The monk replied, “He wanted five strings of cash. I offered him five hundred cash.”
Li Guoyuan said, “Five strings of cash is not so much.”
The monk said, “That was his first price. That did not mean anything. He actually wanted two strings of cash, and he would not go for anything less. I said, ‘Now you have come down a little. If you will take off a bit more, I will increase from the five hundred cash I offered. It is not very much cash either way, now.’ He still said he would not go for less.
“After that the bargaining broke up and we parted. I left that temple and went to the Big Buddha temple, and there I bumped into its Wei Tuo. He asked me where I was going. I said, ‘I have some business for you. Will you do it or not?’ He asked what it was. I replied that it was to go and do something. He asked, ‘Haven’t you talked to the Wei Tuo in your own temple about it?’ I explained that our Wei Tuo wanted too much money. The Big Buddha temple Wei Tuo wanted three strings of cash, and again I said I would give five hundred cash. Without blinking an eye he said, ‘I also will not come down on my price. If I do it for less, I will offend the other Wei Tuo.’ I said that if I spent more, it would be wrong, too. Because of this, we also parted.”
When Li Guoyuan heard that all of this had been fruitless, he asked what should be done.
The monk said, “Well, I kept on going until I came to the Purple Bamboo Forest. In the temple there, the Wei Tuo was so hungry that he was pounding on the entry screen in the gateway. He called to me as soon as he caught sight of me. As soon as I mentioned business, he said he wanted to do it. He said he would be here in just a little while, and he accepted my first offer as payment.”
Li Guoyuan asked, “When will he be here?”
The monk replied, “As soon as we have finished eating. Have the table set in the courtyard. As soon as I call, he will come.”
Li Guoyuan busily set about getting dinner out of the way, calling upon the household people to prepare whatever was needed and serve it in the courtyard.
The monk said, “There is no need to panic. In a twinkling of an eye, the stars will all be out, and at that time I will invite the Wei Tuo join us.”
At last the monk called out, “I am here, the monk Ji Dian from the West Lake Monastery of the Soul’s Retreat.”
The Wei Tuo had still not arrived, but after a little while they heard a shout that seemed to come from the air above.
“I am here—the spirit has come.”
CHAPTER 6
Zhao Bin attempts to visit the Great Pavilion; a fearless hero is sent upon a horrible errand
Not like a warrior in armor astride a valiant steed.
Not riding through the flames.
We contest for fame and wealth in the tiny space between the antennae of a snail
In the flash of a moment—less than a spark of light—we live this light
Whether rich or poor—let us just seek happiness
If you can’t laugh out loud, you’re an idiot.
WHEN Ji Gong had lighted the incense and called out his invitation to Wei Tuo, the monk was still following heavenly principles. He had summoned neither heavenly spirits nor infernal demons, and there was nothing supernatural involved. He who replied, therefore, was not the true and genuine Wei Tuo. He was, in fact, Zhao Bin, a hero of the kind that could startle heaven and move earth.
Zhao Bin’s father, Zhao Jijou, who was also called Majestic Bright Moon, had been a man of Jenjiang, the provincial capital in Tanyang prefecture. Over the five main roads to the north, south, east, and west from this central area he had a reputation as the most important bodyguard and escort for travelers. His wife was from the Mei family, and they had only one son, Zhao Bin.
At that time, the country had truly fallen upon evil times. The roads were lonely and dangerous. These conditions were fortunate for the father, who was much in demand. The experienced man taught his profession to two followers and his son. The first of these followers was Fang Yangming, an awe-inspiring man from the Jade Mountain country in Jiangsi. The second was Yin Shixiong, who had previously been an employee of an escort group in the East Road.
When Zhao Jijou fell sick, he called his wife and said, “After I am dead, whatever you do, do not let Zhao Bin work as an escort. He is too proud and headstrong for such work. Let me then carry my reputation into the afterworld.” With this as his last cry, he died.
When mother and son had finished with the funeral ceremonies, the two passed their days as best they could. The little property the father had left them was sufficient for their daily needs. Zhao Bin liked to amuse himself and made several friends in the neighborhood. One of them was Jin Yuanliang, nicknamed “The Fiery Father Who Flies Through the Air.” There was another named Ma Zhaoshiang, whom people called “The God of Pestilence.” The two were both men of the Green Forest, and understood Zhao Bin rather well.
One day while the three were together eating a meal, Jin Yuanliang said, “Dear brother Zhao, do you know what we do for a living?”
Zhao Bin replied, “No, I do not know what trade my elder brothers follow.”
Jin Yuanliang said, “We are both robbers, but we are not those licentious robbers who break into houses and mistreat women. We take from the rich and give to the poor. We kill vicious and oppressive officials and cut down the ringleaders of crime who bribe them. We do away with cruelty and restore good practices. We concern ourselves with the inequalities that we find everywhere. This is what is meant by a hero who fights for right. Dear brother, it is because we think highly of your abilities that we would like you to enter into a partnership with us. I have here a suit of clothing to give you. It is made especially for going out at night with us.”
As Jin Yuanliang spoke, he handed over a package to Zhao Bin. When Zhao Bin opened it, he saw that it contained a complete set of black clothing. From this day on Zhao Bin frequently went out with these two men during the night, robbing the rich and giving to the poor.
One day Zhao Bin left the bundle of clothing at home, and his mother opened it. She immediately realized that it was the kind of clothing that was worn by robbers when they went out in the darkness. Her eyes opened wide at what she saw.
Just at this time Zhao Bin came into the house. As soon as his mother saw him, she became furiously angry, saying, “Zhao Bin, your father was a hero among the armed escorts. You have cheapened his memory by daring to become a robber. A good son you are! You have killed me and may you also die quickly!”
Zhao Bin said, “Mother, do not be angry. If you do not want me to, I will not be a robber.”
His mother said, “Burn this clothing and break your sword.”
Then she thought to herself that they could no longer live in their present home and that the friendships he had made would have to be broken. If not, she feared that he would be captured. She thought of the mother of Mencius, the philosopher second only to Confucius, she who three times, once, then again, and yet again moved with her son Mencius to a new home, so that he might grow up a worthy person. Zhao Bin’s mother wished to follow that example. As quickly as she could, she sold their household possessions and changed their money into fine gold and silver. Together with Zhao Bin she came to Linan. Here they rented a place in the fourth lane past the Green Bamboo Nunnery, in the home of a fruit seller named Wang Xing.
Still Zhao Bin had no occupation to which he could turn. After a while, Wang Xing’s mother, known as Old Mother Wang, spoke to his mother, saying, “Madame Zhao, why not ask your son to sell fruit? He feels sad sitting around the house, and he eats a mountain of food.”
Zhao Bin’s mother replied, “He is still young with no experience and no understanding.”
But Old Mother Wang countered: “You can