The Princeling of Nanjing

by Ian Hamilton

  “You did remarkable work with Uncle, and on this.”

  “I never found any of it that remarkable. All I’ve ever done is apply the processes and the lessons I learned working with Uncle.”

  “Then you’ve had a wonderful education.”

  “You know, that’s true, and maybe I’m just beginning to appreciate it,” Ava said. “I’m also starting to believe that instead of trying to escape my past, I should accept it and maybe even embrace it. It made me who I am. And there is a lot I like about who I am.”

  ( 53 )

  The next morning, Ava found Auntie Grace alone in the kitchen. Despite Xu’s assurances that the Tsais no longer posed any threat, she had slept fitfully and woken several times. The first time, she thought she heard voices near the house. The next time she was convinced that trucks were moving down the alley. Even when she realized there was no one around, she had trouble getting back to sleep. There had been too many twists and turns over the past few days, too many unpleasant surprises for her to take anything for granted.

  “How did you sleep?” Auntie Grace asked.

  “Not well. My imagination wouldn’t leave me in peace.”

  “Mine neither. I kept hearing strange noises,” Auntie said. “I kept thinking those soldiers were going to break down our doors.”

  “Well, they didn’t,” Ava said.

  “I told Xu how I felt and he said the danger had passed,” Auntie Grace said. “Then I asked him why six men were still in the courtyard.”

  “How did he reply?”

  “He just smiled and said the fact that there was no danger was no reason to be careless.”

  “Where is he?” Ava said.

  “He went to meet with Lop about an hour ago. He asked that you call him before you leave,” Auntie Grace said. “Assuming you’re still leaving.”

  “I have to get on with my other life.”

  Auntie Grace started to say something and then stopped. She smiled at Ava. “There’s congee on the stove.”

  “I’ll just make myself a coffee.”

  “No, let me.”

  Before Ava could respond, Auntie Grace was already reaching for the jar of Nescafé.

  Ava sat at the kitchen table and checked her voicemail. There were two messages from Michael Dillman, and one each from May Ling and Brenda Burgess. Dillman first reported that Vincent Yin and Suen had landed and were in a secure place. His second message simply said, “Call me.” May Ling and Brenda’s messages were similarly succinct.

  As she was calling Dillman, Auntie Grace put a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. It was one o’clock in the morning in London and she half expected to hear his voicemail message.

  He answered after one ring. “I’ve been waiting for you to get back to me.”

  “Thanks for taking care of Vincent and Suen,” she said. “What else has been going on? You sound rather excited.”

  “What hasn’t been going on? None of us at the Herald can remember the last time this paper broke the news and became part of the news at the same time, and in such a major way.”

  “We saw online that other papers picked up your story.”

  “Papers, radio, television, web news organizations — the lot of them. It’s been an absolutely crazy day.”

  “You seem to be holding up rather well.”

  “Let’s see how I feel this time tomorrow. Vincent and I are scheduled to be on a TV breakfast show in the morning, and then we’re off to the BBC to do both radio and television interviews.”

  “You’re doing them together?”

  “The PR person thinks it buttresses the credbility of both of us, and it’s a way for me to provide support for Vincent if he needs it.”

  “Is the news focus on Calhoun?”

  “Of course.”

  “How is he responding?”

  “He isn’t directly. His lawyer has said the charges are bogus and that Calhoun will answer them specifically when the time is right. No one believes any of it, particularly the Conservative Party. I’m told that Calhoun will be resigning the chairmanship later today, before he’s thrown overboard. And about six hours ago, the Minister of Justice announced that his department would be looking into the accusation that Calhoun violated the U.K. Bribery Act.”

  “Congratulations to you and Tamara.”

  “Don’t be silly. All we did was fire the gun; you and Vincent loaded it,” he said. “Tamara and I want to thank you, and we hope that things are going as well for you in China.”

  “It’s too soon to tell for certain, but all indications are that things are moving in the right direction.”

  “Wonderful.”

  “Give my best to Vincent and tell Suen we miss him,” Ava said. “Let me know if anything changes on your end. Otherwise, I don’t imagine there will be any reason for us to talk again.”

  “Probably not, so cheers again.”

  Ava ended the call and sat back in the chair. She had finished her coffee without being aware she was drinking it.

  “Everything okay?” Auntie Grace said.

  “More than okay, it seems,” Ava said.

  “Another coffee?”

  “Please,” Ava said, hitting Brenda Burgess’s number.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Burgess is in a meeting and can’t be disturbed,” the receptionist said.

  “Can I leave her a voice message?”

  “Of course.”

  “Brenda, this is Ava Lee and I’m in Shanghai,” she said when she was connected. “I’m calling to thank you, Vanessa, Richard, and the rest of your team for the help you’ve given me over the past week. As I’m sure you know, the stories have made an impact. It looks as though Dennis Calhoun is finished, and Richard deserves a lot of credit for that. We’re still waiting to find out the ultimate decision regarding what will happen to the Tsai family. Whatever it is, it’s safe for all of us to assume they’ve lost most of the power they had and, with that, the ability to strike back. I’m going to be in Hong Kong before heading to Canada. I’m not sure when that will be, but I’ll call when I know and would love to set up dinner with you, Vanessa, Richard — if he’s back — and Amanda.”

  Auntie Grace waited for Ava to finish her call before putting the second cup of coffee on the table. “What time do you plan to leave?” she asked. “I should tell Wen so he can organize the car for you.”

  “I have one more phone call to make. It shouldn’t take too long, and I’m already packed. So, ten minutes?”

  “I’ll let him know,” Auntie Grace said and then left the kitchen.

  Ava phoned Wuhan. “Hey you,” she said when May answered.

  “Hey you, yourself. How are you feeling?”

  “What have you heard?”

  “The Tsais are in the kind of trouble you don’t get out of.”

  “We’re hearing the same thing,” Ava said. “So, in answer to your question, I’m feeling just fine.”

  “Presuming things stay that way, what are your plans?”

  “I’ve been thinking about our business.”

  “I am so pleased to hear that.”

  “I’m sorry for having dumped everything on you over the past few days.”

  “You don’t have to apologize for anything. I understood.”

  “I know you did, but it didn’t make me feel any less guilty.”

  “Feeling guilty was so unnecessary. The only thing that matters is that you’re ready to step back in.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “So you could stay in Shanghai for another day or two?”

  “Sure. I’m still at Xu’s house, but I’m going to move back to the Peninsula this morning. I can stay as long as is necessary.”

  “Great. I’ve been thinking about this carbon-fibre container project. Suki has been calling. She’s afraid the opp
ortunity to invest is going to be lost unless we move quickly.”

  “What does she want?”

  “For you and her to meet again with Mr. Wang.”

  “Is she expecting us to make a commitment?”

  “Maybe something short-term so we will have the time we need to make a more thorough assessment.”

  “I actually reviewed the proposal yesterday. It is really interesting. I wish I hadn’t been so distracted when I met with him the first time.”

  “Will you contact her and let her know you’re prepared to meet?”

  “Gladly.”

  “I also think that while you’re still there, you should sit down with Chi-Tze, Gillian, and Clark to talk about the next six months for PÖ. Getting a foothold in Asia is fantastic, but we need to start thinking about introducing the line in the West. The fashion weeks in February would be an ideal time to launch.”

  “All of them?”

  “There’s no way that’s possible. They are very difficult to get into, especially for an unknown designer. I’m told that getting into just one would be a big achievement.”

  “Clark is a graduate of Central Saint Martins, so he must have some London contacts. I’ll ask him about who he knows and what influence they might have.”

  May paused and then said slowly, “Ava, I can’t tell you how nice it is to talk about our business rather than those damn Tsais.”

  “My feelings exactly.”

  “You’ll call me after you meet with Suki and Mr. Wang?”

  “Of course. I’ll stay in touch,” Ava said, ending the conversation. She rose from the chair to leave the kitchen. Auntie Grace stood at the entrance. Ava walked past her on the way to the bedroom to get her bags. When she came back, Auntie Grace had moved to the front door and was talking to Wen. As Ava approached them, Wen nodded and then started to walk towards the car. Auntie Grace held out her arms and the two women hugged.

  “Thank you for everything,” Ava said.

  Auntie Grace shook her head. “Every time you come here, you make me feel more alive. Make sure you keep coming.”

  “Xiao lao ban is ready to leave. Start the car,” Ava heard Wen shout.

  “What did he say?” Ava asked Auntie Grace.

  “He told them to start the car.”

  “No, what was that name he used?”

  “Xiao lao ban — Little Boss.”

  “Who calls me that?”

  “I think it was Suen who started it after Hong Kong, but everyone does now.”

  “Everyone?”

  “Even Xu when you’re not here.”

  “That’s silly.”

  “I like it, and don’t say anything unpleasant to Wen about it. He means it as a compliment.”

  Ava walked to the car. Wen opened the back door and stood to one side as she got in. She started to say something but saw Auntie Grace staring at her from the doorway.

  “The Peninsula Hotel,” she said to the driver.

  Xiao lao ban, she thought, and smiled.

  COMING SOON

  From House of Anansi Press

  in January 2017

  Read on for a preview of the next thrilling Ava Lee novel, The Couturier of Milan

  ( 1 )

  Ava Lee thought she knew London. She’d been there as a tourist and on business countless times. After nine months of owning part of a designer clothing line, she also thought she was beginning to understand the fashion industry. But three days into London Fashion Week, she felt far removed from any sense of her usual reality. When she voiced this feeling to May Ling Wong, her friend and business partner, May’s reaction was surprise.

  “What are you talking about?” May said. “You’ve been the only calm one this week. Everyone else is running around like headless chickens, me included.”

  “What you think is calmness is actually me not knowing how to react to so much chaos. Between preparations for the show, all the public relations activity, and the hosting of lunches and dinners for existing and potential customers, I’ve had more contact with people in my three days here than I’ve had over the past three months.”

  “It does seem a bit mad, I admit, but according to our show director and the public relations people, it’s very typical for fashion week here, or any of the big four fashion weeks, for that matter.”

  “What a crazy business,” Ava said. “New York, London, Milan, and Paris in four consecutive weeks, and twice every year. I don’t know how people survive it.”

  “We’re thankful we got into even one of them. It isn’t easy for new designers to be accepted into the official part of the week.”

  “Clark did graduate from Central Saint Martins,” Ava said, referring to the famous London design school.

  “He does have contacts, thank goodness, but we still had to lobby.”

  “I’ve been thinking that I should have arrived only the day before, as I did for the launch in Shanghai. Everything moved so fast there that I didn’t have time to feel out of place.”

  “And what would we have done with Pang Fai? You’re the only reason she’s here.”

  Pang Fai was the most talented and famous actress in Chinese cinema and had a massive following in Asia. Her films were now being screened in the West, and her fame there was on a rapid upswing. Her popularity had grown accordingly, and in the past few months she’d made many of the “Most Beautiful Women” and “Sexiest Women” lists in the West. Her decision to promote the PÖ line was a coup.

  “She’s being paid well enough.”

  “We both know that she’s never promoted any products, let alone a fashion designer, before. She only agreed to do it because of you, and she only came to London because of you. I don’t know what happened between you and her in Shanghai, but you certainly made an impact.”

  Ava shrugged and then shivered. It was late February, and a cold, damp winter still had its grip on London. She and May Ling were standing outside the Corinthia Hotel waiting for their partner, Ava’s sister-in-law Amanda Yee, to join them for the taxi ride to the Shard, the tallest building in the European Union. There, in just over an hour, they were scheduled to introduce their PÖ fashion line to the European market and the Western world.

  Despite having already been featured on the cover of Hong Kong Vogue, and having had a remarkable initial selling season in Asia, PÖ wasn’t a known brand in Europe or North America. Their hope was that the launch at the Shard would correct that, and Pang Fai was an important part of their strategy.

  While it wasn’t uncommon for actresses to affiliate themselves with specific fashion designers and to attend shows to give support, Pang was going several steps further. Although no one outside the PÖ inner circle knew it, she was going to model in the show. And that was even more remarkable because Pang zealously guarded her privacy and was rarely seen in public outside of film promotion activities.

  Ava had originally come up with the idea of having Pang Fai promote the PÖ brand and had secured the actress’s agreement. But the decision had been made to withhold any public mention of her involvement until London Fashion Week. Instead, a stealth campaign was set in motion by the PÖ partners and their British and Chinese PR companies. Hints were dropped on social media and in the local press about the possibility of Pang Fai’s presence and participation in London. The fashion and style magazines were quietly contacted and told to expect a major surprise at the PÖ launch. When they asked if the rumours about Pang were true, no one from PÖ either confirmed or denied the possibility, fuelling even greater interest and making the brand’s debut one of the most anticipated events at London Fashion Week.

  Ava believed in luck, but she knew that one of the key elements in good fortune is timing. It seemed to her that things had fallen into place for the PÖ business in an almost preordained way. She had managed to secure Pang Fai’s agreement just before the actress
’s profile began to rise in the West. Asia was now the fastest-growing market for the luxury brand companies, and there was an increasing Asian presence on runways and in magazines. A few Chinese designers had made an impact in the West, but there was still the anticipation that a star was going to emerge. Those factors, the PÖ launch, and the promise of Pang Fai’s presence had galvanized public attention, and Ava couldn’t help but feel that the stars were aligned to make PÖ an international hit.

  “She’s going to cause a sensation,” May said. “I just hope it doesn’t distract from the clothes.”

  We’ll find out soon enough, Ava thought as she checked her watch. Amanda was running a little late and Ava hoped there wasn’t a last-minute crisis.

  Amanda, May Ling, and Ava owned an investment company called the Three Sisters. Amanda, still in her late twenties, handled the day-to-day operations from their office in Hong Kong. May Ling, who was in her mid-forties but looked at least ten years younger, lived in the city of Wuhan in central China and acted as senior advisor and strategist. She and Ava had put in most of the money and were majority shareholders. Ava’s role in the business wasn’t as clearly defined but was no less important. Since the company’s inception her involvement had cut across finance, marketing, planning, and the building of relationships.

  The Three Sisters had put money into a furniture manufacturing company in Borneo, a warehouse and distribution firm that operated out of Shanghai and Beijing, a Hong Kong trading business, and a start-up company that was making revolutionary — or so they hoped — carbon-fibre containers for ocean and air freight shipments. They had decided to gamble on the talents of Clark Po by putting more than $10 million into his Shanghai-based fashion line.

  Despite the Asian location of all the businesses, Ava still lived in Toronto. The distance and time difference between the partners didn’t present any real difficulties. None of them worked regular eight-hour days, and they were able to communicate well enough by phone, text, email, and Skype. It helped that, in addition to being partners, the women were extremely close and shared an extraordinary level of trust.