Beneath the melon trellis in the rear courtyard of Fengle County’s yamen, Wumei paused his account and picked up a cup of tea to wet his throat.

The runners and constables gathered around him were sunk deep in the story. Only Wang Yan’s page and Constable Hou from the Capital Bureau showed signs of a different reaction.¹

Constable Hou said hesitantly, “I believe I’ve heard of the case you’re describing, Master…”

“Everything I’ve told you is the plain, unvarnished truth,” Wumei said at once. “Not the slightest bit of it is fabricated!”

Constable Hou gave him a hasty salute. “Don’t misunderstand, Master. Could I ask which province and county these two villages are situated in?”

“Qingzhou Province, Shuangqing County,” said Wumei.

Constable Hou and Wang Yan’s page exchanged a look.

“It’s the Shuangqing case, just as I thought.”

“And could I also ask, after the case was solved, how long did you stay in the village?”

Wumei clutched the back of his head. “We went back to the village to sleep, then left as soon as it got light.”

Wang Yan’s page said admiringly, “You and Lord Zhang truly have no interest in fame, Master. That case is an important precedent.”

Wumei was bewildered. Precedent? What precedent?

Constable Hou nodded. “That’s right. In the Office of Justice, we all have to learn about this case.”

In the Shuangqing case, a village had faked a plague and tried to kill all the residents of another village along with government officials; everyone in the village was either a murderer or an accomplice. The county yamen had no idea how to charge them, so they reported it to the provincial authorities, who also thought the issue too thorny for them and in turn brought it to the attention of the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review.

What were they to be charged with, and how were they to be punished? The Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate deliberated on the subject, and debates about it at court went on for a long time.

“This case is still often discussed at court. The court issued several new laws, making this case into a precedent. Personnel at the three judicial departments and the offices of justice of all the local yamens have to learn about it and reference the decision in the event a similar case occurs. The commander you mentioned, Master, won great merit for his participation in this case. Lord Deng nearly made an exception and had him transferred to the Court of Judicial Review. But he said that he was a soldier, and he didn’t know how to solve cases—the case had been solved by two anonymous wise men, who continued on their travels once the case was solved. He didn’t go to the Court of Judicial Review. The government even issued a proclamation seeking those anonymous men. I never thought it would turn out to be you and Lord Zhang. My sincerest admiration!”

The Capital Bureau’s constable and Wang Yan’s page both bowed to Wumei, who quickly responded in kind.

“You’re much too kind. A-Ping himself said the only unusual aspect of the case was the number of murderers. Actually, a-Ping worked it out pretty quickly. He said it wasn’t especially hard. The reason it became a precedent must have been because of how hard it was to figure out the charges.”

Of course he couldn’t come out and say that he and Zhang Ping had run so fast then because they’d heard that Commander Yu’s superior—the deputy-general—and the county magistrate were on their way. It wouldn’t have gone well if he and a-Ping, two fake priests traveling with false identity documents, had appeared before them.

Commander Yu had promised them that the merit of solving the case meant there was no need to worry about such a trifle. But Wumei had been overcome with nerves, and he was afraid there would be a lot of clean up in the aftermath; what if their documents were taken? What if they were held up on the way to Xuantian Temple?

Alas, thinking back on it now, he had truly been ignorant!

The Capital Bureau’s constable said, “If you and Lord Zhang had stayed then, you probably would have come to court long ago.”

Wang Yan’s page smiled and said, “Lord Zhang’s high rank is written down in the Book of Destiny. He passed the imperial examination and entered the court with the flower-bedecked cap of a successful examinee. He is our minister’s pupil, now the parent of a county, and he has the special attention of Lord Mayor Feng. Forgive me for speaking directly, but whatever reward he received then might not have measured up to what he has now.”

Everyone agreed at once, and Wumei felt some consolation.

Yes, now that he thought about it, when he and Zhang Ping had insisted on leaving, Medical Official Li had said something similar to a-Ping.

“Since you haven’t truly taken religious orders, and you have this talent, you could do worse than try taking the exams. Being at court is like sailing through rapids—there’s always the chance of ending up on the rocks. But if you comport yourself with integrity, it is possible to struggle upward and cleanse the foulness with clean waves.”

Zhang Ping cast down his eyes and agreed. “I am indeed preparing to take the exams.”

Medical Official Li took up paper and brush and wrote out some lines.

“These are some medical texts I believe will be beneficial for you to read. At court there is an official named Deng Xu, who excels at solving cases. He’s written some books that you might also have a look at. Though given your abilities, perhaps you were already aware of this, and I am merely showing off. You saved my life. Having nothing of my own, this is all I can offer in thanks.” 

Zhang Ping took the paper and carefully put it away. Seriously, he said, “I did not save you, Medical Official. There is no need to thank me. It is I who ought to thank you. The headman’s conduct does not show intent to harm you. He was grateful for the way Imperial Physician Li rescued the villagers back then and did not want you involved in this. He tried everything he could to get you to leave.”

Each of the headman’s actions had seemed directed against Medical Official Li, but close observation revealed that he had but one goal—to make Medical Official Li return to the county seat.

“It was precisely because the headman was so anxious to save you that Commander Yu and I were able to notice oddities in his behavior.”

Wumei looked at Commander Yu in astonishment.

Zhang Ping explained to him that Commander Yu had already come to suspect that those people had not died of disease, and had found the headman’s behavior suspect; that was why he had let Medical Official Li perform the autopsies.

Commander Yu smiled brightly. “That’s right. I thought it was all too mysterious—someone had to be doing it on purpose. But I thought they wanted to hurt Li Liang. I never imagined…” 

His expression became grim.

Wumei quickly changed the subject. “One must mourn the deaths of the innocent, but also rejoice that nothing worse happened in the end.”

“When the criminals have been taken back to town,” Commander Yu said seriously, “I will advise my father to apologize to the villagers. If he won’t do it, I will do it myself. If we do not atone for this crime, the Yu family will not have the face to live in public view.”

What Zhang Ping had said to the headman concerning the Yu family’s past had in fact been conjecture. Commander Yu himself had had no idea of the truth; since he was a child, he had lived elsewhere with his maternal grandfather. The true cause of what had happened years ago had been concealed by his father even from him. It was only yesterday while investigating the case that, following the progress of the clues and Zhang Ping’s analysis, he had realized there was in fact more to his brother’s death than he knew. He had determined the facts during the confrontation between Zhang Ping and the headman.

Zhang Ping said to Wumei that he had thought Commander Yu didn’t know the truth of what had happened years ago. If Commander Yu had had something on his conscience, first, he might not have dared to come to the villages when similar events were taking place; and second, had he come, he probably wouldn’t have worked so hard to protect the villagers.

When Zhang Ping had hailed Commander Yu in front of the Medicine King Temple and brought up the Yu family’s eldest son, it had in fact been guesswork.

Fortunately, Commander Yu truly was an honorable man with no bias in favor of his own family. After hearing out Zhang Ping’s analysis, he had been collected and thoughtful and at last had chosen to believe him.

Had Commander Yu been selfish, or had he refused to listen to Zhang Ping’s analysis, then maybe…

At the mere thought, Wumei broke out in a cold sweat. In his heart he thanked heaven for its protection, and thought that they had to prioritize getting out of here as soon as possible…

Constable Hou said, “That commander must have been promoted afterwards, though I don’t know where he could have been transferred to. I’m sure you and Lord Zhang will see him again one day.”