Volume One, Chapter 29: My Stone Is Worth This Price!

Luzhou Prefecture, within the Zhao Residence.

"Mother! I want the kind of stone that can speak! I want it!"

Zhao Wan’er sobbed, her tears falling like petals from a pear blossom, her small fists pounding the polished pearwood desk, producing muffled thuds.

Lady Wang could only look helplessly at her beloved daughter, whom she cherished as a pearl in her palm. She spoke softly, "Wan’er, be good. I’ve already sent people to search for it. We’ve nearly turned the whole city upside down, but..."

"I don’t care! I don’t care!" Zhao Wan’er shrieked, her crying intensifying. "Even that country bumpkin Zhang Jingzhu has one! I’m the daughter of a dignified county magistrate, why don’t I? How is that fair!"

Lady Wang’s temples throbbed painfully; she felt a splitting headache. Her darling daughter had always gotten whatever she wished for, and they had always found ways to satisfy her whims. Yet this time, she truly could not find this so-called ‘talking stone.’

Meanwhile, at the Liu Residence.

Since returning from the county magistrate’s banquet, Liu Ming seemed to have lost his very soul. The mischievous energy he once possessed had vanished; now he clung to his father, Magistrate Liu, weeping snot and tears: "My stone with the Monkey King painted on it! I want the Great Sage Equal to Heaven! Father, please find it for me!"

Magistrate Liu was driven nearly mad by his son. The authority he wielded in the yamen was utterly useless in front of his child.

"Alright, alright, my little ancestor! Father will find it for you, I’ll send someone to fetch it right away, isn’t that enough?"

Similar scenes unfolded almost simultaneously at the Sun Residence, the Qian Residence, and other wealthy households. Each family's lords and ladies were tormented to distraction by their precious children.

Rare treasures and delicacies had never sparked much interest in these little masters and misses. Now, over a few stones painted with pictures, they had become utterly obsessed!

This left the parents both exasperated and privately curious. What sort of magic did these stones possess, to so firmly capture the children’s hearts?

Thus, each household sent their servants out, armed with heavy purses, scouring the city for clues.

At "Curio Pavilion," the largest toy shop in Luzhou Prefecture, the shopkeeper shook his head like a rattle: "Painted Monkey King on a stone? Sir, surely you jest? I’ve run this shop for decades and never heard of such a thing!"

Down at the antique market in the southern part of town, the stall owners were equally bewildered: "Paintings on stones, with stories attached? Sir, you must be making fun of us!"

Even the peddlers who wandered the streets with rattles, collecting old goods, were stopped and questioned thoroughly by the servants from various residences.

Naturally, they found nothing.

Occasionally, the servants returned with ordinary paintings on paper or silk, or with piles of regular stones—some smooth and round river pebbles, but none adorned with paintings, and none that told the tale of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

As expected, this only made the young masters and misses cry even harder. For a time, every household was in turmoil, chickens and dogs in chaos, and peace was nowhere to be found.

The lords and ladies suffered splitting headaches, while the failing servants cowered in fear, terrified that their masters’ wrath would fall upon them.

Amidst this city-wide commotion, at the back gate of the Zhang Residence—

Chen Zhonghe stood anxiously outside, carrying a basket of carefully selected river pebbles, waiting for Steward Ren.

Steward Ren sighed gently as he saw Chen Zhonghe.

"Brother Chen, I’ll buy these stones at the usual price. But..."

He drew a few extra copper coins from his pocket and pressed them into Chen Zhonghe’s hand.

"This is the last time."

"The estate’s path is fully repaired; we won’t need any more stones. I’m giving you a bit more this time for Pingchuan’s sake."

"From now on, don’t bring any more stones, understand?"

Though Chen Zhonghe had prepared himself for this, hearing those words sent his heart plunging into an abyss.

The family’s last hope was gone.

He opened his cracked lips, wanting to speak, but not a single word came forth.

Despair surged in from every direction, drowning him.

Just then, a small figure peeked out from the back gate.

"Father!"

It was Chen Pingchuan.

He had slipped out under the pretense of fetching water for Zhang Jinbao.

At the sight of his son, a faint glimmer returned to Chen Zhonghe’s once lifeless eyes.

"Pingchuan..."

His voice was choked, his eyes reddening.

Chen Pingchuan, seeing this, hurriedly led his father to a quiet corner by the wall.

He glanced around warily, ensuring no one was near, then lowered his voice.

"Father, has something happened at home again?"

Chen Zhonghe could no longer hold back.

He poured out everything—the relatives who had harassed them again, scraping away two taels of silver, and now even this stone-picking livelihood was cut off.

As he recounted his woes, this honest and hard-working man wiped his tears, his tall frame trembling.

It’s said men do not easily cry; Chen Pingchuan knew it was because his father was overwhelmed with grief and despair.

"Pingchuan... it’s because your father is useless..." His voice shook, laden with guilt. "Your mother’s illness... still hasn’t improved, and now there’s no income at all... Those people at home... they’re simply not human!"

Chen Zhonghe could not continue.

Chen Pingchuan listened to his father’s broken sobs, fury boiling in his heart, his gaze turning cold.

But outwardly, he remained calm. He stretched out his small hand, gently patting his father’s broad, sturdy shoulder.

"Father, don’t worry. Heaven always leaves a path."

"Your son has a way!"

His voice was quiet but carried a reassuring strength.

He carefully took out a tightly wrapped bundle from his clothes.

Layer by layer, he unwrapped it, revealing over thirty river pebbles of various sizes lying on the rough fabric.

Each one was vividly painted, adorned with bright colors and lifelike images.

Sun Wukong, brandishing the golden staff with an unruly expression;

Pigsy, rotund and endearing;

Sandy, carrying his load, honest and loyal;

And Tang Sanzang, dignified and compassionate...

These were the masterpieces Chen Pingchuan had secretly painted during deep, quiet nights, using Zhang Jingzhu’s pigments—each themed after "Journey to the West."

Every pebble bore the mark of his painstaking effort.

"Father," Chen Pingchuan picked up a stone painted with 'Sun Wukong Havoc in Heaven,' holding it before his father’s deeply lined eyes.

"Take these stones to the city market and sell them."

Chen Zhonghe stared blankly at the vibrant, finely painted stone in his son’s hand, momentarily lost.

Sell stones once again?

"Remember, Father," Chen Pingchuan’s voice was calm and confident.

"Each one must sell for no less than a tael of silver!"

Chen Zhonghe’s eyes widened to the size of copper bells, his mouth agape enough to swallow a chicken egg.

He looked at his earnest son, unable to believe his ears.

"Wha... what? A—a tael of silver... for one?"

His voice was distorted by shock.

"Pingchuan, you can’t be... you can’t be joking with your father, can you? This... this stone... how could it be worth so much?"

A tael of silver!

That was half a year’s sustenance for their family!

It was harder to believe than pies falling from the sky.

Chen Pingchuan saw his father’s astonished expression and allowed a faint smile to appear.

He looked into his father’s eyes, speaking deliberately, "Father, trust me."

"Last time, when I had you pick those unwanted stones and secretly sell them to the Zhang Residence, didn’t we earn money?"

"This time, it will work again!"

"If people laugh at you or gossip, ignore them."

"Stick to the price—don’t sell for a single coin less."

"My stones are worth exactly this much!"

Chen Zhonghe gazed into his son’s bright, determined eyes, sensing a maturity far beyond his eight years.

Though it still seemed absurd, thinking of his wife and children, Chen Zhonghe gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Alright!"

He solemnly took the heavy bundle from his son’s hands.

"Father will go to the city and try!"