Chapter 28

Upon learning that the iron voucher had been lost, Hu Xiaotian instantly lost all his drowsiness. If this matter could not be resolved, his good days here would likely come to an end. After Hu An received his orders, he immediately prepared his horse and set off for the Eastern Capital.

Hu Xiaotian, along with Liang Dazhuang and a group of servants, returned to the Jiyaxuan and thoroughly searched the ruins, almost turning over every corner, but found no trace of the iron voucher.

Hu Xiaotian's last glimmer of hope was extinguished. That afternoon, after bathing and changing his clothes, he led Liang Dazhuang and the servants to the Jingzhao Prefecture. Hu Xiaotian's original intention was to meet with the Prefect Hong Baiqi. However, upon arrival, he learned that due to the sudden rain the previous day, Hong Baiqi had gone to inspect the city's waterworks. Although the Record Officer and the Six Cao Officers were present, Hu Xiaotian was not familiar with them, so he asked a public official for information about Murong Feiyi's whereabouts.

Murong Feiyi had not had a good rest since last night. After locking up the two thieves at the Shangshu Mansion and bringing them to the Jingzhao Prefecture, she immediately began interrogating them. However, the two thieves were tight-lipped, insisting that they had only gone to the Shangshu Mansion to steal and that the arson was not their doing. Since the thieves were already injured when they were caught, Murong Feiyi did not use torture. Seeing their severe injuries and fearing they might die from blood loss in the prison, she specially arranged for a doctor to treat them.

After finishing these tasks, Murong Feiyi had planned to go back and rest. After all, she was not made of iron, and no one could work without sleep. Just as she was about to leave the Jingzhao Prefecture, she received word that someone from the Shangshu Mansion had arrived.

Murong Feiyi could only temporarily put aside her plans to go home. She had just changed out of her official attire and was wearing a moonlight brocade shirt and a crescent moon phoenix-tail silk skirt. Her black hair was styled in a falling horse bun, which added a touch of feminine gentleness. This hairstyle was very common in the current era, resembling the posture of a person falling off a horse, hence its name. Her beautifully painted face made her even more charming.

As Hu Xiaotian watched Murong Feiyi walk towards him, he couldn't help but blink. He was used to seeing her in her brave and efficient form, and her feminine attire was a bit of a surprise. However, Murong Feiyi's bright eyes and beautiful figure made his heart flutter. The beauty before him almost made him forget his main purpose for coming.

Seeing the beauty, Hu Xiaotian naturally put on his trademark smile, but Murong Feiyi showed no good face, her beautiful face devoid of any smile. She said coolly, "What do you want from me?"

Hu Xiaotian replied, "Inspector Murong, I came to inquire about the progress of the case!"

In fact, Murong Feiyi knew his purpose. She glanced at Hu Xiaotian and said, "It hasn't even been half a day since the incident last night. Isn't Master Hu a bit too anxious?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Anyone would be anxious if it happened to them. I hope Inspector Murong can understand my predicament."

Murong Feiyi said, "Has Master Hu lost something valuable?"

Hu Xiaotian replied, "Nothing important. I just want to find the accomplices of those thieves. As you know, as long as they exist, they pose a threat to my safety. Only by capturing them all can I feel at ease."

Murong Feiyi said meaningfully, "I thought there was nothing in this world that Master Hu feared."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "I fear no gentleman, but I fear small people..." He paused and added, "Only small people and women are hard to deal with!" The implication was that women were also difficult to handle.

Murong Feiyi, of course, understood his meaning and sighed softly, "Master Hu, according to the information I have, they only said they infiltrated your mansion to kidnap you and ransom you for money. Master Hu is precious and must be worth a considerable amount."

Hu Xiaotian said, "My life is cheap. If I were sold, I might not fetch as much as Inspector Murong."

Murong Feiyi's face turned red with anger, "You..."

Hu Xiaotian smiled mischievously, "Inspector Murong, don't misunderstand. I have no intention of offending you."

Murong Feiyi bit her cherry lips. Facing this rogue, she had no idea how to deal with him. She said coldly, "You should go back first. When there is news, I will contact you."

Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly. It seemed that Murong Feiyi had not learned anything from the two thieves. He regretted handing them over to her so easily. Although he knew it was impossible, he still tried, "Inspector Murong, can you arrange for me to see those two thieves?"

Murong Feiyi shook her head and firmly refused, "No! Our Jingzhao Prefecture has its rules. They are criminals, and not just anyone can see them."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Inspector Murong, don't forget that I handed them over to you."

Murong Feiyi countered, "So what?" Her beautiful eyes were filled with disdain and hostility. The decision was in her hands.

Hu Xiaotian knew she had a deep prejudice against him and took a step forward.

The sudden closeness made Murong Feiyi feel a sense of pressure. She didn't want to back down but had to take a step back, scolding, "What do you want?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "In broad daylight, inside the Jingzhao Prefecture, with so many officials present, what do you think I want? Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have the courage to do it." In fact, even if he had the courage, he didn't have the ability. Murong Feiyi's martial arts skills were more than enough to deal with him.

In terms of verbal skills, Murong Feiyi was no match for Hu Xiaotian. Her beautiful face turned red with anger, but in Hu Xiaotian's eyes, she looked incredibly cute. He whispered, "Why don't we make a deal? You let me see them, and I'll tell you what valuable thing was lost from my house." Hu Xiaotian, who had studied psychology and was quite skilled in it, had already made a preliminary psychological assessment of Murong Feiyi. She was a career-oriented woman, extremely serious about her work, and could not tolerate any wrongdoing. To make her yield, he needed to convince her that it would benefit her investigation. As long as it was beneficial to her work, she would likely consider it.

Murong Feiyi said, "Master Hu, withholding information is a violation of the law in Dakan."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I came today to communicate with Inspector Murong, but it seems I'm offering a warm face to a cold bottom. Inspector Murong only wants to take without giving. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."

Murong Feiyi had already experienced his crude behavior more than once but still couldn't tolerate his way of speaking. She pretended not to hear his harassing words and said coolly, "Why should I believe you?"

From her words, Hu Xiaotian deduced that she was already wavering. He said, "The two thieves were handed over to you by me, and the theft occurred at my house. You want to solve the case and receive credit, and I want to recover our lost property. Our goals are different, but they ultimately lead to the same end. Why don't you put aside your prejudice and work with me?"

Murong Feiyi had to admire his silver tongue and admit that his words had moved her. After a moment's thought, she said, "I can take you to see them, but your people must stay outside."

"Agreed!"

Murong Feiyi led Hu Xiaotian into the dark and gloomy prison. It was Hu Xiaotian's first time in such a place. After a few steps, he smelled the decay and stench, and he couldn't help but frown. The conditions in the prison were truly deplorable, and the lighting was very dim. The further they went, the darker it became, and they had to rely on torches for illumination.

Noticing his expression, Murong Feiyi said softly, "Do fewer bad things, or one day you'll end up here."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "Are you cursing me? I don't think I've offended you."

As they spoke, they arrived at the place where the thieves were held. A doctor was treating the two thieves. The doctor was from Yiyuan Hall and had accompanied Yuan Shiqing to treat the old man the previous day.

When Hu Xiaotian entered the cell, the treatment was almost over. The doctor stood up and said to Murong Feiyi, "Inspector Murong, their injuries are not serious. I've applied wound medicine, and they will recover in a few days. However, one of the prisoners' throats was punctured by a bamboo tube, which will affect his eating for a few days." He then smiled at Hu Xiaotian, clearly recognizing him.

Hu Xiaotian asked, "How is the old man?"

The doctor replied, "I've applied a plaster. His family came yesterday and temporarily placed him in a hotel next to Yiyuan Hall. My master said that although his injuries are not serious, as an elderly person, he will take a few months to recover."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "Thank you for your help."

The doctor smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Master Hu's righteous actions. My master said that Master Hu's skills in treating bone injuries are profound, and we should learn from him."

Hu Xiaotian inwardly laughed. It was just a simple first aid treatment, not something profound. But then he thought, in this era dominated by traditional medicine, modern medicine had not yet formed, and concepts like anatomy, physiology, and Western medicine were unknown to these doctors. If he had the opportunity to showcase his knowledge, it would be groundbreaking. He could open a hospital and make a fortune with his skills. This thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. His previous life had been too tiring, and he had grown deeply weary of the medical profession. If not for the sudden situation, he would never have wanted to use his medical skills again.

Reborn, why live such a tiring life? Saving the world had nothing to do with him. He would rather live a comfortable life as a second-generation official, enjoying life to the fullest.