Chapter 1824 - The Haunted Yamen

Dai E said impatiently: "Old Cui, what do you think this is about? This is a major murder case! Why are we dawdling with this nonsense instead of rushing to help?"

"One thing at a time. Solving the case is important, but we have to focus on our profession too. Otherwise how do we increase our visibility among the masses? This is a great opportunity to expand our influence in Guangdong. We can't just preach in Hainan Island and Shandong. If we do this well, we can raise a large sum of money in Guangzhou and open a branch base here too. When that time comes, with popular support behind us, the Council of Elders won't have anything to say." Cui Hantang explained. "I need to make a circuit around Guangzhou and see which Daoist temples are suitable—claim one first. Everyone's running around staking claims. We can't fall behind."

The "everyone" Cui Hantang vaguely mentioned actually referred to the Lingao Church people. A few days earlier, Father Balthasar had quietly gone to Guangzhou to see where they could claim land to build Guangzhou's first great cathedral—the Jesuits had already promised that if they were permitted to build a cathedral in Guangzhou, they would fully fund the construction and recruit additional craftsmen and artists from Europe.

"Do as you please with that. I've no objection." Daoist Dai was not particularly interested in opening branch bases and gathering believers. But Cui Hantang's words made sense—they had to consider both overall interests and their department's interests. "But let me say this upfront: Guangzhou is Liu Xiang's territory now. Wen Zong is there too. Nearly twenty Elders crammed into that small area. Whatever you do, be measured—don't get caught by the pigtail!"

So Cui Hantang set off. He and Su Wan both took the Dabo Shipping steam-sail hybrid T1200 passenger-cargo liner. Speed: eight knots. Apart from the Office's special dispatch boats, this was the fastest transport available.

Though Su Wan lived in the first-class cabin right next to his, and Elder Su herself was quite attractive, Daoist Cui still kept her at a respectful distance. After years of cultivating the Dao, he had become somewhat mystical in viewing people. He always felt this female forensic examiner radiated a cold aura from head to toe.

The journey passed uneventfully. Aside from slight seasickness, the two Elders arrived smoothly in Guangzhou city and were greeted at the docks by Lin Boguang.

Two sedan chairs were already prepared at the docks, along with over a dozen guards and servants to handle luggage.

Cui Hantang did not know Lin Boguang, but he knew the man before him was a legendary figure of the Council of Elders. Now he was also someone at the level of Guangzhou's executive deputy mayor. The two merely shook hands and exchanged brief pleasantries.

"We've been eagerly awaiting you," Lin Boguang said.

"Just a few clowns playing with sorcery!" Cui Hantang said dismissively.

"The situation has changed again," Lin Boguang said somewhat apologetically. "By rights, you should be allowed a full day's rest before anything else. But now there have been new developments in the case. I'm afraid I must ask for your understanding."

"Fine, fine." Cui Hantang nodded repeatedly. "It's all in service of the Council of Elders."

"The matter is rather strange. You don't object to me sharing a sedan with you? There's a stretch of road—a good opportunity to brief you on the basic situation..."

Cui Hantang thought this case, though large, should not make Lin Boguang this anxious. There was probably some hidden issue. Though he was not keen on squeezing into a sedan chair with someone, business came first. He could only nod.

Fortunately, the sedan Lin Boguang had prepared for their "squeezing" was the former Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner's eight-bearer grand sedan. Inside it was quite spacious. Lin Boguang waited until the sedan was lifted before beginning his low-voiced account.

It turned out that the day after the June 5th Mass Murder Case occurred, Liu Xiang had specifically gone to the Municipal Police Bureau, held a briefing meeting with Mu Min, and then gone to the task force to give a speech and boost morale. Everything had been normal. However, that night things had suddenly taken a turn.

That evening, Mayor Liu had coupled with Guo Xier. By rights, the satiated drowsiness after such activities should have brought deep sleep. But that night Liu Xiang slept very restlessly: the window kept banging and rattling through the night, as if something was trying to break through and get inside.

At first it was only occasional knocks. After a while they became very dense. Then suddenly stopped. But after a while they started again. The sounds varied in intensity—sometimes loud, sometimes soft. They disturbed Liu Xiang so much he could not sleep.

His residence was in the rear quarters of the original Guangzhou Prefectural Yamen's main courtyard—where former Prefect Dong and his family had once lived, and where they later killed themselves. On the day Guangzhou was liberated, over a dozen corpses had been carried out from the rear quarters—some poisoned, some hanged. By all accounts it was a genuine "cursed ground." But for one thing, official yamen often had histories spanning over a century, having experienced many vicissitudes, births and deaths—there had not been that many taboos. For another, the Council of Elders did not speak of ghosts and spirits. Liu Xiang had moved in and lived there for several months without any abnormalities. Everyone, including Liu Xiang himself, had long forgotten this history.

Yet in the deep stillness of night, the continuous eerie sounds suddenly triggered his fear. In an instant, the corpses covered with white cloths that he had seen upon entering the rear quarters that first day surged into his mind. One corpse's disheveled black hair had fallen outside the covering cloth—the scene was as vivid as if he had seen it just yesterday.

Liu Xiang felt a wave of cold. He struggled not to think too much. He turned on the kerosene lamp, and the sounds finally subsided somewhat.

He hesitated briefly, then decided to look for himself—to clear away his suspicions. He put on his clothes, donned his ever-present stab-proof vest, and took out his pistol from under his pillow, chambering a round.

The click of the pistol slide settling somewhat calmed his heart—supposedly firearms and blades had effects in warding off evil. Liu Xiang comforted himself this way. Steeling his courage, he walked to the window and suddenly flung it open.

Nothing in the courtyard. The windows of the side rooms and wing rooms were all dark holes. Guo Xier and the servants and guards should all be sound asleep. A pair of wind lanterns emitted dim yellow light at the courtyard gate. Looking up, he saw moonlight like water. The deep blue sky had a textured quality like fine brocade, with a few wisps of white cloud drifting across. In the courtyard—never mind cats, dogs, or birds—there was not even a breath of wind. The osmanthus tree in the courtyard had not stirred even a single branch.

"Hiss—could there really be..." Liu Xiang drew a sharp breath, forcibly suppressing the notion that would overturn his worldview.

On further thought, this courtyard housed over a dozen people. The entire old yamen, except for a few buildings converted to large offices, was packed with cadres and soldiers all the way to the rear stables. Just outside this courtyard gate, fully armed guards kept watch day and night. What was there to fear?

Fortunately, after turning on the lamp, the sounds of striking against the window stopped. Liu Xiang had lost all sleepiness. He simply dressed properly, sat at the table, brewed a pot of Limu Mountain oolong tea, and started reading documents. After waiting a long while with no abnormalities, he finally felt reassured enough to turn off the lamp and lie down again. But the gun in his hand he did not put down.

Yet soon the banging sounds resumed on the window. Not just the window—even the door panels seemed to be struck by something...

Early the next morning, Liu Xiang stormed off with a large group of guards, riding a sedan straight to the police bureau. All the way, the sedan curtains stayed tightly closed. He did not even dare pull open the window curtain. Only when the sedan was carried into the municipal bureau's courtyard did Liu Xiang alight under two guards' escort, then headed straight for the task force.

The task force was crowded with dignitaries. Lin Boguang, Liu San, and others were all in the task force office holding a meeting to study the case. Liu Xiang did not bother with greetings. Seeing Mu Min, his first words were: "Someone is trying to kill me!!!"

These words startled everyone in the room—not because of the words "someone is trying to kill me" but because of Mayor Liu's haggard face.

Mu Min hurried to say: "Mayor Liu, don't be anxious! Yesterday Director Wu personally led people to investigate. He's already assigned the mission. This is political assassination, and it involves an Elder—the Political Security Bureau will investigate with all their might..."

Liu Xiang's voice trembled: "They're useless!"

(End of Chapter)