The eunuch laughed.
“Prince Kai has squandered all his fortune,” said he. “Outside of what his palace contains there is little or nothing to convert into cash.”
I own I was astonished at this statement, but I tried not to show it, and continued:
“Among other duties, Mai Lo is to seal up the ancestral chih, and destroy all traces of its existence. Listen now, Wi-to, for this is the important thing that was in the mind of Prince Kai; he declared to me that Mai Lo would rob his ancestral halls of the great treasures deposited there during the past ages.”
“Impossible!” gasped the eunuch, staring at me in amazement.
“Mai Lo is no Shintoist,” I explained. “His travels have made him a renegade and taught him to despise the religion of his ancestors. He has no intention of committing suicide, according to the traditions of your people. Nor will he allow the vast treasures of the House of Kai to remain sealed up in the burial halls when he has the power to enrich himself with them. His power as governor of this province will enable him to make secret arrangements to fly to Shanghai or Hong-Kong, and from there to leave China forever and carry his stolen wealth with him.”
The eunuch arose and paced the floor thoughtfully. He was much agitated at what I had said and was pondering my words carefully.
“You have no faith in Mai Lo, yourself,” I suggested, watching him closely. “You know in your heart he is treacherous and false, just as the noble Prince knew it.”
Suddenly he sat down and his brow cleared.
“You must be right,” he said.