The judge inclined his head slightly to acknowledge the compliment.
He vaguely remembered that many years ago something untoward had happened to General Ding. He had fought a victorious battle against the barbarians across the northern border. But when he had returned to the capital the general had been unexpectedly compelled to resign. Judge Dee wondered how the general's son came to be in this distant place. He said to the young man:
"There is something very wrong in this town. I would like you to tell me more about the situation here."
Candidate Ding did not answer immediately. He remained in thought for a few moments. Then he spoke:
"These things had better not be discussed in public. Might I have the honour of offering the gentlemen a cup of tea?"
Judge Dee assented. They went to the tea house on the corner of the alley and sat down at a table somewhat apart from the other guests.
When the waiter had brought the tea young Ding said in a whisper:
"A ruthless man called Chien Mow has all the power in his hands. There is nobody here who dares to oppose him. Chien keeps about one hundred ruffians in his mansion. They have nothing to do but loaf about this town and intimidate the people."
"How are they armed?", Ma Joong asked.
"Out in the street these rascals have only clubs and swords with them, but I would not be astonished if in Chien's mansion they kept quite an arsenal."
Judge Dee asked:
"Do you often see barbarians from over the border in this town?"
Candidate Ding shook his head emphatically.
"I have never seen a single Uigur here", he replied.
"Those attacks Chien reported about to the government", Judge Dee observed to Ma Joong, "are evidently but an invention of his, to convince the authorities that he and his men are indispensable here."
Ma Joong asked:
"Have you ever been inside Chien's mansion?"
"Heaven forbid!", the young man exclaimed, "I always avoid that entire neighbourhood. Chien has surrounded his mansion with a double wall, with watchtowers on the four corners."
"How did he seize power here?", Judge Dee inquired.
"He inherited great wealth from his father", young Ding replied, "but none of his eminent qualities. His father was a native of this town, an honest and diligent man who became rich as a tea merchant. Until a few years ago the main route to Khotan and the other tributary kingdoms of the west ran through Lan-fang and this town was quite an important emporium. Then three oases along the desert route dried up and it shifted a hundred miles to the north. Chien then collected a band of ruffians around him and one day proclaimed himself master of this city.
He is a clever and determined man who could easily have been successful in an official military career. But he will obey no one, he prefers to govern this district as the undisputed ruler, responsible to no one in the Empire."
"A most unfortunate situation", Judge Dee commented. He emptied his tea cup and rose to go.
Candidate Ding hurriedly leaned forward and begged the judge to stay a little longer.
The judge hesitated but the young man looked so unhappy that at last he sat down again. Candidate Ding busied himself with refilling the tea cups. He seemed at a loss how to begin.
"If there is anything on your mind, young man", Judge Dee said, "don't hesitate to speak!"
"To tell Your Honour the truth", young Ding finally said, "there is a matter that weighs heavily on my mind. It has nothing to do with the tyrant Chien. It concerns my own family."
Here he paused. Ma Joong shifted impatiently on his chair.
Candidate Ding made an effort and continued:
"Your Honour, my old father is going to be murdered!"
Judge Dee raised his eyebrows.
"If you know that in advance", he observed, "it should not be difficult to prevent this crime!"
The young man shook his head.
"Allow me to tell the whole story. Your Honour may have heard that my poor old father was slandered by one of his subordinates, the wicked Commander Woo. He was jealous of my father's great victory in the north and although he could never prove his false accusation the Board of Military Affairs ordered my father to resign."
"Yes, I remember that affair", Judge Dee said. "Is your father also living here?"
"My father", young Ding replied, "came to this distant place partly because my late mother was a native of Lan-fang, and partly because he wished to avoid the larger cities where he might be embarrassed by meeting former colleagues. We thought that here we would be able to live in peace.
One month ago, however, I began to notice that suspicious looking men often loitered in our neighbourhood. Last week I secretly followed one of them. He went to a small wine shop in the northwest corner of the city, called 'Eternal Spring'. Who can describe my astonishment when I learned from another shop in that street that Woo Feng, the eldest son of Commander Woo, is living over that wine shop!"
Judge Dee looked doubtful.
"Why", he asked, "should Commander Woo send his son here to annoy your father? The commander has ruined your father's career. Any further mischief would only land him into trouble."
"I know what his plans are!", Candidate Ding exclaimed excitedly. "Woo knows that my father's friends in the capital have discovered evidence that the commander's accusation is pure slander. He sent his son here to kill my father and thus save his own wretched life! Your Honour does not know that man Woo Feng. He is a confirmed drunkard, a most dissolute person who likes nothing better than indulging in acts of violence. He has hired ruffians to spy on us and ha will strike as soon as he sees his chance."
"Even so", Judge Dee remarked, "I don't see how I could intervene. I can only advise you to keep an eye on Woo's movements and at the same time to take a few simple precautions in your own mansion. Is there any indication that Woo is in contact with Chien Mow?"
"No", the young man answered, "Woo apparently has made no attempt at enlisting the support of Chien. As regards precautions, my poor father has been receiving threatening letters ever since he resigned from the service. He rarely goes out and the gates of our mansion are locked and barred day and night. Moreover my father has had walled up all doors and windows of his library save one. That door has only one key which my father keeps always with him. When he is inside, he pushes a bar across the door. It is in that library that my father spends most of his time, compiling a history of the border wars."
Judge Dee told Ma Joong to note down the address of the Ding mansion. It was located not far from there, beyond the Drum Tower.
As he rose to go the judge said:
"Don't fail to report to the tribunal if there are any new developments. I have to go now, you will realize that my own position in this town is not too comfortable. As soon as I have settled with Chien I shall make a further study of your problem."
Candidate Ding thanked the judge and conducted his guests to the door of the tea shop. There he took his leave with a deep bow.
Judge Dee and Ma Joong walked back to the main street.
"That young fellow", Ma Joong observed, "reminds me of the man who insisted on wearing an iron helmet day and night because he was in constant fear that the vault of Heaven would crash down on his head!"
The judge shook his head.
"It is a very queer affair", he said pensively. "I don't like it at all."
Fourth Chapter