to sit for a portrait. Loh Yang suggested that for a moderate weight of gold—say ten pounds—he could make his brush fairly outdo itself. Radiant Blossom refused, with indignation. "Bribe you? To paint me as I am not? Never." Loh Yang begged for pardon. He seemed extremely penitent. He vowed that he would do his best work. But when the portrait was finished, it was enough to frighten the blind. The shameless rascal had made of lovely Radiant Blossom a gruesome crone, a witch, a slattern. Upon beholding it, the Emperor covered his eyes with a sleeve. "Horrors. Horror of horrors. Remove it instantly. Go. Go. Take it away. Such repulsive ugliness."
It is a mere waste of words to add that Radiant Blossom was Not chosen to be Wong Sing's own, really truly, and well-beloved bride.
The braggart Barbarian chief failed of his promise to leap over the Great Wall. Knowing that Wong Sing's armies were united and staunch, Wolf Heart boasted no more, and his impudence was hushed. He thought it
