Hok remembered bumping her arm against a round tube hidden under Charles’ robe. “Does Charles carry a qiang?” she asked.
Bing nodded. “Two, in fact. The only time he doesn't carry them is when he performs, because they are rather volatile. He is deadly accurate with them. I've never seen him miss.”
Hok wanted to ask what it was that Bing had seen Charles shoot at, but then she thought better of it. Maybe it really was better if she didn't know too much.
Bing turned the wanted poster over in her hands and leaned forward. A tiny jade crane popped out of the folds of her robe.
Hok felt her spirits sink. She ran her hand across the side of her neck and swallowed hard.
“Are you okay?” Bing asked.
“Do you remember the present you gave me when I was a child?” Hok asked. “Before you took me to Cangzhen?”
“The little crane?” Bing said. “Of course. You remember it, too?”
Hok looked away. “Yes. I never took it off. I kept it hidden beneath my robes until … I lost it. It was torn loose when I fought Tsung at Shaolin Temple, but I didn't realize it until later. I'm sorry. I miss it.”
“Don't be sorry,” Bing said. “I am flattered and honored that you wore it all that time. I will make you another.”
“You will?” Hok said. “Thank you.”
Bing nodded and cleared her throat. “Well, too much talk! It is time we wake up the others. We have a lot of preparations to make before our first performance this afternoon. I've been thinking that you, GongJee, and I should not perform today. Let's let the men do their show, and we'll save ours for tomorrow. How does that sound?”
“Fine,” Hok said. “But I don't even know what it is the men do.”
“I'm sure you'll enjoy it,” Bing said, rolling up the wanted poster. “Do you mind if I keep this? I want to show it to a few people.”
“Sure,” Hok said. “You mean the acrobats?”
“No. While they are part of the Resistance, their role is limited. They are information gatherers more than anything else. I plan to meet with several of my former brothers after our performance today. They are the true leaders of the Resistance. I want to show it to them in case they haven't seen it yet. I also plan to introduce you to them. Or perhaps I should say reintroduce. Some of them haven't seen you since you were one or two years old.”
Hok adjusted the turban on her head. “Do you think I will remember any of them?”
“I don't know,” Bing replied. “Do you happen to remember any men with names like Python, Bear, Centipede, Dog, or Mountain Tiger?”
That afternoon, Hok stood along the riverbank with her mother and GongJee. Charles and the four acrobat brothers were still inside one of the tents getting ready. Hok was anxious to see what they had planned.
Hok was about a hundred paces downstream from the camp, and both Bing and GongJee held large empty baskets. The baskets would be used to collect donations during the performance. Hok held a smaller empty basket draped over one arm—her other arm was back in the sling to help keep it safer in the crowds, which were rather unruly. One man had stepped on her foot so hard, she was limping.
Hok couldn't believe how many people were now packed along the waterfront. It seemed the population of Kaifeng had grown tenfold overnight. The sights and sounds rivaled what she'd experienced when she first stepped through the city gates.
Hok turned to the river and stared at the fifty or so dragon boats already out there. Their brightly colored heads and tails glistened with fresh paint. The air was filled with the sound of drums as teams of twenty men rowed boats in practice sessions to a steady beat provided by a man with a drum sitting at the front of each boat. The drummer and rowers on each team were dressed in festive, brightly colored robes and black silk hats. Hok had never seen so much color.
The crowd began to get restless, and Hok turned toward the camp. She heard a single large drum begin to beat an infectious rhythm. People began to cheer.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM, BOOM!
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM, BOOM!
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM, BOOM!
The crowd started to slowly part, and Hok saw one of the acrobat brothers approaching from their camp, pounding a very large drum with a short, thick stick. Behind him was another brother dressed in elaborate robes, wearing a gigantic mask that covered his entire head. The brother in the mask was swinging a long, stylized whip made of ribbon.
Bringing up the rear were two of the most elaborate creatures Hok had ever seen. They were four-legged and very large, with long orange hair covering their legs and bodies as well as their huge colorful heads. They looked like oversized lions.
Hok grinned. Charles’ skill was lion dancing! The first lion was noticeably smaller than the other and was decorated as a lion cub. Hok assumed Charles was inside it by himself. His arms were serving as the front two legs, which would help explain why Charles was skilled at handstands.