The Prefect, having spent a long time in officialdom, could not fail to understand their petty tricks. It was clear someone intended to teach this man a lesson.
If he hadn't encountered it himself, it would have been one thing. But to stumble upon it in his own jurisdiction and right before his eyes, he felt he could not let it slide. The Prefect looked sternly at the yamen runners, "Withdraw. Since the item is not with him, and no thief has been apprehended, search elsewhere."
Although the head yamen runner did not know who he was, the man before him exuded an authority even greater than that of the county magistrate. Seeing that his official robes did not deter the man, who spoke with the tone of command, it was evident he was a higher-ranking official, someone they could not afford to offend. They could only bow their heads in apology.
After the Prefect left, the head yamen runner shot her a fierce glare, sheathed his saber, and slowly walked towards her courtyard, with Wu Caiwei following behind at a leisurely pace.
As they walked, they noticed people pointing at them. Whenever a yamen runner looked up, people quickly averted their gaze, as the sight of him running through the streets with a saber earlier was truly terrifying.
Finally, silence returned to the courtyard. Wu Caiwei closed the gate and lay down on her bed to rest. Today had been a close call; she had almost fallen into their trap. Fortunately, on her recent outings, she had slipped a piece of paper into the door crack. Seeing the paper slide out today, she knew someone had entered.
Without a doubt, the item they used to ensnare her must be some kind of treasure. Since they dared to come, they should pay some interest. She considered the item hers as a gift, having already hidden it in a safe place.
Meanwhile, after receiving the Prefect, the county magistrate heard about the incident on the street. He was furious, thinking these people were useless, only capable of causing trouble and failing at everything, even escalating the matter to the Prefect.
As the Prefect departed after his inspection, he cast a meaningful glance at the county magistrate, "With the mountains so high and the emperor so far away, I know you have been here for many years, practically a local emperor. However, some matters require a lower profile. After all, gossip is a formidable force. What if a high-ranking official were to pass through our county one day? Have you considered the consequences, Magistrate?"
"Yes, yes, yes. I will ensure strict discipline from now on and absolutely prevent them from making such mistakes again. Thank you for your guidance, Your Excellency." The county magistrate bowed deeply, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
He obsequiously escorted the Prefect to the county yamen's entrance. Turning around, he saw the yamen runners who had gone out that day, all lowering their heads guiltily. He was filled with rage.
In his usual temper, he would have kicked each of them to vent his anger. However, it was not appropriate to resort to violence immediately after the Prefect's departure. He fined each of them three months' salary.
Master Sun, knowing the full story, paced anxiously in his living room.
"My lord, what troubles you? If one plan fails, we can devise another. Why be so agitated?" his wife asked, looking at him with confusion. She felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
"What do you understand? In order to frame him and increase his charges, I placed the gift intended for a high official in the capital inside the box. Now the box has vanished. Where will we find such a precious gift to present?" Master Sun fretted, unable to figure out where the item had gone and why it was missing.
Later, after specific inquiries, he discovered that the yamen runners had searched immediately after Wu Caiwei entered the premises, and she had not left. They had already turned the place upside down. Could it be that the person who originally placed the item had claimed it for themselves?
The thought seemed plausible. He quickly summoned the person for interrogation. The individual swore that they had not pocketed it, invoking divine retribution if they lied.
Although Master Sun believed him, the matter had been mishandled. He ordered the man to be dragged away for torture to force a confession.
There was another possibility: since the item was lost at Wu Caiwei's residence, perhaps she had taken it and hidden it, making it impossible for others to find.
The thought made him feel a headache coming on. His relationship with her had already reached rock bottom. It was practically impossible to get it back by speaking politely. Furthermore, he had orchestrated all of this to trap her. He doubted she was unaware of this and might have turned the tables, leading to the current situation.
That night, Wu Caiwei, who was fast asleep, suddenly opened her eyes. She grabbed the sword by her side, ready for anything. The intruder had blown some sleeping powder, and believing enough time had passed, quietly pried open the door with a knife.
Upon entering the room, he began searching incessantly. Wu Caiwei knew without guessing what he was looking for. Feigning just waking up, she turned and saw the dark figure of the intruder, and immediately cried out.
The intruder attempted to cover her mouth, but it was too late. Her loud shouts echoed throughout the courtyard, "Thief! Thief!"
The intruder became agitated. Someone would soon arrive to investigate. Failure to complete the task assigned by the master would result in reprimands. Feeling a pang of fear, he stepped forward, intending to abduct her.
Wu Caiwei panicked. She flailed her arms wildly. Her fists seemed to have eyes, striking the intruder with every blow, leaving him no escape and eliciting cries of pain.
After beating him to the ground, unable to move, she frantically opened the door. Facing the startled neighbors gathered outside, she stammered, "It... it was terrifying. A thief entered my room."
Upon hearing this, everyone rushed in. Seeing the man lying on the ground, someone pointed uncertainly, "Is this the thief?"
"Yes, yes. He tried to grab me just now. I waved my hands with all my might, and somehow he ended up on the ground. I seized the opportunity to open the door. You know the rest," Wu Caiwei said, her voice trembling as if still in shock.
Everyone went to examine the thief. Seeing blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, they confirmed he was indeed injured. They quickly produced ropes to bind him, intending to report him to the authorities first thing in the morning.
When the villagers looked at Wu Caiwei, their gazes were somewhat peculiar. They couldn't help but marvel at her good fortune.
"What... what is it? Why are you all looking at me like that? You don't think I'm in league with him, do you? You dare to imagine such a thing." Wu Caiwei quickly moved away from them, exclaiming in shock.
"We know you. We know you're a businesswoman. How could you know a thief? Of course, we don't suspect you. We just think your luck is almost too good. We'd like to share in some of it too." The villagers realized it was impossible for the two to know each other; one was a shopkeeper, the other a thief. How could they be in league? Besides, who would steal from their own house? They quickly explained.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Wu Caiwei sheepishly touched her forehead. "I don't know what happened at the time. Even now, I'm still a bit shaken."