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The ship rocked gently at anchor. Favourable winds had meant a swift passage through the night and she had moored just before dawn. Vera, as Xui-Li's companion for the night, had not been called upon, and now, after a light breakfast, she had been told to stand next to the bed where Xui-Li still lay. After a thorough inspection Xui-Li reached out and stroked Vera's pubic mound.
“There’s a little too much stubble here,” she commented. “I shouldn't have to tell you, I expect this to be shaven at all times.”
“I'm sorry, Madam Hong,” Vera replied. “If you have a razor....”
“There's no time now, just make sure that next time you're properly prepared. Now, your clothes are in that trunk. It's time you got yourself dressed.”
Vera went over to the trunk Xui-Li had indicated and lifted the lid. Her clothes lay on the top, all neatly folded. She lifted out her chemise and slipped it on. The fine silk felt strange against her skin after the rough material of the sailor's outfit. She searched for her knickers but couldn't find them. She glanced over at Xui-Li.
“If you're looking for your underthings, well, you may remember that they were somewhat soiled when you took them off and, as no one on this ship would stoop to washing them, I fed them to the sharks. Anyway, you had best get used to going without.”
“Certainly, Madam Hong,” Vera replied, wondering exactly what Xui-Li was implying about getting used to going without underthings. She reached for her corset; after so long naked or without any but the loosest clothing, it was strange to be forcing herself into its constricting shape. Its tight laced whale-boned lines may be all the fashion in London but the freedom of the sailors’ uniform, the ability to twist and turn any way she liked, she was going to miss that. Indeed, for all that it had been shocking at the time she smiled at the memory of her dip in the inlet, the shared freedom as the women bathed together as naked as the day they were born. The British community had strong views about 'going native', about letting standards slip just because one was away from home and the temperature was a little warmer than in England. aThey would be horrified to know that she had been bathing with the local girls, let alone her state of undress, but, for all that, she was going to miss the freedom.
Dressed at last she glanced in the mirror. She had nothing more than lipstick and her compact in her handbag and, much as she tried to patch herself up, it was only a makeshift job; on the other hand her short hairstyle was coming into its own and needed only the slightest bit of touching up.
“I had you blindfolded when you were brought here,” Xui-Li said. “That was so as you didn't know the name of the ship, so you wouldn't have any secrets to tell anyone but now, on second thought, I'm going to trust you, I mean, it's not as if you're a spy or anything stupid like that, and who would you tell, anyway?” Xui-Li gave Vera a long hard stare as if defying her to say otherwise.
“No, no, I won't say a word, not to anyone,” Vera said, feeling guiltier than she had ever done before.
“Is that a promise?” asked Xui-Li.
“Yes, Ma'am, I promise.” How could Vera reply otherwise but inside she felt dreadful.
“Oh, and by the way….”
“Yes, Madam Hong?”
“Seeing as how you are leaving I think it is about time you took your collar off.” Xui-Li smiled.
Vera blushed as she reached for her neck and started to undo the buckle. Even in such a short time it had become natural, part of her and she had completely forgotten it as she had got dressed. If Xui-Li hadn't reminded her she'd have walked back to the compound still wearing it.
**********
Xui-Li leant on the rail and stared at the rowboat as it skimmed across the water, taking Jun-Nui back to the shore. The words of General Chang, and of the refugee camp leaders, came back to her. She might have misjudged this one, misjudged the strength of feeling that bringing a round eye to the camp had aroused. Her immediate thought was to dismiss them; who were they to say whom she could or could not bring with her? However that didn’t answer the nagging doubts at the back of her mind, doubts that a woman in her position could ill afford to ignore.
Firstly there was the political danger that she was putting herself into. Any leader has enemies and flirting with the round eye was playing straight into their hands. Sure, she had dismissed General Chang but she’d be foolish to think that that was the end of the matter and that he wouldn’t use it against her if the opportunity arose.
And then there was the matter of the very real security risk she was taking. Jun-Nui was, after all, an enemy spy and, whilst it was amusing to feed disinformation to Colonel Fortesque, it had, if she were honest with herself, been careless in the extreme to take her to the camp, to show her the very real workings of the rebel organisation.
But, more disturbing than either of these was the question of why she had done so in the first place, what was it about this girl that made her take these foolish risks? What had started out as a bit of fun, making the round eye girl squirm, was starting to take on another dimension. There was something about her, something more than the other girls. Indeed, whilst it was flattering that so many pretty young things from the club were more than willing to be her playmate, come the morning she was always eager to get rid of them, they had served their purpose and Xui-Li had no further desire for their company.
With Jun-Nui there was, however, another dimension and, after they had sated their various appetites and were cuddling together there was a warmth, a closeness, that she had never felt before with any other girl. She could sense a deep loneliness within Jun-Nui; the poor girl was crying out for someone to love her, someone to take care of her. If she were really honest, she knew this was because in Jun-Nui she could recognise herself, or at least a younger version. She knew only too well that yearning, that desperate desire, that need for love, and all the pain the came along with it. So much of her just wanted to reach out and hold her, to give her the warmth and security she so desperately needed. If only... if only....
With a burst of inner resolve she realised she had to put a stop to this. It would be foolhardy in the extreme not to end her involvement with Jun-Nui before it went any further; already it was affecting her judgement. Far, far too much was at stake, far too much could go wrong, Getting involved with anyone, let alone a round eye spy, was simply not practical. She had to put an end to it, really she had to. The rowboat disappeared behind some junks and, with a shake of her head, Xui-Li headed back to her cabin.
**********
That afternoon Vera sat in her billet, pen in hand, trying to write her report. This time it wasn't as easy as it had been on the previous occasions. Firstly, when it came down to it, she didn't have that much real information. Sure, she had been to a refugee camp but beyond saying that it was roughly twelve hours sailing away she couldn't tell if it were north or south. Then there was the matter of the General. Well, from what Xui-Li had said Colonel Fortesque was well aware of his existence and no doubt he would find it useful to know where he was. But then Vera didn’t know where he was any more than she knew where the camp was. And, even if she had known, she had now seen that passing on intelligence was more than just a game, it had very real consequences in the very real world. If she had have been able to pin point the general's position, surely that would end with more raids and that would result in more camps. Espionage was a lot less thrilling now she had seen the aftermath.
Staring out of the window she thought back over her experiences around the campfire. How those with next to nothing had gladly shared what little they did have. How, even in all the filth and the squalor of the camp the women had had an inner dignity. Women who she would have dismissed as mere peasants just a few days ago now had faces, now had personalities. Could she, in her heart of hearts, betray them?
And when it came to betraying, there was the matter of a promise she had made, her promise to Xui-Li. If she were confused about her loyalties when it came to the women in the camps it was nothing compared to how she felt about Xui-Li. She hated, she loathed, she despised the humiliations she was put through; the woman was a tyrant, an evil witch who trapped and manipulated, who forced innocent young girls into monstrous perversions, lewd and disgusting acts, appalling depravities. But even in the heat of her anger the vision that came to mind was very different, a vision of a caring, compassionate woman, the woman who delivered rice to the starving, the woman who put a stop to rape, the woman who, when all the games were over, had shown Vera more care and compassion than any other.
And, if she were really honest with herself, did she really hate and loathe the things the Xui-Li made her do? She thought back to how Xui-Li had ordered her to pleasure herself whilst talking about dark desires. Even as she shuddered in moral repugnance an inner core thrilled to the memory, it had been deeply intoxicating to be that brazen and her groin tingled, reminding her of how good it had felt. She tried to tell herself that it was only the thrill of the espionage, that debasing herself was the price she paid for the information she gleamed but inside she knew she was lying.
With all this spinning in her mind she turned back to the report. Whatever could she say? What should she write? If she didn't put something then Colonel Fortesque would never send her back again and the thought of returning to her old life was one she could not bear but, on the other hand, even telling the name of the ship would endanger Xui-Li’s rice supplies and cause further hardship in the camp. And then it came to her; she could keep her promise to Xui-Li and still keep Colonel Fortesque satisfied; she just needed to… embroider things a little. She dipped her pen in the inkwell and started to write.
*********
“So once again you didn't actually meet this 'crane' woman then?” Colonel Fortesque asked as he flicked through the report. “She’s very elusive.”
“No, Madam Hong was going to travel up country to visit her but apparently she's moved on. I didn’t quite catch where she’s gone; I can't ask too many questions without arousing suspicions,” Vera answered.
“Of course, yes, you must be careful. Now tell me more about these wrestlers.”
Vera smiled to herself; remembering Colonel Fortesque's enthusiasms from last time she'd hidden the lack of any real substance in her report with lots of flim flammery about women wrestling and had given quite full details of a tournament she said she had witnessed.
“The contests seem very popular,” she said. “There’s quite a lot of betting; it’s the highlight of the evening.”
“And what do they wear whilst they wrestle?”
“Just those light pyjamas; you know, the sort the peasants wear.”
“But, even so, it must get quite hot and sweaty…” Colonel Fortesque had a faraway look in his eyes. “Tell me, are they all old battle axes or are there some younger girls?”
“Oh, no; a lot of them are young and very pretty; some of them are even as young as me; those are the bouts that get the most cheering; that’s what the crowd want to see.” Vera was enjoying herself watching Colonel Fortesque get more and more worked up as she fed into his fantasies. “I guess mostly it’s poor peasant girls who need the money. It’s a shame they’re forced into something so unladylike.”
“And you weren’t made to join in this time?”
“No, sir. It seems I did enough last time to dissuade them from asking me again; I was just a spectator on this occasion.”
“Good thing too, really. All that grappling whilst wearing only the flimsiest of clothing; it must be impossible to retain any sort of modesty. Why in the heat of the fight almost anything might happen.” Colonel Fortesque stared out of the window but it was obvious his thoughts were elsewhere. With a jerk he pulled himself back to the here and now and, with his hands shaking slightly, closed the file in front of him. “Yes, indeed, almost anything might happen. I have to say I’m very pleased with the intelligence you’re bringing in. It was a pretty good idea of mine to send you in there, even if I do say so myself. Have you any idea when you’re next meeting is arranged for?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I thought I might leave it a few days. It doesn’t do to seem too keen,” Vera said guardedly. She hadn’t made up her mind about what to do next. Should she wait for another message under her pillowcase or could she return uninvited?
“Well don’t leave it too long. This is important work, not an excuse to laze around all the time. Now, off you go and see if next time you can get a real fix on where this ‘crane’ woman is operating from.”
“Thank you, sir,” Vera said as she got up to leave. “I won’t let you down.”
*********
“Is that Jun-Niu’s report?” Mei-Xing asked as she settled down with Xui-Li. “How much did she tell about your trip to the camp? As far as I’m concerned we should never have let her in to the club in the first place and, as for taking her to the camp… respectfully may I suggest that it was unwise to trust a round eye so much.”
“Mei-Xing, you’re talking nonsense, and before you get on your high horse maybe you should learn to trust my judgement a bit more. Here, take a look for yourself.” Xui-Li handed over the file that Huan-Yue had purloined from Colonel Fortesque’s office.
“But this is… this is nonsense. She’s making it all up! And what’s all this twaddle about wrestling contests?”
“I suspect that our young friend is cleverer than I thought. My guess is that she’s feeding the Colonel what he wants to hear and, in this case, the old fool wants to hear about women wrestling. The important thing, the crucial thing, is that there’s nothing of any value. In fact it’s better than that; the colonel thinks he’s getting secret information and instead he’s getting nothing.”
“I still don’t trust her. She lies too easily for my tastes and, anyway, she’s a round eye. You can never trust a round eye,” Mei-Xing said grumpily.
“Well, that’s a moot point now; I don’t intend to invite her again.”
“Oh, what's made you change your mind?”
“I've had my fun,” Xui-Li said airily. “But enough is enough. She doesn't interest me any more.”
“And if she turns up at the club, what will you do then?” Mei-Xing asked.
“I’ll send her away. As I said, enough is enough,” Xui-Li replied firmly.
**********
“I find myself somewhat concerned, General,” Mei-Xing said as she sat down a few days later with General Chang. “I don’t wish to sound disloyal but I can’t help but query our leader’s judgement. Although she seems to be seeing some sense now it still has to be said that taking that round eye girl to the refugee camp was not the wisest course of action.”
“Much as it pains me to say so I am forced to agree,” the general replied. “She was most disrespectful when we met the other day. Although I realise how valuable she has been to our endeavours I sometimes wonder whether we might benefit from a change in leadership; someone who might bring some fresh ideas; someone with a clearer vision of our struggle against the English.”
“I appreciate your frankness but we must continue to be circumspect,” Mei-Xing continued. “Xui-Li commands considerable loyalty amongst some of the troops and it would be inauspicious to start a dispute unless we were completely certain of success.”
“Maybe if something were to happen, if it could be shown that, for example, she had put the movement at risk by bringing an outsider into our midst….”
“Indeed. I’m sure that, working together, we can get some of the other leaders to see the danger. There’s a council meeting next month; I’m sure that gives us enough time to prepare ourselves to raise the matter there.”
“And afterwards…,” General Chang’s smile was that of a crocodile.
“And afterwards there will be a need for more appropriate leadership.”
“I’m so glad you came to me with this. Now, if we start with some of the south eastern leaders; I have heard that there’s already some dissatisfaction in the rank and file down there.”
“I’m due to visit in a week or so. Leave that one to me,” Mei-Xing said, her mind whirling with the possibilities.
***********
It had been a long day when Xui-Li returned to the house for some relaxation. Although it was owned and used jointly by all the rebel leaders it was she who paid for it and, more importantly, it was she who picked all the staff. What she needed was a bit of pampering; a session in the pool followed by a massage from the skilled fingers of the beautician’s assistant, that would be just the thing and, after that, and a meal, there was a new serving maid who would round the evening off nicely.
So it was that two hours later, cleaned and refreshed, Xui-Li sat down to eat her evening meal. It was served, as expected, by the new maid who, as she approached, looked extremely nervous. Xui-Li was both pleased and annoyed; having a fearsome reputation helped keep order but this little one needed to learn that she had nothing to fear.
“Please, Madam Hong…,” the maid started after she’s put down the dishes.
“What concerns you? Please, feel free to tell me,” Xui-Li urged.
“It’s… It’s just that…,” the maid could hardly get the words out she was so nervous.
“If you’re trying to tell me that you’ve been a naughty girl,” Xui-Li gave the maid a reassuring smile, “that will have to wait. Let me finish my meal first.”
“No, Madam Hong, it’s not that. It’s… It’s… Well sometimes people forget the serving maid, forget that she’s there, I mean, and sometimes we overhear things, things that we shouldn’t. Normally I’d keep quiet, I mean it’s not my place but….”
“Come, sit down here beside me.” Xui-Li patted the seat of the couch beside her. This was a whole different kettle of fish and she realised the turmoil the poor girl must be going through. Discretion was the most important consideration when employing staff and they were taught from the very beginning not to discuss what they might overhear; whatever it was that the girl was trying to say must be important. She put her arm around the girl to calm her. “Now then, why don’t you start from the beginning?”
“Please, Madam Hong, it was two days ago. General Chang and Mei-Xing were here and I, I was serving the wine. I tried not to listen, really I did, but I couldn’t help it and what I heard, what I heard….” The poor maid was nearly in tears.
“It’s OK,” Xui-Li gave the girl a friendly hug, “I understand. Now, take your time.”
“But they were plotting against you!” the maid blurted out. “They want someone else as leader! Madam Hong, please, you must believe me; they say they’ll use the round eye girl as evidence. You must be careful. Please. Madam Hong, we don’t want to lose you. I’d rather die than have that General Chang as leader.”
“And you heard all this whilst you were serving the wine?” Xui-Li realised just how serious this was. “Thank you, my dear, you did well to come to me about it. Have you told anyone else, anyone at all?”
“Oh, no, Madam Hong,” the maid assured her. “I haven’t told a soul.”
“Well, let’s just keep it that way, keep it as our little secret and, don’t you worry about me; you've done well to tell me and now that you’ve done so I’ll be on my guard. Thank you. Now, my wine glass is empty; would you be so kind as to fetch a refill.”
“Certainly Madam Hong.” The maid got up from the couch where Xui-Li sat. “And, please, Madam Hong….”
“Yes?”
“Later, I might have been a naughty girl….” The maid let the sentence trail off.
Xui-Li looked at the maid, standing demurely but with a wicked grin on her face. Her reputation was well known amongst the girls but still they offered themselves up as victims, no, as willing playmates. This one was young and sweet and Xui-Li would not have resisted temptation even if she didn’t owe her a debt of gratitude.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Xui-Li said. “For now, just pour me some wine.”
At the end of the evening, after she had dismissed the maid, Xui-Li lay in her bed unable to sleep. She had much to mull over; the news that General Chang and Mei-Xing were plotting against her didn’t come as that much of a surprise. General Chang’s views were well known and Mei-Xing, well, she always had been overly ambitious. Extra care was the order of the day until all this could be sorted out. More troubling was that they were going to use Jun-Niu as evidence against her. Hopefully, now that she had ended the relationship this too would cease to be a problem but she well understood that she had stirred up ill feeling. She remembered the visit to the refugee camp and how the camp leaders had reacted. Her resolve never to play with Jun-Nui ever again hardened.
But, for all that, she was going to miss having Jun-Niu around. The maid had been willing, biddable and with the prettiest little bottom that just cried out to be spanked but it spoke volumes that she could hardly remember the girl’s name. The sex had been fun and both of them had been fully satisfied, but only in a corporal sense; there had been no spiritual contact. With Jun-Niu, for all that there relationship was based on lies, there was some sort of connection, some sort of bond, and Xui-Li was going to miss that.
*******
“Ah Vera, come on in. This is Major Strickland, he’s been sent out from the foreign office to… well, let’s just say he’s here.” Colonel Fortesque ushered Vera into his office.
“Do come in. Pray take a seat,” Major Strickland said, motioning Vera towards a chair. “These reports of yours make very interesting reading. I gather you have some contact with the rebel leader, this,” he flicked through a few pages “Madam Hong. Do I gather she's accepted you into her inner circle?”
As Vera sat down she looked at Major Strickland and realised that it was going to be far harder to pull the wool over his eyes. He had an air about him that made Vera think of a weasel and his stare seemed to bore into her.
“Err... I wouldn't say the inner circle, exactly.” Vera decided to downplay the role she had been building up with Colonel Fortesque. “I don't think they would ever trust a European but sometimes they talk quite freely and almost seem to forget I'm there. That's when I can pick up bits and pieces of information.”
“Bits and pieces; come now, it's far more than that,” Colonel Fortesque cut in. “Why without you we'd never have heard about this 'crane' woman. Really Major Strickland, she's done wonders, and in such a short time. The 'crane' story was confirmed by other sources.”
“That's as may be,” Major Strickland returned. “But these groups pose a very real threat to our security here in the Far East. We need to nip them in the bud and come down heavily on the leaders. Anything that could bring this Madam Hong to justice would be a definite feather in our caps. Maybe Miss Talisker here could act as decoy; get her to come out into the open, somewhere where we could arrest her.”
“I know she's a rebel leader but do we have enough proof to arrest her?” Colonel Fortesque asked. “If we brought her to trial with insufficient evidence it would go badly against us.”
“Proof! Trust me, once I have her in the cells we’ll have all the proof we need and more. What with one thing and another we learnt a few techniques during the recent conflict that will loosen anyone's tongue, I don’t care how tough they think they are. And as for some mere woman, we have found some rather special ways to deal with them...” Major Strickland seemed to catch himself. “And once we've finished with her, well, I don’t think we need bother HMG with any formalities such as a trial; she can just... disappear. As long as the thing is stopped, then the ends justify the means, that’s current Foreign Office thinking, anyway.”
Vera listened open mouthed. There was no mistaking Major Strickland's meaning, he was advocating torture and murder with no moral compunctions whatsoever; the ends justifying the means as far as he was concerned. This would have chilled her to the bone even if they had not been talking about Madam Hong, someone she knew and respected.
“You sound as if you would… enjoy torturing Madam Hong.” Vera was shocked at her own audacity but she couldn’t stop herself.
“Enjoy it? I would certainly enjoy doing to these vermin what they would do to us, if we gave them half a chance. What’s this? This is serious stuff we're dealing with; have you no stomach for the task now that you're seeing the dirtier side? There’s a lot more to this than writing reports on wrestling matches.” Major Strickland's voice dripped with disdain as he mentioned wrestling matches. “You’re to go back in there and get some real intelligence, something we can work with, something that will bring this bitch down. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Vera understood all too plainly.
“I want you back in that club tonight and I want a full report on my desk by ten thirty tomorrow morning and, as for wrestling matches, I'm not interested. I want hard evidence, stuff we can use against them, or maybe you aren't up to it, maybe we ought to send someone else?”
“No, no, I'll go back there tonight. I'll see what I can do,” Vera replied, shaken.
“Make sure you do,” and with that Vera was dismissed.
*************
That night, still shaken by Major Strickland's virulence, found herself down in the docklands, knocking on the door of the club. The shutter was drawn back briefly but quickly slammed shut again and Vera found herself waiting, wondering what was going on. The minutes dragged on and still she got no response until....
“Well, if it isn't little Jun-Nui,” Mei-Xing, with a younger woman in tow, approached from down the alleyway. “Why are you standing outside like this, won't they let you in? Here, allow me.”
Mei-Xing knocked on the door, which, this time, was opened; Mei-Xing swept past the doorkeeper imperiously and motioned Vera to follow her in. There was a barrage of Mandarin as Mei-Xing consulted with the doorkeeper from which Vera understood that Madam Hong wasn't there at the moment but was expected soon.
“It would appear that you will have to wait,” Mei-Xing said to Vera. “Whilst Madam Hong may care to indulge you I, on the other hand, have no such sentiments. If you wish to remain here you will have to sing for your supper, understood?”
“Of course, Mei-Xing,” Vera replied, her heart dropping as she remembered what she had been ordered to do last time.
“Let's see, what tasks can we find for you, what would suit your status? The latrines, they always need cleaning; I seem to remember that you showed a certain aptitude last time, or maybe such menial work is beneath you.”
“Of course not, Mei-Xing. Whatever you say.” Vera knew she had to play along.
“Well, you can't work in those clothes. Come along.” Mei-Xing led Vera to the staff rooms with its row of hooks along the wall with coats and other items hanging from them. Mei-Xing stood with her arms folded and looked expectantly at Vera, who, remembering the last time she had been brought here, started to undress. Mei-Xing's steady unwavering stare only helped to make her nervous and, when she was finished she turned towards her and hung her head.
“How dare you stand in my presence!” Mei-Xing snapped. “Get down on your belly like the worm you are.” Vera, taken aback by the sudden outburst, got down and lay on the floor. “Do you think for one moment that you are other than the lowest of the low, unfit even to kiss the feet of an underling like this one?” Mei-Xing indicated the younger woman who had accompanied her all along. “Come here and beg before her, see if she'll allow you to do so.”
Vera squirmed across the floor until she was in front of the two women, her belly and breasts rubbing against the rough wood of the floor. When her face was in front of the young woman's feet she craned her head to look up as far as she could.
“Please, Miss, please be so kind as to allow me to kiss your feet,” Vera said quietly.
“What's that, speak up!” ordered Mei-Xing.
“Please, Miss, it would be an honour if you would grant me the privilege of kissing your feet,” Vera said, louder this time. It was obvious that Mei-Xing was going to have her fun and the only option open to Vera was to play along and pray that Xui-Li would soon arrive. The young woman just giggled at Vera's request so Vera took this as assent and kissed gently at the tips of her toes.
“Do you see, do you see how base she is, this yang guizi who wishes so fervently to be one of us that she'll grovel in the gutter to gain acceptance,” Mei-Xing said to the young woman. “Make sure she understands her place whilst I go and get a few bits and pieces.” Mei-Xing walked away leaving Vera at the young woman's feet.
“Rub yourself, go on, give your bi a good seeing to,” the young woman ordered. “Do as I say or I’ll tell Mei-Xing that you attacked me.”
“What?” Vera was amazed. Was this… this girl ordering her abuse herself?
“Do it, give yourself a good fingering or… Help! Help!” the young woman cried out, only softly, but it was obvious that the next time it would be louder. Horrified at the thought of what would happen if she were accused of attacking this woman, Vera reached under herself and placed her palm over her lower lips.
“Not like that, stick your finger in, go on, act like the chou biaozi you are. Just because you’re a round eye whore doesn’t stop you being a whore, and a filthy disgusting one at that.”
Vera, scared by the vitriolic hatred, made a show of it and, when Mei-Xing returned, that’s how she found them, Vera lying at the feet of the young woman, her hand working furiously between her thighs.
“Look, look, Mei-Xing,” the young woman exclaimed. “She’s like a bitch in heat, absolutely shameless. I ordered her to stop but it just made her worse.”
“That’s little more than I expect from a whore such as this one. The more you abuse her the more she loves it,” Mei-Xing commented dryly whilst Vera cringed at the lies and humiliations. Mei-Xing nudged Vera in the ribs with her foot. “Kneel, and put your hands behind your back.”
As soon as Vera got to her knees she felt her hands being tugged behind her back and steel shackles being attached to her wrists to hold them there. This was followed by a steel collar with a short length of chain attached, and, once that was fastened around Vera’s neck, Mei-Xing took the chain and with a sharp tug, led Vera away.
When they got to the latrines Mei-Xing fetched a bucket, filled it with water and put it in front of the still kneeling Vera. Then she fastened the end of the chain to the handle of the bucket. Vera looked at the scrubbing brush which was floating in the bucket. It has a ridge along the back and, when Mei-Xing, without releasing her wrists, urged her to ‘get on with it’, Vera realised what it was for; not only was she to scrub the latrines but she was to do it with the brush held in her mouth. Tears filling her eyes she looked up at Mei-Xing.
“Please, please, this is too much. I can’t do this,” she begged.
“You can and will,” Mei-Xing replied. “May I remind you that you’re here of your own free will, that you asked for this?”
“But… But…” Vera stuttered.
“Get on with it, or do I need to fetch my cane? That will make short work of your objections.”
“No, no, I’ll do it.” Vera bobbed her head down and took the ridge on the back of the brush between her teeth. The foul taste made her want to vomit but she fought it back and, kneeling forward, started on the floor.
“Please, Mistress,” the young woman said as Mei-Xing headed for the door. “I’ll be with you in a moment, I just need to use the latrines.”
“Very well, but don’t be long.”
Once Mei-Xing had left the young woman went round to stand with her legs straddling the bucket. Then she lifted up the skirts of her robes and told Vera to look up. As Vera did so she was greeted by a stream of urine splashing in her face and in her hair as the woman emptied her bladder over her.
“Goodbye, choubi, have fun with your scrubbing,” the woman laughed as she dropped her skirts and headed for the door.
Vera couldn’t stop sobbing as she scrubbed away. This was far, far worse than she had expected. Surely Xui-Li wouldn’t be too long, surely she would arrive and put her out of her misery. From time to time the door would open and Vera would look up expectantly but each time she was disappointed. Mostly she was ignored, a slave, a servant, she was beneath contempt and was left to scrub away. One customer complained about the state of one of the stalls and Vera had to drag the bucket using the chain around her neck and set to work there.
After what seemed like hours Mei-Xing arrived and came over to where Vera was kneeling.
“It seems the Madam Hong has arrived. Would you like to be taken to her?” Mei-Xing asked.
“Yes, please, Mei-Xing. I’ve suffered enough here,” Vera replied, spitting the brush from her mouth.
“I’d be careful about being so presumptuous if I were you. Others will decide whether you have suffered enough,” Mei-Xing said as she reached down and unfastened the chain from the bucket. “Now, follow me.”
Vera, by now, was immune to the stares as she followed Mei-Xing through the club. Let them think what they wanted; many of them had already seen her, disgusting and degraded, on her knees, scrubbing the latrines. There was nothing worse they could throw at her. Finally they came to Xui-Li’s alcove at the rear of the club and, there she was, lying full length on a sofa with a serving girl knelt before her. Xui-Li looked up and gave a little gasp as she saw Vera.
“What are you doing here, Jun-Nui?” she asked. “You were not called for.”
“I… I wanted to see you,” Vera replied.
“And what if I didn’t want to see you?” In truth Xui-Li was torn. Seeing Jun-Lui kneeling before her, looking so bedraggled, was weakening her resolve. Heaven know what Mei-Xing had put her through but by the looks, and smell, of it whatever had been done to her had been far from pleasant. However, the cat-like grin on Mei-Xing’s face rang all sorts of warning bells. Whether engineered by her or not, this was exactly the sort of situation Mei-Xing would love to use against her. Once more she would be portrayed as inviting the viper into the camp. She had no choice, she had to send Jun-Lui away, and keep her away, and there was no way to do it without being cruel.
“But Madam Hong,” Vera pleaded. “I’ve come just to see you. If you knew what I've just endured just to be allowed to see you, what I've suffered.”
Again Xui-Li nearly melted. She knew all about Mei-Xing’s cruel streak and how it would have amused her to put this round eye through the foulest degradations. However, she didn't dare weaken.
“But I didn't ask you to come, I didn't ask you to do this for me and now I’m busy, busy with this little one.” The serving girl turned and gave Vera a smile, a smile of one who is where the other wishes to be. “Why should I bother with you when this one here will give me everything I want, and not make such a fuss about it?”
Vera felt as if she had been kicked in the stomach by a mule. How could Xui-Li compare her to this… this floozie, this nothing, this little tramp. Hadn’t she just shown that she would go through anything to be with her and now to be rejected, and in such an offhand way? That she would have to go back to Colonel Fortesque empty handed was bad but the real pain came from another place; all the lies she had told herself were stripped bare as she realised just how much she had been looking forward to serving Xui-Li, how much she wanted, no needed, to be with her. Unbidden tears streamed down her face.
“Please, please, Madam Hong. Please don't do this to me. Didn’t I mean anything to you? I've tried so hard, so hard to be what you wanted. Doesn’t that count for anything?”
Xui-Li glanced at Mei-Xing who was looking like the cat who had swallowed the cream. For Jun-Lui's sake, for everybody's sake, she had to end this and make it look convincing.
“How typically arrogant of you to think that you were something special to me. Sure, it amused me to have a round eye in my bed, but it could have been any round eye, you just happened to be available. I don't know how you got to think that there could be anything between us; I just wanted to see you squirm and now,” Xui-Li slid her hand under the robes of the serving girl who gave a little squeal, half of pleasure, half of pain, “now I want to see this one squirm. I’ve done with you, it no longer amuses me to play with you, it’s over, finished. Good bye.”
“But… but… but….” Vera was devastated.
“Enough, I said it's over and that means it's over. Go, and never bother me again.” Xui-Li turned to her guard “Chu-hua, take this trash out and make sure she stays out.”
Chu-hua stood up and, taking Vera by the elbow, helped her to her feet and guided her towards the door.
As Xui-Li watched the bedraggled girl being led away she knew in her heart that everything she had just said had been a lie. Every fibre of her being wanted to call them back, to have Jun-Nui brought back before her, to have her cleaned up and cared for, to show her the affection she really felt. But there, as a reminder of why this was necessary, there was Mei-Xing standing there looking smug and superior. Xui-Li smiled sweetly but inside she was seething; however the power struggle between them worked out she would never forgive Mei-Xing for this. Now it was personal.
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