The Chinese Lake Murders

Nineteenth Chapter

The next morning held the promise of an exceptionally fine summer day. Overnight a cool mist had come down from the mountains, its freshness lingered on in the sunny morning air.

Sergeant Hoong expected to find Judge Dee out on the terrace. But as he was about to climb the stairs leading up to the second floor, he met a clerk who told him that the judge was in his private office.

Hoong was startled when he saw him. He was sitting hunched over his desk, staring ahead of him with red-rimmed eyes. The stale air in the room, and Judge Dee's rumpled robe, indicated that he hadn't gone to bed at all but had passed the entire night at his desk. Noticing the sergeant's disconcerted look, Judge Dee said with a wan smile:

"Last night, after I had sent our two braves to the capital, I found I couldn't sleep at all. Therefore I stayed at my desk here, and again went over the entire situation as we have it now. Our discovery of the secret headquarters of Han Yung-han, and the subterranean connection thereof with Liu Fei-po's garden, have proved that both Han and Liu play an important role in a criminal com-plot. I can tell you now, Hoong, that it is a conspiracy directed against our Imperial House, and with ramifications all over the Empire. The situation is serious but, as I have reason to hope, not yet beyond remedy. I suppose that by now my report is in the hands of the President of the Metropolitan Court, and no doubt the government will instantly take all necessary measures."

The judge took a sip from his tea, then continued:

"Last night one link was still missing. I vaguely remembered that in the course of the last few days I had once noticed a small incongruity. It had struck me momentarily, but thereafter I clean forgot it. It had been a trifling thing, yet last night I suddenly felt that it was very important, and that it would prove to supply the missing part of my puzzle, if I could only remember it!"

"Did Your Honor find it?" the sergeant asked eagerly.

"Yes," the judge replied, "I did! This morning, just before dawn, it suddenly came to my mind-but only when the cocks started crowing! Did you ever pause to think, Hoong, that the cocks crow even before the first rays of dawn make their appearance? Animals have sharp senses, Hoong! Well, open the window, and tell the clerk to bring me a bowl of rice, with some pickled green pepper and salted fish; I feel like eating something appetizing. And make me a large pot of strong tea!"

"Will there be a session of the tribunal this morning, Your Honor?" Hoong asked.

"No," replied the judge. "As soon as Ma Joong and Chiao Tai are back, we shall go and visit Han Yung-han and Councilor Liang. I would like to do so right now, for time presses. But inasmuch as the murder of the courtesan has proved to be an affair of national importance, I, a mere district magistrate, am no longer competent to deal with it as I see fit. I can't take further steps without instructions from the capital. We can only hope that Ma Joong and Chiao Tai will come back soon!"

After he had finished his breakfast Judge Dee sent Sergeant Hoong to the chancery to supervise there, together with Tao Gan, the routine business. He himself went upstairs to the terrace.

He stood for a while at the marble balustrade, surveying the peaceful scene at his feet. Countless small fishing craft crowded alongside the quay, and on the road along the lead-gray lake there was a busy traffic of farmers carrying meat and vegetables to the city. As usual, the industrious countryfolk went quietly about their business; even an impending insurrection could not interrupt their ceaseless toil for their daily bowl of rice.

The judge dragged an armchair into a shadowy corner of the terrace and sat down. Soon his lack of sleep asserted itself: he dozed off.

He didn't wake up until Sergeant Hoong came, carrying a tray with his noon meal. Judge Dee got up, walked over to the balustrade and gazed into the distance, shading his eyes with his fan. But there was no sign of Ma Joong and Chiao Tai. He said, disappointed:

"They ought to be back by now, Hoong!"

"Perhaps the authorities wanted to question them, Your Honor," the sergeant said reassuringly.

Judge Dee shook his head with a worried look. He quickly ate his rice, then went down to his private office. Hoong and Tao Gan sat down opposite him, and together they set to work on the papers that had come in that morning.

After they had been at it for half an hour, heavy footsteps resounded in the corridor. Ma Joong and Chiao Tai entered, looking' hot and tired.

"Heaven be thanked that you are back!" Judge Dee exclaimed. "Did you see the President?"

"We did, Your Honor," Ma Joong said in a hoarse voice. "We handed him the document roll, and he glanced it through in our presence."

"What did he say?" the judge asked tensely.

Ma Joong shrugged his shoulders. He replied:

"He rolled the documents up, put them in his sleeve and ordered us to tell Your Honor that he would study them in due time."

Judge Dee's face fell. This was bad news. He had, of course, not expected that the President would discuss the matter with his assistants, but neither had he expected so casual a reaction. After some reflection he said:

"Well, I am glad anyway that nothing happened to you two!"

Ma Joong pushed the heavy iron helmet back from his perspiring brow. He said dejectedly:

"No, nothing really happened, but I still think that things don't look too good, Your Honor! This morning, when we had passed through the west gate of the capital, two men on horseback overtook us, both elderly men. They said they were tea merchants on their way to the western provinces, and asked whether they might join us as far as Han-yuan. They spoke civilly enough, and they carried no arms, so what could we do but say yes? But the elder one had such a thoroughly mean look that I felt shivers up my spine every time I caught his eye! They didn't make any trouble, however, although they were remarkably silent all the way."

"You were tired," Judge Dee remarked. "Probably you were a bit oversuspicious."

"That wasn't all, Your Honor!" Chiao Tai now said. "Half an hour later a group of about thirty horsemen emerged from a side road. Their leader said they also were merchants, and also on their way to the western provinces! Well, if those were merchants, then I am a nursemaid! I seldom saw such a fine collection of assorted ruffians, and I am certain they carried swords concealed under their robes. However, since they took the lead and went to ride in front of us, it didn't look too bad. But when after another half hour or so another thirty self-styled merchants came and joined us, and brought up the rear of our cavalcade, Brother Ma and I thought that we were in for trouble."

The judge had straightened in his chair. He looked fixedly at Chiao' Tai as he continued:

"Since we had delivered the document, we didn't worry. We thought that if the feast started, at least one of us should be able to fight his way through to the roadside, take to the field and fetch help from a military post. But what makes it look so bad is that the fellows didn't attack us at all. They were completely sure of themselves; they evidently had larger things in mind than killing two messengers! Their only aim was apparently to prevent us from raising the alarm. But we could hardly have raised any alarm, for all the guard posts we passed were deserted! Not a soldier in sight, all along the road! When we were rounding the lake, the men started to melt away in groups of five or six, and when we entered the town we had only those two elderly fellows with us. We told them they were arrested, and took them here to the tribunal. But they didn't seem to mind that at all; the insolent rascals said they would like to speak to Your Honor!"

"Those sixty scoundrels who rode with us are but one column of the rebels, Your Honor!" Ma Joong added. "When we were approaching the town I saw in the distance two long files of horsemen riding through the mountains, heading for the city. They probably think they can take us by surprise! But our tribunal is solidly built and occupies a strategic position; we can easily defend it!"

Judge Dee crashed his fist on the table.

"Heaven knows why the government didn't take any action on my report!" he exclaimed angrily. "But whatever happens, those despicable rebels won't be able to take my town so easily! They haven't got battering rams, and we can dispose of about thirty able men. How are we standing with our stores of arms, Chiao Tai?"

"There are plenty of arrows in the armory, Your Honor!" Chiao Tai said with enthusiasm. "I think we can hold them off at least one day or so, and give them a bad time too!"

"Bring those two miserable traitors here!" Judge Dee ordered Ma Joong. "They think they can make a deal with me! Han-yuan is their headquarters; they hope I'll hand the town over to them without a fight. We'll show them how wrong they are! But first we'll make those two scoundrels tell us how many men the rebels have, and where their positions are! Get them here!"

Ma Joong left the room with a happy grin.

He came back with two gentlemen in long blue robes and wearing black skullcaps. The elder one was tall; he had a cold, expressionless face with a thin, ragged ring beard. His heavy-lidded eyes were half-closed. The other was a thickset man with a sharp, sardonic face. He had a jet-black mustache and a stiff, short beard. He looked at the judge and his four lieutenants with watchful, very bright eyes.

But Judge Dee stared only at the elder man, speechless with astonishment. A few years earlier, when he was serving in the Cabinet Archives in the capital, he had once seen this dreaded person, from a distance. Someone had then told him his name, in a frightened whisper.

The tall man raised his head and let his queer, slate-colored eyes rest for a while on the judge. Then he made a move with his head in the direction of Judge Dee's assistants. The judge motioned the four men peremptorily to leave them alone.

Ma Joong and Chiao Tai looked dumfoundedly at the judge, but as he nodded impatiently they shuffled to the door, followed by Sergeant Hoong and Tao Gan.

The two newcomers sat down in the pair of high-backed armchairs that stood against the side wall, reserved for important visitors. Judge Dee knelt down in front of them, and touched the floor three times with his forehead.

The elder man took a fan from his sleeve. Leisurely fanning himself, he said in a curious, flat voice to his companion:

"This is the Magistrate Dee. It took him two months to discover that here in Han-yuan, in his own district, in his own town, a treacherous conspiracy had its headquarters. Apparently, he is unaware of the fact that a magistrate is supposed to know what is going on in his district."

"He doesn't even know what is going on in his own tribunal, sir!" the other said. "He blithely states in his report that the rebels have a spy among his personnel. Criminal negligence, sir!"

The elder man heaved a resigned sigh.

"As soon as these young officials get appointed outside the capital," he remarked dryly, "they at once start to take things easy. Lack of control by their immediate superiors, I suppose. Remind me that we summon the Prefect of this region; I'll have to speak to him about this disgraceful affair."

There was a pause. Judge Dee remained silent. One spoke to this exalted person only when asked to. And it was his duty to blame and criticize. For the elder man, although officially ranking as an Imperial Censor, was in reality the Grand Inquisitor, the formidable Chief of the Imperial Secret Service. He was called Meng Kee, a name that made the highest metropolitan officials shiver in their gold-embroidered robes. Fiercely loyal, completely incorruptible, of inhuman, detached cruelty, this man was invested with practically unlimited authority. He represented in his person the final check, the ultimate control on the colossal apparatus of the Imperial civil and military service.

"Fortunately, you were, as always, diligent, sir!" the bearded man said. "When ten days ago our agents reported rumors about the White Lotus being revived in the provinces, the Generalissimo was informed and immediately took all necessary measures. And when this Magistrate Dee at last woke up from his comfortable slumber and reported that the headquarters were located here in Han-yuan, the Imperial Guards took up positions in the mountains and around the lake. They never yet have caught you napping, sir!"

"We do the little we can!" the Censor said. "It's the local officials that are the weakest link in our administration. The rebellion will be crushed, but with considerable bloodshed. If this man Dee had been more diligent about his duties, we could have immediately arrested the leaders, and crushed the insurrection in the bud." Suddenly his voice rang out with a metallic ring as he directly addressed the judge: "You made at least four inexcusable mistakes, Dee! First, you let Liu Fei-po escape, although you yourself state that you suspected him. Second, you allow one of the rebel agents to be murdered in your own jail, before you extract information from him. Third, you kill Wang when you should have captured him alive so as to question him. And fourth, you send an incomplete report to the capital, with the key missing. Speak up, Dee, where is that key document?"

"This person confesses his guilt!" Judge Dee said. "He doesn't have the document, but he assumes that-"

"Spare me your theories, Dee!" the Censor cut him short. "I repeat, where is that document?"

"In the house of Councilor Liang, Excellency!" Judge Dee answered.

The Censor jumped up.

"Have you taken leave of your senses, Dee?" he asked angrily. "You shall not cast doubt on Councilor Liang's integrity!"

"This person confesses his guilt!" the judge repeated, giving the formula required by etiquette. "The Councilor was unaware of what went on in his house."

"He tries to gain time, sir!" the bearded man said disgustedly. "Let's arrest him and throw him in his own jail!"

The Grand Inquisitor made no response. He started walking up and down, angrily swinging his long sleeves. Then he halted in front of the kneeling judge. He asked curtly:

"How did that document come to be in the Councilor's house?"

"It was removed to there by the leader of the White Lotus, Excellency, for greater safety," Judge Dee replied. "This person proposes respectfully that Your Excellency's men occupy the Councilor's mansion and arrest everybody they find there, without the Councilor himself or anyone outside knowing it. Then I wanted to send a messenger to Han Yung-han and Kang Choong, pretending to come from the Councilor, and informing them that the Councilor wishes to see them immediately on an urgent matter. I propose that then Your Excellency proceed there too, allowing me to act as Your Honor's attendant."

"Why all the tomfoolery, Dee?" the Censor asked. "The town is in the hands of my men; I shall have Han Yung-han and Kang Choong arrested at once. Then we shall go all together to the Councilor's house. I shall explain to the Councilor, and you shall show us where the document is!"

"This person wanted to make certain," Judge Dee said, "that the leader of the White Lotus didn't escape. I suspect Han Yung-han, Liu Fei-po and Kang Choong, but I don't know what role they play in the conspiracy. Perhaps the leader is quite a different person, so far unknown to us. The arrest of the others might warn him, and he might flee."

The Censor thought for a while, slowly pulling at the thin fringe round his chin. Then he said to the other:

"Let our men bring Han and Kang to the Councilor's house. See to it that it's done in complete secrecy!"

The bearded man frowned; he didn't seem to agree. But as the Censor made an impatient gesture, he quickly got up and left the room without a word.

"You may rise, Dee!" the Censor said. He resumed his seat, pulled a roll of documents from his sleeve and started to read.

Judge Dee made a gesture toward the tea table. He said diffidently:

"May this person have the honor of offering Your Excellency a cup of tea?"

The Censor looked up from his papers with an annoyed air. He said haughtily:

"You may not. I eat and drink only what has been prepared by my own men."

He resumed his reading. The judge remained standing, his arms straight at his sides, as prescribed by Court rules. He never knew how long he stood there. His initial feeling of relief when he knew that the Imperial Government had taken instant and adequate measures against the rebellion now made place for an increasing anxiety about the correctness of his theories. With feverish haste he

A DANGEROUS CRIMINAL IS ARRESTED

tried again to survey all possibilities, searching for a clue that he might have overlooked, for a conclusion that was not completely justified.

A dry cough roused him from his thoughts. The Censor put the documents back in his sleeve, stood up and said:

"It's time, Dee. How far is the Liang mansion from here?"

"Only a short walk, Your Excellency."

"Then we shall go there on foot so as not to attract attention," the Censor decided.

Outside in the corridor Ma Joong and Chiao Tai gave the judge an unhappy look. The judge smiled at them reassuringly and said quickly:

"I am going out. You two will guard the front gate, and Hoong and Tao Gan shall keep an eye on the back door. Don't let anybody go in or out until I am back."

In the street there was the usual bustle of the crowd going about its business. Judge Dee was not astonished. He knew the terrible efficiency of the secret service; no one would have noticed that the town was in their hands. He strode along quickly, the Censor close behind him. No one paid any attention to these two men in their plain blue robes.

The door of the Liang mansion was opened by a thin man with an impassive face. The judge had not seen him before; evidently the Inquisitor's men had taken over the house. The man said respectfully to the Censor:

"The members of this household have been arrested. The two guests have arrived; they are with the Councilor in his library."

Then he led them silently through the semiobscure corridors.

When Judge Dee entered the dim library he saw the old Councilor sitting in the armchair behind the red-lacquered desk in front of the window. In the armchairs against the wall opposite he saw Han Yung-han and Kang Choong, sitting very straight.

The old Councilor lifted his heavy head. Pushing his eyeshade up a little, he looked in the direction of the door.

"More visitors!" he mumbled.

Judge Dee stepped up to the desk and made a deep bow. The Censor remained standing by the door.

"I am the magistrate, Excellency," the judge said. "Please excuse this abrupt visit. By Your Excellency's leave I only wanted-"

"Be brief, Dee!" The old man spoke wearily. "It's time that I retire for taking my medicine." His heavy head sagged forward.

The judge had put his hand in the goldfish basin. He quickly felt under the water the pedestal of the small statue. The goldfish swam round excitedly, their cool, small bodies slipping past his hand. He felt that the upper part of the pedestal could be turned round. It was a lid; the statue of the Flower Fairy was its handle. He lifted it up; a copper cylinder became visible, its rim just above the water. He put his hand inside, and took from it a small document roll, its protecting flap consisted of purple brocade.

The Councilor, Han and Kang Choong sat very still. "Sit down!" the myna bird in the silver cage screeched suddenly.

Judge Dee went over to the door and handed the roll to the Censor. He whispered:

"This is the key document!"

The Grand Inquisitor unrolled it, and quickly read through the be ginning. Judge Dee turned round and surveyed the room. The old Councilor sat still as a graven image, looking at the goldfish basin. Han and Kang Choong stared at the tall men by the door.

The Censor gave a sign with his hand. Suddenly the corridor was crowded with Imperial Guards in their shining gold armor. He pointed at Han Yung-han and Kang Choong, saying:

"Seize me those men!" As the soldiers poured inside, the Censor continued to Judge Dee: "Han Yung-han does not occur on this list, but we'll arrest him anyway. Follow me; I shall offer our apologies to His Excellency."

The judge held him back. He quickly went up to the desk himself. Bending over the table, he ripped the eyeshade from the Councilor's forehead. Then he said sternly:

"Rise, Liu Fei-po! I accuse you of having foully murdered the Imperial Councilor Liang Meng-kwang!"

The man behind the table slowly got up. He righted himself and squared his broad shoulders. Despite the false beard and whiskers, and the paint, it was easy to recognize the imperious face of Liu Fei-po. He didn't look at his accuser; his burning eyes were fixed on Han Yung-han, who was being put in chains by the soldiers.

"I have killed your paramour, Han!" Liu called out to him in a sneering voice. With his left hand he lifted up his beard in a taunting gesture.

"Arrest the man!" the Censor barked at the soldiers.

Judge Dee stood aside as four men came to the table, the one in front swinging a rope. Liu stepped up to them with folded arms.

Suddenly Liu Fei-po's right hand shot from his sleeve. There was a flash of a knife, then blood spurted from his throat. He swayed on his feet; then his tall shape collapsed on the floor.

The leader of the White Lotus, the pretender to the Dragon Throne, had himself put an end to his life.