As evening approached, it was time to prepare the evening meal, yet the cooking smoke from Lanhua Lane had yet to rise.
A crowd of the aunties from Lanhua Lane had gathered in front of the government office, waiting for the county magistrate to arrive and hear the case.
Chu Qingyuan and Qu He, who had rushed back in a hurry, were holding Chu Mingse in their arms, fussing over her with concern. The couple, still shaken, chattered on with their admonishments.
“Don’t be so impulsive and reckless from now on. Even if you have to chase that cat thief, you should call an adult to chase him with you first. With those skinny little arms and legs of yours, who could you possibly fight off?”
On the way to the government office, Chu Mingse had already explained the sequence of events to everyone, word by word.
She hadn’t taken her afternoon nap at noon, but had been busy in the courtyard with her little carving knife when she suddenly heard a rustling sound outside, accompanied by Xiao Lizi’s faint mewling.
She looked up and happened to see Xiao Lizi fall from the courtyard wall.
She quickly opened the door to check, only to discover that Xiao Lizi hadn’t lost its footing and fallen off the wall on its own—it had been yanked down by a man. The man in the short brown jacket grabbed Xiao Lizi and ran off. Without a moment’s thought, Chu Mingse took off after him.
At midday, every household was resting, their courtyard gates tightly shut, and the alley was quiet. The man who had grabbed Xiao Lizi ran extremely fast, and Chu Mingse only barely managed to keep up by giving it her all.
She didn’t dare stop to knock on doors and call for help, so she could only shout as she ran at full speed. Whether it was because her voice was too small and weak, or because everyone was too drowsy to wake at midday, occasionally someone who heard the commotion would poke their head out for a look, but no one chased after to see what was going on.
“If it weren’t for your brother Xuetuan noticing something was wrong and calling people out to find you, you might have…” Qu He’s voice faltered with tenderness, the second half of her sentence catching in her throat, dissolving into a sigh.
She gently lifted the silk handkerchief from Chu Mingse’s neck. The ring of bruise marks left by the strangling had already deepened to a dark purple, looking especially vicious and terrifying against her fair skin.
Xiao Lizi, nestled in Chu Mingse’s arms, seemed to sense something. It raised its little head and gently licked her chin.
Chu Mingse, ticklish, shrank her neck, and her gaze drifted past Chu Qingyuan’s shoulder to quietly steal a glance at the silent Pei Zhaoxue.
Ever since he had rescued Chu Mingse, his face had been cold, his handsome brows pressed low, radiating a sharp, piercing edge.
“Brother Xuetuan.” Chu Mingse slipped gently down from Chu Qingyuan’s lap, carried Xiao Lizi over to stand before Pei Zhaoxue, and carefully placed the docile little cat into his arms, thanking him softly, “Thank you for saving me and Xiao Lizi.”
Now Brother Xuetuan had two life-saving debts owed to him by her. What would she have to do to repay them all?
The soft, warm sensation in his arms somewhat dissolved the coldness between Pei Zhaoxue’s brows. He lowered his lashes slightly and saw Chu Mingse looking up at him, her clear black eyes gazing at him seriously.
He raised his hand and, with the pad of his finger, gently brushed away a trace of blood that hadn’t been wiped clean at the corner of her brow. “Are you afraid now?”
Chu Mingse remembered the suffocating feeling of being grabbed by the neck, and she shuddered, shrinking her neck.
Pei Zhaoxue frowned briefly, then his cold hand awkwardly patted the top of Chu Mingse’s head.
Chu Mingse edged closer to him, the image of that thief screaming and collapsing flashing before her eyes again. “Brother Xuetuan, was that dagger thrown by you?”
“Mhm.” Pei Zhaoxue gave a soft hum, looking at her rapidly blinking lashes. “Scared?”
The sensation of warm blood splattering against her cheek seemed to linger still. Chu Mingse’s heart trembled—she nodded, then shook her head. She was afraid, but even more than that, she felt a sense of satisfaction.
“He deserved it,” she said softly. “He was a bad man. The ‘Golden Silk Tiger’ in Wutong Lane was definitely killed by him too. He’ll be punished, right?”
Pei Zhaoxue gave a faint “Mm” in response.
Chu Mingse felt considerably relieved. Her gaze drifted downward inadvertently and caught sight of a distinct scar on the web of Pei Zhaoxue’s right hand. “Xuetuan gege, your hand is hurt?”
She reached out to grab his wrist, but he twisted it swiftly, tucking his hand back into his sleeve.
“It’s nothing.” It was just that when he’d been searching for Chu Mingse, he’d been in such a hurry to enter the courtyard that he’d accidentally been cut by a small stone stuck to the axle.
“But it’s bleeding…” Chu Mingse muttered, secretly resolving to tell Uncle Wang about it so he’d apply medicine to Xuetuan gege’s wound.
As Chu Mingse and Pei Zhaoxue conversed in low voices, the people around them were covertly sizing up Pei Zhaoxue, whispering among themselves.
“So this young gentleman can talk after all.”
“Looking at him properly now, he really is handsome. Who knows how many young ladies will be tossing him their handkerchiefs when he grows up?”
“What use is being handsome? Those legs of his probably won’t get better… What family would be willing to marry their daughter to a young man like that?”
“You can’t say that. You saw how when Sese went missing today, he was the one who helped find her. Did you all see him throw that dagger into the room? Even if his legs aren’t good, he’s still a capable one.”
“What kind of capability is that? He’s still a cripple.”
Those gazes—some curious, some pitying—pierced like needles into his upright spine. The deepening dusk scattered its rosy glow through the crowd, and he sat alone upon the Plain Sedan Chair, drawing more and more attention.
“Xuetuan gege.” Chu Mingse suddenly tilted her face up. “My legs are tired from standing. Can I sit with you?”
Pei Zhaoxue’s long lashes stirred slightly. Before he could answer, Chu Mingse hastily added, “I’m very slim! You still have plenty of space here. Let my daddy push us along, okay?”
Chu Qingyuan, who had finally found an opening to interject, stepped forward with a smile, nodded to Steward Wang behind the Plain Sedan Chair, then struck up a conversation with Pei Zhaoxue.
“Xue—” He nearly followed Chu Mingse’s lead and called him “Xuetuan,” but quickly stopped himself, almost biting his tongue and coughing twice.
Qu He stepped forward with a smile. “Our Sese has been a bother to you, young gentleman. I’m Sese’s mother—you can call me Aunt He. This is Sese’s father…”
“Just call me Uncle Chu,” Chu Qingyuan cut in. Together with Qu He, they blocked the gazes coming from behind Pei Zhaoxue, patting Chu Mingse’s little head. “This child has a weak constitution—she gets dizzy after standing for a while. Young gentleman, if you don’t mind, would you let her sit with you for a bit?”
Pei Zhaoxue: “…”
Really? And who exactly was the young lady who climbed walls, scaled trees, and squeezed through windows?
But the Plain Sedan Chair was indeed spacious, and seeing Chu Mingse looking up at him with eager, pleading eyes, Pei Zhaoxue finally gave a barely perceptible nod.
Chu Qingyuan quickly bent down, lifted Pei Zhaoxue and shifted him to the side, letting Chu Mingse squeeze on happily.
Pei Zhaoxue, abruptly scooped up: “…”
Chu Mingse settled in snugly beside him, her big, round, jet-black eyes glancing proudly left and right.
Xuetuan gege wasn’t alone after all.
“Move aside, move aside—Ah Hua, hurry up!” Lin Ergou tugged at Ah Hua’s sleeve, pushing through the crowd.
After rescuing Chu Mingse earlier, he remembered that Ah Hua had been kept at home by her parents, who had told him to be sure to inform her once he found the person. So he had hurried back to Denghua Alley to notify Ah Hua, and had only now returned.
As he poked his head in, he spotted Chu Mingse sitting snugly against Pei Zhaoxue on the Plain Sedan Chair, and his movement to squeeze forward came to an abrupt halt.
Ah Hua asked in confusion, “Ergou ge, why aren’t you going?”
Before Lin Ergou could speak, a delighted voice came from the other side: “The Prefect has arrived!”
Prefect He, clad in his official robes, arrived belatedly, and the cat thief was also escorted into the courtroom.
The moment he stepped into the hall, his face turned deathly pale, his legs trembling uncontrollably, and he confessed in full to his habit of torturing and killing cats.
The man was named Niu San, a widower from Wutong Lane. He was short and frail, always putting on a meek appearance in daily life, speaking timidly to everyone. No one would have imagined he could commit such cruel acts.
The onlookers erupted in indignant condemnation, demanding that the Prefect impose a severe punishment!
Prefect He stroked his beard in deliberation, then looked at his advisor with a troubled expression: “Torturing and killing cats… it seems there is indeed no explicit prohibition in the statutes. In my view, this cannot be considered a violation of the law. At most, he can only face censure on moral grounds—it would be difficult to impose a heavy penalty…”
“Who says he has not violated the law?” Pei Zhaoxue’s voice was as cold as ice, cutting off the Prefect’s words.
“Stealing and deliberately destroying another’s property—the Sheng Code Commentary: Statutes on Theft clearly states: ‘Whoever steals official or private property shall be sentenced to five years of penal servitude.’ A cat, though small, is still private property. Moreover…” Pei Zhaoxue’s gaze swept over the faint bruise visible beneath the silk kerchief wrapped around Chu Mingse’s neck, and his tone turned icy: “He caused serious injury to a young girl. By law, multiple offenses shall be punished cumulatively.”
Pei Zhaoxue’s slightly hoarse voice rang out clearly in the twilight: “Those who bully the weak, whose violent impulses have no outlet—when they one day turn their blade, it will not be merely against a cat that cannot speak.”
The Prefect, noting his extraordinary bearing, lowered his voice to ask his advisor: “Who is this young gentleman?”
The advisor hurriedly leaned in to whisper: “This is the young master of the Pei family in the capital, and he already holds the title of xiucai.”
The emphasis on “the Pei family in the capital” and “the title of xiucai” was a clear hint to the Prefect that, when it came to the verdict, it would be best to heed this young Master Pei’s opinion.
Prefect He eyed the youth sitting upright on the Plain Sedan Chair with an air of distinction, his expression wavering between surprise and uncertainty. “He’s the top scholar of the Pei family, only eleven years old? How did he end up here? And in such a state?”
His gaze fell on Pei Zhaoxue’s legs.
The advisor whispered: “I have confirmed it—it’s him. According to the steward, the young Master Pei had some mishap and came here specifically to recuperate and clear his mind. Your Excellency, consider his father in the capital, and his maternal grandfather, Lord Du… If you can make this young master happy, your future career in office might well be…”
The Prefect understood immediately. He straightened his expression, slammed the gavel, and declared: “The criminal Niu San, having stolen another’s beloved pet, with conclusive evidence. Violently resisting arrest and injuring innocent citizens—an additional offense! Two crimes combined, sentenced by law to eighty strokes of the cane and seven years of penal servitude! Additionally, compensation to the Chu family for medical expenses and property damages of ten strings of cash, to be executed immediately!”
“Well judged!” The onlookers applauded in approval.
Chu Mingse also grabbed Little Chestnut’s front paws and clapped them together. “Little Chestnut, we’ve had our revenge.”
She held Little Chestnut’s two soft pink paws, looking at Pei Zhaoxue with anticipation. Pei Zhaoxue sighed helplessly, extending an index finger to gently tap the little creature’s paw.
Chu Mingse was instantly delighted and began giving orders: “Father, let’s head home soon—I’m starving.”
Dusk was deepening, and the crowd had already scattered to return home. Chu Qingyuan was about to push the Plain Sedan Chair back when a soft call came from behind.
The secretary hurried forward, bowing respectfully to Pei Zhaoxue with a smile plastered on his face: “Pardon the intrusion. The prefect wishes to meet with Lord Pei. Would you be willing to step aside for a word?”
All eyes once again fell on Pei Zhaoxue.
“No.” Pei Zhaoxue refused coldly.
The secretary’s smile stiffened.
Chu Qingyuan smoothly interjected with a smile: “Secretary, you see, both children are tired today. If the prefect has nothing urgent, why not arrange another day? Let the children go home and rest first.”
“Yes, yes, you’re right—my oversight.” The secretary took the out, bowing graciously. “Please, go ahead.”
Chu Qingyuan quickly pushed the Plain Sedan Chair and disappeared into the ebbing tide of the crowd.
The secretary narrowed his eyes, watching them leave, muttering to himself: “As expected of a lord from the capital—stubborn as they come.”
Author’s Note:
The Sheng Code Commentary·Thieves and Robbery clearly states: “Whoever steals official or private property shall be sentenced to five years of penal servitude.” Adapted from the Tang Code Commentary·Thieves and Robbery.