'I don't mind at all!' the judge interrupted quickly. 'Staying there will enable me to get acquainted with the scene of the unfortunate incident. And don't blame the manager, I now remember that he wanted to warn me, but I cut him short. Tell me, in which of the two rooms did it happen?'
Feng was still upset. It was Tao Pan-te who replied in his measured voice:
'In the red bedroom, sir. The door was locked on the inside, Magistrate Lo had it broken open.'
'I noticed that the lock was new. Well, since the key was on the inside of the door, and since the only window is barred with iron bars not more than a span apart, we can at least be certain that there was no interference by outsiders. How did the Academician kill himself?'
'He cut his jugular vein with his own dagger,' Feng Dai spoke up. 'This is what happened. The Academician had dined alone, outside on the veranda; then he went inside, in order to sort out his papers, as he told the waiter. He added that he didn't want to be disturbed. A few hours later, however, the waiter remembered that he had forgotten to bring a tea-basket. When he knocked on the door of the Red Room, there was no answer. He went out on the veranda, to have a look through the window and verify whether the Academician had gone to bed already. Then he saw him lying on his back in front of the bedstead, his breast covered with blood.
'The waiter immediately warned the manager, and he rushed out and informed me. We went together to the inn where Magistrate Lo was staying, and we proceeded with him and his men to the Hostel of Eternal Bliss. The magistrate had the door of the Red Room broken open. The body was conveyed to the Taoist Temple on the other end of the island, and there the autopsy was carried out that same night.'
'Did any special features come to light?' Judge Dee asked.
'No sir. That's to say, yes, I remember now that there were a few thin, long scratches on the Academician's face and forearms, of undetermined origin. Well, Magistrate Lo despatched at once a special messenger to the Academician's father, the famous Imperial Censor Dr Lee Wei-djing, who lives in retirement in a mountain villa, six miles north of here. The messenger came back with the uncle of the deceased, because Dr Lee himself h*s been severely ill for a number of months already. The uncle had the body encoffined, and took it back with him for burial in the family graveyard.'
'Who was the courtesan the Academician had so passionately fallen in love with?' the judge inquired.
Again there was an embarrassed silence. Feng cleared his throat, then replied unhappily:
'It was Autumn Moon, sir. The Queen Flower of this year.'
Judge Dee sighed. So it was just as he had feared!
'The Academician didn't leave a note to her, as is done by most disappointed lovers,' Feng resumed quickly.' But we found that he had drawn two circles on the top sheet of the papers lying on his table. Underneath he had written the name Autumn Moon, three times repeated. Therefore, the magistrate summoned her, and she readily admitted that the Academician had fallen in love with her. He had proposed to redeem her, but she had refused.'
'I happened to meet her earlier this evening,' the judge said coldly. 'She seemed to take a certain pride in people committing suicide because of her. I thought her a spoiled, callous woman. Hence her presence here tonight seems ...'
'I hope,' Tao Pan-te said quickly,' that Your Honour will kindly consent to see her attitude against the peculiar local background. It greatly enhances the fame of a courtesan if someone commits suicide because of her, especially when he is a person of note. Such an affair is talked about all over the province; it attracts many new patrons whose morbid curiosity . . .'
'Deplorable, no matter against what background you see it!' Judge Dee cut him short crossly.
The waiters brought in a large plate with roasted duck. The judge tasted it and had to admit that it was indeed excellent. Here, at least, his friend Lo had informed him correctly.
Three young girls came in and made their bow. One carried a guitar, the second a small hand drum. While these two sat down on tabourets against the wall, the third, an attractive girl with a pleasant face, came up to the table and poured out the wine. Feng introduced her as the courtesan Silver Fairy, a pupil of Autumn Moon.
The poet Kia Yu-po, who had been remarkably silent, now seemed to cheer up. He exchanged some bantering remarks with Silver Fairy, then started a conversation with the judge about ancient ballads. The girl with the guitar struck up a gay melody, her companion indicating the rhythm by beating the drum with the palm of her hand. Just when the tune was finished, Judge Dee heard the curio-dealer ask angrily:
'Why so prudish, my girl?'
He saw that Silver Fairy, her face flushed, was trying to get away from the old man, who had stuck his hand deep in her wide sleeve.
'It's still early in the night, Mr Wen!' the young poet said sharply.
As Wen quickly withdrew his hand, Feng Dai called out:
'Pour Mr Kia a full beaker, Silver Fairy! And be kind to him, soon he'll have to stop his gay bachelor's life!' He added to Judge Dee: 'I am happy to inform you, sir, that in a few days Mr Tao Pan-te here, acting as middle-man, shall announce the betrothal of Mr Kia Yu-po and my only daughter, Jade Ring.'
'Let's drink to that!' Tao Pan-te exclaimed jovially.
Judge Dee was about to congratulate the young poet, but he suddenly checked himself. He looked with dismay at the tall woman of commanding mien who had appeared in the door opening.
She was clad in a gorgeous robe of violet brocade, with a golden pattern of birds and flowers, a high collar and long, trailing sleeves. The broad purple sash, wound tight round her middle, showed to advantage her slender waist and generous bosom. Her hair was done up in a high chignon, bristling with long golden hairpins with jewelled knobs. Her smooth oval face was carefully powdered and rouged, and from her delicate small ears hung long pendants of carved green jade.
Feng bade her a boisterous welcome. She made a perfunctory bow, then quickly surveyed the table and asked him with a frown:
'Has Magistrate Lo not yet arrived?'
Feng hurriedly explained to her that the magistrate had to leave the island unexpectedly, but that His Excellency Dee, the magistrate of the neighbour district, was deputizing for him. He invited her to sit down on the chair next to the judge. Since she was there, Judge Dee thought he might as well get on good terms with her, and gather some information about the dead Academician. So he said cheerfully:
'Now we have been formally introduced! I am really in luck today!'
Autumn Moon gave him a cold stare. 'Fill my cup!' she snapped at Silver Fairy. As the plump girl hastily obeyed, the Queen Flower emptied it in one long draught, and had it refilled at once. Then she casually asked the judge:
'Didn't Magistrate Lo give you a message for me? '
' He charged me with conveying his sincere apologies to the present company,' Judge Dee answered, somewhat astonished. 'That doubtless also included you.'
She made no reply, but silently regarded her winecup for a while, her beautiful eyebrows creased in a deep frown. The judge noticed that the four others were eyeing her anxiously. Suddenly she lifted her head and shouted at the two musicians: 'Don't sit there looking stupid, you two! Play something, that's what you are here for!'
As the two frightened girls began to play, the Queen Flower emptied her cup, again in one draught. Curiously observing his beautiful neighbour, Judge Dee noticed that the cruel lines about her mouth had deepened; she was evidently in a vile temper. She looked up and darted a searching look at Feng. He averted his eyes and quickly began a conversation with Tao Pan-te.