queen was sincere, while the holy monk was pretending. The queen was filled with joy, wishing they could be together day and night, while Tang Seng was secretly calculating how to escape to the Thunder Sound Temple. As they both boarded the carriage, little did they know Tang Seng was plotting his own escape.
When the civil and military officials saw the lord and the elder boarding the phoenix carriage, sitting so closely together, they all smiled widely and quickly turned the procession back to the city. Sun Wukong instructed Sha Seng to carry the luggage and lead the white horse, following closely behind the royal carriage. However, Zhu Bajie, unwilling to be left out, ran to the front of the Wufeng Tower and shouted, "What a wonderful opportunity! We can't miss this! We have to enjoy the wedding feast!"
His loud voice startled the female officials responsible for guiding them, causing them to rush back to the carriage and report, "Your Majesty, there’s a long-eared, big-mouthed fellow at the Wufeng Tower shouting about wanting to eat wedding wine!"
Upon hearing this, the queen leaned on Tang Seng's shoulder and asked with a smile, "Prince brother, is that long-eared, big-mouthed one your tall disciple?" Tang Seng awkwardly nodded, "Yes, that’s my second disciple. He eats a lot, so we need to prepare some food and drink for him before we can continue with our business." The queen hurriedly asked, "Is the banquet at Guanglu Temple ready?" The female official replied, "It’s all prepared, both meat and vegetarian options, in the East Pavilion." The queen asked again, "Why are there both meat and vegetarian dishes?" The official explained, "I was worried that the Tang prince and his tall disciple usually eat vegetarian, so I prepared both." The queen smiled even brighter, snuggling up to Tang Seng, and asked, "Prince brother, do you eat meat or vegetarian?"
Tang Seng replied, "I eat vegetarian, but there must be some wine; please prepare a few cups of vegetarian wine for my second disciple." Before he could finish, the Grand Master spoke up, "Please proceed to the East Pavilion for the banquet. Today is a good day, and tomorrow you can marry Prince brother!" The queen was overjoyed, taking Tang Seng's hand as they both descended the dragon carriage and entered the main gate.
The scene was truly lively, with celestial music wafting in the air. The emerald carriage glided through the gates, with the phoenix palace wide open and shining brilliantly. Inside the palace, smoke curled from the incense, and the pavilions were like a fairyland, making it hard to take in everything at once. Arriving at the East Pavilion, they could hear beautiful music and see a scene filled with charming red and pink hues. The banquet was set with vegetarian dishes on the left and meat dishes on the right, and the queen gracefully served the jade cups, preparing for the seating.
Wukong quickly stepped forward, saying, "We are all vegetarian; please let Master sit at the left side with the vegetarian dishes." The Grand Master agreed, "Yes, the master and disciples are like father and son; they shouldn’t sit side by side." The female officials hurriedly adjusted the seating, and the queen served the cups one by one, ensuring everyone was seated. The civil and military officials all paid their respects to the royal favor and took their seats, with music playing and wine being served.
Meanwhile, Zhu Bajie didn’t care about any of that. Once he got started, he began to feast heartily, devouring everything from fragrant rice, steamed buns, sweet cakes, mushrooms, to fragrant fungi—cleaning the table in no time. After drinking five or seven cups of wine, he shouted, "More! Bring me a big cup, and let’s drink a few more! We each have our own business to attend to!" Sha Seng curiously asked, "With such a great banquet, what else do you want to do?" Zhu Bajie laughed, "As the ancients say, the bowmaker makes bows, and the arrowmaker makes arrows. We’re here to propose marriage, but we still need to go for the scriptures. Let’s not just drink and waste time; let’s get the travel documents sorted and each pursue our own paths!"
Upon hearing this, the queen immediately ordered large cups to be brought, and the attendants hurriedly brought various vessels, filling them with fine wine. Everyone raised their cups and drank together, creating an extraordinary atmosphere!
Tang Seng stood up, slightly bowing, and joined his palms in front of the queen, saying, "Your Majesty, thank you for your generous hospitality. We’ve had enough wine. Please proceed to the treasure hall to exchange the travel documents and send the three of them out of the city." The queen, upon hearing this, immediately led the elder to disperse the banquet and walked towards the Golden Luan Hall. She invited the elder to sit on the dragon bed, but Tang Seng quickly shook his head, "No, no! The Grand Master said tomorrow is the auspicious day; I cannot ascend to the throne and claim authority today. Let’s just stamp the travel documents and send them off."
The queen nodded and continued sitting on the dragon bed. She had a golden chair brought over and placed it on the left side of the dragon bed for Tang Seng to sit down. Wukong then instructed Sha Seng to unpack and take out the travel documents. The Great Sage held the documents in both hands, and the queen took a close look, noticing the nine royal seals of the Tang Emperor, along with the seals from the Kingdom of Baoxiang, the Kingdom of Wujiguo, and the Kingdom of Chezhi. She smiled and asked, "Prince brother, is your surname Chen?" Tang Seng replied, "My original surname is Chen, and my Buddhist name is Xuanzang. It was only because of the Tang Emperor's grace that I changed my surname to Tang."
The queen, curious, asked, "Why is there no name for the tall disciple on the travel document?" Tang Seng explained, "They are not from the Tang Dynasty." The queen inquired further, "Since they are not from the Tang Dynasty, why do they want to accompany you?" Tang Seng replied, "My eldest disciple is from the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, the second from the Western Cowherd Continent, and the third from the River of Sand. Because they violated heavenly rules, Guanyin Bodhisattva of the South Sea rescued them and is willing to protect me on my journey to the West for scriptures, so their names were not written down." Upon hearing this, the queen suggested, "Let me write down their names for you!" Tang Seng responded, "That would be a great help, Your Majesty."
The queen immediately called for ink and brush, carefully writing down the names of Sun Wukong, Zhu Wuneng, and Sha Wujing, then sealing it with the royal seal and passing it to the Great Sage. Wukong took it and instructed Sha Seng to pack their belongings. The queen then took out a plate of gold and silver coins and handed it to Wukong, saying, "Take this as travel expenses. When you return from your quest, I will reward you further!" Wukong shook his head, "As monks, we do not accept gold and silver; we will find alms along the way." Seeing he was unwilling, the queen offered ten bolts of silk, saying, "You are in a hurry; make some clothes to keep warm." Wukong still refused, "Monks cannot wear silk; we have simple robes."
The queen, feeling helpless, finally said, "Then let me give you three sheng of royal rice for a meal on your journey." Upon hearing "meal," Bajie immediately took it and placed it in his pack. Wukong reminded him, "Brother, the luggage is already heavy; do you still have the strength to carry rice?" Bajie laughed, "Rice is consumed daily; once eaten, it’s gone—no problem!" Everyone then joined their palms in gratitude.
Tang Seng added, "I would trouble Your Majesty to accompany me to send them out of the city; I want to give them a few instructions for their journey to the West." The queen, not understanding the strategy, issued an order to proceed and boarded the phoenix carriage alongside Tang Seng, heading out of the western city. The whole city watched, both for the queen’s arrival and for Tang Seng’s handsome appearance.
Before long, they arrived at the western gate, where Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Seng joined forces to neatly greet the dragon carriage, shouting loudly, "Your Majesty need not send us far; we bid you farewell here!" The elder slowly descended from the dragon carriage, cupping his hands towards the queen and saying, "Your Majesty, please return; let this poor monk go to fetch the scriptures." Upon hearing this, the queen was suddenly alarmed and grasped Tang Seng’s arm, saying, "Prince brother, I am willing to offer the wealth of my kingdom and take you as my husband. You could ascend the throne tomorrow; would you accept?"
Bajie, hearing this, immediately caused a commotion, twisting his mouth and shaking his ears, rushing to the front of the carriage and shouting, "What do we monks have to do with you, you painted skeleton! Let my master go!" The queen, frightened by Bajie’s outburst, nearly fainted and fell back into her carriage. Sha Seng quickly pulled Tang Seng out and helped him mount his horse. Just then, a woman appeared by the roadside, shouting, "Tang Prince, where are you going? I’m here to have some fun with you!" Sha Seng angrily scolded, "You ignorant thief!" and brandished his staff to strike.
However, that woman unleashed a whirlwind, whooshing Tang Seng away, making him vanish without a trace. Alas, having escaped one trap, he fell into another! Whether that woman was human or monster, and what would happen to the master’s life, we shall discuss next time!
