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when China awakens."
"Oh," Remo said. He was surprised at how disappointed he felt. He had known
Fang Yu less than a day.
"But I could come to visit you," she added quickly. "Stay long time. Maybe you
will return to China after the Communists are crushed."
"We gotta get through the night first," Remo pointed out.
"Why PLA want you, Remo?"
"What makes you think they want me?"
"I hear one giving your description to front-desk man."
"And what'd he tell them?"
"You will be insulted."
"Try me. "
"Front-desk man, he say all Westerners look alike to him. Big noses and round
eyes stick out. All rest of face lost."
Remo grunted a laugh.
"I think front-desk man spoofing PLA," Fang Yu said. "No one cooperates with
PLA if they can help it."
Remo looked down at her, cradled in his arms. "Spoofing?"
"Is that not the correct word? A tourist from Missouri say it once for me. I
like that word. Spoofing. Sound sexy."
"Spoofing works for me."
"Excellent," Fang Yu said, snuggling closer. "If PLA return, we will spoof
them together."
They were not disturbed by the PLA, however. The whir and ching-a-ling of
bicycles of Changan Avenue roused them from sleep. After dressing, they walked
leisurely through the lobby and out into the Beijing morning.
"Guess they widened the search for that guy, whoever he was," Remo said
airily.
Fang Yu looked up quizzically. Then she led Remo to a waiting taxi. The
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morning air smelled of cabbage and coal smoke. Fang Yu smelled of rose petals.
Remo stayed close to her scent, enjoying it.
At the bustling Beijiao market they took a local bus to the Great Wall.
"This better than tourist bus," Fang Yu explained. "Tourist bus stay only
ninety minutes. Have to come back on same bus. This way we can stay as long as
necessary."
The bus was crowded. One woman held a squawking chicken on her lap all the
way. Once out of the city, the terrain became almost instantly rural. The
driver stopped by the roadside when hailed by an old man who was prodding a
fat sow with a stick applied to her buttocks.
The man and the sow were allowed to board.
"Equality," Remo muttered. "It's wonderful. Even the pigs ride the bus."
"Pig must pay too," Fang Yu said without humor.
Remo grunted absently. He was watching the mountains.
The switchbacks of the Great Wall of China became visible in the distance,
coming in and out of view as the bus rumbled along.
"Do you know about Great Wall?" Fang Yu asked suddenly. "It is mightiest
Chinese achievement."
"Not really," Remo said. His thoughts were on Chiun now. Why had he come to
Beijing and what was he doing?
"Americans are very proud because they have gone to the moon," Fang Yu told
him. "But if an American stands on the moon and looks to China, he could see
the Great Wall, so magnificent is it."
"Is that true?" Remo asked in surprise.
"I am told it is. But I have never been to the moon."
"I have," Remo said suddenly.
Fang Yu became excited. "You, Remo? You have been to the moon?"
"Yep. Last night. Several times."
Fang Yu actually flushed and looked away. She gave Remo a playful nudge to the
ribs.
"Now I know how to shut you up when I need to." Another nudge. Remo grinned.
He couldn't believe how good he felt.
After two hours on the road, the bus trundled onto a parking area. The driver
let them off at the Great Wall. Fang Yu took Remo's hands and practically
pulled him up the parapet to the top of the Wall itself.
Walking along the undulating Wall was like traveling along a stone bridge laid
out by architects who had never heard of level ground. They found a deserted
spot in the shadow of a crenellated battlement on the far side and looked
northward through one of the narrow slots cut in the wall.
"This section was built during Ming dynasty, many years ago," Fang Yu
explained. Pride was strong in her voice and it made Remo a little sad. It
told him she would never leave China.
"At first, the Wall was not one wall, but many walls," she was saying. "Then
Mongos come."
"Who?"
"Mongos. Surely you know of them. Everyone know of Mongos." Her English was
slipping again, reverting to native Chinese speech patterns.
"Oh, Mongols," Remo said. A thought struck him. "Genghis Khan was their leader
at one time, wasn't he?"
Fang Yu made a face. "Mongos dwell in north. Very harsh people, and cruel. Not
like Chinese. Not cultured. In the old days, the Mongos would come down from
steppes on their horses. Nothing could stop them. In the winter, horse and men
die on way, but Mongos like locusts. Crush all in their path. Kill men and
children. Ravish women. Some days they ride for days, never resting. Mongos do
not plant, so they eat whenever they find. If they find no food, a Mongo will
stab wound in his horse and drink the blood. Live longer."
"Nice guys," Remo remarked. Fang Yu shook her head. "Not nice at all. These
walls were built to keep out Mongos. Then Mongos grow too strong. They conquer
China. That was our Yuan dynasty. It was a cruel time." Her voice dropped.
"This is a cruel time too. No more Mongos vex us. People's Army become China's
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own Mongos. Perhaps Mongo blood has poisoned us, I do not know."
Remo took her in his arms.
"Never mind," he said firmly. "Look, I've got to follow this Korean."
"The bus went north, into Mongo land."
"What's up there?"
"Nothing. No rocks, no trees, just snow and steppe and wolves. There is
nothing up there in Mongo land. That is why Mongos capture China. They have
nothing. Want something. Everyone want something. What do you want, Remo?"
"I want you," he said simply. "But first I want to find that old Korean."
"Then I will go with you into Mongo land."
"That's the answer I was hoping for," Remo said, looking into her dark,
frightened eyes.
They kissed under the shadow of the battlement with the knifelike wind
sweeping down from the steppes.
Fang Yu continued shivering even after the wind dropped off.
Riding the Iron Rooster train, Remo looked as inconspicuous as feathers on a
cat.
They had what Remo learned were soft-seat tickets. Even surrounded by
tourists, Remo stuck out in his black T-shirt and chinos. Not a PLA soldier
who passed through the car failed to cast an accusing glance in Remo's
direction.
One stopped and began hassling Fang Yu in Mandarin, while Remo pretended to
look unconcerned.
Their exchange was tight and contentious. The soldier kept repeating whatever
it was he was saying. After answering several queries, Fang Yu lost her
patience and practically spat her replies back.
Grudgingly she produced some documentation and personal ID.
The soldier looked these documents over and unhappily returned them. Then he
stormed from the car. They were not bothered by PLA men after that.
"What was that all about?" Remo asked.
"Deel lae loe moe," Fang Yu muttered, watching the soldier bull past an old
woman attempting to negotiate the bouncing aisle.
"What's a deel lae loe moe?" Remo wondered.
Fang Yu's fingertips flew to Remo's lips, silencing him.
"Shhh! Do not say those words aloud! It very embarrassing."
"So what is it?"
"Chinese curse. That man was what we call dai-stupid. Very stupid. He ask me
if I accompanied you as guide. I tell him yes. Still he ask questions. Demand
to see your travel permit."
"What'd you do?"
"I show it to him, of course. Here."
Remo accepted the passportlike document and looked it over. Inside there were
a red stamp and in English a list of cities which Remo was officially entitled
to visit.
"Where are we going, by the way?" Remo said.
"Our ticket say Baotou, but we get off one stop early, at Hohhot."
"Hohhot isn't on my list," Remo pointed out.
"That is why we get off there. If they look for you, you will not be where
they expect."
"What do we do in Hohhot?" Remo asked, pocketing the document.
"We disappear," Fang Yu said simply. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]