The Corpse Reader (37 page)

Cí’s heart was racing.

“Councilor,” he said, bowing. “I don’t know if I’m up to this…”

Kan gave him a cold look.

“No one’s asking you.”

Kan led the way to the legal archives. He seemed in a hurry, as if he wanted to rid himself of Cí as soon as he could. Gradually the dank, narrow passages gave way to tiled galleries. The Hall of Secrets took Cí’s breath away; it was an infinite labyrinth in comparison with the academy library. Shelves full of all kinds of volumes stretched into the distance and went all the way to the high ceiling. Sunlight broke in through a high window. Kan took a seat at a black lacquer table on which a single dossier lay. He flicked through its pages for a minute and then invited Cí to sit.

“I happened to overhear some of what you were saying to Bo. I might as well spell it out: that the emperor has given you this opportunity does not mean I personally have any confidence in you. Our judicial system is inflexible with any who try to corrupt or violate it, and our judges have grown old in the study and application of that system. You might be vain enough to speculate as to the worth of these judges. Maybe in your eyes they seem like nothing more than obstacles, unable to see beyond the ends of their own noses. But mark my words: should you dare to doubt the abilities of my men, I promise you’ll regret it.”

Cí made a show of submission. Deep down, though, he knew that if these judges were any good, he wouldn’t have been brought there in the first place.

Kan directed Cí’s attention to the dossier.

“These are the reports on the three dead people. And here’s a brush and ink. Read the reports and then record your opinion.” Kan took out a square seal and handed it to Cí. “Any time you need access to any of the rooms, present this to the sentries for them to mark the registers.”

“May I ask who carried out the examinations?”

“Their signatures are at the bottom of each report.”

Cí had a quick look.

“These are the judges’ names. I mean, who performed the physical examinations?”

“A
wu-tso
like you.”

Cí frowned.
Wu-tso
was a derogatory term for someone who did autopsies and cleaned corpses. But he decided it was better not to argue. He nodded and returned to the reports. He soon put them aside.

“There’s nothing here about the evil that Bo told me about. He mentioned that something terrible was happening in the city, but these reports are only about the three corpses. There’s no mention of motives or suspects.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you any additional information.”

“But if you want me to help you, councilor, I need to know—”

“You? Help me?” Kan leaned across the table toward Cí. “It seems you’ve understood absolutely nothing. Personally, I couldn’t care less what you find out, get it? It will be better for you if you do as you’re told. That way, maybe, you’ll help
yourself
.”

Cí bit his tongue. He looked through the reports again. There was nothing there. Any idiot could have written them.

“Councilor,” he said, getting to his feet. “I will need a place where I can carry out a detailed examination of the corpses. And I need my instruments. As soon as possible. Also, I will need to consult a perfume maker, Lin’an’s best.”

Kan’s face tensed and his one eye opened wide. Cí tried not to let Kan’s evident surprise at his requests get to him. Determined to succeed at this new opportunity, Cí needed to make sure he had his instruments and as much information as possible.

“Should there be more murders, I must be informed immediately, regardless of the hour, or where the body is found. The body mustn’t be tampered with or cleaned until I arrive, not even by a judge. Any witnesses should be detained. I’ll also need the best
portraitist in the city, not one of those who make the princes look nice, but someone able to capture reality.

“Also, I need to know any information there is on the eunuch who was killed: his role in the palace; his tastes, vices, and virtues; whether he had any lovers, male or female; if he kept in contact with his family; his possessions; anyone he fraternized with. I need to know what he ate and drank and how much time he spent in the toilet.

“A list of all the sects would be useful,” Cí went on. “The Taoists, the Buddhists, the Nestorians, the Manicheans, anyone who has been investigated for practicing occultism, witchcraft, or any kind of illicit act. Finally, I want a full list of every single death in the city in the last six months that has happened under strange circumstances—any police report, anything about people disappearing, and absolutely any witness who, however distant the link may seem, could possibly be related to these deaths.”

“Bo will take care of it.”

“I would also appreciate a map of the palace including details on all the officials and their functions.”

“I’ll try to have an artist make one up.”

“And one last thing.”

“Yes?”

“I need someone to help me. I’m not going to be able to solve these cases alone. Master Ming could—”

“I’ve already thought of that. Someone I hope you’ll be able to trust.”

The councilor got up and clapped his hands twice. A door creaked open at the end of the hallway. Cí looked toward the light in the doorway and saw a slim silhouette coming toward them. As the person came closer, Cí shuddered. He’d know that condescending smile and gray-streaked hair anywhere: Gray Fox.

“Councilor,” he stuttered, “excuse my insistence, but I really don’t believe Gray Fox is the best person for this job. It would be better—”

“Enough of your demands! Gray Fox has my wholehearted approval, something you are far from achieving. The two of you will work together; anything you find out I want you to share with him, and vice versa. Gray Fox will be my eyes and ears during this investigation, so you would be better off working with him than against.”

“But he betrayed me once. He never—”

“Enough! I won’t listen to another word. Gray Fox is my brother’s son!”

Gray Fox waited for Kan to leave before turning to Cí with a smirk.

“So! We meet again,” he said.

“A bit of ill luck,” shrugged Cí, not bothering to look at Gray Fox.

“And look how far you’ve come! The emperor’s very own Corpse Reader.” He took the dossier and sat down.

“Whereas you,” said Cí, ripping the dossier from Gray Fox’s hands, “are still clutching at whatever you can get.”

They faced each other and stood so close their noses were nearly touching.

“Isn’t life just full of coincidences?” said Gray Fox, eventually taking a step back. “In fact, my first job for the court happened to be investigating the death of that sheriff. The one we examined in the prefecture. Kao was his name.”

A shudder ran through Cí.

“I don’t know who you mean.” Cí tried to keep his voice steady.

“Oh, that’s odd. In fact, the more I find out about that sheriff, the odder the whole thing becomes. Did you know he’d traveled from Fujian in search of a fugitive? It seems there was a reward involved.”

“Why would I know about that?”

“Apart from the fact you’re from Fujian yourself? Wasn’t that what you said at your presentation at the academy?”

“Fujian’s a big province. Thousands of people must arrive from there every day. Why don’t you ask them?”

“So suspicious, Cí! I only mention it seeing as we’re such good friends.” He sneered. “Still, quite a coincidence…”

“And you haven’t found the name of the fugitive?”

“Not yet. It seems this Sheriff Kao kept himself to himself, barely talked about the case.”

Cí felt as if he could breathe again. He considered trying to change the subject, but he knew he needed to appear interested.

“Strange, though. The judiciary doesn’t offer rewards, does it?”

“Quite strange. Maybe the reward was from some rich landowner.”

“Maybe the sheriff was close to solving the case and thought about taking the reward for himself,” suggested Cí. “Maybe that was why he was killed.”

“Could be.” Gray Fox appeared to weigh his words. “For now, I’ve sent a post to the Jianningfu authorities. I expect to have the fugitive’s name in less than two weeks. And then, catching him will be as easy as can be.”

During dinner Cí could barely eat even a grain of rice. He was utterly exasperated by the prospect of working with Gray Fox again, but knowing he was on the Kao case was even worse. It would be two weeks until any word would come from Jianningfu that might link Cí to Kao, so he had to find out whatever he could at court. If he managed to solve the case, maybe he’d still stand a chance.

Gray Fox slurped his soup, but when Cí pushed his dish away and got up, Gray Fox was right behind him. They’d been advised that the corpses had been transferred to an examination room, and neither wanted to let them decompose more. Cí hurried ahead, but when he got there, it turned out that none of his materials or instruments had been brought. Bo claimed not to have received the request.

Damn Kan, he thought. Bringing out his pass, and without asking Bo’s permission, he announced that he’d collect his effects personally and was on his way out the door in an instant. Gray Fox stayed behind, but Bo followed after Cí.

At the academy, while Bo and a servant collected Cí’s instruments, Cí rushed around looking for Ming, eventually finding the old man bent over some books in his apartments. His eyes were red-rimmed, and Cí thought he might have been crying. He bowed and begged his old master to talk to him.

“Don’t think I don’t know the emperor’s taken you on. Corpse Reader—the outstanding youth showing up his imbecile master.” He smiled bitterly. “That’s what everyone is saying.”

Ming’s resentment was clear, but Cí still felt he was in the man’s debt. He’d raised Cí up from nothing and never asked for anything in return. Cí didn’t think Ming would believe him if he said he needed his help; he thought it would sound insincere to say he’d asked for him to be brought to the palace—even though both were true. He was trying to find the right words when Bo burst in, urging him to hurry.

Seeing the servant weighed down with Cí’s instruments and books, Ming said, “Oh, I see,
that’s
why you came. Fine. Go on, get out of here!”