Marco Polo informs the Emperor about international

Marco Polo informs the Emperor about international organizations, diplomatic passports and banking. Story.


Marco Polo arrived in the capital of the Celestial Empire after many years of travel.

Marco Polo was a brave man, but he felt some anxiety: what events awaited him after a long journey?

However, he was greeted warmly. High-ranking officials of the Empire accommodated him in a comfortable building located within the boundaries of the Forbidden City. They accompanied him during his walks around this city.

During walks, there was always a professional – translator (interpreter) next to Marco Polo.

Marco Polo saw powerful people on beautiful horses, with honor arriving in the capital of the Empire. As he learned, these were high-ranking people from behind the Great Wall. Empire was presenting to those persons valuable gifts, money and was giving them beautiful-sounding titles.

During his walks around the Forbidden City, Marco Polo met two groups of scientists (scholars). Both groups studied and supplemented ancient treatises. The first group worked with the treatise "80,000 Diplomatic Initiatives", the second - with the treatise "The Golden Flower of General Welfare".

Marco Polo enjoyed talking with scientists, they asked each other many questions.

After some time, Marco Polo was appointed to an important position in the Celestial Empire. He was able to demonstrate his knowledge and skills in performing administrative duties as one of the officials of the Empire.

His conversations with the scientists continued.

A month passed after his appointment to an administrative position, and Marco Polo was invited to an audience with the Emperor.

The Emperor listened to Marco Polo's report on the performance of administrative duties.  The Emperor asked Polo different questions about life in Italy, in Europe.

Reports to the Emperor were held regularly.

Marco Polo was pleased to see at each such meeting scientists (who were commissioned to study and supplement the ancient treatises "80,000 Diplomatic Initiatives" and "The Golden Flower of General Welfare").

The Emperor was interested in various issues. For example, his attention was drawn to Marco Polo's stories about international organizations and diplomatic passports.

Are employees of international organizations use diplomatic passports, and can such employees freely, without any visas, without inspections, enjoying immunity, cross state borders?

Other questions that interested the Emperor concerned banking.

Do owners of large sums of money bring their own financial means to a bank and leave their financial means in a bank? And what motivates them to do such things?

"They receive income, or they hope to receive income," said Marco Polo, "and besides, in times of great change, a person (who has a lot of money) - especially if he has a diplomatic passport - can leave his country for the country where the bank is located. Such a person will use a small part of his money (earlier deposited in bank) and live in peace. Bankers are honest people; a practice of numbered accounts exists, when it is not known to whom the money belongs, but the money is given out to a person who knows a special password. This is especially convenient for high-ranking officials who have various types of income."

Can the owner of the bank to dispose of the money (brought to the bank) at his own discretion?..

Marco Polo saw how scientists (specialized on ancient treatises) actively wrote something down with special brushes on silk fabric – during Marco Polo’s conversations with the Emperor.

After one of the regular reports made by Marco Polo, the Emperor asked the scientists about something. They answered the Emperor, bowed, collected their texts (documents) and left the reception hall.

The Emperor expressed his gratitude to Marco Polo for his good administrative work, said that a large and honorable award would be given to Marco Polo on behalf of the Emperor, wished Marco Polo a successful return journey and instructed the great traveler to write a book about his journey, about life in the Celestial Empire. Marco Polo thanked the Emperor and began preparing for the long return journey.

The caravan was ready to set off on the return journey. Marco Polo asked the accompanying officials to lay out the route through the Forbidden City in such a way that Polo could say goodbye to the scientists working on the ancient treatises "80,000 Diplomatic Initiatives" and "The Golden Flower of General Welfare".

The scientists and Marco Polo were bowing to each other and were wishing each other prosperity and a successful life.

With a premonition of a successful journey, Marco Polo set off back to his home, to Italy, to Europe.

Returning home, he wrote a book about his journey and life in the Celestial Empire. Unfortunately, he did not bring with him and did not publish the ancient treatises "80,000 Diplomatic Initiatives", "The Golden Flower of General Welfare", as well as he did not publish the notes made by scientists on silk fabric with special brushes.

September 02, 2025 19:08


Translation from Russian into English: September 03, 2025 18:18
Владимир Владимирович Залесский “ Марко Поло рассказывает Императору о международных организациях, дипломатических паспортах и банковском деле. Рассказ. ”


{3724. Марко Поло рассказывает Императору о международных организациях, дипломатических паспортах и банковском деле. Рассказ. - 2 сентября 2025 г.
MMMDCXCV. Marco Polo informs the Emperor about international organizations, diplomatic passports and banking. Story. - September 2, 2025.

Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}