The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai

by Bangqing Han

  In the course of this conversation, the man sent to hasten the guests had come back to report that there was another party at Generosity Alley. “They say please go ahead.”

  So Lotuson Wang called for hot towels to be brought up. The maid answered and took the call chits down with her. Meanwhile, Whistler had written another one for Green Phoenix and slipped it in with the rest.

  Lotuson invited everybody to go into the middle room, where three square tables had been set end to end to make a big dining table. The men removed their jackets and sat around anyhow, leaving two high-back chairs in the middle vacant. Constance poured wine for everyone and offered them watermelon seeds. Benevolence Hong raised his cup to her, saying, “Maestro, my congratulations.”

  Constance was so shy, she pursed her lips to suppress a smile and said, “What for?”

  Benevolence imitated her in falsetto, “What for?” Everybody laughed.

  The singers submitted a handwritten folder of opera titles, asking them to indicate their choices. Lotuson Wang offhandedly picked two: “The Broken Bridge” and “In Search of a Dream.” The singers went downstairs and began the performance. A manservant wearing a formal silk fez served the first course, shark’s fin. Green Phoenix was already there in answer to the call.

  “Look, she’s the first to arrive,” Whistler Tang said to Prosperity Luo. “How she’s trying to please!”

  Prosperity Luo made a sign with his lips. Whistler turned his head around and saw Snow Scent sitting behind Elan Ge.

  “She’s like a girl from the same house, coming from just across the way. You can’t compare her with the others,” said Whistler.

  Green Phoenix’s maid, Mama Zhao, was just getting the water pipe out to fill it. She was a little taken aback to hear what Whistler said. “We always hurry to answer a call,” she said. “It’s only when there are other parties that we’re sometimes a bit late.”

  Displeased, Green Phoenix snapped at Mama Zhao, “What’re you going on about? Early or late, what’s the difference? Who needs you to do all this talking?”

  Whistler Tang heard all this but just ignored it with a smile. Prosperity Luo, however, was beginning to lose his patience. Lotuson Wang quickly changed the subject, saying, “Let’s play the finger game. Prosperity, you start a bank of fifty cups.”

  “Fifty it is then. No big deal!” Prosperity responded.

  “Come, twenty will do,” said Whistler Tang.

  “He’s got all these people to drink for him,” said Lotuson Wang. “It’ll have to be thirty cups at least. I’ll be the first challenger.” So saying, he started a finger game with Prosperity Luo.

  “Have you sung a song yet?” Green Phoenix asked Snow Scent.

  “I’m not going to. You go ahead,” Snow Scent replied.

  Mama Zhao gave Green Phoenix the pipa. She tuned it and sang a prelude, which was followed by an allegro section from the Beijing opera “Breaking All Ties.” Mama Zhao drank five penalty cups in a row for Prosperity Luo and flushed crimson in the face, yet Prosperity still would not let her off. Lute happened to arrive just then. She reached over and took the cup.

  Mama Zhao took the opportunity to fill the water pipe twice. She then said, “Our maestro has to go now. Would you like to us to drink a couple of penalty cups as reserve?”

  This fueled Prosperity’s rage. He took three of the large drinking bowls and filled them to the brim for Mama Zhao. She picked up one of them but was reluctant to drink it. Green Phoenix’s temper flared. She told Mama Zhao to give her the cups and then poured all the wine into a big glass bowl and downed it in one gulp. “Please drop by later.” So saying, she went straight off without looking back.

  “See?” Prosperity Luo said to Whistler Tang. “Wouldn’t it have been better not to have called her?”

  “It’s your fault, really,” Lute put in. “They couldn’t drink anymore, and you still made them.”

  “Childish tantrums, that’s all,” said Whistler Tang. “Just drop her, and that’s that.”

  “I will call her again!” Prosperity Luo said loudly. “Maid, bring ink and writing brush.”

  Lute pulled at his sleeve. “Why call anybody! You …” she choked back the rest of what she wanted to say.

  “Don’t tell me you’re also turning green,” Prosperity said, smiling.

  Lute turned away holding back her laughter. “Go ahead then. I’m leaving as well.”

  “If you do, I’ll also call you again.”

  At this, Lute could not help breaking into a smile. The maid, holding the inkstone and writing brush, asked, “Do you still want them, sir?”

  “Give them to me. I’ll write the chit for him,” said Lotuson Wang.

  Prosperity Luo saw Lotuson writing with his head bent and wondered what he had put down. Cloudlet Chen, who was sitting near Wang, glanced at the chit and smiled but said nothing.

  Cloud Tao asked Prosperity Luo, “When did you start seeing Green Phoenix?”

  “Just a fortnight ago. At first she seemed all right.”

  “You have Maestro Lute here. What d’you want Green Phoenix for? That girl does have quite a temper,” said Cloud Tao.

  “A courtesan with a temper, how is she going to get any business?” said Prosperity.

  “The thing is, once a client gets to know what she’s like, no one can compare with her for fondness and devotion. The only trouble is that she throws these tantrums in the beginning,” said Cloud.

  “But Green Phoenix was sold to the house,” said Prosperity. “How is it that the madam allows her to throw tantrums instead of keeping her under control?”

  “How would the madam dare control her? She’s the one who controls the madam. The madam has to consult her in all matters great and small, and whatever she says goes. Even then the madam fawns on her now and again.”

  “This madam is too good-natured,” said Prosperity.

  “Is there such a thing as a good-natured madam? Have you heard of one called Second Sister Huang? That’s Green Phoenix’s madam. She started as a maid and rose to be madam. Having owned seven or eight girls, she counted as quite somebody in these foreign settlements. But when she ran into Green Phoenix, even she had to do a turnabout.”

  “Why, what powers does Green Phoenix have?” said Prosperity.

  “If you want to know, she’s a real hard case! When she was still a virgin courtesan, she quarreled with the madam and was given a beating. During the beating, she just clenched her teeth and never made a sound. When the maids pulled the madam away, she went straight for the jar of raw opium on the divan and swallowed two handfuls. The madam was terrified when she learned about it and sent for a doctor right away. But Green Phoenix refused to take medicine. It was no use cajoling or threatening her; she just refused. What could the madam do? She knelt down and kowtowed to the girl and then made her this promise: ‘From now on, I won’t dare offend you in any way.’ Only then did Green Phoenix bring up the opium and let the matter rest.”

  Prosperity Luo’s heart was beating fast as Cloud Tao told the story. He was lost in thought while the others at the table all expressed their admiration and sympathy for Green Phoenix. Even the courtesans and maids listened stunned. Lotuson Wang, still busy writing, was the only one who did not hear it. When he had finished and handed the note to the maid, Prosperity Luo took it to read. It turned out to be the sedan-chair bearers’ dinner allowances, so he set it aside.

  “Why aren’t you people drinking?” asked Lotuson Wang. “Is your bank broken yet, Prosperity?”

  “Ten more cups to go,” replied Prosperity.

  Lotuson told Whistler Tang to challenge the bank.

  “Jade hasn’t played either,” said Whistler. The words were scarcely out of his mouth when there were footsteps on the stairs and two men rushed straight in, shouting:

  “Who’s banker? Here we come; to the attack!”

  Everybody knew these were the two friends Lotuson Wang had invited from his bureau. They all stood up to offer the
m seats, but neither of them bothered to sit down. One stood in front of the table with his sleeves rolled up and a fist extended, shouting wildly into space the set phrases for the finger game. Another grabbed White Fragrance’s younger sister, Green Fragrance, by the waist and tried to kiss her on the mouth, murmuring, “My little baby! Give us a cheek-to-cheek.”

  Green Fragrance covered her face with her hands and hid behind Whistler Tang, crying out desperately, “Leave me alone!”

  “Don’t go and make her cry,” Lotuson Wang intervened quickly.

  “Oh, she won’t cry,” White Fragrance said smiling and then turned to lecture Green Fragrance. “What’s wrong with a little cheek-to-cheek? It won’t hurt, will it? See, you’ve made your hair come loose now.”

  Green Fragrance struggled free, took her nutmeg box, and looked in the mirror as White Fragrance tidied up her hair. Fortunately, the two courtesans who came along with the two men arrived soon afterward. They dragged the two away and made them sit down in the vacant chairs.

  “Whose party was it at Sunset’s?” Lotuson Wang asked.

  “Mallow Yao’s—who else?”

  “No wonder you both got drunk,” said Lotuson.

  The two of them started shouting again. “Who says we’re drunk? We’re going to play the finger game.”

  Seeing the state they were in, Prosperity Luo dared not give them further encouragement. He played them for the last ten cups just anyhow, saying, “As to the wine, anyone who wants to can substitute.” Lute also drank several cups for him.

  By the time the game was over, the Lin sisters had left, and Lute had also said her farewell. Prosperity Luo took the opportunity to leave the table and quietly asked Whistler Tang to come with him to the inner room, where they put on their jackets, slipped out through the door behind the bed, and went downstairs, the first ones to leave. Seeing them, the steward, Promotion, hastened to shout for the sedan chair. Prosperity Luo gave the order for the sedan chair to be taken to Generosity Alley. Whistler Tang realized he was going to Green Phoenix’s because of what Cloud Tao had said and was secretly amused.

  When the two of them got outside, they found that the alley was packed full of carriages and sedan chairs. They had to walk sideways. Just then, their way was blocked by a servant girl who had squeezed herself through the gaps between the various vehicles. She looked up and greeted them with a smile, “Aiyo! Mr. Luo,” and quickly drew back to let them pass.

  Prosperity Luo took a good look and saw that it was Goldie, Little Rouge’s servant girl. He asked, “Are you here at a party?”

  Goldie answered yes casually and went on her way.

  Whistler Tang followed Prosperity Luo to Green Phoenix’s. The menservants announced them, and the servant girl Little Treasure welcomed them upstairs, saying with a smile, “Mr. Luo, you haven’t come for quite a few days now.” She propped up the curtain and invited them in. Then Green Phoenix’s two younger sisters, Pearl Phoenix and Gold Phoenix, came over from the room opposite to greet them, warmly addressing Prosperity Luo as “Brother-in-law.” Both girls served them watermelon seeds.

  Whistler Tang took the initiative to ask, “Is your elder sister out at a party?”

  Gold Phoenix nodded and said yes.

  Little Treasure, who had just come in with the teacups, broke in quickly, “She’s been gone for a while now, so she should be coming back any minute.”

  His enthusiasm dampened, Prosperity Luo threw Whistler a glance, ready to leave. They got up together and went down the stairs. Little Treasure cried out in alarm, “Don’t go,” and rushed after them, but it was too late.

  CHAPTER 7 :: One girl casts a spell and lays a vicious trap, and another meets a good mate but can’t escape her fate

  When Green Phoenix’s little sister, Gold Phoenix, saw that they could not make Prosperity Luo and Whistler Tang stay, she leaned out of the upstairs window and called out loudly, “Mother, Mr. Luo is leaving!”

  Hearing this, the madam, Second Sister, rushed out of her small room and bumped right into the two men at the foot of the stairs. She grabbed Prosperity Luo by the sleeve, saying, “You mustn’t go.”

  Prosperity said repeatedly, “I can’t hang around.”

  “If you have to go, at least wait till our Green Phoenix is back,” she said loudly. Then she turned to Whistler Tang. “And you, Mr. Tang, you’re in such a hurry, too! Why don’t you sit down and chat with our Mr. Luo for a bit?” Brooking no protest, she dragged Prosperity Luo upstairs and told Little Treasure to see to it that Whistler Tang also came back into the room.

  “Do take off your jacket and make yourself comfortable. Have a little rest,” she said, reaching out to unbutton Prosperity’s jacket. Gold Phoenix, seeing this, also asked Whistler Tang to remove his jacket. Little Treasure put a pinch of tea leaves in the cups and took Whistler’s jacket from him. Second Sister also passed her Prosperity Luo’s. They went up on the clothes rack.

  Second Sister turned around and saw Pearl Phoenix standing to one side. Angry that she had not come forward to help entertain, she glared at her. Frightened, Pearl Phoenix backed away, fetched a water pipe in a hurry, and filled it for Prosperity.

  Prosperity held up a hand to stop her. “Give it to Mr. Tang.”

  “Had too much wine? Why not lie down for a bit?” Second Sister suggested.

  Prosperity lay down nonchalantly on the opium divan. Little Treasure handed him a hot towel, put a cup of tea on the opium tray, and then turned to offer Whistler tea. Whistler sat on a high-back chair against the wall with Pearl Phoenix filling the water pipe for him by his side. Second Sister told Gold Phoenix to fetch another water pipe and then sat down on a low stool by the divan, took a puff herself, and turned sideways to whisper placatingly to Prosperity, “You’re angry, aren’t you?”

  “What for?” said Prosperity.

  “If you’re not angry, why didn’t you come the last few days?”

  “I had no time.”

  “Humph.” After a long while she said smiling, “That’s true. You’re at your old love’s day and night, how would you have time for us?”

  He smiled without answering.

  She took another puff on the water pipe and said slowly, “Our Green Phoenix does have a temper. I don’t blame you, Mr. Luo, for being angry. But the fact is her temper also depends on the client. Actually, she’s never lost her temper the least bit where Mr. Luo is concerned. Mr. Tang here knows more about her. When she serves a client, she wants him to be constant, to be with her for the long run, and then she grows fond of him. Once she grows fond, of course she’ll never get in a temper. It’s only when she runs into a fickle client that her temper gets the better of her. When that happens, she not only won’t try to please; she’ll pay you no attention whatsoever. Isn’t that so, Mr. Tang? You, Mr. Luo, are angry now because our Green Phoenix doesn’t seem to be out to please. What you don’t know is that in her heart she is quite taken with you. It’s you, Mr. Luo, who are holding back, so she can’t be all over you. She knows Mr. Luo has been seeing Lute for four or five years now. Sometimes, she has talked to me about it, saying, ‘Mr. Luo shows constancy. If he’s been going to Lute’s for four or five years, could we fare much worse with him?’ I said, ‘Since you know Mr. Luo is not fickle, why don’t you try harder?’ What she said is true, too. She said, ‘Mr. Luo has his old love; I’m afraid I’ll never please him. I’d just get laughed at by Lute and her people.’ That’s how she feels. It’d be unfair to say she just won’t make up to you, sir. The way I see it, you’ve just started seeing her, and you don’t know her temperament yet. After one season, you’d have a rough idea. When our Green Phoenix knows that you truly want to see her, she’ll also gradually try to please.”

  Prosperity sneered.

  Second Sister just laughed. “You don’t quite believe me, do you? Ask Mr. Tang; he knows. Just think, Mr. Tang; if she doesn’t care for Mr. Luo, would she have answered the dozen party calls from him? In her heart, she cares, but she’d never
admit it. Even the maids don’t know what goes on in her heart; only I can make out some of it. If I’d let Mr. Luo go just now, she’d blame me when she comes back. I tell you frankly, Mr. Luo: it’s been about five years now since she’s done grown-up work. Altogether, she’s only had three clients. One lives in Shanghai; the other two only come a couple of times a year. I’d like her to choose another client and bring me more business, but she makes it so hard! We can forget about all the clients who are run-of-the-mill, but she’ll fault even outstanding clients for lacking real commitment and just refuse to establish a relationship. What am I to do? That’s why when I see that she gets on so well with you, I hope you’ll become a regular, Mr. Luo, and bring in more business for me. To be perfectly honest, if it weren’t for this, we have plenty of clients of comparable standing to yourself who are left to come and go as they please. Do I ever go out of my way to entertain them? Why is it that I’m here to keep you company, Mr. Luo?”

  Prosperity remained silent, while Whistler Tang just smiled. Second Sister continued, “You’ve been coming to us for a fortnight now, and you’ve been treating Green Phoenix well enough. But to her, you, sir, are someone who already has a regular girl, and she feels she can do little except fill in the gaps. I gave her this advice, ‘You should try harder to please him. What’s this talk about old love or new love? D’you think Mr. Luo would treat you badly?’ But she replied, ‘Let’s wait a couple of days and see.’ Then the day before yesterday, she told me after she had returned from a dinner party, ‘Mother, you said that Mr. Luo is fond of me, but he was having a dinner party at Lute’s place.’ I told her a party or two meant nothing, but Green Phoenix is a good one for worrying. She said, ‘Since Mr. Luo is sweet on his old love, how can he be fond of me?’”

  Hearing this, Prosperity cut in, “That’s easy! I’ll host another dinner party here.”

  Mama Huang put on a solemn expression. “Mr. Luo, if you do want to come to Green Phoenix, it’s not a matter of hosting dinner parties. If you have a party here just because of what I’ve said, and later Green Phoenix were to find out that your arrangements remain unchanged, she’d blame me for playing tricks on you. If you want Green Phoenix, you must make her your only girl. Then she will try her very best to please you without fail. It’s just not a good idea to see Green Phoenix for a while and then to seek out Lute again. That way, you won’t please either of them. If you don’t believe me, give it a try, see what style my girl has, see if she aims to please or not.”