THE FEMALE PRINCE

(Synopsis)

During the reign of Emperor Shih Tsung of the Ming Dynasty in ancient China, treacherous Premier Yen Sung held sway in court, overruling all opposition.

Minister Ching Shun-chang, a scholarly man retired from court to his native place, Hsiang Yang, to live a quiet life.

Widowed long before, he took Madame Hsia to wife. By his first wife, however, Ching had a beautiful daughter, Feng Hsiao, and a handsome son, Feng Sheng, both learned children.

Feng Hsiao was betrothed to Li Ru-lung, son of her father's colleague in court who was beheaded after having incurred the wrath of Premier Yen. Li Ru-lung, therefore, went into hiding.

Step mother Madame Hsia refused Feng Sheng permission to go to the capital to prepare for entry in the Imperial Examination. Feng Sheng decided to abscond. On the eve of his departure, sister Feng Hsiao asked him to find her fiance in the capital.

Meanwhile, a reshuffle in court threw Yen Sung out of power and brought Hsia Yen, cousin of Madame Hsia into control. Admiring the beauty of Feng Hsiao, Hsia Yen, the new premier, sought and obtained Madam Hsia's consent to giving Feng Hsiao away as his daughter-in-law.

At the same time, Li Ru-lung, having heard of Yen Sung's downfall, came out of hiding, anticipating a reunion with Feng Hsiao. He was heartbroken to learn from Madame Hsia of the broken engagement.

Through the help of her maid, Feng Hsiao arranged to meet Li Ru-lung in the back garden, where she urged him to take part in the Imperial Examination at the capital. She presented him with gold. They were overheard by a maid of Madame Hsia's and the stepmother had Feng Hsiao's fiance arrested and jailed on a false charge of "larceny."

To save Li Ru-lung and to avoid her unwanted marriage to Hsia Yen's son, Feng Hsiao fled home in disguise. At the capital, Feng Hsiao sat for the Imperial Examination in the name of Li Ru-lung and won the top honour.

Mistaking Feng Hsiao for an actual young man, handsome and bright, the Emperor ordered "him" to marry his daughter, Princess An-ning.

Feng Sheng had, meanwhile, been ambushed by bandits and rescued by General Chi Chi-kuang who later adopted the young man as his son. In gratitude, Feng Sheng changed his name to Chi Tsai-sheng. He too had gained distinction at the Imperial Examination and become a high official in court.

After the wedding, Feng Hsiao, still in the guise of Li Ru-lung, disclosed the truth to the princess. Sympathetic, Princess An-ning told the court a story of "the Lady Prince" based on the life of Feng Hsiao. Moved by the story, the Emperor exclaimed, "If she were in court, I would confer upon her the title, Princess of Virtues."

Suddenly Feng Hsiao dropped to her knees before the Emperor, saying, "Thank You, Your Majesty!"

When Princess An-ning explained to the puzzled Emperor that Feng Hsiao was the actual heroine in the story, the enraged Emperor ordered the execution of Feng. The princess dissuaded the Emperor from the execution order which, she argued, would make her a widow. At last, the Emperor accepted the princess' suggestion--adopting Feng Hsiao as his foster daughter and marrying her off to Li Ru-lung

It happened that Feng Sheng turned up to apologize for his sister's folly. HsiaYen immediately had an idea and suggested it to the Emperor. Since the brother resembled the sister, the Emperor was happy to take him on as the real son-in-law.