1 00:00:05,867 --> 00:00:09,145 Vinnie and Mandy looked at each other. 2 00:00:09,146 --> 00:00:13,079 "China?" they said together. 3 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,169 Samir looked at them with great interest. 4 00:00:17,170 --> 00:00:21,773 "Tell me the secret of that trick you just did," he said. 5 00:00:21,774 --> 00:00:25,805 "We don't know," Vinnie admitted. 6 00:00:25,806 --> 00:00:30,116 "Ah, you do not wish to tell me?" Samir asked. 7 00:00:30,117 --> 00:00:35,201 "No, we really don't know," said Mandy. 8 00:00:35,202 --> 00:00:40,210 Samir laughed loudly. 9 00:00:40,211 --> 00:00:43,546 "Well, see me if you ever need a job. 10 00:00:43,547 --> 00:00:48,623 That trick could make me—I mean you—a lot of money." 11 00:00:48,624 --> 00:00:53,462 Samir walked behind a curtain at the back of the stage. 12 00:00:53,463 --> 00:00:57,468 "Look at that!" said Mandy. 13 00:00:57,469 --> 00:01:02,006 She could see a group of houses outside a nearby gate. 14 00:01:02,007 --> 00:01:06,294 "I count four buildings," said Vinnie. 15 00:01:06,295 --> 00:01:11,221 "Is it a little village?" asked Mandy. 16 00:01:11,222 --> 00:01:16,689 "Village?" said a laughing voice below them. 17 00:01:16,690 --> 00:01:20,280 The children looked down and saw a girl. 18 00:01:20,281 --> 00:01:25,269 "That is Master Yuan's courtyard house," the girl said. 19 00:01:25,270 --> 00:01:28,275 "Wealthy people live in such homes." 20 00:01:28,276 --> 00:01:31,735 She looked a bit older than Vinnie. 21 00:01:31,736 --> 00:01:36,045 Vinnie and Mandy jumped down from the stage. 22 00:01:36,046 --> 00:01:39,708 "You're new to Chang'an," she remarked. 23 00:01:39,709 --> 00:01:42,534 "Everyone knows Master Yuan. 24 00:01:42,535 --> 00:01:45,405 You must be with the visiting performers. 25 00:01:45,406 --> 00:01:48,806 The acrobats are my favorite." 26 00:01:48,807 --> 00:01:52,279 "Acrobats?" said Vinnie. 27 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,416 The girl led them through a noisy crowd of performers. 28 00:01:56,417 --> 00:02:00,601 Jugglers were lifting umbrellas with their feet. 29 00:02:00,602 --> 00:02:04,220 "There they are!" cried Vinnie. 30 00:02:04,221 --> 00:02:09,433 Young girls were jumping and flipping in the air. 31 00:02:09,434 --> 00:02:13,747 "What's your name?" Mandy said to the girl. 32 00:02:13,748 --> 00:02:17,488 "I'm Mei-Li," the girl replied. 33 00:02:17,489 --> 00:02:19,837 "My parents are bakers. 34 00:02:19,838 --> 00:02:24,086 They made two hundred buns for Master Yuan's celebration." 35 00:02:24,087 --> 00:02:28,268 Mandy introduced herself and pointed to Vinnie. 36 00:02:28,269 --> 00:02:32,281 "And he's my brother Vinnie," she said. 37 00:02:32,282 --> 00:02:35,205 "What's the celebration for?" 38 00:02:35,206 --> 00:02:44,356 "Master Yuan's son Jinying has passed the first level of the imperial exams," explained Mei-Li. 39 00:02:44,357 --> 00:02:48,002 "What are they?" asked Mandy. 40 00:02:48,003 --> 00:02:50,535 "They are very difficult tests. 41 00:02:50,536 --> 00:02:57,562 There are three levels of exams, and each level is harder than the one before," said Mei-Li. 42 00:02:57,563 --> 00:03:02,087 "If all levels are passed, the person becomes a mandarin. 43 00:03:02,088 --> 00:03:06,001 A mandarin is a very respected official." 44 00:03:06,002 --> 00:03:09,878 "That's a lot of work," said Mandy. 45 00:03:09,879 --> 00:03:11,662 Mei-Li nodded. 46 00:03:11,663 --> 00:03:14,272 "It takes many years of study." 47 00:03:14,273 --> 00:03:17,944 Vinnie rejoined his sister and Mei-Li. 48 00:03:17,945 --> 00:03:22,819 They walked past two monkeys dressed in red costumes. 49 00:03:22,820 --> 00:03:26,748 The children giggled. 50 00:03:26,749 --> 00:03:30,414 "I have to go to the market," said Mei-Li. 51 00:03:30,415 --> 00:03:32,347 "It was nice meeting you." 52 00:03:32,348 --> 00:03:35,810 "Can we come with you?" asked Vinnie. 53 00:03:35,811 --> 00:03:38,134 "Sure," said Mei-Li. 54 00:03:38,135 --> 00:03:41,348 They walked toward a large gate. 55 00:03:41,349 --> 00:03:47,614 Then Mandy noticed a monkey trainer beating one of the two monkeys. 56 00:03:47,615 --> 00:03:52,139 "That's not right!" Mandy thought to herself. 57 00:03:52,140 --> 00:03:57,546 She marched over to the trainer as Vinnie and Mei-Li walked on. 58 00:03:57,547 --> 00:04:02,212 "You shouldn't hurt your animals," said Mandy. 59 00:04:02,213 --> 00:04:06,274 "Mind your own business!" yelled the trainer. 60 00:04:06,275 --> 00:04:11,068 He put the monkey in a cage and walked off. 61 00:04:11,069 --> 00:04:17,014 Vinnie and Mei-Li were already out of sight, walking toward the market. 62 00:04:17,015 --> 00:04:22,602 "Poor thing," said Mandy, as she walked over to the cage. 63 00:04:22,603 --> 00:04:26,548 "Don't worry, I'll save you." 64 00:04:26,549 --> 00:04:29,484 Mandy opened the cage. 65 00:04:29,485 --> 00:04:34,213 The monkey jumped out and ran across the square. 66 00:04:34,214 --> 00:04:43,000 "Wait! Come back!" Mandy shouted.