第一小说网

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第167部分（第2页）

Standing　there　in　front　of　the　great　assembly；　the　Taoist　said；　〃O　Powerful　Prince；　here　today　you　have　every　delicacy　on　the　table　and　a　glorious　pany　of　guests。　You　have　rare　and　beautiful　objects　from　all　parts　of　the　world。　Is　there　anything　lacking？　If　there　be　anything　you　would　like；　name　it　and　I　will　get　it　for　you。〃

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃Then　I　want　a　dragons　liver　to　make　soup：　Can　you　get　that？〃

〃Wheres　the　difficulty？〃　replied　Zuo　Ci。

With　a　pencil　the　Taoist　immediately　sketched　a　dragon　on　the　whitewashed　wall　of　the　banquet　hall。　Then　he　flicked　his　sleeve　over　it；　the　dragons　belly　opened　of　itself；　and　therefrom　Zuo　Ci　took　the　liver　all　fresh　and　bloody。

〃You　had　the　liver　hidden　in　your　sleeve；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　incredulous。

〃Then　there　shall　be　another　test；〃　said　the　Taoist。　〃It　is　winter　and　every　plant　outside　is　dead。　What　flower　would　you　like；　O　Prince。　Name　any　one　you　will。〃

〃I　want　a　peony；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Easy；〃　said　the　Taoist。

At　this　request　they　brought　out　a　flower…pot；　which　was　placed　in　full　view　of　the　guests。　Then　he　spurted　some　water　over　it；　and　in　a　very　short　time　up　came　a　peony　with　two　fully　expanded　flowers。

The　guests　were　astonished；　and　they　asked　the　Taoist　to　be　seated　and　gave　him　wine　and　food。　The　cook　sent　in　some　minced　fish。

〃The　best　mince　is　made　from　the　perch　of　River　Song；〃　said　the　Taoist。

〃How　can　you　get　fish　five　hundred　miles　away？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Not　at　all　difficult。　Tell　someone　to　get　a　rod　and　hook；　and　fish　in　the　pond　just　below　this　banquet　hall。〃

They　did　so；　and　very　soon　several　beautiful　perches　lay　on　the　steps。

〃I　have　always　kept　some　of　these　in　my　ponds；　of　course；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃O　Prince；　do　you　think　to　deceive　me？　All　perches　have　two　gills　except　the　River　Song　perch；　which　has　two　pairs。　That　is　the　distinguishing　feature。〃

The　guests　crowded　round　to　look；　and；　surely　enough；　the　fish　had　four　gills。

〃To　cook　this　perch　one　needs　purple　sprout　ginger　though；〃　said　the　Taoist。

〃Can　you　also　produce　that？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃Easily。〃

Zuo　Ci　told　them　to　bring　in　a　silver　bowl；　which　the　magician　filled　with　water。　Very　soon　the　ginger　filled　the　bowl；　and　he　presented　it　to　the　host。　Cao　Cao　put　out　his　hand　to　pick　some；　when　suddenly　a　book　appeared　in　the　bowl　and　the　title　was　Cao　Caos　New　Treatise　on　the　Art　of　War　。　He　took　it　out　and　read　it　over。　Not　a　word　of　his　treatise　was　missing。

Cao　Cao　became　more　mystified。　Zuo　Ci　took　up　a　jade　cup　that　stood　on　the　table；　filled　it　with　fine　wine；　and　presented　it　to　Cao　Cao。

〃Drink　this；　O　Prince；　and　you　will　live　a　thousand　years。〃

〃Drink　of　it　first　yourself；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

The　Taoist　took　the　jade　pin　from　his　headdress　and　drew　it　across　the　cup　as　if　dividing　the　wine　into　two　portions。

Then　he　drank　one　half　and　handed　the　cup　with　the　other　half　to　Cao　Cao。　But　Cao　Cao　angrily　refused　it。　The　Taoist　then　threw　the　cup　into　the　air；　where　it　was　transformed　into　a　white　dove　which　circled　round　the　banquet　hall　and　then　flew　away。

All　faces　were　turned　upward　following　the　flight　of　the　dove；　and　so　no　one　had　noticed　the　going　of　the　Taoist。　But　he　was　gone；　and　soon　the　gate　warden　reported　that　he　had　left　the　Palace。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃A　magician　like　this　ought　to　be　put　to　death；　or　he　will　do　some　mischief。〃

The　redoubtable　Xu　Chu　and　a　pany　of　three　hundred　armed　men　were　sent　to　arrest　the　Taoist。　They　saw　the　Taoist；　still　wearing　his　wooden　clogs；　not　far　ahead　but　striding　along　quickly。　Xu　Chu　rode　after　Zuo　Ci；　but　in　spite　of　all　his　horse　could　do；　he　could　not　e　up　with　Zuo　Ci。　Xu　Chu　kept　up　the　chase　right　to　the　hills；　when　he　met　a　shepherd　lad　with　a　flock　of　sheep。　And　there　walked　the　Taoist　among　the　sheep。　The　Taoist　disappeared。　The　angry　warrior　slew　the　whole　flock　of　sheep；　while　the　shepherd　lad　looked　on　weeping。

Suddenly　the　boy　heard　a　voice　from　one　of　the　severed　heads；　telling　him　to　replace　the　heads　on　the　bodies　of　his　sheep。　Instead　of　doing　so；　he　fled　in　terror；　covering　his　face。

Then　he　heard　a　voice　calling　to　him；　〃Do　not　run　away。　You　shall　have　your　sheep　again。〃

He　turned；　and　lo！　the　sheep　were　all　alive　again；　and　Zuo　Ci　was　driving　them　along。　The　boy　began　to　question　him；　but　the　Taoist　made　no　reply。　With　a　flick　of　his　sleeves；　he　was　gone。

The　shepherd　lad　went　home　and　told　all　these　marvels　to　his　master；　who　could　not　conceal　such　a　story；　and　it　reached　Cao　Cao。　Then　sketches　of　the　Taoist　were　sent　everywhere　with　orders　to　arrest　him。　Within　three　days　were　arrested　in　the　city　an