The next morning, before the break of dawn, the citizens of Lan-fang began trooping to the tribunal. When the hour of the morning session approached a dense crowd filled the street in front of the main gate.

The large bronze gong was sounded three times. The constables threw the double gate open and the crowd poured inside and into the court hall. Soon there was not a single standing place left.

The constables ranged themselves in two rows to right and left in front of the dais.

Then the screen at the back was pulled aside. Judge Dee ascended the dais clad in full ceremonial dress. As he seated himself behind the bench his four lieutenants took up their position by his side. The senior scribe and his assistants stood next to the bench, now covered with a new cloth of scarlet silk.

A deep silence reigned as the judge took up his vermilion brush and filled out a slip for the warden of the jail. Headman Fang took it respectfully with two hands and left the court hall with two constables.

They came back with the elder of Chien's two counsellors. He knelt in front of the dais. Judge Dee ordered: "State your name and profession!" "This insignificant person", the man spoke humbly, "is

called Liu Wan-fang. Until ten years ago I was the house steward of Chien Mow's late father. After the latter's death Chien kept me as his adviser. I assure Your Honour that I have always on every possible occasion urged Chien to mend his ways!"

The judge observed with a cold smile:

"I can say only that your attempts had a remarkably small result! The tribunal is collecting and sifting the evidence of your master's crimes; doubtless this material will prove your complicity in many of Chien's misdeeds. However, at present I am not concerned with the minor crimes you and your master committed. For the present I wish to confine myself to the major issues. Speak up, what murders did Chien Mow commit?"

Liu answered:

"Your Honour, it is true that my master appropriated unlawfully people's land and houses and he often had persons severely beaten up. But to the best of my knowledge Chien never did wilfully kill anyone."

"Liar!", Judge Dee shouted. "What about Magistrate Pan who was dastardly murdered here?"

"That murder", Liu replied, "baffled my master as much as myself!"

The judge shot him an incredulous stare.

"Of course we knew", Liu continued hurriedly "that His Excellency Pan was evolving plans to oust my master from his position. Since Judge Pan had no one with him but one assistant, my master did not act for a few days. He wished to wait and see what course of action Judge Pan would take. Then one morning two of our men came running to our mansion. They reported that Judge Pan's body had been found on the river bank.

My master was greatly vexed because he knew that people would say that he was responsible for this murder.

He hurriedly drew up a false report to the prefect stating that Judge Pan and six militia had ventured over the river to apprehend a rebel Uigur chieftain, and that the judge was slain in the ensuing fight. Six of Chien's men signed as witnesses, and…" Judge Dee hit his gavel on the bench. "I have never", he exclaimed angrily, "heard such a string of outrageous lies! Give that dogshead twentyfive lashes with the whip!"

Liu started to protest but the headman promptly hit him in his face. The constables tore Liu's robe from his back, threw him on the floor, and the whip swished through the air.

The thin thong cut deeply in the flesh. Liu screamed desperately that he was telling the truth.

After the fifteenth blow the judge raised his hand. He knew that there was no reason for Liu to shield his fallen master and that Liu would realize that the testimony of the other prisoners would soon expose him if he tried to lie. Judge Dee wished to confuse him so that he would tell all he knew, reflecting that fifteen lashes with the whip was probably but a fraction of the punishment that this scoundrel deserved.

The headman gave Liu a cup of bitter tea. Then Judge Dee continued the interrogation.

"If what you say is true, why then did Chien Mow not try to discover the real murderer?"

"That", Liu replied, "was unnecessary since my master knew who had committed that foul deed." Judge Dee raised his eyebrows.

"Your tale", he remarked dryly, "becomes increasingly absurd. If your master knew the murderer's identity, why did he not arrest him and forward him to the prefect? That would have gained Chien the confidence of the authorities."

Liu shook his head dejectedly.

"That question, Your Honour, can only be answered by Chien himself. Although my master consulted us in minor matters he never told us one word about things of real importance. I know that in all major issues my master let himself be directed by a man whose identity we have never been able to guess."

"I thought", Judge Dee observed, "that Chien was perfectly capable to conduct his affairs himself. Why should he need to employ some mysterious adviser?"

"My master", Liu replied, "is a clever and brave man, expert in all martial arts. But after all, he was born and brought up in this small border town. What do we of Lan-fang know about the handling of a prefect and how to deal with the central authorities? It was always after a visit of the stranger that my master made one of the many clever moves that prevented the prefect from intervening in affairs here."

Judge Dee leaned forward in his chair. He asked curtly:

"Who was that secret adviser?"

"For the last four years", Liu said, "my master used to receive regularly secret visits from that man. Late at night my master would send me to the side gate of our mansion and inform the guards that he expected a guest who was to be conveyed immediately to his library. This visitor always came on foot clad in a monk's cloak with a black scarf wrapped round his head. None of us ever saw his face. My master used to be closeted with him for hours on end. Then he would depart as silently as he had come. My master never gave us any explanation of these visits. But they were always the prelude to some major undertaking.

I am convinced that this man had Judge Pan murdered without my master's previous knowledge. He came that same night. He must have had a violent quarrel with my master; outside in the corridor we heard them shout at each other although we could not distinguish any words. After that interview my master was in a bad temper for several days."

The judge said impatiently:

"I have heard enough of this mysterious tale. What about Chien's kidnapping the son and the eldest daughter of the blacksmith Fang?"

"It is about affairs such as these", Liu said, "that I and my colleagues can give Your Honour full particulars. Fang's son was indeed taken by Chien's men. The mansion was short of coolies and Chien sent out his henchmen to collect a few strong young men in the street. They brought in four. Three were later returned when their parents paid ransom. The blacksmith made trouble with the guards so Chien decided to keep his son to teach the blacksmith a lesson.

As to the girl, I know that my master happened to see her when he passed her father's shop in his palanquin. He took a fancy to her and made an offer to buy her. When the blacksmith refused my master soon forgot all about it. Then the blacksmith came to our mansion and accused us of having kidnapped her. My master was angry and sent his men to burn the blacksmith's house."

Judge Dee leaned back in his chair and slowly stroked his long beard. He reflected that Liu was evidently speaking the truth. His master had had nothing to do with the disappearance of Fang's eldest daughter. Quick measures should be taken to arrest Chien's secret adviser. If at least it was not too late for that already.