Chapter 1

Nevertheless, Emperor Huizong willingly took up his brush, finding a hidden spot on the stone. After a moment of concentration, he elegantly inscribed the five characters "Seventy-Two Caves" in a distinctive slender gold script, strikingly refined and as extraordinary as the Taihu stone itself, creating a harmonious unity. This left Emperor Huizong quite pleased with his work. He stepped back a couple of paces to admire it for a while and remarked, "Bestow a generous reward upon the governor of Suzhou for his tribute. There are many rare stones in Taihu; let him continue his diligent search."

On the way back to Kaifeng Prefecture, Ma Yunlong was puzzled by one thing: how did Shi Qingquan receive the news so quickly? He had just delivered that Taihu stone to the palace during the day, and it was stolen by him that very night

Ma Yunlong began to experience a headache, and what troubled him even more was that, in addition to bringing his personal eighteen guards, Xiao Wenhou also brought along a pair of unfamiliar siblings.

Emperor Huizong smiled and said: "Cai Qing's family is being overly modest, isn't it"

As Ma Yunlong gathered his men in preparation for departure, his deputy finally returned after completing his task and approached him, whispering: "Chief, Xiao Wenhou wants to join us in the pursuit of Shi Qingquan"

Because the governor absolutely would not allow such audacious thieves to act with impunity under his administration, as it would greatly undermine his authority; moreover, there was also the possibility of losing his official position as a result

The two siblings descended from a double-seated carriage with red wheels and a luxurious canopy, greeting Ma Yunlong.

Ma Yunlong, the chief constable of Kaifeng Prefecture, was ordered to investigate the scene. He examined the injuries of the wounded guards and stared blankly at the stone in his hand that had injured one of them

The fine rain lingers outside, while the hall remains silent and still

Ma Yunlong's expression was one of gloom, but anyone in his position would feel the same way

The spring rain falls gently, and a faint twilight filters through the light green window curtains into the hall. The exquisite Taihu stone on the long table, resembling a delicate and translucent sculpture, is enveloped in this soft green glow. A subtle white mist emanates from the numerous small holes in the stone, curling and rising, subtly exuding an ethereal quality.

The deputy paused for a moment before saying: "Could it really be Shi Qingquan?"

When did Xiao Wenhou develop enmity with someone like Shi Qingquan

Ma Yunlong gently tapped the pear blossom long table: "Besides that madman, who else would dare to break into the forbidden palace to steal a piece of stone? Who else could use an ordinary stone picked up casually so adeptly in conjunction with the heart of the book?"

Standing in front of the pear blossom long table that originally held the Taihu stone, Ma Yunlong pondered for a long time

Of course, before he leaves, he will definitely deal with a few unfortunate souls to vent his frustrations

Undoubtedly, that elegant and delicate sister is a rare beauty, and her brother's appearance is strikingly similar to hers, clearly indicating that they are a pair of twins. From their accent, they are from the region of Shu, yet it is unclear how they came to know the young Lord Wen and joined the team pursuing Shi Qingquan

Ma Yunlong deeply resonates with this

Before the deputy took his leave, he suddenly recalled something: "May I ask, Chief Constable, is there any information regarding the age, appearance, and characteristics of that madman in the old records of the Ministry of Justice?"

After a long time, a satisfied sigh was heard: "This stone is like the immortal mountains overseas. The Daoists say there are seventy-two blessed caves and paradises within the sea, but in my view, none can compare to the purity and elegance of this stone. I believe it should be named 'Seventy-Two Blessed Caves.' What does Cai Qingjia think?"

His deputy cautiously inquired, "Looking at the expression of the chief constable, it seems he already knows who the night thief is"

Ma Yunlong waved his hand: "How many troubles has that madman caused? How could the Ministry of Justice not have old records with *Tu* and *Shu*? Go and take care of it!"

What the night thief stole was precisely the Taihu stone that had just been named "Seventy-Two Caves of Heaven" by the official family

With the company of the well-connected Lord Wen across the world, it is to be feared that their journey will be marked by great fanfare wherever they go

He seeks to collect extraordinary stones from all over the world; why must he go to the forbidden area to gather them? Why must he involve the Kaifeng Prefecture in this matter?

Ma Yunlong sighed, "Do not tell me you did not guess who that person is"

Ma Yunlong was taken aback. As the legitimate eldest son of the esteemed General Wuhou, Wen Zhengyang is commonly referred to as "Little General Wen" in both court and society. This title not only reflects the admiration for his future inheritance of the noble title but also draws a parallel to his striking demeanor and unstoppable courage, reminiscent of the renowned general Lü Bu, who was also called "General Wen" during the Three Kingdoms period.

In a fit of rage for a beautiful woman, did not Lü Bu of yore act in precisely this manner?

In today's world, the masters of calligraphy are none other than Mi Fu, Cai Jing, Su Dongpo, and Huang Tingjian, collectively known as the Four Great Masters of Mi, Cai, Su, and Huang.

As Ma Yunlong turned to leave, he said to his deputy: "Lord Cai has issued an order to spare no effort in solving this case. You must immediately go to the Ministry of Justice to request the issuance of a warrant for a nationwide manhunt, while I will arrange for personnel."

The night is deepening, and the sound of drums echoes. Within the palace walls and the library, the lights gradually extinguish.

Standing quietly to the side, the official Cai Jing bowed and replied: "I believe this could not be more accurate. If the Emperor bestows a name, even a stubborn stone would be immensely grateful. Why not inscribe this name on the stone, to pass it down to future generations?"

No, no, they are not joining; rather, they were originally meant to pursue Shi Qingquan, and it is Xiao Wenhou who is joining. Ma Yunlong immediately corrected himself in his mind. He had already guessed the reason why Xiao Wenhou intervened in this matter

Moreover, who was the one that shouted "Thief!" and alarmed the palace guards? He has already inquired of everyone present at the time, but no one knows who was the first to call out.

The assistant was momentarily taken aback, almost groaning: "That madman—"

This was merely an ordinary stone, and it was evident that it had been casually pried off from a rockery in the courtyard by the thief that night

Ma Yunlong stopped him from continuing to speak

He said gloomily: "If we can't catch that madman and retrieve that stone, we might as well wait to be beheaded by Lord Cai."

In a moment of tranquility, a sudden uproar erupted, with someone shouting "Catch the thief." The Imperial Guards responded to the alarm, swords and spears clashing, arrows whistling through the air. A shadowy figure, burdened with a large package on its back, soared over the glazed tiles. The pursuing palace guards were struck down by the stones hurled by the figure, totaling more than ten. In the blink of an eye, the shadow had already crossed the palace wall, vanishing into the deep darkness of the night.

The guard felt a sense of shame and stammered, "I saw the stone flying towards me and had already used my knife to deflect it. Who would have thought that after being deflected, it would curve around and hit me from behind! It's just a stone, not some kind of boomerang or hidden weapon. Who could have imagined that—"

However, it injured a royal guard.

Cai Jing smiled and said: "My character, while it may indeed align with the common perceptions of the world, is too tainted by the mundane to be inscribed on this celestial stone. Only the character of the imperial family truly deserves to match the purity and elegance of this celestial stone. I beg your pardon for my inability to comply with your request"

Emperor Huizong smiled slightly and said: "The calligraphy of Cai Qing's family is highly esteemed throughout the world; it would be fitting to have it inscribed by Cai Qing's family."

The door closed behind them, and the hall was once again enveloped in silence

The deputy's expression grew even more gloomy: "Even if Lord Cai shows us mercy and spares us, the governor will not let us off."