"We're nearing the final stages of the power transfer from me to Yuesheng. How goes the other preparations?" Enishi asked Sumi over breakfast.

"The kids are just about ready. The mare should be dropping her foal this week. I've got a few more things I want to pick up at the market, but most of it is already packed. Whenever you're ready to leave, we will be."

He nodded. "Once Yuesheng returns, you and I will go to the Suzhou Gardens. The best salt merchants are there and I need to confirm my arrangement with them. Since I plan to show you some of China, it will be a while before we get to Yunnan Province. Once our salt smuggling empire is established there, we can live wherever we want. But you should like it there, because it's one of the most southern areas and can get hot."

"Sounds perfect. Where else will you take me?"

"I was thinking first we'll go southeast to Hangzhou. From there we'll go to Zhangjiajie with it's dense forest, deep ravines and canyons, plus the caves where some of my men have already set up a network. Then on to the Li river in Guilin, which is part of Guangxi Province. The river passes Daxu, which is known for its market town. Then we'll head towards Yunnan."

"Other than our usual hooded cloaks, will we need anything warmer?"

"No, but maybe umbrellas, it'll be wet often." He was in deep thought, but Sumi knew he wasn't finished talking and so waited patiently. "Go with Lei to the market, that kid knows all the best vendors. I need Black Devil today. Yuesheng is back and we're visiting government officials and the police."

"Okay. We'll probably head out soon."

"Be careful, there's been a lot of foreign strangers in town lately. Something is brewing, but it's expected, as no shift in power ever goes smoothly, there's always blood shed." He gave her a large stack of money. "Is this enough?"

She nodded confirmation, gave her husband a long kiss and then called for Lei. The woman and boy left together, heading for the stables. They checked on the grey mare, then saddled Pearl and one of the geldings.

"Lei do you know which stall in the market sells Pennyroyal tinctures?"

"Isn't that what the ladies at the brothel houses used to get rid of babies?"

"Yes. Every city has a brothel or women of that profession. It's a highly sought after trade item."

"There are two places. One the merchant specializes in medicines and the other is a herbal woman."

"Take us there first.... What's Lan doing today?"

"Feng is teaching her how to make bread."

"Boring."

Lei shrugged. "She seems to like it and I get to eat all the things she makes."

Sumi laughed. "Are you ruled by your stomach?"

"Sometimes.... Lady Killer, tomorrow is Lan's birthday. Will you help me pick something to give her?"

"You need to get use to calling me Sumi or something else."

"Can I call you mother? Lan already does, but she's still scared of the Boss."

"Sure."

Shanghai was busy, Sumi saw a lot of foreign men in town, like Enishi had warned. The sooner they finished at the market, the better.

** ~ ~ ~ ~ ~**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

The discussion between Yuesheng, Enishi and the police Chief was interrupted. An officer came in and whispered in the Chief's ear. The man bowed to the current Shanghai Mafia Boss. "Just outside of the market, your wife is fighting foreign men that attacked her and the boy. We are assembling men...."

Enishi was already out the door, since their meeting place and the market were not far from each other. He forgot about Black Devil, in his haste to assist Sumi. Launching himself up on to a tea house roof, he ran its length and saw the melee below. He had never seen Sumi fight like this before. It was instinctual but not animalistic. In the past she waited for her opponent to come at her. But here he was watching her attack before they came at her. She was beautiful, no movement was without purpose, everything was efficient. He recognized some of the moves he'd taught her, both with blade and hand. He jumped and landed in the thick of her battle. Their eyes connected, but the person looking back, wasn't the same as before either. He tried to figure out what had caused the change. Enishi heard a scream and looked in the direction it had come from. Pearl, the white mare, had just kicked someone in the shoulder. Next he saw another man sail through the air, launched by the horse's rear hooves. Then he understood why they were both being so aggressive; Lei was motionless on the ground, being guarded by the horse. Enishi sent a high pitched whistle into the air, he was calling the stallion. Black Devil came charging in scattering people in every direction. The stallion reared, just before his hooves crushed a man about to whip the mare. The horses would be fine, so he needed to get to his wife. Enishi used his Frenzied Nerves, attacking the throng of sword wielding men. He didn't recognize the guys, but didn't care even if he had. It took ten minutes of fighting and suddenly the personal war ended.

"Sumi are you okay?"

She ignored him and went immediately to Lei, checking for a pulse. It was there and strong. Next her eyes went to the mare, to see if the horse was injured. Pearl was fine, so was Black Devil, at last Sumi answered. "I'm okay." She saw the carnage she'd left in her wake. "You handle this mess, I need to get Lei to a doctor."

"Go to the house, I'll send the doctor there." Enishi saw her hands trembling. It wasn't just the adrenaline dump, it was the realization of how many people she'd killed during her blind rage. He hugged Sumi, then waited for her to get astride her horse. He picked up Lei, putting him across her lap.

Black Devil had broken the rein, where he'd been tied to the rail. Enishi removed the bridle and praised the horse, "good boy." Swinging himself into the saddle, he tapped his heal against the stallion, who began to follow after the mare. On the way he saw the police coming and called out to the men, "a gang attacked my wife. I'll leave it to you to clean up and bring the gelding back. Have the doctor sent to my house." The police bowed as he rode by.

It didn't take long for Black Devil to catch up to Pearl. The horses were kept at a canter until the house came into view. Enishi dismounted first and took Lei from Sumi. Pan Cheng quickly lead Pearl to the stable and Black Devil followed.

"FENG!" Sumi yelled. When he arrived, she said, "get some cold water and a cloth."

He saw Lei and gave a nod of understanding before disappearing to do as she requested. Sumi was pacing like a caged tiger, until the doctor arrived. With him came Bolin to report on the attack. Enishi left his wife with the doctor and kid.

"Boss, the men who attacked Sumi and Lei were British. We didn't get to all of them before they went into hiding, the police arrested a few. Yuesheng offered a cash reward to anyone in the crowd who could give us a lead."

"Did they come from the docks?"

"No, across land, mostly by train."

"Find the rest of them."

"Yes sir." Bolin left immediately after receiving orders.

Sumi was thanking the doctor at the door and Enishi came to pay him. Everyone saw that Sumi was still agitated, but neither he nor she had time to process what had just happened, because Pan Cheng came in through the door suddenly.

"The grey mare is in labour, but there's a problem."

Enishi and Sumi headed to the stable and to the stall where they heard the commotion.

"Boss I need your strength. We need to pull the baby out, the umbilical cord is wrapped around its neck."

Enishi took off his shirt and together with the stable manager, reached into the mare. Their arms were covered in blood. The stable man reached into the mare to move the umbilical cord, while Enishi's hands pulled on the baby's hooves. His muscles bulged under the strain.

"Push in on one, pull on two." The stable manager said and did the count down, "ONE... TWO!"

The mare pushed at the same moment that Enishi pulled and suddenly he had a foal in his bloody arms. Sumi quickly removed the birth sack from its nostrils and then began rubbing it all over to stimulate circulation. The foal moved, to the relief of all the humans present. The mare heaved herself up off her side and started licking her baby.

"Gross... you're covered head to toe. I'll go start a bath for you." Sumi wrinkled her nose after seeing Enishi.

"Thank you Boss, couldn't have done this without you."

Enishi nodded. "Is the baby and mother okay now?"

"Stand back, I'll get the mare to stand, so the baby can suckle.... Both look good."

"I'll leave it to you then." Enishi made his way back to the house.