etrical a
wonder to the public gaze in all the principal cities of the Empire, was
a circumstance which would have to be examined within their minds when
the time approached. In such a way the detail of purchase stood
revealed as only fifty thousand taels in reality, a sum so despicably
insignificant that he had internal pains at mentioning it to so wealthy
a group of Mandarins, and he had not yet made clear to them that each
year they would receive gold to the amount of almost a thousand taels.
This would be the result of Ling making smooth his surfaces, and it
would enable them to know that the person in question actually existed,
and to keep the circumstances before their intellects.

When Chang-Ch'un had made the various facts clear to this extent, those
who were assembled expressed their feelings as favourably turned towards
the project, provided the tests to which Ling was to be put should prove
encouraging, and a secure and intelligent understanding of things to be
done and not to be done could be arrived at between them. To this end
Ling was brought into the chamber, and fixing his thoughts steadfastly
upon Mian, he permitted portions to be cut from various parts of his
body without betraying any signs of ignoble agitation. No sooner had
the pieces been separated and the virtue of Ling's existence passed from
them than they changed colour and hardened, nor could the most delicate
and searching trials to which they were exposed by a skilful worker
in metals, who was obtained for the purpose, disclose any particular,
however minute, in which they differed from the finest gold. The hair,
the nails, and the teeth were similarly affected, and even Ling's
blood dried into a fine gold powder. This detail of the trial being
successfully completed, Ling subjected himself to intricate questioning
on all matters connected with his religion and manner of conducting
himself, both in public and privately, the history and behaviour of his
ancestors, the various omens and remarkable sayings which had reference
to his life and destiny, and the intentions which he then possessed
regarding his future movements and habits of living. All the wise
sayings and written and printed leaves which made any allusion to the
existence of and possibility of discovery of the wonderful gold fluid
were closely examined, and found to be in agreement, whereupon those
present made no further delay in admitting that the facts were indeed
as they had