Their Journey
Back To The Kaan Occupied A Good Three Years And A Half, Owing To The Bad
Weather And Severe Cold That They Encountered.
And let me tell you in good
sooth that when the Great Kaan heard that Messers Nicolo and Maffeo
Polo
were on their way back, he sent people a journey of full 40 days to meet
them; and on this journey, as on their former one, they were honourably
entertained upon the road, and supplied with all that they required.
NOTE 1. - The French texts read Clemeinfu, Ramusio Clemenfu. The Pucci
MS. guides us to the correct reading, having Chemensu (Kemensu) for
Chemenfu. KAIPINGFU, meaning something like "City of Peace," and called
by Rashiduddin Kaiminfu (whereby we see that Polo as usual adopted the
Persian form of the name), was a city founded in 1256, four years before
Kublai's accession, some distance to the north of the Chinese wall. It
became Kublai's favourite summer residence, and was styled from 1264
Shangtu or "Upper Court." (See infra, Bk. I. ch. lxi.) It was known to
the Mongols, apparently by a combination of the two names, as Shangdu
Keibung. It appears in D'Anville's map under the name of Djao-Naiman
Sume. Dr. Bushell, who visited Shangtu in 1872, makes it 1103 li (367
miles) by road distance via Kalgan from Peking. The busy town of Dolonnur
lies 26 miles S.E. of it, and according to Kiepert's Asia that place is
about 180 miles in a direct line north of Peking.
(See Klaproth in J. As. XI. 365; Gaubil, p. 115; Cathay, p. 260;
J. R. G. S. vol. xiiii.)
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO AND MARCO PRESENTED THEMSELVES
BEFORE THE GREAT KAAN.
And what shall I tell you? when the Two Brothers and Mark had arrived at
that great city, they went to the Imperial Palace, and there they found
the Sovereign attended by a great company of Barons. So they bent the knee
before him, and paid their respects to him, with all possible reverence
[prostrating themselves on the ground]. Then the Lord bade them stand up,
and treated them with great honour, showing great pleasure at their
coming, and asked many questions as to their welfare, and how they had
sped. They replied that they had in verity sped well, seeing that they
found the Kaan well and safe. Then they presented the credentials and
letters which they had received from the Pope, which pleased him right
well; and after that they produced the Oil from the Sepulchre, and at that
also he was very glad, for he set great store thereby. And next, spying
Mark, who was then a young gallant,[NOTE 1] he asked who was that in their
company? "Sire," said his father, Messer Nicolo, "'tis my son and your
liegeman."[NOTE 2] "Welcome is he too," quoth the Emperor. And why should
I make a long story? There was great rejoicing at the Court because of
their arrival; and they met with attention and honour from everybody.
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