Antonio Garrido - The Corpse Reader

It upset Cí to see her like this, and he imagined that perhaps her pain, which had everything to do with questioning someone she trusted, was somewhat similar to his own.

“Feng isn’t who he says he is. And it’s not only me who’s in danger. Unless you help me, you will be, too.”

“Me, help you? Wake up, Cí!” Her eyes, bursting with desperation, glanced from side to side. “I’m a blind, ill-fated, old whore—how can I possibly help you?”

“All I need is for you to come to the trial tomorrow and testify. Just be brave and tell the truth.”

“That’s all?” she said bitterly. “It’s easy to be brave when you’re young and you’ve got two seeing eyes! Do you know what I am, really? I’m nothing! Without Feng, I’m absolutely nothing.”

“As much as you might want to ignore it, the truth will always be the truth.”

“Which truth? Your truth? Because the truth for me is that I need him. That he’s looked after me. What husband doesn’t get it wrong sometimes? Who’s perfect? You, perhaps?”

“Damn it, Iris! These aren’t any old mistakes we’re talking about here. We’re talking about murder!”

She shook her head and began murmuring incomprehensibly. He knew he’d get nowhere by pressuring her.

“I can’t make you do anything,” he said. “It’s up to you. You can come to the trial tomorrow, or you can tell Feng everything when he gets back. But nothing you do will change the truth. The reality is that Feng’s a criminal. And your action, or inaction, will follow you wherever you go, your whole life—if being by that man’s side is what you call a life.”

He got up to leave, but Blue Iris grabbed his arm.

“Do you know what, Cí? You’re right. Feng knows an infinite number of ways for a person to die. And be sure that you’re going to experience the worst of them, when it’s time for him to have you killed.”

34

Cí barely slept. It was a long night, but not long enough to contain all the self-loathing he felt, or his newfound hate for Feng. With the first rays of sun, he got out of bed and started getting ready. He’d poured all his energy into preparing a case that would shine light on Feng’s iniquity, but he still knew there was a very good chance the emperor wouldn’t believe a word of what he said.

The time came for them to leave, and Feng was waiting for him at the door, dressed in his magistrate’s robes and winged cap. He also wore an affable smile that Cí now knew was pure deceit. Cí managed a halfhearted greeting, saying he’d had a restless night. An Imperial escort awaited them outside. Seeing their weapons, Cí mentally ran through his own: the book of trials, his father’s letter, the pouch containing the gunpowder, and the small, blood-spattered stone that he’d found in Feng’s drawer. As they went out, he turned, hoping Blue Iris would be coming to support him. But as they left the Water Lily Pavilion, the nüshi didn’t even wave them off.

As they walked, Cí did his best to avoid speaking to or even looking at Feng. He had to maintain his composure, but one more false smile from the old man and Cí didn’t know if he’d be able to stop himself from pouncing on Feng and tearing his heart from his chest.

They arrived at the court and Feng took his place alongside the other members of the High Tribune, on the prosecution side. Cí came and stood beside Gray Fox. He wasn’t surprised by his adversary’s exaggerated look of triumph; he’d succeeded in having Cí arrested, and their colleagues in the judiciary were all there to see the humiliation. Cí was made to kneel before the empty throne. He was trembling as he touched his forehead to the floor. Then a gong signaled Ningzong’s entrance. The emperor, dressed in a red tunic inlaid with golden dragons, came forward flanked by a large retinue, the Supreme Councilor for Rites and the new Councilor for Punishments foremost among them. Cí, still prostrate, waited to be told what to do.

Once the emperor was seated, an elder with a bonnet pulled down over his eyebrows and an oiled mustache came forward to announce the Celestial Majesty and outline the accusations.

“As the Official of Ancient Justice at the palace, and by consent of our most honorable and magnanimous monarch, Ningzong, Heaven’s Son and Lord of Earth, thirteenth Tsong Emperor, on the eighth moon of the month of the pomegranate and the first year of the Jiading era, nineteenth of his dignified and wise reign, I hereby declare the initiation of the trial against Cí Song. He is accused of conspiracy, treachery, and the murder of Imperial Councilor Kan Chou, which—and this element is not open to appeal—entails the charge of treachery and an attempt against the emperor.” The man paused, looking around the room. “In accordance with the laws set out in the Songxingtong , the accused has the right to defend himself. He may not have the assistance of any other person. And he may not be condemned until he confesses.”

Cí, still prostrate, listened in silence and tried to weigh the allegations.

Next, the floor was given to Gray Fox. Cí’s rival, after complimenting the emperor and obtaining his blessing, took out a number of sheets of paper and laid them out in an orderly fashion on the table he was sharing with Feng. Then, with a self-satisfied attitude, he presented Cí’s personal details and outlined the numerous pieces of evidence that, in his opinion, demonstrated Cí’s guilt.

“Before I go into detail,” he said, “please allow me to give you an idea of the character of this con man we see here before us. I had the misfortune of studying at the Ming Academy at the same time as the accused. There he demonstrated, not once but repeatedly, his inability to respect rules and regulations. This led to his condemnation and expulsion. The only thing that slowed down this process was his defense by the director, a well-known homosexual.”

Cí cursed under his breath. Gray Fox had decided to attack him by undermining the integrity of anyone who might stand up for him. He thought of a comeback but knew he’d have to wait a while until the floor was given to him.

“Cí Song has rebellion and hate deep in his soul. The professors who sought to expel him confirmed the meanness of his conduct. It was they who had been so kind in allowing an urchin like him into the academy in the first place. He repaid their generosity by biting the hand that fed him.” Gray Fox’s face hardened. “I want to illustrate for everyone present the true character of a young man possessed by egoism and evil, who used diabolical tricks and barefaced scheming to hook Councilor Kan and even cloud our emperor’s mind. Who convinced the former to put him in charge of a very sensitive investigation and the latter to offer him a place in the judiciary if he solved it.”

Cí began to have serious concerns that Gray Fox might turn the emperor fully against him. If Ningzong was convinced, it would be even harder for Cí to make his own case. But now came his turn to speak. He had kept his forehead to the floor throughout Gray Fox’s diatribe, and he spoke his first word in that position.

“Majesty,” he said, and was invited to stand. “Majesty,” he said again, getting to his feet, “Gray Fox has seen fit to attack my person with unfounded conjecture that furthermore has nothing to do with the present case. This trial isn’t about my academic record or where I might have learned my forensic skills. The only thing being judged here today is my innocence or guilt in the murder of Councilor Kan. No matter what Gray Fox may think, I never came up with a self-serving plan, nor did I lie to, trick, or cloud anyone’s mind. Various people will be able to confirm that I was brought to the palace by Your Majesty’s soldiers; my intention that day had been to leave Lin’an. You yourself were present that day, Majesty, when I was given the task of investigating these murders, so you know better than anyone that I had no choice in the matter. And I ask: Why would a man as wise as Councilor Kan, and the Heaven’s Son himself, place their trust in an undesirable such as myself? Why, when they had the pick of so many magistrates, would they oblige a plain student who lacked anything like the appropriate qualifications?”