The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee

After reporting to the judge, Hoong goes out to collect information about the Bee family and ends up in the public bathhouse, which is the gathering place of the local men. A young merchant who was friends with the dead man confirms that Bee Hsun died of a stomachache and that his eyes “were bulging from their sockets in a perfectly gruesome manner” (43). No one suspects the daughter-in-law of wrong doing.

The following morning the judge and his assistant visit the graveyard where Bee Hsun is buried. The judge believes that if there was a murder, the victim’s ghost would give them a sign. Indeed, a dark shape forms and leads them to a “lonely mound, standing somewhat apart from the others” (45). Judge Dee needs confirmation that this is Bee Hsun’s grave and sends Hoong to find an undertaker. The lieutenant comes back with an old man with a gray beard who immediately scolds the judge, believing him to be a real itinerant doctor.

The graveyard caretaker does not want to answer Judge Dee’s questions at first and is rude to him, but after Hoong roughs him up, he confirms that the mound is Bee Hsun’s grave and adds that no one has visited since the funeral.

After this conversation, the judge goes back to Chang-ping and takes up his official duties. His first task back at the tribunal is to send a runner to Huang-hua Village to bring back the warden and the graveyard undertaker.

When the Huang-hua village warden, Ho Kai, presents himself in front of the judge, he is questioned about the happenings in his village. Ho Kai denies knowing of any murder—he is in charge of several hundred families, so he learns about most births, deaths, and marriages by written announcements sent to his office. Since no one in the family or neighborhood complained about Bee Hsun’s death, the warden had not thought that anything was wrong.

Next enters the graveyard undertaker, who is scared and humbled after recognizing the itinerant merchant as the judge. He tells Judge Dee that when Bee Hsun’s coffin was brought to him, he heard a noise inside. However, when he inquired if the dead man’s mother and widow were certain of his death, they had started shouting at him. Not wanting to get into an argument with them, but nonetheless fearing repercussions at a later date, the undertaker buried the body in a special grave out of the way.

After hearing from the warden and undertaker, the judge decides to summon Mrs. Bee and her daughter-in-law. His underlings are unhappy with him, as the Six Mile Village case is still open and no one had heard about anything suspicious happening in Huang-hua Village.

The following morning Sergeant Hoong and two constables go to Mrs. Bee’s house to summon her and her daughter to the tribunal. The two women do not want to go, and Mrs. Bee goes as far as to question the validity of the men’s credentials. The daughter-in-law also questions their legal right to take her to the city, as she is not technically under arrest. However, Sergeant Hoong, while annoyed at the women’s behavior, remains firm and orders his man to take the daughter-in-law, leaving the old woman behind.

When they get to the tribunal, the young widow informs the judge that her maiden name is Djou and demands to be released quickly. The judge becomes angry and accuses her of murdering her husband. Mrs. Djou, however, claims that there is no proof and that the judge is simply taking petty revenge on her after she insulted him in his guise of traveling doctor. Judge Dee becomes even more angry and orders for her to be given 40 lashes with the whip.

After receiving 40 lashes with the whip, Mrs. Djou still does not confess, so Judge Dee orders the constables to put screws on her hands. The young woman threatens the judge, who would be personally responsible if she died under torture without proof of her guilt. The judge, however, is convinced that she killed her husband and orders the constables to tighten the screws. The men are reluctant to do so, as they will also be held responsible if the judge has made a wrong accusation and the woman dies under torture. Judge Dee relents, deciding to bring more proof to the tribunal. He sends Mrs. Djou to jail and sends for her mother-in-law.

When Mrs. Bee comes in front of the tribunal the following day and the judge explains why he had summoned her, she refuses to believe him. Judge Dee realizes that she is stupid but honest, trusting explicitly in her daughter-in-law. Thus, the judge requests an exhumation and an autopsy.

Mrs. Djou doubts that the coroner will find anything suspicious during the autopsy and again threatens the judge. If he cannot prove her guilt, he will lose his position, and his subordinates will also be punished.

Judge Dee, the two women, and a full retinue make their way to Huang-hua Village and the graveyard. A large crowd gathers along the way.

Before proceeding with the exhumation, Judge Dee orders the young widow to say a prayer in front of her husband’s grave. She does so but does not display any grief, which hardens the judge’s resolve.

The body is exhumed, and everyone can see that the corpse’s eyes are bulging out. The judge appeals to Bee Hsun’s ghost to close his eyes if he was murdered. The corpse’s eyelids flutter, and everyone is perturbed.

The coroner is brought forward. He soaks the body with hot water so that they can remove the shroud without tearing off any skin in the places where the body has started rotting and sticking to the fabric. He then washes the corpse with undiluted wine before proceeding with an external examination. The coroner is unable to find anything suspicious on the outside of the body and requests permission to conduct an internal examination. Mrs. Djou protests loudly, as that would be further desecration of the body.

Judge Dee remains adamant in the face of Mrs. Djou’s protests and orders an internal examination. The coroner pours hot water into the mouth of the corpse, making it enter and then exit the body. He then inserts a long, thin, silver lamella into the throat. When he takes it out, it does not show any signs of poison.

Mrs. Djou is relieved that no sign of foul play has been found and begins to berate the judge. She declares that she does not want to rebury her husband’s body until the case is resolved and the judge divested of his office. However, the other villagers present at the autopsy believe it would be outrageous to leave the body exposed. Furthermore, everyone is aware of the judge’s good reputation, and they find it disgraceful that she is publicly shouting at him.

As the day grows short, the judge goes back to the hostel, ordering for Mrs. Bee to be returned to her house and Mrs. Djou to be taken back to prison.

Back at the hostel, Sergeant Hoong reports that after talking further with Bee Hsun’s friend, he learned that the deceased had often scolded his wife for her frivolous behavior, such as joking and laughing in public. While the judge and Hoong discuss the next steps in the case, they are interrupted by a visitor who is loudly wailing outside the hostel. It turns out that she is a middle-aged woman and the widow of the second murder victim from Six Mile Village. Her husband, Wang, had been a carter. The night of the murder he had gone to Six Mile Village to fetch the husband of their neighbor, who had become very ill. However, he did not come back as expected. After a few days Mrs. Wang became worried and set out for Six Mile Village to look for her husband. She eventually learned that he had been murdered.

The following day the judge goes back to Chang-ping and writes a report about the developments in both cases. He recommends that he be punished for having desecrated the grave of Bee Hsun. Afterward, he decides to fast that day and to spend the night at the local temple for a private vigil. His assistant makes sure that no other people will be allowed to enter after sunset and that the judge will be alone.

That evening the judge goes to the temple and spends a long time kneeling in front of the altar and praying for guidance from the Powers on High.