China Edward Rutherfurd (essential reading .txt) 📖

“I don’t know. They just had a big war there. Fighting each other. A lot of people killed. Like the Taiping. The fighting never came near California.”

“How did the railroad bosses treat you?” Mei-Ling asked.

“They like the Chinese. We work hard. We don’t give any trouble. There’s a lot of Chinese working on the California railroad already, and more coming all the time. It used to be mostly Irishmen doing the manual work out there,” he added proudly. “Big, strong men. But when the Irish complained about us taking their jobs, the railroad boss told them that if they didn’t stop complaining, he’d replace them all with Chinese.”

“What’s Irish?” asked Mother.

“A barbarian tribe. There are many barbarian tribes in America.”

Elder Son seemed satisfied with all he’d heard. “Perhaps we should all go to America,” he said.

“You have to work there,” Mother murmured softly, but Elder Son didn’t hear. That night he smoked his father’s opium pipe.

—

In the morning, while Elder Son was still asleep, Mother, Mei-Ling and her two sons held a family conference. By now, both in the family and in the village, her younger son had acquired a new name: California Brother.

The first question was what her two sons should do. California Brother offered to return to America, but before Mei-Ling could even voice her anguish at the thought, Mother told him firmly: “No. We need you both here.”

“In that case,” Ka-Fai said, turning to Mei-Ling, “what about the land I told you about that’s for sale on the other side of the village? Do we have enough money to buy it now? I’m sure the two of us could work it.”

Mei-Ling looked at Mother, who pursed her lips. “I know the price of that land. If we use the money from America and sell the opium pipe, we might have enough. But then we won’t have the money we need to spend on Bright Moon so she can get a rich husband. And now that we’ve already bound her feet…”

“We could borrow the money for the land,” California Brother suggested.

“No debt,” said Mother firmly.

“I think…” Mei-Ling spoke slowly, weighing her words. “I think that you should buy the land. After all, as soon as you work it, that’ll bring in extra money. We don’t have to find a husband for Bright Moon for years yet. Something might turn up in the meantime.” She saw Mother give her a long look.

“As you wish,” said Mother. “We’ll sell the opium pipe.”

“You’re going to sell Grandfather’s opium pipe?” California Brother asked in surprise. “What will Elder Uncle say?”

“He can smoke through a bamboo pipe instead,” Mother said dourly. “The opium will keep him quiet.”

Nobody spoke. She had just deposed her own son as the nominal head of the family. They all heard it. Things weren’t supposed to be that way. But they knew she was right.

As her two boys went out together, Mei-Ling heard California Brother say, “The first thing I’m going to do is rebuild the bridge over the pond.”

“We’ll do it together,” his brother Ka-Fai agreed.

—

The incident happened in the middle of the day. It took Mei-Ling by surprise. She and little Bright Moon and Mother were all sitting on a bench, watching the two brothers who were already waist-high in the pond pulling rotten timbers from the bridge.

A few minutes earlier, she’d gone down and whispered to her younger son: “You’ve had so much to think about since you got back, but when you finish, just pay some attention to your little sister, because you’ve hardly said a word to her yet.”

He’d given her a nod. And sure enough, as he came out of the water and squelched his way up the slope to the bench with a big friendly grin on his face, he looked down at Bright Moon and said, “How’s my beautiful little sister today?”

When Bright Moon didn’t reply, but stared at the ground, they thought she must be shy.

“She’s not used to you,” said Mother.

“Once I’m dry,” he said to the girl, “we’ll sit and have a talk together.” And he went inside.

Everyone was back in the courtyard when he reappeared. Elder Son, unaware of the family conference earlier on, had also joined them. Bright Moon was sitting under the tree with Mei-Ling, who got up and indicated to California Brother that he should take her place. He’d just sat down when Elder Son decided to address them.

“Since my dear brother died almost a year ago, in a far country, none of the usual funeral rules apply. But we shall mourn him for two days.” It was said in a simple and dignified manner, and nobody argued. Mother nodded her approval. After that, conversation resumed.

“You look so grown-up already, with your dainty feet,” California Brother remarked to Bright Moon in a kindly way. “Father often talked of you when we were working on the railroad, you know. He’d be so proud to see you now.”

Bright Moon didn’t reply.

“I’m sorry I brought bad news,” he went on. “You must be very sad.”

It seemed that she might be about to speak to him now, so he waited. “Everyone says that,” she suddenly burst out. She was still staring at the ground.

“Says what?”

“That Father would be proud. It’s not true.”

“Oh?” He frowned. “Why?”

“I hate my bound feet,” she burst out. “I hate them. They’re not dainty. They’re all squashed and the bones are broken, and they hurt all the time. It hurts!” she screamed out.

“Well, I know it hurts for a while…” he ventured. But she cut him short.

“What do you know? Did they bind your feet? No, I’m a cripple now.”

“Don’t speak that way,” said Mother sharply. “You should be beaten.”

“I don’t care,” the little girl shouted back. “It can’t hurt more than my feet.”

“What a temper she has,” cried Mother. But she didn’t do anything.

“It’s for your own good,” said Elder Son firmly, not because he’d really been involved, but because he thought he was head of the family.

“If you and Father