Robert Gulik - The Chinese Gold Murders

The judge vaguely remembered now having met that Tsao Fen, at a dinner given by his friend Hou, the secretary of the Metropolitan Court. Tsao Fen was a charming old bibliophile, completely absorbed in his own studies. Judge Dee was going to stroke his beard but stayed his hand, annoyed, when he noticed that Dr. Tsao was already majestically caressing his own. Knitting his eyebrows, the doctor began.

"I shall now try to give you an outline, couched in simple language, and very brief, of course, of my philosophy. To begin with, I consider that the universe-"

Judge Dee quickly rose.

"I deeply regret," he said firmly, "that pressing affairs require my presence in the city. I hope soon to have an opportunity for continuing this conversation."

Dr. Tsao accompanied him downstairs. As the judge took leave of him he said, "During the noon session I'll hear some persons connected with your daughter's disappearance. You might be interested to attend."

"What about my work, sir?" Dr. Tsao asked reproachfully. "I really can't be bothered with attending sessions and so forth; it mars the serenity of my mind. Besides, Koo married her, didn't he? Her affairs are now his responsibilities. That is one of the cornerstones of my system, sir: let every man confine himself to what according to the heavenly command-"

"Good-by," Judge Dee said and jumped into the saddle.

He was riding down the hillock, followed by Hoong and Sooniang, when suddenly a good-looking youngster stepped out among the pine trees, and bowed deeply. The judge halted his horse. The boy asked eagerly, "Is there any news about my sister, sir?"

As Judge Dee gravely shook his head, the boy bit his lips. Then he blurted out, "It was all my fault! Please find her, sir! She was so good at riding and hunting; we were always together in the field. She was far too sensible to be a girl, she ought to have been a boy." He swallowed, then went on. "We two liked it here upcountry, but father is always talking about the city. But when he had lost his money-" He cast an anxious glance back at the house and added quickly, "But I shouldn't be bothering you, sir. Father'll be angry!"

"You aren't bothering me at all!" Judge Dee said quickly. He liked the bay's pleasant, open face. "It must be lonely for you now your sister is married."

The boy's face fell.

"Not more lonely than for her, sir. She told me she had no particular liking for that fellow Koo, but since she had to marry someone sometime anyway, and since father insisted so much, why not Mr. Koo? That's how she was, sir, a bit casual, but always so gay! But when she came back here the other day, she was not looking happy, and she wouldn't talk with me at all about her new life. What could have happened to her, sir?"

"I am doing all I can to find her," the judge said. Taking from his sleeve the handkerchief he had found in the hut on the farm, he asked, "Does this belong to your sister?"

"I really don't know, sir," the boy said with a smile. "All that women's stuff looks alike to me."

"Tell me," Judge Dee said, "did Fan Choong come here often?" "He came only once to the house," the youngster replied, "when he had to see father about something. But sometimes I meet him in the field. I like him, he is very strong, and a good archer. The other day he showed me how to make a real crossbow! I like him much better than that other man from the tribunal, that old fellow Tang, who is often on Fan's farm. He looks at you in such a queer way!"

"Well," the judge said, "I'll inform your father as soon as there is news about your sister. Good-by."

When he came back to the tribunal judge Dee ordered Sergeant Hoong to take the peasant girl to the guardhouse and look after her till the session would be opened.

Ma Joong and Chiao T'ai were waiting for him in his private office.

"We found in the barn that mat with the blood-stained clothes, and the sickle," Ma Joong reported. "The woman's clothes tally with Koo's description. I sent a constable to the White Cloud Temple; he'll tell them to send someone down here for identifying the dead baldpate we found. The coroner is now examining the bodies. That clodhopper Pei we put in our jail."

Judge Dee nodded. "Has Tang reported for duty?" he asked. "We sent a clerk to tell him about Fan," Chiao Tai replied. "He'll presently turn up here, I think. Did you find out much from that fat doctor, magistrate?"

The judge was pleasantly surprised. This was the first time that one of these two remarkable fellows had asked a question. They seemed to be getting interested in the work.

"Not much," he answered. "Only that Dr. Tsao is a pompous fool, and a liar to boot. It's quite possible that his daughter knew Fan Choong before her marriage and her brother thinks she had not been happy with Koo. Still the whole affair doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps the hearing of Pei and his daughter will bring to light some new facts.

"I'll now draw up a circular letter to all civil and military authorities of this province, asking for the arrest of that fellow Woo." "They'll catch him when he tries to sell those two horses," Ma Joong remarked. "The horse dealers are very well organized; they keep in close contact with each other and with the authorities. They also have a system for branding horses with special marks. To sell a stolen horse is no easy job for one who is new to it. At least that's what I have always heard!" he added virtuously.

Judge Dee smiled. He took up his brush and quickly wrote out the circular letter. He called a clerk and ordered him to have it copied out and despatched at once.

Then the gong sounded and Ma Joong quickly helped the judge to don his official robe.

The news of the discovery of Fan's body had spread already; the court hall was packed with curious spectators.

The judge filled in a form for the warden of the jail, and Pei Chiu was led before the bench. Judge Dee made him repeat his statement, and the scribe read it out. When Pei had agreed that it was correct and had impressed his thumbmark on it, the judge spoke.

"Even if you told the truth, Pei Chiu, you are still guilty of failure to report and trying to conceal a murder. You shall be detained pending my final decision. I shall now hear the coroner's report. 1p

Pei Chiu was led away, and Dr. Shen came to kneel before the bench.

"This person," he began, "has carefully examined the body of a man identified as Fan Choong, chief clerk of this tribunal. I found he was killed by one blow of a sharp weapon that cut through his throat. I also examined the body of a monk, identified by Hui-pen, prior of the White Cloud Temple, as the monk Tzu-hai, almoner of the same institution. The body did show no wounds, bruises or other signs of violence, neither was there any indication that poison had been administered. I am inclined to ascribe his demise to sudden heart failure."

Dr. Shen rose and placed his written report of the autopsy on the bench. The judge dismissed him, then announced that he would interrogate Miss Pei Soo-niang.

Sergeant Hoong led her before the bench. She had washed her face and combed her hair; now she was not devoid of a certain common beauty.

"Didn't I tell you out there that she was pretty?" Ma Joong whispered at Chiao Tai. "Duck 'em in the river and they are as good as any city wench, I always say!"

The girl was very nervous, but by patient questioning judge Dee made her tell again about Fan and the woman. Then he asked, "Had you ever met Mrs. Fan before?"

As the girl shook her head, he continued.

"How did you know then that the woman you served was indeed Mrs. Fan?"

"Well, they slept in the same bed, didn't they?" the girl replied. Sounds of laughter arose from the crowd, Judge Dee rapped his gavel on the bench. "Silence!" he shouted angrily.

The girl had bent her head, greatly embarrassed. Judge Dee's eye fell on the comb she had stuck in her hair. He took the one he had found in the bedroom of the farmhouse from his sleeve. It was an exact replica of the one Soo-niang was wearing.