Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity
Chapter 136 - 61: Catching the Thief

Chapter 136: Chapter 61: Catching the Thief

At this moment, the man in the courtyard seemed to hear voices from the main house, becoming even more anxious. If someone were to come out and discover him, he wouldn’t be able to escape even if he had wings. Pressing his palms on the ground, he tried to get up, but his legs just wouldn’t muster the strength.

"What? Then I need to grab a weapon." Mr. Gu rummaged around the room and finally found a wrist-thick stick in the corner. Mr. Gu strode forward, grabbed the stick, and turned back to Gu Chengyu, saying, "You stay inside and don’t come out. Watch over your mother and the others. Remember, no matter what you hear, don’t come out!"

"Dad! Did you forget I know martial arts? Don’t worry, the guy outside won’t get away. If you head out, you’ll surely catch him." At this point, Gu Chengyu realized that his father had forgotten about his skills. Since his father wanted to go out, there was no need to stop him anyway; the person outside had no weapon and was immobile on the ground, unlikely to pose a threat.

Only then did Mr. Gu remember his son’s abilities, and given that so much time had passed without the thief hearing their conversation, he was either gone or Xiao Bao had found a way to restrain him.

Mr. Gu then quickly pulled open the door latch and looked out into the courtyard.

The struggling shadow in the courtyard froze at this moment, exclaiming inwardly, It’s over! I’ve been discovered.

Under the silvery moonlight, Mr. Gu discovered a shadow sitting in the courtyard, seemingly having fallen and trying to get up. Just one look and there was no need for guesses; that was surely the thief, a great opportunity not to be missed.

Raising his arm and swinging the stick, he charged at the shadow. Seeing someone rush out of the house with something like a stick in hand, the shadow was scared out of his wits. Before he knew it, that figure was right in front of him in a flash.

The shadow only felt a heavy thump from a stick, and cried out in pain, "Ouch!"

At this moment, the nearest window to the courtyard was that of Gu Chengyi’s room. Hearing the commotion, he called out through the window, "Who’s there?"

Mr. Gu couldn’t afford to answer, only continued swinging the stick despite the shadow’s cries of pain, hitting several more times before gradually stopping.

"Hey! Uncle, stop hitting! You’re going to beat me to death! Stop, it hurts so much! Ouch!" The shadow couldn’t bear the pain anymore and had to beg for mercy.

Afraid his father would harm the person, Gu Chengyu ran out of the house and shouted towards the west wing, "Second Brother! Come quick, there’s a thief in our house!"

"What?" Followed by a crash of something falling. Upon hearing there was a thief, Gu Chengyi quickly got off the kang, pulled open the door latch, and entered the yard. Seeing two shadows in the courtyard, he immediately rushed forward.

"Second, go get a rope, let’s tie this despicable thief up!" Mr. Gu panted, catching his breath after exerting himself.

"Hey? Hey? Don’t tie me up! I’m not a thief, uncle, it’s me!" The shadow, fearing another beating, raised his hands and pleaded.

"Old man, what’s going on out there?" Mrs. Lv, startled by the noise outside, felt around her to find it empty. Hearing Mr. Gu’s voice in the courtyard, she asked.

"Mom! There’s a thief in our house, but Dad and Second Brother have caught him." Gu Chengyu returned to the kang, comforting Mrs. Lv.

"What? Then why are you up? You didn’t run into the thief, did you?" Mrs. Lv, using the moonlight shining in from the door, pulled Gu Chengyu up and felt him all over.

"Mom! I’m fine, Dad and the others have caught the person. Let’s light a lamp now; it’s pitch black, and they can’t see clearly." Although Gu Chengyu could see at night, Mr. Gu and the others couldn’t. Gu Family’s oil lamps were barely brighter than fireflies.

Upon hearing Gu Chengyu, Mrs. Lv was relieved he was unhurt. She got off the kang, found the fire fold nearby, and lit the oil lamp on the cabinet by the kang.

"Dad! I’ve got the rope, let’s tie him up first." Despite hearing the thief calling him uncle, Gu Chengyi was unmoved. Even if it was someone they knew, he shouldn’t have come to steal.

Mr. Gu and Gu Chengyi firmly tied the whining thief’s hands behind his back, wrapping him up securely with three loops.

"Alright! Go wake your older brother." Mr. Gu instructed. Having caught the thief, it was time to call the family’s men to discuss what to do with him.

Actually, the noise earlier had already awakened Gu Chengli and Gu Chenglian, even the eastern wing had its lights on.

"Dad, what happened?" Mrs. Fang, holding an oil lamp, unbolted the door and asked Mr. Gu in the yard.

"Dad, why so much noise?" The three of Gu Chengli came rushing from the back wing.

"Humph! Our house has been targeted, and a thief got in. Eldest, you take this thief inside for questioning." Mr. Gu, feeling a bit tired after the exertion, said, then led the way into the main room with the stick.

Mrs. Fang turned back to the sister-in-law on the kang, saying she’d go to the main house since they caught the thief. No need for her to join; she might as well sleep.

Gu Xi, upon hearing this, stayed put. Mainly because she had pleaded with her in-laws at the Wang Family earlier in the day and walked back home. Knowing Mr. Gu had promised to help, the tension in her heart finally eased. At this point, she indeed felt exhausted, and since they caught the thief, she avoided the commotion. Besides, tomorrow she’d face a tough battle with her father back at her in-laws’.

Mrs. Fang bypassed the eastern wing, reaching the back wing where Da Ya and others slept soundly. Content with this, she left. The little ones slept deeply, were not easily awakened, and were likely tired from the day’s work, so she let them sleep.

Gu Chengli and others tried to pull the thief up to take him inside, but as soon as they exerted any force, the thief started wailing, "Ouch! It hurts! Can’t walk."

Gu Chengli and the others thought the thief was playing tricks and stubbornly refused to enter the main room, so they pulled with all their strength. Yet despite the cries, the thief wouldn’t budge in the slightest.

Gu Chengyu snorted beside him, knowing he had used moderate force. Just hitting the nerves for several hours of pain!

In the end, Gu Chengli and the others had no choice but to support the thief into the main room.

"Oh! Why bring him in?" Mrs. Lv exclaimed, seeing a man not very tall, with a piece of black cloth covering his face.

"Mom? What are you all up to?" Gu Wan, sleeping in the inner room, usually didn’t close the door. Only a curtain separated her, and she had heard the commotion. Rubbing her eyes, yawning, Gu Wan lifted the curtain and stepped out.

"Nothing! Go back to sleep!" Mrs. Lv stepped forward, pulling her daughter back into the inner room. Gu Chengyu didn’t explain either, as girls tend to scare easily.