Ho Ti

"Who is this small stranger before me?! Everyone knows Ho Ti, ancient Emperor of the Han Dynasty! I am all-knowing and all-powerful!"

- Ho Ti

 (漢和帝, which can be written as Han Ho-ti, stylized in-game as simply Ho Ti) was the emperor of the from 88 to 106 AD. He took the throne at the age of nine after his father,, died. Though the dynasty began to destabilize during his reign, it was also home to scientific innovations, most notably the creation of modern paper by Ts'ai Lun in 105, who worked under the emperor as a. In Mario's Time Machine, Ho Ti meets Mario after the latter travels back in time to return a Bamboo stolen from Ts'ai Lun by Bowser.

Mario's Time Machine
In Mario's Time Machine, Ho Ti was living at his palace in Luoyang when Mario travels back in time, and the two happen to meet. Mario firsts complements the emperor's throne and asks him who he is, and Ho Ti pompously declares himself to be the emperor of the Han dynasty. Mario asks him if Ts'ai Lun is in the palace, and Ho Ti replies that while he is here, he cannot allow Mario to talk to him. He says that in 97, Ts'ai Lun showed him how to produce weapons never before seen, and Ho Ti rewarded him by giving him his current position as well as his own house (although this actually occurred in 89), meaning that he could never be swayed by any of Mario's supposed offers. He then mentions that Ts'ai Lun is starting to make paper, and when Mario asks him if he has any paper, he says that he only has some paper money. He is willing to give it to Mario only if he finds a way of entertaining him. Mario then gives him a Firecracker and, suitably pleased with the gift, he gives Mario some Money. Mario proceeds to asks him where Ts'ai Lun lives, and Ho Ti tells him that he has a house with a fish pond in (written in-game as "Lei Yang"). Mario tries to ask him if he pays Ts'ai Lun well, but Ho Ti refuses to continue the conversation until he receives further entertainment. Mario then gives him a Scroll, and Ho Ti takes it while commenting that an emperor should only read silk scrolls like the one Mario gave him. They then continue talking about Ts'ai Lun's salary, with Ho Ti saying that he "accepts the rents for 300 houses". Mario attempts to ask him again where Ts'ai Lun is, but Ho Ti ends the conversation there, declaring that Mario cannot find Ts'ai Lun and warning him not to cross his path.