Confiscation

Translator: Cinder Translations

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You Qi crouched on the ground, slowly shifting his gaze toward the nearby lake. His expression turned strange, as if something was troubling him. 

"Brother," Shi Liaozhi swallowed and said, "If you have any thoughts, just say them out loud. Maybe we can help analyze things together." 

Sensing the strange atmosphere, Chen Qiang and Qin Jian also approached. The group gathered around the spot where the sedan chair had been parked the night before. Before long, Chen Qiang's expression changed. 

Then, Qin Jian also seemed to have noticed something unusual. 

He suddenly crouched down and stared intently at a specific spot. 

"What is... this?" 

"It looks like a mark left by something passing through?" 

Shi Liaozhi's tone was uncertain because the mark was too strange. It was an irregular oval shape, quite small, and did not resemble the footprints of a cat or dog. 

You Qi stood up and stomped near the mark. He was quite strong, and he exerted a great deal of force, leaving a clear shoe print on the ground. 

Yet, the mysterious mark was much deeper than his. 

An ominous feeling welled up in their hearts—unexplainable, but deeply unsettling. 

"Here... there's another one!" Shi Liaozhi, with his keen eyesight, spotted another similar mark nearby. Though it was partially covered by other footprints, it was deep enough to still be visible. 

Following the trail, they made their way toward the lake. The final mark was imprinted in the mud, with only a faint outline visible. 

Gulp. 

You Qi blinked, as if confirming the ominous feeling in his heart. 

"The first mark… it started from where the sedan chair was, right?" You Qi's throat moved as he struggled to speak. 

The next second, someone finally realized what the sharp, small marks represented. 

And this realization seemed contagious. 

Slowly, everyone turned their heads toward the spot where the sedan chair had been parked the previous night. Even Chen Qiang, who rarely showed emotions, felt a chill down his spine. 

It was the footprint of embroidered shoes worn by ancient women. 

Due to the tradition of foot binding, such shoes were also known as "three-inch golden lotuses." 

Looking down at the marks again, the pointed front and wider back confirmed it. 

"Last night, that paper figure also had bound feet," You Qi murmured. It was hard to imagine such a burly man trembling in fear. He stammered, "I… I saw it!" 

A gust of wind blew across the lake, sending shivers down everyone's spines. 

--- 

"A little to the left." 

"Right." 

"A bit more to the right." 

"Up." 

"Yes, just like that," Jiang Cheng whispered, "Hold steady, Fatty." 

"Doctor," Fatty gritted his teeth, his face turning red from exertion. "Hurry up, it's not just you up there—there's another one!" 

The other person, propped up by Fatty, was Xia Meng, who was peeking over the wall. Unlike Jiang Cheng, she had no intention of comforting Fatty or making him feel like his effort was invaluable to the team. 

"It's out, it's out," Jiang Cheng whispered. 

Xia Meng's eyes gleamed as she immediately confirmed, "That's him!" 

A small, ragged figure leaped out from a window, clutching two steamed buns in his left hand and a broken bowl with some vegetables in his right. 

Judging by his familiar movements, this was clearly not his first time. 

It was the same little beggar they had caught last night—who had been released by An Xuan for some unknown reason. 

And now, they had run into him again. 

They had spotted a sneaky figure from afar on their way here and followed it, leading them to this place, which seemed to be a kitchen. 

A stack of firewood was piled near the entrance, covered with a tattered mat to keep it dry in case of rain. 

They watched for a while and saw no one around. 

Xia Meng deduced that if the little beggar dared to steal food at this time, it meant the kitchen was either empty or had very few people around. 

"...You're not thinking of sneaking in, are you?" Fatty held his breath and asked suspiciously. 

The courtyard wall was over two meters high. Whoever designed it must have been out of their mind—why fortify a kitchen like a military compound? The one suffering the most was Fatty, who had to hoist both Jiang Cheng and Xia Meng up. 

After setting them down, Fatty finally caught his breath. 

"What's the plan?" Jiang Cheng asked while stretching his neck. Holding one position for too long had made him stiff. 

"We'll find that beggar," Xia Meng said decisively. "I have a feeling there's something off about him. The Huang family isn't stupid—how has he been stealing food all this time without getting caught?" 

Recalling the terrifying expression of the middle-aged woman, Fatty had to admit Xia Meng made sense. 

"Alright." Jiang Cheng nodded. "You two go ahead." 

Fatty hesitated, looking at Jiang Cheng in confusion. "And what about you?" 

"I'm going inside to take a look." Jiang Cheng started stretching like a school student preparing for morning exercises, seemingly getting ready to climb over the wall. 

Watching the doctor's familiar yet ridiculous movements, Fatty suddenly recalled a phrase—The times are calling. 

And for some reason, he felt oddly emotional. 

"...Why do you need to go into the kitchen?" Xia Meng narrowed her eyes at him, as if convinced he was up to something. 

"Obviously to look for clues," Jiang Cheng straightened up and squinted. "Unless you think I'm going in there just to use the bathroom?" 

Fatty's face twitched awkwardly. "Doctor, I know you're petty, but a wise man avoids unnecessary risks. You should really think this through," he said earnestly. "Consider the consequences of getting caught." 

The image of that terrifying middle-aged woman surfaced in Fatty's mind. 

"Be careful, or your tools of the trade might get confiscated." 

Xia Meng smirked. "It's not a big deal," she grinned. "We can always return them to you later." 

Jiang Cheng seemed to ponder for a moment but ultimately shook his head stubbornly. "No, I have to go." He pointed a finger at Xia Meng and said, "You better pray that I come out unscathed." 

Xia Meng stared at him. 

Fatty suddenly had a feeling that something exciting was about to happen. 

"If they do confiscate something, you're the one who'll suffer the most." Jiang Cheng stretched his neck and sneered at Xia Meng. "Just don't cry about it later." 

Xia Meng turned and walked away, dragging Fatty with her. 

Fatty actually wanted to stay with the doctor, but Jiang Cheng had already climbed over the wall before he could decide. With no other choice, he followed Xia Meng. 

"Fatty Wang," Xia Meng pulled him into a secluded spot. The beggar was no longer in sight. She smiled and said, "Now it's just the two of us." 

Fatty gulped. "W-What do you want from me?" 

"Just tell me Jiang Cheng's true identity. What does he do? Who does he work for?" Xia Meng narrowed her eyes. "I won't make things difficult for you. In fact, once we're out, I can guarantee your safety. You won't have to be under his control anymore." 

"If you don't believe me, I can swear an oath." She raised her hand, looking solemn. 

Xia Meng had always been suspicious of Jiang Cheng's identity, but there hadn't been enough time for her informants to gather intel. 

Fatty thought for a while before replying, "I don't mind telling you… but the real question is, will you believe me?" 

(End of the Chapter)

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