First Opium War

Chapter 6: Fort Griffon

ARRIVAL

In 1903 Britain were days away from invading Japan. Military outposts and fortresses were built on the eastern edges of occupied China's jurisdiction, two hundred kilometers from Japan's western border. Those who were drafted were sent to one of these fortresses. The carriages that hauled the occupants from the Beijing River stopped at Fort Griffon.

          The fort was designed by British architects in 1891 - eight years before the capture of the Beijing River. Chinese men and women were forced to dress in British uniforms before their arrival and had numbers painted on their forehead, distinguishing them from British soldiers. The only one who was reluctant and was tough for the soldiers to handle was Mengyu. And throughout the entire two day journey to the fort, Mengyu thought about her mother. 

          During the beginning of the Opium War, Donghai and his wife, Ming Tao, owned a farm. They never met the Tiger masters in person. They only read of them through stories. But when the British attacked and occupied their isolated hut in the north, the invaders took an interest in their farm animals, as they bantered back and forth about controlling China's food supply. Donghai and Ming escaped to an abandoned cottage further to the south where they lived until 1972 - the year Mengyu was born. But they were soon caught.

          Donghai hid Mengyu while she slept as an infant so the British never found her. One soldier bashed Donghai's head with the stock end of his rifle knocking him unconscious.       

          "This yer little' ol' lady? Nice, mate! Guess what? We're gonna pump babies out of her! Right boys? Ha ha ha, bloody pish sandwich!" 

          Donghai woke up feeling dizzy after being left unconscious for three days. As he slowly opened his eyes he heard Mengyu cry due to hunger and an overly used wool bag - a form of diaper. Mengyu sat in her own urine and bowel movement until he woke up and Ming was nowhere to be found. That was when he left the cottage with Mengyu and travelled further south using overgrown woods to keep out of sight until he found Shifu Guang's village who welcomed them inside.

          Both carriages came to a stop. The drivers jumped from their seats, handing papers to a man dressed in red, blue, and gold garments - Walter Bertrand. Mengyu looked through the small breathing holes in the carriage but she could barely see. None of the captives have eaten since the journey into occupied territory.

          "Well, go on then. Assort them." Walter said to his men.

          "Yes sir!" Said one of the soldiers. 

           As they opened the doors to the carriages they grabbed the captives by their low ranked uniforms and flung them out on the cold muddy ground. 

          "Out of there now! Bloody pish ants. On the ground you go! Come on!"

          The other men pulled each captive on their feet standing them in a horizontal line. But the moment Mengyu hit the ground she used what little strength she had left and lunged at Bertrand. 

          "Lǎohǔ qiú!" She screamed, meaning Tiger Sphere - a swift strike aimed at the heart. 

          Unfortunately, the British soldiers caught her in time. Four men struggled to hold Mengyu back. She was strong. One of the men smacked her with the blunt end of his rifle. All four men grabbed her as she fell. 

          "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Walter said with a shocking tone of voice. "I like this one! She has spunk! What is your name girl?" He asked. 

           Mengyu inhaled and exhaled quickly as she clenched her teeth in pure anger and disgust. She refused to answer. 

          "You answer King Bertrand, wench!"

          "Wǒ huì tā mā de shāle nǐ!" She said in quiet, cold tone. 

          Walter glanced at one of his men. "Translation, please." 

          "She said...I'm gonna fucking kill you...Sir!" 

          Walter laughed. This was the first time he's seen a Chinese woman talk back at him. It was almost refreshing. He turned his back to them and began walking toward the front entrance which led inside the fort. 

          "When the war starts...be sure she's the first to die, will you?" Said Bertrand. 

          "Will do sir!"

          Mengyu looked up and saw Itsuya looking on at the scene. "Itsuya...h-he's alive! Oh, thank goodness!" 

          Itsuya felt helpless as he watched the confrontation between Bertrand and his childhood friend. He wanted to kill that man as much as she did. 

          He then wondered. "They call him King Walter Bertrand, huh? He's the leader of the British army?"