Gunpowder Alchemy

by Jeannie Lin

To my relief, the garden was quiet for now. I prayed that Mother had fallen asleep. We followed my brother to the wooden pavilion. From there, one was meant to sit, have tea and enjoy a relaxing view of the manicured trees and carefully placed stones, but I saw that Tian had set a contraption onto the center of the stone table.

  It was the bamboo cage he’d constructed the day before with a thin calligraphy brush dangling from the top of the frame. The base of the device had been tied onto a flat stone to keep it steady. White paper lay beneath with the tip of the brush just resting against the smooth surface. Black marks traced each movement of the brush.

  There were two distinct spikes in the ink and then a lighter pattern of whirls as the brush settled.

  “A pendulum.” Chang-wei inspected the device from one angle and then another. “With a stabilizing mechanism.”

  Tian blushed a little. “I don’t know what you call it, sir.”

  Chang-wei went on, inspecting the materials and how they’d been put together. “Magnets. Very clever usage.”

  At that moment, the ground shook once more in a single shifting motion. Once again the brush created a spike. The pattern beneath it was starting to look like a flower with petals radiating outward.

  “We’ve had a lot of earthquakes lately. Would you say more than usual for this province?” Chang-wei directed the question to Tian.

  The boy nodded. I was grateful for the attention Chang-wei was showing my brother, and I made a note to thank him later. Tian was so often overlooked.

  But Chang-wei’s expression remained focused. That line that I had come to know formed between his eyes.

  He straightened and turned toward me. “Rumor is that the rebellion started in the area of Thistle Mountain. There are many tunnels and caves there where they were able to hide.”

  “And mining pits.” I froze and our gazes locked.

  “The first to join the rebellion were miners with their shovels and drills and heavy excavating equipment. Powerful machines that can move rock and cut holes through mountains.” Chang-wei glanced at the earth beneath his feet. “The attack has already begun. The rebels are digging tunnels.”

  ***

  Chang-wei left immediately on a quest to rally the war council. Within three hours, I was summoned along with my brother to the fortress tower. Secretary Zuo came to fetch us in the automated sedan.

  “The governor has given the order to clear the streets and lock down the city,” Zuo told me as the sedan sped around the corner. “But Mister Chang insisted he be allowed to speak to you.”

  We passed by a guard patrol ushering civilians back to their homes. The market gong clanged loudly from the towers while signal drums beat out an incessant warning. As we neared the tower, the stone walls rose high before us. Changsha relied on its walls for protection. It was chilling to think that rebels were trying to tunnel beneath this fortification this very moment.

  Zuo led the way up the stairs to the lookout tower while Tian and I followed dutifully behind. My brother reached out for my hand. When he squeezed it, his grip was steady. The look he gave me showed no fear. We’re together, it told me.

  No matter what happened, I was home. We would face this together.

  Chang-wei was looking out over the walls with his back turned to us. His hands were clasped behind him and his shoulders squared.

  Zuo called through the beating of the drums. “Mister Chang?”

  Chang-wei turned and I saw the grim set of his mouth. “Thank you, Mister Zuo. Tell the governor we’ll be ready by the next hour.”

  The assistant left us. I saw that the rest of the war council had also left their positions. Presumably to prepare for battle.

  “I need your help, young Mister Jin. Are you aware of what is happening here?” Chang-wei began.

  Tian nodded solemnly. In that moment, I could see the sort of man he would become one day.

  “The governor is sending out troops in the direction of the recent earthquakes. The rebels are digging tunnels toward Changsha. Once they’ve breached the walls from below, they’ll march their army through. We must stop them before this happens.”

  “We?” I asked.

  Chang-wei turned to me, his expression disturbingly calm. “I will be riding out with the garrison.”

  I started to protest but bit my tongue. I didn’t want Tian to know how frightened I was. Whether or not I wanted any part of it, we were caught in the middle of a war. This was no place for fear or doubt.

  “Sir, my invention is very crude,” Tian confessed. “The readings aren’t exact.”

  “I am aware of this.” There was no insult in Chang-wei’s reply. “Going out to intercept the attack is a risk. It divides our forces, and we don’t have time or men to waste, but I convinced the war council that this is the best course of action. The rebels have divided their forces as well—they’re digging from multiple directions. I wager there will be more earthquakes in the coming days. If we can locate the exact origins, we’ll know where there rebels are. Young Mister Jin, can you build a more efficient model of your detector?”

  Tian stood straighter. “I can, sir.”

  My chest welled with pride.

  “I have prepared materials in my workshop for your use. I trust you will require no further instructions. Even if you did, there is no one to give them. The city is relying upon you.”

  Zuo returned to escort my brother to his work area. Only Chang-wei and I were left in the tower.

  I could no longer remain silent. “You’re no soldier, Chen Chang-wei.”

  “This is the best solution.”

  “You don’t know how many rebels are out there or how well armed they are or where they’re hiding.”

  “I have considered all these factors.” He came closer, speaking in a soothing tone that made me even more agitated. “I need to determine the exact locations and set the explosive devices. The ones I’ve constructed are dangerous and, well, not as well tested as I would like.”

  I knew then he had been doing more than reviewing the city’s defenses. He had been building weapons.

  “If they catch you, they’ll kill you,” I choked out.

  “If they take the city, I’ll be executed anyway.” He placed his hands over my arms. “You’re angry at me?”

  He spoke with surprise. I hated how calm he sounded. Chang-wei was utterly resolved, even if it meant death.

  “Do you have to be so unquestioningly loyal?” I spat out.

  My question took him aback. “You’re upset with me because of my sense of loyalty?”

  I thought of my father, kneeling with head bowed to surrender his life. Then there was Chang-wei, manning the cannons long after the battle was lost only to be taken prisoner by the enemy.

  “The empire won’t consider you a hero for your sacrifice.”

  “I’m not doing this to be a hero.”

  I looked away, bitter. “Then why?”

  He cupped my face in his hands, gently lifting my chin so that our eyes met.

  “This is who I am,” he said.

  Feebly, I nodded. I knew it was who he was and I hated him for it. But I was afraid that I might also love him for it as well.

  “We don’t have much time, Soling, so forgive me for being so direct.”

  Chang-wei had not brought me here to say some fatalistic farewell. I wouldn’t let him.

  “You’re coming back,” I told him fiercely.

  He didn’t answer, which made my stomach sink further. “What I wanted to say earlier—no, you’ll let me speak this time, Soling. What I wanted to say earlier was that I thought about you, Soling. I thought about you often when I was imprisoned aboard the foreign ship.”

  “That’s impossible. You didn’t even know me.”

  I don’t know why I insisted on being combative. Perhaps it was the only way to k
eep my tears from falling.

  “I didn’t know you,” Chang-wei conceded. His thumb caressed my cheek. “Not the way I know you now.”

  His eyes were dark and endless above me. Chang-wei was always such a master of his emotions that seeing them displayed so clearly over his face was almost frightening. It took my breath away.

  “Since the day your father promised you to me, I have never imagined myself with anyone but you, Soling. Yet I don’t regret that we never married as your parents intended. I’m glad that we had to find each other in this way, so many years later. That we could share such adventures together. I’m glad that I was given the chance to see you as you really are.” He exhaled deeply, letting the last of his resistance crumble away. “And that you could see me. Even if I’m not who you want.”

  I started to protest that wasn’t true, but the words never left my lips. Chang-wei rested his hand against the nape of my neck, tilting my head upward. Before I knew what was happening, his mouth was pressed to mine in a kiss that was soft and searching. My first. The moment our lips touched, I knew that I had been waiting for a long time for this. My mind and body just didn’t have the language to express it.

  Chang-wei pulled away and the world spun around me. I had just lost my first kiss and it was already over? Before I could despair, he lowered his head to me once more. Harder this time, yet with a tenderness that made my chest ache. I kissed him back. I wanted Chang-wei to know what I felt for him. If anything happened to him, it would break me into a hundred pieces.

  As I clung to him, I was painfully aware of my inexperience, but Chang-wei guided me gently against him. His lips caressed mine until my fear melted away and my knees weakened. I would have crumbled to the floor, but Chang-wei held me tight, surrounding me with his strength. When the kiss ended, we were both breathing hard.

  For a long moment, we did nothing but look at each other. It was as if I was seeing him for the first time. His eyes captivated me. I had always thought him handsome, but now his face had become irreplaceable. Every line and contour was precious to me.

  I wanted him to promise me he would return, but he said nothing beyond the way he looked at me with longing before leaving. I watched his back until he disappeared down the stairs, and I followed him with my eyes as he rode out along with a battalion of soldiers, off to fight an invisible foe.

  Chapter Thirty

  I stayed in the lookout tower until the battalion disappeared into the horizon. Chang-wei would be with them, trying to detect sounds of activity beneath the ground. If they suspected there was a tunnel underfoot, they would use explosives to try to destroy it.

  The first explosion boomed like thunder in the distance. I jumped at the sound, my heart beating hard against my chest. I had no way of knowing whether Chang-wei had been successful, but another explosion followed a mere few minutes later. Each one shook me to my very core. Such weapons easily turned upon their masters.

  I prayed for Chang-wei’s safe return, and then forced myself down the stairs. My heart couldn’t bear it any longer staring out into emptiness, waiting for the worst.

  Chang-wei’s workshop had been set up in a storage area on the ground floor of the fortress. I found my brother there, already focused on his task. An array of parts and tools had been laid out over the table. Tian was in the process of inspecting and categorizing each one.

  I took a seat on the stool in the corner. “Do you need any help?” I asked after some time had passed.

  Tian shook his head.

  My brother was not formally trained, and he had never worked with such materials before. I hoped he didn’t find Chang-wei’s task beyond his capabilities.

  “Mister Chen is a part of the Ministry of Science like Father was?” he asked.

  “He once worked under our father.”

  Tian began sorting the materials into separate piles. His movements were methodical and deliberate, and his brow furrowed in concentration.

  “I hope I don’t disappoint him.”

  “You won’t.”

  I remained there in the corner, quiet so as not to disturb him. But I wanted to be there to help in any way I could, even though I had no knowledge of engineering. It turned out that Tian’s questions were not about machine work.

  “Are you and Mister Chen friends?”

  “Yes, we’ve become . . . friends.”

  The pause said more than I wanted to tell. Tian’s focus remained on the device he’d started constructing, but I wondered what he was thinking.

  “Is Mister Chen an honorable man?”

  Was my eight-year-old brother being protective of me? I wasn’t the only one who had grown during my time away.

  “He looks at you,” my brother said.

  I chose to remain quiet on that. Tian and I were close, but ten years separated us, and he was also a boy. I couldn’t confide in him about Chang-wei, but I did long for someone to talk to all of a sudden. I could still taste Chang-wei’s kiss on my lips.

  The frame of the detector had emerged when I next broke the silence. “I should return to Mother and Nan.”

  Tian didn’t look up.

  “Will you be all right here on your own?”

  “I’m not a child,” he said, irritated.

  I was taken aback. Tian never spoke back to me like that, but I didn’t reprimand him for his sharp tone. The situation was tense for everyone. At least my brother had his new project to keep him occupied, and, once again, I was grateful to Chen Chang-wei.

  “I’ll return later.”

  He mumbled a farewell as I left to find Zuo. My brother would be safe in the confines of the fortress, and I prayed that Chang-wei would return by sundown, unharmed. I pressed my fingers to my lips to recapture the imprint of his kiss.

  Returning to fetch Tian would give me an excuse to seek Chang-wei out. I would have until then to figure out what to say to him. My pulse was still pounding too hard to figure it out at the moment.

  ***

  Secretary Zuo sent two armed guards to accompany me back to governor’s mansion. We took the mechanical sedan, which sagged under the weight of heavy armor and weapons. The vehicle still managed to transport us at a good pace through the streets, but as we neared the mansion, I pulled the control lever to bring us to a stop.

  My guards tensed within the sedan. They had heard the commotion, too; shouting on the next lane over and the stomp of feet. With more knowledge of the area than the guardsmen, I took over the controls and directed the sedan into a side street. Moments later, a huge crowd of civilians marched by as we crouched in the darkness of the alley. A mob had taken to the streets armed with clubs and knives.

  The guards reached for their swords. “Miss, we should return to the fortress,” one of them said.

  He looked to be only a few years older than me. I ignored him and focused on the abacus control board, plotting out an alternative route. My mother and Nan were nearby and defenseless. I wouldn’t leave them.

  “We’re closer to the governor’s mansion than the fortress. His family and mine are there. They’ll need your protection.”

  The governor was with his war council, planning the defense of the city. This left his mansion a vulnerable target.

  Taking hold of the two levers at the control board, I backed the sedan out through the opposite side of the alleyway and started winding around toward the mansion. When we reached the far end of the street, I saw that reinforcements had already been sent to the residence. A line of city guards blocked the front gate with additional patrols around the perimeter. It was fortunate they were there, because the mob was rounding the corner and shouting for blood.

  I left the sedan and darted for the gate while my guards shouted after me. I ignored them as I stood before the line of defense in front of the gate.

  “Let me inside. My family is in there!”

  There was
little time to consider my request. The commander pounded on the gate and it opened, revealing another patrol stationed inside. I slipped into the courtyard while my guards moved to join the defenses.

  The gate slammed shut behind me, followed by the sound of insults being hurled at the guards. I heard several thumps against the wall. The mob was throwing rocks while the patrol shouted at them to stop or face punishment.

  I was relieved that everyone inside was still safe, but my relief didn’t last long. Fighting broke out on the other side of the walls.

  “Get inside the house,” the guard captain barked at me. “Stay hidden until we get rid of this rabble.”

  The clash of metal outside the walls sent me running to the back of the house. The servants were in a panic, but there was little for them to do. They were trapped inside like we all were. I saw that some of the men had armed themselves with clubs. I wove past them all to search for Mother and Nan.

  The two women were huddled in my mother’s room, hands clutched together. My mother looked pale with ragged strands of hair hanging about her face.

  Her eyes widened when she saw me. “What are you doing here? Why did you come back?”

  Mother’s sharp tone pierced me deeply, but a moment later she held out her hand to me. She was angry, not at the sight of me, but that I had rushed into danger to come to her.

  I clasped her hand just as an explosion shook the walls. Startled, I fell forward and Mother wrapped her arms around me as we clung to each other. Beside her, I could hear Nan reciting a prayer to the Goddess of Mercy over and over.

  When the rumbling stopped, the fighting outside sounded even closer.

  “The rebels have broken through the outer wall,” I cried. “We have to go.”

  At first neither Mother nor our elderly maidservant would move. They continued to huddle on the bed as another explosion rocked the governor’s mansion.

  “Mother, please.”

  I tugged on her arm and thankfully she rose, her legs trembling. She had spent the last days entirely in bed, rendered helpless by the opium sickness. I dragged her along now even as she stumbled. My actions may have seemed uncaring, but there was no time to be considerate.