Spring Pearl: The Last Flower

The Traitor

The soldiers come in the night. When Spring Pearl first hears the shouting, she thinks it’s the Sung girls quarreling again. Then she realizes that the voices are too deep and too numerous. Maids are running this way and that way like a flock of hens at the sight of Cook with a chopping knife. Spring Pearl stops Snow Goose to ask what’s going on. She says it’s thieves. Another maid skids to a halt saying it’s assassins. There are as many rumors as the maids themselves, but none of them have seen anything. They’ve only heard the noise. Spring Pearl hears weeping coming from Miss Emerald’s room. On the bed, she sees three shapes huddled together. Miss Oriole says they’re going to die. Miss Emerald knows she should go see what’s happening, but all three of the girls are so scared.

Finally, Spring Pearl says she’ll go to figure out what’s wrong. Miss Emerald should stay to defend her sisters. Spring Pearl grabs a statue and hands it to Miss Emerald. Spring Pearl returns to her room to put on some clothes, and makes her way through the dark hallways filled with servants. Spring Pearl sees uniformed soldiers in the middle of the garden, heedless of the flowers. They’re armed with spears and lanterns.

One of Master Sung’s so-called friends, Lord Chin, who Spring Pearl met the first day in the garden, is standing in front of them. He is accusing Master Sung of treason. Lord Chin explains that he was only protesting the tax increases in order to draw out the traitors. Master Sung spits in at his feet, saying that he’s the traitor. Then, the soldiers step forward with a cangue, a wooden yolk that fits around a prisoner’s neck.

Mistress Sung tries to shove them back. How dare they treat Master Sung like a criminal? One of the soldiers pushes Mistress Sung into the ground. However, Master Sung cannot reach his wife. His captors’ grip is unbreakable. Mistress Sung tries to get up, but Spring Pearl holds her back. If Mistress Sung tries to fight the soldiers, she might get injured. The soldiers force Master Sung’s head down, and the rectangular wooden yoke is fitted around his neck so that it looks like he thrust his head through a small legless table. On it is written the word “traitor.” When the yolk is locked in place, its weight forces him to bend over.

Lord Chin says that they’ll meet again, and raises his hand in a salute as he climbs into a sedan chair. The soldiers hoist him into the air and begin to march out of the garden. One of the soldiers pokes Master Sung until he moves. They’re to take Master Sung with them to prison.

As Master Sung leaves, Mistress Sung looks after him, promising to free him soon. She vows they will all be there when he gets out.

Perhaps the worst torture is to his pride, for Master Sung is paraded through the streets with that horrible yolk around his neck. When the last lantern fades, they are left in the dark garden. Mistress Sung jumps to action, saying they must get help. They must make sure he has clothing and food.

Spring Pearl reminds Mistress Sung that they must remember the children. Mistress Sung says there’s no way the viceroy would arrest the children, too. She has been rich for so long that she forgot that mice don’t walk up to cats and make demands. Spring Pearl explains when they take a prisoner through legalities, sometimes it chews through the family as well.

With a sigh, Mistress Sung states that their business enemies would love to use this excuse to carve their holdings. There’s many wars and battles being fought. And even though Master Sung has done nothing wrong, if he is convicted of treason, the viceroy can seize his assets. And those assets would be distributed to all of the viceroy’s friends. They must protect as much as they can.

Spring Pearl watches Mistress Sung rise from the earth, tall and strong and proud. She’s more of a warrior than any of the soldiers they saw ten minutes ago. Mistress Sung instructs Spring Pearl that she must spread the word that everyone is to gather in the reception hall.

When everyone gets there, the chairs and tables are moved to the side of the wall so there’s plenty of room to stand. Spring Pearl stands with the Sung girls, holding Miss Oriole’s hand. Miss Emerald and Miss Willow also press close to her, as if for reassurance. The servants stand behind, but Spring Pearl can see that they are as frightened as she is. Even the older servants are crying; everyone is sure that the Sung household is now doomed. Only Doggy catches Spring Pearl’s eye and gives a nod.

Everybody bows when Blessing walks into the room, followed by his mother. He looks pale and speaks monotonously, as if reciting a memorized speech. He announces that these are sad times, but soon they will have Father back. He shakes tears from his eyes, and looks blankly ahead until his mother whispers something in his ear. He continues to say that Father would want everyone to continue their duties. Until Father returns, he is now the head of the household. Although Spring Pearl likes Blessing, she has doubts as to whether he can hold up under the pressure.

After that, nobody sleeps. Spring Pearl joins Blessing and his mother and Master Sung’s study. Blessing looks lost in the big mahogany chair. Mistress Sung couches orders in the form of suggestions and tactical questions to steer her son in the right direction. Most of her suggestions involve protecting the business and property. Customers and creditors need to be reassured that things will go on as before. Certain valuables must be hidden away in case the worst happens. Titles to buildings and lands need to be transferred to protect them. At first, Blessing seems to enjoy it, as if it’s a new game he’s trying to play.

Blessing sends out messengers to the other tax protesters but one of them brings back bad news. Another friend of Master Sung’s has been arrested, too. If Viceroy Yeh wanted to frighten the other tax protesters, he did. All of them made some excuse or another why they could not come to help the Sungs.

When they finally hear back from the last of the messengers, Mistress Sung announces that they are alone. It slowly dawns on Blessing that this is no game, and that to lose means disaster.

Luckily, Mistress Sung is still of a practical mind. She says they first need to send clothes to their father. After a beat of silence, Spring Pearl volunteers that she can go try to deliver clothes. She may be able to talk her way into the jail.

Blessing shakes his head, and volunteers in Spring Pearl’s place. Spring Pearl knows that she’s now off the hook, but she can’t let Blessing go. Spring Pearl owes that much to Master Sung for his kindness. Furthermore, it’s too risky. If Blessing is taken as a hostage, they could force Master Sung to sign a confession. Spring Pearl says she is confident she can talk her way into jail.

Mistress Sung agrees, but says she’ll send a servant with her. Spring Pearl suggests Doggy. Mistress Sung shakes her head and says she wants to send someone burlier and stronger. Spring Pearl shakes her head, saying she needs slyness, not muscle.

Nodding, Mistress Sung agrees, and turns to her son to plan what to say to the clerks when they come in a few hours to begin work.