Chapter - 24 (24) (1/2)

The river of love dries up entirely from a thousand calamities, the sea of bitterness cannot be used to measure compassion.

After the Imperial Bodyguards left, Wei Xiaobao went to see the Abbot, telling him that since he had the Emperor's order, he had to start the journey to Qingliang Temple the next day.

”So be it,” Abbot Hui Cong said, ”Shidi has the innate intelligence, you have an amazing comprehension of Buddhist truth. It's a pity that the days of our meeting are not many and now we have to part, we cannot learn from each other too much, to live the Buddhist law together. I suppose our destiny has brought us to this point of life. I wonder which fellow monks Shidi wants to take with you?”

”I want Head of Bo're Hall Cheng Guan Shizhi, and the eighteen masters of Luohan Hall,” Wei Xiaobao replied. In addition, he also named more than a dozen more monks that he wanted to go with him, altogether there were thirty-six names.

Hui Cong did not have any objection, he summoned these thirty-six Shaolin monks, and told them that Hui Ming Chanshi was going to take over the head administrator position of the Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai, he exhorted them to accompany him, to protect the Buddhist teaching and maintain orders, to obey Hui Ming Chanshi's instruction, and not to go against him.

Early in the morning the next day, accompanied by thirty-six monks, Wei Xiaobao took his leave from the Abbot and the others. When they reach the foot of the mountain, he went alone to see Shuang'er.

Shuang'er had been boarding at a commoner's home, and had not seen him for more than half a year. At the first glance, she was both surprised and happy. Although she had heard from Zhang Kangnian that her master was becoming a monk in Shaolin Temple, and had cried for him countless times, when with her own eyes she saw his bald head and his monk robe, she could not bear not to cry again.

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, ”Good Shuang'er, why are you crying? You are upset because I have not come to visit you these many days, aren't you?”

”No … it's not that,” Shuang'er replied, ”You … you … Xianggong has left home …”

Wei Xiaobao pulled her right hand and lifted it up; he gently kissed the back of her hand. He laughed and said, ”Silly girl, Xianggong did not become a monk for real.” Shuang'er was happy and bashful at the same time, even her ears had turned red.

Wei Xiaobao examined her face carefully; he noticed that she looked wan and sallow, she looked a lit thinner, but she had grown a bit taller, bringing out the grown-up gracefulness in her, she looked even more delicate and pretty. Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, ”Did you lose weight? You were thinking about me every day, weren't you?” Shuang'er blushed even deeper. She wanted to shake her head, but she lowered her head slowly instead.

”Alright,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Quickly change into your boy's clothes and come with me.” Shuang'er was greatly delighted. Without asking any question she immediately changed into men's clothing and disguised herself as a young attendant.

Their journey does not need to be narrated. One day they arrived at the foot of Mount Wutai. They were just about to climb the mountain when they saw four monks coming down to meet them. The old monk at the front put his palms together and asked, ”Are you all Shifus from Shaolin Temple?”

Wei Xiaobao nodded. The old monk said, ”And I suppose you are the Chanshi whose Buddhist title is Hui at the top and Ming at the bottom?” Wei Xiaobao nodded again.

The four monks dropped down on their knees immediately and said, ”Knowing that Chanshi is coming to administer Qingliang, the monks cannot contain our happiness and have been waiting at the foot of the mountain for many days.”

Since Cheng Guang had returned to Shaolin Temple, Qingliang Temple was administered by the old monk Fa Sheng. Kangxi had separately dispatch people to proclaim a secret imperial decree to Fa Sheng, transferring him to Ciyun Temple [lit. compassionate cloud] in Chang'an [modern day Xi'an] to be the head administrator there. He was to leave as soon as the Shaolin monks arrived. Ciyun Temple of Chang'an was a lot bigger than Qingliang Temple. Fa Sheng was very happy, he sent these four monks to wait at the foot of Mount Wutai.

When Wei Xiaobao and his party arrived at Qingliang Temple, Fa Sheng immediately performed the ceremony of handing over the administrator duty. All the monks came to pay their respect, only Yulin, Xing Chi and Xing Dian, three monks did not personally come. Yulin only wrote a short letter to pay their respect to the new head monk.

Fa Sheng went down the mountain the next day, heading west toward Chang'an. Now Wei Xiaobao was officially the head of Qingliang Temple. Fortunately there were Cheng Guan and the other monks who at any time gave him directions on all kinds of ceremonial protocol and compass and set square. As a little monk assuming the role of the Abbot, he must emulate the manner of an abbot, and must not make any mistake.

When Wei Xiaobao and Shuang'er drove off the enemies coming to attack Qingliang Temple the other day, they saved the lives of the monks in the Temple, all the monks knew it in their hearts. Now that he suddenly left home to become a monk, and came to Qingliang Temple to be the head monk, they were all baffled, yet since he had shown kindness to their Temple, everybody showed their gratitude by serving him. Wei Xiaobao ordered Shuang'er to live in a small hut outside the Temple, so that she would be just a shout away.

Since the most important mission for him in coming to be the head administrator of Qingliang Temple was to thoroughly protect the Old Emperor, he inquired from the monk on duty and found out that Yulin, Xing Chi and Xing Dian, three monks still lived in a small vihara behind the mountain. He did not go to disturb them, only after discussing it over with Cheng Xin Dashi, he sent people to separately build four thatched hut about half a li on the east, west, south and north of the vihara, and assigned eight Shaolin monks to take turn on guard duty in the thatched huts.

All things were settled, the only thing he had to do was painstakingly waiting for Zhang Kangnian and Zhao Qixian's letter, he was dying to know that girl in green's name and surname, and her background. Yet after waiting for several months unexpectedly there was no news at all. In his loneliness, he sparred with Cheng Guan, treated the old monk as 'that female benefactor'. Occasionally he would slip out to the little cottage to talk and joke with Shuang'er, to stroke her small hands. Sometimes he thought, ”I have taken Hong Jiaozhu's 'leopard embryo tendon altering pill'. If within a year I did not deliver a copy of sutra to the Divine Dragon Island, the poison might flare-up then it won't be fun. Come to think about it, only several months left. If I turn into an old and stupid man, I would look like Cheng Guan Shizhi. And then when that green-clothed wife of mine sees me, she would call me the 'oily-mouthed and smooth talker old monk'. Worse yet, she would cut a piece of green cloth from her skirt and have me wear it on my head as a hat, that won't be good at all!”

[33] One day he was overcome with boredom, so he went alone wandering about aimlessly on Mount Wutai; the only thing in his mind was that girl in green. He arrived at the bank of a mountain creek, and saw a weeping willow continuously swaying in the wind. ”If this willow tree is that green-clothed wife of mine, naturally laozi would not show any politeness, I would step forward and hug her. She would definitely be unwilling, and use Kunlun Pai's move 'thousand rocks vying to be the most beautiful', sending me a succession of palm strikes. That's nothing, laozi will use the move 'going begging from door to door', to ward off her strike with poise. Cheng Guan Shizhi says that this move should be executed in such a way that the heavy will seem light, with the poise of famous, orthodox martial art school. Laozi lifts heavy stuff as heavy and light stuffs as light, why do I care about damn famous or secretive, orthodox or heretical sect? Once I launch this move, I will follow it up with 'holding the pearl of wisdom'; left hand grabs her left hand, right hand grabs her right hand, and firmly hold on to her, even if my head is chopped, I won't let her go …”

He was happily fantasizing, and thus his hands moved in the style he was thinking about, 'puff, puff', he grabbed two willow branches, one on each hand, and using all his strength he firmly hold on to the branches.

Suddenly he heard a deep and gruff voice of a man, saying, ”Look at this little monk putting an act!”

Wei Xiaobao was startled; when he looked up, he saw three lamas wearing red clothes. They were walking toward him while gesticulating, chatting and laughing. Wei Xiaobao blushed, in that instant he thought that his heart's content had been seen by those lamas. The Grand Abbot of majestic Qingliang Temple at a desolate, uninhabited part of the mountain was thinking of grabbing a beautiful girl, in all honesty it was too embarrassing. He turned around and left at once.

When he rounded a bend, he saw several more lamas walking straight toward him. There were so many temples of Tibetan Buddhism on Mount Wutai, Wei Xiaobao gave them no thought. Only because of what happened just now he was unwilling to meet with them. Turning his head around, he was pretending to enjoy the scenery, letting those lamas to pass behind him.

He heard one of the lamas said, ”The order from above says that no matter what we must climb up Mount Wutai before wushi hour [between 11am-1pm]; it sounds so urgent. But there is nothing fun to do on Mount Wutai, could it be only a joke?”

Another lama said, ”Our superior has made this arrangement, it must be for a reason. You just hate to part with that Datong town's girl, don't you?”

Wei Xiaobao took no notice; on the contrary, he had a favorable impression on them, he thought, ”Those lamas drink wine and stroll around the pleasure house, at least they are not hypocrites. If laozi really want to leave home, I want to be a lama, not a monk.”

Back at Qingliang Temple, he saw Cheng Tong was waiting at the mountain gate. As soon as he saw Wei Xiaobao, immediately he met him and said in a low voice, ”Shishu, I think something is going on.”

Looking at his serious expression, Wei Xiaobao hastily asked, ”What happened?”

Cheng Tong beckoned, asking him to follow him along several stone steps toward a small peak at the side of the Temple. Wei Xiaobao took a glance, and saw on the south side there were countless yellow dots all around. He focused his eyes and saw that the spots were actually lamas wearing yellow robes. If not a thousand, there were at least nine hundreds of them, forming groups of three to five, scattered around the bushes and mountain rocks.

Wei Xiaobao jumped in fright. ”That many lamas!” he said, ”What are they doing?”

Cheng Tong pointed to the west and said, ”There are some more over there.”

Wei Xiaobao quickly looked to the west. Sure enough, he saw thousands of lamas. They were either standing or sitting in groups. The sun was shining from east to west, white light flickered, those lamas were all bringing weapons. Wei Xiaobao was even more shocked. ”They are carrying weapons,” he said, ”Could it be … could it be …” he looked at Cheng Tong.

Cheng Tong slowly nodded and said, ”Shizhi's guess is: it looks that way.”

Wei Xiaobao turned his gaze to the north and then to the east; each sides had several hundreds lamas. When he looked more carefully, he noticed that in each group of lamas, there was one wearing deeper yellow kasaya; those must be the leaders. ”His granny,” Wei Xiaobao swore, ”There must be at least four, five thousand men.”

Cheng Tong said, ”One hundred twenty five leaders, altogether there are three thousand two hundred and eighty lamas.”

”Good for you,” Wei Xiaobao praised, ”How did you count that clearly?”

”What should we do?” Cheng Tong asked.

Wei Xiaobao did not answer. Meeting difficulty face-to-face, lying and deceiving, slipping away from danger, Wei Xiaobao was an expert in all those things. But now the enemy had assembled more than three thousand men, surrounding them from every direction; evidently, it was the result of meticulous planning. As for how to handle them, he did not have the slightest idea. Hearing Cheng Tong's question, he asked back, ”What should we do?”

Cheng Tong said, ”It seems to me that the enemy's intention is to snatch away Xing Chi Dashi. Most likely they are waiting for the darkness, and then they will launch a four-way attack.”

”Why are they waiting for the darkness?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

Cheng Tong replied, ”On Mount Wutai, the yellow monasteries of the lamas are always in good relationship with our green Central Plains' monasteries. Our green temples have many monasteries and many monks: the ten big monasteries on the platform's peaks, the big monasteries outside the platform

[34]. Although the lamas of yellow monasteries are overbearing, they won't dare to push around. If they attack in bright day light, it will undoubtedly give rise to all green monasteries' support.”

”In that case we'd better send people out immediately to notify the administrators of all the green monasteries,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Ask them to send great number of monks, we will fight these lamas to the death. Tell them also: Monks of Mount Wutai to arm ourselves, the monks of green monasteries are in war with the lamas.”

Cheng Tong shook his head and said, ”About 80-90% of the monks of green monasteries of Mount Wutai do not know martial art. Those who do, their skill are only so-so, I haven't heard about anybody with superior skill.”

”So they are not willing to lend a hand?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

”I don't believe anybody will be unwilling,” Cheng Tong said, ”But I am afraid that they will only deliver their lives in vain.”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”Are you telling me that we just surrender like that?” His fighting spirit was not always strong, whenever he thought that he would not be able to defeat the opponent, he would immediately think about surrendering.

”Whether we are surrendering or not, it's not important,” Cheng Tong said, ”But Xing Chi Dashi will undoubtedly be captured by them.”

Wei Xiaobao carefully considered, ”I wonder if Shaolin monks know the real status of Xing Chi Dashi.” Thereupon he asked, ”They carried out a large-scale operation to capture Xing Chi Dashi previously, in the end, what was their intention? Several months ago they had come here once, it was fortunate enough that several good friends scared them off that they retreated. This time their number is actually much greater.”

Cheng Tong hesitatingly said, ”Xing Chi Dashi must be a person with a long history behind him. If he is not involved in the prosperity and decline of the Wulin world of Central Plains, then he must have a significant correlation with the struggle between the green and yellow monasteries. Cheng Xin Shixiong has never mentioned anything about the affairs of the Central Plains. Since Shishu does not know about it, much less we.”

Wei Xiaobao remembered that he had with him the imperial note written with the Emperor's personal handwriting; he could dispatch civil and military officials. He said, ”The matter at hand is urgent, although our Shaolin monks' martial art skill is superior, the few are no match for the many. How can our thirty seven monks fight more than three thousand lamas? I must go down the mountain to seek for help.”

”I am afraid distant water cannot quench nearby fire,” Cheng Tong said.

”Then we escort Xing Chi Dashi to break through their encirclement,” Wei Xiaobao said.

Cheng Tong nodded. ”Looks like that's the only way,” he said, ”It's impossible for our thirty seven Shaolin monks plus Shishu's attendant to ward off more than three thousand lamas; but to rush through a gap in their midst is actually not too difficult.”

”My only fear is that Xing Chi Dashi and his Shifu Yulin Dashi are not willing,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”They said life and death are just the same, escape or not does not make any difference.”

Cheng Tong frowned and said, ”For that, we must ask Shishu to persuade.”

Wei Xiaobao shook his head and said, ”Persuading Xing Chi Dashi, I can still think of a way, but persuading that old monk Yulin, laozi admit defeat. It is called 'the cat pulling a tortoise', there's nowhere I can put my mouth at.”

Looking down, he saw the lamas were scattered everywhere, seemingly in disorder and at random, but they were actually evenly distributed; the pathways up the mountain, down the mountain, were all packed with people. As soon as it was dark, these three thousand lamas would swarm up, the monks of Qingliang Temple could only cry out, ”Buddha have mercy.”

”Damn it,” he mused, ”Why did I become a monk? If I was a lama, won't I be joyfully satisfied right now, without the slightest bit of load on my mind? Not to mention eating meat and strolling the pleasure house in normal time.”

As soon as he thought about 'strolling the pleasure house', it was as if a divine light flashing in his mind, he had an idea. Immediately he calmed down and said, ”I am going back to my meditation room to have some damn sleep.” Cheng Tong was stunned; he stared at him with eyes open wide. Wei Xiaobao ignored him, without saying anything he went down the peak and returned to the Temple into his room.

Not too long afterwards, Cheng Xin, Cheng Guan, Cheng Guang and Cheng Tong, four monks came to see him. Wei Xiaobao let the four of them into his room. He noticed that all four of them had alarmed and frightened expression. He stretched and yawned, before languidly asked, ”Gentlemen, what is it?”

Cheng Xin said, ”The lamas have gathered down the mountain, obviously they have ill-intention toward our Temple, I wish to hear Fangzhang Shishu's [abbot martial uncle] plan on how to deal with them.”

”I have thought about it for half a day,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”And have not come up with any good plan; therefore, I decided to go to sleep. We are all doomed anyway, we'd better resign to adversity. The blade comes, the neck receives. Other people's blades chop down, we use our necks to meet them head on, we need to see whether their blades are sharp enough to chop into our necks.”

Cheng Xin and the others, three monks, knew that he was blathering nonsense, but Cheng Guan thought he was serious; he said, ”Those lamas' blades look really sharp, I don't think our necks can withstand. Shishu, those who have left homes stand aloof from worldly affairs, resign ourselves to adversity; that is actually the truth. But 'the blade comes, the neck receives' is a bit too much. In the past, even Damo Zushi [ancestor master] did not teach us to suffer the blade without fighting back. Otherwise, why would we learn martial art?”

Wei Xiaobao nodded, ”So in Cheng Guan Shizhi's opinion, 'the blade comes, the neck receives' is incorrect?” he asked.

”It is,” Cheng Guan replied, ”But if 'the fist comes, the chest receives; the kick comes, the abdomen receives', that's still alright.” His internal energy was profound, when the opponent punched or kicked, he did not need to fight back, all he needed to do was to direct his internal strength, and the opponent's fist or foot would bounce back.

Wei Xiaobao said, ”Those lamas are carrying jiedao and chanzhang

[35]; I wonder if there is a way for us to ward them off without using any weapon?”

Cheng Guan was taken aback. ”I am afraid those lamas won't listen to reason,” he said, ”Asking them to lay down the butcher knife is not a 'dawn to dusk' type of merit.”

”That's difficult,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”I wonder what excellent plan four Shizhi might have.”

Cheng Xin said, ”The only plan for now is that for everybody to protect Yulin, Xing Chi, Xing Dian, three men, and rush out by exploiting a loophole. Their only target is to capture Xing Chi Dashi, the rest of the monks in the Temple do not know martial art, surely those lamas will not harm them.”

”Altright,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Let's go talk to those three old monks.” Leading the four monks, he went to the small vihara at the back of the mountain.

A young apprentice monk announced their arrival. As Yulin and the others heard that the head monk had arrived, they went out the door to receive them. When they saw him, Yulin, Xing Chi and Xing Dian were greatly surprised. The three monks only heard that the new head monk Hui Ming Chanshi was Shaolin Temple's Abbot Hui Cong's martial brother, a very young eminent monk, but they did not expect it to be him. Yulin and Xing Chi immediately understood that it must be the Emperor who arranged all these, with the purpose of protecting his father.

Buddhist's customs was very strict, the head monk was the master of the monastery, Yulin and the others immediately paid their respect. Wei Xiaobao respectfully returned the propriety, and then they all went into the meditation room together. Yulin invited him to sit on the middle putuan

[36], while the remaining monks stood on either side.

Wei Xiaobao was very happy in his heart, ”Laozi sits in the middle, the Old Emperor stands at the side to wait upon me; even the young emperor does not have this kind of awe-inspiring authority.” Trying hard to suppress his smiling face, he said, ”Yulin Dashi, Xing Chi Dashi, please sit down.” Yulin and Xing Chi sat down.

Yulin said, ”Fangzhang Dashi is the head monk of Qingliang, for us Xiao Seng [little monk] to pay our respect to our superior, Fangzhang has to toil your honorable self to personally pay a visit, indeed our hearts are disturbed.”

”You are too kind,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Xiao Na [little cassock] knew that the three of you did not like others to disturb you, for this reason I have not come to see you thus far. If not for today we have an important matter, Xiao Na would still not come here.” He often heard old monks referring to themselves as Lao Na [old cassock]; thinking that since he was young, he should refer to himself as Xiao Na. The other monks heard him having a weird idea, fabricating a way to refer to himself, they were secretly amused.

”Yes,” Yulin said; but he did not ask what the important matter was.

”Cheng Guang Shizhi,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Would you please tell the three gentlemen?”

Yulin knew that the knew head monk had a Buddhist title 'Hui Ming', and he knew that in Shaolin Temple, the 'Hui' generation was one generation higher than the 'Cheng' generation, yet he was still stunned to see that this young, cunning and glib monk addressed the former head monk of their temple, the stately and benevolent, virtuous old monk as 'martial nephew'.

Cheng Guang respectfully complied, and then explained the situation of their temple, how it had been heavily besieged by several thousand of lamas. Yulin closed his eyes to think for half a day; finally he opened his eyes and asked, ”May I ask Fangzhang Dashi, what is your plan to deal with it?”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”These lamas are either sitting down or standing up, they are merely enjoying the scenery, they have no other intention. The scenery here is clear and elegant, they come here on scenic tour [orig. roaming the mountain playing (on) the water], that is all.”

Xing Dian could not bear not to speak up, ”If they are enjoying the beauty of nature, they can't be surrounding our Temple, and did not leave for several hours. They must be here to capture Xing Chi Shixiong.”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”Xiao Na thought that all the green and yellow temples under the heavens are disciples and family of our Buddha, if they wanted to invite Xing Chi Dashi, it must be because they are in admiration the three Dashi's profound Dharma [the teachings of Buddha], and thus are inviting you to go to lama monastery to preach the sutra. Perhaps those lamas admire our Central Earth's Dharma, perhaps they don't want to be lamas anymore but to be monks; won't that be an excellent opportunity?”

Xing Dian repeatedly shook his head, ”Maybe not, maybe not,” he said.

”Fangzhang Shishu,” Cheng Guan said, ”If that's the case, why are they bringing weapons?”

Wei Xiaobao put his palms together and said, ”They brought chanzhang and jiedao, looking so fierce and imposing, perhaps they want to kill the head of our Temple's monks. Buddha said, 'If I don't go to hell, who would go to hell?' We will have the attitude 'the blade comes, the neck receives', this is called 'if I don't let others chop my head, who would be chopped by others?'. No life no perishes, no disgrace no purity. When there's life, there will be death, when there's head, there will be beheading. Buddha has three virtues: great determination, great wisdom, great sorrow. The lamas came with blades, we do not hear we do not see, we do not care we do not know. This is the great determination. They raise their blade to chop, we regard their blades as emptiness, the emptiness as the blades. This is the great wisdom. The blades chop down, chopping all our bald heads off, everybody perishes. This is the great sorrow.” He had lived in monasteries for a long time, and had heard quite a lot of Buddhist sutra being preached, thereupon he talked nonsense unguardedly.

”Fangzhang Shishu,” Cheng Guan said, ”I am afraid the 'sorrow' of the Great Sorrow refers to merciful sorrow, not grieving sorrow.”

Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, ”Shizhi is right. Remember that our Buddha cut his own flesh to feed a hawk, giving his own life to raise a tiger; it was indeed great compassion and great sorrow. Although those lamas are fierce and uncontrollable, compared to vicious hawk and fierce tiger they are somewhat better. If we give our lives for the sake of those wicked lamas, we are also showing 'great compassion and great sorrow' intention.”

Cheng Guan put his palms together, ”Shishu is amazingly intelligent, I am full of admiration.”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”Yulin Dashi has once said, 'Those who have left homes stand aloof from worldly affairs, resign themselves to adversity, if Qing Liang Temple is really facing a misfortune, we'll leave it to fate to escape from calamity'. We will pass away together under the wicked lamas' blades, we will go together to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It will be a lively journey, it must be very interesting.”

The monks looked at each other in dismay. They all thought that although Wei Xiaobao's words sound reasonable, all in all he adhered to old ideas too much. Perhaps it was due to misinterpretation of the Buddhist doctrine. Cheng Xin and Cheng Tong felt that these words were completely incompatible with the way he usually talked. They suspected that he was simply making ironic remark; most probably he wanted to incite Yulin and Xing Chi to speak up, asking for help on their own accord. Cheng Guan was the only one who believed without any doubt; he sighed in admiration delightedly.

The monks were silent for half a day. Suddenly Xing Dian loudly said, ”Shifu once said that the Tibetan Lamas want to capture Shixiong because they want to oppress and harm common people, to take possession of our beautiful world. Our own life or death is not important, but millions of common people will be bullied and oppressed by them, won't it be an enormous guilt for us? Shifu once said that we must never let them commit outrages like that.”

Wei Xiaobao nodded and said, ”Shixiong's words are very rational; compared to what Xiao Na has just said, you are one level higher. It's just that the lamas' power right now is too great, I am afraid we are heavily outnumbered.”

Xing Dian said, ”Protecting Shifu, Shixiong, we break through their lines. I believe those lamas won't be able to stop us.”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”I am afraid in the battle we will inevitably kill and injure those lamas. Amitabha, our Buddha is virtuous, saving one person's life is better than building a seven-floor pagoda; killing one life is like demolishing an eight-floor pagoda. Among various Buddhist monastic disciplines, the first one is abstaining from taking life. What should we do?”

Xing Dian said, ”It is they who want to take life, we are compelled by circumstances and have to strive to defend ourselves. Naturally it would be best if we can avoid killing people, but we can't simply helplessly let our hands tied and waiting for death.”

Suddenly there were footsteps outside the door, Shaolin monk Cheng Jue quickly walked in and said, ”Reporting to Fangzhang Shishu: the crowd of lamas down the mountain has just gone uphill, they advanced for about a hundred zhang [approx. 1000ft/300m] and then stopped.”

”Why did they advance halfway and then stopped?” Wei Xiaobao wondered, ”Perhaps they suddenly received our Buddha's guidance that they repent and understood the truth about turning around and reach the shore.”

”No, no,” Xing Dian loudly said, ”They are simply waiting for darkness; and then in a spurt of energy they will break in.” In the years past, he was a general of the Plain Yellow Banner, who had fought many battles when they were entering the Pass. He understood military strategy very well. Later on he became the commander [orig. zong guan – chief manager] of Shunzhi's Imperial Bodyguards.

Wei Xiaobao said, ”When they enter our Temple's Hall of Great Strength and see our Buddha Tathagata's stately treasured image, they will suddenly hang … hang something and reining their horses, or something like that.”

Xing Dian angrily said, ”You, Xiao Fangzhang, you are really si … si …, ay, that's impossible.” He was going to say 'really silly', but in the end thought that he should not be rude to the Abbot; the word was already at the tip of his tongue, but he was able to 'rein the horse at the edge of the precipice'.

All along Yulin had been silent, listening to the debate; seeing the bulging blue veins on Xing Dian's forehead, while his voice was getting louder, he smiled and said, ”Xing Dian, you are the silly one; Fangzhang Dashi has already held the pearl of wisdom, he has the 'success bamboo' in his heart. Why are you worried too much?”

Xing Dian was startled. ”Ah,” he said, ”Turns out Fangzhang Dashi already has brilliant scheme.”

Showing a worried expression Wei Xiaobao said, ”Brilliant scheme, that I do not have. The thirty-sixth stratagem: escape; since everybody agrees that we should break through, then let us break through! It's just that unless we do not have any choice, we must not harm people's lives too much.” Xing Dian, Cheng Xin and the others voiced their agreement.

Wei Xiaobao said, ”In that case, let us get ready; we'll wait for the dark, before they make their move, we'll dash down the mountain, toward the east to Fuping county seat. Even if these lamas were more vicious than this, they won't dare to attack the county seat openly.” Again Xing Dian and the others voiced their approval.

Suddenly Xing Chi said, ”I am the unlucky one. Last time several lives were lost for my sake. Even if this time we can escape disaster, they will never give up and put this matter down. There will be many more lives lost, there will be no end to this.”

”Shixiong,” Xing Dian said, ”These evil lamas want to abduct you to cruelly devastate common people under the heavens.”

Xing Chi sighed and said, ”I am the embryo of misfortune of the world; when they arrive here, I will set myself on fire, let them henceforth lose heart, and that's the end.”

Xing Dian anxiously said, ”Your … your … no, Shixiong, you must never do that. Let me burn myself on your behalf.” [He was going to say 'your majesty' – huang shang.] Xing Chi smiled and said, ”You want to burn yourself on my behalf? What's the use? They only want me, to force me into submission. That's all.”

The monks were silent for half a day. Yulin finally said, ”Shanzai, shanzai

[37]! Xing Chi has become aware of the Great Way. This is indeed the real meaning of what Buddha has said, 'If I don't enter the hell, who would enter the hell?'”

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his heart, ”Stinky monk, so what he said is the real meaning, and what I said was the fake meaing?”

Yulin continued, ”When those lamas arrive, Lao Na and Xing Chi will set ourselves on fire together. Fangzhang Dashi and numerous Shixiong must not stop us.”

Wei Xiaobao and the other monks looked at each other in dismay; they were all dumbstruck.

Xing Chi slowly said, ”When we besieged towns and took over lands in the past, all living creatures were turned to coal; Xiao Seng should have been dead a hundred times to redeem the atrocity. Today I can give my life for the common people, it is merely to compensate the past sin. If for Xiao Seng's sake the battle continues, many more lives are harmed, it will only add to my guilt. I have made up my mind, I am asking gentlemen to protect and support me to fulfill this destiny. If by doing this I can reform the lamas, transforming the wicked to virtue, this indeed is a good deed.” While saying that, he stood up, and bowed and put his palms together toward Wei Xiaobao and the other five Shaolin monks.

Looking at his expression, Cheng Xin and the others knew that his mind was firmly set, it would be difficult to persuade him; therefore, they had no choice but to take their leave and return to Wenshu

[38] Hall. Wei Xiaobao summoned all thirty-six Shaolin monks to discuss this matter. All the monks agreed that they must not allow the two masters to set themselves on fire; if things had come to a head, they would have to use force to stop them.

”We are all in agreement that we must protect the three masters completely, are we not?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

”Yes!” all the monks replied.

Wei Xiaobao said, ”That's not difficult. Listen to me: all thirty-six of you rush out the Temple, attack the east side together, pretend that you want to break the siege and escape down the mountain, but since it is difficult, you have to retreat back to the Temple. However, while doing that, capture forty or fifty lamas and bring them up here.”

”I wonder if Fangzhang wants to use these lamas as hostage, so that they will not dare to act rashly,” Cheng Xin said, ”If that's the case, we might as well capture the lamas with high position; the higher the better.”

”I am afraid it won't be easy to capture big lamas,” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Inevitably we will kill and injure too many people. Capturing several dozen lamas is enough.” The monks were unclear of his intention, but since the Abbot had issued an order, they had to follow it and went out of the Temple.

Not too long afterwards, Wei Xiaobao heard loud commotion coming from the waist of the mountain. He stood on the drum tower to watch, and saw the thirty-six Shaolin monks were charging into the crowd of lamas. The blades flickered, the battle had begun.

These thirty-six monks were Shaolin Temple's martial art masters, naturally any regular lama was not their match. After rushing out for several dozen zhang, the number of lamas blocking their way was growing exponentially. Cheng Xin and the others moved their fists to punch, their feet to kick, their palms to slap, and their fingers to jab; in an instant they had overthrown several dozen men. In a loud voice Cheng Xin shouted, ”The enemy is too powerful, we can't go through them, let's go back to the Temple for the time being and talk it over.” His internal energy was deep, his voice travelled far and echoed on the valley.

Cheng Tong also called out, ”We can't go through, what should we do?”

Cheng Xin shouted, ”Everybody grab a lama and go back, we must teach them not to act rashly and randomly harm other people.” The monks grabbed the lamas, some caught two by carrying them in their arms, some caught one by carrying them over their shoulders; together they retreated to the Temple. Cheng Xin and Cheng Guang brought up the rear, they sealed several more people's acupoints. They heard from the back of the lamas someone shouted an order in Tibetan. The crowd of lamas was shouting, yelling, cursing, but nobody ran after them.

Grinning from ear to ear, Wei Xiaobao ran to the gate to meet them. Upon counting the prisoners, he found that they had captured forty-seven lamas. Returning to Wenshu Hall, Wei Xiaobao said, ”Strip these fellows naked, each one to have his eighteen acupoints sealed, and lock them up in the firewood shed at the backyard.”

The monks all felt that their Abbot's order was a profound mystery. They stripped the forty-seven lamas naked, and sealed their acupoints, and locked them up inside the firewood room.

Wei Xiaobao put his palms together and said, ”Everything in the world is empty, everything is nothingness, no self, no people, no monk, no lama. Emptiness is real, realism is empty. Monk is lama, lama is monk. All Shizhi, I want you to take off your cassock, and put on these lama robes!”

All the monks were stunned; they looked at each other in dismay. Wei Xiaobao called out loudly, ”Shuang'er, come here. Help me dress as a young lama.” Shuang'er had been waiting outside the hall, she immediately came in. Rummaging through the stack, she found the smallest lama's robe, and helped him to change. Wei Xiaobao was short; the robe he wore was still too big, so he pulled his dagger and cut a section each off the lower part of the robe and the sleeves. He tied his robe on the waist and forced a lama hat onto his head, and thus turned into a young lama. He said to Shuang'er, ”You also have to dress as a young lama.”

Cheng Guang asked, ”Shishu wants us to dress as lamas, I wonder what your intention is.”

Cheng Guan said, ”Could it be that we are going to surrender to the lamas and join their yellow monasteries?”

”Absolutely not!” Wei Xiaobao said, ”Everybody dresses as a lama, we go to the little vihara at the back of the mountain, and seize Yulin, Xing Chi and Xing Dian, three monks, and seal their acupoints. And then we force them to change into lama attire …”

Listening to here, Cheng Tong clapped his hands and laughed. He said, ”Ingenious plan, ingenious plan! Several dozens of us, fake lamas, rushing down the mountain in the middle of the night, those lamas will have difficult time in distinguishing the real from the fake, hence it will be difficult for them to stop us.”

The rest of the monks also exclaimed in praise, immediately smile spread across their faces. Naturally nobody guessed that Wei Xiaobao's ingenious plan was merely a repeat of the trick he played the other day by disguising himself as a prostitute to escape the great disaster.

Cheng Xin said, ”This way we can rush out without too much killing and injuring; this is the best plan.”

Cheng Guang hesitantly said, ”It's just that we are going to offend Xing Chi Dashi and the others, three masters; it is rather disrespectful.”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”Amitabha, saving three lives surpasses building a three by seven, twenty-one level Buddhist stupa. Tiny offense is better than burning themselves in a raging inferno.”

”Shishu is right,” Cheng Guang said.

Immediately the monks took off their monk robes and changed into lama attire. In all their lives, these monks had always adhered strictly to Buddhist monastic discipline, they always acted stern and dignified, yet this time they had to follow Wei Xiaobao fooling around. Seeing that after putting on lama clothing their appearances looked weird, they all could not bear feeling amused.

Wei Xiaobao said, ”You all must wrap your monk robe into a bundle and carry it with you. We'll change back after we escape. After we dash out down the mountain, if we are separated, well meet again at the Jixiang Temple in Fuping County.” He told Shuang'er to pack their money and other belongings, made it into a bundle and carried it on her back.

When the sky turned black, Wei Xiaobao said, ”Let us smear some dust on our faces, and each one has to carry a bucket of water. Let's move!”

Hearing the religious edict, the monks received it happily, and execute the order to the letter: immediately they smeared dust onto their faces, took a bucket of water and his weapon, and rushed toward the back of the mountain.

Arriving outside the small vihara, the monks babbled loudly and charged into the vihara. Yulin, Xing Chi and Xing Dian, three men, had determined to burn themselves. They piled up firewood in the middle of the courtyard, and drenched themselves with sesame oil. They only waited for the lamas' arrival, to explain the purpose of their self-burning, and then they would ignite the fire. Who would have thought that the 'lamas' arrived so suddenly, without the least bit of forewarning? As soon as they heard the strange 'wulu wulu huacha huacha' shouts, which sounded like Tibetan, but not quite like Tibetan, dozens of lamas had already crashed into the vihara.

In a loud and clear voice Yulin said, ”Gentlemen, please wait a bit, Lao Na has something to say …” Suddenly his head was drenched by a bucket of cold water, followed by several dozen buckets of cold water, one after another, were splashed onto the three of them.

It happened so quickly that not only the three of them did not have time to light the fire to burn themselves, even if they did, the fire would be quickly extinguished by the pouring of the water.

Shuang'er leaped to seal Xing Dian's acupoint first. Xing Chi did not know martial art; Yulin's martial art skill was not weak, but he was unwilling to fight back. In that confusion, their acupoints were quickly sealed. The monks quickly moved their hands and feet, they stripped the three monks, and put the lamas' robe on. Wei Xiaobao was thinking of pretending to speak Tibetan by uttering some gibberish words, but he was afraid Yulin might recognize his voice; thereupon he restrained himself. He pursed his lips toward Shuang'er to signal her, she fetched a candlestick and lighted the firewood piled in the middle of the courtyard. Wei Xiaobao saw Xing Dian's golden pestle lying on the floor at the corner of the room, he thought he would take it away, but to his surprise the golden pestle was very heavy, unexpectedly he could not even lift it up. Cheng Tong reached down and picked it up. Wei Xiaobao waved his hand, the monks rushed down the mountain eastwards, with Xing Chi, three monks, protected in the middle.

They were rushing only for several dozen zhang when the black smoke and the blaze from the small vihara shot up to the sky. The big pile of firewood had also been drenched with sesame oil that it was so easy to catch fire.

Halfway up the mountain, the lamas had also seen the fire, they shouted and yelling in alarm, immediately there was confusion everywhere. The leader of the lamas sent his men to fight the fire. Under the flame light they saw Wei Xiaobao and the monks, but they thought they were their own people. In the confusion, who had the thought of stopping and interrogating these people?

The monks reached the bottom of the mountain. After leaving the lamas a great distance behind them, they turned their head around and looked up toward the mountain. They saw the blaze illuminated the sky, the small vihara had been burned to the top of its roof. Cheng Tong said, ”Once the small vihara is burned down, they will never find Xing Chi Dashi. They must have thought that he was burned to death inside the vihara, and thus they will lose heart and will not come to create trouble anymore. This is a very good deed indeed.”

Cheng Guang nodded and said, ”What Shidi has said is very true.”

Wei Xiaobao asked Cheng Guan to unseal Xing Chi and the other two monks' acupoints. He said, ”We have offended you too much, please do not blame us.”

Xing Chi and the others had their acupoints sealed, they were unable to move a single step, yet their eyes and ears were open. Seeing what was going on around them, they had already understood it was the Shaolin monks who came to their rescue. Xing Dian cheered loudly, saying, ”Brilliant scheme, brilliant scheme! All of us escaped easily. Fangzhang Dashi, you have just saved our lives, we are grateful you did not come too late, who would want to blame you?”

Xing Chi was determined to disappear by committing suicide by fire. Xing Dian was loyal and devoted, he had to accompany his master in death, but in his heart he was not really willing to die like this. Now that they escaped the great catastrophe, he was extremely delighted.

Xing Chi smiled and said, ”We did not harm a single person in this matter, that is indeed remarkable.”

Suddenly they heard footsteps on the mountain road right in front of them, a large crowd of people were hurrying up the mountain. Cheng Tong said, ”Shishu, a large group of lamas is coming to attack.”

Wei Xiaobao said, ”We'll continue walking forward, we'll mumble some gibberish, and when we see them, show some smiling expression and point up the mountain. In short, do not fight with them.” The monks voiced their compliance, even Xing Chi and Yulin also nodded in agreement. In his heart Wei Xiaobao was very happy, ”The Old Emperor is following my order, even the Old Emperor's Shifu is also following my order.”

With Xing Chi in the middle, the crowd of monks rushed along the main road. They saw from the other side of a dip on the road a group of people was rushing their way. There were lanterns and torches in their hands; they were not lamas, but Buddhist pilgrims on their way to offer incense. There were yellow pouches hanging from their necks, on the pouches were written these characters: 'devoutly submitting incense' [or 'going on pilgrimage devotionally'] and so on.

When the group of Shaolin monks came near, both sides were equally surprised. Cheng Tong and the others had already stopped talking, but Cheng Guan and some others whose brains were quick started mumbling some gibberish in 'fake Tibetan'.

From among the pilgrims a man stepped out and shouted, ”What are you doing here?”

This man was tall and powerfully built, his voice was loud and clear. As soon as Wei Xiaobao saw him, he was greatly delighted, for he recognized the man as the Chief of the Imperial Bodyguards, Dolong. He rushed forward immediately and called out, ”Duo Dage [in Chinese, Dolong is spelled 'Duo Long'], look here, do you know who Xiao Di [little brother] is?”

Dolong was startled; he took a lantern from someone by his side and lifted it up to illuminate Wei Xiaobao's face.

Wei Xiaobao winked and him and burst into laughter. Dolong was surprised and delighted at the same time. ”It's … It's Wei Xiongdi,” he said, ”You … how come you are here? And dress as a young lama too?”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, ”And how come you are here?”

While they were talking, from behind Dolong a group of pilgrims rushed over, the leader of these pilgrims was actually Zhao Qixian. As soon as Wei Xiaobao saw them, he recognized the pilgrims to be imperial bodyguards in disguise; in fact, he knew most of these people. The bodyguards surrounded Wei Xiaobao, they talked and laughed in an intimate way.

In a low voice Wei Xiaobao asked Dolong, ”Did His Majesty send you here?”

Dolong also replied in low voice, ”His Majesty and Empress Dowager are going to Mount Wutai to burn incense; right now they are at the Lingjing Temple.”

Wei Xiaobao was pleasantly surprised. ”His Majesty is coming to Mount Wutai?” he asked, ”That's wonderful! That's wonderful!” While musing in his heart, ”And what does that Old wh0re come here for? The Old Emperor can't wait to kill her.”