The Chinese Maze Murders

Third Chapter

The next morning Judge Dee found to his dismay that he was late. He had a hurried breakfast and then went immediately to his private office.

He saw that the room had been thoroughly cleaned. His armchair had been repaired and the desk polished. On its top all Judge Dee's favourite writing implements had been laid out with a care in which the judge recognized the hand of Sergeant Hoong.

The judge found the sergeant in the archives room. Together with Tao Gan he had swept and aired the dank place; now it smelled pleasantly of the wax they had used for polishing the red leather document boxes.

Judge Dee nodded contentedly. As he sat down behind his desk he ordered Tao Gan to fetch Ma Joong and Chiao Tai.

When all his four lieutenants were assembled before him the judge first inquired how Sergeant Hoong and Ma Joong were doing. Both said that they were none the worse for the fight of the night before. The sergeant had replaced the bandage on his head by a plaster of oil paper and Ma Joong could move his left arm again although it was still somewhat stiff.

Ma Joong reported that early that morning he and Chiao Tai had inspected the armoury of the tribunal. They had found a good collection of pikes, halberds, swords, helmets and leather jackets, but everything was old and dirty and needed a thorough polishing.

Judge Dee said slowly:

"Fang's story offers a plausible explanation for the strange situation here. If all he said is true we must act quickly before Chien has found out that I am going to turn against him and steals the first move. We must attack before he knows what is happening. As our old proverb says: 'A dangerous dog bites without first baring its teeth'!" "What shall we do with that warden?", Sergeant Hoong inquired.

"For the time being we shall leave him where he is", the judge replied. "It was a lucky inspiration that made me lock up that rascal. Evidently he is one of Chien's men. He would have run immediately to his master to tell him all about us."

Ma Joong opened his mouth to ask something but Judge Dee raised his hand. He continued:

"Tao Gan, you will now go out and collect all information you can get about Chien and his men. At the same time you will make inquiries about a wealthy citizen called Yoo Kee. He is the son of the famous Governor Yoo Shou-chien who about eight years ago died here in Lan-fang.

I myself shall now go out with Ma Joong to obtain a general impression of this town. Sergeant Hoong shall supervise affairs here in the tribunal together with Chiao Tai. The gates shall remain locked and no one is to leave or enter during my absence except for my house steward. He will go out alone to buy food.

Let us meet here again at noon!"

The judge rose and put on a small black cap. In his simple blue robe he looked like a scholarly gentleman of leisure.

He left the tribunal with Ma Joong walking by his side.

First they strolled south and had a look at the famous pagoda of Lan-fang. It stood on a small island in the middle of a lotus lake. The willow trees along its banks were waving in the morning breeze. Then they walked north and mingled with the crowd.

There was the usual coming and going of an early morning and the shops along the main street did a fair amount of business. But one heard little laughter and people often talked in a low voice, quickly looking right and left before they spoke.

When they had reached the double arch north of the tribunal Judge Dee and Ma Joong turned left and strolled to the market place in front of the Drum Tower. This market presented an interesting scene. Vendors from over the border clad in quaint gaudy costumes praised their wares in raucous voices, and here and there an Indian monk lifted up his almsbowl.

A group of idlers had gathered round a fish dealer who was having a violent quarrel with a neatly dressed young man. The latter apparently was being overcharged. Finally he threw a handful of coppers into the fishmonger's basket, shouting angrily:

"If this were a decently administered town you would not dare thus to deceive people in broad daylight!"

Suddenly a broad-shouldered man stepped forward. He jerked the young man round and hit him in his mouth.

"That will teach you to slander the Honourable Chien!", he growled.

Ma Joong was going to intervene but the judge laid a restraining hand on his arm.

The spectators hurriedly dispersed. The young man did not say a word. He wiped the blood from his mouth and went his way.

Judge Dee gave Ma Joong a sign. Together they followed the young man.

When he had entered a quiet side alley, the judge overtook him. He said:

"Excuse my intrusion. I happened to see that ruffian maltreat you. Why don't you report him to the tribunal?"

The young man stood still. He gave Judge Dee and his stalwart companion a suspicious look.

"If you are agents of Chien," he said coldly, "you can wait long before I incriminate myself!"

Judge Dee looked up and down the alley. They were alone.

"You are greatly mistaken, young man", he said quietly, "I am Dee Jen-djieh, the new magistrate of this district."

The young man's face turned ashen, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. Then he passed his hand over his forehead and mastered his emotion. He heaved a deep sigh and his face lit up in a broad smile. He bowed deeply saying respectfully:

"This person is the Junior Candidate Ding, the son of General Ding Hoo-gwo, from the capital. Your Honour's name is quite familiar to me. At long last this district has got a real magistrate!"

The judge inclined his head slightly to acknowledge the compliment.

He vaguely remembered that many years ago something untoward had happened to General Ding. He had fought a victorious battle against the barbarians across the northern border. But when he had returned to the capital the general had been unexpectedly compelled to resign. Judge Dee wondered how the general's son came to be in this distant place. He said to the young man:

"There is something very wrong in this town. I would like you to tell me more about the situation here."

Candidate Ding did not answer immediately. He remained in thought for a few moments. Then he spoke:

"These things had better not be discussed in public. Might I have the honour of offering the gentlemen a cup of tea?"

Judge Dee assented. They went to the tea house on the corner of the alley and sat down at a table somewhat apart from the other guests.

When the waiter had brought the tea young Ding said in a whisper:

"A ruthless man called Chien Mow has all the power in his hands. There is nobody here who dares to oppose him. Chien keeps about one hundred ruffians in his mansion. They have nothing to do but loaf about this town and intimidate the people."

"How are they armed?", Ma Joong asked.

"Out in the street these rascals have only clubs and swords with them, but I would not be astonished if in Chien's mansion they kept quite an arsenal."

Judge Dee asked:

"Do you often see barbarians from over the border in this town?"

Candidate Ding shook his head emphatically.

"I have never seen a single Uigur here", he replied.

"Those attacks Chien reported about to the government", Judge Dee observed to Ma Joong, "are evidently but an invention of his, to convince the authorities that he and his men are indispensable here."

Ma Joong asked:

"Have you ever been inside Chien's mansion?"

"Heaven forbid!", the young man exclaimed, "I always avoid that entire neighbourhood. Chien has surrounded his mansion with a double wall, with watchtowers on the four corners."

"How did he seize power here?", Judge Dee inquired.

"He inherited great wealth from his father", young Ding replied, "but none of his eminent qualities. His father was a native of this town, an honest and diligent man who became rich as a tea merchant. Until a few years ago the main route to Khotan and the other tributary kingdoms of the west ran through Lan-fang and this town was quite an important emporium. Then three oases along the desert route dried up and it shifted a hundred miles to the north. Chien then collected a band of ruffians around him and one day proclaimed himself master of this city.

He is a clever and determined man who could easily have been successful in an official military career. But he will obey no one, he prefers to govern this district as the undisputed ruler, responsible to no one in the Empire."

"A most unfortunate situation", Judge Dee commented. He emptied his tea cup and rose to go.

Candidate Ding hurriedly leaned forward and begged the judge to stay a little longer.

The judge hesitated but the young man looked so unhappy that at last he sat down again. Candidate Ding busied himself with refilling the tea cups. He seemed at a loss how to begin.

"If there is anything on your mind, young man", Judge Dee said, "don't hesitate to speak!"

"To tell Your Honour the truth", young Ding finally said, "there is a matter that weighs heavily on my mind. It has nothing to do with the tyrant Chien. It concerns my own family."

Here he paused. Ma Joong shifted impatiently on his chair.

Candidate Ding made an effort and continued:

"Your Honour, my old father is going to be murdered!"

Judge Dee raised his eyebrows.

"If you know that in advance", he observed, "it should not be difficult to prevent this crime!"

The young man shook his head.

"Allow me to tell the whole story. Your Honour may have heard that my poor old father was slandered by one of his subordinates, the wicked Commander Woo. He was jealous of my father's great victory in the north and although he could never prove his false accusation the Board of Military Affairs ordered my father to resign."

"Yes, I remember that affair", Judge Dee said. "Is your father also living here?"

"My father", young Ding replied, "came to this distant place partly because my late mother was a native of Lan-fang, and partly because he wished to avoid the larger cities where he might be embarrassed by meeting former colleagues. We thought that here we would be able to live in peace.

One month ago, however, I began to notice that suspicious looking men often loitered in our neighbourhood. Last week I secretly followed one of them. He went to a small wine shop in the northwest corner of the city, called 'Eternal Spring'. Who can describe my astonishment when I learned from another shop in that street that Woo Feng, the eldest son of Commander Woo, is living over that wine shop!"

Judge Dee looked doubtful.

"Why", he asked, "should Commander Woo send his son here to annoy your father? The commander has ruined your father's career. Any further mischief would only land him into trouble."

"I know what his plans are!", Candidate Ding exclaimed excitedly. "Woo knows that my father's friends in the capital have discovered evidence that the commander's accusation is pure slander. He sent his son here to kill my father and thus save his own wretched life! Your Honour does not know that man Woo Feng. He is a confirmed drunkard, a most dissolute person who likes nothing better than indulging in acts of violence. He has hired ruffians to spy on us and ha will strike as soon as he sees his chance."

"Even so", Judge Dee remarked, "I don't see how I could intervene. I can only advise you to keep an eye on Woo's movements and at the same time to take a few simple precautions in your own mansion. Is there any indication that Woo is in contact with Chien Mow?"

"No", the young man answered, "Woo apparently has made no attempt at enlisting the support of Chien. As regards precautions, my poor father has been receiving threatening letters ever since he resigned from the service. He rarely goes out and the gates of our mansion are locked and barred day and night. Moreover my father has had walled up all doors and windows of his library save one. That door has only one key which my father keeps always with him. When he is inside, he pushes a bar across the door. It is in that library that my father spends most of his time, compiling a history of the border wars."

Judge Dee told Ma Joong to note down the address of the Ding mansion. It was located not far from there, beyond the Drum Tower.

As he rose to go the judge said:

"Don't fail to report to the tribunal if there are any new developments. I have to go now, you will realize that my own position in this town is not too comfortable. As soon as I have settled with Chien I shall make a further study of your problem."

Candidate Ding thanked the judge and conducted his guests to the door of the tea shop. There he took his leave with a deep bow.

Judge Dee and Ma Joong walked back to the main street.

"That young fellow", Ma Joong observed, "reminds me of the man who insisted on wearing an iron helmet day and night because he was in constant fear that the vault of Heaven would crash down on his head!"

The judge shook his head.

"It is a very queer affair", he said pensively. "I don't like it at all."