Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 138 The Battle of Wits in Chechi Kingdom (Part 8)
Meanwhile, the monks went to the government office to file a complaint.

The official took the petition, turned around, and left.

The monks sat outside the county government office until dark, but no one paid them any attention.

Yesterday, the monks went to collect debts, and the ordinary people didn't know how to deal with it. Many of them obediently paid up. But the landlords and wealthy merchants were not to be trifled with. As soon as the monks left yesterday, they informed the officials about the matter, so no one is handling the case today.

The monks waited all day without receiving a response, and when they beat the grievance drum again, they were driven away by the bailiffs.

"You've already submitted your complaint, what are you still knocking for? Just wait patiently, or it will be considered disrupting the government office!"

The abbot asked, "When will Your Excellency be able to hear this case?"

The constable said, "How should I know? The master is very busy. He will naturally hear your case after he finishes his other cases. Don't all block the way here. How can others seek justice? Is it only your family that is wronged?"

The monks had no choice but to return to the temple and wait.

Waiting isn't a big deal, after all, we've waited for over twenty years already.

However, the deposit for the temple repairs had already been paid, and the craftsmen had begun work; the work couldn't stop now. Five hundred monks needed food, drink, and shelter, and the temple also needed to keep its lamps burning eternally—how could they possibly sustain themselves with only a thousand taels of silver?
After waiting for three days, the new abbot, seeing the silver flowing like water and the government remaining unmoved, was starting to feel the pressure.

In the past, if Zhiyuan Temple had a dispute with any family and had to go to court, the government would immediately open a court and rule in favor of the temple. Who would dare to be negligent?

Three days have passed, but there has been no movement at all.

The new abbot speculated that it was because he and his ilk had lost power and Zhiyuan Temple was no longer as prosperous as it once was, and perhaps there were still Taoist priests secretly targeting them, which led to this situation.

We can't wait any longer.

The new abbot summoned the monks, explained the situation, and together they went to the government office and blocked the entrance to appeal for justice.

How could it be proper for five hundred monks to block the government office?

How do government offices operate?

Fortunately, the official was not in the government office at the time; otherwise, wouldn't that have interfered with his judgment?

The officials in the government office rushed to the restaurants in the city to inform the officials.

Upon learning the news, the officials sent officers to drive the monks away.

The constables, armed with fire and water sticks, arrived outside the government office and began beating any monks they saw.

If it were an ordinary person, they would definitely have been driven away.

These monks, however, were different.

They were used to being whipped, so their muscles were tough; and they were not afraid of death because the Dharma protectors had cast spells on them, so they endured the beatings from the constables and blocked the government office from leaving.

Seeing that they couldn't get rid of the group of monks, the constables had no choice but to go back and report.

Upon learning this, the official said, "Very well, since they can withstand the beating, they must have some real grievances. Let's investigate them."

A man drinking with the official said, "Sir, you mustn't believe the one-sided story of those cunning monks!"

The official smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir, I will handle the case according to reason and justice."

The official told his subordinates to dismiss the monks and that he would hold court to hear the case at the beginning of the afternoon.

Upon receiving the news, the official rushed back and told the new abbot:

“You monks are truly unreasonable. Even in a trial, there should be a first-come, first-served principle. How many people in this city have been wronged? How many have suffered injustice? The officials are busy with countless affairs of state; how can they possibly hear your case first? Even if you stay here for another month, it will still not be your turn.”

Upon hearing this, the new abbot said:
“How can we be unreasonable when we have been wronged? Cases may be ordered, but they should also be judged by their importance. Petty theft is a minor case; murder and arson are major cases. If there is a major case, even if it comes after the minor cases, it should be tried first. The ancestral property of my Zhiyuan Temple was bestowed by the founding emperor and all the emperors of the past. Now it has been resold by the officials in charge of the land. How can such a major case not be tried first?”

The official sneered, "I know you monks are good at arguing, and I can't win against you. But no matter how well you argue, the magistrate won't hear you. Without understanding 'reason and logic,' one cannot adjudicate a case."

The new abbot, hearing the official emphasize the words "reason" and "sentiment" so heavily, thought for a moment and asked:
"What is reason and emotion?" The official laughed, "It's a shame that you, an old monk with white hair and beard, don't even know reason and emotion?" The official held up his hand and showed two fingers.

Upon seeing this, the new abbot hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

He recalled that his master had done similar things with some officials when he was alive, so he instructed his monks to return to the temple, retrieve two hundred taels of silver, and give it to the officials.

The official saw that the old monk was saying something to the monks beside him, and after waiting for a while, he brought over a large bag of silver and gave it to him.

The official was both surprised and delighted, thinking to himself that even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, and these monks were really rich.

He was just a minor official in the government office. He originally only wanted twenty taels, or two taels would be fine, or even nothing at all. He could only say some bad things to the officials. But he never expected that the old monk would give him two hundred taels directly.

Yes, these monks are incredibly foolish. They probably think the money is for an official, which is why they're being so generous.

The clerk took the money, then made another pretense of going to court, telling the monks that the trial would be held in the afternoon.

The monks were overjoyed to hear this.

Two hundred taels of silver is no big deal, as long as the case can be tried.

Those IOUs contain tens of thousands of taels of silver, as well as countless plots of land belonging to the temple. Once we get them back, two hundred taels of silver will be nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

Soon, after noon, the monks arrived early, waiting for the service to begin.

The court session began promptly at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM).

The official sat up, examined the petition, and asked, "Where is the IOU?"

The new abbot presented the IOU.

After examining it, the official said, "Summon the guarantor!"

The new abbot was completely stunned.

The term "guarantor" literally means "the person who provides a guarantee."

Generally speaking, more formal loan agreements will have a guarantor, who is usually a person of high moral standing.

But how is the man who was highly respected 24 years ago still alive today?

The new abbot could only say that the guarantor had passed away.

The official asked, "The guarantor has passed away. Is the abbot listed on this IOU still alive?"

The new abbot said, "My master has also passed away."

The official said, "In that case, without witnesses, this testimony is not credible."

The new abbot said anxiously, "It's written clearly in black and white on this paper, and there are fingerprints as proof. How can we not believe it?"

The official said, "Compare the fingerprints."

The officials below took the IOU to compare it, and blatantly lied, saying:

"The fingerprints are blurry and difficult to compare."

The official said, "A verdict is unlikely; court is adjourned!"

The new abbot hurriedly said, "Wait a minute! Even if the loan agreement doesn't count, there's still the land deed. In broad daylight, our temple's land has been encroached upon. We beg you, Your Excellency, to do us a favor!"

The official smiled and said:

“Monks, what temple property or land do you monks own? That land was bestowed upon you by successive emperors! You monks do not engage in production, do not pay taxes, and only know how to chant scriptures. If the scriptures were useful, that would be fine, but they are of no use at all. His Majesty has already decreed that the land be taken back and given to a virtuous person instead. If it weren’t for the National Preceptor’s compassion and his petition to His Majesty to release you, you would still be forced to work in the fields!”

(End of this chapter)