Although she could go by herself, it would be much more convenient and better treated to go with the Crown Prince.
She hates trouble the most, so going with Xie Zhiyan means she doesn't have to worry about anything, which is very convenient!
After waving goodbye to his grandfather and the others, Yue Fuguang followed the Crown Prince without looking back, leaving Wu Yong, who wanted to join in the fun, empty-handed.
The auction was held in the most prestigious building in Baiyefang, "Juzhenlou". Only the rich and powerful could enter this place. Without an invitation to the auction, you couldn't get in even if you paid money.
Yue Fuguang and Xie Zhiyan walked into the auction house side by side. Although it was daytime, the hall was brightly lit, with dozens of octagonal palace gauze lanterns illuminating every corner of the hall as if it were daytime.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of ambergris and sandalwood, making the elegant and alluring figures in the room appear even more luxurious and captivating.
The second-floor private rooms are draped with bamboo blinds, through which the general outlines of the people inside can be vaguely seen, some gently waving folding fans, others quietly sipping tea.
Yue Fuguang followed Xie Zhiyan into the largest and most luxurious private room. As soon as they entered, the eunuchs Xie Zhiyan brought began to serve tea and dishes.
Before the auction officially started, Yue Fuguang walked to the large window and looked downstairs.
The downstairs seating area was now packed with merchants from all walks of life, wealthy households, and even...江湖人士 (jianghu figures).
If it weren't for seeing these people, Yue Fuguang would have almost forgotten that this is a world with ancient martial arts traditions.
There are chivalrous heroes in the martial arts world, but she seems to have never heard of stories of chivalry and revenge. Could it be that she is just ignorant?
Although the people downstairs were dressed smartly, they lacked the composure of those upstairs. This was not only a world of ancient martial arts traditions, but also a world where hierarchy was clearly defined.
No matter how skilled you are in martial arts, you still fear the imperial court's blade!
"Your Highness, do you know martial arts?"
Yue Fuguang seemed to have never seen the Crown Prince fight, but he had a tall and upright posture and a very good physique, as if he had practiced martial arts.
A confident smile flashed across the prince's face as he humbly replied, "I know a little!"
Yue Fuguang nodded knowingly, "I understand, he's really strong!"
The system couldn't resist chiming in again, "Master, he was already very strong, how could he still be poisoned? Martial arts masters all have the internal energy to expel toxins, with an effect similar to my antidote pills."
Xie Zhiyan: My Lord, can we not talk about being poisoned to death? Is it something to be proud of? And who told you that internal energy can force out poison?
when-
A bronze chime rang out, and everyone's eyes were focused on the carved mahogany platform in the center.
On the stage, an elderly man in an indigo robe stood quietly. His hair and beard were all white, and his face was thin. He was the auctioneer for the day.
He didn't speak, but slowly swept his gaze across the entire room. His gaze was calm as water, yet it was full of authority. The room, which had been filled with some buzzing voices, became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop in an instant.
"When One"
Another clear, resonant sound of a bronze chime rang out, signaling the official start of the auction.
Moonlight also saw the first item up for auction today: a sword worn by a famous general from a previous dynasty.
The auctioneer's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and resonated throughout the hall; was he using internal energy?
"The Cloud-Splitting Sword, starting price three hundred taels."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than someone downstairs held up a sign: "Three hundred and fifty taels!"
"Four hundred taels!"
"Four hundred and fifty taels!"
Bidding calls rose and fell, advancing like waves.
In the end, the sword was sold to a bearded man for 2,800 taels of silver, drawing a murmur of amazement from those around him.
Yue Fuguang noticed that this person was quite different from the chivalrous swordsmen in movies and TV dramas. Well... if she had to say, the one she saw was more down-to-earth.
I wonder if the heroes of this world are also unrestrained and love freedom, and whether they accept being hired?
"Your Highness, does the Great Yan Kingdom have what is called the Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the martial arts world)? Do those chivalrous figures accept employment?"
There is a saying that there are Jianghu people and Jianghu travelers. Some of these people belong to gangs or sects, while others are lone knights-errant. However, they are all under the unified management of the imperial court.
One of these people's unfamiliar means of making a living is working as bodyguards for wealthy families. Does the Junior Tutor intend to hire them?
Yue Fuguang nodded. "I'm a little curious. As for hiring them, I have an idea, but I'm not in a hurry."
"If the Junior Tutor needs anything, just let me know. I do know some skilled fighters."
Xie Zhiyan felt that the convenience brought by his identity had finally come in handy, and he was eager for Yue Fuguang to have a need immediately.
I just flipped through the lower part of the system tasks and found that several of them were related to the martial arts world. Can people from the martial arts world influence matters of the imperial court?
Looking again, oh, I see, there's someone behind it all, so it's not surprising.
She needs to have someone like that around her to guide the conversation more naturally and smoothly when she does this task, but there's no rush, she still has time.
Next came the famous paintings and calligraphy by celebrities. Yue Fuguang didn't understand these things, so he just enjoyed the spectacle.
Xie Zhiyan asked, "Does the Junior Tutor have any items he likes? I can take a picture of them and give them to you."
Yue Fuguang shook her head. These things were nice, but they were also ordinary, and none of them could arouse her possessiveness.
Suddenly she seemed to realize something. "System, I suddenly realized that the paintings and calligraphy here are not very useful to me. It's no use for me to take them away."
These items are valuable not only for their artistic merit but also for their historical significance and cultural heritage.
When we change maps in the future, the historical context will be different, and these things will only have artistic value left.
[Host, that makes sense.]
The subsequent antique jade artifacts, though also valuable, did not cause much of a stir.
Until the long-awaited item was brought to the stage.
Moonlight asked Xie Zhiyan, "Is it almost time for our glass teaware?"
"This is the next highlight of the auction."
On the stage, four servants in blue robes carried an object covered with bright yellow silk cloth and placed it steadily in the center of the stage.
The auctioneer personally unveiled the silk cloth, revealing a half-foot-tall mutton-fat jade Guanyin statue, which shone warmly under the lamplight.
The jade Guanyin statue is pure and flawless, and the carving is superb. Her appearance is solemn and dignified, and her robes seem to move with the wind.
"A statue of Guanyin with the Lotus Flower, made by the imperial court of the previous dynasty, starting bid: five thousand taels."
The entire venue fell silent for a moment, and then the real storm began.
"Five thousand five hundred taels!" Downstairs in the southeast corner, a salt merchant from Jiangnan immediately added five hundred taels, trying to seize the initiative.
"Five thousand eight hundred taels." A low-profile jewelry merchant in the northwest corner followed quietly.
"Six thousand taels." A voice with a soft Wu accent came from the second-floor private room. The bamboo curtain swayed slightly, obscuring the face.
The price soared like a runaway horse, reaching 20,000 taels.
The bidding gradually subsided, leaving only two distinguished guests on the second floor vying for the same price.
"Twenty-two thousand taels." The voice was steady, belonging to a middle-aged man, coming from the private room on the east side.
"Twenty-five thousand taels." From the private room on the west side, a slightly aged yet undeniably authoritative voice responded. The auctioneer's voice remained steady: "West room, twenty-five thousand taels, once!"
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