During the reign of Dali of the Tang Dynasty, a man named Feng Xile in Jingzhou was very good at flattery. He once had an audience with the magistrate of Changlin County and was treated to dinner.

"You are so kind that even the tigers and wolves are moving away," he told the magistrate.

Just then one of the magistrate's aides came to report that someone was eaten by a tiger last night. The magistrate asked why and Feng Xile answered, " It was merely passing by.