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　dragon's　liver　to　make　soup：　Can　you　get　that？〃

〃Where's　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　dragon's　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　gil