"So I go to the brothel. Heavens, what a dirty hole, reserved exclusively and permanently for coolies and chair bearers! The only thing I learn from the harridan who owns the joint is that early this morning Mao Loo, his wench and his one-eyed friend left for Chiang-pei. So that was that.
"Then I go on to the Willow Quarter, simple fellow as I am, assuming that a visit there'll cheer me up! Oh, no. That girl Anemone has the father and mother of all hangovers, and the temper she was in! Well, I get out of her that maybe somebody was standing behind Your Honor. But whether it was a waiter or the Prime Minister of the Empire, the dull bit of skirt can't say! Well, that's all!"
"I'd have thought," Judge Dee observed, "that you'd perhaps also have another talk about the dead dancer with that girl friend of yours." Ma Joong shot him a reproachful look.
"That girl," he muttered morosely, "had a hangover even worse than Anemone's!"
"Well," Judge Dee said with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, "it can't be sunshine every day, Ma Joong! Now look here, we'll make a tour of inspection through the eastern part of the district, and see whether we can locate the house Han was talking about. If not, we'll know that Han lied, and we'll have had an opportunity for seeing that region; it's the granary of the district and I haven't yet had time to inspect it. We'll go on to the eastern boundary, and pass the night in the village there. Then we'll at least get an impression of the countryside, and clear the cobwebs from our brains! Go and select three good horses, Ma Joong, and cancel today's sessions of the tribunal. I can't announce to the citizens any progress in our two cases anyway!"
Ma Joong left the room with Chiao Tai, looking slightly more cheerful. The judge said to Sergeant Hoong:
"That long ride through the hot plain will be too tiring for you, Hoong; you'd better stay here and look after the chancery. You might collect in our archives all documents relating to the guild-masters Wang and Soo. After the noon meal I want you to go to the quarter where Wan I-fan lives. He's connected with the case Liu versus Djang, and also with that of the spendthrift Councilor. I find it strange that such a wealthy and well-known person as Liu Fei-po protects such an obscure business promoter. Check especially his story about that daughter of his, Hoong!"
Judge Dee stroked his beard, then resumed:
"I am worried about Councilor Liang, Hoong! Since the nephew informed me about the Councilor's state, his family will from now on hold me responsible also, and expect me to take adequate measures to prevent the old gentleman from squandering his entire fortune. But I can't do anything about that until I have ascertained. whether it isn't the nephew who is stealing his employer's money, and whether he is implicated in the dancer's murder."
"Shall I go and visit that young man this afternoon, Your Honor?" the sergeant asked. "I might go over all the accounts with him, and try to find out what part Wan I-fan plays in this affair."
"That's an excellent proposal!" Judge Dee said. He took up his writing brush and wrote a brief letter of introduction for the sergeant, addressed to Liang Fen. Then he selected a sheet of official stationery and jotted down a few lines. As he impressed the large red seal of the tribunal on it he said:
"This is a request to my colleague, the magistrate of Ping-yang in Shansi Province, to send me by returning courier all data about the Fan family, and more especially about Miss Fan Ho-i, here called Almond Blossom. It is very strange that she insisted on being sold in this distant city of Han-yuan. Perhaps the roots of her murder lie in her native place! Have this letter dispatched by special messenger."
He rose and concluded:
"Put my light hunting dress out, Hoong, and my riding boots. I'd better be off. I feel I can do with a change of air!"
Twelfth Chapter
Ma Joong and Chiao Tai stood waiting in the courtyard with three horses.
After Judge Dee had inspected the horses, the three men swung themselves into the saddle, the guards pushed open the heavy gate, and the cavalcade left the tribunal.
Riding toward the east, they left the city and soon found themselves on a kind of headland. Below, a fertile plain spread out as far as they could see.
The descent was quickly made. When they were down in the plain, Judge Dee looked with interest at the sea of waving, green paddy on both sides of the road.
"It looks promising!" he remarked with satisfaction. "We'll have a good harvest this autumn! But I don't see any country house!"
They halted in a small village, and ate a simple noon meal in the local inn. When the village headman came to pay his respects Judge Dee inquired about the country house. But the old man shook his head. He said:
"In this entire neighborhood there's no house built of brick. The landlords live in the mountains; it's cooler there."
"Didn't I say that Han is a crook?" Ma Joong muttered.
"We may have better luck farther on," the judge said.
After half an hour they reached the next village. Passing through a narrow road lined by hovels, Judge Dee heard loud shouting in front. Arrived in the market place, he saw a crowd of peasants assembled under the old tree in the center, brandishing sticks and clubs and shouting and swearing at the top of their voices. High on his horse, the judge could see that they were beating and kicking a man lying at the foot of the tree. He was covered with blood.
"Stop that at once!" Judge Dee shouted. But no one paid him the slightest attention. He turned round in his saddle and angrily ordered his two assistants: "Break up that crowd of yokels!"
Ma Joong jumped down from his horse and rushed into the crowd followed by Chiao Tai. Ma Joong grabbed the first man he could lay hands on by his neck and the seat of his trousers, lifted him over his head and threw him in the middle of the crowd. Then he jumped after him and made his way by placing blows and elbow thrusts on left and right, Chiao Tai protecting his rear. In a few moments they had fought their way to the tree and separated the attackers from their groaning victim. Ma Joong shouted:
"Lay off, you clodhoppers! Don't you know that His Excellency the Magistrate has arrived?" And he pointed to the rear.
All heads turned round. When they saw the commanding figure on horseback they quickly lowered their weapons. An elderly man came forward and knelt by Judge Dee's horse.
"This person," he said respectfully, "is the headman of this village,"
"Report what is going on here!" the judge ordered. "If that man you are beating to death is a criminal, you should have brought him to the tribunal in Han-yuan. As village head you ought to know that it's a heinous offense to take the law into your own hands!"
"I beg Your Excellency's forgiveness," the headman said. "We were acting rashly, but the provocation was great. We of this village slave from morning till night to scrape together a few coppers for our daily bowl of rice, and then that swindler comes and robs us! The young fellow over there discovered that the crook used loaded dice. I beg Your Excellency's favorable consideration!"