In that turbulent and chaotic era, Yuan Shu held power in Huainan, relying on his strong military might. Conceited and overconfident in his own strength, he craved to establish a great hegemony, growing increasingly extravagant and arrogant.
One day, Yuan Shu held a grand feast for his civil and military officials. After rounds of wine and dishes, Yuan Shu wore a proud expression, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. Suddenly, he caught sight of an elderly woman in plain clothes sitting quietly in the corner. This was Granny Ping.
A mischievous thought crossed Yuan Shu's mind, and he decided to test her. He declared loudly, "This feast is filled with rare delicacies, yet something still feels missing. I've heard the perch from Songjiang is exceptionally delicious, the finest among fish. Can any of you fetch me some?"
The officials exchanged uneasy glances. Songjiang was over a thousand li away from Huainan; obtaining fresh Songjiang perch in such a short time was nearly impossible.
To everyone's surprise, Granny Ping rose calmly and said softly, "This is no difficulty. Your Excellency, please wait a moment."
She had a bronze basin filled with clean water and took a slender bamboo rod. Holding the rod, she gently dipped it into the water as if angling. The crowd watched in confusion, wondering what she was doing.
In the blink of an eye, ripples spread across the water. A lively perch, shimmering silver, was hooked and pulled out. Gasps erupted from the guests. Before they could recover, Granny Ping continued fishing and soon caught several more plump, fresh perch.
Though shocked, Yuan Shu refused to back down. He said, "Perch alone is not enough. Without ginger from Shu to season it, the flavor will be lacking. Since you possess such divine power, can you bring me Shu ginger?"
Granny Ping smiled slightly and nodded. "Rest assured, General."
With that, she turned and left the hall. Moments later, she returned with several pieces of fresh ginger and presented them to Yuan Shu. Suspicious, he immediately sent men to verify. Days later, his messengers returned and confirmed her story was completely true: Granny Ping had used immortal magic to travel to Shu in an instant and buy the fresh ginger.
After this incident, Yuan Shu was both amazed and fearful of Granny Ping's powers. He wanted to take her into his service. But Granny Ping saw clearly through his character and ambition. She yearned for freedom and refused to be drawn into the chaos of the troubled era, so she politely declined.
Enraged, Yuan Shu felt his authority had been challenged. He ordered Granny Ping imprisoned to force her submission. She was locked in a secret chamber, guarded heavily, given only water but no food, in an attempt to break her will.
To Yuan Shu's astonishment, days later when the chamber was opened, Granny Ping sat there relaxed, her complexion rosy, showing no signs of hunger or exhaustion. Stunned and frustrated, he could do nothing.
Later, Yuan Shu held another feast, still determined to test her. Half-drunk, he said to Granny Ping, "If you are truly capable, can you fetch me a dragon's liver so I may taste this legendary delicacy?"
Granny Ping calmly took out an ink brush and gently drew on the pink wall. A vivid, lifelike dragon appeared before everyone's eyes. With a sweep of her sleeve, the dragon's belly split open. She reached inside and pulled out a dripping-wet dragon's liver.
The crowd froze in terror. Yuan Shu jumped to his feet, his face pale and flushing alternately.
Struggling to remain calm, he added, "It is the depths of winter, and all plants have withered. Can you make flowers bloom in this hall?"
Granny Ping nodded. She chanted a spell and quickly formed hand seals. Then she blew gently. In an instant, a rich floral fragrance filled the hall. On the empty ground, lush peonies sprouted up—red as fire, pink as haze, white as snow. The large, layered petals swayed gently in the wind, breathtakingly beautiful.
Horrified, Yuan Shu realized Granny Ping's magic was unfathomable, beyond his control. A murderous intent rose in his heart. He signaled his guards to attack.
Just as the men prepared to surround her, Granny Ping remained unhurried. She picked up a jade cup, filled it with fine wine, and offered it to Yuan Shu. "General, this wine grants peace. Please drink."
Suspecting poison, Yuan Shu dared not drink. "You drink first!" he shouted.
Unharried, Granny Ping took the jade hairpin from her hair and drew it lightly across the cup. The wine inside split into two halves. She drank one half, and the other floated slowly toward Yuan Shu. He stared at the hovering cup in terror, at a loss for what to do.
Suddenly, Granny Ping hurled her cup into the air. It instantly transformed into a colorful phoenix, circling the palace with a clear cry. As everyone looked up in amazement, Granny Ping vanished without a trace.
Furious, Yuan Shu ordered a full search of his entire territory, but she was nowhere to be found. From then on, whenever Yuan Shu thought of Granny Ping, an inexplicable fear seized him—as if the mysterious old woman could reappear at any moment, shatter his dreams, and destroy his ambitions completely.