The Mysteries of Peking

The Mysteries of Peking Rulebook

Table of Contents

Equipment
The First Time You Play
Goal of the Game
Who the Characters in the Game Are
The Chinese Dragons
The Magic Decoders
Setup
How to Play
Winning the Game
- Playing Several Times
- Important Notice
Case File

Equipment

Game board
4 Chinese Dragon discs
6 cards with pictures of the investigators
6 plastic stands
84 Witness cards, comprising:
- 60 Citizen cards (10 each of: Signor Lao Vao, Signora Per Lao, Signor Pu Soo, Lady Kal Ina, Signorina Mei Kap, Signor Key Bon)
- 12 Wise Man cards
- 12 Spy cards
24 Fortune Cookie cards
4 Suspect cards
Pad of clue sheets
Chièstato mask
A pair of red glasses
Mirror frame
Adhesive mirror
Die

The First Time You Play

Punch out the investigators, dragons, mirror, and Chièstato mask from the die-cut cardboard.
Carefully punch out the eye holes on the Chièstato mask using a pencil.
Attach the adhesive mirror to the inside of the frame.
Fit the investigator figures onto the plastic stands.

Goal of the Game

Being one of the most famous investigators in Peking, you must discover which of the suspects is guilty of the crime under investigation, and find out where they are hiding.

Who the Characters in the Game Are

In old Peking there live three categories of characters, all involved in the mysteries to various degrees. They are:

The Investigators

Messrs Kie Lao, Fiu Ton, Gual Daa, Plen Dy Loo, Gualdi An, and Atten To. Each is represented by a pawn of a different color. When a crime is committed, you may choose whichever is most suited for that case.

The Suspects

These 12 shifty characters are pictured on the colored suspect cards. You must discover which of them is responsible for the crime you are investigating, and where they are hiding.

The Witnesses

Eight characters who all live in the large area shown on the board. You must interrogate them to draw out clues from them. The witnesses are divided into three groups.

The Citizens

Signor Lao Vao, Signora Per Lao, Signor Pu Soo, Lady Kal Ina, Signorina Mei Kap, Signor Key Bon.

The Wise Man

He will tell you if any citizen is lying. The Wise Man always tells the truth.

The Spy

She will tell you where the guilty party is hiding.

The Chinese Dragons

The Dragon discs represent the Chinese dragons made of paper and cloth that are paraded through the streets during festivals. They have large, colorful heads, and bodies held up by several people hidden inside. In the game, the Spy will tell you under which dragon the guilty party is hiding. You must stop on the same space as that dragon before announcing "chièstato."

The Magic Decoders

Most of the cards are difficult to read without the help of a decoding device (red glasses or mirror). Spy cards are printed with heat-sensitive ink — rub them gently with a fingertip or hold them in your hand for a few seconds and the secret message will appear!

Once you have prepared everything for play, do not decode any card before the game begins; it would spoil the fun!

A different set of cards is used for each game. They are listed after the description of each crime in the case file (starting on page 10).

Setup

Place each Chinese Dragon in one of the three spaces in front of the Temple, the Jade Palace, the Market, and the Harbor (see figure 1). You may choose which dragon to place in which position.
Shuffle the Fortune Cookie cards and place them face down in a pile beside the board. Note that every space on the board marked with a diamond is a Fortune Cookie space.
Place the glasses, mirror, and Chièstato mask card beside the board.
Each player chooses an investigator and places it in the central circle in the middle of old Peking.
Each player takes a Suspect card, a clue sheet, and a pencil. (If there are more than four players, divide up the Suspect cards.)
Choose a case from the case file.
Take the eight Witness cards for that case (match the numbers on the cards) and place them face down at their position on the board:
- Signora Per Lao at the Jewelry Shop
- Lady Kal Ina at the Jade Palace
- Signor Lao Vao at the Laundry
- Signorina Mei Kap at the Beauty Salon
- Signor Pu Soo at the Harbor
- Signor Key Bon at the Restaurant
- The Wise Man at the

How to Play

On your turn your investigator may move in any direction, and must always move.

Two or more investigators may share the same space or the same location (Restaurant, Temple, etc.).
The center of Peking and the locations each contain one space along the path.
When you reach a crossroads you may change direction, but you may not backtrack along your own path.
When you reach a location, you may stop there (whatever the result of the die) or continue past it. You may visit the different locations in whichever order you prefer.
You cannot move past a Chinese Dragon. Stop on the space immediately before it.
If you land on a Fortune Cookie space (marked with a diamond), you must draw a Fortune Cookie card.
If you land on a rickshaw, you may move in a single move to any space or location on the board that you like, ignoring any Dragon.

Fortune Cookies

Every time you land on a space with a fortune cookie symbol, take the top card from the Fortune Cookie deck, read it aloud, and do what it says. Then place it face up next to the others to form the discard pile.

For example, a Fortune Cookie card might tell you to "Move a dragon"; you must move a dragon to any other Fortune Cookie space on the board. However, you must not ever completely block any location or player (see figure 2).

When the discard pile is complete, shuffle the cards and use them again.

Visiting the Witnesses

When you arrive at a location, you may interrogate the witnesses present by drawing a Witness card and reading it without letting the others see it.

To read a Citizen card, look at the back of it through the red glasses. The citizen will tell you things such as: "He had a hat" or "I did not see the guilty party."

To read the Wise Man's card, hold the mirror at a right angle to the card.

If the Wise Man tells you that one of the citizens is not telling the truth, you may take it that the opposite of what that citizen said is true. For example, if you have already discovered that Lady Kal Ina said: "He had a hat," and the Wise Man says that Lady Kal Ina is not telling the truth, you know that the guilty party did not have a hat.

To read the Spy's card, gently rub the writing on the card with your fingertip. The Spy will tell you under which of the four dragons the guilty party is hiding. This will be important when you are ready to accuse a suspect.

After reading a Witness card, put it back where you took it from.

Clues

While reading a case, try to work out something useful. For example, if Signora Per Lao was at the Laundry when her Jewelry Shop was burgled, you can deduce that she could not have seen anything. If a robbery takes place in front of the Restaurant, you should ask yourself whether Signor Key Bon might have caught a fleeting glimpse of the guilty party.

It doesn't matter if you fail to spot the clues, but if you do, they can help you find the guilty party a little faster.

Use Your Clue Sheet

Every time you read a card, secretly note your discoveries on your clue sheet, writing down what each person says. After you have consulted the Wise Man, to find out if a witness lied, you can begin to eliminate some of the suspects.

The numbers in the boxes on the clue sheet correspond to the numbers of the photographs on the Suspect cards; so if you discover, for example, that the guilty party does not wear glasses you can cross out numbers 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 because they obviously cannot have committed the crime.

When only one number remains, you have found the guilty party.

Accusing a Suspect

When you think you know:

a) who the guilty party is (or you decide to risk a guess!), and

b) under which dragon they are hiding,

head for the dragon. You do not need to arrive there with an exact roll. Then say, for example, "I accuse number 2, Scia Kal." To find out if you have guessed correctly, take the Chièstato card and, without letting the other players see it, place it carefully over the number grid at the bottom of the page for the case you are trying to solve. Match the corners of the card carefully with the boxes around the numbers. A number will appear in one of the eyes, identifying the guilty party.

Winning the Game

If your investigation has enabled you to identify the suspect whose number appears in the window, declare yourself victorious by announcing, for example: "I arrest Scia Kal for stealing the boat from Signor Pu Soo." You must then prove your success by showing your opponents the number that appears in the window.

If you have accused the wrong person, or gone to the wrong dragon, you are eliminated from the game, while the other players continue searching for the exact place where the true guilty party is hiding. Do not let your opponents know the number of the guilty party that has been revealed to you by the mask.

Playing Several Times

Do not write down the solutions to the cases. Once you have solved all 50 of them, you will realize you have forgotten Chièstato and can solve all the crimes again!

And finally...

Important Notice

Be inscrutable! (This means not telling the other players where you are going, why, and what you have discovered.)

Case File

Fifty cases are provided. For each one, read the mystery aloud, place the eight Witness cards on the board at the locations listed, then use the Chièstato mask over the case's own number grid (printed beneath each case) to reveal the guilty party once an accusation is made.

Case 1 — The Case of the Jade Animals

Returning from a ceremony at the Imperial Court, Lady Kal Ina discovers that a collection of beautiful animals carved in jade, that once belonged to her ancestors, has been stolen from her palace. The smallest of them, dropped by the thief, is found among the planks of a harbor pier. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 22 Lady Kal Ina, 26 Signora Per Lao, 51 Signor Pu Soo, 55 Signor Key Bon, 68 Signorina Mei Kap, 77 Wise Man, 78 Signor Lao Vao, 83 Spy.

Case 2 — The Mystery of the Slippery Slipper

Signorina May Kup goes to a shoe shop to buy a new pair of elegant red silk slippers. While the shopkeeper is looking for some pairs for her to try on, he notices that someone has sneaked into the storeroom and smeared cooking oil on the soles of all the slippers. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 40 Signor Key Bon, 54 Lady Kal Ina, 79 Spy, 86 Signora Per Lao, 93 Signor Lao Vao, 95 Wise Man.

Case 3 — The Baffling Bean Sprouts

Signorina May Kup decides to make her beauty salon more attractive by decorating it with exotic potted plants. She buys several packets of rare and expensive seeds and calls in a gardener to plant them in precious Chinese vases. Imagine her disappointment when, a few weeks later, she realizes that nothing but common bean sprouts have grown from the seeds planted in her vases. The gardener had evidently taken all the rare seeds for himself! Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 32 Wise Man, 36 Signor Lao Vao, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 39 Signorina Mei Kap, 70 Lady Kal Ina, 75 Signor Key Bon, 80 Signora Per Lao, 85 Spy.

Case 4 — The Case of the Missing Wedding Dress

The Crown Prince of China is about to be married — imagine the uproar that broke out when it was discovered that his bride's wedding dress had been stolen from the laundry while Signor Lao Vao was asleep. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 19 Signor Key Bon, 21 Wise Man, 29 Signor Pu Soo, 34 Signorina Mei Kap, 63 Signora Per Lao, 73 Spy, 84 Signor Lao Vao, 91 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 5 — The Problem of the Golden Carp

One day a jeweler brings Signora Per Lao a beautiful and unusual necklace made up of many little fish, golden carp in pure gold. She proudly displays it in her shop window, but the next morning, when she opens the jewelry shop, the necklace has vanished. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 17 Signor Lao Vao, 25 Spy, 33 Signor Key Bon, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 61 Lady Kal Ina, 71 Signora Per Lao, 74 Signor Pu Soo, 87 Wise Man.

Case 6 — The Owl of Ill Omen

Signorina Mei Kap is having her fortune told in a small house by the harbor. Suddenly a sailor bursts in, desperately asking to know his future because someone has painted an owl on his ship's flag — a symbol of impending disaster. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 24 Wise Man, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 37 Lady Kal Ina, 44 Signora Per Lao, 48 Signor Lao Vao, 64 Signor Key Bon, 69 Signor Pu Soo, 90 Spy.

Case 7 — The Enigma of the Cookies

Signor Key Bon is walking to the Temple with a tray of fragrant cookies to offer to Zhang, the God of the Kitchen. He walks slowly, careful not to drop any cookies, when suddenly a running man crashes into him, sending all of Signor Key Bon's offerings flying. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 28 Signor Key Bon, 31 Spy, 35 Signora Per Lao, 45 Wise Man, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 65 Lady Kal Ina, 88 Signorina Mei Kap.

Case 8 — The Case of the Prawns

The Emperor of China has just inaugurated a new section of the royal fishery for raising prawns for the imperial kitchen. While escorting Lady Kal Ina on a visit to this new area, a bold thief steals all the cages containing the newly hatched prawns. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 15 Wise Man, 18 Signorina Mei Kap, 22 Lady Kal Ina, 56 Signor Pu Soo, 59 Spy, 60 Signor Lao Vao, 80 Signora Per Lao, 89 Signor Key Bon.

Case 9 — Who's Been Fooling with the Furniture?

Signorina Mei Kap has hired a feng-shui expert to rearrange her home. Pleased with her new arrangement, and looking forward to a year of good fortune, she goes out for a walk. When she returns she discovers that someone has broken into her apartment and mischievously moved the pictures and furniture around at random. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 16 Signora Per Lao, 20 Signor Pu Soo, 23 Signor Key Bon, 46 Lady Kal Ina, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 77 Wise Man, 84 Signor Lao Vao, 94 Spy.

Case 10 — The Missing Undershirts

As Signor Pu Soo is about to enter the laundry to collect his clothes, someone runs out carrying a pile of undershirts. A second later, Signor Lao Vao runs out in pursuit shouting, "Stop, thief!" But too late — the thief has vanished. Signor Lao Vao then tells Signor Pu Soo that those were his own freshly washed undershirts! Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 29 Signor Pu Soo, 30 Signora Per Lao, 36 Signor Lao Vao, 47 Spy, 53 Wise Man, 55 Signor Key Bon, 76 Signorina Mei Kap, 91 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 11 — The Problem of the Priceless Pearls

A farmer rushes into Signora Per Lao's jewelry shop, exclaiming that he has found pearls at the bottom of his pigs' trough at the market. When Signora Per Lao goes to her safe she discovers it has been forced open and a casket of marvelous pearls has vanished. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 13 Signor Key Bon, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 62 Spy, 65 Lady Kal Ina, 68 Signorina Mei Kap, 71 Signora Per Lao, 82 Signor Pu Soo, 92 Wise Man.

Case 12 — The Mystery of the Moon Cakes

To properly honor the celebrations for the brightest full moon of the year, Signor Key Bon has prepared a large basket of moon cakes for his customers. To his enormous astonishment, he discovers that all the patrons of his restaurant find slips of paper rolled up inside the cakes reading, "Don't you think Signor Key Bon's face looks like the full moon?" Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 11 Lady Kal Ina, 12 Spy, 21 Wise Man, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 43 Signorina Mei Kap, 48 Signor Lao Vao, 64 Signor Key Bon, 86 Signora Per Lao.

Case 13 — Who Threatens the Acrobat?

One evening, Signorina Mei Kap and Lady Kal Ina go to see the show of Svo La Zantle, the boldest acrobat in Peking, performing at the city circus. Suddenly, high above the audience, an indistinct figure cuts the tightrope Svo La Zantle is walking on; he is saved only by the safety net. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 17 Signor Lao Vao, 25 Spy, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 28 Signor Key Bon, 32 Wise Man, 51 Signor Pu Soo, 54 Lady Kal Ina, 80 Signora Per Lao.

Case 14 — Tears for the Weeping Willow

Lady Kal Ina has commissioned a celebrated artist to paint a view of her palace from across the river. While she is showing the painter the spot in the dining hall where the picture will hang, someone chops down one of the weeping willows in front of the palace, ruining the view. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 22 Lady Kal Ina, 40 Signor Key Bon, 41 Signor Pu Soo, 42 Signor Lao Vao, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 58 Signora Per Lao, 79 Spy, 87 Wise Man.

Case 15 — The Case of the Bewildered Diners

Signor Key Bon's restaurant, the Dragon of Peking, is famous for its steamed dumplings. A special and particularly succulent tray was prepared for the city's oldest mandarin, who had reserved every table in the restaurant for a banquet. But the guests, right after tucking into the dumplings, begin making irritated gestures with their arms: their teeth have stuck firmly together, because someone replaced Signor Key Bon's flavorful filling with a thick, sticky molasses! Who did it?

Place these cards on the board (table): 16 Signora Per Lao, 55 Signor Key Bon, 57 Signorina Mei Kap, 72 Wise Man, 73 Spy, 74 Signor Pu Soo, 81 Lady Kal Ina, 84 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 16 — The Mystery of the Dried Seaweed

One night, a despicable scoundrel fills Signor Pu Soo's rowboat with dried seaweed and sets it on fire. The boat doesn't sink, but when Signor Pu Soo arrives at the harbor in the morning, all he finds is a blackened hull full of crackling seaweed ash. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 23 Signor Key Bon, 45 Wise Man, 61 Lady Kal Ina, 71 Signora Per Lao, 85 Spy, 88 Signorina Mei Kap, 93 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 17 — Who Played with the Lions?

As the Wise Man is leaving early from one of Lady Kal Ina's afternoon teas, he notices that a rascal has painted grinning flowers and pandas on the two stone lions that decorate the entrance gate. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 21 Wise Man, 39 Signorina Mei Kap, 56 Signor Pu Soo, 63 Signora Per Lao, 64 Signor Key Bon, 67 Signor Lao Vao, 83 Spy, 91 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 18 — Trouble Among the Tombs

Signor Lao Vao and Signora Per Lao are on their way to pay their respects at their relatives' tombs in the cemetery outside the walls of Peking. Arriving at the city gate they have to give way to a cart loaded with flowers coming from the opposite direction. When they reach the cemetery they are immediately informed that a contemptible individual has stolen all the flowers from the tombs. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 24 Wise Man, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 33 Signor Key Bon, 35 Signora Per Lao, 37 Lady Kal Ina, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 59 Spy, 60 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 19 — The Mystery of the Mandarin Oranges

One day, at dawn, Signor Key Bon goes to the harbor to collect a shipment of juicy, ripe mandarin oranges for his restaurant. As soon as the farmer's sampan appears through the mist, Signor Key Bon is astonished to find it empty. A river pirate emptied the boat during its journey to Peking. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 18 Signorina Mei Kap, 20 Signor Pu Soo, 26 Signora Per Lao, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 55 Signor Key Bon, 62 Spy, 65 Lady Kal Ina, 77 Wise Man.

Case 20 — The Torn-Off Serpent

Signorina Mei Kap has just received a gift from her admirer Han Sum: a precious jade pendant shaped like a serpent. She is delighted, since she thinks it a beautiful and thoughtful gift, being born in the year of the serpent. As soon as the couple begins their walk along the river admiring the swans, a rogue on a bicycle tears the pendant from Signorina Mei Kap's neck and flees. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 15 Wise Man, 48 Signor Lao Vao, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 58 Signora Per Lao, 61 Lady Kal Ina, 75 Signor Key Bon, 90 Spy.

Case 21 — The Enigma of the Mysterious Drawings

Lady Kal Ina has invited many guests to a very special tea, and instructed the servants to set the table the evening before, using the finest decorated tea service. The next morning she is alarmed to discover that someone has painted a caricature of Signor Key Bon into the scenes on every plate. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 22 Lady Kal Ina, 28 Signor Key Bon, 29 Signor Pu Soo, 30 Signora Per Lao, 31 Spy, 34 Signorina Mei Kap, 66 Wise Man, 84 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 22 — The Mystery of the Masks

Signorina Mei Kap and Signora Per Lao are attending a lecture by the Wise Man on the theme "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." At that very moment, someone hangs a row of menacing masks in front of the windows of the Beauty Salon. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 13 Signor Key Bon, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 42 Signor Lao Vao, 54 Lady Kal Ina, 69 Signor Pu Soo, 71 Signora Per Lao, 94 Spy, 95 Wise Man.

Case 23 — The Vanished Mah-Jong Set

Signor Lao Vao wants to enjoy a day off, and to that end has invited his friend Wah Shing over for a friendly game of Mah-Jong. But when he opens the cabinet to get his splendid antique Mah-Jong set, he is dismayed to discover it has been stolen, and in its place someone has left the tiles of a cheap domino set. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 12 Spy, 37 Lady Kal Ina, 40 Signor Key Bon, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 53 Wise Man, 74 Signor Pu Soo, 76 Signorina Mei Kap, 80 Signora Per Lao.

Case 24 — The Case of the Knotted Noodles

While ordering supplies for his restaurant's kitchen, Signor Key Bon goes into the pantry to check whether there are enough noodles left. He is furious to discover that someone has thrown all the remaining noodles into a tub full of water and, once they had softened, tied them all into knots. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 11 Lady Kal Ina, 21 Wise Man, 35 Signora Per Lao, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 43 Signorina Mei Kap, 47 Spy, 55 Signor Key Bon, 78 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 25 — Flags in the Wind

One day, Signor Lao Vao discovers that some precious yellow and blue silk curtains, belonging to a nobleman, have been stolen from his laundry. A few days later, walking through the center of Peking, he is dismayed to notice that the new flags fluttering in the wind have clearly been made from that same precious fabric. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 23 Signor Key Bon, 46 Lady Kal Ina, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 51 Signor Pu Soo, 84 Signor Lao Vao, 85 Spy, 86 Signora Per Lao, 87 Wise Man.

Case 26 — Drama at the Opera House

All of Peking is at the opera house to hear the finest Chinese tenor, Le Fusà, sing in the classic opera "The Weeping Warrior." As Lady Kal Ina bends down to look for a handkerchief in her bag under her seat, a shot rings out backstage, and Le Fusà falls dead on the stage. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 19 Signor Key Bon, 39 Signorina Mei Kap, 44 Signora Per Lao, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 79 Spy, 82 Signor Pu Soo, 91 Lady Kal Ina, 92 Wise Man.

Case 27 — The Incident of the Incense Sticks

Running very late on his way to the temple, Signor Lao Vao stops in a hurry to buy some incense sticks from a street vendor. When he lights the first one at the temple, it starts leaping about everywhere, and he realizes he was sold fireworks instead of incense sticks. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 15 Wise Man, 16 Signora Per Lao, 22 Lady Kal Ina, 25 Spy, 29 Signor Pu Soo, 36 Signor Lao Vao, 64 Signor Key Bon, 68 Signorina Mei Kap.

Case 28 — The Case of the Mysterious Puncturing

On a day of heavy rain, Signor Pu Soo has to cross the city on foot to take his laundry to the wash-house. As soon as he leaves the harbor he opens his umbrella and finds, to his annoyance, that it is punctured with dozens of round holes, like a sieve. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 18 Signorina Mei Kap, 32 Wise Man, 33 Signor Key Bon, 37 Lady Kal Ina, 60 Signor Lao Vao, 80 Signora Per Lao, 83 Spy.

Case 29 — The Strange Case of the Whispered Prophecies

The news spread quickly through Peking: a mysterious voice whispers lucky prophecies from the depths of the well near the market to anyone who throws in a gold coin. When the citizens, disappointed, begin complaining that none of the prophecies came true, the police start investigating and discover that a swindler, hidden in a secret cavity in the well's wall, was collecting all the coins. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 13 Signor Key Bon, 34 Signorina Mei Kap, 46 Lady Kal Ina, 62 Spy, 71 Signora Per Lao, 74 Signor Pu Soo, 84 Signor Lao Vao, 95 Wise Man.

Case 30 — The Case of the Substituted Amulet

Signor Lao Vao has ordered a lovely bracelet with an amulet from the jewelry shop, to give to his sister. When it is ready, Signora Per Lao asks a courier to deliver it to the laundry. Signor Lao Vao pays the courier and then opens the little box, where he finds an unpleasant surprise: the lucky amulet on the bracelet has been replaced with the symbol of bad luck, the owl of ill omen. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 24 Wise Man, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 41 Signor Pu Soo, 55 Signor Key Bon, 63 Signora Per Lao, 73 Spy, 81 Lady Kal Ina, 93 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 31 — Fishy Mystery

Signor Pu Soo has taken his fishing boat to the shipyard. It must be repainted for the river parade for Chinese New Year, so he asks Lady Kal Ina whether he can fish with a rod from the bridges of her palace. When he returns home he discovers that someone has scrawled, in large letters, "Save the fish of Peking" on the side of his boat. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 22 Lady Kal Ina, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 43 Signorina Mei Kap, 44 Signora Per Lao, 45 Wise Man, 47 Spy, 48 Signor Lao Vao, 89 Signor Key Bon.

Case 32 — Chaos at the Restaurant

Signorina Mei Kap is speaking with Signor Key Bon because she wants to reserve a table at his restaurant for lunch. While they are talking, a waiter opens the door for dinner and the patrons begin coming in. Immediately a loud murmur rises in the room, catching Signor Key Bon's attention. Beside every item on every menu, someone has written: "not available this evening." Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 35 Signora Per Lao, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 51 Signor Pu Soo, 61 Lady Kal Ina, 64 Signor Key Bon, 72 Wise Man, 78 Signor Lao Vao, 83 Spy.

Case 33 — The Case of the Flying Fish

Signor Lao Vao is in bed; on his nightstand, because of a terrible cold, he keeps a tall pile of freshly laundered handkerchiefs. He is annoyed because he is too ill to join the crowd watching a kite competition in the center of Peking. But he is even more upset to have missed the show when a friend rushes over to tell him that a prankster has tied all of Signor Pu Soo's fish to the kites, sending them soaring into the air. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 33 Signor Key Bon, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 54 Lady Kal Ina, 57 Signorina Mei Kap, 66 Wise Man, 86 Signora Per Lao, 90 Spy.

Case 34 — The Problem of the Peking Peacocks

To promote his latest idea, Signor Key Bon has hung a sign outside his restaurant reading: "Lunches, dinners, and receptions available for takeout." Lady Kal Ina is organizing a standing lunch and asks Signor Key Bon whether he can prepare some special dishes. Signor Key Bon immediately says "Yes," because a merchant has just supplied him with twelve plucked ducks with which to prepare one of his specialties: Peking-style lacquered duck. Imagine Lady Kal Ina's fury when she discovers that all the peacocks from her palace garden have disappeared. It is clear a dishonest merchant stole them and sold them as duck meat. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 17 Signor Lao Vao, 26 Signora Per Lao, 34 Signorina Mei Kap, 55 Signor Key Bon, 59 Spy, 74 Signor Pu Soo, 77 Wise Man, 91 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 35 — The Mystery of the Market Bucket

One morning, while trying to push her way through the crowd at the market, Signorina Mei Kap witnesses an argument between the owners of two stalls over which of them sells the tastier water chestnuts. When the shouting grows too loud, someone lifts one of the buckets of water chestnuts and turns it over the head of the nearer of the two men. The poor fellow has to stay trapped inside the bucket for three days before the doctor can pull it off. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 21 Wise Man, 31 Spy, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 40 Signor Key Bon, 42 Signor Lao Vao, 70 Lady Kal Ina, 80 Signora Per Lao, 88 Signorina Mei Kap.

Case 36 — The Secret of the Fateful Soup

Signor Key Bon has prepared an eel soup so good for his restaurant that he decides to set some aside for his family. On the way home he stops at the beauty salon to buy some seaweed-based face cream for his wife. When the family finally sits down to enjoy dinner, Signor Key Bon lifts the lid of the soup tureen and finds a paper boat floating on the soup bearing this sinister message: "Leave a large tub of eel soup under the harbor bridge, or else..." Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 12 Spy, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 56 Signor Pu Soo, 58 Signora Per Lao, 61 Lady Kal Ina, 64 Signor Key Bon, 67 Signor Lao Vao, 87 Wise Man.

Case 37 — A Knotty Problem

Signor Pu Soo is sitting on the harbor pier; while mending his fishing nets he chats with Signorina Mei Kap, who happens to be passing by. Suddenly some ruffians set upon Signor Pu Soo, wrap him up in his own nets, tie him up like a bundle, and flee with his sampan. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 16 Signora Per Lao, 22 Lady Kal Ina, 23 Signor Key Bon, 39 Signorina Mei Kap, 53 Wise Man, 82 Signor Pu Soo, 84 Signor Lao Vao, 94 Spy.

Case 38 — The Bold Act of Arson

Lady Kal Ina is buying some silver music boxes at the jewelry shop when Signorina Mei Kap bursts into the store saying that an arsonist has set fire to the harbor buildings. Several witnesses apparently saw him throw a lit firecracker onto the thatched roofs of the buildings, then flee in a fast boat. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 20 Signor Pu Soo, 45 Wise Man, 48 Signor Lao Vao, 57 Signorina Mei Kap, 71 Signora Per Lao, 75 Signor Key Bon, 83 Spy, 91 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 39 — The Case of the Booted Dragon

Signor Key Bon has gone to buy a basket of oysters from Signor Pu Soo to make a lavish sauce. When he returns to his restaurant, he discovers that someone has painted purple boots on the elegant yellow dragon painted at the entrance of his establishment. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 55 Signor Key Bon, 63 Signora Per Lao, 70 Lady Kal Ina, 76 Signorina Mei Kap, 78 Signor Lao Vao, 79 Spy, 92 Wise Man.

Case 40 — The Enigma of the Pearl Thieves

Signora Per Lao is at the harbor to buy some pearls from a pearl diver when a gang of thugs bursts in and steals the pearls. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 25 Spy, 44 Signora Per Lao, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 64 Signor Key Bon, 68 Signorina Mei Kap, 69 Signor Pu Soo, 72 Wise Man, 81 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 41 — The Cunning Tea Merchant

Big news is going around Peking: a tea merchant from Shanghai is said to be selling extraordinarily flavorful tea at the New Year's market. Everyone rushes to buy some, but when they get home and prepare to brew it, they discover they have bought nothing but ground bamboo leaves. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 11 Lady Kal Ina, 18 Signorina Mei Kap, 32 Wise Man, 36 Signor Lao Vao, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 80 Signora Per Lao, 85 Spy, 89 Signor Key Bon.

Case 42 — The Cunning Clown

Signor Lao Vao's laundry is full of costumes to be washed after the Imperial costume ball given by the Emperor. A man arrives to collect the clown costume, but it later emerges that a thief disguised as a clown has stolen an ancient and precious scroll of parchment from the Temple. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 22 Lady Kal Ina, 28 Signor Key Bon, 29 Signor Pu Soo, 35 Signora Per Lao, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 73 Spy, 93 Signor Lao Vao, 95 Wise Man.

Case 43 — The Case of the Floating Body

On a beautiful sunny day, Signor Lao Vao is enjoying a moment of rest from his hot ironing room, on the bridge behind his laundry. He is peacefully admiring the water lilies when his eye is caught by something floating beneath the leaves. What a fright when he realizes it looks like a body! Fortunately he then realizes it is only one of the life-sized statues of Lady Kal Ina's illustrious ancestors, taken from the entrance hall of her palace. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 13 Signor Key Bon, 34 Signorina Mei Kap, 41 Signor Pu Soo, 47 Spy, 53 Wise Man, 61 Lady Kal Ina, 71 Signora Per Lao, 84 Signor Lao Vao.

Case 44 — The Enigma of the Emperor's Sandals

Signora Per Lao has been commissioned to supply new diamond buckles for the Emperor's sandals. A servant wearing the royal livery comes to the shop to collect them, but imagine Signora Per Lao's dismay when she discovers he was really a thief in disguise. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 14 Signor Pu Soo, 24 Wise Man, 30 Signora Per Lao, 31 Spy, 37 Lady Kal Ina, 52 Signor Lao Vao, 57 Signorina Mei Kap, 75 Signor Key Bon.

Case 45 — The Case of the Spiteful Needle Thief

Signor Key Bon has had to prepare the filling for 500 spring rolls. His arms and shoulders now ache so much that he decides to visit the nearby clinic for an acupuncture session. When the acupuncturist opens his case of needles, he discovers they have all been replaced with colored drawing pins. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 17 Signor Lao Vao, 56 Signor Pu Soo, 59 Spy, 63 Signora Per Lao, 64 Signor Key Bon, 66 Wise Man, 68 Signorina Mei Kap, 91 Lady Kal Ina.

Case 46 — The Mystery of the Ghostly Monk

Evening visitors to the Temple have been terrified by the white, ghostly figure of a man appearing in the shadows among the columns. The Wise Man, showing no fear, stays hidden and waits for the "ghost," then grabs him; he turns out to be nothing more than a prankster covered with a white sheet. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 11 Lady Kal Ina, 19 Signor Key Bon, 27 Signorina Mei Kap, 36 Signor Lao Vao, 38 Signor Pu Soo, 45 Wise Man, 58 Signora Per Lao, 90 Spy.

Case 47 — The Rascally Rickshaw Driver

Signor Lao Vao has booked a rickshaw to take him to the harbor, where he must deliver a pile of ironed shirts to a customer down the river. Instead of dropping him at the agreed spot, however, the rickshaw driver tips Signor Lao Vao straight into the water and flees with the clean laundry. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 60 Signor Lao Vao, 65 Lady Kal Ina, 72 Wise Man, 74 Signor Pu Soo, 80 Signora Per Lao, 89 Signor Key Bon, 94 Spy.

Case 48 — The Mystery of the Golden Gong

At the entrance gate of the Jade Palace hangs a great golden gong, which Lady Kal Ina's head butler uses to announce the arrival of visitors. One evening, Lady Kal Ina is urgently summoned by her servants' cries: someone has stolen the gong and was seen fleeing across the palace gate's small wooden bridge. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 22 Lady Kal Ina, 31 Spy, 33 Signor Key Bon, 39 Signorina Mei Kap, 67 Signor Lao Vao, 71 Signora Per Lao, 82 Signor Pu Soo, 87 Wise Man.

Case 49 — The Mystery of the Bees of Peking

At the beauty salon, Lady Kal Ina is enjoying a lotus-flower massage, skillfully given by Signorina May Kup. At that moment Signor Pu Soo bursts in asking for a soothing lotion. Many people have been stung by bees that someone deliberately released from a hive that was waiting on the pier to be transported. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 12 Spy, 16 Signora Per Lao, 23 Signor Key Bon, 49 Signorina Mei Kap, 69 Signor Pu Soo, 78 Signor Lao Vao, 91 Lady Kal Ina, 92 Wise Man.

Case 50 — The Secret of the Great Jar

Lady Kal Ina is tidying up the family heirlooms stored in her cellar when she comes across a great jar. Inside she finds an old piece of rice paper on which is written: "If you find meaning in all that you see, incalculable riches shall be yours." Since the remaining words are written in a strange language, Lady Kal Ina takes the precious sheet to the Wise Man. Unfortunately, someone steals it from his desk before the message can be deciphered. Who did it?

Place these cards on the board: 30 Signora Per Lao, 43 Signorina Mei Kap, 51 Signor Pu Soo, 55 Signor Key Bon, 73 Spy, 77 Wise Man, 81 Lady Kal Ina, 84 Signor Lao Vao.