Lord Magistrate Yu Chenglong, while inspecting Gaoyou one day, happened upon a case: the wedding trousseau of a wealthy family's daughter, exquisitely rich, had been stolen by robbers in the dead of night. The prefect was at a loss, the culprit still unfound. Upon learning the details, Yu Chenglong ordered the city gates sealed shut, leaving only one passage open for entry and exit. He then commanded the populace to remain indoors and await official searches. Afterward, he instructed his subordinates, "Post guards at the gate. Should anyone enter and exit repeatedly, back and forth, that person is the thief. Do not hesitate; seize them at once."

At noon, the subordinates brought in two men, their hands empty, no bundles in sight. Yu Chenglong declared, "These are the thieves." The two argued vehemently, refusing to confess. Yu Chenglong ordered them searched. When their outer robes were removed, the hidden splendor of embroidered women's garments was revealed underneath—the very stolen goods. It turned out the two, upon hearing of the massive search, had urgently tried to move the loot, but the sheer quantity made it difficult to carry, so they hid pieces beneath their clothes, entering and exiting repeatedly.

On another occasion, Yu Chenglong, having been appointed magistrate of Guangxi, was visiting a neighboring county. Passing outside the city gates one morning, he suddenly saw two men carrying a wooden bed, **upon which lay a woman with her dark hair exposed, a phoenix hairpin adorning her head. The woman lay on her side, eyes closed in deep slumber, followed by three or four strong male servants who occasionally reached under the quilt, tightening the bedding as if terrified the morning breeze might chill their mistress.

Shortly after, the procession rested by the roadside. When they resumed their journey, two different men took up the task of carrying the bed. Yu Chenglong stepped forward to inquire, and the reply came: "Our sister is critically ill; we are taking her back to her husband's home." With that, they hurried away.

Yu Chenglong felt increasingly uneasy. He secretly ordered his yamen runners to tail them discreetly and observe. The runners obeyed and soon returned with a report: the group had reached a village where two men came out to greet them. They then entered a courtyard, and no further movement was observed.

Yu Chenglong nodded, proceeded to the local magistrate's office, and inquired, "Has there been any robbery in the city?" The magistrate's face subtly changed, and he laughed, "None, absolutely none." At that time, oversight was strict, and many officials, eager for good performance reports, would conceal robberies under their jurisdiction.

Hearing this, Yu Chenglong remained impassive. He then settled into the post house and secretly sent men out to gather information. After some investigation, he confirmed that a wealthy household in the area had indeed been robbed, and the owners' parents had suffered agonizing torture, leading to their deaths. Yu Chenglong sought out the surviving owner and asked about the case, but the owner hesitated, refusing to admit anything. Yu Chenglong stated, "I have already apprehended the ringleaders. Confess the truth, and justice will surely be served." Hearing this, the owner burst into tears, recounting the entire ordeal and begging Yu to punish the culprits severely.

Yu Chenglong agreed. He visited the magistrate again, requesting that he dispatch troops to capture the thieves. In the dead of night, a troop of yamen runners, swords drawn, set out for the village, broke down the doors, and swept up all eight culprits in one net. After interrogation, they confessed without denial.

Yu Chenglong then asked, "**Who was that woman on the bed?" The reply was: "She is a courtesan from the city. After the robbery that night, we went to the brothel to celebrate. We colluded with the courtesan, placing the money with her, asking her to feign illness and keep it safe, devising a way to bring it to our hideout. After the deed was done, we promised her a share."

The truth laid bare, everyone admired Lord Yu boundlessly and asked, "My Lord, how did you know these men were the murderers?" Yu Chenglong smiled, "This is easy to understand. Imagine, what respectable woman would lie in bed while men reached under the covers? Furthermore, the constant changing of the carriers implied the wooden bed was heavy, meaning something valuable was surely concealed inside. The repeated action of tightening the quilt was clearly to prevent any item from slipping out. Finally, if it were truly a sister taken to her husband’s home while sick, female companions would surely come out to attend to her. Yet, why were only two men seen, and why did they appear so composed, not even asking about the patient’s condition? This was suspicious. Therefore, this group could not be good people; they had to be bandits."