It was spring when I left the capital eighteen months ago.  Now as I return, it’s getting on towards autumn.

The merchant quarter’s located in the east of the city and is sizeable, because the Empire depends on trade.  When the caravan arrives, I accompany the wagons through the merchants’ gate.  I’m wearing the bamboo hat, which hides most of my face.  I’ve had my hair cut short as well.  Very few people in the capital know what I look like, but there’s no sense in taking unnecessary risks.  Hao Meng has ridden off, leaving us the name of an inn where he can be reached.  The backsides in saddles have been paid off and have disappeared to the taverns and pleasure-houses to spend their wages.  I’ve also been paid, a welcome addition to my fortunes.

We stop at the gate to pay the toll.  The weather's warm, and the guards' faces are wet with sweat under their helmets.  Money changes hands.  We creak through the gate, and there we say farewell to our fellow travelers, with many promises to meet again soon.  We find ourselves in an area of warehouses and stores, which quickly give way to pleasant tree-lined streets with comfortable-looking  houses.  I don’t know my way about at all, but Madam Lei has given precise instructions about the location of her family house.  Born and brought up in Emporium City, Lei Qing and Yao Lin are looking around with eager excitement. 

The Lei house is surrounded by a high wall, like all the others in the street, and we can see greenery inside.  A big double gate stands open.  Our two wagons move slowly inside and come to a halt.  The grey dog follows us in.

There’s a welcoming committee.

A well-dressed man and woman are standing in the courtyard, with someone who looks like a clerk lurking just behind them clutching a bundle of papers, and a lad in his late teens standing on the veranda of the house.  A gaggle of servants is grouped to one side.

I dismount and go to help Madam Lei descend from her wagon.  She’s changed into a robe in a delicate shade of pink and her hair’s elaborately-dressed and decorated.  She smiles her thanks at me and looks round.  I hear her take a deep breath.  This is her childhood home.  From here twenty years ago she married Lei Qing’s father and set out on the long trek west to the city where her husband made a fortune and met his death.  She’s home.

But who are these people?  There’s only one possible answer:  they’re Zhongs.  Indeed the man does bear a resemblance to both Zhong Buo and his brother.  The woman beside him is middle-aged, but still handsome.  She’s wearing a great deal of jewelry and her robe’s heavily embroidered.

Madam Lei bows politely and the two are forced to respond in kind.  The woman steps forward and begins, “Sister…..”

Madam Lei holds up a hand.  “May I humbly beg to know the names of these honourable persons?” she asks politely.

The woman gapes.  “We’re your brother and sister, Ah-Chan.”

The man interrupts, frowning.  “I’m your husband’s eldest brother, Zhong Jun and this is my wife.”

“May I ask these honourable persons why they are visiting my residence?”

“We’re not visiting, we live here,” the woman bursts out, her face reddening in indignation.  Her husband shoots her a warning look.  Behind them, the clerk shuffles uneasily.

Madam Lei continues relentlessly.  “May I ask why these honourable persons, who are no longer part of my family, are living in my family residence?”

“No longer part of …..”  Madam Zhong’s scarlet. 

Again her husband quells her with a look.  “I think there’s some error,” he says curtly, “This house belongs to the Zhong family.”

“These honourable persons are mistaken,” Madam Lei says.  “Ah-Qing, please fetch me the cedar box from the wagon.”

As Lei Qing hastens to obey, Madam Lei goes on, “Zhong Buo is dead.  The contract I had with him is no longer valid.  This property and all other Lei property in the capital belong to the dowry of my daughter Lei Qing, as the Zhong family very well knows.  All of this can be proved and if necessary, we will fetch a magistrate to verify it.”

Lei Qing returns with the box and Madam Lei opens it.  “Your clerk may look at these documents,” she says. 

The clerk starts forward and is blocked by Zhong Jun.   His voice is angry, overbearing.  “Your daughter’s contracted to marry my son.   The dowry’s the property of the Zhong family.”

Madam Lei bows again.  “So sorry, but the betrothal contract became null and void when Zhong Buo died.  It was he who signed the contract as her guardian.  Now I am her guardian and I repudiate the betrothal.”

“And I wouldn’t marry your son if my life depended on it,” adds Lei Qing.  The Zhong jaws drop.  They hadn’t realized she was a girl.

I wish Shan were here to enjoy this.

Madam Lei continues expertly filleting her victims.  “This humble person requests that you, your family and all your servants leave my house before the end of the day.”

“Leave this house?” Madam Zhong’s voice is a mere squeak.

“And she humbly requests that you bring the household accounts for the last two years.”

“Household ….?” The poor lady’s voice gives out altogether.

Zhong Jun finally loses his temper, face purple, fist raised.  “You’re not even in mourning!  You’re dishonouring my poor brother.  Who the hell do you think you are?” 

I reach for my sword and the movement catches his eye.  He stops, looking at me warily.

“I’m Lei Chan, the owner of this property,” Madam Lei replies.

“We’ll bring a lawsuit for breach of contract!”

“You will lose,” Madam Lei says calmly.  “Furthermore, I plan to visit my other properties and if I find any irregularities, I’ll be the one bringing the lawsuit.  And I won’t lose.”

“That wagon of yours, it’s Zhong property.”

“It’s my property and I have the proof here.”

The clerk’s sweating so much that the papers he’s holding slip out of his grasp and flop to the ground.  He bends to pick them up and his cap slips forward over his forehead.  Madam Lei says no more.  She stands and waits, her hands folded together.  The Zhongs don’t know what to do.  I feel they need a little nudge.

“Perhaps now’s the time to fetch the magistrate, my Lady?” I suggest.

This impels Zhong Jun into action.  The intervention of a magistrate risks causing a scandal.  He scowls furiously.  “Pack up,” he says tersely to his wife.  “We’re not staying here to be insulted.”

He turns to Madam Lei.  “Don’t think this is the end of it,” he snaps.  He strides out of the gate, leaving his wife standing with her mouth open and a helpless look on her face.  The boy scrambles down from the veranda and runs after his father.  Madam Zhong stumbles backwards and sits down heavily on the veranda steps, abandoned by her husband and son to deal with the practicalities of the disaster.  The clerk stands looking helpless, his papers in a crushed bundle, his cap crooked.

Two people detach themselves from the huddle of servants and hasten forward, prostrating themselves at Madam Lei’s feet.

“Young Miss, Young Miss, you’ve come home.”  The speaker’s a man in his forties, the steward of the house by his clothes.

“Wun Yu?” Madam Lei says, bending.  “Is that you?  And my dear Ah-Ning?”

The other person’s a middle-aged woman, tears on her face.  At Madam Lei’s bidding, they rise.  As Madam Lei takes the woman’s hands in hers, Wun Yu wipes his face and says,” Young Miss, I’m the steward now.  My father passed on five years ago and I took his place.”

“I’m not the Young Miss any more,” Madam Lei says, smiling, “I’m the Elder Mistress.  This is my daughter, Young Miss Lei Qing.  Ah-Qing, here are an old playmate and my dear maid Ah-Ning.”

They bow and smile, still flustered and tearful.

“Wun Yu,” Madam Lei says, “Help Madam Zhong pack up her family’s belongings.  Pay off all the Zhong servants and make sure they leave.  Ah-Ning, please prepare sleeping quarters and food for our guests.  And bring me the household accounts.”

Orders fly, servants scurry, wagons are taken to the stables, horses unharnessed.  The speed at which the Zhong possessions are moved out of the house bears witness to the unpopularity of their owners.  Half a dozen servants are paid off and ejected, with some bad temper.  Yao Lin and I are escorted to a pleasant courtyard with a fishpond in the middle and installed in two comfortable guestrooms.  The house is large and airy, consisting of two courtyards, one for the family and one for the guests.  There are servants’ quarters, stables and a garden.

It’s time for the noon meal and smiling servants bring us food and set it out under an awning in the courtyard.  The two of us sit to eat.  The grey dog lies down in the shade and goes to sleep.

“Well, that was an education,” Yao Lin says. 

“Fun, wasn’t it?  Madam Lei’s a tiger in mouse’s clothing.”

I start to eat, but Yao Lin’s staring into his plate.  He looks depressed.

“What’s up?” I say, ruffling his hair.

“I don’t want to go to my uncle’s.  I want to stay with you.”  He looks down at his hands.  “I don’t know why Dad wanted me to go there.  He never got on with his brother.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t really know.  All I know is that my grandparents had a business here in the capital and when they died, Dad and his brother sold up and divided the profit.  Then Dad married Mum and they went off to Emporium City and his brother stayed here.  I remember that we used to get letters from time to time and then Dad would send money and Mum would look disapproving for a couple of days.”

“Well, listen, we’ll go and see how the land lies and if you don’t want to stay with them, you can come back and stay here with the Leis.  I’m sure Madam Lei wouldn’t mind, seeing as how she and your parents were such good friends.”

He looks up at me hopefully.  “Do you think so?  That would be great.”

“We could go this afternoon and get it settled.”

“Yes please.”  He picks up his chopsticks and starts eating, looking much happier.

In the afternoon, we set out for the house of Yao De, Ah-Lin’s uncle.  As neither of us knows the town, we have to ask Wun Yu for directions.  Yao De lives in the artisans’ quarter.  The street’s a very shabby one. 

“You’re sure this is the place?” I say. 

The boy’s clutching the box of pearls his father left him.  “That’s what it says here,” he says, looking at a scrap of paper in his hand.

We find the house.  It looks very run-down.  The paint’s peeling and the gate’s hanging by one hinge.  Inside there’s a dusty courtyard filled with shouting children.  As we walk in, the children stop their play and stare in amazement.  One of them yells, “Dad!  Visitors!”

I’m hoping that we’ve made a mistake and that this is the wrong house, but my heart sinks when I see the man who comes out onto the veranda.  There’s no mistaking that nose.  Indeed he could be Yao Yuhan’s twin, except that he has the expression of a discontented and disappointed man whereas his brother was always serene and smiling. 

“Well, what do you want?” he says aggressively.  “If you’ve come about the debt, you’ll have to wait till I get my salary.”

“Uncle?” Yao Lin’s voice is hesitant.

I bow politely and say, “Sir Yao, I’m afraid we’ve brought bad news.  Unhappily, your brother passed away on the journey to the capital.  This is his son, your nephew.”

“I’m Ah-Lin,” Yao Lin says.

The children have gathered round us, the smaller ones with their thumbs in their mouths, staring.  There are six of them.  The oldest is about twelve.  

“I suppose you expect me to take him in, do you?” says Yao De.  “That’s just like my brother.  He had no idea of the situation I’m in.”

A woman’s voice breaks in.  “Husband, who are these men?”  She comes slowly out on to the veranda, heavily pregnant, her face thin and pasty.

“It’s my brother’s boy.  It seems I’m expected to take responsibility.”

She moves to the edge of the veranda and stands looking down at us, her hands supporting her back.  “Well, you can think again,” she says angrily.  “We’ve got enough to do with our own children.  We don’t need another mouth to feed.”

Yao Lin’s shaking, but the look on his face is a determined one.  “That’s all right with me.  Dad wanted me to come here but I don’t have any intention of inconveniencing you.”  He opens the box, takes out a pouch and throws it down on the ground.  “This is half of what Dad left me.  He’d have wanted you to have it.  We’re quits.”

And turning on his heel, he marches out of the courtyard.  Like small fierce animals, the children pounce on the pouch and tear it open, so that the pearls fall gleaming into the dust.

“It’s more than you deserve,” I say.  Turning, I follow Yao Lin out.  I have to run to catch up with him.  I put an arm round his shoulders.  “Come on, Ah-Lin, let’s go home.”

“I can’t believe it.  He’s nothing like Dad.  And why does he have all those kids if he’s so poor?”

“This explains why he and your Dad didn’t get on.  But I think your Dad would have approved of what you did.”

We find our way back without having to ask anyone’s help and go straight to Madam Lei.  She’s busy with papers, but she listens to Yao Lin and says, “Ah-Lin, you can stay here as long as you like.  It’s a pleasure to have my friends’ son here.  And when you decide what you want to do, we’ll do everything we can to help.”

He blushes and gets a little tearful, but he bows and thanks her.  Then he puts the pouch containing the remaining pearls on her desk.  “Please take these and put them towards your business,” he says.

“Ah-Lin, it would be a great pleasure to me if you wanted to invest in my business,” she says, smiling.  “If you wish, you can be a partner.  But you don’t have to decide now.  I’ll keep these safe until you’ve had time to think about it.”

He blushes again, smiles and agrees.  As he goes out, Madam Lei says, “Young Master Zhao, I very much hope that you'll remain as our guest too, but may I ask, what are your plans?”

“That's immensely kind of you and I'm truly grateful.  To tell the truth, I'm not sure what my plans are.  I need to contact friends before I decide.  But if there’s anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”  I look at the many papers on her desk.  “I’ve had some experience with accounting, if that would be useful.”

“It would indeed.  I need to make sense of these figures before I go to the merchants’ association and put all the formalities in place to resume trading.  Your help would be welcome, if you have time to spare.”

“It’ll be a pleasure.  I’ll see my friends tomorrow and then I’m at your disposal.”

I set off early next day, wildly excited at the thought of meeting up with Liang Zhou and Mo Jiang.  And Shan.  I’ll see Shan today.  I‘m smiling happily at the thought as I make my way to Crane Street, following Wun Yu’s directions.  I announce myself at the gate of the Liang house and am admitted into a quiet reception room where I wait for a while, too anticipatory to sit down.

The door slides open.  It’s Liang Zhou, fuller in the face than I remember, wearing his doctor’s apron and cap.  “Jinhai!” he exclaims, and the next minute I’m enveloped, unexpectedly, in his embrace.  “It’s so good to see you,” he says, smiling.  “We knew you’d be coming, but all the same, I didn’t want to believe it till I actually saw you.”  Pulling off his cap, he goes to the door and calls, “Ah-Jiang!”  And as Mo Jiang’s cheery face appears in the doorway, he adds, “Look who’s here!”

It feels really, really good to be nearly squeezed to death in Mo Jiang’s arms.  We’re half-laughing, half-crying, as Liang Zhu calls a servant and asks for tea.  It feels like coming home.  It’s only when we’re settled with tea-cups in our hands that I ask the question that’s foremost in my mind.  “Have you seen Shan?  Where can I find him?”

An odd silence falls and they look quickly at one another.  Suddenly I have a bad feeling.

“What is it? What’s happened to him?”

Liang Zhou answers slowly.  “Nothing’s happened, as far as we know.  Shan and Shao Ru were both here, but we haven’t seen either of them for three weeks now.  They’ve vanished.”