The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 292 Tian Shu vs. Zuo Ci: A Transmigrator Meets a Cultivator

Meanwhile, there was a sorcerer named Zuo Ci from Lujiang who was using talismanic water to cure people's illnesses in Hebei.

For a time, it garnered a large number of supporters in Hebei.

When Li Yi, the governor of Ji Province and the prime minister in charge of Hebei, heard about this matter...

Fearing unrest in Hebei, they rushed back to Bohai under the cover of night.

Military officials led by Zhang Liao and Xu Huang, and civil officials led by Xun You and Xu Shu, all came out of the city for thirty miles to welcome them.

When Li Yi entered the city, people still lined the roads on both sides of the road to welcome him with food and drink.

It seems that Li Yi did not completely lose control of the people's livelihood after leaving for a year.

Even so, Li Yi still wouldn't allow anyone to cause trouble on his territory.

Upon his return, he did not bother with formalities or inquiries about old times, but went straight to the point and asked Xun You and the others.

"...What major events happened during my year away from Hebei?"

Xun You replied respectfully:

"...Since the Prime Minister went to Jiangnan, there have been many affairs in Hebei."

"Yuanzhi and I have resolved many matters on our own."

"However, there are many important matters that require your personal attention upon your return."

Li Yi nodded and then said:
"Let's talk about the important things."

Xun You then reported to Li Yi in a clear and organized manner, point by point:
"Last June, Changshan suffered a severe drought."

“In my Jizhou region, I will allocate 300,000 hu of money and grain for disaster relief.”

"However, the prefect falsely reported the number of disaster victims, and the grain supervisor mixed sand into the rice."

"Officials in the seven counties embezzled funds at every level."

"The case involves the Shen and Guo families, and more than fifty officials are implicated."

"We dare not make a decision on our own; we await the Prime Minister's return to handle the matter."

knew!!

Li Yi's face was gloomy as he replied coldly.

Everyone around could see that Li Yi was very unhappy.

But those who know Li Yi know that his unhappiness is not because of this "major corruption case".

Rather, it was because Xun You and others were incompetent and unwilling to personally handle this major case.

Xun You was by nature conservative and calm, and did not like to show off.

He certainly wouldn't want to do something that would offend people.

Xu Shu did have the spirit of a chivalrous knight-errant, daring to act and take responsibility, but his power was not great enough.

One person alone cannot deal with so many people at once.

In effect, these subordinates passed this "difficult problem" to Li Yi.

Liu Bei, who was far away in Xuzhou, was more willing to leave the problem to the people of Hebei to solve themselves.

The more united the people of Hebei were, the weaker Liu Bei's control over them became.

Therefore, even though Xun You and others had already reported to Liu Bei when Li Yi left.

Liu Bei simply replied with one sentence:
"...I entrust all matters concerning Hebei to Prime Minister Li."

"Since Prime Minister Li is not here, you may decide the matter yourselves."

What a clever man Xun You was!

He immediately understood Liu Bei's meaning and temporarily dismissed the people involved.

We'll wait for Li Yi to return so he can handle it personally.

This delay lasted for a year.

“Last winter, the Goguryeo people of Liaodong invaded the border and destroyed our Xuantu County.”

"The defending general Wang Xiong was killed in battle, and more than two thousand people were wounded and required compensation."

Xun You then reported on the border affairs to Li Yi.

“Lu Bu, the governor of Pingzhou, was determined to conquer Goguryeo.”

"Liu Ye, the Protector of Goguryeo, could not dissuade him and went on the expedition with the army."

"Later, with the help of Zhang Xiu, the Northern Garrison Commander, he killed the barbarian general Yan You in battle at Changbai Mountain."

"The Goguryeo people suffered a great defeat, and the border troubles were thus quelled."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi's furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

His intention in leaving Liu Ye in Liaodong was to keep an eye on Lü Bu.

Therefore, Liu Ye's starting point was always from the perspective of Hebei.

As the governor of Pingzhou, Lü Bu naturally had the authority to send troops on his own.

However, Li Yi has never advocated prioritizing the use of force to resolve border issues.

For the same reason, boasting about "martial arts" to outsiders does sound impressive.

But it consumes too much money and resources, and the returns are extremely low.

For example, Li Yi established an "economic special zone" in Yuyang, Youzhou, to make the most of the economic value of nomadic life.

This is what Li Yi advocates.

Fortunately, Lü Bu at least made some contributions in Liaodong.

This result is acceptable.

But what about the cost?
"...This campaign consumed a total of 500,000 bushels of military rations."

"More than 3,000 warhorses and about 1,000 households of border residents fled."

"In addition, the spring planting was delayed because 50,000 local laborers were conscripted for the expedition."

"We still need to replenish the grain that was delayed this year in Pingzhou so that the people of Pingzhou can get through the winter."

"In this expedition, Lü Bu, Zhang Xiu, Jia Xu, Liu Ye, and others have all rendered meritorious service to the country."

"Those who deserve rewards total more than fifty people."

"The rewards for the soldiers who participated in the battle have not yet been decided; we will wait for the Prime Minister to return and make a decision."

Hearing this, Li Yi's head started spinning again.

Indeed, Lü Bu achieved the feat of "fighting Wei and Huo", which certainly made him look impressive.

They made a grand display of their power before the world.

But it was Li Yi's turn to pay the bill.

Pingzhou was poor, and its military expenses could only be covered by funds from Hebei.

And having won the battle, the reward was another huge sum of money.

"...Is there anything else?"

Looking at Xun You's hesitant expression, Li Yi knew that there must be another important matter that needed his attention.

Xu Shu then stepped forward to help Xun You share the firepower.

"...Reporting to the Prime Minister, three months ago, Jiao Chu, the governor of Youzhou, passed away from illness."

Oh?
Li Yi raised an eyebrow, marveling at how all these major events had piled up in just one year since he left.
"...Governor Jiao is critically ill, and we have already taken care of the affairs of his descendants after his death."

"However, the successor has not yet been decided."

Li Yi replied without hesitation:
"Although I am in charge of all affairs in Hebei, the appointment of personnel in Youzhou should be decided by the King of Qi."

Of course, strictly speaking.

The selection of a new governor should be reported to the court and then to Emperor Liu Xie.

This was just a formality; Liu Bei would make the decision first, then report it to Liu Xie, and finally, the entire process would be streamlined.

"We have already reported this matter to the King of Qi."

As he spoke, Xun You took out a book from his sleeve and said:
"The King of Qi sent a handwritten edict, ordering Hebei to recommend virtuous and capable individuals."

Liu Bei's intention was to let the people of Hebei vote for a new governor of Youzhou.

The implication was that he had no one he wanted to send from Xuzhou.

The person Liu Bei had in mind was already in Hebei.

However, there could be several candidates, and Liu Bei felt that any of them would be fine.

Since that's the case, you can choose for yourselves!

Although Liu Bei did not name names, everyone understood the unspoken agreement.

Tian Yu and Qian Zhao were not only Liu Bei's former followers, but also his childhood friends.

The two of them happened to be in Youzhou.

In addition, Xianyu Fu, a powerful clan leader in Youzhou, was not only the head of the special economic zone.

Having previously distinguished himself in the campaign against the Wuhuan people alongside Li Yi, he must have coveted the position of Governor of Youzhou.

After hearing these things, Li Yi immediately gave the following order:

"I already know seven or eight parts of what you have said."

"We should first execute Zhang Gui, the corrupt official of Changshan, to punish the ringleader and restore order to the government."

"The rest of those who were dismissed from their posts may be imprisoned pending investigation."

"For the expenses incurred in Pingzhou, Jizhou can first allocate 300,000 hu of grain."

“In the Yuyang region, each area will be allocated a thousand head of cattle and sheep to fill the vacancies.”

"As for Youzhou..."

Li Yi hesitated for a moment, then slowly said:
"Bring me pen and ink, and I will personally petition the King of Qi to appoint Tian Yu as the governor of Youzhou."

As we all know, Liu Yan was the first man to propose "abolishing the historians and establishing the governors".

However, the claim that the historian was abolished and the official was replaced is not accurate.

Because the position of governor was not abolished, but coexisted with that of the provincial governor.

Therefore, you will find that during the Three Kingdoms period, governors and provincial governors often appeared at the same time.

The only difference is that the governor's power is far greater than that of the prefect.

Li Yi's approach was quite simple: Tian Yu and Qian Zhao were both senior members with sufficient experience.

Then let's choose Tian Yu, who joined earlier!
As for how to appease Xianyu Fu and other powerful clans in Youzhou.

Simple, I'll just strip Tian Yu of his power, giving him only the position of governor, not the position of prefect.

As for Xianyu Fu...

"Xianyu Fu is still appointed as the Prefect of Yuyang, and concurrently as the Governor of Youzhou."

"Qian Zhao was still ordered to protect the Wuhuan Commandant, and concurrently served as the Chief Administrator of Youzhou."

The Prefectural Governor and the Chief Administrator were both the second-in-commands of the prefecture, essentially the governor's right-hand men.

While promoting Tian Yu to the position of emperor, Li Yi also appeased Qian Zhao and Xianyu Fu.

This both preserved their vested interests and expanded their power.

In this way, none of the three will have any complaints.

And it will not be a single dominant player.

To reiterate, the more decentralized local power is, the more centralized central power becomes.

Liu Bei certainly hoped to see this situation.

Li Yi immediately wrote down "the will of the people of Hebei" and sent it to Xiapi for Liu Bei to decide.

In this way, the matter that the local Hebei officials could not resolve, and that was left for Li Yi to handle, was largely completed.

There are still some matters in between, but none of them are particularly urgent, and Li Yi can deal with them slowly later.

Now Li Yi can finally free up his hands to deal with that troublemaker who came to his territory.

"...Where is that sorcerer now?!"

"This sorcerer set up temples to educate the people, and also set up donation boxes for cleansing sins, extorting money from the people on a large scale."

"What? This is outrageous!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yi became extremely angry.

It is often said that wealth should be stored among the people.

When the wealth of the people is embezzled, the government's prestige will inevitably suffer as well!
This was clearly aimed at Li Yi.

But this is not the end,

Although the officials did not punish Zuo Ci during this period, they did conduct a special investigation into him.

His dark past has been unearthed.

During the Jian'an era, the sorcerer Zuo Ci traveled to various prefectures and counties.

They used the guise of the "Taiyin Refining Form" technique to specifically deceive respectable women.

Even respectable families in Hebei have their victims.

Zuo Ci said to the woman:

"Your past life was filled with heavy sins, which you need to resolve with the help of true yang."

They then set up a clean room, burned exotic incense, and induced sexual intercourse.

Every year on the night of the new moon, a virgin would be chosen to "refine elixirs".

First drink the talisman water, then recite the evil incantation:
"By absorbing your yin energy, I can ascend to heaven."

The female victims are often in a daze and completely at the mercy of their captors.

Upon hearing this, Li Yi became even more furious.

Not content with swindling money from the public, they even went so far as to abduct respectable women?
Cao Zhi once commented on Zuo Ci in this way:

"She was skilled in the arts of the bedroom, frugal and adept at abstaining from grains, and was known as the 'Three Hundred Years Old'."

The gist of the story is that Zuo Ci claimed to have lived for over three hundred years and was extremely skilled in sexual techniques.

The key point is the first sentence.

Cao Zhi wrote this article precisely to satirize Zuo Ci.

You say you're a Taoist immortal, what makes Cao Zhi so skilled in "bedroom arts" that you need to emphasize his expertise?

You taste, you taste carefully.

Despite being very angry, Li Yi chose to visit his family and his newborn son first.

Yuan Ying brought the child over; this was Li Yi's third son.

The eldest son, Li Zhi, is already seven years old, and the second son, Li Ping, is already six years old.

As for his third son, who had just turned one year old, Li Yi named him Li An.

The hope is that he will live a peaceful and safe life in the future, which also expresses the author's own ideals and aspirations.

I hope that the world will soon be stable and peaceful.

Back home, I gathered with my family and had a reunion dinner.

During the meal, Li Yi did not forget about work matters and asked about Zuo Ci.

Mi Zhen explained to Li Yi:

"This person claimed to have had a past relationship with her husband, and then he used talismanic water to cure people's illnesses in Hebei."

Li Yi then asked:

"Can this talismanic fruit really cure people?"

This……

The women looked at each other, then nodded.

“We witnessed with our own eyes that Daoist Zuo Ci used talisman water to heal people’s injuries that day.”

This is utterly absurd...

Li Yi pondered for a while, then said:
"Bring me the talisman water so I can see it."

With the power of the Prime Minister's residence, obtaining a bowl of talisman water would be a piece of cake.

Li Yi took the talisman water, glanced at it, and took a small sip, then couldn't help but sneer.

"...So that's how it is. I now know what kind of methods this sorcerer used."

The women hurriedly asked, "What kind of method is it? Is it sorcery?"
"It's not sorcery!"

Li Yi categorically denied it, and then solemnly explained to everyone:
"The art of using talismanic water is quite clear in its principles."

“Writing talismans with cinnabar is said to ward off evil spirits, but in reality, it keeps insects and ants away and makes it difficult for germs to grow.”

"But at its core, it is mercuric sulfide."

Mercuric sulfide?
What is this?

No one had ever heard of this thing.

But Li Yi couldn't explain it directly, because the scientific name for cinnabar is mercuric sulfide.

The principle behind this healing talisman water lies in this mercuric sulfide.

Li Yi immediately ordered his attendants to bring out the cinnabar and show it to the public.

Its color was as red as the morning glow and as brilliant as congealed blood.

When placed on a table, ants swarm around it.

Then Li Yi mixed it into the water and ordered his servants to drink it.

Then they summoned the legendary physician Hua Tuo to take the servant's pulse.

Zhang Zhongjing was in charge of the medical office in Xuzhou.

Hua Tuo was the general in charge of Hebei.

After Zuo Ci came to Hebei to treat people with his talismanic water, he was also there to undermine Hua Tuo's livelihood.

Hua Tuo obeyed the order and took the pulse of the patient who had drunk the cinnabar water.

"……hiss."

Hua Tuo frowned and pondered for a moment:

"The pulse is slow and the patient appears drowsy."

"A sudden drop in body temperature suggests damage to the internal organs."

Upon hearing this, the waiter turned deathly pale, thinking he was surely going to die.

Seeing this, Hua Tuo quickly comforted him:
"Don't worry, this talisman water will not harm anyone."

"Just two days of rest will be enough."

The waiter finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Yi rewarded him with some tonics and gave him three days off to go home and rest.

"Now you all understand!"

Li Yi stood up and threw the talisman into the stove, whereupon blue smoke rose up.

"This sorcerer uses poison as medicine; he is merely a fraudster who deceives the world and steals a reputation!"

The principle behind using talismanic water to cure diseases lies in the characters on the talisman.

The ink used for the characters on the talisman paper is cinnabar.

Drinking this stuff will cause mercury poisoning.

This leads to a decrease in body temperature and a calming of emotions, which is known as "calming the mind and relieving anxiety".

At this point, add your "Taoist" propaganda.

This creates a strong psychological suggestion, achieving the effect of a placebo.

The Yellow Turban Rebellion led by Zhang Jiao and the Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion led by Zhang Lu both used this method.

However, they went a step further, believing that diseases are related to people's evil thoughts and mistakes.

Therefore, whenever a patient was encountered, the instructor would teach him to repent alone in a quiet room after taking the talisman water.

If the patient recovers, it is because the cult leader has done a good job in treating them, and the patient should pay a reward to express their gratitude.

If you don't die a good death, it's because your heart wasn't sincere, and it has nothing to do with the cult leader.

After going through such a "clearly defined" religious process, those who survived naturally became faithful believers.

"Back then, Zhang Jiao boasted of being a great and virtuous teacher and used talismanic water to cure people's illnesses."

Li Yi began to provide examples to support his argument.

"After drinking this talisman, the patient must enter a quiet room to repent."

"If he recovers, it is said to be divine grace; if he dies, it is said that his heart was not sincere."

"From this perspective, the survivors are all believers, while the dead are all sinners."

"Only the leader can enjoy the incense offerings forever."

"This is not a cure for illness, but a method to destroy the mind!" After the explanation, everyone was filled with admiration.

All I can say is that he truly lives up to his reputation as Prime Minister Li.

They immediately exposed Zuo Ci's talisman water scam.

He also whipped Zhang Jiao's corpse as a side effect.

How do historical records evaluate Zhang Jiao's use of talismanic water to cure diseases?

The original text reads, "It is of no benefit to curing diseases, but is merely licentious and depraved. Yet, the foolish and ignorant among the lowly actually engage in it."

In other words, those in power believed that Zhang Jiao's scams could only deceive the ignorant masses at the bottom of society.

True intellectuals do not believe in these things.

However, the literacy rate in ancient times was too low, and aristocratic families monopolized access to education.

Wouldn't the uneducated masses be easily misled and led by the nose by people like Zhang Jiao and Zhang Lu?

At that time, Prefect Xu Huang of Zhangwu also arrived, because Zuo Ci's followers had already affected the security of his area.

Upon seeing Li Yi expose Zuo Ci's deception, he immediately said:
"...In that case, Your Excellency, please order that evil Taoist priest to be arrested and imprisoned."

"Hand the case over to the Court of Justice for trial, and execute him on a later date!"

Zuo Ci's actions can be said to have aroused public outrage.

Of course, "public" here refers to Hebei officials.

After all, throughout history, what governments fear most is that the people are restless and unruly.

Inciting the masses has been severely punished throughout history.

"...Hey! No way."

Li Yi rejected Xu Huang's suggestion to arrest people.

"Killing Zuo Ci is as easy as killing a rat or a sparrow; why would I need a knife?"

"It's just that this sorcerer is bewitching people in Hebei, and he has a large following."

“Now that I have returned, killing him will surely cause the people to boil with resentment.”

"Everyone says that I am narrow-minded and intolerant of others."

This……

The crowd looked at each other and said in unison:
"Since he cannot be killed, what does Your Excellency intend to do with him?"

Li Yi stroked his beard and said to Zhen Mi, his secretary standing beside him:
"Young lady, could you grind ink for me while I write a book?"

"You shall have your scribes copy these documents and distribute them throughout the city."

"Over time, the people will naturally trust me."

Xu Shu said happily:

"This plan is excellent! Your Excellency is truly astute."

After he finished speaking, everyone said in unison:

"The Prime Minister's wisdom is beyond comprehension!"

Li Yi was already used to the flattery from everyone.

Following the original plan, he wrote a book overnight to expose the scam of Zuo Ci's talisman water.

The officials copied it overnight and posted it in various places the next morning.

When the government posted the notice, the local people gathered around to read it.

The book is titled *The Record of Debunking Falsehoods with Talismans*, and the excerpt is as follows:
"The art of using talismanic water is quite clear in its principles."

“The talisman is written in cinnabar on the paper, which is then used to obtain cinnabar.”

"Cinnabar is mercuric sulfide, which keeps insects and ants away and makes it difficult for bacteria and filth to grow."

"However, if this substance is ingested, mercury poison will invade the body."

"Symptoms include a sudden drop in body temperature, mental confusion, and a slow pulse."

“In the past, the likes of Zhang Tianshi deliberately made a mystery of this, claiming that it had the effect of ‘pacifying the soul and calming the spirit.’”

"The patient is ignorant; he feels relieved after drinking it, but in reality, the poison has penetrated deep into his body without his knowledge!"

"The Yellow Turbans and the Five Pecks of Rice gangs even set up a method of 'quiet room repentance'."

"If he recovers, he will attribute it to the gods and demand money as a reward."

"When someone dies, he sincerely shifts the blame, claiming it to be his sin."

"From this perspective, those who are 'cured' can be categorized into only three types."

"One type of person is not seriously ill, but heals himself and is misled by a miracle."

"The second type suffers from mercury poisoning and paralysis, which temporarily delays the effects and leads to the mistaken belief that the medicine is effective."

“The three types are: the foolish and blindly obedient, the ignorant who willingly become believers.”

"How tragic! If Hua Tuo and Zhang Zhongjing were to see this, they would surely beat their chests and weep blood!"

(Li Yi's book has been passed down to this day, and later scientists believe that it has made a great contribution to modern medicine in my country.)
(In commemoration of Li Yi's contributions, later generations officially named cinnabar "mercury sulfide".)
(Some argue that Li Yi's arguments are close to modern chemical theories, so he is generally considered the earliest father of chemistry.)

Soon, Li Yi's books spread like wildfire throughout Bohai.

Among the common people, there were literate people who passed the word down.

There may be storytellers who tell stories in teahouses and taverns, recounting in detail Li Xiang's "explanation of the talismanic water".

Coupled with the covert efforts of the government, more and more people began to question Zuo Ci.

Many people have started to keep a close eye on their wallets and restrain themselves from spending money.

No more donations will be made to Zuo Ci.

Through the concerted efforts of the Hebei government, Zuo Ci's influence was successfully suppressed.

However, there was still one thing that Mi Zhen and Yuan Ying didn't understand.

So how did Zuo Ci make their tangerine pulp disappear?

Li Yi explained this as "switching the beams and pillars".

Although Li Yi was not present, he was certain that Zuo Ci had taken advantage of a time lag to send someone to remove the fruit pulp.

This event is also recorded in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty and the Biographies of Immortals.

The story is roughly about how Zuo Ci once traveled with Cao Cao and suddenly conjured up enough wine and meat for a hundred people.

Later, Cao Cao sent people to investigate and found that the stolen food and wine were from local shops.

Cao Cao also commented on this, saying:

"I am truly afraid that such people will use their wickedness to deceive the masses and their sorcery to mislead the people."

Cao Cao actually encountered the same problem as Li Yi.

He also worried that Zuo Ci's influence was too great and that he would mislead the people and hinder his rule.

Cao Cao's solution was to place all the "immortals" like Zuo Ci under house arrest to prevent them from causing trouble.

Because they were afraid of inciting public resentment by killing him, they had no choice but to resort to this foolish method.

Cao Cao did this out of necessity, because he could not break many of Zuo Ci's "sorcery".

Even though they were imprisoned, many people still believed in them.

Li Yi, however, was different. He wanted to break Zuo Ci's sorcery one by one and make him suffer the consequences of his actions.

Some suggested that this was the time to arrest Zuo Ci.

Because once this sorcerer is exposed, he will definitely take the opportunity to escape.

If we don't act now, it will be too late.

But Li Yi calmly reassured everyone and said:

"There is no need to go looking for him; he will come to me."

"I hope you will not have any doubts."

Despite this, people still had doubts.

Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, and others all dispatched large numbers of troops to monitor Zuo Ci's movements.

They feared that this fellow might take advantage of the chaos to escape.

Soon, as Zuo Ci's influence in Hebei declined, more and more people saw through his true colors.

On this day, Zuo Ci once again went out into the streets to spread his Taoist teachings.

Upon hearing this, Li Yi immediately led his officials to confront Zuo Ci.

Prime Minister Li was a very famous figure in Hebei, and everyone knew him as the most outstanding scholar in the land.

The clash between the extraordinary Tian Shu and the immortal Zuo Ci is sure to be a sensation and a spectacle to behold.

In an instant, the streets were deserted as everyone flocked to the area.

Teahouses and taverns were packed, and countless people peered out of the windows to watch.

Among those seated were learned scholars, and among those coming and going were commoners.

The storyteller even managed to grab a seat in the very front row so he could take notes.

Everyone wanted to see whether what Prime Minister Li said was true, or whether Zuo Ci's magic was real.

Zuo Ci finally met the renowned Li Yi and immediately bowed, saying:

"...I am an immortal who attained enlightenment at Langya Palace, and I am an old friend of the Prime Minister's teacher."

Because Li Yi was famous, everyone knew that he was a disciple of an enlightened immortal.

Therefore, Zuo Ci immediately claimed that he and Li Yi's master were old friends.

I never expected that I would give myself away with just the first words I said.

Of all the people, only Li Yi knew that he didn't have a master at all.

The so-called "enlightened immortals" were nothing more than political propaganda created to deceive Liu Bei and elevate their own status.

However, as he gained fame, he could only continue to force himself to maintain this lie.

Unexpectedly, Zuo Ci believed it to be true and used it as a slogan to express his hope for friendship.

Most people in ancient times were superstitious; even Cao Cao once thought of learning the magic arts of Zuo Ci.

Zuo Ci's move was precisely to ask Li Yi for "benefits".

"My teacher, an old friend?"

Li Yi gave a cold laugh and looked Zuo Ci up and down.

“My master and I have been practicing in the mountains for several years, and we have never heard of any old friends.”

"Who are you, you wicked demon, daring to impersonate me here?"

Zuo Ci remained calm and answered indifferently:
"Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed; your master did not speak of them to me."

"There is a reason for this."

hum~
Li Yi snorted coldly, then laughed instead:
"Since that's the case, then you may use your Taoist magic."

"Let me see what you are capable of."

can.

Zuo Ci nodded in agreement and immediately walked up to the high platform, surrounded by his servants.

He took a copper basin, filled it with water, broke off a willow branch to use as a pole, and said to the crowd with a smile:
"Today I'll catch a Songjiang perch for the Prime Minister!"

After saying this, he cast the fishing rod into the basin, chanted an incantation, and waved his hand to cast a spell.

In a short while, a three-foot-long fresh fish was pulled out.

Many of the onlookers were from out of town.

Upon first witnessing this "magical art," everyone was astonished, and countless people knelt down in awe.

Li Yi clapped his hands and sneered:

"What a 'deity'! Let's see if I can break through his disguise!"

After saying this, Li Yi leaped onto the stage and displayed the bronze basin to the public:
"Gentlemen, please look!"

A hidden mechanism is concealed at the bottom of the basin; a light touch will pop out the fish bladder.

The willow stalk is hollow and contains silk threads.

Hidden in the cuff pocket was fish powder.

"So-called immortal arts are nothing more than this!"

Li Yi threw the basin to the ground with a resounding clang.

Everyone was stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

The people who had been kneeling immediately stood up again.

Brush off the dust to avoid embarrassment.

Zuo Ci's expression changed drastically, and he argued forcefully:

"Prime Minister, how could you defile me..."

Before he finished speaking, Li Yi ordered Wei Yan to hold down Zuo Ci.

Wei Yan had just arrived in Hebei and was eager to make a name for himself.

He leaped onto the stage and subdued Zuo Ci with a single palm strike.

Li Yi reached out and took something from Zuo Ci's sleeve.

Then they were displayed one by one.

There are cinnabar talismans; soaking them in medicine can induce hallucinations.

There are magnetic chess pieces that can make the bronze figures dance on their own.

It has a thin membrane in its swim bladder, which, when inflated, forms "ghost fire".

Upon seeing this, everyone exclaimed in horror:
"This...this is actually a variety show technique?"

Seeing that Zuo Ci's trick had been exposed, Zhang Liao recalled that he himself had been deceived in the past and couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
"I have fought for half my life, and I have almost been misled by petty people!"

Zuo Ci's sorcery was almost entirely based on various acrobatic techniques.

This requires years of practice.

At the same time, they use verbal persuasion and exaggerated gestures to divert people's attention.

Li Yi approached Zuo Ci's spellcasting with the mindset of watching a "spectacle show."

As for the incantations and hand gestures, these were actions used to divert people's attention.

Li Yi pretended not to see it.

Finally, when the task was completed, Li Yi, quick-witted and nimble, rushed forward and punctured it.

Now that the evidence is conclusive, Li Yi declared loudly in front of everyone:

"Zuo Ci's techniques are all just tricks, not the techniques of our Taoist school."

"Such tricks are nothing more than quick hands and eyes to cover up flaws."

"They use clever words and flattering expressions to distract people, and then use the names of ghosts and gods to deceive the ignorant masses."

"You demon, do you know your crime?"

Zuo Ci's face turned ashen, but since things had come to this point, he could only grit his teeth and refuse to admit it no matter what.

He continued gritting his teeth and stubbornly argued:

"...You ignorant child, how could you possibly know about the immortal arts of my Taoist sect?"

"I possess a copy of the 'Book of Dunjia'."

"Heavenly Escape allows one to ride the clouds and wind, and ascend to the void."

"Earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique that allows one to pass through mountains and rocks, and has a way to enter and

"Humans can travel the world, conceal their form, and change their appearance."

"With flying swords and throwing knives, taking a person's head is a piece of cake."

"Prime Minister, you'd better release this humble monk, otherwise—"

"I, this humble Taoist, will take your head with my flying sword!"

Wei Yan was furious upon hearing this:
"You audacious fiend, you dare to speak disrespectfully to the Prime Minister even when you are about to die."

Your life is over!

Having said that, he swung his sword to kill Zuo Ci.

"stop!"

Li Yi sternly rebuked Wei Yan.

Killing Zuo Ci like this would be too lenient on him.

Since Li Yi said he wanted Zuo Ci to suffer the consequences of his actions, then he had no choice but to let Zuo Ci die by his own hand.

"Let him go."

"Prime Minister, this!"

"Release them!"

“…Here you go.”

Wei Yan released his grip and glared fiercely at Zuo Ci.

It's as if it's saying, "You better behave yourself and don't get any funny ideas."

Li Yi walked slowly to Zuo Ci, a smirk playing on his lips, and said coldly:
"...My master is a Daoist immortal, and thus possesses the power of the Daoist school."

"You are but a clown in the temple, deceiving the masses. How dare you call yourself a Taoist?"

"Dare to challenge me in the art of Taoism!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd below immediately erupted in cheers.

Because everyone still admires Li Yi.

Especially after the Battle of Red Cliffs, it is said that Li Yi even set up an altar to summon a strong southeast wind.

This shows that he was also skilled in magic.

Everyone's really hit the jackpot; they've lived most of their lives.

Since I have the chance to witness the battle of gods today, it's truly worth dying for!

Zuo Ci knew this was his only chance to survive, so he immediately nodded in agreement:
"...Very well, then I will wager with you."

Li Yi immediately said:
"Your tricks just now were all exposed by me."

"This clearly shows that you have no spiritual power. If you wish to wager..."

"But I'll start by asking the questions."

Li Yi took the initiative and seized the opportunity to choose the question.

Zuo Ci also knew that he had no other choice at the moment.

Although she knew she didn't possess any magical powers, she didn't believe Li Yi really did.

Based on his more than fifty years of experience in performing various "plays," he was convinced that he could see through Li Yi's magic tricks.

"Very well, we'll leave it to the Prime Minister to decide."

"But what will you do if I win?"

Li Yi shouted loudly:
"If you win, I will give you travel expenses."

"You and your servants may leave; I will not send troops to stop you."

"If you lose..."

Li Yi abruptly changed the subject, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"I don't need you to do anything, you just need to gamble with me."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao, Xu Shu, and the others were all taken aback.

What are you saying, Prime Minister?

What do you mean by "if we lose, we don't need to do anything about it"?

Are we going to let him go?
If he wins, he makes a huge profit; if he loses, he doesn't lose anything.

You've gone too far in being such a philanthropist!
Upon hearing this, Zuo Ci was astonished that such a good deal existed in the world, and immediately agreed.

"Very well, I will do as Your Excellency says."

“...Alright, but I must make this clear upfront.”

"Since you've agreed to the duel, don't blame me for forcing you if you don't dare to do it!"

"Okay, it's a deal."

The two made a bet and officially began their magical duel.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the stage.

……

(End of this chapter)