The Sword Dancer by Jeanne Lin Read Free Book Online Page A

from her own stash.
    Silver. If that sort of money wasn’t suspect enough, her pointed remarks about General Wang couldn’t be ignored.
    Han had no choice but to return to the place where the theft had occurred and renew his investigation there.
    * * *
    When he reached the capital city of Taining, his search for the jade thieves proved much easier than anticipated.
    One was being readied for execution in the public square.
    The prisoner was kneeling, head bowed. His face had all but disappeared beneath a dark mask of bruised flesh. What was left was swollen beyond recognition. He wore a torn, stained tunic and leggings. A sizeable crowd had gathered around him. Depending on the nature of the crime, one could expect to hear taunts or insults from the onlookers, but in this case, the crowd remained quiet with no more sound than a tense murmur.
    Han was surprised to see a broadsword in the executioner’s hands. Beheading was a particularly cruel punishment. It not only took the life of the accused, but defiled his body for the afterlife.
    The executioner went to stand behind the condemned man and Han moved away, leaving the crowd behind to gawk as they would. He had witnessed one execution in his life and felt little need to witness another. He was far enough to avoid the thud of the blade, but not far enough to miss the collective gasp of the crowd, their voices united to expel the single breath they’d held since the executioner had raised his weapon.
    It wasn’t the violence of death that disturbed him as much as the severity of the sentence given the crime. The code of law outlined specific punishments depending on the crime as well as the circumstances surrounding it, but sentencing was left to the discretion of the magistrate. Perhaps it was necessary to be harsh in these remote parts where lawlessness was more rampant.
    Han sought out the magistrate’s yamen, hoping to gain access to the case report, but he wasn’t admitted much further than the front gates. He wasn’t all that surprised. A thief-catcher was slightly above a peasant or a day labourer in society and his presence was tolerated by the bureaucracy as an unpleasant necessity. He did manage to locate the constable who was on duty.
    ‘Zheng Hao Han?’ the constable echoed upon introductions.
    The stout, middle-aged man looked over Han’s plain robe and the dao at his side, but gave no indication that he recognised the name.
    ‘I am looking into the matter regarding the jade thieves,’ Han began.
    ‘Ah! One of those scoundrels was executed just today.’
    ‘None of the others have been caught?’
    ‘Not one. They’ve probably run far away by now, if they have any sense.’
    ‘Then it was fortunate you were able to catch this one.’
    The constable shook his head. ‘Not I. I have enough responsibility watching over the streets of this city.’
    Surprisingly, the man seemed unconcerned about what was likely the most serious crime in his jurisdiction. The constable had a duty to pursue the culprits in a timely manner. Han stepped carefully as he tried to glean more information.
    The crime had actually occurred one town over, a day’s travel from here. The shipment was accompanied by an armed security escort, which meant the thieves were bold enough to face trained fighters to get to the riches.
    ‘But no sword was ever drawn,’ the constable recounted. ‘They crept in, overpowered the night watch, and carried away enough jade to buy a palace. No one saw anything.’
    ‘No one was harmed? There were no injuries?’ Han questioned.
    ‘None.’
    That was fortunate, for the sword dancer’s sake. ‘I had heard that the main suspects were a group of performers.’
    ‘Dancers and musicians!’ The constable sniffed sceptically. ‘They were drifters who were passing through. Easy to lay the blame on them.’
    ‘You had mentioned that you were not involved in the arrest.’
    ‘It was General Wang’s men that caught him.’ The constable shook