“Yellow Sky”: Crisis for the Han Dynasty sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne

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1

A man from the Empire of Rome awaited the arrival of the man from the Minister Herald’s office that would finally introduce him to the court of the Emperor Huan, ruler of the land of China. For the Romans, it was the fifth year of rule for Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antonius and the end of a costly territorial war with the Parthian Empire under Vologases IV; for the Chinese, it was the twentieth year of rule for Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty.
     The Roman was not alone, having brought with him to the Han court an entourage that included a Chinese man to serve as a translator in moments of difficulty, and two people of the Xiongnu race that lived near the Great Wall to the north; he had left the rest of his countrymen in nearby accommodation in order to converse with the court more directly. He had been kept waiting for some time, and in a land that was entirely foreign - language, customs, and intent - any amount of time was bound to incur suspicion. But before that suspicion could eat away at that Roman visitor any longer, a short, elderly man in blue, ankle-length robes and an elaborate black hat entered the guest room and bowed slightly.
“I am to be seen…?” the Roman man asked: he used a curious mix of Greek and Latin that Parthian traders had told him would be understandable to the Chinese.
There was an awkward silence, but before the translator could pose the same question, the Chinese courtier bowed slightly, laughed awkwardly, and said with obvious difficulty, “No, not yet,” in that same common language of trade. The Roman visitor smiled gratefully as the courtier added, “The court is… preparing. I, Mister Wen, am very sorry.”
“…When can I expect an audience…?” the Roman man prompted.
“Soon,” the Minister Herald’s courtier, Mister Wen, promised. “Only a few people know your language here… we try to improve later, for trade to be most efficient. But at the same time, you must understand how our court works.”

“I hope it is understood that I will not reduce myself to the emperor of another state,” the Roman retorted. “I have heard from my predecessor that you lay yourselves low, put your heads to the ground, even for lesser lords-”
“To ‘kowtow’,” Mister Wen interrupted. “Yes, that is how we show our respect and devotion to our betters, and sometimes our equals as a sign of gratitude. But you will not be expected to do that, of course.”
“Good,” the Roman grunted.
“However,” Mister Wen added, “some may be unhappy if you are too confident. Much of our way is knowing our place… you must speak to the Emperor only when spoken to, and-”
“Is that not the way it is the world over…?” the Roman countered.
“I expect so,” Mister Wen responded. “What I meant to say is that we will show our… ‘dissatisfaction’… with any perceived bad conduct openly. If a man is heard to ‘harrumph’ or seen to flick his sleeves with regard to a person, that is a sign that he is very displeased. It is a sign that he has little respect for the person’s conduct.”
“I hope that I will see no such thing,” the Roman said plainly. “I intend nothing more than greeting your emperor, and telling him that we hope for good trade. Your lands have much to offer.”
“…I expect that they do,” Mister Wen replied cautiously.
“Tell me more of your people,” the Roman prompted. “I have heard that men are allowed as servants in the chambers of your emperor’s wives.”

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