Golden Peacock - A series of detective novels published in a magazine

Maung San Syaar's detective work in the case of a returnee

One Sunday, Maung San Syaar was sitting in the front living room, experimenting with glass jars, glass tubes, instruments, and minerals as a hobby. Suddenly, he put down the instruments, leaned back in his chair, and curled up idly.

“ It’s done, I’ll continue working on the rest tomorrow. Besides, Ko Thein Maung, I’ve been busy lately. I’ve only been dealing with minor matters. As you know, I get bored when I don’t get any work done. I don’t like to keep my mind busy, Ko Thein Maung. I’m so bored. Let’s go for a walk,” he said, and was about to get up from his seat when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Maung San Sya suddenly sat down again.

" I'm tired, I'm tired again. It's like a thief. The sound of footsteps is not loud. It's like the sound of a woman's footsteps," he said, and before he could finish, he heard a knock on the door from outside.

Then, Maung San Sya said, "Come in," and a young girl boldly entered the room.

" Are you okay, Mr. San?" he asked. Maung San replied, "Yes." He respectfully seated him and gave him a seat.

The girl was about twenty years old, with a calm and serene demeanor, a clear and beautiful face, modestly dressed in modest clothes, not too flashy, and a very sweet, clear, and gentle face. I thought to myself, "I have never seen such a lovely and beautiful girl at this age."

Some girls are beautiful and attractive in appearance. Some are perfect in body shape. Some are perfect in dress style, good taste, etc. However, in terms of being lovable and making men's hearts melt, you will not find a girl more outstanding than this girl.

The girl, with a slightly shaken expression, sat down on the chair that Maung San Sya had laid out for her, and then

“ Three years ago, my friend Daw Thin Kyi was guided by my older brother, who had never helped me before, so I came here hoping that he would help me in the same way, older brother,” he said to Maung San Sya with a very confident expression, and Maung San Sya looked thoughtful.

“ Daw Thin Kyi...Daw Thin Kyi, ah...I remember. Yes...yes, I helped a little. But her case is very simple. It's very simple.”

" Big brother is clear, but I can't even tell you how much he helped me because I was so confused back then. However, no matter how clear his case is, the case I came to see now is very strange and complicated, big brother," she said. Maung San Xia looked at the girl with a very pleased expression and said, "Okay... tell me about the girl." She listened intently.

Then I, too, was afraid that the girl would speak in front of me, so I tried to get up from my seat, but the girl

" It's okay, just sit down. Please forgive me, little brother. If you're my friend, it would be better if we both listened to my case," he said, and the servant sat down again. After that, the girl said,

“ Well...let me tell you briefly. My father was a schoolteacher at first. During the last war, he gave up his teaching job and, despite his advanced age, he had to resign and go to the army to serve. My mother died when I was a child. I lived with an aunt and taught English. I passed the primary school entrance exam and worked as a teacher until I was 7th grade.

“ After the war, I received many letters saying that my father would return, and I waited. One day, I heard that he had returned and was staying at a friend’s house. So, I didn’t want to believe that my father had returned and hadn’t said goodbye to me and was staying at someone else’s house, but I went to my father’s house one morning and asked him. When I asked, the people at his house said that my father had left since the night and still hadn’t returned. So, I waited for a day and a half, and after five days, I didn’t know what had happened, so I filed a complaint with the police. So, as advised by the police officers, I put an advertisement in the newspaper and asked the police detectives to investigate. I tried everything, but I couldn’t get any information. So…”

" Wait , girl, tell me the date, what day are you coming back?"

Girl .. “I returned on February 12, 1919.”

" What day did you disappear?"

Girl .. “It disappeared the next day. The 13th.”

" It 's been over a year. Haven't you left any of his belongings behind?"

Girl .. “I don’t have much left, just a few clothes and three or four books, and a few small things.”

"Shar .. "Do you have any friends outside of your home in Yangon?"

Girl .. “I heard that there is only one friend here. This friend served in the war with our father and came back sick. He had been here for about six months. I went to his house and asked him. When I asked, he said that he didn’t even know that our father had returned.”

" What 's his name?"

Girl .. “U Tun Kyaw, sir.”

" What position, in the military?"

Girl .. “You are a scoundrel.”

"Is it the same for you , little girl?"

Girl .. “Yes, sir, Jamada. My name is U Tha Han.”

" Shh .. "Hey... try talking to me from here."

Girl .. “So I didn’t hear the news and was still feeling frustrated and about to give up. About six months later, one day, a newspaper article came out about where Jamada U Tha Han’s daughter lived, and if she could answer it in the newspaper, it would be grateful. So I consulted my aunt and told her where she lived as soon as possible. I answered it in the newspaper, and the next day, a small package arrived with my name on it. So I opened it and found a very beautiful pearl. There was no letter on it. Nothing. I don’t know where it was sent from, and I don’t know what the purpose was. So I went to show this pearl to the Babu at the diamond shop, and they valued it at three hundred. They valued it, but they didn’t know what the purpose was, so I didn’t sell it. I lived happily ever after. So from that day on, every new moon, I bought this pearl every day. "One by one, sir. Now that it's 12 months, 12 pearls have arrived. The size is the same, the color is the same, please take a look," said the girl, and she showed us the 12 pearls from a small box made of agate.

Maung San Sya also looked at the pearl carefully and said,

" Good. Nice big pearls. They're worth at least 400 each. Okay...okay...tell me more."

Girl .. “So, every month I get a pearl, but today, like always, I didn’t get a pearl, but this letter came.” She said and took out a letter and showed it to Maung San Sya. “Give me an envelope,” she said. She took the envelope and looked at it.

“ Well...the postmark is Kyimyindaing, the date is September 1st, the big thumbprint on the corner of the envelope is the same as the thumbprint of the postman. The envelope is a good envelope, and the writing paper is good paper. At least three kyats per hundred. There is no signature in the letter. There is no address. There is no date. Okay... okay... let's see what's in the letter,” Maung San Syaar said, reading the following.