Chapter 2

Two days earlier, at the Xiagui County offices.

A lavish banquet for an honored guest was about to be held in Magistrate Wu Zhiyuan's private residence.

Wu Zhiyuan had come from humble beginnings and entered official service through the classics examination. After a lifetime of rising and falling on the sea of officialdom, he had only managed to become a seventh-rank county magistrate in his fifties, and that had taken everything he had. He could not possibly let this opportunity to forge ties with the powerful men of the court slip away. He and his wife had spent two days discussing the banquet menu alone.

It was already completely dark. Wu Zhiyuan stood anxiously outside the county offices, waiting. His honored guest took his time arriving; only half an hour into the evening watch did a young man dressed as a military officer come riding slowly up, surrounded by several soldiers. Wu Zhiyuan wanted nothing more than to rush forward and lead his horse himself, but his subordinates-the deputy magistrate, registrar, county commandant, advisers, and others-were all standing beside him, so he could not afford to seem too eager.

The young man came from Xuzhou. His name was Bao Lang, and he was a trusted military officer of Cui Keyong, the Weijun Military Governor, holding the post of Defense Commissioner. He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a nose shaped like a hanging gallbladder and eyes like cold stars, outstanding in both stature and bearing. As an envoy, he was escorting a treasure from Xuzhou to Chang'an for Cui Keyong to present to the reigning emperor. Passing through Xiagui County on the way, he had taken temporary lodgings at the official guesthouse.

After exchanging pleasantries, Wu Zhiyuan ushered Bao Lang into the main hall of his private residence and invited him to take the seat of honor. The young man exchanged a few polite demurrals with him before sitting down without further fuss. The magistrate introduced his advisers one by one, and everyone took their seats in order of rank and standing. Apart from the officials, tonight's banquet had one special guest-the monk Liaoru, abbot of the Lotus Flower Temple.

The garden of the private residence boasted exquisite springs and rock arrangements, with pavilions, terraces, and towers in abundance. Torches had been set out for illumination. Two hired courtesans sat beside the water, one playing a flute and the other a pipa, while two more musicians sang in long, lilting voices. The unbroken strains of strings and woodwinds lent the scene considerable elegance.

Although a vegetarian monk had been invited, the dishes on the table were not the Lotus Flower Temple's famous vegetarian fare. Beef, lamb, chicken, duck, rich meat dishes, and wine were all plentiful. The monk Liaoru did not mind in the least and attended them from the side, his face beaming.

When the servants brought out the Water-Boiled Calf, made by steaming a whole young calf, and the Shengping Roast, made from deer and sheep tongues roasted together, Bao Lang smiled faintly. "You've gone to considerable trouble, Magistrate Wu."

Wu Zhiyuan hurriedly replied, "The cooks in this little place have poor skills, and we have no local delicacies worth offering. We merely tried our hands at a few Chang'an recipes. I fear you'll find them laughable, Envoy."

Delicacies filled the table, and fine wine filled the air with fragrance. They discussed inconsequential matters of the seasons and weather. After several rounds of drinks, Bao Lang rose solemnly and turned to the evening's business. "As you all know, Military Commissioner Cui sent me to deliver a precious Baozhu as an offering to His Majesty. This should have been a happy affair. Who could have expected that, just after I left Xuzhou, I would hear that Princess Wanshou, the pearl in His Majesty's palm, had passed away?"

Everyone hurried to their feet, lowering their heads and letting their hands hang at their sides, as though the spirit tablet of the princess they had never met stood before them and they were paying their respects together in silent mourning.

Wu Zhiyuan's eyes reddened. With tears in them, he said, "His Majesty is beside himself with grief, and his imperial health has suffered. I hear he has refused to hold court for many days. I, too, have a fifteen-year-old daughter who is not yet married. Putting myself in his place, the pain cuts to the heart like flesh being carved away. I can only hope His Majesty soon recovers his health and forgets his sorrow."

Bao Lang thought that Magistrate Wu certainly knew how to play his part. He could summon tears on command, faster even than an actor onstage. Rather than join in his lament, Bao Lang paused for a moment and said only:

"Military Commissioner Cui received word from Chang'an that the personal name of the recently deceased Princess Wanshou contained the character for 'pearl.' Presenting a pearl now would not only offend the taboo surrounding her name but also stir His Majesty's grief. We would only be inviting displeasure. The commissioner sent someone to order me to find an excuse to linger on the road for a few days and deliver the Baozhu to Chang'an only after His Majesty's spirits have settled."

With that, he sat down again, and everyone hastily followed suit. The two men had already discussed the circumstances in a private meeting; tonight's banquet was to settle on a plan. Only tonight, however, had Wu Zhiyuan learned about the princess's name. He thought that Cui Keyong's trusted officer had quite a long reach if he could uncover matters from deep within the palace.

Wu Zhiyuan had already swiftly put away his tears. Respectfully, he said, "Lord Cui's foresight commands my utmost admiration. That your temporary headquarters happened to be in our Xiagui County when you received his orders is an even rarer stroke of fate. Though I have little talent, I do have a suggestion."

"Please speak, Magistrate," Bao Lang said.

Wu Zhiyuan pointed to the monk Liaoru beside him. "Guanyin's Enlightenment Day is nearly upon us. You could use that occasion to enshrine Lord Cui's Baozhu at the Lotus Flower Temple. Whether to pray for blessings or hold a ritual, you could leave it there for ten days or a fortnight, then see how things stand in Chang'an."

When Bao Lang had seen Liaoru at the banquet, he had already more or less guessed what Wu Zhiyuan would suggest. He thought it was a sound enough plan. The reigning emperor revered the Buddha and admired the Dao, and had always taken considerable interest in such rites. Enshrining the Baozhu at the Lotus Flower Temple would provide a reasonable excuse to delay the journey while adding a touch of sanctity to the treasure.

He knew well that a treasure's value lay not only in the object itself. Like the Jade Disc of He or Marquis Sui's Pearl, it needed a history of marvels and extraordinary twists before it could become a supreme treasure. To the imperial family, which possessed all the wealth under heaven, even the rarest object was nothing special; it would merely be put into a storeroom and slowly gather dust. Only a treasure with a distinctive story could secure a place in the emperor's heart.

He asked Liaoru, "This Baozhu is a treasure seldom seen in the world. Does the Lotus Flower Temple have a secure place to keep it?"

Having received Magistrate Wu's instructions, Liaoru had long since prepared his answer. He replied with utmost respect, "Envoy, the Lotus Flower Temple has a Many-Treasures Pagoda, built by an eminent monk of the previous dynasty specifically to enshrine Buddhist treasures. It has seven stories and stands twenty zhang tall. Its only entrance is the main door at its base. It is most secure."

Bao Lang asked again, "Only one entrance-does it have windows?"

"Envoy," Liaoru replied, "the Many-Treasures Pagoda has no open windows. Its false windows are carved from solid stone slabs in openwork lotus patterns. They admit light and air, but no one can pass through them. If you have doubts, you may accompany this humble monk to inspect it yourself."

Wu Zhiyuan added, "In fact, you can see its upper stories from the courtyard of my residence."

Bao Lang immediately rose and walked into the garden with his wine cup, gazing into the distance. The moonlight was not particularly bright that night, and he could make out only the Many-Treasures Pagoda's outline. But the thousand bronze bells hanging from it stirred in the wind, sending faint, ethereal sounds to his ears.

He returned to his seat and smiled. "Those bells make an excellent safeguard. I brought only twenty personal guards; the rest are useless craftsmen. If the Baozhu is placed in the pagoda, could you help arrange men to guard it, Magistrate Wu?"

Judging from his tone, Wu Zhiyuan reckoned the matter was already six-tenths settled. He hurriedly said, "Of course. Everyone here will spare no effort to bring this worthy undertaking to fruition for Lord Cui."

Then he gave County Commandant Hao Jin a meaningful look. Hao Jin immediately rose, clasped his hands, and reported, "I have a capable Unworthy Marshal under my command, named Luo Chengye, nicknamed the 'Lion Hound.' He is the best-known constable in Huazhou and has solved several extraordinary cases. He is highly skilled in martial arts and keen-witted. Having him lead the Unworthy Men in guarding the Baozhu would be the safest, most reliable arrangement."

Bao Lang feigned surprise. "He even has a nickname? Was he once an outlaw?"

The authorities often recruited men with criminal records and unsavory pasts as petty officers to investigate crimes and make arrests, calling them "Unworthy Men." These men knew all manner of illicit dealings in the streets and employed ruthless, vicious methods. Using evil to subdue evil, they were truly effective instruments of local administration. The man who commanded them was known as the Unworthy Marshal.

Hao Jin hurriedly replied, "You are perceptive, Envoy. Luo Chengye was indeed once a hero of the greenwood. He made his name wielding the Four-Sided Pattern-Welded Iron Mace, then reformed and entered the service of the Xiagui County offices."

Bao Lang smiled. "Excellent. Since he once practiced banditry, he should know a bandit's methods well, and his defenses should be all the tighter." Then he asked, "Why wasn't he invited here to eat and drink?"

For a moment, Hao Jin was at a loss for words. He looked at his superior, seeming to have something he could not readily say.

Wu Zhiyuan hastily took over. "Luo Chengye comes from the rough wilds. He speaks without restraint and knows neither when to advance nor when to retreat. His nickname is 'Lion Hound,' and a hound is a fierce dog. However useful he may be, he is still only a dog, unfit for the banquet table. I would not dare let such a fellow sully your eyes, Envoy."

"That hardly matters," Bao Lang said indifferently. "I'm a rough fellow from the army myself."

Everyone hurried to say, "You are a dragon and phoenix among men, Envoy. How could you be compared to someone like him?" They praised Bao Lang as a man found only in heaven, never on earth, and offered him toast after toast.

Wu Zhiyuan asked again, "May I ask whether the craftsmen you brought are also to be presented to His Majesty?"

"Yes and no," Bao Lang replied. "Princess Wanshou died of a sudden illness, and arrangements for her funeral were made in haste. These men are craftsmen from Changzhou, summoned by imperial decree to hurry work on the princess's tomb. Since they also come from territory under the Weijun Military Governor, the governor had them join me so I could take them to Chang'an along with the rest."

"In that case," Wu Zhiyuan said, "I can send men to supervise them and escort them to Chang'an ahead of you, to prevent any from fleeing along the way."

"You've thought of everything, Magistrate Wu," Bao Lang said. "Still, I'll inspect that pagoda tomorrow before deciding whether to linger in Xiagui."

Wu Zhiyuan repeatedly agreed and kept offering toasts. Bao Lang drained every cup presented to him, drinking with hearty abandon.

Wu Zhiyuan thought that this man enjoyed the Wuwei Military Governor's deep trust. On this journey to present a treasure in Chang'an, he might well establish ties with the imperial family; his prospects were truly boundless. Moreover, he was so handsome and imposing, and still so young. Wu Zhiyuan dearly wanted such a dragon-riding son-in-law. Once everyone had exchanged enough toasts to grow pleasantly tipsy, he took the opportunity of another toast to ask Bao Lang quietly whether he had a wife or concubines at home.

Bao Lang smiled without answering and refused to take up the subject.

Wu Zhiyuan felt deeply disappointed.

The day before.

Early in the morning, Bao Lang brought several personal guards to the rear courtyard of the Lotus Flower Temple. Magistrate Wu Zhiyuan, County Commandant Hao Jin, Captain Luo Chengye of the Unworthy Men, Abbot Liaoru, and the others had already been waiting there for some time.

Bao Lang studied the man in his prime who bent at the waist and clasped his hands in greeting, and understood why he was called the Lion Hound.

Luo Chengye was not especially tall. His face was covered in a short, tangled, curling beard. His hair was bound beneath his headcloth and presumably curled just like his beard, making him look very much like a curly-haired lion dog. Although his looks were unremarkable, his steps and movements were vigorous, and his temples bulged prominently. He certainly looked like a man with genuine martial skill. Only his official uniform fit poorly, cinching tightly around his body.

Seeing an iron-rod-like weapon tucked at his waist, Bao Lang asked, "Is that the Four-Sided Pattern-Welded Iron Mace that made your name?"

Luo Chengye hastily confirmed it, unfastened the weapon from his waist, and presented it in both hands with the utmost deference for his superior to inspect.

Bao Lang took the unusual weapon and immediately felt its considerable weight. The mace resembled a metal whip, but its segments could not bend. Each of its four sides had a ridge, none sharpened. Held in his hand, it was like a thick, square iron rod without a point. Presumably, rather than employing deft techniques like a sword or saber, it relied on brute strength to smash tendons and shatter bones.

Bao Lang himself was an expert with the Horizontal Saber, yet even he felt he lacked the arm strength to wield this unusual weapon. Returning the Four-Sided Pattern-Welded Iron Mace to Luo Chengye, he said, "Captain Luo, you have formidable strength." He then asked about the Unworthy Men under his command, how he would arrange the defenses at the Lotus Flower Temple, and so on.

Luo Chengye answered fluently, proving shrewd and capable. There was no sign whatsoever of the man who "spoke without restraint and knew neither when to advance nor when to retreat" that Magistrate Wu had described the previous night. Bao Lang concluded that his superior was deliberately holding him down, preventing him from standing out.

Accompanied by the monastery's supervising monk, Liaoru opened the main door of the Many-Treasures Pagoda and invited the party inside to inspect it.

As the abbot had described, the pagoda's construction was simple, its materials solid and substantial. They inspected it story by story and found no concealed space where anyone could hide. On the top floor stood a gilded clay statue of Skanda Bodhisattva holding a vajra demon-subduing pestle. A bronze incense burner sat on the altar table; apart from that, there were only a few implements for everyday dusting and cleaning.

Looking up, they saw that the pagoda's roof was shaped like an umbrella. Gaps formed between stone slabs along its ribs admitted light while keeping out the rain. Even the widest was only a little over a handspan across. No human could possibly squeeze through.

For all his rough manner, Bao Lang was attentive to detail. He even examined the clay statue himself, tapping and knocking on it, and found no hidden mechanism. Thoroughly satisfied, he immediately settled on enshrining the Baozhu in the Many-Treasures Pagoda. His personal guards and Luo Chengye's Unworthy Men would be mixed together and divided into groups, patrolling outside the pagoda in three shifts each day, without pause by day or night.

To dispel any doubts, Bao Lang proposed that he, Wu Zhiyuan, and Liaoru each provide a large lock. Once the treasure was inside the pagoda, all three locks would be secured, with each man keeping his own key. The arrangement was seamless as a heavenly robe. Wu Zhiyuan thought that this young officer was both cautious and suspicious; no wonder he had risen to high office at such an early age.

Bao Lang's personal guards feared him like a tiger and fell silent as cicadas in the cold. If he told them to go east, they would not dare so much as glance west. It was clear how strictly he ordinarily governed his men.

Only after every arrangement had been settled did Bao Lang bring the treasure out of the official guesthouse. Everyone had long been curious about the military governor's treasure and stared with eyes stretched wide. From a large sandalwood chest, Bao Lang lifted a small Lacquer Box about seven inches long. When he opened its lid, they saw a great pearl more than an inch across resting on a soft brocade cushion, white and perfectly round, covered with a thin, translucent gauze to keep off dust.

Everyone marveled at the pearl's size and roundness. It was indeed a rarity in the world. Bao Lang smiled faintly, a trace of pride showing on his face. "Unfortunately, it is daytime now. At night, this Baozhu gives off light. It is a Luminous Pearl without equal."

As though afraid their gazes would rob the Baozhu of its luster, he closed the Lacquer Box immediately after showing it. Then, holding the box in both hands, he personally enshrined it on the altar table before Skanda Bodhisattva on the pagoda's top floor.

The main door of the Many-Treasures Pagoda was closed, and the three large locks were fastened to its door rings one after another. The forthcoming religious assembly would bring crowds and many meddling hands, so Liaoru announced that the Lotus Flower Temple's rear courtyard would be closed for as long as the Baozhu was enshrined there. Neither monks nor laypeople would be allowed inside.

Luo Chengye's home was right next to the monastery, making it convenient for him to direct deployments and oversee the patrolmen.

Everything was properly settled. Everything was as perfect as could be.