Lady Yin deeply hated the bandit Liu Hong and wished for nothing but his demise. However, being pregnant, she had no choice but to accompany him reluctantly.
Faster than they expected, they arrived in Jiangzhou. Officials and scholars all came to welcome them at the city gate. The local officials hosted a banquet in the government hall to honor their arrival.
"This junior has arrived here, and it is entirely thanks to the great support and guidance from all of you esteemed gentlemen." Liu Hong said with false modesty.
"Honorable top scholar, your talents are outstanding, and you treat the people with kindness, making judgments fair and punishments just. We all benefit from your guidance; there is no need to be too humble." The officials replied.
After the public banquet, everyone dispersed.
Time passed swiftly, and one day, Liu Hong had official duties that took him far away.
At the governor's residence, Lady Yin missed her mother-in-law and husband. She sighed while sitting in the flower pavilion. Suddenly, she felt not only fatigued, but her body ached. She fainted on the ground and unknowingly gave birth to a son.
Then, young Lady Yin heard someone whispering in her ear. "Miss Mantangjiao, listen to my advice. I am the Star God of the South Pole, following the orders of Bodhisattva Guanyin. I have come to deliver this child to you. In the future, he will achieve great fame, not to be underestimated. When Liu, the bandit, returns, he will harm this child. You must protect him with all your heart. Your husband has already been saved by the Dragon King, and in the future, you and your husband will reunite, and mother and child will be together. The day for seeking justice and revenge will come. Remember my words. Wake up, wake up."
After saying this, the voice disappeared.
When Lady Yin regained consciousness, she remembered everything with clarity. She tightly embraced the child but was at a loss regarding her next move.
Liu Hong returned much too soon. When he saw the child, he immediately wanted to drown him.
Lady Yin said, "It's already late today, let's wait until tomorrow to throw him into the river."
Luckily, the next morning, Liu Hong had urgent official business and had to leave.
Lady Yin thought to herself, "If I wait for the villain to come back, the child's life will be in danger. It's better to throw him into the river now and let fate decide his life. If heaven takes pity on him, someone might rescue him and raise him. Maybe we'll meet again in the future."
However, she worried it would be difficult to recognize him later. So, she bit her finger and wrote a letter with her blood, detailing the names of his parents and the reasons for his abandonment. She also bit off the little toe from the child's left foot as a distinguishing mark. Then she wrapped the child in a close-fitting undershirt and carried him out of the government office while no one was around.
Fortunately, the government office was not far from the riverbank. Arriving at the river, Lady Yin couldn't hold back her tears, knowing she had no choice but to abandon the child. She noticed a floating plank near the riverbank. After Lady Yin prayed to the heavens, she placed the child on the plank, tied him with a belt, and attached the blood-written letter to his chest. She then pushed the plank into the river, letting fate guide his destiny. With tears in her eyes, Lady Yin returned to the government office.
The child drifted downstream on a wooden board until it came to a stop at the foot of Gold Mountain Monastery.
The monastery's abbot, known as Master Faming, was a wise and enlightened monk who had achieved a profound understanding of the Dao. He was in deep meditation when he suddenly heard the cries of a baby. Moved by compassion, he rushed to the riverbank to investigate and found a sleeping infant on a wooden board by the shore.
The elder hurriedly rescued the child and discovered a blood-stained letter in his swaddling clothes, revealing his origin. He gave the baby a temporary name, Jiangliu, which means river current. Then, he entrusted others to care for Jiangliu while hiding the blood-stained letter.
Time flies like an arrow, and the sun and moon pass swiftly. Before anyone knew it, Jiangliu had turned eighteen years old.
The abbot asked him to shave his head and embark on the path of spiritual cultivation, giving him the Dharma name Xuanzang, Profound Perfection.
Then Xuanzang received full ordination, determined to devote himself to the path of enlightenment.
One day, during the late spring weather, everyone gathered under the pine shade to discuss sutras and engage in meditation. They were delving into profound topics, but Xuanzang's questions and insights stumped a Monk known for indulging in wine and meat. Filled with anger, the Monk scolded, "You ignorant fool, you don't even know your own name nor recognize your parents. What nonsense are you sprouting?"
Xuanzang, hurt by these words, went to the monastery to kneel before his master, tears streaming down his face. "We are born between heaven and earth, influenced by Yin and Yang and the five elements. We owe our existence to our parents. Can there truly be someone in this world without parents?" He pleaded repeatedly and begged to know his parents' names.
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The abbot replied, "If you genuinely seek your parents, come with me to my quarters."
The elder led Xuanzang to his quarters, where he retrieved a small box from a beam. After unlocking it, he handed Xuanzang a blood-written letter and a sweatshirt.
Xuanzang opened the blood-written letter and read it carefully, finally learning his parents' names and the details of the injustice they suffered.
After finishing the reading, Xuanzang couldn't help but fall to the ground in tears. "With my parents' vendetta unaddressed, how can I live as a true person? I remained ignorant of my birth parents for eighteen years, only now realizing I have a mother. Were it not for Master's rescue and nurturing, how could I have reached this day? Please allow me to find my mother first, and then I shall carry the incense burner, help rebuild the temple, and repay Master's profound kindness."
The Master replied, "If you wish to find your mother, take this blood-written letter and the undershirt with you. Approach it as an almsgiving, head straight to the official's residence in Jiangzhou, and there you shall be able to meet your mother."
Xuanzang, following his master's instructions, acted as a monk seeking alms and headed straight for Jiangzhou. It happened that Liu Hong was away on business. Everything went so smoothly that it seemed destiny helped reunite the mother and son. Xuanzang went directly to the residence's entrance, prepared for his almsgiving.
Meanwhile, Lady Yin had a dream during the night. She dreamt of the moon going from crescent to full, and in her heart, she pondered, "I have no news from my mother-in-law. My husband fell victim to that villain. My son was cast into the river. If someone adopted him, he would be eighteen years old now. If fate allows, we may reunite someday, but who can say for sure?"
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard someone chanting and repeatedly calling "almsgiving" outside the private office. Curious, Lady Yin came out and asked, "Where do you come from?"
"This humble monk is a disciple of the Venerable Faming of Gold Mountain Monastery," Xuanzang replied.
"Since you are a disciple of the Venerable Faming..." Lady Yin invited him inside the office and offered him vegetarian food. As she observed his demeanor and conversation, he seemed remarkably similar to her husband.
Lady Yin sent away the maid who had accompanied her and inquired, "Young master, did you become a monk at a young age or in your middle years? What is your surname and given name? Do you have parents?"
"I neither became a monk at a young age nor in my middle years. My story is one of great suffering and deep-seated enmity. My father was schemed against and killed, while bandits took my mother. My master, Venerable Faming, instructed me to find my mother within the Jiangzhou office."
"What is your mother's surname?" Lady Yin asked.
"My mother's surname is Yin, and her name is Wenjiao. My father's surname is Chen, and his name is Guangrui. My childhood name is Jiangliu, and my Dharma name is Xuanzang."
Lady Yin said, "Wenjiao is me. But what proof do you have?"
Upon hearing that it was his mother, Xuanzang knelt down, sobbing deeply, and said, "If my mother doubts, there's a blood letter and a sweatshirt as evidence."
Wenjiao took a look and confirmed their authenticity.
Mother and son embraced and wept.
"My son, you must leave quickly."
"For eighteen long years, I remained ignorant of my birth parents. Only today, I've held my mother in my arms. How can I possibly leave you, dear mother?" Xuanzang replied with a heart heavy with emotion.
"If Liu, the villain, returns, he will kill you. Go now. In the following days, I'll feign illness and visit your temple, pretending I've vowed to donate a hundred pairs of monk shoes. At that time, I'll have something to tell you."
Xuanzang bid his farewells as instructed.
After seeing her son, Lady Yin's heart was filled with mixed emotions—both worry and happiness. Immediately, she claimed to be sick, refusing to eat or get out of bed.
When Liu Hong returned home, he asked her what was wrong.
"When I was a kid, I promised to donate a hundred pairs of monk shoes. Five days ago, I dreamed about a monk holding a sharp blade, demanding those shoes. It left me feeling unwell."
"Why didn't you mention this earlier? It's just a small matter." Liu Hong responded. Then, he summoned officials Wang and Li and ordered them to collect a pair of monk shoes from every household in Jiangzhou within five days.
The townspeople complied and handed over the shoes as instructed.
Later, Lady Yin asked Liu Hong, "Now that the shoes are ready, is there a monastery nearby where I can fulfill my vow?"
"In Jiangzhou, there are two — Gold Mountain Monastery and Scorched Mountain Monastery. Which one are you heading to?"
"I've heard good things about Gold Mountain Monastery, so I'll go there." Lady Yin replied.
Liu Hong immediately called for his officials Wang and Li to arrange a boat. Accompanied by her trusted companion, Lady Yin boarded the boat. With the help of a gentle current, they set it in motion, making their way toward Jinshan Temple.
Meanwhile, Xuanzang had returned to the temple and met with Elder Faming. He recounted the entire sequence of events to Elder Faming, who was greatly delighted.
A few days later, a maid arrived and informed everyone that Madam had come to the temple to fulfill her vow. All the monks went out to welcome her.
Lady Yin entered the temple, paid her respects to the Buddha, and then hosted a grand feast. She asked the maid to bring the monks' shoes and socks and placed them in a tray. Then, in the main hall, she offered incense and bowed in front of the Buddha statue. She asked Elder Faming to distribute alms to the monks.
After the monks left, the main hall was empty, except for Xuanzang. He approached and knelt down.
Lady Yin asked him to take off his shoes and socks. When she looked, she noticed that a small toe was missing from his left foot.
They both embraced and cried, expressing their gratitude to Elder Faming for raising and nurturing them.
Elder Faming advised them, "Now that you're reunited, it's best to leave quickly to avoid any trouble from the villains who might find out."
"Son, take this sandalwood pendant from me. Head northwest to a place about fifteen hundred miles away in Hongzhou. There, you'll find a shop called 'Ten Thousand Flowers Inn.' Your paternal grandmother, Madam Zhang, remains there. She is your father's birth mother. I will also write a letter for you. Proceed straight to the Imperial City of Tang, to the left of the Golden Hall, is the residence of Minister Yin Kai Shan. They are your maternal grandparents. Deliver my letter to Grandfather and ask him to present it to the Tang Emperor. Rally the troops, capture and eliminate the villain, avenging your father. Only then can you rescue your old mother. I can't stay long now, fearing that the bandits may suspect my delay." With that, Lady Yin left the temple, boarded the boat, and sailed away.