（李惠为雍州刺史——引者）人有负盐负薪者，同释重担息树阴。二人将行，争一羊皮，各言藉背之物。惠遣争者出，顾州纪纲曰：“以此羊皮可拷知主乎?”群下咸无答者。惠令人置羊皮席上，以杖击之，见少盐屑，曰：“得其实矣。”使争者视之，负薪者乃伏而就罪。
《北史》
A Good
Beating
[During the time when Li Hui was
the Prefect of Yongzhou] two men, one bearing a load of salt and the other firewood,
set down their burdens and took a rest together in the shade of a tree. When
they rose to leave they began to quarrel over a piece of sheepskin, each
contending that it was the shoulder pad he had been using. Li (as the judge in
this case) sent the two men away and turned to the Registrar o f the
Prefecture. “Do you think this sheepskin will
tell us the identity of its owner if we give it a beating?” None of his subordinates ventured
a reply. Li gave orders for the sheepskin to be put on a mat. When it was
beaten with a pole, a trace of salt was found. “Now we have the truth.” The two men were summoned to look
at the result. The bearer of firewood immediately knelt and admitted his guilt.
Beishi
（乔车洁玲 译） |
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