First Opium War

Chapter 7: Foolish Merchant

Jasper Landry arrived at Fort Griffon. Initially he wished to parlay - provide service for the Chinese military draftees.

          "Ahoy, there!" Said Jasper, lifting his hat above his head, pulling his carriage/horse before the fort's gate. 

          Two armed British soldiers approached Jasper, examining his carriage. "State your business." 

          "I, the great Jaspy the Merchant, am here to provide merchandise to you great veterans!" He replied.  "Disgusting men!"  he thought. 

          "Oh? A merchant, eh? Hand me your documents, please." 

          "Documents?" 

          Jasper was unaware of being required to hold such a thing. 

          "Oh, bloody cack!" 

          "Well, come on then!" The soldier grew impatient. 

          Jasper slowly stepped down from his seat. "Well, ya see...Ha, ha, ha...I uh..." Jasper nervously laughed.

          "It's illegal to sell without documentation you cock-up! Alright, mate," The soldier said to the other guard. "Let's arrest him! Take em' before King Bertrand!" 

          Jasper gasped. "B-B-Bertrand? N-no wait! I can explain! Oh, gosh not now!" Jasper cursed as he tried to run. 

          The soldiers tackled him and roped his hands together behind his back. 

          "T-Take it easy, eh? For a second I thought you wanted to marry me...Ha, ha, ha!" Jasper joked. 

          "Oh, shut up! Foolish merchant!" The soldiers stood him up and took him inside the fort. His carriage was left alone at the front gate.

          Walter Bertrand sat at his desk inside his office at the top of the fort, signing the names of the Chinese draftees onto documents. He used a quill pen - a form of pencil with a feather on top that used ink. He heard knocking on the wooden door to his office. 

          "King Bertrand, sir! We have a visitor." 

          "Come in." Walter granted while seemingly uninterested. 

          The soldiers brought Jasper before their king. 

          "My family will hear about this!" Jasper shouted at the soldiers. 

          Walter dropped his pen and took off his reading glasses, sitting them on his desk.

          "Caught a fool trying to sell without papers, sir!" 

          "And who's guarding the gate?" Walter asked with a frown. 

          The soldiers gasped and turned to watch one another as they felt dumb. 

          "Move it!" Walter shouted. 

          "Yes, sir!" The soldiers replied in unison, running back to guard the gates. 

          Walter shook his head in disgust. "Fucking mankies," he said, meaning worthless. He grinned when he turned his attention back to Jasper. "Well, well...Jasper Landry. What a surprise." Walter then put his glasses back on. 

          "Indeed, sir...I-It has been a while...Ha, ha, ha." Jasper nervously replied as he took a nervous gulp. He knew Walter was inhumane. A man who would even kill his own men over something trivial.

          An awkward silence took over the room as Walter went back to signing names on his documents, paying Jasper no attention. Jasper gulped once more and sweat began pouring from his head. He looked around the room and broke the silence in awkwardness. 

          "...Ha, ha...nice place you have here, eh?" 

          "Indeed, it is." Walter replied without giving the Landry no attention, keeping his eyes fixated on what he was writing. "But no matter. You will be thrown into the dungeon with the rest of the worms." He finished. 

          Jasper became desperate. Nervously stepping closer to Walter's desk, making a plea. "Please, sir...Can I go?" 

          Walter chuckled. "Your father wants you dead," he then nodded his head toward a nearby guard. "Take him away please." 

          "M-My father? There must be some mistake!" Jasper replied, as he was being escorted to the underground dungeons which sprawled of dust mites, spider-webs, rats, and torches that lit up the spiral cemented steps going below. 

          "In you go!" The soldier shouted, shoving Jasper into a cell. The dungeon reeked of a terrible odor like urine and manure. It was dark. You could barely see anyone. The light from the torches near the stairwell didn't reach the cells, and Jasper could only hear the breathing of other prisoners around him. The cell was full with the military draftees. Jasper nearly tripped after being shoved inside, cursing the soldiers' name as he rushed to the barred door. 

          "Let me leave here! Crazy knobbers!" 

          The soldiers laughed. They cared little for the Landry. Jasper's father wished him dead. With a long sigh Jasper slammed his back against the grime-covered wall, sliding down until he sat on the floor. Unaware he sat beside the last of a Fu Jow Pai master. Itsuya and Mengyu looked disgusted to sit beside him.

          Later that evening Jasper sang. Hoping to ease the suffering of the sleeping Chinese men and women who were all drained of their humanity. For them hope meant nothing. He sang a song by Gretchen Poe - a popular tune among British citizens: "And I shall rise...among this world...And I will live, among Christ and His word...I am a creature who cries...A soul who tried-" Jasper paused. The last part of those lyrics made him teary-eyed. But then he heard an unexpected voice beside him. Itsuya.

          "We have a similar song," Itsuya said quietly. 

          Jasper turned his head at Itsuya. "Pardon...?"

          Itsuya kept Mengyu warm with his uniform jacket as she slept on his shoulder. They both been through so much. "My father taught us that singing during pain helps heal the soul...For that...I thank you." 

          All the people here have been treated with cruelty. They seem to have lost any will to live continuously. This made Jasper feel guilty for being British and helping his father's business.

          "...Jasper..." he said admitted his name quietly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Just Jasper. I have no last name...not anymore." 

          Itsuya wondered what brought a British man here. "Itsuya. Itsuya Zaishi," he then nodded to his friend. "This is Mengyu." 

        "I'm sorry...Itsuya, for the...bloody pain you and your people suffered." Jasper shook his head in shame before bursting into tears. "I wish I could stop all of this!"