Journey to the West - The Addendum Part 1

0:00 The 5th Monkey is a teammate of volunteers from around the world. We do not receive any outside funding. Please consider becoming a pay subscriber to keep the series going. Thank you. The following chapter contains description of murder and violence. Journey to the West, an audio drama series, the Addendum Part One. We spoke of Chang An, the great city located at Shanxi. Also the place where many generations of emperors and kings call their capital.

0:41 Ever since the dynasties of Zhou, Xin and Han Flowers have covered the land like brocade as eight rivers flowed around the city. What a splendid metropolis indeed. At the time Emperor Taitzon of Great Tang was on the throne, the name of his reign was Jung Guan. During the 13th year of his reign, the nation was at peace. Tributes arrived from all directions and everywhere people call themselves his subjects.

1:10 One day, Emperor Tyzong arrived at the throne, gathering all the civil and military officials. After all the formalities, Wei Jung, who served as Chung Xiang, the equivalent of Prime Minister, walked out from the ranks and reported. Now the nation is at peace and every land is tranquil. There has been an abundance of military officials, but a shortage of silver ones. Your humble subject would like to follow the ancient custom and open up the examination halls in order to recruit the virtuous and promote the talented.

1:48 I humbly beg for your imperial attention, Peyton said. The virtuous minister has a good point. And so they released a summons on recruiting talents and distributed it across the land. People of every city and town down to the smallest places, regardless of whether you were a soldier or civilian, could qualify as long as you were a learned man with ambition and knowledge.

2:15 You were encouraged to attend the examination in Chang'an, and those who aced will be appointed official titles. The summons reached High Joel, wherein the town of Hongnong was a manner named XI Xian Zhuang, or the talent assembling manner. In the manner lived a man whose last name was Chen, and his first name Ur, meaning the calyx of a flower.

2:42 His courtesy name was Guang Re, with Guang meaning light and Re meaning the stamen of a flower. In practice, courtesy names were usually used by others and first names by oneself. Chen Guanrei was in town one day and saw the summons. He immediately returned home and told his mother. Madam John, the Town Roller has released a summons about holding an examination to recruit the talented.

3:10 Your child would like to take the exam. Should I be rewarded with a poster To our family will be honored. This has been my aspiration. I've come to inform you mother about leaving, Madam John, said. My son, When you attend the exam, you shall be very careful on your journey. Once you have received an appointment, do return as soon as possible.

3:35 Guang Ray thereby ordered a servant boy to pack his belongings and left his mother for the journey on the same day. In less than one day, he arrived at Chang'an just in time for the examination halls to open. Guang Ray then entered the exam with other attendees. After three sessions of exams taking place in the Royal Court, he was awarded Zhongyuan, titled for first place, which the town emperor certified with his very own Imperial brush. He was also awarded to ride on a horse and parade on the street for three straight days.

4:12 The parade coincidentally passed by the gate of Ying Kaishan, who also served as Prime Minister. His daughter Wen Xiao, meaning warm loveliness, also nicknamed Mantang Xiao, meaning a hall full of loveliness, was yet to be married, and so a high tower was set up and festooned where she would throw down an embroidered ball to select her husband.

4:37 The custom went that whoever was hit by the ball would be the groom. It just so happened that Chen Guangrei was passing below the tower. The lady saw that Guangrei had an extraordinary appearance and he was also the newly announced Drong Yuan. Her heart fluttered with delight and she threw the embroidered bar from the festoon tower, hitting Guang Rey's dark gaw's hat. Immediately.

5:05 Music played as scores of maids came down the tower to take hold of Grand Rey's horse. The Drong Yuan was taken into the Prime Minister's residence where both the Prime Minister and his wife arrived at the main hall. A master of ceremony was called in and that was how the lady and Guangrei kowtow to heaven and earth after husband and wife bow to each other. They both pay respect to the lady's father and mother as well.

5:32 The Prime Minister arranged A banquet for the guests to enjoy for the night. The newlyweds, on the other hand, held hands and enter the bride's room together the next morning. Emperor Tides on asked what position should be appointed to the newly certified Zhang Yuan. Chen Kwang Re Wei Jung again reported your subject has gone through the list and found that only Zhang Zhou has a vacancy.

6:01 May Your Majesty give him this office. Tyzong therefore appointed Guang Rei to be the prefect of Zhang Zhou. He was to immediately pack up and set out as not a day shall be delayed. Kuanrei thanked the throne and returned home to inform his wife. After thanking his inlaws, he left for Zhangzhou with the lady.

6:26 They departed from Chang'an during late spring with soft breeze caressing the willows green and a fine shower dotting the flowers red. Kuanrei's home was on the way, so he visited his mother Madame Jong with his wife. Madame Jong said congratulations to my dear son and you came back married too. Guang Rai detailed everything that took place in Chang'an, telling his mother your child has been appointed Prefect of Zhengzhou.

6:55 That's why I came straight to pick you up, mother. So you can go with us. Madame Chung was overjoyed and packed up to join them. After several days on the journey, they arrived at One Hua Din, or the 10,000 Blossom Market and stayed at a hostel run by a man named Liu Xiao. R Madam Jong wasn't feeling so well and told Guanrei let's rest up in the hostel for a couple of days before resuming the trip.

7:25 The next morning, they saw someone selling a golden carp outside the hostel door. Guanrei bought the fish with a string of coins and planned to cook it for his mother. But then he saw the fish vigorously blinking his eyes at him. Guanrei said. How strange. I heard that if a fish or snake could blink its eyes, it must be no ordinary creature.

7:49 So he asked the fisherman, Where did you catch this fish? The fisherman answered. 15 Lee, from where we are from, Hongjiang or the Hong River? Guangrei then took the fish there and released it back into the Hong River. He returned to the hostel and told his mother What happened. Madam, John said. My dear son, it's a good thing that you freed a living creature.

8:17 Juan Rey then said it's been 3 days since we've stayed here. We have to leave tomorrow, Madam, John said. I'm still not feeling quite right. It's going to get hotter on the trip. I fear I'll get even more sick. You can rent A room for me to stay here and leave me with some allowance. The two of you shall proceed to the new post.

8:40 You can pick me up when it's cooler. In autumn, Guangre discussed the matter with his wife and agreed to the arrangement, and so they rented a room and left. The journey was unspeakably harsh as they traveled by day and rested by night. The next thing they knew they were at the crossing point by the Hong River.

9:02 Two boatmen, Leo Hong and Libyao, greeted them by the shore on their boat. It must have been due to Guang Rey's past life that he was bound for disaster, because it was now that he was pushed straight into his fated enemies. After ordering the servant boy to load their luggage onto the boat, Guang Rey went on board together with his wife.

9:28 Lil Hong opened his eyes wide and saw what a beauty lady in was. Her face was like a full moon, and her eyes glitter like clear autumnal water. With a small mouth like cherry and a slim waist like green Willow, she indeed had an appearance that could sink fish and make wild geese fall from the sky, from which the moon would hide and flowers would shy away.

9:55 Lilhone stirred up his crew in tents and plodded with Libya. They punted the bow to an isolated area and waited until the quiet of midnight. First they murdered the servant boy. Then they beat Guang Rey to death and pushed his body into the water. The lady saw her husband being killed and was about to throw herself into the river too. But Lil Home rushed to hold her, saying do what I say and everything will be fine, or else I will cut you into halves. The lady had no choice but submit to Lil home for the time being.

10:36 That bastard took the boat to the southern shore and left it to leave Yao's care. He then put on Guangre's clothes and took his credentials to head for the Jungzhou office. We speak of the servant boy Dalio Hong killed. His body flowed away with the currents. Chen Guangre's body, however, sank to the bottom of the water and stopped moving. A EHR in charge of patrolling the Hong River estuary spotted him and dashed back to the Dragon Palace to make a report. It just so happened that the Dragon King was holding a court session, the EHR reported.

11:16 Right now at the Hong River Estuary, some unknown person beat a young scholar to death and sank his body to the bottom of the water. The Dragon King ordered the body be brought inside and placed right in front of him. After observing carefully, he said this van saved my life. How did he get murdered? As the saying goes, return kindness with kindness. I must save his life today to repay his kindness from before. He then wrote an official dispatch and had a Yecha deliver it straight to the City Guardian and Tutelary of Soil of Hongzhou.

11:58 The goal was to take back the scholar's soul so his life could be saved. The city guardian and tulery of Soil thereby ordered the ghost servants to hand over Chen Guangree's soul to the Yecha. The Yecha returned to the Crystal Palace and reported back to the Dragon King, who then placed the scholar's soul on the dead body, and all of a sudden the soul returned and the man was back to life.

12:27 The Dragon King asked young scholar, What is your name? Where are you from? Why were you beaten to death? Guang Rey bowed to Britain, saying in answer to your questions the respected dragon. This humble man is named Chen Ur with Guang Rey being my courtesy name. I came from the town of Hongnong in Hai Zhou.

12:53 I was lucky to become the newly certified Zhong Yuan and appointed the Prefect of Zhangzhou. I was heading there with my wife to receive the new post when we arrived by the river and went aboard a boat. Who could have thought that the boatman named Lilhone would lust after my wife? He beat me to death and threw away my body. I beg your great king to save me. I shall never forget your favour. The Dragon King heard this and said. I see.

13:24 Good Sir. I am that golden carp you released before. You are my benefactor. Now that you are in trouble, I shall give you a hand. He then put Guang Rey's corpse aside and place a Ding yanju or a face preserving Pearl in his mouth. That way his body will not deteriorate so he will be prepared for revenge in the future.

13:48 The Dragon King said you can be a commander in my river residence for the time being. Guang Rey kowtow in thanks, and the Dragon King arranged A banquet to welcome him. We will speak no more of that. We instead returned to Lady In, who so resented this bastard named Leo that she would happily eat his flesh and sleep on his skin.

14:15 However, she was already pregnant and had no idea if the child would be a boy or a girl. There was nothing else she could do but force herself to submit to his ways for the time being and figure out what to do later. Before long, they have arrived at Xiangzhou and were welcomed by the governmental clerks with a banquet. Liu Hong acted as if he was Chen Guangrei and fooled everyone there.

14:41 He took up the position of prefect without trouble. Time flew by and one day Liu Hong was sent far away for official matters. The lady was at their residence thinking of her real husband. Just as she was sighing in the floral pavilion, she felt tired as a surge of pain came from her stomach, knocking her unconscious on the ground without realizing she had given birth to a son.

15:11 And next to her ears she heard someone instructing Mantang Jiao. Listen to my instructions. I am the officer of the South Pole Star. I am here by the religious edict of Guanxi, but his Artwar to give you the son. He will be widely known in the future and is certainly no ordinary individual. So that criminal will return. He is bound to hurt this boy.

15:38 You shall protect him with all your heart. Your husband has been rescued by the Dragon King. In the future, husband and wife will meet again. Son and mother will reunite. And there will be the day when you can have your revenge. Remember my words and wake up now. When he was done talking, the man was gone. The lady woke up and could still recall everything she heard. She held her son, but had no idea what she could do. Suddenly, Lilhorn came back.

16:10 He saw the child and was about to drown him to death when the lady implored. It's getting late now. Let's throw him into the river tomorrow. Fortunately, Lil Hong was sent away again the next morning for official matters. The lady therefore could keep the sun with her in secret and breastfeed him for a month.

16:32 She then thought to herself, if that bastard returns this time, this boy's life would be over. I shall abandon him into the river as soon as possible and let him be. Should I heaven pity him? Someone will adopt this boy. If we meet again one day, how will I recognize him? She then bit her finger open and wrote a letter in blood detailing the names of the child's parents, his origins and ordeals. Afterwards, she bit off the boy's little toe on the left foot as identification.

17:05 Wrapping the boy in her own inner blouse, she took him out of the official residence. Luckily, the river was not far from the building. The lady came near the water and, heartbroken, burst into tears. Just as she was about to abandon the child, she suddenly spotted a wooden plank floating from the side of the river bank.

17:28 She was thrilled, thinking, could it be that heaven is destined to save this child? She immediately prayed to the skies above and placed the boy on the plank. She fastened him secure with some ribbon and tied the bloodletter to his chest. With a push, the plank flowed on to the river, going whichever way it pleased.

17:54 The lady wailed in sorrow as she returned to the residence. We will speak no more of that. We turned instead to the child who was moving all the way down the current on the wooden plank, stopping only at the foot of Jin Shansu, or Golden Hill Temple. The elder of the temple was named Monk FA Ming.

18:20 FA means Law and Ming means brightness. He had been awakened by the Way and mastered the miraculous spell of birthless life. He was meditating that day when suddenly he heard a child crying. His heart was moved, sending him running down the river bank where he found a child sleeping on a wooden plank.

18:43 The elder said. What luck, what luck? I wonder which family abandoned this child? As a man who is out of the family, compassion is our core principle. Saving one life brings more merit and building a pagoda. He then picked the boy up and found the bloodletter in his possession. That was how Farming learned about the child's origins.

19:11 He gave the boy a baby name called Jiang. Liu Jiang means River and Liu means flow. He entrusted the child to caretakers and kept the bloodletters safely hidden. Time flew by, and without realizing the boy turned 18. The elder had his hair shave and clean for cultivation, and gave him the religious name of Shenzheng. After having his head touched and receiving the commandments, Shenzheng put all his heart and mind into cultivating for the way.

19:48 One day in late spring, the crowd gathered under the shade of a pine tree as they discussed sutra and all that was mysterious and brilliant. A monk who hasn't cut off wine and meat. A non practicing monk, in other words, was outwitted by Shenzheng. So he lashed out saying you mixed blood. Who hasn't got parents? I am your senior.

20:14 I have consumed as much salt as you have rice. What don't I know, You sinful beast who doesn't even know your name and can't even recognize your own father and mother. What business do you have here? Having been insulted by such language, Shenzhen went into the temple and prostrated before his master. In tears, he asked.

20:37 When one is born in this world, we're nurtured by the power of Yin and Yang to build up the strings of the five faces. We are all born and raised by a father and mother. How could there be a person who is alive but has no parents? Imploring in grace sorrow, he asked for the name of his parents. The elder answered.

21:01 If you are determined to find your parents, you can come with me to my room. Shenzong thereby followed his master and arrived at the elder's room. Above layers of roof beams, the elder recovered a small box. He opened it up and took out a piece of bloodletter and a blouse before handing them to Shenzong.

21:25 Shenzong unfolded the bloodletter, and that was how he first learned of the names of his parents, along with all the injustices they had suffered. When done reading, he couldn't help but wail on the floor, saying How could I call myself human if I cannot avenge my parents? For 18 years I knew nothing about my birth parents.

21:49 It wasn't until now that I learned I still have a mother. If it weren't for you, master to raise me to adulthood, how could I even live till this day? Please allow your disciple to find his mother. After that, I shall return with a heart fold of gratitude and respect and rebuild the temple to repay your deep favour. His master said.

22:13 If you would like to find your mother, you shall bring this bloodletter and blouse along with you. Go as a Mandicant and straight to the Prefect residence of Zhengzhou, where you will reunite with your mother journey to the West. An audio drama series is a production by the 5th Monkey. If you enjoy our work, become our pay subscriber of Patron to gain access to the latest release and other exclusive content.

22:45 Head to www.thefifthmonkey.com for links to all the platforms we're on and support us on social media. Shares, comments, emails. All are welcome. This is Lynn. See you in the next episode.