Empress Orchid (19 page)

Following tradition, Prince Kung performed a ritual of welcome. To me it seemed rather unaffectionate. They did not act like two brothers who had grown up together. The feeling was more like a servant paying tribute to his master.

Emperor Hsien Feng acknowledged his brother’s gesture. He was impatient with the formality and rushed through his response. Before Fujin finished her “I wish Your Majesty ten thousand years of life” bows, he took his brother by the arms.

I performed my kowtows and bows and then stood aside to listen and observe. I discovered resemblances in the way the brothers carried themselves: elegant and arrogant at the same time. They both had typical Manchu features: slanting single-lidded eyes, a straight nose and a well-defined mouth. Here was the difference, I quickly decided: Prince Kung had a Mongol rider’s posture. He walked with a straight back but was bowlegged. Emperor Hsien Feng’s movements were more like those of an ancient scholar.

We exchanged gifts. I gave Fujin a pair of shoes that An-te-hai had only moments before returned with. They featured pearls and green jade beads sewn in a beautiful floral pattern. Fujin was delighted. In return she gave me a copper smoking pipe. I had never seen anything like
it. The little pipe bore a sophisticated foreign battle scene, with ships, soldiers and ocean waves. The tiny figures were incised precisely and the surface was polished as smooth as porcelain. Fujin told me that it had been made with the help of a machine invented by an Englishman. It was a gift from one of Prince Kung’s employees, a Briton named Robert Hart.

After the greetings, servants came with mats and positioned them at our feet. Prince Kung threw himself down on his mat and kowtowed to his brother all over again. His wife followed. After he was pardoned, he called for his children and concubines, who had been waiting, all dressed up, for their summons. Fujin made sure that the children performed their greetings to perfection.

I was relieved when the ritual was finally over and we were led to the sitting room. Fujin excused herself and exited. Before I sat down, Prince Kung asked if I would like to have Fujin give me a tour of the garden.

I told him that I preferred to stay, if he didn’t mind.

He showed surprise but said nothing.

With Emperor Hsien Feng’s permission I remained in my seat. The brothers began their conversation. Prince Kung focused completely on his brother, as if I were not in the room.

I had never seen anyone talk as frankly and passionately as Prince Kung. His words carried great urgency, as if his house would catch fire if he didn’t speak fast enough.

Before the Emperor had a chance to take the first sip of his tea, Prince Kung placed a letter in front of him. “The news reached me yesterday with a six-hundred-mile priority stamp. It is from the governor of Shantung province. As you can see, it is addressed to both Su Shun and me and is extremely troubling.”

Emperor Hsien Feng put down his tea. “What’s the matter?”

“The dikes around the Yellow River have collapsed near the border of Shantung and Kiangsu provinces. Twenty villages were flooded. Four thousand people have died.”

“Someone will be punished!” Emperor Hsien Feng seemed more annoyed than concerned.

Prince Kung put down the document and sighed. “It is too easy to behead a couple of mayors and governors. Lives will not be gained back. We need the local authorities to take care of the homeless and organize rescues.”

Hsien Feng covered his face with his palms. “Let me hear no more bad news! Leave me alone!”

As if he had no time to dwell on his brother’s suffering, Prince Kung
moved on. “I also need your support to establish a Tsungli Yamen.”

“What is this Tsungli Yamen?” Emperor Hsien Feng asked. “I have never heard of the title.”

“A national bureau of foreign affairs.”

“Ah, the foreign problem. Why don’t you go ahead, if you think you need it.”

“I can’t.”

“Who’s stopping you?”

“Su Shun, the court, the senior clansmen. I face strong opposition. People say that our ancestors never had it, so why should we.”

“Everyone is waiting for our father’s spirit to perform a miracle.” The Emperor frowned.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Meanwhile, many more foreigners are coming. Our best bet is to put in place some restrictions in order to gradually gain control over the situation. Perhaps we will even be able to drive them out one day. But first we must deal with them according to rules that we both agree on. The foreigners call such rules ‘law,’ roughly equivalent to what we call ‘principle.’ The Tsungli Yamen will be in charge of making the laws.”

“What do you want from me, then?” Emperor Hsien Feng asked in a less than enthusiastic tone.

“I will get started if you grant me an operational fund. My people need to learn foreign languages. And of course I have to hire foreigners to be the teachers. The foreigners—”

“I can’t stand the word ‘foreigners’!” the Emperor interrupted. “I resent acknowledging the invaders. All I know is that they come to China to impose their ways on me.”

“There is something in it for China, Your Majesty. Open trade will help develop our economy.”

Emperor Hsien Feng raised his hand to silence Prince Kung. “I won’t offer gifts when my face is shamed.”

“I understand and agree with you, my brother,” Prince Kung said with gentleness. “But you have no idea what humiliations I have endured. Pressure comes at me from both sides, foreign and domestic. I have been called ‘the devil’s ass-kisser’ by my own officers and clerks.”

“You deserve it.”

“Well, it is easy to close our eyes, but will reality go away?” Prince Kung paused, then decided to finish what he had set out to say. “The truth is, we are under attack and have no defenses. I worry that our court’s ignorant arrogance will cost us the dynasty.”

“I am tired,” Hsien Feng said after a moment of silence.

Prince Kung rang the servants, who brought in a flat-backed rattan chair.

With assistance Emperor Hsien Feng sat on the chair. Pale-faced and sleepy-eyed, he said, “My thoughts are flying away like butterflies. Make me think no more, please.”

“Do I have your permission to open the Tsungli Yamen, then? Will you see the funds issued?”

“I hope that is all you are asking.” Hsien Feng closed his eyes.

Prince Kung shook his head and a bitter smile crossed his face. The room was quiet. Through the windows I saw maids chasing children as they hopped over stones in a pond.

“I need an official decree, Your Majesty.” Prince Kung sounded almost like he was begging. “Brother, we can’t afford to wait any longer.”

“Fine.” Eyes still closed, Hsien Feng turned his face toward the wall.

“In your decree the Tsungli Yamen must be given true power.”

“All right, but in return you must promise,” Emperor Hsien Feng said, pushing himself to sit up, “that whoever gets paid must perform or he will lose his head.”

Prince Kung looked relieved. “I can assure you that the quality of my people will be second to none. But things are more complicated. The most serious obstacle my officers face is the court. I get no respect from this quarter. They secretly cheered when local villagers harassed foreign ambassadors and murdered missionaries. I can’t tell you how dangerous such behavior is. It can ignite a war. The senior clansmen are politically sightless.”

“Enlighten the court, then,” said Emperor Hsien Feng, opening his eyes. He looked truly tired.

“I have tried, Your Majesty. I called meetings and no clansmen showed up. I even sent my father-in-law to personally invite them, hoping that his age would bring respect. But it didn’t work. I got letters calling me names and telling me to hang myself. I’d like to ask you to attend the next meeting if that would be possible. I want the court to know that I have your full support.”

The Emperor made no answer. He was falling asleep.

With a sigh, Prince Kung sat back. He looked defeated.

The sun had hit the roof beams and the room felt warm.

The smell of jasmine from the plants in the corners was sweet. Gradually the sunlight changed the shapes of the plants’ shadows on the floor.

Emperor Hsien Feng began to snore. Prince Kung rubbed his hands
and looked around the room. Servants came and removed our teacups. They brought small plates with fresh loquats.

I had no appetite. Prince Kung didn’t touch the fruit either. We stared at the sleeping Emperor. Slowly our eyes met and I decided to make use of the time.

“I was wondering, sixth brother,” I began, “if you could kindly tell me about the murder of foreign missionaries. I’m having a hard time believing it.”

“I wished that His Majesty had the desire to learn about this,” Prince Kung said. “You know the saying, ‘A long icicle doesn’t form with one night of snow’—well, the roots of the incidents can be traced to the reign of Emperor Kang Hsi. During that time, when Grand Empress Hsiao Chuang reached the autumn of her life, she became friends with a German missionary named Johann Adam Schall von Bell. It was he who converted Her Majesty to Catholicism.”

“How could that be possible? I mean, the conversion of Her Majesty?”

“Not overnight, of course. Schall von Bell was a scholar, a scientist and a priest. He was an attractive man and was introduced to the Grand Empress by the court scientist, Hsu Kuang-chi. Schall had been teaching under Hsu at the Imperial Hanlin Academy.”

“I know about Hsu. Wasn’t he the one who correctly predicted the eclipse.”

“Yes.” Prince Kung smiled. “That was Hsu, but he didn’t do it alone. Father Schall was his teacher and partner. The Emperor appointed him to reform the lunar calendar. When Schall succeeded, the Emperor appointed him as his military consultant. Schall helped manufacture the weapons that led to the suppression of a major peasant uprising.”

“How did the Grand Empress get to know Schall?”

“Well, Schall predicted that her son Prince Shih Chung would ascend to the throne, since the boy had survived smallpox while the Emperor’s other children hadn’t. Of course no one at the time understood what smallpox was, and no one believed Schall. A few years later, Shih Chung’s brother Shih Tsu died of smallpox. Her Majesty now believed that Schall had a special connection with the universe, and she asked to be converted to his religion. She became a fervent believer and welcomed the foreign missionaries.”

“Did the trouble start when the missionaries built churches?” I asked.

“Yes, when they chose sites the locals considered to have the best
feng shui.
Villagers believed that the shadows cast by churches onto their ancestral graveyards would disturb the dead. The Catholics also denigrated Chinese religions, which offended the local people.”

“Why wouldn’t the foreigners be more understanding?”

“They insisted that their god was the only god.”

“Our people would never accept this.”

“True.” Prince Kung nodded. “Fights started between the new converts and those who held on to their old beliefs. People of dubious reputation, even criminals, joined the Catholics. Many committed crimes in the name of their god.”

“I’m sure that would lead to violence.”

“Indeed. When the missionaries attempted to defend the criminals, the locals gathered by the thousands. They burned down the churches and murdred the missionaries.”

“Is that why the treaties made clear that China would be fined heavily if it failed to control uprisings?”

“The fines are bankrupting us.”

There was a silence, and Prince Kung turned to look at the Emperor, who was breathing deeply.

“Why don’t we tell the missionaries to leave?” I asked, wishing that I could help myself not to. “Tell them to come back when things are more stable here?”

“His Majesty did. He even gave them the date.”

“What was the response?”

“Threats of war.”

“Why do the foreigners force their ways on us? As Manchus, we don’t force our views on the Chinese. We don’t tell them to stop binding their women’s feet.”

Prince Kung gave a sarcastic laugh. “Can a beggar demand respect?” He turned to look at me as if expecting an answer.

The room began to feel cold. I watched our teacups being refilled.

“The Son of Heaven has been kicked around,” I said. “China has been kicked around. Everyone is too ashamed to admit it!”

Prince Kung gestured for me to keep my voice down.

In his sleep Hsien Feng’s cheeks flushed. He must be running a fever again. His breathing was now labored, as if not enough air was entering his lungs.

“Your brother believes in
pa kua
—the eight diagrams—and
feng shui,
” I told Prince Kung. “He believes he is protected by the gods.”

Kung took a sip of his tea. “Everyone believes what he wants to be-
lieve. But reality is like a rock from the bottom of a manure pit. It stinks!”

“How did the Westerners become so powerful?” I asked. “What should we learn about them?”

“Why do you want to bother?” He smiled. He must be thinking that this was no subject for a woman to discuss.

I told Prince Kung that Emperor Hsien Feng was interested in learning. And that I could be helpful.

A look of recognition passed between us. It seemed to make sense to him. “This is no small topic. But you might begin by reading my letters to His Majesty. We must escape the trap of self-deception and …” He raised his eyes and suddenly went quiet.

It was through Prince Kung that I learned of the third important man, the general of the Northern Army and the viceroy of Anhwei province. His name was Tseng Kuo-fan.

I had first heard the name from Emperor Hsien Feng. Tseng Kuo-fan was said to be a level-headed, dogged Chinese in his fifties. He had risen from a poor peasant family and had been appointed in 1852 to command the army in his native Hunan. He was known for his thorough methods of drilling his men. He had successfully suppressed the Taiping strongholds on the Yangtze River, which earned him praise from the anxious and impatient capital. He continued to harden his men, who came to be known as the Hunan Braves. They were the most efficient fighting force in the empire.