Robert Tanenbaum - Act of Revenge

In the kitchen of Li’s, Tran put on an apron and began to set up for the day. He filled the tea urn and loaded the rice cooker. Mr. Li was surprised to see that the fellow seemed to know his way around a kitchen. Mr. Li decided to tell his employers, if they should ask, that the man was his wife’s cousin, a Viet-Ching from Saigon, which would explain his accent and features. He thought the man was in actuality a Vietnamese illegal on the run, and he thought he could milk additional funds out of him without anyone being the wiser.

Tran made a pot of juk , or congee, the rice gruel that is the corn flakes of China, and served out two bowls of it accompanied by pickled vegetables, pickled ginger, sliced salt eggs, and white bean cheese. Mr. Li was further astounded, because it was very good juk , creamy and smooth, and he rather liked being served breakfast in his own restaurant. It was almost like owning a real restaurant. He left Tran to chop and clean, while he sat at the little table at the front of the place and added columns of figures.

Leung came in at his usual time and sat in his usual place. Mr. Li went to the kitchen and poured an urn of tea and laid some steamed buns on a plate and set it before Leung. He thought for a moment of offering Leung some congee but decided against it. He was not interested in interrupting any detail of the man’s routine.

A half hour later another man came in, this one a smooth-looking elderly fellow in a gray sharkskin suit and a patterned tie. Mr. Leung got up from his seat and greeted this man deferentially, because of both his age and his position in the community. He addressed him as Venerable Yee. Mr. Yee was a wealthy clothing importer and the president of the Hap Tai Business Association. Hap Tai means “benevolent ladder” in Cantonese, which more or less summed up the purpose of the organization, which was, in fact, a tong, although no longer involved in criminal activities, except when necessary for benevolence or for climbing the ladder of success, as now. The Chen family was also a member of this association, which was why Mr. Yee was here this morning.

Mr. Li ushered the tong leader to Leung’s table and hurried off to fetch a fresh pot and more delicacies. He returned and went back to his stool. Leung and Mr. Yee saw a thin man in an apron come out of the kitchen with a mop and bucket and start to wash the floor, but they saw him not. Leung poured tea. They began to converse, beginning with the usual compliments. Both men understood jo yan , a term that means “behave like a human” and which stood for the norms of behavior expected of a Chinese, even if that Chinese is a very bad human. When Leung had been a Red Guard, he had done his best to destroy the idea of jo yan , but had failed, and so here they were, Leung being deferential to this old jerk, Mr. Yee, confident in his ability to condescend to a man nominally more powerful.

Mr. Yee had the privilege of raising the point of their meeting, which he did after all ceremony had been satisfied.

“An unfortunate event occurred in the Asia Mall, one that brought shame upon my associates.”

“The shame is mine,” said Leung, “for arranging the meeting. Nevertheless, spilt water cannot be recovered. The question is what to do now. I would welcome your suggestions.”

“You clearly know more than I do about such things, but would it be possible to assure the associates and family of the lamented Sings that the Hap Tai were not involved in this affair? As you know, we were simply asked to provide a private place and we did so, without in the least expecting such a disturbing event.”

“I understand,” said Leung, “but rest assured, the Woh Hap Touh have no doubts about your honesty. It is perfectly clear that this was not done by you, or even by a Chinese. It is obviously the work of the Italians. Indeed, this is why they desired the meeting with the Sings.”

Mr. Yee allowed himself to appear startled, so startled was he. “The Italians ? But we have never ever had any trouble with them; they have their things, we have ours. Are you certain you are not losing an ax and suspecting a neighbor?”

“My information is correct and comes from a source that cannot be impeached,” said Leung.

The older man busied himself with pot and teacup to gain time to arrange his thoughts. “If that is truly the case, then we must bend the chimney and shift the firewood, and without delay. I am grateful for this information.”

“I am happy to provide this small crumb if you think it is of value. Let me say this, however: as usual, these killings have attracted the attention of the police. This presents a separate danger. The Woh people will deal with the Italians in their own way and in their own time, but if it is thought that the Hap Tai were party to an official investigation, one that might reveal almost anything, then their rage would be considerable and then it would be directed at you, both here and in China.”

Leung let that sink in, and then added, almost offhandedly, “I suppose the Chens can be relied upon?”

Mr. Yee was quick to answer, “Without a doubt they will say nothing.”

“I wonder. The elder daughter seems to spend all her time with a gwailo girl. No doubt her head is being filled with pernicious notions. It may make her unreliable.” Leung had made discreet inquiries about all the Chens and was trying to confirm this odd information.

“Oh, no, that is just Louhsi,” Mr. Yee exclaimed; then, under Leung’s questioning, he explained Lucy’s provenance, and finished by saying, “So, you see, she is not a real gwailo , she’s practically Chinese herself. There is no need to worry about her.”

“If you say so, and take the responsibility. But suppose I was describing her to someone, say someone in Hong Kong. I would say, perhaps, yes, yes, everything is fine here. For example, the Chens-above reproach! The Chen daughter is always in the company of an American girl who is the daughter of a public prosecutor, and the daughter of a woman, an Italian woman, an armed Italian woman who interferes with the proper disciplining of wives. Wah! This person might say, but surely this is yet prudent, for being a gwaileui , she could never learn anything of moment from the Chen. Now I must inform this person that this girl speaks Cantonese and Mandarin perfectly, and who knows what she has heard and passed on to her so-interesting parents? What do you suppose this person would say then?”

Mr. Yee was growing pale around the nostrils. His voice dropped half an octave. “Perhaps he would say that you were mistaking the shadow of a bow in the cup for a snake.” He looked at his watch, a calculated rudeness, and moved his teacup aside with a sharp gesture. “I have business elsewhere, so let me say this: if you should have the honor of conversing with your elders in Hong Kong or China, please inform them that the correct behavior of the Chens and their friends is guaranteed by the Hap Tai. Also, please convey to your superiors the honor our little organization experiences in being associated with your glorious and powerful brotherhood, and assure them that our behavior will be as exemplary as our inferior abilities permit.”

After Mr. Yee had gone, Leung made some notes on a paper napkin, using the triad code, and then made two telephone calls. When he came back, he had to squeeze by the man with the bucket, who was now wiping down the counter. Leung waited outside the restaurant for five minutes, leaning against the wall and picking his teeth. A dark brown sedan pulled up to the curb, and a thirtyish oriental man in a blue blazer and gray slacks got out. Leung went over to the man, and they spoke briefly.