Why was Marco Polo called a liar by the citizens of Venice when he returned after his stay of almost two decades at the court of Khubilai Khan?
Coming Soon! A new work of historical fiction, Cobalt Blue: Marco Polo in Dadu.
Inspired by Marco's position in Khubilai Khan's government after Khubilai Khan united China into one country. It had taken three generations, beginning in the time of Genghis Khan. Khubilai Khan did not wish to treat the South as a conquered people, but as the return of long lost brothers. Marco was assigned a position and was to bring evidence to Khubilai Khan of the corruption of villainous ministers who robbed the Song tombs after Khubilai had given a promise that they were not to be disturbed.
But Khubilai Khan had problems. The empire handed to him was vast, but it was cracking up and his relatives, jealous of the importance of China, were breaking away. His dream of universal rule was disappearing. Khubilai entered his King Lear period and he was getting depressed.
His son, the Heir Apparent Jinggim, was worried about him, and Marco was a friend of the son. Marco soon entered into a plot againt the villainous Minister of Finance, Ahmad. Khubilai had so many projects of public works, observatories, civil engineering and the building of a fleet to invade Japan by sea, that he had an insatiable need for revenue.
Marco Polo, who had traveled widely in the Middle East, comes up with a plan. Khubilai invests and a secret project takes place in a workshop in the Dadu, the new Imperial Palace. What was Marco's idea? This is the story of Cobalt Blue.
The project is a success. Khubilai offers Marco a marriage to a noblewoman and a post at court, but Marco decides to return to Venice. The stories of China arouse disbelief. It cannot be so fabulous, the citizens say. But it was. On his deathbed, asked to recant, Marco says he has not told half of what he saw.