Ever Victorious

‘The champagne bottle burst against the door, leaving a dark stain on the scarlet lacquer.

Burgevine stood staring at the mark , taking a swig from an identical bottle to the one that lay shattered on the ground before the gatehouse.

‘Yang.’ He shouted, stumbling forward and pounding on the door.

‘Yaaaang!’

‘You yellow bastard. Come out here!’.

The door remained closed. Burgevine turned around and pointed at the dozen men in blue tunics who were alternatively watching their commander, and waving their rifles at any passersby on the busy Shanghai street to keep away.

‘Break it down’ ordered Burgevine.

The door behind Burgevine swung open. In the doorway stood a stooped chinese man in a sky blue silk robe.

‘Mister Henry’ he said in clipped English.  ‘How can I help you’

‘Yang’ drawled Burgevine, throwing his bottle down as he turned back to face the door. ‘Why, you are here after all. I thought you might have been down at Ms Tracy’s.’

‘Ahh, Mr Henry is entertainment’

‘Yeah, I’m a regular P.T Barnum Yang. Now you’re surely not going to keep me awaitin’ out in the street are you Yang. It’s perishing hot out here.

‘I cannot...’ began Yang

‘you cannot refuse me your kind hospitality Yang?’ said Burgevine, ‘well I am just flattered by your good manners, let me take you up on your invitation’  as he pushed the old man aside, striding into the courtyard. ‘I always said you were quality Yang, despite your inherent disadvantages.’

The troops filed in behind , filling the small anteroom to the grand house that sat behind

Standing frozen under the awning of the house stood a young chinese girl, her swollen red eyes stared at Burgevine.

‘Why, Mrs Ward, what a delight it is for this poor ol’ Virginian to see you here. I was just thinking the other day I must stop by to see how the lovely wife of my old friend was doing.’

The girl’s eyes darted to Yang who hovered at Burgevine’s elbow. Yang spoke quickly in chinese and she stole through the doorway into the dark interior.

‘Why Yang’ said Burgevine ‘That was uncomely of you to dismiss your daughter, her and I have much to catch up on’.

‘This is not correct Mr Henry. We should not meet here’

‘And why not Yang. We are old buddies ain’t we? You know why I’m here, now just run along and fetch me my pay. I know you have it. ‘

‘No money here Mr Henry. You come back next month hey?’

‘Yang, you know the deal. Fifty thousand taels for last months pay. It hasn’t arrived. Give it to me’

‘This is not the agreement with Mr Ward.’

‘Well, I’m fixin’ to change that little agreement Yang’

‘... but Mr Ward said..’

‘Ward said, Ward said ‘repeated Burgevine. ‘Hell, I don’t care what Ward said. Ward is dead old man and I spat on the corpse, I lead the army. Give me the money’.

‘But Mr Ward...’

‘Damn Ward! ‘roared Burgevine grabbing Yang’s tunic with his left hand smashing his fist into the banker’s face. ‘And Damn you’ as he punched him again dropping Yang to the floor.

‘No matter, I know where the money is’ Burgevine said. ‘Vincente’.

The small manilaman stepped forward from the ring of guards. ‘Si’.

‘Take five men to the back room, you know where it is. Bring out what you find there.’

‘Si’ he gestured at the nearest men to follow and they ran out of the room.

Yang squimed at Burgevine’s feet. Blood streaming from his face over the lacquered floor and staining the silk robe. Burgevine walked around the prostrate figure, picking up the needlepoint that lay on the bench.

“You know Yang, my papa was a general under Napoleon. He always tol’ me, ‘Henry, ‘ Burgevine slammed his boot into Yang, wham. ‘Henry, you got to care for your men. And if you look after your men, they will look after you. Now, Yang, I am here to lead your army. And if your army isn’t paid, they won’t fight. And if they don’t fight Yang, well... there ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ those fucking bloodthirsty Taipings’ wham ‘ coming into this shithole of a town and killing you ‘wham ‘ and raping and killing your daughter.‘ wham ’I’m protecting you Yang. And you are just too plain dumb to see it’.