Chapter 39

Yang Yongzhong made up his mind to only watch and listen without overthinking. However, the situation at the auction changed once again. Just as Zhao Dawei was holding the auction hammer and shouting, "20,000 strings of cash for the first time," an auction participant sitting in the front row on the left raised his number plate and called out with a calm but firm voice, "25,000 strings of cash."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was surprised. An increase of 5,000 strings of cash was quite a significant move. Everyone couldn't help but look at this person. He was not tall, had an ordinary appearance, and a rather plump figure. His small eyes were bright and sharp, giving off an impression of shrewdness and competence. Some of the bidders recognized him; he was from Dengzhou, surnamed Cui, named Yongnian. He was the younger brother of the head of the Cui family in Shandong and was responsible for managing the family's business, earning him the title of "Cui Family's Money God." His wealth was far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Therefore, those who recognized him knew they couldn't compete with him and put down their number plates.

Moreover, everyone in the room was astute and could read the situation from others' actions. After a brief inquiry, those who didn't know Cui Yongnian soon learned about his background. As a result, the once lively auction hall became somewhat quiet, with only Zhao Dawei repeatedly asking, "25,000 strings of cash, any more bids?"

After Zhao Dawei asked a few times, he noticed the change in the atmosphere. Since the 25,000 strings of cash bid, the bidders seemed to have withdrawn. Most people were looking at the bidder who had called out 25,000 strings of cash with a mix of respect and awe, much like how underlings look at their leaders.

The lively auction experienced a brief lull. Zhao Dawei subconsciously turned to look at the person behind the curtain. Wang Xiaojun, who had been sitting calmly, also came to the door due to the change in the atmosphere. His feeling was the same as Zhao Dawei's; it seemed that a business tycoon had made a move, and the ordinary wealthy people had backed off. After a moment's thought, Wang Xiaojun felt that 25,000 strings of cash was not a small amount, and since no one was bidding anymore, a prolonged silence would not be good. He exchanged a few words with Zhang and Xu, who were standing beside him, and then nodded slightly to Zhao Dawei, indicating that he could hammer down the deal.

With this instruction, Zhao Dawei steadied himself and announced, "25,000 strings of cash, any more bids? 25,000 strings of cash, first time... 25,000 strings of cash, second time... 25,000 strings of cash, third time. Sold. Mr. Cui has won the first auction item for 25,000 strings of cash." The hammer fell with a loud sound, and Zhao Dawei successfully sold the first item.

Amidst the applause, Zeng Zhilin and Tang Chao reboxed the first auction item and took it back to the preparation area. After the auction, they would hand over the item to the winner in exchange for payment. Then, they brought up the second auction item, a pair of wine glasses, and began the second round of bidding.

Influenced by the result of the first auction, the second auction seemed to have no suspense. After a few rounds of bidding led by Zhou Lei and Sun Yangyang, which were not very intense, Cui Yongnian, the "Money God," once again stopped the bidding with a single word. 26,000 strings of cash—Cui Yongnian won the second item for 1,000 strings of cash more than the first item. This time, Zhao Dawei did not hesitate and quickly hammered down the deal.

When the third item was brought up, people's interest had already waned. With such a "Money God" in the room, others had no chance. Apart from Zhou and Sun, who initially bid a few times, no one else raised their number plates. It seemed that today's auction was turning into a purchasing session for Cui Yongnian. After adding 1,000 strings of cash and calling out 27,000 strings of cash, Cui Yongnian was calmly waiting for Zhao Dawei to announce the deal so he could proceed to the next and most valuable item.

Just as everyone was about to see what the bottle of "Jade Liquor" looked like, a low and calm voice from the middle of the front row called out, "30,000 strings of cash."

This surprised not only the bidders but also Zhao Dawei and all the observers. Everyone's eyes turned to this person. He was of medium height, had an ordinary appearance, and wore very simple clothing, which was even less impressive than Cui Yongnian. His eyes were small but deep, giving an enigmatic impression. Although he looked ordinary, his seat indicated that he was no ordinary person.

In the bidding area, the closer to the front, the higher the status and strength of the person sitting there. Therefore, although this person's bid was sudden, Cui Yongnian did not show any displeasure. Instead, he turned around and carefully examined this person who dared to challenge him.

Seeing Cui Yongnian looking at him, the man did not seem to mind. Instead, he smiled and nodded at him, as if they knew each other. Cui Yongnian also smiled and nodded back, while quickly searching his memory to recall where he had seen this person. Suddenly, the person's face matched a memory, and his identity made Cui Yongnian hesitate to bid further. He remained silent when Zhao Dawei asked for more bids. The other bidders, who couldn't even compete with Cui Yongnian, naturally did not raise their number plates.

The auction almost fell into another lull, but with the experience from before, Zhao Dawei decisively hammered down the deal after a few more calls received no response. The observers in the preparation area began to speculate about the identity of this new bidder. Zhong Yuwai and Fang Laoshi, who had been standing behind the observers and could only hear but not see, also squeezed to the front to look at the two bidders who had made such significant bids.

Fang Yingyu, who often dealt with merchants from various regions, immediately recognized Cui Yongnian from the Cui family in Shandong and introduced him to the others. After listening to his introduction, Wang Xiaojun nodded and said softly, "No wonder this person is so generous. It turns out he has such a background. However, from his actions just now, it seems he is quite wary of the new bidder, indicating that the new bidder has an even higher status."

Zhong Youpeng added, "That's right. The new bidder has an even higher status. If I'm not mistaken, that person should be the second steward of the Xiao family in Nanjing, surnamed Feng, named Cheng. He is responsible for managing the family's business and is very skilled in business. I have seen him before when I was in office."

Wang Xiaojun, hearing this, asked with some doubt, "Since he is from the Xiao family, his participation in the auction is probably not for himself but for Xiao Siwen. However, I don't understand why Xiao Siwen, who is one of the most powerful figures in Youzhou and is not a righteous person, would participate in the auction so formally. Wouldn't it be easier for him to directly demand or seize these treasures? Is there some hidden agenda?"

Hearing this, everyone agreed, especially Zhong Yuwai, who looked very angry. Only Fang Yingyu shook his head and said, "Not necessarily. Although Xiao Siwen is powerful and not a righteous person, his participation in the auction is likely genuine. This is not because he has changed, but due to the circumstances. Think about it: first, our auction has been advertised for some time, and almost everyone who has visited Liangxiang City knows about it. Most of these people are merchants who travel widely and spread information quickly. Xiao Siwen, despite his greed, would not want to ruin his reputation by openly robbing merchants. That would scare away many potential traders, and the losses would far outweigh the value of these items. Second, the participants in the auction are all wealthy merchants. By participating formally, Xiao Siwen can earn a good reputation and attract more traders. This way, he can collect more taxes and receive praise from the Liao court for the economic prosperity of his region, achieving a win-win situation. Spending some money—possibly not even his own—would be worth it for him."

Fang Yingyu's explanation made sense to everyone. As they were discussing, the fourth and final auction item was placed on the table. Zhao Dawei announced, "The fourth auction item, a glass bottle of 'Jade Liquor,' with a starting price of 20,000 strings of cash and a bid increment of 2,000 strings of cash. Bidding begins now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Lei and Sun Yangyang immediately resumed their roles as "bid supporters,"

"22,000 strings of cash"

"25,000 strings of cash"...

They took turns calling out prices, trying to stimulate the bidders' enthusiasm. However, after the previous three items, those with less money had mostly given up, and the response was limited, making the atmosphere rather dull. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, the bidders were all heavyweights, so the bidding price rose quickly, reaching 70,000 strings of cash in a short time. The bidder was still Cui Yongnian, but this time his confidence was not as strong as before. He kept glancing at Feng Cheng's position with the corner of his eye. Seeing that Feng Cheng did not seem displeased, he felt slightly relieved.

Feng Cheng, the steward, did not oppose Cui Yongnian's bid, but this did not mean he intended to let the most valuable item go to Cui Yongnian. Before coming, Xiao Siwen had clearly instructed him to spend whatever it took to bring back the two best items from the auction. The reason for Xiao Siwen's generosity was simple: these two items were intended as gifts for the emperor to celebrate his birthday. Especially the bottle of liquor, which the emperor enjoyed, was a must-have. Therefore, when Cui Yongnian called out 70,000 strings of cash, Feng Cheng decided not to play games anymore. It was already close to noon, and he might not be able to return to Youzhou City before dark. He raised his number plate and called out calmly and firmly, "100,000 strings of cash."

This bid shocked everyone. Such a large sum made everyone look at him with new respect. Most people in the room did not recognize this mysterious bidder and began to whisper among themselves. Those who recognized him understood that he was determined to win the item. All those capable of bidding further, including Cui Yongnian, wisely withdrew. Thus, the final item was sold with the sound of Zhao Dawei's hammer.

The lively auction ended, leaving many participants with much to reflect on. In the days to come, this topic would continue to be a subject of conversation during their leisure time. Those who did not win any items were invited to the second floor of Tianfu Building by Fang Jizhuang, where a sumptuous lunch was prepared for them. After the meal, they could exchange their receipts for their deposit.

Everyone was naturally pleased with this arrangement and happily went to the second floor. Those who knew each other sat together, discussing the auction or their own businesses, making the atmosphere lively. Meanwhile, Yang Yongzhong, who was full of questions, had no appetite for food. He wanted to return home quickly to report the situation to the princess. He went down to the second floor without stopping, then to the first floor, and quickly left the building. Not far behind him, a plain-clothed constable was secretly following him. This constable, borrowed from the chief constable Zheng by Yang Xin and Qian Yuanshan, had been watching Yang Yongzhong since the auction began. Yang Xin and Qian Yuanshan were concerned that this mysterious bidder might have ulterior motives, so they sent someone to secretly follow and investigate.

The two winning bidders began the necessary procedures with Fang Yingyu and the team's trade group members, who were present as Fang Jizhuang's employees. They jointly inspected the quality and color of the auction items to ensure there were no issues, then sealed them together. After the full payment was made, the items would be handed over to the winners.

After negotiations, it was decided that the auction proceeds would be paid in gold, silver, and copper coins. According to the exchange rates, Cui Yongnian would pay 3,000 taels of gold, 15,000 taels of silver, and 5,000 strings of copper coins within three days. Feng Cheng would pay 8,000 taels of gold, 40,000 taels of silver, and 5,000 strings of copper coins within the same period. If they failed to pay on time, the 1,000 strings of cash deposit they had paid before the auction would be forfeited as a penalty. After the agreement was reached, they wrote a document at the county office. Upon leaving the county office, Fang Yingyu, as the host, hosted a grand banquet for Cui and Feng, with several key figures from the team accompanying them.

During the banquet, after a few rounds of drinks and dishes, Cui and Feng naturally turned the conversation to the items auctioned today. They had no complaints about the items themselves but were concerned about whether similar treasures could be found in the future, or whether similar items could be found in the current world—referring to the regimes of Liao, Zhou, and the southern regions.

Cui Yongnian was motivated by business interests. If such treasures could be produced again, he could consider forming a business partnership with Fang Jizhuang. These valuable items could fetch much higher prices in the wealthy southern regions. Feng Cheng, on the other hand, was motivated by the need to complete his mission—spending a large sum of money to get something that turned out to be common would be worse than not buying it at all.

Fang Yingyu, of course, could not answer their questions. He only knew that these items were brought back from overseas by the Daoists sitting beside him. Whether similar items could be obtained again, the Daoists had never mentioned. Fortunately, Wang Xiaojun, sitting at the same table, answered for him.

Wang Xiaojun confidently said, "To be honest, these treasures were entrusted to our shop by a sea merchant surnamed Wu, who frequently trades with a distant western land. According to him, such treasures are extremely rare even in their place of origin, and only the most prestigious nobles can obtain them. Such high-quality treasures are not allowed to be sold to foreigners, and this sea merchant went through great lengths and spent a lot of time and money to acquire them. Whether he can obtain similar treasures in the future is uncertain."

Hearing this, Feng Cheng's expression relaxed, clearly satisfied that such a rare treasure would be a perfect gift for the emperor. Cui Yongnian, however, looked disappointed, regretting the missed business opportunity.

Wang Xiaojun seemed to notice Cui Yongnian's disappointment and raised his wine glass in a toast, continuing, "However, I heard from the sea merchant that although such high-quality treasures are extremely rare, there are more items of lower quality but similar material. These lower-quality glass items are not restricted from export."

Feng Cheng, initially interested in the rarity of the items, was now intrigued by the business potential. Like Cui Yongnian, he realized that while the high-quality items were beyond the reach of ordinary people, lower-quality items at a lower price could be a different story. The Khitan nobles in the Liao Empire, once they saw the emperor using such items, would likely follow suit. These lower-quality glass items would meet their needs—showing they were not ignorant of the world without offending the emperor by exceeding his standards.

Cui Yongnian, already interested in this business, was even more determined to seize the opportunity. Thus, Cui and Feng almost simultaneously asked, "Is this sea merchant surnamed Wu in Liangxiang City?"

Wang Xiaojun, seeing their intent, smiled and replied, "Unfortunately, Mr. Wu entrusted the treasures to our shop and then set sail again. However, before leaving, he mentioned that he would try to bring back some lower-quality glass items and sell them through our shop. If you are interested in these items, you can consider partnering with us. We will share the profits, and you will not be disappointed. However, the journey is long and risky. If everything goes well, it might take over a year for him to return. If something goes wrong, he might never return."

Wang Xiaojun's words made it clear to Cui and Feng that Fang Jizhuang saw the business opportunity and was willing to partner with them but would take a share of the profits. This was understandable, given the potential for profit. However, due to Fang Jizhuang's limited scale, they needed to partner with others to expand their business. Although it was reluctant to share profits, they had no choice but to accept it, as the supply channel was in Fang Jizhuang's hands. Once they met Mr. Wu directly, they could negotiate better terms and save on the share of profits.

With this in mind, Cui and Feng, while calculating their potential gains, readily agreed to Wang Xiaojun's proposal. However, they did not know that Mr. Wu did not exist. Glass production in Europe was far from the quality of the items auctioned today, and the transportation costs would make the prices