Chapter 8: Habitual Thieves Should Be Punished This Way

No.

To Lingbo's surprise, the boy who had just seemed clueless in front of her now spoke with an unusually resolute tone: "My father once said that there are two types of thieves. The first type is destitute and without support; if they do not steal, they will undoubtedly die. Such individuals, if caught, can be forgiven. The second type makes a profession of stealing, living off the wealth of others, and they never know repentance."

As soon as she said this, the crowd was immediately stirred up, and countless people rushed over at once. Since the young girl mentioned that this guy still had a stolen purse on him, who wouldn't want to take advantage of the opportunity to beat a drowning dog while also reaping benefits? Anyone who doesn't is a fool

This sudden turn of events left not only Pei Yuan standing there in shock, without any reaction, but even the trio who had eagerly jumped in to assist were taken aback. The surrounding crowd fell silent in an instant, all reflecting on that "last-minute kick" that had just occurred

Stealing in broad daylight is audacious! According to the customs of our region, thieves must have one hand severed. Would you prefer to have your left hand or your right hand cut off?

If it were another sheltered young lady, she might have fallen victim to someone else's schemes. But who is Ling Bo? From a young age, she was not one to be easily subdued; she often roamed outside, and her honest but simple father could hardly keep her in check. So how could such tricks possibly deceive her? When she saw a thin man in his thirties brush past her and deftly steal the purse containing her money and books, she let out a cold laugh, ready to take action and catch him red-handed. Little did she know, someone was quicker than her.

With a roar, Pei Yuan swiftly grabbed the thin man who had not yet had time to celebrate his success, twisted his arm behind his back, and pressed him to the ground. The weaselly little thief still tried to hold on, but was nearly scared to death by a single remark.

Damn it, I've been in this business for so many years. As long as I can get through today, just wait and see how I will deal with you, you outsider!

As long as that tall and slender fellow leads the way, a broad path will effortlessly open up before her. Moreover, this clumsy young man, whom she has just met, will occasionally turn back, as if afraid that she might fall behind. However, aside from this small consideration, he is completely oblivious to everything else. For instance, when encountering vendors selling the cosmetics that young ladies favor, or those offering a dazzling array of trinkets, he pays them no mind at all, never realizing that these little items could also serve as tokens of apology.

How can this young boy, at such a tender age, be so ruthless and merciless

Ling Bo turned her gaze in the direction of the sound, and this surprise was anything but trivial. She saw the trio she had just encountered in a jewelry shop making their appearance once again, with the one shouting being the young man with a black face holding a feather fan. It was one thing to run into adversaries again, but what left her most incredulous was what the young man with the black face had just called out

The crowd gradually became agitated, and upon seeing Pei Yuan seemingly ready to draw his sword at any moment, Ling Bo felt overwhelmed. This foolish boy had just been easy to talk to; how could he suddenly become so relentless, articulating his points with such conviction? Could it be that she thought others were simple-minded, only to find herself ensnared in her own deception?

Where is the little thief running to

Pei Yuan did not expect the trio to suddenly appear at this moment, causing his right hand, which was firmly gripping the thief's hand, to loosen involuntarily. This unexpected turn of events filled the thin man with great joy; he forcefully broke free and dashed towards the plump target who resembled a wealthy young lady. He had calculated everything perfectly; even if someone were to chase after him, as long as he had a hostage in hand, what was there to fear?

He raised the thin man's hand high and said emphatically: "Although this fellow is thin, he wears a gold ring on his finger and has the smell of meat on him. If he weren't a habitual thief, how could he eat his fill every day? Moreover, look at how strong his index and middle fingers are; he is clearly an experienced hand in this trade, and who knows how many people's wealth he has stolen. If we do not cut off this wicked hand of his, I fear that even more of our fellow villagers will fall victim!"

It seems I guessed wrong; how could he possibly resemble a prisoner exiled to the Northern Frontier Protectorate? Instead, he looks more like a ruthless bandit from https://www.hetushu.com

Although someone had cleared the way, she was still being noticed by others. Today, she did not wear her usual male attire; instead, she donned a stone blue padded robe, covered by a lotus green brocade cloak, and adorned her head with several pieces of jewelry, resembling a plump sheep. As she walked, someone approached her from the side, clearly with intentions beyond mere drunkenness.

However, just as he was about to reach out to grasp that charming face, which bore both a smile and a pout, a shadow suddenly loomed closer. Before he could react, a searing pain shot through his face, and he was sent flying backward. In the fleeting moments of his remaining consciousness, he barely discerned the weapon—it was not a knife, sword, or club, but a foot clad in soft-soled brocade boots. The next moment, he rolled his eyes and fainted.

My young master? This foolish Pei Yuan actually turns out to be quite a person of significance

Taking advantage of the moment, Ling Bo took a few steps forward, crouched down, and retrieved his money pouch from the unconscious little thief. He also rummaged through it vigorously, then stood up and smiled as he clasped his hands together, saying: "Esteemed elders and fellow villagers, my cousin has just come from the countryside and is unfamiliar with the law. The talk of cutting off hands was merely a joke. I have already taught this little thief a lesson. Judging by his demeanor, he is likely a habitual thief. I just felt other money pouches on him, which must have been stolen from all of you! I kindly ask everyone to retrieve your lost belongings and assist in handing him over to the authorities. I have expressed my gratitude here!"

Through the recent negotiation, Ling Bo could not help but think that Pei Yuan was inexperienced and knew nothing. At this moment, seeing him with a serious expression, even displaying a hint of genuine authority, she was momentarily taken aback. Observing him gripping one hand of the little thief while the other hand held a curved dagger at his waist, as if he could strike at any moment and it was completely justified, she couldn't help but feel even more puzzled.

At that moment, a sudden roar came from beside me: "Which blind little thief dares to steal my young master's belongings!"

This voice is truly too loud; even though the crowd of onlookers is shouting, it does not in the slightest diminish such a sound

In a bustling market, catching a thief is a common occurrence, so the onlookers initially intended to merely watch the commotion. However, when they saw Pei Yuan actually draw a knife, they were all left in shock

Just as she was filled with uncertainty, Pei Yuan's right hand suddenly moved, and the curved blade at his waist was drawn out with a flash of cold light. This caused an uproar all around, and the thin man instantly collapsed to the ground, stammering in a plea for mercy: "Young Master... please spare my life, I... I will never dare to do it again!"

In the bustling South City, moving quickly is a challenging task. However, with Pei Yuan clearing the way, Ling Bo immediately experienced what it means to be invincible.

Upon hearing this call, it was unclear who shouted a loud "good" word, and thus the applause rose and fell in waves. Even many who had previously lost items in the South Market vented their grievances on this unfortunate little thief. People said it was quite commendable; stealing once to survive could be excused, but habitual thieves should have that thieving hand chopped off

Taking advantage of the chaos in the crowd, Ling Bo quickly grabbed Pei Yuan's hand and made a swift escape in the opposite direction. The young man with the dark face never expected that his loyal rescue mission would be thwarted halfway, leaving him dumbfounded. It was only when he saw his two brothers hurriedly chasing after them that he shivered and hurriedly followed suit

Oh my, just now he merely attempted to take advantage and was dealt a harsh blow to the back of his hand. That little thief is truly unfortunate; I fear that when he is taken to the authorities, he will not only lose half his life but also likely have his pants stripped off! Are all the young women of the Central Plains as ruthless as that seemingly refined light beauty?

Seeing that the young man was serious, Ling Bo also became flustered. This was Luoyang, not Tingzhou; even if one caught a thief on the street, using such private punishment would lead to trouble! Thinking of this, she had no choice but to grab Pei Yuan's right hand holding the knife and said, "Xiao Pei, since he didn't steal anything, you can either teach him a lesson, but you must not cut off his hand."