The news of the thieves being caught quickly spread throughout the village. As the villagers were having their dinner, they picked up their bowls and rushed towards the ancestral hall, eager to witness the freshest and most exciting spectacle.
Qin Yao led Liu Yang and the others to the open area in front of the ancestral hall but didn't open its doors, lest the thieves defile it.
The sky had already darkened. Torches were lit, illuminating the open space brightly.
The two thieves, with their hands and feet bound and strung up like wild boars on a wooden rack, suddenly awoke amidst the commotion, only to be met with a wave of spittle from the villagers.
The two tried to speak but realized their mouths were tightly stuffed with straw, rendering them voiceless.
Standing on the steps of the ancestral hall, Qin Yao promptly pronounced them guilty of theft.
