Page 219 of Never

Jianjun clearly felt guilty about keeping this to himself, but he pretended otherwise. ‘I was told in confidence,’ he blustered. ‘Does it matter?’

‘There’s been a nasty little campaign of malicious gossip against your daughter-in-law. It was intended to damage me. Now I see why. It’s about who will succeed Fu as Minister.’

‘This is the first I’ve heard of it.’

‘I think Fu is in cahoots with Vice-Minister Li.’

‘I have –’ Jianjun coughed, a typical smoker’s throat-clearing spasm, and then resumed – ‘I have no information.’

I hope those damn cigarettes aren’t going to kill you too, Kai thought. ‘My money’s on Li, but it could be one of half a dozen others.’

‘That’s the trouble. It’s a long list.’

‘Speaking of trouble, what’s your take on the crisis in Korea?’

Jianjun sounded relieved to move away from an embarrassing topic. ‘Korea? We’re going to have to get tough sooner or later.’

That was his response to everything.

Kai decided it was time to try out his idea. ‘I’ve just talked to our best source in North Korea. He says the Supreme Leader is up against the wall – running out of weapons and liable to do something desperate. We need to control him.’

‘If only we could.’

‘Or get the Americans to restrain South Korea, persuade President No not to retaliate against whatever is Kang’s next move.’

‘We can hope.’

Pretending to speak casually, Kai said: ‘Or we could level with the White House and warn President Green that the Supreme Leader is so weak that he’s desperate.’

‘Out of the question.’ Jianjun was indignant. ‘Tell the Americans how weak our ally is?’

‘A situation like this calls for exceptional measures.’

‘But not downright treason.’

Well, Kai thought, I got my answer: the old guard won’t even contemplate the idea. He pretended to be convinced. ‘I guess you’re right.’ He changed the subject quickly. ‘I don’t suppose Mother would consider leaving town? Moving somewhere safer? Somewhere less likely to be bombed?’

There was a pause, then Jianjung spoke sternly. ‘Your mother is a Communist.’

That remark baffled Kai. ‘Do you imagine I didn’t know that?’

‘Communism is more than just a theory we accept because the evidence is good, like Mendeleev’s periodic table of the elements.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Communism is a sacred mission. It comes above everything else, including our family ties and our own personal safety.’

Kai was incredulous. ‘So to you, Communism is more important than my mother?’

‘Exactly. And she would say the same about me.’

This was more extreme than Kai would have guessed. He felt a bit stunned.

His father said: ‘Sometimes I think your generation doesn’t really understand.’

You got that right, Kai thought.

He said: ‘Well, I didn’t phone you up for a discussion about Communism. Let me know if you hear anything about these manoeuvrings against me.’