The Red Pavilion

'I never saw her again. Early the next morning she had fled to the woods with the other girls, when the constables started to set fire to their dormitories. Out there she caught the disease, and she died. I only obtained her papers, which another girl had taken from her body before it was burned on the large communal pyre that had been lighted on the orders of the magistrate.'

Feng's face had acquired a deadly pallor, beads of perspiration had appeared on his brow. He groped for his tea cup and drank slowly. Then he continued in a tired voice:

'Of course I should then have informed the magistrate that Tao Kwang's suicide had been faked. It was my duty to have the murderer of my friend brought to justice. But I didn't know how far Green Jade had been implicated, and she was dead. And Wen Yuan had seen me going to the Red Pavilion. If I spoke up, Wen would accuse me of having murdered Tao Kwang. I was a miserable coward, I kept silent.'

'Three weeks later, when the epidemic had been brought under control and life on the island was gradually returning to normal, Wen Yuan came to see me. He said he knew I had murdered Tao, and that I had arranged the faked suicide. If I did not cede my post of warden to him, he would accuse me in the tribunal. I told him to go ahead, I was glad that all would come out now, for my silence was weighing every day more heavily on me. But Wen is a sly scoundrel, he knew he had no proof, he had only tried to intimidate me. So he kept his peace, confining himself to spreading vague rumours hinting that I was responsible for Tao Kwang's death.'

'Four years later, when I had succeeded in banishing Green Jade's memory from my mind, I married, and my daughter Jade Ring was born. After she had grown up she met Tao Kwang's son Tao Pan-te, and they seemed to like each other. It was my fond hope they would marry, some day. I felt that the union of our children would reaffirm the old friendship between me and Tao Kwang, my friend whose death I had failed to avenge. But the evil rumours spread by Wen Yuan must have reached Tao Pan-te's ears. I noticed a change in his attitude to me.' He broke off, and gave the judge an unhappy look. 'My daughter noticed the change in Tao too, for a long time she was very depressed. I tried to find another suitable bridegroom for her, but she would have none of the young men I mentioned to her. She is a very independent and headstrong girl, sir. That's why I was so pleased when she showed interest in Kia Yu-po. I would have preferred a local man whom I knew better, but I couldn't bear to see my daughter unhappy any longer. And Tao Pan-te gave me clearly to understand that he had renounced her, by offering to act as middleman for her betrothal.'

He took a deep breath, then concluded:

'Now you know everything, sir. Including where I obtained the idea of making the Academician's death appear a suicide.'

Judge Dee nodded slowly.

As he refrained from making any comment, Feng said quietly:

'I swear by the memory of my dead father that what I told Your Honour about Tao Kwang's death is the complete truth.'

'The spirits of the dead are still among us, Mr Feng,' the judge reminded him gravely. 'Don't idly use their names.' After having taken a few sips from his tea, he went on: 'If you did indeed tell me the complete truth there must be a ruthless murderer about here. Thirty years ago he killed in the Red Pavilion the man who had discovered that he was Green Jade's secret lover. Last night he may have struck again there, this time at Autumn Moon.'

'But the coroner's report proved that she died from a heart attack, Your Honour!'

Judge Dee shook his head.

'I am not so sure about that. I don't believe in coincidences, Mr Feng, and the two cases resemble each other too closely. That unknown man got involved once with a Queen Flower, thirty years later he may well have become involved with another one.' Giving Feng Dai a sharp look, he added: ' And, speaking about Autumn Moon's demise, I have a feeling that you didn't tell me all you know about her, Mr Feng!'

The warden stared at him with what seemed genuine astonishment.

'The little I knew I told you, sir !' he exclaimed. ' The only aspect of her case I was reluctant to touch upon was her short-lived liaison with Magistrate Lo. But Your Honour discovered that yourself quickly enough!'

'I did indeed. Well, Mr Feng, I shall carefully consider what measures to take. That's all I am prepared to say now.'

He rose and let Feng conduct him to the gate.

XV

Judge Dee found Ma Joong waiting for him on the veranda of the Red Pavilion. He said:

'I heard a very interesting story, Ma Joong. It would seem that the answer to all our problems lies in the past. Namely, in the murder of Tao Kwang, thirty years ago. We must go at once to see Miss Ling; she will supply a clue to the identity of the murderer of Tao Kwang. And then we shall also know who caused Autumn Moon's death. I shall . . .' He sniffed the air. 'There's a bad smell here!'

'I noticed it too. Probably some dead animal lying under the shrubs.'

'Let's go inside, I'll have to change.'

They went into the sitting-room. Ma Joong pulled the double doors closed. While he was helping the judge to put on a clean robe, he said:

'Before coming here I had a drink with that young poet Kia Yu-po, Your Honour. The Crab and the Shrimp were right, that old curio-dealer was indeed concocting with the Academician a plan to oust Feng Dai.'

'Sit down! I want to hear exactly what Kia said.'

After Ma Joong had finished, the judge remarked with satisfaction:

'So that was what Wen Yuan omitted to tell us! I told you that I had the distinct feeling that he was holding something back. Probably Wen and Lee had planned to put some seditious documents in the box Kia was to have smuggled into Feng's house. Then they would have denounced him to the authorities. But it doesn't matter much, for the plan was abandoned. Well, I just had a long talk with Feng and his daughter. Apparently the Academician didn't commit suicide. He was killed.'

'Killed, Your Honour?'

'Yes. Listen to what those two told me.'

When he had given his lieutenant the gist of the conversation in the garden pavilion, Ma Joong said with grudging admiration:

'What a wench! That poet had the word for it, high-strung! I can see now why Kia isn't too eager to marry her. Marry her and you marry trouble! Lots of it! Well, so the case of the Academician is solved.'

The judge slowly shook his head.

'Not quite, Ma Joong. You have been in many a brawl. Tell me, do you think it likely that Jade Ring cut with a dagger in her right hand the right jugular vein of her attacker?'

Ma Joong pursed his lips.

'Likely, no. But not impossible, sir. When two persons are clinching with a drawn dagger in between, queer things happen, at times!'

'I see. I just wanted to check that point.' He thought for a while, then said: 'I think I'd better stay here, after all. I want to sort all this out so that I'll know exactly what to ask Miss Ling. You go and ask the Crab to take you to Miss Ling's hovel. Don't knock, just let the Crab point out the place to you. Then you come back to fetch me, and we'll go there together.'

'We could easily find the place by ourselves, Your Honour. I know it's somewhere on the waterside, opposite the landing stage.'

'No, I don't want to walk around there asking after Miss Ling. There may be a murderer about here, and Miss Ling is probably the only person who can supply information about him. I won't endanger her safety. Take your time, I'll wait for you here. I have plenty to think about!'