Sun Wukong followed the eunuch through the imperial palace , stopping only when they reached the door of the king’s bedchamber. He handed the eunuch three strands of golden thread and instructed, “Have one of the palace women or eunuchs tie these threads around the king’s left wrist at the three pulse points—the inch, the gate, and the foot —then pass the ends back out through the crack in the window.”
The eunuch did as he was told, helping the king sit on his dragon bed . He tied one end of the golden thread around the king’s wrist and fed the other end out through the window. Sun Wukong took the thread. First, he pressed his right thumb against his index finger to feel the inch pulse; then he used his middle finger against his thumb to feel the gate pulse; finally, he pressed his thumb against his ring finger to feel the foot pulse. He regulated his own breathing and discerned the four energies, five stagnations, seven surface patterns, eight deep patterns, and nine subtle signs within the pulse, along with the floating, middling, and sinking variations . He distinguished the deficiency from the excess. Then he had the eunuch untie the thread and tie it around the king’s right wrist, taking the pulses again in the same manner.
After finishing the diagnosis, Sun Wukong shook himself, gathered up the golden thread, and announced loudly, “Your Majesty’s left inch pulse is taut and tight , the gate pulse is rough and slow, and the foot pulse is hollow and deep. Your right inch pulse is floating and slippery, the gate pulse is sluggish and knotted, and the foot pulse is rapid and firm. The left inch pulse being taut and tight indicates a weak heart and chest pain; the gate pulse being rough and slow points to excessive sweating and numbness in the limbs; the foot pulse being hollow and deep means reddish urine and blood in the stool. The right inch pulse being floating and slippery suggests internal stasis and blocked menstrual flow; the gate pulse being sluggish and knotted shows food stagnation and fluid retention in the stomach; the foot pulse being rapid and firm indicates a mix of irritability and chills. In my view, Your Majesty’s illness stems from terror and longing, anxiety and brooding. It is called the ‘ Separation of the Twin Birds ’ syndrome.”
The king heard this from inside his chamber and felt a surge of joy. He raised his voice and responded, “Exactly right! Exactly right! That is my illness! Quickly, bring the medicine outside!”
Only then did Sun Wukong slowly walk out of the bedchamber. The eunuchs who had overheard him immediately ran to tell the others. Soon after, Sun Wukong emerged, and Tang Seng immediately asked what had happened. Sun Wukong said, “The pulse has been taken. Now I need to prepare the medicine to match the diagnosis.”
The ministers stepped forward and asked, “Venerable Monk, what did you mean by ‘Separation of the Twin Birds’ syndrome?”
Sun Wukong laughed and said, “It means there was once a pair of birds, one male and one female, flying together when suddenly a violent storm scattered them. The female could not find the male, and the male could not find the female. The female longed for the male, and the male longed for the female—is that not the separation of the twin birds?”
The ministers heard this and praised him in unison, “Truly a divine monk! Truly a divine physician!” They could not stop their praises. At this point, an official from the Imperial Medical Academy asked, “Now that the illness has been identified, what medicine should be used to treat it?”
Sun Wukong said, “There is no need to stick rigidly to a prescription. Just bring me all the medicines you have.”
The medical official said, “The ancient texts say, ‘There are eight hundred and eight kinds of medicine and four hundred and four kinds of illness .’ Not every illness afflicts a single person, and not every medicine can be used! How can you ask for all the medicines?”
Sun Wukong replied, “The ancients also said, ‘ Use medicine without clinging to fixed prescriptions; what is suitable will do .’ That is why I want all the medicines brought here. I will add or subtract as needed.”
The medical official said no more. He left the court and sent his subordinates to notify every pharmacy in the city to prepare three catties of each type of medicine and deliver them to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong said, “This is not the place to prepare the medicine. Send all the medicines and the tools for making them to the Guesthouse of Assembly and hand them over to my two junior brothers.”
The medical official did as instructed. He sent all eight hundred and eight kinds of medicine, three catties of each, along with medicine mortars, grinders, sieves, and pestles, to the Guesthouse of Assembly, where they were handed over to Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing one by one.
Sun Wukong returned to the main hall and invited his master to go with him to the Guesthouse to prepare the medicine. Tang Seng was about to rise when a decree came from the palace, ordering him to stay overnight in the Hall of Literary Glory . Tomorrow, after the king had taken the medicine and recovered, he would thank Tang Seng, exchange the travel documents, and send them on their way.
Tang Seng was startled and said, “Disciple, they are keeping me as a hostage! If the cure works, all is well; but if it fails, I will lose my life! You must be thorough and prepare the medicine with care!”
Sun Wukong laughed and said, “Master, rest easy here. Old Sun has the skill to cure the great illness of a kingdom.”
What a Great Sage! He bade farewell to Tang Seng and the ministers and went straight back to the Guesthouse of Assembly. Zhu Bajie greeted him with a grin and said, “Brother, I know what you’re up to.”
Sun Wukong asked, “What do you know?”
Zhu Bajie said, “I know you couldn’t complete the pilgrimage to fetch the scriptures, and you had no capital to start a business. So today, seeing how wealthy this place is, you’ve decided to open an apothecary !”
Sun Wukong scolded, “Nonsense! Once we cure the king, we’ll take our leave and continue our journey. Why would I open an apothecary!”
Zhu Bajie said, “Otherwise, why would you order eight hundred and eight kinds of medicine, three catties each— two thousand four hundred and twenty-four catties in total—for treating just one person? How much of it could he possibly use? He’d be eating it for years!”
Sun Wukong said, “We won’t use that much! Those officials from the Imperial Medical Academy are all amateurs. I asked for so many medicines just to confuse them, so they won’t know which ingredients I’m actually using. It makes my prescription seem miraculous.”
As they were speaking, two stewards of the Guesthouse knelt down and said, “We beg the divine monks to have their evening meal.”
Sun Wukong said, “This morning you treated me coldly, and now you kneel to invite me. Why the change?”
The stewards kowtowed and said, “When you arrived, we had eyes but could not recognize you as a man of great skill. Now we have heard that you possess the art of raising the dead and can cure our king’s illness. If the king recovers, you deserve half his kingdom . We are all your subordinates, and it is proper for us to kneel and invite you.”
Sun Wukong was pleased. He walked into the main hall and sat down, with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing seated to his left and right. The meal was served, and Sha Wujing asked, “Brother, where is the master?”
Sun Wukong laughed and said, “The master has been kept by the king as a hostage. Once the illness is cured, they will thank us and send us on our way.”
Sha Wujing asked again, “Is the master being treated well there?”
Sun Wukong said, “Would the king dare to mistreat him? When I left, three grand councilors were already accompanying the master, inviting him to the Hall of Literary Glory.”
Zhu Bajie said, “So the master is the lucky one—he gets grand councilors as company, while we only have two stewards waiting on us. But enough of that! Let old Pig have a proper meal first!”
The three brothers happily ate their evening meal.
When night fell, Sun Wukong said to the stewards, “Clear away the dishes and bring more lamps and candles. We will prepare the medicine late into the night.”
The stewards quickly brought lamps and candles and then withdrew. At midnight, the streets were empty and silent. Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, what medicine are we actually making? Hurry up and finish—I’m sleepy.”
Sun Wukong said, “Go get one tael of rhubarb and grind it into a fine powder.”
Sha Wujing said, “Rhubarb is bitter in taste and cold in nature, but it is non-toxic. Its energy sinks rather than floats, and its function is to unblock rather than stagnate. It can dissolve all kinds of blockages and treat severe illnesses in emergencies, which is why it’s called the ‘General.’ But this is a purgative, and the king has been ill for a long time and is weak. Should we really use it?”
Sun Wukong laughed and said, “My good brother, you don’t understand. This medicine can dissolve phlegm and regulate the qi, clearing the cold and heat blockages in the abdomen. Don’t worry about it. Now go get one tael of croton seeds, peel them, remove the membranes, press out the oil, and grind them into a fine powder as well.”
Zhu Bajie said, “Croton seeds are spicy in taste and hot in nature, and they are toxic. They can dissolve hard lumps and clear cold accumulations in the belly. They unblock obstructions and aid digestion—they are a ‘gate-crashing, barrier-breaking’ medicine. They shouldn’t be used carelessly!”
Sun Wukong said, “My good brother, you don’t understand either. This medicine can break up stasis and clear the bowels, treating abdominal bloating. Hurry up and grind it. I still have auxiliary ingredients to add.”
Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing quickly ground both medicines into fine powders and asked, “Brother, which dozens of other ingredients do we need?”
Sun Wukong said, “None.”
Zhu Bajie said, “Eight hundred and eight kinds of medicine, three catties each, and we’re only using two taels? That’s a waste!”
Sun Wukong picked up a porcelain bowl and said, “My good brother, don’t talk so much. Take this bowl and scrape half a bowl of soot from the bottom of the cooking pot.”
Zhu Bajie asked, “What do we need that for?”
Sun Wukong said, “It’s for the medicine.”
Sha Wujing said, “I’ve never seen soot used in medicine before.”
Sun Wukong said, “Soot from the bottom of a pot is called ‘Hundred Grasses Frost.’ It can cure all kinds of ailments. You just don’t know.”
Zhu Bajie actually went and scraped half a bowl of soot from the pot bottom and ground it fine. Sun Wukong handed him the bowl again and said, “Now go and collect half a bowl of urine from our horse.”
Zhu Bajie asked, “What do we need that for?”
Sun Wukong said, “To mix with the medicine and form pills.”
Sha Wujing laughed again and said, “Brother, you can’t be joking! Horse urine is both fishy and foul-smelling. How can it be used in medicine? I’ve only ever seen pills made with vinegar paste, rice paste, or honey. Never with horse urine! That stuff is stinking and rank. A person with a weak stomach would vomit just from smelling it. Adding croton and rhubarb on top of that will make them both vomit and purge—this is no laughing matter!”
Sun Wukong said, “You don’t know. Our horse is no ordinary horse. He was originally a dragon from the Western Sea. If you can get his urine, it can cure any illness just by taking it. The problem is, it’s hard to get.”
Hearing this, Zhu Bajie actually went over to the horse. The horse was lying on the ground asleep. Zhu Bajie kicked him, held his belly for a long time, but not a single drop of urine came out. He ran back and said to Sun Wukong, “Brother, don’t bother curing the king first—cure the horse instead! This beast is constipated! He can’t squeeze out a single drop!”
Sun Wukong laughed and said, “I’ll go with you.”
Sha Wujing said, “I’ll come and see too.”
The three of them went to the horse. The horse leaped up and spoke in a loud voice, “Elder Brother, don’t you know? I was originally a dragon of the Western Sea, but because I violated the laws of heaven, the Bodhisattva Guanyin saved me. She sawed off my horns and peeled away my scales, transforming me into a horse to carry the master to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures, so I could atone for my sins through merit. If I urinate in the water, the fish that drink it will become dragons. If I urinate in the mountains, the grass that touches it will turn into magic fungus, which immortals can pick to extend their lives. How could I casually urinate in this mortal realm?”
Sun Wukong said, “Brother, don’t talk so much. This is a kingdom in the West, not some ordinary mortal place, and this isn’t casual urination. As the saying goes, ‘Many hands make light work.’ This is to cure the king! If we cure him, everyone gains face. Otherwise, we might not be able to leave.”
Only then did the horse say, “Wait.” He lunged forward, then stepped back, grinding his teeth until they creaked. He squeezed out just a few drops of urine, then stood up.
Zhu Bajie said, “This beast! Even if it were liquid gold, you could squeeze out a little more!”
Seeing there was about half a bowl, Sun Wukong said, “Enough! Enough! Bring it over.”
Only then did Sha Wujing feel happy.
The three of them returned to the main hall and mixed the rhubarb, croton seeds, soot, and horse urine together, rolling them into three large pills. Sun Wukong said, “Brother, they’re too big.”
Zhu Bajie said, “They’re only the size of walnuts. If I were eating them, one mouthful wouldn’t be enough!”
They put the pills into a small box, slept in their clothes for the night, and nothing else happened.
The next morning, the king, feeling slightly better, held court. He invited Tang Seng to see him and then ordered his ministers to go quickly to the Guesthouse of Assembly to invite the divine monk Sun Wukong and bring the medicine.
The ministers arrived at the Guesthouse, knelt before Sun Wukong, and said, “Our king has specially sent us to fetch the miraculous medicine you have prepared.”
Sun Wukong told Zhu Bajie to bring the box. He opened the lid and handed it to the ministers. The ministers asked, “What is the name of this medicine? We need to report it to the king.”
Sun Wukong said, “It is called the ‘Black Gold Pill.’”
Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing snickered beside him, “Mixed with soot—of course it’s black gold!”
The ministers asked again, “What should be used as the guiding agent?”
Sun Wukong said, “There are two kinds of guiding agents. One is easy to find: boil six ingredients in water and take the pill with that decoction.”
The ministers asked, “What are the six ingredients?”
Sun Wukong said, “The fart of a crow flying in midair, the urine of a carp swimming in swift water, the face powder of the Queen Mother of the West, the ash from the furnace of the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord, three pieces of the Jade Emperor’s worn-out headcloth, and five strands of the whiskers of a trapped dragon. Boil these six ingredients in water and take this pill. Your king’s worrying illness will soon be cured.”
When the ministers heard this, they said, “These are all things that do not exist in this world. May we ask what the other guiding agent is?”
Sun Wukong said, “Take the pill with rootless water.”
The ministers laughed and said, “This one is easy to find.”
Sun Wukong asked, “How is it easy?”
The ministers said, “In our custom, if we need rootless water, we take a bowl to a well or a river, scoop up the water, and quickly walk away without letting the water touch the ground or looking back. When we reach the patient’s home and give it to them, that is rootless water.”
Sun Wukong said, “Water from wells and rivers has roots. The rootless water I speak of is not that—it must be rainwater falling from the sky, caught before it touches the ground. That is called rootless water.”
The ministers said again, “That is also easy. We will wait for rain and then take the medicine.” With that, they thanked Sun Wukong and took the medicine back to present to the king.
The king was overjoyed. He had a eunuch take the medicine and asked, “What kind of pills are these?”
The ministers said, “The divine monk said they are called ‘Black Gold Pills,’ and they must be taken with rootless water.”
The king ordered the palace women to fetch rootless water. The ministers said, “The divine monk said that rootless water is not from wells or rivers—it must be rainwater falling from the sky, caught before it touches the ground.”
The king immediately ordered the officer in charge to issue a decree, inviting a ritual master to pray for rain. The ministers carried out the order, posting notices for rain prayers. But this is not recorded in detail.
Meanwhile, Sun Wukong was in the main hall of the Guesthouse, saying to Zhu Bajie, “Just now I told them they needed rainwater from the sky as the guiding agent. But how can there be rain so suddenly? I think this king is a wise and virtuous ruler. How about we help him by bringing down some rain to take the medicine?”
Zhu Bajie asked, “How can we help?”
Sun Wukong said, “You stand to my left as the Assistant Star. Sha Wujing, you stand to my right as the Guiding Star. Let Old Sun bring down some rootless water for him.”
What a Great Sage! He paced the Dipper and trod the stars, chanting a spell. Soon, a dark cloud drifted over from the east and stopped above them. A voice said, “Great Sage, Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, has come to pay his respects.”
Sun Wukong said, “I would not dare trouble you without cause. I wish to ask you to bring down some rootless water for the king to take his medicine.”
The Dragon King said, “When the Great Sage summoned me, you did not mention needing water. I came alone, without bringing the tools for rainmaking, and without the winds, clouds, thunder, or lightning. How can I make it rain?”
Sun Wukong said, “There is no need for wind, clouds, thunder, or lightning now. I don’t need a heavy downpour—just a little water to take the medicine.”
The Dragon King said, “In that case, I will sneeze twice and spit a little saliva. That can serve as rain for him to take his medicine.”
Sun Wukong said happily, “Excellent! Excellent! Don’t delay. Do it quickly.”
The old Dragon King lowered his dark cloud over the palace, concealed his form, and spat out some saliva, which immediately turned into a light drizzle. All the court ministers cheered in unison, “Our king is blessed! Heaven has sent down sweet rain!”
The king immediately issued a decree: “Bring vessels to catch the rain! Everyone in the palace and outside, high officials and low, go and collect this immortal water to save my life!”
Look at those civil and military officials, the consorts of the three palaces and six courtyards, and the three thousand palace women—each one holding cups, bowls, and plates to catch the rain. The old Dragon King spat from midair, letting the rain fall only around the palace. It rained for an entire hour before he took his leave of Sun Wukong and returned to the Eastern Sea.
The ministers gathered the rain they had collected. Some had caught a drop or two, some three to five drops, and some had caught none at all. In total, they collected over three bowls and presented them to the king. Truly, “A strange fragrance filled the Golden Throne Hall; a delightful aroma wafted through the Son of Heaven’s court.”
The king bid farewell to Tang Seng, took the Black Gold Pills and the rainwater back to his bedchamber, and first ate one pill, drinking a bowl of rainwater. Then he ate another pill and drank another bowl of rainwater. Finally, he ate the last pill and drank the third bowl of rainwater. Not long after, his stomach began to rumble loudly. He quickly called for a chamber pot and relieved himself three to five times. Then he drank some rice gruel and rested on his dragon bed.
Two consorts went to look at the chamber pot. Inside, there was much filth and phlegm, along with a clump of sticky rice. The consorts ran to the dragon bed and reported, “The root of the illness has all come out!”
The king was overjoyed to hear this. He drank a little more rice gruel. After a while, he felt that his chest was no longer tight, his qi and blood were flowing smoothly, his spirit was improving, and his strength was returning. He got off the dragon bed, put on his court robes, went to the treasure hall, and saw Tang Seng. He immediately knelt and kowtowed. Tang Seng hurriedly returned the gesture.
The king helped Tang Seng up with his hands and ordered his ministers, “Quickly write a formal invitation, beginning with ‘I, the Emperor, bow twice and touch my head to the ground.’ Send an official to invite the three eminent disciples of the Dharma Master. Also, open the Eastern Pavilion and have the Imperial Kitchen prepare a banquet to thank them.”
The ministers received the decree. Some wrote the invitations, while others prepared the banquet. The state’s efficiency was high, and everything was completed in no time.
Zhu Bajie saw the officials delivering the invitation, inviting them to the feast. He was delighted and said, “Brother, this medicine really works! Today we get to eat a banquet, and it’s all thanks to you!”
Sha Wujing said, “Second Brother, don’t say that. As the saying goes, ‘One man’s good fortune brings blessings to the whole house.’ We all helped prepare the medicine, so we all share in the merit. Let’s just go and eat without talking too much.”
Look at the three brothers—they happily entered the palace.
The ministers greeted them and led them to the Eastern Pavilion, where they saw Tang Seng, the king, and the grand councilors already waiting for the banquet to be served. Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing paid their respects to their master, and then all the ministers arrived.
On the table were four vegetarian banquets, each arranged in the “eat one, see ten” style—meaning the dishes displayed were ten times more than what was actually eaten, to show off the splendor. In front of them was one meat banquet, also in the “eat one, see ten” style, with delicacies from land and sea. To the left and right were four to five hundred individual tables, all arranged neatly. Truly, as the old saying goes: “Rare delicacies and a hundred flavors, fine wine in a thousand goblets. Creamy curds and sweetmeats, rich meats and fine brocades. Precious ornaments with bright floral patterns, fruits with rich fragrances. Sugar sculptures of dragons and lions, pastries shaped like phoenixes. The meat dishes included pork, mutton, chicken, goose, fish, and duck—every kind of meat. The vegetarian dishes included vegetables, bamboo shoots, tree ears, and mushrooms. There were several kinds of fragrant soup cakes, and many layers of sugar-glazed pastries. Smooth and soft yellow millet rice, fresh and clear mushroom porridge. Every kind of powdered soup was fragrant and spicy, and every dish that was replaced was delicious and sweet. The king and his ministers raised their cups to begin the feast, and according to rank, the wine was passed around slowly.”
The king personally held a wine cup and first invited Tang Seng to sit down. Tang Seng said, “I am a poor monk and do not drink alcohol.”
The king said, “This is vegetarian wine, Dharma Master. Would you have a cup?”
Tang Seng said, “Wine is the first precept for a monk. I cannot drink it.”
The king felt a bit awkward and asked, “Dharma Master, if you do not drink wine, what can I offer you to show my respect?”
Tang Seng said, “Let my three disciples drink on my behalf.”
The king was pleased. He handed the wine cup to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong took the cup, bowed to the assembly, and drank it down. Seeing how freely he drank, the king handed him another cup. Sun Wukong did not refuse and drank again. The king laughed and said, “Have another cup to make a ‘Three Treasures Cup’!” Sun Wukong still did not refuse and drank again. The king then ordered the wine to be poured again: “Have another cup to make a ‘Four Seasons Cup’!”
Zhu Bajie, standing nearby, saw that the wine was not coming his way. His mouth watered, and he swallowed his saliva with a gulp. Seeing the king urging Sun Wukong to drink cup after cup, he could not help but shout, “Your Majesty, I also had a hand in making the medicine for your illness! That medicine had horse—”
Sun Wukong heard this and was afraid that Zhu Bajie would let slip the secret. He quickly handed his own wine cup to Zhu Bajie. Zhu Bajie took it and drank, saying nothing more. The king asked, “The divine monk said the medicine had ‘horse.’ What kind of horse was it?”
Sun Wukong took over the conversation and said, “My junior brother has a loose tongue. Whenever he has a good prescription, he wants to tell everyone. The medicine Your Majesty took this morning contained one ingredient called ‘Horse Bell Fruit.’”
The king asked his ministers, “What is Horse Bell Fruit? What illness does it cure?”
The official from the Imperial Medical Academy standing nearby said, “Your Majesty: Horse Bell Fruit is bitter in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It is excellent for calming wheezing and dissolving phlegm. It unblocks the qi and is especially effective for removing blood stasis. It supplements deficiency, stops coughing, and relaxes the chest.”
The king laughed and said, “Well used! Well used! Elder Zhu, have another cup.”
Zhu Bajie still said nothing and also drank a “Three Treasures Cup.” The king then handed wine to Sha Wujing, who also drank three cups. Then they all sat down.
After drinking for a while, the king raised a large wine cup and handed it to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong said, “Your Majesty, please sit. Old Sun will drink with you to your heart’s content. I will not refuse.”
The king said, “Divine Monk, your kindness to me is heavier than a mountain. I can never repay it enough. You must drink this cup, for I have something to say.”
Sun Wukong said, “Speak your mind, and Old Sun will drink after you finish.”
The king said, “I have been ill for several years. Your single dose of miraculous medicine has cured me, and now I finally feel comfortable.”
Sun Wukong laughed and said, “Yesterday, when Old Sun looked at Your Majesty, I could tell that your illness came from worry and fear. But I do not know what caused you to worry and what caused you to fear.”
The king said, “As the ancients said, ‘Do not wash one’s dirty linen in public.’ But you are my lifesaver, Divine Monk. As long as you do not laugh at me, I will tell you.”
Sun Wukong said, “Why would I laugh at you? Speak.”
The king asked, “Divine Monk, you came from the East. How many kingdoms have you passed through?”
Sun Wukong said, “Five or six.”
The king asked again, “In those kingdoms, what are the wives of the kings called?”
Sun Wukong said, “They are all called the Principal Consort, the Eastern Consort, and the Western Consort.”
The king said, “That is not the custom here. My Principal Consort is called the Gold Saint Consort, the Eastern Consort is the Jade Saint Consort, and the Western Consort is the Silver Saint Consort. Now only the Silver Saint Consort and the Jade Saint Consort remain in the palace.”
Sun Wukong asked, “Why is the Gold Saint Consort not in the palace?”
The king wept and said, “She has been gone for three years now.”
Sun Wukong asked, “Where did she go?”
The king said, “Three years ago, on the Dragon Boat Festival, I was with my consorts in the imperial garden, under the Crabapple Pavilion, peeling zongzi, hanging mugwort, drinking calamus and realgar wine, and watching the dragon boat races. Suddenly, a wind arose, and a demon leaped down from midair. He called himself the ‘Great King Who Surpasses the Year.’ He said he lived in the Qilin Mountain at the Xiezhi Cave, and his cave lacked a wife. He had heard that my Gold Saint Consort was beautiful and wanted to take her as his wife. He ordered me to hand her over immediately. If I refused after he called three times, he would first devour me, then devour my ministers, and then eat all the citizens of the city. At that time, I was worried about my kingdom and my people. I had no choice but to push the Gold Saint Consort out of the Crabapple Pavilion. With a whoosh, the demon whisked her away. Because of this, I was both terrified and grief-stricken. The zongzi I had eaten became lodged in my stomach. Coupled with my constant worry day and night, I fell ill—and I have been ill for three years. Now, after taking your miraculous medicine and purging several times, I have expelled what was stuck in my stomach three years ago. That is why I now feel comfortable and my spirit is restored. Today, my life is entirely your gift, Divine Monk. This kindness is heavier than Mount Tai!”
When Sun Wukong heard this, his heart was filled with joy. He drained the large wine cup in two gulps, laughed, and asked the king, “Your Majesty, so this is what caused your worry and fear! Now that you have met Old Sun, fortunately your illness is cured. But do you wish to have the Gold Saint Consort returned?”
The king wept and said, “I think of her day and night. But there is no one who can defeat the demon. How could I not wish for her return!”
Sun Wukong said, “I, Old Sun, will help you subdue the demon and rescue the Gold Saint Consort. How about that?”
The king knelt down and said, “If you can rescue my queen, I am willing to take my three palaces and six courtyards of consorts and become a commoner outside the city. I will give the entire kingdom to you, Divine Monk, and let you be the king.”
Zhu Bajie, standing beside him, saw the king say and do this. He could not help but burst into loud laughter and said, “This king has no sense of propriety! How can he give up his kingdom for a wife and kneel to beg a monk!”
Sun Wukong quickly stepped forward to help the king up and said, “Your Majesty, after the demon captured the Gold Saint Consort, has he come back in these past few years?”
The king said, “He captured her in the fifth month of the year before last. In the tenth month, he came to ask for two palace maids to serve the queen, and I gave them to him. Last year, in the third month, he came again for two more, and in the seventh month, another two. This year, in the second month, he took another two. I don’t know when he will come again.”
Sun Wukong asked, “Since he comes so often, are you afraid of him?”
The king said, “The more he came, the more I feared him. I was afraid he might harm people. So in the fourth month of last year, I had a ‘Demon-Avoiding Tower’ built. Whenever I hear the sound of wind and know he is coming, I take my two queens and consorts and hide inside the tower.”
Sun Wukong said, “If Your Majesty does not mind, could you take me to see this Demon-Avoiding Tower?”
The king supported Sun Wukong with his left hand and stood up. The ministers also rose. Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, you really don’