Chapter 13 Little Thief
Hearing the shouting, the uncle and nephew turned around together and saw a commotion not far away. Not only was there a person running in front, but there were also several young boys following behind, some with weapons in their hands. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether someone was stealing something or just a group fight.
Zhu Zhanji gave a look to the people around him, and the servants of Prince Xiang's mansion immediately chased after him.
After all, he was just taking his eldest niece out to play, but he ran into a thief on the street. Zhu Zhanji always felt a little embarrassed.
Zhu Yuhuan didn't mind. There are a lot of thieves in modern times, not to mention the ancient times when people couldn't even get enough food.
The guards accompanying the uncle and nephew were not ordinary people. They were all very skilled and quickly caught the thieves and brought them to Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Yuhuan, uncle and nephew.
Unexpectedly, the thief who was being chased by everyone was actually a child. He could not be seen from a distance. When he was caught close, Zhu Yuhuan found that he was about the same age as himself, but looked much thinner. He was holding a few oil-paper bags in his arms, which faintly smelled of medicinal herbs.
Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but frown slightly when he saw this.
Zhu Zhanji looked at the dusty little thief and waved his hands impatiently, saying, "Why did you bring him here? Why not send him to see the officials?" Then he said to Zhu Yuhuan, "Go, go, get in the carriage first, and let's go back."
He finally took his niece out for a trip, but ended up running into something like this. If someone didn't know, they would think the capital was full of thieves. Isn't this embarrassing for their Zhu family?
When Zhu Yuhuan saw him like this, he was obviously upset that such a thing could happen under the feet of the emperor, which was obviously a disgrace to his father Zhu Gaochi and his brother Zhu Zhanji, so he was so unhappy.
She didn't care, but just looked at the little thief in front of her, guessing in her heart that he was probably forced to steal because he had no choice. Otherwise, these herbs could not be eaten and would not make much money if sold.
Although the uncle and nephew were not dressed in a particularly luxurious manner, they still stood out here. The people around them had been glancing at them vaguely, and when they heard that they were going to report to the police, they did not dare to stay any longer and left one after another.
The guards responded and were about to leave when the young men who had been chasing the thief came over. The leader boldly said, "Sir, he was just possessed by a ghost for a moment. He's still young, so why not let him go?"
Zhu Zhanji sneered at this. He glanced at the young boys and said, "I saw you guys helped catch the thief just now. Why are you saying you're going to let him go now? Do you think the law is a joke?"
Most people would have run away upon seeing this scene, but the young boy persisted, saying, "At his age, if he were really sent to the government office, he would die in a few days. There aren't many people left in his family anymore. If he died too, his mother would be devastated. "Sir, if his mother wasn't so ill, he wouldn't have come out to steal these inedible medicinal herbs. Don't worry, I'll have him return the things. I'll be watching over him from now on, and I'll definitely not let him do anything wrong again."
He is young, but he speaks in an orderly manner and knows how to seek lenient treatment based on human feelings.
Zhu Yuhuan, who was sitting in the carriage, couldn't help but stick his head out to look at him curiously.
Zhu Zhanji was unconcerned and lectured him, "The laws of our country are strict. If you dare to violate them, you should know the consequences. If everyone were like you, this prison would be empty and everyone would dare to commit crimes."
The young man was at a loss for words and could not refute, so Zhu Yuhuan said, "Fifth Uncle, forget it."
Everyone turned to look at Zhu Yuhuan. She took some money out of her purse and said, "What that man said just now makes some sense. He stole these herbs, which probably have no use other than treating illnesses. In that case, I'll pay for the victim's expenses, and Uncle Wu will forgive him. But..." She looked at the young man and said, "I've taken note of everything you just said. If I find out you're lying, I won't forgive you."
Seeing that his eldest niece said this, Zhu Zhanji was too lazy to care about it anymore. He waved to the guards and let the little thief go.
Huai En took the money from Zhu Yuhuan and handed it to the little thief. Seeing that he was about to kowtow, Zhu Yuhuan quickly said, "That's not necessary. Just don't steal again in the future. The most important thing is to find a way to make a living to support your family." After saying that, she lowered the curtain of the car, but she had a vague idea in her mind.
The young man who was listening at the side couldn't help laughing when he heard this. Zhu Zhanji frowned and asked, "What are you laughing at?"
The young man wasn't afraid of Zhu Zhanji. Instead, he spoke openly, "Sir and Miss, it's easy for you to talk. If you could easily find a job that would make money, why would you come out and steal? Who here is willing to be a thief?"
Zhu Yuhuan had good intentions, but was criticized like this. Before Huai En could even approach, Zhu Zhanji had already lost his temper and angrily scolded him, "You little brat! My niece gave him money out of kindness, and you're just saying something sarcastic. I think you need a lesson."
Seeing that the guards around Zhu Zhanji were about to take action, several companions who had been following the young man gathered around him, obviously intending to protect him.
Zhu Yuhuan felt a headache upon seeing this scene. He quickly jumped off the carriage to stop Zhu Zhanji and said, "Fifth Uncle, he's not wrong. I just don't know the current situation here and haven't thought of this..."
Zhu Zhanji waved his hands and said, "You are the only one with a good temper. If it were someone else, they would have beaten this brat up long ago."
Zhu Yuhuan laughed dryly and said, "No matter how unpleasant the truth may sound, it is still the truth. It would be terrifying if everyone in the world only told lies and deceived their eyes and ears."
The young man who had been arguing with Zhu Zhanji was stunned, a little surprised that Zhu Yuhuan was so frank. After all, what these wealthy people hated most was the "harsh truth". After he said it, he naturally realized that what he said was inappropriate, but the words had been spoken, and there was naturally no reason to take them back. It was just that Zhu Yuhuan was so easy-going and approachable, which was indeed beyond his expectation.
Zhu Yuhuan looked at the young man and said, "I see you guys are quite disciplined in your conduct. You look like young generals from His Majesty's youth army."
Although she was dressed in ordinary clothes, she looked smart and cute, and her words were tactful and pleasant. The young men who were originally on guard were immediately relieved by such praise. One of them said generously, "Jing'er's father is an imperial guard. He is very powerful. We all call him Master Shi!"
Zhu Yuhuan raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this, and turned over what had just happened in his mind without saying anything.
Zhu Zhanji snorted in his heart, thinking that he must see later which Jinyiwei's son was so bold as to challenge him casually. He could live in this outer city, and although his official position was not high, his son was quite courageous.
He had long forgotten that he was accompanying Zhu Yuhuan on a "secret visit" and was just thinking that he must teach that Jinyiwei, whose identity he didn't know, a lesson.
The young man called "Jing Ge'er" obviously realized this and turned around to glare at his friend.
Zhu Yuhuan already had an idea in mind. She said to the boy, "Next time, he might not be able to find someone who won't let him report to the police. If he does, he'll be imprisoned for nothing. It's a good thing he survives. I'm afraid his family will be broken up when he gets out." When the boy didn't respond, she continued, "I've remembered everything you said. Don't go back on your word."
Shi Jing thought to himself, I just didn't keep my word, how could a young lady like you who never leaves the house know that?
Zhu Yuhuan noticed his little thoughts and said with a smile: "Don't disbelieve me, I can find out if I want to know."
Shi Jing only replied perfunctorily: "A real man must keep his word."
It is said that noble people tend to forget things easily. This noble lady will probably forget such a small thing after returning home.
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