Page 52 - WTP Vol. VIII #4

First Case (continued from preceding page)
inspect the piece of leather in his sergeant’s hands.
Tian kept his voice low and Ju did the same: “Why?”
“Most are angry and homesick—forced to serve be- cause they cannot afford the bribe that would excuse them. The head groom misses his wife and children. They left with one of the large families that pulled out last month.”
“The Hongs,” said Ju. He had overheard some of the younger priests mentioning the family’s departure.
“Yes, the Hongs. The groom said he had borrowed money from them to pay his gambling debts and that his family was working it off.”
“Is that all?” asked Ju.
“The groom is lying. Gamblers cannot resist a bet. I had one of our men invite him into a dice game—he refused.”
“Perhaps the high priest is against gambling,” sug- gested Ju.
“Perhaps.” Tian did not sound convinced. The ser- geant was older and experienced. Ju respected the man’s opinions.
“Keep your ears open,” he advised as he left to find his assistant.
Zi-Fang sat under the willow tree talking to an older woman. When she saw Ju approach, the woman kow- towed and hurried back toward the kitchen.
“That was Madam Red Flower,” said Zi-Fang. “She is the widow of my father’s third cousin and works here as the cook and housekeeper.”
“Good news,” said Ju. “Is she willing to talk.”
“She has a daughter named Luyuan, very sweet, very beautiful,” said Zi-Fang as though such information was relevant. His cheeks blushed red in the rays of the setting sun.
Ju noticed later as he ate dinner that Madam Flower was a superior cook. She served without chatter and had very clean hands. Musicians appeared during the last course and dancers arrived soon after. It was impossible to discuss business over their noise, and Ju went to bed with many unanswered questions.
The next morning Ju’s patience came to an end. He ordered the high priest to meet them in the garden. Ju and Zi-Fang sat on cushions and waited near a
decorative bridge that spanned a small pond. When the high priest arrived, Ju let the man settle himself nearby before speaking. “Master Sunshu, I am here to discover why the Emperor’s tax revenues have fallen so low.”
Sunshu’s shoulders and mouth drooped. “Master Ju, it is not our fault. We have always sent the Emperor the full amount collected. The problem is the large in- fluential families! They began to migrate and that has caused the lesser families to leave as well! A smaller amount of taxpayers results in less money for the Emperor.”
Ju struggled to keep his tone calm. “Your answer has resulted in a new question. Why are they leaving?”
Before Ju could finish speaking, Master Sunshu was sucking in a deep, frowning breath. “They are un- grateful! Disobedient!” He spat out the words with such force that Ju leaned back to avoid any chance of spittle striking his face. “They know that their bounty comes from He-Bo, the river dragon, but like greedy children, they take and take, making no effort to show gratitude.”
“Gratitude?” asked Ju.
“Yes, Master Ju.” Sunshu was so overcome that, breaking all protocol, he rose to his feet and paced towards a wil- low tree and back in short, vicious strides. “In the time of our ancestors, He-Bo, a devout man, made a large sacrifice so that the people could have a fertile valley.”
“What did he do?” asked Ju.
“He tied rocks around himself, plunged into the river, and drowned. In honor of that great offering, the gods changed him from a man into an immortal river dragon.”
Ju tried to imagine what Confucius would say about such behavior. He wondered if the priest actually believed the tale but tactfully replied, “A godly and pious act. How does it explain the departure of the large farming families?”
“As the river god, He-Bo decides if and when it will flood.”
Ju hoped his face did not reflect his impatience with such ignorance. “Again I ask, how does this explain the migration?”
Sunshu must have realized that he was standing while Ju sat, and almost fell back onto his cushion. “He-Bo
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