Jane Orcutt: All the Tea in China

“You may go about your work,” I said, then before they dispersed, I called them to attention. “One more thing: on behalf of my husband and myself, thank you for your faithfulness to Madame Wong. Now you may go.”

They bowed politely, and I saw not a trace of disrespect in their posture. They had all been with the Wong family for many years, and I was relieved to see that they did not appear on the verge of mutiny after all; they simply desired reassurance of a firm hand in control.

I would like to say that Nai Nai shared their desire, but unfortunately, her opinion took an opposite tack. Later that day the opium seemed to have worn off, and she actually sought me out in my room, Fragrance apparently having informed her that the drug had been destroyed.

Nai Nai threw open my door, her eyes hard as unburned coal. “Why have you usurped my authority?”

I rose from the chair, where I had been trying to embroider. “You are not yourself, Nai Nai. Someone needed to-”

A scream sounded throughout the house, followed by the sound of shouts and running feet. Fragrance, white as death, pushed an equally frightened-looking Little Sister into my room. “I am sorry,” she said, bowing quickly at both Nai Nai and me. “My betrothed has sent evil men to this house. They are wrecking everything, and I fear they intend damage to us as well!”

Nai Nai shrieked, leveling accusing eyes at me. “You did this! Now we will all pay.”

Little Sister cried. Fragrance wailed as well. I could scarcely think from all the noise and my pounding heart, but calmness took over. “Stay in here and block the door after I leave,” I commanded.

“That is good. Let them have yourself,” Nai Nai said, her voice bitter.

Ignoring her, I opened Phineas’s trunk and withdrew the sword. I released it from the leather wrap and prepared to do battle, if necessary.

The sword was heavier than I remembered, and I had to carry it with both hands as I ran down the hall. Oh, how I longed for the inexpressibles Phineas had given me to practice in, for my flowing skirts did nothing to aid my progress toward the vandals. I could already hear them throwing ceramics and smashing wood.

Three men were in the main room, hard at work destroying the Wongs’ home. They wore their hair long and loose instead of in neatly bound queues and wore peasant clothing. The chess set Little Sister and I enjoyed lay scattered against the far wall. Vases were smashed against walls, camellias and peonies crushed underfoot, water soaking the floor. These were pirates as surely as the French privateers we had encountered in the Indian Ocean, and my anger boiled.

“What do you think you are doing?”

They stopped as they were. One held a large ginger vase over his head, another held the remains of a smashed chair, and the third stood with a knife plunged into one of Nai Nai’s beautiful embroidered pillows. Taken by surprise, they watched me for a moment, obviously perplexed to see a British woman in Chinese clothing holding a very old sword.

The one with the knife smiled. He left the blade plunged into the cushion and straightened. “Go cower, little girl. Then maybe we won’t hurt you.”

“It is you who should leave, and maybe I won’t hurt you,” I said in a low voice.

The three bandits looked at one another then burst into laughter.

Narrowing my eyes, I sliced the air with the sword several times, then neatly cut a candle in two to emphasize my resolve. “Leave Madame Wong’s house!”

Scowling, the man retrieved his knife from the cushion. “This is your last chance, foolish girl. I am not afraid to use this if I must.”

I pointed the sword at him. “Neither am I.”

He nodded to his two companions, who started toward me. I waited for them to come closer, for I had learned that the strength of martial arts was to use your opponent’s own hei-energy-against himself. And after all, it was fools who rushed in, though I confess I prayed heartily for angels to do some mighty treading on my behalf.

These two had no weapons, so I would only use the sword if necessary for my defense. The first man, who was large and doughy, did not know martial arts at all, for he came at me slowly, hands out, as though he expected me to surrender the sword. I could easily have inflicted much pain, but I settled for cuffing him on the side of the head with the flat edge of the sword’s blade. While he was distracted, I feinted toward the second man as though to plunge the sword into his heart, then neatly employed the leg sweep Phineas had used on me just weeks ago. The man fell to the floor with a thud, and I stood over him with the point of my sword at his throat. “Get out.”

“Drop your sword.”

The point of the knife touched my own throat, and the bandit’s left arm encircled me, pinning me fast. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, and I chided myself for not considering his presence. I hesitated, gathering my wits. Phineas was not here to save me this time, as aboard ship.

“Drop it now!” The knife tip pierced my skin, and I felt a trickle of blood.

Phineas’s training returned to me instinctively. I jabbed my right elbow into the miscreant’s ribs and stomped on his instep as hard as I could with my heel. For good measure, I punched him in the groin, and he screamed with pain. The knife clattered to the ground, and he released me, cursing. I whirled out of reach and swept the sword from side to side, covering the intruders. I kicked the knife across the room, where Nai Nai-to my shock-retrieved it. Little Sister and Fragrance cowered behind her, but I turned my attention to the bandits.

“You came here to harm us, but you have not succeeded,” I said. “Go back to Chow Wah and tell him that Madame Wong no longer desires to purchase what he sells. I will be lenient toward you this time, but next time you will not be so fortunate.”

I stepped backward and pointed the sword toward the door. “Now leave!”

The bandits scrambled to their feet and hurried toward the door. I followed to make sure they had truly left, laughing to myself as I saw them run through the gate and down the street without glancing back. I reentered the home and shut the door firmly. “Good riddance,” I could not help muttering, feeling pleased.

When I surveyed the damage they had wrought, however, my heart no longer laughed. Nai Nai’s beautiful home was in shambles. The servants had come out of hiding, and they stumbled through the mess, weeping and moaning.

“There, there, it is over,” I said, comforting them one at a time. “Let us pick up this mess together and forget what happened. All of these things can be replaced, and we are safe.”

Little Sister rushed to me, her face shining. “You were so brave, Eldest Sister-in-law. I cannot believe you fought those men… and won!”

Nai Nai still stood with the knife in her hand, apparently in shock. Blinking, she let it clatter to the floor, and she stared at my hands. “What is that you hold?”

I held out the sword, flat, and presented it to her with a bow. I had no right to keep it when she did not accept me into the family. I hoped that Phineas would not be angry. “I am certain you recognize this, Nai Nai, for it belongs to your family. Your son gave it to me, but perhaps it should return to you.”

She stared at it a moment, and her gaze jumped to mine. Her eyes flickered with admiration then shuttered again. She turned away. “What would I want with such an old thing?”

Relieved, I gripped the hilt of the sword for a moment then set it aside. I wanted to hug Nai Nai-indeed, I moved forward on impulse to do so-but I stopped short at the last minute. “You understand why these men were here?”

She nodded, no trace of regret in her expression. It seemed likely she would never acknowledge the danger she had placed us all in.