I didn't think it was him.
The greatest taboo in Buddhism was theft. How could a monk commit such a crime?
"You don't think it was him, but that's just your opinion, isn't it? I'm telling you, even if that monk wouldn't steal, he still has three disciples. That Pig Demon has been eyeing our Ginseng Fruit covetously. Just now, I clearly saw that Pig Demon and the monkey lurking in the back courtyard. Look at the time! What do you think they came here for?"
"What! Those two monks came here?" Everyone looked horrified.
"Ah, maybe I was seeing things. It was a long way off, after all. I'm not even sure I saw clearly." The tall, thin Daoist rubbed his eyes and spoke softly.
Just then, a young Daoist came rushing out from the side, panting as he exclaimed, "Senior Brother! Senior Brother! I just saw two figures hiding behind the woodshed, eating something!"
"What? Did you get a good look at who they were?" A Daoist beside him grabbed the young man and asked.
"It was too dark. I couldn't see clearly, but I could tell there were two people. From behind, one of them looked enormous."
The young Daoist scratched his head, thinking it over as he spoke.
"Then there's no doubt! Apart from Junior Brother Xiao Yun, all our disciples are here. There's no one in our temple with such a huge build. It must have been that group of pilgrims!"
"Exactly! I knew they were no good, especially that Pig Demon. He and the monkey both look shifty. They must have knocked down the tree, picked the Ginseng Fruit, then gone behind the woodshed to steal and eat it."
Once someone got the ball rolling, the crowd erupted. They all clamored to go confront