“Yellow Sky”: Crisis for the Han Dynasty sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“N-nothing,” Mister Wen replied as his colleague retreated. “I… I apologise, but… the court has been forced to decline all visitors.”
“…Pardon…?” the Roman grunted irritably.
“I am afraid that you will have to be escorted out of the capital,” Mister Wen said with sudden urgency. “Something is happening, nothing serious in the long term, but… we will need to receive you at another time.”
“I spent weeks coming here!” the Roman growled. “How can you expect me to go back empty-handed???”
“A meeting… will not be possible at this time,” Mister Wen explained nervously.
“Are you being invaded from the north by the desert tribes again…?” the Roman prompted. “If this is a common threat, then perhaps I can write to our nearest settlement, and our own people can assist-”
“No!” Mister Wen insisted. “No, no, I mean, we will not need help… you need summon nobody to march into China. No. We… are having problems that can be solved, but… we will provide you with a letter to take to your emperor, to explain that we were forced to delay our meeting… you will not go back ‘empty-handed’.”
The Roman nodded slowly.
“He is better removed from our court,” Mister Wen said to a younger colleague as the two watched a carriage speed the Roman ‘envoy’ away from the imperial palace; the two spoke in their native Chinese tongue now that the foreign visitor had gone.
“Was he an envoy…?” the younger man asked.
“Hah… they never are,” Mister Wen scoffed. “That pathetic entourage he had with him… three or four of his people, three Xiongnu baggage handlers and a local trader that picked up some of the language of the An Xi… an envoy from a vain, belligerent place like Da Qin would have far more with him than that. No, the Minister Herald was right not to waste time on that one. He was another fraud, I think: another one looking to trick us ‘stupid Chinese’ into signing trade deals.
I’d have dismissed him anyway, but… not with such obvious haste and discomfort.”
“…Mister Wen, is it true…?” the younger man prompted.
“I understand so,” Mister Wen sighed. “Yet another supposed ‘plot’ against His Majesty… I wonder who it is this time. I shall now need to go to the Emperor. Go back to the office, and wait for me there.”
The younger man bowed low, turned, and retreated.
“…Curses,” Mister Wen muttered as he turned and started towards the throne room of his emperor.
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