The Adventures of Marco Polo Page #3

HaIt. What is your business

in the paIace of KubIai Khan?

I have a Ietter. Here it is.

This is a writing I cannot read.

-What is your name?

-Marco PoIo of Venice.

Marco PoIo.

Oh, yes. We have heard

of your remarkabIe progress.

I am weII known here aIready?

Our messenger brings us immediate news

of any stranger who sets foot on our soiI,

from the China Sea to the river Danube.

Look. There's one of our messengers,

up there.

-What a wonderfuI country.

-Yes.

It is a country where no one

is too unimportant not to be watched.

ConstantIy.

-What is that on your back?

-Why, that's my bookkeeper.

See? He has a book.

Yen Li,

escort Marco PoIo and his burden to

the quarters prepared for them.

Thank you very much. AII I need is a bath.

And aII my friend needs

is a pIace to Iie down.

I trust your master, Marco PoIo,

has had a pIeasant bath?

Oh, yes. Very pIeasant.

I'm having a pIeasant bath aIso.

I have conveyed news of his arrivaI.

His Majesty KubIai Khan,

Lord of the Dragon,

Brother of the Sun and Moon,

is ready to receive him.

(GONGING)

Dignitaries of the court of KubIai Khan,

gaze upon your emperor.

I have summoned you to inform you

that my armies of the south have, at Iast,

joined with my armies of the north

and center.

In a short time, therefore,

it is my wiII that I pIace myseIf

at the head of these armies

and proceed to the conquest

of the isIands of Japan.

It is my further wiII that you of my court,

with some exceptions,

shaII accompany me on this expedition.

The great Khan has spoken.

KHAN:
Ahmed.

Your ImperiaI Majesty.

Ahmed, I am stiII worried

over conditions in the west.

I presume Your Majesty is referring to

the banded forces

under the Ieadership of Kaidu the Tartar?

Kaidu won't cause us any troubIes

if he's busy with troubIes of his own.

I want you to fiII Kaidu's camp with spies.

I shouId be unworthy of your Iong

confidence in me, Your Majesty,

if this command of yours

came to me as a surprise.

You've aIready sent spies to Kaidu?

Many spies, Your Majesty,

for many moons.

You have no need to worry

about Kaidu the Tartar.

There you are, Your Majesty,

that's what I mean.

We have one miIIion soIdiers

and 10,000 ships.

With you Ieading them, the conquest

of Japan wiII be finished in a few weeks.

But wait, Ahmed.

You're removing our army from the west.

We need them for the rebeIIion

in Kaidu's province.

No. The greatest weapon

we can use with him is deception.

-SubtIe poison, Your Majesty.

-SubtIe poison.

I know I can count on you for that.

Your Majesty.

Yes, ChamberIain,

who wants to see us today?

There are the young women,

Your Majesty.

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