aoist　were　sent　everywhere　with　orders　to　arrest　him。　Within　three　days　were　arrested　in　the　city　and　outside　three　or　four　hundred　persons　all　blind　of　one　eye；　lame　of　one　leg；　and　wearing　a　rattan　headdress；　a　black　loose　robe　and　wooden　clogs。　They　were　all　alike　and　all　answered　to　the　description　of　the　missing　Taoist。

There　was　a　great　hubbub　in　the　street。　Cao　Cao　ordered　his　officer　to　sprinkle　the　crowd　of　Taoists　with　the　blood　of　pigs　and　goats　in　order　to　exorcise　the　witchcraft　and　take　them　away　to　the　drill　ground　on　the　south　of　the　city。　Thither　he　followed　them　with　his　guards；　who　surrounded　the　crowd　of　arrested　persons　and　slew　everyone。　But　from　the　neck　of　each　one；　after　the　head　was　severed；　there　floated　up　into　the　air　a　wreath　of　black　vapor；　and　all　these　wreaths　drifted　toward　a　center　where　they　joined　up　into　the　image　of　another　Zuo　Ci；　who　presently　beckoned　to　him　a　white　crane　out　of　the　sky；　mounted　it　and　sat　as　on　a　horse。

Clapping　his　hands；　the　Taoist　cried　merrily；　〃The　rats　of　the　earth　follow　the　golden　tiger；　and　one　morning　the　doer　of　evil　shall　be　no　more。〃

The　soldiers　shot　arrows　at　both　bird　and　man。　At　this　a　tremendous　storm　burst　over　the　city。　Stones　were　driven　along；　sand　was　whirled　about；　and　all　the　corpses　arose　from　the　ground；　each　holding　his　own　head　in　his　hands。　They　rushed　toward　Cao　Cao　as　if　to　strike　him。　The　officials　covered　their　eyes；　and　none　dared　to　look　another　in　the　face。

The　power　of　a　bold　man　will　overturn　a　state；

The　art　of　a　necromancer　also　produces　wonders。

Read　the　next　chapter　and　you　will　know　the　fate　of　Cao　Cao。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　69　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　69

Chapter　69