Gunpowder Alchemy

by Jeannie Lin

  Realization sparked within me. “The empire has been building ships?”

  “Armored ones like the foreigners have. And cannons and war machines as well. Though most of it is Crown Prince Yizhu’s doing. He has made it his primary pursuit, and his imperial father indulges him.”

  I thought of all the factories that had been set up. The increased production in the mines. Farmers had been dragged from the fields and put to work by imperial decree. Even children were being summoned to labor at a young age. All of this had been done at the whim of a prince who had barely reached manhood?

  Yet Prince Yizhu valued my father’s work while the Emperor had not.

  “The empire wants to take back our ports and expel the foreigners,” Chang-wei explained. “But our own harbors are filled with foreign gunships now. We’ll need a massive fleet to challenge them.

  “Your father began to experiment with a gunpowder formula that was powerful enough to drive these large-scale engines. We have a reserve, but the supply is low and the factories haven’t been able to replicate it successfully.” He leaned closer, dropping to a whisper and speaking rapidly. “Prince Yizhu is not the Emperor’s oldest son, but for now he holds favor. There are many conspirators in the imperial court who wish to see him discredited. If we do not show progress soon, all of our efforts will be for nothing.”

  If Chang-wei only knew what the crown prince’s push for progress had done to us out in the provinces. Forced conscriptions, poor conditions.

  “Do you know there have been two explosions within the factories in our province alone within the last three months?” I asked him. “Nearly twenty people were killed in an accident in Shaoyang. Many others were very badly burned.”

  I hadn’t known at the time that the factories were trying to refine gunpowder. Father had lost his arm in a much smaller accident in his lab. The process was unpredictable and dangerous at best, and deadly when things went wrong.

  At least Chang-wei appeared regretful. “Those deaths were a tragedy. I can only hope further accidents can be prevented.”

  I tried to absorb everything Chang-wei was telling me and was again swept up in a wave of sadness.

  “If the Emperor had only recognized my father’s vision sooner, then you would have everything you needed. Father wouldn’t have had to die.”

  He was close enough that I could see the tiny creases at the corners of his eyes and the tightening of his jaw. A look of sorrow crossed his face. “I know.”

  Both of us fell silent. For a long time now, I had been trying to figure out why my father was sentenced to death. The Emperor had needed someone to take the blame, but why his chief engineer? And Father had gone like a general of some ancient army, falling willingly upon his sword.

  All these years and I still didn’t know the answer.

  “So you’re not trying to arrest Yang?” I ventured.

  “No, we need his help. I just—” He paused and looked over his shoulder at the closed door. “I didn’t think they would involve you.”

  Chen Chang-wei had not been surprised to see me. He seemed to have known who I was the moment I walked in the door. This after never having met, at least not formally.

  “It was no accident that the secret police were in Changsha,” I said accusingly.

  “Miss Jin, you must understand—”

  “The inspector was there looking for me?”

  “Not you specifically.”

  But for my family. For some tie to my father that they could hold over Yang Hanzhu. Inspector Aguda had found me first and decided I was enough leverage for now.

  “I knew I couldn’t trust you,” I muttered. “Any of you.”

  It wouldn’t have been difficult for the secret police to hunt us down. We’d gone to Changsha because our servants had family there. They’d offered shelter out of loyalty. Over time, all but Nan had left and we’d retreated to the village of Linhua because it was more secluded. It had seemed a place where one could forget.

  “You were the one who told the secret police about Yang, weren’t you?” I demanded. “Did you tell them how close he was to our family? That he was one of Father’s most trusted men?”

  Unlike Chen Chang-wei, Yang had remained loyal to Father’s memory. He hadn’t gone back to serve the same men who’d turned on us.

  “I did it only for the sake of the empire,” he said gravely. “This is what Chief engineer Jin would have wanted.”

  He turned his attention back to the puzzle box in front of us and I did the same. It was easier than having to look at him.

  I didn’t want any part of the Emperor’s war. Our family had already sacrificed enough.

  Reaching inside, I pulled on a hidden lever to activate the second sequence, and a series of panels folded open to reveal the inner compartment.

  Chang-wei’s gaze sharpened at sight of the device inside. It was a metal plate fixed with a series of knobs and bolts coiled with wire. He picked it up by the corner, holding it up to the light.

  “Do you know what it is?” My anger was pushed back momentarily by my curiosity. I had wondered for years.

  His brow furrowed. “I don’t have any idea. The empire of Japan has made quite a few advancements in small-scale devices, but we’ve lost all contact with their engineering corps.”

  “I figured it must be broken. It doesn’t do anything.”

  “Perhaps,” he said, absorbed with inspecting the device.

  The door opened, and with a deftness that surprised me, Chang-wei dropped the device down into his sleeve before glancing over his shoulder.

  “Inspector Aguda.”

  He came up behind us, and his black eyes narrowed at the open puzzle box.

  “A Japanese art piece,” Chang-wei declared. “These were highly sought after by collectors several years back.”

  “What was inside?”

  “It was empty.” Chang-wei’s tone betrayed nothing while my heart beat furiously in my chest.

  “Empty?” Aguda echoed in disbelief, but the inspector always sounded skeptical.

  “The box itself is rare and very valuable, though. Most likely Chief Engineer Jin received this treasure from the empire of Japan as a gift.”

  The inspector looked from Chang-wei over to me with one dark eyebrow raised menacingly. I thought of clear blue sky and tried to keep my expression as blank as possible.

  “Have you told Miss Jin of our plan and why it is of the utmost importance that we have her cooperation?” Aguda’s gaze remained fixed onto me as he spoke.

  “It was your plan,” Chang-wei corrected. “I’m not so certain this is the right course of action. Canton is very dangerous, especially the foreign settlement. I would be better able to handle myself if any situation should arise.”

  “Miss Jin is less likely to arouse Yang Hanzhu’s suspicion,” Aguda argued.

  “I must formally object. I won’t have her put in danger.”

  Chang-wei raised his voice for the first time, and even the inspector seemed taken aback. I remained silent through the exchange, confused by what was happening. First Chang-wei had concealed the device from Inspector Aguda, and now he sounded oddly protective.

  Why would he care? Chang-wei wasn’t responsible for me. Our arranged marriage had been dissolved when I was still a child.

  “The crown prince has commanded it,” Aguda declared.

  The two men locked gazes. When neither backed down, I wondered who held the higher rank between them.

  “If I help find Yang Hanzhu—” My voice came out weakly at first, and I cleared my throat before continuing. “If I help the crown prince, will our family name be restored?”

  Chang-wei looked at me in surprise, but the inspector merely appeared annoyed. “It is not your place to make any demands here.”

  “Our family has lived in disgrace for these ei
ght years.” A new fire rose within me, spreading through my veins and giving me strength. “If no one else will speak for my father, then I must.”

  I didn’t care for the Emperor’s war with the foreign invaders. I only cared about my brother’s future and my mother’s well-being. If this was the only chance to help them, then I had to take it.

  “If Prince Yizhu acknowledges my father wasn’t to blame for the defeat and restores his name in the imperial archives, then I’ll do what you ask.”

  “Is there anything else?” Aguda asked dryly.

  I hadn’t realized it was possible to negotiate for more. I swallowed before pressing on. “I want my family returned to Peking,” I said, letting out a breath. Something told me that wasn’t yet enough. “And I want our house restored to us.”

  Inspector Aguda laughed outright. “Maybe you should petition Prince Yizhu yourself, young miss. He might find it amusing that a peasant girl would be so bold.”

  “I am no peasant.” I lifted my chin in defiance. I was tired of casting my gaze downward. “I’m of Manchurian blood, as you are. My ancestors served among the Eight Banners that founded this dynasty.”

  Rather than taking offense, Aguda appeared pleased. “See now, Mister Chen? You can’t say she doesn’t have enough audacity for the task.”

  Chang-wei regarded me with a thoughtful expression. “Yang Hanzhu is known to be a very dangerous man. You must be careful not to trust him.”

  “I’ve always known him to be loyal,” I countered.

  “Why, I thought you didn’t remember him?” Aguda pointed out.

  I ignored his taunt. “What of my conditions?”

  The inspector opened his mouth to retort, but Chang-wei interrupted him.

  “Allow me to speak to Prince Yizhu on your behalf.” His eyes were serious when they met mine. “I will do what I can, for the sake of your family. Your father was a great man who was always kind to me. I consider it my debt to him.”

  I didn’t want to be moved by his words, but I felt a pang of longing nonetheless. My father had been more than kind. Father had promised me, his only daughter, to Chen Chang-wei. He had betrothed us to each other. Though the arrangement was nothing any longer, such bonds could not be so easily forgotten.

  Chen Chang-wei, this stranger who was not quite a stranger to me, was the closest thing I had to an ally. Part of me wanted to trust him. I wanted to believe the man Father had chosen as my husband-to-be was at least worthy.

  I looked to Inspector and then back to Chang-wei. “What do you need me to do?”

  Chapter Six

  That night I stayed in one of the small apartments upstairs. The trading office was apparently a hideout for Prince Yizhu, who had his men stationed throughout the entire building. I was confined to a room, but at least there was a bed for me to sleep upon instead of a tiny berth on a riverboat.

  After a slumber that was full of stops and starts, I awoke to blackness. A light tapping came from outside the door of the chamber, jerking me fully awake. It was early, too early for a visitor. The tapping came again, insistent.

  I felt around for my slippers, then stumbled through the unfamiliar chamber with my hands out in front of me. The chill of the morning nipped at me through the light tunic and trousers I had been given.

  When I finally opened the door, a faint halo of light greeted me. Chen Chang-wei stood in the hallway with a candle in hand. Thankfully it was dark and the door provided a shield. I shivered as I held on to it.

  Chang-wei was fully dressed in his heavy robe and jacket. The material was dark in color and without adornment. Without the flicker of the candle he would have been completely invisible.

  “There is something you need to know,” he whispered urgently. The stiff politeness he’d maintained toward me the day before had disappeared. “Yang Hanzhu is no longer the same person you knew eight years ago. He’s an outcast. An outlaw.”

  I rubbed a knuckle over my eyes. “Only because imperial authorities forced him out.”

  “Please reconsider,” he entreated. “I said I would take your appeal before the prince. I’ll do the same whether or not you cooperate with the inspector. I swear it.”

  “You’d have me defy the crown prince?” I asked incredulously, and Chang-wei fell silent. “We humble subjects don’t exist to the Emperor or his exalted son unless we serve some purpose. Inspector Aguda went all the way to Hunan province to find me and bring me here. You and I both know the prince will have his way in the end.”

  The corners of Chang-wei’s mouth turned downward at my irreverent tone, but he didn’t contradict me. “You’ll be outside the city wall,” he warned.

  “Aguda said I would be protected at all times.”

  “He can’t possibly promise that. He has no authority in the foreign concession. Even the prince would find it difficult to exert any influence there.”

  He seemed so concerned and my pulse skipped. From the very first moment we’d met, he’d tried to protect me.

  “Why did you hide the device yesterday?” I asked him.

  The shadows moved dramatically over his face, highlighting the definition in his cheekbones. “The imperial government is wary of all foreign implements and devices right now. I didn’t want Inspector Aguda to have anything more to hold over you. If you want it back—”

  “No, you keep it. I mean, for now.” I stood there gripping the door, unsure of what Chang-wei had hoped to accomplish by dissuading me from going. I was at the mercy of the crown prince as much as he was.

  What had happened to him when the Ministry was purged? And how had he come to serve the imperial court once more when all of Father’s other men had been removed from office?

  “Have you tried to contact Yang yourself?” I asked.

  “I doubt he would respond favorably to such an attempt. We weren’t—” He stopped short and started again. “Yang Hanzhu was highly ranked within the Ministry while I was no one of any importance.”

  Yet he was the one my father had betrothed me to. There was something missing here that I couldn’t grasp.

  Uncle Hanzhu had always made game of challenging my understanding of the world. “What comes first? Smoke or fire?”

  Would Yang even still remember me? And even if he did, what sway could I possibly have over someone who had been evading the imperial authorities for years?

  “Yang Hanzhu wouldn’t do anything to harm me,” I insisted, despite my doubts. “I’ll tell him what you told me. That formula belongs to my father as much as it does Yang. He won’t keep it from me.”

  Chang-wei looked less than convinced. Reaching into his robe, Chang-wei pulled out something from the inner pocket.

  “At least take this with you.” With a flick of his wrist, the fan unfolded. The candlelight reflected off an intricate web of silver spines.

  “It’s a bladed fan, razor-tipped along the edges,” he explained. “If anyone gives you trouble, aim for the throat or the eyes.”

  He demonstrated with a quick swipe in the air that made me jump backward. Then he snapped the fan closed and turned it around to present it to me.

  “A woman would be expected to carry a fan. No one will suspect anything.”

  The fan was surprisingly heavy in my hand. Carefully, I unfolded it once more to give it a closer look. The spines were fashioned out of metal, then coated with lacquer. A painted border along the top hid the thin blades embedded between the silk.

  Chang-wei seemed intent on protecting me in any way he could. It was hard for me to resent him.

  “Mister Chen?” I felt too awkward to call him anything more familiar than that.

  “Yes?”

  “Can you help me send a message to my family? They don’t know where I am and they’ll worry.”

  “Of course I will.”

  “And if you could—” My fingers tightened ov
er the door. “This is difficult to ask, but my family was waiting for me to return from the market after selling the box. I didn’t leave them with much—”

  “I will see that your family’s needs are taken care of,” he said graciously. “It would be my honor to do so.”

  The painstaking politeness had returned, but the candlelight flickered in his pupils, reflecting flecks of gold in them. Up close, alone with Chang-wei and embraced in darkness, I finally had my answer. It was the answer I had longed for since I’d known I was to be married to a young protégé of my father’s.

  My parents hadn’t chosen poorly for me. I hugged my arms close to myself and did the one thing I’d always told myself not to do. I thought of what could have been.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, then ducked back into the room before Chang-wei could reply.

  Inside, I leaned back against the door, eyes closed as I tried to catch my breath. After a pause, I could hear Chang-wei’s footsteps retreating. I stayed in that same spot for a long time after they had faded away into nothingness.

  ***

  By the first morning light, I was back on the streets of Canton in my “mannish” robe and mandarin jacket. My hair was once again in its austere bun, the same worn satchel slung over my shoulder. Inspector Aguda had also restored all of my possessions: the puzzle box, my acupuncture needles and my needle gun, which he had eyed with a look of amusement before handing it back to me.

  Within the hour, I was alone in the bustling marketplace, or at least I appeared to be. I slipped into the throng and became just another head among many.

  I thought of Tian and Mother as the crowd surrounded me. They would have to get by without me for a little longer, but if Chang-wei kept his promise . . . If Prince Yizhu could find it in his heart to be generous, then there was some hope for us.

  Maybe bringing our family back to Peking wasn’t the best solution, but it was better than wasting away in some backwater village. Mother could find comfort in her old surroundings among familiar faces. Tian wouldn’t be conscripted to work the mines or factories.