Spring Pearl: The Last Flower

The Flower

Over the next month, mixed patrols of foreign soldiers and Chinese police bring order to the streets. Floggings keep the foreigners and the Chinese from looting. But as they draw close to the New Year, the city stays tense because of the Chinese patriots who refuse to give up the fight against the foreigners. Fighting a war from the shadows, they ambush any foreign sailor or soldier who strays too far into the alleys. Then, the British and French retaliate by burning down the houses in the area where the murder happened. The revenge reaches a height when ninety-six Chinese are executed for the murder of a cook from a French ship.

Despite that, the British and French are going to lift the blockade, and things are already beginning to return to normal. So is Master Sung. With rest and care, he has healed up and resumed work.

Spring Pearl finally has enough time to return to her garden. Just before New Year’s, the Kitchen God always goes back to heaven to report about the household. It’s a cheerful time when they remind him of the nice things the family had done that year. It’s a chance to recall only good memories. Then, they bribe the Kitchen God by smearing his mouth with honey. After, they burn the Kitchen God’s picture, and then they buy another one to put up in the kitchen.

The Sungs, as they do everything, would send the Kitchen God off more grandly than Spring Pearl’s parents had done. An altar is set up in the front courtyard where they would set fire to the picture. There’s straw to feed the divine horses of his chariot as well. However this year, because of trigger-happy foreigners, there will be no firecrackers.

To her dismay, Spring Pearl finds that weeds have sprung up all around her plants in the garden, so she gets to work clearing them. She’s so busy she doesn’t recognize Doggy. He’s in a formal cotton house jacket with his collar buttoned up and clean pants. The crown of his head is freshly shaved, and his queue is newly braided. He announces that the Master and Mistress wish to see Spring Pearl. There’s not even enough time for Spring Pearl to change. They wish to see her immediately.

He starts to pull Spring Pearl toward the main hall. Spring Pearl insists the study is the other direction, but Doggy snaps in exasperation for Spring Pearl to shut up for once. As they walk, Spring Pearl grows curious as to why Doggy is dressed so formally. But she doesn’t ask him. When he opens the tall doors for Spring Pearl, she wonders when he became such a gentleman. And then, Spring Pearl comes to a halt.

Inside the main hall, she sees Master and Mistress Sung in their formal robes, seated in heavy teak chairs. On either side are their children in exquisite clothing as well. Standing in ranks on her left and right are the entire household staff. They’re all dressed as neatly as Doggy. Master Sung scowls. How dare she come dressed like that? This is a formal occasion.

Spring Pearl, glancing down at her filthy clothes, explains that she was told to come right away. Mistress Sung says it is an insult. Spring Pearl drops to her knees, and says that it won’t happen again. Suddenly, her stomach tightens. They are going to let her go. Spring Pearl can’t understand what she has done wrong. She thought she had become a part of their family. She must have finally worn out her welcome.

However, Spring Pearl only feels a little frightened at the prospect of being on the streets again. She had survived a war, and even the Sung household. Spring Pearl is sure she can manage anywhere. Instead, what she feels is sadness. In this short time, she’d come to like each of them in their own way. She felt like she was losing a second family.

After touching her forehead to the floor, Spring Pearl straightens, and thanks them for all they’ve done. She’ll pack her things and leave.

Master Sung thunders that she will do no such thing. In fact, she’ll wear this for the next formal occasion. With a smile, Miss Oriole squirms off her seat with a package in her hands. Spring Pearl had never seen her look so serious as she walked over to her. The package is wrapped in a lovely piece of green satin. Spring Pearl feels the luxurious cloth, and thinks of the wonderful things her mother could have made with it.

Spring Pearl undoes the ribbon, and sees a flash of pink silk with a green border. It is the clothing that she gave to Lord Chin. Miss Oriole says that Father got the British to take it back. In fact, it is the Sungs’ wish that tonight, Spring Pearl will wear it to the banquet, where she’ll be the guest of honor.

Miss Emerald says that they all survived because of Spring Pearl. Miss Emerald bows, and then the rest of the Sungs do, too. Even the Master and Mistress. Getting up, Spring Pearl stumbles from the hall. She somehow makes her way back to the garden.

She sits down and catches her breath. Then she looks around. It’s so strange how the mansion no longer looks like a fort or prison. Suddenly, a splash of red catches her eye. It’s the camellia. It’s finally blooming, spreading out its large, red petals. It likes its new home as much as Spring Pearl does.

That’s where Doggy finds her. He apologizes that he couldn’t warn her, but they all wanted to surprise her. and because Spring Pearl is such a terrible liar, she never could have faked it.

Doggy dips his shoe into the dirt, and says that he has a proposition. His uncle is finally ready to start his business, and Doggy is going to join him soon as a partner. Spring Pearl doesn’t know why anyone would miss such an annoying boy, but the news makes Spring Pearl feel sad. She simply nods her congratulations.

Then, Doggy explains that they believe the British and French are going to force China to open up more trade. They don’t have enough interpreters. Not many can get their tongue around the speech of the foreigners like Spring Pearl. What’s more important, Spring Pearl has pull with foreign merchants, as well as Master Sung. She can also talk to government folks because they’re all scholars. And yet, she can handle the workers that load and unload ships. So, how about if Spring Pearl joins them? And to sweeten the deal, they’ll make her partner in a few years.

Spring Pearl stares at him in astonishment. Doggy continues to say that the Sungs treat her right, but she’ll always be their dependent. With Doggy and his uncle, she can be free. Spring Pearl loves the Sungs, and she thinks all of them love her. But freedom. The word is as potent as tiger whiskey. It makes her feel almost dizzy.

Doggy urges that in the old days, there wouldn’t be much of a place for a servant like him or a poor girl like her. But the world is changing. She has talents and friends. She’ll be in demand. In fact, she can have a garden, too, on the roof. He will even carry her camellia himself.

With the shake of her head, Spring Pearl smiles. Fuming, Doggy marches away, exclaiming at how infuriating Spring Pearl is. Spring Pearl chuckles, and lets her eyes fall onto the camellia. Would it take to new soil in another home? In her heart, Spring Pearl knows it can. It can survive anything, just like her.