The Irony of Police Brutality
Judge Dee is not a police officer, but his job description overlaps with the American understanding of police detective or prosecuting attorney, because he is responsible for proving a suspect is guilty, often entirely on his own. He is an official who is supposed to maintain the rule of law and to protect his citizens, so its alarming that he engages in such violent methods of investigation. He often tortures his suspects for information, even killing some of them by accident. Although he is an important local figure, he is able to get away with some deeds which are decidedly illegal. And the people know because they confront him about it when he does these things. Somehow he manages to escape consequences each time, however, most likely because of his high success rate.
The Irony of Fame
As an aristocrat, Dee is well-known within his district. He is required to be accompanied by his various aides and court officials every time he leaves his compound, which contains his private residence as well as the court facilities. This means that he generally stays at home. The grand procession of his exit often hinders his ability to investigate cases appropriately because lower-class individuals are either intimidated or overwhelmed and thus less forthcoming. Consequently the perk of Dee's status as a result of his job actually prevents him from accomplishing much of his work.
The Irony of Disguise
When Dee manages to escape his compound unnoticed, he disguises himself in order to question people. This is a great idea on his part except for his inability to pass himself off as a lower-class citizen. Despite his perfectly appropriate physical disguises, he possesses the mannerisms and speech of an elitist. His disguises should do the job, but they are no match for the common man. When a merchant interacts with Dee disguised as another merchant, he immediately calls him out on the deception. Dee simply cannot escape the trappings of his social position.
The Irony of Dee's Medical Education
In "The Strange Corpse" Dee sets out to investigate a different case disguised as a doctor. While in the village, he is stopped by a woman named Mrs. Bee who request his medical expertise. Even though his outfit is a disguise, Dee actually has been educated as a physician, so he is perfectly qualified to help Mrs. Bee with her problem.
The Irony of Mr. Hua's Prententiousness
From the moment he sets foot in the judicial compound, Mr. Hua believes he is above suspicion. He brings the case of "The Poisoned Bride" to Dee's attention. During the unfolding of the case, Mr. Hua continually taunts Dee with his social status, considering himself above the rule of law because of his aristocratic position. On the other hand, Dee is also a member of Mr. Hua's class. He feels no need to flaunt his status to anybody, but he is more than capable of putting the older man in his place which he does with gusto. Mr. Hua will most likely take more care of whom he is addressing before her decides to brag about his position again.
