The Heroes of Xiangyang
Part 2:
Beijing, Kublai Khan's Palace, Marco Polo's room
Marco Polo is lying on his bed and resting. He remembers how 8 years ago, he begun his journey to China, along with his father, Niccolò Polo, and his uncle, Maffeo Polo. He had not seen his father and his uncle for 6 whole years. How fast time passed! As Marco Polo thinks of this, he brings back past memories, memories from his journey to China.
8 years ago, Venice, house of the Polo family
Venice is the richest city of the world. The Fourth Crusade and the fall of Constantinople have given much wealth to the Republic. Crete, the Aegean and the Ionian Islands, once part of Romania (Ρωμανία), the Greek Empire, are now colonies of the Republic. Venetian merchants have become the richest in the world, and they try to find new trade routes to Asia to become even richer. One of those Venetian merchants is Niccolò Polo. Niccolò, a middle-aged man with long black beard, short hair and blue eyes, and dressed with a hose and a brown jacket with pleating, brings news that could make him and his family the richest in Venice. Niccolò is talking with Maffeo Polo, his brother, also a middle aged man who is dressed in the same way as Niccolò, only that he wears a black jacket instead of a brown one, in his room. The room is a small, wooden one.
"Maffeo, I have good news." Niccolò says with excitement and almost dancing because of his happiness. "The Pope has send us oil from the lamp of Jerusalem and has given to us permission to travel in his name to the court of the Great Khan!"
"Good. Niccolò, this could make us rich!" Maffeo replies with a loud voice and almost crying because of how happy he is. "With the pretext of a religious mission, we could establish a trade route to China. Just think how rich shall we become! Our enemies will fear our power and the Venetian people will adore us!"
"Calm down. In order to do this, we first need to go to China. And the journey to China will be long and dangerous. We will be very lucky if we are able to get to China alive."
"Anyway, have the monks Kublai Khan asked us to send to him agreed to come with us?"
"No, they are all cowards. But we will go to China anyway."
As the two brothers talk, the son of Niccolò, Marco Polo, a young man in his 20's, comes to the room. Marco Polo has always been a person that loves adventure, and he is very curious about meeting new lands and new peoples. He had heard many times the stories of his father about China and he always wanted to go to China and learn if those things his father told him were true.
"Father, shall I come with you to China?" Marco asks his father, anxious over the answer of his father. Marco knows that his father will most likely refuse to take him with him to China.
"No!" Niccolò shouts, angry with his son for being so reckless, at least according to his opinion. "The journey to China will be very dangerous."
"But father, I want to go. I want to know if all those things you told me about China are true. I want to see this strange land by myself."
"You know that you could die? The journey will not be an easy one."
"I know. But still, I want to come with you. What good is to live a life in ignorance?"
Before Niccolò can reply, Maffeo interrupts him.
"Let him come with us. He is not a boy anymore. He is a man, and he can make his own decisions. After all, did you not begun your own dangerous journeys at his age?"
"Ah! I will allow him to come with us." Niccolò replies with disappointment and sighing.
And so, the journey of the Polo family to the East begins. A few days later, the three Polos embark a ship and begin their long and dangerous journey. They pass through the Venetian colonies in the Aegean Sea and land first to Cyprus and then to Jerusalem. From Jerusalem, the Polos begin a year and a half long journey through Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. They cross deserts and rich cities. They walk day and night. Some times, the thirst and heat of the Middle Eastern deserts almost kills them. But they continue their journey. They have to reach China and they have to meet Kublai Khan. This is the chance of their life to become rich, very rich, rich beyond dreams. At least for Niccolò and Maffeo, who as traditional Venetian merchants, only think of how to become wealthy and gain riches. Marco Polo dreams instead of the new lands and peoples he will meet, the new religions, the new philosophies. He had been told stories about China from his father since he was young, and he wants to know if they are true. Those are the reasons which motivate the young Marco, not wealth and riches. However, those motives and an iron will alone may not be enough for someone to survive the dangerous journey.
East Kazakhstan, Bukhtarma River, one and a half years since the Polos left Venice
The Polos, after a long journey, have finally crossed all the deserts of the Middle East and are now in the grasslands of East Kazakhstan, near the Bukhtarma River. However, as they pass through a small village, Maffeo begins to doubt that they will ever see China. They have traveled for so long, they have risked their lives again and again, and yet, according to Maffeo, they have not seen any sign that China is near.
"Niccolò" Maffeo says to his brother, as they and Marco walk through the small village. "My brother, we have been traveling for almost two years and we still have not been able to reach China."
"We will be in China soon. Do not lose your hope!" Niccolò replies with a loud voice and trying to keep calm. Even his brother, Niccolò thinks, does not believe in him.
"But we have been walking for so long, and we have yet to see China. And after so many deserts, you say to me that there still another huge desert, Taklamakan?! And then, we have the Gobi Desert?! And then, who knows what else?!"
Marco, until then, was quite, but now he has decided to speak. He has to persuade his uncle not to lose his hopes and continue the journey, or else all this journey would have been made in vain.
"Uncle, think of the riches we could find in China. Think of the trade route we could establish. Think of the wealth we could make!"
"Damn you, boy! You persuaded me! You know that I love riches, and you use it! I just hope that you and your father are right."
Suddenly, as Maffeo speaks, Marco falls on the ground unconscious, and both Maffeo and Niccolò shout Marco's name and also shout for help.