The Battle in Journey to the West-Chapter 74 - 0 Jade Emperor Recruits Again from
Chapter 74: Chapter 074: Jade Emperor Recruits Again from Flower-Fruit Mountain
Chapter 74 -074: Jade Emperor Recruits Again from Flower-Fruit Mountain
It is said that after Buddhism spread to the east and promoted the Way of the Dao, this chapter came to a close, but the ensuing entanglements awaited further explanation.
Shifting focus, Li Jing led a hundred thousand-strong army that was defeated at Flower-Fruit Mountain, leaving him no choice but to heed his son’s advice, withdraw the troops, and return to the Heavenly Court to report to the Jade Emperor.
The Jade Emperor had already received news from White Gold Star Li Changgeng, stating Li Jing’s defeat and his current return to the court. The Jade Emperor had intended to kill Wukong to alter the destiny controlled by Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch; yet to his dismay, Li Jing proved incompetently defeated at Flower-Fruit Mountain, resulting in heavy losses and causing great annoyance.
Venus then said, “Your Majesty, Li Jing must not be punished. After all, he holds a special place in your heart and is utterly loyal to you. We can simply find another general to capture the Demon Monkey later.”
The Jade Emperor felt quite disheartened. Who else could he send as a commander? Moreover, with warnings from the Jade Void Palace, how could he dare to proceed against the wind? Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch was not someone to be trifled with. If he were truly angered, and if the God-Beating Whip were summoned and the Three Pure convened to reselect the Great Heavenly Master of the Three Realms, the losses would truly outweigh the gains.
Li Changgeng clasped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, although that Demon Monkey claims himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven and is truly detestable, it doesn’t warrant losing troops and making enemies over him.”
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Li Changgeng also feared that Wukong might exploit any leverage he had against him, forcing him to turn against the Jade Emperor when the Emperor was truly determined to eliminate him… Li Changgeng couldn’t help feeling deeply annoyed; this monkey seemed simple-minded but was actually a cunning character. Anyone who underestimated him faced severe repercussions.
Thus, it was best not to corner the Demon Monkey too tightly, lest he leverage his advantage. Yet, exterminating him was still the most secure method, though the Demon Monkey possessed vast divine skills that even White Gold Star admitted he couldn’t match.
Li Changgeng thought to himself, “Why not gather some Star Lords, lure that Rowdy Monkey up to heaven, and then kill him?”
But the moment he considered the God-Beating Whip and the Great Year Whip in Wukong’s hands, he immediately felt disheartened. The Jade Emperor had been frequently visiting the Jade Void Palace lately, and being the Emperor’s confidant, he could sense something fishy. Thus, he guessed that Wukong might indeed have some relation with the Three Pure; weren’t those two divine whips proof enough? If they really killed the Rowdy Monkey and the Three Pure came seeking trouble, what then?
Li Changgeng felt a sense of powerlessness, and he could only rely on the Jade Emperor to eliminate the Demon Monkey. But for the current plan, making peace was still the best approach.
After pondering for a moment and recalling the methods of Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch, causing him to shiver, the Emperor said, “You are right. During the court session later, you shall bring up this matter, and I will issue an edict to bestow upon that Protector of the Horses the title ‘Great Sage Equalling Heaven’—why not?”
Li Changgeng breathed a sigh of relief and bowed deeply, “Your Majesty is wise; your servant shall take his leave.”
The Jade Emperor waved his hand impatiently and massaged his somewhat aching forehead.
“It would be feasible to borrow a few experts from Yao Pond, but by doing so, we would completely tear our faces with the old fellow Yuan Shi. The gains would not compensate for the losses. It’s better for me to slowly harvest my benefits from the competition between Buddhism and Daoism. Hasty actions must not be taken recklessly.” The Jade Emperor mused internally. Unbeknownst to him, the jade cup in his hands had shattered into granules, spilling tea all over his hands, yet he was completely unaware.
An attendant, noticing the Jade Emperor’s foul mood, dared not approach but distanced herself far aside.
Presently, it was time for the morning court session.
The Jade Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne in the Hall of Pristine Clarity, where an official declared, “Present the memorials; those with no business may leave the court.”
In the Heavenly Court, there were no eunuchs; the Emperor’s diet and daily regimen were managed by attendants, these declarers were specific minor officials, hardly stronger than the Protector of the Horses.
Suddenly, the You Yi Ling Officer reported into the Hall of Pristine Clarity, “Your Majesty, I report that the Great Marshal of Exorcism, Li Jing, was defeated at Flower-Fruit Mountain and has returned to court, waiting for your decree.”
The Jade Emperor said, “Let them come in.”
The You Yi Ling Officer acknowledged, performed the Traverse Through Earth Golden Light, and went outside to Li Jing, “Marshal Li, His Majesty invites you in.”
The arrivals were indeed Li Jing, Nezha, twenty-two Constellations, and several vanguard officers, all appearing disheartened yet maintaining their decorum.
The You Yi Ling Officer thought to himself, “This Li Jing was incompetent even during the Divine Enthronement; to save his own life, he even allowed his son to commit suicide, later even destroying someone’s Taoist temple. He has no real skills yet insists on taking on such tasks—does he really think his minimal cultivation is enough to capture Sun Wukong?”
The You Yi Ling Officer, serving as the Jade Emperor’s capable subordinate, handled various errands such as conveying orders, inviting people, and presenting gifts, akin to a chief steward in a terrestrial dynasty.
Li Jing acknowledged, then led the defeated officers into the Hall of Pristine Clarity, bowed deeply, and said, “Your Majesty, we led troops to subjugate the Demon Monkey, Sun Wukong of Flower-Fruit Mountain. Unexpectedly, he remained unrepentant and, relying on his mana, acted violently. However, the Demon Monkey is indeed highly skilled in martial arts and proficient in Taoist arts. We implore Your Majesty to dispatch elite soldiers again to demonstrate the majesty of the Heavenly Court. We have, indeed, lost this battle, and I sincerely ask Your Majesty to punish us.”
The Jade Emperor then said, “To think that this Protector of the Horses has much capacities; couldn’t you subdue him?”
His tone seemed quite displeased, as he had indeed harbored lethal intentions, but Li Jing had proved utterly incompetent.
Nezha quickly said, “I beseech Your Majesty to forgive our lives! The Demon Monkey is truly formidable, wielding an iron cudgel he snatched from the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, which is none other than the Ruyi Jingu Bang, forged by Laojun for Emperor Da Yu during the great flood control. He first defeated the Giant Spirit God, and the next day, when I challenged him, he also defeated me. Had my master not sensed it in time, I might have been lost to that Demon Monkey’s cudgel.”
The Jade Emperor rubbed his temples and felt a headache coming on as he said, “Oh! That Demon Monkey is actually so powerful that even the Third Prince couldn’t handle him.”
Nezha and the others were red-faced with embarrassment, feeling that they had lost too much face and must find an opportunity to restore their honor.
The Jade Emperor asked, “Is there anything else to report?”
Li Jing then said, “That Demon Monkey down below has proclaimed himself ‘Great Sage Equalling Heaven’ and has even erected banners on Flower-Fruit Mountain, claiming dissatisfaction with the titles bestowed by Your Majesty.”
The Jade Emperor sneered, “Great Sage Equalling Heaven? Such grandiosity! Someone, send troops immediately to capture this Demon Monkey and show him the might of the Heavenly Court.”
Li Changgeng stepped forward, holding a Ruyi, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, allow your humble servant to report.”
The Jade Emperor said, “Speak freely, my dear Changgeng.”
Li Changgeng said, “Your Majesty, this Demon Monkey has powerful mana and is also assisted by six Great Demons. If the Heavenly Court sends an army to capture him, I fear those six Demon Kings will not sit idly by. A great battle would ensue, inevitably resulting in the loss of our troops, a price too great to pay.”
“So, do you have any suggestions, dear Changgeng?” asked the Jade Emperor.
The two had already discussed this matter privately; their current exchange was nothing but a well-rehearsed routine – one spoke, the other reacted, their act seamless to the point of being undetectable.
Li Changgeng said, “Why not simply grant him the official title of ‘Great Sage Equalling Heaven,’ and bring him to the Heavenly Court? Just give him the title without any real power or salary. This way, there’s no need to mobilize the army, sparing our commanders the effort, and allowing the demons in the mortal world to feel Your Majesty’s grace.”
The Jade Emperor pretended to ponder for a moment and then declared, “Let it be as you propose. I will draft the imperial decree later, and you can take it to win him over.”
Li Changgeng smiled, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Li Jing, having suffered a defeat at Flower-Fruit Mountain, felt quite indignant and said, “Your Majesty, that savage Demon dares to claim the title ‘Great Sage Equalling Heaven,’ which is utterly presumptuous! If Your Majesty endows him with this frivolous title, who’s to say we won’t soon have a ‘Great Sage Beyond Heaven’ or ‘Heaven-Opening Great Sage?’ We should deploy our forces to make an example of him!”
The Jade Emperor, hearing Li Jing dare to contradict him, was greatly angered, slammed the table, and roared, “Li Jing, you lost the battle and yet you have the audacity to annoy me! I will send a hundred thousand soldiers from the Heavenly River with you to capture the Demon Monkey. If you fail, bring me your head! How about that?”
Li Jing already knew that Sun Wukong had caused havoc among the Heavenly River Naval Forces and that General Tianpeng was beaten to near death, obviously not a match for Sun Wukong. Moreover, the Jade Emperor was clearly forcing him to make a military pledge—a head for a defeat…
Li Jing, a bureaucrat through and through, would never engage in a losing trade. In times of reward, he was quick to claim credit; faced with danger, he was the first to retreat. Now, with the Jade Emperor’s stern command, not fully confident that he could subdue Flower-Fruit Mountain, he could only curse quietly in his heart.
The Jade Emperor’s words also turned Li Jing’s face into a painful show of red and white, an utter humiliation. He really wanted to agree out of anger; however, if he truly couldn’t overcome the situation, then his immortal career would come to an end.
“This… having just lost a battle, it’s unsuitable for me to lead the troops again. I need to close the doors and reflect on my faults first,” said Li Jing, drawing back like a turtle, his complexion somewhat ugly.
The surrounding immortal officials showed expressions of sarcasm and derision. Li Jing, truly a weak link, sought to claim credit, but his capabilities were inadequate, making him a laughingstock. Now, when called upon to pacify the Demon Monkey, he backed out at the suggestion of a decisive military pledge. How could such a person accomplish great things?
Nezha, shaking his head while watching, silently sighed. Although Li Jing knew to protect his own position wisely, he was truly despised.
As the saying goes: A bear of a soldier begets a den of bears. Yet Li Jing, esteemed as the Marshal of the Three Armies, was such a coward, no wonder his subordinates were of the same sort.
The Jade Emperor snorted and declared, “Since there are no further objections, that settles the matter. Changgeng, after court is dismissed, come to the Imperial Library to receive the imperial decree, then descend to the Lower Realm immediately to win over the Demon Monkey.”
“Your servant obeys,” Li Changgeng bowed.
The Jade Emperor stood, flicked his sleeves indifferently, and commanded, “Court is dismissed.”
The civil and military officials immediately stood and bowed, saying, “We escort Your Majesty.”
The Jade Emperor swept away, his mood foul.
Li Changgeng then proceeded to the Imperial Library, received the imperial decree, and exited through the Southern Sky Gate, heading toward Flower-Fruit Mountain.
To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the following episode.
