The Opium Lord's Daughter

by Robert Wang

  Su-Mei looked stricken. “Da Ping stay soja. My ony famalee! I no leave go Engand not with he.”

  Higgins sighed. The possibility that Su-Mei might refuse to leave without her brother had occurred to him, but he had preferred not to think about it. “Well, while we plan what to do next, we must find a place to stay.” One with a bed, he thought, and then was ashamed of his priorities.

  When they had finished eating, Su-Mei went to find Wen Jing. “Master Wen, thank you again for letting me help you! I hope I didn’t get you into trouble. All the hard work and cuts were worth it to see my brother. And you were right about General Kwan.” Wen grunted and bowed his head, a little embarrassed by her gratitude. “And now I would like to stay in Fu-Moon for a little while so I can visit him again when he has leave. Do you know of any place I can stay that won’t cost very much?”

  Master Wen thought for a moment. “I do know a cottage you could rent, but it’s a little distance from town. Will you mind the long walk?”

  “I won’t mind the walk so much if the rent is affordable.” Inwardly, Su-Mei was thrilled. The farther from town they were, the safer they would be.

  “My cousin owns the cottage. He moved to Canton and hasn’t been able to rent it out because it’s so far from town. He asked me to take care of it and try to find a tenant. That means you, young lady, will have to negotiate the rent with me!” He grinned and winked. He liked the idea of keeping San San around as his apprentice.

  “Oh, thank you, Master Wen! How many blades will I have to sharpen to pay my rent?” Su-Mei grinned back.

  “What about this, young San San? I will bring you knives to be sharpened when I need extra help, and I will pay you a fair price for your labor, which you can apply to the rent. But if I don’t have work for you, then you can pay me, say, fifty copper coins a month?”

  “That is a fair deal! Thank you, master.” Su-Mei gave Wen Jing a courteous bow. “When may I see this cottage?”

  “I am nearly finished here,” he said. “I can take you now.”

  Higgins stayed in Fu-Moon at the Buddhist temple, keeping an eye on their wheelbarrow of silver, until Su-Mei returned. He was beginning to worry about reporting back to Captain Robertson. The winds wouldn’t hold for much longer, and if the ship didn’t sail soon, they would all be stuck outside Canton for months, possibly in the middle of a naval battle, and many British merchants would miss their shipments of Chinese goods. He hoped his and Su-Mei’s descriptions of the fort’s defenses would be enough to appease Chief Superintendent Elliot.

  The house was perfect. It was about an hour’s walk from Fu-Moon, very comfortable and very secluded. Su-Mei walked back as fast as she could to tell Higgins the good news.

  “Oh, Tavis, house good! We stay Fu-Moon, safe. Far away town.”

  Higgins smiled, happy to forget about the Scaleby Castle and his duties for a time. “Excellent news! When can we go there?”

  “Soon. Long walk.” Su-Mei was more grateful than ever for her strong, uncrippled feet. Her blisters were starting to heal and form hard calluses, and she found she enjoyed taking long walks, especially with Higgins by her side. They bought fresh vegetables, dried meat, rice, and some other supplies, loaded them into the wheelbarrow, and began the long trek to the house.

  This silver isn’t getting any lighter, Higgins thought. But it was a fine, clear evening, and he was strolling through farmland with his beloved by his side, so he soon forgot about the aches in his shoulders and thighs.

  “My darling, you know I can’t stay in Fu-Moon very much longer,” said Higgins the next morning after a lengthy and relaxed breakfast. “Do you think you will be safe alone here?”

  Su-Mei frowned. Alone? Higgins is leaving me? “Why you no stay, Tavas?”

  “You know I would like nothing better than to stay here with you, but I must report back to the ship.” He paused, trying to choose the best words. “And then I must sail for England, so if you will not come with me now, I’m afraid you must stay here until I can return for you, and I don’t know when that will be. It will most likely take a year, and that’s if there isn’t a great bloody row between my country and yours and China refuses to let us back in.” Change your mind, he willed her silently. Leave your brother to his general and cannons.

  Su-Mei’s eyes filled with tears. She couldn’t choose between the man she loved and her little brother. Could she? “I no leave Da Ping now.”

  Higgins sighed. “I understand, dearest, but I must go, with or without you.”

  “You no come back,” she said softly, turning her head away. “We no mally.”

  “Of course I will come back! Dearest love, I will come back for you as soon as ever I can. I promise you, on my honor, that I will return, and we will be married. I’d marry you today if you’d allow it. I love you! You have my heart, my darling girl.”

  Su-Mei buried her face in Higgins’s shoulder, weeping at the idea of long months without him but also savoring the sweet words of love. “When you must go ship?”

  “In two days’ time. If I wait any longer, I’ll be in trouble!” He caressed her back gently.

  “You come back,” murmured Su-Mei. “I waiting here.”

  They spent the next two days happily nesting in the house outside Fu-Moon, the cottage where no one ever came, which was quite all right with the two lovers. Master Wen Jing had no need for his apprentice with the lily-white hands of a lady, so their time was their own.

  On the third day, Su-Mei took Higgins to the waterfront and paid four taels of silver—three times the usual price—for a chop boat to bring him directly to the Scaleby Castle, lying at anchor in the Bogue. They had already said their goodbyes before leaving the house, and now there was nothing left to say and it was time to part. Tears blurred Su-Mei’s eyes as she watched the chop boat carrying the person she loved most in the world slip away from Fu-Moon and disappear into the morning fog.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Macau, 1839

  “Sister Maria! What are you still doing here?” Mother Amanda halted abruptly, blocking the hallway.

  Pai Chu, her mind fuzzy from lack of sleep, stared at Mother Amanda.

  “I saw Sister Su-Mei leave. Why did you not go with her to Canton? How is she getting there?”

  “Mother Amanda, she went with the Englishman, Mr. Higgins. I tried to convince her not to go, but she insisted. She wouldn’t let me go with her because Mr. Higgins told her that the captain of the ship only allowed one extra passenger. I am convinced he was lying to her, and I believe he will take advantage of her. I am so worried! I pray for her safety every night.”

  “I will pray as well,” said Mother Amanda. “God will guide her to her family if she is meant to find them.”

  Pai Chu saw her opportunity and took it. “Mother Amanda, I am so worried about Sister Su-Mei, and I fear she will not be safe with this Englishman. May I have permission to go to Canton? She will need all the help she can get.”

  “You have never been to Canton, my child—how will you find her, and how could you help?”

  “God will guide me, Mother Amanda. I know I will find Sister Su-Mei if you let me go,” Pai Chu pleaded.

  Mother Amanda gazed at the novice before her, weighing her decision. “I believe it was God’s design that brought you and Sister Su-Mei together. Therefore, I must believe that the two of you are instruments of his will. Yes, Sister Maria, you must go to Canton and find Sister Su-Mei. Help her stay out of trouble until the authorities lose interest in her and her family. If it is still dangerous for her in Canton, then bring her back here. I know that you know how to take care of yourself. All the same, I will give you the names of some friends of the church who will offer you a place to stay and help you with your inquiries.”

  Mother Amanda gave Pai Chu ten taels of silver and accompanied her to the waterfront, where she rented a chop boat to take her to Canton. Pai Chu prayed for guidance to find Su-Mei, and that was the best plan she had. Her mind, ordinarily so sharp and c
lear, was clouded with love and with the constant pain in her stomach. Heavenly Father, she prayed, let me find my dearest Su-Mei and bring her back to the convent, where I can keep her safe. Protect both your servants from the wicked foreign devils who would do us harm.

  The chop boat let her off at the docks, not far from the foreigners’ factories. Pai Chu could feel the tension in the air as soon as she stepped on land. Unlike Macau, there were no Westerners roaming around. She stopped at a street stall to buy some tea. “Where are all the foreigners?” she asked as she paid.

  “Where have you been, young lady?” asked the old man. “Haven’t you heard about the crackdown on opium and how Special Emissary Lin is finally getting rid of the poison?” He spat into the street.

  “No, sir, I’m from Macau. I’ve only heard rumors of what happened. Can you fill me in?”

  The street was quiet, and the tea seller had no other customers at the moment. “Well, you heard about Special Emissary Lin Tse-Hsu, sent by our Celestial Emperor, yes? He is not afraid of the foreign devils, and, more importantly, he’s not corrupt. He’s been cracking down on opium! He’s executed many criminals involved with it and arrested as many people as he can find who are in the trade—even the pipe makers are in jail!”

  Pai Chu nodded and smiled. “Opium is an evil drug. Special Emissary Lin is a good man,” she said to keep him going.

  “Did you know that he arrested the biggest opium dealer in Canton? Executed him and his family right there near the foreign devils’ factory compound!”

  Pau Chi gasped.

  “Yes, everyone was shocked because this dealer happened to be Lee Shao Lin, the son of our most noble and loyal guan, Lee Man Ho, who served our kingdom so honorably. It’s a blessing that he died suddenly in Peking. It saved him the shame of being executed too for his son’s crimes. Their ancestors must be so angry—the family name is now completely ruined!”

  Panicking, Pai Chu interrupted. “You say the entire family of Lee Shao Lin was executed?”

  “Yes, young lady, right there in the square facing the foreign devils’ factory.” He gestured in the direction of the compound. “I was there—everyone in the city was there. The heads of Lee Shao Lin, his wife and concubines, and the concubines’ children were chopped right off and rolled across the square.”

  “Didn’t Lee Shao Lin have children with his Number One Wife?” Pai Chu asked, trying to sound as though she was just making conversation. “A daughter, I heard, right?”

  “Yes, he did—a daughter and a son,” replied the old man. “They’re still looking for them, and there’s a reward for anyone who has information on their whereabouts. Why? Do you know anything? Tell me! We can share the reward.”

  “Oh, no, sir. Sorry, I don’t know anything. I just heard rumors that he had other children. You know how people like to gossip.”

  “Well, keep your ears open in case you hear anything useful,” the man suggested. “More tea, miss?”

  “No, thank you. I must be going. And thank you for the information!”

  Pai Chu hurried away before the smile of relief broke out across her face. Su-Mei was still alive! And the authorities didn’t know where she was. I must start at the factories, she decided. She rarely spoke with Westerners if she could help it. She was confident that most of them, if not all, were bad people. She hated sailors most of all because of what had happened to her mother, and now another sailor was doing his best to deceive the only person she loved. Maybe Higgins took Su-Mei to the factories so he could feel safe among his own people.

  Charles Elliot was standing on the balcony scanning the horizon with his binoculars when a voice from below interrupted him. “Sir, may I speak with you? It is a matter of utmost urgency!”

  He glanced down and saw a Chinese woman looking up at him expectantly. Well, well, a Chinese who can speak proper English. Out loud, he answered her. “Please wait a moment, miss. I’ll be down directly.” Still carrying the binoculars, he trotted down the stairs and strode to the gates, intrigued. Who is this woman? Who sent her here?

  “Sir, my name is Sister Maria, and I am from St. Anthony’s Church in Macau.”

  “Ah, yes, I know Mother Amanda.” He nodded at the guard, who opened the gate. “Please enter, Sister Maria. I am Chief Superintendent Charles Elliot. May I offer you some tea upstairs?”

  Pai Chu whispered a brief prayer of thanks. “Thank you, no, Chief Superintendent Elliot.” She followed him up the stairs and took a seat in front of a massive teak desk in his office.

  Elliot seated himself across from her. “And how may I be of service, Sister Maria? What brings you to Canton?”

  “Sir, Mother Amanda sent me here to look for Sister Su-Mei, the daughter of Lee Shao Lin. She left for Canton in the company of a British sailor, a Mr. Higgins, and has not returned. We are concerned for her safety.”

  “Travers Higgins is the name, Sister Maria. Yes, he and Miss Lee were here just a few days ago, but they are not here anymore.”

  “Can you tell me where they went?”

  “They went to look for the lady’s brother, who is apparently stationed in Fu-Moon.”

  “Fu-Moon? Where is that?”

  “It’s a fort at the mouth of the Pearl River, about fifty miles away. I suppose you’ll be on your way there next?”

  “Yes, sir, I must find them,” Pai Chu said. “Might you be able to tell me the best way?”

  “I might, young lady, and I will. You can get there by land or by water, but the river is faster. Either way, you won’t get there today. I’ll have someone escort you to the docks in the morning.” He smiled and folded his hands together. “You are most welcome to stay here tonight as Her Majesty’s guest. We have plenty of comfortable rooms.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Elliot. I appreciate your kind hospitality.” So far, her search for Su-Mei was going much better than she’d anticipated. God must be guiding me, she thought.

  “If I may ask, how did you learn to speak such excellent English, Sister Maria?”

  “I was raised in the orphanage,” replied Pai Chu. “Mother Amanda has been a wonderful teacher to me.”

  “And your parents? If I am not mistaken, you are of European extraction.”

  “My mother was raped by a British sailor,” said Pai Chu flatly. “I am the result of that assault. Are there any more questions you’d like to ask me, sir?”

  Elliot coughed and his already red face turned purple. “My most profound apologies, Sister. I meant no offense, truly.”

  Pai Chu, once again distracted by the pain, realized with horror what she had just said. “No, it is I who must apologize, sir. Please forgive me for my outburst! And after you’ve been so kind and helpful!”

  “Don’t give it another thought, I beg you, my dear.” Elliot steered the conversation in a different direction, fearing the young nun might burst into tears. “May I ask who is Miss Lee to you and Mother Amanda?”

  “She is my best friend, sir, and Mother Amanda is very fond of her as well. She is a recent convert to our faith and her favorite pupil.” Pai Chu felt her mood improve and her pain fade just by talking about Su-Mei.

  “I see, and Mr. Higgins? Where does he fit into the picture?”

  “Sister Su-Mei taught Mr. Higgins some Chinese, although he didn’t learn very much. It is more accurate to say that Sister Su-Mei improved her English by conversing with Mr. Higgins while he was on shore leave in Macau.” Pai Chu sat up a little straighter. “She first studied English with me.”

  “Well, I’ve heard of worse ways to meet one’s wife.” Elliot chuckled. “Sister Maria, it has been my sincere pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope we may dine together this evening. I expect you’ll have little trouble finding your friend and Mr. Higgins; Fu-Moon is a small place. When you do, kindly tell Mr. Higgins to report back to his ship immediately. Captain Robertson has half a mind to charge him with desertion.”

  “Yes, sir, I will tell him that,” she said, hoping secretly that Higgins would b
e tossed into prison forever. “And thank you again for your assistance and for your kind offer of dinner, but I am fasting as an act of devotion to the Virgin.” This had become her favorite excuse to avoid eating—and possibly vomiting—in front of other people. “Perhaps you would be so kind as to show me where I am to sleep tonight? I have had a long day of travel, and I would like to rest and perform some spiritual exercises.”

  “God!” Pai Chu screamed, flinging her rosary against the wall. She felt poisoned with rage and knew she would never sleep that night. Wife? Did he really say “wife”? That beast of a foreigner was forcing Su-Mei to marry him! The thought of him spending all that time with Su-Mei, almost certainly unchaperoned, made her feel helpless, angry, and jealous at once. I will kill that foreign devil if he dares touch my Su-Mei, Pai Chu swore to herself.

  Fu-Moon was a dirty little town along a dirty river, and Pai Chu was heartsick at the sight of it. She had arrived in Canton full of hope despite the difficulty of locating Su-Mei in a big city. Now, in this small place, she felt utterly dejected. She had no idea where to find Su-Mei or this brother of hers. A helpful woman with a cart full of vegetables for sale pointed her in the direction of the fort, and waiting outside on the chance that Su-Mei might visit her brother seemed like the best option. It would be the easiest, anyway, and Pai Chu was exhausted.

  Please, God, send Su-Mei here to me, she prayed. Let me protect her and take her away from this dreary place.

  She passed the time sitting on a low stone wall, watching the soldiers through the bars of the gate and wondering which one was Su-Mei’s brother, and if being a soldier in the army was anything like being a novice or a nun in a religious order. Did the soldiers feel comforted by their purpose and the structure in their lives? Did they look forward to fighting and dying for their homeland? Or were they, as she suspected, a lot of frightened, uneducated farm boys who had only joined up to get regular meals and a roof over their heads?

  Night came, and Su-Mei did not. Pai Chu rented the cheapest room at the only inn in Fu-Moon and stayed up most of the night praying and trying to ignore the pain in her chest.