Interesting Journey to the Dharma-Extinguishing Kingdom (XIV)

Meanwhile, Wukong summoned Bajie to transform, intending to lure Hua Yunlong out.

Bajie was afraid and dared not agree.

Wukong thought for a moment, then coaxed him, saying:

"Bajie! You don't need to do anything this time. Just transform into a coachman. When the thieves come, they'll take the rich ones first, so you can run away."

Bajie hesitated after hearing this, weighing the pros and cons.

Wukong said, "Brother, last time I was caught off guard and lost my Golden Cudgel while fighting him. This time, I'll fight him for real and I'm sure I'll win. If you help me lure him out, we'll split the credit."

Bajie said, "Really? I'll just lure them out. If those thieves really come, I can leave first."

Wukong said, "Hurry up! Hurry up! When have I ever lied to you?"

So Bajie transformed into a coachman.

Wukong plucked a hair from his body, transformed it into a carriage, and harnessed it to the White Dragon Horse. He then transformed himself into a Wealthy Merchant, took some Shitou and sand, and transformed them into gold, silver, and jewels, placing them in the carriage. He then instructed Bajie to drive it.

The two walked along the road without any Guards or attendants.

A Thieves from the road, seeing such a business, immediately reported it.

Before long, the Patriarch Styx came down with the Ground-Digging Tiger and others to investigate.

Standing on the mountainside, the Ground-Digging Tiger looked down and saw a dazzling array of Jewel Light. The carriage was filled with precious items, including Red Gold Silver, spotted tortoiseshell, falcon-shaped Pearl, Ox-Head, and elephant tusks.

A wealthy man sat in the carriage, wearing a large square turban with a swastika pattern, a pair of gold rings with animal-shaped ornaments, a brocade robe from India, a large red sash, and carrying a jade-handled knife.

The Ground-Digging Tiger hurriedly ran back, bumping into tree branches as he walked, which aggravated his hand injury, but he didn't feel any pain. He then reported to the Patriarch Styx:

"Big Brother, what a great deal! A whole cartload of treasure, all top-quality goods! If we rob it, it'll be enough for us brothers to live on for ten years!"

The Patriarch Styx nodded. He had actually known all along that it was Wukong in disguise. This morning, the Cult Leader had come over specifically to instruct him to go easy on him, saying that he had been a bit too heavy-handed last time, and if he had frightened Wukong, he wouldn't be able to fight him anymore.

The Patriarch Styx instructed the Ground-Digging Tiger, "You lead the brothers to ambush them, but make sure no word gets out!"

Ground-Digging Tiger was overjoyed and agreed, leading twenty or thirty Thieves over there.

Bajie drove the cart along the road, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He had already discussed with Wukong that if there was any disturbance, he would abandon the cart and leave.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard, and someone threw down a large rock.

The White Dragon Horse stepped over the stone, but the carriage behind it was blocked by the Shitou.

Ground-Digging Tiger, jumped out and shouted:

"I make my living in the High Mountain, unafraid of officials or government offices."

However, some merchants passing through this place would leave their gold and silver behind to take home.

Upon seeing this, Bajie cried out, "Brother! Thieves are here! I'm leaving now!" With that, he jumped off the cart and fled.

The Ground-Digging Tiger quickly drew his knife and blocked the way, saying, "If you don't leave behind the gold and silver, do you dare to leave me here?"

Bajie said, "I'm the driver. If you want gold and silver, go ask the master sitting in the carriage!"

Upon hearing this, the Ground-Digging Tiger refused to let Bajie leave, saying:

"We Greenwood are not like the imperial court's lackeys. We have no snobbishness. Whether you're a cart driver, a merchant, or a high-ranking official, we Ground-Digging Tiger everyone equally here. We won't rob you just because you're poor! Quick, hand over your silver before you leave!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie said with a bitter face, "How pitiful! How pitiful! I've been a long-term laborer for decades, carrying loads and tending horses for others, doing the hard labor of ten men, and I've only saved four taels of silver, which is my savings for my wife. Before, when I went to the city, I asked a silversmith to make some silver, but he was so unscrupulous that he stole two taels from me. How can I give that away now?"

The Ground-Digging Tiger shouted, "Hand it over now! If you won't part with your money, you'll have to risk your life!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie arched his body and knocked the Ground-Digging Tiger to the ground, then fled in a flash.

The Ground-Digging Tiger had an injury on his hand, and this fall broke the bone that had just been set. He was in so much pain that he grimaced and tried to chase after Bajie, but the idiot was very fast. He jumped off the Main Road and disappeared into the grass.

Having no other option, the Ground-Digging Tiger vented his anger on Wukong, saying, "Kill him, take the gold and silver, and go back to the stronghold!"

Upon hearing this, the thieves were about to make their move.

The Patriarch Styx jumped down.

None of the thieves dared to move.

The Patriarch Styx said, "I only said I robbed gold and silver, when did I say I killed anyone?"

Upon hearing this, the thieves felt a chill and immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

Ignoring the pain in his hand, Ground-Digging Tiger knelt on the ground and said, "Big Brother, it's not that I broke your rules. It was that driver who broke my newly set bone again. That's why I wanted to kill him for revenge!"

The Patriarch Styx said, "Your own martial arts are lacking, and you let them escape. Who can you blame? You robbed them of their money and then abandoned them!"

The thieves obeyed and went to plunder the treasure.

Wukong was just about to make his move when Hua Yunlong stopped the Ground-Digging Tiger, saying he would only take the money and not kill him. So he decided not to rush into action and planned to find out where the Thieves were hiding before taking action.

The thieves stole the gold and silver and were about to leave.

Wukong said, "Great King, please don't leave."

"What, you're reluctant to part with your gold and silver treasures?" said the Ground-Digging Tiger.

Wukong said, "No, no, since I have encountered you great Great King, it is my fate to lose money. I have no intention of being reluctant."

"You're not so bad at knowing what's good for you," said Ground-Digging Tiger. "Then why did you stop us?"

Wukong said, "I've called out to you all, my Great King, because I want to join our ranks!"

"You want to join us? You can't carry a knife or a gun, how can you join?" said Ground-Digging Tiger.

Wukong said, "Although I cannot wield swords and spears, I can do business. Your Great King have taken the treasures; gold and silver are useful, but Pearl, gems, Elephant Tusk, and rhinoceros horns need someone to sell them, don't they? I can sell these for you Your Great King, taking only a small profit. Is that acceptable?"

Upon hearing this, the Ground-Digging Tiger couldn't help but exclaim, "As the saying goes, 'No merchant is without guile,' and today we've truly witnessed it! They've been robbed of their treasure, and now they want to do business with us Bandits!"

He then turned to the Patriarch Styx and asked, "Big Brother, what do you think?"

The Patriarch Styx said, "Take him up the mountain!"

The bandits then took Wukong with them up the mountain.

On that mountain, in a remote and isolated place, there was an inn, which served as the hideout for the bandits.

Wukong said, "Your Great King, this shop is located here, with no houses in front or behind it. Isn't it Black Inn?"

"Nonsense, this is Black Inn," said Ground-Digging Tiger.

The thieves went inside, and there One-Eyed Dragon, leaning on a cane, doing the accounting.

The thieves carried in gold and silver.

Upon seeing this, the One-Eyed Dragon, ignoring his leg pain, quickly stepped forward and exclaimed, "Where can you find such a lucrative deal?"

"This deal has made us more than ten years' worth of money! Quickly write it down and move it to the warehouse!" said the Ground-Digging Tiger had been digging up the accounts.

One- One-Eyed Dragon keeps detailed accounts.

The thieves delivered the treasure to the treasury.

It took a long time to finish recording.

The Patriarch Styx said, "Give him the account books and see how much gold and silver he can exchange for them."

Upon hearing this, the One-Eyed Dragon handed the ledger to Wukong.

Wukong held it and examined it for a long time before laughing:

"Give me Three Thousand taels of silver!"

Upon hearing this, the Ground-Digging Tiger stood up in anger and said:

"Three Thousand taels! What a cunning merchant! There are more than Three Thousand taels of silver here!"

Wukong laughed, "It's not me giving you Three Thousand taels, it's you giving Old Sun, Three Thousand taels as your life-saving money! This silver isn't yours at all! You can't take a single penny!"