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Authors: Robert van Gulik
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criminal slowly to death with a thin rattan? It usually takes about six hours.”
The bewildered steward respectfully replied that he had not yet had that advantage.
“That is exactly what will happen to you if you don’t execute His Excellency’s orders to the letter!” Ma Joong said casually. He spurred on his horse, leaving the steward standing there trembling, his face ashen.
As the three horsemen passed through the main gate of Chien’s mansion, the four guards presented arms.
Sixth Chapter
FOUR GUILDMASTERS ARE RECEIVED IN THE MAIN HALL; MRS. YOO VISITS THE TRIBUNAL WITH AN OLD PICTURE
O NCE returned to the tribunal, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai delivered the still unconscious Chien Mow and his two panting counsellors to Headman Fang. Then they went to Judge Dee’s private office. Sergeant Hoong was assisting the judge to change into his informal dress.
Ma Joong pushed back his iron helmet and wiped the perspiration from his brow. He looked with admiration at the judge, exclaiming:
“If that was not the most colossal bluff I have ever seen!”
The judge smiled bleakly.
“It would never have done,” he explained, “to fight it out with Chien. Even if we had really had some two hundred soldiers at our disposal it would have been a sanguinary battle. Chien Mow is a rascal but he is by no means a coward and the men under him would have put up a stiff fight.
“From the beginning I had planned to bluff them, impressing upon Chien and his men that all was over and done with and our victory a foregone conclusion. My original plan was to pose as a provincial governor or an Imperial censor on a border inspection tour.
“As soon as Tao Gan informed me that there were many deserters from the regular army among Chien’s men I changed my plan accordingly.”
“Was it not taking a risk to let that corporal and fivemen return to Chien’s mansion after the attack on the tribunal?” Chiao Tai asked. “They might have started making inquiries and found out that we were bluffing.”
“That,” Judge Dee replied, “was exactly what decided the issue. No one in his senses would have let six good men march back to their master unless he had overwhelmingly superior numbers behind him. It never occurred to Corporal Ling to check. Chien is a shrewd man but even he did not doubt the presence of the regular army. He decided to die in a last desperate fight but his followers thought better of it, especially when we suggested that we might let them go free.”
“Now that we have created this imaginary regiment,” Sergeant Hoong asked, “how do we get rid of it again?”
“If I am not greatly mistaken in my estimation of the course a rumour will take,” Judge Dee said calmly, “this regiment will first wax in popular imagination till it has become a full-fledged army, and then evaporate again without any effort on our part.
“Now about business. First I must organize this tribunal. Then Chien Mow’s affairs must be disentangled.
“Tao Gan will go out now and summon the wardens of all the quarters of this city to appear before me immediately. He will also invite the masters of the most important guilds to pay me a visit at noon.
“Sergeant Hoong, you will go to Chien’s mansion with Headman Fang and ten constables. The womenfolk and the servants will remain confined to their quarters until further orders. You will check with the steward all valuables, place them in the strong room and seal the door. Headman Fang will make a search for his son and his eldest daughter, White Orchid.
“Ma Joong and Chiao Tai will make the rounds of the four city gates and verify whether Corporal Ling has dulyposted his men and whether the forty henchmen of Chien who did not belong to the army have been put under lock and key in the gate towers. If everything is found in order you will inform Ling that he is re-enlisted without loss of rank.
“Take your time and find out the antecedents of the ex-soldiers. Those who did not
The bewildered steward respectfully replied that he had not yet had that advantage.
“That is exactly what will happen to you if you don’t execute His Excellency’s orders to the letter!” Ma Joong said casually. He spurred on his horse, leaving the steward standing there trembling, his face ashen.
As the three horsemen passed through the main gate of Chien’s mansion, the four guards presented arms.
Sixth Chapter
FOUR GUILDMASTERS ARE RECEIVED IN THE MAIN HALL; MRS. YOO VISITS THE TRIBUNAL WITH AN OLD PICTURE
O NCE returned to the tribunal, Ma Joong and Chiao Tai delivered the still unconscious Chien Mow and his two panting counsellors to Headman Fang. Then they went to Judge Dee’s private office. Sergeant Hoong was assisting the judge to change into his informal dress.
Ma Joong pushed back his iron helmet and wiped the perspiration from his brow. He looked with admiration at the judge, exclaiming:
“If that was not the most colossal bluff I have ever seen!”
The judge smiled bleakly.
“It would never have done,” he explained, “to fight it out with Chien. Even if we had really had some two hundred soldiers at our disposal it would have been a sanguinary battle. Chien Mow is a rascal but he is by no means a coward and the men under him would have put up a stiff fight.
“From the beginning I had planned to bluff them, impressing upon Chien and his men that all was over and done with and our victory a foregone conclusion. My original plan was to pose as a provincial governor or an Imperial censor on a border inspection tour.
“As soon as Tao Gan informed me that there were many deserters from the regular army among Chien’s men I changed my plan accordingly.”
“Was it not taking a risk to let that corporal and fivemen return to Chien’s mansion after the attack on the tribunal?” Chiao Tai asked. “They might have started making inquiries and found out that we were bluffing.”
“That,” Judge Dee replied, “was exactly what decided the issue. No one in his senses would have let six good men march back to their master unless he had overwhelmingly superior numbers behind him. It never occurred to Corporal Ling to check. Chien is a shrewd man but even he did not doubt the presence of the regular army. He decided to die in a last desperate fight but his followers thought better of it, especially when we suggested that we might let them go free.”
“Now that we have created this imaginary regiment,” Sergeant Hoong asked, “how do we get rid of it again?”
“If I am not greatly mistaken in my estimation of the course a rumour will take,” Judge Dee said calmly, “this regiment will first wax in popular imagination till it has become a full-fledged army, and then evaporate again without any effort on our part.
“Now about business. First I must organize this tribunal. Then Chien Mow’s affairs must be disentangled.
“Tao Gan will go out now and summon the wardens of all the quarters of this city to appear before me immediately. He will also invite the masters of the most important guilds to pay me a visit at noon.
“Sergeant Hoong, you will go to Chien’s mansion with Headman Fang and ten constables. The womenfolk and the servants will remain confined to their quarters until further orders. You will check with the steward all valuables, place them in the strong room and seal the door. Headman Fang will make a search for his son and his eldest daughter, White Orchid.
“Ma Joong and Chiao Tai will make the rounds of the four city gates and verify whether Corporal Ling has dulyposted his men and whether the forty henchmen of Chien who did not belong to the army have been put under lock and key in the gate towers. If everything is found in order you will inform Ling that he is re-enlisted without loss of rank.
“Take your time and find out the antecedents of the ex-soldiers. Those who did not
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