ll you go for aid?" asked Chiang Tzu-ya. "I
cannot tell you, for they would hear," replied Yang. He then
left. Favourable-wind Ear heard this dialogue, and Thousand-_li_
Eye saw him leave. "He did not say where he was going," they said
to each other, "but we fear him not." Yang Chien went to Yue-ch'uean
Shan, where lived Yue-ting Chen-jen, 'Hero Jade-tripod.' He told him
about their two adversaries, and asked him how they were to conquer
them. "These two genii," replied the Chen-jen, "are from Ch'i-p'an
Shan, Chessboard Mountain. One is a spiritual peach-tree, the other
a spiritual pomegranate-tree. Their roots cover an area of thirty
square _li_ of ground. On that mountain there is a temple dedicated to
Huang-ti, in which are clay images of two devils called Ch'ien-li Yen
and Shun-feng Erh. The peach-tree and pomegranate-tree, having become
spiritual beings, have taken up their abode in these images. One has
eyes which can see objects distinctly at a distance of a thousand _li_,
the other ears that can hear sounds at a like distance. But beyond
that distance they can neither see nor hear. Return and tell Chiang
Tzu-ya to have the roots of those trees torn up and burned, and the
images destroyed; then the two genii will be easily vanquished. In
order that they may neither see nor hear you during your conversation
with Chiang Tzu-ya, wave flags about the camp and order the soldiers
to beat tom-toms and drums."

How the Brothers were Defeated

Yang Chien returned to Chiang Tzu-ya. "What have you been doing?" asked
the latter. Before replying Yang Chien went to the camp and ordered
soldiers to wave large red flags and a thousand others to beat the
tom-toms and drums. The air was so filled with the flags and the
noise that nothing else could be either seen or heard. Under cover of
this device Yang Chien then communicated to Chiang Tzu-ya the course
advised by the Chen-jen.

Accordingly Li Ching at the head of three thousand soldiers proceeded
to Ch'i-p'an Shan, pulled up and burned the roots of the two trees,
and broke the images to pieces. At the same time Lei Chen-tzu was
ordered to attack the two genii.

Thousand-_li_ Eye and Favourable-wind Ear could neither see nor hear:
the flags effectually screened the horizon and the infernal noise of
the drums and gongs deadened all other sound. They did not know how
to stop them.

The following night Yuean Hung decided to take the camp of Chiang
Tzu-ya by assault, and se