After Qin Yan's speech,
the Auction host brought out the first item: a Blue-and-White Double-Eared Vase.
Most of the powerful figures in the hall showed little interest. They had come to visit Qin Yan in the first place.
If they had truly come for antiques and calligraphy, there had been no need to spend time traveling to Jiang Cheng.
Before long, the Blue-and-White Double-Eared Vase was sold for 1.6 million.
The items that followed were mostly scattered trinkets.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Cheng leaned against the sofa and yawned, nearly falling asleep.
"The final item of this Auction is about to be presented: the Thousand-Year Blood Ganoderma, known as the 'Immortal Herb.' The starting bid is 50 million, and each raise must be no less than 5 million. Let the bidding begin!"
As soon as the female host's words fell, everyone in the auction hall lit up with excitement.
The Thousand-Year Blood Ganoderma was a priceless treasure that could not be bought even with money!
Who would have thought they would encounter it here?
"I bid 50 million!"
"60 million!"
"60 million and one yuan!"
Jiang Cheng's voice came from the VIP Room, plunging the venue into silence.
No one had ever seen someone raise the bid like that!
On the top floor of the auction house, Qin Yan sat on the sofa with her long legs crossed. Hearing Jiang Cheng's voice, she could not help but smile.
"Does my little man want it?"
Recognizing it as the Jiang Family's VIP Room, everyone frowned and began to reconsider.
As the saying went, a mighty dragon did not crush a local snake.
Offending the Jiang Family in Jiang Cheng was hardly wise.
Compared with visiting the Miss of the Qin Family, the Thousand-Year Blood Ganoderma seemed insignificant.
At a time like this, it was better not to stir up trouble.
With that in mind, no one raised the bid again.
"These people are at least sensible."
A faint smile curled Qin Yan's lips. It's time for me to go see my little man too!
At that moment, an untimely voice rang out.
"The Sun Family of Jinling bids 80 million. I hope everyone will give us some face."
"If you visit Jinling in the future, my son Sun Teng will surely repay you generously!"
The speaker was an Old Man in Tang Suit. He looked kind and benevolent, but there was not the slightest hint of politeness in his tone.
There was even a vague note of threat!
Was he trying to use his influence to bully others?
Although everyone had already given up on the Thousand-Year Blood Ganoderma, their expressions still turned ugly.
The Sun Family of Jinling might only be a second-rate family,
but they had latched onto an important figure in the Capital and held influential posts in political circles. They were far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
At the end of the day, they were merely businessmen. Commoners did not fight officials!
"Elder Sun, you are too polite. How could we refuse to give the Sun Family of Jinling face?"
"That's right. We only hope Elder Sun will look after us in the future."
"The Blood Ganoderma will only be put to its best use in Elder Sun's hands."
Listening to their flattery, the Old Man in Tang Suit stroked his beard, clearly enjoying it.
"80 million, going once! 80 million, going twice! 80 million, going three times!"
Just as the host's auction hammer was about to fall,
Jiang Cheng made another bid.
"I bid 80 million and one dime!"
The moment his words fell,
the smug Tang Suit Elder's face visibly turned livid, and he even pulled out a tuft of his beard.
This was simply treating the Sun Family of Jinling as if they were nothing!
The crowd fell speechless and turned their heads away with strange expressions.
In the VIP Room,
A Long looked worried and advised, "Young Master, the Sun Family has considerable influence in Jinling. Even the family head has to call that old man Elder Sun when he sees him."
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing!"
Jiang Cheng patted A Long on the shoulder.
Familiar with the plot, he knew quite a few of the Sun Family's shameful secrets.
Any one of them would have been enough to have their entire clan exterminated several times over in ancient times!
That old bastard was still trying to pull rank on him. He had no intention of indulging him.
On his own turf, how could he let that old fool bully him?
Seeing this, A Long said nothing more and followed Jiang Cheng downstairs.
In the main hall,
when Jiang Cheng appeared, some were curious, some were shocked, and others shook their heads with sighs.
They felt that provoking the Sun Family of Jinling over a single Blood Ganoderma was truly unwise.
Young people were simply too hot-blooded!
"So you must be Elder Sun. I am Jiang Cheng, a junior. I often hear my father mention you."
Jiang Cheng spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.
Hearing this, everyone was baffled. Even the Old Man in Tang Suit stood frozen for a moment.
Was he backing down?
Or had he done it deliberately, intending to use a Blood Ganoderma to establish ties with the Sun Family?
In an instant, the way everyone looked at Jiang Cheng changed.
This young man had the makings of a prodigy!
Trading 80 million for a favor from the Sun Family of Jinling was an incredible bargain.
Even the Old Man in Tang Suit thought so. His formerly gloomy expression eased considerably, and he nodded calmly.
Jiang Cheng naturally had no idea what everyone was thinking. He smiled and said,
"This Blood Ganoderma is something I'm quite fond of. But since Elder Sun likes it too..."
Is it coming?
Quite a few dignitaries looked at their own useless sons, who only knew luxury and pleasure, with frustration and shook their heads.
Look at that—the difference was enormous.
The Old Man in Tang Suit had already thought of how he would accept it.
First, he would make a show of refusing, with an expression that said, "Oh, I couldn't possibly."
Second, he would accept with great reluctance. At that point, he absolutely could not smile.
Finally, he would smile and nod, pat Jiang Cheng on the shoulder, and say approvingly, "Kid from the Jiang Family, I think highly of you."
Perfect!
Under everyone's expectant gazes, Jiang Cheng closed his eyes, furrowed his brow, and said reluctantly,
"Then I'll reluctantly part with it and take a small loss. How about selling it to you for 100 million?"
Everyone was stunned into silence by Jiang Cheng's outrageous move, their lips twitching almost imperceptibly.
Taking a loss?
That kid was sly as a monkey!
He would make a net profit of 19,999,999.9.
Down to the last dime.
"Good, good, good!"
The Old Man in Tang Suit laughed in fury. "Kid from the Jiang Family, I think highly of you!"
Jiang Cheng flashed a mouthful of white teeth and smiled brightly. "Thank you for the compliment, Elder Sun."
Beside him, A Long swallowed hard, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
Oh, my Young Master!
This was what he meant by knowing what he was doing?
He was confident he could anger that old man to death!
Everyone present was shrewd, so naturally no one wanted to wade into this mess.
They silently pondered,
Could Jiang Cheng be acting so recklessly because he had someone backing him?
The Old Man in Tang Suit's face was so dark it looked as though water could drip from it. He had been humiliated in public by a junior.
If he could not recover his dignity, how could the Sun Family of Jinling maintain its footing in the future?
Wouldn't they become the laughingstock of all Jinling?
"Kid from the Jiang Family, think this through. If you offend my Sun Family, your Jiang Family's businesses will find it impossible to operate in Jinling from now on!"
Gasp!
Everyone sucked in a breath and turned to look at Jiang Cheng.
This was no joke.
Although the Jiang Family held considerable power in Jiang Cheng, the Sun Family had an important figure from the Capital behind them.
They truly had influence reaching everywhere!
"Oh? I wonder what brilliant advice Elder Sun has?"
Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow, inwardly scoffing.
"Brilliant advice? I wouldn't dare. I merely wish to ask what objections you have."
The Old Man in Tang Suit said in a low voice.
Today, he would make everyone understand that the Sun Family of Jinling was not something any stray cat or dog could provoke!
Just as the situation fell into a deadlock,
a series of steady, crisp footsteps suddenly sounded.
"The Sun Family certainly puts on quite an impressive show!"
"I'd like to hear what objections you have."
Before you continue