I Judge Dee attacked by two robbers.

II Chien Mow's men invade the tribunal

III Ma Joong and Chiao Tai arrest a criminal

IV Governor Yoo's picture…

V Three monks report a theft to the tribunal

VI Judge Dee in General Ding's library.

VII Judge Dee in Woo Feng's studio.

VIII The drinking bout in the Eternal Spring Wine shop…

IX Yoo Kee welcomes Judge Dee to his mansion…

X Woo Feng's strange encounter in the temple garden…

XI Dark Orchid reports to Judge Dee

XII Ma Joong meets Tulbee…

XIII Master Crane Robe and Judge Dee.

XIV A criminal confesses his nefarious schemes

XV Judge Dee confronts a criminal with the evidence…

XVI Plan of the Governor's maze…

XVII Dark Orchid surprised while taking a bath

XVIII Judge Dee on the ramparts of Lan-fang

XIX A depraved criminal on the execution ground…

1. Tribunal

2. Temple of the City God

3. Temple of Confucius

4. Temple of the War God

5. Bell Tower

6. Drum Tower

7. Pagoda

8. Northern Row

9. Southern Row

10. Chien Mow's Mansion

11. General Ding's Mansion

12. Eternal Spring Wineshop

13. Hermitage of the Three Treasures

14. Mrs. Lee's House

15. Former Yoo Mansion

16. Yoo Kee's Mansion

17. Watergate

18. Execution Ground

Heaven created an immutable pattern for ten thousand ages, Regulating sun and stars above, mountains and rivers below; Thereafter the sages of old did model our sacred social order, Taking Heavenly Justice as warp, and man-made Law as woof.

A wise and honest judge is Heaven's unerring instrument, The people's father and mother, both compassionate and stern; In his court the oppressed obtain redress of all their wrongs, No criminal there escapes, despite base fraud and guile.

Under the present illustrious Ming dynasty, in the Yoong-lo era, our Empire is at peace, crops are plentiful, there are neither droughts nor floods, and the people are prosperous and content. This fortunate state of affairs is due entirely to the August Virtue of His Imperial Majesty. Naturally in this blessed time of peace crimes are few, so that the present provides scant material for the study of crime and detection. Rather than the present one must turn to the past for accounts of baffling crimes, and their marvellous solution by perspicacious magistrates.

Finding myself with ample leisure for the pursuit of my favourite study, I diligently search old records and dusty archives for famous ancient criminal cases, and I have made it a habit always to listen carefully to my friends and acquaintances when, gathered in the tea house, they start discoursing on the astounding crimes solved by famous judges of past centuries.

The other day, late in the afternoon, I strolled through the Western Park to admire the lotus flowers that were in full bloom. I crossed the carved marble bridge that leads to the island in the center of the lotus pond, and found myself an empty corner table on the open terrace of the restaurant there.

Sipping my tea and nibbling dried melon seeds I enjoyed the beautiful view over the lake all covered with lotus flowers. I observed the motley crowd and, as I often do, amused myself by trying to deduce from the appearance of some passers-by their personality and background.

My eye fell on two remarkably beautiful girls who passed by walking hand in hand. Their strong resemblance suggested at once that they were sisters. But evidently their characters were entirely different. The younger one was gay and vivacious who talked all the time. The elder, on the contrary, was reserved and shy who hardly answered the other. Here face bore an expression of deep sadness. I felt sure that somewhere there was a deep tragedy in her life.

As the two girls disappeared among the crowd I noticed that they were followed by an elderly woman; she had a slight limp, walked with a cane and seemed intent on overtaking the girls. I took her to be their duenna. But as she passed in front of the terrace I saw such an evil leer on her face that I hastily transferred my attention to a handsome young couple that came walking along.

The young man wore the cap of a Candidate of Literature, the girl was dressed demurely as a housewife. They walked apart but from the fond looks they gave each other it was clear that they belonged together. I concluded from their furtive air that theirs must be an illicit love affair.

Just when they were passing in front of me the girl made to take the young man's hand, but he hastily withdrew his and shook his head with a frown.

Letting my eyes rove over the guests assembled on the terrace I noticed a plump, neatly-clad man who was sitting alone just like myself. He had a round, pleasant face, I placed him as a member of the landed gentry. Since he seemed the talkative type I hastily averted my eyes fearing that he would mistake my intent gaze as an invitation to strike up an acquaintance. I preferred to be left alone with my own thoughts, all the more so since I had seen a glint in his eyes that made me wary. I reflected that a man with that cold, calculating look that so belied his friendly face might well be capable of committing a dark, premeditated deed of evil.

After a while I saw an old gentleman with a flowing white beard slowly come up the steps of the terrace. He was clad in a brown robe with wide sleeves seamed with black velvet, and a high cap of black gauze on his head. Although he wore no insignia of rank, he had a most distinguished appearance. He stood for a moment leaning on his crooked staff, surveying the crowded terrace with piercing eyes from under bushy white eyebrows.

Since a person of such venerable age cannot be left standing, I hastily rose and offered the newcomer a place at my table. He accepted with a courteous bow. While drinking our tea we exchanged the usual polite inquiries and it transpired that his family name was Dee and that he was a retired prefect.

Soon we were engaged in an agreeable conversation. My guest proved to be a man of wide learning and elegant taste, time passed unnoticed while we discoursed on prose and poetry, in between looking at the gay crowd that milled along the water front.

I had noticed that my guest spoke with the accent of Shansi Province. So during a lull in the conversation I asked whether by any chance his family was related to the old Dee clan of Tai-yuan, the capital of that province, which centuries ago, during the Tang dynasty, had produced the great statesman Dee Jen-djieh.