Spring Pearl: The Last Flower

Hope

When Spring Pearl sees Master Sung huddled in the tiny cell, she gasps. Bruises cover his face and Spring Pearl assumes from the way he sits and leans forward that there are more bruises all over his body. The smell of urine and unwashed bodies fills her nose. In amazement, Master Sung asks what they’re doing. Spring Pearl wants to cry, but she thinks tears might make him feel worse, so she holds them back.

Spring Pearl motions to Doggy that they brought him clean clothes. Doggy says that nobody else could have talked her way into the jail. Speaking of clothing, Master Sung comments that Spring Pearl should have better clothes. Spring Pearl is wearing an old, holey blue blouse and black slacks. The sleeves and trousers are so long that she had to roll them up. and from the bites she feels, she’s sure she’s sharing the clothes with fleas. Spring Pearl comments that she has better clothes at home.

Doggy however, confesses to Master Sung that Spring Pearl gave up the outfit her mother made for her to Lord Chin. Master Sung tries to sit back, but winces. Spring Pearl comments that Master Sung has a right to protest against useless taxes. Master Sung explains that the viceroy doesn’t agree. and he suspects that Lord Chin is maneuvering to confiscate their property. Spring Pearl reassures him that Mistress Sung is doing everything she can to protect it.

Spring Pearl says that they must tell Mistress Sung what is going on so that they can free Master Sung. He orders her not to. They are not to bankrupt the family. Master Sung straightens proudly saying that River Rats aren’t the only ones made of stern stuff.

Doggy clears his throat, and explains that he can smuggle packages into Master Sung. It’s just a question of treating the right jailer to tea. Master Sung and Spring Pearl agree that that will be sufficient.

As they leave the cell, the screaming begins again. To distract herself, Spring Pearl comments that if the food is anything like the accommodations, Master Sung will starve to death. Doggy vows that he will take care of it.

When they return to the mansion, the gatekeeper tells them that the family wants to see Spring Pearl immediately. She runs hastily to her room to change, and that’s when Miss Emerald tracks her down. Her shirt is halfway over her head when Miss Emerald announces that mother wants to see her. But when she sees what Spring Pearl is wearing, she immediately questions why Spring Pearl is dressed as a peasant.

Spring Pearl tries to shift the subject to her father. Spring Pearl isn’t great at lying, but Miss Emerald takes the bait. She explains that she would have been gone to see her father herself, but her parents treat her like porcelain. Spring Pearl can hear the hurt in Miss Emerald’s voice, but can’t help wondering what would have happened if she had seen her father. Would she have fallen apart, or is she as tough as her father and mother? Spring Pearl reassures Miss Emerald that her family needed her more. And with a thank you, Miss Emerald leaves.

After she’s done cleaning up, Spring Pearl goes to Mistress Sung’s bedroom, where the rest of the family waits. Spring Pearl lies again to the family, and she feels guilty when Blessing, Miss Willow, and Miss Oriole believe her lie. When she mentions they can try to sneak in packages, Blessing suggests they send Master Sung a book of poetry. Miss Willow suggests they all write a letter. And Miss Oriole pipes up that she will draw a picture. Spring Pearl thinks to herself that she will also make sure there are some salves for his bruises and cuts. As the family relaxes, Spring Pearl begins to think that perhaps Master Sung was right to protect his family from the truth.

Miss Oriole suggests a lot of “essential” things to go in the package, that they probably won’t be able to put in. Perhaps a fan, for example. Blessing reminds her that they have to smuggle in whatever they pack. As everybody leaves outside, still chatting away, Mistress Sung calls Spring Pearl to her. Miss Emerald tries to stay in the room to listen, but Mistress Sung continues to dismiss her. With a stamp of her foot, Miss Emerald announces that she will stay. It isn’t until Spring Pearl reminds Mistress Sung that if she keeps a bird in a cage it will never learn to fly, that she agrees.

Mistress Sung asks Spring Pearl what she really saw. Mistress Sung says that to save him, they must know the truth. So, Spring Pearl tells them the truth about the cell and the torture. With every detail, their faces grow more and more horrified. Spring Pearl ends by explaining that Master Sung does not want the family to go bankrupt in order to secure his release.

Mistress Sung’s chin hangs to her chest. She knows that he is right, but they cannot abandon him either. They will wait for his release, and until he’s freed, they will try to make him as comfortable in his cell as possible. But right now they should hide the deed and the goods.

Miss Emerald announces that she wants to be taught. She doesn’t know a lot, but she proves herself to be a good student, helping Mistress Sung and Spring Pearl, as well as Blessing. Miss Emerald steps up and proves to Spring Pearl that there’s more in her brain and heart than Spring Pearl assumed.

Throughout the next few days, Blessing really shows his loyalty and bravery as well by saying he wishes to join the army. Miss Emerald and Spring Pearl convince him out of it, explaining that if something happens to him while Father is gone, they will lose everything. And Spring Pearl is happy to see he doesn’t drop the family’s business like he historically had his other hobbies.

The Sungs’ affairs include business in all parts of the city. Mistress Sung, Blessing, and Spring Pearl have to journey just as much as Master Sung once did. But no matter where they went, they made sure their trips included two stops.

The first is the prison. It had taken Doggy only a few days to develop a channel to Master Sung. Mistress Sung has not only repaid him what he had advanced, but she also gave him a generous allowance for future bribes. Soon, food and medicines are flowing. They can only hope it helps.

The other stop is at the city walls by the river to see how the war was going. At the beginning of winter, the British had returned with even more ships and troops, and French ships steamed up the river beside them. Oddly enough though, this time the Chinese troops had done almost nothing to stop them. Standing on top of the wall, they see the enemies’ steamships floating on the river, as sleek and deadly as wolfhounds. Spring Pearl can’t help glancing toward her old home. The shacks of the riverbank are deserted. Rats are good at escaping, just as they did whenever the river flooded and sent them scrambling from their home.

The only thing that Viceroy Yeh bombards the British and French with are letters and proclamations ordering them to leave. It is almost as though he thought he could will them away. However, he has executed more than 400 Chinese rebels and hung their heads on the walls as a warning to the foreigners. Mistress Sung thinks the viceroy has become a mad beast, and Spring Pearl is inclined to agree. They begin to worry that Master Sung might be the next victim.

They are all surprised when one day, they see the soldiers dismantling the defenses at the gate. A soldier explains that the viceroy ordered them to take it down. The viceroy must have worked out some sort of deal, and they’re probably paying them off. For the first time in over two months, Spring Pearl begins to feel hope. If the war is ending, maybe they’ll release Master Sung. But if he were there, Doggy would have warned them that they should not build a mansion before they have money in their hand.