The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure (20 page)

‘I think she's charming,' said the doctor. ‘I like Cabot too.'

‘He
is
a good fellow, isn't he?' said Delamere. ‘Do you know, he batted for Middlesex? In ninety-two. Was once bowled out by W. G. Grace himself. Isn't that something?'

The doctor examined the other's bloodshot eyes and haggard face. For all his apparent good humour, Airton detected a touch of melancholy. ‘So you really have come round to the idea? Nellie sent me round here to be a peacemaker.'

‘Thought it was something like that. You've a good woman in Mrs Airton, you know that? How do I feel about it all? Well, I'm not exactly over the moon. Getting your only daughter delivered to you with one hand and snatched away with the other. Blow to the heart, actually. A knock to the old pride, too, if one's being honest. Like someone's pulled a fast one. But I like Tom. Seems my sort of chap. Can't hold much against a man who's prepared to punch his prospective father-in-law in the eye. Shows some sort of seriousness about life, doesn't it?'

‘I'm sure it wasn't Tom who struck the first blow.'

‘Now you mention it, I don't think it was. Haven't behaved very well, have I, one way and another?'

‘I think Herr Fischer was startled to have his schnapps bottle thrown at his head. His schnapps is somewhat sacred to him. But I'm sure he won't think worse of you. Everyone knows the news of the engagement, on top of seeing your daughter after so long, must have been a shock. He'll make allowances for the pressures on you.'

‘Pressures? You can say that again. Life hasn't been much to write home about lately.'

‘Oh?'

Delamere looked more than usually uncomfortable. ‘Nothing. Indiscreet of me to mention it. Vicissitudes of life, that's all.'

‘If it's something to do with your goings-on in that dreadful Palace of Pleasure then I don't want to know anything about it. Not unless you're consulting me in a professional capacity. It won't be the first time you've had to come to me and pull your trousers down for a dose of mercury.'

‘God forbid. Nothing like that. You really know how to embarrass a fellow, don't you? There were some complications. That's all. Behaved a bit foolishly. Getting over it now. Thinking of taking the straight and narrow, in fact.'

‘I'm pleased to hear it. In the nick of time, I would say, considering that your daughter's here.'

‘God, Airton, you can be bloody sententious at times. But I suppose you're right. I've been doing a lot of thinking these last couple of days.'

If Delamere had been going to let the doctor have the benefit of his thoughts, it would have to be at another time, because the next minute Tom appeared with the presents under his arm, and the three set off towards the restaurant on the main street that Delamere had booked for lunch. They passed through the crowded downstairs dining hall to the second floor, where the merchants, Lu Jincai, Tang Dexin and Jin Shangui, were waiting for them in a private room.

The doctor knew all of them well. Lu Jincai he liked. Despite his boyish appearance, he was a solid, serious fellow, who radiated honesty. Straight as a die, thought Airton. For a relatively young man, he had an impressive gravity—but it was leavened by a natural tact and a sly but generous humour. Tang Dexin, the tin king, was a roguish old faddist, always going on about his diet and liable to launch into long lectures, especially in mixed company, about the benefits of a healthy sex life in maintaining longevity. He had not done badly in this respect. The doctor judged that he was in his early eighties if not older. He was a tiny, wizened man with parchment skin stretched over a humorous face cracked with wrinkles. He reminded Airton of a mischievous hobgoblin. The third member of the party, Jin Shangui, was a fat, comfortable, pasty-faced individual in his late forties, always laughing, his eyes merry slits behind his glasses, with heavily fleshed earlobes and thick wet lips that quivered when he smiled. His conversation tended towards flowery compliments, verging on the unctuous. He was a general trader with a finger in many different pies. The doctor did not trust him. He was too smooth and plausible to be entirely convincing. But today the three merchants made cheerful company, and were fulsome in their welcome of Delamere and his new assistant.

Delamere had not stinted on the menu, and soon the table was piled high with succulent northern dishes—greasy stews, pork knuckles, steamed mandarin fish, fatty bear's paw and camel's pads, accompanied by piles of dumplings and steamed bread, plates of cabbage and a sort of thick, transparent noodle floating in black vinegar sauce. As soon as he announced the news of his daughter's engagement, the merchants insisted on opening a bottle of gaoliang wine. The doctor pleaded an operation he had to conduct in the afternoon: he loathed the taste of this sour, raw spirit (he knew that if he accepted one cup he would be forced by the ritual of drinking to have more), but Delamere had no qualms about toping in the afternoon, or at any other time, and soon all in the party were exchanging a raucous round of toasts, the compliments becoming more flowery and nonsensical as the drink went down. Airton noticed that Tom held his liquor well. His Chinese was not as fluent as Delamere's or the doctor's but it was adequate for the occasion, and he established a quick rapport with Lu Jincai, who was quietly telling him about the proposed sales visit to Tsitsihar on which he hoped Tom would accompany him as soon as he was settled into his life in Shishan.

‘Tom's the man, Mr Lu.' Delamere beamed. ‘Knows the crystal-making process better than I do. He'll impress old Ding, no question.'

‘I have told Mr Tom that we should set off as early as possible,' said Lu. ‘It's a long journey and we should try to reach our destination before the first snows fall.'

‘First batch should be ready in three weeks. Tom'll be ready by then, won't you, old boy?'

‘Looking forward to getting on the road, sir,' said Tom.

Jin Shangui proposed a toast to the new business venture. His chin wobbled as he rose unsteadily to his feet and raised his cup. ‘To De Falang Xiansheng, prince of foreign merchants, and all his business endeavours. And to Lao Lu, our old friend. May they together conquer the whole of northeast China! And bring fortune on all of their descendants for tens of thousands of years!'

‘Ten tens of thousands of years!' shouted Tang Dexin, his gums cracking open in a sly grin. ‘And to De Falang's assistant, this young stallion who is marrying De Falang's daughter. When their seeds mingle, may she produce the fattest of grandsons to grow up strong and prosperous like De Falang!' He patted a bony hand on Tom's knee.

‘Ganbei! Ganbei!'
Delamere emptied his cup. ‘Come on, Tom. Knock it back. They're drinking to all the grandsons you're going to produce for me!'

Blushing, Tom drained his glass.

‘Very strong.' Tang nodded approvingly towards Delamere as he squeezed Tom's leg. ‘Your daughter will make big sons. Big sons!' He threw back his head in a shrill giggle. Then, in the sudden manner of the very aged, his head dropped forward on his chest, his smile still fixed on his face, and he went to sleep, hunched like a shrunken sparrow on his stool.

‘But are you not worried, Lao Lu?' Jin Shangui returned the conversation to the alkali shipment. ‘Such rich merchandise through the Black Hills and beyond. The bandits are becoming more and more daring. If Iron Man Wang hears…'

‘Tom's already fought off the bandits, haven't you, Tom? On the way here.' Delamere looked proudly at his prospective son-in-law. ‘Tell them how you scared them off.'

‘Oh, I heard about this,' said the doctor. ‘This was in the Black Hills, wasn't it? The Mandarin is always telling me not to be concerned, but these incidents occur with such regularity.'

Tom smiled. ‘Well, sir, HF, that's Miss Delamere, is convinced that we were set on by the Robber King himself. We were actually all a bit nervy after the executions we'd seen at Fuxin, tales of Boxers and so on, so when we came across these men ahead of us with shotguns on their backs—it was in that craggy defile with the waterfalls, in the gap between the fir forests—and these fellows, about six of them, suddenly flitted out from behind the tree-trunks, as sinister a bunch as you ever saw, well, maybe, we put two and two together and made five. With the darkness and the rain coming on we were all a bit spooked. Anyway, Henry, that's Mr Manners, fired his rifle in the air. The men, whoever they were, vanished like phantoms, and we trotted our mules and horses onwards to get out of there as quickly as we could. I think they were probably quite innocent, just hunters or travellers like us. They weren't really that threatening, though Henry acted decisively, and made us keep watch all that night. That's all, really. Not much of a story to tell in the cold light of day.'

‘Ah, Mr Tom is so modest,' said Jin Shangui. ‘A toast, this is certainly worth a toast. To his heroic behaviour.
Ganbei!
And to that of your daughter.
Ganbei
again! What a terrifying ordeal. Terrifying. Terrifying,' he said, blinking behind his spectacles. ‘What is law and order coming to when a man cannot go about his business without fear? And you still wish to travel these roads again with Lao Lu? To Tsitsihar, was it? I salute your bravery. When did you say you would be departing?'

‘When are we off?' said Delamere. ‘Oh, I should think—'

‘No date has been fixed,' interrupted Lu calmly. ‘One would not wish to encourage gossip or tempt Providence. I have noticed,' he said, looking sardonically at Delamere, ‘that any attacks on merchant trains have followed a certain amount of publicity about their departure.'

‘Quite so,' muttered Delamere sheepishly. ‘Mum's the word. Of course.'

‘Indeed you are so right,' said Jin. ‘They say Iron Man Wang has his spies all over the town. This is only a conversation among friends, so it is safe to speak here, but you are right to be cautious. De Falang, you must listen to the wise advice of Mr Lu and remain silent about your intentions.'

‘In this case, there should be no great concern,' said Lu, ‘even if Iron Man Wang were to hear. We are only developing our business and will be carrying nothing that will be of value to him. I appreciate your concern, Lao Jin, but on this trip we are only transporting samples, a few worthless crystals, and there will be no payment even on our return.'

‘That's right,' said Frank. ‘No bags of money this time. Won't be until after spring that we have the big shipments. Then there'll be a tael or two in the strong box. Oh, Lord,' he said, looking at Lu who was giving him an ironic smile, ‘have I been indiscreet again?'

Lu Jincai laughed and raised his cup. ‘De Falang Xiansheng, you are a mountain of tact and discretion and I am proud that you are my friend and partner. Let me, too, toast the happiness of your daughter and new son-in-law who I am also honoured to meet.'

They clinked and drained their cups. Old Mr Tang woke up from his doze. His eyes narrowed shrewdly. ‘Has your daughter wide hips, De Falang Xiansheng? To produce big sons she must have wide hips. And you, young man, you must not be too eager to disgorge your virile essence when making the clouds and rain. Tease out her pleasure as long as you can. The more you pleasure her the fatter the sons she will bear.'

‘Thank you for the tip, sir,' said Tom. ‘I'll certainly bear that in mind.'

*   *   *

The waitresses brought fruit—apples, persimmons and pears—and shortly afterwards the party broke up. Jin Shangui helped Tang Dexin, slightly the worse for wear, through the door and down the stairs to his waiting sedan chair. The others followed. On the way, there were further loud congratulations; Jin Shangui offered to throw a large wedding banquet for the young couple; old Mr Tang volunteered to hire an opera troupe for the occasion; Frank was trying to offer everybody a cigar. Lu took his friend by the arm. ‘May I have a quiet word with you, De Falang Xiansheng?'

‘Tom and the doctor?'

‘Have followed the others downstairs. They are happily engaged in conversation.'

‘I know, I know. You're about to lecture me on giving away too much about our Tsitshihar deal. I truly am sorry but I did assume we were among friends today.'

‘It's not wise to reveal anything even to one's friends. You do not entirely know China. There are many loyalties and conflicts that make friendship a floating commodity—although we prize it higher than anything else. I beg you, do not tell Mr Jin Shangui any more about the schedules of our mule trains.'

‘Old Jin? You can't suspect that Jin would…'

‘Is it not strange that while his caravans have been attacked on many occasions he has never actually been robbed?'

‘He has good guards who drove off the bandits. As Tom did.'

‘Quite so,' smiled Lu. ‘And we must arm our caravans likewise, on whatever—secret—day they depart. Secret, De Falang.' Lu's eyes were twinkling with humorous affection. ‘But it was not about business that I wished to talk to you.' His thick eyebrows narrowed in concern. ‘I got your message about your friend in the Palace of Heavenly Pleasure, and I have prepared a letter and a gift that may be suitable for her. No, do not thank me. Instead, think, De Falang. Do you really wish to make this final break?'

Frank sighed. ‘It's probably for the best,' he said, in a small voice. He raised his haggard eyes. ‘Look, old man, Mother Liu spelled out the facts of life so even a dim barbarian like me can understand. There's nothing there. She's a whore and I'm a foolish old man.'

‘I would advise you not always to trust the words of a woman like Mother Liu. I could not find Shen Ping when I called there last night…'

‘Probably having it off with someone upstairs. Playing his jade flute,' said Frank bitterly.

‘They told me that she was sick, indisposed. They were all rather strange about it when I asked. Anyway, I'll find out more … But meanwhile I think that you may be being too hard on her. I understand that she was much looking forward to leaving with you.'