The Mystery of Zhang Gong

Wang Yan Flipped Through the Files, Carefully Considering Ma Lian’s Case.

Wang Yan flipped through the files, carefully considering Ma Lian’s case.

Ma Lian, twenty-five years old, from Shu County, no parents or relatives, and lived in the Capital for five years; before participating in the Imperial Exams, he used the name ‘East Lake Lay Buddhist’ to write plays for a living and earned a reputation for himself. 

Ma Lian died in his own bathtub, drowned, with many stab wounds on his body; after the coroner examined his body, it was concluded Ma Lian was first stabbed before the murderer pressed him into the bathtub and drowned him. This showed that person bore a deep grudge against him. 

Ma Lian was good at currying favour and flattery, allowing him to connect with many people; for fame and fortune, he also made (1) bank runs on many people. The six people currently detained in the Ministry of Justice’s prison all bore hatred against Ma Lian and may have perpetrated the murder that night. 

One of the suspects was Zhang Ping, from Nanchi, Xichuan County, twenty-one years old, and arrived at the Capital in the first month of this lunar year. Ma Lian once publicly reprimanded his improper moral conduct, stating how disappointed he felt being a scholar with him. Before the case of the Great Yellow Immortal, the name ‘East Lake Lay Buddhist’ was meant to be on the script Zhang Ping wrote; later, after the fatal case occurred, this matter also spread. In fear that people would say most of his plays were written by someone else, Ma Lian went around calling Zhang Ping an imposter. During this examination, Ma Lian’s exam papers took over Zhang Ping’s and became the last examinee to be selected, but there wasn’t any evidence Zhang Ping knew about this. 

When the murder took place, Zhang Ping said he was sleeping at home. Wang Yan interrogated him, asking why for both fatal cases he was a suspect that was supposedly sleeping at home. 

Zhang Ping replied that both fatal cases occurred at night and he always slept early. 

On Zhang Ping’s statement of confession, Wang Yan drew a circle before putting it aside. 

The second suspect was Gao Yang Gui, from Jiangnan, Su’an County, thirty-two years old, and lived in the capital for six years. He’d written many scripts for Ma Lian, but the remuneration he earned was only 10% whereas Ma Lian earned 90%. Gao Yang Gui wasn’t indignant – once, when he was drunk, he smashed Ma Lian’s residence door. 

Gao Yang Gui said on the night the murder took place, his wife was experiencing a stomach ache, so he’d been helping his wife rub her belly; the only servant girl they had could testify. After the Ministry of Justice’s investigation, they found out Gao Yang Gui actually wasn’t home that night; he didn’t return home until the (2) fifth watch of the night. He was even bitten by a wild dog in an alley, evident by the fresh teeth marks on his ankle. 

Gao Yang Gui refused to say where he went that night, hence he was taken to prison by the Ministry of Justice. 

Wang Yan looked at Gao Yang Gui – his complexion was deep yellow and his spirit dispirited; the hairpins binding his hair and the shoes and socks around his feet were all new. The prison guard found a true love knot on his body and his clothes had the scent of a married woman’s cosmetics and pomade. 

Gao Yang Gui was most likely on intimate terms with the wives and concubines from a wealthy, influential family, and dared not tell the truth. 

Wang Yan dismissed Gao Gang Gui’s file and threw it in the trash. 

The third suspect was Han Weijuan, from Jiangnan, Gaoyou County, twenty-four years old, and just arrived at the Capital on the second month of the lunar year – a failed Imperial Examination examinee. He was on intimate terms with the dancer Ying Lian from the Jade Willow Brothel, but later she was embraced by Ma Lian and refused to meet Scholar Han. Han Weijuan forcibly entered the brothel and had a face-to-face conflict with Ma Lian. Ma Lian ridiculed Han Weijuan for having no money yet still wanting to visit prostitutes; Han Weijuan cursed Ma Lian, cursing him to not die a peaceful death. After the list was posted – Ma Lian selected and Han Weijuan failed – Han wildly bellowed that the Heavens were unfair; people like Ma Lian clearly deserved to die, so why did he have such a good fate? 

Han Weijuan said on the night the murder took place, he, Chen Chou, and Lu Zhonghe, two other failed examinees, were drinking by the lake. But because all three of them bore hatred against Ma Lian, it couldn’t be ruled out they were accomplices, hence they couldn’t mutually testify for each other and were currently squatting together in the prison. 

The fourth suspect was Lu Zhonghe, from Huaisheng State, Lu County, twenty-six years old, and arrived at the Capital in the twelfth lunar month last year – he also failed the Imperial Examinations. As a teenager, Scholar Lu caught alopecia; before thirty, his head was already completely bald. Usually, his head was covered, not daring to let others know. He secretly went to a physician once and happened to encounter Ma Lian, who then knew his secret. Lu Zhonghe had another shortcoming – whenever he was anxious, he’d start stuttering. At a certain literary meeting where he was going against someone for a poetry recitation competition, on the third verse of his Singing Spring Fist poem he suddenly became anxious and activated his stutters. He read, “Deceptive Chang’e t-t-t-t-tread on the moon.” He became a widely-spread joke. 

Ma Lian liked to use other people’s verses in his literary works. He altered a few verses from Lu Zhonghe’s poem and used them in a play. He even wrote a clown role in the play, one with a white nose and bald head he just had to stick a headscarf on. The moment the role went on stage, he sang, “Over there, a maiden is riding a d-d-d-d-donkey over.” 

And so, everyone who recognised Lu Zhonghe knew he was actually bald. Originally, Lu Zhonghe had already begun considering marriage in the Capital; thinking he was not only poor but also bald, the Yue Family broke off the engagement. Scholar Lu suffered a great blow and fell ill; when the examination day arrived, he still hadn’t recovered and only used 30% of his learning, causing him to fail in the imperial exam. 

The fifth suspect was Chen Chou, from Xuecheng, Xichuan County, twenty-three years old, no parents or relatives, and arrived at the Capital at the same time as Zhang Ping – another failed Imperial Examination examinee. Among the six suspects, Chen Chou had the lightest grievance against Ma Lian. He’d also written scripts and such to subsidise his living, and was a ghostwriter for Ma Lian once. There were a few scripts he’d wanted to take on alone, but he could never grab it before Ma Lian. Chen Chou usually liked to shoot his mouth off – once, he said he used to be rich; another time, he said he’d been to a magical country where fairy-like beauties resided, even saying how the female Emperor wanted to make him her Imperial Husband. Ma Lian mocked him often; during a banquet once, he guided him to repeat those boastful words before belittling him like a clown and ridiculing him for amusement. 

Although these were all minor, sporadic issues, if it accumulates over long periods of time it would lead to great enmity and deep hostility. Wang Yan tapped on Han, Lu, and Chen’s files before putting them aside. 

The sixth suspect was Gong Qinzhou, the one who mentioned Feng Ruoqi. Twenty-two years old, from the Capital. He began writing scripts at the age of sixteen, his pseudonym ‘North Celestial Scatters Mortals’. His roots were deep in the Capital; even Ma Lian couldn’t grab projects before him. The Sixian Bookstore would publish a batch of scripts for sale. Gong Qinzhou had a higher reputation than Ma Lian and his status pushed down on Ma Lian’s head, so Ma Lian thought Gong Qinzhou was in his way and always tried to find an opportunity to deal with him. 

Last year, a group of barbarians from the Luogan Country came to the Capital to get drunk and cause trouble; they even burnt a few houses and beat up the Capital’s constables. At that time, everyone in the Capital was outraged. Ma Lian knew Gong Qinzhou like one of the brothel’s Luogan belle and would often go watch her dance – even having the intentions to buy her back to his residence – so he leaked this matter to everyone he knew and even hired people to pretend as hot-blooded scholars hating on the Luogan people to throw rotten vegetables and spill feces over Gong Qinzhou’s front door. 

Ma Lian had always initiated an association with Gong Qinzhou and the two of them would even often drink together. Gong Qinzhou didn’t believe Ma Lian would harm him, but only Ma Lian knew he was seeing Hu Ji. Minor facts about him, such as how he liked to eat sesame seed pastry, were all spread out. After Ma Lian finished doing this, he began publicly publishing poems insinuating Gong Qinzhou. 

More and more people started cursing Gong Qinzhou. In order to know the truth, he prepared himself to risk everything. At that time, he and Ma Lian were both in a residential accommodation rented from the bookstore, organising their manuscripts; only he and Ma Lian could go in and out of there. He deliberately wrote three, long, distinguishable poems ridiculing the hot-blooded scholars and placed it on the wall where he and Ma Lian worked together, in his own home, and in a teahouse.

The poems placed in these three places were the same in terms of name and introduction; other than that, they were slightly different in length and wording. 

That night, everyone cursed Gong Qinzhou to be the ‘barbarian’s slave’. The very first person who called everyone to denounce him quoted the poem he put in the bookstore. 

After that accident, Gong Qinzhou’s reputation was greatly damaged. Ma Lian took the opportunity to promote himself everywhere. He only took the lead to step on Gong Qinzhou behind his back; after publishing the insinuating poems that instigated Gong Qinzhou’s fury, he no longer participated in this matter. During Chinese New Year and other festivities, among the gifts Ma Lian would send the bookstore he wouldn’t forget to include Gong Qinzhou’s share; he’d say because of a few poems he wrote, Gong Qinzhou misunderstood him and wouldn’t interact with him, and would ask the bookstore staff to help him transfer the gifts to him. This caused the bookstore staff to feel he had a more graceful moral conduct than Gong Qinzhou. At the same time, Ma Lian and the scholars who stepped on Gong Qinzhou became bosom friends and would often flatter each other. The scholars would publish literary works everywhere complimenting Ma Lian’s brilliant talent and even granted him the title ‘East Lake Heavenly Penmanship’. 

After listening to Gong Qinzhou’s confession, Wang Yan stated, “Then you have deep hatred and desire for revenge against Ma Lian.” 

Gong Qinzhou sneered. “Not exactly hate; I just feel this person is very disgusting. I would never change myself into a murderer just to take revenge on such a person. Before, I never quite understood the ways of the world; after that matter, I gained practice and experience and benefited from it. Besides, the small tactics Ma Lian used to deal with me really aren’t worth mentioning compared to the schemes he used on Feng Ruoqi. Whenever I think of Feng Ruoqi, I no longer feel unfortunate.” For him to constantly mention Feng Ruoqi, Wang Yan wasn’t sure whether he was truly sympathetic or if he was deliberately dragging him into the mire. 

Wang Yan drew two circles on Gong Qinzhou’s statement of confession then prepared himself to meet with Feng Ruoqi. 

He couldn’t rashly let the constables bring Feng Ruoqi. Because this person was awarded the Jinshi three years ago, was Lan Jue’s head supervisor, and was the Ministry of Rite’s Chief Minister, Gong Songming’s, disciple. 

Feng Ruoqi was currently a minister working in Jiangnan County, Wuzhou. It was clear it wouldn’t take a few years before he’d be promoted to the prefectural magistrate; he recently entered the Capital to visit his teacher Minister Gong and was indeed still in the Capital when the murder took place. 

Wang Yan didn’t wish for Fen Ruoqi to be the true murderer. With Feng Ruoqi’s rank, once he becomes involved the case would be snatched away by Dali Temple. 

Wang Yan reckoned someone like Feng Ruoqi wouldn’t lose himself due to old grievances and take the risk to kill someone who hadn’t yet become an official. 

However, whilst the papers were graded, Grand Tutor Yun’s beloved disciple Liu Bing strongly recommended Ma Lian and Ma Lian indeed climbed himself to the highest branch. If Feng Ruoqi knew, maybe… 

Everything is a maybe…

Wang Yan went to the prison cells again to take a look. The scholars had finished making an indignant racket and Zhang Ping was squatting in the corner eating again – eating dinner. 

Chen Chou had no appetite to eat so Zhang Ping ate the buns on his behalf. Looking at him, Wang Yan felt annoyed, so he waved his sleeve and left the prison, ordering people to send his name card to Feng Ruoqi’s residence and clearly stating he would pay his respects the next day. 

»»————-¤————-««

At midnight, Lan Jue was awakened by Lan Hui’s fearful cry. Lan Hui looked at him with red eyes and said, “Diedie, ghost…”

When Lan Hui came back from Wang Yan’s residence, he’d become a piece of black charcoal. There were scratches and bruises over his body, but his eyes were bright and vitality flourishing; Lan Jue was secretly pleased and didn’t want the current matter to reoccur. He helplessly said, “Didn’t I give you a wild boar talisman? Why are you still afraid of ghosts?”

Lan Hui gingerly took out the wild boar from his arms; when he was play-fighting with the Wang Family’s children, the wild boar’s tusks broke. “Diedie, the ghost is here again. Could it be now that the wild boar’s tusks are broken, it can no longer attack the dryad?” 

Lan Jue could only let Lan Hui sleep in his room one more night. Lan Hui would keep on whispering that the ghost was covered in blood and had climbed out from the water. It wasn’t a dryad, it was a kelpie, hence wild boars were useless. 

The next day, after court, Lan Jue immediately went to a jade store and ordered a jade cat for Lan Hui. 

Next to the jade store was a monastery. After leaving the jade store, Lan Jue was about to enter his sedan chair before he saw a familiar figure hurriedly exiting the monastery and, with lightning speed, enter a small and simple sedan chair. 

That figure vaguely looked like his brother-in-law, Liu Yuan.

(1) Bank runs – when clients withdraw their money from a certain bank because they feel it wouldn’t function anymore in the near future.

(2) Fifth watch of the night – 3am-5am