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 answered, "I am taking it to be slaughtered and will use its blood to consecrate the bell."
Hearing this, King Hui felt pity for the ox and said, "How can that be done? It is too cruel. Release it at once. It is innocent. How can you kill it? I cannot bear to see its distress—shedding tears and trembling before death."
The man asked, "Do you mean I should let the ox go and not consecrate the bell?"
King Hui replied, "What are you saying? The bell must be consecrated! Let the ox go, but use a sheep instead."