The time when it all happened was the period of the Three Kingdoms (around 220 AD):
Below is a brief outline of the story according to the Cantonese Opera which showed on Dec 29, 2013 at Ko Shan Theatre starring Hong Kong's young Cantonese Opera actors/actresses. They all gave a brilliant performance, good singing and good acting - very commendable!
The cast: 黃寶萱飾宓妃, 黎耀威飾曹植, 阮德鏘飾曹丕, 梁煒康飾太后, 王潔清飾陳德琼, 黄金堂飾陳喬.
The cast: 黃寶萱飾宓妃, 黎耀威飾曹植, 阮德鏘飾曹丕, 梁煒康飾太后, 王潔清飾陳德琼, 黄金堂飾陳喬.
The story exploited the complicated relationship between the 2 brothers, in the Kingdom of Wei. The 2 brothers were the sons of Emperor Cao Cao, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi. The story started when the elder brother (Pi), was so jealous of his younger brother (Zhi) because their father, the king wanted to give his throne to Zhi.
Meanwhile, Zhi was in love with Lady Zhen (also known as Fu), daughter of a captured war-prisoner. Both the king and queen didn't want Zhi to marry Fu because they thought a prisoner's daughter would not fit to be the future queen. They had arranged Zhi to marry a girl of noble birth; and Fu to marry Pi, the elder brother.
On the wedding night, the queen went to see Fu and told her to cut off her love for Zhi and be faithful to Pi. But Pi was half drunk that night and swore to Fu that he would kill his younger brother one day. Fu was afraid for Zhi, because Pi had killed 2 other brothers before. Fu tried to notify Zhi by writing a note to him, asking him to meet her in the garden. Somehow, Pi found out about the meeting and drew up a plan to destroy his younger brother, Zhi.
Fu met Zhi in the garden and warned him about his elder brother's intention in getting rid of him, but unfortunately their meeting was discovered because Pi took the king and queen to the garden. They were accused of having an affair although both Zhi and Fu pronounced they're innocent. The king was so mad at Zhi and changed his will at that moment by giving the throne to Pi. The queen pleaded for Zhi and eventually, he was banished from the palace.
Having succeeded his father, Pi still tried to find a way to do away with his younger brother. In reality, Zhi wasn't really interested in becoming the king; he's a poet and he's more interested in literature and art. He had made a name as the most talented literary figure of the time.
Meanwhile, Pi's Chief Secretary then convinced him to put Zhi's literary talent to a test. If Zhi failed the test, it would be excuse enough to put him to death. So Pi asked his wife to write a letter to get Zhi back to the palace. Knowing Pi's intention, Lady Zhen, Fu wrote a letter without any punctuation. One sentence went like that: "...Your brother tries to reconcile with you safety guarantee no need to worry come back not dangerous ... (real meaning - Your brother tries to reconcile with you; Safety guarantee - no; Need to worry; Come back not; Dangerous ...) Of course, the lovesick Zhi saw his lover's hand-writing, he didn't bother to read the letter carefully and rushed back to the palace.
Pi agreed and held audience with Zhi, and he told his brother to compose a poem based on their fraternal relationship, without using the word "brother". And with one condition - it must be completed within 10 paces. To his request, Zhi recited:
| 煮豆燃豆萁， | Cooking beans by lighting a fire with the beanstalks, |
| 豆在釜中泣。 | The beans weep in the pot and ask, |
| 本是同根生， | We were born from the same root, |
| 相煎何太急！ | Why so eager to destroy one another? |
Zhi did it within 7 paces. Everybody in court clapped for Zhi. Pi was moved but in his heart, he still wanted his brother dead. Lady Zhen then showed Pi how wrong he was to want to kill his only living brother by cutting off the handles and one leg of a wine cup, telling Pi that he had already killed two brothers by removing the the left and right handles. If he should remove one leg, such as killing his only younger brother, then he would not be able to stand on his own, like the wine cup! Then she jumped into the River Luo to end her life. Pi now understood how wrong he had been wanting to kill Zhi all this while and finally decided to make up with Zhi.
The last scene of the opera showed Zhi dreaming of Lady Zhen returning as the Goddess of Luo.
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