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are you up to now?”
    “You know how Father used to call his nephew Yu Wei a depraved brat? Well, now he is addicted to opium and has so much gambling debt . . .”
    “He’s had to sell his mansion in town.” Purple Jade finished her brother’s sentence. “He’s a disgrace to the Chou family.”
    “Exactly!” Dragon stabbed the air with his hand; his voice rose in anger. “General Chin Bar-tau has turned it into an elite opium den — now called the Prosperous Dream.”
    “The same General Chin who’s in the secret police, and is one of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s bodyguards?”
    “That’s him! We must do something before the Chous lose more face.”
    “I’ll speak to my lord and see what he can do.”
    “I wouldn’t ask him and put him in danger. General Chin has connections to the underworld, and he’s so powerful politically you’ll jeopardize your husband’s career and maybe even his life!”
    “Yes, you’re right.” Purple Jade shuddered, twisting her handkerchief. Her rapid heartbeat seemed to have become a bird twittering inside her. She asked, “What can anyone do?”
    “I have a plan.” He winked. His eyes were a near copy of his half-sister’s. “I plan to go in there and create some disturbance.”
    “What kind of disturbance? What good would that do?” Her brother — the bright swath in her life — had always supplied challenges and diversions. Now she felt like a bird perched on that pine next to the bell-shaped mountain, ready to dive into the clear water.
    “You know the smokers are all lethargic and prefer a quiet place. Maybe if I picked a fight and caused an uproar, people would shun the place.”
    “Oh no! You’re going to get both the Huangs and the Chous into trouble.” Purple Jade slammed the handkerchief onto her lap.
    “I’m not in town too often. If I put on a moustache, some glasses and a Chinese robe, no one will recognize me.” Glorious Dragon shrugged, but his eyes were sparkling. “I think a female companion might divert attention from me.”
    “How are you to pick a fight with people who loll around as if they’re half dead? They won’t fight back!”
    “I’m not sure.” Her brother paced away. “I’ll just take a look and improvise something. Maybe I’ll tip over some furniture, pretend I’m drunk or I’ve gone crazy. I promise you. I’ll return safely. No one will know I’m involved.”
    “Such bold plans.” Purple Jade snickered. She tried hard to silence the twittering bird. “I’m sure you’ll have no trouble starting a disturbance, but how are you going to escape?”
    “I’ll slip away in the confusion.”
    “Don’t get us involved!”
    “Haven’t you always blamed the foreigners for bringing opium into our country?”
    “Yes, they did!”
    “So why would you allow opium in our town?”
    “Oh.” Purple Jade fidgeted with her handkerchief, ruminating on the consequences if she should get involved. But the fluttering bird inside her seemed ready to take flight. She tried in vain to hold it back. “I know my lord will berate me for being too permissive with you. I have never refused you anything. But an opium den in town is truly obnoxious.” Her face turned red and she could almost feel the shaft of sunlight shining over that snow-capped Bell Mountain. Oh, she could almost taste the sweet wine of freedom. “What can we do?” she asked finally.
    “Be brave and help me!”
    “I’m not sure if I can help. You said you need a female companion?”
    “Yes.”
    Her heart was pounding like a drum, but she could feel the sunlight warming that crystalline lake. She furrowed her brow and mumbled, “You’re determined to do this?”
    “Yes, I’ll do it with or without your help.”
    It was so seldom that Purple Jade could do anything important outside her home. She would love to practice medicine, but who would want to train a female? Now her brother had asked for help. Maybe she could supply the female companion.