At
the end of Enigma of China Chief
Inspector Chen was in trouble. His determination to solve high profile crimes
had “ruffled high feathers”. As Shanghai
Redemption opens high ranking authorities in Shanghai have reached out to
Beijing. Chen is removed from the police bureau and promoted upwards in prestige
/ downwards in authority. His new position is the prestigious post of Director
Legal Reform. In Communist China “legal reform” is a legal fiction.
Yet
Chen has taken no recent actions that would threaten a higher ranking official
and his current caseload is routine. The carcasses of pigs floating down the
river into Shanghai is embarrassing but tainted pork is a modest issue. A fast
rising businessman, Liang, embroiled in a corruption case concerning the
contracts for the furnishings of high speed trains has disappeared.
While
contemplating his new Directorship Chen is invited to a book signing at the
fabulously expensive Heavenly World night club. A billionaire businessman and
lover of poetry has purchased 500 copies of a collection of translated poems of
T.S. Elliot. Chen had contributed many of the translations. After the event
Chen is lured into a private room by a pair of lovely young women - one of them
scantily clad in a cat costume – intent on meeting his every desire. He is
relieved to get a call from his mother that allows him to step outside the
room. After leaving the club he sees members of the police morality squad
entering the club. As the club ownership is well connected against such
searches Chen realize that there has been a secret raid seeking to entrap him
in a compromising situation.
Even
more confused on why such extreme efforts are being made to target him Chen
leaves for Suzhou where his father is buried. With no urgency to taking up his
new position Chen, a “filial son”, decides to spend a week overseeing
renovations to his father’s grave.
In
a rather bizarre development a well off young woman, Qiang, having watched him
in the office sees him standing in the rain and offers him a ride. During their
conversation he portrays himself as a private investigator and she tentatively
engages him to spy on her unfaithful boyfriend. It is one of the few scenes in
the series that was not credible. Had they met and talked more plausibly her
involvement would have been more believable.
Back
in Shanghai a crane accident at a construction site has exposed the body of
Liang and the missing person case is now a murder investigation.
Chen
is drawn into Suzhou opera. The poetic traditional opera is out of favour. The
leisurely paced stories which parallel North American daytime television soap operas are not appealing to fast paced modern Chinese life.
Chen
can see a net closing in on him and reaches out to friends and colleagues. His connections
are extensive from his years as a Chief Inspector. Many, out of respect not
fear or gain, are willing to help him.
Old
Hunter, the retired police officer, spends hours listening to the café gossip
of kept women (ernai).
His
loyal former subordinate, Yu, and his wife, Peiqin, provide assistance. In
particular, Peiqin, an avid internet searcher moves swiftly to find intriguing
stories before they are taken down by the Party.
Somehow
the mysterious death of an American businessman in Shanghai seems
related to Chen’s troubles.
It
is a formidable challenge for a writer to build a believable conspiracy. They
tend to spin into the incredible with shadowy figures. It is easier to create conspiracies
in China where there is constant conflict among factions vying for power. With
alliances shifting Chen is left scrambling to decipher clues. Even when he gets
glimmers of those orchestrating the attacks upon him the why eludes Chen until
the end.
While
glad I read the book immediately after Enigma
of China to see what happened to Chen I was a little dissatisfied at the end
of Shanghai Redemption because the
conclusion does not really end the story. I had not realized it was the second
in what appears to be a trilogy.
I
do admire Xiaolong’s continuing ability to weave politics, poetry and mystery
together in his plots. It is a unique combination.
It is, indeed, Bill. I'm very glad you liked this one, even if the ending didn't exactly satisfy you. This is a unique series, and I do like both the setting and the context. And you make a solid point about conspiracies; it's hard to write them well, but I like the way Qiu does it.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. Qiu has become one of my favourite authors.
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