(Says)
Since I, Yang Jade-bangle, sliced off my hair, stirring the emotions of our monarch, I’ve received his love all the more deeply. There’s just that one “startled swan-goose”340 dance of former Most-prized-empress Plum-blossom that our sage emperor often praises. I want to compose another melody, to surpass it. I’ve just been “pushing and knocking”,341 weighing up wordings over and over again, and last night I suddenly dreamt I went into Moon Palace, and saw, at the foot of some cassia-trees, several lady immortals, in white raw-silk robes and scarlet skirts, performing court-music which was extremely beautiful. On waking up, and searching back through my memory, I recalled music rhythms approximating to the original ones, and so instructed Dame Ever-new to clear up Lotus-flower Pavilion, just wanting with minute care to match the musical notes, and compose them into a melody.
DAME EVER-NEW: I submit to you, milady: paper, ink, writing-brush and inkstone have all been neatly set out in readiness.
EMPRESS YANG: You and Dame Remember-me attend upon me here together!
(Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me open up fans, and add incense to the burners. Empress Yang composes her music-score)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
The breath of lotus-flowers fills my window-silk,
I slowly stretch out the “roc-notelets”,342
The rhino-horn writing-brush-stem lightly holding,
About to do a music-score of that pure music from the moon,
And with detailed care spurt forth magical sprouts of my feeling.
(Says)
Even though this music comes out of the moon-palace, the places in it where it has turns and tune-to-tune transitions need me to carefully consider them.
(Sings)
As to dispositions and insertions,
Note by note I must adjust in accord with the regular rules,
Section by section must blend and be magically transformed.
If those few notes lack even cohesion, how will they the wrong beats emend!
(Sound of oriole trilling backstage. Empress Yang grasps her writing brush and listens) (Says)
Oh, so exquisite!
(Makes corrections)
(Sings)
Hearing a few notes of imperial-palace orioles,
I feel to the Red Tooth clappers343 they, just right, correspond.
(Puts down her writing-brush) (Says)
I’ve finished composing the musical score. Dame Ever-new, what’s the time?
DAME EVER-NEW: It’s the noon hour.
EMPRESS YANG: Has Ten-thousand-years-grandfather-the-emperor withdrawn from his court-session?
DAME EVER-NEW: No, not yet.
EMPRESS YANG: Dame Ever-new, come with me for changing my clothes. Dame Remember-me, keep watch here, and when Ten-thousand-years-grandfather-the-emperor arrives, hasten to inform me.
DAME REMEMBER-ME: As you command!
EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)
By means of my evening mirror, I’ll increase the kingfisher-green of my moth-antennae eyebrows, Haphazardly try on my perfumed silk, change into my butterfly robes.
(Exit, leading Dame Ever-green with her)
(Enter emperor, walking)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR. (Sings)
Having dispersed my “thousand” mandarins,
I’ve at last concluded my court session.
I plan to talk with my jade-fair person
For the whole day’s duration.
(Says)
I’d only just returned to my imperial palace, when I heard that my Most-prized-empress Yang was up in Lotus-flower Pavilion. So I’m going straight there.
(Sings)
By the flowing stream, I’m going to “search for sesame-seeds”,344
Treading the road, to Silver Pond on down.345
(Arrives. Dame Remember-me meets him)
DAME REMEMBER-ME: Ah, there you are, our emperor!
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: Dame Remember-me,
(Sings)
Where is your mistress milady Empress Yang frivolously merry-making and sporting?
And why are the little incense-tables together piled?346
And writing-brushes and inkstones intermingled?
DAME REMEMBER-ME: Milady the empress was composing a music-score here, and has just now gone to change her clothing
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: My Most-prized-empress! My Most-prized-empress! A beautiful lady’s graceful doings you’ve made them all your own! But I wonder what melody music-score you’ve been composing? Let me have a look.
(Sits down and leafs through music-score)
(Sings)
Must look minutely,
Perusing it from the start.
Ah exquisite!
Its brocade notes347 spark-sparkle, and its “silver” calligraphy-hooks348 are dainty,
What’s more, its note transitions and modulations aren’t the slightest speck out.
(Says)
That’s so odd! Even I don’t know of this music-score. Its meticulous disposition of notes and rhythms isn’t something that exists in this mortal world
(Sings)
It seems to have come down from Heaven,
Indeed, a case of “when melody’s lofty few can harmonise with it”.
(Says)
My Most-prized-empress, not only are you the most beautiful woman in the whole world, but who else could match your wondrous genius even in the slightest!
(Sings)
And such acute wit:
To eclipse the “flowers” of Imperial-sunlight Palace it bids fit!
(Enter Empress Yang, having changed her attire, leading Dame Ever-new)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
Having changed into light attire,
I find it’s so airy and refined,
I’m trying on raw-silk fabric,
To my jaunty freedom to add.
(Meets emperor)
I your subject come for an audience with you, my emperor.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: Be seated, my Most-prized-empress.
(She sits)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: My Most-prized-empress, seeing you in the new-fashioned evening-attire you’re trying on, I feel your loveliness yet further augmented.
(Sings)
You’re like a wafty willow-wand in the breeze,
Resemble a shimmering lotus-bloom the ripples tripping.
One fragrant epidendrum flower slanting presses down your cloud-like temple-tress,
The so wondrous glamour of your face yet further highlighting.
EMPRESS YANG: Why have you been so late withdrawing from your court session today, Your Majesty?
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: It was just because there’s a vacancy for the governorship of Ling-wu,349 and, it being a crucial region, I debated the matter for half the day with my court ministers, but it was impossible to find the right man. So I took the initiative of promoting Kuo Tzu-yi to fill the vacancy. That’s why I was late withdrawing from my court session.
EMPRESS YANG. I was waiting for Your Majesty, but you didn’t arrive, and I sat here alone in Lotus-flower Pavilion.
(Sings)
Cherishing the breeze coming all the time playing with the curtains’ lustrous silk-fabric,
And I casually studied scoring new music for court performance.
Fearing to lose out to Most-prized-empress Plum-blossom’s
“startled swan-goose” dance,
When the melody was finished,
shone with its glow was the whole audience.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: I’ve just now seen this music-score. It’s truly the most wondrous music in a thousand ages: How can “startled swan-goose” dancing be adequate to be mentioned in comparison!
EMPRESS YANG: I relied on my own feelings and views to make a very rough draft composition. I hoped that you, Your Majesty, would go on to correct my mistakes in it, and finalise it.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: I’ll re-edit and check it with you.
(Exeunt Dame Ever-n
ew and Dame Remember-me)
(Emperor and Empress Yang sit down side by side, and leaf through the music-score)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
With my long sleeve and perfumed shoulder,
I press against him, close one to the other,
Leafing my new music-score,
grasping it together with him
with my white-jade “fibre-slender” finger.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: My Most-prized-empress,
(Sings)
Such a musically sublime fair lady as you is truly rare in this world;
I must search thoroughly for flaws, missing not even any hairline error.
(Says)
My Most-prized-empress, let me ask you another question: what’s the name of this music-score?
EMPRESS YANG: Last night I went into the moon-palace in a dream, and saw a crowd of lady immortals performing court-music. all of them wearing rainbow-skirt and feather-jacket, and I thought I’d like to pick those four words as a name for this melody.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: Yes, Rainbow-skirt and feather-jacket, ̶ what a good name!
(Sings)
It rings ideally,
Indeed, to Heaven-scented cassia blossoms fitting nicely.
(Looks at Empress Yang)
(Sings)
Looking at your immortal’s figure,
I think that in a previous life you were
Originally some beautiful moon-lady.
(Says)
I must at once order this music-score assigned to my Pear-orchard Conservatoire. But I fear that the entertainers there, with their mundane touch, won’t realise how exquisite it is. I’m going to order Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me to first copy out an illustrated version of the music-score, with you my Most-prized-empress personally guiding and instructing them. Afterwards, I’ll have it conveyed to Li Kui-nien350 and the others, for it to be taught to and rehearsed by the Young Gentlemen of my Pear-orchard Conservatoire. That will be splendid, won’t it!
EMPRESS YANG: As you command!
(Emperor takes Empress Yang by the hand, and they stand up)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: It’s dawn’s first faint gloaming now, so let’s go into the palace.
(Sings)
Late evening breezes blow,
New moon hangs on high,
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
Just as one thread of coolness on the phoenix couch arises.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Sings)
My Most-prized-empress,
Look, mandarin-ducks and mandarin-drakes351 on the banks of the pond,
Are now slumbering in pairs among twin-peduncled flowers.
(Recites)
The lotus-flower doesn’t rival my beautiful lady’s attire,352
EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)
There’s lots of breeze amid weeping-willows, and the palace-hall’s cool by the waterside;353
DAME EVER-NEW:354 (Recites)
Beneath the blossoms, one melody chances to be sung.355
TOGETHER: (Recite)
And is conveyed to the Taoist Orchestra356 as Rainbow-skirt to be performed.357
Act Thirteen: Power shindig
(Enter Yang Kuo-chung, leading attendants)
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Sings)
Impossible to anticipate a fellow of wolf-cub brute ambition,
See, the violent bully steadily grows more unbridled and roaring,
That he’s grasped power and receives imperial favour, makes him yet more annoying,
And I must go into the palace, inform the emperor, conscientiously loyal wordings employing.
(Says)
I’m Yang Kuo-chung. Outside the palace, I rely on my honoured position as prime minister of the right, while internally I depend on the favouritism accorded Most-prized-empress Yang. Who of the whole court’s civil and military mandarins doesn’t fall in with my ideas! There’s only that fellow An Lu-shan, who on the outside pretends to be stupid and ignorant, but who in his belly stealthily conceals cunning and deceit. Our sage emperor, why I don’t know, has come to cherish him, and has given him a princely title!
An Lu-shan has even forgotten my own good turn in saving his life, and ever and again, when any trouble occurs, he bullies and maltreats me, and speaks out quarrelling and offending against me. So very loathsome!
The other day I memorialised our sage emperor, explaining that An Lu-shan’s a dissolute fellow of wild ambition, whose face reveals an intention to rebel, and I fear the emperor has to guard against An’s brewing of calamity in days to come. But, alas, I haven’t been heeded by the emperor. When I go into the court today, I must spy out an opportunity to memorialise him again, and I won’t rest until he’s dismissed An Lu-shan, and removed him from his presence, as he must do.
Ah, here I am now at the imperial court gate. Withdraw, my entourage.
(Exeunt attendants)
(Bellowing of “Clear the way!” from backstage)
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Hey, there’s a bellowing from the fore and rear of a cortege over there. Let’s see who it’s for.
(Enter An Lu-shan with attendants)
AN LU-SHAN: (Sings)
Solid in our monarch’s mind for me is his favour,
Cunning plans I secretly harbour.
(Says)
Withdraw, my attendants.
(Exeunt attendants)
(An Lu-shan meets Yang Kuo-chung)
AN LU-SHAN: Greetings!
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Laughs) Why it’s An Lu-shan!
AN LU-SHAN: Yang, old fellow! Why are you hailing me?
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: This is the forbidden precinct of our Ninth Layer emperor: How dare you have a raucous cortege bellowing your way in here?
(An Lu-shan makes gestures)
AN LU-SHAN: Old Yang, see how
(Recites)358
He pulled off his imperial robe. himself gave it me to wear, when tribute Dragon-horses359 came in, he told me to ride them each time; Constant recipient of secret imperial commands, I hasten to the imperial court-sessions, me alone memorialising him about vital frontier matters: Out of palace-hall I’m last to come.
(Says)
As a Province Prince.360 there’s nothing against my making such a noise, with my cortege’s bellowing “Make way!” like that, and I’ve precedence over you, prime minister of the right!
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Laughing sardonically) Good! I like that “nothing against”! Let me ask you, An Lu-shan, when did your strutting and putting on grand airs like this begin?
(Says)AN LU-SHAN: I’ve always been like this.
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: You should go off, An Lu-shan and do a bit of thinking.
AN LU-SHAN: What about?
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Just about that day when you came to see me. Were you all such airs then?
AN LU-SHAN: Things were different then to what they are now. Why mention that?
YANG KUO-CHUNG: Agh, An Lu-shan,
(Sings)
You’re were originally a Living Demon Under The Sword361 who escaped the penalty for your crimes,
On that occasion, you knelt on both knees at the foot of the steps and piteously implored;
And it was only when I was clever in my devices, and went into the court with my sealed petition,
That your life was preserved.
AN LU-SHAN: My being pardoned my crime and restored to a government post was owing to our sage emperor’s loving favour. In what way did it involve you!
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Good, you do put it clear-cutly and crisply!
(Sings)
It’s just that you too much do evil against good conscience,
And our affection and friendship
You consign to drift off with the duckweeds!
AN LU-SHAN: Ah me, Yang Kuo-chung, you must be aware that
(Sings)
Flourishing and fall in this world occasionally coincide:
&nbs
p; Don’t boast your power caps all your mandarin colleagues’.
(Says)
You mention my crime of allowing myself to be defeated, but do you also remember what happened in Nan-chao?362
(Sings)
By hook or by crook, you covered up your defeat, feigned it was a success,
To blame for blocking off the “sky”, the emperor,
Were your treachery’s “drifting clouds”.363
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: With a sage enlightened emperor over us, who would be so foolhardy as to try to cover up things? What you’re saying is surely a slander of our monarch!
AN LU-SHAN: Do you still say you don’t do cover-ups?
(Sings)
How many titles of nobility have you sold, and flogged off how many a mandarin post!
In your greed for money and bribes,
You’ve “exhausted your grease and fat”.
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Stop there. You say I’ve sold mandarin posts noble titles and flogged off noble titles, but where did your wealth and eminence come from?
(Laughs sardonically)
AN LU-SHAN: And it’s not only that matter.
(Sings)
For instance, there’s your reliance on the Female-imperial-relatives Ward,
Your application of treachery and cunning,
Your crimes in leading the country astray,
Into a thousand instances running.
YANG KUO-CHUNG: (Sings)
Don’t conjure up
Slanderous words out of nothing.
(Drags at An Lu-shan)
(Sings)
Together to face the ruler, let me and you be going!
AN LU-SHAN: Who’s afraid of you! Let’s go together! Yes, you and me together!
The Play Page 11
