The Celebrated Cases Of Judge Dee

by Robert Van Gulik

  During his previous visit to this village, Ma Joong had learned that the largest hostel there belonged to a certain Mr. Djang. Thus Judge Dee first sent Ma Joong and Chiao Tai ahead to see whether they could rent a room there.

  When he arrived at the gate of Djang’s hostel, Ma Joong called out:

  “Is there anybody inside? We are travellers from Peking, where my master is a great silk merchant. Have you room for us?”

  The waiter, hearing that important guests had arrived, hastened to open the gate and bade them enter. He assured them that they themselves could choose the room they liked. When he asked about their luggage, Ma Joong told him that their sedan-chairs and their luggage were waiting outside the village. He told Chiao Tai to go out there with the waiter and conduct Judge Dee to the hostel, while he himself went inside. The manager of the hostel came out into the courtyard to greet Ma Joong and personally showed him the guestrooms. Ma Joong selected two clean rooms and supervised the waiters in putting everything in order. Then he went out again to the front gate where Judge Dee had just arrived in his sedan chair. While Chiao Tai and the waiter unloaded the luggage, Ma Joong paid the chair bearers off, and then conducted Judge Dee to his room. He ordered hot tea for the judge. When they had refreshed themselves, the manager came in to pay a courtesy call. He said politely:

  “I come to inquire the honourable guest’s name. I hear that the gentleman is from Peking and intends to do some business here. I act as a broker for all kinds of business and am always honoured with the patronage of the merchants who pass through here. Moreover the kitchen here can supply any kind of food or wine you might desire!”

  “My surname”, Judge Dee answered, “is Liang and my personal name Dee-goong. I am the representative of a large silk firm in Peking. We left there about one month ago, intending to proceed via this place to Kiangsu Province where we were to purchase a large quantity of raw silk for our firm. But unfortunately I fell ill en route and we arrived here only today. Now I fear that I won’t be able to reach Kiangsu before the silk season is over. Since the great silk routes from North and South meet here, I hoped to be able to purchase the silk here. How is the market for raw silk at present?”

  “This place”, the manager said, “is quite some distance from Kiangsu but still we are kept informed regularly about market conditions there. People say that the spring was unusually mild, so that there is an abundance of raw silk. One hundred catties sell there for only 35 silver pieces. The local market price is about 39 silver pieces for a hundred catties. When you consider that it takes several weeks to travel here from Kiangsu and you reckon the transportation costs, then, as I see it, the local price of 39 silver pieces is really cheaper than in Kiangsu”.

  Judge Dee pretended to hesitate and began asking all kinds of questions about the quality of the raw silk sold locally. When Manager Djang had answered these, Judge Dee added that this was the first time that he was acting as a travelling representative for his firm. “The old representative”, he said, “died recently, and the boss chose me to succeed him. It is very awkward that I fell ill. I am still eager to do some good business for my firm. Since the silk price here seems not to be excessive I might as well ask you to introduce me to some one who is willing to sell, and then see whether we can do business. If I can purchase all I need here, it will save me the journey to Kiangsu”.

  Manager Djang was overjoyed on hearing this, for not only could he make a good commission by acting as broker in this transaction, but he would also have this wealthy merchant and his servants as guests for a couple of days, thus making a tidy bit of profit on the rooms and the food. He gladly promised to do all he could to bring “Mr. Liang” into contact with a dependable silk dealer. He took his leave after ordering the waiter to bring some refreshments and to tell the cooks to prepare a good repast.

  When they had finished their meal, Judge Dee told Chiao Tai to stay in the room to guard their luggage. He went with Ma Joong to the manager’s office and asked him whether it would be convenient for him to go out with them.

  Manager Djang came hastily out from behind his counter, saying that he would be glad to act as guide. He took them through some winding streets to a busy shopping centre. Large shops occupied both sides of the street. The place had a very prosperous look.

  While he stood still in front of an impressive establishment the clerk came out to greet him, saying:

  “Mr. Djang, please enter with your friends. My master is out just now but he will be back soon”.

  Judge Dee thought that it was fortunate that the superior was out, for now he could try to get some information out of the clerk. Thus he said to Manager Djang:

  “We have no other pressing business, so let us sit down here a while and wait for the manager’s return”.

  Upon entering, Judge Dee saw a spacious room, without a counter or the other usual appointments of a shop. At one side all kinds of merchandise were piled up high against the wall. On the other side there was a beautiful tea table of carved wood and a set of chairs. The white-washed wall bore the name of the firm in large red characters, while the additional information imparted that transit business was done here in all goods from north and south.

  They sat down. The clerk served them tea. During the exchange of the usual amenities, it transpired that the name of the manager was Loo Chang-po, and that his family had lived there for generations. The clerk asked more closely about Judge Dee’s business and what firm in Peking he represented. Fortunately Judge Dee remembered that when he was in Peking in his student days, he used to pass through the Yao-djia Street, where there was a large silk firm called Wayflee or something like that. Thus he told the clerk that his firm was called Wayflee. The clerk immediately smiled broadly and said:

  “That is a famous firm! Excuse me. I should have treated you with more respect! When our former manager was still alive he did much business with your firm. Thereafter, when business in Peking flourished more and more, your firm sent its representatives directly to Kiangsu and did not come here any more. Why is it that you are now coming here again to buy raw silk?”

  Judge Dee recited the same tale he had foisted on Manager Djang. He was still at it when a man about forty entered the room. Manager Djang hastily rose from his chair, saying: “Manager Loo has returned.”

  After the introductions were over and Manager Loo had heard about Judge Dee’s plan, he said:

  “You have timed your visit here nicely. Only a few days ago a silk merchant by the name of Djao arrived from Kiangsu. He is an old client of my firm and gave me his bales of raw silk to sell for him. If you like you can have a look at them”.

  He took Judge Dee to the other side of the room, and showed him a large pile of bales of raw silk.

  Judge Dee looked them over. He saw that most bore the name of a well known Kiangsu firm stamped in large letters. But there were two that were so covered with dry mud that the name of the firm could not be deciphered. Seeing these two bales was enough. He called out to Ma Joong:

  “You have long experience in appraising raw silk. Come over here and have a look. It seems to me that the gloss is not all it should be”.

  Ma Joong knew that the judge had discovered something. He walked over to the bales, but he first opened a few others and then turned to the two muddy ones.

  “The silk”, he said, “is all right. But it has been exposed to moisture on the road. That is why the gloss has gone. Now the contents of these two bales, although they are a bit dirty, still have the right kind of gloss. If the owner is still here, we might try to make a deal with him”.

  Judge Dee expressed his approval, and added that if the price was reasonable he might buy the entire lot. Then he inquired whether the merchant Djao was still in town. Manager Loo, eager to do business, said to the clerk:

  “Mr. Djao is gambling in the warden’s house now. You go over there and tell him to come here immediately, since there is a party who wants to buy the entire lot of raw silk”.

  Th
e clerk went out, and Manager Djang took his leave shortly after, remarking that night was falling and that his presence was required at the hostel to receive new guests.

  They all had some more tea. Then the clerk came back with a tall fellow. Ma Joong immediately recognised him as the ruffian he had followed the other day.

  Chapter 14

  MA JOONG AND DJAO ENGAGE IN A BOUT OF WRESTLING; A MEETING OF TWO BROTHERS OF THE GREEN WOODS

  MA JOONG GAVE a secret sign to Judge Dee indicating that this indeed was their man.

  Judge Dee eyed him carefully. He was over six feet tall. His face had a dark colour, with small, glittering eyes under bushy eyebrows. He was clad in a short jacket with narrow sleeves, and wore his blue robe tucked up between his legs, so that his trousers were visible. Furthermore he wore thin-soled sandals on his feet, altogether presenting the appearance of a “brother of the green woods” rather than of an honest merchant.

  As soon as Manager Loo had seen the new arrival, he stood up to greet him and said with a smile:

  “It is said that if you are eager to sell a chicken, it is hard to find a man who wants one. But you are lucky. Only a few days ago you commissioned me to sell your silk, and here I have a buyer for you already”. Then he told merchant Djao Judge Dee’s story.

  Merchant Djao had seated himself in the mean time. While Manager Loo was talking he had given Judge Dee a good look. Then he said with a wry smile:

  “It is quite true that I want to sell my goods. But I fear that this gentleman here has no real intention of buying”.

  Manager Loo was quite taken aback by this unexpected answer, and said hurriedly:

  “Mr. Djao, you are joking; you should know better than to say that I would deceive you. This gentleman is a representative of the Wayflee firm of Peking, a house of excellent standing, as everyone in our trade knows.“The tall fellow’s remark, however, had startled Judge Dee even more. He thought that this man, who had at a first meeting found out that he was not the merchant he pretended to be, must be an uncommonly shrewd observer. The only thing he could do was to try to convince merchant Djao that he was wrong. So he rose from his chair and said with a deep bow: “Greetings to you, Mr. Djao”.

  The tall fellow immediately answered him with a still deeper bow and said respectfully:

  “Your Excellency, please remain seated. This insignificant person has delayed too long in paying you a courtesy visit, for which I implore your pardon”.

  This speech amazed the judge still more, for apparently this man Djao knew exactly who he was.

  “Elder brother”, Judge Dee said, “what makes you address me like this? Are we not all businessmen who are wont to talk as equals? What is your honourable name?”

  “My surname”, the other answered, “is Djao, and my name Wan-chuan. I am a much-travelled man. I have traversed the Empire from north to south and moreover am conversant with the art of physiognomy. Now what might be Your Excellency’s business here? May I respectfully ask your honourable name and inquire what your official position is at present? Would I be far wrong if I took it that you are now the magistrate of some district or other?”

  On hearing this Judge Dee felt greatly ashamed, for evidently he had played his role as merchant very badly. However it was too late to go on pretending, so he said sharply:

  “If you know exactly who I am, you cannot be ignorant of the case that brought me here!” Then he gave Ma Joong a secret sign. Ma Joong jumped forward shouting:

  “You dog of a robber, did you think you could escape by fleeing to this place? Now our judge has come here himself to arrest you. We shall drag you to the tribunal in chains!”

  Then he placed himself in front of the door to prevent Djao from escaping and crouched in the wrestler’s stance to hurl himself on the tall fellow.

  Manager Loo, seeing these sudden developments, thought he was having a bad dream. He cried: “Gentlemen, gentlemen, this is a decent shop. We cannot have fisticuffs here!”

  He had hardly finished speaking when Djao Wan-chuan had rolled up his sleeves, and cursing Judge Dee and Ma Joong for a corrupt official and his running-dog, he sprang towards Ma Joong swift as an arrow, aiming a long blow at his heart region, using the stance called “a tiger clawing at a sheep”. But Ma Joong dodged the blow by withdrawing one step to the left, a trick called “enticing the tiger out his forest”; at the same time he hit Djao’s outstretched arm a sharp blow with two fingers exactly on the vein inside the elbow. Djao’s right arm was temporarily lamed, his attack was stemmed, and he was trying to regain his stance when Ma Joong followed up his success with a sharp blow below Djao’s ribs. Now Djao was fully aware that he had an expert opponent and went on strictly according to rules. Using his lamed arm to protect his body, he quickly caught Ma Joong’s right wrist with his left arm. But before Djao could twist his arm and place a kick, Ma Joong quickly countered with the trick called: “The Phoenix bird spreading its wings”; he sprang two feet in the air, thus loosening Djao’s grip, at the same time aiming a left kick at his face. Djao, however, had expected this move; he quickly ducked between Ma Joong’s legs before he had come down and threw him on the floor with a crash.

  Judge Dee, seeing his lieutenant floored, thought that all was lost and that Djao would now make his getaway. Just while he was debating what to do, a man of about thirty burst into the room, with shoulders broad as a bear, and a waist as slim as that of a tiger. He gave Ma Joong and Djao Wan-chuan one look, shouting:

  “Stop it, brother Djao! This is a friend of mine!” And to Ma Joong he said: “Brother Ma, how did you come here? Why are you fighting with one of our brothers?”

  As he spoke he helped Ma Joong up. Ma Joong smiled all over when he saw the newcomer, and said:

  “Elder brother, so we meet again! But before we say one other word, let us first make sure that this ruffian here does not escape. He is being sought for murder!”

  The newcomer told Djao to stay right where he was. He ordered the crowd of onlookers that had assembled at the door to make themselves scarce and then said to Ma Joong:

  “This Djao Wan-chuan is an old friend of mine. Why are you fighting with him. What is this talk about a murder?”

  “That”, Ma Joong said, “is a long story. But first I must tell you that this is my master, the district magistrate of Chang-ping, His Excellency Judge Dee”.

  The newcomer hastily knelt down before the Judge, saying: “Your Honour is the famous magistrate of the neighbouring district. Please forgive my remissness in not recognising you earlier”. Judge Dee made him rise, and said:

  “You are not under my jurisdiction, my man, and you need not be so ceremonial. Please sit down and tell me who you are, and in what way you are connected with my lieutenant Ma Joong and this fellow Djao?”

  “My humble surname”, the newcomer said, “is Djiang and my name Djung. Formerly I was a brother of the green woods, and together with Ma Joong here studied under the same master the arts of boxing and fencing. Soon, however, I found that wild life not to my taste. I thought I could use my strength for a more worthy cause. I settled down in this village and soon was elected as the local warden.

  “As to this Djao Wan-chuan, he is a man of Kiangsu province. He used to study under my father who taught him medicine, boxing, and the art of physiognomy. He led a roving existence for a time, but then inherited some money from an aunt and set up in the silk business. He did very well, travelling all over the Empire as a representative of a large firm. He often comes here on business. He always stays at my place. Today we were just having a small gambling game together, when Djao was called away by the clerk here. When he stayed away so long, I came here to see what had happened to him.

  “I can personally guarantee that Djao is an honest man, although he may be quick-tempered. If he had killed somebody in a fight, he would have given himself up. He certainly would not have fled here and stayed with me, without saying a word about this affair.”

  Chapter 15

&nb
sp; DJAO GIVES A CLEAR ACCOUNT OF THE REAL MURDERER; JUDGE DEE ALLOWS MRS. DIOU TO RETURN TO HER HOME

  THIS STORY IMPRESSED Judge Dee, but it failed to convince him. He thought that this man Djao had all the marks of a hardened criminal. Djiang Djung, after all, was a former highway robber. He would not put it beyond them to have invented this story just to avert suspicion.

  Ma Joong guessed the judge’s train of thought, and said:

  “Your Honour, there is no reason to doubt. Since brother Djiang has guaranteed that this man Djao is an honest merchant, it is certain that he is not implicated in this case. Perhaps he himself can give an adequate explanation of how he happened to have the bales of the murdered man”.

  “Brother Djao”, Warden Djiang said, “report to His Excellency here exactly what happened. In our brotherhood everything must be clear and honest. Moreover I am the warden of this village, on the border of the Chang-ping district and so I am also partly responsible for seeing that the real murderer is brought to justice”.

  “This”, Djao began, “is a most vexing story. The murder was committed by a man called Shao, who, not content with having done this foul deed, also managed to drag me into it. The full name of the fellow is Shao Lee-huai, a native of Kiangsu Province. Just as I, he is a travelling silk merchant, who buys the raw silk cheaply in Kiangsu during the season and then peddles it along the highways here in Shantung. I often met him on the road.

  “Last month, when I was buying raw silk in Kiangsu, he left there earlier, together with a young colleague of ours, called Liu. Now the other day I met Shao alone on the road near Chang-ping, pushing a cart loaded with bales of silk. I asked him where young Liu had gone and why he was travelling alone. That is not a wise thing to do if you carry valuable merchandise. He sighed and told me a long tale of woe. Liu had succumbed from a sudden and violent illness on the road; by dint of much trouble he had purchased a coffin for him and had it temporarily put up in some temple, spending the last copper of his travelling funds on a fee for the priests. Then it proved that, through this delay, he had missed the right time for selling his silk at a good profit. If it were not for his efforts to help a dead colleague, and have his body decently encoffined, he would have been back home again by now with a sizable profit in his pocket. I believed this story and asked him where he was going. He said that for the time being he did not intend to go back south since he feared that Liu’s family would hold him responsible for his death. He borrowed 300 pieces of silver from me and gave me the cart with the silk as a security. I could sell Liu’s half of it, and return the proceeds to his family, while his own half would more or less correspond to the 300 silver pieces he had borrowed from me. That is how that crook managed to involve me in this affair. He himself ran away with my good money”.