The Chinese Maze Murders

Fifth Chapter

Shortly after midnight loud sounds shattered the silence in the dark tribunal.

Hoarse voices shouted orders, weapons clattered. A ram was applied to the main gate; its dull thuds reverberated in the still night air.

But inside the tribunal nothing stirred.

The wood of the gate splintered, heavy wooden boards crashed to the ground. Twenty ruffians swinging clubs and brandishing spears and swords rushed inside. A huge fellow with a lighted torch led the way.

They poured into the first courtyard, shouting:

"Where is that dog-official? Where is that wretched magistrate?"

The big fellow kicked open the gate of the main courtyard and stood aside to let the others pass while he drew his sword.

The ruffians halted inside, for the place was pitch dark.

Suddenly all six doors of the large reception hall swung open. The courtyard was brilliantly lighted by dozens of large candles and lanterns that stood arranged in double rows inside.

The invaders, their eyes blinking from this sudden change from dark to light, vaguely saw soldiers lined up on left and right. The light shone on their helmets and the long points of their pikes, leveled for action. At the bottom of the stairs they saw a row of constables with drawn swords.

On top of the stairs there stood an imposing figure clad in full ceremonial dress of shimmering brocade, the winged judge's cap on his head.

By his side there stood two tall men in the uniform of cavalry captains. Their breast and armplates glittered and coloured pennants fluttered from their pointed helmets. One held a heavy bow ready with an arrow on the string.

The judge called out in a thunderous voice:

"Here is the magistrate of Lan-fang! Surrender your arms!"

The huge ruffian with the naked sword was the first to recover from his surprise.

"Fight your way out!", he yelled to the others.

As he lifted his word he fell backwards with a horrible gasp. Chiao Tai's arrow had pierced his throat.

At the same time a hoarse command rang out from the hall.

"Right about… turn!"

Immediately there was a loud clanking of iron and the tramping of heavy feet.

The ruffians looked at each other in consternation. One of them leaped forward. He shouted at the others:

"Brothers, we are done for! The army is here!"

So speaking he threw down his pike in front of the stairs. As he unbuckled his sword belt he said:

"Well, it took me six years to become a corporal. I suppose I shall have to start as private again!"

Ma Joong barked:

"Who calls himself a corporal here?"

The man stood automatically at attention.

"Corporal Ling, sixth detachment foot soldiers, thirty-third army of the Left Wing. At yours orders, Captain!"

"All deserters out in front!", Ma Joong shouted.

CHIEN MOW'S MEN INVADE THE TRIBUNAL

Five men lined themselves up behind the corporal and awkwardly stood at attention.

Ma Joong said curtly:

"You men shall appear before the military tribunal." In the meantime the other ruffians had handed their arms to the constables. They bound each man's hands behind his back.

The judge spoke:

"Captain, ask how many other deserters there are around

in this town."

Ma Joong bellowed the question at the ex-corporal.

"About forty, Sir!" Judge Dee stroked his beard.

"When you people have gone on to inspect the other border districts", he said to Ma Joong, "I would like to have some soldiers here on guard duty. You will propose to the Commander, Captain, that those deserters are re-enlisted."

Ma Joong barked immediately:

"Corporal Ling and five privates, go back wherever you came from, get rid of those civilian rags, present yourselves here tomorrow at noon sharp, uniform and equipment as per regulation!"

The six men shouted "We obey!" and marched off. Judge Dee gave a sign. The constables led the prisoners to the jail where Tao Gan was waiting for them.

Tao Gan noted down their names. The fifteenth and last was none other than the dismissed warden. Tao Gan's face lit up in a broad grin.

"You were quite right, you bastard! You are indeed back here earlier than I thought!"

So speaking Tao Gan turned him round and send him

back into his former cell with an accurately placed kick.

In the main courtyard, the newly-made soldiers recruited by Fang had shouldered their pikes, and marched off to the quarters of the guards.

Judge Dee saw that they marched in good order. He said with a smile to Ma Joong:

"That is not bad for one afternoon's drill!"

The judge came down the steps. Two constables closed the doors of the reception hall. Sergeant Hoong emerged loaded with old pans, kettles and rusty chains.

Judge Dee remarked:

"You have a fine commanding voice, Sergeant!"

Early next morning when the sun had just risen, three men left the tribunal on horseback.

Judge Dee rode in the middle clad in hunting dress. Ma Joong and Chiao Tai, resplendent in their uniforms of cavalry captains rode by his side.

As they headed west the judge turned round in his saddle and looked at the large yellow banner that was waving from the roof of the tribunal. It bore an inscription in red letters: "Military Headquarters".

"My ladies worked on that banner till deep in the night!", Judge Dee said with a smile to his companions.

They rode straight to Chien Mow's mansion.

Four stalwart figures armed with halberds stood in front of the gate.

Ma Joong reined in his horse right in front of them. He pointed with his riding whip at the door, and ordered:

"Open up!"

Evidently the deserters who had been sent back the night before had spread the news about the arrival of the soldiers. The guards hesitated but for one moment. Then they threw open the gate and Judge Dee and his leutenants rode through.

In the first courtyard a few dozen men stood about in groups talking excitedly. They immediately fell silent and cast an apprehensive glance at the three horsemen. Those who carried swords hurriedly tried to conceal these weapons in the folds of their robes.

The three rode on without looking right or left.

Ma Joong forced his horse up the four steps that led to the second courtyard, followed by the judge and Chiao Tai.

Corporal Ling was supervising about thirty men who were busily engaged in polishing swords and spears and oiling leather jackets.

Without stopping Ma Joong called out to the corporal:

"Follow with ten privates!"

The third courtyard was deserted but for a few servants who scurried away when they saw the three horsemen.

Ma Joong rode up to the large building at the back, the hoofs of his horse clattering on the flagstones. The beautifully carved, red-lacquered doors indicated that this was the main hall of the mansion.

They dismounted and threw the reins to three of the corporal's men.

Ma Joong kicked open the central door with his iron boot and stepped inside followed by his two companions.

Evidently they interrupted an urgent conference. Three men were sitting close together in the centre of the hall. In the middle, a tall broad-shouldered man sat in a large armchair covered with a tiger skin. He had a heavy-jowled, imperious face, with a thin moustache and a short black beard. He seemed to have just left his bed; he still wore a night robe of white silk, and over it a loose house robe of purple brocade. His head was covered with a small black cap. The two others, both elderly men, were sitting opposite him on footstools of carved ebony. They also apparently had dressed in a hurry.

The hall had a most warlike appearance, it resembled an armoury rather than a reception hall. The walls were decorated with spears, pikes and shields, the floor was covered with the skins of wild animals.

MA JOONG AND CHIAO TAI ARREST A CRIMINAL

The three men looked up at the intruders in speechless amazement. Judge Dee did not say a word. He walked straight to an empty armchair and sat down. Ma Joong and Chiao Tai planted themselves right in front of Chien Mow and gave him a baleful look.

Chien's two counsellors hastily left their footstools and retreated behind their master's armchair.

The judge addressed Ma Joong in a casual voice:

"Captain, the town is under martial law. So I leave it to you to deal with these rascals!"

Ma Joong turned round.

"Corporal Ling!", he bellowed.

The corporal hurriedly stepped over the threshold, followed by four of his men. Ma Joong asked:

"Which of these criminals is the traitor Chien Mow?"

The corporal pointed to the man in the armchair.

Ma Joong snapped:

"Chien Mow, you are arrested on the charge of sedition!"

Chien jumped up. He stood in front of Ma Joong and shouted in a voice that yielded nothing to Ma Joong's in harshness:

"Who is giving orders in my own house? Guards, cut them down!"

As he spoke Ma Joong struck him with his mailed fist full in the face. Chien fell down upsetting an elegant tea table that crashed to the floor together with a costly porcelain tea set.

Six fierce looking ruffians came rushing from behind the large screen back in the hall. They carried long swords and their leader brandished a double axe.

They suddenly halted when they saw Ma Joong and Chiao Tai in their full armour. Ma Joong folded his arms. He gruffly addressed the body guards:

"Give up your arms! Our commander will decide later whether you underlings are guilty or not."

Chien's nose had been broken, a stream of blood stained his robe. He lifted his head and called out:

"Don't listen to that bastard, men! Have you not eaten my rice for ten years? First kill that dog-official there!"

The leader of the body guard sprang over to the judge raising his axe.

Judge Dee did not move. He slowly caressed his side whiskers staring contemptuously at his attacker.

"Wait, brother Wang!", Corporal Ling shouted, "did I not tell you that the whole town is swarming with soldiers? We have not got a chance, the army has taken over!"

The man with the axe hesitated.

Chiao Tai stamped his foot impatiently on the floor.

"Let us get a move on!", he cried. "We have better things to do than picking up these few rascals!"

He turned round and made to step outside.

Chien Mow had lost consciousness. Ma Joong, completely ignoring the body guards, stooped down and started to bind up Chien.

Judge Dee rose from his chair. As he straightened his robes he said coldly to the man with the axe:

"Put that dangerous instrument down, my man!"

He turned his back on him and looked hard at the two counsellors. They had stood there silently throughout the proceedings. Evidently they did not want to commit themselves either way before the issue was decided.

"Who might you two be?", the judge asked haughtily.

The elder one bowed deeply.

"Your Honour", he replied, "this person has been compelled to serve this man Chien as a counsellor. Allow me to assure Your Honour that…"

"You will tell your tale in the tribunal!", Judge Dee interrupted him. To Ma Joong he said: "Let us hurry back to the tribunal. We shall take only this man Chien Mow and his two counsellors. We shall deal later with the rest of them." Ma Joong said promptly:

"As you order, Magistrate!"

He gave a sign to Corporal Ling. The four soldiers bound the two counsellors securely. Chiao Tai unwound a thin chain from his waist. He made a loop at either end and threw the nooses over the heads of the two prisoners. He dragged them outside. As he fastened the chain to his saddle bow Chiao Tai said curtly:

"If you don't want to strangle yourselves you had better walk fast!"

Chiao Tai mounted his horse and Judge Dee followed his example. Ma Joong slung the unconscious Chien Mow over his saddle. He called out to Corporal Ling:

"Divide your soldiers in four groups of twelve. Each group is responsible for ten of Chien's men. Go to the city gates and lock your prisoners in the towers. At noon an officer shall inspect the four gates!"

"I obey!", the corporal shouted.

The three rode across the courtyard, the two counsellors trotting behind Chiao Tai's horse.

In the second courtyard an elderly man with a grey goatee was waiting for them. He fell on his knees and knocked his head on the stoneflags.

Judge Dee halted his horse. He said curtly:

"Rise and state your name!"

The other hastily scrambled up. He replied with a bow:

"This unworthy person is the steward of this mansion."

Judge Dee ordered:

"You will be fully responsible for this mansion and everything in it, including the servants and the womenfolk, till officers from the tribunal come to take over!"

Then the judge rode on.

Ma Joong bent over in his saddle and asked the steward in a conversational tone:

"Have you ever seen how in the army they sometimes flog a criminal slowly to death with a thin rattan? It usually takes about six hours."

The bewildered steward respectfully replied that he had not yet had that advantage.

"That is exactly what will happen to you if you don't execute His Excellency's orders to the letter!", Ma Joong said casually. He spurred on his horse, leaving the steward standing there trembling, his face ashen.

As the three horsemen passed through the main gate of Chien's mansion, the four guards presented arms.