Chapter 468 Bidding
Since ancient times, there have been many powerful and wealthy people whose homes have been confiscated.
Most of the confiscated property was confiscated, and in the future the emperor would either give it away as a reward or melt it down and cast it into new objects.
However, there are also some extremely valuable things with strong personal symbols. They are not suitable for rewards, but it would be a pity to remake them. They would also be an eyesore if placed in front of the emperor. They are only suitable to be sold and converted into cash to be put into the national treasury.
For example, the sword and horse of a famous general.
Most people are not worthy of the former, and most people cannot control the latter.
So there came into being places called "bidding markets" where these things were put up for auction and the proceeds were confiscated.
This time, Yun Chen and others had their property confiscated, and their swords and horses became the hottest "newcomers" in the market.
The price of a seat in tonight's auction was as high as one hundred gold coins per person, but it was sold out seven days ago.
When Yun Chen and Yan Shijiu arrived at the Jingshi Hall, the entrance was crowded with all kinds of luxurious carriages, and there were two teams of imperial guards and yamen runners guarding it strictly.
Under Wan Chen's protection, Yun Chen followed Yan Shijiu into the VIP room on the second floor.
Looking around, the lobby on the first floor was filled with brightly dressed guests, who looked either rich or noble.
There are only eight private rooms on the second floor, and behind the pearl curtains are guests of even more prominent status.
Yun Chen looked around through his hat and veil, and there were some dignitaries who looked familiar to him.
The people who once chatted and laughed with Huo Gannian and Yun Chen and drank with each other are now gathered together to bid for their confiscated belongings. This scene is really unpleasant.
Yun Chen sat quietly in her seat. No matter whether the item displayed on the auction table on the first floor was Huo Gannian's jade ring or her favorite double-handled green plum vase when she played pitching pots, she remained silent.
The veil on her head obscured her expression. Yan Shijiu couldn't see it, but he could clearly feel her depression.
Even he, at this moment, had a feeling that "Huo Yun's former glory is gone, and everything is broken into pieces like flowing water."
But he knew that to Yun Chen, power and wealth were like smoke, and she never cared whether they were gone or never came back.
The only person who made her feel sad was Huo Gannian.
Soon, the auction items were displayed one by one and were bought by distinguished guests.
The highest price at the moment is a pair of white star jade earrings that Yun Chen once loved, which were sold for more than 700 taels of gold.
I still remember that it was a midsummer evening. Yun Chen was lying in the yard of Qiyunju, enjoying the cool air and reading a picture book leisurely.
Huo Gannian and the master jewellery maker at the mansion were learning to make jewellery nearby. He said that he wanted to make a bracelet for Yun Chen himself and open a jewellery shop just for Yun Chen in the future, where he would make jewellery for Yun Chen every day.
As a result, after learning for a long time, Huo Gannian had to grind and grind the whole piece of imperial green jadeite as big as a fist, and had to rework it over and over again. In the end, it was only the size of a fingernail and could only be made into a pair of earrings.
Yun Chen still remembers the old master's distressed and helpless look as he looked at the jade powder on the ground and said:
"Young Master, why don't you stop learning? If you don't start a business, you won't ruin your family, really."
Yun Chen still remembers Huo Gannian's laughter at that time, which was hearty and cheerful, reaching the sky.
"Xiao Yunyun, your favorite is here."
Yan Shijiu spoke, interrupting Yun Chen's memories.
She perked up, took off her hat and veil, and leaned forward slightly to look at the first floor. This was the first major lot of the night, and also one of the real reasons for the distinguished guests to come here:
Taiping Sword.
The two bidders struggled to lift the sword and show it to everyone.
The foreclosure judge at the venue began to introduce the auction incessantly:
"This sword is made of black iron, with gold and copper as the base, and a diamond as the tip. The blade can cut iron like mud and sever hair with a single blow. The day the sword was forged, wind and clouds surged, and when it was unsheathed, thunder roared everywhere! The origin of this sword is self-evident, and everyone in the world knows it. This sword is a rare military weapon, the best of all swords, and has extremely high collectible value. It has slain no fewer than 100,000 enemies! Keeping it in your home can ward off evil spirits, and ghosts will not dare to approach..."
Yun Chen on the second floor listened to this and frowned: "......"
One hundred thousand? The Black Scale Cavalry only had two hundred thousand men back then? I can kill half of them by myself?
The foreclosure judge boasted for a full quarter of an hour, causing all the guests in the room to fluctuate in mood and exclaim in amazement.
Seeing that the atmosphere was almost set, the auctioneer tapped the gong lightly:
"The bidding begins now. The starting price is five thousand taels of gold."
When the price was announced, Yun Chen's mouth opened wide, and he looked at Yan Shijiu in shock:
"How much more? Five thousand five hundred and five thousand taels? Gold? How come I didn't know my sword was so valuable?"
"Because you are the owner of the sword!" Yan Shijiu smiled and signaled Wan Chen to start bidding.
Wan Chen then took down a small silver gong hanging at the door of the private room and handed it to Yun Chen along with the hammer, saying respectfully:
"Madam, if you wish to raise the price, please tap this gong."
"Oh." Yun Chen nodded and took it in confusion.
When she looked up at the first floor, she saw that in the short time she had been talking to Wan Chen, the price of the Taiping Sword had risen to 70,000 taels.
Yun Chen was shocked and tentatively struck the silver gong. The forensic judge on the first floor immediately looked in her direction and said with a smile:
"A distinguished guest has offered seventy-five thousand taels! Seventy-five thousand taels at a time, seventy-five thousand taels—"
As the auctioneer was announcing the price, a lazy voice came from the private room on the second floor, diagonally opposite Yun Chen, and instructed the servant to strike the gong five times, saying:
"One hundred thousand taels."
All the guests looked over curiously, and some whispered:
"One hundred thousand taels, that's not a low price. This guy is so determined to get it. It seems like he'll match anyone's bid no matter how much."
"This person looks unfamiliar, and his accent doesn't sound like someone from Kyoto."
"It's not surprising. The Huo Yun Rebellion Case was a huge commotion. The whole country heard about the confiscation of property. It's no wonder many wealthy local tycoons came to bid for Yun Lao Hu's sword and horse."
Everyone was talking about it. The foreclosure officer began to announce the price.
Yun Chen wanted to strike the silver gong immediately to raise the price, but he stopped mid-swing and asked Yan Shijiu nervously:
"Tell me how much money you have! I'll be more discreet when I quote the price."
Although she had been friends with Yan Shijiu for many years, she didn't know his family background or how much money he had in his pocket.
She was afraid that in order to fulfill her wish, Yan Shijiu would not even have enough to eat in the future.
One hundred thousand taels of gold! Not real estate like houses, shops, or land, but hard cash!
Among the powerful people in Beijing, there are at least 10,000 households with assets exceeding 100,000 taels of gold, but there are probably only 3,000 households who can come up with 100,000 taels of gold in cash.
As for those who can spend 100,000 taels of gold as if it were 10 taels of silver, and not buy a house or land, but just throw it away to buy an unnecessary sword, and who don’t feel any pain after buying it, there are probably less than ten households.
Today, if Huo Gan was still here, Yun Chen would definitely be full of confidence, considering the Huo Gang's former strong financial resources, and she would dare to match the other party's bid no matter how much.
But she wasn't sure about Yan Nineteen. After all, his carriage was so small that they couldn't afford to put in two more seats.
Yan Shijiu understood Yun Chen's concerns, smiled, and hooked Wan Chen with his slender fingers:
"Wan Chen, tell your wife how many vaults I have and how much money is there?"
Wan Chen was stunned for a moment and almost blurted out, "Are you talking about the treasury of the Yan Mansion or the national treasury of Dongyan?" After thinking for a while, he simply lifted the corner of his clothes, unbuttoned his pockets, revealing a bunch of keys wrapped in brocade, and said to Yun Chen:
"There are too many. I wonder which one you'd like to know. Anyway, we've set up private vaults to store all the money that the bank can't hold. The one closest to you has about..."
Wan Chen rolled his eyes and thought for a moment, then continued, "That's enough to buy about eighteen Taiping Swords."
Yun Chen was stunned when he heard this. He was shocked by Wan Chen's landlord attitude. Then he happily punched Yan Shijiu on the shoulder and said happily:
"Okay, okay, now I know what's going on! Bid your price, right? I'll piss off that grandson who yelled 'one hundred thousand taels' to death!"
As he spoke, Yun Chen rolled up his sleeves, looking like he was ready to do something big. Just as he was about to ring the silver gong to ask for the price, a large lantern made of pure gold suddenly lit up on the opposite side, causing everyone in the audience to be surprised.
Even Yan Shijiu raised his eyebrows and sneered in disdain.
Yun Chen didn't understand what this meant, so Wan Chen explained:
"Madam, this is a 'Sky Lantern'. If someone lights this lantern at the auction, then no matter what they bid, no matter how much, the other party will add 10% to the highest bid. This is like booking the entire place. This pure gold lantern is also given directly to the auctioneer. The other party does not take it away, as a sign of their financial strength."
Yun Chen understood.
In other words, from now on, there is no way she will be able to take the Taiping Sword.
Because no matter how much she raised the price, the other party was willing to add another 10%.
Including the Swallowing Cloud Beast that was about to appear, as well as Huo Gannian's Hidden Moon Sword and Wolf-Slaying Colt, she couldn't even think of taking any of them away.
Now, Yun Chen, who had rolled up his sleeves and was determined to win just now, slowly drooped his shoulders and became discouraged.
She watched helplessly as the Taiping Sword was bid up to three hundred thousand taels, then carried into the private room where the sky lanterns were located. Then came the Cloud-Swallowing Beast, which hadn't eaten properly in days and was so thin that its ribs bulged out...
The Cloud-Swallowing Beast obviously smelled Yun Chen's breath, and kept spinning in place, turning its head to look everywhere.
When it was forcibly taken away, it finally discovered Yun Chen and tried to rush over, but was beaten by the servants of the guy who lit the sky lantern. The horse's bit was pulled so hard that it bled and it let out bursts of whine.
Yun Chen looked at the Cloud-Swallowing Beast from afar, and subconsciously stood up suddenly with his fists clenched in pain.
She wanted to say, "Yan Shijiu, can you help me again?" But when the words came to her lips, she wondered why.
She and Yan Shijiu are not real husband and wife, they are just friends. Why should she ask him to redeem her things at all costs?
Besides, this is an official market competition, with people from the Imperial Household Department serving as auctioneers, and every transaction is conducted under the nose of the court.
She can't even control her own life now, how can she control the fate of the Taiping Sword and the Swallowing Cloud Beast?
A series of sad thoughts surged in his heart, and were clearly written in Yun Chen's gloomy eyes.
Yan Shijiu leaned back in the recliner next to him, his hands folded behind his head, his long legs stretched out on the small coffee table, swaying leisurely.
He looked at Yun Chen with a half-smile, like a hunter patiently waiting for his prey to beg for mercy. His smile even became more intense because he found the waiting very interesting.
Yun Chen didn't have the courage to look anymore. She put on her hat and veil again, said in a low nasal voice, "Let's go", and then strode out, afraid to stay for a moment longer.
Even after leaving Jingshi and getting back on the Yan Mansion's carriage, Yun Chen could still clearly hear the Cloud-Swallowing Beast's wails. It was as sad and helpless as an abandoned child, calling out, hoping that its master would return.
She tried hard to hold back her emotions, tears welling up in her eyes.
She didn't want Yan Shijiu to see this and feel embarrassed, so she didn't take off the veil on her head.
Yan Shijiu closed the fan, and the tip of the fan slowly extended into the veil. The jade fan bone carried the cool mint fragrance and was handed to Yun Chen's eyes. Then he gently lifted it up, revealing his face with raised eyebrows and a slight smile.
"Want my help? Think it over carefully. I'm only asking this once."
Unexpectedly, Yan Shijiu would take the initiative to ask for help. Yun Chen was stunned at first. After hesitating for a moment, he sniffed and nodded heavily:
"If you can find a way to help me, I will find a way to repay you for all the kindness and money you've given me. I swear!"
Yan Shijiu's eyebrows curved and raised even higher:
"Well, then, take off your clothes—I want them now."
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