When the villagers of Gao Village heard that Ao Tu was selling his land for only one mace of silver per mu, they scrambled to buy it.
But there were too many people and too little land to satisfy everyone.
The villagers could not help saying, "Holy monk, how can this little bit of land be enough to share among us? Since you're willing to do a good deed, why not see it through and have your disciple reclaim some more fertile fields for us?"
Ao Tu said with a smile:
"Easy, easy. This humble monk's disciple has vast divine powers. Reclaiming several thousand mu of land in a single day would be no trouble at all. Just pay your money and leave your names, and once the land has been reclaimed, I'll allot it to you!"
At these words, Bajie could no longer sit still.
He was Marshal Tianpeng descended to the mortal world, enlightened by Guanyin Bodhisattva and charged with protecting the Pilgrim on the Journey to the West. How could he be made to do hard labor?
Ao Tu gave Bajie a meaningful look.
Remembering Ao Tu's earlier instructions, Bajie could only swallow his displeasure and keep quiet.
The villagers were delighted by Ao Tu's words, though they still harbored some concerns, fearing that he might take their money and break his promise.
Seeing their worries, Ao Tu said:
"This humble monk is willing to give you written agreements as proof. My disciple and I will stay here in the village for now, and we won't leave until the land has been reclaimed."
Hearing this, the villagers all went home happily to fetch their money.
Ao Tu deliberately chose a poor household to lodge with.
Before long, household after household brought their silver. Ao Tu wrote an agreement for each family, limiting every household to ten mu of land, recording the deadline, and signing the name Chen Xuanzang in three large characters.
Every household was delighted.
Word quickly spread to the nearby villages and towns, whose residents also came hoping to buy this cheap land, kneeling to beg Ao Tu to show them mercy.
Ao Tu turned no one away, accepting their money and signing agreements.
The stream of visitors continued from the hour of the Dragon to the hour of the Rooster. Several hundred households came, and he sold several thousand mu of land, taking in six hundred and sixty-eight taels of silver.
When night fell, Ao Tu shut the door to visitors and stopped selling land. Even so, many people remained outside, hoping to ask him to sell them some land the next day.
Inside, Bajie leaned against a corner of the wall, sulking.
Seeing that Ao Tu had finally stopped selling land, Bajie said:
"Master, you're far too untrustworthy."
Ao Tu said, "You wretch, why are you insulting me?"
Bajie muttered:
"It's not that your disciple is insulting you. It's that what you've done is downright underhanded. If you needed silver to spend, you only had to tell me, and I, Old Pig, would have found a way to get it for you. Why did you trick me instead, and even sign agreements with people, making me, Old Pig, do all that plowing and harrowing?"
Ao Tu said, "When did I ever say I'd make you plow and harrow?"
Bajie said:
"Wasn't it you who said, 'This humble monk's disciple has vast divine powers. Reclaiming several thousand mu of land in a single day would be no trouble at all'? Weren't you talking about me?
"Now you've taken their money and signed written agreements. If you don't hand over the land by the deadline, won't they report us to the authorities and have us arrested?"
Ao Tu said:
"It's true that I said that, but I wasn't talking about you. There's something you don't know: before taking you as my disciple, I already had another disciple. He's your senior brother.
"He, too, is a divine being descended from Heaven, enlightened by Guanyin Bodhisattva and charged with protecting me on my journey west to fetch the scriptures. He once oversaw farming and livestock in the Celestial Court, and his official rank was even higher than yours.
"But he has a restless disposition and wouldn't concentrate on the journey, so I left him behind. Once he arrives, I'll have him plow these fields. You won't have to lift a finger!"
Bajie was doubtful when he heard this and said:
"Those who oversee farming and livestock in the Celestial Court are all lowly officials. How could any of them rank higher than me, Old Pig? Master, aren't you just fooling me?"
Ao Tu said, "You fool, monks do not speak falsehoods. I'm your master; why would I fool you? Your senior brother even said he knew you back in Heaven!"
Bajie said, "He knew me? Master, what's his name? Which deity is he?"
Ao Tu said, "You'll know when he gets here."
Bajie turned it over and over in his mind, but still could not work out who it might be, so he remained somewhat unconvinced.
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