Traditional Huangmei Opera
(女驸马 – 黄梅戏 – English translation)
Suzhen Feng – Zhaoting Li's fiancée
Wenju Liu – a Lord
Chunhong – Suzhen's handmaid
The Emperor
The Princess
Yimin Feng – a Lord
Fu Liu – Wenju's servant
Courtiers
Attendants
Palace Maids
Guards
| Suzhen | Between these woven love-birds is my linen shared. Yet when shall fortune have them paired? The willow grows verdant beneath my eave; At the cuckoo's call, my heart does cleave. When follows Fate the wishes of man? But soft – for a smile I exchange my frown. I, Suzhen Feng, have since my earliest days frisked and frolicked with Zhaoting Li, a schoolfellow; As we came of age, our families arranged for us a marriage, and it seemed that fate did indulge us. But alas, my poor mother had passed early, and my vile stepmother galls me so! She chided my brother away from home; and now, my Zhaoting comes forth to seek scholarship here, Yet she coaxes my father into treating him so frigidly, I cannot assuage my unease here in my room, embroidering, So I call Chunhong to deliver to the study funds for his travels. With luck, his entrance this time into the Capital's examinations shall grant him most honourable results, And then I, Suzhen Feng, shall suffer my stepmother's tempers no more! Alas, upon my Zhaoting's family befell disaster so great, He could but seek to settle awhile behind our gate. Under Stepmother's spell, now Father eyes him as an ingrate; How should my Zhaoting know to leave or wait? Confined in her room, a throbbing heart Suzhen cannot set down, And thus to the study she bids Chunhong, to finance her lover's travels. This time, I pray, his trial in the Capital flies him sky-high, And upon my face a smile of sweet relief unravels. |
| Enter Chunhong | |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, Miss Feng! |
| Suzhen | Chunhong, have you delivered the money? |
| Chunhong | Ay, I have. But O, poor Mr Li! |
| Suzhen | What do you mean? |
| Chunhong | Mr Li accepted the money, and was just about to set off, when Mistress ordered An Feng to seize him, And, proclaiming him a thief, had him imprisoned. Miss Feng... |
| Suzhen | Do you tell the truth? |
| Chunhong | Every last word, and she even presented the money you sent as evidence! |
| Suzhen | O fie! Detestable are my stepmother's ways! How can one frame a good man as thief? Quit your wanton despotism today, For to my father I'll go, and seek his judgment! |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, where are you going? |
| Suzhen | To Father, so that I may reason with her. |
| Chunhong | O Miss Feng, don't be foolish! Master is old now, and everything is at Mistress' disposal; Just then, when Mistress was rebuking Mr Li, Master was there, too. What use is there in going to him? |
| Suzhen | I... |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, there is more! Last time when Master went to the Capital, He had given your hand in marriage to Lord Liu's fifth son. |
| Suzhen | O, foolish Father! Father favours the wealthy, yet disdains impoverished acquaintances; To affluent doors, he abandons his daughter's every wit and art. My tenderness for Zhaoting weighs heftily, That neither life nor death can do us apart. Let the sky unhinge; let the earth crumble; – But do not try to change my heart! |
| Chunhong | O Miss Feng, Miss Feng! |
| Suzhen | Chunhong, Mr Li has been wrongly imprisoned, and Father shall make me marry somebody else. What should I do? |
| Chunhong | Think fast, Miss Feng! (contemplates) How unfortunate we are, to be born as girls! |
| Suzhen | Unfortunate to be born as girls! So what if we were men? |
| Chunhong | Back when Young Master was still at home, Mistress had irked him much, too; But he is a man, and could get himself far away from here, so he wouldn't need to suffer her vexations anymore. |
| Suzhen | I've got it! Chunhong, hie us go to the Capital! |
| Chunhong | But why? |
| Suzhen | I shall assume Mr Li's name, and partake in the examinations. |
| Chunhong | You mustn't! |
| Suzhen | Why mustn't I now? |
| Chunhong | Do we simply go like this? |
| Suzhen | We shall dress ourselves as men. |
| Chunhong | Good idea! |
| Suzhen | (Aside) And so it is: Suzhen donning Zhaoting's guise, To the Capital to save her betrothed. |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, what will I do when you're gone? |
| Suzhen | You will come with me! |
| Chunhong | So what should I be called? |
| Suzhen | You shall be called Long Li. |
| Chunhong | Long Li? |
| Suzhen | Mm! |
| Exeunt |
| Wenju | A gout of red ink at my marking-pen's tip, Recognising talent with my learned eyes alone. For decades I have held my position in the Capital, For decades won favour before the all-hailed throne. Thrice have I supervised the imperial examinations, And brought forth more courtiers than number has known. I, Wenju Liu, by His Majesty's grace, have thrice in a row been ordained to oversee the examinations. Now that this year's three eliminatory rounds have concluded, His Majesty has met this year's top scorer, Zhaoting Li, At the celebratory feast; He praised and praised the scholar, commended him and then some more, but why? Ah, I know: when last year's top scorer, Yimin Feng, had been elected, His Majesty saw that he was not only distinctively eloquent, but also handsome and courtly in looks, And had the intention of engaging him to the princess; but the princess was, as of then, too young for marriage, So I have not officially recommended the fellow to His Majesty. Now, this year's most distinguished scholar, Zhaoting Li, Is, too, outstandingly eloquent, and handsome and courtly; perchance His Majesty takes interest in him. Yes, yes, yes! I must conduct this matter well, so that even I might receive a greater share of bestowal. Ha, ha, ha... But that aside for now. A few months ago, when Lord Feng visited the Capital, He had mentioned a certain daughter of his, by the name of Suzhen Feng, and would betroth her to my son. I have already ordered Fu Liu to go to Xiangyang to receive her, and can probably expect his good news in a couple of days. |
| Enter Fu Liu | |
| Fu | (Aside) To Xiangyang I go to receive the bride; To the Capital I return in frantic haste. Sincerest greetings to you, Master! |
| Wenju | Stand, now! Have you delivered the wedding gifts? |
| Fu | That I have. |
| Wenju | Is Lord Feng well? |
| Fu | Quite well. |
| Wenju | When does he send the bride? |
| Fu | He has written you a letter, Master; please, do have it. |
| Wenju | Let me unseal it and see. So it happens that Miss Feng is ill and bedridden. Since they have already received the gifts, we need but wait until winter, or 'til spring next year. Go and rest yourself! |
| Fu | Thank you, Master. |
| Enter a Courtier | |
| Courtier | Decree from His Majesty! |
| Wenju | Long live the Emperor! |
| Courtier | His Majesty orders you to meet him at the palace presently, no delay allowed! Thus concludes the decree; we pay thanks to His Majesty's grace. |
| Wenju | Long live the Emperor! [Exit Courtier] (Aside) Now that His Majesty summons me, Surely promotion and rewards await. (To servants) Get to work, you lot! Prepare my carriage for the palace! [Exit] |
| Suzhen | (Aside) Famed all across the land as scholar most exceptional, I wear in my hat, by His Majesty's grace, a flower to betoken my name. For Zhaoting's sake had I left my hometown behind, And now I've become this year's top-scorer in kind. I've ascended the gilded stairs, to carouse at the feast; Yet who had an inkling of my womanhood in mind? I, Suzhen Feng, have entered the Capital under Zhaoting's name to partake in the examinations, And have now achieved the top score. O, how overjoyed I am, knowing that my Zhaoting shall be saved! Ever since this great world's creation, Who has seen a woman trump all in this examination? But coming first; donning my red gown; Wearing the Emperor's own flower in my hat – what delectation! I, too, have attended the lavish feast of celebration. I, too, have ridden in the streets among much jollification. Handsome as the poet Pan Yue, they call me; Yet here is a maiden fair, beneath the veil and ornamentation! [Enter Chunhong quietly] I did not come for praise and recognition, Nor did I come for the court and a high position. |
| Chunhong | But come you did, to save Mr Li, And unite: husband and wife, in everlasting affection. |
| Suzhen | You cheeky girl! |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng... |
| Suzhen | Hmm? |
| Chunhong | Ah! Most excellent scholar. |
| Suzhen | Of course! By the way, Chunhong... |
| Chunhong | Huh? |
| Suzhen | Ack! Long Li! |
| Chunhong | Here! |
| Suzhen | Wait while I write to His Majesty, so that He may grant me permission to go home and visit my ancestors' grave. |
| Chunhong | Yes, we must make haste to save Mr Li! |
| Suzhen | Quit prattling so imprudently. Should someone learn of our identities, We would have to bear the crime of deceiving His Majesty. |
| Chunhong | Ah! |
| Suzhen | Long Li! |
| Chunhong | Here. |
| Suzhen | Prepare ink! |
| Chunhong | Preparing ink. |
| Suzhen | In enraptured senses I set my pen down, To plead for a visit back to my hometown. I'll save Zhaoting from the cold jail-bars, And I'll bestow him a famed scholar's renown. |
| (Voice within) | Lord Liu is here! |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, Lord Liu is here! |
| Suzhen | What, Lord Liu is here? |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, is Lord Liu summoning you back to be wed with his fifth son? |
| Suzhen | Stop it with this farce; as if I'm the Fengs' daughter now. Give him welcome! |
| Chunhong | Welcome! |
| Enter Wenju | |
| Wenju | Worthy scholar! |
| Suzhen | We did not know we were expecting you today, my lord. Please forgive us for the hasty reception. |
| Wenju | It was I who have come here impetuously. Worry not, worthy scholar! |
| Suzhen | It would be remiss of me not to. |
| Chunhong | [Enter with tea] Please, have some tea, my lord. |
| Suzhen | What have you come today to enlighten me with, kind professor? |
| Wenju | When I first saw you at the examinations, I thought you of quite wonderful visage; But now that I see you more clearly, your beauty truly rivals that of a fine young lass! |
| Suzhen | Please don't make fun of me, my lord. |
| Wenju | No wonder His Majesty adores you so. |
| Suzhen | My lord... |
| Wenju | Worthy scholar, here comes great news your way. |
| Suzhen | What news? |
| Wenju | O, my much-esteemed scholar! I congratulate you, that your accomplishment is known far and wide. Who is there that thinks the acclaim you enjoy is not justified? Now, if the heavens have placed in your arms a perfect, beautiful bride, Then truly, with what radiant triumph you may smile and stride! Such a position besides the princess His Majesty does provide, Seeing that you are a literary virtuoso, with your decent looks allied. His treasured daughter, all gold and pearl, to you shall be tied, And soon you will be walking and reclining at royalty's side. |
| Suzhen | I was not born to be noble, but rather, miserly. How can I possibly besmirch an Emperor's family? I beseech you, kind lord, to seek elsewhere A bright and reputable son-in-law for His Majesty. |
| Wenju | O worthy scholar, there really is no need to be so humble! |
| Suzhen | For His Majesty's benevolent grace, and for your support, my lord, I am endlessly grateful, but this marriage? I will have to decline it, I'm afraid. |
| Wenju | And why is that? |
| Chunhong | Because our worthy scholar is actually – |
| Suzhen | Actually, married. |
| Wenju | Married? Not so! His Majesty has asked you at the feast, whether or not you were married, And you have replied that you weren't; so how are you married now? |
| Suzhen | (At a loss for words) |
| Wenju | Listen, if you accept this engagement, I will even have the chance to befuddle myself with your finest wedding wine. |
| Suzhen | My lord, this thing cannot be! |
| Chunhong | It cannot! |
| Wenju | Humph, what do you chime in for! |
| Suzhen | My lord, you... |
| Wenju | Even if you prize not my goodwill, worthy scholar, you know that His Majesty's desires cannot be disobeyed! |
| Suzhen | Alas! Truly my lord, you must not do this! |
| Wenju | Here is His Majesty's decree for you, Zhaoting Li! |
| Suzhen | Long live the Emperor! |
| Wenju | His Majesty bids you to be wed at the palace tonight, without delay. Worthy scholar, you do know that His Majesty's will mustn't be defied? I'll take my leave. [Exit] |
| Suzhen | Good god! I wish but to return home, where I may set free my love; Yet forth from firm, flat earth do so many deluging waves erupt! Pray tell, how can a woman possibly be the princess' consort? Neither forward nor back can I turn, for Lie has rent Truth corrupt. |
| (Voice within) | The Governor comes! |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, here comes the Governor! |
| Suzhen | The Governor? |
| Chunhong | Another matchmaker, could it be? |
| Suzhen | Alas! All the more terrible it is, then! – Welcome! |
| Enter Yimin Feng and an Attendant | |
| Yimin | (Aside) Forced for eight lonesome springs to leave my home behind, Highest achiever among last year's examinees, 'tis I, Yimin Feng. Having patrolled the eight prefectures, now to the Capital I return, Here to meet with my young sister's betrothed: Zhaoting Li. (To Attendant) Give them our name. |
| Attendant | Our greetings, whomever awaits! |
| Chunhong | Miss Feng, here they have given us a card. |
| Suzhen | (Reads) Yimin! – Welcome! [Exit Attendant quietly] |
| Yimin | O, where is my sister's betrothed? ... (Aside) But this is not him! |
| Suzhen | (Aside) How come he seems so familiar? (To Yimin) Come in, my lord! |
| Yimin | You first, excellent scholar! |
| Suzhen | My lord, you first! |
| Yimin | No, you first! 'Tis much you have accomplished for your age; it is worth all the celebration and praise! |
| Suzhen | You are too kind. I ought to have visited you myself, my lord; is it not remiss of me to have troubled you so? |
| Yimin | You are too kind. |
| Suzhen | Please, take a seat, my lord. |
| Yimin | Whereabouts in the land do you come from, excellent scholar? |
| Suzhen | I come here from Xiangyang, Hubei. What about you, my lord? |
| Yimin | I, too, come from Xiangyang, Hubei. |
| Suzhen | O, my lord, how come you are from Xiangyang also? Does that make us its fellow townsmen? |
| Yimin | No doubt it does. (Laughs) Ha ha ha... |
| Suzhen | May I ask... |
| Yimin | Please do. |
| Suzhen | May I ask, my lord, – when did you first depart from your hometown? |
| Yimin | If memory serves, it has been eight years since my departure. |
| Suzhen | May I ask if you know of a certain Lord Feng in Xiangyang, my lord? |
| Yimin | Why do you ask? |
| Suzhen | Do you perhaps know the whereabouts of his son, Shaoying Feng, my lord? |
| Yimin | My good scholar, how have you acquainted yourself with such a fellow? |
| Suzhen | I am his sister...'s betrothed. |
| Yimin | (Aside) And yet he looks nothing like him. |
| Suzhen | (Aside) Could he really be my brother? |
| Chunhong | (Aside) Yes, he must be Young Master! |
| Suzhen | Brother, how can you not recognise your own sister, Suzhen? |
| Yimin | You are – ? |
| Suzhen | Brother, I am Suzhen! |
| Yimin | O my good sister! Why do you masquerade yourself and wander the Capital When you were but the Fengs' silk-hemmed dame? And why do you exchange yours for a different name? Why do you unveil your literary flair, and guzzle the fame? You are too young; you think the court is but a game – Yet it is His Majesty you deceive. Who else can take the blame? |
| Suzhen | Please, do not upbraid me yet, my good brother, For here is a question for you, before you utter another: Back when you suffered much the venom of our stepmother, Why did you flee, and your real name smother? |
| Yimin | Did Stepmother mistreat you, too? |
| Suzhen | Stepmother now often has her ruthless way, And never looks at me without a tincture of distaste; My Zhaoting, impoverished, came to study and stay, Yet she gives his scrupulous nature up to waste. Convincing my father to null our engagement, Your sister is now forcifully bound to an affluent rake; Yet knowing I would not comply with them a moment, She throws my love in prison, for mere falsehood's sake! |
| Yimin | So that's how it is? |
| Suzhen | My heart inflamed, I saw no other solution Than to come here under a masculine impression. Chancing upon this year's greatest examination, For my lover I give my talent up for exhibition. |
| Yimin | You should not have adopted such a form and shape, Let alone torn the shroud of your brilliant talent agape. Now a scholar's hat you wear, and silky swathes drape; I should like to see how you plan your grand escape! |
| Suzhen | O, but there is no escape for me, brother! |
| Yimin | What do you mean? |
| Suzhen | His Majesty has decreed that I wed the princess. |
| Yimin | What? Wed the princess? Alas! Now there is no running from this disaster! |
| Suzhen | Brother, help me think of something! |
| Yimin | Alas! Your poor brother, patrolling the prefectures, has encountered many enigmatic cases indeed; But at this ordeal of yours, my thoughts truly efface themselves! |
| Suzhen | Brother, I have an idea. |
| Yimin | Tell me! |
| Suzhen | Brother, we look quite alike; why don't you wed the princess in my stead? |
| Yimin | I? Alas! Two Zhaotings were enough to cause this mess; add a third to the mix – what catastrophe shall ensue then! |
| Suzhen | Then it seems I have no choice but to be the princess' woman-consort! |
| Enter Attendant | |
| Attendant | Master! Master, the Chancellor wishes to speak to you at his residence. |
| Yimin | Got it, now leave us awhile! [Exit Attendant] |
| Suzhen | Dear brother! Now that there is no turning back, I must go to the palace and see what can be done; With luck and wit, perhaps I'll even exchange this mishap for fortune. But should anything happen to me, Please bail my poor Zhaoting from jail, brother! |
| Yimin | O my sister! You mustn't go to the palace; wait until I have concluded my discussion with the Chancellor, Then I shall contemplate our options with you. |
| Enter a Courtier | |
| Courtier | Please, a change of garments, Your Highness. |
| Suzhen | Well; let be! I'll change! [Exeunt] |
| Princess | Carved dragons and phoenix that, in floral candlelight gleaming, Do truly fill the wedding-chamber with tenderness teeming. In flickering glances I observe you, my consort, star-bound love; O, what keen beauty you possess – what a gracious creation you are! Your elegant eyes capture a thousand ardent sentiments; And with your pen as sword, your brilliance none dares to mar. My yearning for you flutters like young wings on a dove – But if you shan't speak first, how could I let my voice rise above? |
| Suzhen | O Suzhen, I pray you, the royal princess you must not wed! – Still, a fault-strewn path has led me to the wedding-hall bright. She insisted, there and then, to tie the knot – and thus our hearts – Yet here, her bashful words and vows do me much affright. I fear, fear greatly, that she shall tear down my guise tonight, For then, my perfidious transgressions shall not be ones slight! An escape I seek to find, in the palace's every gilt corner and crack, Yet to the bed-chambers we went, and thus she'd sealed my plight! I could but pretend to be immersed in poetry, verse after verse, To wait and hope for salvation, when, at last, the time is right. |
| Princess | The night-blackened clock does strike three, Yet he keeps silent and peruses his poetry. Surely, the many rules of the palace do daunt him, That he is twice as prudent, and then thrice. This being his first visit to the palace, he must feel somewhat apprehensive; it is quite inevitable. Girls! |
| Palace Maids | Here. |
| Princess | 'Tis late at night; do invite the consort to bed. |
| Palace Maids | Yes. It is very late, Your Highness; please, rest for tonight. |
| Suzhen | I will, please tell the princess to rest first. |
| Palace Maids | Yes. Princess, the consort replies: Your Highness can sleep first. |
| Princess | Leave us. [Exit Palace Maids] (To Suzhen) My husband, the night is dark and the hour is quiet; It would not be too late to read your book tomorrow. |
| Suzhen | I, in fact, have a habit of reading at night, and cannot fall asleep if I do not read first. Please, Do go to bed, dear princess; I'll join you soon after. |
| Princess | (Aside) For his obdurate refusal to sleep, a book is no excuse; On what matters so secret to me does he nervously muse? Now that we are pronounced husband and wife, in every way joint, I must seek the odd trouble's very source, and it diffuse. My husband, why are you upset? Does my delicate body not suit your liking? |
| Suzhen | Whatever do you mean, my princess? I am but a poor, frail scholar; I owe all my luxury and comfort today To His Majesty's bountiful grace. What do I have to be upset about? |
| Princess | If you are not upset, why do you wear a frown so pronounced? |
| Suzhen | Do not worry, kind-hearted princess, do not fret; Thankful am I to your most noble family, without end. I alone must be blamed for imbibing much too many cups, That in my bosom the wine does restlessly heave. Princess, today His Majesty has summoned all the great court to the feast; One would drink with I, and then another, that I have drunk far too much; as such I do feel a little unwell, And wish to sit alone awhile. Please, you sleep first, dear princess. |
| Princess | If it is the wine that sickens you, I'll tell the maids to bring some soup to ease your discomfort. |
| Suzhen | Thank you for your concern, dear princess; I shan't be needing the soup. Let me take you to bed. |
| Suzhen assists the Princess to bed | |
| Princess | Please be mindful when drinking in the future. |
| Suzhen | Thank you, princess! |
| Suzhen sees the Princess offstage, then returns onstage | |
| Princess | (Off)You rest soon, too, dear husband! |
| Suzhen | O, the lovely princess beckons me so, Yet how my repressed agonies thrive and grow. You and I are silk-hemmed maidens both; How can we possibly gambol as buck and doe? O, princess! It was for my betrothed lover that I donned this accursed guise; Never had I wished for you to lie alone at your wedding night. |
| Enter Princess quietly | |
| Princess | My husband's presence remains to me a concealed intrigue; The perfume expires in the gilt censers, heaving out its moribund sigh. Has he read so often by nocturnal candlelight that he knows no fatigue? Or perhaps this habitual thing to his local customs does comply? I gaze at him, who sits speechless before the rutilant lantern-light; What is it he studies? Some divine elixir, that eternal life might imply? But there, I'll leave it; perhaps I will call to him again. Alas, if you won't come, neither will I give you heed. [Exit] |
| At four o'clock | |
| Suzhen | Of the day's fourth hour the robust drum-clocks alert, That my surreptitious thoughts do desperately seek to hide. Refusing at our wedding night to lie in bed, side by side – Of course, this her writhing heart would much disconcert. Tomorrow, when her fierce inquiry and my deceit collide, With what shoddy pretext should I contrive my response? If she uncovers then my woman's soul, quivering and mortified, His Majesty will surely have me executed, to my impuissance! And now, where winds the dusky path, my misguided course? With my betrothed yet unsaved, for nought do I myself exert. The dark ocean's trenches know not the depth of my distress; How could she, in these ice-cold waters, herself ensconce? |
| Re-enter Princess | |
| Princess | The day's fourth hour is past, and the night grows hefty; Besides me lie but dragons and phoenix stitched upon the sheets. Indeed, I've prayed for a man of brilliant talent to partner me, Yet who knew I alone would guard my bedclothes 'til daybreak? To my beloved I turn and steal a peek, – |
| Suzhen | Sigh! – |
| Princess | Only to see his terrible frown, of a dismay so concrete. |
| At five o'clock | |
| Suzhen | 'Tis five; the drums resound; the day will soon break. This dire disaster does my tumultuous heart inflame! Now it seems that all my worries shall fruitlessly ache, For only in death might we relish again a love the same. |
| Princess | My consort dear stammers with such unease, My consort dear with tears bead his limpid eyes. What means he, that his vain heartache shan't cease? What means he by a reunion in another life? I ponder his words, turn and twist them in my mind... I know; perchance he has had once another betrothed, who haunts him such That his mind cannot be at peace. |
| Suzhen | Dear god! I have risked my life for our happiness, and yet... |
| Princess | My love! |
| Suzhen | Your Highness! |
| Princess | My love, you... |
| Suzhen | Your Highness, I am a criminal! |
| Princess | How are you a criminal? |
| Suzhen | I – I have not accompanied you tonight, be that not a crime? |
| Princess | My husband, I ask you earnestly, who lives with you at home? |
| Suzhen | There is my elderly mother... |
| Princess | Have you taken another wife? |
| Suzhen | That's... |
| Princess | Don't beat around the bush with me; If you have had a wife, tell me truthfully, and I will not hold you accountable! |
| Suzhen | Alas! My princess! Now that it has come to this, I have no choice but to tell you the truth! |
| Princess | Tell me! |
| Suzhen | I was, in my enclosed boudoir ... |
| Princess | What? |
| Suzhen | ... A maiden fair. |
| Princess | Do you tell the truth? |
| Suzhen | Pray you, look at my earrings' marks, Your Highness. |
| Princess | He – he – he really is a woman? My indignance in this fervent moment would scorn to be contained; The man to whom I've given my hand turns out to be a wayward wench! I behold my delicate body, precious, tender, decorous and pristine – And I had almost let you rupture it with such ignominious hands! Yesterday, the palace's most exquisite wine did the whole court quench; The marriage is known, from the royal feast to the common pub's bench. None is there that has not heard of my union with the ingenious scholar, But who knew, 'tis a woman trying to stir the court before which she stands. The more thoughts I conjure, the more my heart they relentlessly wrench. Come; with the sordid truth, together we'll His Majesty's visage blench! |
| Suzhen | Your Highness, I am well aware of my crime, And I did not intend to set the royal court astir; Please, princess, rest awhile your thunderous fury And hear my confession of what I myself did incur. |
| Princess | Speak! |
| Suzhen | By my real name, I am called Suzhen Feng, Who, since youth, was betrothed to Zhaoting Li. We were closest companions since our earliest days, And my sweet mother did indulge her daughter's will. But alas, misfortune had befallen the Li household, And Father merely wished his pockets some more to fill. He fettered me to another family for its opulence, And framed Zhaoting, who now in jail pines his heart ill. Beyond setting free my lover, I have no second wish, And without hesitance hied the thousand miles here. I hoped that the renown I have gained may do him good, But before one wave had calmed, another did steer. |
| Princess | Are there really such queer matters in this world? |
| Suzhen | Your Highness was raised behind these palace walls; How could you have known a common life's grieves? Baochuan Wang had guarded her cold hut eighteen years, And Cuiping Liu endured sixteen dolorous springs. Both were prized daughters of households affluent, Yet would accept but their poor lovers' vermeil rings. They cherished not the luxuries of an extravagant life, But would hold true their heart under decrepit eaves. And there is the scholaress from Hangzhou, Yingtai, Enamoured of good Liang, her classmate of three years. Her father had scoffed and slighted the boy for his poverty, And married Yingtai elsewhere, again, for wealth alone. The wedding carriage passed by her poor lover's grave, And recalling Yingtai's tears, to-day the earth still cleaves; Thus the tomb yawned wide, the mournful girl leapt in, And as resplendent butterflies the lovers were reborn. I, Suzhen, was also bound by my parents' imperious reins, And can but condemn Fortune for her fragile empathy. I ask of Your Highness, who is also a maiden fair: Do you truly not fathom my devotion to my lover dear? |
| Princess | If it was for your betrothed that you'd instigated this masquerade, You should have returned whence you came, after making your name. Yet here you have come to marry me, to be my lover, my royal consort; How can I pardon you, who so impetuously have my marriage maimed? |
| Suzhen | It was not I who sought to blemish your marriage. |
| Princess | So who was it? |
| Suzhen | It was your father, dear princess – His Majesty. Had it not been for his unquestionable decree, And had not Lord Liu matchmade you and me, Even if I, Suzhen, had a tiger's mighty liver, I would not offend the palace gate so imprudently. Now the wicked, wretched truth I tell you in full, Hoping that Your Highness may have mercy. I will be indebted to you, till my very last breath, If you would only pardon my betrothed and me. And if, still, it does not please Your Highness, I will accept whatever punishment before the throne. I'll walk to my gallows with blitheness in plenty, But pray you, rescue my lover – I plead for that alone. I'll trade anything, from dignity to life, for his safety; Then in the underworld I'll roam, content and free. |
| Princess | Hearing her weep as she speaks of her woes, An iron puppet should be moved to tears the same. Truly, you are our day's most honourable woman; How could one possibly her execution proclaim? But I dread that Father will not give you pardon! |
| Suzhen | Please, Your Highness; give me this chance. |
| Princess | I simply fear that Father will learn the truth, and be furious with you! |
| Suzhen | If Your Highness is willing to help, I do have an idea. |
| Princess | Then let us retreat to my chamber, and discuss the matter further. |
| Suzhen | After you. [Exeunt] |
| Emperor | 'Twas yesterday that we summoned our prince consort, Whose genius and looks the whole court did impress. Indebted am I to Lord Liu for his impeccable judgment, And with a lavish banquet I'll thank the good matchmaker. Call him in! |
| Courtier | Lord Liu comes! |
| Enter Wenju | |
| Wenju | [Aside] For my appearance at the palace His Majesty has decreed; I come to bathe in his immaculate grace, sprouted forth from my seed. Wenju Liu greets Your Majesty; long live the Emperor! |
| Emperor | There, there, Lord Liu. Take a seat. |
| Wenju | Thank you, Your Majesty. May I so bold as to ask, why is it that Your Majesty has summoned me here today? |
| Emperor | Our princess is happily married now, all thanks to you, Lord Liu. As such, I am arranging a banquet to commend your good work. |
| Wenju | It is by Your Majesty's abundant fortune that Their Highnesses are enjoy such love and harmony. What contribution could I have possibly made? |
| Emperor | It is said: "In the sky, there is no rain without clouds; And here on earth, there would be no marriage without matchmakers." Shortly, when the princess and her consort arrive, we'll have to thank you for being such a wonderful matchmaker. |
| Wenju | I dare not claim such an honour for myself. |
| Emperor | [To Courtier] Call Their Highnesses to the palace. |
| Courtier | Their Highnesses come! |
| Enter Suzhen and Princess | |
| Suzhen | [Aside] Though our plans have been meticulously laid out, |
| Princess | [Aside] We must be wary of straying onto a perilous route. |
| Suzhen / Princess | We greet Your Majesty. |
| Emperor | Rise, please, my good daughter. |
| Suzhen / Princess | Thank you, Your Majesty. |
| Wenju | Wenju greets Your Highness. |
| Princess | Greetings. |
| Emperor | Dear daughter, Lord Liu here has been your matchmaker; give him thanks. |
| Wenju | But I would not dare to call myself thus! |
| Princess | This wonderful marriage between my husband and I was all for your timely judgment, Lord Liu. How can I not thank you? |
| Emperor | Well said! Firstly, you are these two's good matchmaker, and secondly, The consort was chosen by you as this year's top-scorer in the examinations; of course you must be thanked! |
| Wenju | No, no, I mustn't! [Suzhen and Princess thank him] Alas, alas, you are too kind. Ha ha ha... By His Majesty's grace, I have thrice in a row been delegated to oversee the examinations; I have seen thousands upon thousands of young scholars, yet never was there one so knowledgeable and eloquent As our consort here. Your Highness truly is His Majesty's blessed son-in-law, And a perfect match for Her Highness, too, ha ha ha... |
| Princess | Of course! What a keen intuition you possess, Lord Liu. My husband here is, indeed, incredibly knowledgeable. |
| Emperor | Oh, how so? |
| Princess | Last night, in our wedding-chamber, Zhaoting has spoken to me of many things, of bygone and present times both. And the fantastic things he spoke of! – I have never heard of them before. |
| Emperor | Good Zhaoting, what fantastic stories do you have that you wouldn't mind regaling us a little with? |
| Wenju | Ay, and I can learn something new, too. |
| Princess | Father, allow me to tell it in his stead! |
| Emperor | Go ahead, dear daughter. |
| Princess | You see, Father: Among the ordinary crowds was a fair young maiden, Her integrity was nonpareil, complemented by looks and talent both. Since her childhood, she'd had a kind boy for a friend, And together, they were gay and jocular, and would never part. The two families had, initially, planned for them to marry, And beyond ready to be fulfilled was their conjoint marriage oath. But great disaster had befallen the young man's hapless family, So, furtively, the girl's parents had a radical change of heart. Did I tell it right, love? |
| Suzhen | Right indeed! |
| Emperor | Continue, please! |
| Princess | Yes, her parents loathed the poor, yet fawned over the rich, So they forced the girl to be engaged instead to a wealthy man. What is more, they had incriminated the boy as a roguish thief, And sent him to prison to be interrogated, under its many torments. |
| Emperor | To think that there are such lowly sycophants in the world; utterly outrageous! |
| Wenju | Outrageous indeed. If such a thing were to happen nowadays, those two must be tried and punished by law! |
| Emperor | And what did the girl do? |
| Princess | The girl, she did not praise the rich, nor did she deride the poor, And would rather die of resentment than be married to another. She could but disguise herself as a man, and come to the Capital, For she had to save her lover – else she might not thus bother. |
| Emperor | What does she come to the Capital for? |
| Princess | For it was then and there that the imperial examinations were held; She assumed the boy's name, so that under it would her success be spelled. |
| Emperor | She was bold for sure. Was the girl unafraid of being found out? |
| Wenju | Was she indeed. |
| Emperor | Zhaoting, do you suppose a girl so young would've dared such a thing? |
| Suzhen | Well, she had no choice! |
| Wenju | Did she pass the examinations, I wonder? |
| Princess | Although she seemed the usual maiden, young and fair, As the year's top examinee had she made her false name. The feast's first three wine-cups were to her declared, And atop the golden stairs, the full court had her acclaimed. |
| Emperor | A woman coming first in the examinations; that is a rare thing, forsooth. I see that her talent is quite unrivalled. |
| Wenju | Unrivalled, unrivalled indeed! |
| Emperor | And what of her after this? |
| Princess | After this, good Father! In truth, she wished to go back home, where she might rescue her lover; Yet little did she know, above her did Disaster's pale wight hover. |
| Wenju | Did somebody expose her, perhaps? |
| Princess | No. 'Twas because her visage was lovely as that of a bard blithe and young, That the Emperor saw her, and forth his joys had profusely sprung. |
| Emperor | And what did this emperor do? |
| Wenju | What indeed. |
| Princess | The Emperor had called her forth to be the princess' consort; To his noble daughter would she be married before the court. |
| Emperor | Alas, but this is terrible! |
| Wenju | Unfathomably terrible. |
| Emperor | What a blind emperor he must've been, that he could not see despite his eyes. |
| Wenju | And whoever matchmade the two was also blind, in spite of his eyes. |
| Emperor | Did the girl accept the proposal? |
| Princess | It is said that the Emperor's decree mustn't be disobeyed; And 'twas the examiner that year that had the two matchmade. She tried and tried to refuse the deal, to no avail, And so she'd complied: to the palace a visit she paid. |
| Emperor | But that is unreasonable! |
| Wenju | Unreasonable it is, for it is the most royal family we speak of here; For them to take a woman-consort for the princess – now that is too great a farce. |
| Emperor | The monarch knew not of her womanhood. I think, this matchmaker ought to have been prosecuted For his imprudence! |
| Wenju | Yes! The Emperor had not known that she was a woman, but what about the matchmaker? – was he blind? If such a thing were to happen nowadays, he really ought to be prosecuted for his imprudence, forsooth! |
| Emperor | Zhaoting, what say you? Do you think there really are such odd affairs in this world? |
| Wenju | I doubt it. |
| Suzhen | Your Majesty, there are no less than millions of tales just as curious in the world; The one Her Highness speaks of is but one of them. |
| Princess | Father, what do you think of this girl? |
| Emperor | Well, I suppose she is an interesting girl. |
| Wenju | Yes, an interesting young lady, indeed. |
| Emperor | But she does somewhat defame her family. |
| Wenju | Very true, very true. |
| Suzhen | [Aside] Defame her family? |
| Emperor | What say you, dear Zhaoting? |
| Suzhen | I dare not present Your Majesty with my reckless words. |
| Emperor | Fear not; let me hear it. |
| Suzhen | Your Majesty, the girl does not corrupt herself for the sake of wealth, nor does impoverishment cloud her purpose. I think... |
| Princess | Her will is commendable, and her motive is understandable. |
| Emperor | How so, her will commendable, her motive understandable? |
| Princess | Think about it; she fears not the hardships of voyage, concerns herself not with the risk of her life, Travelling for miles on end, changing both garments and names. Is her determination in saving her husband not evident, and evidently just? |
| Emperor | Oh? Just, you say? |
| Princess | And not only is she just, she is impressively talented, too. |
| Emperor | Why is that? |
| Princess | She came first in the great imperial examinations. Does that not make her talented? |
| Emperor | O daughter, your words have some truth indeed. |
| Princess | Because they are truth! |
| Emperor | Lord Liu, do you think this girl is talented? |
| Wenju | Ay. |
| Emperor | And just, too? |
| Wenju | Ay. |
| Emperor | To which dynasty does such a just and talened woman belong, I wonder? |
| Princess | If she were of ours, what would you do, Father? |
| Emperor | Of ours? Let me see... |
| Princess | Come on, Father... |
| Emperor | If such a gallant heroine were heiress to our age, I will see to it that everyone is paid their fair wage. Though she has me deceived, yet I'll have her pardoned, And free the wronged young man from his cage. Of the girl's parents, I'll try their hearts so hardened; Of the girl and her lover, I'll the two happily engage. I will give her a title, befit for a heroine and a sage, And her house fill with more goods than one can gauge. Good daughter, do you think that would suit her? |
| Princess | Yes, yes. |
| Suzhen | Your Majesty is most virtuous indeed. |
| Wenju | Yes, our virtuous Emperor, Your Majesty is. |
| Princess | Now, Father, please decree that she be thus pardoned and rewarded. |
| Emperor | My daughter, who do you want me to pardon, and who to reward? |
| Princess | Pardon the girl's deceiving of the Emperor, and reward her for her integrity and mettle. |
| Emperor | Alas, but she is not of our era, how can Father possibly pardon or reward her? |
| Princess | Please, father, pardon her and reward her, please. |
| Emperor | I'll reward her, I'll pardon her. I'll pardon her if it is your wish, And I'll reward her how you see fit, I'll pardon her for deceiving the Emperor, And I'll reward her with everlasting honour. |
| Princess | Really, Father? |
| Emperor | It is said that emperors make no ludicrous jests. |
| Suzhen | I thank you, Your Majesty, for your boundless mercy. |
| Emperor | My daughter, what does your good consort mean by this? |
| Princess | Why, she is the woman-consort Father has wed to me! |
| Emperor | A consort is a consort, why do you call him a woman? |
| Wenju | Allow me to take a closer look. Alas! Your Majesty, he really is a woman. |
| Emperor | Answer me, who are you? |
| Suzhen | Suzhen Feng, Your Majesty. |
| Wenju | Suzhen Feng; who is your father? |
| Suzhen | Lord Feng. |
| Wenju | Which Lord Feng? |
| Suzhen | Lord Feng of Xiangyang, Hubei. |
| Wenju | You are Lord Feng's daughter? |
| Princess | What, so you know him too? |
| Wenju | I...! I...! |
| Princess | Suzhen, to whom does your father espouse you? |
| Suzhen | This very Lord Liu's fifth son, Your Highness. |
| Princess | Do you hear, Father? – this very Lord Liu's fifth son. |
| Emperor | Lord Liu, how come you are involved in this, too? |
| Wenju | Alas! Your Majesty, I had not known that she was already engaged to Mr Li. |
| Emperor | What do you think I should do, Lord Liu? |
| Wenju | Your Highness, Suzhen Feng disguises herself as a man and confuses the court; it does not bode well. She must be punished, Your Highness. |
| Emperor | That is right; vile woman, you should not have deceived me. Guards! [Enter Guards] Get her out of my sight, execute her, now, now, now! |
| Suzhen | Wait! I came all the way to the Capital to have my husband saved, Dauntless of whatever camouflaged hardships in my way; Life and death, of negligible weight, I both disregard – Why would I to the fear of official execution be enslaved? Delve into me a thousand knives, and impale me with whetted blades, But free my Zhaoting from the dark path for him wrongly paved. For I have disguised myself to rescue the young, hapless man, I am not the vile name which upon my head you've engraved. With your own gold-logged mouth you have pardoned me, And from your sanctified lips rewarded me with title and wealth. Now that I go to die upon the honours you've newly bestowed, I fear you'd lose the faith of all who once toasted your health. It is said that emperors make no ludicrous jests, Your Majesty. |
| Emperor | I...! I...! |
| Wenju | Irreverent Feng, how dare you challenge His Majesty! Take her outside! |
| Emperor | Out, out! |
| Exit Guards, dragging Suzhen | |
| Princess | Father, you take her outside? What will you do to her? |
| Emperor | The insolent girl dares to ridicule me before us all, And her disruption of the court is no crime slight. My wrath shall not be assuaged until she is dead! – |
| Princess | Father, please, think twice – nay, thrice – before you act. People will revere her; her integrity is no less than fact; But you, who kill her, might not keep your esteem intact. |
| Emperor | My daughter, she has made a widowed maiden of you; I simply cannot suffer the idea that she would remain alive. |
| Princess | But the fault was not hers – |
| Emperor | So whose was it? |
| Princess | The matchmaker alone may be blamed. |
| Emperor | Why have you brought us a woman-consort, Lord Liu? |
| Wenju | I had but your Your Majesty's best interests in mind; how could I have known that she was a woman? |
| Emperor | Alas! Daughter! You want Father to pardon her – that I see, But how can she possibly suit your woman's body? |
| Princess | But Father, if you sentence to death my "consort" now, Will I not have to remain a widow for eternity? |
| Emperor | I... I cannot pardon her, nor can I kill her. Oh, what will become of my poor daughter's marriage? |
| Wenju | Your Majesty, I have an idea. |
| Emperor | Do tell! |
| Wenju | I have heard that the unfortunate scholar Zhaoting Li Is, in talent and looks, with Suzhen Feng an equal match; I will slink into the dungeons of the Xiangyang prison, And bring him to the palace without arousing a stir. Let him don immediately the grand vermilion gown, And to his head the scholar's trim gauze-hat attach. Ornament with a palace's flower, and a jade belt tie; And the title of top scholar, one may upon him confer. Your Majesty can then deem him the princess' consort, And with a band, deliver him to the wedding-chamber. Her Highness now regains a partner, honest and good; And Your Majesty, a new courtier, of brilliant scholarhood. |
| Princess | But what of Suzhen Feng? |
| Emperor | But what of Suzhen Feng? |
| Wenju | Since she is something of a heroine, Your Majesty can pardon her death penalty, and have her imprisoned for life; That way, nobody else shall learn of this great disorder. |
| Emperor | Great idea, Lord Liu. I'll let you see to it! |
| Wenju | Yes, Your Majesty! |
| Princess | Hold on! Father, Suzhen has risked her life to be reunited with her betrothed; How could you tear them apart so brutally now? Also, Zhaoting Li is with wife already. If we deemed him my consort, would that not discredit us? – Father, this must not be. |
| Emperor | Now that is true! |
| Wenju | Alas, Your Majesty! |
| Princess | Humph, Lord Liu, you with your great ideas – what wit, what good conscience! |
| Emperor | Right! Why can you not come up with a single good idea? |
| Wenju | Terribly foolish I am, terribly foolish! |
| Emperor | Speak less next time! |
| Wenju | Yes! Yes! |
| Princess | In fact, I do have an idea. |
| Emperor | Yes, my daughter, what do you propose? |
| Princess | Suzhen Feng is a righteous woman, after all. Father, you can take her as your daughter, and next, Release Zhaoting Li; let him have her top-scorer's title. Then, Father, you will have one more daughter; And naturally, her consort shall be Zhaoting Li. |
| Emperor | But what of your marriage, my dear daughter? |
| Princess | By then, Father, you can freely seek another consort for your daughter. |
| Emperor | I... you want Father to take her as my daughter? |
| Princess | Father, this is the perfect plan for both her and me; there is none better. |
| Emperor | Alas! Where should I begin with you? Fine! We'll do as you say. |
| Princess | Thank you, Your Majesty. Father, if you have taken her as your daughter, You ought to let her be changed into woman's garments, and come before us. |
| Emperor | Fine; let her be changed! |
| Enter a Courtier as guide for Suzhen | |
| Suzhen | Your Majesty! |
| Emperor | Suzhen Feng, for your earnest wish to save your betrothed, I have pardoned your death penalty; I appoint you as honorary princess, that you and my daughter shall be regarded as sisters. |
| Princess | Now, won't you thank Father? |
| Suzhen | Thank you, Father. |
| Princess | Rise, please, good sister. |
| Suzhen | Father, I have a request to make. |
| Emperor | What is it? |
| Suzhen | Your Majesty, Zhaoting Li is imprisoned in Xiangyang and awaiting your decree. |
| Emperor | [To Courtier] By my decree: Lord Feng of Xiangyang, Hubei shows incivility to the poor, favours the rich, Forces his daughter to remarry, and falsely accuses a good man of theft. Withdraw his bestowals an entire year as mild punishment; and order him to send Zhaoting Li to the Capital himself, Without delay. |
| Exit Courtier. Enter another Courtier | |
| Courtier | Your Majesty, Lord Feng, the Eight-Prefecture Patrol, comes to plead his guilt! |
| Emperor | Plead his guilt? |
| Suzhen | Father, he is my brother. |
| Emperor | Call him in. [Princess attempts to hide] No need – is he not like brother to you now? |
| Enter Yimin | |
| Yimin | [Aside]'Twas yesterday that my sister was summoned here; 'Tis her unascertained fate that I do much fear. Yimin Feng here, Your Majesty. Death alone will not justify my crime! |
| Emperor | What crime? |
| Yimin | My sister, Suzhen Feng, has disguised herself as a man, deceiving Your Majesty and upsetting the court. My sister has done many wrongs, but the fault is mine. I accept whatever punishment Your Majesty sees fit. |
| Emperor | I've give you pardon; I will not punish you. |
| Yimin | Thank you, Your Majesty! |
| Suzhen | Brother! |
| Yimin | You... you... |
| Suzhen | Worry not, brother. Thanks to Her Highness, His Majesty has already pardoned me. |
| Yimin | Thank you, Your Majesty, for pardoning my sister. |
| Suzhen | Come and thank Her Highness, brother! |
| Yimin | Thank you, Your Highness! |
| Princess | Rise, rise. |
| Wenju | Your Majesty, forgive me for my raucous tongue, but I have remembered something: When last year's top scholar, Yimin Feng, was elected, Your Majesty had complimented and praised him tirelessly at the feast, And would have him as the princess' consort; only Her Highness was too young as of then, And I dared not suggest it either – does Your Majesty remember? |
| Emperor | Yes, I remember it. |
| Wenju | The Feng brother and sister, eloquent and handsome both; what great fortune upon Your Majesty! |
| Emperor | Why, yes, they do look somewhat alike. |
| Wenju | I have heard that Lord Feng is yet unmarried; why does Your Majesty not take him as the princess' consort? That way, not only will we applaud Your Majesty's benevolent grace, Her Highness' marriage is also fulfilled – It is truly the perfect solution, if I dare say so myself. Your Majesty, I must plead for another glass of wedding wine! |
| Emperor | What say you, good daughter? [Princess attempts to exit, but is stopped by Suzhen] Not willing? – Willing now. Yimin Feng! |
| Yimin | Your Majesty! |
| Emperor | I appoint you as Her Highness' consort. We will wait until Zhaoting Li arrives at the Capital, To celebrate both the grand occasions together. |
| Yimin | Thank you, Your Majesty! |
| Emperor | To the Royal Garden – it is time for the banquet! |
| All | After Your Majesty. |
| Princess | Come, sister. |
| Suzhen | Follow me, good brother. |
The End