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墨書 Inktalez
The sound of music surged like waves, crashing against Wu Kong's eardrums. He was already restless, and the commotion only heightened his impatience. With a somersault, he leaped over the intricately carved palace walls. To Wu Kong, the overlapping palaces felt as flat as the ground; he navigated through them effortlessly, his golden figure casting a fleeting light on the glazed tiles. Soon, he arrived at a resplendent hall filled with people, yet it was eerily silent, with only the bright yellow of the Dragon Robe standing out among the crowd.
Wu Kong concealed himself behind a carved beam, coldly observing everything happening below. He was curious to see what tricks this earthly emperor was up to.
The New Emperor sat upright, but there was no trace of imperial majesty on his face; instead, he resembled a frightened rabbit, his eyes darting around as if in fear. Suddenly, he slammed his palm on the dragon throne and hurled the "Imperial Tang Treasure Instruction" onto the floor, shouting furiously, "Absurd! Simply absurd!"
The ministers fell silent, not daring to breathe. The New Emperor had recently ascended to the throne and was known for his unpredictable temper; no one knew which words might provoke his wrath.
"I reviewed the 'Imperial Tang Treasure Instruction' yesterday and discovered that the monk Chen Xuanzang is a treacherous villain!" The New Emperor pointed at the book on the ground, spitting as he spoke. "It states that this monk uses his guise as a priest to deceive the late king, and all his disciples are monsters from Water Curtain Mountain Stream. Their staffs and wooden bowls are actually weapons meant for murder, intending to invade our territory forty years from now—he is indeed a great enemy!"
At this point, he seemed to recall something that filled him with dread; his voice trembled as he continued, "The book also mentions a Demonic Ape named Wu Kong who caused chaos in Heaven and sought to overthrow the Jade Emperor to establish himself as king. Fortunately, Buddha intervened and suppressed him. If that Demonic Ape dared to rebel against Heaven, how much more so would he against mere mortals?"
He suddenly stood up, pointing at the ministers and scolding them, "I see that monk has taken the Demonic Ape as his chief disciple—his intentions are treacherous! He aims to use the name of Journey to the West for his own nefarious purposes, leveraging the power of the Demonic Ape to strengthen himself and ultimately invade our Tang Dynasty! Every time I think of this, my heart races with fear! Today I shall dispatch General Zhao Chengwang to lead an army westward and execute that monk on the spot! As for his disciples, I will pardon their crimes and let them disperse to avoid further trouble!"
Hearing this, Wu Kong could not help but scoff internally. This foolish ruler was so terrified by a mere book that he dared to speak of taking his master's life! Just as he was about to reveal himself, someone stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Chen Xuanzang should not be killed; keeping him alive may prove useful! However, if you wish to eliminate him, it must be done by his own hand for him to truly submit! If done by another's hand, it may lead to complications!"
The speaker was none other than Li Kuang, who had met Wu Kong briefly before. Wu Kong silently nodded in approval; Li Kuang was indeed a wise man.
Upon hearing this advice, the New Emperor found it reasonable and ordered his men to open the treasury and retrieve various treasures: Flying Jiao Sword, Sword of King Wu, Jieshi Hook, Thunder Flower Spear, Five Cloud Precious Sword, Helm of the Black Horse, Silver Fish Armor, Flying Tiger Banner, Yao Shun Banner, Peach Blossom Axe, September Axe, Glass Moon Mirror Helmet, Flying Fish Red Gold Robe, Demon-Slaying Crystal Boots, Seven Star Fan among others. All these were packed into a brocade box along with a yellow silk edict and sent swiftly to Western Paradise for delivery to Great General of the Western Heavens: The Finisher and Seal Bearer Chen Xuanzang.
As soon as the emperor's edict was issued, all officials gasped in shock; this was no decree but rather an excessively flattering invitation. A dignified emperor had bowed so low before a monk—if word got out, what face would Tang Dynasty have left?
Yet the New Emperor remained oblivious; his eyes were fixed eagerly on the brocade box as if it contained not weapons but rather a long-desired war god. He imagined that monk in robes would be moved by his "sincerity," willingly shedding his monk's garb for armor and riding back into Chang'an on horseback with glory and killing intent before kneeling before him and proclaiming "Long live Your Majesty!"
"I want the whole world to know the might of my Tang Dynasty!" The emperor roared in his heart, as if possessed by a demon.
The imperial edict lay before him, the ink still wet, yet the words dripped with a nauseating hypocrisy and calculation.
To his own surprise, the emperor read the edict aloud, word by word. "General, your virtue is as pure as the green bamboo, and your integrity is as unwavering as the red strings of a zither. In days past, you patrolled the various lords, hastening to the Western Paradise. Everywhere you went, praises of your bravery and might flooded in, leaving the people of the Western Regions speechless in awe, even dimming the brilliance of the mirages at sea.
In this era of flourishing beauty and rich history in our dynasty, talents like you are truly rare. I have always held deep admiration for you. Whenever I hear the beautiful praises sung about you, I cannot help but gaze westward, feeling both comforted and slightly saddened. Now, with bandits scattered across the western lands and battle reports coming in frequently, perhaps it is heaven's will that has grown weary of war and separation; it is time for you to return.
Why not leap into the clear Yao Pool, lay down your wise sword, remove your black battle robe, and pour forth your wisdom and talents? May the vast forests be as tranquil as white silk, and may there be no more news of fires in the night. At that time, I hope this sincere letter can transform into the honor-laden reins on your warhorse. Today you wear silver armor and wield a decorated spear; perhaps tomorrow you can enjoy a peaceful old age within tranquil curtains.
As for the Copper Pillar Inscription on Kunlun Mountain, it may be difficult to capture your grand life in its entirety; who can compose a triumphant return ode for you beneath the splendid Yunxia that stretches like golden ropes across the sky? I hope you will think carefully about this. Moreover, I have long grown weary of those gaudy coral bows and jade arrows."
After finishing the last line, the emperor let out a long sigh, as if he had cast off a heavy burden. He slumped back onto his dragon throne, his face bearing a hint of sickly flush.
He then instructed his attendants to fetch the Longhu Festival from within the palace to present to the envoy. Upon receiving the imperial decree, the envoy grasped the Longhu Festival tightly while holding the seal and edict bestowed by the emperor. He rode off on a royal steed at full gallop, kicking up clouds of dust behind him, wishing he had two more legs to escape this place of strife sooner. Witnessing this scene, Wu Kong was greatly alarmed and thought to himself that something was amiss. He had intended to reveal himself to stop them but feared that doing so might alert others and endanger his master. Thus, he could only suppress his anger and watch helplessly as the envoy disappeared into the distance.
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