Shouting for help, I started kicking and beating the boards till my hands and feet bled. The air had become very close and I was afraid that I would suffocate. I don't know how long I was in this terrible state.
'Then I suddenly heard sounds of laughter. I shouted as loud as I could and again kicked the boards. The laughter stopped abruptly. 'There's someone inside,' a hoarse voice exclaimed. 'It's a ghost, let's run!' I shouted frantically: 'I am no ghost! I have been encoffined alive, help me!' Soon the coffin resounded with hammer blows. The lid was lifted and at last I could breathe fresh air again.
'I saw two men who looked like laborers. The elder one had a kind, wrinkled face; the other looked sullen. I could tell from their flushed faces that both had been drinking heavily. But the unexpected discovery sobered them up. With their help I got out of the coffin, and they took me outside to the Temple garden and made me sit down on the stone bench next to the lotus pond. The old man scooped water from the pond and let me moisten my face; the younger one made me drink some potent liquor from a calabash he was carrying. When I felt somewhat better I told them who I was and what had happened. The elder one then said he was the carpenter Mao Yuan who had worked in Dr. Djang's house that very afternoon. He had met his cousin in the city; they had eaten together and since it had become very late they had decided to pass the night in the deserted temple. 'We'll now take you home,' the carpenter said. 'Then Dr. Djang will tell you everything.''
Moon Fairy hesitated a moment. Then she went on in a steady voice:
'His cousin had been staring at me silently all the time. Now he said: 'Let's not act rashly, cousin! Fate has decided that this woman should be considered as dead. Who are we to interfere with the decrees from on high?' I knew the man desired me and all my fears came back. I implored the old man to protect me and take me home. The carpenter scolded his cousin severely. The other flew in a terrible rage, and a violent quarrel started. Suddenly the cousin raised his ax and hit the old man a fearful blow on his head.'
Her face had become pale. Judge Dee gave a sign to the sergeant, who quickly offered her a cup of hot tea. When she had drunk that she cried out:
'That horrible sight was too much for me! I fell down in a faint. When I came to, Mao Loo was standing over me with an evil leer on his cruel face. 'You'll come with me!' he growled. 'And keep your mouth shut! One sound and I'll kill you!' We left the garden by the back door and he bound me to a pine tree in the forest behind the temple. When he came back he didn't have the toolbox and that ax with him any more. He took me through the dark streets to what seemed to be a low-class inn. We were received by a horrid woman who took us to a small, dirty room upstairs. 'Here we'll pass the wedding night!' Mao Loo said. I turned to the woman and begged her not to leave me alone. She seemed to understand a little. 'Leave the chicken alone,' she said gruffly to Mao Loo. Til see to it that tomorrow she's ready for you!' Mao Loo went away without another word. The woman gave me an old robe so that I could throw that horrible shroud away. She brought me a bowl of gruel and I slept till noon of the following day.
'Then I felt much better and wanted to leave that place as soon as possible. But the door was locked. I kicked and shouted till the woman appeared. I told her who I was, that Mao Loo had kidnaped me, and that she should let me go. But she just laughed and shouted, 'That's what they all say! Tonight you'll be Mao Loo's bride!' I became angry and scolded her, saying that I would report her and Mao Loo to the tribunal. The woman called me a vile name. She tore down my robe and stripped me naked. I am rather strong, so when I saw her taking a roll of rope from her sleeve to tie me up I gave her a push, trying to get past her to the door. But I was no match for her. She suddenly hit me a hard blow in my stomach. While I doubled up gasping she pulled my arms back and in a moment had tied them behind my back. She grabbed me by my hair and forced me down on my knees with my head bent to the floor.'
Moon Fairy swallowed; an angry blush colored her cheeks as she went on:
'She gave me a vicious lash across my hips with the loose ends of the rope. I cried out in pain and anger and wanted to crawl away, but that horrible woman planted her bony knee on my back, pulled my head up with her left hand and, swinging the rope in the other, began to beat me cruelly. Crying frantically for mercy, I had to submit to that humiliating punishment till the blood trickled down my thighs.
'Then the woman left off. Panting, she pulled me up and made me stand against the bedpost. When she had tied me to it the foul creature left, locking the door behind her. I was left standing there, groaning in agony, for what seemed an interminable time. At last Mao Loo came in, followed by the woman. He seemed to take pity on me; muttering something under his breath he cut my ropes. My swollen legs would not support me; he had to help me onto the bed. He gave me a wet towel, then threw my robe over me. 'Sleep!' he said. 'Tomorrow we'll go traveling!' Soon after they had gone I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.
'When, the next morning, I woke up I found that every movement caused me a searing pain. To my horror the woman came again. But now she was in a friendly mood. 'For a crook,' she remarked, 'I must say Mao Loo paid handsomely!' She gave me a cup of tea and put ointment on my sores. Then Mao Loo came and made me put on a jacket and trousers. Downstairs a one-eyed man was waiting for us. When they took me outside every step hurt me but the two men kept me moving by hissing horrible threats at me. I didn't dare to accost people in the street. We had an awful journey through the plain in a farmer's cart, then went by boat to the island. Mao Loo wanted to possess me the first night, but I said I was ill. Then two of those robbers came for me, but Mao Loo fought them off till the guards came and took them away. The next day these two officers came-'
'That'll do, madam!' Judge Dee said. 'The rest I'll hear from my two lieutenants.' He gave Hoong a sign to pour another cup of tea for her; then he continued gravely: 'You have shown great constancy in the most trying circumstances, Mrs. Djang! Both you and your husband have, in the brief space of a few days, gone through the most fearful mental and physical anguish. But both of you have shown your undaunted spirit. Now all your troubles are over. Since you two have passed this severe test, I feel certain that a long and happy future lies before you.
'I must inform you that your father, Liu Fei-po, has suddenly left under suspect circumstances. Have you any idea what could have been the reason for his sudden departure?'
Moon Fairy looked worried. She said slowly:
'Father never told me about his affairs, Your Honor. I always thought he did very well in business; we never had any financial worries. He is a rather proud and self-willed man, Your Honor, and not easy to get along with. I know that my mother and father's other women aren't too happy; they seem- But for me he was always so kind. I really can't imagine-'
'Well,' the judge interrupted her, 'we'll find out in due time.' To Hoong he said: 'Take Mrs. Djang to the gatehouse, and order a closed palanquin. Send the headman ahead on horseback to inform the professor and Candidate Djang of her impending arrival.'
Moon Fairy knelt and thanked the judge; then Sergeant Hoong led her away.
Judge Dee leaned back in his chair and told Ma Joong and Chiao Tai to report.
Ma Joong gave a detailed account of their adventure, stressing the courage and resourcefulness of Mrs. Djang. When he told about the second junk with the armed men, and the cargo of weapons, the judge sat up straight. Then Ma Joong went on to quote the corporal about the unrest in Liu-chiang. He didn't mention the lotus emblem on the helmets, for the simple reason that he didn't know its significance. But when he had finished, Chiao Tai laid a few of the silver White Lotus emblems on the table and said worriedly:
'The helmets we found were also marked with this same emblem, Your Honor. 1 have heard that many years ago there was a dangerous uprising of a secret political society that called itself the White Lotus. It would seem that the robbers in Chiang-pei now use that old, dreaded symbol in order to intimidate the population.'
Judge Dee cast one glance at the silver tokens. Then he jumped up and began pacing the floor, muttering angrily. His assistants exchanged frightened looks; they had never seen the judge in such a state.
Suddenly he took hold of himself. Standing still in front of them he said with a wan smile:
'I have a problem I must think over quietly. You people go and seek a bit of diversion; all of you deserve some rest!'
Ma Joong, Chiao Tai and Tao Gan went silently to the door. Hoong stood for a few moments undecided, but when he saw his master's haggard face he also followed the others. All the happy excitement over the successful mission of Chiang-pei had left them; they knew that more and very serious trouble lay ahead.
When all had left Judge Dee slowly sat down again. He folded his arms and let his chin rest on his breast. Thus his worst fears had come true. The White Lotus Society had been revived, and it was preparing for action. And one of their centers was located in Han-yuan, his own district, where the Emperor had appointed him, and he had proved unable to discover it. A sanguinary civil war was about to break out; innocent people would be killed,
