Now, the old abbot recounted the Daoists' plot.
Given his different allegiance, he inevitably added a little oil and vinegar to the tale.
When Wukong heard how the Daoists had acted, he pressed, "What happened next? As the abbot, why were you imprisoned here?"
The old abbot said, "Alas, it was only because I was careless then and failed to see through the Daoists' plot. I thought that although repairing the monastery had used up most of our silver, apart from the deposit, the remaining payment could wait until the repairs were finished. Our Zhiyuan Monastery had extensive holdings and a great deal of property, so a little outside debt was nothing to fear. But I never imagined that those Daoists would scheme with corrupt officials to seize our monastery's property outright."
Wukong asked, "How much property did they seize?"
The old abbot said, "Our Zhiyuan Monastery originally owned over eight thousand mu of fertile farmland just outside the city. Those three immortals deceived the king into trusting them and had him reclaim the land, leaving Zhiyuan Monastery with no property at all.
"Not only that, when Zhiyuan Monastery flourished, we often performed charitable deeds and lent out a great deal of silver. Now twenty-four years have passed. Leaving aside those borrowers who have vanished without a trace, the promissory notes for those still here alone amount to tens of thousands of taels. Every note is written in black and white, with a handprint as proof, yet we cannot recover a thing. All because those officials say, with nothing but their bare mouths and white teeth, that the evidence cannot be trusted."
Wukong said, "Outrageous! Repaying a debt is as rightful as heaven and earth. How dare those people refuse?"
The old abbot said, "Those officials wallow in the same