The Blue Dress Girl

by E. V. Thompson

  ‘We have always had trouble from them,’ declared the fisherman, still not certain Kernow was telling him the truth about the purpose of his visit.

  ‘Have they raided this area recently?’

  ‘Twice in the past month,’ admitted the man. ‘It was not so bad the first time. They attacked the house of the Hoppo, but Li Hung had a hundred bannermen to protect him. They beat off the pirates, killing eleven of them. Then the Hoppo left and the second attack was on our village. The pirates carried off some of our women and killed two fishermen. They’ll return again as soon as they learn there are no bannermen guarding the Hoppo’s house now.’

  Talk of the Hoppo’s house aroused Kernow’s interest immediately. This was where She-she and Kau-lin had lived. The key to their past lives lay here.

  ‘Where is the house – and why has the Hoppo left? He has nothing to fear from our armies.’

  ‘He is an official in the Imperial service. Many chose to leave when they learned your ships were coming upriver from Hong Kong. But you will find his secretary still at the house. It is just along the river from here. The large house with a walled garden.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Kernow stood up and smiled at the faces staring at him from all sides of the room. ‘I am sorry for disturbing you and your family, but you may sleep more peacefully knowing we are near at hand.’

  The Chinese man bowed Kernow from his house, but just before closing the door called into the darkness after him: ‘We have taken precautions against the pirates that you might find useful. There are bells strung on ropes and tied to stakes in the water at each possible landing place. Any boat coming close to land in the darkness will strike one of these. They are not loud, but an alert man will hear.’

  ‘I’ll remember.’

  ‘What was that all about, sir?’ The sergeant’s voice carried the respect of one who had difficulty with his own language for a man who had mastered at least two others.

  ‘He was telling me there’s been a pirate raid on the house of the Chief Customs official. The local fishermen are expecting another. I think we’ll make our way there.’

  On the way to the Hoppo’s house Kernow told the sergeant and his men about the bell warning system laid out by the fishermen. ‘They’ll do nothing to stop anyone coming in, but it should give us sufficient warning to have a surprise waiting for anyone who tries to land.’

  Kernow felt he had sufficient justification for going to the Canton Hoppo’s house now, but he would have found an excuse for going there anyway. He wanted to learn all he could about She-she.

  The moon was playing hide-and-seek among some high clouds when they reached the Hoppo’s house, but there was sufficient light for Kernow to see. It was a very impressive building with long gardens that extended for hundreds of yards to the riverbank. It would be a natural target for any river pirates bold enough to mount an attack on the home of a high Imperial official.

  There was a stout gate to the grounds and it was guarded by a watchman who was reluctant to allow Kernow and his men inside. He was eventually persuaded to open the gate, but not until he had sent a sleepy-eyed young lad from the gatehouse to warn Secretary Po that he had Fan Qui visitors.

  Once inside, Kernow sent the sergeant and five men to the river-bank, to keep watch there until he sent for them, keeping only one man with him as a personal escort. Through the grille-bars of the gate he could see a light in one of the rooms and someone moving around inside. By the time he reached the front door the man was dressed and waiting for him.

  ‘Welcome to the house of Excellency Li Hung, His Imperial Majesty’s Hoppo of Canton. I regret His Excellency is not at home to receive you.’

  Secretary Po’s English was good, but he spoke slowly and precisely, as though he was unused to conversing in the language.

  ‘My apologies for the lateness of the hour,’ Kernow replied in Chinese. ‘We are carrying out patrols to deter river pirates. As this house has already been attacked and is likely to be a target again I thought I should come to speak to you.’

  ‘That is most thoughtful of you. I must compliment you on your command of our language. It is most refreshing to find one of your people who has taken the time to learn it so well.’

  Secretary Po was almost gushingly polite, yet Kernow had an uncomfortable feeling that this man liked Europeans no more than did the captured Viceroy Yeh.

  ‘Please, you will come inside and take some tea with me?’

  ‘Thank you. My men will remain close to the river while I am in the house.’

  ‘Ah, yes, the pirates. It is possible they will attack the house again, but very unlikely they will be able to force an entrance. You will observe, every window has bars outside and heavy shutters within. There are also small holes through which a gun might be fired at them. If you look more closely you will see the doors are fitted with much iron. It would need a cannon to break them down.’

  ‘You are very wise to take such precautions. No doubt Li Hung has a great deal to protect. Has he taken his family away with him?’

  ‘I alone am left, with the servants. A Hoppo can fulfil few duties when there is war. I trust he may soon be able to return.’

  ‘The wish of my government is for more trade, not less….’

  At that moment both men heard a commotion in the garden. It was coming from somewhere in the direction of the river.

  Kernow said quickly, ‘Go inside the house and secure the doors. I’ll find out what’s happening.’

  He was halfway to the river when he met one of the marines hurrying towards the house.

  ‘We’ve caught someone landing in the garden, sir. Them bells you told us about started tinkling and the next minute a sampan came in to the bank.’

  ‘Is it pirates?’

  ‘I don’t think so, but the sergeant caught ’em. It seems to be a man and a girl, that’s all.’

  Kernow relaxed. ‘They’re probably only fishing. But tell the sergeant to bring them up to the house. If they’ve come in off the river they might have seen or heard something.’

  Kernow reassured Secretary Po that all was well and as the two men stood in the doorway a man accompanied by a girl was escorted to the house.

  As the two passed through the light slicing from a window, Kernow received a shock. For a moment he thought this girl was She-she. When she reached the door he realised she was at least a year or two younger, but the likeness was uncanny.

  The man bowed low to Secretary Po, but the Hoppo’s cousin was less than polite in his response. ‘What do you mean by trespassing in the gardens of the Hoppo’s home? Does your foolish head mean so little to you that you put it at risk in such a manner?’

  ‘I am not trespassing, Excellency. I came here to beg to speak to the Hoppo, out of concern for my daughter.’

  ‘The Hoppo is not here. I am his secretary. But what is this nonsense? What would Li Hung have to do with a Hakka girl?’

  ‘She is one of his concubines. The chief eunuch of his household came to my village and chose her. I was given the post of head boatman on my part of the river because of this.’

  ‘Your daughter, what is her name?’ Kernow put the question to the man, although he believed he already knew the answer.

  The man was startled to hear a Fan Qui speaking his own language and he looked at Secretary Po, not replying until Po inclined his head.

  ‘Her name is She-she. Li Hung’s chief eunuch took her from my home to bring her here. I missed seeing her leave because I was busy in the Hoppo’s service. I wept bitter tears because of it – but her sister was there. She will tell you I speak the truth. When we heard of the war here, at Canton …’ There was a sidelong glance at Kernow once more. ‘I had to come. I gave her to Li Hung, but I am still her father.’

  ‘You are a fool! Li Hung has the choice of every daughter in the Province. Why should he choose a Hakka? Yes, I remember She-she, but she was not a concubine. She was a blue dress girl. A servant kept by Li Hung to entertain his guests. Sh
e is no longer here. I doubt if she is even alive. She was sent to Foochow with the other blue dress girls but the junk carrying them was sunk by a Fan Qui ship. Some of the girls were saved, but no one knows how many. Go home, old man. Be happy that you have the honour to be in the Hoppo’s employ. Go and work hard for the benefits he has given to you.’

  As Secretary Po turned away, She-she’s father let out an uninhibited wail of anguish and staggered away into the darkness, pursued by his young daughter.

  ‘Wait!’ Leaving the startled secretary behind, Kernow set off after the grief-stricken man, guided by the noise he made as he blundered through the shrubbery.

  They were well away from the lights of the house by the time Kernow caught up with father and daughter. It was doubtful whether the man even knew he was being followed until Kernow reached out and caught him by the arm.

  ‘Wait. She-she is not dead. She’s all right.’

  The man was still wailing so loudly it was doubtful whether he heard Kernow – but the girl did.

  Taking her father’s other arm she pulled him roughly to a halt. ‘Father, listen to the Fan Qui. He says She-she is not dead. She-she is alive.’

  The young girl’s shrill voice broke through her father’s grief. ‘How would a Fan Qui know about She-she?’

  ‘I know because I took her to Hong Kong after the Hoppo’s junk was sunk. She spent some time there and then went on to Shanghai. She is there now.’

  There was a long silence before She-she’s father spoke again in a hoarse whisper. ‘This is true? You do not lie?’

  ‘Why should I want to lie? She is well. The missionary doctor and his wife at Hong Kong thought very highly of her. I have spoken to her very many times. You see this sash I wear? She-she made it for me, for my birthday. She is well and happy and will be very much happier when I meet her again and tell her I have spoken to you.’

  ‘You will do this? You will tell her I came here out of concern for her?’

  ‘Of course.’

  She-she’s father was silent for a long time, then he reached out and gripped Kernow’s arms. ‘I do not understand why she is not a concubine. I was told … but it does not matter now, she is alive and well. This is enough. Tell her I wanted to see her before she left our home but there was an accident on the river. Two men died. I had to search for them.’

  ‘I will tell her.’

  ‘One more thing, Fan Qui. Do not tell her I know she is not a concubine of the Hoppo Li Hung. That would make her very unhappy.’

  ‘I will say nothing that might make She-she unhappy, I promise you. But you need feel no shame for her. She did not spend enough time in the Hoppo’s house to learn what went on here. Her friend has told me so.’

  ‘I will return home with Hau-ming now, Fan Qui. I thank you. I have done all I came to do. She-she’s mother will be happy to know her daughter is well. She was very worried when she heard about the war.’

  ‘Why not stay here for the night and travel on in the morning?’

  ‘It is better to travel at night on the river. There are many pirates, and Hau-ming will soon be as beautiful as her sister.’

  ‘That is true. When I saw her in the light of the window I thought I saw She-she. You are fortunate indeed to have such daughters.’

  Kernow saw the whiteness of Hau-ming’s teeth in the darkness as she smiled at him.

  ‘I thank you, Fan Qui. If it is within your power, I beg you to take care of She-she. For the sake of a father, as you will also one day surely be.’

  ‘I will take care of her always. This I promise you.’

  She-she’s father walked away in the darkness, heading for the river. Kernow thought the girl had gone too, but suddenly she stood before him again and pressed something into his hand. ‘Please, you will give this to She-she?’

  ‘What is it?’ It felt like a polished stone pendant, on a thin leather cord.

  ‘It is mine. She-she always admired it. Give it to her and she will know you tell the truth about meeting her father and her sister.’

  The girl was gone again in an instant, but suddenly her voice came back softly to Kernow. ‘Tell She-she also that I am glad she has found the sort of man we used to talk about. You may be a Fan Qui, but I would rather have you than some fat old Hoppo.’

  Chapter 26

  THE MORNING AFTER Kernow’s meeting with She-she’s father and sister, the Royal Navy removed the immediate threat of a pirate attack on the riverside communities. A steam-gunboat on routine patrol discovered two pirate junks sheltering in a creek only a couple of miles downriver from Canton city. After a brief and one-sided exchange of fire, one junk exploded in a spectacular manner when a shell landed in its store of gunpowder. Minutes later both Chinese vessels were destroyed.

  Many pirates were killed in the battle but half-a-dozen were brought captive to Canton and Kernow questioned them about their activities. He learned that the presence of the British and French fleets had frightened most pirates from the area. They had moved their operations farther along the coast. Pickings were leaner there, but the risk of death or capture, which amounted to the same thing, was reduced accordingly.

  The pirates of the two junks found by the gunboat had chosen to remain and take their chances against the allied navies. It was one of these ships that had raided the Hoppo’s house and the fishermen’s homes along the river bank.

  After the pirates had been questioned, Major Kelly ordered that they be handed over to the magistrate of Canton. It was tantamount to a sentence of death upon each of the men, but even Kernow could not find it in his heart to protest on this occasion at his commanding officer’s action. River pirates were ruthless and savage outlaws and these were no exception. Sailors from the gunboat had gone on board the surviving junk before it foundered and had found the bodies of two young captive women. Their throats had apparently been slit when the British gunboat opened fire.

  Kernow’s questioning of the pirates occurred at a time when he would normally have been sleeping. He was desperately tired after his long night duty and decided to return to bed to snatch a couple of hours’ sleep before returning to duty that night.

  His rest did not last for very long. He was awakened by an urgent hammering at his door. As he fought his way to wakefulness, a voice called: ‘Lieutenant Keats! Lieutenant Keats. Wake up. We’ve trouble, sir. Big trouble!’

  The room was in darkness. Still half asleep, Kernow knocked over a small table on his way to the doorway. Pulling the door open he saw a young Royal Marine outside in a state of nervous excitement.

  ‘What is it? What’s happening?’

  ‘We’ve a riot on our hands in the street around the corner, sir. A marine’s been killed. Major Kelly’s gone there and taken some men with him, but the duty sergeant told me to come and fetch you.’

  Even as the marine was explaining the nature of the emergency, Kernow was pulling on his clothes. Moments later, still buckling on his sword belt, he and the young marine left the building at the run. On the way they gathered up a dozen armed marines coming in off another street patrol.

  The sounds of an angry crowd reached them as they approached the street where only a few days before Kernow had arrested Major Kelly’s batman.

  When they turned the corner they saw a seething mass of Chinese. Most were crammed into a small area halfway along the street surrounding Major Kelly and perhaps another dozen Royal Marines. Conspicuous by their red coats, the marines had a house wall to their rear and a crowd of some two or three hundred Chinese about them, hemming them in.

  With the patrol were two Chinese men, apparently prisoners. All the marines had bayonets affixed to their rifles and only by making free use of these were they successfully holding the hostile crowd at bay.

  ‘Fix bayonets and form a line across the road,’ Kernow snapped the order to his men. He knew he needed to rescue Major Kelly and his men before the sheer weight of the Chinese pushing forward overwhelmed them. Kelly and his men might kill a few of the riote
rs, but it would earn them only a brief respite.

  Standing at the centre of his thin line of men Kernow said, ‘When I give the order those men on my left will fire over the heads of the crowd and reload as quickly as possible. Then we’ll advance and clear the road.’

  The crowd was shouting for the head of Major Kelly as Kernow and his party advanced. He quickly realised that a diversion was urgently needed.

  ‘Ready? Fire!’

  The shots rang out above the noise of the crowd and every head turned towards the newly arrived marines. Suddenly, those at the rear of the crowd, who had been ready to sacrifice the lives of those in front of them for the opportunity to take a Fan Qui head, were less certain. Now they ran the risk of being among the first to be killed the situation had changed dramatically.

  ‘Advance! Slowly now. We’ll get closer and then take aim at the crowd. That should make them start moving.’

  Kernow and his dozen men moved slowly towards the crowd and there was a barely perceptible movement away from them. Kernow saw it and knew he could end this riot without further trouble. But fate, in the form of Major Kelly, decreed otherwise.

  The Chinese closest to the major and his marines had heard the volley of shots, but the mass of the crowd was between them and whatever was going on elsewhere in the street. Their confrontation was still with the Fan Qui marines trapped in their midst. The newcomers posed no threat to them.

  One of the Chinese who had been particularly vociferous continued to hurl abuse at Kelly and his men. Had the major remained calm, all would have been well. But the arrival of Kernow and marine reinforcements had changed the extremely dangerous situation he was in. The major suddenly let out a shout and lunged at his tormentor.

  Instead of trying to escape, the Chinese grabbed Major Kelly and pulled the Royal Marine officer towards him. The crowd closed in about them in an instant. There was a flurry of arms, the flash of a steel sword and suddenly the scarlet figure disappeared from view.

  As the major’s patrol bayoneted its way towards their commanding officer, Kernow’s line of marines came to a halt. At his command they fired a volley into the crowd that left seven men sprawled in the street.