Journey to the West: Man in heaven, working nine to five

#2084 - Still a good man

This prefect was overly enthusiastic, which instead made Tang Sanzang and his companions feel as if he was deliberately putting on an act, and their impression of him didn't improve.

"This monk has come to ask the prefect to exchange our travel permit so that we can continue our journey westward as soon as possible," Tang Sanzang stated to the prefect, explaining his purpose.

"Exchanging the travel permit is a trivial matter, but since Elder Tang has come to this place, why not take some time to appreciate the local customs and scenery of my Jinping Prefecture? Why be in such a hurry to leave?"

The prefect's words sounded like a polite attempt to keep Tang Sanzang, but Tang Sanzang could tell that he was deliberately showing off.

The situation in Jinping Prefecture was much better than in other parts of Xiniu Hezhou, and the prefect was naturally well aware of this, considering it his own achievement.

For foreign guests like Tang Sanzang, he naturally wanted to show off and boast a little.

"We have a mission to fulfill and cannot stay here for long," Tang Sanzang replied perfunctorily.

As they spoke, they arrived at the backyard of the prefect's mansion.

The front of the prefect's mansion was the yamen, where the prefect conducted official business, while the backyard was his residence.

Just as they entered the backyard, Tang Sanzang and the others heard a burst of noise.

The noise sounded like many children playing and frolicking, at least a dozen or more.

Sure enough, a group of children appeared in front of them a moment later, chasing and playing.

Although there were more than a dozen children, they were not the source of the sound.

"Prefect, are these all your children? You are really fertile."

"It seems that the prefect must have more than one wife, otherwise how could he have so many children?"

"Could it be that the prefect is a lecherous person?"

Sun Wukong and the others were not as tactful as Tang Sanzang and directly asked the prefect with sarcasm.

"Venerable Elders, please don't misunderstand. I am not a lecherous person. I have not taken a wife, so where would these children come from?

As the prefect of Jinping Prefecture, I feel a great responsibility. I am busy with official duties all day long, so where would I have time to consider personal matters?"

The prefect immediately explained to Sun Wukong and the others.

"If they are not the prefect's children, then where did these children come from?" Tang Sanzang asked the prefect with suspicion.

"Elder Tang, you have traveled all the way west and must have seen that although our Jinping Prefecture is considered peaceful and stable, the entire Tianzhu Kingdom and the entire Xiniu Hezhou are not all like this.

Wars are raging everywhere, and people's livelihoods are difficult everywhere, which is truly heartbreaking. However, my power is limited to Jinping Prefecture, and I am helpless.

These children are some orphans who fled here that I took in. I especially like children, and the prefect's mansion has many residences, which would be a waste if left idle.

Therefore, I have raised these children here, giving them a peaceful and stable life with plenty of food and clothing, which can be considered my act of accumulating merit and doing good deeds."

As the prefect spoke, he revealed a look of compassion, as if he truly liked these children very much.

"So the prefect is so charitable."

Even Tang Sanzang did not expect that these children were actually orphans raised by the prefect in his own home.

"The prefect is truly a great philanthropist."

"This is indeed accumulating merit and doing good deeds."

"I didn't expect the prefect to have such a compassionate heart."

Although it didn't improve their impression of the prefect, Sun Wukong and the others couldn't help but praise him for being able to take in so many orphans.

"Not at all, not at all. All I can do is this. Since I have believed in Buddhism and its teachings, accumulating merit and doing good deeds is what I should do."

When the prefect spoke of Buddhism, a devout look appeared in his eyes.

Tang Sanzang could tell that the prefect might be acting in other matters, but he was truly devout to Buddhism from the bottom of his heart.

The entire Xiniu Hezhou was considered the territory of the Western Paradise, and the Tianzhu Kingdom was the foundation of Buddhism.

Therefore, it was not strange for officials and even the royal family here to believe in Buddhism, but most of them, like the King of Yuhua, had become the hawks and claws of the Western Paradise in ruling the people.

Only this prefect of Jinping Prefecture seemed to be a good official who loved his people like his own children.

This made Tang Sanzang and the others feel puzzled. Although there were cases of being untainted by one's surroundings, as a devout believer, his spirit had probably already been controlled by the Western Paradise.

Arriving at the prefect's study in the backyard, the prefect took out his seal and exchanged the travel permit for Tang Sanzang and his companions.

"Elder Tang, and esteemed disciples, if you don't mind, you can stay in my prefect's mansion for a few days. I would also like to exchange Buddhist insights with Elder Tang."

The prefect continued to urge Tang Sanzang and the others to stay, as for whether it was sincere or just showing off politely, only he himself knew in his heart.

"We appreciate the prefect's kindness, but we have already stayed at Ci'yun Temple and cannot stay longer again," Tang Sanzang婉拒了太守.

After exchanging the travel permit, Tang Sanzang and his companions bid farewell to the prefect and left the prefect's mansion.

However, this trip to the prefect's mansion did not resolve their doubts, but instead made them more confused.

"Could it be that the Western Paradise has really reversed its nature and wants to spread merit here, creating a paradise on earth?" Tang Sanzang couldn't help but have such doubts in his heart.

Jinping Prefecture was rich and stable, the Western Paradise took the initiative to give alms, monks helped the people, and officials were upright and charitable. All of this together created the prosperous age of Jinping Prefecture.

"Impossible, how could the Western Paradise change its nature? You must know that a dog can't stop eating 奥利给 (shit)."

"Leaving aside whether the Western Paradise has changed its nature or not, the entire Jinping Prefecture seems strange."

"Not strange, but abnormal, too abnormal."

Tang Sanzang and the others discussed, and finally defined Jinping Prefecture as abnormal, which was also what Chu Hao had said before.

"Immortal Chu Hao, what do you think we should do?" Tang Sanzang asked Chu Hao, and Sun Wukong and the others were also waiting to hear Chu Hao's opinion.

"There is a saying that what is fake is always fake. No matter how disguised, it cannot be changed. The reason why we haven't seen it yet is because we haven't observed carefully enough," Chu Hao said to Tang Sanzang and the others, expressing his views.

Chu Hao's words had two meanings. First, he affirmed the abnormal performance here, which meant that the prosperity here was not real.

Second, they had not observed carefully enough, so they only felt that it was abnormal, but did not find out where the problem was.

"The Western Paradise is playing very cleverly this time."

Compared with the previous methods, the methods used by the Western Paradise in Jinping Prefecture were indeed much more clever.