act19mini

Oh, wow... Now that's a pretty stone.

Ooh, it's got such a beautiful pattern, and it's really smooth. If I carve it a bit, I might be able to sell it at the market for a good price...

Say, my young friend, could you give that stone back to me?

Back to you? I found this stone in the river, what do you mean, back to you?

It's a stone I wanted to add to my garden that took me quite a lot of effort to find. I accidentally left it here as I was returning back.

If you give it back to me, then when my garden is restored, you can play there. How does that sound?

No, no, no. It's yours just because you said it's yours? I saw the stone here, and I picked it up first. That means it's mine.

*sigh* Such an unreasonable little rascal...

Alright, then how about this? I'll trade you some other treasure for that stone.

Name your price. Anything for the stone.

Really...? Then I want a hundred, no, a thousand...?

Forget hundreds or thousands. Millions, billions, enough fame and fortune to sustain you until you're old and gray will be yours, just like that.

You...

Do we have a deal?

No, no, no, the answer's still no.

People are always trying to take advantage. If you're okay with paying <i>that</i> much for this stone, it means it must be worth way more than that.

So I'll take real good care of it. I want to see what makes this stone so special.

What a clever little one...

Very well, I'm in no hurry.

When you change your mind, I'll come find you to buy that stone.

Ridiculous... Absolutely ridiculous!

The old man's making trouble even on his deathbed!

Don't say that, brother. Dad's condition is getting worse by the day, and soon...

We haven't had the time to be the most filial children. He only has the one final wish, and we should do our best to make him happy.

Our sister's words are much kinder than yours, little brother.

Filial piety is the greatest of virtues. You might be rich now, but do not forget your roots.

Yes, yes, yes, the two of you speak so highly of filial piety, but who was it who actually took care of him when he became ill?

Calling in everyone because of a lost stone. If I went to Baizao to report it, the Judicial Review Office would have me locked up for obstructing official business. What am I supposed to do, huh?

Besides... Have we ever had such a stone in our house before?

Who knows? As the second young master of this family, surely you are the most aware of how many properties we own?

Me? Pah! Stop trying to act all high and mighty.

You've never come home once these past few years, then the moment Dad got ill, you came running back like a dutiful son. Who do you think you're trying to fool?

Alright, enough arguing. If you can't help, then don't cause trouble, okay?

That Tianshi has only just arrived. Let's wait for her to find that stone for us.

Master, this is a Tianshi from the Tianshi Bureaus, and a former deputy minister at the Judicial Review Office.

She is here to help you find that stone. Are you willing to tell her about what happened to that treasure of yours?

...Hmph...

There's barely any devotion in those children of mine...

Tell them that, if my stone is not found, they will not be seeing a single <i>fen</i> of my money.

Whomsoever finds that stone for me, I shall bestow upon them half my estates.

So you are the venerable Mr. Wan.

What sort of stone is it that you lost?

It is a stone I plucked from the river when I was young, one unique across all of Terra.

What I meant was, what sort of treasure was this stone? Was it jade, or some other precious mineral?

Neither... It was merely an ordinary stone.

Then do you know who would desire this stone?

I do... but the one who desires it would never steal it...

Who is it? And how do you know—

Qingyan has many more questions she wishes to ask, but the old man on the bed turns his head away, unwilling to speak another word.

Where was this stone normally kept? When was the last time the residents saw it, and at what hour?

It is normally within a small box the master had specially made, which was hidden in the deepest storeroom in the house.

The evening before last, I was cleaning that storeroom, and everything was as it should. The next morning, I found the box smashed against the ground, and the stone inside gone...

Can I trouble you to show me where the stone was lost?

Come, come, please, come in! Today, I have prepared some meager wine, so as to offer you my deepest gratitude. If you are unsatisfied, please, I beg your forgiveness!

Congratulations on your new home, good sir! May your fortunes and profits be grand! Here, a fowlbeast from the family coop, along with two baskets of eggs—

We're from the same clan and generation, cousin. We might not have been close in the past, but why be strangers now? Please, call me Brother Wan.

Alright then... Brother Wan! Then take these as well. Shoes my mother worked on through the night. Please, don't mind how they look.

She says she knows how much you've rushed about doing business these past few years, crossing hill and stream. The boots you buy in town might be sturdy, but they can't beat the comfort of homemade shoes.

Once I've settled down, I will definitely go to visit Auntie. When my home was washed away by a deluge when I was young, she trekked several hundred <i>li</i> to give me two sacks of millet, despite her bad back... I never forgot.

*sigh* All you had left was a single stone. The adults thought you didn't have long to live, but nobody could've expected you were tougher than rock! You're really something, making it through all that!

You made a living with your own two hands, enduring a life of hardship without complaint. You crawled your way out of the backwater, started up a business, gotten married... You've got my respect!

It's all just luck, really...

But since I was forced into such a situation, not charging headlong into the future wasn't an option. I couldn't just lay down and die, could I? I'm truly lucky to have grasped my life back. I can hardly give up now.

The youth holds his hand to his chest, his fingers clenched tight around the stone hanging at his neck.

Now please, sit! If we keep chatting, the braised hock will all be gone!

No rush, everyone, there are plenty of seats for all—Heaven above, is it really you?!

Yes, it's me. I've come again.

It's been quite a while. What're you here for today? Surely not to try and buy this stone again?

You're on the mark, I'm afraid.

Since you've already settled down, started both a family and a business... Are you willing to give me that stone now?

Naturally, the answer is... still no!

Putting aside the fact that this stone has saved my life, just wearing it to bed lets me sleep easy.

It's my lucky charm, so how could I give it to you? It simply will not do. Just give up already.

Very well then.

Huh? You're actually giving up?

No, of course not.

I still dearly adore that stone, but I cannot seize that which another loves.

I shall wait once more, wait until you wish to put it down, at which time I shall take it away.

This is the storeroom where valuable assets are kept?

Yes, the master kept his important account books and deeds here. Not just anyone is allowed in.

Did anyone enter on the night the stone was lost?

Unfortunately, there was a torrential downpour that night. If I remember correctly, I never saw a light turn on in this storeroom, nor did I hear any sound coming from it.

Who normally has access to this room?

There are altogether four copies of the key to the room and the cabinets. The master's three children each have a copy, while I keep the master's copy in his stead.

But the stone's box has its own key. The master keeps the only copy on his person at all times.

And the box was kept on top of that standing cabinet?

The master normally does not allow others to touch the stone. After becoming bedridden a few years ago, he has not had the time to fiddle with it either, so it has been placed somewhere out of the way.

Account books, deeds... Someone who knows what these are worth...

If a thief came in from outside, would they have sneaked over here? This residence has many more valuables that would have caught their eye.

Pardon, did you say something?

Nothing, just thinking about a case I was recently looking into, but I doubt it has any relevance to this.

Right, there's something I'd like to ask. Master Wan's three children, what sort of people are they?

Well...

No matter what may have happened, I am merely a butler. It would be inappropriate for me to discuss the young masters' and young mistress's affairs...

Please, be at ease. I am not asking you to judge them as people, but rather simply asking what their day-to-day work is, and under what circumstances they come to visit Master Wan. That is all.

This is for the sake of your master's final wish. You may speak freely.

*sigh*...

When it comes to the master's three children, if you were to only look at their achievements, they would all show great promise.

The elder young master, oldest of them all, is a scholar. He has always boasted impressive grades, and currently holds a post at the Academy.

The second child, the younger young master, took after his father, and has recently brought much custom to the family businesses.