The Chinese Maze Murders

by Robert Van Gulik

  Three tribes are assembling in the plains over the river. Tomorrow, at midnight, they will occupy this city. We could have taken this town any time we liked, but we want to avoid excessive bloodshed. Your Chinese authorities are self-satisfied and lazy, and this is a distant outpost. If the fall of this town does not create too much interest in the capital, the authorities will not be in too much of a hurry to send an army here. Fortunately for us the route to the west no longer passes through this town. So the central authorities need not worry that we shall interfere with the tribute caravans from the western tributary kingdoms. By the time they decide to take action we shall have established our kingdom here and be in a position to ward off any attack.

  The point is that we want to take this town by surprise. Everything has been prepared for taking over the tribunal and killing the magistrate and his men. But we need a few more Chinese to dispose of the guards on the gates."

  "Ha!", Ma Joong exclaimed, "that is very fortunate! It so happens that I have a friend here who is the very man for you. He was a sergeant in our regular army who had to desert and hide himself because he got into trouble with the new magistrate here. That fellow Dee is a nasty man!"

  "You Chinese are always afraid of those magistrates!", the Uigur said with a sneer. "I am not afraid of any of them! A couple of years ago I slit the throat of one with my own hands!"

  Ma Joong gave his host an admiring look.

  "Well", he said, "you had better contact my friend. He is a firstclass swordsman and knows all about the passwords and military routine."

  "Where is he?", the other asked eagerly.

  "Not far from here, Sir!", Ma Joong replied. "We found a perfect hiding place for him. He only goes out at night, during the daytime he sleeps on the third floor of the Drum Tower."

  The Uigur laughed.

  "That is not a bad idea!", he said. "Nobody would look for him there! Go and bring him here!"

  Ma Joong looked doubtful. He said with a frown:

  "As I just remarked, Sir, he cannot risk going out by daylight. Could not we go there ourselves? It is quite near! "

  The Uigur shot Ma Joong a suspicious look. He thought for a while. Then he rose, transferring his knife from his girdle to his sleeve.

  "I hope for you, my friend", he said, "that you are not planning some trick. You walk ahead. At the first suspicious move I shall throw my knife in your back and nobody will even guess where it came from!"

  Ma Joong shrugged his shoulders.

  "There is no need for all those warnings", he remarked. "Don't you know that we are entirely in your hands? One word to the tribunal and my friend and I are lost!"

  "So long as you don't forget that, my friend!", the other said.

  They went out into the street, the Uigur following Ma Joong at some distance.

  As Ma Joong entered the market place he saw Chiao Tai standing with his back to a stone memorial tablet. His arms folded in his sleeves, he leisurely surveyed the crowd. His pointed cap, his brown robe with the black sash together with his air of authority clearly marked him as an officer of the tribunal.

  Ma Joong halted in his steps.

  This was where Ma Joong had to take his chance. Every moment the expected to feel the knife of the Uigur landing in his back.

  Yet he could not move too quickly for he had to make sure that Chiao Tai saw him. With cold sweat on his brow Ma Joong carefully played his role.

  He made as if he hesitated for a moment. When Chiao Tai lifted his hand and slowly smoothed his moustache, Ma Joong turned round and made a detour behind the stone tablet.

  As soon as he was safely under the dark arch of the Drum Tower the Uigur joined him.

  "Did you see that bastard leaning against the stone tablet?", Ma Joong whispered excitedly. "That is an officer of the tribunal!"

  "So I saw", the other said dryly. "Hurry up!"

  Ma Joong climbed the stairway to the second floor. He waited till the Uigur had come up too. Pointing to the broken seal on the gate Ma Joong said:

  "Look! That is where my friend went up!"

  The Uigur pulled his knife from the sheath. He ran his thumb along its hair-sharp blade.

  "Climb up!", he ordered.

  Ma Joong shrugged his shoulders resignedly. Slowly he ascended the narrow ladder, the Uigur following behind.

  As Ma Joong had his shoulders through the floor opening he exclaimed:

  "Well, well! The lazy dog is sleeping!"

  So speaking he quickly went up the last steps. Pointing at the drum he said:

  "Look at the fellow!"

  The Uigur came up quickly.

  When his head was on a level with the floor Ma Joong suddenly gave him a fearful kick right in the face.

  With a gasp the Uigur fell down the steep ladder.

  Ma Joong let himself slide down as fast as he could. At the bottom of the step ladder he could just dodge a vicious knife thrust. The Uigur was lying on the floor leaning on his left arm. Apparently he had broken a leg, and blood gushed from a nasty gash on his shaven head. But his eyes shone with a green light and he held his knife in a firm grip.

  Ma Joong decided there was no time, for the finer points. He quickly stepped behind the other. Before the Uigur could scramble round, Ma Joong had placed a kick. The Uigur's head crashed against the side of the ladder. The knife clattered to the floor. He lay quite still.

  Ma Joong picked the knife up and put it in his girdle. Then he bound the Uigur's hands behind his back. He felt the other's leg; it seemed broken in more than one place.

  Ma Joong went down. He left the tower and strolled nonchalantly out into the market place, heading for the stone tablet.

  As he was about to pass in front of the tablet Chiao Tai stepped forward.

  "Halt!", he shouted and gripped Ma Joong's arm.

  Ma Joong shook his arm free and gave Chiao Tai a sullen look.

  "Keep your dirty hands off me, you dogshead!", he barked.

  "I am an officer of the tribunal", Chiao Tai said curtly. "I am sure that His Excellency the Judge would like to ask you a few questions, my man!"

  "Me?", Ma Joong exclaimed indignantly, "I am an honest citizen, Constable!"

  A crowd of idlers had gathered round them, eagerly following this incident.

  "Will you come along, or must I knock you down first?", Chiao Tai asked threateningly.

  "Shall we let ourselves be bullied by these running-dogs of the tribunal?", Ma Joong asked the crowd.

  He noticed to his secret satisfaction that no one made a move.

  Ma Joong shrugged his shoulders.

  "All right", he said, "the tribunal has nothing on me!"

  Chiao Tai bound his hands on his back.

  Ma Joong turned round.

  "Listen", he said, "I have a sick friend. Let me give that flour-cake peddler here a few coppers to take some food to him. The man cannot move!"

  "Where is that fellow?", Chiao Tai asked.

  Ma Joong hesitated a while. Then he said reluctantly:

  "Well, to tell you the truth, last night he went up the Drum Tower over there to enjoy the fresh air. He fell down the steps and broke his leg. He is lying now on the second floor."

  The crowd guffawed.

  "I think", Chiao Tai said, "that the tribunal would like to see that patient of yours!" Turning to the crowd he added: "Let someone run to the warden and call him here with four men, a stretcher and a few old blankets!"

  Soon the warden came running along with four sturdy fellows carrying bamboo poles.

  "Warden, look after this ruffian!", Chiao Tai ordered.

  He beckoned two of the men and went to the Drum Tower.

  Chiao Tai climbed the stairs with the blankets over his shoulder. The Uigur was still unconscious. Chiao Tai quickly pasted a piece of oil paper over his mouth. Then he rolled him in one of the blankets and wrapped the other round the Uigur's head and shoulders. He called down the stairs. The warden's men came up to carry the limp form down.

 
The Uigur was laid on the improvised stretcher. The procession set out for the tribunal, Chiao Tai leading the way dragging Ma Joong along.

  They entered by the side gate. As soon as they were inside Chiao Tai said to the warden:

  "Put the stretcher down here. You and your men can go!"

  As Chiao Tai locked the gate behind them Ma Joong slipped his hands out of the loose ropes. Together with Chiao Tai he carried the stretcher to the jail. They laid the Uigur on the couch in a small cell.

  While Ma Joong bandaged the wounded man's head, Chiao Tai cut open his baggy trousers and attached a rough splint to the broken leg.

  Ma Joong hurried out to report to the judge.

  Chiao Tai locked the door of the cell. He then stood with his back to the door. When the warden of the jail came along, Chiao Tai told him that he had caught a violent ruffian; he would inquire his name as soon as he had calmed down.

  Judge Dee's private office was empty but for Tao Gan, who sat dozing in a corner.

  Ma Joong shook him awake and asked excitedly:

  "Where is His Excellency?"

  Tao Gan looked up.

  "The judge went out with Sergeant Hoong shortly after you and Chiao Tai had left", he replied testily. "What is all the excitement? Did you catch that Uigur fellow?"

  "Better than that", Ma Joong said proudly, "we caught the murderer of Magistrate Pan!"

  "That will cost you a round of wine tonight, brother!", Tao Gan said contentedly. "Well, His Excellency ordered me to go and invite Yoo Kee to visit the tribunal later this afternoon. I suppose that the judge wants to question him about the death of the old caretaker of the country mansion and his wife. I had better be off!"

  Nineteenth Chapter

  A RECLUSE DISCOURSES ON THE PURPOSE OF LIFE; JUDGE DEE LEARNS THE OLD GOVERNOR'S SECRET

  After Ma Joong and Chiao Tai had left, Judge Dee took a paper from the pile on the desk. He looked at it but did not seem to absorb its contents.

  Sergeant Hoong knew that the judge was worried.

  Judge Dee impatiently threw down the document. He said:

  "I don't mind telling you, Sergeant, that if Ma Joong and Chiao Tai do not succeed in catching that man, we shall find ourselves in a most dangerous position!"

  "They have done more difficult jobs than that, Your Honour!", the sergeant said reassuringly.

  Judge Dee made no comment. For half an hour he concentrated on various official documents.

  At last he put down his writing brush.

  "It is no use sitting waiting here any longer", he said curtly. "Evidently Ma Joong and Chiao Tai have seen a chance to arrest their man without attracting attention. The weather is fine, let us go and see whether we can find that Master Crane Robe!"

  Sergeant Hoong knew from long experience that action always was the best sedative when the judge was harassed. He quickly went out to order two horses.

  They left the tribunal by the main gate, heading south. They galloped over the marble bridge and passed through the southern city gate.

  After they had ridden for some time along the main road, a peasant directed them to a narrow path that led to the mountains. It ended at the foot of a steep ridge.

  Judge Dee and the sergeant jumped down from their horses. Sergeant Hoong handed a few coppers to a wood gatherer and asked him to look after the horses for an hour or so. Then they began the ascent.

  A strenuous climb took them to the top of the pine-clad ridge. Judge Dee paused there a while to regain his breath. Looking down on the verdurous valley that spread out at his feet he lifted his arms and enjoyed the cool mountain breeze that blew through his wide sleeves.

  When Sergeant Hoong too had rested himself they slowly descended by the winding path.

  As they went down into the valley, the air became curiously still. The murmur of a brook was the only sound they heard.

  They crossed the river by a narrow stone bridge. A side path led to a low thatched roof that was partly visible in the midst of the green foliage. The path took them through dense undergrowth to a crudely made bamboo gate.

  Inside they found a small garden. On both sides stood flowering plants of well-nigh a man's height. The judge thought that he had never seen such a profusion of magnificent flowers.

  The plaster walls of the small house were overgrown with vine; they seemed to sag under the load of the thatched roof, green with moss. A few rickety wooden steps led up to a single door of unpainted boards. It stood ajar.

  Judge Dee meant to call out that there were visitors but somehow or other he felt reluctant to break the quiet atmosphere. He pushed aside the plants that grew by the side of the house.

  He saw a rustic verandah made of bamboo poles. A very old man clad in a ragged robe was watering a row of potted flowers. He had a large round straw hat on his head. The delicate fragrance of orchids hung in the air.

  Judge Dee pushed the branches further apart and called out: "Is Master Crane Robe at home?"

  The old man turned round. The lower half of his face was concealed by a thick moustache and a long white beard, the rest was covered by the broad rim of the hat. He did not answer but made a vague gesture in the direction of the house.

  Then he put down his watering pot and disappeared behind the house without saying a word.

  Judge Dee was not very pleased with this casual reception. He curtly told Sergeant-Hoong to wait outside.

  As the sergeant sat down on the bench near the gate, Judge Dee ascended the steps and entered the house.

  He found himself in a large, empty room. The wooden floor was bare and so were the white plaster walls. The furniture consisted of a rough wooden table and two footstools in front of the low, broad window, and a bamboo table against the back wall. It looked like the interior of a peasant's house. But everything was scrupulously clean.

  There was no sign of the host. Judge Dee felt annoyed and began to regret that he had come all this way.

  With a sigh he sat down on one of the footstools and looked out of the window.

  He was struck by the fine view on the rows of flowering plants that stood on racks in the verandah outside. Rare orchids blossomed in porcelain and earthenware bowls; their fragrance seemed to pervade the entire room.

  As he was sitting there Judge Dee felt the immense tranquillity of his surroundings slowly soothe his harassed mind. Listening to the soft humming of an invisible bee, time seemed to be standing still.

  Judge Dee's irritation evaporated. He placed his elbows on the table and leisurely looked around. He noticed that above the bamboo table a pair of paper scrolls had been stuck up on the plaster wall. They bore a couplet written in powerful calligraphy.

  Judge Dee idly scanned the lines:

  "There are but two roads that lead to the gate of

  Eternal Life:

  Either one bores his head in the mud like a worm,

  or like a dragon flies up high into the sky."

  The judge reflected that these lines were rather unusual; they could be interpreted in more than one way.

  The couplet was signed and sealed but from where he sat the judge could not read the small characters.

  A faded blue screen at the back was pulled aside and the old man entered.

  He had changed his ragged robe for a loose gown of brown cloth and his grey head was uncovered. He carried a steaming kettle in his hand.

  Judge Dee hastily rose and bowed deeply. The old man nodded casually, and leisurely sat down on the other footstool, with his back to the window. After a moment's hesitation the judge sat down too.

  The old man's face was all wrinkled up like the skin of a crab apple. But his lips were red like cinnabar. As his host bowed his head while pouring the boiling water in the tea pot his long white eyebrows screened his eyes like a curtain so that the judge could not see them.

  Judge Dee waited respectfully for the old man to speak first.

  When he had replaced the lid on the tea pot his host folded his arms in his sleeves and looked st
raight at the judge. Under his bushy brows his piercing eyes were keen like those of a hawk.

  He spoke in a deep, sonorous voice:

  "Excuse this old man's remissness. I rarely entertain visitors!"

  As he spoke the judge noticed that his teeth were even and of a pearly white.

  Judge Dee answered:

  "I beg your forgiveness for this sudden visit. You…"

  "Ha, Yoo!", the old man interrupted him. "So you are a member of the famous Yoo family!"

  "No", the judge corrected him hastily, "my family name is Dee. I…"

  "Yes, yes", his host mused, "it is a long time since I saw my old friend Yoo. Let me see now, it must be eight years since he died. Or was it nine?"

  Judge Dee reflected that the old man was apparently in his dotage. But since his host's mistake seemed to lead him straight to the object of his visit, he did not again try to correct it.

  The old man poured the tea.

  "Yes", he continued pensively, "a man of great purpose, the old Governor Yoo. Why, it must be seventy years ago now that we studied together in the capital. Yes, he was a man of great purpose who laid his plans far in the future. He was going to eradicate all evil, he was going to reform the Empire…"

  The old man's voice trailed off. He nodded a few times and sipped his tea.

  Judge Dee said diffidently:

  "I am greatly interested in Governor Yoo's life here in Lan-fang."

  His host did not seem to have heard him. He slowly went on sipping his tea.

  The judge also brought the cup to his lips. After the first sip he knew that this was the most delicious tea he had ever tasted. Its mellow aroma seemed to pervade his entire body.

  MASTER CRANE ROBE AND JUDGE DEE

  His host said suddenly:

  "The water was taken from where the brook springs from the rocks. Last night I placed the tea leaves in the bud of a chrysanthemum. I took them out this morning when the flower opened in the sun. These leaves are saturated with the essence of the morning dew."

  Then, without any transition, he continued:

  "Yoo set out on his official career and I went away to roam over the Empire. He became a prefect, then a governor. His name rang through the marble halls of the Imperial palace. He persecuted the wicked, protected and encouraged the good, and went a long, long way towards reforming the Empire. Then, one day, when he had nearly realized all his ambitions, he found that he had failed to reform his own son.