Silk Dragon (Part Two)

De: Mike Harris, David O'Malley

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Silk Dragon (Part One) described how Friar Odoric left Venzio, Italy in 1385 to start a religious mission in China. After almost losing his life following the old Silk Road over the Himalaya mountains, he met the caravan of Zhu Di, ruler of China's Northern Province in Beiping (modern day Beijing). Many miles away in Yunnan Province, two teenagers, Ma He and Xi Chen, who play to be married soon, pledge to remain faithful to each other "as long as they both shall live." Unfortunately, both are captured and taken as slaves by General Ho on his way back to the capital city of Nanking. When Zhu Di's caravan stumbles upon General Ho, the Province ruler, as is custom, is allowed to select some of General Ho's prisoners. He selects Ma He and the two lovers are separated. Upon reaching Beiping, Zhu Di has Ma He castrated and made a member of his royal court.
Ten years before, Zhu Di's father, Zhu Yuan Zhang, the First Ming Emperor, had five sons and gave the title of Prince to each of them. He gave the largest Province to Zhu Di. When Zhu Yuan Zhang died, each brother hoped that he would be chosen the new Emperor. Instead, Nanking officials chose a weak brother, Zhu Yun-wen, who did everything he could to diminish power of the province leaders.
Zhu Di's brother, Prince Ning, hired a Mongol Chieftain, Chi Li Bu Hua to attack Zhu Di's forces at the Great Wall, hoping to increase his own stature and wealth. Surprisingly, Chief Chi Li Bu Hua has been taking care of Xi Chen for years. When he sees he cannot win against Zhu Di's larger forces, he decides to sue for peace and offers a number of slaves to Zhu Di. Xi Chen is one of them! When Ma He sees the love-of-his life being selected, he can't wait for them to be able to meet secretly. But as Zhu Di's most trusted servant, he knows he must keep secrete his previous personal relationship with the Muslim beauty. Xi Chen has no idea that Ma He, now renamed Zheng He by Zhu Di is a eunuch. Zheng He only gives her excuses as to why he can't make love to her. When Emperor Zhu Yun-wen learns that Chi Li Bu Hua did not defeat Zhu Di, he orders General Ho to attack Zhu Di with overwhelming forces to ensure his death.
But utilizing tactics developed by Zheng He, Zhu Di is able to defeat General Ho and burns down the Emperor's palace at Nanking. When Emperor Zhu Yun-wen is not found in the ashes, Zhu Di devises a plan to build a huge armada of ships he can send out on missions of trade and exploration, that, hopefully, will cause the former Emperor to come out of hiding, should he still be live. He chooses Zheng He to design and build the ships, much to the terrible disappointment of Zhi Di's second son, Prince Han, who expected to be chosen for the honor.
When the fleet is built, Zheng He is chosen to be Admiral of the Fleet, again to the dismay of Prince Han. When Minister Wong is chosen to become "second in command" Prince Han urges him to do whatever he can to destroy his father important expedition. Just before leaving, Emperor Zhu Di, stumbles upon Zheng He, meeting with Xi Chen, sees the Muslim beauty and dismisses Zheng He. He knows if Emperor Zhu Di becomes interested in Xi Chen, he will probably make her a Lady in Waiting to his royal court and will be able to make love with her whenever he wants. There isn't a thing that Zheng He can do about it.
It is into this interesting period of Chinese history that Part Two of Silk Dragon begins. Zheng He is off on his first expedition and his love, Xi Chen, is now a Lady in Waiting in Zhu Di's court and subject to every sexual whim of the emperor.