The Cat got the invitation but could not read Chinese. The Cat
was from India/Persia. At that time, the Mouse was in the Cat's
custody (you know, Cats like to catch Rats).
So the Rat suggested to the Cat that the Cat free him in exchange
for reading the invitation card.
The Cat agreed. The Rat hated the Cat for keeping him in custody so
the Rat gave the Cat the wrong date and time and went himself
instead.
At the Palace gates, the Rat was asked to show the invitation card
and was refused in because it says:
Invitation To Cat.
"This is not your Invitation Card" the gatekeeper said, "you cannot
go in."
The Rat pleaded but to no avail.
The Rat decided to sneak in anyway.
It was a good thing that in those days, there were no suicide
bombers and people were not subjected to body search and did not
have to go through body scanning machines.
It was also a good thing that people wore thick long clothing and
it was easy for the Rat to hide inside the clothing of those going
in.
The Rat was hungry and thirsty after traveling so far. Once inside,
the Rat headed straight for the kitchen.
Unfortunately the Rat did not know where the kitchen was. He went
all over the palace but just could not find the palace
kitchen.
He had no choice but to ask somebody.
There was no one at the grounds because everyone was busy inside
preparing for the GREAT GATHERING except for one person sitting
alone at a pavilion deep in thought.
He looked like a kind old gentleman and the Rat picked up courage
and and approach him.
"How did you get in and what do you want?" The old man asked
Rat.
"O honorable one, I am so hungry I think I will starve to death
soon, can you please give me something to eat?"
It turned out that the old gentleman was the Emperor himself and he
was alone because his consort had gone to get him some snacks to
eat.
The Emperor was amused and curios because his consort had gone to
get him some food and here a Rat comes along and ask him for some
food to eat.
This must be fated, he thought to himself. What a strange
coincidence.
Unknown to the Emperor, there was intrigue in the palace and his
half-brother of his father's fifteenth concubine was trying to take
over his throne. Now, this Emperor was a good Emperor and did not
raise GST whenever he felt like it. He was well loved by the people
in the land.
It would be a great disaster for the country if his half-brother of
his father's fifteenth concubine took over because he would have
raised GST for sure to invest in other lands claiming that he
needed to raise GST to help the poor.
While waiting for the food,the Emperor chatted with the Rat and
found out that the Cat kept the Rat in custody.
"How dare the Cat," the Emperor said. "Is there no law in my land?
Nobody in my country must be greedy. The Cat can eat Rats because
that is the law of heaven, but for the Cat to be greedy and take
more than enough is not acceptable. Otherwise I would have raised
GST and take as much as possible to keep in my treasury."
When the food finally came, the Emperor tossed a piece of meat to
the Rat and the Rat died immediately after eating it. It was
poisoned! It was later discovered that the one that tried to poison
the Emperor was none other than the half-brother of his father's
fifteenth concubine that wanted to raise GST. He was put to death.
Peace and prosperity (for the people, not just the Emperor)
reigned.
The Rat saved the Emperor's life and the Emperor honoured the Rat
and for being greedy, left out the Cat.
