Qiu Xiaolong - Death of a Red Heroine

“I was summoned back last night,” Yu said simply, shaking Chen’s hand.

The enlarged Bureau-Party-Committee meeting was an unusual one, for Detective Yu was not a member of it, and Dr. Xia, not even a Party member.

Standing at the head of the long table, Party Secretary Li opened with long quotations from the Party Central Committee’s latest “red-character titled” document on the campaign against the influence of Western bourgeois ideology, and moved on to the topic of the bureau’s recent work:

“As you may have learned, a tremendous breakthrough has been made in Chief Inspector Chen’s case. It is a case speaking volumes for the necessity of our Party’s new campaign. With the great economic achievement made through our Open Door Policy, we should be all the more alert against Western bourgeois influence. This case shows how serious, how disastrous such an influence can be. The criminals, though of revolutionary cadre families, fell prey to it. It is an important case, comrades. People are in support of our work. So is the Party Central Committee. We want to compliment Chief Inspector Chen on his achievement. He has overcome major difficulties conducting the investigation. Of course, both Comrade Detective Yu and Commissar Zhang have done a great job, too.”

“What case are you talking about, Comrade Party Secretary Li?” Yu cut in, completely confounded.

“The case of Wu Xiaoming,” Li said solemnly. “Wu Xiaoming was arrested together with Guo Qiang, last night.”

It was no surprise that Yu was confused, Chen thought. One day the cops were suspended, and the very next day the criminals were arrested. The opposition had evaporated overnight. The conclusion seemed to come out of the blue. In the best scenario Chen had conceived, Wu would have escaped punishment until after Wu Bing’s death. Now the son was arrested while the father was still breathing.

“How could that possibly be?” Yu stood up. “We did not know anything about it.”

“Who made the arrests?” Chen asked.

“Internal Security.”

“It is not their case,” Yu protested. “It is ours. Chief Inspector Chen and I-with Commissar Zhang as well, of course, as our always politically-correct adviser. We have been in charge from day one.”

“It’s your case. No question about it. You have all done a great job. It’s just because of the sensitive nature of the case that Internal Security took it over at the last stage.” Party Secretary Li said, “Unusual problems require unusual remedies, comrades. A very unusual situation, indeed. The decision has been made, in fact, at a much higher level. Everything is being done in the best interests of the Party.”

“So we are kept in the dark,” Yu said doggedly, “in the best interests of the Party.”

“Party Secretary Li has not finished yet, Comrade Detective Yu,” Chen said, although he understood Yu’s frustration at being deprived of the satisfaction of closing the case. After all the twists and turns, they deserved the chance to bring Wu down. Yu did not know, of course, that Internal Security had been involved with the case for a long time.

Chen decided not to say anything more at the moment. This unexpected development could signify something with enormous political dimensions.

“The special case group has made a great contribution,” Party Secretary Li continued. “The Party and the people appreciate their work. We have decided to award them a first-class citation collectively. Of course, that doesn’t mean our work is over. There’s still a lot for us to do. Now, the superintendent will give us a speech.”

“First of all,” Superintendent Zhao started, “I’d like to compliment the comrades of the special case group, especially Comrade Chief Inspector Chen, for his intelligence and persistence.”

“For his commitment,” the Party Secretary joined in, “and the highest-level consciousness of the Party’s interests.”

“We have always thought highly of Comrade Chief Inspector Chen’s work,” the superintendent continued. “He has served well as acting director of the Shanghai Metropolitan Traffic Control Bureau. Now we can welcome him back. And in recognition of his achievement, also as embodiment of the Party’s young cadre policy, we have decided that Chief Inspector Chen’s going to represent us at the National Police Cadres Conference starting tomorrow at the Guoji Hotel. It is an honor he deserves after all the hard work he has put in. We also appreciate Comrade Yu’s hard work. It is the Party committee’s suggestion that Comrade Yu be moved to the top position in our housing committee’s list. As for Commissar Zhang, he has also made his special contributions in spite of his age, so we want to express our most sincere thanks. Finally, I want to welcome Dr. Xia to today’s meeting. After the Tiananmen incident last year, some people have become shaky in their belief in our Party. Dr. Xia has chosen, however, to express to Chief Inspector Chen his intention of joining our Party. That is why we have invited him here today. Comrade Chief Inspector Chen, after the meeting, you can work out the details with Dr. Xia, and help him fill out the application form as his sponsor.”

“Yes, I’m glad justice has been upheld, Comrade Chief Inspector Chen,” Dr. Xia stammered, looking embarrassed rather than elated. “Congratulations on your work.”

Chen turned to look in the direction of Party Secretary Li, who nodded back at him.

As soon as the meeting was over, Chen took Yu aside. His assistant could speak impulsively, as Chen had come to know during the investigation. They had just started talking under their breath, when Commissar Zhang moved over to join them, with an incomprehensible expression on his withered face.

“Everything has been done,” Zhang said, “in the Party’s interests.”

“Everything done under the sun, or not under the sun,” Yu said, “can be conveniently so explained.”

“As long as we did our work with a clear conscience,” Chen said, “we don’t have to worry about anything.”

“Bourgeois influences are everywhere, comrades,” Zhang said. “Even somebody like Wu Xiaoming, a young cadre from a revolutionary family background, is not immune. So all of us have to be on our guard.”

“Yes, on guard against back-biters,” Yu said. “Indeed-”

Their talk was once more interrupted. This time it was Party Secretary Li who came over to take Chen aside. They moved across to the end of the conference room, overlooking the busy traffic along Fuzhou Road.

“What’s all this about?” Chen asked.

“You know how complicated the situation is,” Li said. “You deserve the credit, but we need to think about possible consequences.”

“It is my case. Whatever the consequences, they are mine, too.”

“People are all aware of Wu’s family background. It is easy for some to see the case as a warning-or even as a blow-to those with a similar family background. Not as one individual case, but as a symbolic case. And you are the instrument bringing such a disgrace to the old cadres.”

“I see, Comrade Party Secretary Li,” Chen said, “but as I’ve said so many times, I have nothing against the old cadres.”

“There are people and there are people. What’s going through their minds, you cannot tell. Any publicity at this stage of the case won’t do you any good.”

“What about Detective Yu?”

“Don’t worry about him. We’ll conclude the case as the collective work of the bureau. Yu won’t get much publicity anyway.”

“I’m afraid I still don’t understand this sudden conclusion.”

“You will, I’m sure. You’ve done your job, so let others take care of the remaining problem.” Party Secretary Li added after a pause, “It is not just our bureau’s concern, let me tell you. Some leading comrades share our concern.”