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 targets—the 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.”