had bequeathed him the best of swords which he had always carried with him. But now that he was in difficulty he had to go on the street and try to sell this sword for several hundred strings of cash. That would enable him to get away to some other place. So he tied some grass to the sword to indicate that it was for sale, and went out. He went to the Horse Market Street, and stood there for a long time, without any inquiry being made. In the afternoon he removed to the Tianhanzhou Bridge where there was more traffic. When he had been standing there a short time he noticed that the men on both sides of the bridge ran off to hide in the alleyways near the bridge. While Yang Zhi was looking on at this confusion he heard some men say, “Hide quickly! The ‘Big Tiger’ is coming!”
Yang Zhi said, “How strange! This is the capital, and yet there is a ‘Big Tiger’ here!” Looking along the street he noticed in the distance a big black man coming who was evidently half drunk as he staggered along. Yang Zhi then remembered that he had previously heard that in the capital there was a bully called Niu Er whose nickname was “Hairless Tiger.” He had the reputation of always making rows and fighting on the streets. He had been before many magistrates but even the Prefect had not been able to make him submissive, and therefore when he came on the street everybody ran away to hide until he had passed. On this occasion he hurried up to Yang Zhi and took the sword out of the latter’s hand. He asked, “How much do you want for this sword?”
Yang Zhi informed him that it was an excellent sword and an heirloom, but he was willing to sell it for three thousand strings of cash.
“What sword is this that you want so much money for?” asked Niu Er. “I can buy a good sword for thirty cash which will cut up meat and bean curd. What is there about this sword that will justify you in calling it an excellent sword?”
“This sword,” said Yang Zhi, “is not for use in an inn cutting up meat, but is an excellent sword.”
“But why do you call it an excellent sword?” asked Niu Er again.
Yang Zhi said, “This sword will cut through copper or iron without the edge being blunted, and again if you blow a hair against the edge the hair will be cut in half, and yet again if you kill a man there will be no blood left on the blade.”
Niu Er asked, “But dare you cut copper with it?”
Yang Zhi said, “If you bring some cash here then you can see whether it will cut or not.”
Niu Er went to a peppermint shop at the side of the bridge and demanded twenty copper coins valued at three cash each. He put these on the stone railing of the bridge and said to Yang Zhi: “If you can cut those in half I will give you three thousand strings of cash for the sword.”
The people did not dare to come and see what was taking place, but they stood around in the distance looking on.
Yang Zhi said, “That will easily be done.” He took the sword and taking a careful steady aim he cut the coppers in half with one stroke. The crowd seeing what he had done applauded.
Niu Er said, “What are you people applauding for?” He then turned to Yang Zhi and asked him what was the second thing that the sword could do.
Yang Zhi said that if be got several hairs, and put them on the edge of the sword, and then blew, the hairs would be entirely cut in half.
Niu Er did not believe this, but he pulled some hair from his own head, handed them to Yang Zhi and said, “You blow, and I will watch.”
Yang Zhi taking the hair in his left hand, put it against the edge of the sword and with his blowing very hard the hair fell to the ground cut in half. The crowd had increased in size and applauded this.
Niu Er asked, “What was the third thing this sword can do?”
Yang Zhi said, “If a man is killed there is no sign of blood on the blade.”
Niu Er asked, “How can that be?”
Yang Zhi said, “It cuts so quickly that the blood has no time to get on the blade.”
Niu Er said, “I don’t believe that. But you just kill a man, and I will see whether that will happen.”
Yang Zhi said, “This is the Imperial city so how dare I kill a man here? But as you do not believe what I say, then get a dog and I will kill it, and you will then see what happens.”
“Your claim was to kill a man, and you did not say anything about a dog.”
Yang Zhi said, “I suppose you don’t really want to buy. But why are you wasting my time by such remarks?”
“Let me have a look at the sword,” said Niu Er.
Yang Zhi replied, “You are still talking without coming to the point. I did not ask you to come here to buy the sword, and I am not a person with whom you can pick a quarrel.”
“Very well,” said Niu Er, “perhaps you had better kill me!”
“I had no quarrel with you before,” said Yang Zhi, “and now our bargaining has been fruitless, so why should I kill you?”
Niu Er took hold of Yang Zhi and said, “I most certainly want to buy your sword.”
“If you want to buy then bring the money,” said Yang Zhi
“I have no money,” said Niu Er.
“As you are without money why do you hold me like this?”
“Because I want your sword.”
“Then I won’t give it to you.”
“As you are a brave man you may give me a cut with the sword,” said Niu Er in a provocative voice.
Yang Zhi became angry at this, and pushed Niu Er down on the ground. Niu Er got up and butted his head against Yang Zhi’s breast.
Yang Zhi then addressed the surrounding crowd, “Neighbors, you have witnessed what has happened. I have no money, and want to sell this sword. This bully is determined to have it and has assaulted me, and wants to fight.”
The neighbors were all afraid of Niu Er, and therefore nobody stepped forward to mediate in the quarrel.
Niu Er shouted, “You say that I have assaulted you, so if I do hit you it won’t matter, I suppose.” So saying he lifted up his right hand to strike Yang Zhi. But Yang Zhi drew back, seized his sword, and thrust the point of it into the neck of Niu Er who fell down. Yang Zhi stepped forward, and thrust his sword twice into the breast of Niu Er. The blood gushed out, and the latter was soon dead.
Yang Zhi spoke to the crowd of people, “I have killed this rascal, and I do not want any of you to be blamed for it. As he is quite dead now I want you to come with me to the yamen, and report voluntarily as to how it was done.”
The bystanders came forward, and accompanied Yang Zhi to the yamen to give evidence. Upon arrival they found that the Prefect was in the court so they all crowded in and knelt down. Yang Zhi placed the sword before the Prefect, and said, “I was previously a lieutenant in the Imperial Guard but was dismissed owing to having lost a cargo of marble. As I had no money I took my sword to the street with the object of selling it. While I was there a blackguard named Niu Er came and tried to take the sword from me by force and also assaulted
