China Edward Rutherfurd (essential reading .txt) 📖

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As the months went by, Shi-Rong had to confess that although Guilin might have seemed a backwater as far as his career was concerned, he had never been happier in his life. And in terms of his career, it hadn’t been wasted time, either. For he’d soon come to realize that behind the prefect’s genial manner lay a great shrewdness as well as kindness.

He was also a great teacher. He showed Shi-Rong how to deal with the different tribes and avoid conflict. He taught him not just how to administer the law, but how to manage the magistrates. By the end of a year Shi-Rong realized he was learning more from him than he had from anyone since Commissioner Lin.

So when a letter came from Mr. Peng to inform him that, if he would just be patient an extra six months, he was confident he could secure him a most remunerative appointment nearer the capital, he was quite content.

Except for one thing. Mei-Ling would be leaving. Her year and a half would be up.

Half a year without her. He asked her to stay a few months longer, but she refused.

“It has been, still is, the most astounding thing that ever happened to me in my life. I am full of gratitude,” she said. She was too honest to lie to him about such a thing.

“Stay the extra months then,” he begged.

“My girl’s expecting me. I told her a year and a half. Do you think she hasn’t got the days all counted?”

It so happened that just at that time a letter had come from Shi-Rong’s wife. It was quite friendly, but it told him that his son Ru-Hai, who was due for a rest from his studies soon, would dearly like it if his father invited him to see the beauties of Guilin for a month.

“I am due to leave a month after the end of the summer monsoon,” Mei-Ling pointed out. “Why don’t you summon him to arrive just after that? It’s a delightful time of the year, and you’ll have him for company. You’ll be so busy you’ll hardly notice I’ve gone.”

“It won’t be the same.” He smiled ruefully. “But you’re right. It’s what I ought to do.” And he sent instructions to that effect.

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The summer rains had come to an end a few days ago, and Shi-Rong had just begun to plan how he might amuse the boy. He hardly knew what he’d expected their meeting would be like. It had been nearly two years since they’d last seen each other. Ru-Hai must now be in his eighteenth year and quite a young man, he supposed, no longer the boy he remembered.

So he was quite astonished one afternoon when Ru-Hai turned up at the house. “We weren’t expecting you for a month,” he cried.

“I came early,” said Ru-Hai. “Are you not pleased to see me?”

“Of course I’m pleased. Delighted,” Shi-Rong assured him. “Just surprised. You look taller,” he said. “Have you been studying hard?”

“Yes, Father,” said Ru-Hai, and bowed respectfully.

“Well, well, come in,” his father said cheerfully, “and tell me all the news.”

Ru-Hai recited the news from home. His mother was well. “Excellent,” cried Shi-Rong. “I shall write to your dear mother at once to let her know you’ve arrived safely.” His younger brother was also well and attending to his schoolbooks assiduously. “Good, good,” said Shi-Rong with a smile. But his sister was still sickly and really couldn’t travel far from the family home. “I wish it were otherwise,” Shi-Rong said sadly. “Your mother is quite right to remain with her, but I wish it were otherwise.”

Leading him to his office, Shi-Rong introduced his son to Peng, told him about the kindly prefect and his wife, and gave him some account of the area and its beauties. A servant brought them tea.

The boy seemed happy enough. Being tired from his journey, he went to rest for a while before joining his father and Peng for the evening meal.

“What do I do?” Shi-Rong asked Mei-Ling.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No.”

“Then do nothing.”

When Mei-Ling entered to serve them, Shi-Rong introduced her by name, and Ru-Hai acknowledged her politely; but it wasn’t clear he’d realized who she was. After the meal, Peng had to attend to some correspondence, so father and son were left alone.

“The housekeeper’s rather beautiful,” Ru-Hai remarked. “Did she come with the residence?”

“No, she didn’t come with the residence,” his father said. “Actually, she is my concubine. I forgot to mention it when I introduced you.”

“You have a concubine?” Ru-Hai looked at his father in consternation.

“Just one,” his father replied.

“Does my mother know?”

“No. I only acquired her when I got here, you see.”

Ru-Hai was silent for a moment. “You have another woman, and my poor mother doesn’t even know?”

“It’s perfectly proper for a man in my position to have a concubine.”

“My mother was right,” Ru-Hai burst out. “You think only of yourself.” And he rushed out of the room.

Shi-Rong waited an hour. He wondered what else his wife had said about him behind his back. He wasn’t angry with the boy for wanting to defend his mother. But he couldn’t have him insulting his father, either. When the hour was up, he summoned Peng and told him to find Ru-Hai and bring him back.

When Ru-Hai returned, still looking sulky, Shi-Rong was firm. “You are not to insult your father. Whatever your feelings are, you must show respect to me. That is your duty. Kindly remember it.” He paused. “As far as Mei-Ling is concerned, she will probably never meet your mother, because when I leave here, she will return to her family. I shall be sorry to lose her, but that is what will happen. In the meantime, you will find her a charming person.”

“She’s just a poor peasant from a village in the middle of nowhere. She hasn’t even got bound feet.”

“She is part Hakka. As you will know, the Hakka, like the Manchu, do not bind their feet. Though