“I read the proclamation, of course,” Gordon said calmly. “Why?”
“Do you know anything about them?”
“Well, Tai-Pan, I’ve heard that, historically, secret societies have always been a form of defense against foreign intruders. That they have many names.”
“Keep your ears open and keep me informed, privately, about their doings, if any. Another thing, I’ve twenty Chinese recruits for my fleet. I’m going to try to train them as mates. You’re to work with Mr. Mauss to teach them English. And ten others are to go to England to train as shipbuilders.”
“Yes, sir.” Gordon beamed. Thirty men. Of course, thirty new Triads. Yes, the name Triads had a nice sound to it, better than Hung Mun. And twenty such men, strateg
;
cally placed in the ships of The Noble House, would be an enormously valuable addition to the power of the lodge. He felt enormously pleased with himself. Recruitment had been going very well. All Triad servants had been placed under his control—for of course, ever since the barbarian had been in Asia, the servants had been hand-picked Triad members. Next, Gordon was going to fo:m a guild of ships’ coolies, all of whom would be Triads. The Laborers’ Guild was already well under way. Soon all labor and all Chinese on Hong Kong would be paying members—for the glory of their country and to the common good. Yes, he told himself excitedly, here in Hong Kong, free from fear of the mandarins, we will become the most powerful lodge in China. And when we throw out the Manchus, the leadership of the lodge will be in the forecourt of those in the new emperor’s debt. Death to the Ch’ings—hurry the time of the rightful rulers, our previous Chinese dynasty, the Mings. “When can I start?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Excellent. You can be sure of my interest.” He bowed slightly. “Perhaps, at your convenience, I might be allowed to kowtow and pay my respects to the Lady T’chung. And the children. I haven’t seen them for many months.”
“Of course, Gordon,” Struan said. “Come tomorrow at noon. Why not start weekly lessons again? I think it would be good for her.”
“I would enjoy that. And talking with the children.” Gordon withdrew two more scrolls from his sleeve. “I have the accounts for last month on our private arrangement. Would you like to go over the figures?”
“Aye.”
Gordon opened the scrolls. One was written in characters, the other in English. “I’m happy to report, Tai-Pan, that based on an initial investment of ten thousand dollars we have a joint profit of six thousand and fifty-eight dollars and forty-two cents.”
Struan’s eyes widened. “That’s quite a profit for one month’s trading.”
“I am rather proud too. Our investments in land are excellent, also. They promise great profit.”
“But you did na buy any land.”
“Not at your land sale. But, er, I’ve been buying parcels in the Tai Ping Shan settlement. They were approved by the, er, Land Office last week. And we own substantial lots around the village of Aberdeen and Deepwater Bay.”
“But they have na been offered for sale yet.”
“These are, er, locally held lands, Tai-Pan. Ancient rights. I’ve bought up all the deeds that exist, at least all that I’ve found to exist this far.”
“But they’re na legal, lad. All land’s invested in the Crown.”
“Yes. But of course some arrangement would have to be made to, er, compensate the local village. It’s been here for years, and, well, the Crown is magnanimous.” His eyes were guileless. “Mr. Culum seemed to think that His Excellency would look favorably on deeds that are, er, ‘validated’ I think is the word, by the village elders.”
I wonder how much of the “deeded” land does na belong to village or man and never has, Struan asked himself. “All ‘our’ deeds are ‘validated’?”
“Oh absolutely, Tai-Pan. Very carefully. Otherwise they would be quite valueless, wouldn’t they?” Gordon smiled. “Our holdings are in the names of, er, our various ‘appointees,’ and we do not, naturally, hold any land openly. Only the prime deed. The other subdeed and sub-sub and sub-sub-subdeeds can be subject to the closest scrutiny. I have been suitably cautious.”
“I’d say there’s a great future for you in business, Gordon.” He went through the balance sheet thoroughly. “What’s this item? Two thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight dollars?”
“Rents from our property in Tai Ping Shan.”
“You’ve made a mistake. According to your dates, this account covers a rent period of two months and you’ve only owned the land for one month.”
“Well, Tai-Pan, as soon as the Chinese began to settle on our land in Tai Ping Shan, I began to charge them a service rent. That we didn’t actually acquire the land for one month afterward is not their worry. Is it?”
“Nay. Except that that’s fraud.”
“Oh no, sir. Not according to the facts. The incoming tenant of course wanted the best land available to rent. We took a down payment—giving him the use of the land in advance in good faith. He was happy because he was paying ‘rent,’ for of course everyone has to pay rent. This amount is really a charge for service. I went to a great deal of risk to perform the service for them. If I hadn’t managed to buy the lot and thus give them the benefit of a long lease, why, surely they would have fallen into the hands of usurers, thieves and brigands.”
Struan grunted. “What do you plan to do with the rest of the money?”
“If I may ask your patience, I would like to leave that to next month. I will continue to draw on the credit you were kind enough to arrange for me, but with great caution.”
Struan rolled up the scroll and handed it back.
“Oh no, Tai-Pan. That’s your copy.”
“Very well.”
Struan thought a moment; then he said delicately, “I’ve heard that Chinese are accustomed to borrowing monies at very high rates of interest. I trust that none of our investments will be so used.” His eyes fixed on Gordon’s. There was a long silence. “Usury is bad business.”
“The lending of money is very important business.”
“At reasonable rates of interest.”
Gordon toyed with the end of his queue. “One percent under the usual?”
“Two.”
“One and a half would be very, very fair.”
“Aye. Very fair. You’re a clever businessman, Gordon. Perhaps next year I might improve the limit of credit.”
“I will endeavor to make a superb profit against your decision.”
“I’d wager you will too, Gordon,” Struan said. He glanced out the tent door and was surprised to see that the marine master-at-arms was hurrying toward them.
“Mr. Struan?” The master-at-arms saluted crisply. “His Excellency’s compliments, will you join him on the flagship right smartly.”
Struan looked at his watch. He was not late, but he said nothing other than “Of course.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Longstaff had his back to the door and was staring out the main cabin windows at the mail packet. Struan noticed that the dining table was set for four. On the desk were many official dispatches. “Morning, Will.”
“Hello, Dirk.” Longstaff turned and stuck out his hand, and Struan saw that he looked younger than he had for months. “Well, this is curious, isn’t it?”