'She can never keep her blasted mouth shut!’ Tao Gan muttered sourly. 'Just like that wretched former wife of mine!’
Slowly pulling at his frayed moustache, he reflected wryly that for twenty years he had hardly thought of his adulterous wife. It was revisiting this city where he had lived a few years in his youth, that suddenly brought it all back to him. The wife he had loved had basely deceived him, and had tried to bring about his ruin, so that he had had to flee for his life. He had then sworn off women and, determined to get his own back on a world that disgusted him, had become an itinerant swindler. But later he had met Judge Dee, who had made him reform and had taken him on as his assistant, thus giving him a new interest in life. He had served with Judge Dee in his various posts as district magistrate, and after the judge had been promoted to his present high office in the capital, Tao Gan had been made chief secretary. A twisted smile lit up his long gloomy face as he told the lioness complacently:
'Canton is still the same, but look at me! I am not only a ranking official now, but also a man of means. Of considerable means, I should say!' He adjusted his cap with a jerk, nodded haughtily at the ferocious stone face and entered the temple compound.
Passing the main hall, he cast a quick look inside. In the flickering light of the tall red candles a small group of people were adding new incense sticks to those already in the large bronze burner on the high altar. Through the thick blue smoke he vaguely saw the towering gilt statue of the bearded war god brandishing his long sword. Tao Gan sniffed, for he hardly admired military prowess. He lacked the bulk and strength of his colleague Chiao Tai, and he never carried any arms. But his utter lack of fear and quick wit made him nonetheless a dangerous opponent. He walked on and circled the main hall to the back gate of the compound. Remembering that the city's largest market was directly to the north of the temple, he thought he might as well have a look around there before taking the main street leading up to the Governor's Palace, in the northern part of the city.
The quarter behind the temple consisted of poor wooden houses, noisy with shouting and laughter. A smell of cheap frying fat hung in the air. Further along, however, it suddenly became very quiet. Here stood only abandoned houses, many in ruins. The piles of new bricks and big jars filled with mortar that stood about at regular intervals proved that a building project was in progress. He looked behind him a few times, but he saw no one about. He went on at a sedate pace, keeping his caftan close to his bony body despite the stifling heat.
When he was rounding the corner of another alley, he heard the noise of the market ahead. At the same time he saw a commotion at the farther end. Under the lantern that hung from a dilapidated doorpost two dishevelled ruffians were attacking a woman. As he quickly ran to them, Tao Gan saw that the one behind her had his arm crooked round the lower half of her face, while his other hand held her arms together behind her back. The second ruffian, standing in front of her, had ripped her robe apart and was now fondling her shapely bare bosom. As he began to tear loose the sash round her waist, she frantically kicked his legs. But the man behind her jerked her head farther back, and the other hit her a hard blow in her exposed midriff.
Tao Gan took quick action. With his right hand he picked up a brick from the nearest pile, and with the other scooped a handful of quicklime from the jar next to it. Tiptoeing up to the men, he struck the one holding the girl a sharp blow on the shoulder with the edge of the heavy brick. The man let go of her and clasped his crushed shoulder with an agonized cry. The other ruffian turned on Tao Gan, groping for the dagger in his belt. But Tao Gan threw the quicklime into his eyes, and the man put his hands to his face, howling with pain.
Arrest the bastards, men!’ Tao Gan shouted.
The ruffian with the crushed shoulder grabbed his yelping comrade's arm. Dragging him along, he ran down the alley as fast as he could.
The girl was pulling her robe close to her, gasping for air. He vaguely saw that she was quite handsome; her hair was gathered at the nape of her neck in two coils, the hair-do of an unmarried girl. He put her age at about twenty-five.
'Come along to the market, quick!’ he addressed her gruffly in Cantonese, 'before those two fellows discover I bluffed them.'
As she seemed to hesitate, he took her sleeve and pulled her along towards the noise of the market.
'Walking alone in such a deserted quarter is asking for trouble, miss,' he said reprovingly. 'Or did you know those two scoundrels?'
'No, they must be vagrant bullies,' she replied in a soft cultured voice. 'Coming from the market, I took this short cut to the Temple of the War God, and met those men. They let me pass, then suddenly grabbed me from behind. Thanks very much for your timely help!’
'Thank your lucky star!’ Tao Gan growled. When they had stepped out on the crowded street that ran along the south side of the brilliantly lit market place, he added, 'Better postpone your visit to the temple till broad daylight! Good-bye.'
He wanted to enter the narrow passage between the market stalls, but she laid her hand on his arm and asked timidly:
'Please tell me the name of the shop in front of us. It must be a fruit shop, for I can smell the tangerines. If I know where we are, I can find the way by myself.'
So speaking, she took a thin bamboo tube from her sleeve and shook several thinner joints from it. It was a collapsible walking-stick.
Tao Gan quickly looked at her eyes. They were a dead, opaque grey.
'I'll see you home, of course,' he said contritely.
'That's quite unnecessary, sir. I am thoroughly familiar with the quarter. I only need a starting point.'
'I should have killed those cowardly bastards!’ Tao Gan muttered angrily. And to the girl, 'Here, this is the tip of my sleeve. If I guide you, you'll get there quicker. Where do you live?'
'You are very thoughtful, sir. I live near the north-east corner of the market.'
They walked along, Tao Gan pushing his way with his bony elbows. After a while she asked:
'You are an officer temporarily attached to the city administration, aren't you?'
'Oh no! I am just a merchant, from the west city,' Tao Gan replied quickly.
'Of course. Excuse me!’ she said meekly.
'What made you think I am an officer?' Tao Gan asked, curious.
She hesitated for a moment, then replied:
'Well, your Cantonese is fluent, but my sense of hearing is very acute, and I detect the accent from the capital. Secondly, when you were bluffing those two men, your voice had the genuine ring of authority. Thirdly, in this city everybody strictly minds his own business. No ordinary citizen would dream of tackling alone two ruffians who assault a woman. I may add I have a distinct feeling that you are a kind and considerate man.'
'Good reasoning,' Tao Gan commented dryly. 'Except for your last statement, which is wide of the mark indeed!’
Giving her a sidelong glance, he saw that a slow smile lit up her still face. Her wide-set eyes and full mouth gave her a slightly outlandish appearance, yet he found her uncommonly attractive. They walked on in silence. When they had arrived at the north east corner of the market, she said:
'I live in the fourth alley, on the right. From now on you'd better let me guide you.'
The narrow street became very dark as they went on, the girl lightly tapping the cobblestones with her stick. On either side stood decrepit, two-storeyed wooden houses. When they had entered the fourth side street, everything was pitch-dark. Tao Gan had to tread warily so as not to stumble on the uneven, slippery ground.