| | Hu Gong was a person whose name and surname were unknown. All more than twenty volumes of "Zhao Jun Fu" and "Zhao Guishen Zhi Bing Wangfu Fu" currently in existence were derived from Hu Gong, hence they are sometimes named as "Hu Gong Fu." Fei Changfang of Ruyang, when he was a clerk in the market office, suddenly saw Hu Gong coming from afar into the market selling medicine; no one recognized him. When he sold medicine, his price was fixed and never changed; he could cure all kinds of illnesses. He would tell those who bought the medicine: "After taking this medicine, you will vomit out a certain thing, and on a certain day you will be cured." Everything turned out exactly as he said. He earned tens of thousands of coins each day, but would immediately give them to the poor and destitute people on the streets who were hungry or freezing; he kept very little for himself. He often hung an empty gourd above his seat, and after sunset, Hu Gong would step into the gourd with a turn of his foot; no one knew where he went. Only Fei Changfang saw this from an upper floor and realized that Hu Gong was no ordinary person. Fei Changfang thus swept the ground in front of Hu Gong's seat and provided food and offerings every day; Hu Gong accepted them without expressing gratitude, and this continued for a long time. Fei Changfang remained diligent without daring to make any requests; Hu Gong, knowing that Fei Changfang was sincere and faithful, said to him: "Come again when no one is around at dusk." Fei Changfang followed his words and went as instructed. Hu Gong said to Fei Changfang: "When you see me jump into the gourd, follow me in immediately, and you will naturally be able to enter." Fei Changfang followed Hu Gong's words and tried it. As he stepped forward, he was unaware that he had already entered the gourd. After entering, Fei Changfang no longer saw the gourd; instead, he saw five-colored towers and pavilions, multiple gates and gallery walkways. He saw dozens of attendants on either side of Hu Gong. Hu Gong said to Fei Changfang: "I am an immortal, and I hold a humble position in the heavenly bureaucracy. Because those under my jurisdiction did not serve diligently, I was demoted for a time and have temporarily returned to the human world. You are teachable, so you were able to see me." Fei Changfang did not sit down but kowtowed and said: "I am a mere mortal, ignorant and burdened by many lifetimes of karma. I have been fortunate to be mistakenly shown compassion, as if one had opened a coffin to restore breath, bringing life back to the withered and decayed. Yet all that remains is foulness and stubborn corruption; I am unworthy to be commanded or used." "If you show mercy and compassion, it would be a great fortune for me in countless lifetimes." Hu Gong said: "If that is truly your wish, it is excellent. Do not speak of this to others." Later, Hu Gong went up to Fei Changfang on the upper floor and said: "I have a little wine; you and I shall drink it together. The wine is downstairs." Fei Changfang sent someone to fetch it, but the person could not lift it. He then sent dozens of people, yet none were able to bring it upstairs. Fei Changfang informed Hu Gong about this, so Hu Gong went downstairs himself and lifted the jar with one finger, bringing it upstairs to drink together with Fei Changfang. The wine vessel was no larger than an oyster shell, yet even after drinking all night until dawn, it was not emptied. Hu Gong told Fei Changfang: "On a certain day I shall leave; would you be able to go with me?" Fei Changfang said: "The longing to depart is beyond words." I only wish that my relatives will not notice or become aware. What plan should I take?" Hu Gong said: "It is easy." He then took a green bamboo staff and gave it to Fei Changfang, warning him: "When you return home with the bamboo, pretend to be ill. On the following day, place this bamboo staff at your resting place, and remain silent; I shall come." Fei Changfang followed Hu Gong's instructions. His family saw the bamboo staff and believed that Fei Changfang had died, weeping and burying him accordingly. Fei Changfang followed Hu Gong away, dazed and unaware of where they were going. Hu Gong left him alone among a group of tigers; the tigers ground their teeth and opened their mouths as if to bite Fei Changfang, but he was not afraid. The next day, Hu Gong placed Fei Changfang inside a stone chamber. Above his head was a large rock several chi in size, suspended by a rope made of straw; many snakes gathered to gnaw at the rope and try to break it, yet Fei Changfang remained calm and composed. Hu Gong went over and said: "You are now worthy of instruction." He then ordered Fei Changfang to eat hun, which was extremely foul-smelling and repulsive; there were worms about an inch long inside. Fei Changfang looked at it with distaste. Hu Gong sighed and dismissed him, saying: "You will not become an immortal!" "I shall now appoint you as a ruler on earth; you may live more than one hundred years." He gave him one volume of the "Chuanfeng Fu" and said: "Carry this, and you will be able to summon all ghosts and spirits. If you ever call yourself an envoy, you can cure diseases and eliminate disasters." Fei Changfang was worried that he could not return home. Hu Gong gave him the bamboo staff and said: "Just ride this to your home." Fei Changfang bid farewell and rode the staff. Suddenly, as if falling asleep, he had already arrived home. His family thought he was a ghost; when they heard his account of what had happened, they opened the coffin to find only the bamboo staff inside, and thus believed him. Fei Changfang threw the bamboo staff he had ridden into Ge Bei. When he looked at it, he realized that it was actually a green dragon. Fei Changfang thought he had been away from home for only one day; however, in reality, it had already been a full year. Fei Changfang then used the talismans to summon ghosts and cure diseases, and none failed to be healed. Often, while sitting and talking with people, he would suddenly glare fiercely and scold them away. When others asked why this happened, he said: "I am merely angry at evil spirits who have broken the laws." The Ruyang commandery often had ghosts and monsters; they would come several times a year. When they arrived, they were preceded by processions with imposing rituals, just like the governor entering his office, beating drums and circling inside and outside the area before finally leaving. This was considered a great nuisance. Later, Fei Changfang went to the governor's office and coincidentally encountered one of these ghosts arriving at the front gate. The governor hurriedly entered the building and left Fei Changfang alone outside. When the ghost realized this, it dared not advance further but turned to leave. Fei Changfang shouted sternly, ordering them to seize the ghost and bring it forward. Hearing this, the ghost dismounted from its carriage, held up a tablet of submission, knelt in the courtyard, and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for an opportunity to reform itself. Fei Changfang scolded: "You old dead ghost, you do not care about the warmth or chill of others. Without cause, you lead a procession and rudely intrude upon official premises. Do you know that you deserve to die?" Fei Changfang immediately ordered the ghost to return to its human form, gave it a talisman, and instructed it to deliver it to the Lord of Ge Bei. The ghost kowtowed with tears streaming down its face and took the talisman away. They followed to see what happened; when the ghost placed the talisman by the side of Ge Bei and hung its neck around it, it died. The Lord of Donghai had caused a drought. Later, Fei Changfang arrived in Donghai and saw the people pleading for rain. He told them: "The Lord of Donghai has committed crimes; he was previously imprisoned at Ge Bei by me. Now I shall pardon him." He ordered the people to summon rain, and immediately there was heavy rainfall. Fei Changfang once traveled with others and saw a scholar wearing a yellow headcloth and wrapped in a fur coat, riding a horse without a saddle. The man dismounted and kowtowed to him. Fei Changfang said: "Quickly return the horse to its owner; I shall forgive your crime." When others asked about this, Fei Changfang said: "This is merely a cat; it stole the horse of Shegong." Fei Changfang once sat with guests and sent someone to the market to buy pickled fish, which was returned in a moment. Sometimes within a single day, people saw him at several places hundreds of miles away.
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