"I bid two million taels." A clear young voice rang out. A figure walked toward the raised platform. By stepping onto it, he plainly showed his determination to claim this treasure no matter what.
I watched him, and the hostility and disgust in my heart grew even stronger. Yes, it was Li Tianxiang, the future head of the Li Family. The smile covering his face only made me hate him more. I simply wanted to kill him. There was no reason for it; it was just the voice in my heart urging me on.
Brother Wang looked at me and noticed waves of Killing Intent rising from my body. He immediately grabbed my hand and shook me. "Young Master, what's wrong? What's wrong with you?"
I shuddered. What was wrong with me? Why did I want to kill him? I had never even known him before. I desperately circulated the Heart Sutra's technique, but I still found it difficult to dispel that Killing Intent. At least I could control myself now. I smiled at Brother Wang to show that I was fine, and only then did he turn back toward the platform.
I looked toward the platform as well. Li Tianxiang was brimming with pride, happily holding Along the River During the Qingming Festival on the platform while still remembering to offer a few humble words to the people below. Only then did he slowly walk down.
"Everyone, now comes the final treasure of this year's auction. The person who provided this item will personally come up and announce it for everyone!" Old Mr. Wang truly knew how to stir up the crowd's emotions. He even wanted one of my people to go up. Fine. We could take this opportunity to promote our Dragon Soaring Jade Shop.
Everyone began to grow excited. The first items had been peerless weapons such as the Azure Nether Sword and Heavenly Wrath Saber, while the fourth had already been an unparalleled treasure like Along the River During the Qingming Festival. What could this final item be? Everyone was eagerly anticipating it.
We were nervous as well, because it was time for our Blood Phoenix. I smiled at Brother Wang without saying a word. I trusted my Brother Wang. Since I trusted him, there was no need to say anything!
Brother Wang remained utterly composed. He smiled at us, then walked toward the platform at an unhurried pace, as though he were simply strolling through the streets.
The people below stared at the young man before them, who was not even thirty. This was the fellow who had provided an unparalleled treasure even more precious than Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Some looked at him with envy, some with anger, and some with greed...
Brother Wang smiled at the people below, gathered his breath in his Dantian, and said in a ringing voice, "Everyone, I am the steward of Young Master Zhang Xingfeng, the Third Young Master Zhang who was just expelled from the Zhang Family. Our young master is auctioning this item today merely so that everyone may get to know us!."
Everyone was shocked. So this was that Third Young Master Zhang, expelled at the tender age of six. It seemed the Zhang Family was like the Yuwen Family of old. The only difference was that the Zhang Family was secretly helping Third Young Master Zhang, unlike the Yuwen Family, which had announced it to the world. But it made sense upon reflection. What great crime could a six-year-old child possibly commit? It seemed this peerless treasure was something the Zhang Family had given Third Young Master Zhang. Because of this treasure, everyone mentally regarded Zhang Xingfeng as one of the Zhang Family, and all decided they must not offend this Third Young Master Zhang in the future.
"Everyone, today we merely brought one jade item here for auction. On the sixth day of the first lunar month, our Dragon Soaring Jade Shop will open, and an even more precious treasure will be displayed there. My friend will announce this news later! Only when he announces it will everyone believe it. Now, please look. This is the peerless treasure we are auctioning today—the Blood Phoenix. Its starting price is one million taels of silver. Bidding begins now!" Brother Wang swept away the red cloth covering the Blood Phoenix.
Before everyone could make sense of what he had just said, the treasure had already appeared. They all widened their eyes and stared at this peerless treasure.
"Ah!" "Ah!"...
Exclamations of astonishment rang continuously throughout the hall. Everyone had lost the words to describe this treasure. What was it?
It was the pinnacle of jade craftsmanship—the Blood Phoenix. Its value was beyond imagination. If Jade Essence could yield only one or two pieces from an entire jade mine, then this was something one could encounter only by chance and never seek out. The jade itself was top-grade, yet within it had formed a blood-red phoenix. It was because of this blood phoenix that it had become the token of the Empress of the Yuan Mongolia Dynasty. The Empress's token! It was equivalent to the Emperor's imperial jade seal! Such a peerless treasure had actually appeared!
"I bid one million one hundred thousand." A voice suddenly rang out. Only then did everyone snap back to their senses. They began bidding desperately. Some had already forgotten whether, even if they bought such a peerless treasure, they could keep it.
"I bid one million two hundred thousand."
"I bid one million five hundred thousand."
"I bid two million taels of silver." It was Li Tianxiang again. I stared toward the private room from which his voice had emerged, and that disgust rose within me again. Even if I don't auction it, I won't sell it to you. I made my decision in secret.
"My deepest apologies, but please stop bidding. His Majesty has just issued an imperial decree to purchase this treasure for three million. I hope everyone will cease competing." The chief steward's voice rang out, and everyone fell silent. The Emperor had issued an order—who would dare continue bidding? In truth, the chief steward was deeply frustrated as well. The moment he learned last night that this peerless treasure would be auctioned, he had immediately sent word to the palace. If the Emperor's decree had arrived earlier, one million five hundred thousand taels, combined with the Emperor's authority, would have been enough to secure it privately. But now, not only did they have to pay the sky-high price of three million, they also had to break the auction house's rules. Fortunately, the price was three million. Otherwise, people would surely curse the auction house to death! Business depended on reputation, but for such a peerless treasure, they could no longer care about that!
Li Tianxiang looked at the chief steward, and fury surged within him. Isn't he just an Emperor? How arrogant. If my family hadn't ordered me otherwise, I would have bought it long ago! Just wait. I will definitely get my hands on that Blood Phoenix. Li Tianxiang had been raised from childhood as the next head of the Li Family, and his possessiveness was exceptionally strong.
Indeed, with the Li Family's wealth and military strength, they had no need to fear the Emperor. But as an Aristocratic Clan centered on commerce, it was still better to maintain good relations with the Emperor! Harmony was precious, after all!
Everyone watched as the chief steward took away the Blood Phoenix. They could only stare helplessly, and still had to say a few words of respect for the Emperor. It was truly unbearable, but who told them he was the Emperor?
Uncle Zhang had already walked onto the platform. Those who recognized him cried out, "Isn't that Master Zhang of Baoyuxiang? Wasn't Master Zhang being hunted by Baoyuxiang?"
"Baoyuxiang is truly foolish. They actually drove away the foremost jade carver. Sigh, I haven't seen fine jade pieces like Master Zhang's work in a long time!"
"I once wanted to ask Master Zhang to make a jade piece for me, but I never had the chance!"
"Everyone. Our Dragon Soaring Jade Shop will open on the sixth day of the first lunar month. I, along with several of my old companions, will serve as jade carvers there. When Dragon Soaring Jade Shop opens, a legendary jade treasure will meet everyone and be displayed for one day. What is this legendary jade treasure?" Uncle Zhang stood on the platform and spoke to everyone. Having said this, he paused and looked at the people below.
Only then did everyone remember that the steward had said at the very beginning that a jade treasure even more precious than the Blood Phoenix would appear at the shop's opening ceremony. What could it be? Something more precious than the Blood Phoenix, and a legendary treasure besides—what could it possibly be? Since this news had come from the leading figure among jade carvers, it had to be true. What could it be? A legendary jade treasure?
Everyone racked their brains, yet could not think of anything. No one even dared consider the legendary flawless jade, because they had long believed it was impossible!
Seeing everyone's deeply pensive expressions, Uncle Zhang smiled and said loudly, "Let me tell everyone. This treasure is Dragon Soaring, crafted from flawless jade. I was fortunate enough to personally carve Flawless Jade into Dragon Soaring. It was carved from flawless jade. Yes, flawless jade. Without the slightest blemish!"
Everyone was stunned! They were all dumbfounded. Not even a sound could escape them. Even Li Tianxiang, who had always looked down from on high, was shocked. What was this? The legendary flawless jade! Swallowing against his dry throat, Li Tianxiang finally came back to himself. His intense desire for possession made him secretly resolve: I must get my hands on such a peerless treasure. I must, no matter the cost!
Everyone gradually recovered from their shock. If anyone else had said those words, they would certainly have thought him mad. But the speaker was the number one jade carver! How could his words possibly be false?
"Everyone, remember it—the sixth day of the first lunar month, the opening day of Dragon Soaring Jade Shop. We welcome everyone to come and view it then." Uncle Zhang and Brother Wang exchanged smiles and walked down from the platform together.
The people below and the guests in the private rooms all remembered one date: the sixth day of the first lunar month.
Watching Uncle Zhang and Brother Wang enter the private room together, I smiled. Yes, my first step had succeeded. Uncle Zhang and Brother Wang smiled as well. Everyone in the room smiled...
We walked together along the road back to the manor, while my eldest disciple chattered nonstop. "That auction house is too crooked! They actually wanted to take ten percent of the proceeds. Luckily there was a cap of one hundred thousand, otherwise they would have taken another two hundred thousand taels of silver from us! Even so, they still took one hundred thousand taels! Too crooked, too crooked..."
My eldest disciple paid no heed to the auction house personnel escorting us home beside us and continued badmouthing the auction house without pause. The guards could only pretend they had heard nothing.
My Spiritual Sense clearly detected at least three groups following us from behind. They had not made a move, apparently because they did not wish to clash with the auction house. They intended to wait until we returned home before robbing us. Fine, since you want to come to my manor and rob me of these two million nine hundred thousand taels in banknotes—although banknotes only appeared in the Qing Dynasty in real history, this was a fictional world, and history here was different as well. Though there were still the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties, the Song had been won by Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, and Liu Bang had founded the Song. Please do not take offense for the sake of the plot—I smiled. I would make you greedy fools understand what regret meant!
We strode toward my first stronghold—Star Peak Manor! Several black shadows swept past behind us, vanishing in a flash! It was already late at night. There was not a trace of moonlight tonight, only the occasional cold gleam of weapons flashing!
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