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  As we savour minutely the joyful love of this one night,

  TOGETHER: (Sings)

  How jade clepsydras90 of Separate Courtyards91 and

  Detached Palaces’92 mark night’s deepening indifferent quiet.

  (Palace ladies change the emperor’s and empress’s attire, and discreetly exit. Emperor and empress sit down.)

  SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Recites)

  Silver-flamed candles whirl shine, tulle blossoms strewn,

  EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)

  As imperial incense-smoke deepens,

  I receive so much imperial love-favour;

  SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Recites)

  In the Six Palaces93 this night I shall wait, frown lurking,

  TOGETHER: (Recites)

  Tomorrow we’ll vie to present Song of finding a treasure.94

  SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: The sworn oath of unity of myself and you my Prime Empress has its beginning tonight.

  (Takes hairpins and casket out of his sleeve)

  I’ve made a point of bringing along gold hairpins and gold-strip-flower casket to give you, my lady, to secure our love.

  (Sings)

  These gold hairpins and gold-strip-flower casket,

  Are clustered with Hundred Jewel95 kingfisher-jades.96

  I protect them, holding them tightly to my bosom,

  Prizing, raising them up as wonders in myriad ways.

  This night I take these hairpins,

  For you to assist your cloudy coils,

  To stick aslant in your clasp of Paired Phoenixes;97

  This casket,

  At all times retain in your brocade sleeve kept,

  Tightly in perfumed satin wrapped.

  I pray, rather than its side-by-side wings together go flying,

  You’ll securely knot it with a Joined-hearts98 Together-love-rejoicing99 knot.

  (Hands them over to empress. She receives the gold hairpins and gold-strip-flower casket, and thanks him)

  EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)

  I thank you for the gold hairpins and gold-strip-flower casket bestowed upon me for serving you love’s delight, my lord,

  I just fear my poor figure can’t do without, celestial one,

  Your union of favours’ “dew and rain”.100

  (She turns aside from him) (Looks) (Sings)

  I do but steal a glance,

  And see love-making phoenix soaring and dragon coiling,

  Cherish to bits these two hairpin-limbs’ gentle charms,

  And these two casket-leaves’ perfect curving.

  I do but pray I’ll have a love like solid gold,

  That the hairpins won’t be divided into single limbs, the casket always its wholeness preserving.

  SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Recites)

  Spring moon’s hazy shine lights up blossom sprigs,101

  EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)

  This the hour I first received the emperor’s love blessings;102

  SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Recites)

  I loll against my jade-fair person, heart drunk,103

  EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)

  Perennially, in this I’ll find joys.104

  Act Three: Bribing authority

  (Enter An Lu-shan105 in Arrow Robe106 and felt hat)

  AN LU-SHAN: (Sings)

  Rueful, I futilely lament my youthful splendour,

  Grieved of heart, moreover, into the net I fell.

  It’s impossible to subdue my ambition to usurp,

  My eight-thousand-feet valour how can I cover up or conceal!

  I’ll stay calm for now, be patient a while.

  (Recites)

  My belly hangs to beneath my knees, and I’m more than a ton or two strong, I’ve boldness unique, with galore, many schemes; Who says a malignant dragon107 will meekly bend and shrink like a looper caterpillar!108 It churns the Yangtse, stirs up the sea, without ado, people alarms.

  I’m An Lu-shan, a man from Liu city109 in Ying-chou.110 My mother was A-shih-te.111 She besought the gods for a child in the Ya-lo Mountains,112 and, on returning home, gave birth to me, so called me Lu-shan, Mount Lu. At that hour, light filled all our yurt, and the birds and beasts called out and scurried round.113 Afterwards, I went with my mother when she married a new husband, An Yen-yen,114 and I went under the surname An. At the field-tent of the prefect Chang Shou-kui,115 I joined his army. He said I was born with physiognomy that foretold I’d have a usurper’s ambitions, and made me his foster-son, appointing me to the post of his Punitive-attack Commissioner116, and we went off and campaigned against the Hsi117 and Khitan118 peoples. Promptly, presuming on my valour, I advanced too swiftly, was attacked and routed, fleeing back to base. By good fortune, I was the recipient of Military Commissioner Chang Shou-kui’s indulgence and kind favour, and escaped execution for my failure, but was sent under escort to the capital, Ch’ang-an,119 to humbly await the emperor’s judgement. I arrived in the capital yesterday, and my fate’s still uncertain. Happily, I’ve got a sworn brother, called Chang Ch’ien,120 who originally managed affairs in the offices of prime minister121 Yesterday, I bribed the escort officer, and have been temporarily released, I sought out my sworn-brother, and sought to establish a link with the prime minister, who accepted my gifts, and went off, telling me to go to his place to await his response today. I must head there now.

  (Walks)

  Ah me, I, An Lu-shan, am a fine fellow, anyhow. Am I to end up like this, though? The thought of it makes me feel very bitter!

  (Sings)

  A python, a dragon, a serpent,

  To churn River Yangtse, divert the ocean, was my original intent,

  Instead I’ve become turtle in a vat lorn of water,

  Bitter regret, in so little time a mighty hero’s thus.

  If I’d known I’d lose key military control, meet with the chopper,

  I’d rather met death, bondage evaded,

  All of a sudden two-footed tripping over!

  Entirely relying on “gold lodged in dusky night” bribery122

  My whole life from pitfall hole I’ve retrieved.

  I reckon it was with bore me,

  So no way would it destroy me, snap me, uselessly, mid-road.

  (Says)

  Ah, here I am already at the door of the prime minister’s offices. I’ll just wait until my sworn brother Chang Ch’ien comes out.

  (Enter Chang Ch’ien)

  CHANG CH’IEN: (Recites)

  Monarch’s maternal cousin, as one Three Dukes123 hold position, of premier’s household a member, a top, seventh-grade, mandarin.

  CHANG CH’IEN: Ah, here you are, Elder Brother An! The prime minister’s already received all your presents, and would have you go into his offices and meet with him.

  (An Lu-shan bows)

  AN LU-SHAN: Many thanks to you, brother, for your crucial efforts on my behalf.

  CHANG CH’IEN: Till the prime minister comes out into this reception-hall, let’s go into this administrative office and wait a small while.

  (Recites)

  It’s entirely due to the prime minister’s fingers adjusting cosmic forces,

  AN LU-SHAN: (Recites)

  That this frontier-pass luckless man redemption finds.

  (Exeunt together)

  (Enter Yang Kuo-chung at the head of his ushers)

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Sings)

  My splendour’s admired in the imperial ward,124

  My imperial bounties come also from Empress’s Relatives’ Hectares’ district,125

  My brothers, sisters, cousins all receive the emperor’s

  celestial loving favours

  I sit alone in the Central Secretariat,126 take in my arms the powers of the imperial court,

  See my hand-scorching heat’s127 awesome prestige blaze with power’s red-flame splendours.

  (Recites)

  The state’s governance is assigned to my palms’ grasp, boundlessly honoured and exalted in Three Terraces128 and Eight Seats;129 When
I withdraw from the imperial court late in the day and return home to my private residence, countless mandarin colleagues bow as my subordinates.

  I, this inferior mandarin, am Yang Kuo-chung, the elder cousin of Most-prized-empress Yang of West Palace. I hold the position of Prime Minister of the Right,130 and my mandarin rank has been promoted to that of Minister of Works.131 I share the Sun and Moon’s132 imperial beams and blaze, and am in charge of “wind and thunder”133

  powerful commands and orders.

  (Laughs sardonically)

  Finding utter luxury, and wholly going one’s desires, are, bar none, a while-one seizing of pleasures; Taking bribes and co-opting the powerful, are truly puissant for influencing the world’s affairs. Withdraw, my entourage!

  (His entourage respond and exit)

  Just now, Chang Ch’ien submitted a statement that there’s a frontier general, An Lu-shan, who, because he lost a battle, has been escorted here to the capital to be subjected to the law. You know, victory and defeat are common occurrences for military experts, and if one goes into battle and chances to lose the advantage, it may, depending on the circumstances, be pardonable.

  (Laughs)

  If I now spare him from death, it will anyhow be a case of “the imperial court’s cherishing men of ability”. I’ve already instructed him to come here for an interview, and we’ll see what needs to be done after that.

  (Enter Chang Ch’ien unobtrusively134)

  CHANG CH’IEN: I, Chang Ch’ien, have a matter to submit: An Lu-shan is waiting outside.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Tell him to come in.

  CHANG CH’IEN: As you honourably instruct. (Feigns exit.135 Leads in An Lu-shan in green robe and a small hat) Come in here.

  (Enter An Lu-shan, crawling on his knees to meet Yang Kuo-chung)

  AN LU-SHAN: I this convicted inferior military officer An Lu-shan kow-tow to Your Excellency the prime minister.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Rise.

  AN LU-SHAN. I this convicted inferior military officer am a prisoner due to die, so it’s the principle that I should kneel to proffer my submission.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Chang Ch’ien has already explained to me your purpose in coming here. Will you just tell me in detail the circumstances of your crime.

  AN LU-SHAN: Hear my submission, Your Excellency our Prime Minister. In observance of an army order received, I mounted a punitive expedition against the Hsi and Khitan,

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Rise to your feet, and explain it to me.

  (An Lu-shan stands up.)

  AN LU-SHAN: (Sings)

  Relying on my valour, forth into battle I charged,

  Along the campaign road no progress I made.

  Taking me unawares, foreign soldiers came in the night, closed their encirclement, around me wound,

  And we faced bare blade,

  With only empty joined-crossbow in our hand.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: How did you pull free after that?

  AN LU-SHAN: I then fought my way along a path of blood, and rushed out of the layered encirclement.

  (Sings)

  With a single spear and on a lone horse, I by good fortune escaped,

  Hoped my meagre past deeds would discount my dereliction.

  Who’d have imagined,

  Today I’d be facing penal execution!

  (Kow-tows) (Says)

  I hope that you’ll raise high your honoured hand, bestow upon me undeserved compassion.

  (Yang Kuo-chung stands up.)

  YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Sings)

  Indiscipline and losing an army are subject to the Steel Statutes136 code.

  Though I’m in control of the imperial court,

  How could I have the effrontery to arrogate that power of my own accord!

  Moreover, the penal document has already been determined, impossible to alter,

  Such mighty matters to reverse, I fear I’ve no power.

  AN LU-SHAN: (Kneeling and weeping) If you’ll consent to rescue me, prime minister, my life will be saved.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Laughs. Sings)

  Even if you think my advice will be followed, my plans heeded, and I’ve power however slight,

  It’s anyhow hard to tell what scheme effect.

  (An Lu-shan kow-tows.)

  AN LU-SHAN: (Sings)

  I entirely rely on Your Excellency the prime minister my cause to champion.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Very well then, when I go into the imperial court tomorrow, I’ll take action when I’ve observed how things stand.

  (Sings)

  I’ll seize any favourable occasion,

  That enables me to open the bird-net and strew the fish-net,

  Your life to preserve.

  (An Lu-shan kow tows)

  AN LU-SHAN: Receiving Your Excellency the prime minister’s great loving favour, allow me, this felon, to try to repay you by serving you as would a dog or horse.?

  (Sings)

  I now take my leave.

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Chang Ch’ien, conduct him out.

  (Chang Ch’ien assents, and goes out with An Lu-shan.)

  AN LU-SHAN: (Recites)

  My eyes gaze for victory banners; my ears listen for good tidings!

  (Exeunt together)

  PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Thinking) Methinks, An Lu-shan is an insignificant military officer of the frontier region, who’s never done any meritorious deeds. Today, now that he’s committed a capital offence, if I go out of my way to save him, it’s bound to stir our Sage Emperor’s suspicions.

  (Laughs)

  Ah, I’ve got it! The other day, Military Commissioner Chang Shou-kui petitioned the emperor, mentioning that An Lu-shan is thoroughly versed in the languages of the Six Border-appange foreigners,137 and a crack expert in all the various kind of martial arts, and could serve in the post of frontier general. I’ll straight away suggest to the Ministry of War that they use that as their wording for a memorial supplicating the emperor, for him to be summoned to be tested before the emperor. If, through that. I can seize the opportunity to obtain the emperor’s edict in his favour, that will be excellent, won’t it.

  (Recites)

  I monopolise power, my temperament’ bold and valorous,138 Ten thousand circumstances, a thousand issues, I settle amain;139 I’ve piled of yellow gold, to bribe your escape from execution,140 might as well fulfill common weal by my private recommendation.141

  Act Four: Spring sleep

  (Enter Empress Yang leading Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me)

  EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)

  As I first come around from a dream,

  Spring’s burst through,

  And to comb my hair and attire myself,

  I’m too languid and weary.

  I want to abord my make-up table,

  But I’d be ashamed for powder and rouge my natural looks to sully.

  DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME. (Sings)

  Availing ourselves of slow sun at the room’s casements,

  And breeze-hankering portieres and curtains,

  Let’s sit at leisure,

  while away pleasures of pervading scents.

  (Says)

  We, Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me, kow-tow to you.

  EMPRESS YANG: Arise.

  (Recites)

  Drifting-orioles’ calls outside my windows were exquisite, before I’d slept my fill, they startled me awake;

  DAME EVER-NEW: (Recites)

  Her kingfisher quilt’s light in the dawn chill,

  DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Recites)

  Precious seal-script-shape incense wafts heavy smoke;

  EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)

  Before I’d yet sobered from last night’s hangover, my palace-charmer ladies reported,

  DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Recite)

  Saying that in a separate establishment are mouth-harmoniums and songs early assembled.

&nbs
p; EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)

  Might I ask about the crabapple blossoms,

  TOGETHER: (Recite)

  How many last night bloomed?

  EMPRESS YANG: I, this slave, am of the Yang clan, a person from Hung-nung142 My father, Yang Yȕan-ye143 held the government mandarin-post of Revenue Manager in Shu. I early-on lost my parents, and was brought up in the family of my paternal younger uncle. When I was born, I had a jade bangle on my left upper arm, on which were the faint characters for “Grand-truth, so I was given the personal name Jade-bangle and the childhood name Grand-truth.

  I was of a warm tender innate nature, my figure and looks gorgeous and charming. Wiping away with my tulle sleeves the scarlet ice of my tears dripping. in my poor fashion trying on scarlet raw-silk fabric, and perspiration flowing on my sweet-scented jade-white flesh, the grateful recipient of our Sage Emperor’s affections, I’ve been elevated from among his palace-lady wives, hold the position of Most-prized-empress, and am accorded the same rites as for a Principal-empress.144

  I’ve an elder cousin Yang Kuo-chung, who’s been appointed prime minister of the right, and my three elder sisters have all been awarded the title of Lady Queen,145 our whole household having received the utmost imperial affection. Last night I served in attendance on the emperor in his bedroom in West Palace.

  (Lowers her voice)

  Of course, with our dainty-pretty “cloud and rain” love-making, I’ve only just got up, in the noon hours.

  DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: Your mirror and makeup casket are all neat and ready: We humbly ask you to attend to your toilette, my lady.

  EMPRESS YANG: (Walks) (Recites)

  By my damask window, the portiere shimmers at dawn, to my rouge-and-powder makeup-table I hasten.

  (Sits facing her mirror) (Sings)

  I lightly adjust my temple tresses,

  And with minute care arrange my hair-coils