The Emperor's Pearl

XX

The following morning, shortly after dawn, Judge Dee and Sergeant Hoong left the city by the south gate and rode out into the country. The storm of the preceding night had cleared the air, and it promised to become a beautiful, cool day.

The judge had sat up till deep in the night, drawing up a full report on the murders, to be forwarded to the higher authorities. He had slept badly. He had found it difficult to ban the tense moments in Kou's library from his mind, and he did not relish the prospect of hearing Yang's con­fession all over again, during the morning session of the tribunal.

Having risen after a fitful slumber, he had decided to make an early trip with Hoong to the Mandrake Grove in order to survey the possibility of having the forest cleared. He planned to append a proposal to that effect to his report on the murders, pointing out that the continued existence of such a place would tempt miscreants to make their lair there.

They took the short cut through the rice fields indicated by the curio-dealer. Soon the tall trees of the forest came into sight.

They easily located the white elm trees that marked the pathway leading to the ruined temple. However, they found that the tempest had played havoc there; uprooted trees had fallen across the path amidst a tangle of thick creepers and thorny shrubs, effectively barring their progress.

The two men circled the grove, looking all the time for other gaps. But they found nothing but an impenetrable wall of old trees and thick undergrowth.

At last they found themselves at the back of the deserted house. They rode along its outer wall, to the entrance. Judge Dee dismounted there. He said to the sergeant:

'Let's have a look at the grove from the walled-in garden. Four years ago Mrs Kou emerged somewhere there from among the trees. It is our last chance of finding a way to get inside!'

They passed through the tunnel-like entrance, and went to the side garden to the east of the main building.

Standing at the low wall, they scanned the forbidding mass of trees. No leaf stirred in the still morning air. Twit­tering birds flew in and out from under the eaves of the pavilion, but they shunned the forest. There everything was as quiet as the grave. A strange air of silent expectancy seemed to linger among the dark foliage.

After a long time Judge Dee shook his head. He spoke:

'No, I shan't disturb the abode of the White Goddess, after all. We shall leave her in peace, standing there in her ruined temple, in the middle of her sacred grove. There are things, Hoong, that are better let well alone. Let's go back to the city!'

As he turned round, his eye fell on a young bird that was struggling helplessly among the grass, near the wall of the pavilion. It frantically flapped its undeveloped, naked wings. Judge Dee carefully took it up in his cupped hands and said:

'Poor fellow fell out of its nest! It doesn't seem to have hurt itself, though.' Lifting his head he went on: ' Look, the nest is up there under the eaves of the pavilion, the mother is flying around it. I'll put it back.'

He climbed on the low wall and put the bird in the nest. But instead of stepping down he remained standing there. Raising himself on tiptoe, he had a close look, not heeding the mother bird that flapped anxiously round his head.

Amidst broken egg-shells three young birds were huddling close together, squeaking with wide open beaks. By their side lay an egg-shaped object. The dirt clinging to it could not conceal its shining white colour.

Judge Dee took it up with his thumb and forefinger, then stepped down. He rubbed it clean with his handkerchief. Having laid it in the palm of his left hand, he silently examined it, Sergeant Hoong looking on. It sent forth a purely white, shimmering brilliance. After a while Judge Dee said softly:

'This is the Emperor's Pearl, Hoong!'

The sergeant sucked in his breath. Bending over Judge Dee's hand he stared at the pearl. Then he asked, involun­tarily lowering his voice:

'Couldn't it be a fake, sir?'

The judge shook his head.

'No, Hoong. No one could ever imitate that perfect shape, and that unearthly white shine. Tong Mai's story was true, this is indeed the long-lost Imperial treasure. Tong was a resourceful crook, he had indeed hidden the pearl in the pavilion, but in a place where no one would discover it. When Sia searched the eaves he saw the nest, but then the eggs had not yet hatched, apparently. And we would never have found it but for this lucky chance — if it was a chance.' Letting the shining pearl move slowly in his palm, he resumed with a sigh: 'So, after all these long years, after untold human suffering, and after the shedding of so much innocent blood, this pearl shall revert to the Throne, its rightful owner.'

He reverently wrapped the pearl up in his handkerchief and put it in his bosom. Then he resumed:

'I shall hand the pearl to Mr Kou, together with an official statement signed by me saying that a murder-case prevented Kou from reporting at once that he had news about the discovery of the lost treasure. Thus Mr Kou shall travel to the capital without any misgivings, and present the pearl to the Palace. I hope that the honours the Emperor will bestow upon him, together with the recovery of Gold Lotus, will reconcile him to the loss of the Amber Lady.'

'As to her, I did her a grievous injustice, Hoong. She never had an affair with Tong Mai, and she had not planned to elope with him. She only wanted to acquire this rare treasure for Mr Kou, as a mark of her gratitude to the man who had reshaped her life, elevated her from her wretched condition to become his Second Lady, and whose child she was bearing. Tong Mai she knew only as the son of her former master, who occasionally purchased curios for her husband. She knew nothing of his foul dealings with Yang. My theory about that aspect of the case was completely wrong. I made a very big mistake, and I can do nothing to correct it. The only thing I can do is to apologize humbly to her departed soul.'

The judge stood there silently for a while, his eyes on the dark foliage of the Mandrake Grove, beyond the low garden wall. Then he turned round abruptly and motioned Sergeant Hoong to follow him. They walked back to the gatehouse, mounted their horses, and rode to Marble Bridge Village.

In the market-place the vendors were busy setting up their stalls. There were no other people about at this early hour.

A thin morning haze was hanging over the placid brown water of the Canal, its shreds drifted among the trees over­shadowing the small shrine of the River Goddess on the waterside. The old priest was sweeping the fallen leaves from the steps with a long bamboo broom.

The old man looked up indifferently as Judge Dee dis­mounted and went up the steps. Obviously he did not recog­nize him as the magistrate.

Blue clouds curled up from the incense burner on the altar, filling the shrine with a subtle fragrance. Through the clouds the judge could vaguely see the face of the goddess, her lips curved in a faint smile.

Standing there with his arms folded in his wide sleeves and looking up at the still face, he let the events of the last two days pass before his mind's eye. There had been strange coincidences. But did there really exist such a thing as a coincidence? How little did he really know about the minds and motives of his fellow-men ! Could he ever dare then to try to understand the powers on high that disposed their destinies?

He said, softly:

'You are only a man-made idol, but you stand as a symbol of what man cannot know, and is not destined to know. As such, I make my humble bow to you.'

When he had righted himself and turned to go he found the old priest standing behind him. He felt in his sleeve for a few coppers. Suddenly his fingers closed round a silver piece. He took it out and regarded it for a while, deep in sombre thought. It was the same silver piece the Amber Lady had given to him.

He handed it to the priest and said:

'On the fifth of every month you shall burn a stick of incense here, and offer a prayer for the rest of the soul of Mrs Kou, personal name Amber.'

The old man accepted the silver with a respectful bow. He went to the side-table and opened the bulky register lying there. After he had wetted the worn-down writing brush, he laboriously entered the donation in the book, his grey head bent close to the yellowish page.

Judge Dee went out and descended the stairs. He took the reins from Sergeant Hoong and swung himself on his horse.

Suddenly the old priest appeared at the head of the steps, still holding the writing brush in his wrinkled hand. He asked in a quavering voice:

'What name shall I enter for the donor, revered sir? And what is the gentleman's honourable profession?'

Turning round in the saddle the judge replied shortly:

'Just write: Dee from Tai-yuan.' Then he added with a rueful sigh: 'A student.'