Poisoned Bride and Other Judge Dee Mysteries (13 page)

As soon as Manager Loo had seen the new arrival, he stood up to greet him and said with a smile:

“It is said that if you are eager to sell a chicken, it is hard to find a man who wants one. But you are lucky. Only a few days ago you commissioned me to sell your silk, and here I have a buyer for you already”. Then he told merchant Djao Judge Dee’s story.

Merchant Djao had seated himself in the mean time. While Manager Loo was talking he had given Judge Dee a good look. Then he said with a wry smile:

“It is quite true that I want to sell my goods. But I fear that this gentleman here has no real intention of buying”.

The tall fellow immediately answered him with a still deeper bow and said respectfully:

“Your Excellency, please remain seated. This insignificant person has delayed too long in paying you a courtesy visit, for which I implore your pardon”.

This speech amazed the judge still more, for apparently this man Djao knew exactly who he was.

“Elder brother”, Judge Dee said, “what makes you address me like this? Are we not all businessmen who are wont to talk as equals? What is your honourable name?”

“My surname”, the other answered, “is Djao, and my name Wan-chuan. I am a much-travelled man. I have traversed the Empire from north to south and moreover am conversant with the art of physiognomy. Now what might be Your Excellency’s business here? May I respectfully ask your honourable name and inquire what your official position is at present? Would I be far wrong if I took it that you are now the magistrate of some district or other?”

On hearing this Judge Dee felt greatly ashamed, for evidently he had played his role as merchant very badly. However it was too late to go on pretending, so he said sharply:

“If you know exactly who I am, you cannot be ignorant of the case that brought me here!” Then he gave Ma Joong a secret sign. Ma Joong jumped forward shouting:

“You dog of a robber, did you think you could escape by fleeing to this place? Now our judge has come here himself to arrest you. We shall drag you to the tribunal in chains!”

Then he placed himself in front of the door to prevent Djao from escaping and crouched in the wrestler’s stance to hurl himself on the tall fellow.

Manager Loo, seeing these sudden developments, thought he was having a bad dream. He cried: “Gentlemen, gentlemen, this is a decent shop. We cannot have fisticuffs here!”

He had hardly finished speaking when Djao Wan-chuan had rolled up his sleeves, and cursing Judge Dee and Ma Joong for a corrupt official and his running-dog, he sprang towards Ma Joong swift as an arrow, aiming a long blow at his heart region, using the stance called “a tiger clawing at a sheep”. But Ma Joong dodged the blow by withdrawing one step to the left, a trick called “enticing the tiger out his forest”; at the same time he hit Djao’s outstretched arm a sharp blow with two fingers exactly on the vein inside the elbow. Djao’s right arm was temporarily lamed, his attack was stemmed, and he was trying to regain his stance when Ma Joong followed up his success with a sharp blow below Djao’s ribs. Now Djao was fully aware that he had an expert opponent and went on strictly according to rules. Using his lamed arm to protect his body, he quickly caught Ma Joong’s right wrist with his left arm. But before Djao could twist his arm and place a kick, Ma Joong quickly countered with the trick called: “The Phoenix bird spreading its wings”; he sprang two feet in the air, thus loosening Djao’s grip, at the same time aiming a left kick at his face. Djao, however, had expected this move; he quickly ducked between Ma Joong’s legs before he had come down and threw him on the floor with a crash.
[Note 5]

Judge Dee, seeing his lieutenant floored, thought that all was lost and that Djao would now make his getaway. Just while he was debating what to do, a man of about thirty burst into the room, with shoulders broad as a bear, and a waist as slim as that of a tiger. He gave Ma Joong and Djao Wan-chuan one look, shouting:

“Stop it, brother Djao! This is a friend of mine!” And to Ma Joong he said: “Brother Ma, how did you come here? Why are you fighting with one of our brothers?”

As he spoke he helped Ma Joong up. Ma Joong smiled all over when he saw the newcomer, and said:

“Elder brother, so we meet again! But before we say one other word, let us first make sure that this ruffian here does not escape. He is being sought for murder!”

The newcomer told Djao to stay right where he was. He ordered the crowd of onlookers that had assembled at the door to make themselves scarce and then said to Ma Joong:

“This Djao Wan-chuan is an old friend of mine. Why are you fighting with him. What is this talk about a murder?”

“That”, Ma Joong said, “is a long story. But first I must tell you that this is my master, the district magistrate of Chang-ping, His Excellency Judge Dee”.

The newcomer hastily knelt down before the Judge, saying: “Your Honour is the famous magistrate of the neighbouring district. Please forgive my remissness in not recognising you earlier”. Judge Dee made him rise, and said:

“You are not under my jurisdiction, my man, and you need not be so ceremonial. Please sit down and tell me who you are, and in what way you are connected with my lieutenant Ma Joong and this fellow Djao?”

“My humble surname”, the newcomer said, “is Djiang and my name Djung. Formerly I was a brother of the green woods, and together with Ma Joong here studied under the same master the arts of boxing and fencing. Soon, however, I found that wild life not to my taste. I thought I could use my strength for a more worthy cause. I settled down in this village and soon was elected as the local warden.

“As to this Djao Wan-chuan, he is a man of Kiangsu province. He used to study under my father who taught him medicine, boxing, and the art of physiognomy. He led a roving existence for a time, but then inherited some money from an aunt and set up in the silk business. He did very well, travelling all over the Empire as a representative of a large firm. He often comes here on business. He always stays at my place. Today we were just having a small gambling game together, when Djao was called away by the clerk here. When he stayed away so long, I came here to see what had happened to him.

“I can personally guarantee that Djao is an honest man, although he may be quick-tempered. If he had killed somebody in a fight, he would have given himself up. He certainly would not have fled here and stayed with me, without saying a word about this affair.”

“Your Honour, there is no reason to doubt. Since brother Djiang has guaranteed that this man Djao is an honest merchant, it is certain that he is not implicated in this case. Perhaps he himself can give an adequate explanation of how he happened to have the bales of the murdered man”.

“Brother Djao”, Warden Djiang said, “report to His Excellency here exactly what happened. In our brotherhood everything must be clear and honest. Moreover I am the warden of this village, on the border of the Chang-ping district and so I am also partly responsible for seeing that the real murderer is brought to justice”.

“This”, Djao began, “is a most vexing story. The murder was committed by a man called Shao, who, not content with having done this foul deed, also managed to drag me into it. The full name of the fellow is Shao Lee-huai, a native of Kiangsu Province. Just as I, he is a travelling silk merchant, who buys the raw silk cheaply in Kiangsu during the season and then peddles it along the highways here in Shantung. I often met him on the road.

“Last month, when I was buying raw silk in Kiangsu, he left there earlier, together with a young colleague of ours, called Liu. Now the other day I met Shao alone on the road near Chang-ping, pushing a cart loaded with bales of silk. I asked him where young Liu had gone and why he was travelling alone. That is not a wise thing to do if you carry valuable merchandise. He sighed and told me a long tale of woe. Liu had succumbed from a sudden and violent illness on the road; by dint of much trouble he had purchased a coffin for him and had it temporarily put up in some temple, spending the last copper of his travelling funds on a fee for the priests. Then it proved that, through this delay, he had missed the right time for selling his silk at a good profit. If it were not for his efforts to help a dead colleague, and have his body decently encoffined, he would have been back home again by now with a sizable profit in his pocket. I believed this story and asked him where he was going. He said that for the time being he did not intend to go back south since he feared that Liu’s family would hold him responsible for his death. He borrowed 300 pieces of silver from me and gave me the cart with the silk as a security. I could sell Liu’s half of it, and return the proceeds to his family, while his own half would more or less correspond to the 300 silver pieces he had borrowed from me. That is how that crook managed to involve me in this affair. He himself ran away with my good money”.

Judge Dee asked quickly:

“Do you know where this man Shao went, after he had given you the cart and the silk?”

“He did not tell me”, answered Djao, “but I can make a good guess. I knew the teacher of this fellow Shao many years ago. He thought that young Shao was a promising fellow and gave him his daughter in marriage. But this Shao, instead of showing his gratitude for this mark of his teacher’s affection, maltreated his wife. She died of a broken heart. Thereafter I heard that he had started an affair with an abandoned woman, who lived in a place in this province called Turn-up Pass or something like that. I think it is most probable that Shao went there, to spend the money he robbed from Liu with his paramour.

I am perfectly prepared to go to Turn-up Pass myself and get that fellow for you, just to get even with him”.

By now Judge Dee was fully convinced that Djao was speaking the truth. He marveled again at the accuracy of his dream in the temple; the verse had suggested that the criminal’s name was Shao; only the reference to Szuchuan Province remained unexplained. He could not remember having ever heard of a place called Turn-up Pass and asked Manager Loo. The manager, who by now had gradually understood what was going on, started on a long apology to the judge, saying that he had not known that such a famous and high official had honoured him with a visit and so on. But Judge Dee cut him short, remarking that he had come in the role of a merchant and that Manager Loo had treated him with all the courtesy he was entitled to. Manager Loo then started to think hard about a Turn-up Pass, but he could not remember ever having heard of such a locality.

In the meantime the paper lanterns were being lighted. Judge Dee decided to go back to the hostel. He rose from his chair and said a few appropriate words to Manager Loo about having caused him all this trouble. Then he invited Warden Djiang and Djao Wan-chuan to go back with them for the evening meal. They gladly accepted and the four of them strolled back to the hostel.

Chiao Tai had become worried over their long absence and was most eager to hear the news. Ma Joong introduced Warden Djiang and Djao Wan-chuan and told him the new developments, while Judge Dee retired for a rest. After a while Manager Djang came in. Ma Joong told him briefly who Judge Dee was and the real purpose of their visit to Divine Village. Manager Djang was overjoyed to have such a distinguished guest and went immediately to the kitchen to order a magnificent repast.

.When the steaming dishes and a jar of wine were being brought in Judge Dee invited all present to sit down and have an informal meal and a frank discussion without regard for rank or age.

Djao Wan-chuan proved to be an engaging fellow who could tell many a story about his adventures on the road. Warden Djiang went into some detail about his exploits together with Ma Joong when both of them were still “brothers of the green woods”. Then Djao Wan-chuan said to Judge Dee:

“In our guild of travelling silk merchants, news travels fast. I fear that if we don’t make haste to apprehend that fellow Shao in Turn-up Pass he may hear about his having been traced there and escape to some of the outlying provinces”. Ma Joong thought that this was excellent advice, adding: “Your Honour, in Chang-ping the case of Bee Hsun still awaits its solution. I propose that you leave the arresting of Shao Lee-huai entirely to Djao Wan-chuan and myself, and that we return tomorrow to Chang-ping. For although we have good reason to think that Shao Lee-huai is hiding in Turn-up Pass, we have yet to locate that place. In Chang-ping in order to obtain this information we can have the records of the tribunal searched and ask some of the old inhabitants”.

Judge Dee agreed, and after a few more rounds of wine, Warden Djiang and Djao Wan-chuan took their leave and all went to rest.

The next morning Judge Dee ordered light horse carts in order to reach Chang-ping as quickly as possible.

Ma Joong paid Manager Djang their bill. The grooms shouted, whips crackled, and Judge Dee left the hostel, his party augmented by Djao Wan-chuan. Warden Djiang and Manager Djang bowed their farewell in front of the gate.

They reached Chang-ping before noon. Judge Dee first went to the tribunal where he had the seals of office returned to him. Then he called in the head of the archives and told him to search through the records for a locality called Turn-up Pass. Thereafter he had the official correspondence brought in, disposing of the most urgent despatches.

Only after he had dealt with these matters did he go to his living quarters and there had a bath, and late luncheon. Returned to his private office, he asked the clerk whether there had been any news from Sergeant Hoong and Tao Gan. The clerk reported that they had been back twice during the judge’s absence. The first time Sergeant Hoong had said that Warden Ho Kai went about his business with commendable zeal, but that the men called Hsu investigated thus far proved to be law-abiding citizens, who moreover had hardly known Bee Hsun. The second time Tao Gan had come alone and left a message requesting that Mrs. Djou be released from prison as soon as possible. He and the sergeant kept Mrs. Bee’s house under constant observation, but nothing had happened beyond Mrs. Bee coming out and telling the neighbours every day several times how badly Judge Dee treated them. He saw no hope for anything developing there unless Mrs. Djou be released to act as a decoy.

Judge Dee nodded, and gave orders to have the court hall arranged for the opening of the session.

When it was reported to him that the scribes and the constables had assembled in the hall, Judge Dee donned his official robe and cap and left his private office. The curtains over the dais were drawn. Judge Dee appeared, seated behind the bench.

First he had a few documents relating to official routine brought in. Having unrolled the first one, he took in its contents with one glance and issued the necessary orders to the scribes while he was already unrolling the second one. Thus in half an hour all the routine business that had accumulated during his absence was speedily and accurately dealt with.

Then he filled out a slip for the warden of the jail and handed it to a constable with the instruction to bring Mrs. Djou in.

As soon as the constables had made her kneel before the bench, she began reviling Judge Dee. But he cut her short peremptorily, and said:

“Hold your insolent tongue. In due time the criminal shall be revealed. Meanwhile, I think it is not right that your old mother suffers for you, and has to run her house all alone. I therefore shall now release you on bail, so that you can serve your mother, as is proper”. Mrs. Djou, however, cried:

“You dog official, first you drag me here and torture me, an innocent woman, and then you talk about my poor mother alone at home! It is you who caused all her grief, by cruelly throwing her daughter in jail, and then maltreating her poor son’s corpse! Do you expect me to go home now quietly, so that you can hush up this outrageous affair? I tell you for all to hear, that I stand by my word. I am not going to leave this tribunal until the high authorities have punished you, and have removed your judge’s cap. Then, my wrong avenged, I shall leave this place, and not one day earlier”.

At this moment Ma Joong interrupted her, and said: “Woman, come to your senses! It is a special favour that we allow you to do your duty towards your mother-in-law. But if you refuse, well, everybody will know what to think”.

Mrs. Djou in her heart was very keen to go home but she did not dare to say so right away for fear that thus she would excite further suspicions. Ma Joong’s words gave here a welcome cue, and she said:

“I gladly sacrifice my personal grievance to the duties of filial piety. I shall go now, and as regards bond, you can send one of your men with me. He can have my mother sign a guarantee that I shall not try to escape”.

Judge Dee ordered the constables to take the chains off and told Ma Joong to bring her back to Huang-hua Village in a small sedan chair.