My Splendid Concubine

by Lofthouse, Lloyd

  “She knows a few words,” Fooyen said, as she came into the room.

  “Take Anna upstairs. I want to be alone with Ayaou.” He gave Guan-jiah a look, and the eunuch said, “Pardon me, Master, but I must make sure the servants have kept the house clean.” He hurried away.

  Ayaou stared at the floor avoiding eye contact. He, on the other hand, could not take his eyes off her. He felt angry and wanted to tell her. Instead, he walked around her, as if he were on an inspection tour and liked what he saw. He sensed that her eyes were trying to follow him.

  “I apologize for running away,” she said. Her voice was soft and difficult to hear.

  “What did you say?” he asked.

  “What you did to save Cousin Weed is worth more than money to me,” she replied.

  He stopped in front of her and lifted her chin to see her face. Her eyes were swimming in tears. Her lower lip trembled. He felt a pain in his chest, and he wanted to take her in his arms to comfort her. He resisted the urge. It wasn’t time yet.

  “I was a fool to leave. What you did is proof of your love for me,” she said. The tears started to overflow and run down her cheeks. “Your respect for my father and family shows that you value me. I no longer think that I am a property you bought. And your love is no longer just words of passion. I am unworthy.”

  “Enough,” he said. “I was also a fool.” He pulled her into his arms. They kissed. Her lips were warm and soft.

  Later that evening, alone in his study, he remembered something that Patridge had said years ago.

  “Chou Luk should have waited. Though you don’t have the wealth Ward has, you’re a dependable man. It probably has not crossed Chou Luk’s mind that we think differently from the Chinese. He sold three of his daughters to men he believes are going to help take care of him. You think that I will. He’ll get no help from Ward either.”

  The captain had underestimated the sisters. Robert was sure that whoever their masters were, Chou Luk’s daughters would find a way to get help for their father and family, even if they had to steal.

  Thinking about Patridge raised a thought that he hadn’t considered before. Patridge had asked both Horatio and him to continue accepting bribes and help smuggle opium into China. Both had refused.

  Then that British sailor attacked Robert. Next, Horatio was knifed in Shanghai. The coincidence was difficult to ignore.

  On the other hand, the weapons in both attacks had been knives. That was odd. Knives did not sound like Patridge. He was sure that if Patridge sent assassins, they would use a large caliber pistol, rifle or shotgun.

  Patridge’s motive was strong enough. If he got rid of the two men that stood in his way and replaced them with people to do his bidding, he would reap greater profits. Robert would have to be more careful to avoid Horatio’s fate. At least Horatio was getting out of the country until his health returned. As much as he disliked the man, Robert did not wish death on him.

  On the last night before he left for Peking, he waited until Anna went to sleep before going to the bedroom he shared with Ayaou. He sat beside her on their bed and took her hands in his. He explained what his journey was about and how important it was to his career.

  “I need your help, Ayaou,” he said.

  “How can I help if you are in Peking, and I am here? After all, it is my duty as your concubine to bring you to the pleasure cliff and help you jump off so we both soar among the clouds. My body is your way to relax, to reach ecstasy and find harmony. Take me with you if that is what you want. I will do all that I can to insure your longevity.”

  “That is tempting,” he said, “but I must go alone, and I will miss our intimacies. I will also have trouble sleeping soundly.” He paused for a moment then said, “I hate being without you.”

  Her eyes darted away from his. “I suggest that you find another concubine in Peking to keep your bed warm. It is only fitting for a man of your stature.”

  “No,” he said. “That isn’t what I meant. I want more from you than just your body.”

  “I do not understand.” She cocked her head to one side and looked at him with curiosity. “What else have I to offer?”

  He liked the way she looked when she did that and was tempted to kiss her. “I want you to support me outside of bed too. You will spend time in the teahouses talking to others and listening. I require an unspoiled perspective of what the Chinese people are saying.

  “Listen to the conversations among your family members regarding politics and the common people’s concerns. Write to me and tell me what you are learning. This will be of great value to me. I want you to be my eyes and ears. You can start by telling me what you already know.”

  Robert and Ayaou talked late into the night about many things. What she already knew turned out to be priceless. Before that night ended, she helped him understand why the Taipings had gained support from the peasants.

  “Not only do the foreigners want to drug us by selling opium,” Ayaou said, “but they also want to take our souls by making us believe in their religion and their God. What if we did the same to you and went into your country uninvited and opened up businesses in your backyards? What if we forced your people to follow the teachings of Confucius or become Buddhists?”

  “I have thought about that,” he said. “That’s why I never expect the Chinese to believe what I believe or to think like me. Instead, I find a middle ground.”

  “Robert, you must be careful in Peking. The people cannot tell you from the other foreign devils that burned our Emperor’s palaces. They will not know that you are there to help. You are my happiness. I do not want anything to happen to you.” She rested her head on his shoulder.

  A lump grew in his throat. He let go of her hands and put an arm around her. “You have nothing to worry about,” he replied. “I have an armed escort, and I will be careful.” He kissed her neck. “I will miss your lips.”

  Looking serious, Ayaou pushed away. “Do you know that Emperor Hsien Feng is very sick?” she asked. “The rumors say that he is dying in Jehol.”

  “Yes, I have heard.” It was amazing how fast news and opinions traveled in China. “I have also heard that Prince Kung will take over the imperial business if the emperor dies. Even though the title of emperor will go to Hsien Feng’s six-year-old son, Kung will be the true ruler behind the dragon throne. He is the one I will be working with in Peking.”

  Ayaou’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “Robert, is that true?”

  He nodded. “Prince Kung understands that to succeed, China must learn to deal with the foreign powers sensibly. He has established an organization called the Tsungli Yamen (Office in Charge of Affairs of All Nations) to administer foreign affairs.”

  Overwhelmed by excitement, Ayaou leaped off the bed and took several calming breaths, before she said, “People spend fortunes to buy favors and gifts just to meet the powerful royals. But you do not have that kind of money. You have just spent your next year’s salary on Cousin Weed. How can you possibly buy your way in? How did you get Prince Kung to hire you?”

  “My understanding of the Chinese, which I learned from you and Shao-mei, has turned in to a gift for him to use.” He didn’t bother to hide his elation.

  “In fact, I’m more than a gift. Prince Kung needs me. I am going to be his bridge between Britain and China. I will be worthy of his trust. I want to see China thrive, so smart girls like you can go to school. One day, your family will not have to live on a junk. There will be no beheadings, because no one will have to steal to eat and no need for rebels like the Taipings to make war.”

  A sober look crossed Ayaou’s face. She moved closer. “Hold me,” she said. “Robert, you are not like the Chinese, and you are not like the English or French either. You are unusual. No one in China is like you.”

  That wasn’t true of course. There were others, and he was recruiting them. Finding them, on the other hand, was like discovering one hidden flower getting ready to bloom in an acre of waist high
weeds.

  A splendid smile that resembled Shao-mei’s blossomed on her face except Ayaou didn’t have dimples. “To me it sounds like a dream, Robert. I will pray for the wind in Peking to be favorable for you.”

  “I welcome your prayers,” he said, “but my trip to the Forbidden City may not be smooth since my boss Hung-chi has been doing everything he can to stop me from leaving.”

  The intimate look in her eyes turned to concern. “That is understandable,” she said. “Hung-chi is worried, because you know too much about his corruption. He is afraid that once Prince Kung and you get together, he will be exposed.”

  He was shocked. “How did you learn that?” He hadn’t said one word about Hung-chi’s corruption to anyone but Gerard, not even Guan-jiah knew.

  “Everyone in the teahouses in Canton is talking about it,” she replied.

  “How do you know what they are saying?” he asked. “You don’t speak Cantonese. Where did the people learn this?”

  “I learned Cantonese while I lived in Macao. Guan-jiah and I found an old woman to teach us.” She nodded and shoved him in a playful way. “Silly, people know about Hung-chi, because the Manchu hires the Han to be their servants. The Han hear everything.”

  “You are amazing. If the common man knows that Hung-chi is a crook, why don’t the imperials know?”

  “Canton is a long way from Peking,” Ayaou said, “and the Manchu do not listen to the Han.”

  “But the Han make up ninety percent of the population. The Manchu should listen.”

  She shook her head. “Robert, even if the Manchu listened, people fear talking to them. It is easy to lose your head in China. Besides, the Manchu do not trust the Han.”

  “So, Hung-chi has nothing to worry about,” he said. That was a depressing thought.

  “You are wrong, Robert. Hung-chi should be worried. You are a man of honesty and Hung-chi is a leech who thrives on bribery. Everyone in Canton knows where his money comes from, but no one dares to expose him. Everyone fears him. On the other hand, he dreads you. I have heard people say this.”

  “My job is clear. I must convince Prince Kung of the importance of getting rid of these leeches from his government.”

  “I do not think Prince Kung wants to hear you tell him how to run his business. Let me tell you what the scholars say in the teahouses. Prince Kung should stop his soldiers from deserting their posts by paying them on time. He has to gain back the army’s loyalty. The other is to trade for medicines with the foreigners. There is too much sickness in China.”

  That made sense. The bottom line was money. Prince Kung needed it urgently to rebuild the nation. Robert would provide the Dynasty with tons of silver taels through taxes on imported and exported goods. First, he had to reorganize Customs to be more efficient and weed out the corruption.

  As inspector general, he could hire and fire whom he wanted. He could get rid of people like Hung-chi. He couldn’t wait to leave for Peking.

  Yet, he feared the coming depression. He might be helping China, but he’d be away from Ayaou. In the last few months, there had been enough of that. Now, just when they were together again, he had to leave, and he had no idea how long he’d be gone.

  “I should talk to Hung-chi before I go and convince him to stop stealing or else.”

  Ayaou’s eyes widened in fear. “No!” She placed a hand on his arm. “Robert, he does not know what you will do. He is only afraid of what you might do. If he knew what you were planning, he would have you assassinated.”

  “Then I will keep my thoughts reserved for Peking.” Ayaou was right. A confrontation like the one he had just proposed with Hung-chi was very Western. It would be a mistake.

  If he were to be successful in China, he had to keep Taoism and Confucianism in mind. He had to plan his battles around the teachings of those two philosophers. He had to learn how to bend while working to help build a better China. It would take patience. He would also apply some of what he had learned from studying Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.

  Dawn leaked through the shutters that covered the windows. A spring rain had soaked the fields penetrating the earth and waking the seeds. When he opened his eyes, he discovered Ayaou’s head resting on his chest. Her dark hair spread out like a fan, and he smelled her ocean scent. Why couldn’t every morning be like this?

  She rolled over and looked at him.

  They kissed, touched and made love. She whispered that if there was a next life, she wanted to be born as his concubine again.

  “Robert,” she said, “You have become a great man, and I am your bed warmer. I will not pressure you again to make me your wife or accuse you of only thinking of me as a whore. I know my place. I will always be standing in the shadows out of sight but in reach. I will understand when you bring a proper wife home.”

  “There will never be anyone but you,” he whispered. They made love again.

  Chapter 43

  It was late spring in 1861 when Robert reached China’s capital city. As his imperial escort rode into sight of Peking, he couldn’t help but stare. The walls were forty feet high and on each corner were ten-story watchtowers with windows where archers could shoot at invaders. A sixty-foot tunnel with gates at either end led through the wall.

  His escort was a troop of Manchu bannermen, and their yellow uniforms and flags signified the banner to which they belonged. His Ningpo teacher, Tee Lee Ping, had taught him that eight banners made up the Manchu army, three upper banners and five lower banners. In addition, there were eight Mongol banner armies and another eight Chinese banner armies. The three upper Manchu banners answered only to the emperor.

  Inside the walls, people stopped and stared at the foreign devil riding with a troop of the emperor’s bodyguard. Thousands of eyes examined him tearing his clothes off in their imaginations to see his naked, white skin. He’d never had this kind of attention before, and it made him uncomfortable.

  Did these people consider him another parasite that had come to suck the emperor’s blood as so many others had done before? Would they hate him and throw rocks? Had he made a mistake accepting the temporary position of inspector general? Would he end up like Horatio Lay?

  He was surprised to discover that instead of twisted narrow streets as in Canton and Ningpo, Peking had wide avenues lined with shops and gray windowless houses.

  At times, there were long stretches of red plastered walls with decorated tiles capping them. The troop rode alongside an open sewer that ran down the center of the wide avenue. When he first saw it, Robert expected it to stink, but the stench of human waste wasn’t as intense as in Ningpo. He did not have to cover his mouth and nose with a damp, scented cloth.

  In the distance, he saw China’s heart, the rose-colored walls of the Forbidden City. He was nervous and excited at the same time. It occurred to him that instead of arriving like a conqueror as the invading allied army recently had, he was here as a friend. How ironic, he thought.

  His attention was caught by a long line of camels on the opposite side of the avenue on their way out of the city. On their backs, between the twin humps, were trade goods going to far-flung provinces. His imagination sent them into the Gobi Desert and along the ancient Silk Road to Persia.

  Tee Lee Ping had said that Peking had been China’s capital for nearly five centuries. Yong-Le, an emperor of the Ming Dynasty, had built the Forbidden City, and it took two hundred thousand laborers thirteen years from 1389 to 1402 to complete the work.

  Peking was a city built in the style of Chinese boxes that enclosed communities called hutongs. The Forbidden City was the emperor’s palace, which covered hundreds of acres surrounded by a wide moat. Inside its walls, capable of housing thousands of concubines, eunuchs and imperial guards, was where the emperor was supposed to live.

  However, he knew Emperor Hsien Feng was still in Jehol, more than a hundred miles from Peking on the other side of the Great Wall.

  Now that he was actually in Peking, what impressed him most was the con
fidence in the city’s architecture. Utterly self-inspired, different from anything he had seen in China so far. It made him wonder who had planned and built the city.

  On the way in, he’d seen the hills in the distance covered with a green velvet gown of trees and bushes in full summer foliage. He’d strained to see the Summer Palace that the allied forces had destroyed the previous year, but saw nothing. The distance was too great for the naked eye to bridge.

  He wondered how far the Summer Palace was from the Forbidden City. His curiosity was urging him to explore. He hoped he would have time but doubted it. He had not come to Peking for pleasure.

  A troop of men riding shaggy ponies cantered by headed in the same direction as Robert’s slower moving escort. They were all crossbowman dressed in jointed bamboo armor. Soon, they were out of sight.

  He felt as if he had traveled to the Middle Ages, a thousand years in the past. Until now, he had not realized how much the Chinese empire was like a huge medieval kingdom. No wonder the battles between the allied army and the banner armies had resulted in China losing. From what he had discovered, it had been a slaughter. Tens of thousands of Chinese troops had died with only a few casualties among the allies. How could men armed like this stand against a modern army with cannons and rifles?

  Robert’s fears that he might be assaulted were put to rest when he arrived at his assigned quarters. Guards were posted outside the house. He didn’t know whether he should consider them his jailers or his protectors.

  He knew that the Manchu were distrustful. Considering all the troubles and wars foreign nations had imported to China in recent decades, he couldn’t blame them. In their position, he would feel the same.

  The weather was dry and hot. The wind blew from the Inner Mongolian deserts and in half-a-day, Robert’s desk was covered with a film of dust. He wrote daily to Ayaou and worried that the letters wouldn’t reach her. The mail service in China was unreliable. Maybe he would get a chance to fix that one day if he stayed long enough.