Imperial Envoy sent to the Wu Family:
- Wu Xiang, the woman wanted by Prince Wang
- Prince Wang
- Cao Song, Prime Minster of Song
- Song Imperial Soldier accompanying the Imperial Envoy
Cao Song was quick in writing the Imperial Decree demanding that the beautiful and just 18 years old Wu Xiang, daughter of Wu Li, head of the Wu family, a rich merchant family in Western China, would become an Imperial Concubine. Cao Song knows that Prince Wang is madly in love with Wu Xiang. He had heard rumors that Prince Wang was looking day and night a vase sent by Wu Li, as a gift for Prince Wang's ascension to power. That vase had a woman painted on it, a very beautiful woman. When Prince Wang asked if the woman depicted on the vase is a real person, his officials told him that that woman really exists and that her name in Wu Xiang, daughter of Wu Li. Since then, Prince Wang had wanted to make Wu Xiang his, but he had not dared to order that she becomes an Imperial Concubine, until he had a
meeting with Prime Minister Cao Song a few hours ago. During that meeting, he gave Cao Song the order to send an Imperial Envoy to demand that Wu Xiang becomes an Imperial Concubine.
Cao Song, having finished writing the Imperial Decree, calls an Imperial Envoy to his office. The man quickly runs into the Prime Minister's office and bows before Cao Song.
"Your Excellency, I am here!" the man says.
"Rise!" Cao replies.
"I want you to take this Imperial Decree and announce it to the Wu family. Take 100 Imperial Guards with you and if the Wu family refuses to accept the Decree, His Highness, Prince Wang, has ordered that you can massacre the entire Wu family, except for Wu Xiang. If anything happens to her, you and your entire family and the families of your relatives and the families of the relatives of your relatives shall be massacred. Same goes for all your close friends and their families and relatives. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir!"
So, the Imperial Envoy, accompanied by 100 Imperial Guards, begins his journey to Western China. Two weeks after beginning the journey, they arrive to the Wu Mansion. There, Wu Li and many of his family members, including his daughter, Wu Xiang, await the Imperial Envoy.
"Welcome, Imperial Envoy!" Wu Li shouts.
"I am honored to have you here."
"His Imperial Highness, Prince Wang, has ordered me to announce His Imperial Decree to you." the Imperial Envoy says.
Upon saying this, all of the Wu family and all 100 Imperial Guards bow before the Imperial Envoy and shouts
"Long live, Prince Wang, long live! Long live, Prince Wang, long live! Long live, Prince Wang, long live! Long live, long live, long live!"
Here is the Imperial Decree!" the Imperial Envoy shouts.
"Imperial Prince Wang, in the name of the Son of Heaven, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jingzong, thus decrees: Knowing of the great beauty of Miss Wu Xiang, daughter of Wu Li, head of the Wu family, We order that Miss Wu Xiang becomes Our Imperial Concubine. The Wu family will have to accept Our will. If they do accept, Our Imperial Highness shall send a General along with 10,000 soldiers to escort Miss Wu Xiang to the Imperial Palace."
Wu Li is surprised and shocked, but he and his family bow before the Imperial Envoy and say
"Long live, Prince Wang, long live! Long live, Prince Wang, long live! Long live, Prince Wang, long live! Long live, long live, long live! We shall accept the Imperial Decree!"
A few hours later, Wu Xiang's office
When Wu Xiang heard of the Imperial Decree, she locked herself in her room. A few hours later, Wu Li, her father, enters her room.
"My daughter!" Wu Li says.
"This is an Imperial Decree! We cannot disobey it!"
"I do not care! I do not love Prince Wang! Not to say that he is in his mid-thirties!"
"Well, I know that, but if we refuse, Prince Wang will use armed force to take you."
"Then, it is better to commit suicide than be with that tyrant!"
"But, then, he will kill all of us! Now, listen to me, you will not put the lives of so many people in danger just because you love an other man!"
"I love Yuan Chang, son of the Grand Commander Yuan Chonghuan, and I will love no other man!"
"Do you think that because Yuan Chonghuan is the Grand Commander of all Song Forces, Prince Wang shall give you up? Do not think so. From what I've heard from my talks with some Imperial Guards and the Imperial Envoy, Prince Wang is madly in love with you and is willing to even send 100,000 soldiers to bring you to the Palace."
"This means....."
"You will not be able to escape from him!"
Song Imperial Palace, Office of Prince Wang
Meanwhile, Prince Wang drinks some tea. An Imperial Envoy rushes into the office and bows before the young Prince.
"Your Imperial Highness!" the man says.
"I have news!"
"What news?!" Prince Wang shouts.
"Firstly, Wu Li has agreed to your request. Secondly, your father, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jingzong is coming to meet you."
Indeed, the elderly Emperor, coughing, enters inside the office of Prince Wang. Prince Wang bows before the Emperor and says
"Greetings, your Imperial Majesty."
"Get up!" the Emperor shouts.
"Why have you come here, father?"
"To tell you some things. You have been doing very well in the few months you have become ruler of the Empire. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are being trained and readied for war. The economy is growing to new heights. Good and loyal officers are awarded. Your poets have also impressed me."
"Thanks, father. I have been able to do all those deeds only because you had set stable foundations."
"Indeed. However, my son, I've heard that you have fallen in love with a girl named Wu Xiang, right?"
"Yes."
"Do you know that she is a woman that is in love with General Yuan Chang, son of the Grand Commander Yuan Chonghuan?"
"What?!"
"So, I hope that you will not anger this old, loyal and very able Commander and offend his able, loyal and heroic son because of some feelings you have."
"I will not disappoint you, father."
Emperor Jingzong, having heard what he wanted to hear, leaves the office. The Imperial Envoy then asks Prince Wang
"Should we annul the decree?"
"No! Just make sure that His Imperial Majesty is not informed at all about this matter. If His Imperial Majesty knows anything about this matter, I will execute you and all your family members, including parents, grandparents, wive, children, brothers, cousins, uncles and whatever other relatives you have and their families, by slow slicing!"
"Yes.....yes...yes...Your...Your...Your Imperial Highness!"