Formulaic Plays Excerpts: Yang Wulang Saving His Younger Brother, Sworn Brother and Sister, Execution of the Duke’s Second Brother

《Yang Wulang Saving His Younger Brother》

Yang Liulang takes the command of his mother and travels to the Northern barbaric region in order to retrieve the remains of his deceased father.  Detected by the barbarian soldiers right after his retrieval, Liulang escapes to Mount Wutai temple as being hunted by the soldiers.  Liulang then finds the monk inside is in fact his long-lost elder brother Yang Wulang. The brothers reunite and express their resentment regarding the situations of both their nation and family. But not soon later the barbarians arrive, Wulang fights his way out in order to escort Liulang out of the mount.

《Sworn Brother and Sister》

Zhao Kuangyin, a murderer on the run, is hanging around the Qingyou temple, when he passes by a cave and he finds a lady tied up in it. The lady calls herself Zhao Jingniang, she says she was paying her visit on her parents graves, but is robbed and being tied where she is now. Kuangyin thinks it must be destiny for him to meet a woman with the same last name in need. So he frees her and escorts her back to her home. On the way, Jingniang realizes Kuangyin is a young man with incredible talent, hence suggests to be the sworn sister of him in order to repay his help.

《Execution of the Duke’s Second Brother》

After the crown prince Sima Yang enthroned, Li Long introduces his younger sister to be the new king’s concubine, and hence, Li could become part of the royal family.  Thereafter Emperor Yang indulges himself in lust entertainments, neglecting the national affairs. Infuriated and frustrated by the emperor’s absurdness, Ruilong attempts to beat Lady Li for leading the emperor astray, however, he hits the emperor Yang’s head mistakenly. Emperor Yang is terribly drunk and is being persuaded by his beloved yet vicious concubine, he sentences the execution of Ruilong.  Zhang Zhong rushes to the court to stop the sentence, yet it is too late.  When Lady Zhang hears the news of her husband’s death, she leads an army to besiege the castle. Emperor Yang begs for her forgiveness and the retreat of her army, he offers out the wicked Lady Li and Li Long to Lady Zhang in order to quench her fury.