The first item up for auction was worth four thousand taels of silver. Shen Feng couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. He wondered how much the dress Rou'er was going to bid on would be worth.
Just then, the second item was brought up for auction.
Then came the third item, the fourth item...
Among them were landscape paintings by renowned artists, Buddhist prayer beads blessed by Abbot Kongji himself, and headdresses inlaid with nearly a hundred gemstones and jade, all of which were auctioned off at high prices.
Seeing this, the manager of the Treasure Pavilion couldn't stop smiling, and his eyes looked at everyone with even more fervent desire, as if he were looking at the God of Wealth.
Yunxi's smile deepened considerably. "The next item in the auction is a garment personally designed by the owner of our Treasure Pavilion, named 'Flowing Clouds,' and it's the only one of its kind in the entire capital."
What appeared before everyone was a light purple chiffon dress, with round and full pearls adorning the soft silk cloud-shaped shoulder piece, its warm color shimmering in the sunlight.
The skirt is embroidered with cloud patterns using gold and silver threads, and the pattern changes with each sway of the skirt.
The moment "Liu Yun" appeared, she captured the hearts of all the women present.
Although this garment cannot compare to the "treasure of the store" in the Treasure Pavilion, its luxurious elegance and unique design make it hard not to like it.
Ye Rou's gaze was also fixed on the dress, her eyes filled with a burning light. She could imagine how glamorous she would be when she appeared at the Prime Minister's wife's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet wearing this dress.
"The same rules apply: no starting price, everyone can bid freely, and the highest bidder wins." Yunxi shrugged, letting the guests below bid as they pleased.
To be honest, this dress is beautiful, but it's very selective in who can wear it.
The owner has a discerning eye and strong opinions. Every garment he designs incorporates his sister's face.
According to him, his sister is so beautiful that she looks good in anything.
But his favorite thing was designing all sorts of beautiful clothes for his younger sister, making up for the regret that she didn't have any pretty clothes to wear when she was little.
His sister, of course, deserves the best.
As soon as he finished speaking, several noble ladies who had their eyes on the dress couldn't wait to place their bids.
Five hundred taels.
"Eight hundred taels."
"..."
The price kept going up, making Ye Rou feel uneasy.
She came here today specifically for this dress and is determined to get it.
However, the amount of silver given to her by the Marquis was limited, and even with the addition of her own private savings, it might not be of much use.
She couldn't help but turn her gaze to Shen Feng and the other two not far away, feeling resentful.
Why is it that Madam Shen can stand openly in front of everyone and enjoy the benefits that come with the title of Lady of the Marquis's Mansion, while she can only hide and can't even bear to buy a piece of clothing that she likes?
Thinking of this, Ye Rou felt as if her heart was being burned by fire. She bit her lower lip and finally couldn't help but speak, "Fiveteen hundred taels..."
As soon as 1,500 taels of silver were offered, many people's attention was drawn to Ye Rou.
"This lady seems to be Master Shen's mother." Among the guests present, there were quite a few who recognized Shen Rushan.
"Is that Shen Rushan, the high-profile head of the Ministry of Justice?"
Although he was only a sixth-rank official, Shen Rushan had recently distinguished himself in the court and was favored by the emperor.
Ye Rou covered her mouth and chuckled. Her words were impeccable, but the pride between her brows was still faintly revealed. "My son is indeed currently serving as the head of the Ministry of Justice, but I am just a woman and I don't understand the affairs of the court. As long as he is well, I am well."
After he finished speaking, the guests present nodded in agreement, showing great appreciation for Chen Rushan.
"At such a young age, Master Shen has already gained His Majesty's favor; his future is truly limitless."
"Madam has truly given birth to a fine son."
Shen Rushan's career is progressing smoothly. He is a promising young man and is second only to Pei Qingyan among all the young talents in the capital. His future is truly limitless.
Many people were eager to make friends with him and were generous with their praise.
Hearing these praises, Ye Rou straightened her back even more.
Her two children were her greatest pride and the key to her being able to hold her head high in front of Shen's mother.
After all, Shen's mother's once proudest eldest son had become a cripple who could only sit in a wheelchair, and her only daughter refused to acknowledge her because of her favoritism.
Who could be a more unsuccessful mother than her?
Meanwhile, Chen's mother, who had been cursed countless times in Ye Rou's mind, raised her head in a daze, her breath suddenly catching in her throat.
Why does Shen Rushan's mother look somewhat like her son, Shu'er?
Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Mother Shen raised her hand and rubbed her temples. She hadn't been sleeping well lately and was feeling quite tired.
She didn't notice Shen Feng's expression sitting next to her; his excitement was palpable, as if he were praising his son.
*
Ye Rou raised her watery eyes and glanced at Chen Feng subtly, her eyes revealing a captivating charm.
The subtle, flirtatious exchanges between the two went unnoticed by others, but were all observed by Lu Bai.
"Miss, she has made a bid." Lu Bai, who had been watching Ye Rou closely, saw that she could no longer hold back and hurriedly called Song Zhiyu over.
Lu Bai smirked, a mocking expression on her face. "Five thousand five hundred taels for a dress? I didn't realize Madam Ye was so wealthy. I suppose the Marquis treats her well."
It's ironic that Shen Feng treats his mistress so well, yet treats her mistress like an enemy.
Song Zhiyu wasn't as angry as Lu Bai. Instead, she slightly curled the corners of her lips, her smile unrestrained. "The title of owner of the Treasure Pavilion must be worth more than 1,500 taels, right?"
"What Miss means is..." Seeing the sly smile on Song Zhiyu's face, Lu Bai suddenly realized.
She wondered why the young lady was so calm; it turned out she had been holding back her bad feelings all along.
*
The auction was still ongoing. Yunxi looked around and saw that no one else was bidding, and she felt a little regretful.
It seems their employer's reputation isn't worth much; it's not even as valuable as a single pearl.
"This lady has offered 1,500 taels. Are there any other distinguished guests who would like to raise the price?" Yunxi asked, as was customary, as she stroked the handle of the ivory hammer in her hand.
The surroundings were quiet. The others present had given up their thoughts and, seeing how much Ye Rou wanted the dress, they didn't mind doing her a favor.
Ye Rou's eyes reddened with excitement. Although she felt very distressed about the money she had spent, the thought of receiving everyone's praise at the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet and outshining her mother made her feel that the money was well spent.
Yunxi smiled knowingly, "In that case, this garment shall be..."
"Two thousand taels."
A clear, melodious voice came from afar, breaking the seemingly peaceful situation.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, but could only see a section of pale purple gauze dress peeking out from the window of the private room.
They couldn't see the person, but just by hearing that clear, cool voice, they had no doubt that the owner of the voice was a beautiful young woman.
Being given a private room in the Treasure Pavilion suggests that one's status is extraordinary.
Both of them had their eyes on the same dress, and it was anyone's guess who would end up with it.
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