Slaying Demons at Lion Camel Ridge (XI)

Meanwhile, Ao Tu transformed into a Peddler, carrying his goods, and came down from the foot of the mountain. As he climbed the hillside, he saw Tang Sanzang lying on the ground crying, while Sha Wujing and Bajie were carrying out their luggage to divide it up.

There are three main items: a Brocade Kasaya, a Nine-Ringed Monk's Staff, and a Purple Gold Alms Bowl.

Bajie said, "There are three Belongings here, one for each of us brothers. Elder Brother can take the Kasaya, I can take the Buddhist Staff, and you can take the alms Alms Bowl. Now that Elder Brother is dead, I'll keep the Kasaya for him, and you can take the Alms Bowl!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing said somewhat reluctantly, "Second Senior Brother, this Kasaya and Buddhist Staff were given to us by Guanyin Bodhisattva. Master will need them when he goes to the Journey to the West to retrieve the scriptures. If you avenge our Elder Brother, you can just take the Alms Bowl."

Bajie said, "Our Elder Brother is dead, what's the point of going on the pilgrimage? After we avenge him, I'll go back to Gao Village to see my Elder Brother, and you can go back to the Flowing Sand River to eat people. Then we'll go our separate ways!"

Sha Wujing said, "How can this be allowed? What will happen to our great mission of Journey to the West the scriptures? Master, you must do something about our Second Senior Brother!"

Tang Sanzang didn't say anything, he just buried his head and wept.

Seeing this, Ao Tu smiled, picked up his load of goods, and came over, singing:

"The mulberry drum jingles, and the songs are melodious and lingering."

Suzhou silk threads and Hangzhou satin, mirror-like rouge and mixed powder fragrance.

Small, scattered pieces of needlework and thread, they wander through villages and neighborhoods, entering painted halls.

All the odds and ends are provided; grain can be exchanged for them without money.

Upon hearing this, Bajie turned around and saw a Peddler. He exclaimed happily, "Where are you going, peddler?"

Ao Tu said, "Monk, I'm just selling goods for my Employer, it's a small business, I don't give alms to wandering monks!"

Bajie said, "Who told you to give alms? Will you accept them?"

Ao Tu said, "Selling goods will naturally bring in the rewards."

Bajie asked, "What do you collect?"

Ao Tu said, "I collect tattered clothes, ragged garments, scraps of copper and iron, and put them in baskets. Old nets and torn towels are all sold for a price; I won't be short a penny in exchange for food."

Bajie exclaimed happily, "I have some fine treasures here. Come and take a look, are you willing to take them?"

Ao Tu stepped forward with a smile and said, "You've got the monk's treasure? Let me see it."

Bajie then took out the Brocade Kasaya, unwrapped it, and showed it to Ao Tu.

Ao Tu shook out the Kasaya and unfolded it to look at it.

What a fine Kasaya! All I see is:

Adorned with exquisite pearls, and gathered with rare Buddha Treasure.

The dragon is embroidered with knots, and the phoenix flies along the brocade edge.

Bajie asked, "How about this Kasaya? How much silver would you charge?"

Ao Tu stroked his beard and said:

"A worn-out cassock, mottled with insects and bitten by Kasaya, I'll give you five qian of silver!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie became angry and said:

"A tattered Kasaya! Do you understand now? This is a treasure bestowed by Guanyin Bodhisattva! Five coins of silver—five coins of silver can't even buy a single loose thread on this!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Monk, don't be angry. In business, you ask for the sky and then bargain on the spot. I've made a price, you give me yours, and we can discuss it."

Bajie listened and thought for a moment. His master had told him that this Kasaya was worth five thousand taels of silver. Now that the Peddler was asking him to haggle, he would ask for more so that he could leave room for negotiation.

Bajie said, "Six thousand taels, not a tael less."

Ao Tu said, "Alright." With that, he conjured a contract from thin air and said, "It's in black and white; there's no going back. Sign it and come with me to the Employer to collect the money."

Upon hearing this, Bajie thought to himself, "Oh no! He asked for too little. I should have offered seven or eight thousand taels."

Six thousand taels wasn't bad, though. After all, the deal was already made, and it wouldn't be good to go back on it now. Besides, it would be hard to find a good buyer in a foreign land. So he asked, "Is it in cash?"

Ao Tu said, "We have both gold and silver, not a single bit less."

Bajie said, "Alright then." He was about to sign the document.

Seeing that Bajie Sha Wujing really going to pawn the Kasaya, Sandy rushed forward, snatched Kasaya away, and said, "Second Senior Brother, this was given to Master by Guanyin Bodhisattva, you can't sell it! You can't sell it!"

Seeing this, Ao Tu said, "Fat Monk, if you can't make the decision, why are you playing tricks on me?"

Bajie snatched back the Kasaya, saying, "Why can't I make the decision? My senior brother is dead; it's my turn to decide!"

Ao Tu asked, "So, are you going to sell it or not?"

Bajie said, "Sell! But there's one more treasure; take a look and I'll buy it too."

Bajie then took out the Nine-Ringed Monk's Staff, thinking that he had sold the Kasaya too cheaply earlier, and now he could sell the Buddhist Staff more to make up for the money Kasaya.

Ao Tu took the Buddhist Staff and examined it.

What a fine Buddhist Staff!

A nine-linked ring made of copper and iron, with nine sections of Immortal Vine that remain forever young.

I grew tired of seeing its thin, bony frame, and it descended the mountain, lightly carrying white clouds back with it.

Ao Tu then said, "Made of Withered Tree, woven from rotten vines, nine rings of scrap copper and iron, and one old wooden stick, valued at two qian of Silver!"

Bajie said, "You Peddler's good at deceiving people, you never tell the truth!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "How about this, Fat Monk, name your price. If it's a good deal, I'll take both items. No backing out."

Upon hearing this, Bajie thought for a moment. His master had told him that the Buddhist Staff was worth two thousand taels of silver, so he directly asked for four thousand taels, doubling the price, and also asked for the Kasaya as well. If the Peddler refused, he would continue to negotiate the price.

Bajie said, "Four thousand taels!"

Ao Tu said, "Alright, come over and sign!"

Bajie thought to himself that he had sold it cheaply again. There was nothing he could do; he had agreed not to go back on his word, so he had no choice but to step forward and sign.

Seeing that Bajie was about to pawn the Brocade Kasaya and Nine-Ringed Monk's Staff given to him by Guanyin Bodhisattva, Sha Wujing realized that this would ruin the Journey to the West. Tears streamed down his face as he said to Tang Sanzang:

"Master, this Kasaya and Buddhist Staff were both gifts from Guanyin Bodhisattva. Now that my Second Senior Brother has pawned them, how are we supposed to go to Spirit Mountain to Journey to the West!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang stopped his tears and said:

"Wujing, even without this Brocade Kasaya, I still have an old Kasaya I brought from Chang'an. It's been patched and mended for twenty or thirty years; though worn, it still keeps me warm. And even without this Nine-Ringed Monk's Staff, I can still walk on a sturdy Wooden Staff and reach Spirit Mountain. That Spirit Mountain Holy Land, the Western Heaven Paradise, will certainly not turn me away just because my clothes are tattered and my staff cheap. Let Bajie pawn these two treasures and hire someone to rid the mountain of the Demon —that would be a truly virtuous and Merit act! Then Wukong can rest in peace in the Nine Hells!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "This is a reasonable and good monk. Come and sign the document."

Upon hearing this, Bajie stepped forward, about to sign the document, when suddenly his eyes darted around, and he looked at the White Dragon Horse, saying, "Peddler, do you buy horses?"

Ao Tu said, "Collect! Collect!"

Bajie asked, "What do you think of this White Horse horse?"

Ao Tu said, "A skinny, hunched-over, weak-legged, slow-moving, old and worn-out horse, priced at three taels."

Bajie said, "You Peddler, have you ever seen a horse? You think you're buying a mule? This is Dragon Horse! I won't sell it for less than Three Thousand taels!"

Ao Tu said, "Alright, Three Thousand taels it is!"

Bajie was overjoyed and hurriedly wanted to sign the document.

Tang Sanzang said, "Bajie, no!"

Bajie asked, "Master, what's wrong?"

Tang Sanzang said, "You can have whatever you want with everything else, but not this White Horse."

Bajie said, "We've already sold the Kasaya Buddhist Staff, why can't we have the White Horse?"

Tang Sanzang stroked the White Horse and said, "Firstly, it carried me all the way over mountains and valleys, which was very arduous. I will need it to keep me company on my journey Journey to the West. Secondly, this White Horse is no ordinary horse. It was originally the Dragon Crown Prince of the West Sea, transformed by Guanyin Bodhisattva. It is also my disciple and cannot be sold."