In Huang-hua Village, Warden Ho Kai and Sergeant Hoong go to the doctor’s house to convey the judge’s request. The doctor declines, as he has decided to live in seclusion, devoting his time and efforts to his literary studies and his students.

While talking to the scholar, the warden notices “a young man of about 25” who is “tall and slender” (172) with regular features exiting the room that is adjacent to Mrs. Djou’s bedroom on the other side of the wall.

After hearing the sergeant’s report, Judge Dee decides to go to the village himself. He has devised a plan to discover if there is a secret passage between the two houses. Ma Joong will pretend to be a thief so he can enter and search the young man’s room. He then will pretend to be captured so that the judge’s men can enter the doctor’s house.

Ma Joong successfully breaks into the unknown youth’s room and finds a floor segment that is slightly raised under his sleeping couch. However, he is unable to figure out how to open the trapdoor and accidentally creates a lot of noise. This causes the household to realize that there is thief on the premises, but Ma Joong escapes successfully.