小说园

第167部分（第1页）

r　his　fathers　immediate　attendants；　who　then　rang　the　praises　of　his　virtues　so　loud　that　Cao　Cao　was　strongly　disposed　to　name　him　as　the　heir　after　all。

After　hesitating　a　long　time；　the　matter　was　referred　to　Jia　Xu。

〃I　wish　to　name　my　heir。　Who　shall　it　be？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Jia　Xu　would　not　say；　and　Cao　Cao　asked　why。

〃I　was　just　recalling　the　past　in　my　mind　and　could　not　reply　at　once；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

〃What　were　you　recalling？〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　two　fathers；　Yuan　Shao　and　Liu　Biao；　and　their　sons。〃

Cao　Cao　laughed。　Soon　after　this　he　declared　his　eldest　son　his　heir。

In　the　winter　of　that　year；　in　the　tenth　month；　the　building　of　the　Palace　of　the　new　Prince　of　Wei　was　pleted；　and　the　furnishing　begun。　From　all　parts　were　collected　rare　flowers　and　unmon　trees　to　beautify　the　gardens。　One　agent　went　into　the　South　Land　and　saw　Sun　Quan；　to　whom　he　presented　a　letter　from　Cao　Cao　asking　that　he　might　be　allowed　to　proceed　to　Wenzhou　to　get　some　oranges。　At　that　period　Sun　Quan　was　in　a　most　plaisant　mood　toward　Cao　Cao；　so　from　the　orange　trees　in　his　own　city；　he　picked　forty　loads　of　very　fine　fruits　and　sent　them　immediately　to　Yejun。

On　the　way；　the　bearers　of　the　oranges　fell　tired；　and　they　had　to　stop　at　the　foot　of　a　certain　hill。　There　came　along　an　elderly　man；　blind　of　one　eye　and　lame　of　one　leg；　who　wore　a　white　rattan　headdress　and　a　black　loose　robe。　He　saluted　the　bearers　and　stayed　to　talk。

Presently　he　said；　〃Your　burdens　are　heavy；　O　Porters。　May　this　old　Taoist　lend　you　a　shoulder？　What　do　you　say？〃

Naturally　they　were　pleased　enough；　and　the　amiable　wayfarer　bore　each　load　for　two　miles。　When　they　resumed　their　burdens；　they　noticed　that　the　loads　seemed　lighter　than　before；　and　they　felt　rather　suspicious。

When　the　Taoist　was　taking　his　leave　of　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　party；　he　said；　〃I　am　an　old　friend　from　the　same　village　as　the　Prince　of　Wei。　My　name　is　Zuo　Ci。　Among　Taoists　I　bear　the　appellation　of　Black　Horn。　When　you　get　to　the　end　of　your　journey；　you　may　say　that　I　was　inquiring　after　your　lord。〃

Zuo　Ci　shook　down　his　sleeves　and　left。　In　due　course　the　orange　bearers　reached　the　new　Palace；　and　the　oranges　were　presented。　But　when　Cao　Cao　cut　one　open；　it　was　but　an　empty　shell　of　a　thing：　There　was　no　pulp　beneath　the　rind。　Cao　Cao　was　rather　puzzled　and　called　in　the　porters；　who　told　him　of　their　falling　in　with　the　mysterious　Taoist　on　the　way。　But　Cao　Cao　scouted　the　idea　of　that　being　the　reason。

But　just　then　the　warden　of　the　gate　sent　to　say　that　a　certain　Taoist　named　Zuo　Ci　was　at　the　gate　and　wished　to　see　the　king。

〃Send　him　in；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃He　is　the　man　we　met　on　the　way；〃　said　the　porters　when　he　appeared。

Cao　Cao　said　curtly；　〃What　sorcery　have　you　been　exercising　on　my　beautiful　fruit？〃

〃How　could　such　a　thing　happen？〃　said　the　Taoist。

Thereupon　he　cut　open　an　orange　and　showed　it　full　of　pulp；　most　delicious　to　the　taste。　But　when　Cao　Cao　cut　open　another；　that　again　was　empty；　nothing　but　rind。

Cao　Cao　was　more　than　ever　perplexed。　He　bade　his　visitor　be　seated；　and；　as　Zuo　Ci　asked　for　refreshment；　wine　and　food　were　brought　in。　The　Taoist　ate　ravenously；　consuming　a　whole　sheep；　and　drank　in　proportion。　Yet　he　showed　no　sign　of　intoxication　or　repletion。

〃By　what　magic　are　you　here？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

＇e＇　Emei　Mountain　one　of　the　most　renowned　Buddhist　and　Daoist　（Taoist）　sanctuaries　in　China。　The　mountain　is　located　in　the　basin　of　Sichuan　Province。　The　beautiful　majesty　of　this　mountain　has　caused　it　to　be　named　Emei；　〃the　most　beautiful　mountain　under　heaven〃。　Visitors　of　this　mountain　are　treated　to　several　peaks；　bubbling　springs；　cascading　waterfalls；　tall　ancient　trees　and　abundant　flowers　along　the　many　mountain　paths　leading　to　the　many　scenic　spots　and　temples　that　dot　the　mountain　side　from　the　base　to　the　summit。　。。。。。

〃I　am　but　a　poor　Taoist。　I　went　into　Jialing　in　Shu；　and　on　Emei　Mountain*；　I　studied　the　way　for　thirty　long　years。　One　day　I　heard　my　name　called　from　out　the　rocky　wall　of　my　cell。　I　looked；　but　could　see　nothing。　The　same　thing　happened　next　day；　and　so　on　for　many　days。　Then　suddenly；　with　a　roar　like　thunder；　the　rock　split　asunder；　and　I　saw　a　sacred　book　in　three　volumes　called　The　Book　of　Concealing　Method………the　first　volume　was　named　Concealing　Heaven；　the　second　Concealing　Earth；　and　the　third　Concealing　Human。　From　the　first　volume　I　learned　to　ascend　to　the　clouds　astride　the　wind；　to　sail　up　into　the　great　void　itself；　from　the　second　to　pass　through　mountains　and　penetrate　rocks；　from　the　third；　to　float　light　as　vapor；　over　the　seas；　to　bee　invisible　at　will　or　change　my　shape；　to　fling　swords　and　project　daggers　so　as　to　decapitate　a　man　from　a　distance。　You；　O　Prince；　have　reached　the　acme　of　glory。　Why　not　now　withdraw　and；　like　me；　bee　a　disciple　of　the　Taoists？　Why　not　travel　to　Emei　Mountain　and　there　mend　your　ways　so　that　I　may　bequeath　my　three　volumes　to　you　？〃

〃Oft　have　I　reflected　upon　this　course　and　struggled　against　my　fate；　but　what　can　I　do？　There　is　no　one　to　maintain　the　government；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。

〃There　is　Liu　Bei　of　Yizhou；　a　scion　of　the　dynastic　family。　Could　you　not　make　way　for　him？　If　you　do　not；　I　may　have　to　send　one　of　my　flying　swords　after　your　head　one　day。〃

〃You　are　one　of　his　secret　agents；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　suddenly　enraged。　〃Seize　him！〃　cried　he　to　his　lictors。

They　did　so；　while　the　Taoist　laughed。　And　Zuo　Ci　continued　to　laugh　as　they　dragged　him　down　to　the　dungeons；　where　they　beat　him　cruelly。　And　when　they　had　finished；　the　Taoist　lay　there　gently　respiring　in　a　sound　sleep；　just　as　if　he　felt　nothing　whatever。

This　enraged　Cao　Cao　still　more；　and　he　bade　them　put　the　priest　into　the　large　wooden　collar　and　nail　it　securely　and　then　chain　him　in　a　cell。　And　Cao　Cao　set　guards　over　him；　and　the　guards　saw　the　collar　and　chains　just　fall　off　while　the　victim　lay　fast　asleep　not　injured　in　the　least。

The　Taoist　lay　in　prison　seven　days　without　food　or　water。　But　when　they　went　to　look　at　him；　he　was　sitting　upright　on　the　ground；　quite　well　and　rosy　looking。

The　gaolers　reported　these　things　to　Cao　Cao；　who　had　the　prisoner　brought　in。

〃I　do　not　mind　going　without　food　for　years；〃　said　the　victim；　when　Cao　Cao　questioned　him；　〃yet　I　could　eat　a　thousand　sheep　in　a　day。〃

Cao　Cao　was　at　the　end　of　his　resources。　He　could　prevail　nothing　against　such　a　man。

That　day　there　was　to　be　a　great　banquet　at　the　new　Palace；　and　guests　came　in　crowds。　When　the　banquet　was　in　progress　and　the　wine　cup　passing　freely；　suddenly　the　same　Taoist　appeared。　He　had　wooden　clogs　on　his　feet。　All　faces　turned　in　his　direction　and　not　a　few　were　afraid；　others　wondered。