Chapter 737: Capturing the Family Thief

Chapter 737: Apprehending the Household Thief

Once inside the room, Yu Yonggui slammed the table in anger. "I told you that Little Fatty looked shady!"

As Xingxing grew older, her beauty became more striking.

Her once sweet and adorable face had gradually taken on a stunning, captivating beauty.

After changing carriages, Xingxing had even used a self-prepared medicinal concoction to conceal her appearance. Yet, despite all these precautions, there were still lecherous men with ill intentions!

Yu Yonggui struck the table again—these were the kind of men who deserved to be sent straight to the interrogation rooms of Chaoyang Tower! Because of them, his sister had to hide her beauty and tread carefully!

In his opinion, perhaps the proper place for these lecherous men wasn’t the interrogation rooms of Chaoyang Tower, but the imperial castration chambers!

While Yu Yonggui continued to grumble, Xingxing had already spread a map on the table, adroitly shifting the conversation away from personal matters. "Fourth Brother, come look."

She pointed to a mountain near the southern part of the city. "This is the tallest mountain nearby. Tomorrow, we’ll pretend to go for a spring outing and head there to scout the area."

Yu Yonggui's anger subsided a bit and he nodded. "Alright, let’s do that."

However, Yu Yonggui didn’t expect that the next day, as they reached the small pavilion at the mountain’s summit to get a good look around, they would suddenly see that same Little Fatty from the inn bursting out of the pavilion.

His chubby, flushed face was full of delight. "Miss, fancy meeting you here!"

Yu Yonggui ground his teeth, his hand already reaching for the flexible sword at his waist.

Xingxing swiftly pressed down on his hand and smiled politely at Little Fatty. "Young master, are you also here for a spring outing?"

Yu Yonggui’s reaction perfectly fit the image of a fiercely protective older brother.

Little Fatty seemed a little afraid of him.

He offered a nervous, appeasing smile to Yu Yonggui before edging closer. "Yes, yes! The spring views are too splendid, so I brought my attendants out for a stroll..."

Yu Yonggui scowled. "Let’s just hope no one is plotting to follow people."

Little Fatty waved his hands frantically. "No, no, that’s not possible..."

One of his attendants protested hotly, "How dare you! Our young master is the only son of Anjiang Prefect! He would never do something like stalking others!"

Yu Yonggui and Xingxing exchanged a subtle glance.

So this Little Fatty was Pang Jinkang, the only son of Anjiang Prefect?

Before entering Anjiang, Yu Yonggui and Xingxing had naturally investigated the backgrounds of the key officials in the region.

The Anjiang Prefect’s household was relatively simple—just one wife and one son.

And that son was none other than Pang Jinkang standing before them.

Xingxing gave a proper curtsy. "So you are the young master of the Prefect’s household."

She showed precisely the proper respectful wariness and polite interest befitting a wealthy merchant’s daughter upon encountering nobility.

Yu Yonggui snorted, his expression softening slightly, but he said nothing more.

Pang Jinkang noticed the shift in their demeanor and perked up noticeably. "Where are you from, miss? Anjiang isn’t very big, yet this is my first time seeing you."

Xingxing smoothly recited their prepared cover story. "...My brother and I are from Jiyang City, about three hundred li (a hundred miles) away. Our surname is Feng, and we're a merchant family. We’re traveling for pleasure."

Pang Jinkang was quite courteous, first bowing to Yu Yonggui and then to Xingxing: "So it's Mr. Feng and Miss Feng... What a lucky coincidence! I’ve brewed some tea here. Care to join me for a cup?"

Xingxing pretended to hesitate, glancing at Yu Yonggui.

Yu Yonggui frowned as if pondering for a moment before finally agreeing: "Since Young Master Pang’s being so generous, we’d be rude to refuse."

Pang Jinkang was overjoyed and ushered Xingxing and Yu Yonggui in as honored guests, inviting them to sit in the small pavilion at the mountain peak.

Pang Jinkang was eager to chat more with Xingxing, but he didn’t want to come on too strong and scare her off, so he could only make small talk with Yu Yonggui.

Yu Yonggui, being from Chaoyang Tower, was adept at assuming different identities for missions, a smooth talker who could charm anyone. After just two cups of tea, Pang Jinkang already considered Yu Yonggui a buddy.

The two addressed each other warmly as "Brother Feng" and "Brother Pang," their camaraderie growing by the minute.

Just as they were deep in conversation, Yu Yonggui suddenly pointed toward the mountainside and blurted out, "Huh?"

There, barely visible, was a group of people moving through the forest.

"Who are those people? How odd—they don’t look like a merchant caravan," Yu Yonggui remarked with feigned curiosity.

Pang Jinkang took a closer look and, after a moment of scrutiny, laughed without a care: "Oh, those are my family’s servants. A close friend of my father’s had a thief in his household, and the culprit fled into these woods. My father couldn’t exactly send the constables for a private matter, so he sent a team of our own servants to help search."

Hearing this, Pang Jinkang’s attendant grew nervous: "Young Master! The master said—"

Pang Jinkang waved it off dismissively: "It’s fine. Brother Feng and Miss Feng aren’t outsiders. Besides, my father didn’t want others to know because, given his position as the prefect, it might seem like he was abusing his authority. But now that I’ve gotten along so well with Brother Feng and Miss Feng, there’s no harm in explaining. These are our family’s servants, not constables—no big deal."

He then gave Yu Yonggui and Xingxing an ingratiating smile: "Brother Feng, Miss Feng, you wouldn’t misunderstand my father, right?"

Yu Yonggui and Xingxing kept their surprise well hidden.

Yu Yonggui waved it off casually: "I think Brother Pang is being overly cautious. As you said, it’s just a thief in your family friend’s home. Your father, as the prefect, naturally has the duty to apprehend criminals—even if he had sent constables, so what? And he only dispatched his own servants. It’s nothing."

Pang Jinkang nodded eagerly, convinced that his "Brother Feng" made an excellent point.

"Still, who knows where that thief is hiding," Pang Jinkang frowned. "They’ve been searching for days—he’s probably long gone."

Yu Yonggui even offered advice: "Why not have someone who knows the thief draw a portrait and post it around, distributing it to neighboring towns?"

Pang Jinkang’s round face brightened: "Brother Feng and I truly think alike! I suggested the same to my father, but he wouldn’t listen... Ah well, this is boring stuff. Let’s drop it."

Yu Yonggui laughed heartily: "Indeed! With such scenery before us, discussing mundane matters would be a waste of this gorgeous view. Come, Brother Pang, let’s enjoy the mountains and waters instead!"

Their conversation returned to the landscape.

Xingxing occasionally chimed in with her own insights, leaving Pang Jinkang utterly thrilled, his face glowing, his heart pounding!