Chapter Eighty-Three: The Negotiation Begins

Those outside began to try the safer course of negotiation to rescue the foreigners being held inside. Those within were also looking for ways out. Sir Edmund Backhouse and the minister repeatedly asked for a face-to-face meeting with Yang Xiaolin, but Yang refused each time. He made it plain that until he could see some sincerity on the part of those outside in seeking a peaceful resolution, there was nothing for them to discuss.

Later, Sir Edmund and the others asked Liang Qichao to serve as go-between, to carry their words to Yang Xiaolin. To be honest, Liang Qichao did not wish to have any contact with this bandit. He believed himself to be cut from an entirely different cloth from Yang Xiaolin, with nothing to say and nowhere to meet. But political asylum was what it was: when others told him to do something, he had to do it.

When Yang Xiaolin learned that he wanted to see him, he did not refuse. He immediately had him brought over, and even personally poured him a cup of tea. “Mister Ren, this tea is rather plain. Please make do with it and settle your nerves. My men were somewhat rude just now, but it was unavoidable. I trust you will not take offense.”

Liang Qichao may perhaps have had some flaws of character, but Yang Xiaolin still showed him enough respect. There was no other reason for it than that he was one of the earliest Chinese men to search for a way forward. Moreover, though Liang now lived in the concession, he was a banner of the Chinese bourgeoisie, and such a banner was very useful indeed.

Liang Qichao did not know whether he should laugh or cry at the courtesy shown him by this bandit chief. He took the teacup and had a sip. “You are indeed very polite, sir. I know you are a forthright man, so I shall not beat about the bush. Mister Yang, have you truly not considered the consequences of what you have done?”

Yang Xiaolin sat down opposite him. “I am a rough fellow, and I have not read much. I do not like to think too deeply when I do things.”

Liang Qichao hesitated. “Very well, then I shall speak. Chief, I can tell you that from this day on, even if you hide in Wheel Mountain, you will not live an easy life. You have killed foreigners today, and even a minister at that. The foreigners will not let you off!”

Yang Xiaolin smiled with easy indifference. “And so what?”

If he dared cause this uproar, he was not afraid of the uproar spreading. So what if he had killed the Austro-Hungarian minister? Would they send troops into Qing territory to wipe him out? Now that tensions among the European powers were already so sharp, if the Austro-Hungarian Empire truly had the leisure to dispatch a force all the way from Europe to the Changbai Mountains for a private war with him, Yang Xiaolin would not object.

These Westerners would always fight only for profit. The chance that they would once again join hands in an Eight-Nation Alliance and sweep through the Changbai Mountains merely to save face was virtually nil.

And even if they did come, Changbai Mountain was not the Forbidden City. Those mountains and ravines—tens of thousands of men would go in no differently than a handful of salt cast into the sea. The Eight-Nation Alliance had taken Beijing, and the old empress dowager had sued for peace; if they were somehow to take Wheel Mountain, Yang Xiaolin would absolutely ignore them. If they were not afraid of the cold, they could go ahead and live on the mountain.

So the most likely means of retaliation for the foreigners was to have the Russians and the Qing court destroy him. That mattered even less. Russia and the Qing had already discussed a plan to eliminate him; without this affair, they would have come all the same.

Seeing Yang Xiaolin’s unconcerned expression, Liang Qichao truly could not understand why a man guilty of such monstrous crimes could remain so calm. “Chief, Minister Sir Edmund has told me that if you will turn back now and let them leave here safely, he will guarantee that past matters will be forgiven and that you may return safely to Wheel Mountain. As things stand, this is your only way out.”

Yang Xiaolin lifted his head. “Mister Ren, you are mistaken. If I were to release them, I would certainly not be able to return to Wheel Mountain. And for men in our line of work, once the hostage is in hand, how could we possibly go back empty-handed?”

Liang Qichao was clearly not a competent negotiator. His eloquence fell far short of his writing. Yang Xiaolin’s refusal made him somewhat anxious, and with his nerves and fear mixed in, he for a time did not know what to say.

Yang Xiaolin gave a small laugh and took a cigarette from his case. “Mister Ren, do you smoke?”

Liang Qichao shook his head. Yang Xiaolin lit one for himself and let out a long sigh, as though bearing some inexpressible burden. “Mister Ren, did you know that I, too, once served in the Qing army? I was even a company commander. Do you know why I have come to this pass?”

Liang Qichao was plainly interested in Yang Xiaolin’s past. “I should like to hear the details.”

Yang Xiaolin was silent for a moment, his gaze turning somewhat melancholy. Liang Qichao did not press him, only waited quietly at the side, waiting to hear the story of this Wild Ghost Yang. Only when Yang Xiaolin had finished the cigarette did he not speak of himself, but instead asked, “Mister Ren, why have you been hiding inside the consulate these past years, too afraid to show your face?”

Liang Qichao was stunned. Why? Was it not because that old hag refused to let him go? They said there was food and lodging in the consulate, but being able to do nothing but wander about a little in the Legation Quarter all day long—who could truly understand that suffering?

Yang Xiaolin leaned toward him. “You wanted to use your talent to change China’s destiny and help the court become strong, yet the court has treated you this way. Mister Ren, are you willing to accept it?”

Of course Liang Qichao was not willing. He was a man with ideals, and now his ideals and ambitions could only be buried in the Legation Quarter.

Those words struck the most painful place in Liang Qichao’s heart. Yang Xiaolin saw that his hands trembled faintly and said softly, “In truth, I am just like you, Mister Ren. The difference is that I have not read much. I only have strength, and I want to use that strength to serve my country!”

His finger pointed toward the Forbidden City. “In the year of the Boxer Rising, that old witch declared war on the foreigners, and I was delighted! I gambled my life against the Russians, and out of an entire battalion of my brothers only a few dozen were left! And what was it for? It was so that someday we could hold our heads high before foreigners! And what did I get in return?”

Yang Xiaolin’s fist struck the table again and again. “The infuriating part comes next! I was up in Changbai Mountain, risking my life in service to that court, and then the old witch surrendered in Beijing. Even that I could have accepted! The court was hers; if she did not want it anymore, then we could all be free and clear. A group of us brothers agreed to disperse and go back home to farm, to live honestly from then on. Mister Ren, tell me, was I asking too much?”

Liang Qichao instinctively nodded. From his expression, it was clear that he felt a profound resonance with Yang Xiaolin’s fate. As for the Empress Dowager, he too had plenty of curses in his heart, but he was a man of letters and could not keep calling her the old witch at every turn.

Yang Xiaolin snorted. “They would not even let me take that road! My very best brother went to Mukden to seek out the prefect, only for the court to cut off his head and send it to the Russian camp! Mister Ren, if you were me, what would you do? Besides becoming a bandit, what other road was there for me to walk?”

Liang Qichao let out a sigh. “Chief, I deeply understand your plight. In years past, I too was as you are, thinking only of making the nation wealthy and strong, of seeing the Great Qing endure in peace and order. Even now, my heart has never changed! Yet today I have somehow become a wanted criminal of the court!”

Bi Zi came in from outside and said softly beside Yang Xiaolin’s ear, “Company commander, the food is ready. Would you like to go and eat first?”

Yang Xiaolin hurriedly replied, “No need. Mister Ren has not eaten either. Go and get some wine. I am talking with Mister Ren so well that we may as well have a few cups here.”

Bi Zi withdrew. Liang Qichao did not refuse either. The two of them then drank in that room, pouring out the story of their destinies to one another. Mostly Liang Qichao listened while Yang Xiaolin spoke. Now and then Yang Xiaolin would break into a string of curses against the court and the old witch, and though Liang Qichao sat nearby and did not join in, he found it exceedingly satisfying to hear. He would also say a few words from time to time. He had originally come to persuade Yang Xiaolin, but now, though the two had not solved a single problem, Liang Qichao nevertheless felt as though they had conversed with great pleasure.

That night, the foreigners and Qing soldiers outside were truly well behaved and did not come bothering him again. Yang Xiaolin did not kill anyone else either. After drinking a few cups, he slept soundly and prepared for the next day’s negotiations.

At daybreak the following morning, the negotiations officially began.

The two sides set up a table at the gate of the Zhao family compound. Opposite sat Prince Zaifeng of the Qing court, along with several foreigners led by that British officer. Englishmen, Frenchmen, Germans, Russians, Japanese, Belgians, Dutchmen, Spaniards. The Austro-Hungarian representative did not come. Clearly, after Yang Xiaolin’s shot, the Austro-Hungarian Empire no longer had anything to say to this Chinese bandit.

By comparison, Yang Xiaolin’s side looked rather too thin: only he himself, with Lu Mozong following behind him.

At first Zaifeng still wanted to play up a prince’s dignity. “Yang Wild Ghost! You reckless commoner have actually dared to cause trouble in the imperial capital. Do you know that the old dowager did not sleep a wink all last night? You have committed a monstrous crime—do you still not awaken to your folly?”

Yang Xiaolin sat down in grand style on the chair and looked at Zaifeng. He extended his right hand behind him, his index and middle fingers spread apart. Lu Mozong promptly placed a cigar between those two fingers and struck a match to light it for him. Yang Xiaolin drew in a fierce mouthful, but did not swallow it. Instead he spat it all straight at Zaifeng. “Prince, are you here to negotiate? If you have come only to lecture me, you may leave now. I have no interest in hearing this. Bring me someone else to negotiate with!”

Zaifeng was instantly stunned. He could not endure the choking stench of the cigar smoke, and he could even less endure Yang Xiaolin’s attitude. Slapping the table, he sprang to his feet. “You insolent wretch, I shall exterminate your entire clan!”

The British officer hurriedly stood as well and seized Zaifeng by the arm. “Wait a moment, we are here to negotiate! Yesterday our prime minister in Britain already sent a telegram. He stated very clearly that as long as you can guarantee the safety of Minister Sir Edmund and have not done anything to damage the honor of His Britannic Majesty’s Empire, we can agree to any of your conditions.”

Yang Xiaolin had no intention of actually walking off, of course. He smiled faintly. “That’s more like it. Prince, you should learn from the foreigners.”

Zaifeng’s face turned white with rage, yet he knew he could not lose his temper.

Seeing that Yang Xiaolin showed no sign of sweeping his sleeves and leaving, the British officer let out a breath of relief. “I have one request. Before the negotiations begin, I would like to see whether the ministers are safe.”

Yang Xiaolin nodded. “Mm, that is not an excessive request. Lu Mozong, have the brothers bring the foreign gentlemen to the gate for me. Open the gate.”

Banditry is not as simple as holding a knife to someone’s throat. Yang Xiaolin knew that only after letting them see the ministers of the various nations with their own eyes would they sit down and bargain with him at length. At the same time, letting those inside know that people outside were working hard to rescue them through negotiation would also lessen their will to resist.

The gate was opened, and several ministers stood in the center, plainly visible at a glance. Aside from the grenades bound to their bodies, both their spirits and physical condition were fairly good.

The British officer saluted Sir Edmund smartly. “Minister, I have received instructions from London. We will certainly bring you all out safely. Please rest assured.”

Sir Edmund’s mouth twitched twice, and he seemed somewhat ashamed. He knew that the news of his kidnapping by a Chinese bandit would now certainly be on the front page of every newspaper, and those who had never thought well of him must be enjoying their mockery to the fullest.

But there was nothing he could do. He could only say to the British officer, “I understand. Please send a telegram to Prime Minister Balfour for me and tell him that I am most sorry.”

The British officer spread his hands. “Minister, this is not your fault. The Prime Minister will understand. The Queen will understand too.”

They only exchanged a few simple words before Yang Xiaolin waved a hand and the brothers behind him closed the gate again. Enough that the ministers had spoken a few words to show Sir Edmund was still in good health; there was no need for him to be overly humane and allow the hostages ample time to meet with friends and family.

“Now can we talk?” He folded his hands on the table, a smile on his face.