China by Edward Rutherfurd (historical books to read TXT) 📕

It seems that Elliot is intending to sail northward with the warships, up the coast to the island of Chusan. Then they’re going to blockade all the shipping to the mouth of the Yangtze River. They could even interrupt the grain supplies up the Grand Canal to the capital.”

“I doubt that is their purpose. The British are ruled by greed, and their only aim is to sell opium.” Lin gazed at Shi-Rong calmly. “Why is the rich island of Chusan famous for its fine houses and beautiful temples, Jiang? Because the corrupt mandarins on Chusan have never turned down a bribe from the opium smugglers. That’s where their money comes from.”

“All the same, since the British ships have so many guns, Excellency, the emperor may want to tell Chusan to prepare,” Shi-Rong suggested. “He might want to send reinforcements.”

Lin reflected. “I doubt there’d be time,” he murmured. “But I shall write to the emperor tonight,” he added, “and you may see the letter.”

—

It was the Hour of the Rat, the last hour before midnight, when Lin finally sent for him.

“Kindly read what I have written to the emperor.”

Naturally, the letter followed all the proper forms. Lin referred to himself as “your slave,” “respectfully beseeching” his ruler’s attention. Yet behind these verbal kowtows, Shi-Rong couldn’t help noticing, the commissioner’s tone was almost smug. Since the barbarians knew they had no hope of fighting their way to Guangzhou, he explained, and that any attempts at smuggling would be thwarted, they seemed to be going northward towards Chusan—presumably in hopes of selling their opium. If the authorities up the coast were equally vigilant, Lin suggested, with a trace of irony, the barbarian smugglers would have no luck there, either.

“And if the barbarians succeed in selling their opium at Chusan?” Shi-Rong asked.

“Perhaps the emperor will send me to investigate the officials at Chusan. There is one honest and worthy man up there: my friend the prefect of Zhenhai. It’s a small port on the coast near Chusan. But the rest are criminals.”

“I am still concerned about the British warships, Excellency,” Shi-Rong persisted. ‘‘They could easily destroy any fleet of war junks they encounter and even enter the ports. Shouldn’t we warn the emperor more forcefully about this?”

“If the defenses of Chusan are inadequate,” said Lin grimly, “and if they get a bloody nose, that’s their problem. Let them explain it to the emperor.”

“I’ll arrange for your letter to go by the express messenger, Excellency,” Shi-Rong said.

“No need. Use the ordinary messenger.” Lin smiled blandly. “As long as it’s on record that we informed the emperor.”

In the morning, however, Lin had one further instruction. “Write unofficially to my friend, the prefect of Zhenhai. Warn him about the warships. And ask him to send word of what’s happening up there. It’s always good to have information.”

Shi-Rong sent the letter that morning by a private messenger, hoping it would reach its destination quickly.

—

Over a month passed without any news. Shi-Rong wondered whether to ask Lin if he might visit his father, but decided against it. Still no word came. Finally, in August, a letter arrived from the prefect of Zhenhai.

The news was worse than he could have imagined. He rushed to Lin. “The British didn’t sell opium. They bombarded Chusan. They destroyed the defenses in less than an hour. The whole island is theirs.”

“Impossible. There are hundreds of thousands of people on Chusan.”

“They all ran. But there’s more, Excellency. Elliot has a letter, from their minister Palmerston to the emperor himself.”

“What impertinence! What’s in this letter?”

“Outrageous demands, Excellency. The British want to trade freely with half a dozen ports; their ambassadors are to be treated as though their queen were the equal of the emperor. They demand the island of Hong Kong as their own possession. They say that you have used them very ill and demand compensation for all the opium they say you destroyed. The prefect of Zhenhai writes that they refuse to give back the island of Chusan until all their demands have been met.”

“I can’t believe this. Do these pirates imagine they can turn the whole world upside down?”

“The prefect of Zhenhai says they delivered this letter to him, but that it was so outrageous that he refused to forward it to the emperor and gave it back to them.”

“Quite right. What followed?”

“Elliot is continuing northward. To Beijing itself.”

At this astounding news, Commissioner Lin fell silent, and remained so for some time. “Then I am destroyed,” he said at last. “Leave me alone, Mr. Jiang.”

—

Shi-Rong did not see his master until the following night, when he was summoned to join the great man for his evening meal.

“You will wonder why I spoke as I did last night,” Lin began. “You no doubt think that the emperor will censure me for not warning him sufficiently by express messenger about the strength of the barbarians, and that he will blame me for Chusan.”

“I fear so, Excellency.”

Lin smiled grimly. “But in fact you are wrong. The emperor does not care about Chusan.”

“Does not care…?” Shi-Rong asked in astonishment.

“Consider the vast size of the territories over which the emperor reigns,” Lin explained. “Even if he went out every year to inspect his empire for himself, he could never see it all, not in a lifetime. And if there is trouble in a distant province, the empire can always absorb the shock. It can be dealt with at leisure. Sometimes the trouble just goes away.”

“And Chusan?”

“The business of Chusan is shocking. But even Chusan is still a thousand miles away from Beijing. The men in charge there will be dismissed. They may be executed. Then someone will be sent to sort it out. The empire will carry on.”

“But if the trouble gets too close to Beijing…?”

“A totally different matter. The emperor loses face. That cannot be tolerated. The barbarians must be removed at once, whatever the cost. For that, the emperor would sacrifice me, if necessary.”

“But you did everything that the emperor wished in Guangzhou.”

“True.