Yan Zi’s Envoy to Chu (Script)

Time: Late Spring and Autumn Period

Place: Chu State

Character: Yan Zi (Ambassador of Qi State) , King of Chu, host, two warriors, ministers of Chu

(Qi and Chu are both big countries. In order to maintain friendly relations between the two countries, the King of Qi sent Yan Zi as an envoy to Chu. Relying on the strength of his country, the state wanted to take the opportunity to insult Yan Zi and show off the power of the Chu Kingdom)

The King of Chu (said proudly): Yan Zi is short in stature. If someone comes, open a five-foot gate next to the city gate. As soon as Yanzi came, he closed the city gate and let him come in through this hole.

(Yan Zi came to the gate of Chu State City, and the receptionist asked Yan Zi to go in through the cave.)

Yan Zi (looked at it, and said to the receptionist with a smile): This is a dog. A cave, not a city gate. Only when visiting the "Dog Country" can you enter through the Dog Cave. I'll wait here for a while, and you should go and ask clearly what kind of country Chu is.

(The receptionist hurriedly ran to deliver the message.)

The receptionist (said breathlessly to the King of Chu): Your Majesty, Yanzi said that you opened a dog hole, not a city gate. He only entered through the dog hole when he was visiting the "Dog Country", and he asked his humble servant to come and deliver the message.

King Chu (pale with fright): Hurry up, open the city gate, don’t let Yan underestimate our Chu country, our country is not a dog country!

(Yanzi entered the palace and met the King of Chu.)

The King of Chu (looked at him and sneered): Is there no one in Qi?

Yan Zi (seriously): What are you saying, Your Majesty? Linzi, the capital of our country, is full of people. When everyone raises their sleeves, it becomes a cloud; when everyone shakes sweat, it becomes a shower of rain; when pedestrians rub their shoulders and their toes touch their heels, how can the king say that there is no one in Qi?

King Chu (said calmly): Since there are so many people, why did I send you here?

Yan Zi (pretending to be embarrassed): I really can’t answer your question. Tell a lie because you are afraid of deceiving the king; tell the truth because you are afraid that the king will be angry.

King Chu (waving his sleeves): To be honest, I’m not angry.

Yan Zi (bowed his hand): Our country has a rule: when visiting a superior country, send superior people; when visiting a inferior country, send inferior people. I'm the least useful, so I'm sent here. (smiling deliberately)

King Chu (smiling along with him): Yes, yes. Let's quickly prepare a banquet to entertain the Ambassador of Qi.

(The King of Chu and Yan Zi were having a meal when they suddenly saw two warriors escorting a prisoner past.)

The King of Chu (quickly asked): What crime did the prisoner commit? ? Where is he from?

Samurai: He committed the crime of theft and is a native of Qi.

The King of Chu (said proudly): Why are the people of Qi so hopeless, doing such a thing?

(The ministers of Chu State also laughed proudly.)

Minister A (quietly): This time the surnamed Yan is in great disgrace.

Minister B (softly): That’s right, let’s see what he does.

Yan Zi (without changing his expression, stood up and said): Why doesn’t your Majesty know? Huainan’s oranges are big and sweet. But when a kind of orange tree reaches Huaibei, it can only bear small and bitter orange trees. Isn’t it because of the different soil and water? In the same way, the people of Qi can live and work in peace and contentment and work hard in Qi, but as soon as they arrive in Chu, they start to become thieves. This may be due to the different climates of the two countries.

King Chu (so frightened that he almost fell off his chair): I originally wanted to make fun of the doctor, but he made fun of me instead.

(From now on, the King of Chu did not dare to disrespect Yan Zi.)