historic girls-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



early　Christians；　the　Nestorians　held　peculiarly　helpful　and

elevating　ideas　of　the　worth　and　proper　condition　of　woman。　Their

precepts　were　full　of　mutual　help；　courtesy；　and　fraternal　love。

All　these　the　Princess　Woo　learned　under　her　preceptor's

guidance。　She　grew　to　be　even　more　assertive　and　self…reliant；

and　became；　also；　expert　in　many　sports　in　which；　in　that

woman…despising　country；　only　boys　could　hope　to　excel。　One　day；

when　she　was　about　fourteen　years　old；　the　Princess　Woo　was

missing　from　the　Nestorian　mission…house；　by　the　Yellow　River。

Her　troubled　guardian；　in　much　anxiety；　set　out　to　find　the

truant；　and；　finally；　in　the　course　of　his　search；　climbed　the

high　bluff　from　which　he　saw　the　massive　walls；　the　many

gateways；　the　gleaming　roofs；　and　porcelain　towers　of　the

Imperial　city　of　Chang…an…the　City　of　Continuous　Peace。



But　even　before　he　had　entered　its　northern　gate；　a　little　maid

in　loose　silken　robe；　peaked　cap；　and　embroidered　shoes　had

passed　through　that　very　gateway；　and　slipping　through　the

thronging　streets　of　the　great　city；　approached　at　last　the　group

of　picturesque　and　glittering　buildings　that　composed　the　palace

of　the　great　Emperor　Tai。



Just　within　the　main　gateway　of　the　palace　rose　the　walls　of　the

Imperial　Academy；　where　eight　thousand　Chinese　boys　received

instruction　under　the　patronage　of　the　emperor；　while；　just

beyond　extended　the　long；　low　range　of　the　archery　school；　in

which　even　the　emperor　himself　sometimes　came　to　witness；　or　take

part　in；　the　exciting　contests。



Drawing　about　her　shoulders　the　yellow　sash　that　denoted　alliance

with　royalty；　the　Princess　Woo；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；

walked　straight　through　the　palace　gateway；　past　the　wondering

guards；　and　into　the　boundaries　of　the　archery　court。



Here　the　young　Prince　Kaou；　an　indolent　and　lazy　lad　of　about　her

own　age；　was　cruelly　goading　on　his　trained　crickets　to　a

ferocious　fight　within　their　gilded　bamboo　cage；　while；　just　at

hand；　the　slaves　were　preparing　his　bow　and　arrows　for　his　daily

archery　practice。



Now；　among　the　rulers　of　China　there　are　three　classes　of

privileged　targetsthe　skin　of　the　bear　for　the　emperor　himself；

the　skin　of　the　deer　for　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　the　skin

of　the　tiger　for　the　nobles　of　the　court；　and　thus；　side　by　side；

in　the　Imperial　Archery　School　at　Chang…an；　hung　the　three

targets。



The　girl　with　the　royal　sash　and　the　determined　face　walked

straight　up　to　the　Prince　Kaou。　The　boy　left　off　goading　his

fighting　crickets；　and　looked　in　astonishment　at　this　strange　and

highly　audacious　girl；　who　dared　to　enter　a　place　from　which　all

women　were　excluded。　Before　the　guards　could　interfere；　she

spoke。



〃Are　the　arrows　of　the　great　Prince　Kaou　so　well　fitted　to　the

cord；〃　she　said；　〃that　he　dares　to　try　his　skill　with　one　who；

although　a　girl；　hath　yet　the　wit　and　right　to　test　his　skill？〃



The　guards　laid　hands　upon　the　intruder　to　drag　her　away；　but　the

prince；　nettled　at　her　tone；　yet　glad　to　welcome　any　thing　that

promised　novelty　or　amusement；　bade　them　hold　off　their　hands。



〃No　girl　speaketh　thus　to　the　Prince　Kaou　and　liveth；〃　he　said

insolently。　〃Give　me　instant　test　of　thy　boast；　or　the　wooden

collar＇1＇　in　the　palace　torture…house；　shall　be　thy　fate。〃



＇1＇　The　〃wooden　collar〃　was　the　〃kia〃　or　〃cangue；〃a　terrible

instrument　of　torture　used　in　China　for　the　punishment　of

criminals。





〃Give　me　the　arrows；　Prince；〃　the　girl　said；　bravely；　〃and　I　will

make　good　my　words。〃



At　a　sign；　the　slaves　handed　her　a　bow　and　arrows。　But；　as　she

tried　the　cord　and　glanced　along　the　polished　shaft；　the　prince

said：



〃Yet；　stay；　girl；　here　is　no　target　set　for　thee。　Let　the　slaves

set　up　the　people's　target。　These　are　not　for　such　as　thou。〃



〃Nay；　Prince；　fret　not　thyself；〃　the　girl　coolly　replied。　〃My

target　is　here！〃　and　while　all　looked　on　in　wonder；　the　undaunted

girl　deliberately　toed　the　practice　line；　twanged　her　bow；　and

with　a　sudden　whiz；　sent　her　well…aimed　shaft　quivering　straight

into　the　small　white　centre　of　the　great　bearskinthe　imperial

target　itself！



With　a　cry　of　horror　and　of　rage　at　such　sacrilege；　the　guards

pounced　upon　the　girl　archer；　and　would　have　dragged　her　away。

But　with　the　same　quick　motion　that　had　saved　her　from　the　Tartar

robbers；　she　sprang　from　their　grasp　and；　standing　full　before

the　royal　target；　she　said　commandingly：



〃Hands　off；　slaves；　nor　dare　to　question　my　right　to　the　bearskin

target。　I　am　the　Empress！〃



It　needed　but　this　to　cap　the　climax。　Prince；　guards；　and　slaves

looked　at　this　extraordinary　girl　in　open…mouthed　wonder。　But　ere

their　speechless　amazement　could　change　to　instant　seizure；　a

loud　laugh　rang　from　the　imperial　doorway　and　a　hearty　voice

exclaimed：　〃Braved；　and　by　a　girl！　Who　is　thy　Empress；　Prince？

Let　me；　too；　salute　the　Tsih…tien！〃＇1＇　Then　a　portly　figure；　clad

in　yellow　robes；　strode　down　to　the　targets；　while　all　within　the

archery　lists　prostrated　themselves　in　homage　before　one　of

China's　greatest　monarchsthe　Emperor　Tai…tsung；　Wun…woo…ti。＇2＇



＇1＇　〃The　Sovereign　Divine〃an　imperial　title。



＇2＇　〃Our　Exalted　Ancestorthe　Literary…Martial　Emperor。〃





But　before　even　the　emperor　could　reach　the　girl；　the　bamboo

screen　was　swept　hurriedly　aside；　and　into　the　archery　lists　came

the　anxious　priest；　Thomas　the　Nestorian。　He　had　traced　his

missing　charge　even　to　the　imperial　palace；　and　now　found　her　in

the　very　presence　of　those　he　deemed　her　mortal　enemies。

Prostrate　at　the　emperor's　feet；　he　told　the　young　girl's　story；

and　then　pleaded　for　her　life；　promising　to　keep　her　safe　and

secluded　in　his　mission…home　at　Tung…Chow。



The　Emperor　Tai　laughed　a　mighty　laugh；　for　the　bold　front　of

this　only　daughter　of　his　former　master　and　rival；　suited　his

warlike　humor。　But　he　was　a　wise　and　clement　monarch　withal。



〃Nay；　wise　O…lo…pun；〃　he　said。　〃Such　rivals　to　our　throne　may　not

be　at　large；　even　though　sheltered　in　the　temples　of　the

hung…mao。＇1＇　The　royal　blood　of　the　house　of　Sui＇2＇　flows　safely

only　within　palace　walls。　Let　the　proper　decree　be　registered；

and　let　the　gifts　be　exchanged；　for　to…morrow　thy　ward；　the

Princess　Woo；　becometh　one　of　our　most　noble　queens。〃



＇1＇　The　〃light…haired　ones〃an　old　Chinese　term　for　the　western

Christians。



＇2＇　The　name　of　the　former　dynasty。





And　so　at　fourteen；　even　as　the　records　show；　this　strong…willed

young　girl　of　the　Yellow　River　became　one　of　the　wives　of　the

great　Emperor　Tai。　She　proved　a　very　gracious　and　acceptable

stepmother　to　young　Prince　Kaou；　who；　as　the　records　also　tell

us；　grew　so　fond　of　the　girl　queen　that；　within　a　year　from　the

death　of　his　great　father；　and　when　he　himself　had　succeeded　to

the　Yellow　Throne；　as　Emperor　Supreme；　he　recalled　the　Queen　Woo

from　her　retirement　in　the　mission…house　at　Tung…Chow　and　made

her　one　of　his　royal　wives。　Five　years　after；　in　the　year　655；

she　was　declared　Empress；　and　during　the　reign　of　her　lazy　and

indolent　husband　she　was　〃the　power　behind　the　throne。〃　And　when；

in　the　year　683；　Kaou…tsung　died；　she　boldly　assumed　the

direction　of　the　government；　and；　ascending　the　throne；　declared

herself　Woo　How　Tsih…tienWoo　the　Empress　Supreme　and　Sovereign

Divine。



History　records　that　this　Zenobia　of　China　proved　equal　to　the

great　task。　She　〃governed　the　empire　with　discretion；〃　extended

its　borders；　and　was　acknowledged　as　empress　from　the　shores　of

the　Pacific　to　the　borders　of　Persia；　of　India；　and　of　the

Caspian　Sea。



Her　reign　was　one　of　the　longest　and　most　successful　in　that

period　known　in　history　as　the　Golden　Age　of　China。　Because　of

the　relentless　native　prejudice　against　a　successful　woman；　in　a

country　where　girl　babies　are　ruthlessly　drowned；　as　the　quickest

way　of　ridding　the　world　of　useless　incumbrances；　Chinese

historians　have　endeavore