The Inn Murder Case

During the years of the Republic, in the watery heartlands of Jiangnan, there was a small town called Nanxun. In this town stood an inn known as “Homecoming.” The Homecoming Inn was renowned far and wide, not only for its impeccable service and spotless environment, but especially for its owner, Zhao Homecoming, whose remarkable culinary skills made the inn’s signature dish, Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, famous across the lands. Every day, countless visitors flocked to the inn, eager for a taste.

One evening, a sudden, desperate cry for help rang out from the inn’s courtyard, followed by the heavy thud of something falling. The inn’s attendants rushed out to investigate, only to find a middle-aged man in luxurious brocade sprawled in a pool of blood, a gleaming dagger lodged in his chest—he was already gone.

The dead man was Qian Wanguan, a wealthy magnate famous throughout the region, owner of several silk shops and a fortune to match his name. His death was both tragic and shocking. Zhao Homecoming, the innkeeper, quickly ordered his staff to summon the authorities. Soon, Captain Li Dahai arrived with several constables.

Li Dahai circled the body several times, examining the scene with meticulous care, then questioned the inn’s staff in detail. It emerged that earlier that evening, Qian Wanguan had arrived at the Homecoming Inn with a servant, specifically requesting Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish prepared by Zhao himself. Zhao, recognizing such an important guest, personally cooked the dish and joined Qian for a few cups of wine. Throughout the meal, Qian lavished praise on the fish, much to Zhao’s delight. After dining, Qian announced he was off to the gambling house and Zhao walked him to the door. Unexpectedly, moments after Qian left, tragedy struck.

Having listened to the attendants’ account, Li Dahai frowned deeply and turned to Zhao. “Manager Zhao, did you notice anything unusual when Qian Wanguan left the inn?”

Zhao thought for a moment and replied, “No, everything was normal. Master Qian even said he would return tomorrow for more Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish.”

Li nodded, then inquired, “Did Qian Wanguan have any known enemies?”

Zhao shook his head. “Master Qian was generous and kind-hearted. I’ve never heard of him making enemies.”

Li Dahai fell silent, lost in thought. At that moment, one of the attendants spoke up, “Captain, I just remembered something—when Master Qian arrived, he brought a servant with him, but now that person is nowhere to be seen.”

Li’s eyes lit up at this clue. He immediately ordered the constables to search for Qian’s servant. Soon, a constable returned with a young man, disheveled and visibly frightened. This was Ah Fu, Qian’s servant.

The moment Ah Fu saw Qian’s corpse, he collapsed in terror, stammering, “It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me! Someone killed the master!”

Li Dahai barked, “What happened? Speak the truth!”

Trembling, Ah Fu recounted, “This evening, the master brought me to the Homecoming Inn and ordered Manager Zhao’s Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish. The master was in high spirits and drank a lot. During the meal, he said he wanted to go to the gambling house. I tried to persuade him otherwise, but he wouldn’t listen. I had no choice but to follow him. Just as we left the inn, two men in black jumped out from the shrubbery wielding daggers and stabbed the master. I was so scared I ran for my life and only stopped at the pharmacy in town.”

Li Dahai considered Ah Fu’s words—they seemed reasonable, yet something felt off. He glanced between Ah Fu and Zhao, then suddenly formed a plan. Rising, he addressed Zhao, “Manager Zhao, I am temporarily sealing the Homecoming Inn and will take all its staff to the yamen for questioning until the truth is found.”

Zhao panicked. “Captain, you can’t! There are so many guests. If I close the inn, my reputation will be ruined!”

Li sneered, “Isn’t a ruined reputation better than losing your life? If you have nothing to hide, you’ve nothing to fear.”

Zhao, terrified, protested, “Captain, I have a clear conscience! But the guests are innocent. You can’t take them too.”

Li thought for a moment. “Very well. Dismiss the guests; I’ll only take you and your staff.”

Reluctantly, Zhao instructed his attendants to see the guests out. Li then escorted Zhao and the inn staff to the yamen.

At the yamen, Li had Zhao and his staff locked up separately. “Stay here until I discover the truth,” he said.

With that, Li and several constables went to the mortuary to examine Qian Wanguan’s body in detail. Suddenly, a constable cried out, “Captain, look! There’s something in Qian Wanguan’s coat.”

Li hurried over and pulled a slip of paper from the dead man’s pocket. On it was written: “Meet tonight at midnight, beneath the old locust tree behind the hill.”

Li Dahai pondered the meaning of the note. Who had left it? How did it connect to Qian Wanguan’s death?

Just then, another constable spoke up, “Captain, I recall Qian Wanguan was fond of gambling and often stayed out all night. Rumor has it he owed a large sum in gambling debts.”

Li’s thoughts raced. He immediately sent men to look into Qian’s gambling activities. Before long, a constable returned to report that Qian did indeed owe significant gambling debts and had recently been borrowing money all over town to pay them off.

Li, now with a clearer picture, went with his men to Qian Wanguan’s home to question his family.

Inside the Qian residence, flickering candlelight cast a somber pall over the household, tension palpable in the air. Li Dahai’s arrival only deepened the unease. Standing in the main hall, he surveyed the scene, searching for any hint of a clue.

Madam Qian, though haggard, retained a gentle grace. She sat on a carved wooden chair, wringing a handkerchief, her eyes hollow and filled with despair. Beside her, servants stood with heads bowed, scarcely daring to breathe. Li approached her, his voice calm yet commanding. “Madam Qian, I am Li Dahai, Captain of this town. I need to ask you some questions about your husband’s unfortunate death.”

Madam Qian looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. Her voice trembled, “Captain, you must find out the truth for us. How could this have happened to him?”

After offering some words of comfort, Li pressed on: “Madam, can you tell me about your husband’s recent activities and associates?”

She took a deep breath, recalling, “Recently, my husband would return home late, saying he was at the gambling house. I tried to dissuade him many times, but he wouldn’t listen. I know he owed a great deal, but I don’t know the exact amount. He was a good man, generous to all. I can’t imagine who would hate him so.”

Li caught a trace of hesitation in her answer and gently pressed for more. Finally, she revealed a crucial detail: “Lately, my husband seemed to have fallen out with the gambling house owner, known as ‘Black Panther.’ He accused Black Panther of cheating at cards and causing his losses, but he took no action beyond complaining in private.”

With this new lead, Li knew what he had to do. He stood, telling Madam Qian, “Take care of yourself. I will find the truth. If you remember anything else, contact me at once.”

Leaving the Qian residence, Li and his men hurried to Black Panther’s gambling house. The establishment, a lively three-story wooden building, bustled with noise and light. Li revealed his identity and demanded an audience with Black Panther.

Black Panther was a burly man with a fierce look. He feigned composure at Li’s arrival, though a flicker of panic betrayed him. He greeted Li with a forced smile, “Well, if it isn’t Captain Li. What brings you here tonight?”

Li met Black Panther’s gaze, his tone steady and grave. “Qian Wanguan is dead. You know this, don’t you?”

Black Panther’s face changed, but he quickly recovered and denied everything. “His death? What’s that to me? I’m busy running my business—I have no time for his troubles.”

Li pressed on, “Did you see him recently? Did he mention anything unusual?”

Feigning thought, Black Panther replied, “I saw him, but just over the gaming tables. He did complain about losing, but that’s not my doing.” He tried to divert the conversation, but Li would not be misled.

Li ordered his men to search the premises. In Black Panther’s private quarters, they discovered a ledger detailing Qian’s debts and secret transactions. Most damning of all, tucked in the ledger was a slip of paper identical to the one found on Qian, though the time had been altered.

Confronted with such evidence, Black Panther broke down. He collapsed, pale and sweating, and under Li’s interrogation, confessed. Plagued by Qian’s threats and relentless demands for repayment, he had hired two assassins to kill Qian after he left the Homecoming Inn.

“I… I was desperate. Qian owed me a fortune and kept threatening me. I… I acted on impulse…” Black Panther stammered in remorse and terror.

Li ignored his excuses and pressed further. “Who are the two killers? Where are they now?”

Black Panther, trembling, answered, “I don’t know their names. We only contacted by telephone. They should have left town by now.”

Li sneered, “You think you can fool me? You’d best come clean, or you’ll regret it.”

Under pressure, Black Panther finally described the killers’ appearance and whereabouts. Li led his men in pursuit, and after a fierce chase and struggle, they captured the two assassins.

During interrogation, the killers confessed. They admitted Black Panther had hired them to murder Qian Wanguan. Their plan had been to rob him and stage the crime as a simple robbery-murder, not anticipating the uproar it would cause.

At this point, it seemed the case was solved. But Li Dahai was not satisfied. He knew that in a Jiangnan riverside town, relationships ran deep and mysterious; there might be more hidden beneath the surface. He resolved to investigate further, determined to leave no detail unchecked, to restore justice for the victim and bring peace to the town.

As he dug deeper, Li uncovered a startling truth. Though Qian Wanguan seemed a prosperous tycoon, he was in fact living in constant fear. Addicted to gambling, he had amassed enormous debts, lost his entire fortune, and borrowed money from friends and family. To pay his debts, he had been forced to sell off assets and land.

Even so, he could not escape the shadow of debt. He borrowed from ruthless loan sharks, who charged exorbitant interest and threatened violence. Life grew ever more difficult for Qian, who faced threats from creditors and scorn from those around him.

With Black Panther and his accomplices brought to justice, the people of Nanxun gradually emerged from the shadow of Qian’s murder. Yet Li Dahai could not shake an uneasy feeling—he sensed there were even deeper secrets behind the case.

Determined to uncover the whole truth, Li resumed his investigation into Qian Wanguan’s past, focusing on his entanglements with Black Panther. He visited Qian’s silk shops, spoke with employees, partners, and friends.

In doing so, Li discovered something shocking: Qian was not only in heavy debt at the gambling house, but had secretly become involved in an illegal silk smuggling ring. This operation involved various factions, including the criminal syndicate behind Black Panther’s gambling house.

Desperate to clear his debts, Qian had risked everything, using his silk shops as cover to smuggle silk for quick profit. As the transactions grew, Qian realized he was being used by the syndicate as a pawn. Hoping to break free, he began secretly collecting evidence, intending one day to expose the gang and save himself. But his actions aroused suspicion, and ultimately led to his murder.

Stunned and enraged by the truth, Li Dahai reported his findings to higher authorities and requested their support in destroying the syndicate. With their aid, Li led a skilled team in a sweeping crackdown, eventually eradicating the criminal gang and removing this blight from society.

With the syndicate destroyed, peace returned to Nanxun. Business at the Homecoming Inn flourished once more, and Zhao’s Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish became a legendary delicacy, drawing crowds from far and wide.

Yet for Li Dahai, the lessons and impact of the case did not end there. He realized that as a captain, his duty was not just to solve crimes, but to uphold justice and fairness, protecting every innocent life and safeguarding the community.

From then on, Li worked even harder, embodying the responsibility and integrity of his post. The people of Nanxun felt safer and prouder to have a guardian like him.

As the years passed, stories continued to unfold in Nanxun. The aroma of Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish from the Homecoming Inn still wafted through the air, attracting diners from every corner. And the name Li Dahai became a legend, spoken of with admiration and respect throughout the little riverside town.