Now, Gao Guotai took his seat in the hall and began the questioning. The three bandits saw that they were already before the bench, with Ji Gong sitting at one side, and reckoned that holding out would get them nowhere. “There’s no need for Your Honour to get angry,” said Zheng Tianshou. “I’ll tell you the plain truth. This small man’s surname is Zheng, and my name is Zheng Tianshou. These two monks and I were all sent out by the Patriarch of Ciyun Temple, and I was told to lure people in for them.” “What is all this about Ciyun Temple?” said Gao Guotai. “At Ciyun Temple,” said Zheng Tianshou, “there’s an old Daoist called the Red-Haired Divine Officer, Shao Huafeng, and he has a treasure called the Heaven-and-Earth Meridian Bowl of Primal Unity. In there are the Perfected Ones of the Five Halls1, thirty-two Herb-Gathering Immortals2, thirty-two Mountain-Patrol Immortals and thirty-two Perfected Ones in Waiting, and three hundred and sixty men of the greenwood in the Incense-Smoke Society; and outside there are seventy-two black inns3 and five hundred black boats. Before long the Patriarch means to rise and seize the empire of the Great Song.” Gao Guotai was dumbstruck. “Out at Bali Post Station, beyond our west gate,” he asked, “two people were killed and a hundred taels of gold taken, and not a window or door was touched. Was that your doing?” “It was,” said Zheng Tianshou. “This small man did it. I went to rob the place by night, he saw me and shouted, and I killed him.” Gao Guotai then questioned the two monks, and they, too, told the plain truth. Gao Guotai at once gave orders to put the three of them in irons and throw them in jail. “Your Honour,” said the monk from the side, “don’t put them in jail. These bandits all know black magic, and if they get away, you won’t be able to answer for it. This monk came here for this very business of Ciyun Temple in Changzhou Prefecture. Get into your sedan chair right away, and this monk will help you take them under escort to Changzhou Prefecture, the false Daoist nun Cui Yu along with them. Hand the case over to your superior, and you’ll be done with it.” “Very good,” said Gao Guotai. At once he sent for two sedan chairs and had two horses made ready for Lei Ming and Chen Liang, and his men all took their weapons. The four bandits were put in the three pieces, handcuffs, fetters and all, and loaded onto a cart, with men guarding them front and back. Gao Guotai first invited the monk into his chair. As soon as the monk got in, he kicked the bottom out of it. Gao Guotai knew nothing about it and got into his own chair. The bearers didn’t see it either; they shouldered the chair and set off, and the monk ran along inside it. People in the street looked and said, “Now here’s something new! Four men carrying a sedan chair — how come it has ten feet?” The whole crowd was shouting about it.

Gao Guotai, sitting in his chair, heard straw sandals going slap-slap, slap-slap, and quickly ordered the chair set down. He got out and looked: there was the monk inside the chair, his two feet sticking out underneath. “Holy monk,” said Gao Guotai, “what is all this?” “You’ve done me a real wrong,” said the monk. “If it had been Your Honour in those thick-soled boots4, you’d have run the toes clean through them. As I see it, it’s worse than walking. Run too fast and the front bumps me; run too slow and the back scoops me up. I’m all of a sweat. I’m not riding in this chair any more.” Gao Guotai saw that the chair the monk had been riding in had no bottom. “What’s this?” he said. “You bearers are a pack of fools!” “We didn’t know either,” said the bearers. “No wonder it was so light to carry!” “Quick, bring a horse for the holy monk,” said Gao Guotai. At once someone led a horse over for the monk.

The monk mounted, and the whole party escorted the prisoners to Changzhou Prefecture. Someone went in to report: “The county magistrate of Jiangyin and Ji Gong have brought four rebels under escort and ask to see you.” When the prefect heard it was Ji Gong, he at once had them invited in. This prefect had only lately been transferred here from Shaoxing; he was none other than Gu Guozhang, His Honour Gu, who had met Ji Gong before, when Ji Gong caught the demon at Baishui Lake, and that was why he was so quick to have them invited in today. Gao Guotai and Ji Gong came inside with Lei Ming and Chen Liang. On meeting Gu Guozhang, they all exchanged courtesies. Gao Guotai reported to his superior5 and handed the case over in full. “You may go back to your own yamen first, Magistrate, and see to your business,” said Gu Guozhang, and Gao Guotai took his leave. “Holy monk,” said Gu Guozhang, “you have four disciples. Where are the other two?” “Those two didn’t come with me,” said Ji Gong. “Your Honour has been promoted here, so this poor monk has come specially to congratulate you.” “Holy monk, don’t say such things,” said Gu Guozhang. “Your disciple has often thought of you.” “Now that you’ve been promoted to Changzhou Prefecture,” said the monk, “what sort of name have you made?” “I couldn’t tell you myself,” said Gu Guozhang. “Right in the territory under your charge,” said the monk, “countless heretics and rebels are gathering in strength, and soon they’ll rise. And you haven’t hurried to arrest them? When they do rise, will your territory be able to bear it?” “Your disciple knows nothing about any of this,” said Gu Guozhang. “Where are there rebels? Holy monk, show me a clear way.” “Due west of Changzhou Prefecture,” said the monk, “at Woniu Rock in the Pingshui River, there is a temple called Ciyun Temple. There is an old Daoist there called the Red-Haired Divine Officer, Shao Huafeng. He has gathered countless bandits, who go out harming people and luring them away, and before long he means to rebel.” “Is this true?” said Gu Guozhang. “Have these bandits brought up and question them,” said the monk, “and you’ll know.”