The Mao Case Read Free Page A

“Shang died years ago.”
    “It’s a long story but, in short, it’s because of two books. The first one is entitled Cloud and Rain in Shanghai. You must have heard of it.”
    “No, I haven’t.”
    “You are too busy, Chief Inspector Chen. It’s a best seller about Qian, and about Shang too.”
    “Really? A best seller?”
    “Yes. And then the other book is the memoir by Mao’s personal doctor.”
    “That one I’ve heard of, but I haven’t read it.”
    “With that book we learned our lesson the hard way. When the doctor applied for a passport so he could go to the States for health reasons, we let him go. His book was then published there. It’s full of fabrications about Mao’s private life. However, readers are so interested in those horrible details that they swallow them without a hiccup. The book is selling like hotcakes all over the world. In some languages, it has been reprinted ten times in one year.”
    Chen had heard stories about Mao’s private life. In the years shortly after the Cultural Revolution, when Madam Mao was denounced as a white-bone devil, lurid details about her life as a third-rate movie actress started coming out, with some particulars having direct or indirect connection to Mao. The Beijing authorities soon put an end to the “hearsay.” Since, after all, there’s no separating Madam Mao from Mao.
    “So these two books have led us to be concerned about the possibility that Jiao might have something left behind by Shang. Something that she could use against the interest of our Party.”
    “I’m still lost, Minister Huang.”
    “I don’t think we need to go into details on the phone. You’ll learn more from the case file compiled by Internal Security.”
    “Internal Security is already investigating?” Chen said, frowning. Internal Security was usually assigned the most sensitive political cases. “If so, why call me in?”
    “They’ve been following Jiao for weeks, but without success. So their plan is to take tougher measures, but some leading comrades in Beijing don’t think that’s a good idea. Comrade Zhao, the ex-secretary of the Central Party Discipline Committee, is one of them. Indeed, we have to think about repercussions. Both Xie and Jiao are known in their circles and have connections to Western media. Besides, if we push too hard, Jiao might act rashly, out of desperation.”
    “What can I do?”
    “You are going to approach Jiao from a different angle. Check her out, as well as the people associated with her, and more importantly, discover what was left by Shang and retrieve it —”
    “Hold on. What different angle?”
    “Well, whatever approach you think will work. Soft rather than tough, you know what I mean.”
    “No, I don’t. I’m no 007, Minister Huang.”
    “This is an assignment you can’t say no to, Comrade Chief Inspector Chen. Any slander against Mao, the founder of the Chinese Communist Party, will affect the legitimacy of our Party. This is a special task and, Comrade Zhao recommended you to me. Based on what Internal Security has learned, one possible approach would be through the parties she frequents. You can blend in, speaking your English or quoting your poetry.”
    “So I am to approach Jiao as anything but a cop —”
    “It’s in the interest of the Party.”
    “Comrade Zhao said that to me in another case,” Chen said, realizing that it was pointless for him to argue. “But there’s still no guarantee that Shang left anything behind.”
    “You don’t have to worry about that. You go ahead in whatever manner you choose, and we trust you. I’ve already talked to your Party Secretary Li. He’s going to retire soon, you know. When this job is accomplished, you’ll advance to a position of greater responsibility.”
    It was an unmistakable hint, but was Chen looking forward to such a position of greater responsibility? Still, he knew he had no choice.
    Minister Huang said farewell and hung up. Chen closed the