The judge gave a sign to the senior scribe. He read out his notes of the steward's statement. The latter agreed that that was what he had said, and affixed his thumbmark.

Judge Dee dismissed the steward. He asked Candidate Ding:

"What did you do thereafter?"

Candidate Ding looked uncomfortable and hesitated to speak.

"Answer my question!", the judge barked.

"As a matter of fact", Ding said reluctantly, "I got involved into a violent quarrel with my wife. I went straight to my own quarters and my wife accused me of not having shown her proper respect during dinner. She averred that I had made her lose face to the other ladies. I felt tired after the feast and did not say much in return. Sitting on the bed I drank a cup of tea while two maids helped my wife to undress. Then my wife complained of a headache and made one of the maids massage her shoulders for half an hour or so. Then we went to bed."

Judge Dee rolled up the paper where he had jotted down his own notes. He said in a casual voice:

"I have found no evidence linking this crime with Woo."

"I beseech Your Honour", Candidate Ding cried, "to put the question to that murderer under torture! Then he will confess how he committed this foul crime!"

The judge rose and announced that the preliminary investigation was closed.

He walked back to the front courtyard without saying a word. As he ascended his palanquin Candidate Ding bowed deeply.

Once returned to the tribunal Judge Dee went straight to the jail. The warden informed him that Chien Mow was still unconscious.

The judge ordered him to have a physician called. He was to do all he could to revive Chien Mow. Then Judge Dee took Tao Gan and Sergeant Hoong to his private office.

As he sat down behind his desk the judge took from his sleeve the murderer's dagger. He told the clerk to bring a pot of hot tea.

When they had drunk a cup the judge leaned back in his chair. Slowly stroking his beard he said:

"This is a most extraordinary murder. Apart from the motive and the murderer's identity we are faced with two practical problems. First, how did the murderer enter and leave that sealed room? Second, how did he manage to thrust this queer weapon in his victim's throat?"

Sergeant Hoong shook his head in perplexity. Tao Gan looked intently at the small dagger. Letting the three long hairs sprouting from his left cheek glide through his fingers he said slowly:

"For a moment, Your Honour, I thought that I had solved the problem. When I was roaming through the southern provinces I heard people tell stories about the savages that live in the mountains; they hunt with long blow pipes. I thought that this small blade with its weird tubular handle might have been shot from such a blow pipe, and reasoned that the murderer could have aimed it from outside through the grates in the wall.

Then, however, I found that the angle at which this weapon entered the victim's throat is wholly irreconcilable with this theory, unless the murderer had been sitting under the table! Moreover I found that right opposite the back-wall of the library there is another high, blind wall. Nobody could have placed a ladder there."

Judge Dee slowly sipped his tea.

"I agree", he said after a while, "that the blow-pipe theory is untenable. Yet I also agree with your point that this dagger was not stuck directly in the victim's throat. The hilt is so small that even a child could not hold it.

I further draw your attention to the unusual shape of the blade. It is concave and resembles a gouge rather than a dagger. In the present stage of our investigation I would not like to make even a guess at how it was used. You, Tao Gan, will fashion for me an exact replica of this dagger in wood, so that I can safely experiment with it. But be careful while handling this thing, Heaven knows what deadly poison was smeared on its tip!"

"It is clear, Your Honour", Sergeant Hoong observed, "that we must also investigate further the background of this murder. Should not we summon Woo for an interrogation here?"

The judge nodded.

"I was just going to propose", he said, "that we go to visit Woo now. I always prefer to see a suspect in his own surroundings. I shall go there incognito and you, Sergeant, shall accompany me."

Judge Dee rose.

Suddenly the warden of the jail came bursting into the office.

"Your Honour!", he cried, "Chien Mow has regained consciousness. But I fear that he is dying!"

The judge hurriedly ran after him, followed by Sergeant Hoong and Tao Gan.

They found Chien Mow stretched out on the wooden couch in his cell. The warden had placed a piece of cloth dipped in cold water on his forehead. His eyes were closed and his breath came in gasps.

Judge Dee bent over him.

Chien opened his eyes and looked up at the judge.

"Chien Mow", Judge Dee asked intently, "who killed Magistrate Pan?"

Chien stared at the judge with burning eyes. He moved his lips but no sound came from his mouth. With a tremendous effort he finally brought out one indistinct sound. Then his voice trailed away.

Suddenly his large frame shook in a convulsive shudder. He closed his eyes and stretched his body as if to find a more comfortable position. Then he lay quite still.

Chien Mow was dead.

Sergeant Hoong exclaimed excitedly:

"He started to say 'You…' but could not continue the sentence!"

Judge Dee straightened himself. He nodded slowly and said:

"Chien Mow died before he could give us the information we need so badly!"

Looking down on the still body he added in a forlorn voice:

"Now we shall never know who murdered Magistrate Pan!"

Putting his hands in his wide sleeves the judge walked back to his private office.

Judge Dee and Sergeant Hoong had some difficulty in locating Woo's dwelling place. They asked several shops behind the Temple of the War God, but no one had heard of a man called Woo Feng.

Then the judge remembered that he lived over a wine shop called "Eternal Spring". This proved to be a well known establishment, famous for the superior quality of its wines. A street urchin took them into a side alley where they saw a red cloth banner marked "Eternal Spring" fluttering in the wind.

The shop was open in front, a high counter separated it from the street. Along the walls inside a number of large earthenware wine jars were standing on wooden shelves. Red labels pasted on their side proclaimed the excellent quality of the contents.

The proprietor, a pleasant looking round-faced man stood behind the counter idly looking out in the street while picking his teeth.

The judge and Sergeant Hoong walked round the counter and sat down at the square table inside. Judge Dee ordered a small jar of good wine. As the proprietor was wiping the table Judge Dee inquired how his business was doing.

The proprietor shrugged his shoulders.

"Nothing to boast of, he replied, "but fairly steady. And, as I always say, just enough is better than too little!"

"Have you no one to help you in the shop?", the judge asked.

The proprietor turned round to ladle some pickled vegetables from a jar in the corner. He put them in the platter on the table and said:

"I could do with some help, but unfortunately there always goes a hungry mouth with two helping hands. No, I prefer to look after things myself. And what might you two gentlemen be doing in this town?"

"We are just passing through", the judge replied. "We are silk merchants from the capital."

"Well, well!", the other exclaimed, "then you must meet my lodger, a Mr. Woo Feng, who is also from the capital."