Let Us By

"Madame, are you sure you're not tired from all that walking?" Wanwan repeated, hanging over Suzhen's shoulder.

"Nonsense. I've never felt better." Suzhen said calmly. "We barely reached town, and there are so many things to look at. How could you be so eager to go back already?"

"But you're pregnant," hissed Wanwan energetically in her ear, with warm moist breath. "From everything I've heard you ought to remain indoors throughout your confinement, especially at this stage!"

Suzhen turned over a skein of thread. "This colour would be pretty on the baby's shoes, don't you think? I've been staying indoors all this time getting my strength back, and now I feel so much stronger. I couldn't possibly stay indoors all the time."

"But still, Madame, it just doesn't feel proper!" wailed Wanwan.

Suzhen sighed. "How is it improper to be doing perfectly ordinary shopping, like everyone else here?"

There was a flush of colour in her cheeks, and her eyes were bright and steady. The past months she had spent recovering in Mao Jin's house, quietly cultivating each day. She had felt her spirit energy aura strengthening, and some of her old vitality had come back to her. Today, while Mao Jin was out visiting his mother, she had suddenly decided to accompany Wanwan out on an errand to town, to the maid's horror.

It would be good to find out where exactly she was. And perhaps even try to find out any news of Fahai, though she wasn't sure how to go about that. She had donned a thin veil that hid the lower half of her face, fastened around her ears with loops that she had sewed on. Walking briskly, she all but dragged Wanwan with her, though she was supposed to be leaning on Wanwan's arm.

Wanwan wriggled uncomfortably. "Anyway, Madame, we should be heading back soon, we've already gotten the dried fish we came for. I think it might just rain as well."

Suzhen waved her aside impatiently. "Stop trying to distract me. I want to get some new needles as well. I broke another one yesterday. I'll take this skein of thread, sir. Do you have any needles, cheap ones?"

"You always pull too hard on the thread," Wanwan said resignedly. "It's just embroidery, Madame, you don't need to use so much strength."

As they turned away from the stall, Wanwan started, stopping short as she found their way barred. Two beggars stood in front of her; one, an old man with a dirty, tangled white beard, the other a woman with missing teeth. They held out their hands eagerly to her. "Ah, little lady, give us some money, please! Spare us some coins, give us a little something now."

Holding tightly onto Suzhen's arm, Wanwan tried to push past them, but they caught at her clothes. She fumbled hurriedly in her money pouch and reluctantly gave them a copper coin, hoping it would appease them.

The old man spat noisily, almost spitting onto their robes. "Pah! Copper? That's stingy of you, miss! Come on, you can spare us more than that. I saw a silver coin just now when you were taking your money out. Surely you can give us that."

Wanwan's fingers tightened nervously on her purse. "I can't give you that, that's for buying groceries," she said breathlessly. "Please go away, I've already given you something."

They came closer, with a menacing air. "Now, we're not going to hurt you, little girl," leered the woman, crooking a dirt-encrusted fingernail at her. "Just hand us the silver coin and we'll be off immediately. We don't want to make a fuss; oh no!"

"Or perhaps this fine madame here has something else she could give us," the old man chortled, turning to Suzhen. "Surely she is generous enough to give two poor beggars something better than a copper coin?"

They advanced on Suzhen. "Yes, we should ask the mistress instead of the maid. Come, Madame, give us a little something. We'll let you and your little maid go once you do." The woman smiled, an unpleasant, oily smile that showcased the gaps in her teeth. Her keen eyes darted to Suzhen's figure, hidden under her cloak, but which she could catch a glimpse of close up. "Aren't you in a hurry to get back home, dear lady? You wouldn't want anything to happen to your child, would you?"

Wanwan gave a little squeak of fright as they came closer. "Go away," she said bravely, pushing herself in front of Suzhen. "Let us by. You can't force us to give you money like this!"

Suzhen spoke for the first time, and her voice was low and steady. "You have great nerve, the two of you, bullying people on the street in broad daylight. Aren't you ashamed, bullying a young girl and a pregnant woman like this? Let us by."

"Ah, madame!" protested the beggar woman. "How can you say that. We're concerned about you, especially in this delicate state. It would be unfortunate, and unnnecessary, if you were to have an accident! Just give us what we want, we won't hurt a hair of your head."

Wanwan was trembling; Suzhen could feel her little maid's arm shaking. "Madame," she said faintly in a whisper. "Should we--should we give it to them? Tell me what I should do."

"Of course not," Suzhen said sharply, though she felt a growing uneasiness as she realized they were pushing them backwards into a narrow alley, where they would soon be cornered against the wall. She was not sure if she could use her spirit energy as usual, and she certainly would not be able to fight in this condition. Otherwise, how easy it would be! She glanced longingly at the withered throat of the old man and imagined how simple it would be to grab him by the neck and knock his head against the woman's.

"Don't let them push us into the alley," she whispered urgently to Wanwan. "Our best hope is to stay on the street and call for help. Take them by surprise and charge them."

Wanwan nodded, pale, and let go of her arm, charging forward suddenly and pushing the beggars back several paces. "Help! Someone, help!" she cried, looking about wildly over their shoulders onto the crowded street. "Please help, these beggars are harassing us!"

The beggar woman grabbed her roughly and pushed her back against the alley wall, hissing, "I told you not to make a fuss, missy! You'll regret this, you little brat!"

As Wanwan struggled with the beggar woman, screaming as loudly as she could, the beggar man looked about frantically, nervous as he fancied heads turning towards them, and caught Suzhen by the arm, trying to drag her into the alley out of sight as well. "Hush, missy, hush! Look, do you want your mistress to get hurt?"

Suzhen struggled in his grasp, but she was too afraid of losing her balance to struggle hard enough. Over his shoulder she saw the beggar woman wrestling Wanwan's little pink purse from her hand, plucking her fingers off it as deftly as a child peeling a tangerine.

"Thieves," Wanwan shrilled furiously. "Someone help, they're robbing us! Help!"