As the bronze gongs of the Chang'an Prefecture Office sounded, Xiaotao clutched the Abacus Bead Pouch and hid behind the Protagonist. The wooden carving of Huwa on her double-bun hair knots trembled violently at the bailiff's stern shout, and the abacus beads bouncing on her apron formed the Chinese character for "tremble." "B-Brother Fan……"
"Don't be afraid," Zhang Yifan gently patted the back of her hand, the abacus beads bouncing into the character for "steady" amidst his sleeves. "Both the abacus beads and Moli are here. Today we will certainly clear your name." Moli brandished a wolf-hair brush as she stood to one side, the abacus beads forming the character for "proof" upon her plain-silk portrait, prompting the onlookers to whisper among themselves: "These abacus beads actually know how to identify the murderer!"
"Who stands in court to accuse Green Ox Lodge?" The magistrate struck the gavel, and the abacus beads immediately bounced into the character for "silence." The masked murderer was escorted forward, and the abacus beads rolled across his bamboo hat into the character for "panic"—he was none other than a waiter from Zuixian Ju. He accused them with a trembling voice: "They poisoned the diners with Hu Han cheese pancakes!"
Chapter 163