Once upon a time, Master Tang Seng was feeling quite worried as he followed the king into the royal harem. The sound of drums and music filled the air, and the sweet fragrance wafted around him. He kept his head down, too nervous to look up. Meanwhile, the Monkey King was secretly pleased with himself. He activated his divine sight and opened his fiery golden eyes, scanning the surroundings. What he saw was a dazzling array of colorful maidens, looking like they had stepped out of a fairyland, absolutely stunning! Each one was graceful, with skin like jade, reminiscent of the ancient beauties. Their high hairstyles resembled dancing phoenixes, and their delicate brows were like distant mountains. The sounds of flutes and pipes created a heavenly atmosphere. The Monkey King couldn’t help but exclaim in his heart, “What a good monk! Surrounded by splendor yet with a mind free of distractions—truly remarkable!”
Before long, the queen and concubines emerged from the Magpie Palace, and everyone cheered in unison, “Long live our king, ten thousand years!” This startled Tang Seng, who was trembling and didn’t know what to do. The Monkey King quickly caught on, noticing a hint of demonic energy emanating from the princess’s head. He leaned over to Tang Seng and whispered, “Master, the princess is a fake!” Tang Seng’s heart raced even more: “A fake? How do we expose her?” The Monkey King was brimming with confidence: “Just use my true form, and we can catch her!” But Tang Seng hurriedly stopped him, “No! No! If we alarm the royal presence, it’ll be disastrous. Let’s wait until she retreats!”
However, the Monkey King was always impatient and refused to wait. With a sudden roar, he revealed his true form and charged at the princess, angrily shouting, “You wicked creature! Here you are, pretending to be real while trying to deceive my master!” This left the king dumbfounded, and the concubines panicked, scattering like petals in the wind, creating chaos all around. Tang Seng, anxious, clung to the king and quickly reassured him, “Your Majesty, don’t be afraid! My disciple is using his magic to tell the truth!”
At that moment, the demon sensed trouble, broke free from the Monkey King’s grip, shed her clothes, and grabbed a short stick, turning to wildly attack the Monkey King. Seeing this, the Monkey King immediately met her with his iron staff. They began to fight in the garden, creating quite a scene as they flew on their clouds, neither willing to back down. It turned out that this demon had long been aware of Tang Seng, wanting to absorb his vital energy. She had transformed the real princess into a human, and now, faced with the Monkey King, she was understandably flustered. The short stick swung wildly, and the iron staff retaliated fiercely, causing the townspeople to panic and the officials to tremble in fear.
Tang Seng supported the king, urgently advising, “Don’t panic! Please tell the ladies not to be afraid. Your princess is an imposter; once my disciple catches her, the truth will come out.” Some brave concubines gathered the fallen clothes and accessories to show the queen, exclaiming, “These are what the princess wore and adorned herself with! She’s definitely a demon fighting with that monk in the sky!” It was then that the king and the concubines realized the seriousness of the situation, looking up at the sky with anxiety.
As the demon and the Monkey King fought fiercely, they battled for quite a while without a clear winner. The Monkey King, feeling the urgency, suddenly threw his iron staff and shouted, “Transform!” Instantly, the staff multiplied from one into ten, then a hundred, then a thousand, swirling like a snake in the air, making the demon panic. Realizing the situation was dire, the demon quickly turned into a gust of wind and fled into the blue sky.
Seeing this, the Monkey King chanted a spell to retrieve his staff and flew toward the western gate. Just as he was about to reach the gate, he shouted loudly, “Quick, block the gate! Don’t let the demon escape!” Sure enough, at the gate stood the Guardian King with four great marshals, all ready with their weapons to stop the demon. When the demon saw she couldn’t advance, she hurriedly turned back, desperately fighting against the Monkey King.
At that moment, the Monkey King took a closer look and noticed that the demon’s short stick was thick on one end and thin on the other, resembling a spring pestle. He shouted, “You wicked creature! What kind of weapon is that? Dare to fight me? Surrender quickly, or I’ll smash your skull with one blow!” The demon, unwilling to back down, gritted her teeth and replied, “You don’t know the origin of my weapon! It’s made of celestial roots and sheep fat jade, shaped over many years. I obtained it when chaos began, and I was destined to be first. Do you think this is a mere earthly object? I was born in the heavens!”
The Monkey King couldn't help but sneer, “Oh, so you live in the Moon Palace and still dare to act all high and mighty in front of me? Quickly reveal your true form and surrender, or I won’t hold back!” The demon retorted, “I know you are the Stable Master who caused a ruckus in Heaven five hundred years ago, so you should let me go. But if you ruin my marriage, it’s like killing my parents; how can I accept that?”
Hearing the term "Stable Master," the Monkey King was furious, thinking that this fool was asking for death. He raised his iron staff to strike. The demon was not to be outdone, swinging her pestle to meet him. They fought fiercely in front of the Western Gate. This battle of magic was quite a match between the iron staff and the pestle.
The root of this conflict stemmed from the king’s infatuation with flowers, which led to the demon’s jealousy, resulting in both sides clashing fiercely. As they exchanged barbs, while the pestle was rare, the iron staff proved to be more powerful. As the fight continued, the demon gradually found herself at a disadvantage. After several rounds of combat, realizing she had no hope of winning against the Monkey King’s increasingly fierce attacks, she feigned a strike and seized the opportunity to escape.
The demon transformed into a golden light and fled southward. The Monkey King pursued her relentlessly until he suddenly arrived at a large mountain. The demon dove into a cave and vanished without a trace. The Monkey King felt a tightness in his chest, fearing the demon might return to harm Tang Seng. He decided to hover above the mountain, waiting for the right moment.
At this moment, it was already late afternoon, and the king was anxiously pulling at Tang Seng, trembling as he cried, “Holy monk, save me!” The concubines and the queen were also frightened, watching as the Monkey King flew down from the clouds, excitedly shouting, “Master, I’m here!” Tang Seng quickly replied, “Wukong, don’t alarm me! Quickly tell me, what’s going on with the fake princess?”
Standing outside the Magpie Palace with his hands on his hips and an imposing demeanor, the Monkey King declared, “The fake princess is actually a demon! I fought with her for a long time; she couldn’t defeat me and turned into a gust of wind to escape towards the Heavenly Gate. I called upon the heavenly gods to block her. After fighting for several more rounds, she finally transformed into golden light and fled to a mountain in the south. I chased her there but couldn’t find her. I’m worried she might come back to harm you, so I specifically returned to inform you.”
Upon hearing this, the king hurriedly asked, “Where is the real princess?” The Monkey King replied, “Once I capture the fake princess, the real princess will naturally appear.” The concubines, relieved, stepped forward to plead, “Holy monk, please save our real princess! We will surely reward you!” The Monkey King said, “This isn’t the place to talk. Your Majesty, please take me and my master to the hall. Ladies, return to your palaces and summon Bajie and Sha Seng to protect my master while I deal with the demon.”
The king, grateful, immediately led Tang Seng out of the palace toward the hall, while the concubines returned to their quarters. A vegetarian feast was prepared in the hall, and Bajie and Sha Seng quickly arrived. The Monkey King recounted the events to them, urging them to protect Tang Seng well. After that, he leaped into the air and flew away on his cloud, while the officials in front of the hall looked up and bowed to the sky.
The Monkey King headed straight for the mountain where the demon had fled. The demon, having been defeated, hid inside the mountain, blocking the entrance with stones, feeling timid and fearful. After searching for a while without any sign of movement, the Monkey King grew anxious, chanting spells to summon the local land god and mountain god. The two deities arrived, humbly saying, “We don’t know, we don’t know! Please forgive us!”
The Monkey King didn’t want to harm them and asked, “What is the name of this mountain? How many demons are inside? Be honest, and I might spare you.” The land god replied, “Great Sage, this mountain is called Maoying Mountain. There are only three rabbit burrows inside; there are no demons at all. It is a blessed land of the Five Rings. If you’re looking for demons, you should go along the road to the West.”
The Monkey King nodded, “In the country of Tianzhu in the West, the king’s princess was captured by a demon who pretended to be the princess to mock the king and wanted to lure a prince. I was protecting Tang Seng downstairs when she tried to seduce me to absorb my vital energy. I saw through her scheme and captured her. She turned into a gust of wind and escaped to the Heavenly Gate. I fought with her for several rounds, and she finally fled here. Why can’t I find her?”
The two deities listened and led the Monkey King to check the three rabbit burrows. Upon arriving at the foot of the mountain, the Monkey King saw several grass rabbits scampering away in fright. When they reached the cave at the mountain's peak, they found two large stones blocking the entrance. The land god said, “This must be where the demon hurriedly burrowed in.” The Monkey King steeled himself, raised his iron staff, and pushed the stones aside. The demon, indeed hiding inside, suddenly jumped out, brandishing the pestle to attack.
Seeing this, the Monkey King immediately used his iron staff to block the attack, causing the mountain god to step back in fear. The demon cursed while defending, “Who told you to bring him here!” At that critical moment, as the sky darkened, the Monkey King grew even fiercer, wishing he could smash her with a single blow. Suddenly, a voice echoed between the heavens, “Great Sage, don’t act rashly! Show mercy!”
The Monkey King turned around to see it was the Moon Lord, accompanied by the fairy Chang'e, descending on colorful clouds. Startled, the Monkey King quickly retracted his iron staff and bowed, saying, “Oh, Moon Lord, where have you come from? I will step back!” The Moon Lord replied, “The demon you are dealing with is actually my Jade Rabbit from the Moon Palace. It opened the celestial gates without permission and escaped over a year ago. I’ve come to rescue it and ask you to spare its life.”
The Monkey King repeatedly responded, “I wouldn’t dare! No wonder it was using the pestle; it turns out to be a Jade Rabbit!” The Moon Lord continued, “You don’t know; that princess is not an ordinary person. She is the fairy Su'e from the Moon Palace. Eighteen years ago, she struck the Jade Rabbit, which caused her to descend and be reborn as the king’s princess. The Jade Rabbit, harboring resentment, ran away, abandoning Su'e in the wilderness. But now it wants to pair up with Tang Seng—this is a grave sin! Fortunately, you saw through its scheme and didn’t harm your master. I implore you, for my sake, to spare its life, and I will take it back.”
Hearing this, the Monkey King felt the situation was complex but nodded, “In that case, I wouldn’t dare oppose. However, if you take the Jade Rabbit, the king might not believe it. Could you please have the Moon Lord and the other fairies bring the Jade Rabbit to the king to prove it? This way, it will not only showcase my abilities but also explain the reason for Su'e’s descent.” The Moon Lord found this reasonable and agreed.
Then she pointed at the demon and commanded, “You wretched creature, come back!” The Jade Rabbit flipped over, revealing its true form. It had no lips, sharp teeth, long ears, sparse whiskers, a body like jade, and light limbs. Its nose drooped like dough, and its eyes were as red as if painted with rouge. It lay on the ground like a pile of white clouds, stretching its body like a silver thread.
The Monkey King was delighted and led the way forward on cloud light. The Moon Lord, along with the fairies and the Jade Rabbit, headed straight for the country of Tianzhu. At that moment, it was dusk, and the moon rose, reaching the city’s edge, where they heard the sound of drums from the watchtower. The king and Tang Seng were still in the hall, while Bajie and Sha Seng were discussing the court’s dismissal with the officials when they suddenly saw a colorful glow in the southern sky, bright as day.
Everyone looked up and heard the Monkey King shout, “Your Majesty of Tianzhu, please bring out the queen and concubines to see! Under this precious banner is the Moon Lord, and beside her is the fairy Chang'e, while this Jade Rabbit is your fake princess, who has revealed her true form today!” The king hurriedly summoned the queen and concubines, and everyone bowed to the heavens, with the king and Tang Seng joining in gratitude. The townspeople set up incense altars, bowing and chanting.
At that moment, Zhu Bajie couldn’t hold back any longer; he jumped up and hugged the fairy in colorful robes, saying, “Sister, we are old acquaintances; let’s have some fun together!” The Monkey King saw this and immediately stepped forward, grabbing Bajie and scolding him, “You village fool! Where is this place, daring to have such thoughts!” Bajie, feeling wronged, replied, “I just wanted to have a little fun!”
Seeing this, the Moon Lord instructed the fairies to take back the Jade Rabbit and returned to the Moon Palace on the celestial banner. The king, grateful, thanked the Monkey King and then asked, “Thanks to the holy monk’s great power in capturing the fake princess, where is my real princess?” The Monkey King replied, “Your real princess is not an ordinary person; she is the fairy Su'e from the Moon Palace. Eighteen years ago, she struck the Jade Rabbit, which caused her to descend and be reborn in the belly of your rightful queen, giving birth to the princess. The Jade Rabbit harbored resentment and threw Su'e into the wilderness. The Moon Lord personally told me this. Now that we have captured the fake princess, please seek the real princess tomorrow.”
Upon hearing this, the king felt ashamed, tears streaming down his face, “Child! I have been on the throne since childhood and have never even left the city gate; how would I know where to find you!” The Monkey King laughed and said, “Don’t worry; your princess is safe in the Golden Solitary Temple. Everyone should disperse for now; tomorrow I will return your true princess!”
The officials all knelt and said, “Your Majesty, please rest assured. These holy monks are extraordinary beings who can discern the causes and effects of the past and future. Tomorrow, please allow the four holy monks to search for the princess; they will surely uncover the truth.” The king nodded in agreement and invited everyone to the Liuchun Pavilion to set up a banquet and rest. At this time, it was nearly the second watch of the night, the moment when “the copper pot drips and the moonlight shines bright, while the golden bell chimes, carried by the wind.” The cuckoo was calling, and the fallen flowers had no path, marking the third watch. The royal garden was silent, with only the shadows of swings swaying, the silver river hanging in the sky, and the streets empty, with stars twinkling in the night sky. Nothing particularly noteworthy happened that night.
That night, the king dispelled the demonic energy and felt rejuvenated, attending court again at three o'clock in the morning. After the court session, he ordered someone to invite Tang Seng and his disciples to discuss the search for the princess. The elders arrived at the court to pay their respects, and Sun Wukong greeted them as well. The king said, “Regarding the princess mentioned yesterday, I ask the holy monks to help me find her.” The elder replied, “A few days ago, I came from the east and stayed overnight at a place called Gegu Jin Temple. The old monk there told me he had heard a woman’s sorrowful voice. He informed me that this woman claimed to be the princess of Tianzhu, blown here by the wind while watching the moon at night.”
The elder continued, “The old monk was very polite and locked the princess in a secluded room, fearing that the unruly monks would disturb her. He told me that during the day, the princess spoke nonsensically, but at night, she missed her parents and was very sad. The old monk had also inquired at the king’s palace and learned that the princess was safe, so he dared not make it known. Later, my disciple revealed his powers and uncovered the demon’s true identity. Today, the Moon Lord took the Jade Rabbit back, and the princess is now at Gegu Jin Temple.”
Upon hearing this, the king immediately burst into tears, startling the three palaces and six courtyards, and everyone came to inquire about the situation, all weeping uncontrollably. After a long while, the king asked, “How far is Gegu Jin Temple from the city?” Tang Seng replied, “Only sixty miles.” The king then ordered, “The two eastern and western palace guards will remain on duty. I, along with the empress and the officials, and the four holy monks, will go to the temple to fetch the princess.”
Immediately, the king and his entourage set off, and Sun Wukong had already leaped into the air, arriving at the temple first. The monks, seeing him, hurriedly knelt to welcome him, saying, “Master, you came on foot before; why have you arrived from the sky today?” The Monkey King laughed heartily, “Where is your master? Quickly bring him out and prepare an incense altar to receive our guests; the king of Tianzhu, the queen, and my master have all come!” The monks, confused, quickly fetched the old monk.
Upon seeing the Monkey King, the old monk hurriedly bowed, “Master, what has become of the princess?” The Monkey King recounted the events in detail, and the old monk was immensely grateful, repeatedly bowing. The Monkey King helped him up, saying, “No need for more bows; quickly prepare to receive our guests!” The monks then realized the woman locked inside and were all astonished, immediately setting up the incense altar, donning their robes, and ringing bells and drums to welcome them.
Soon after, the king and his entourage arrived outside the temple, seeing the monks neatly prostrated in greeting, with the Monkey King standing in the middle. The king asked, “How did the holy monk arrive here first?” The Monkey King replied with a smile, “I just turned my waist and got here; why did it take you so long?” Soon after, Tang Seng and the others arrived, and the elder led everyone to the back room where the princess was still babbling nonsense. The old monk pointed and said, “This is the princess who was blown here by the wind.”
The king immediately ordered the door to be opened. The iron lock was released, and upon seeing the princess, the king and queen recognized her at once and rushed forward, disregarding the dirt, embracing her: “My poor child! How have you suffered such torment!” It was truly a reunion of parents and child, with emotions running high as the three embraced and wept. After crying for a while and recounting their separation, the king ordered someone to fetch fragrant water for the princess to bathe and change clothes before returning to the palace together.
The Monkey King clasped his hands and said to the king, “I have one more matter to bring up.” The king quickly returned the gesture, saying, “Holy monk, please speak; I will certainly listen.” The Monkey King continued, “This mountain is called Baijiao Mountain, and recently there have been rumors of a centipede becoming a spirit that harms people at night, making it very inconvenient for travelers. I think the only way to subdue the centipede is with roosters. Why not choose a few hundred roosters to scatter around the mountain to deal with this poisonous creature?”
Upon hearing this, the king's eyes lit up, and he nodded in agreement, “Good idea! Let’s change the name of the mountain to Baohua Mountain, and I will issue a decree to thank this old monk for saving the princess.” The king immediately sent someone into the city to fetch the chickens and changed the mountain's name, granting it the title “Imperially Established Baohua Mountain for Gegu Jin Temple.” The old monk was also appointed as “National Monk Official,” a hereditary position with an annual salary of thirty-six stones. The monks were immensely grateful and sent the king back to court.
Once the princess returned to the palace, everyone gathered to celebrate her homecoming with a banquet. The mother and child reunited, and the king and his ministers drank and enjoyed themselves, with no further events that night.
The next morning, the king ordered a painter to create portraits of Tang Seng and his disciples to hang in the Huayi Tower. He then asked the princess to dress up again and come out to thank Tang Seng and his disciples for their lifesaving grace. After expressing her gratitude, Tang Seng prepared to take his leave, but the king was reluctant to let him go and hosted a grand feast that lasted five to six days. He was truly a hospitable fool, treating them with great care.
Seeing their sincere devotion in worship, the king, unable to keep them, presented two hundred ingots of gold and silver along with a platter of treasures as thanks, but the master and disciples refused to accept anything.
In the end, the king still insisted on having Tang Seng carried in a palanquin, sending officials to escort them, while the empress and subjects expressed their gratitude repeatedly. Along the way, the farewell crowd was reluctant to return. Seeing this, the Monkey King had no choice but to use a spell to blow a breath of celestial energy in the direction of Xun, causing a sudden dark wind to dazzle the farewell crowd, allowing them to escape. This was truly: “Cleansed by the waves of grace, returning to one’s true nature; leaving the golden sea to realize the true void.” As for how their journey continued, we will discuss it next time.
