One day, King Hui of Liang was seated in the ancestral hall when he saw a man leading an ox pass by. He asked, "Where are you taking the ox?"
The man stopped and replied, "I am taking it to be slaughtered; its blood will be used to consecrate the temple bell."
Hearing this, the king took pity on the ox. "How can this be?" he exclaimed. "It is too cruel. Release the ox at once. It is innocent. How can you kill it? I cannot bear to see it shedding tears, trembling in fear before its death."
The man asked, "Do you mean I should let the ox go and not consecrate the bell?"
"What are you saying?" the king answered. "The bell must be consecrated! Let the ox go, but use a sheep instead."