The great city of Chang'an, in the land of Shaanxi, had been the capital for generations of emperors. Since the days of Zhou , Qin , and Han , it was a place of renowned beauty, where flowers blossomed like brocade across three provinces and eight rivers wound their way around the city walls.
Now, in this era, the Great Tang was ruled by Emperor Taizong, who had taken the throne and changed the reign title to Zhenguan. It was the thirteenth year of his reign, the year of Jisi . The realm was at peace; tribute poured in from all directions, and every nation within the four seas bowed in submission.
One day, Emperor Taizong ascended his throne, gathering all his civil and military officials. After the morning courtesies were completed, the chancellor Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the realm is now peaceful and all directions are calm. We have many military officers but few civil officials. I humbly propose that, following ancient custom, we establish an examination hall to recruit worthy scholars and appoint talented men. I beg Your Majesty's judgment."
Emperor Taizong said, "Your proposal is reasonable." He then issued an imperial decree, which was posted throughout the realm: "In all prefectures and counties , regardless of whether they are soldiers or commoners, any scholar who is learned, ambitious, and proficient in the classical texts, and who has mastered the three levels of examination , may come to Chang'an to take the examinations. Worthy talents will be selected and granted official posts."
This decree reached the region of Haizhou .
In the village of Juxian , Hongnong County , Haizhou, there lived a man named Chen E , whose courtesy name was Guangrui .
One day, he went to the city and saw the decree. He immediately returned home and said to his mother, Lady Zhang , "The court has posted a yellow imperial decree , calling for a provincial examination to recruit worthy talents. I wish to go and take the examination. If I can obtain even a minor official post, I will bring honor to my family, glorify my ancestors, and protect my wife and children. This is my ambition. I am telling you, Mother, so that I may go."
Lady Zhang said, "My son, if you go to take the examination, you must be careful on the road. If you obtain an official post, return home quickly."
Guangrui then instructed his servant to pack his luggage, and that very day, he bid farewell to his mother and set out.
After several days of travel, he arrived in Chang'an.
It was just the time of the great examination, and Guangrui entered the examination hall along with the other candidates.
After the examinations were completed, he passed and was selected.
When he presented his three policy essays at the imperial court, the Tang emperor personally awarded him the title of Zhuangyuan —the top scholar. He was then granted the honor of parading through the streets on horseback for three days.
As fate would have it, during his parade, he passed by the residence of Chancellor Yin Kaishan . The chancellor had a daughter named Wenjiao , also known as Mantangjiao , who was not yet married. She was on a high, decorated tower, throwing down an embroidered ball to choose her husband by fate.
Just as Chen Guangrui was passing below the tower, the young lady saw him. He was an outstanding man, and a newly crowned Zhuangyuan at that. Her heart was filled with joy, and she threw the embroidered ball from the tower. It struck exactly upon Guangrui's black gauze cap .
At once, a cacophony of flutes and stringed instruments filled the air. A dozen maidservants came down from the tower, seized the reins of Guangrui's horse, and welcomed the Zhuangyuan into the chancellor's mansion.
The chancellor and his wife were invited into the main hall. The master of ceremonies was summoned, and the young lady and Guangrui bowed to Heaven and Earth . After they bowed to each other as husband and wife, they then bowed to the chancellor and his wife. The chancellor ordered a feast to be prepared, and they celebrated joyfully through the night. The two of them, hand in hand, entered the bridal chamber.
The next day, at the fifth watch, Emperor Taizong ascended his throne in the Golden Bells Hall, and all the civil and military officials came to court.
Emperor Taizong asked, "What official post should be given to the newly crowned Zhuangyuan, Chen Guangrui?"
Chancellor Wei Zheng replied, "I have examined the prefectures and counties under our administration. Only the post of Jiangzhou is vacant. I beg Your Majesty to appoint him to this position."
Emperor Taizong then ordered Guangrui to be the prefect of Jiangzhou, saying, "Prepare yourself immediately and depart. Do not delay beyond the appointed time."
Guangrui thanked the emperor and left the court. He returned to the chancellor's mansion, consulted with his wife, bid farewell to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, and set out for Jiangzhou with his wife.
They left Chang'an and began their journey. It was late spring, and a gentle breeze stirred the green willows while fine rain dotted the red blossoms.
Guangrui took a detour to return home and, together with his wife, paid respects to his mother, Lady Zhang.
Lady Zhang said, "Congratulations, my son! And you have brought a wife back as well!"
Guangrui said, "My son, relying on your blessings, was fortunate enough to be named Zhuangyuan. The Tang emperor allowed me to parade through the streets. My path passed by the gate of Chancellor Yin, where I was hit by the embroidered ball. The chancellor was kind enough to give me his daughter in marriage. The court has graciously permitted me to return home in glory and has appointed me as the prefect of Jiangzhou. I have come to take you, Mother, to join me in my new post."
Lady Zhang was overjoyed. She packed her things, and they set out together.
After several days on the road, they arrived in front of the Ten Thousand Flowers Inn, run by a man named Liu Xiao'er, and settled in for the night.
Lady Zhang suddenly fell ill. She said to Guangrui, "I am not feeling well. Let us rest in this inn for a couple of days before continuing."
Guangrui obeyed his mother's wishes.
The next morning, he saw a man at the inn's door selling a golden-colored carp. Guangrui bought it for a string of cash.
He was about to cook it for his mother when he noticed the fish's eyes were blinking. Startled, he said, "How strange! I have heard it said that a fish or snake that blinks its eyes is no ordinary creature!"
He asked the fisherman, "Where did you catch this fish?"
The fisherman replied, "I caught it in the Hong River, about fifteen miles from the city."
Guangrui then released the fish back into the Hong River.
Returning to the inn, he told his mother about the incident. Lady Zhang said, "My son, it was good of you to release it and save its life."
Guangrui then said, "We have been in this inn for three days now. The imperial deadline is urgent, and I wish to depart tomorrow. I wonder if you are feeling better, Mother?"
Lady Zhang said, "I am still unwell. The weather is hot now, and traveling might make me even sicker. You can rent a room here for me to live in, and leave me some traveling money. You and your wife should go ahead to your post. When the autumn cools, you can come back for me."
Guangrui discussed this with his wife. They rented a house, left money for his mother, and then, after bowing farewell, they departed.
The hardships of the journey were beyond description. They traveled by dawn and rested by nightfall, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the ferry crossing of the Hong River.
There, they saw two boatmen, Liu Hong and Li Biao, who had brought their boat to the shore to meet them.
It was also fate that Guangrui was destined to meet this calamity, for he encountered his mortal enemy.
Guangrui ordered his servant to load the luggage onto the boat, and then he and his wife boarded together.
When Liu Hong looked up, he saw Lady Yin. Her face was like the full moon, her eyes like autumn waves, her mouth like a cherry, and her waist like a supple willow. Truly, she possessed a beauty that could make fish sink and birds fall, and outshine the moon and shame the flowers.
Liu Hong's heart was suddenly filled with a wolfish desire. He conspired with Li Biao to steer the boat to a desolate, uninhabited place. When the night was deep and still, at the third watch, he first killed the servant, then beat Chen Guangrui to death, throwing both bodies into the water.
When the young lady saw that her husband had been killed, she tried to throw herself into the river.
Liu Hong grabbed her and held her tight. "If you obey me, all will be well," he said. "If you do not, I will cut you in two!"
The young lady had no choice. For the moment, she pretended to agree and submitted to Liu Hong.
The villain ferried the boat to the southern shore. He gave the boat to Li Biao to manage, then dressed himself in Chen Guangrui's official robes and hat, took his official credentials, and went with the young lady to Jiangzhou to assume the post.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the murdered servant floated away with the current, but Chen Guangrui's body sank to the bottom and remained there, unmoving.
A patrol yaksha of the Hong River mouth saw this and flew like a star to report it to the Dragon Palace.
It happened that the Dragon King was holding court. The yaksha reported, "At the mouth of the Hong River, someone has beaten a scholar to death and thrown his body into the water."
The Dragon King ordered the body to be brought before him. He looked at it carefully and said, "This man is the one who saved my life! How could he have been murdered? As the saying goes, 'Repay kindness with kindness.' I must save his life now to repay his earlier favor."
He immediately wrote a dispatch and sent a yaksha to deliver it to the City God and Earth God of Hongzhou, ordering them to retrieve the scholar's soul so he could save his life.
The City God and Earth God summoned a minor demon, who handed over Chen Guangrui's soul to the yaksha.
The yaksha brought the soul to the Crystal Palace and reported to the Dragon King.
The Dragon King asked, "Sir, what is your name and surname? Where are you from? How did you come to be beaten to death here?"
Guangrui bowed and said, "I humbly report to Your Majesty, the Dragon King: My name is Chen E, and my courtesy name is Guangrui. I am from Hongnong County, Haizhou. I was fortunate enough to be named the new Zhuangyuan and was graciously appointed as the prefect of Jiangzhou. I was on my way to my post with my wife when we boarded a boat at the river. Unexpectedly, the boatman, Liu Hong, coveted my wife, beat me to death, and threw my body into the water. I beg Your Majesty to save me. I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life."
When the Dragon King heard this, he said, "So that is how it is. Sir, the golden-colored carp you released earlier was none other than myself. You are my great benefactor. Now that you are in trouble, I must save you."
He then placed Guangrui's body to one side and put a Body-Preserving Pearl in his mouth to prevent it from decaying, so that one day he could return to life and take revenge.
The Dragon King said, "For now, your true soul may serve as a captain in my water palace."
Guangrui kowtowed in gratitude. The Dragon King then prepared a feast to entertain him.
Now, Lady Yin hated the villain Liu Hong with a burning passion. She wished she could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin. But because she was pregnant and did not yet know if the child was a boy or a girl, she had no choice but to suppress her feelings and pretend to go along with him, waiting for a better opportunity.
Time passed quickly, and before she knew it, they had arrived in Jiangzhou. The clerks and officials of the prefecture all came to welcome them, and the subordinate officials prepared a feast in the government hall to entertain the new prefect.
Liu Hong said, "I have come to this post and must rely entirely on the great efforts of you all to support me."
The subordinate officials replied, "Your Excellency is a top scholar of great talent. Naturally, you will treat the people like your own children, clear up lawsuits, and simplify punishments. We, your subordinates, will all share in your glory. There is no need for such excessive modesty."
After the official banquet, everyone dispersed.
Time flew by swiftly. One day, Liu Hong went out on official business far away.
Lady Yin, missing her true husband, was sighing in the garden pavilion when she suddenly felt exhausted. A sharp pain seized her belly, and she fainted to the ground, giving birth to a son.
In her ear, she heard someone instructing her: "Mantangjiao, listen to my words. I am the Star Lord of the South Pole. By the decree of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, I have come specially to deliver this child to you. In the future, his fame will be great and far-reaching, unlike any ordinary person. When the villain Liu Hong returns, he will surely try to harm this child. You must protect him with all your heart. Your husband has already been saved by the Dragon King. One day, you and your husband will be reunited, and mother and son will be together again. The day of vengeance and retribution will surely come. Remember my words carefully. Wake up, wake up!"
With these words, the vision departed.
Lady Yin woke up, remembering every word. She held the child close, but could think of no plan to save him.
Suddenly, Liu Hong returned. As soon as he saw the child, he wanted to drown him.
Lady Yin begged him repeatedly, "It is late today. Let us wait until tomorrow to throw him into the river."
Fortunately, the next morning, Liu Hong had to go out on official business again.
Lady Yin kept the child hidden by her side, nursing him for a month.
She thought to herself, "When that villain returns, this child's life will be over. It would be better to abandon him in the river early and let fate decide whether he lives or dies. But if Heaven takes pity on him and someone adopts him, how will I recognize him when we meet again?"
So she bit her finger and wrote a letter in blood, detailing her parents' names and the full story of what had happened. She then bit off the little toe on the child's left foot as a mark of identification. She took an undershirt she had been wearing, wrapped the child in it, and carried him out of the government office.
Fortunately, the office was not far from the river. When Lady Yin reached the riverbank, she wept bitterly.
Just as she was about to abandon the child, she saw a wooden plank floating up from the shore. She immediately bowed to Heaven and prayed. She placed the child on the plank, tied him securely with a belt, and fastened the blood letter to his chest. Then she pushed the plank into the river, letting it go wherever the current would take it.
Still weeping, Lady Yin returned to the office.
Now, the child drifted downstream on the wooden plank, carried along by the current, until he came to rest at the foot of Gold Mountain Temple.
The abbot of Gold Mountain Temple was a monk named Faming. He had cultivated the Way and understood the mysteries of enlightenment and the secret of non-birth. That day, while sitting in meditation, he suddenly heard the cry of an infant. His heart stirred, and he hurried to the riverbank to look.
There, on the shore, lying on a wooden plank, was a baby.
The abbot said, "Goodness, goodness! I wonder what family abandoned this child. We monks take compassion as our foundation. Saving a life is better than building a seven-storied pagoda."
He picked up the child and saw the blood letter on its chest. Only then did he learn the child's origins.
He gave the child a milk name, "Jiangliu," or "River Flow," and entrusted him to someone to raise. He kept the blood letter carefully hidden.
Time passed like an arrow; days and months flew like a shuttle. Before anyone knew it, the child had grown to be eighteen years old.
The abbot then had him shave his head and become a monk, giving him the Dharma name Xuanzang. He received the precepts on the crown of his head and devoted himself single-mindedly to the Way.
One day, in late spring, the monks were all gathered under the shade of the pine trees, discussing the sutras and the mysteries of Zen. The wine-and-meat monk was stumped by Xuanzang's questions.
The monk became furious and cursed him, saying, "You fatherless, motherless bastard! I am your elder! I have eaten more salt than you have eaten rice! What do I not know? You wretched creature! You don't even know your own name or your parents, and yet you dare to make trouble here!"
Xuanzang, stung by these words, went back into the temple and knelt before his teacher, tears streaming down his face. "A person born between Heaven and Earth," he said, "is formed by yin and yang and nourished by the Five Elements. Everyone is born of a father and raised by a mother. How can a person live in this world without knowing who their parents are?"
He begged his teacher repeatedly to tell him his parents' names.
The abbot said, "If you truly wish to find your parents, follow me to my quarters."
Xuanzang followed his master to the abbot's quarters. The abbot reached up to a high beam and took down a small box. He opened it, took out the blood letter and the undershirt, and gave them to Xuanzang.
Xuanzang unfolded the blood letter and read it. Only then did he learn his parents' names and the details of the injustice done to them.
After reading it, Xuanzang wept and collapsed to the ground. "If I cannot avenge my parents' wrongs," he cried, "how can I call myself a human being? For eighteen years, I did not know my own parents. Only today have I learned that I have a mother. If my master had not fished me out and raised me, how could I be here today? Let me go and find my mother. Then I will return, carrying an incense burner on my head, and rebuild this temple to repay my master's great kindness!"
His master said, "If you wish to seek your mother, take this blood letter and this undershirt with you. Disguise yourself as a monk begging for alms and go straight to the private quarters of the Jiangzhou government office. Only then will you be able to see your mother."
Xuanzang, following his master's instructions, disguised himself as a monk begging for alms and went straight to Jiangzhou.
It happened that Liu Hong was away on business. It was Heaven's will that mother and son should meet. Xuanzang went directly to the gate of the private quarters to beg for alms.
Lady Yin was in her room, thinking about the dream she had had the night before, in which she had seen the broken moon become whole again. She thought to herself, "My husband was murdered by that villain. My son was thrown into the river. If someone adopted him, counting on my fingers, he would be eighteen years old now. Perhaps Heaven intends for us to meet today."
As she was lost in thought, she heard someone reciting sutras outside the gate of the private quarters and calling out for alms.
She came out and asked, "Where are you from?"
Xuanzang replied, "I am a disciple of the Venerable Faming of Gold Mountain Temple."
When Lady Yin heard that he was a disciple of the Venerable Faming of Gold Mountain Temple, she said, "Come inside." She invited him to sit down and offered him some vegetarian food.
She thought to herself, "Looking at his manner and his speech, he seems just like my husband."
She sent her maids away and asked, "Little master, did you become a monk as a child, or in middle age? What is your name? Do you have parents?"
Xuanzang replied, "I did not become a monk as a child, nor in middle age. Speaking of it, my grievance is as vast as the sky, and my vengeance as deep as the sea! My father was beaten to death, and my mother was taken by a villain. My master, the Venerable Faming, told me to come to the Jiangzhou office to find my mother."
Lady Yin asked, "What is your mother's surname?"
Xuanzang said, "My mother's surname is Yin, and her given name is Wenjiao. My father's surname is Chen, and his given name is Guangrui. My milk name is Jiangliu, and my Dharma name is Xuanzang."
Lady Yin said, "Wenjiao is me. But what proof do you have?"
When Xuanzang heard that this was his mother, he fell to his knees and wept bitterly. "If my mother does not believe me," he said, "here is the blood letter and the undershirt as proof."
Wenjiao took them and looked at them. They were genuine. Mother and son embraced and wept. Then she said, "My son, you must leave quickly!"
Xuanzang said, "For eighteen years, I did not know my own parents. Today, I have finally seen my mother. How can I bear to leave you?"
Lady Yin said, "My son, you must get away quickly! If that villain Liu Hong returns, he will surely kill you! Tomorrow, I will pretend to be sick and say that I once made a vow to donate a hundred pairs of monk's shoes and come to your temple to fulfill my vow. At that time, I will have something to tell you."
Xuanzang bowed and took his leave.
Now, after seeing her son, Lady Yin's heart was filled with both joy and sorrow.
One day, she pretended to be ill, refusing to eat or drink, and lay in bed.
When Liu Hong returned to the office and asked what was wrong, Lady Yin said, "When I was young, I made a vow to donate a hundred pairs of monk's shoes. Five days ago, I dreamed of a monk holding a sharp blade, demanding the shoes. Since then, I have not felt well."
Liu Hong said, "Such a small matter! Why did you not tell me earlier?" He immediately went to the hall and ordered the left and right clerks: "Every household in Jiangzhou city must provide one pair of monk's shoes and one pair of summer socks. They must be completed within five days."
The people all complied within the deadline.
Lady Yin then said to Liu Hong, "Now that the shoes are made, which temple in the area would be good to go to and fulfill my vow?"
Liu Hong said, "In Jiangzhou, there is Gold Mountain Temple and Jiao Mountain Temple. You may go to whichever one you like."
Lady Yin said, "I have long heard that Gold Mountain Temple is a fine temple. I will go there."
Liu Hong then summoned the left and right clerks to prepare a boat. Lady Yin, accompanied by a trusted maid, boarded the boat. The boatman pushed off, and they set sail for Gold Mountain Temple.
Meanwhile, Xuanzang had returned to the temple and told the Venerable Faming everything that had happened. The abbot was very pleased.
The next day, a maidservant arrived first, announcing that the lady was coming to the temple to fulfill her vow. All the monks came out to greet her.
Lady Yin entered the temple gate, paid homage to the Bodhisattva, and made a large offering of vegetarian food. She then ordered the maidservant to bring the monk's shoes and summer socks on a tray.
Arriving at the Dharma Hall, Lady Yin again lit incense and bowed in prayer. She then asked the Venerable Faming to distribute the shoes and socks among the monks.
When Xuanzang saw that all the monks had dispersed and the Dharma Hall was empty, he came forward and knelt down.
Lady Yin asked him to take off his shoes and socks. When she looked, his left foot was indeed missing a little toe.
The two of them embraced and wept again, then bowed to thank the Venerable Faming for his kindness in raising the child.
Faming said, "Now that mother and son have been reunited, I fear the villain may find out. You must leave quickly to avoid disaster."
Lady Yin said, "My son, I will give you a perfume ring. Go to the northwest of Hongzhou, about fifteen hundred miles from here. There is a Ten Thousand Flowers Inn there, where your grandmother, Lady Zhang, is staying. She is your father's birth mother. I will also write a letter for you. Go straight to the imperial city of the Tang emperor. On the left side of the Golden Hall is the mansion of Chancellor Yin Kaishan—your maternal grandfather. Give him my letter and ask him to petition the Tang emperor. He must lead an army to capture and kill this villain and avenge your father. Only then can your mother be saved. I dare not stay long now, for fear that villain will wonder why I am late in returning."
Xuanzang wept bitterly, unable to bear parting from her.
As she was leaving, Lady Yin said again, "My son, remember my words well. Leave immediately. Do not delay."
She then left the temple, boarded the boat, and departed.
Xuanzang returned to the temple in tears. He told his master and immediately took his leave, heading straight for Hongzhou.
He arrived at the Ten Thousand Flowers Inn and asked the innkeeper, Liu Xiao'er, "Years ago, a scholar named Chen left an old woman in your inn. Is she still here?"
Liu Xiao'er said, "She was in my inn, but later she went blind. She has not paid any rent for three or four years. Now she lives in a broken-down kiln at the South Gate, begging on the streets every day to survive. That scholar left a long time ago and has not been heard from since. I do not know why."
When Xuanzang heard this, he went straight to the broken-down kiln at the South Gate and found his grandmother.
The old woman said, "Your voice sounds just like my son, Chen Guangrui."
Xuanzang said, "I am not Chen Guangrui. I am Chen Guangrui's son. The Lady Wenjiao is my mother."
The old woman said, "Why have your parents not come?"
Xuanzang said, "My father was beaten to death by a robber, and my mother was taken by force as his wife."
The old woman asked, "How did you know to come looking for me?"
Xuanzang said, "My mother sent me to find you. She has a letter for you, and also a perfume ring."
The old woman took the letter and the ring and wept bitterly. "I thought my son had gone off for fame and fortune and had forgotten his mother," she said. "I never knew he had been murdered. But I am glad that Heaven has taken pity on us and has not let my son's line end. Today, my grandson has come to see me."
Xuanzang asked, "Grandmother, how did you lose your sight?"
The old woman said, "I was thinking about your father all the time. I waited for him day and night, but he never came. I cried so much that my eyes went blind."
Xuanzang left the kiln and knelt down, praying to Heaven. "I, Xuanzang, am eighteen years old," he said, "and I have not yet avenged my parents' wrongs. Today, I have come, following my mother's instructions, to find my grandmother. If Heaven takes pity on my sincerity, please restore my grandmother's sight!"
After his prayer, he went back into the kiln and licked his grandmother's eyes with his tongue. In a moment, her eyes opened, and her sight was restored as before.
The old woman looked at the young monk and said, "You are truly my grandson! You look exactly like my son, Guangrui!"
The old woman was both overjoyed and sorrowful.
Xuanzang then led his grandmother out of the kiln and back to Liu Xiao'er's inn. He paid the rent for a room for her to live in and gave her some traveling money. "I will return in about a month," he said.
He then bid farewell to his grandmother and went straight to the capital. He found the mansion of Chancellor Yin on East Street in the imperial city.
Xuanzang said to the gatekeeper, "I am a relative. I have come to see the chancellor."
The gatekeeper reported this to the chancellor.
The chancellor said, "I have no relatives among the monks."
His wife said, "Last night, I dreamed that our daughter Mantangjiao had come home. Perhaps this monk has brought a letter from our son-in-law."
The chancellor then invited the young monk into the main hall.
When the young monk saw the chancellor and his wife, he wept and bowed to the ground. He took a letter from his bosom and handed it to the chancellor.
The chancellor opened it and read it from beginning to end. Then he wept bitterly.
His wife asked, "Husband, what is the matter?"
The chancellor said, "This monk is our grandson. Our son-in-law, Chen Guangrui, was murdered by a villain, and our daughter, Mantangjiao, was taken by force as his wife."
When his wife heard this, she also wept uncontrollably.
The chancellor said, "Wife, do not be distressed. Tomorrow, I will report this to His Majesty. I will personally lead an army to avenge our son-in-law."
The next morning, the chancellor went to court and reported to Emperor Taizong: "Your Majesty, my son-in-law, the Zhuangyuan Chen Guangrui, was on his way to his post in Jiangzhou with his family when he was beaten to death by the boatman Liu Hong. Liu Hong then took my daughter as his wife and has been impersonating my son-in-law as the prefect for many years. This is an extraordinary crime. I beg Your Majesty to send an army to wipe out this villain."
Emperor Taizong was enraged by this report. He ordered sixty thousand Imperial Guards to be placed under Chancellor Yin's command to go and suppress the rebels.
The chancellor accepted the imperial decree and left the court. He immediately went to the training grounds, reviewed the troops, and set out for Jiangzhou.
They traveled by dawn and rested by nightfall, moving as swiftly as stars falling and birds flying. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Jiangzhou.
Chancellor Yin's army set up camp on the northern bank. That very night, he sent a swift messenger with a golden token to summon the two assistant magistrates of Jiangzhou. He told them about the situation and ordered them to bring their troops to help, and together they crossed the river.
Before dawn, they had surrounded Liu Hong's office.
Liu Hong was still in his dreams when he heard the roar of cannons and the clamor of gongs and drums. The soldiers burst into the private quarters. Liu Hong was caught off guard and was quickly captured by the soldiers.
The chancellor issued a military order to bind Liu Hong and his fellow criminals and take them to the execution ground. The rest of the army was ordered to camp outside the city.
The chancellor went directly into the main hall of the office and ordered the young lady to come out to see him.
Lady Yin wanted to come out, but she was ashamed to face her father. She took a rope and tried to hang herself.
When Xuanzang heard of this, he rushed into the inner quarters and quickly untied his mother. He fell to his knees and said, "Mother, I have come with my grandfather and his army to avenge my father. The villain has been captured today. Why do you wish to die? If you die, Mother, how can I live?"
The chancellor also came in and tried to console her.
Lady Yin said, "I have heard that 'a woman should follow one man to the end.' My husband was killed by that villain. How could I bear to live with him? I only endured the shame because I was carrying this child. Now, fortunately, my son has grown up, and I have seen my father come with an army to avenge us. But how can I, as a daughter, have the face to see him? The only thing left for me is to die to repay my husband!"
The chancellor said, "My daughter, this is not a matter of you changing your integrity because of fortune or misfortune. You did this out of necessity. How can it be a cause for shame?"
Father and daughter embraced and wept. Xuanzang also wept without ceasing.
The chancellor wiped away his tears and said, "You two, do not be distressed. I have captured the villain.