小说园

第72部分（第1页）

〃I　am　but　a　poor　priest　of　the　Langye　Mountains。　More　than　half　a　century　ago；　when　gathering　simples　in　the　woods；　I　found　near　the　Yangqu　Spring　a　book　called　The　Way　of　Peace。　It　contains　a　hundred　and　more　chapters　and　taught　me　how　to　cure　the　diseases　of　humans。　With　this　in　my　possession　I　had　only　one　thing　to　do：　To　devote　myself　to　spreading　its　teachings　and　saving　humankind。　I　have　never　taken　any　thing　from　the　people。　Can　you　say　I　incite　people　to　evil　deeds？〃

〃You　say　you　take　nothing：　Whence　came　your　clothes　and　your　food？　The　fact　is　you　are　one　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　and　you　will　work　mischief　if　you　are　left　alive。〃

Then　turning　to　his　attendants；　Sun　Ce　ordered；　〃Take　him　away　and　put　him　to　death。〃

Zhang　Zhao　interceded；　〃The　Taoist　Saint　has　been　here　in　the　east　these　many　years。　He　has　never　done　any　harm　and　does　not　deserve　death　or　punishment。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　will　kill　these　wizard　fellows　just　as　I　would　cattle。〃

The　officials　in　a　body　interceded；　even　the　guest　of　honor；　Chen　Zhen；　but　in　vain。　Sun　Ce　refused　to　be　placated。　He　ordered　Yu　Ji　to　be　imprisoned。

The　banquet　came　to　an　end；　and　Chen　Zhen　retired　to　his　lodging。　Sun　Ce　also　returned　to　his　palace。

His　treatment　of　the　Taoist　Holy　Man　was　theme　of　general　conversation　and　soon　reached　the　ears　of　his　mother。

Lady　Wu　sent　for　her　son　to　the　ladies　apartments　and　said　to　him；　〃They　tell　me　you　have　put　Saint　Yu　Ji　in　bonds。　He　has　cured　many　sick　people；　and　the　mon　folk　hold　him　in　great　reverence。　Do　not　harm　him！〃

〃He　is　simply　a　wizard　who　upsets　the　multitude　with　his　spells　and　craft。　He　must　be　put　to　death；〃　replied　Sun　Ce。

Lady　Wu　entreated　him　to　stay　his　hand；　but　he　was　obstinate。

〃Do　not　heed　the　gossip　of　the　streets；　Mother；〃　said　he。　〃I　must　be　judge　of　these　matters。〃

However；　Sun　Ce　sent　to　the　prison　for　Yu　Ji　in　order　to　interrogate　him。　Now　the　gaolers；　having　a　great　respect　for　Yu　Ji　and　faith　in　his　powers；　were　very　indulgent　to　him　and　did　not　keep　him　in　the　collar。　However　when　Sun　Ce　sent　for　him；　they　put　on　him　with　collar　and　fetters　all　plete。

Sun　Ce　had　heard　of　their　indulgence　and　punished　the　gaolers；　and　ordered　the　prisoner　thereafter　to　be　put　in　constant　torture。　Zhang　Zhao　and　many　others；　moved　by　pity；　made　a　petition　which　they　humbly　presented；　and　they　offered　to　bee　surety　for　him。

Sun　Ce　said　to　them；　〃Gentlemen；　you　are　all　great　scholars；　but　why　do　you　not　understand　reason？　Formerly　in　Jiaozhou　was　Imperial　Protector　Zhang　Jing；　who　was　deluded　by　these　vicious　doctrines　into　beating　drums；　twanging　lyres；　burning　incense；　and　such　things。　He　wore　a　red　turban　and　represented　himself　as　able　to　ensure　victory　to　an　army。　But　he　was　slain　by　the　enemy。　There　is　nothing　in　all　this；　only　none　of　you　will　see　it。　I　am　going　to　put　this　fellow　to　death　in　order　to　stop　the　spread　of　this　pernicious　doctrine。〃

Lu　Fan　interposed；　saying；　〃I　know　very　well　this　Yu　Ji　can　control　the　weather。　It　is　very　dry　just　now；　why　not　make　him　pray　for　rain　as　an　amercement？〃

〃We　will　see　what　sort　of　witchcraft　he　is　equal　to；〃　said　Sun　Ce。

Thereupon　he　had　the　prisoner　brought　in；　loosed　his　fetters；　and　sent　him　up　to　an　altar　to　intercede　for　rain。

The　docile　Taoist　Yu　Ji　prepared　to　do　as　he　was　bidden。　He　first　bathed　himself；　then　dressed　himself　in　clean　garments。　After　that　he　bound　his　limbs　with　a　cord　and　lay　down　in　the　fierce　heat　of　the　sun。　The　people　came　in　crowds　to　look　on。

Said　Yu　Ji；　〃I　will　pray　for　three　spans　high　of　refreshing　rain　for　the　benefit　of　the　people；　nevertheless　I　shall　not　escape　death　thereby。〃

The　people　said；　〃But　if　your　prayer　be　efficacious；　our　lord　must　believe　in　your　powers。〃

〃The　day　of　fate　has　e　for　me；　and　there　is　no　escape。〃

Presently　Sun　Ce　came　near　the　altar　and　announced　that　if　rain　had　not　fallen　by　noon；　he　would　burn　the　priest。　And　to　confirm　this　he　bade　them　prepare　the　pyre。

As　it　neared　noon　a　strong　wind　sprang　up；　and　the　clouds　gathered　from　all　quarters。　But　there　was　no　rain。

〃It　is　near　noon；〃　said　Sun　Ce。　〃Clouds　are　of　no　account　without　rain。　He　is　only　an　impostor。〃

Sun　Ce　bade　his　attendants　lay　the　priest　on　the　pyre　and　pile　wood　around　him　and　apply　the　torch。　Fanned　by　the　gale　the　flames　rose　rapidly。　Then　appeared　in　the　sky　above　a　wreath　of　black　vapor；　followed　by　roaring　thunder　and　vivid　lightning；　peal　on　peal　and　flash　on　flash。　And　the　rain　fell　in　a　perfect　deluge。　In　a　short　time　the　streets　became　rivers　and　torrents。　It　was　indeed　a　three…span　fall。

Yu　Ji；　who　was　still　lying　upon　the　pile　of　firewood；　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　〃O　Clouds；　cease　thy　rain；　and　let　the　glorious　sun　appear！〃

Thereupon　officials　and　people　helped　the　priest　down；　loosened　the　cord　that　bound　him；　and　bowed　before　him　in　gratitude　for　the　rain。

But　Sun　Ce　boiled　with　rage　at　seeing　his　officers　and　the　people　gathered　in　groups　and　kneeling　in　the　water　regardless　of　the　damage　to　their　clothing。

〃Rain　or　shine　are　as　nature　appoints　them；　and　the　wizard　has　happened　to　hit　upon　a　moment　of　change。　What　are　you　making　all　this　fuss　about？〃　cried　he。

Then　he　drew　his　sword　and　told　the　attendants　to　smite　the　Taoist　Saint　therewith。　They　all　besought　him　to　hold　his　hand。