Magistrate Yang of Changshan was a man consumed by greed. In the Yihai year of the Kangxi reign, the Imperial Court launched a campaign on the western frontier and conscripted draught animals from the populace for grain transport. Yang seized this opportunity to extort and plunder livestock from the region, stripping it bare. Zhou Village in the county, a hub of commerce bustling with constant traffic of carts and horses, was targeted by Yang, who ordered the seizure of all conveyances, taking over several hundred mounts of various kinds. The traveling merchants from all directions were indignant but had no recourse for their grievances.

At that time, the magistrates from various localities were all on official business in the provincial capital. Among them, three magistrates—one surnamed Dong, one Fan, and one Sun—were lodging together in an inn. One day, while they were chatting idly, two merchants from Shanxi arrived at the door, weeping and wailing loudly. Upon inquiry, it turned out that the pair had been traveling with four sturdy mules, all of which had been confiscated by Magistrate Yang. Without their mounts, they were unable to return home. They had come specifically to petition the three esteemed gentlemen, begging them to administer justice and help reclaim the mules.

Seeing their pitiful plight, the three gentlemen agreed to assist. They proceeded together to Magistrate Yang's residence for a visit. Yang treated them to a banquet with fine wine. During the meal, the visitors stated their purpose, but Yang refused to listen. The men urged him earnestly, but Yang grew visibly impatient. He raised his wine cup, interrupting their speech, and declared, "I have devised a drinking game, and I invite you all to participate. The game must include heaven, earth, and an ancient person; the left hand must hold something, and the mouth must utter a specific phrase, with immediate response required. Whoever fails to answer must drink a penalty cup."

The gentlemen nodded and said, "Please enlighten us." Yang laughed, "Listen closely: Above, the moon shines bright; below, Mount Kunlun stands; there was an ancient, Liu Bolun. He holds a wine cup, and his mouth says, 'Nothing beyond the cup need be mentioned.'" The meaning behind his words was crystal clear: they were instructed simply to drink and not discuss official matters, much less plead on behalf of others.

The company was displeased by this implication. Magistrate Fan pondered for a moment and responded, "Above, the Guanghan Palace floats; below, the Qianqing Palace rests; there was an ancient, Jiang Taigong. He holds a fishing rod, and his mouth says, 'Let the willing take the bait.'" Magistrate Sun added, "Above, the Milky Way stretches; below, the Yellow River flows; there was an ancient, Xiao He. He holds a copy of the Great Qing Code, and his mouth says, 'Corrupt officials, corrupt magistrates.'"

Yang was thoroughly mocked, a flush of shame coloring his face. After a long, thoughtful silence, he stated, "Above, Mount Ling soars; below, Mount Tai looms; there was an ancient, Hanshan. He holds a broom, and his mouth says, 'Sweep the snow from your own doorstep first.'"

The gentlemen exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to counter. Just as they were racking their brains, a young man entered with an air of arrogance, richly dressed, and offered a ceremonial salute. The others invited him to sit and served him wine. The youth smiled, "No need to rush the drinking. I just overheard the game you were playing, and I feel the urge to join in for a moment of fun." The gentlemen replied, "We are eager to hear it." The youth declared, "Above, the Jade Emperor reigns; below, the Emperor sits. There was an ancient, the Hongwu Emperor Zhu. He holds a three-foot sword, and his mouth says, 'Flay the greedy official.'" The company burst into laughter.

Yang’s anger flared intensely. He cursed, "What insolent scholar dares to be so uncivilized!" He ordered his subordinates to seize the young man. The youth laughed heartily, flipped onto the tabletop, transformed into an owl, burst through the window curtains, flapped its wings, and flew away, vanishing without a trace.

(The Xiao Niao, or screech owl, is a type of owl.)