"Master Xie, aren't you used to champagne?" Mitsui Yoshitsugu's manager approached, shaking his wine glass, his gold teeth gleaming blindingly under the light.
Xie Yun sneered with his lips curled up, his tone was full of undisguised contempt: "It's not as good as your taste."
As soft and soothing music sounded, the auction began at the right time.
The host walked onto the stage and introduced the items to be auctioned tonight with a smile. The first item to be auctioned was a landscape painting created by a famous painter. When the scroll was unrolled, the artistic conception of the landscape came to life on the paper, attracting bids from the audience.
Precious items under velvet covers were displayed for auction. Each item seemed to have a unique magic, triggering fierce bidding from the audience and pushing the atmosphere to a climax again and again.
Xie Yun and Zheng Wanqing were not interested in these things. They knew in their hearts that the final destination of the auction funds might not be glorious.
When auctioning item No. 13, the auctioneer hesitated on the stage for a while before slowly lifting the scarlet velvet cover. An "Oriental artwork" was revealed to everyone: "Lot No. 13, a Hetian jade necklace..."
When this item was unveiled, Zheng Wanqing felt her breath stagnate, as if her heart was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand. She subconsciously clenched her hands. This Hetian jade bi inlaid in a European-style gold setting was very familiar to her. It was known that it was from the same source as the accessories of the "Jin Ou Yong Gu Cup" circulated in the Forbidden City. The remaining cracks on the edge of the jade bi were caused by violent disassembly.
"Lot 13, from the collection of Colonel Dewey of France." The auctioneer tapped the description card with his gloved fingers. "Original Chinese royal jewelry parts turned into a necklace. Starting price: three hundred dollars."
"Sanqiu!" Representative Mitsui raised his sign impatiently, his eyes behind his glasses flashing with greed. He turned sideways and whispered to his companion: "Commander Sato likes this kind of antique..."
Zheng Wanqing dug her nails into her palms, almost drawing blood. Suddenly, a big, warm hand wrapped her hand tightly, and then a steady and firm voice came out clearly from beside her: "One thousand."
The whole audience was in an uproar, and everyone's eyes were focused on Xie Yun. The host's voice trembled with excitement: "Master Xie bid one thousand!"
The bidding quickly turned into a fierce showdown between Xie Yun and Mitsui Representative.
The price kept rising. When it reached eight thousand dollars, the French leader's wife suddenly interrupted with a hypocritical smile on her face: "This jade is of ordinary quality. If Madam Xie likes jewelry, I have a better Cartier..."
"Twelve thousand." Xie Yun interrupted her directly, staring at the Japanese representative with a cold gaze like a sharp blade, and his tone was full of majesty that could not be challenged, "Do you want more?"
The Mitsui representative's face flushed, and he finally shook his head in dismay, with a hint of unwillingness in his eyes. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Xie Yun with disdain, but he could do nothing about it.
This action immediately attracted the attention of the people around them. Many people turned to look at them and talked in low voices.
"Master Xie is indeed very generous!"
"This necklace is indeed beautiful. No wonder the young marshal's wife likes it."
When Zheng Wanqing took the necklace, her fingertips gently touched the tiny cracks on the jade wall.
"Too ostentatious..." she murmured softly, feeling both touched and worried.
As Xie Yun put the necklace on her, his warm fingertips gently stroked the back of her neck. He put his thin lips close to her ear and said in a low and gentle voice, "It's just returning it to its original owner."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
