A Chinese Historical Play in Three Ads by Yu-chu Man-kuei Li
Wang Mang (44 B.C.-25 A.D.) came to power as Prime Minister through hypocrisy, political maneuver, and the influence of his aunt, the Empress Dowager of the Han dynasty (203 B.C.-11 A.D.) A man of great ambition, Wang Mang was determined to become emperor. He did away with all who dared to contradict him, killing three of his four sons and driving the fourth insane. He schemed to make his daughter Empress and was successful. Finally he poisoned the young Emperor and made himself the ruler (A.D. 11-25). Wang Mang's government and laws were built on brutality and inhumanity. He was a man of great ambition, aiming to make over the world and become history's paramount leader. His administration was totalitarian: all the land was collected and redivided among the people; everything was controlled by the government. After 14 years of such rule, uprisings broke out everywhere. From the House of Han, a farmer-scholar, Liu Siu, led the Benevolent Army against Wang Mang.
Dramatics Personae:
WANG HSING: a city-gate watchman elevated to the rank of general, now in his forties.
WANG SHENG: a cookie-vendor elevated to the rank of general, now in his forties.
WANG YING: Wang Mang's daughter and the widowed Empress, now in her twenties.
LAO PENG-TZU: court jester, an ageless person with white beard and hair.
WANG AN: Wang Mang's third son, an invalid, now in his twenties.
WANG MANG: Former Prime Minister who is now Emperor of the New Empire (or the Hsin dynasty of China, 11-25 A.D.)
WANG LIN: Wang Mang's fourth son and Crown Prince of the New Empire.
LIU HSIN: a distinguished scholar and Grand Tutor of the Court, in his mid-50s. In favor of Wang Mang's reforms.
AI CHANG: a scheming, degenerate scholar elevated to a dukeship. Now in his mid-50s.
WANG YI: General-commander, cousin of Wang Mang and faithful to him. Now in his mid-40s.
SHENTU KANG: an official loyal to the late Emperor and the Han Dynasty.
HO WU: an old general, loyal to the late Emperor and the House of Han.
Five Citizens, Scholar, Farmer, Old Man, eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting.
ACT III
Scene One
Several years after Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han throne. The scene is the same as that of the prologue: the gate of a city near the ancient capital of Ch'ang-an.
As the curtain rises Wang Hsing and Wang Sheng speak to Four Citizens, all of whom are in military uniform.
WANG HSING: Do you hear me clearly? First, in three days find ten thousand men to build the dikes.
FIRST CITIZEN: Yes.
WANG SHENG: Second, collect one hundred thousand catties of rice and deliver it to the capital.
SECOND CITIZEN: It will be done at once.
WANG HSING: No one is allowed to teach the ways of the ancient sages, as did the student Wu Chang.
THIRD CITIZEN: It is forbidden.
WANG SHENG: Fourthly, no Wu-chu cash may be circulated. Anyone using that money will have it taken away and will be sent to work on the waterways.
FOURTH CITIZEN: We have already confiscated a large amount.
WANG HSING: Each of you has his job. Get started and report to me in three days.
ALL FOUR CITIZENS: Yes, yes, yes! (Bow as they exit.)
WANG HSING: (Stretches his limbs as if tired but is highly elated.) Ha! Ha!
WANG SHENG: Wang Hsing, do you feel happy?
WANG HSING: Well, aren't you?
WANG SHENG: Very much so!
WANG HSING: Ha! Ha!
WANG SHENG: Ha! Ha! (First Citizen drags a Fifth Citizen onto the stage.)
FIFTH CITIZEN: I don't want to build the dike! I don't want to go! My family depends on my support. How can I go build the dike?
FIRST CITIZEN: The dikes are for the public. It is the order of the royal court.
FIFTH CITIZEN: What shall I do with my aged parents, my wife and children?
FIRST CITIZEN: What you do doesn't concern us. Come, let's go! (Drags Fifth Citizen along.)
FIFTH CITIZEN: (Struggling.) No, I don't want to go! I don't want to go! (He is dragged off by First Citizen. Second Citizen enters dragging a Scholar.)
SCHOLAR: You have the wrong man. I'm not a student of Wu Chang.
SECOND CITIZEN: You are wearing scholarly dress. Surely you are a student of Wu Chang. How bold you are to teach the ways of the ancient sages in the territory of the progressive new regime! We shall have your head hanged above the city gate.
SCHOLAR: Save me! Save me! This is unjust. (He is dragged off by Second Citizen. A Farmer is seen kneeling before Third Citizen.)
FARMER: Officer! Have pity on me! I have handed over all the grain I have.
THIRD CITIZEN: Nonsense! You must give one hundred catties more.
FARMER: Where can I find one hundred catties more! You had better beat me to death on the spot!
THIRD CITIZEN: I've no time to beat you to death. All I want is the grain. Get you gone! (He kicks the Farmer. An Old Man is seen at the hand of Fourth Citizen.)
OLD MAN: Give that back to me! Give it back! That Wu-chu money is all I have left.
FOURTH CITIZEN: It is forbidden to use Wu-chu cash. Your money is forfeit.
OLD MAN: Bad law and order!
FOURTH CITIZEN: Dare you insult the new regime!
OLD MAN: New regime? New regime! The new regime of Wang Mang, the usurper! My two older boys were taken taken by Wang Mang to dig ditches. And they have never returned. My third boy is sick now, very sick. That is the only cash I have. And I want to buy medicine. You give it back to me! Give it back! (He snatches at the hand of Fourth Citizen. The latter frees himself and exits. The Old Man falls to the ground.) Give it back! (He tries to get up.) I want to buy medicine. My third boy is sick! Very sick! (He tries to pursue Fourth Citizen but his strength is exhausted and he falls to the ground and lies still.)
Curtain
Scene Two
Fourteen years later. A hall in Wang Mang's palace. It is the same palace previously occupied by the deceased Emperor.
Enter Wang Ying and Lao Peng-tzu. Ying wears a black dress and the string of hundred-son pearls that the Empress-Dowager gave her. Lao Peng-tzu is the same. Time seems to have no influence on him. Ying takes a look at her surroundings, touches the string of pearls, and weeps.
LAO PENG-TZU: There! There! Madame! Each time you come back to this palace, you cry anew.
YING: I'm beyond myself. I don't want to cry. But what can I do?
LAO PENG-TZU: I understand. If it hadn't been for my late Lord Emperor's untimely death ... If it hadn't been for ... Ah! Fourteen years! Every table, every chair, every painting, even a pen and ink-slab—everything was engraved with the love between you and my Lord Emperor.
YING: Lao Peng-tzu! Speak no more! (Weeps again.) In all history, there was never an emperor who had worse luck than your Lord Emperor, and never an empress with so bitter a fate as mine! (Enter Wang An, Wang Mang's third son.)
WANG AN: Sister! My sister! I've been to see you many times. But each time, I was turned away with the excuse that you were not well. I've got so much to talk to you about—alone. (He looks at Lao Peng tzu, who immediately leaves the room.)
YING: What is it, my brother?
WANG AN: Sister! Father ... (He coughs.) His Majesty ... he deposed me, and made my younger brother Lin the Crown Prince.
YING: Brother An, haven't I told you that I have no interest in anything in this house hold, or who may be Crown Prince, or even Emperor? (About to enter the inner courts.)
WANG AN: (Stopping her.) But, my sister, worse things are happening!
YING: Worse things?
WANG AN: My younger brother Lin, the Crown Prince—he's going to murder our emperor-father!
YING: Murder! Murder again, in this palace!
WANG AN: You must tell father, my sister.
YING: (After a pause.) Why don't you tell him yourself?
WANG AN: He won't listen to me. Nobody does. Everybody bullies me. (He coughs.) Though born to a father and a mother, I'm just a homeless mongrel dog!
YING: (With sympathy.) Brother An! I'm homeless too! (Weeps.)
WANG AN: (Holds her hand and cries.) Sister! Why were we born into such a family! (Enter Wang Mang, who shows his senility.)
YING and AN: Father, Your Majesty! (They bow.)
WANG MANG: What are you doing here? Weeping again! Your mother has been weeping so much that her eyes are blind. An, you get out of here and don't make your mother weep any more.
WANG AN: Yes, Your Majesty. (Exits. Ying is about to go into the inner courts.)
WANG MANG: Ying! You stay. (Ying stops and turns back.) Sit down. (They sit down together. A long pause.) You've been widowed for all these years. The imperial physician says that you are not really sick.
YING: But I am sick, Your Majesty.
WANG MANG: Are you going to remain like this the rest of your life? (Ying touches the string of pearls and weeps. Wang Mang looks at her and at her black dress.) Don't wear that black dress again. Black is the color of the Han Dynasty. But the color of the New Empire is yellow, fresh and gay. Change your clothes. You are still young. I'll find another husband for you.
YING: No, Your Majesty, no! (Weeps.)
WANG MANG: Don't be so sentimental. Are you still remembering that weakling from Chungshan?
YING: Father! Please!
WANG MANG: I know. You hate me.
YING: (She is softened, and comes over to him.) Your Majesty. If I am not a pious daughter, please forgive me, or forget about me, and consider me as dead. (She turns to leave, then comes back.) But, Your Majesty ... you'd better take some time to discipline your sons.
WANG MANG: My sons? What about them?
YING: Father! (She weeps and cannot continue.)
WANG MANG: Speak out!
YING: Here, in this palace, there's some one who wants to take your life!
WANG MANG: (Jumps up.) To take my life? Who? My sons? Which one? (Ying goes into the inner courts. Re-enter Wang An.) You! It's you! You useless refuse, you want to murder your own father, eh? (Grabs him, and closes his hands around An's neck.)
WANG AN: No! Your Majesty! No! Not I!
WANG MANG: I know you hate me, because I did not make you the Crown Prince. But take a look in a mirror. Are you qualified to be a crown prince? Are you handsome? Or have you any brains? Good in art? Or good in sports? Sick all the year round; every day, I'm ready to order a coffin for you.
WANG AN: (Sadly.) I'm not good in art, nor in sports. I'm ugly and stupid! I'm a wretched ... (Coughs pitifully.)
WANG MANG: And so you harbor a grudge against me and plot to murder your own father?
WANG AN: But I did not plot to murder my own father!
WANG MANG: Then who?
WANG AN: My younger brother, Lin, the Crown Prince.
WANG MANG: The Crown Prince? He has no reason to hate me.
WANG AN: But he is afraid that Your Majesty might kill him.
WANG MANG: (Grieving.) You all think that way! Must I kill all of my own sons, one by one?
WANG AN: The Crown Prince, my younger brother—he has been hoping for Your Majesty's early death. And today he plotted with Yuan-pi.
WANG MANG: Yuan-pi?
WANG AN: Yes, Yuan-pi, Your Majesty's favorite imperial concubine. They have been having illicit relations for a long time. Now, they're afraid they'll be discovered and think they must strike first.
WANG MANG: Could this be true?
WANG AN: Every word is true. And my brother asked the imperial concubine to give Your Majesty a drink of the poisonous "Chen" wine.
WANG MANG: (Seems to see the ghost of that black wine.) Poisonous "Chen" wine? Go and bring that woman here.
WANG AN: Yes, Your Majesty. (Exits into inner courts.)
WANG MANG: Hey, there! (Enter a eunuch.) Send for the Crown Prince!
EUNUCH: Yes, Your Majesty. (Exit. Re-enter Wang An with a vial in his hand.)
WANG AN: Your Majesty! The imperial concubine has killed herself. And this vial of "Chen" wine was found in her hand. (Wang Mang snatches the vial from An. Enter Wang Lin, the Crown Prince, Wang Mang's fourth son.)
WANG LIN: Your Majesty, my Emperor-father!
WANG MANG: You wicked, depraved, villainous demon from hell! What's this that you wanted to kill me with?
WANG LIN: (Looking at the vial of "Chen" wine, he starts.) Father ... Your Majesty ... I ...
WANG MANG: There's no need to deny it! The woman admitted it all, before she drank this herself.
WANG LIN: She... she has drunk it herself! (He looks at his father, and then at his brother, and he understands. Long pause.)
WANG MANG: I made you the Crown Prince, because of your intelligence and ability. And I hoped that you might succeed me well as Emperor. But you indulge yourself in passion and pleasure, and soil my chambers. You've shattered all the moral principles; you've ruined the family reputation; you've defiled the dignity of the court! Can you justify yourself? Can you? Tell me!
WANG LIN: (Slowly.) It is you, father, who have driven me to this.
WANG MANG: I? I never taught you to debase yourself. I always taught you to think of the great empire that you are going to inherit. I spent my whole life shaping it and building it up. You are my son and my successor. It is your duty to devote all your efforts to the New Empire.
WANG LIN: Efforts? Oh, those efforts!
WANG MANG: Have you ever thought of that? Have you?
WANG LIN: Haven't I? Oh, only too often! When I think of the whole business, when I think of those efforts being mislaid and wasted, I tremble to see that they are only bringing us to the pit of destruction.
WANG MANG: What are you talking about?
WANG LIN: I had ambitions, too, most fervent ambitions. I wanted to make myself useful and build a beautiful future. But ...
WANG MANG: But you let it be eaten by idleness and sensuality!
WANG LIN: No. It was killed by sight of your empire-this great empire that you are so proud of.
WANG MANG: My empire? What is wrong with my empire? I promised reforms, and everything is changed. I promised the people land, and everyone has land. I promised peace, and there is peace.
WANG LIN: Peace? Not peace, but silence. The people have land, but they starve. Everything is changed, and so are they. And their joy of life has been changed into the welcome of death. And ... and they hate you.
WANG MANG: What? You say that? You? My own son?
WANG LIN: Because I am your son, I say it once and for all. The people hate you. And your courtiers and officials are afraid of you. In their hearts they all cherish a wish that you be struck by lightning and your reforms be swept away.
WANG MANG: Stop!
WANG LIN: Let me tell you the truth, father. No one else dares. The last day is at the corner. Revolt will come at any moment and your empire will be destroyed.
WANG MANG: Never! My Empire will endure forever! And my people love me. It is written in all the literature.
WANG LIN: Could the people do otherwise?
WANG MANG: What do you mean?
WANG LIN: They want to keep their heads, as I did. I wanted to live, too; I did not want to follow in the footsteps of my elder brother who had spoken the truth.
WANG MANG: No! Your truth is not the truth. I am for people—for their good, for their future, for the future of their offspring.
WANG LIN: You are for you self alone. You want to build the greatest empire to make yourself the greatest hero in history. That is the truth.
WANG MANG: Dare you speak like this!
WANG LIN: I dare now. For sooner or later, I shall perish with your empire.
WANG MANG: Then I shall cast you out of my empire. (Looks at the vial in his hand.) You wanted to take my life with this wine. Now, you can take your own.
WANG LIN: (Eyeing the vial.) If I am to die, it won't be by this wine! I will die by a weapon of my own choice. (He draws a dagger from his waist, and walks over to Wang Mang, who draws back.) Father! I could have been a good son! (Stabs himself, falls to the floor, and dies. Wang An goes to him and cries over the corpse.)
WANG MANG: (Stands erect over corpse.) Right. You've been brave and decisive. You've got my characteristics. You could have been my successor. But, from now on, I have no son!
WANG AN: Father, you still have me. WANG MANG: (Looks up.) You!
WANG AN: Yes. I'm a filial son. I'll be a good emperor too. (Coughs incessantly.)
WANG MANG: Get out of here! Get out! It makes me sick to see you. Don't force me to kill you, too! (Murder is in his eye. Wang An is frightened.)
WANG AN: (Looking at Wang Mang in great fear. He retreats, trying to avoid his father's eye.) Oh, no, don't kill me! I'm a good son! (Babbling.) Don't kill me! Don't kill me!
WANG MANG: (Looking after An and then at Lin's corpse.) But why? I've had my way all my life! And now there's no successor to my throne! Why?
Curtain
Scene Three
Some weeks later. The scene is the same as in Scene One in front of the city gate.
As the curtain rises, the First and Second Citizens enter in pursuit of Fifth Citizen who runs to the right. Third and Fourth Citizens enter and block his way. The four citizens in court service are still in military uniform.
FIRST CITIZEN: Arrest him! (Fifth Citizen is caught by Third and Fourth Citizens.
SECOND CITIZEN: (Holds Fifth Citizen by his collar.) You want to get away, eh! (Fifth Citizen struggles to escape, then resigns himself.)
FIFTH CITIZEN: Let me die!
FIRST CITIZEN: Die. It is not so easy to let you die!
SECOND CITIZEN: You haven't been tortured enough yet.
FIFTH CITIZEN: Oh! I beseech you! No more torture!
FIRST CITIZEN: You have the courage to spread rumors. Yet you are afraid of torture?
FIFTH CITIZEN: I haven't spread any rumors!
SECOND CITIZEN: You still deny it? Take him away and cut out his tongue. (Third and Fourth Citizens grab Fifth Citizen.)
FIFTH CITIZEN: All right, I confess! I spread the rumor. I lied. Liu Siu hasn't risen in righteous revolt! He hasn't formed his benevolent and righteous army! Ho Wu and Shengtu Kang haven't started a rebellion! No one is responding. An army of a million strong under General Wang Yi hasn't suffered a defeat from Liu Siu at Kunyang!
FIRST CITIZEN: Shut up! No more nonsense!
SECOND CITIZEN: Let us cut out his tongue and see whether he can lie any more.
FIRST CITIZEN: Take him away.
THIRD and FOURTH CITIZENS: All right! (They take Fifth Citizen away. A moment later a commotion is heard from outside of the wall.)
FIRST CITIZEN: What has happened?
SECOND CITIZEN: Let me go and see. (He looks outside the wall, then quickly returns.) Woe is us! Woe is us!
FIRST CITIZEN: What is it? What is it?
SECOND CITIZEN: It's real! It's no lie!
FIRST CITIZEN: What's real?
SECOND CITIZEN: Rebellion! That's Ho Wu! And Shengtu Kang, too! They even fly the Han flag of Liu Siu! What shall we do? What shall we do?
FIRST CITIZEN: What shall we do? Close the city gate quickly!
SECOND CITIZEN: But they will break into the city anyway! I... I believe it is better for us to get away.
FIRST CITIZEN: Get away? To run?
SECOND CITIZEN: Of all ways, to run is best. All the common people are in sympathy with Liu Siu. How long can this regime last? (Hurriedly, he takes off his uniform, throws away his arms, and exits.)
FIRST CITIZEN: How much longer? (Commotion increases. First Citizen takes off his uniform and flees.)
Curtain
Scene Four
Shortly after Scene Three in the middle of the night. Scene is palace hall. Wang Mang is pacing to and fro. His daughter Wang Ying is with him. The wind is blowing hard. Wang Mang sighs.
WANG MANG: The rebellion of Liu Siu is gathering momentum. Even the army of a million was defeated in Kunyang.
YING: (After a long pause.) Father! Your Majesty! May I say a word?
WANG MANG: What is it?
YING: Perhaps the victory of Liu Siu is not his alone. It's because the people are for him. The people rally to his banner because they are disappointed with the ruling regime.
WANG MANG: (Struggling with himself and after a long while.) I know it.
YING: The people are disappointed, because the promises have not come true. What promised to be beneficial has turned out to be harmful ...
WANG MANG: (Sighing.) Oh! I never meant to do harm. (Almost to himself.) Is it wrong to work for something great and important? Why?
YING: Perhaps... Perhaps, there is not enough mercy ... not enough love ... not enough pity ...
WANG MANG: (Displeased.) Mercy? Did any great man in history have much mercy? (Seeing that Ying is weeping.) Well, you seem not altogether devoid of love for me. My heart aches to see you suffer.
YING: But now I can't help thinking of you and feeling sympathy.
WANG MANG: My child! Now often I wish the wheel of time would reverse its rotation. I'd give him back his Crown and Empire so that you'd be the proud and happy Empress!
YING: Father! (Weeps.) What's done cannot be undone. But, please, lift the prohibitions and allow the people some freedom.
WANG MANG: (Again a long pause.) Ah! Change? Where to begin? Now—no—it's too late!
YING: No, father, it's never too late. (Enter a eunuch.)
EUNUCH: Your Majesty, the Grand Tutor, Liu Hsin, requests an audience.
WANG MANG: Why has he come into the palace in the middle of the night? Send him in. (Exit eunuch.)
YING: I'll take my leave, father. (Exit. Enter Liu Hsin.)
LIN HSIN: (Kneels.) Your Majesty!
WANG MANG: What is the matter? Rise and speak. (Liu Hsin rises.)
LIU HSIN: Your Majesty, at the battle of Kunyang, General Wang Yi and his force of a million was defeated by the Benevolent Army of Liu Siu. And many civilians perished. How can we go on fighting in this manner, Your Majesty?
WANG MANG: Have you come in the middle of the night just to recount the defeat to me?
LIN HSIN: Your Majesty, defeat is defeat. We'd better face the facts.
WANG MANG: What do you suggest, then?
LIU HSIN: Your Majesty, the people all miss the golden days of the Han Dynasty, and it's Liu Siu they love. He is the ruler they are fighting for.
WANG MANG: What?
LIU HSIN: To tell you the truth, Liu Siu is enlightened, generous, loving and just. He loves the people like his own children. His Benevolent Army is welcome wherever they go.
WANG MANG: If you adore him so much, why don't you surrender to him?
LIU HSIN: For me to surrender alone wouldn't make any difference. It wouldn't do the empire or the people any good. I've come to persuade Your Majesty to hand over the crown to Liu Siu, to restore the empire of Han to Han's ruling house.
WANG MANG: Rebel! You disloyal, fickle rebel! You're returning hatred for grace. How well I have treated you, because of your learnings!
LIU HSIN: Your servant is worthy of death! I'd like only to beg for the welfare of the people, to make atonement for my crimes.
WANG MANG: You're afraid that when Liu Siu arrives, you'll be taken prisoner. So you are here to betray your master and save your own skin.
LIU HSIN: Your servant has believed blindly in the reforms, and taken a wrong route, causing much damage to the people. A thousand deaths will not be atonement for my sins. Tonight, I've come with a coffin. If Your Majesty accepts my suggestion, and consents to turn over the crown, I shall die, in gratitude to Your Majesty. If Your Majesty refuses, I shall die, for the harm I have done to my countrymen. (Enter Ai Chang, Wang Hsing, and Wang Sheng. They all look despondent.)
WANG MANG: Why have you come. Are you friends or foes? To go against me, or to protest the throne?
WANG HSING: To protect
WANG SHENG: Not against-
WANG HSING: But we are all disarmed!
WANG SHENG: It isn't possible to defend the throne.
AI CHANG: Your Majesty! It would be noble and generous to turn over the crown. Before, it was the House of Han which abdicated the throne to you. Now you must have the courage to reciprocate. This mutual abdication will be epoch making! (Enter Wang Yi.)
WANG MANG: Wang Yi! My cousin!
WANG YI: Your Majesty!
WANG MANG: Your servant will give up his very life to protect Your Majesty and your throne! (He swings his sword before Liu Hsin and the rest.) Whoever dares to talk about abdication will perish under this sword!
WANG MANG: (To the rest, contemptuously.) Now you may all go and surrender to Liu Siu.
LIU HSIN: My poor countrymen! More war is your fate! (Draws a dagger and stabs himself. Wang Hsing and Wang Sheng hurry to support him.) Let me walk to my own coffin. (He staggers out, supported by Wang Hsing and Wang Sheng, followed by Ai Chang.)
WANG MANG: Wang Yi! You are the only one who is faithful to me!
WANG YI: (Prostrating himself before Wang Mang.) But Your Majesty! I've come back from the battle of Kunyang, totally defeated!
WANG MANG: It's not your fault. (Helps Wang Yi to rise.)
WANG YI: But I will fight to the end to protect Your Majesty and save your Empire. I will fight until the last weapon is gone and I am killed.
WANG MANG: Well said, Wang Yi, my cousin! I will make you my heir, the Crown Prince. I will give you my throne and my empire. I will give you everything. Open my treasury, and take all the gold and jewelry to give to those who will fight for me. Tell the people I will change my policies. I shall lift the prohibitions. I'll let them have their way. I can still build that magnificent empire for them. Yes, I can. And I will! Wang Mang's Empire must be right, stable, ever lasting! (A commotion is heard from afar.)
Curtain
Scene Five
Shortly after Scene Four, in the Central Throne Hall. Fighting rages. The palace is on fire. The skies are red. Wang Mang staggers in holding various articles handed down from ancient emperors.
WANG MANG: (Sits on throne.) This Dragon Throne belongs to me, no matter how high Liu Siu's star may rise. (Enter Wang Yi.)
WANG YI: Your Majesty!
WANG MANG: Are you alone? Where is Ai Chang?
WANG YI: He surrendered to the camp of Liu Siu.
WANG MANG: I knew he would.
WANG YI: But Liu Siu has killed him.
WANG MANG: (A short pause.) Right! Liu Siu judges correctly. It's a shame to have trusted such a scoundrel and liar. (Enter Wang Hsing and Wang Sheng.)
WANG HSING: The Benevolent Army has broken into the palace!
WANG YI: Why don't you guard it to the death?
WANG SHENG: But we couldn't! (He tries to find some way to flee, and so does Wang Hsing.)
WANG YI: (Draws sword and blocks their way.) A man who accepts another's generosity should repay him by accepting his suffering. We are much indebted to the Emperor. We must defend His Majesty with our lives.
WANG SHENG: Oh, Heavens! Why did you put my name on that golden cabinet? As a cookie-vendor, I wouldn't have any fear of Liu Siu.
WANG HSING: And as a city-gate watchman, I could have opened the city-gate for him.
WANG SHENG: But now, with all these titles and charges, there's no escape for me but death.
WANG YI: Die we must for the Emperor! Cornel (As though guarding prisoners, he herds the two men out.)
WANG MANG: (Looking up to Heaven.) Venerable Heaven above! Is this the end of me? Since you have given the Empire to Wang Mang, why must you drive him to desperation? (Enter Wang Ying and Lao Peng-tzu.)
YING: Father! Come! Run for your life! WANG MANG: Life? Wang Mang is not afraid of death!
YING: But Liu Siu's army has entered the palace!
WANG MANG: (Sits erect on his throne.) Heaven has bestowed favor on me. What could Liu Siu do? (He assumes a dignified pose as though holding his court. Enter Shentu Kang.)
SHENTU KANG: Wang Mang! (Wang Mang sits majestically without response. Shentu Kang is taken aback. Then he steps forward again.) You tyrant! It is my duty to kill you! (He stabs Wang Mang, who falls on his back and succumbs.)
YING: Father! (Runs to Wang Mang and cries over his body. Enter Wang Yi.)
WANG YI: Shentu Kang! You rebel!
SHENTU KANG: You tyrant's knave! (They fight.)
SHENTU KANG: The tyrant is dead and his empire is no more. Now let us welcome General Liu Siu of the Benevolent Army. He will set our world back in order. (Music.)
(File photo)
LAO PENG-TZU: Weep not, Madame Empress. Liu Siu is a merciful man. He will not harm you.
YING: How can I face Liu Siu, a kinsman of my Lord Emperor! (She jumps into the fire, which is burning high in the hall. Enter Ho Wu with soldiers.)
HO WU: (Sees Wang Mang's corpse.) Wang Mang! A hero and a tyrant! Where is your grandeur now? It is said that a usurper steals his throne like a fox, rules like a tiger, and dies like a dog. This is a true picture of you. (Re-enter Shentu Kang, followed by a group of eunuchs and ladies-in waiting.) (Exit at right followed by Ho Wu and all except Lao Peng-tzu.)
LAO PENG-TZU: (Alone with Wang Mang's corpse.) A dream it is. Ambition! Power! Empire! Gone in a moment. Let the annals record the titanic story of a Grand Dragon.
Curtain
The End