Chapter Seven: Who Is the Thief?

“A die!”

The county magistrate’s assistant looked at the die in Yiheng’s hand, his face full of confusion, and couldn’t help but ask, “What do you need this for?”

Yiheng held the die between his fingers, his gaze fixed on the assistant as he asked, “Let me ask you, have you ever seen Li Changchong use this die?”

The assistant shook his head firmly. “Never.”

“Then have you seen it on anyone else?” Yiheng pressed further.

The assistant took the die, turning it over carefully, even bringing it to his nose to sniff. “This die looks somewhat familiar, and it has a faint scent of liquor on it.”

“If we can find the owner of this die, perhaps we can uncover the culprit who stole the official seal,” Yiheng said.

Suddenly, the county assistant slapped his forehead, enlightened. “I know who stole the magistrate’s seal—it must be Zhang Dian Shi!”

He stood up hurriedly and strode toward the door, muttering, “I’ll go tell Magistrate Li right away. It was Zhang Dian Shi who stole the seal. Then we’ll have the chief constable bring him here for a face-to-face confrontation and see how he can still deny it.”

At that moment, Yiheng bent down and ran his hand along the ground, noticing his fingers stained with reddish soil, slightly damp. “How could there be this kind of soil here?” he pondered silently.

He then stood and opened the window of the study. In a corner on the windowsill, he found more reddish soil, though this patch was already dry.

He brought his fingers to his nose and inhaled—a faint musty odor mingled with a hint of chrysanthemum fragrance.

Since childhood, Yiheng had possessed extraordinary senses far beyond ordinary people. Scents imperceptible to most were easily caught by him; minute details invisible to others were clear at a glance.

Even in pitch darkness, he could see everything around him distinctly. This unique ability was innate.

The only person who knew of his peculiar nature was his master, who had raised him.

Yet Yiheng often despised his own body, especially during heavy rains.

Leaping lightly, Yiheng climbed out the window and stood beside the chrysanthemums. He parted the withered flowers and, sure enough, found the roots covered with reddish soil, a faint chrysanthemum scent lingering amid the decay.

He speculated, “It seems likely the thief climbed in through the window to steal the seal from the study. But the window wasn’t damaged... Could it be the window wasn’t latched that day?”

He brushed away snow covering the chrysanthemums and found a set of footprints near the wall’s base. The prints were twelve inches long, clearly made by an adult.

Looking at the prints, he sighed deeply. “If it were just a die and a set of footprints, it would be hard to conclusively say it was Dian Shi’s doing.”

…

The county office’s reception hall was heavy with tension.

Zhang Dian Shi stood in the center, his expression panicked, while the chief constable and the assistant stood impassively nearby. Magistrate Li held the die, his face full of grief and anger as he said:

“Well, you ungrateful wretch! I have always treated you well, yet you dare steal from me? Tell me, where have you hidden my official seal?”

Before summoning Zhang Dian Shi, he had already sent the chief constable to search his room but found no seal.

“Sir, I am innocent! Why would I steal the official seal? What use would it be to me?” Zhang Dian Shi hurriedly waved his hands, sweat beading on his forehead.

“Then how do you explain this die? Yiheng found it under the bookshelf in a secret compartment of my study. Don’t plead innocence—the mark engraved on it is unmistakably yours!” Magistrate Li’s eyes blazed as he stared intently at Zhang Dian Shi, holding the die up before him.

Zhang Dian Shi took the die and examined it carefully.

Indeed, the die was his, marked with a conspicuous cross pattern. Yet he still protested loudly:

“This die is mine, but it went missing some time ago. Constable Zhao can vouch for me. If you don’t believe me, call him here to ask.”

“Go fetch Constable Zhao,” Magistrate Li ordered.

Taking the die back, he instructed the assistant to summon Zhao.

The assistant nodded and strode out, brushing past Yiheng entering the hall.

“Yiheng, nephew, you’ve come just in time. This man refuses to admit guilt, insisting he’s innocent. What do you think we should do?” Magistrate Li looked at Yiheng helplessly.

Yiheng stepped into the hall steadily, his gaze sharp as a blade as he scrutinized Zhang Dian Shi from head to toe.

Before him stood a man with a stern, resolute face, thick eyebrows framing bright, alert eyes. His physique was burly and powerful, radiating a fierce vigor.

He wore a dark indigo tunic that fitted snugly, accentuating his athletic build, looking particularly neat.

A black leather belt cinched his waist, adorned with a copper badge inscribed with the words “Dian Shi,” which gleamed with a certain authority in the light. He wore black trousers and black boots.

Yiheng narrowed his eyes slightly and subtly leaned closer, sniffing the man.

The scent on him was strikingly similar to that lingering on the die.

Yet Yiheng knew this alone was insufficient to prove he was the thief.

Moreover, the man was shouting innocence at the top of his lungs, his expression full of sorrow and indignation—hardly an act.

Zhang Dian Shi looked at the young man before him with confusion.

He knew this youth hailed from the Pine Valley outside the city, claiming to be the disciple of the Recluse Haoran. Three years ago, after his master fell victim to a demon, the boy left Pine Valley to travel and had only recently returned.

Rumors in town said the boy was exceptionally intelligent and gifted since childhood, having assisted his master in capturing criminals and solving mysteries, earning considerable merit.

Though such tales were often exaggerated, they suggested the youth was no ordinary person.

Zhang Dian Shi thought perhaps this youth could help clear his name. He grabbed Yiheng’s hand earnestly and pleaded, “Brother Yiheng, please help me—I truly did not steal the magistrate’s official seal!”

Yiheng said, “If you are innocent, I will clear your name. Tell me, what were you doing before and after the seal was stolen?”

Zhang Dian Shi scratched the back of his head, pondering a moment. “Let me see… That night, I was drinking at Wu Zhupu’s house, but we got drunk and slept until dawn. We only woke up around noon. You can ask the chief constable—I reported to the county office only at noon that day.”

Yiheng asked, “Chief constable, is this true?”

The chief constable respectfully replied, “Young master, it is indeed as he says.”

“Are these shoes what you wore seven days ago?” Yiheng looked at Zhang Dian Shi’s shoes.

“Yes, they are.”

“Lift your shoe soles so I can see. I found a trail of footprints near the chrysanthemums in the study. I suspect the thief climbed in through the window.”

“I haven’t been near those chrysanthemums—I’m not afraid,” Zhang Dian Shi said frankly, lifting his shoes.

Yiheng found a substantial amount of reddish soil stuck to the soles, closely matching the soil found among the chrysanthemums.

Magistrate Li asked from the side, “Nephew, what do you think?”

“There is indeed reddish soil from the chrysanthemums on his shoes. Whether it’s him or not depends on this die,” Yiheng replied.

“Sir, I have never been near those chrysanthemums. How could there be their soil on my shoes? This is a mistake. Moreover, relying solely on soil and footprints to accuse me is insufficient evidence,” Zhang Dian Shi, sitting on the floor, picked up his shoes and said.

At that moment, the assistant entered with Constable Zhao. “Sir, I have brought Constable Zhao.”

Magistrate Li looked up. “Constable Zhao, tell me—have you recently seen this die?”

Zhao glanced at Zhang Dian Shi kneeling in the hall, then took the die from the magistrate and examined it carefully. “If I’m not mistaken, this is indeed Zhang Dian Shi’s die!”

“When did you last see him use it? Speak truthfully—any falsehood and you will be punished,” Magistrate Li warned.

Zhao scratched his head. “Let me think… A few months ago, I was playing dice with Zhang Dian Shi. He mentioned losing a die, then had a craftsman make him a new pair.”

“Sir, I am truly innocent! Though greedy and fond of gambling, I have never stolen. You know this about me!” Zhang Dian Shi knelt before the magistrate, clutching his ankle.

“If I were to steal anything, it would be money or treasure, not your official seal. What use would I have for it?” he implored.

“Yiheng, what do you suggest?” Magistrate Li furrowed his brows, looking at Yiheng again.

Yiheng put down his teacup. “Since there is no concrete evidence against him for now, I suggest we do not trouble him.”

“Very well, you may step down,” Magistrate Li said, dismissing Zhao and Zhang Dian Shi.

Yiheng asked Zhang Dian Shi, “Do you have any enemies or have you wronged anyone recently?”

Zhang Dian Shi stopped. “I don’t think so, except that I scolded Officer Li seven days ago. Does that count?”

“Alright, I understand,” Yiheng said.

Magistrate Li looked at Yiheng. “Nephew, if it wasn’t Dian Shi who stole the seal, who do you think did? Could it be Officer Li, who might have stolen it out of spite after being scolded, framing Dian Shi?”

“If I were Officer Li and wanted to frame Dian Shi, why hide the seal in his house and have the constable find it? Wouldn’t it be more effective than planting a die and footprints at the scene?”

“Could it be that Dian Shi stole the seal and is crying wolf?”

Yiheng shook his head. “It’s possible, but also not certain. Until we find sufficient evidence, everyone in this county office is a suspect.”

“Can you help me find the real thief? I won’t rest until the seal is recovered,” Magistrate Li said anxiously.

“To find the thief, you must give me time. I’m not a former imperial prosecutor who can solve cases in a day,” Yiheng said, looking to the chief constable. “Please bring me the case files from the interrogation records for review.”

“Yes, young master, I’ll get them at once,” the chief constable said before turning to leave.

At that moment, a melodious voice like a oriole’s song came from outside. “I heard from the county assistant that Brother Yiheng has returned. Where is he?”

Hearing the voice from afar, Yiheng’s face changed drastically, as though he had seen something more terrifying than a demon.

He slipped behind a pillar and looked toward Magistrate Li with a wry smile. “I say, Li Changchong, why is your little ancestor also at home?”