法苑珠林 73.43

73.43

唐雍州陸孝政。貞觀年中為右衛隰川府左果毅。孝政為性躁急。多為殘害。府內先有蜜蜂一龕。分飛聚於宅南樹上。孝政于時遣人移就別龕。其蜂未去之間。孝政大怒遂煮熱湯一盆。就樹沃蜂。總以死盡。殆無遺子。至明年五月。孝政於廳晝寢。忽有一蜂螫其舌上。遂即洪腫塞口。數日而卒。

In the Tang dynasty, Lu Xiaozheng of Yongzhou served during the Zhenguan era as Left Commandant of the Xichuan Garrison of the Right Guard. By nature, Xiaozheng was impatient and impetuous, and committed many acts of cruelty. In the garrison headquarters there had previously been a hive of bees, which swarmed and gathered on a tree to the south of his residence. Xiaozheng then sent men to move them to another hive. Before the bees had dispersed, Xiaozheng flew into a great rage, boiled a basin of scalding water, and poured it over the bees on the tree, killing them all completely with scarcely any larvae surviving. In the fifth month of the following year, while Xiaozheng was taking an afternoon nap in the hall, a bee suddenly stung him on the tongue. It immediately swelled up immensely, filling his mouth, and after a few days he died.