Chapter 37 Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine days

Lingshan. It's the finish line, friends. "It turns out that Lingshan is here." The pig suddenly realized. "No wonder you say that there is a spiritual mountain at your feet." Drifting laughed, "We have traveled thousands of miles to find it." "In fact, everyone will reach Lingshan, just as every story has an end." I said. "It's a pity the monkeys didn't come here." "But the official story will say he's coming too... Nobody's going to see him anyway." "This is his choice, and he will fight hard in the endless cycle of reincarnation, finding himself again and again."

"Here is so peaceful, you don't need to do anything, you don't need to think about anything. Is this the reason for all our hard work?" asked the pig. "No," I said, "we're on this road for the sake of the road itself. Being on the road is what it's all about." If possible, I wish this road would never end. A voice asked: "Tang Sanzang, have you found the answer you were looking for?" I nodded and shook my head again. "You haven't figured it out yet?" "I don't want to become a Buddha." "why?"

Many years ago, I once knew a young man.His name is Li Shimin. We met by the mountain and river outside the temple. At that time, he was being hunted down by soldiers. I secretly took him to the temple and hid him, so we became good friends. "I owe you my life." He said, "May I ask your benefactor's name?" I thought about it, and thought that if he was caught, he might confess me, so I said, "My name is Jueyuan." "Jueyuan, what is mine will be yours from now on." He said, "If I win the world, you will be the Great Master of Protecting the Country."

"Why are they after you?" I asked. "Because I want to change this ugly world, because there are too many sufferings in the world. I am determined to create a new world, and I want to make this country rich, strong, and open. It is ridiculous that my ideal has become my crime." "When the Buddha was a little prince, he also wanted to make the world free from poverty and sorrow, but after so many years, the Buddha has become a Buddha, but the world is still the same." "Are you mocking me? Do you think I can't change the world even if I win the world?"

"Yes," I said, "you can't change that." "why?" "Because when you have nothing, you want to change the world and save the common people. But when you have an army, win the world, become the most powerful person, and everyone shouts long live, will you still be the same as you used to be?" "I won't change. You should never doubt my convictions." "I don't doubt you now, I just doubt that time will change everything." We talked all night long in the monastery, about life, ideals, philosophy, women, and world affairs. I have never had such a happy conversation with one person.If he didn't want to be emperor so much, he could have been my best friend.

"I also have a dream." I said, "I'm going west to find the way to save the common people. Come with me." "No," he said, "I will not place my hope in the distant void, I will stay here, share the joys and sorrows with the people here, I will win their support, and I will realize my dream." I think he's right, maybe I'm just a coward who wants to escape the reality in front of me and escape to an unfounded ideal paradise in the distance. Later, he left. Later, I went down the mountain and prepared to go west, and I had to go to Chang'an to apply for customs clearance.

When I came to Chang'an, I realized that the dynasty had changed. The current country is called Datang, and his master is called Li Shimin. I met Li Shimin in the palace.He was completely different from when he was in distress. At that time, he was in rags, with disheveled hair, hiding in places, always impassioned, dissatisfied with everything, but I knew he lived in confusion and fear.But now, he has a golden crown and a jade belt, a red face, a swagger, always laughing loudly, and is full of pride in everything. "Look at my country." He said, "Look at the joyful people and their cheering for me. My ideal is about to come true, and Datang will become the most powerful country in the world."

"I'm really happy for you and this country." I bowed deeply, "But I still want to ask you to issue an order to approve my trip to Kansai." "Why?" He asked puzzled, "A beautiful life is about to begin, this country is about to start a new chapter, and I am about to repay you and give you everything you want. But you want to leave?" "Am I your courtier, or your friend?" "Of course you're my friend and the best. I wouldn't be where I am without you. Remember when we talked about the world? It was the happiest time of my life."

"If I were just your subject, I would shout long live long live to you. If I were your friend, I would tell you that there is no sun that never sets in this world. This prosperity will not last forever, and neither can you Eternal life. You alone cannot change the world, no matter how superstitious you are about your power." Li Shimin's face changed: "That's why you want to leave me? Leave this country? Just because you believe there is a better place than here?" "No." I said, "I will come back eventually and bring back everything I saw on the road. I would like to be your eyes to see the world. I will faithfully record what I see and hear, whether it is good or bad. Ugly. I want to tell you the truth of the world, whether you like it or not. I will not bring back the way of eternal life, only the crying, laughing and crying of all beings."

"I won't let you go!" he said angrily, "I want you to stay here and witness my great achievements. I will become the greatest emperor, and I really want to live another five hundred years." "That's impossible, my friend," I said, "believe me, in five hundred years you'll see how your dynasty crumbles, you'll see people cursing you and your descendants, and you'll see I regret that you did not die when this dynasty was at its strongest." "Why!" he asked, "Why can't I build a dynasty that is always strong? Why do I lose what I gain? Why do all my love and ideals end in smoke?"

"I want to know, too," I said, "so I'm going to go far, travel the world, and find out." "You go," he said, "but promise me to come back while I'm still alive. I want to hear you tell me what you saw in the world, and I want to hear you tell me the answer." So I said to the Buddha: "I can't become a Buddha. I want to go back. Because my homeland is not here. I love it so much, although everything there may not be as beautiful as here. But I will go back, and I will tell them about this world I want to let the people there have a passionate yearning and a big heart, and I want to watch them live endlessly and create that dream country, where there will be the darkest, the saddest, the most suffering, and there will be the most brilliant , the greatest, the most glorious. I do not regret where I was born, nor do I regret where I died." I'm finally going home. Looking back at the way we came from, there is a vast expanse.Those old faces are gone. But I heard them cry: "I'm here." "I'm here." "I'm here." They cry out everywhere in the world, in the air, in the sea, on the roads I have and have not trod.They shouted, they existed, I wrote down their names, and then I lifted them up and let them dance with the wind. How many roads must a person walk before he can grow into a man. How many oceans must a white dove flyBefore she lies on the sand. How many years does it take for a mountain to stand before it is washed to the sea. How many years does a group of people have to survive before they are free. The answers are all in the wind. How can I forget Journey to the West. (Finish)