However, people like Zhang Wuben are not uncommon in history. In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, there was a famous swindler named Fu Jiang. His whole cheating process is recorded in the New Tang Book, which is really an alternative "history book".
Crucially, Fu Jiang is obviously better than ordinary charlatans. He deceived Li Longji, who actually created the "Kaiyuan Prosperity", and a group of talented civil military commanders in the imperial court.
So, who is Fu Jiang? What skill does he have to fool from the emperor to the minister?
"The Book of the New Tang Dynasty" contains: "Fu Jiang, a native of Songzhou, said that he knew that immortals could live forever and could not live in seclusion. At the end of Kaiyuan, Taichang Weiqing Brocade was dedicated to famous mountains. I was a hundred years old because I visited Yimin. She was called to Tokyo City, Jixian Hospital. Because there is a saying:' Take away the ivy and let the white hair grow back, then you can live forever. Taihu rattan is the best, but it is often found in the south, so it is better. "The emperor sent envoys to Taihu Lake to give more gifts to the veteran of China and North Korea. Because the imperial edict is in the world, make it seek personal gain. Pei Yaoqing, the prime minister, celebrated his birthday for tens of millions of years, pleased the emperor and gave a banquet in Calyx Building. Yin Fu Road, doctor, Mr. Hao Chonghe. "
As can be seen from the above article, this man named Fu Jiang is from Shangqiu, Henan. He claimed to be able to communicate with immortals and get to know Immortal Technique. He lived in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan all the year round, drinking mountain spring water and eating wild fruits. Few people can see him. He is a peerless man.
At the end of Kaiyuan, Taichang Wei Qing was ordered to offer sacrifices to famous mountains and rivers, and often talked with some hermits about the past and talked about the present. On the way to worship Zhong Nanshan, a hermit told Wei Tai that he knew a hermit who lived in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan 100 years old.
Wei Taize turned around and found Fu Jiang. Seeing that he is a baby-faced, personable child, who really looks like an immortal, he respectfully asked, "How old are you?"
Jiang caressed his hand and twisted his gray beard. He smiled and replied, "Hehe, I'm almost a hundred years old."
"Hundred years old?" Wei taeniasis stare big eyes, asked in surprise.
"I have a secret to a long and healthy life, and natural youth will last forever," Fu Jiang said airily.
Wei Taenia was overjoyed. What he cares about is not the authenticity of Fu Jiang's secret recipe, but that he finally found a "fairy" for Tang Xuanzong. If this man can really make the emperor live forever, then he will undoubtedly make great achievements and gain fame and fortune at his fingertips.
Therefore, Wei Taize immediately decided to stop offering sacrifices to the mountain, immediately returned to Beijing with Fu Jiang to visit the emperor, and recommended Fu Jiang to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty as soon as possible.
After seeing Fu Jiang, Li Longji was also impressed by his sage-like style, and hurriedly asked, "What is the secret of immortal longevity?"
Fu Jiang replied, "It's actually very simple to go back to the emperor. Just eat ivy all the year round. If you take ivy and make your white hair return to your temples, you will live forever. "
Li Longji asked again, "Where can I find the Ivy mentioned by Xiandao?"
Fu Jiang replied, "This kind of ivy can be found in Nanshan, but the quality is not very good. Only ivy growing on the cliffs on both sides of Taihu Lake is the most suitable way to maintain health. "
Li Longji believed Fu Jiang's words and immediately sent someone to Taihu Lake to look for the ivy in Fu Jiang's mouth.
Sure enough, these people really found ivy in Taihu Lake. Li Longji was very happy and gave it as a gift to some old ministers of North Korea. Later, Li Longjia specially held a grand banquet for this purpose, inviting ministers and workers to Calyx Building to taste ivy. Hundreds of boxes of ivy were distributed to ministers, and the ministers were happy and peaceful.
Of course, Fu Jiang went in and out of the temple in this way and he became a successful official. He was called "Dr. Qingguang Road" by Li Longji.
After taking Ivy, Li Longji, who feels good about himself, still cares about his own people. He also issued a special decree to let the people of the whole country take Ivy together, but he must find it himself. For a time, the whole country was looking for ivy, which almost eliminated this plant.
However, it is not a problem for emperors and courtiers to eat ivy every day, and one day they will feel queasy. Cunning Fu Jiang thought it was time for Li Longji to change his taste, so he played it again: "Zhong Nanshan has dried lotus roots and long bait." This guy, the ground is full of treasures to prolong life, and even dried lotus root has become an elixir of life.
Li Longji was still convinced, and sent people non-stop to Zhong Nanshan to look for wild lotus roots growing on dry land. Because Fu Jiang once lived in seclusion in Zhong Nanshan, he was naturally familiar with the local plants. The people sent by the emperor brought a lot of dried lotus roots home with no effort.
However, Fu Jiang's trick was caught by one person, that is, General Gan Shoucheng, the right Xiao Wei. He exposed Fu Jiang in public and said, "Changchun is a chitose. Dried lotus root, Dumont also. Fang Jia didn't need it for a long time, so he changed his name to God. People dye vines with wine, and drinkers die suddenly. "
It means that the fairy medicines Ivy and lotus root mentioned by Master Jiang are just common plants. Even doctors don't use them as medicine, but you use them to cheat us. What is your intention? What's more, many people have been poisoned by drinking wine brewed by ivy.
Fu Jiang knew that he could no longer be idle, so he had to find an excuse to go out and collect herbs, sneak out of the palace and wander the Jianghu. In fact, Li Longji deliberately let him go because of the face of the emperor and ministers.
However, after Fu Jiang came to the people, he continued to swindle and swindle with the signboard that had helped the emperor keep fit. The people didn't know the inside story, so they worshipped the royal health care master: "Counties and counties tend to graze and slaughter, which is far behind. Those who learn the Tao are welcome. "
During this period, there was a man named Jing Yan, who was knowledgeable and "quite familiar with the history of the North and South and knew the modern figures". He made a special trip to visit Fu Jiang and casually asked, "What is the life span of a master?"
Fu Jiang boasted: "I don't even know how old I am, but I only know that I am from the Liang Dynasty."
Jing Yan then asked: "Is the master an official or a recluse in the Liang Dynasty?"
Fu Jiang replied, "I am an official of Xiliang County."
When this statement came out, Jing Yan was immediately angered: "The Liang Dynasty is in the south of the Yangtze River, where can I get Xiliangzhou?" Fu Jiang only knows the art of bluffing, but he has no basic knowledge of history. Jing Yan, who was well-educated and well-informed, exposed the lies in public and felt ashamed.
Soon after, Fu Jiang died a few days later because he was ashamed to meet people.