While Qian Long went hungry, the officialadministration in Hangzhou was turned upside down.

　　News of the Emperor's disappearance had not yet leakedout but the whole city had been searched. All exitsfrom Hangzhou by both land and water were heavilyguarded, and several thousand "suspected bandits" hadbeen arrested until every prison was full. The localofficials were very worried, but they also tookadvantage of the situation to seize rich businessmenand merchants and extort large sums of money fromthem.

　　Fu Kangan, Commander Li and Bai Zhen jumped about likeants on a hot plate, completely at a loss for what todo.

　　Early on the morning of the third day, Fu Kangancalled a meeting in the provincial governor'sresidence. Glum-faced and powerless, they argued aboutwhether or not the Empress should be informed. Butnone of them dared consider the consequences once sucha report had been sent.

　　As they sat gripped by indecision, one of the ImperialBodyguards, named Rui, ran in, his face deathly pale,and whispered into Bai Zhen's ear.

　　Bai Zhen went white and stood up. "How could thishappen?" he demanded. Fu Kangan hurriedly asked whatwas wrong.

　　"The six bodyguards standing guard outside theEmperor's bed chamber have been killed," Rui said. Farfrom being alarmed, Fu was pleased by this news.

　　"Let us go and see," he said. "This event must beconnected with His Majesty's disappearance. We mayeven find some clues."They hurried to the bed chamber that had been setaside in the Governor's residence for Qian Long. Sixcorpses lay at all angles around the room. Some hadhad their eyes gouged out, some had gaping holes intheir chests: All had died horribly.

　　"These six brothers were good fighters," said BaiZhen. "How could they have been finished off withoutbeing able to even utter a sound?"They stared in open-mouthed horror, incapabale ofdeciphering the scene. Bai Zhen examined the corpse.

　　The assassins had moved so fast, some of the six hadnot even had time to draw their swords.

　　He frowned. "This room is not big enough for a largenumber of people to fight in, so at the very mostthere cannot have been more than two or three ofthem," he said. "Their kung fu must be extraordinary.""Since they already have the Emperor, why should theycome and kill these bodyguards?" asked Commander Li.

　　"From the look of it, last night's assassins and thepeople who kidnapped ............