I was wiping my face dry when I heard the pounding on our front gate. It was thunderous, loud enough for me to hear it deep inside our compound, where my sleeping room was. My heart began to beat fast. Was it possible that the police had seen Baoshu climb over our walls?
I had just changed into clean clothes and combed my hair when I heard Mother’s voice. “Yanyan, are you asleep yet?”
I opened the door to my room. “No, Mother, I’ve been reading. What’s happened? I heard the knocking at the gate.”
“Father wants all of us in his study,” said Mother. “The chief of police is here, and wants to know if any of us has seen an escaped criminal.”
My feelings were mixed. I was relieved that there was no mention of Baoshu’s name, which meant the police didn’t know the identity of the fugitive they were chasing. What was worrying was why the police had come to our house. Had one of the other servants seen Baoshu climbing over into our compound?
When Mother and I reached Father’s study, I saw that my brothers were already there. Seated next to Father was a gray-haired man who looked faintly familiar. I realized that he had visited us on social occasions. He didn’t look at all threatening.
“I know that this is an unpardonable intrusion,” the police chief said to Father. “The reason I came tonight is that we are chasing a dangerous plotter. According to one of my men, he was last seen running down your street. But he turned a corner, and by the time our men followed him around it, he had disappeared. Since this happened in your neighborhood, we’re questioning all the households here, in case you’ve heard anything.”
We looked at each other, but none of us spoke. “Have any of you seen or heard anything?” asked Father, looking around at us.
“We heard shouts and people running earlier,” Eldest Brother said finally. “We also heard some shots.”
“That was my men,” said the chief of police impatiently. He waited, but no one added anything. “It’s very strange, how he just disappeared into thin air.”
“I suppose he could have climbed a wall,” said Father.
The chief shook his head. “I don’t see how. It would have taken him several minutes to climb a wall, and my men were too close on his heels.”
I suddenly thought of something. Someone trained in the martial arts could have made a great leap and reached the top of the wall instantly. Did the chief of police think of this? Apparently he didn’t.
But someone else did. I saw Eldest Brother stiffen. His eyes met mine, and he opened his mouth to speak. Then he closed it without saying anything.
“Tell me about your fugitive,” said Father. “Is he a member of a criminal gang?”
“He belongs to a secret society that’s plotting to restore the Manchu dynasty,” said the chief of police. “One of our men managed to infiltrate the group, and he was the one who reported that their plans were coming to a head.”
“Does your man know the identities of the plotters?” asked Eldest Brother. I held my breath as I waited for the answer to the question.
The chief shook his head. “Unfortunately, the members all wear masks, a rather melodramatic touch, but it prevented us from learning the names of the plotters. We knew the time and place of the meetings, however, and we caught some half dozen of the plotters.” He rose and apologized again. “I’m sorry to intrude, and so late at night, too. But if any of you hear anything, please let me know.”
After the chief of police left, the rest of us began to go to our rooms. I found myself walking next to Eldest Brother. “Someone who has connections with the Manchus . . . someone who can make a leap to the top of a wall . . . ,” he murmured thoughtfully. “You realize, of course, that he could very well be inside our compound somewhere.” He glanced at me.
Eldest Brother suspected something! I came to a decision. There was no way that I could safely smuggle Baoshu out without help. Eldest Brother was the person most likely to give us support, even if he was not in favor of Baoshu’s plot. The two of them were close friends.
I went with Eldest Brother to his room and made sure there was no one else within earshot. “As you’ve guessed, Baoshu is here,” I said quietly. “He’s been shot, and right now he’s in one of the storage sheds behind the plum trees by the pond.”
Eldest Brother looked at me gravely for a long moment. “I see. And how did you happen to get involved?”
I told him about the maid. “She was the one who found him near the base of the wall, and he persuaded her to send a message to me.”
Again he subjected me to a long, grave stare. “It’s interesting that he should get in touch with you first. I notice you’re calling him by his first name. Have you two been meeting secretly?”
“Of course not!” I protested. “It’s just that . . . well, it seems silly to stay so formal under the circumstances.”
Eldest Brother sat in thought, while I tried not to squirm. Finally he looked up at me. “Father will have to be told.”
“But—but—you know what will happen!” I said. “He will tell the chief of police, and then Baoshu will be arrested!”
He looked hard at me. “Will that make you very unhappy?”
“Of course it will!” I said. “Do you mean to tell me that it won’t make you unhappy? After all, he’s your friend!”
“I thought he was my friend,” said Eldest Brother, with a twisted smile. “But apparently we weren’t friends enough for him to confide in me completely. I suspected he was involved in something, but not a conspiracy to overthrow our government!”
I had no way to stop him from telling Father. Besides, Baoshu’s presence would be impossible to keep secret, anyway.
Still, I was unprepared for Father’s anger. “How could I have been so blind!” he exclaimed. “To think that I was taken in by his fine talk of old-fashioned virtues! And all this time he was plotting against the government! Worst of all, he sneaked into my home and tried to corrupt my daughter!”
I wanted to protest, but my throat was too tight. It was Eldest Brother who was moved to speak. “Father, I don’t think he came here meaning to corrupt Yanyan. He only saw her as someone likely to help him.”
Father turned and glared at me. “And why does he think that you would be willing to help him?” Then Father asked me the same thing that Eldest Brother had. “Have you been meeting him secretly?”
“No, Father,” I managed to say in a steady voice.
Father looked at me for a long moment. He knew me better than anyone, and he seemed satisfied that I was telling him the truth. “Very well. Let us go and have a look at the traitor.”
Although we had installed electric lights in our living quarters, the storage shed had not been connected to an outlet, and Father carried a kerosene lamp with him to light our way. When he pushed open the door of the shed, there was an immediate rustle.
I saw Baoshu trying to sit up. He blinked in the yellow light of the lantern, and with his hair matted by perspiration and his face lined with strain, he did not look very dangerous.
“Can you give me one good reason why I should not inform the chief of police and have you instantly arrested?” Father demanded.
Baoshu tried to smile. “Because it’s too late to get the chief of police out of bed?”
Father almost softened, but stiffened again when he glanced at me. “Your traitorous activity I can almost understand, given your belief in the monarchy,” Father told Baoshu. “But you’ve put my daughter in danger by involving her. Of all the people in this household, why did you pick her to help you?”
After the barest pause, Baoshu replied, “Of all the people in this household, she is the one who is the most ready to face danger.”
Despite myself, I felt a rush of pride. Courage was what I admired most, and courage was what Baoshu thought I possessed.
Father stood silent. Finally he sighed. “Very well. I won’t report you to the police. But as soon as you are well enough to move, I want you to leave us and never come here again
.”
It was impossible to keep Baoshu’s presence a secret, but our servants were completely loyal, and a week passed without anyone reporting to the police. Lumei, who had found Baoshu first, attended to most of his needs, but I knew that some of the other servants also brought food and necessities.
I was forbidden by Father to go to the storage shed. After two days of anxious waiting, I went to Father and argued that if I wanted to be a doctor, I had a duty to see my patient. Father finally permitted me to see Baoshu, accompanied by Eldest Brother.
Although he had been weakened by loss of blood, Baoshu had a strong constitution, and we found him looking much improved. He was sitting propped up against some boxes and sipping a bowl of rice gruel. He broke into a wide smile when we entered. “The wound looks to be healing nicely, and there’s no sign of infection,” he told me. “Your first job as a doctor seems to be a success!”
“Since you’re much stronger,” Eldest Brother said to Baoshu, “you should be thinking about leaving here.”
I was surprised at Eldest Brother’s cold tone. He and Baoshu had been close friends, after all. Had he been so shocked by the plot to restore the emperor? Then I had another thought: Maybe Eldest Brother was angry because Baoshu had said that I was the one in the family most ready to face danger.
Baoshu’s smile faded. “Of course. I must not endanger your family any longer. I will leave as soon as I contact one of my friends to help me escape from the city.”
The contact was made two days later. I didn’t know how Baoshu managed to smuggle a message out, but I suspected that Lumei must have helped.
I found out about it during dinner that night. Father helped himself to a spoonful of soup, and when he had swallowed, he cleared his throat. “It seems that our, er, guest has departed. Since there has been no sound of police activity, I assume that he was able to escape safely.” As he said these last words, he looked sharply at me.
I did my best to keep my face impassive. My right hand ached, and I realized I was clutching my chopsticks so hard that my knuckles were white.
For a few minutes no one spoke around the table, and we continued with our meal. The maid brought in a steamed fish, one of Father’s favorites. Usually he expressed his appreciation to the cook for preparing this difficult dish, but tonight he barely glanced at it.
I had no appetite and found it hard even to swallow, but I made a pretense of picking at my food. At last the interminable meal ended, and I was able to leave the table.
At the door to my room, I saw Lumei. Her furtive manner reminded me of the first time she had brought me a message from Baoshu. This time she was bringing another message from him, only it was a written one. “Can you find some way to meet me tomorrow afternoon near the entrance to the MacIntosh School?”
CHAPTER 5
After I read the note, I looked at Lumei. “Do you know what’s in here?”
“I can’t read, Young Mistress,” she said. Her eyes were lowered as she replied, but I thought she sounded somewhat surly. Perhaps she resented the fact that she was illiterate.
Finding an excuse to visit the MacIntosh School was not too difficult. After my graduation, my parents and I had had many discussion about where I should attend college in order to prepare myself for a medical career. The teachers at MacIntosh had told my parents that they would be glad to write letters of recommendation for me.
When I told Mother about my wish to visit one of the teachers of the school, she agreed readily. She was probably relieved to think that I was occupying myself with something other than Baoshu’s affairs. She did insist, however, that I take the family rickshaw.
When I arrived at the school, there was a row of rickshaws in front of the gate. I got out and told our rickshaw man that since I might take a long time, he could spend some time at the tea shop around the corner. It was a place patronized by many of the other rickshaw men, and he was only too happy to go.
After he went off, I looked around, wondering what I should do next. If I just stood in front of the gate, I’d look conspicuous.
One of the other rickshaw men approached. As he drew close, he raised his straw hat just enough to expose part of his face. It was Baoshu. “Would you like a ride,Young Miss?” he asked.
Trying to look nonchalant, I nodded and got into the carriage. Was he in any condition to pull the rickshaw?
He was able to pull it down the street and around a corner, at least. As soon as we were out of sight of the other rickshaw drivers, he stopped and leaned against the side of the carriage. “We can talk here.”
“Where are you staying?” I asked. “Is it a safe place?”
“Maybe it’s best if I don’t tell you more than you need to know,” he said, and then stiffened.
I followed Baoshu’s glance and saw that a policeman was walking down the street toward us. He seemed casual enough as he glanced around. I didn’t think he noticed anything particularly suspicious. He was probably just on a regular patrol.
When the policeman came up to us, I tried my best to avoid looking furtive. I had to come up with an explanation of what my rickshaw was doing stopped in the middle of the street. The best thing was to confront the enemy. “Officer, I wonder if you can help me,” I said to the policeman in my best prim-young-lady voice. “I’m looking for the MacIntosh School. I know it’s around here somewhere.”
The policeman nodded politely to me. “It’s not far, Young Miss. In fact, you just go to the end of the street and turn right at that corner there.” He turned and scowled at Baoshu. “You’d think any competent rickshaw man would know the place.”
“I wanted to turn there,” whined Baoshu. “But the young lady kept changing her mind about which way we should go!”
“Don’t pay the fellow until he gets you right to the gate of the school,” advised the policeman, and walked on.
After he was out of sight, Baoshu turned and grinned at me. “That was pretty good, your helpless female act. I know how much it goes against your nature.”
“Your incompetent-rickshaw-man act wasn’t bad, either,” I retorted. I was impressed by how well we had done in deceiving the policeman. The idea was both exciting and disquieting.
Baoshu stopped grinning. Suddenly he leaned closer and looked into my eyes. “I’m leaving Nanjing for Manchuria the day after tomorrow. Will you come away with me? I want you,Yanyan!”
I just stared at him. My heart was pounding, and even if I had had the words, I was unable to speak. “What are you saying?” I finally managed to croak.
“You must know how much you mean to me!” he whispered urgently. “Come with me to the north. Since that day in the Shanghai alley, I can’t stop thinking about you, about your coolness and your bravery. I can’t get you out of my mind!”
“But—but—your plans,” I stammered. “I’ll be in your way! You’re involved in a plot to restore the monarchy. What will your friends think if I’m tagging along?”
“It doesn’t matter what they think!” His eyes were bright. “What a glorious team we would make! You’ve always wanted adventure, Yanyan. Here is your chance!”
Things were going too fast for me. “What about my medical studies?” I asked. “I want to study to be a doctor.”
“You’ll get your chance to study medicine someday,” he said.
“I can’t decide so fast!” I protested. “I need time to think.”
“You have to decide by tomorrow,” he said. “Look, somebody else is coming. I’ll take you back to the school.”
As he set me down at the gate of the MacIntosh School, he said quietly, “Send me word by your maid. I think her name is Lumei.”
“I think Lumei admires you,” I said before I could stop myself.
“She’s been helpful,” he said impatiently. “ You’re the only one who matters to me.”
I watched him go down the street and then sat down to wait for my own rickshaw man. For some reason I thought of Lumei again. She didn’t matter to Baoshu. She had
been simply helpful.
My parents could tell that something urgent was on my mind. “Have the teachers been helpful about which college you should apply for?” asked Father.
For a moment I didn’t know what he was talking about. “What? Apply for college?”
Father studied my face thoughtfully. “You’re still thinking about Liang Baoshu, aren’t you?”
It would arouse Father’s suspicion even more for me to deny it. “Can you blame me?” I muttered. “His visit here was pretty dramatic.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking about your choice of colleges,” Father said slowly. “Your English has improved a great deal, and according to your teachers the grades of your other courses are most impressive. How would you like to attend a college in England or America?”
For the second time that day, I was rendered speechless. I just gaped at him.
Father laughed. “You look like one of the fish in our carp pond, opening and closing your mouth like that!”
Suddenly, I thought of that American man we had met in our train compartment on the way to Shanghai. His response to our rude remarks about Westerners had been humorous and generous. I remembered that he had given us his name card, which said he was a professor at some college in America. Perhaps I could still find his card. It might be pleasant to attend his school.
Then the whole idea came crashing down. Baoshu! If I went with him to Manchuria, I might have to give up my plans to go to college and study medicine.
“Well?” asked Father. He was looking hard at me, and he was no longer laughing. “What do you say?”
“I need time to think,” I said. “I can’t decide so fast.” Then I realized that I had said that earlier, too.
That night I couldn’t sleep as I tried to make up my mind. If I went with Baoshu, I would very likely have to give up my plans to become a doctor. He had said that I could still study medicine someday, but when would that opportunity come, if ever? I might have to travel from place to place with him, dodging the police, eluding capture.
But what an adventure it would be, the two of us working together and braving dangers! Baoshu could teach me more martial arts, and I would realize my dream of becoming one of those women warriors I was always reading about. I might even help with the wounded if one of the conspirators got hurt. Again I felt a rush of pride as I remembered how I had dug the bullet from Baoshu’s shoulder.
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