Subduing the Jade Rabbit in Tianzhu (5)

However, Tang Sanzang was truly plagued by misfortune at every step of his journey to the Western Heaven, and now, due to a moment of carelessness, he fell into Ao Tu's scheme.

Do you think he fell for the trap?

It turns out that the narrow corridor on the left leads to the Princess's embroidery pavilion.

After returning to her room from the banquet, the Jade Rabbit Spirit dismissed her attendants, changed into a light, fine cloth garment to cover her delicate body, wrapped herself in a thin quilt, revealing a section of her fair and tender thigh, and lay slightly on her side on the couch, missing her father, the emperor, and murmuring "Your Great King" and "Father," filling the room with an atmosphere of eroticism.

Tang Sanzang was completely unaware of the situation. Along the way, he saw no Palace Maids Attendants, nor any adornments, so he assumed it was a pavilion for guests. He pushed open the door and saw that the lights were dim, so he casually adjusted the wick.

The door to the inner room was slightly ajar, and there was no sound from inside. Tang Sanzang assumed no one was there, so he went inside.

Under the lamplight, there was an embroidered bed and a soft couch, covered with a layer of pink gauze.

This is clearly Young Women's boudoir.

Tang Sanzang was greatly alarmed.

From the soft couch, one could hear soft moans and gentle murmurs.

Tang Sanzang hurriedly put on a gloomy face and fled outside, but in his panic he didn't know where to go and bumped his head against the door frame. With a thud, he fell to the ground and a red mark appeared on his face.

The Jade Rabbit Spirit cried out in surprise, hurriedly lifting the pink curtain and exclaiming, "Who goes there!"

Tang Sanzang dared not answer, thinking that if he were caught, even a hundred mouths would not be able to explain himself. So he buried his head and lay on the ground, pretending to be a threshold.

The Jade Rabbit Spirit pretended not to know anything, put on her embroidered shoes, and walked around the room, deliberately stepping on Tang Sanzang's bald head.

Although the Jade Rabbit Spirit was nimble, she couldn't resist her mischievousness. She stomped on Tang Sanzang, making him cry out in pain.

The Jade Rabbit Spirit then casually tossed a gauze scarf behind Tang Sanzang's neck and shouted, "Guards! Guards! Someone is being rude!"

The Palace Maids Attendants who had been dismissed were all summoned, and they quickly captured Tang Sanzang.

Who would listen to Tang Sanzang's explanation?

The Jade Rabbit Spirit remained silent, simply draping a gilded blue robe over her shoulders, her eyes reddening as tears streamed down her face.

Enraged, the crowd cursed the lewd monk and prepared to attack Tang Sanzang.

The Jade Rabbit Spirit said, "Don't hit him. Bind him tightly and hand him over to Father Emperor for disposal."

Meanwhile, Ao Tu was returning from the Imperial Garden.

A group of contestants followed behind him.

Originally there were more than three hundred people, but after rigorous tests, the best of the best were selected, and now ten people have been chosen. They are all of the highest caliber in terms of appearance, character, skills, knowledge, martial arts, and family background.

The others didn't leave either, but followed behind, because the emperor had said that even those who weren't chosen would receive a reward.

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Please follow me, everyone. The Princess will choose one of you shortly. My son-in-law will be one of you ten."

Seeing this, Wukong stepped forward, took off his hat, and said:

"Your Majesty, please forgive us. I am Sun Wukong, the eldest disciple of Tang Sanzang from the Eastern Land. We only came here to compete for the Princess Xian because we had heard of her name and that she was Immortal being, but we had never seen her. Therefore, my two fellow disciples and I disguised ourselves as ordinary people. Seeing Your Majesty's rigorous tests, we couldn't help but show off and thus caught Your Majesty's Dharma Eye. However, I am a monk and Buddhist Sect Disciple, and I have no chance with the Princess. We beg Your Majesty to forgive our offense."

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu feigned surprise and asked, "Then who are your two junior brothers?"

Upon seeing this, Bajie and Sha Wujing stepped forward, removed their makeup, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Ao Tu looked at the three of them and laughed:

"So it was the three of you! As expected of figures from the Great Tang, your skills in the Imperial Garden just now were quite impressive, even surpassing those of me, a talent from the Tianzhu Kingdom!"

Bajie, beaming with delight, boasted, "Your Majesty, what's so special about this? You don't know that I, Old Pig, am the Marshal Tianpeng, commanding Eighty Thousand Naval Soldiers..."

Wukong quickly grabbed Bajie and said, "Your Majesty flatters us. We monks have some rudimentary skills to help us walk and defend ourselves."

Ao Tu nodded and said:

"Are you really not going to choose? My Tianzhu Kingdom is rich and prosperous, with abundant resources. If you become my Imperial Son-in-Law, you will enjoy endless wealth and honor. My Princess is of Immortal beauty and will live forever. Wouldn't that be better than becoming a monk on Spirit Mountain? Although the three of you look somewhat strange, you are all highly skilled. My daughter has never cared much about appearances. If you stay, you might become my Imperial Son-in-Law!"

These words left Wukong and Sha Wujing unmoved, Bajie was overjoyed.

Wukong said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, our master is still waiting for us. He is determined to Journey to the West, ascend Spirit Mountain, and pay homage to the Buddha. After many twists and turns, now that we have arrived at the foot of Spirit Mountain, we dare not linger."

Sha Wujing clasped his hands in prayer and said, "I beg Your Majesty to grant my request."

Ao Tu said, "Very well, since you are so determined to Journey to the West, I will not stop you. Do not rush to leave. After the selection of the Imperial Son-in-Law, please have your master recite some auspicious Scripture to pray for blessings. There will be plenty of Generosity to be made, and then we will send you and your disciples to Spirit Mountain to see the Buddha and obtain the True Scriptures."

Upon hearing this, Wukong thought to himself that it was truly rare to find such a reasonable and understanding emperor from India, and thus thanked him repeatedly.

Seeing that Bajie had remained silent, Ao Tu couldn't help but laugh and say, "This elder has not spoken yet; would you be willing to stay?"

Bajie said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, I would like to stay, but I look rather Lumbersome, and I'm afraid the Princess will find me unappealing."

Wukong shouted, "Bajie! Aren't you going to go on the Journey to the West?"

Bajie said, "Brother! We're already at the foot of Spirit Mountain, so it doesn't matter whether I'm here or not!"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Good! Good! Elder, rest assured! My Princess is no ordinary woman; she doesn't care about appearance. Otherwise, why would she still be unmarried?"

Bajie is overjoyed.

Wukong and Sha Wujing tried to dissuade him, but Bajie wouldn't listen, saying that being Imperial Son-in-Law was better than being a monk.

Sha Wujing cried out in anguish, "Second Senior Brother, how can you explain this to Master?!"

Bajie's eyes darted around, and he said:

"Junior Brother Sha, it's one out of eight. Maybe I'll be chosen, and then I'll become the Imperial Son-in-Law, and I'll have people escort you all to Spirit Mountain to Journey to the West. If I'm not chosen, then I'll apologize to Master."

Sha Wujing wanted to persuade him again.

Ao Tu said, "Alright! Alright! You yourselves have pledged yourselves to the Buddhist Sect, but that doesn't mean you can block other people's marriages, does it?"

Bajie exclaimed joyfully, "Your Majesty is right! Your Majesty is right!"

Seeing this, Wukong grabbed Sha Wujing and said, "Junior Brother Sha, this fool still has worldly desires. Don't try to persuade him. I wonder how he'll explain to Master if he doesn't get selected! Give him three hundred lashes first!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie felt a chill run down his spine and hid behind Ao Tu, not daring to look at Wukong.

Ao Tu entered the Hall of Central Harmony and instructed the palace official, "Go and invite the Princess."

The eunuch went inside, and soon several Court Ladies rushed over, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Death penalty! Death penalty!"

Ao Tu asked, "What's wrong?"

No sooner had the words left her lips than a series of sounds rang out: tears streamed down her face; a young girl sobbed; a child wailed; and a child sobbed and sang; tears streamed down her face like pear blossoms in the rain.

It is truly a sight to behold, enough to bring tears to the eyes of any listener. Fallen petals carpet the ground, a scene of sorrow and oppression. Sighs and tears stream down the face, a lump in the throat and a pang of grief. Birds take flight in fright, fish leap and dart about. The words come in broken murmurs, choked with emotion. A mournful lament, a heart-wrenching lament.

The Princess, with unparalleled beauty, her clothes disheveled, her embroidered shoes clattering, stumbled and fell into Ao Tu's arms, crying, "Father! Father!"