Upon this, the Prince Li-Kong, falling upon his knees, said, "Truly, O august and sovereign Emperor, the age of the noble Woo must have diminished his eyeballs, or he would have seen in the Imperial Gazette that the Emperor, our father, having heard of the rebellion in the provinces, had despatched his mean servant, myself, with a correcting army, and that thy unworthy relation had secured a lasting internal peace."
"And thy reward, prince?" said the Emperor."
"The generalship of the home armies, and the favor of my great sovereign, who will not open his heavenly ears to the words of these rogues, who accuse thy servant and mean relation of ingratitude and treason."
"This reminds us that the reward is inadequate to thy services, most princely Li. Let it therefore be proclaimed throughout the empire that the grateful Wey-t-song is about to bestow upon the kingdom-soothing Prince Li-Kong the hand of his only daughter in marriage," said the Emperor.
But before the prince could thank the Emperor, the General Woo-san-Kwei fell upon his knees before the throne, saying, "The humblest but most devoted of thy servants would dare to claim the heavenly ears of his most august prince."
"If the barbarian-subduing general has aught to counsel let him open his lips."
"Then, truly, O dread Emperor, it must be at the risk of my life; for so many moons has thy servant been engaged in defending the frontiers of the empire against the Tartar barbarians, that he has lost the submissive tones fitted to thy heavenly ears," said Woo-san-Kwei.
"Let the general open his lips, for although his words may be more warlike, they cannot be rebellious, like those of his noble parent."
"The words of the noble Woo flowed from his heart, O prince, and were approved by his son, who now, as in duty bound, would counsel his sovereign, that, although the services of the rebel-exterminating general have been great, his reward has been greater than his merits, for does he not hold the golden seals of the highest military command? As for the princess, she is the daughter of the empire, and too exalted to be bestowed upon the noble Li-Kong. Remember O Emperor, it will be the duty of the historians to record that the Emperor Wey-t-song, instead of commanding, had been weak enough to purchase the services of a powerful lord, tainted with treason, with the only daughter of his house; setting aside the wise custom of his ancestors, who bestowed their daughters upon tributary kings, whereby alliances were formed for the prosperity of the empire," said the Prince Woo-san-Kwei; adding, "At the risk of his life has thy servant spoken, O prince, for fear that thy too great generosity may smear thy page in history."
Scarcely dissembling his enmity, Li-Kong spoke, "Truly my sovereign is too generous to permit the envy of his servant's enemies to have weight in his dragon ears."