Ah Toy

"You got f*cked because you spoke your business in a room full of whores. This is not China. It's Chinatown. And our blood is cheap here, so you'd better learn to adapt."

—Ah Toy to Ah Sahm^[src]

Ah Toy is an accomplished madame who runs a brothel in Chinatown that is frequented by the Hop Wei. Unlike many of her competitors, she is more gentle towards her girls, giving them a choice to work as opposed to forcing them into slavery.

More than just a brothel owner, Ah Toy is an avenging angel and savior, often sneaking out during the darkest of nights to avenge her people who've been wronged and free enslaved sex workers to either come work for her or find sanctuary with Nellie Davenport, who Ah Toy has also forged a bond with.

Additionally, Ah Toy has been secretly purchasing land with the help of Leonard Patterson, totaling up to 200 hectares of land.^[1] However, after realizing that the pressure of their relationship was too much for him to maintain, Ah Toy cut ties with Patterson and went into business with Nellie.

Biography

Early life

Ah Toy was born and raise in China, where she was very close with her grandmother, who'd she often help grow tomatoes in her garden.^[2]

Before crossing the salt to America, Ah Toy was married to a merchant, who she loved dearly. He sold his silk to an American trading company and brought her on the trip to America to make a new deal. However, he was killed on the boat and the men onboard sought to take Ah Toy, but the captain protected her. And in return, she became his concubine. They threw his body into the sea, and when Ah Toy finally made it to America, the trading company told her that they would not do business without her husband. In China, her husband had properties and taught her that it's best to own land, and so she began purchasing property inside and outside of Chinatown, including her brothel, with the help of her then business partner, Leonard Patterson.^[1]

Helping Ah Sahm

Ah Toy greets Young Jun and the newest Hop Wei recruit, Ah Sahm, and welcomes them to a variety of girls for their choosing. Young Jun immediately picks two women, but Ah Sahm isn't interested in sex, revealing that he's looking for someone who would've arrived about two years ago, a woman named Xiaojing, but Ah Toy claims not to know anyone by that name and offers a girl named Zhang Yan to Ah Sahm instead.

A small group of Long Zii hatchet men arrive at Ah Toy's after learning that Ah Sahm was asking about Xiaojing. Ah Sahm refuses to leave with them and single-handedly takes out all four men. Afterwards, Ah Toy joins him on the balcony after witnessing his skills first hand. Ah Toy insists that it wasn't her who sold him out and advises Ah Sahm against speaking his business in a room full of whores, reminding him that he's in Chinatown, not China. Moving forward, he's going to need someone he can trust outside of the tong, and Ah Toy believes that could be her. When he asks about Xiaojing again, Ah Toy informs him that someone also came around asking for her about a year ago, and he was dead within a day.

When Ah Sahm returns from finding his sister, Ah Toy invites him upstairs, first for a mix of herbs she concocted to help with Ah Sahm's pain, and then sex. Afterwards, whilst Ah Sahm sleeps, Ah Toy sneaks out in the late hours of the night to seek vengeance against the two Irish thugs who killed a couple of Chinese labor men. She beheads the first man and guts the second man.^[3]

Ah Toy confronts Li Juan, one of her girls, for bringing the Long Zii to her whorehouse after telling them that Ah Sahm was searching for a woman named Xiaojing. As punishment, she has Li Juan's tongue removed.

Ah Toy learns from Chao that Ah Sahm was arrested and that Father Jun has no intentions of helping him. Ah Toy is a bit disappointed to hear this, reasoning that Ah Sahm seemed promising, and asks if Chao has any influence in that area. Unfortunately, he doesn't, especially now that they're trying to pin the double murder on him. While war may be good for business, it's not so much for Chinatown, though Chao assures Ah Toy that the Exclusion Act will never get passed, as it's bad for business. Chao works every angle, and some day, Ah Toy fears it'll get him killed.^[4]

After Ah Sahm is freed from jail and punished for his insubordinance by Father Jun, Ah Toy applies ointment to his wounds and warns him against making reckless decisions such as scrapping with ducks in the pond, even if that wasn't his intent. Ah Toy wonders what he saw while on the other side. Ah Sahm has realized that in San Francisco, they're not people. They're cattle, and that'll never change, he fears. Ah Toy isn't convinced, replying that they can make a change, but only when their people stop being so content with being oppressed. They're a nation of warriors, not slaves. Ah Toy has plans for Ah Sahm, but in the meantime, she wants him to simply take better care of himself, explaining that barrooms and brothels are where revolutions are usually born.^[5]

Ah Toy's brothel is raided by the police department, and she is informed by Bill that he has orders to shut her down and place her under arrest for running a brothel. However, Ah Toy claims that she runs a boarding house and then pays Bill off.^[6]

Recruiting Lai

Ah Toy attends a slave auction and meets a young teenage girl named Lai, who was sold to Zan by her own father to settle a debt. She doesn't talk much and has never been touched. That said, she's double the price. Upon learning from the whore monger that she's from Yumingzui in Shandong Province, Ah Toy purchases the girl, seeming almost sympathetic. Ah Toy then brings Lai home and runs her a bath, assuring the young girl that she'll be safe with her.

After reluctantly introducing Ah Sahm to one of her working girls, who used to work as a maid for Long Zii and knows the location of his safe house, Ah Toy notices Gresham and Mr. Holbrook paying a little too much attention to Lai, who, rather than working as a prostitute, Ah Toy has cleaning. Ah Toy welcomes him to enjoy the women, all except Lai, but Holbrook is more interested in her than anyone else, given that she's a virgin, but Lai is not for sale and she suggests that Gresham leave while he still can. However, when she returns from her meeting with her business partner, Leonard Patterson, about buying some land, Ah Toy finds Gresham standing outside a door with Lai inside. She stabs his hand and pins him to the wall before entering the room to find Holbrook on top of Lai. Ah Toy pulls out a knife, cuts his face, sending him running. After she sends Lai to her room, Ah Toy viciously removes her knife from Gresham's palm, taking off two fingers in the process.^[7]

Purchasing Spring Valley property

Ah Toy learns from Patterson that Timmons rejected their offer on the Spring Valley property after figuring out that Patterson was simply a front for Ah Toy, who was actually purchasing the property. They threatened to kill the deal and expose them to the bank unless he and Ah Toy pay them more, $5,000 to be exact, and if they are reported, the bank will seize all of Ah Toy's assets, which she refuses to allow to happen. They have no choice but to pay the $5,000, but only after they close the deal on Spring Valley. And when Patterson goes to meet with Victor Timmons and Lance McCormick to seal the deal on the Spring Valley property, Ah Toy follows him and kills both Timmons and McCormick, much to Patterson's disbelief. He is in shock and flees, though Ah Toy assures Patterson that she was just protecting him.^[8]

Mending Ah Sahm's wounds

Ah Toy attends the sanctioned fight between Ah Sahm and Li Yong to determine if the Long Zii will be allowed in on the opium trade. She watches as Ah Sahm is defeated and nearly killed. While he just barely survives the night, he's abandoned by the Hop Wei, so Ah Toy brings him home with her and tends to his wounds. He's so badly beaten that he can barely breathe or see. After some days, Ah Sahm is finally back to where he can stand on his own two feet, but just barely. Ah Toy concludes that he lost to Li Yong was fighting for something he believed in. He had purpose. There are 25,000 Chinese in San Francisco, with more coming every day, only to be treated like dogs. Someone has to start fighting back. While it's a fight they personally can't win, they can at least inspire others. Ah Toy has a dream that one day land will even be owned by Chinese citizens. Ah Sahm scoffs at the notion, leading Ah Toy to question why he's even still in the city. Realizing that he stayed because of Mai Ling, Ah Toy informs him that the tongs were at peace for a long time before she came. She was also prepared to let him die. Ah Sahm needs to accept that she's no longer his sister that needs saving and that she's not safe for Chinatown.^[9]

Some time has passed, and Ah Sahm has been working as a coolie. However, Ah Toy is surprised to find Ah Sahm in the brothel. She's happy to see that he's alive. He came to thank her for taking care of her after the tournament and brought her something, more specifically someone — two Irish thugs who were breaking the hands of coolies with a hammer. And so, they intend to return the favor. Ah Sahm doesn't necessarily know what happens from here, but he figured Ah Toy could use some help now and then fighting back. Ah Sahm is done working as a coolie and is ready to make a change. Part of that change is rejoining the Hop Wei.^[10]

The swordsman

Ah Toy finds Lai applying ointment to Ah Sahm's injuries and takes over. She thought he was done with the Barbary Coast, considering that he's not going to find what he's looking for, which is weakness — the flaw in his technique that allowed Li Yong to beat him. Ah Sahm then reveals that he saw a group of guys at the fight who wore cut-off queues on their jacket. They call themselves Teddy Boys. Those queues they wear are part of their initiation. A Chinese scalp is the only way into their gang. Ah Sahm wants to pay them a visit, but they've already been too active lately, drawing too much attention. Ah Toy worries. With or without her, Ah Sahm intends to go after them.

Ah Sahm, Ah Toy, and Lai track the Teddy Boys to their hideout just in time to stop them from killing a helpless Chinese man. There's about half a dozen of them, but they're no match for Ah Sahm, Ah Toy, and Lai, with the latter two being armed with swords and strike fast and hard, killing every Teddy Boy in sight.

Ah Toy is approached by Chao, who knows that she's the swordsman. Her actions are interrupting his business, and the police shut down his shop because they suspect that he knows something. He's contemplating simply turning Ah Toy in, to which she replies that it's probably a good idea that she lie low. Speaking of secrets, she asks if he's gone to see his. Chao replies that he intends to do so tomorrow.^[11]

Ah Toy exits her home to find Nellie on her doorstep, and this isn't their first encounter. Ah Toy insists that all her girls are very happy and choose the life they live with her, as she gives them a job, food, a bed, and clean clothing. Ah Toy tells Nellie that her girls can leave whenever they want, as she owns no one.^[12]

Patterson delivers Ah Toy her half of the monthly rent for their properties, but he's a little off center after being questioned by the police about Timmons and McCormick. When Patterson reveals that Bill and Lee were the officers who questioned him, she tells him that she will handle it. She killed Timmons and McCormick to protect their profits, remarking that it's the American way, and assures Patterson that she would never hurt him.^[13]

Developing a relationship with Nellie

Ah Toy crosses paths with Mai Ling at a street performance. She tries to avoid a confrontation, but Mai Ling calls out to her. Considering that Ah Toy didn't extend a greeting, Mai Ling wonders if she's offended her somehow. Ah Toy claims she was distracted by the exhibition and extends her apology.

Ah Toy calls Nellie to her brothel after one of her girls would like to leave with Nellie for a better life. Nellie asks why Ah Toy had a change of heart, but Ah Toy reminds Nellie that she doesn't force any one of her girls to work for her and that they all can leave when they please. Nellie will take her to some land she has in Sonoma, it's a vineyard. The girls work the land they live on, so they build something of their own. Nellie even offers Ah Toy a tour tomorrow morning. She says in Cantonese that she wants to show Ah Toy that the girls can live a happy life.

After helping Lee relieve his chronic pain in her opium den, Chao asks for Ah Toy's help in framing Zing as the swordsman that's been killing people. Ah Toy warns him that it's a bad plan that could get him hurt, but she gives him her sword and if all goes as planned, they'll be back to business as usual.^[14]

Ad planned, Ah Toy visits Nellie's Sonoma winery. The girls work together and eat dinner together to create a sense of family. There's so many girls, much to Ah Toy's surprise. There's so many more than Nellie had hoped, forcing her to open a second vineyard soon. She pays for all this with the substantial fortune left behind by her husband, but the wine they make also pays for the land and food. Nellie invites Ah Toy to eat, but she seems overwhelmed by it all and sprints out. Nellie follows her and questions what's the matter. Ah Toy reveals that the vineyard reminds her of her grandmother's garden in China. It was very peaceful and they'd grow tomatoes together. Ah Toy takes care of so many people, but Nellie questions who takes care of her. Ah Toy admits that it's lonely, and Nellie kisses her.

Ah Sahm reveals to Ah Toy how he and Young Jun went against Father Jun and went searching for a new molasses connect. Ah Toy recalls saying that Mai Ling is a danger to Chinatown, but so is Ah Sahm, putting Young Jun against his father the way he has. He's going to end up destroying the Hop Wei, as she realizes that Ah Sahm intends for himself to take control of Hop Wei, remarking that he's more like Mai Ling than he realizes. She warns him against crossing Father Jun and tells him to stop whatever he has planned.^[2]

Ending her partnership with Patterson

Ah Toy and Nellie have sex in her bed at the brothel. Afterward, they both express how surprised they are to have found themselves in this predicament. In China, Ah Toy's husband was a merchant, who she loved and sold silks to an American trading company. One time, he brought her on a trip to America to make a new deal, but someone on the boat killed him, and the men on board sought to take Ah Toy and have their way with her. But the captain protected her, and she became his concubine. When she finally arrived in America, the trading company refused to make a deal without her husband. Ah Toy had nothing to her name, but she was young and pretty, so she survived. In China, her husband had property, and he taught her that owning land is best, so she began buying property outside Chinatown with a business partner. They have a total of 200 hectares of land. But her business partner isn't strong, and she worries what may happen. And so, Nellie offers to become Ah Toy's new partner. Ah Toy then asks about another brothel, from where Nellie managed to save some of the girls, but she couldn't save them all, and the others girl were moved somewhere new. Nellie would help them too, but the police are protecting it. So, Ah Toy tells Nellie to show her where on the map.

After calling Patterson over and revealing to him that she would like to end their partnership, Ah Toy and Lai sneak into the brothel as directed by Nellie and proceed to kill the enslavers, slashing and dashing through the entire brothel until not a single man is left standing, except for one, who Lai tortures and gives a slow, painful death. After seeing how Lai is becoming cold-blooded, Ah Toy takes the girls she rescued to Nellie's vineyard and makes a last minute decision to leave Lai at the vineyard as well. No more killing. She can build a better life, but Lai wants to leave with Ah Toy, who forces her out of the carriage and threatens to turn her into a whore if she returns to the brothel.^[1]

After Mayor Blake is killed, a curfew is issued, forcing Ah Toy to close down shop. The curfew also leads Nellie to come and check up on her and invite her to the vineyard for a few days. However, they are attacked by two men named Cleaver and Hammer. Ah Toy, who is outnumbered and out-powered, takes a beating but manages to defend herself. Nellie comes to her aid again, stabbing one of her attackers in the back with a shard of glass, but he then throws her to the ground. Ah Toy witnesses this; fueled by her anger, she gains the upper hand and kills Hammer with a knife before retreating upstairs. Cleaver comes searching after her and follows the blood trail to her room, where he meets the sharp end of her sword. Ah Toy then returns downstairs to Nellie and tells her that she must leave, as she doesn't belong here and that her brothel is no place for a white woman.

After taking out his hitmen, Ah Toy breaks into Patterson's house and sits their heads on a platter. When Patterson joins her, she forces him to sign the paper to end their partnership. She warns him to leave immediately and that if she ever sees him again, she'll kill him.^[15]

When the Irish mob attacks Chinatown, Chao and Mi Ling seek refuge in Ah Toy's brothel. They head upstairs, where they find Ah Toy beaten and bruised, lying in bed. They need a doctor, but all they have is Mai Ling, who has some experience patching up wounds and sews Ah Toy's wounds. Mai Ling reveals that she was married to a warlord back in China. The men who fought for him often came back wounded, and Mai Ling patched them up the best she could. If it wasn't for his cruelty, she wouldn't know anything about sewing up wounds. Everything Ah Toy has done since coming to America, she did it so that she would never feel weak and vulnerable ever again, which is a sentiment Mai Ling can relate to. To the men attacking Chinatown, they're all the same. And if they live to see tomorrow, they can go back to the luxury of their own agendas. The tongs will go back to dicing each other, and Ah Toy will go back to selling sex. They'll both do terrible things, all because neither one of them is ever going to go back to what they were.^[16]

Following the riot, Ah Toy and Ah Sahm take a walk and get a glimpse of the aftermath, where they discover a mural has been painted of Ah Sahm. She sees the mural as an opportunity; Ah Sahm's a symbol to the people, meaning they will follow him. Chinatown needs a hero, someone to remind them who they are or who they could be. Ah Toy believes it is time for Ah Sahm to be the hero painted on the wall.

Ah Sahm checks on Ah Toy and tends to her wounds. She assures him that she took care of her attackers, but he tells her to invite him along next time, as she's never alone. Nellie unexpectedly arrives to check up on Ah Toy and bring her to her estate, but Ah Toy refuses. She's pretty certain she'll survive, but if she doesn't, she'll die in her own home. Nellie relents and decides to stay at Ah Toy's side, even as she tells Nellie she doesn't belong there. Admittedly, Ah Toy has done many bad things, but Nellie won't be intimidated.^[17]

Losing the vineyard

Ah Toy takes another trip to Sonoma, where she and Nellie lie in bed together and discuss their future, as Nellie found another property nearby. Ah Toy enjoys her time in Sonoma, and so, Nellie invites her to move in, though Ah Toy is reluctant to leave her business behind in Chinatown.^[18]

Ah Toy learns from Nellie that an old acquaintance by the name of Douglas Strickland is attempting to take her land to make way for the new California railroad. Despite Nellie claiming she'll handle it, that night, the vineyard is attacked by Strickland's men, who not only burn the fields, but burn the girls in their sleeping quarters as well. Armed with her dao, Ah Toy doesn't hesitate to rush into action. Despite killing several of the men, the damage is done, and the vineyard is burned to ashes.^[19]

Significant kills

• Victor Timmons & Lance McCormick — Ah Toy kills Timmons and McCormick after they discovered that she was in business with Leonard Patterson and attempted to use this information as leverage to charge them above asking price for the Spring Valley property.^[8]
• The Teddy Boys — Ah Toy, Lai, and Ah Sahm kill several members of this local gang after discovering that they wore cut‐off queues on their jackets and that a Chinese scalp was part of initiation.^[11]
• Cleaver & Hammer — Two hitmen that were hired by Ah Toy's former real estate partner, Patterson, to kill her after she discontinued their partnership. Although, Ah Toy was badly injured, the battle ultimately ended with her beheading the two men and leaving their heads in Patterson's home as a warning.^[15]

Skills and abilities

Ah Toy is an avenging angel adept at wielding the dao — a single-edged Chinese swords that she uses to slice and slaughter her victims with ease, such as corrupt businessmen, Chinese slavers, or even drunken Irishmen. In addition to her sword-wielding capabilities, Ah Toy is a capable fighter, managing to defend herself in hand-to-hand combat against two hitmen who were sent to kill her.

Appearances

Season 1

• The Itchy Onion
• There's No China in the Bible
• John Chinaman
• The White Mountain
• The Blood and the Sh*t (credit only)
• Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Stepped On
• The Tiger and the Fox
• They Don't Pay Us Enough to Think
• Chinese Boxing
• If You're Going to Bow, Bow Low

Season 2

• Learn to Endure, or Hire a Bodyguard
• The Chinese Connection
• Not How We Do Business
• If You Don't See Blood, You Didn't Come to Play
• Not for a Drink, a F*ck, or a G**damn Prayer
• To a Man with a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail (credit only)
• If You Wait by the River Long Enough
• All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic
• Enter the Dragon
• Man on the Wall

Season 3

• Exactly the Wrong Time to Get Proud
• Anything Short of a Blow to the Head
• No Time for F*cking Chemistry

Behind the scenes

• Ah Toy is portrayed by Olivia Cheng.
• The character, Ah Toy, is based on the first Chinese prostitute of the same name who arrived in San Francisco from Hong Kong in 1849, during the California Gold Rush.

Gallery

References