Death of a Red Heroine [Chief Inspector Chen Cao 01] (67 page)

“So we are kept in the dark,” Yu said doggedly, “in the best interests of the Party.”

“Party Secretary Li has not finished yet, Comrade Detective Yu,” Chen said, although he understood Yu’s frustration at being deprived of the satisfaction of closing the case. After all the twists and turns, they deserved the chance to bring Wu down. Yu did not know, of course, that Internal Security had been involved with the case for a long time.

Chen decided not to say anything more at the moment. This unexpected development could signify something with enormous political dimensions.

“The special case group has made a great contribution,” Party Secretary Li continued. “The Party and the people appreciate their work. We have decided to award them a first-class citation collectively. Of course, that doesn’t mean our work is over. There’s still a lot for us to do. Now, the superintendent will give us a speech.”

“First of all,” Superintendent Zhao started, “I’d like to compliment the comrades of the special case group, especially Comrade Chief Inspector Chen, for his intelligence and persistence.”

“For his commitment,” the Party Secretary joined in, “and the highest-level consciousness of the Party’s interests.”

“We have always thought highly of Comrade Chief Inspector Chen’s work,” the superintendent continued. “He has served well as acting director of the Shanghai Metropolitan Traffic Control Bureau. Now we can welcome him back. And in recognition of his achievement, also as embodiment of the Party’s young cadre policy, we have decided that Chief Inspector Chen’s going to represent us at the National Police Cadres Conference starting tomorrow at the Guoji Hotel. It is an honor he deserves after all the hard work he has put in. We also appreciate Comrade Yu’s hard work. It is the Party committee’s suggestion that Comrade Yu be moved to the top position in our housing committee’s list. As for Commissar Zhang, he has also made his special contributions in spite of his age, so we want to express our most sincere thanks. Finally, I want to welcome Dr. Xia to today’s meeting. After the Tiananmen incident last year, some people have become shaky in their belief in our Party. Dr. Xia has chosen, however, to express to Chief Inspector Chen his intention of joining our Party. That is why we have invited him here today. Comrade Chief Inspector Chen, after the meeting, you can work out the details with Dr. Xia, and help him fill out the application form as his sponsor.”

“Yes, I’m glad justice has been upheld, Comrade Chief Inspector Chen,” Dr. Xia stammered, looking embarrassed rather than elated. “Congratulations on your work.”

Chen turned to look in the direction of Party Secretary Li, who nodded back at him.

As soon as the meeting was over, Chen took Yu aside. His assistant could speak impulsively, as Chen had come to know during the investigation. They had just started talking under their breath, when Commissar Zhang moved over to join them, with an incomprehensible expression on his withered face.

“Everything has been done,” Zhang said, “in the Party’s interests.”

“Everything done under the sun, or not under the sun,” Yu said, “can be conveniently so explained.”

“As long as we did our work with a clear conscience,” Chen said, “we don’t have to worry about anything.”

“Bourgeois influences are everywhere, comrades,” Zhang said. “Even somebody like Wu Xiaoming, a young cadre from a revolutionary family background, is not immune. So all of us have to be on our guard.”

“Yes, on guard against back-biters,” Yu said. “Indeed—”

Their talk was once more interrupted. This time it was Party Secretary Li who came over to take Chen aside. They moved across to the end of the conference room, overlooking the busy traffic along Fuzhou Road.

“What’s all this about?” Chen asked.

“You know how complicated the situation is,” Li said. “You deserve the credit, but we need to think about possible consequences.”

“It is my case. Whatever the consequences, they are mine, too.”

“People are all aware of Wu’s family background. It is easy for some to see the case as a warning—or even as a blow—to those with a similar family background. Not as one individual case, but as a symbolic case. And you are the instrument bringing such a disgrace to the old cadres.”

“I see, Comrade Party Secretary Li,” Chen said, “but as I’ve said so many times, I have nothing against the old cadres.”

“There are people and there are people. What’s going through their minds, you cannot tell. Any publicity at this stage of the case won’t do you any good.”

“What about Detective Yu?”

“Don’t worry about him. We’ll conclude the case as the collective work of the bureau. Yu won’t get much publicity anyway.”

“I’m afraid I still don’t understand this sudden conclusion.”

“You will, I’m sure. You’ve done your job, so let others take care of the remaining problem.” Party Secretary Li added after a pause, “It is not just our bureau’s concern, let me tell you. Some leading comrades share our concern.”

“Who?”

“You don’t need me to tell you. You know—or you will know.”

It would be useless to ask Li any more about it.

“I give you my word,” Li promised. “Justice will be done. You will be completely occupied with the conference. We’ll keep you informed.”

“Thank you, Comrade Party Secretary Li,” Chen said, “for everything.”

For Chief Inspector Chen’s future, Party Secretary Li’s analysis made sense—if Chen still longed for such a future. Chen left the conference room without further protest.

He could not find Dr. Xia, who was perhaps not too eager to fill out those Party application forms after all. His search for Yu met with no success either. In his own cubicle, he found a short note saying, “I’m working with the Internal Security people now. I’ll keep my mouth shut, as you have suggested, and my eyes open. Yu.”

A detective could not be too cautious with Internal Security.

Later, as Chief Inspector Chen was leaving, Sergeant Liao approached him in the corridor, “Congratulations! What a wonderful job.”

“Thank you.”

Liao added in a whisper, “We’ll make sure that Miss Wang’s application for a passport is properly processed.”

“Miss Wang, oh—” Chen had hardly thought of her during the last few days. But other people had. Because of him. This same Liao, who had called him “a busybody who cannot take care of his own business,” was offering to take care of hers—assuming it was still his.

Now that he was back in the Party’s favor, Wang would get her passport. Sergeant Liao was such a snob.

“Thank you,” he said, shaking Sergeant Liao’s hand energetically.

But Wang already seemed to be as far away as the woman referred to by Li Shangyin:
Master Liu regrets that Mount Peng is too far away / And I, thousands of times farther away from the mountains.

In the ancient Chinese legend. Master Liu, a young man of the Han dynasty, ventured onto Mount Peng, where he had a wonderful time with a beautiful woman. When he returned to his village, it had changed beyond his recognition. A hundred years had passed. He never found his way back into the mountains. So the couplet was frequently read as contrition over an irrecoverable loss.

* * * *

Chapter 40

t was the fourth day of the National Police Cadre Conference. The Guoji Hotel, located at the intersection between Nanjing Road and Huanghe Road, overlooking the central area of the city, had been the highest building in Shanghai for many years.

Chief Inspector Chen had been provided with a luxurious suite on the twenty-second floor. Looking out of the window to the east, in the first gray light of the morning, he could see the building of the First Department Store joining various stores on Nanjing Road in a colorful parade towards the Bund. But he was in no mood to enjoy the spectacular view. He hurried to put on his clothes. The last few days had been so hectic for him. Not only was he a representative of the Shanghai Police Bureau, he also had to serve as a conference host, coordinating all kinds of activities. Most of the representatives were superintendents or Party secretaries from other cities. He had to build his connections with them. For himself as well as for the bureau.

As a result, he had hardly had any time to think about the progress of the case. Still, the first thing he did that morning, as he had for the past few days, was to sneak out of the hotel to a public phone booth across the street. He had asked Yu not to phone him in his room except for an emergency. With Internal Security working in the background, they had to be extremely cautious.

At their agreed-upon time, he dialed Yu’s number. “How are things going?” he asked.

“Positive. Tell you what, even Director Yao Liangxia, that Marxist Old Woman, called our office. She declared that the Party Discipline Committee stood behind us firmly.”

“Was anything said by Party Secretary Li?”

“Last night, a telephone conference was held between the Bureau Party Committee and the mayor. Only Party Secretary Li and Superintendent Zhao were present. Closed-door discussion, of course. Politics, I imagine.”

“Li will not say a single word about those meetings, I understand. Is there any news from other sources?”

“Well, Wang Feng has also contacted us, saying they are going to run a front-page story in the
Wenhui Daily
tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Wu’s on trial today! Haven’t you heard, Chief Inspector Chen?”

“What!” he said. “No, I haven’t.

“That’s surprising,” Yu said. “I thought they would have informed you immediately.”

“Will you appear in court?”

“Yes, I will be there, but Internal Security will run the show.”

“How are you getting along with the Internal Security people?”

“Fine. I think they’re serious. They’re gathering all the documents.” Yu then added. “Except they haven’t really double-checked some evidence and witnesses.”

“What do you mean?”

“Take Comrade Yang, the one at the gas station, for instance. I suggested that they call him in for identification, and then use him as a witness in court. But they said that it would not be necessary.”

“So what do you think the result will be?”

“Wu will be punished. No question about that. Or it does not make sense to have all the fanfare going on,” Yu said. “But the trial could last for days.”

“Death sentence?”

“With reprieve, I bet, with the old man still in the hospital. But not anything less than that. People will not consent.”

“Yes, I think that’s most likely,” he said. “What else has Wang told you?”

“Wang wanted me to convey her congratulations to you. And Old Hunter, too—a salute from an old Bolshevik. Old Bolshevik— that’s his word. I haven’t heard him say it in years.”

“He’s an old Bolshevik indeed. Tell him I’ll treat him at the Mid-Lake Teahouse. I owe him a big one.”

“Don’t worry about that. He’s talking about treating you. The old man does not know what to do with his adviser’s allowance.”

“He absolutely deserves it after his thirty years in the force,” Chen said, “not to mention his contribution to the case.”

“And Peiqin is preparing another meal. A better one, that much I can promise you. We have just got some Yunnan ham. Genuine stuff.” Detective Yu, who should have been years beyond such overexcitement at concluding a case, kept rambling on. “What a shame. You are missing all the fun here.”