[ WP ] Its 2016 but the global population of humans has just reached 1 billion for the first time .

Su Hsiang Hao stepped off the giant Mandarin treasure ship and onto the Port of London. All the usual commerce of the hub had disappeared for the day, allowing the wide and deep hulls of the treasure boat to saunter up and land unmolested. There was a crowd of politicians mumbling with each other. Su Hsiang Hao walked to them with chin held high. His silk robes, embroidered with classical dragons and imperial imagery, tussled slightly in the wind. The clip clop of his frontal-edged sandals resounded across the unusually silent harbour. Su Hsiang Hao stood nearly a head taller than everyone present. He stopped before the politicians and gestured towards them. The politicians quickly looked up, gave a flurry of apologies, then bowed deeply. They ignored the forced deference and the Mandarin's proud features: it was a momentous day for England. The lands beyond Persia had contacted Europe peacefully for the first time. England was to be the great peninsula's ambassador. 
 
 `` You are new vassals to the Emperor,'' Su Hao said in crisp English, complete with a central London accent, `` and are required to pay fifteen tons of silver every month as tribute.'' 
 
 The politicians cleared their deferent faces and one of them stood up, now glaring. `` What are you going on about?'' he said. 
 
 Su Hao continued, `` As I said before, your nation and your European brethren will be required to pay tribute. Be happy that you must pay less. The nations close to Chung Kuo must pay thirty. In His great mercy and in consideration of what you call Barbary pirates, He has deducted your required amount.'' 
 
 But the Mandarin ambassador's last few words were drowned out in peals of laughter from the usually stoic politicians. The politician that first spoke was n't laughing, but he was smiling and said, `` You ca n't possibly expect us to follow those demands.'' 
 
 `` Do you expect me to take such impudence?'' replied Su Hao 
 
 `` Of course,'' the politician quieted his brethren and began to speak again, `` the continent of Europe is almost five hundred million strong. We have powers over the atom itself, military prowess honed by centuries of war, and we have even walked among the stars.'' At that last statement the politician spat at Su Hao's feet. `` And I see,'' he continued, `` that your great empire still runs on wind.'' he gestured towards the beautiful wooden treasure ship, woefully out of place in Europe's modern world. 
 
 The Mandarin Ambassador let go of his cool demeanor and loomed over the brave politician. `` The Han have dominated all of East Asia for the past millennia,'' he hissed, `` Korea, Japan, they have become our plaything: mere cultural copies of our might. At the south lies Indochina, our great reservoir of food, spices, and riches unimaginable to this cold wasteland. To our east lays the myriad of nations that vie for power in the Indian continent. All of them are our meek followers. Chung Kuo, China, has conquered the jungles of the East to the mountains of Persia, and no European power has ever stood against us and won. Think about poor Russia. 
 
 `` If we will fight,'' Su Hao said, `` then you will lose. We have brave men, and technologies none of our comrades could ever think to surpass.'' He pulled up his graceful face again, then walked off. 
 
 The English politicians were speaking with each other again, though. `` What will Parliament say about this?'' one said, `` We've made a mess of everything!'' 
 
 But that brave politician spoke up once again, `` They'll be fine with it.'' Someone tried to interrupt but he cut that man off, `` Were n't you listening? Such a massive empire, over such a large territory, and they're fat cows, waiting for slaughter! Full of riches, and utterly pathetic in the sciences. The populace of Europe are too confined in this continent. We need to stretch a little bit. And besides,'' he smirked, `` once we win, having the power of an empire does n't sound bad at all. 
 
 `` You remember how the Americas went for us.'' Someone mumbled in the back. 
 
 `` Shut up and get working. The perfect rhetoric's going to be needed. Parliament will agree to war.'' 
 
 `` Yes, Prime Minister sir.'' 
 
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 The prose is kind of dull and I'd like to work on it, but I hope you enjoyed nonetheless! 
 

