Free The Chinese Maze Murders by Robert van Gulik Page A

good-looking young man.
    Both knelt before the judge. The young man knocked his head on the floor three times in succession.
    “Your Honour,” Fang said, “allow me to present my son. He was kidnapped by Chien’s henchmen and compelled to work as a servant in his mansion.”
    “He shall serve under you as a constable,” Judge Dee said. “Did you find your eldest daughter?”
    “Alas,” Fang replied with a sigh, “my son has never seen her and the most diligent search did not produce any trace of her. I closely questioned the steward of Chien’s mansion. He remembers that at one time Chien Mow expressed the desire to acquire White Orchid for his harem but maintains that his master dropped the matter when I refused to sell my daughter. I do not know what to think.”
    Judge Dee said pensively:
    “It is your assumption that Chien Mow kidnapped her, and you may yet be proved right. It is not unusual for a man like Chien to keep a secret love nest outside his mansion.On the other hand we must also reckon with the possibility that he had really nothing to do with her disappearance. I shall question Chien on this subject and institute a thorough investigation. Do not give up hope too soon!”
    As the judge was speaking, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai came in.
    They reported that Corporal Ling had executed his orders to the letter. Ten soldiers were stationed at each of the four city gates and a dozen of Chien’s men were locked in each gate tower. The number of prisoners had been increased by five ex-soldiers who had deserted to escape punishment for real crimes. Corporal Ling had demoted to water carriers the loafers who had been guarding the gates before.
    Ma Joong added that Ling had all the qualities of a good military man; he had deserted because of a quarrel with a dishonest captain and was overjoyed at being once more in the regular army.
    Judge Dee nodded and said:
    “I shall propose that Ling is made a sergeant. For the time being we shall leave the forty men stationed at the gates. If their morale remains good I propose to quarter them all together in Chien’s mansion. In course of time I shall designate that as garrison headquarters. You, Chiao Tai, will remain commanding officer of those forty men and the twenty we trained here in the tribunal, till the soldiers I shall send for have arrived.”
    Having thus spoken the judge dismissed his lieutenants. He took up his brush and drafted an urgent letter to the far-away prefect describing the events of the past two days. The judge added a list of the men he wanted re-enlisted and a proposal that Corporal Ling be promoted to sergeant. Finally he requested that one hundred soldiers be send to Lan-fang as permanent garrison.

    As he was sealing this letter the headman came in. He reported that a Mrs. Yoo had come to see the judge. She was waiting at the gate of the tribunal.
    Judge Dee looked pleased.
    “Bring her in!” he ordered.
    As the headman was showing the lady into Judge Dee’s office he gave her an appraising look. She was about thirty years old and still a remarkably beautiful woman. She was not made up and very simply dressed.
    Kneeling before the desk she said timidly:
    “Mrs. Yoo nee Mei respectfully greets Your Honour.”
    “We are not in the tribunal, Madam,” Judge Dee said kindly, “so there is no need for formality. Please rise and be seated!”
    Mrs. Yoo rose slowly and sat down on one of the footstools in front of the desk. She hesitated to speak.
    “I have always,” Judge Dee said, “greatly admired your late husband Governor Yoo. I consider him as one of the greatest statesmen of our age.”
    Mrs. Yoo bowed. She said in a low voice:
    “He was a great and a good man, Your Honour. I would not have dared to intrude upon Your Honour’s valuable time were it not that it is my duty to execute my late husband’s instructions.”
    Judge Dee leaned forward.
    “Pray proceed, Madam!” he said intently.
    Mrs. Yoo put her hand in her sleeve and