Chapter 29

Muron Feiyan, however, was utterly confused by the doctor's words from Yi Yuan Tang, thinking to herself, "What medical skills does he have? Acting righteously? Him? I believe he bullies people with his power, but to say he can cure and save lives, that would be like the sun rising in the west!"

Hu Xiaotian squatted down in front of a prisoner, looking at him with a sinister expression. This prisoner was the one he had poked in the throat with a bamboo tube the previous night. The prisoner clearly recognized Hu Xiaotian, the culprit, and hated him intensely, glaring at him fiercely.

Hu Xiaotian sighed and said, "These days, it's not easy to do anything. Being a thief is just for money, but is it worth losing your life for money?"

The two thieves exchanged a glance and then glared at Hu Xiaotian together. The one whose throat was not injured and had a full beard said, "If you want to kill, just do it. No need for nonsense!"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled. This thief had been particularly defiant last night, showing some real spirit. After so long, he still showed no signs of softening. He said with disdain, "You broke into the Shangshu's residence, intending to harm my life. Even if I killed you ten times, it wouldn't be too much!"

Muron Feiyan listened from the side, sighing inwardly. This guy was indeed talking nonsense. Although the two thieves were guilty, their crimes did not warrant death. He was clearly exaggerating.

The thief sneered, "Do you think I'm scared? According to the laws of Dakan, we don't deserve the death penalty, right?"

Hu Xiaotian clicked his tongue in approval, "It seems you know some law, not a legal blind man. That makes it even more troublesome. Knowing the law and breaking it means a higher penalty. You might have had a chance to live, but now you're doomed."

The thief knew he was trying to scare him, snorted, and closed his mouth, saying nothing more.

Hu Xiaotian continued, "I feel sorry for you. These days, it's rare to find a thief who knows the law. Although I don't know much about you, I can see that you two are outstanding in the thief world. Not only are you young and handsome, but you are also skilled in martial arts and well-versed in the law. Only by studying the law can you know how to exploit its loopholes. You are thieves, but not ordinary ones. You have brains. With your intelligence, you had the potential to achieve great things in your thieving career, even to accomplish something significant. Unfortunately, you failed in a small matter, and I feel deeply sorry for you."

Muron Feiyan listened, finding it hard to laugh or cry. Hu Xiaotian was really twisting things around. His theory was unprecedented and unheard of, actually praising the two thieves and expressing regret over their capture.

The two thieves remained silent, saying nothing.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Thieves with your intelligence shouldn't be used by others. You think you are brave and righteous, but last night, someone had already informed me of your plan. Otherwise, how could I have discovered you so quickly?"

Muron Feiyan blinked. He had received the information in advance? Why didn't he say anything last night? This scoundrel clearly knew but didn't report it. I'll settle accounts with you later!

The two thieves looked surprised. Hu Xiaotian was clearly lying, but his lies were highly credible. They were also puzzled about why their actions were discovered before they even started. When they poked the bamboo tube through the window paper to blow in the knockout incense, they were immediately hit in the throat. Why was the other party always one step ahead? It turned out they had been betrayed.

Hu Xiaotian said, "I know being betrayed feels terrible. I also feel bad. That person deliberately informed me, making me gather all the servants to catch you, while he stole our treasures and burned down the Jiyaxuan. In this, we are both victims."

The two thieves pursed their lips. They were in a difficult situation, clearly having been set up, and it was almost impossible to escape.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Why don't we make a deal?"

The bearded thief said, "Don't try to deceive us with sweet talk. Do you really think we are three-year-old children?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Those who know me know that I am the most reasonable. I won't make things difficult for you. I just want to make things clear. If the real culprit is not found, the Hu family will not let it go. My father is a well-known figure, and the Jingzhao Prefecture will give us an answer. If they can't find the real culprit, they will blame everything on you. They won't care if you admit it or not. The Murong Inspector here knows 1,800 criminal laws and 172 ways to execute people. Making you tell the truth won't be hard."

Muron Feiyan glared at him, truly speechless. When did she learn so many laws?

Hu Xiaotian continued, "Do you want to experience all 1,800 laws before you die?"

The two thieves' faces changed. The one with a smooth face and no beard, encountering Hu Xiaotian's cold gaze, fell to the ground in fear.

Hu Xiaotian stopped intimidating them, stood up, and said, "Think about it. Do you want to take the blame for others or tell the truth? The choice is yours." Hu Xiaotian turned to leave.

A hoarse voice said, "If we tell the truth, can you guarantee we won't be killed?" It was the one whose throat Hu Xiaotian had injured.

The bearded thief shouted, "Don't believe him. He's just scaring us."

Hu Xiaotian suddenly turned around and threw a hook punch, hitting the bearded thief's jaw, knocking him unconscious. Hu Xiaotian's punch was completely unexpected by Murong Feiyan, and she couldn't stop it in time. Hu Xiaotian turned to her and winked, saying, "Drag him out and kill him!"

Muron Feiyan immediately understood his intention. Although they were constables, they had no right to execute prisoners without a trial. Hu Xiaotian's real intention was not to kill but to scare the other thief.

Given the situation, Murong Feiyan had to cooperate with Hu Xiaotian. She called two constables to drag the unconscious thief out. Of course, they didn't really kill him but sent him to another cell. The other thief, already terrified, saw his companion knocked out and dragged away, and his mental defenses completely collapsed.

Hu Xiaotian looked at him coldly and said, "Life or death is up to you!"

The thief trembled and said, "You must promise not to kill me..."

Hu Xiaotian sneered, "Say it or not, it's up to you!" He turned to leave. The thief cried out, "I confess, I confess! It was Zhao Zhenghao who found us. He said he wanted to kidnap you for a ransom and mentioned that there was an insider in your residence..."

Muron Feiyan had to admire Hu Xiaotian's intelligence and eloquence. He used both soft and hard tactics, and without any torture, he scared the thief into confessing everything. She glared at the thief and said, "Where can we find Zhao Zhenghao?"

The thief trembled and said, "I don't know... I... I only know he has a friend named Mo Shaokui, a horse trader on Tu Street... You might find some clues with him."

Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan walked out of the cell. The sky had cleared up, and as they stepped from the dark cell into the bright outdoors, their eyes had to adjust, squinting almost simultaneously.

Muron Feiyan shielded her eyes with her hand and looked at Hu Xiaotian, saying, "You have a set of skills, scaring the thief like that?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled faintly, "Nothing special. As a constable, you should know the basic principle: the two thieves must be separated. If they are together, they can communicate, support, and monitor each other, making it twice as hard to break their defenses. Last night, it was clear they were betrayed. They already knew this but were unwilling to admit it. I just helped them recognize the reality of being betrayed, which made them resent the real culprit. Why should they keep secrets for someone who has harmed them so much?"

Although Murong Feiyan didn't say anything, she truly admired his intelligence. Witnessing him break the thief's defenses with his eloquence, she gained a deeper understanding of his cunning. Her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, and she looked at Hu Xiaotian's sunny smile, saying softly, "Did someone really inform you?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, "It was just a way to make them confess."

Muron Feiyan said, "Oh," still doubtful, "What exactly was stolen from your house?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled, "After knowing me for so long, don't you know I never tell the truth?"

Muron Feiyan was almost driven to despair, angry, "Not reporting what you know..."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I helped you so much. Shouldn't you thank me instead of repaying kindness with ingratitude? We may not be friends yet, but we can be good partners. Let's go to Tu Street and find Mo Shaokui. If we're lucky, we might solve the case today, and all the credit will be yours."

Muron Feiyan said, "When I investigate, I hate irrelevant people interfering!"

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