Chapter 11: Thieves Shout to Catch Thieves

"Stop!" Zhang, the imperial censor, shouted to stop the official who was about to suppress Chusi, and then turned to Liu, "Liu, what kind of play are you acting out?"

"Your Excellency, you've just arrived and may not know, the mountain people here are quite cunning. It's evident that these people have conspired together." With that, he looked at the innkeeper and spoke in a cold, stern tone, "In front of the imperial censor and me, tell the truth, is she in cahoots with you?"

The innkeeper immediately nodded at his gaze, "Yes, she's in cahoots with us."

Zhang furrowed his brows and looked at him with his hands behind his back, "Then tell me, what was your original plan? This girl has been exposing you all along!"

Zhang's face turned ironclad, exuding the air of a stern judge. The woman was already too scared to speak, and the innkeeper was also holding on, but then he gritted his teeth and said, "Our plan was to have her help you get out of trouble, then ask for money from you as a token of appreciation. You would definitely give in..."

"Nonsense!" Zhang snorted, but still cast a suspicious gaze towards Chusi.

Chusi was not annoyed. She knew early on that these people were accomplices of the county magistrate. Judging by their experienced demeanor, they must have swindled many outsiders. It was no wonder they could still roam free outside, probably thanks to their connections within the government.

"I only have one question for you," Chusi looked at the innkeeper, "What is my surname, and who am I?"

The innkeeper, looking at the composed girl, was momentarily at a loss. A girl from an ordinary family should be crying and screaming in fear by now: "You live in a temple on the mountain..." He couldn't say any more.

The county magistrate glared disapprovingly at the man, who immediately caught on and quickly said, "Your name is Nier, and you live in my house!"

Chusi didn't argue with him and instead gave a slight bow to Zhang, "I am Chusi, living in the temple on the mountain, daughter of Chubing Song, currently residing in the capital."

"Chusi?" Liu, the imperial censor, was slightly surprised. He then carefully appraised Chusi. Her attire was old and rough, and her thin face had a slightly jaundiced hue due to malnutrition. Her hair was simply tied up with a wooden hairpin. Standing there, she seemed like a gust of wind could easily blow her away. Was this really the legitimate daughter that Prime Minister Chu had sent three years ago?

As Liu pondered, the innkeeper and the woman had already been seized. Despite the cold weather, Liu was sweating profusely, "Your Excellency, let's go back and interrogate these two first, who knows how many people they've deceived." He truly had run into bad luck today, encountering someone like Zhang, and now the daughter of Prime Minister Chu, even though she was not favored, her status was still there.

Zhang nodded slightly and looked at Chusi, "Hasn't your father sent someone to fetch you?"

Chusi forced a bitter smile and shook her head, "Would you please pass on my regards to my father, Your Excellency?"

Seeing Chusi's composure at such a young age, it was clear she had suffered a lot. However, the rumors had always described the Chu family's young lady as uncouth and foolish, which now appeared to be unfounded.

"Why are you alone down the mountain? I'll have the guards escort you back." Having offended the county magistrate just now, he naturally couldn't let this young girl go back alone.

Chusi gave a faint smile, "It's unnecessary. I still need to buy medicine."

"Buy medicine?" Zhang found it even more strange. How could the temple let Chusi come out alone to buy medicine?

"Yes, one of the nuns in the temple was murdered recently, and my maid was scared, so I came to buy some medicine." Chusi said, her expression tinged with unease as she looked at Zhang, tears welling in her eyes, "Your Excellency, can you please tell my father to fetch me, or find another temple for me?"

"What happened?"

"The nuns in the temple wear heavy makeup, and my maid said, on the halfway up the mountain, there were... and there was... " Here, Chusi's face blushed deeply, "Your Excellency, please inform my father about this." With that, she turned and hurriedly left.

Zhang's face darkened; there seemed to be something eerie in this remote small town. However, the more mysterious the matter, the more he wanted to investigate.