In the late afternoon, strong winds blew at the riverfront, making the tavern flags flutter noisily.
Shu Rui squeezed into the crowded dock, looking out over the river as if waiting for a ship to dock.
He was neatly dressed in a yellow silk jacket with a leather belt at his waist. His figure was proportional, neck long; the bright, fitted clothes made him stand out in the crowd. From afar, he looked striking.
He adjusted the bulging purse at his waist, eyes scanning his surroundings.
Having walked from the north to the middle docks, he needed to make the south dock today—otherwise he’d be frustrated.
As he stood uncertain, a lanky man kept moving nearby, looking left and right, eyes fixed subtly but clearly on Shu Rui’s waist.
Shu Rui appeared to gaze at the river, but inwardly he noted the man approaching and the glance fixed on his purse.
He exhaled slowly, raising his arm to shield the sun and stretching slightly on tiptoe to make the pickpocket’s attempt easier to spot.
The wind by the river eased slightly, as if waiting for the moment.
“On such a sunny day, young master, why are you alone? Come with me to Drunken Spring for tea and snacks—you shouldn’t be lonely on such a fine day,” came a slick, seductive voice from behind, punctuated by a long, almost intoxicating inhalation.
Shu Rui’s eyes rolled, lips pursed—truly, in a large city, every kind of scoundrel exists. Turning, he snapped, “Brother, so generous—ever tried the Ministry of Justice’s tea? I can guide you there for a diversion.”
The man’s shoulders shook at Shu Rui’s words, and his lecherous smile vanished.
Startled and embarrassed, he quickly melted into the crowd, muttering to himself about bad luck. Shu Rui scowled—he had thought he’d caught a fish, but instead, a foolish turtle snagged the hook.
A breeze swept by, and Shu Rui instinctively reached for his purse—but it was gone.
He looked down in panic: the purse, once securely tied, was vanished.
Scanning the crowd, he saw a figure sprinting ahead: “Stop! Thief!”
The call caused a commotion at the dock; workers instinctively clutched their own money bags.
In the blink of an eye, the pickpocket vanished like a fish into the river.
“Well, at least I caught a fat one today,” said a nondescript middle-aged man, examining the heavy purse with a pleased grin.
Though not short, the man was slippery as a loach. His hands moved silently, stealing the purse without contact, so the owner remained unaware until it was too late.
Seeing the boy in good clothes and alone, he guessed this was an easy target.
Eagerly, he opened the purse, hoping to find gold, but instead, it contained only a pile of small stones—no gold, not even silver.
“Damn it! He tricked me!”
The man spat angrily. The clerk had indeed anticipated this, using the purse as bait. Luckily, his reflexes were quick—otherwise, he would have suffered a serious loss.
He angrily wanted to throw the purse away, but when he looked up, he saw a young man standing in front of him—handsome and composed, eyes sharp and piercing, with a long sword strapped across his waist, giving off an inexplicable sense of intimidation.
The man’s heart skipped a beat, muttering to himself that this was bad, and he stumbled away as fast as he could…
Shu Rui ran across the dock searching, but he couldn’t find the pickpocket anywhere and ended up panting heavily from exhaustion.
The thief never realized when the purse had been lifted—Lu Ling was still hidden in the shadows, making it even harder to observe.
Shu Rui secretly felt relieved that the purse had only contained stones—losing it wasn’t a big deal—but he couldn’t help worrying. Having inadvertently scared off the thief this time, the next time he’d be far more cautious, making this tactic difficult to use again.
No wonder so many had gone to report him to the authorities, and yet the government had failed to catch him. This thief was truly cunning and skilled.
With such talent, why waste it on theft and sneaky deeds?
Just as Shu Rui’s mind buzzed with annoyance, a handkerchief was suddenly handed to him. He looked up to see Lu Ling, having quietly approached, frowning at him:
“I said just lure him out. Leave the rest to me. Why go to all this trouble?”
Shu Rui’s eyes widened in disbelief. “It’s done?”
Lu Ling nodded, lips pressed together, knowing Shu Rui might not fully trust him.
Shu Rui was overjoyed and grabbed Lu Ling’s arm. “You’re reliable after all! I thought even if I trapped that little street thug, I wouldn’t know when he’d snatch my purse. I was worried he’d be too clever for you to handle.”
Lu Ling glanced at the beaming young master, the corners of his mouth twitching, then said, “Let’s go back.”
“Godmother, you know me well—you know my temper. I just got assigned at the maritime office. To start seeking favors so soon after less than three months on the job would give the seasoned folks in office something to gossip about,” said Dou Zhuang, Madam Zhang’s godson.
“Many people eye positions at the maritime office. In the previous administration, the son of an advisor tried to get in through connections. We, without powerful uncles or patrons, must be cautious—otherwise, others would snatch opportunities away,” he added, frustrated.
Madam Zhang saw Dou Zhuang’s stern expression and spoke with a firm, polite tone, though she felt slightly uncomfortable herself.
The gifts—just a pot of wine and a chicken—weren’t valuable, yet with Yang Chunhua speaking up for the boy, it was courteous to give face. And since she had agreed to pass the message, she wanted to see it done properly; otherwise, it would seem she lacked ability.
With a smile, she continued patiently:
“I treat you like my own child, just as your mother does. Your godmother knows your temperament. If the gift isn’t proper, something ordinary, it won’t satisfy you. I know your work is busy, so I wouldn’t come to disturb your rest.”
“Even if it truly benefits you, if I didn’t make this trip, it would waste your time. I thought it over, and I came to tell you. I don’t wish to upset you—that would be my fault.”
Dou Zhuang’s face softened at her gentle words. Though he wasn’t close with her, he knew his mother liked her, and it would displease her if he offended Madam Zhang.
“I’m not angry at you, godmother. It’s just the work troubles made me irritable. I treat you as close family, so I let my temper show,” Dou Zhuang said.
“What did that person say? So… uncommon?” he asked.
Seeing his mood soften, Madam Zhang leaned in slightly, speaking in a low, secretive tone: “It’s a good gift that will help you at work. Too many people are involved—it’s only proper to tell you directly.”
Dou Zhuang smirked inwardly, curious but wary—he knew the usual tricks people used to seek favors. Yet he was intrigued, and at the same time, his work frustrations made him receptive.
He pondered: seeing the gift wouldn’t hurt. If it was something worthwhile, it could be negotiated; otherwise, he could dismiss it politely.
“I’ll make an exception just for you, godmother. Otherwise, I wouldn’t care for others,” he said.
Madam Zhang was delighted. She spoke warmly for a while longer before cheerfully leaving to send her reply.
That evening, Shu Rui received the news and arranged to meet Dou Zhuang at Madam Zhang’s.
The next day, Dou Zhuang visited during his midday break. Madam Zhang offered fine tea and snacks, making the scene feel almost like entertaining a high-ranking official—definitely intimidating for anyone.
Dou Zhuang saw Shu Rui—tall and slender, plain-faced, simply dressed, looking like an ordinary boy from a modest family—and initially looked down on him. He even adopted a slow, deliberate manner, sipping his tea without meeting Shu Rui’s gaze.
“You’re the one who asked my godmother to arrange this?” he said.
Shu Rui maintained a respectful posture but was confident inside. He was not intimidated by a clerk in his early twenties. With something valuable in hand, he had no need to flatter excessively. He looked Dou Zhuang in the eye and said simply: “Yes, that’s right.”
Dou Zhuang raised an eyebrow, noting the boy spoke with composure despite his youth. His plain appearance belied keen eyes and a confident air.
Ordinary boys from humble families would usually fidget in front of officials, yet this one did not. Dou Zhuang reconsidered, setting down his teacup and softening his stance.
“What is it you need? My work is busy,” he said.
Shu Rui didn’t beat around the bush. He explained his plan: “I prepare soups and meals, hoping to do a small trade at the docks, but I don’t know the ships’ comings and goings. Sometimes I miss the chance and can’t prepare meals in time.”
Dou Zhuang understood immediately. He chuckled lightly: “You’re shrewd. I can’t easily reveal ship schedules; if pirates or thieves knew in advance, they could ambush the cargo ships in the city—what a disaster that would be!”
Shu Rui smiled.
Although leaking cargo information could be risky, the city was a prosperous, fortified port with a strong garrison and dense population. Any criminal would be reckless to act here.
He knew Dou Zhuang wouldn’t lightly divulge information.
“Speaking of thieves,” Shu Rui continued casually, “I’m just a small trader, no skill to disturb the city’s order. I only wish to run my business efficiently. If the pickpocket happens into my brother’s hands, we’ll deliver him to the authorities ourselves—doing the people a small service. But it’s far more practical for a clerk like you to handle him properly.”
Dou Zhuang’s heart leapt. That sly pickpocket had evaded capture for ages, troubling both the maritime office and the authorities. The higher-ups didn’t want to deal with petty matters but had to when citizens complained.
The rogue was too slippery to catch easily, and sending many officers for a simple thief would be costly and embarrassing.
A new clerk like him had been scolded repeatedly.
Now, if he could capture the pickpocket and resolve a bureaucratic headache, no one would dare belittle him again. Thinking of this, Dou Zhuang’s heart swelled with excitement.
He realized that this visitor wasn’t merely seeking favors—he was a benefactor.
Changing from a haughty demeanor to a cooperative one, Dou Zhuang said warmly: “If you really have that ability, I’ll help. Ship movements? That’s an easy matter.”
Shu Rui smiled knowingly.
Madam Zhang hovered in the courtyard, aware something was happening indoors, but wisely kept her distance.
After a while, Shu Rui left first, with Dou Zhuang politely escorting him.
Madam Zhang was surprised—her godson had been proud and rigid just now, but now his face had softened so quickly.
She didn’t press him, simply greeting Shu Rui politely. Once he was gone, she asked Dou Zhuang: “My son, is everything settled?”
Dou Zhuang smiled warmly: “Godmother, from now on, you’re like my own mother.”