“You said the girl wouldn’t marry you,” Inspector Gong said. “Did that make you angry?”
“No,” Wang said. “Not really. Disappointed, maybe. But life for legation Chinese is different. Outside the legation, she was already very old to not be married. But for us who work in legation, the money is very good, and the employment can last many years. It is common for girls to wait, especially if the family needs the money.”
“She wouldn’t get married even if she was pregnant?” Inspector Gong asked.
Wang looked up at him with confusion on his face. Inspector Gong waited for what he said to sink in.
“Weilin…” he started to say. “She was not…she could not be with a child.”
“Why not?”
The boy grew red-faced. “We…she did not want to…we didn’t…”
“You didn’t have sex with her?” Inspector Gong asked plainly.
Wang lowered his head and shook it.
“Why not?” Inspector Gong asked. “Don’t you know how?”
“Of course I do!” Wang yelled. “But she said she couldn’t risk it. All the girls, if they get pregnant, they get kicked out.”
“But Weilin was pregnant,” Inspector Gong said. “Who was the father if it wasn’t you?”
Wang dropped his head again and started to cry. “How could she? I don’t know! I love her. I was good to her. We wanted a future, a family. Here!” He pulled open his shirt. He was wearing another one underneath, and another one.
“Why are you wearing so much?” Inspector Gong asked him.
“Less to carry this way,” Wang admitted. “I was ready to run before you showed up. I knew you would come for me since she was my girl.” He rummaged around in his shirts, and then in his many layers of pants and pulled out a bunch of folded pieces of paper. “Letters from Weilin to me. You will see that we loved each other. I wouldn’t do this. And she wouldn’t be a whore.”
Inspector took the letters and opened one of them. They were written in English.
“Why are they written in English?” Inspector Gong asked.
“To protect her,” Wang explained. “Her parents cannot read English. So this way, if someone found them and tried to tell her parents, they would not know what they said.”
“Is this all of them?” Inspector Gong asked. “I want them all.”
The inspector helped Wang find all the letters hidden about his person. There were dozens. He looked at the letters and pretended he knew what they said, but he would have to ask Lady Li to translate them.
“I’m going to take all of these and read them,” Inspector Gong said. “And then I’m going to come back and question you some more.”
“I hope you do,” Wang said. “I love her. I want to know who hurt her.”
“As do I,” Inspector Gong said. He took the letters and the arrow and left the room, shutting Wang in darkness with only the rats for company.
11
“Eunuch Bai!” Lady Li called from her desk where she was working on the household accounts. He did not respond. “Eunuch Bai!” she called again. Again, he did not respond. “Where is that man?” she grumbled to herself as she put away her pen and nearly stomped across the room.
As she opened the door to her office, she saw a maid walking by. “Where is Eunuch Bai?” she asked the maid.
“I don’t know, my lady,” the maid replied with her head down. “Should I check the kitchens?”
“Yes,” Lady Li said. “And where are my daughters?”
“I saw them in the courtyard with their grandmother,” the maid said. “Should I fetch them for you?”
“No,” Lady Li said. “I’ll get them.”
Lady Li went to the courtyard where she saw Popo sitting in a chair in the sun while her youngest daughter was playing with some flowers.
“Where is First Daughter?” Lady Li asked.
Popo motioned across the yard. “Peeking at the street,” she said.
“Why are you letting her?” Lady Li asked, exasperated. “Does no one follow the rules around here?”
She walked across the yard and saw her eldest daughter standing on a crate by the wall, peeking through the small decorative cutouts to the street.
“Daughter!” Lady Li called. “Come here this instant.”
The girl immediately jumped down and ran to her mother. “I’m sorry, mother,” she said. “But there are so many people outside. What is happening?”
“What?” Lady Li asked. “Where is Eunuch Bai? He would know.”
“I haven’t seen him today,” her daughter said.
Lady Li huffed and walked to the wall, peering through a small window herself. There were many people outside, more than on the day of the girl’s murder, and they were heading toward the legation.
“Death to the White Devils!” she heard someone call.
“Down with the Qing!” another said.
“Make China strong!” others yelled.
Lady Li stepped back and felt her heart racing. This was bad. She wasn’t sure what was causing the people to be upset, but she was beginning to feel afraid. Han nationalism had been gaining ground ever since the last war with the foreigners. Any rebellions against foreigners often spilled over into rebellions against the Manchu as well. Many people considered the Manchu to be just as foreign as the British or Germans were. And in some ways, they were.
The Manchu had invaded China over three hundred years ago. Traditionally, Manchu people were from the steppes north of China and had never been subjected to the Chinese emperors. But when the Manchu saw how weak the Ming had become, they seized their chance and invaded. Emperor Hong Taiji founded the Qing Dynasty and created a two-class system: the Manchu, and everyone else. The Manchu set themselves apart from the Han Chinese people. The Manchu imposed their traditions on the Chinese, such as how they dressed or how local governments were run, but the Han and the Manchu were still very separate people.
The Han Chinese, though, outnumbered the Manchu ten-to-one. It would only be a matter of time before China returned to the Chinese. Every Manchu knew this and feared when that day would come. Every small rebellion was dealt with quickly and severely. Yet the anti-Manchu sentiment continued to grow.
Lady Li stepped away from the wall and grabbed her daughter’s hand as she walked back to Popo.
“Stay away from the wall, do you understand me?” Lady Li ordered.
“Yes, mama,” her daughter said as she sat next to her sister.
Lady Li sat in a chair next to Popo. “Where is Eunuch Bai?” she asked her.
“I don’t know,” Popo said. “He has been quiet for several days. Something is bothering him.”
Lady Li had noticed, and she knew why. Of course, he knew what Lady Li had done with Inspector Gong. After the inspector left that day, Eunuch Bai had not made eye contact with Lady Li or spoken to her directly, and she had been too ashamed to speak to him about anything other than the most necessary of topics.
She had been foolish, reckless. Stupid. She would not be surprised if Eunuch Bai had simply abandoned her. If she ruined her life, there was no sense in him going down with her.
“What will happen?” Popo asked. “If you don’t find out who killed that girl?”
Lady Li shook her head. “I don’t know. Something very terrible could happen. Or it could amount to nothing at all.”
“You, me, Concubine Swan,” Popo said. “Three women, trapped and alone. Should things go badly, we have nowhere to go.”
“Where is Concubine Swan?” Lady Li asked.
Popo glanced toward Concubine Swan’s quarters, but said nothing. Lady Li took it as silent confirmation that she was in her room in an opium cloud. She sighed and decided to worry about that later.
“The empress would always take us in,” Lady Li said.
“Did that keep you safe last time?” Popo asked.
Lady Li shuddered at the memory of having to flee the Summer Palace in the middle of the night.
“W
e need someone to protect us,” Popo said.
“What are you saying?” Lady Li asked. “What do you expect me to do?”
“You need to marry,” Popo said plainly. Lady Li scoffed, but Popo held up her hand. “We need an ally. Someone with a house with stronger walls, or a home outside the city. Or someone with a ship.”
Lady Li’s eyes grew big. “Are you saying we should…leave China?”
“Not now,” Popo said. “But dark days are coming, my girl, and we need protection.”
“You know I can’t marry,” Lady Li said. “What about the girls? What about my reputation?”
“Your first obligation to the girls is to keep them safe, not keep them rich,” Popo said.
“But still,” Lady Li said. “I can’t simply marry someone. The empress would have to approve, and he would have to be of high enough standing…”
“Than ask her,” Popo said. “Ask the empress to find you a husband. I am sure that if the prince would still have you…”
“Oh, Popo,” Lady Li said. “How can you suggest such a thing? You know we were nearly engaged before. Besides, if you want to keep us safe, I don’t think linking us closer to the imperial family is the answer.”
“Then perhaps as far from the imperial family as possible?” Popo asked. “Like that inspector.”
Lady Li snorted a laugh. “You would have me marry a Han? Now I know you have lost your faculties.”
“We are too vulnerable, my girl,” Popo said. “You must…”
“What I must do,” Lady Li said, “is make sure the land in tilled in the spring and the pigs are brought to market on time. So if you will excuse me, I need to find Eunuch Bai.”
Lady Li stood and returned to her study. She could not believe what Popo had just suggested to her. She couldn’t marry. She wouldn’t! She had gone over this a hundred times in her own head. A thousand times! It was why she had taken Inspector Gong as a one-time…two-time lover. He helped her feel human again, helped her feel alive, but that was all. She couldn’t marry, couldn’t risk everything she had. Her daughters’ future.
Why did she feel like everything was closing in around her? Like she would have to soon make a choice, and that it would be the wrong one?
“Mistress?” A maid knocked on her door.
“Yes?” Lady Li asked. “Did you find Eunuch Bai?”
“No, mistress,” the maid replied. “But Inspector Gong is here to see you.”
“You must be joking,” Lady Li replied, rubbing her temple.
“Should I send him in?” the maid asked.
“Yes,” Lady Li replied, “but leave the door open.”
“Yes, mistress,” the maid replied. She was gone but a minute when she returned with Inspector Gong behind her. The maid bowed and then left the room.
The inspector smiled when he saw Lady Li, but he took note of the open door. He looked at Lady Li, but she made no move to close the door.
“Please, have a seat,” she said as she moved to a chair.
“Thank you, Lady Li,” he said.
“Do you have any news?” she asked. “What is happening outside? There are so many angry people.”
“Hasn’t Eunuch Bai kept you informed?” he asked.
“Unfortunately, Eunuch Bai and I are not exactly on speaking terms,” she said.
He gave her a knowing nod. “I am sorry for that,” he said sincerely.
She waved him away. “It’s not your fault. But tell me, what is going on?”
“We found Wang Bolin,” he said. “We arrested him, so of course the Chinese were not happy.”
“Naturally,” Lady Li said. “Has he confessed?”
“Quite the contrary,” he said. “He insists that they were in love and he would never hurt her.”
“Did you tell him about the baby?” Lady Li asked.
“I did,” he said. “He said it wasn’t his. That they had not been together. He says that she and most of the legation girls don’t do such things because a pregnancy would cost them their jobs.”
“And you believe him?” she asked.
“I think so,” he said. “He seemed sincere. But he also gave me these.” He reached into his robe and pulled out a small packet of letters. “He said these are love letters she sent him. But they are in English, so I can’t read them.” He handed her the packet.
Lady Li untied the stack and looked at them. They were in English, but translating hand-written English to Chinese was not something she had much practice with.
“Forgive me,” she said. “But her handwriting is quite small. It will be difficult for me to read.”
“Take your time,” he said. “Should I come back?”
“No,” she said. “Just give me a few minutes. Please have some tea.”
He smiled and nodded as he sipped the tea, and her heart skipped. She willed it to stop. She could not have sentimental feelings for this man. She focused on the letters.
They were love letters. She used words like darling, dearest, and my love throughout. She also spoke of marriage, but in distant terms.
“She does say that she looked forward to being his wife,” Lady Li explained. “But in English, that is an uncertain time. Far in the future.”
She spoke of her parents, and how they were unhappy that she would not be home for Chinese New Year.
“It looks like the families of the legation do not let their Chinese employees celebrate Chinese holidays,” she says. “They must work for Spring Festival. She had to work for Mid-Autumn Festival as well.”
Inspector Gong scoffed. “Do they allow their British servants to celebrate Christmas?” he asked.
“She doesn’t say,” Lady Li said. “But I assume so.”
One letter, though, seemed to take a darker turn.
“She says here that she doesn’t have much time, and that she can’t help but worry. She says, ‘if he comes back, I don’t know how I will survive’.”
“That sounds rather serious,” Inspector Gong said, leaning forward. “Does she say who she is afraid of.”
“No,” Lady Li said, rereading the letter. “No names, and I can’t tell from the context who she is speaking of.”
“But Wang must have known,” he said. “He must have known who she was referencing.”
“You will have to ask him about that,” she said.
“Can you underline that?” Inspector Gong asked. “And write it in Chinese so I can point it out to him later?”
“Yes, of course,” Lady Li said, moving to her desk and her writing instruments.
“Anything else?” he asked.
Lady Li nodded. “She mentions being late to work one morning because she had to send money to someone.”
“Her parents?” Inspector Gong asked.
“I don’t think so,” Lady Li said. “Oh, this one has a name. ‘I was late to work because I sent the last of my money to Jiaolong. My mistress was furious’.”
“So who is Jiaolong?” Inspector Gong asked.
“Another question for Wang, I suppose,” Lady Li said.
“Or her parents,” he said. “If she was sending money to him and not them, they must have known about it.”
“Maybe he is the father,” Lady Li said.
“If he is, then I am surprised she mentioned it in a letter to Wang,” he said. “Mark that name too.”
“Of course,” she said. “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. I think you only have more questions to ask.” She handed him back the letters.
“This is how it goes,” he said. “Ask more and more questions until I get the right answer. You were a great help.”
She smiled at him, and then blushed and turned away. “It was nothing,” she said.
He took her hand and pulled her from her chair.
“Please don’t,” she said as she ripped her hand from his grasp and stepped away. “I can’t…We can’t…You should go.”
The inspector looked to the open door and pressed his lips into a fine line.
“I understand,” he said curtly. “Thank you for your assistance.”
He left the room and slammed the door behind him.
Lady Li sank back into her seat and would not allow herself to cry.
She had done the right thing in sending him away so coldly. Hadn’t she?
12
Inspector Gong left Lady Li’s in a huff. He wasn’t sure why. After all, she had the right to reject him in her own home. She had left the door to her office open as a clear message that she did not want anything personal to happen between them. Yet, her refusal of even his touch hurt. She told him that she wanted him the other day when he took her in her sitting room. She clearly enjoyed it. So why was she being so cold to him now?
Perhaps she was regretting it. Maybe she felt guilty. What if they had been caught? Eunuch Bai certainly knew what happened. What if he had threatened to reveal her? If anyone was threatening her, even her dear eunuch, he would kill whoever it was. Maybe he should go back and tell her that he would protect her, no matter what.
Going to her house twice in one day, and now so late, would not look good. Perhaps he should just send her a note. Would she receive it, though? Eunuch Bai most likely accepted all of the household’s correspondence.
He ran his hand over his forehead in frustration. He had let his emotions get the better of him. He stomped out when he should have stayed. He abandoned her when he should have stood by her side.
He felt trapped. He couldn’t go back now, but he hated that he had to leave her alone. He didn’t know what to do.
It was also too late to locate the Zhao family or go to the Ministry of Justice to interrogate Wang further. He went home. If he rested, perhaps things would be more clear.
When he got home, the family complex was quiet. Since it was autumn, the evenings in Peking were quite cool, so the family did not congregate in the courtyard like usual. But he could see lights and hear laughter and chatter from several of the living quarters. He did not visit with any of them though. He went to his own room and ordered some baijiu and dumplings from a maid. When the maid returned with his food, he considered ordering her to stay with him, but then thought better of it.
The Qing Dynasty Mysteries - Books 1-3 Page 24