President of the Metropolitan Court, and no doubt the government will instantly take all necessary measures.'
The judge took a sip from his tea, then continued:
'Last night one link was still missing. I vaguely remembered that in the course of the last few days I had once noticed a small incongruity. It had struck me momentarily, but thereafter I clean forgot it. It had been a trifling thing, yet last night I suddenly felt that it was very important, and that it would prove to supply the missing part of my puzzle, if I could only remember it!'
'Did Your Honor find it?' the sergeant asked eagerly.
'Yes,' the judge replied, 'I did! This morning, just before dawn, it suddenly came to my mind-but only when the cocks started crowing! Did you ever pause to think, Hoong, that the cocks crow even before the first rays of dawn make their appearance? Animals have sharp senses, Hoong! Well, open the window, and tell the clerk to bring me a bowl of rice, with some pickled green pepper and salted fish; I feel like eating something appetizing. And make me a large pot of strong tea!'
'Will there be a session of the tribunal this morning, Your Honor?' Hoong asked.
'No,' replied the judge. 'As soon as Ma Joong and Chiao Tai are back, we shall go and visit Han Yung-han and Councilor Liang. I would like to do so right now, for time presses. But inasmuch as the murder of the courtesan has proved to be an affair of national importance, I, a mere district magistrate, am no longer competent to deal with it as I see fit. I can't take further steps without instructions from the capital. We can only hope that Ma Joong and Chiao Tai will come back soon!'
After he had finished his breakfast Judge Dee sent Sergeant Hoong to the chancery to supervise there, together with Tao Gan, the routine business. He himself went upstairs to the terrace.
He stood for a while at the marble balustrade, surveying the peaceful scene at his feet. Countless small fishing craft crowded alongside the quay, and on the road along the lead-gray lake there was a busy traffic of farmers carrying meat and vegetables to the city. As usual, the industrious countryfolk went quietly about their business; even an impending insurrection could not interrupt their ceaseless toil for their daily bowl of rice.
The judge dragged an armchair into a shadowy corner of the terrace and sat down. Soon his lack of sleep asserted itself: he dozed off.
He didn't wake up until Sergeant Hoong came, carrying a tray with his noon meal. Judge Dee got up, walked over to the balustrade and gazed into the distance, shading his eyes with his fan. But there was no sign of Ma Joong and Chiao Tai. He said, disappointed:
'They ought to be back by now, Hoong!'
'Perhaps the authorities wanted to question them, Your Honor,' the sergeant said reassuringly.
Judge Dee shook his head with a worried look. He quickly ate his rice, then went down to his private office. Hoong and Tao Gan sat down opposite him, and together they set to work on the papers that had come in that morning.
After they had been at it for half an hour, heavy footsteps resounded in the corridor. Ma Joong and Chiao Tai entered, looking' hot and tired.
'Heaven be thanked that you are back!' Judge Dee exclaimed. 'Did you see the President?'
'We did, Your Honor,' Ma Joong said in a hoarse voice. 'We handed him the document roll, and he glanced it through in our presence.'
'What did he say?' the judge asked tensely.
Ma Joong shrugged his shoulders. He replied:
'He rolled the documents up, put them in his sleeve and ordered us to tell Your Honor that he would study them in due time.'
Judge Dee's face fell. This was bad news. He had, of course, not expected that the President would discuss the matter with his assistants, but neither had he expected so casual a reaction. After some reflection he said:
'Well, I am glad anyway that nothing happened to you two!'
Ma Joong pushed the heavy iron helmet back from his perspiring brow. He said dejectedly:
'No, nothing really happened, but I still think that things don't look too good, Your Honor! This morning, when we had passed through the west gate of the capital, two men on horseback overtook us, both elderly men. They said they were tea merchants on their way to the western provinces, and asked whether they might join us as far as Han-yuan. They spoke civilly enough, and they carried no arms, so what could we do but say yes? But the elder one had such a thoroughly mean look that I felt shivers up my spine every time I caught his eye! They didn't make any trouble, however, although they were remarkably silent all the way.'
'You were tired,' Judge Dee remarked. 'Probably you were a bit oversuspicious.'
'That wasn't all, Your Honor!' Chiao Tai now said. 'Half an hour later a group of about thirty horsemen emerged from a side road. Their leader said they also were merchants, and also on their way to the western provinces! Well, if those were merchants, then I am a nursemaid! I seldom saw such a fine collection of assorted ruffians, and I am certain they carried swords concealed under their robes. However, since they took the lead and went to ride in front of us, it didn't look too bad. But when after another half hour or so another thirty self-styled merchants came and joined us, and brought up the rear of our cavalcade, Brother Ma and I thought that we were in for trouble.'
The judge had straightened in his chair. He looked fixedly at Chiao' Tai as he continued:
'Since we had delivered the document, we didn't worry. We thought that if the feast started, at least one of us should be able to fight his way through to the roadside, take to the field and fetch help from a military post. But what makes it look so bad is that the fellows didn't attack us at all. They were completely sure of themselves; they evidently had larger things in mind than killing two messengers! Their only aim was apparently to prevent us from raising the alarm. But we could hardly have raised any alarm, for all the guard posts we passed were deserted! Not a soldier in sight, all along the road! When we were rounding the lake, the men started to melt away in groups of five or six, and when we entered the town we had only those two elderly fellows with us. We told them they were arrested, and took them here to the tribunal. But they didn't seem to mind that at all; the insolent rascals said they would like to speak to Your Honor!'
'Those sixty scoundrels who rode with us are but one column of the rebels, Your Honor!' Ma Joong added. 'When we were approaching the town I saw in the distance two long files of horsemen riding through the mountains, heading for the city. They probably think they can take us by surprise! But our tribunal is solidly built and occupies a strategic position; we can easily defend it!'
Judge Dee crashed his fist on the table.
'Heaven knows why the government didn't take any action on my report!' he exclaimed angrily. 'But whatever happens, those despicable rebels won't be able to take my town so easily! They haven't got battering rams, and we can dispose of about thirty able men. How are we standing with our stores of arms, Chiao Tai?'
'There are plenty of arrows in the armory, Your Honor!' Chiao Tai said with enthusiasm. 'I think we can hold them off at least one day or so, and give them a bad time too!'
'Bring those two miserable traitors here!' Judge Dee ordered Ma Joong. 'They think they can make a deal with me! Han-yuan is their headquarters; they hope I'll hand the town over to them without a fight. We'll show them how wrong they are! But first we'll make those two scoundrels tell us how many men the rebels have, and where their positions are! Get them here!'
Ma Joong left the room with a happy grin.
He came back with two gentlemen in long blue robes and wearing black skullcaps. The elder one was tall; he had a cold, expressionless face with a thin, ragged ring beard. His heavy-lidded eyes were half-closed. The other was a thickset man with a sharp, sardonic face. He had a jet-black mustache and a stiff, short beard. He looked at the judge and his four lieutenants with watchful, very bright eyes.
But Judge Dee stared only at the elder man, speechless with astonishment. A few years earlier, when he was serving in the Cabinet Archives in the capital, he had once seen this dreaded person, from a distance. Someone had then told him his name, in a frightened whisper.
The tall man raised his head and let his queer, slate-colored eyes rest for a while on the judge. Then he made a move with his head in the direction of Judge Dee's assistants. The judge motioned the four men peremptorily to leave them alone.
Ma Joong and Chiao Tai looked dumfoundedly at the judge, but as he nodded impatiently they shuffled to the door, followed by Sergeant Hoong and Tao Gan.
