[T]he Hens all want to sit, the Primroses Polyanthuses &c crowd the Hedges; & a Rose Tree or two are quite full of Leaves.

Most of the names sounded white. There was Willie Mae Jones, Leroy Washington, Roosevelt Tucker, Bessie Lou Bean, and a few other black names. But the list looked awfully pale.

“You bet I do! I've not been able to get used to it these thirty years.” And as I stared at him, horror-struck: “Yes. I'm her husband.”

The fact that the Yongle emperor was therefore a usurper, regicide and nepoticide (nephew-killer) made compiling the Veritable Record – or official history – of his reign a most dangerous scholarly post. The official given this ticklish task managed to survive several drafts, finally producing one that pleased his master as it omitted the dead nephew's reign altogether.