I have to say I'm really rather quick at writing right now, I have to give me that.^^ Well, without any further ado the new chapter.
Chapter VII
The Rulers of Shanghai
"Let me tell you the story of the town Shanghai. It is not a very nice or comfortable one but it should be told nonetheless, because even unpleasant stories should be heard… maybe even more so than the happy and pleasing ones. So listen carefully:
Wherever is influence, there is power. Wherever is power, there is money. And wherever is money, there is betrayal and corruption. That's the way it is and how it always has been. Unsurprisingly the underworld of Shanghai, which shrouds itself into the shadowy mist of the river Yangtze and the sweet blue smoke of the countless opium dens, is no exception. On the contrary: invisible hands are holding the strings behind the blood-red curtain, performing a dangerous play to the silenced audience. Unseen by the eyes of the English invaders, the city of Shanghai is secretly governed behind the scenes. Who's in charge is not the government. Not the Empress. Not the East India Trading Company.
The Triads are the real rulers of the den called Shanghai and opium is the fuel that keeps their little empire running. Actually there are so many Triads around that one could barely name all of them but the two which hold the greatest sway over the city are called the Red Gang and the Green Gang. Unluckily they are not only the most influential ones but also the ones which despise and fight each other the most since the one carries on commerce with the greatest English trading company for opium whilst the other exports opium in large amounts back to where it came from in the first place: England. It's a shame they work in such contradictory directions, fighting over power and influence by using the only currency that's really of value in this city.
And now tell me boy, what do you think? How do you devastate an empire and pulverize over 3000 years of history with almost no armed force?", he let out a small, thin puff of smoke, his dark eyes glimmered, reflected faintly the red gleam of the embers in his pipe when his gaze pierced through me.
"The answer is rather simple", he continued before I could even think about any possibly answer. "By flooding the country with drugs and turn millions of people into addicts."
Yuesheng Du let out a little sound that vaguely resembled a laugh but it was more like a jaundiced cackle when his hands made a sweeping gesture over the table, the fingers of his left hand still holding the clay pipe shaped like a dragon. "It worked out pretty fine in our country, don't you think?"
I nodded slowly – oh yes and how it worked out in our country. Within split seconds I saw them in front of my inner eye: The murky, run down opium-dens down at the docks that poisoned the air with their disgustingly sweet, emetic stench that seeped through every little alley, into every corner, inside every person down there. The entire docks where high on drugs. Vividly the images of the haggard men that lingered in the sideways near the opium-dens, with these dull looks in their empty eyes, not capable of focusing anything around them anymore, flooded back into my mind.
"And maybe", from far, far away the dark, raspy voice of Yuesheng Du found its way into my mind again. I blinked a few time to focus myself again, shooing away the images of half-dead, garbled people wearing nothing but rags covered in filth, craving for the next trip to wonderland.
"You'll understand now why we carry on commerce with the Englishmen. The Green Gang is fighting back."
The satisfied chuckle that followed these words gave me a start. It wasn't a happy chuckle.
It sounded vicious.
"We give them a taste of their own medicine."
Silence. Ran Mao was staring at her tightly entwined fingers lying in her lap. Did she feel so uncomfortable?
"Oh, well, well…", her father finally clapped his hands, thereby spilling embers all over the table. He did not seem to bother when he put the pipe away, turned towards his mute daughter and continued airily: "Looks like I got a little carried away, you must simply be bored to death, dear. So Ran Mao, would you please be so kind and call for Xao and Xing to serve dinner? I think I'd fancy a little snack now."
She immedeately got onto her feet without making even the faintest sound – she probably was used to appear and disappear like a shadow, without leaving any hint of her presence. Without looking at her father nor me again she vanished through the little door again and I suddenly remembered the by now probably ice-cold tea in front of me. Hectically I grasped for my cup and took a sip. Least of all I wanted to appear ungrateful. I emptied my cup in two large gulps. It was a different tasted than the one I had tasted in the garden. Sweeter, way less strong, a flavour I might actually get a liking on. Reaching for one of the biscuits on the tray I observed how my host made himself a little more comfortable onto the silky cushions - stretching his legs, taking a short sip of tea himself.
"Now tell me, Lau", he mumbled inside of his cup. "Why do you hate the English so much?"
I almost choked on the piece of almond-biscuit in my mouth. Completely taken off guard by this unexpected question I couldn't do much but bat my eyelashes in sheer surprise.
"Now?" he inquired further, lowering his cup.
"They…", I took a deep breath to steady myself. "They killed my little sister… They killed my parents, my sister and burned my whole village to the ground until there was nothing left of it but smouldering ashes."
I hated it. I hated to recall these painful memories of this fateful day in late summer that had changed my life forever. A cold shudder ran down my spine when I fought the upcoming memories of a torn apart orange Qipao and a field of scarlet poppies dyed in black blood. My counterfeit just nodded vaguely – did he even listen to me?
"Where was that village?" was the only reply I received after what appeared like hours of silence, while I bit back something that felt dangerously close to tears.
"Palinkao", my lips formed the answer without me realizing it.
"I see… and you came to Shanghai afterwards?"
"Not right afterwards but about five years ago, I guess."
Sometime ago I had just stopped counting the months in the filthy alleys and sideways filled with rats. What was the point of keeping track of bad times anyway?
Nothing but a short nod again when he finally put his emptied cup onto the table with a loud, distinguishable clang.
"Now let's talk business, Lau."
His overly long, bony fingers were grasping for the pipe he had put onto the floor before. Taking several short, heavy drags the few remaining embers glimmered again. He appeared rather satisfied.
"The reason why I invited you here in the first place is quickly told – I'd like to make you an offer. Would you like to– by any change - stay here for a while in order to learn how to read and to write?"
"Are you completely out of your-"
"Hush, hush, dear. No needs for temper-tantrums", he cut me off with a harsh movement of his sleeve, as if he wanted to swipe away an annoying fly. His thin brows narrowed and I regretted my flippant tongue right away.
"It's an offer. Nothing else. There are no terms, no requirements, it's completely unconditional. Simply stay here as long as you wish, as long as you are willing to learn."
"You're joking. You simply must be joking!"
Too late I realized I was almost yelling. It earned me a dismissive look out of narrowed eyes.
"Oh I promise you boy, I am not joking. I'm never joking when it comes down to business."
"But why?" I simply couldn't help but raise my voice. This… this whole situation seemed so outright wrong and awry I was sure I was bound to wake up any second on the cold floor of a run-down building. Everything was wrong. Me inside of this huge mansion was wrong, me drinking tea from tiny cups was wrong, servants talking to me like I wasn't the waif I was was wrong and above all… the leader of the notorious Green Gang seriously offering me to stay at his home and getting educated was so wrong one couldn't even put it into words anymore.
"Because you are an interesting boy, Zhuang Lau. You amuse me", the slight guttural snicker in his voice made me flinch. "You're smart and it would be a waste to let your wit rot and go to waste down there in the depths of the docks. Your idea with the teabags was simply brilliant, have to give you that."
I would never have guessed that his dark charcoal eyes could glimmer in such a way. They were sparkling when he was speaking.
"By the way, what happened to-"
"The cargo you scattered so carelessly over the floor?" he continued my sentence in a very nonchalant way. "Be assured it has been taken care of by now."
That wicked crypitcal grin again and I fully understood. Hell knew, half of the docklands were probably working for this man…
"But in hindsight I have to admit it wasn't a particularly bad thing that you damaged my precious goods. After our little talk I came to the conclusion that my first estimation of you had been more than affirmed. We have more in common than you think."
"I highly doubt that", I retorted quick like a shot, completely taken aback and confused by his words. Estimation? Things in common? We were worlds apart! What on earth could he and I possibly have in common except for our hatred and despise for the English, which we shared with roughly half of China?
"You said you lost your family in the second Opium war", he paused for a second when he exhaled the smoke and appeared for this short amount of time completely lost in thoughts. He gazed in abstraction at the squiggly silver lines which formed grotesque figures above our heads before he finally continued as if he had suddenly remembered that he wasn't alone in the room:
"Well, I lost mine in the first. Believe me I know damn well how that feels like."
Again a deep drag at the pipe and an absent-minded look how the smoke swirled up and down.
"As I've already said before, we have more in common than you think. And now listen, boy… ", he hissed in a dangerously low tone, puffing out smoke between nearly closed lips, making him almost look like an angry dragon. It made my heart beat faster.
"This is an one-off offer. Take it or leave it, but this opportunity will never return. If you decide to take your leave now, feel free to return to the gutter you came from in the first place and perish there together with the rats. Don't even think about coming back tomorrow, saying you changed your mind."
I could almost feel the little gears behind my forehead turning fast and faster while his dark, colourless gaze pinned me at the wall behind me, requiring an answer.
"I accept", the sound of my own voice embarrassed me, even more when I could see how the smile onto Yuesheng's features widened. My voice was suddenly croaky and breathy, as if my throat had been turned into abrasive paper.
"Well, that's settled then. Let's get to the dining room. Dinner should be ready by now", he suddenly beamed at me when he got onto his feet, all tension and constraint instantaneously blown off. I on the other hand felt like I had been petrified by an evil spirit. I could not even move a single muscle. Smoothing down the silk of his robes he was heading for the great door at the end of the room which had been opened for me for what appeared like years ago. "Oh and Lau…"
He was already halfway through the door – which had once again opened itself as if by magic – when he stopped abruptly. It seemed like he had suddenly remembered something, when he mused for a second before he turned around one last time.
"This is nothing but a well meant advice, but…", the gaze that seemed to capture even the faintest heartbeat eyed me from head to toe. "Hide your eyes when you deal with the Englishmen. They tell too many dark tales."
Uff... finally, finally, finally this part of the story is over... it took waaay longer than I expected it to be in the first place when I planned this part... but well, good things take some time^^
Dear Lau has a new home and the "real" story can begin now. I hope you stay tuned for the next chapter and liked the story so far.
Special greetings to Phantom Ou - thank you for you great, encouraging comments. :)
Regards, Eisteufel