Casca 18: The Cursed Read online

  "And now Germany. About three years ago two German missionaries were murdered by robbers in Shantung. Troops of all the colonial powers stormed into Kiachow Bay and we were forced to cede the entire area to Germany for ninety nine years. Which, as with Hong Kong, may well be forever.

  "They make an enormous and extended profit out of the deaths of two unfortunate priests who lacked sufficient sense to protect themselves against thieves. Hardly cricket what?"

  Casca repressed a chuckle. "I have never yet seen the colonial game played to any rules, and certainly not cricket."

  Hollington slapped his knees in exasperation. "You are right, of course. Benjamin Jowett, master of Balliol College at Oxford, my own college, had a maxim for those who were to join the colonial service: 'Never retract. Never explain. Get it done and let them howl.' "

  "Well," said the baron, "we are howling."

  "But we must do something other than howl," said Hollington. "The peasants are tired of howling in their pain. Now they are howling for blood."

  "When it comes to doing something," Casca interrupted, "there is another maxim to remember. It is often chanted around the barracks of the British army: 'Whatever happens, we have got the Maxim gun and they have not.' "

  "But we must do something. We cannot stand by and allow our peasants to throw themselves into the hail of lead from your Maxim guns. And we cannot be so foolish as to join them in suicide. But what are we to do?"

  "You are asking me?" Casca asked, astonished.

  "You are a man of much experience, a soldier and a diplomat. Surely you can advise us?"

  Casca got to his feet and paced about the large chamber.

  "I don't know just what I told you under the water treatment, and perhaps you misunderstood. I am an ordinary soldier. A sort of military bum. Certainly no diplomat. I'm a mercenary. I fight for pay. If I possessed some sort of military genius do you imagine that I would be a drill instructor in the British army?"

  "But," protested the baron, "you have been a general, a chief, a king, a god."

  "Surely I told you that whenever I have had that sort of promotion it has happened by chance. And then I have always fucked it up on my own account."

  "But you have lived such a long time. You must have learned something."

  "l'm a slow learner," Casca replied; "but if I have learned anything, it is to keep clear of fools armed with sticks and pitchforks who wish to take on empires backed by professional soldiers armed with cannon and muskets and water cooled machine guns."

  "Do you have no ideals? No principles?" exclaimed Hollington.

  "Idealists wish to change the reality because it is not ideal. I have a similar problem with the ideal – it is not real. As for principles, I have always thought it would be nice to have some but I have never found any that will stand up to gunfire. Or to swordplay, or even to an enthusiastically wielded whip."

  Hollington pursed his lips and looked at the ceiling. Except for his eyes and his color, he was the very picture of the outraged English gentleman in the presence of an unprincipled cad.

  Baron Ying squinted at Casca. "I do not believe you. I am sure you are a man of principle."

  "And I do not believe you," Casca returned hotly. "You are rich and powerful under the Manchus. No less rich and still influential under the British. Why do you wish to ally yourself with a mob of fools bleating slogans they do not half understand?"

  The baron stared evenly at Casca. "The question is will you help us?"

  Casca sat down.

  "I am not British, and certainly I do not owe them anything for their lousy pay and abominable food, nor for my ridiculous uniform and the absurd discipline. But they have all the guns and must surely win any confrontation." He recalled that the baron had said something about rich reward. "Why should I join you?"

  The baron calmly returned his gaze. "We will pay you well. And if we succeed, as we must, you will be honored and respected throughout China. And neither you, nor your descendants, will ever again want for anything."

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Baron Ying lost no time in demonstrating to Casca that his promises were real. He summoned his secretary and dictated a letter of commission, making Casca the Hsia of Tsungkow, responsible only to himself, the baron of Chaochow, and to the emperor.

  There had been no Hsia in Tsungkow for thirty five years, the area being governed directly by the baron of Chaochow. The previous Hsia, who had also been an imperial baron, had sided with the Hakka people in their brutal conflict of 1865 with the Cantonese, losing in the Hakka defeat not only his position and his palace but also, along with many thousands of Hakim, his head.

  "Hakka," Ying explained, "in our language means `traveling family.' Three hundred years before the time when you were truly born, they were a peaceful tribe, flourishing in the fertile land between the Yellow River and the Great Wall. But their numbers increased and many moved south to the provinces of Honan and Anhwei during the Chin period, and they dwelt there for six hundred years.

  "Then, during the Tsin Dynasty, around your fifth century, they were forced farther south to the mountainous reaches of Kiangsi and Fukien. Two hundred years later they were pushed into the chain of mountains between Kiangsi and Kwangtung. From there they moved to the Kwangtung coast, and finally to this region and the cities of Kaying and Tsungkow and Chaochow and the villages between.

  "But this traveling family does not only travel when forced to, and not only inside China. Many of the Chinese that you find in San Francisco, Bangkok, Saigon, Borneo, Singapore, Sydney are Hakka. In the Pacific islands Hakka people have become a powerful business element.

  "And here, amongst us in Kwangtung Province, perhaps they have at last found a permanent home. Doubtless, in time they and we will intermarry, and eventually become one people. For myself, I must admit that I could never love a Hakka woman. Not with those big, ugly feet.

  "But in everything else they are a wholly admirable people, and here they have not been subjected to any attack for thirty five years. But then, in China's history, thirty five years is a short time."

  "A very short time." Casca laughed.

  "Well, we shall see. For the present your title of Hsia will protect you from any inquiry, and I am sure you will find the tribute you collect more than adequate for your expenses.

  "If it interests you, I will be pleased to hand over to you the whole government of the area and make you count of Tsungkow, an appointment which is within my power. I cannot make you baron as it is the emperor's prerogative to create imperial nobles.

  "But, more importantly, what I want you to do is to use your skills and experience to prepare your troops and your city for the coming revolution. It may be necessary to put down the Boxers and the peasants; it may be necessary to join them. Perhaps we will be fighting with the emperor against the foreign devils, perhaps against both the emperor and the British. It is too early to tell."

  The baron returned to his baronial seat at Chaochow, leaving Casca in full control of Tsungkow. Casca escorted him to the city gates, then returned to his new home, the Hsia's palace.

  Casca had readily agreed to take full control of the district, as he had no wish to be hamstrung by any outside authority. Nor did he intend to sit around and wait for something to happen. He intended to make his mark on the city. Fifteen hundred and more years earlier he had been an imperial baron, and now he was count of the city of Tsungkow.

  Well, why not? he thought, I've been a god a couple of times.

  Tian Yuanlong was waiting for him and asked him for orders.

  "Who is Baron Ying's deputy in this city?" was Casca's first question.

  "The Pao, Li Peng, a good man. Baron Ying has complete trust in him." He smiled in quiet self-confidence. "And I believe the baron to be a good judge of men."

  Casca smiled back. "Yes, I do believe he is."

  "But," Tian went on, "it is far from here to Chaochow Fu, and the baron is much at Chaochow."

  "So?"

&n
bsp; "So Li Peng does not get enough of the baron's time to discuss all of our problems. Nor can I report on all of them for him, as I rarely get sufficient of his time for my own work." The serene smile returned. "I am sure that you will find Li Peng as happy to serve you as Hsia as I am, Cas Ca Sho."

  "And the city elders?"

  "For the city elders your appointment as count is the very best of news. They are, in the main, good and sincere men. Some more so than others, of course, and some who might like to be less so. But the time is always taken to ensure that any action is in the overall interests of the whole community. And, of course, no elder wishes to risk the baron's wrath by allowing self-interest to overrule his responsibility.

  "But there are many matters, too, where the elders could use more of the baron's time. And there are many matters where things just have to be done without due discussion. In such cases the Hsia could act without hesitation. But who will dare take an action, perhaps against a neighbor, perhaps using the city's money? An elder, or perhaps the Pao, who is forced by circumstances to take such a responsibility, is never happy about it."

  "Well, I can see I am going to have some work to do."

  "Oh, estimable Hsia, I assure you there is much work to do. I would like to mention one more of Li Peng's problems."

  "Please mention anytime to me any problem of the Pao's or your own."

  The secretary bowed. "Thank you, Count Cas Ca. There are many, many small matters for which the Pao is responsible, but they are too small, or too persistent for him to be able to get any of the needed attention either from the baron or from the elders."

  "Aha," said Casca, "then this where shall start. What is the biggest or the most persistent of these small problems?"

  "The prison, sir."

  "Ah, yes. Of course. And the garbage?"

  A delighted smile lit Yuanlong's face. "And the garbage. Oh, Li Peng is going to very much like his new Hsia.''

  "Well, how do we start?"

  "By now," said Tian, "all the city will know of your appointment. It only remains for them to meet you."

  Tian Yuanlong organized the new Hsia's inauguration within a matter of hours. The ringing of gongs and the beating of drums summoned the population, and soon the city square and the streets all around it were jammed with thousands of people.

  Casca rode from his palace on a bay stallion with white stockings he had carefully chosen from his stables. The horse was almost identical to the one he had ridden seventeen centuries earlier when he had left the imperial palace as baron of Chung Wei. He rode at the head of a retinue of men at arms and knights, pikemen, archers and infantry, and, the entire host of palace servants.

  As soon as Casca appeared the population prostrated, themselves on their faces.

  Casca felt a flash of profound irritation at their exaggerated obeisance. He was about to upbraid them and tell them to get to their feet like human beings rather than cowering like dogs. But, had not he himself kowtowed? They were, after all, only giving him his due, paying respect to their new lord and master.

  "I come to you as your Hsia, your count and your protector," he shouted. "Obey me and serve me well, and I will so serve you. Bring to me your problems and I will work to solve them. Come to me with your complaints and I will find you justice. But should any disobey me or be dishonest, then I will punish mightily. You may now stand."

  The elite of the city had placed themselves just behind the Pao, who, with his deputies and assistants, stood between the crowd and the new Hsia. Now these gentry, the most influential clan heads, the large landlords, and the heads of the most well to do families, stepped forward.

  The Pao stepped aside, well aware of his own relative unimportance to these men who effectively ran the city. He was relieved that Casca had shown no displeasure. It happened often enough that a newly appointed Hsia would take power in a fury of dissatisfaction, and abuse, slap, whip, or even behead the first person of authority he came upon. Which was why the elders had stayed behind him and his henchmen.

  Behind the elders came servants carrying young pigs, baskets of grain, vessels of rice wine and chests of fine tea. Buddhist priests, who had also stayed safely behind the Pao's entourage, now began to beat on their gongs to frighten away any evil spirits that might try to bring misfortune to the new lord.

  Casca accepted the gifts from his lofty perch and spoke briefly with each of the elders. Then he eased his horse through the small knot of elders to where the Pao stood.

  Li Peng dropped to his knees and prostrated himself face down.

  "Get up, Pao." Casca spoke in forceful but encouraging tones. "You are my right hand here, and I have need of your services. There is much for us to do. I believe you to be loyal and efficient. Stay so and you shall prosper greatly."

  The Pao's eyes shone as he looked up at Casca, grateful for his recognition. "I shall indeed serve you well, Lord, and indeed there is much to be done."

  "Then let's get about it," Casca said. "Send these people back to their homes and their fields. Come to the palace early tomorrow."

  He nodded briefly to the elders and, dismissing the crowd with a wave of his hand, turned his horse's head and rode back to his palace.

  Casca's new home was enclosed by a deep ditch and a square outer wall with an entrance gate in each side. As his entourage entered this gate about half the troops broke away and dispersed about the open area that surrounded a second wall. This open space was ornamented with beautiful trees, streams, and ponds. Stags, roebuck, and fallow deer grazed in this meadow, and on the waters there were swans, geese, duck, and other waterfowl. The streams were plentifully stocked with fish, which were restrained from escaping by copper grilles where the waters flowed out of the palace area.

  The second wall had three gates to the north and three to the south, the large center gate in each group being for the exclusive use of the Hsia and nobility. As Casca and his men moved through this gate about half of his remaining troops similarly dispersed themselves about the open space surrounding a third, inner wall. This space was similarly ornamented with trees and animals. In each corner and by each gate there were buildings, which contained stores. One held all the tack needed for the horses and their armor; another, armor for the troops; another, swords, lances, bows, strings, arrows and every form of armament. One store held grain; one held wine; one was full of preserved fruits and nuts and sweetmeats; one held nothing but bedding and pillows and sheets and necessaries for the bedchambers; and one held the miscellany of materials from writing paper to cooking pots that were needed in the day to day life of the palace and the great number of people who lived and worked within it.

  The inner wall was twenty feet high and about ten feet wide, so that it served as a terrace from which the Hsia could be seen by his people. All three walls had battlements, which were built out on corbels so that defenders atop the walls could throw down missiles, fire, hot water, or oil at attackers.

  There were eight more stores inside this wall, which held in one the Hsia's enormous wardrobe of widely varied robes; in another his personal armor; in still another everything needed for his table; and in others gold and silver bullion, precious stones, pearls, jade, coral, silver, and gold plate.

  Inside the inner wall, and set well back from it, was the Hsia's palace. Its marble walls were ornamented with figures of dragons, warriors, maids, birds, and beasts, in gilt or carvings or painted. The roof was decorated in red, green, azure, and violet. The many windows were of a glass so clear that Casca at first took them to be crystal.

  As he sat down in the chamber where he had first had audience with Baron Ying, Liang Yongming appeared with her tea tray to squat opposite him across the low table.

  Casca was delighted to see that the baron had left this pretty young woman to attend to him.

  "Most esteemed Count Cas Ca Sho, may I tell you how happy I am to be able to serve you. Perhaps you will be so kind as to let me know your pleasure so that I may serve you as you wish." Her voice ro
se slightly to end in a soft giggle, which she disguised by raising one arm to hide her face behind a broad silk sleeve. She bowed deeply, touching her forehead to the floor. Then she poured fragrant tea and offered Casca a platter of dates and nuts.

  Casca spent the rest of the day inspecting the palace. There were hundreds of rooms, immense stables, and impressive fortifications.

  One section of the palace, separated from the rest by courtyard gardens, was set aside for the Hsia's wives and concubines. As the baron spent so little time in Tsungkow, these quarters were almost empty except for an aged eunuch and some servants and the five concubines including the girl Liang Yongming whom the baron had found adequate for all his needs.

  Tian assured Casca that he would take immediate steps to ensure that fifty of the handsomest young women in the city would be quickly installed in these chambers and that each day five of these would be available for attendance upon his person.

  For his own private use Casca selected a small suite of rooms designed for one of the captains of the palace guard. He hastened to assure the startled Tian that for formal occasions he would continue to use the huge chambers set aside for the Hsia. But his endless lifetimes in the cramped quarters of professional soldiers had ill accustomed him to such luxury, despite the several occasions when he had enjoyed similar positions of pomp and power.

  "For brief periods of time," he reminded himself aloud as he looked around at all his present splendor. "And this too shall pass ... I wonder when."

  Liang Yongming stood in the doorway of Casca's, bed chamber. She explained to him that the five concubines rotated their duties on each of the baron's visits, so that, at any hour of the day or night, his every wish could be provided for. One girl supervised the kitchen and slept there, another was in charge of the bathhouse. Two girls would sleep in the outer apartment ready to run messages or otherwise do his bidding. And one girl would sleep with him in the inner chamber.