The next morning, Wufu left Liu Jin at the inn with stern instructions not to wander off, and gave him a few coins before dressing up and setting out alone.
Huayang County was bustling in the early morning, with peasants from nearby villages carrying baskets of mountain goods and groceries on their shoulders, ready to sell in the city.
Shops along the streets were opening one after another. Wufu found a grocery store, bought a fox mask meant for children, filled his belly with a few buns, and then headed toward the County Government Office’s Yamen.
The Yamen Runner guarding the gate saw a kid wearing a fox mask standing in front of the door and shouted, "Stop there! The Yamen is an important place, no loitering permitted."
This kid, who knows who he is, playing dress-up with a toy mask!
The entire staff of the Yamen had been on edge lately because of the Flower-Picking Thief. From the magistrate concentrating hard to the Yamen Guards patrolling day and night, everyone was nervous that the thief would strike again. So, the gatekeeper was not in a good mood. Wufu, who had made up his face, touched his chin and said in a hoarse voice, "Bother the lord to send word that I wish to see your master. It’s about the Flower-Picking Thief, I can catch him."
The Yamen Runners were stunned, then burst out laughing and cursing, "What, catch the Flower-Picking Thief? Little scamp, with just you? Pretending to be a hero with that worn-out mask? Even the fast catchers in our county can’t catch him, and you think you can? Get out of here, go play somewhere else."
"Whether I can catch him is mine to say. Also, this wanted notice, is it not valid?" Wufu pulled out the reward notice, suddenly turning forceful, "If your delay hinders me from capturing the thief and he commits another crime, can you bear the responsibility?"
Her shout truly intimidated them.
The two Yamen Runners glanced at each other; one of them, who was taller, said, "Old Liang, the master said that anyone who responds to the notice counts. I’ll report to see what the master decides."
Old Liang waved his hand, looking at Wufu with unkind eyes. He sized him up a few times and snorted through his nose. If the Flower-Picking Thief were that easy to catch, the five hundred taels would have been claimed long ago, but as of now, there had been at least five attempts, and not one had caught him.
Wufu leaned against a stone lion outside the Yamen, standing on one foot while draping the other across, toe pointed.
This posture, which cried out ’begging for a beating’, ignited Old Liang’s temper, and just as he was about to scold him, the tall Yamen Runner came out and gestured to Wufu, "Follow me."
Immediately, Wufu followed, casually observing the Yamen with hands clasped behind him.
This was a real Yamen, not some set constructed in a movie studio, but an actual, substantial Yamen. She couldn’t believe she was walking into a Yamen.
Soon, Wufu was brought before Wen Congrui.
"Sir, this is the person who responded to the notice."
Wen Congrui lifted his head, saw the fox mask, and was initially startled, then quickly relaxed, his gaze flat as he asked, "You say you can catch the Flower-Picking Thief; do you have any skills?" Meanwhile, he sized her up with a sharp, inquisitive look.
Wufu studied him too. In just a few days, this Fourth Young Master had lost weight, obviously troubled by the Flower-Picking Thief.
"Reporting to the master," Wufu bowed with a man’s grace, "You need not concern yourself with my abilities. You just need to know that I can bring the Flower-Picking Thief before you!"
Such audacity; could he be the Flower-Picking Thief himself?
Wen Congrui’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of sharpness flickering deep within them.