Poisoned Bride and Other Judge Dee Mysteries (15 page)

Ma Joong, Chiao Tai and the greybeard went inside, and Djao Wan-chuan shouldered his two bundles of luggage, and went on alone to find the Lee Da silk shop. After having inquired about the road of a couple of street urchins, he finally came to a large shop, with the two characters Lee Da displayed over the door.

Djao Wan-chuan walked in and asked a young plug-ugly who was standing behind the counter whether this was Lee Da’s silkshop. That fellow immediately started cursing and shouted:

“Can’t you read, you fool? Isn’t the signboard outside large enough?”

Djao had promised himself that he would do his best to avoid trouble, but this was more than he could stand. He promptly shouted back: “You bastard, answer a civil question!”

“Would you be looking for trouble?” said the thug vaulting over the counter with amazing swiftness, simultaneously aiming a long blow at Djao’s middle.

Djao could not use his hands because he was still carrying his bundles, and a lesser man would have fared badly in this situation. But Djao, being an expert boxer, just lifted his right foot, and placed it accurately in the other’s groin. He could not put much force in his kick, but he knew that that would be amply supplied by the impetus of the other’s attack. As it was, the ruffian just gasped and doubled up on the floor moaning.

Djao grinned, and said:

“Now you see what a beginner you are in this game, you dogshead! This time I shan’t beat you to pulp here, but next time you meet a stranger who asks you a polite question, remember to keep a civil tongue in your mouth!”

While the ruffian was trying to scramble up, four others had emerged from the back of the shop and asked Djao what he meant by bursting in and beating up their friend.

“I only came”, Djao said, “to try to locate an old sworn brother of mine named Shao Lee-huai”.

The others suddenly became friendly, and said:

“Please come in the backroom, stranger, and have some tea. Don’t mind that fellow. He is in a nasty temper today and getting knocked down serves him right”.

At that moment a voice called from inside: “Who is asking for me?”

Djao went in and stood face to face with Shao Lee-huai. Djao greeted him cordially, and Shao took him to the reception room, where they sat down. Then Shao Lee-huai asked him:

“How did you know that I live here and what business has taken you to this part of our province?” Djao took a few sips of tea, and then answered: “That is a long story. Suffice it to say that I have been grievously wronged, and that this affair indirectly affects you too. Let me tell you that we shall have to settle it in no uncertain manner. It won’t be an easy job, although there is a tidy bit of money in it. But I cannot do it without a couple of stout fellows to help me. Fortunately I remembered that you once told me that you often stayed in this place, so I hastened here to ask for your help”.

Shao was quite interested now and wanted to know what had happened.

Thereupon Djao Wan-chuan told him a sad story. When he arrived in Divine Village, he had handed the bales of raw silk of Shao and the late Liu to Manager Loo to sell it for him. Loo had told him he would do his best, and take but a very moderate commission. The very next day he indeed managed to sell the entire lot to a silk merchant from Peking at a good price. But when Djao went to Manager Loo to receive the money, he only reviled him, shouting that he had never got a single bale of silk from Djao. On top of that he had hired a gang of ruffians, who had beaten up Djao badly when he protested. Warden Djiang was absent on a journey to a relative, and since there had been no witnesses, there was nothing Djao could do about it.

Shao Lee-huai got very excited, he swore that Djao could count on him to get even with that crook Loo. After all his own money was involved and he wanted to teach that fellow how to treat decent merchants. They were fully entitled to the money that Manager Loo had received for the silk, and if he happened to have some other sums lying about there, well, after all Djao had a right to comfort money for the beating he had received, and he himself was entitled to a refund of his travelling expenses. Djao said:

“I knew I could count on you, brother. Now I have already collected three old friends, two tough fellows who used to be in the ‘green woods’, and one wily old thief. They are waiting in the hostel in the main street. What about accompanying me there. Have a snack and a drink, and then let us take counsel about how we shall get even with this crook Loo.”

“I am at your service”, Shao Lee-huai said, “and I shall be honoured to be introduced to your friends. We must plan this affair well, for Manager Loo belongs to an old family in Divine Village and the local people there are all on his side. But between the five of us we should be able to manage”.

So they walked to the hostel and Djao presented Shao Lee-huai to Ma Joong, Chiao Tai and the greybeard.

Shao called the manager. He told him that these people were old friends of his. The surly manager brightened up visibly and promised to bring a good dinner with plenty of wine. Soon the party was in high spirits, one round of wine followed the other. When the night had well advanced, Djao proposed to Shao Lee-huai that they should leave the village the next morning; they could work out their plans while on the road to Divine Village.

Shao Lee-huai, however, would not hear of that. He said that after all they had come a long way to see him, and he was an important person here who had to act as their host. He proposed that they stay a couple of days, and give him an opportunity to entertain them properly; also to introduce them to a number of old friends of his.

Djao tried to refuse politely, saying that they could not put him to all this trouble. But Shao said that he had also a bit of business to set right, a fellow still owed him a gambling debt, and he wanted to settle that before leaving. At last they agreed that their departure would be deferred one day and that they would set out the day after tomorrow. Then Shao Lee-huai took his leave, promising to come back the next day.

As soon as he had gone, Ma Joong congratulated Djao Wan-chuan in a low voice on the success of his ruse. The stratagem of “enticing the tiger out of his mountains” certainly seemed to have worked well. The only snag was that they could not leave the next morning. At any moment a travelling merchant might arrive in the village who had heard about Judge Dee appearing in Divine Village, in connection with the murder near Chang-ping. News travels fast along the silk roads, and the fight of Ma Joong and Djao Wan-chuan and their subsequent reconciliation would be the topic of the day among the local people there. If Shao Lee-huai should discover that he had been tricked, and that all four of them were working for Judge Dee, they would never leave the village alive.

While Ma Joong, Djao Wan-chuan and Chiao Tai were discussing this risk, the old constable spoke up and said:

“Here again you badly need the advice of an old and experienced police officer. Let me tell you that the danger is even greater than you think. Such a well-organised band of robbers as these scoundrels here in Turnip Pass will certainly have their spies in the tribunal of Lai-chow. You had your credentials stamped there, and I am willing to lay a heavy wager that tomorrow a spy will come rushing here from Lai-chow to warn the people that four officers of the tribunal of Chang-ping are on their way to arrest the murderer of Six Mile Village. If we are hacked to pieces here the magistrate of Lai-chow will just report to Chang-ping that we muddled the affair, and Judge Dee will never solve his case. Now how about this plan? Let one of us leave before dawn and run back to Lai-chow as fast as he can. He will report to the magistrate that we have found the murderer and are returning that afternoon to Lai-chow; he will ask the magistrate to send a posse of local militia to meet us halfway to help arrest the criminal.”

“What is the advantage of that?”, Ma Joong wanted to know.

The old constable pulled at his beard, and said with a smile: “In the first place, it will give the magistrate a personal interest in this affair. If a couple of men from the tribunal in Chang-ping arrest a dangerous criminal in Lai-chow, that does not interest the local magistrate at all. But if he can report to his superiors that he, as always vigilant in weeding out bad elements in his district, had his constables locate and apprehend a longsought murderer and duly delivered him in chains to the magistrate in whose district the murder was committed, that will make an excellent impression on the higher authorities, and may accelerate his promotion. You can count on it. He will send out his men to meet us without delay. In the second place, once the local magistrate has committed himself officially in this affair, the bandits here will hesitate to murder us right away, should Shao Lee-huai discover our ruse before we have left; and they won’t come after us if they learn through their spies after we have left. For although they won’t hesitate to kill a few constables from a far away district, they don’t like to stir up trouble with the local authorities. After all, Shao Lee-huai may be their sworn brother, but he still is not a native of this place.”

Ma Joong and Chiao Tai shook their heads in admiration and conceded that there was much more in this work than mere courage and a knowledge of boxing. Also Djao Wan-chuan was enthusiastic about the plan and assured them that he would be able to persuade Shao Lee-huai to leave the next day.

They decided that Ma Joong would leave before daybreak, and hurry to Lai-chow. If the others would leave the village with Shao Lee-huai after noon, they would meet with the militia somewhere between the fort and the city.

These matters having been thus decided, they all went to bed for a few hours of sleep.

Shao Lee-huai said that a good friend need not apologise. More tea was brought in. He seemed intent on impressing his new friends, and practically had open house in the Lee Da shop. A number of local people kept strolling in. All were introduced to Djao and his companions.

It might have been nice entertainment for them, were it not for the fact that they could not help giving each newcomer an anxious look, to see whether he was perhaps the person bringing the news that would expose them. Moreover the old constable had got into one of his fits of absent mindedness, and they feared that the greybeard would say something that would betray them. Fortunately during such fits he was more deaf than usual and Shao Lee-huai and his friends soon gave up trying to make conversation with him.

Towards noon Shao took them out for a stroll, to give the manager of the Lee Da shop an opportunity to prepare the table in the reception room for a noon meal. They were just walking through the main street, when Djao Wan-chuan was startled by the sight of a tall fellow rounding the corner in the distance, who looked very much like Ma Joong.

When he came near it proved to be perfectly true. To the great consternation of Djao and Chiao Tai, it was Ma Joong himself, with a worried look on his face. Djao managed to conceal his anxiety, and asked cheerfully: “Well, brother Ma, did you find your relative?”

“No,” Ma Joong answered, “I inquired here and there, but it seems that he has left this place.” Then, turning to Shao Lee-huai, he added:

“Brother Shao, I apologise for not having called on you this morning. But my excursion proved very useful for both you and me. Outside the pass I met a silk merchant, an old friend of mine, who was travelling with a light horsecart from Chang-ping to the north. He was in a hurry, but he stopped long enough to warn me that he had heard that that crook Manager Loo had traced me to this place, and that he is bringing a suit against you and Djao before the magistrate of Chang-ping, for swindling him. Now I happen to know that the magistrate there, the famous Judge Dee, is a just official and doubtless he will pronounce us innocent, and punish that bastard Loo for bringing in a false accusation. Still, the proverb says: 'If but one word of information against a person gets into court, nine oxen cannot drag it out again.' Not to speak of all the bother and the loss of time. So I rushed back here to tell you this news.”

As soon as Shao Lee-huai had heard the word “Chang-ping”, his face turned ashen. He said:

“That Judge Dee may be honest or not. But I am not going to let myself become involved in a law suit. After all, your plan is the best. Let us leave here as soon as possible and go to Lai-chow. I have friends there and we can lie in hiding there for a few days, evolving a plan for dealing with that crooked bastard Loo. As I see it now, it will be best to intimidate him first, so that he officially withdraws his complaint and then kill him before he cooks up more mischief”.

Ma Joong pretended to hesitate, but Shao Lee-huai was suddenly in a great hurry, and said:

“You return to the hostel now and pack your things. I shall run back to the shop and explain to the manager. The sooner we leave, the better”.

When Shao had left them, Djao Wan-chuan eagerly asked Ma Joong what had happened. Ma Joong said with a smile:

“Luck is with us. We can settle this affair to-day. After I passed the fort, I met a post-carrier on horseback who was on his way to the tribunal of Lai-chow on some urgent business. This man happened to be a former constable of the tribunal of Chang-ping, a most capable and dependable fellow, who two years ago often went with me when our judge sent me out on some case. My meeting with him seemed to me a Heavensent opportunity. I explained our predicament to him and he promised to inform the magistrate. Since he is traveling on horseback, he must have reached the tribunal by now, and if all goes well, the militia can be waiting for us halfway on the road there, towards the middle of this afternoon. So I came back here and invented my story on the way. I was certain that Shao would get alarmed and himself propose that we leave here as quickly as possible”.

In high spirits they packed their bundles. They had just settled their bill when Shao Lee-huai arrived, all set for the journey. They left the village at a brisk pace, and soon had left the fort behind them.

When they had been afoot for two hours or so along the highroad to Lai-chow, Djao Wan-chuan stood still and said to Shao Lee-huai: “I think the time has come for some frank talking”

“What is the matter, brother Djao?” Shao asked amazed. Then Ma Joong closed in on him, and said:

“You left Kiangsu together with a young merchant called Liu. Now, speak up, did not you murder him and another man near Six Mile Village?”

Shao Lee-huai felt as if a tub of cold water had been poured out over his head. He quickly mastered himself however, and turning round, shouted at Djao Wan-chuan:

“You dogshead, so you cheated me! Yes, I killed young Liu. What are you going to do about it?”

He pushed Ma Joong back, in one jump landed on the high bank of the road, and started to scramble through the undergrowth there, in the direction of the forest.

Ma Joong cursed himself for having underestimated Shao’s presence of mind. Shao was familiar with that neighbourhood, and once in the woods, he would surely make his escape.

Suddenly, however, shouts went up on all sides. Peaks and halberds glittered among the trees. The militia had been lying in ambush there and fell over Shao like a swarm of bees. He tried to grapple with them, but they soon had him securely in chains. Shao cursed horribly and then fell into a sullen silence.

The militia went ahead with Shao Lee-huai in their midst. Ma Joong and his friends brought up the rear.

When they reached the city of Lai-chow night was falling and a group of constables from the local tribunal came with lighted paper lanterns to meet them. A curious crowd thronged round the procession as it wound its way through the streets. The constables shouted:

“Make way, make way! This is a dangerous murderer, arrested on the orders of His Excellency the magistrate of Lai-chow!”

The local people were full of admiration, and shouted: “Long live our magistrate!”

At the tribunal Ma Joong had the necessary documents relating to Shao Lee-huai filled in and sealed, and the magistrate gave them permission to hand Shao over to the warden of the local jail, to be kept there for the night. These things having been settled, Ma Joong and his companions rented a room in the large hostel opposite the tribunal, treated themselves to a good meal, and talked happily till a late hour.

The next morning Shao was duly delivered to them. The only unpleasant occurrence was that the headman of the constables wanted a generous tip from Ma Joong. for the trouble he had taken about the arresting of Shao Lee-huai. Ma Joong was indignant, and wanted to refuse, for after all it was the militia who had done the job. The old constable, however, took him aside and said: “After a couple of years the magistrate here may be transferred to some other post, but that headman of the constables will still be here for many years to come. It is wise to give him something. You may need him later in connection with some other case.” Thus Ma Joong gave him some small silver pieces out of their traveling fund and they parted on excellent terms.

On the road back nothing happened. Djao Wan-chuan and Ma Joong repeatedly endeavored to persuade Shao Lee-huai to confess everything to Judge Dee, in order to get his sentence mitigated or deferred. But Shao only cursed them all, and walked on sullenly, Djao holding the ends of the chain that bound his hands behind his back.

On the morning of the seventh day they arrived at Chang-ping and hurried to the tribunal. They first handed Shao over to the warden of the jail, and then went to report to Judge Dee. Although the sun had just risen, the judge was already sitting in his private office, sipping his morning tea. He was very gratified to hear that their expedition had been successful, and soon after ordered the morning session to be opened.

When Shao Lee-huai was brought before the bench by file constables, and his chains had been taken off, Judge Dee asked him: “What is your name, and what crime have you committed?” “Your Honour, my surname is Shao and my personal name Lee-huai. I am a native of Kiangsu Province. Since my early youth I have been engaged in the silk business. When recently I heard that a great demand for raw silk existed here in Shantung, I came here to do some business. I was suddenly arrested by the constables of this tribunal, I don’t know for what crime. I beg Your Honour to redress my wrong.”

Judge Dee said with a cold smile:

“You need not try to fool me, a magistrate, with clever words. Don’t you know the old rule that itinerant merchants should help and protect each other on the road? Why did you kill your young colleague Liu near Six Mile Village, and, having stolen his cart with silk, also kill an innocent man who happened to pass by? Tell the truth, and be quick about it!”

Now Shao Lee-huai still hoped that there was no direct proof, and resolved to try the utmost to save himself.

“Your Honour”, he said, “I beg your favourable consideration. All this talk about me having killed somebody is a wicked scheme of that man Djao Wan-chuan, who harbors an old grudge against me, and therefore tries to involve me in a murder case. How could I ever think of murdering a travel companion? Everybody knows that in our trade it is a great advantage to have a friend with you when you are on the road. I am being falsely accused, and I pray Your Honour to see that justice is done!”

“You insolent scoundrel”, Judge Dee said, “I tell you that Djao Wan-chuan is right here, and I shall confront you with him.”

Then he had Djao brought before the bench, and he told again how he had met Shao Lee-huai on the road, how Shao had told him that Liu had died of a sudden illness, and so on.

Shao Lee-huai, however, kept shouting that this was a string of outrageous lies and that he was being falsely accused. Judge Dee gave a sign to the constables. They threw Shao down on his back, placed the screws round his hands and his ankles, and turned them on tight. Soon flesh and bones were crushed and blood stained the floor. But Shao still cried between his groans that he was innocent.

Then Judge Dee ordered two constables to take the thin rattan, and to beat Shao all over his body with full force as he was lying there in the screws.

Shao’s body had become hardened by long training in the art of fencing with sticks but he could not stand this torture. The thin rattan cut right into his flesh; soon his screams stopped. He had lost consciousness.

Judge Dee ordered the constables to loosen the screws and throw cold water over him. When Shao had regained his senses, Judge Dee said:

“You dogshead, for a few hundred silver pieces you have murdered two innocent men and involved two innocent outsiders. The death penalty is too light a punishment for these crimes. And now you still aggravate matters by refusing to confess. I have confronted you with the witness Djao Wan-chuan. Tomorrow I shall confront you with a second witness and see whether then you still dare to deny your guilt!”

Judge Dee stood up, and with an angry sweep of his long sleeves, he left the dais.