Chapter 236: Suo Zhen Worm
Gong Changan then leaned next to Ying Tong and whispered, “Heir Apparent, I have a method that can determine if this foreign woman has indeed stolen something.”
“Oh? Really? Then try it,” Ying Tong said, feeling somewhat conflicted. After all, the other party was a young girl, and if he ordered his subordinates to use force, his reputation would suffer if word got out.
However, if they remained in this stalemate, it would be quite unreasonable.
Gong Changan dismounted and pulled over a little eunuch serving Ying Tong, instructing him to do this and that.
After speaking, Gong Changan squeezed into the crowd, who were still arguing noisily.
“Oh dear! There really is a thief here, my money pouch is gone!” Gong Changan shouted after a while.
“How can someone else have lost something?” people couldn’t help but gossip.
“Elder Brother Gao, please bring your men to surround everyone here and don’t let anyone escape. The thief must be among them,” Gong Changan said to the leading guard.
Their entourage, including guards and followers, numbered over a dozen people.
They easily surrounded everyone.
“What are you doing? Are you going to search everyone?”
“Let’s report it to the authorities! Whatever the officials decide, they decide. You can’t just have anyone interrogate a thief, can you?”
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
“There’s no need for the trouble of reporting to the officials, and I won’t be searching anyone’s person,” Gong Changan said loudly. “I dare say I can find the thief in the blink of an eye.”
“Boasting!”
“Nonsense!”
Of course, the crowd didn’t believe him.
However, some sharp-eyed individuals recognized Gong Changan.
“Huh, isn’t that the prodigy from the Gong Family?”
“Which one? The one who entered San Jing Academy?”
“It’s him, no doubt! I was standing right at the front during the competition, it was him!”
“Since he’s the Gong Family’s prodigy, it’s not surprising.”
“Indeed! Tutor Zhuge’s closed-door disciple, how could he be an ordinary person!”
As Gong Changan was recognized, the tide of opinion shifted.
“I know this action is a bit impolite, but to quickly find the thief and avoid alarming the authorities, I ask everyone to please stand as I say, maintaining an arm’s length distance from each other, and not to stand too close,” Gong Changan said. “Please be quick.”
The crowd was unsure of his intentions, but wanting to prove their innocence and curious to see how Gong Changan would quickly find the thief, they complied with his request.
Afterward, Gong Changan took out a jar from his person and held it up high.
“I have a bug in here called Suo Zhen, which is good at smelling the scent of thieves. If it just sniffs the scent of where the stolen item was originally, it can accurately find the person who stole it. However, this bug hates evil and will bite the thief once it finds them.
This bug is highly poisonous, and the person bitten will likely not survive…”
Gong Changan paused here and scanned the crowd: “Therefore, I hope the person who took the money pouch will come forward now, return the item, and I promise not to pursue the matter further. Otherwise, being bitten by Suo Zhen could be life-threatening.”
The crowd fell silent, and no one stepped forward to confess for a long time.
Gong Changan cleared his throat and asked the two heirs apparent on horseback, “What are your thoughts?”
“Theft is not a capital offense. If the person truly loses their life because of it, it might not be good,” Ying Bai shook his head.
“The punishment for theft depends on what was stolen. Changan’s money pouch contained an imperial gift, so by rights, the thief should be sentenced to death,” Ying Tong sneered. “Besides, he was already given a chance to confess voluntarily. His refusal to do so is an additional offense.”
“Everyone, please rest assured, if Suo Zhen mistakenly injures someone who is not the true culprit, I will forfeit my life,” Gong Changan said, opening the jar. Indeed, a bug emerged from it.
The bug looked like a large bee, but it was two to three times the size of an ordinary bee, and its markings were exceptionally vibrant, making it appear extremely poisonous.
It seemed to obey Gong Changan very well. Gong Changan placed it on his waist for a while, allowing it to familiarize itself with the scent.
Then, he placed it on his finger and said, “Go!”
With a flick of his wrist, he released the bug.
The bug circled twice in front of Gong Changan, then flew straight towards one person and landed on their head.
The person let out a pig-like shriek and rolled on the ground, seemingly having been bitten by Suo Zhen.
“Search him!” Ying Tong ordered with a cold expression.
Several people stepped forward and indeed found a brocade money pouch in his person.
Gong Changan took the money pouch and put it in his person. Suo Zhen also flew back and crawled back into the jar.
“Oh, this bug is truly intelligent!” everyone exclaimed in admiration.
“And that thief, they said this bug could be fatal. If he had just handed it over earlier, wouldn’t it have been fine? He could have apologized and wouldn’t have risked his life.”
Meanwhile, the person who had stolen Gong Changan’s money pouch was already curled up on the ground, motionless.
“You!” At this moment, the barbarian girl called out to Gong Changan, “If you can find the person who stole the money pouch, you can certainly find who stole the string of beads.”
“Miss means…” Gong Changan blinked his eyes, “What if someone is killed…”
“I will bear all responsibility,” the girl said resolutely. “Just find them for me.”
“Oh dear, who took those beads? Come out quickly! Don’t risk someone’s life!” The shopkeeper now believed the barbarian girl was not the thief, otherwise, why would she voluntarily ask for an investigation!
“Yes! Yes! Come out and admit it quickly! It’s better than losing your life,” everyone chimed in.
“Everyone, please check yourselves,” Gong Changan reminded them. “Have you acquired anything extra?”
The crowd was a bit confused but did as he said.
After a while…
“Hey? Hey?! Hey!” someone cried out in shock, holding a string of gold-inlaid jade beads. His eyes were filled with terror. “How did this get on me?! Heavens! I didn’t take it.”
The shopkeeper quickly hurried over and took the string of beads, examining them. “Yes, yes, these are the beads that were lost from our shop.”
“But I really didn’t take them! I didn’t even go into your shop. I just came to watch the commotion when you all started arguing,” the person was a shop assistant from the neighboring silk shop.
“Prodigy, please save me! The thief must have taken advantage of the chaos and planted this on me,” the assistant cried, tears streaming down his face. “Heavens, I am so wronged!”
“It’s alright,” Gong Changan said at this point. “Although the person transferred the stolen goods, their scent remains. Suo Zhen’s ability to discern the scent of thieves is not solely dependent on the scent of the stolen item.”
