Po came to the quarters of the blue dress girls accompanied by an unusually agitated senior eunuch. O-hu’s own position was in jeopardy. Should it be proven that one of the girls in his care had been indiscreet, the eunuch would be flogged and demoted and would suffer permanent disgrace.
Unannounced, Secretary Po pushed aside the curtained entrance to She-she’s room and with O-hu in his wake, entered to find her and Kau-lin seated on the carpet playing a game of chess.
‘Stand up in the presence of Secretary Po!’
O-hu barked the order even though the two girls were already rising to bow to their visitor.
‘Which of you is She-she?’ In asking the question Secretary Po made no attempt to hide the distaste he felt at having to question blue dress girls. He considered them to be prostitutes. Whores kept by his uncle for the gratification of the Fan Qui.
‘I am She-she.’
Secretary Po looked at the neat young girl, but did not allow her beauty to diminish his contempt. ‘You were with Trader Courtice when he died?’
She-she shuddered as the secretary’s words brought back the events of that night.
‘Answer Secretary Po when he speaks to you!’ O-hu’s voice rose to new heights.
She-she nodded.
‘And who have you told of what happened here in this room?’
‘Only Li Hung. Who else is there to tell? There have been no traders since that night and we see no one else.’
Behind the secretary’s back O-hu nodded his approval of her words. He had already informed both Li Hung and Secretary Po that the blue dress girls had spoken to no one outside the Hoppo’s house. Since the death of Trader Courtice all Fan Qui traders and merchants had been kept away.
‘You’ll not find the one you seek here.’
Kau-lin spoke the words nonchalantly, seemingly unimpressed by the importance of the visitor to the quarters of the blue dress girls.
‘Silence! You will speak only if Secretary Po addresses you.’ O-hu squeaked his displeasure once more.
Irritably, Secretary Po waved the eunuch to silence. ‘If this girl has something to say on this matter I wish to hear it. What is your name?’
‘Kau-lin. The one you seek, the girl who told of the death of Trader Courtice, is no longer here. She left almost a week ago. You’re too late.’
Secretary Po frowned. ‘Your words make no sense to me. Explain what you know.’
‘I know nothing, but it isn’t hard to work out who passed on details of the Fan Qui’s death. It was Che’eng. She had entertained the Trader Courtice for as long as she had been a blue dress girl, yet the night he died he was brought to She-she’s room. The next day Che’eng was sent to a flower-boat. She lost much face and would have gone away from this house with no love for Li Hung in her heart. I have no doubt she enjoys repeating the story to all who have time to listen — and it will lose nothing with each telling.’
Secretary Po swung around to confront O-hu. ‘Is what the girl says true?’
A glimmer of swiftly disguised smugness was visible in O-hu’s eyes before he bowed his head. ‘It is true, Honourable Secretary. The order to send Che’eng to the flower-boats was signed by yourself. I was pleased to carry out Your Excellency’s orders as swiftly as possible. Che’eng was sold to Ah King, owner of the flower-boats, the day after the death of Trader Courtice.’
There was an embarrassed silence after O-hu had spoken. This information placed Po in a difficult situation. Selling ageing blue dress girls to the flower-boat owner had been his own idea. Originally he had intended carrying out such transactions without Li Hung’s knowledge, or approval. In view of the outcome it was fortunate that fear of what the Hoppo would do if he found out had outweighed the prospect of immediate monetary gain. Nevertheless, Li Hung would not forget it had been his secretary’s idea. Po would be held responsible for the ex-blue dress girl’s indiscretions. Action would need to be taken – and quickly.
‘Come, O-hu. I have work for you to arrange.’
‘You do not wish to speak to any of the other girls?’
‘Kau-lin has told me all I wish to know. I need waste no more time here. You should have thought of this Che’eng yourself. It would have saved me much time, and Li Hung a great deal of trouble.’
When Secretary Po and O-hu left the room, the two girls returned to their game, but She-she found it difficult to concentrate now.
‘Poor Che’eng. She must be very unhappy.’
‘Don’t waste your pity on her. She didn’t care about the trouble her loose tongue would cause us – you in particular.’
‘All the same … What do you think will happen to her?’
Kau-lin looked at She-she sharply, uncertain whether or not the question was a serious one. Deciding that it was, her reply took the form of a gesture, one finger tracing a line across her throat.
‘You don’t really believe they’ll kill her? Not without finding out for sure first?’
‘What else can they do with her? Her words might already have cost Li Hung his post as Hoppo of Canton. She can’t be allowed to stay around to prove the stories are more than mere rumours.’
‘You knew this and yet told Secretary Po about her?’
‘Would you rather we all suffered torture because we could not tell Secretary Po something we do not know?’
‘What about me? I know the truth of the Fan Qui’s death better than anyone.’
It was clear the thought had not crossed Kau-lin’s usually quick mind. She frowned, then her expression suddenly cleared. ‘They know you wouldn’t say anything. You’re not like Che’eng.’
Kau-lin’s confident assertion did nothing to allay She-she’s fears. Li Hung was a very powerful man, with much to lose. He would not hesitate to dispose of another blue dress girl if he believed she posed a threat to him – and he had a like-thinking henchman in his nephew, Secretary Po.
She-she would have been even more concerned had she been aware of the stir Trader Courtice’s mysterious death was causing among the European traders in Canton. More serious for Li Hung, a garbled version of the story had also reached the nearby British colony of Hong Kong. The missionaries here, ever eager to castigate the low morals of the traders, had called for an investigation to be instigated immediately by the colony’s governor.
Such a clamour suited the immediate purposes of Governor Sir John Bowring, but for other reasons. In a stern letter to Viceroy Yeh, head of the Chinese province of Kwangtung, in which Canton was situated, he demanded a full explanation of the death of Trader Courtice.
On such occasions it was customary for the Chinese authorities to prevaricate. A reply would be delayed in the hope that the incident in question would fade into insignificance – unless the tone of British reminders suggested their exasperation might no longer be contained.
Surprisingly, the reply to the Hong Kong governor’s letter was swift – and brief to the point of political rudeness.
‘His Excellency the Provincial Viceroy can accept no responsibility for the death of a foreign trader on Chinese soil. He would point out that no evidence has been offered by the British authorities to suggest either violence or foul play. The body was returned to the British enclave at Canton with all speed and they will no doubt have ascertained that the trader’s death was due to natural causes. I repeat, therefore, that this is not a matter for official Chinese concern. If foreigners do not wish to die on Chinese soil the remedy is surely apparent to all.’
The insulting tone of the last paragraph of Viceroy Yeh’s letter proved to be the final straw for the Hong Kong governor. Announcing that he was sending two top diplomats to Canton to investigate the matter, he demanded that Viceroy Yeh afford them every facility to carry out their inquiries.
The request received an equally swift and categorical refusal from the Chinese Viceroy. The diplomats would not be welcome. There would be no investigation.
Governor Bowring had not fully recovered from a bout of malaria and he appeared
tired and gaunt as he read the correspondence aloud to a gathering of senior British staff and naval and army officers, assembled in his office, called there by special messengers.
‘Well, gentlemen, there you have it. It would seem Viceroy Yeh is determined we shall not learn the truth of poor Mister Courtice’s mysterious death. May I have your views, please?’
Admiral Sir Michael Seymour responded immediately. ‘I think it’s high time Viceroy Yeh was taught a lesson. He’s been thumbing his nose at the British government, not to mention the French and Americans, for far too long.’
His words brought murmurs of agreement from the others in the room. Loudest of all were the naval and military men, but it was to a churchman, the Reverend Michael Porrett, that the governor turned.
Reverend Porrett had been appointed by the Bishop of Hong Kong with special responsibilities for all the missionaries. Currently restricted to only a few areas, they were straining at the leash to enter China as soon as the treaties could be clarified.
‘What are your views, Michael? If we begin a military operation your missionaries are likely to be in some danger. What do you think?’
‘Since the recent execution of a French Catholic missionary I have anticipated military action in some form or another. I sent out orders recalling the missionaries. Most refuse to forsake their stations and those who rely upon them. Many of them are outside my jurisdiction, of course. However, they are all well aware of the risks of their calling. They are prepared to accept them in the Lord’s name.’
‘Send them another warning – and couch it in the strongest possible terms. I want them to be in no doubt of the risks they are running – and I want you to inform them the Church is not looking for martyrs. There will be no troops available to save their skins when action is taken.’
‘Does this mean you’ve made up your mind to teach Yeh the lesson he so richly deserves, Governor?’ Admiral Sir Michael Seymour’s voice betrayed the eagerness he felt at the prospect of impending action.
Governor Bowring sighed and shook his aching head wearily. ‘I have no alternative. As you know, there has been a virtual state of war between Britain and China since the misunderstandings of last year. If I allow Yeh’s arrogance and contemptuous attitude to go unchecked now, the situation for the European in China will be quite impossible. I need to consult with my French and American colleagues, of course. But yes, gentlemen, I intend taking punitive action against the Chinese on behalf of Her Majesty’s government.’
Chapter 5
AN INVITATION TO have dinner with Viceroy Yeh was a great honour indeed, but Li Hung entered the palace of the provincial governor with a feeling of deepening apprehension. Yeh was not a man who entertained because he enjoyed meeting people. The Viceroy must have a reason for issuing the invitation – and Hoppo Li believed he knew what it was.
The evening went much as Li Hung had anticipated. Over dinner Yeh passed on the latest information obtained by the Viceroy’s spies in Hong Kong. The news was alarming. The British and French, with the tacit approval of the Americans, were gathering a fleet with the intention of blockading the approaches to Canton, and preventing any movement of Chinese shipping.
Li Hung had known for some time that something must be seriously wrong. Not a single European ship had come upriver to Canton for more than a week. It was a certain indication that a hostile act was planned. Yet he could not believe the Fan Qui nations would carry out hostile actions on such a scale. It was inconceivable that the natural death of one Fan Qui trader should trigger off acts of blatant aggression against a nation such as China.
Viceroy Yeh shrugged off Li Hung’s incredulity. This particular incident was far less serious than others that had gone before. The truth was that the British and French had for some time been seeking an excuse to use their might against China in a bid to gain more trading concessions. If it had not been the death of Trader Courtice it would have been something else.
However, Viceroy Yeh had a warning for his Hoppo.
‘As you are aware, I find the arrogant attitude of the Fan Qui distasteful. I am convinced they are encouraging and supporting the Taipings, the long-haired rebels who are causing so much trouble in the north-east of my province, and who threaten the peace of China itself. It will give me much pleasure to inflict defeat upon the Fan Qui in battle, especially the arrogant British.
‘Yet it would be unwise to underestimate the fighting capabilities of any enemy. It is possible that in the early days of battle our own army will suffer reverses. Should these occur it will be necessary for me to assure our esteemed Emperor that the war has been sought by the Fan Qui, without any justification. I have informed the British that their trader died in a natural manner whilst returning to his ship after a business discussion with you. There is, therefore, no reason for there to be an inquiry. My report to the Emperor repeated this view. You will ensure that should Fan Qui armies march on Canton, they will find no one to contradict my words. I trust I make myself perfectly clear, Hoppo Li Hung?’
Li Hung acted upon the Viceroy’s warning without delay. Less than forty-eight hours later She-she and the other blue dress girls, together with O-hu and four lesser eunuchs, were en route for the home of Li Hung’s brother, a powerful District Magistrate at Foochow, in the province of Fukien, a few hundred miles along the coast to the north.
It would have been far too much of a threat to Li Hung’s future career to have kept the girls at Canton with the French and British threatening a hostile move against the Chinese trading port. However, Li Hung had no intention of disposing of them altogether. They had proved their worth in his dealings with Fan Qui traders and merchants in the past. They would do so again when the latest political storm had blown over.
For She-she, the move came as a tremendous relief. Unaware of the strained relations between the Fan Qui and the Chinese, she had dreaded each new night, fearing that another repulsive and hairy Fan Qui would be brought to her bed.
Standing on deck with Kau-lin, She-she breathed in the air of the great river. She was a fisherman’s daughter, more at home on the water than she would ever be in the household of Li Hung. She felt a contentment she had not known for many weeks. Even the movement of the deck beneath her feet was comforting as the vessel was caught in the wake of a passing, multi-oared war junk.
She-she automatically shifted position to maintain her balance. The sailors on board the war junk shouted across the water, but there was a stiffish breeze blowing. It was impossible to tell whether they were attempting to impart information, or merely calling out to the two girls, conspicuous on deck in their blue dresses. Kau-lin did not share She-she’s love of the water. Maintaining her footing with great difficulty, she announced her intention of joining the other blue dress girls below deck.
‘You’ll feel much better staying up here in the air,’ declared She-she, sympathetically. ‘The movement will be much worse down in the hold, with nothing to take your mind off the way you feel.’
Kau-lin groaned, ‘I could feel really ill right now if I thought about it too much. All right, I’ll stay with you – but only if you stop being so cheerful.’
She-she smiled as the junk changed direction to avoid one of the many islands that made navigation on the river dangerous.
‘Remain on deck until we pass those forts up ahead. It looks as though we’ll be in the estuary soon afterwards. I’ll come below with you then.’
The Bogue forts guarded the entrance to the river where it was about two miles wide from bank to bank. Low and menacing, the forts had cannon capable of reaching any enemy ship attempting to force its way upriver to Canton.
One of them boomed out as the Hoppo’s junk passed by, but this was not a shot fired in anger. It was a salute to the scarlet and gold pennant flying from the junk’s mast, proclaiming that the vessel was employed in Imperial service.
Other, less friendly eyes witnessed the salute. On board H.M.S. Sans Pareil, an eighty-four gun man-o’-war hove-to on
the seaward side of the forts, seventeen-year-old Second Lieutenant Kernow Keats of the Royal Marines had a telescope to his eye and watched the gesture of courtesy with great interest.
Turning to the captain of the Sans Pareil, he said excitedly, ‘The forts are keeping a sharp look out, sir. They’ve just fired a salute to a junk flying an Imperial pennant.’
Without saying a word Captain Hamlyn took the telescope from the young marine and put it to his own eye. Skilfully adjusting the eye-piece, he spent some minutes studying the junk.
‘Hmm! It’s not a fighting junk, Mister Keats. The only armament appears to be a small cannon on the upper deck. It’s possibly an Imperial despatch boat. We’ll close on it and you can take a boarding-party to search the vessel. You might find something of interest to us.’
‘Thank you, sir! I’ll go and organise the boarding-party straight away.’
Excitedly, Second Lieutenant Keats clattered down the ladder to the first gun deck, heading for the armoury. Behind him a Royal Marine drummer began to beat out the call for ‘Action Stations’.
As the sound of the drum beat echoed through every deck, seamen dropped whatever they were doing and ran to their allotted battle stations. Gun ports sited along the black-painted bands on each side of the ship like tenement windows were hooked open. For a while the sea-going sounds of creaking spars and timbers were lost amidst the cries and shouts of gun-crews, each toiling for the honour of being first to report their cannon ready for action.
By the time Kernow returned to the deck with a boarding-party of ten Royal Marines, the Sans Pareil was fully ready for any action that might take place. A pinnace for the boarding-party, manned by canvas-jacketed sailors, was suspended over the ship’s side. As the marines took their places in the centre of the boat, the Sans Pareil drew level with the junk and a warning shot rang out, fired across the bows of the Chinese vessel. At the same time a shout went up for the pinnace to be lowered into the water.
The Blue Dress Girl Page 3