When Kong Qingyuan learned that the secret chamber was now reduced to mere rubble, his body swayed, and he nearly collapsed.
He immediately roared, "To the treasury, now!"
But then he changed his mind. "No—everyone stays here. Send other guards to the treasury instead."
The study contained important letters and rare manuscripts—they couldn’t afford to lose those too.
After the incident in the study, the entire Kong residence erupted into chaos.
Ye Chutang quickly made her way to the study to observe the commotion.
Qi Yanzhou’s men followed closely behind.
Upon hearing that the study had been robbed, he stopped watching Ye Chutang and immediately headed for the treasury.
Once Ye Chutang confirmed that her watchers had left, she sprang into action.
Did Kong Qingyuan really think guarding the study would stop her from emptying it?
How naive!
She retrieved a homemade Molotov cocktail from her spatial storage, lit the cloth at its neck, and hurled it at the window.
With a loud bang, the glass shattered, spilling gasoline across the window and floor, which the burning cloth promptly ignited.
"Assassins! Protect the master!"
"Fire! Put it out!"
Ye Chutang threw one Molotov after another, changing positions each time.
Soon, the study was completely engulfed in flames.
The fire spread from the outside inward.
Forced to flee the study, Kong Qingyuan’s face was ashen, though a trace of relief flickered beneath his fury.
Better burned than stolen!
But in the next instant, he spotted a shadowy figure near the bookshelves.
The flames distorted the air, blurring the figure’s outline.
Yet he could see that wherever the shadow passed, the bookshelves—and the books upon them—vanished.
"The 'Ghost Thief' is in the study! Capture him!"
The guards hesitated before the roaring inferno.
"Master, the fire is too intense. The beams could collapse any moment—we can’t go in!"
Besides, the "Ghost Thief" wasn’t even human. How were they supposed to catch him?
Entering the study now would be suicide!
Kong Qingyuan’s head throbbed as if it might split open. "Send the steward to report this to the authorities. The rest of you, come with me to the treasury!"
He refused to believe that with everyone watching the treasury, anything could still be stolen.
Seeing the Kong family’s guards all diverted to the treasury, Ye Chutang began looting the other courtyards.
She repeated the same tactic—splashing gasoline, igniting it, forcing the occupants out, and then emptying the place.
She didn’t move methodically but chose courtyards at random, leaving the Kong family scrambling to predict her next move.
Soon, the entire estate was ablaze, with only the front courtyard and treasury untouched.
Under the flickering firelight, Kong Qingyuan’s contorted face resembled a demon’s.
"Guard the treasury at all costs! Anyone who captures the 'Ghost Thief' will be rewarded ten thousand gold!"
Unlikely, but what if?
Even if they couldn’t catch him, scaring him off would be enough.
The Kong family had stood in the capital for over a century, weathering ups and downs, but their accumulated wealth was no small sum.
Seeing how fiercely the Kongs protected the treasury, Ye Chutang knew it held something valuable.
It would be a disgrace to the "Ghost Thief" name if she didn’t empty it.
"Another day of high expenses!"
No sooner had she spoken than the entire treasury suddenly lurched upward, shaking violently.
As dirt rained down, a hidden chamber half the size of the treasury came into view.
The guards inside were thrown into disarray, struggling to stay on their feet.
Those outside watched in stunned horror.
Then, with a thunderous crash, the treasury and its hidden chamber plummeted back down.
"Ah—!"
Someone’s terrified scream snapped the onlookers out of their daze.
Before them gaped a bottomless pit, perfectly matching the treasury’s dimensions.
"The 'Ghost Thief' isn’t human at all—this is terrifying!"
Even Kong Qingyuan recoiled, taking an involuntary step back.
With power to shake heaven and earth, the "Ghost Thief" would surely take everything the Kongs had amassed over a century.
"What do we do now, Master?" a guard asked.
Kong Qingyuan had no answer.
Staring into the pitch-black abyss, he didn’t even know how to begin filling it.
Meanwhile, Ye Chutang had already tunneled into the treasury.
The chamber had sunk deep into the earth, plunging it into darkness.
Panicked guards clambered onto the roof, screaming for help.
Their cries echoed through the confined space like howling ghosts.
Wearing night-vision goggles, Ye Chutang moved effortlessly among the terrified guards, quietly collecting their riches.
Suddenly, someone noticed a chest vanishing before their eyes.
"Gh—Ghost Thief! He’s here!"
Chaos erupted as the guards shrank into corners, too frightened to confront the unseen thief.
Soon, the treasury was empty.
Ye Chutang nearly laughed aloud at how easy it had been.
After stripping the treasury and its hidden chamber bare, she used her abilities to lift the structure back into place.
When the authorities arrived, they refused to believe the massive building could have risen and fallen like some mythical beast.
After leaving the Kong estate, Ye Chutang slipped into a secluded spot and entered her spatial storage.
She quickly organized her spoils before retrieving a wooden box from the An Manor’s belongings.
Inside lay deeds to all of An Manor’s properties—lands, farms, houses, and shops.
Though she couldn’t exchange these papers for money, she could certainly loot the shops themselves!
With the curfew still hours away, Ye Chutang headed to a teahouse to enjoy an opera.
The play was a tired tale of neglected wives and faithless husbands.
Bored, she focused on the tea and snacks instead.
As curfew approached, she rose to leave.
Just outside, she encountered a group of young nobles spilling out of a nearby tavern.
"Jingning, don’t forget the plum mountain hunt tomorrow."
"After five years, your archery must be even sharper."
"If you bag something good, do we all get a share?"
Song Jingning’s bright, carefree voice answered, "Of course—plenty for everyone."
Then his gaze landed on Ye Chutang by the teahouse entrance.
His eyes widened in shock.
Dressed in a dark gauzy gown with a black veil covering her face, only her eyes were visible—brimming with the glow of lanterns.
The teahouse’s light gilded her outer robe with gold.
Seeing Song Jingning surrounded by his peers, Ye Chutang recalled Song Zhiyan’s words:
"The resemblance… it’s uncanny."
At the time, she’d doubted their eyes could be so similar. But now, face to face, she understood.
Ye Chutang recovered first and gave a slight nod.
"To think a casual outing for tea would bring me face-to-face with the illustrious 'Moonlit Prince.' I am Ye Chutang—an honor."
They were strangers, and no greeting was necessary. Yet an inexplicable urge told her she had to know him.
As if failing to do so would mean losing something irreplaceable.
Song Jingning quickly composed himself and returned a gentlemanly bow.
"Miss Ye, forgive my rudeness just now."
Staring so openly at a lady was hardly proper.
But how could he help it? Seeing eyes so like his own had stunned him speechless.
Gazing at Song Jingning’s radiant grace, a cliché phrase surfaced in Ye Chutang’s mind:
A peerless gentleman.
Playfully, she said, "Since the Moonlit Prince has erred, shouldn’t he make amends?"
Her unexpected demand drew a laugh from him.
"Naturally. What would Miss Ye have me do?"
"Take me to the plum mountain hunt tomorrow."
"If Miss Ye can ride a horse, then let us meet at the city gates at dawn tomorrow."
