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idea. No one at home took much notice of the Taiping Rebellion, a civil war in China, on the other side of the world didn’t really affect us. Of course, you’re traders, so you know that mostly the British are interested in the trade – and all that’s done through the ports – Hong Kong, Shanghai and the like where there are the European concessions. Meanwhile there was a civil war raging in the south of China between the Taiping and the Imperialist Qing. Then we started to hear strange things about British-designed arms turning up in China. At first we thought it was gun-running. War attracts all sorts of low-life – people who are happy to make a bit of money out of other people’s misery. Then we heard new stories. That these Taiping rebels were starting to build whole factories in the south of China where they ruled. Soon we discovered that the Taiping were starting to build their own versions of CPS inventions. No one understood how they could have got hold of the designs. Then one day a trader said that he had seen an English missionary in Canton who seemed to be friendly with some of the Taiping leaders. Investigations were made – and what do you know? The missionary, it turned out, was our friend Backhouse. Next thing, he had disappeared into the Chinese interior and joined up with the Taiping for good. Now he’s one of their leading chaps… you saw how those warriors obeyed him.”
    “He sounds bonkers. What does he want with us?” Angus said.
    The captain shrugged. “I can make a guess – he wants to use us as bargaining chips…”
    “How do you mean?” asked Jack. “Who would he be bargaining with?”
    “With the British, of course. We’re the most powerful country in the world and trade with China is important. To be honest, we don’t really care who’s in charge in China – whether it is the Imperialists or the Taiping rebels – as long as we can trade and make money. I reckon if the Taiping have three British hostages – including an army captain – it’s one way that Backhouse and the Taiping can put pressure on the British to support them against the Imperialists. In fact, the British and French are virtually at war with the Imperialists already. Those seventeen thousand troops are marching on Beijing because they say the Imperialists have broken their last treaty, which was to open up more Chinese ports for trade.”
    Jack’s brow furrowed as he tried to take it all in. “So, you’ve got a civil war going on in China between the Taiping in the south and the Imperialist Qing in the north. The British and French have got trading concessions in ports up and down the coast and they’ve sent an army to force the Imperialists in Beijing to open up trade even more. And now, here in Shanghai, the British are also trying to help defend an Imperial city from the Taiping who are trying to take it over?”
    “That’s about it,” Fleming said. “The Taiping want Shanghai because it is a major sea port. It’s just unfortunate that there are lots of Europeans there already.”
    “What a mess,” Angus shook his head.
    “Yes – and it doesn’t help our cause with turncoats like Backhouse around – whether he’s a Christian or not.”
    Suddenly, the door to the tent opened and Backhouse appeared, flanked by two burly Taiping guards.
    “I think it is time, gentlemen – are you suitably refreshed?” But Backhouse did not wait for an answer. “Good, good. Now, you will be excited to hear that we have an audience with General Li Xiucheng himself. He is a fine man and he has a few questions . Excuse the indignity, but I am afraid you will have to be searched. We have to be careful – hidden weapons that sort of thing – usual procedure.”
    Suddenly the Taiping guards stepped forward and Jack felt his clothes being ripped off him.
    “Hey – get off!”
    Backhouse shouted in Mandarin and the guards eased off.
    “I can do it myself, OK?”
    But Jack’s shirt and his undervest had