With the shills making a good start at the auction, what followed became much easier. Most Xirong nobles had extensive pastures and farmland, with countless herdsmen, tenants, and slaves under their names. They also did business with Da Qian and Liaodong, so they weren’t short of money. The subsequent items were bid on very enthusiastically.
The catalog of auction items was also something Tie Ci and Rong Pu had discussed together, covering various price ranges and categories for all social classes within the royal city. Even poor people could enjoy themselves at the auction, bidding on practical but inexpensive items. As for the wealthy, there was no need to mention them – the pre-positioned shills in the crowd desperately bid up prices, determined not to stop until they had squeezed the buyers dry.
Since they had come this far, they couldn’t return empty-handed. Money still had to be earned – after all, maintaining a large army required money everywhere, and Huyin’s troops hadn’t eaten meat in a long time.
So when prices were driven very high and buyers said they hadn’t brought so much cash, Accountant Rong Pu also allowed them to trade with cowhides, salt, horses, grain, and other goods.
Rong Pu also contributed a bottle of good medicine as an auction item, which sparked a bidding war between Namutu and Zuo Siyan. In the end, Zuo Siyan couldn’t outcompete the financially powerful Namutu and gave up after shooting him a sinister glare.
Both were ministers who had achieved merit in supporting the dragon, so naturally they had some friction with each other. Namutu had been in a bad mood, but gaining the upper hand this time cheered him up somewhat. He thought that having this precious medicine hidden away was equivalent to saving another life.
The Crown Prince, drinking beef soup in the palace, also heard news of this auction. He expressed slight surprise that both of his generals had participated in the auction, then instructed those around him: “Go find out what Uncle and Zuo Siyan bid on, and report back to me.”
Someone took orders and left, while the recently favored cook proudly collected the empty soup bowl.
As he carried the bowl back, he felt his whole body heating up and walked with vigorous strides, thinking this beef recipe truly strengthened the body – his energy had increased considerably lately.
At the auction, things were proceeding lively toward the conclusion.
The three-piece set was brought up.
A golden nanmu wood box with gold inlay and jade decoration, tied with red silk and cushioned with brocade – such grand treatment immediately told everyone this was the main event.
Both Namutu and Zuo Siyan looked at their catalogs and sat up straight.
Yang Yixiu put on gloves and solemnly brought out the items. The crowd waited with anticipation, but when they saw only three grayish objects, most were greatly disappointed.
A blue-gray small vest that looked very heavy, a hairpin without any patterns, and a belt.
Yang Yixiu changed from his previous flamboyant style and said solemnly: “These three items can be called treasures in terms of material, design, and craftsmanship. I won’t over-describe them, because selling these three treasures violates laws within Da Qian territory. The material they use – abyssal iron – is incredibly sharp, and not even a fraction can leave Da Qian soil. Just bringing them out cost us countless silver. With these things, you fear no blade or sword that anyone might use to kill you, and you can kill anyone you want to kill.”
He put on the vest and signaled Xiao Wu nearby to come forward. Xiao Wu borrowed a blade from someone in the audience. Xirong people carried weapons with them, so immediately someone unfastened their blade and handed it up – it was a good curved blade, gleaming coldly.
Xiao Wu raised the blade and stabbed toward Yang Yixiu.
The crowd below gasped.
However, the moment that fairly good curved blade touched the vest, it broke cleanly in two.
The blade’s owner looked heartbroken and bewildered when he received the broken weapon.
This person was naturally not a shill.
Xiao Wu smiled and indicated he would provide compensation, handing him a small abyssal iron knife. Though a large blade was exchanged for a small one, this person still accepted it joyfully.
Yang Yixiu said that due to design secrets and effectiveness, the other two items wouldn’t be demonstrated.
Xirong people valued martial prowess, and now being in turmoil, the appearance of such a protective treasure was enough to make everyone’s eyes glow blue.
Both Namutu and Zuo Siyan glanced at each other, their whole bodies tense.
Indeed, this round’s opening bid was shocking, and the bidding even more so.
Namutu regretted having spent a large sum on medicine earlier while continuously raising his bid.
Having already lost once before, Zuo Siyan was even more unwilling to lose again and bid very aggressively.
However, his favored concubine beside him was getting anxious.
She knew something about the General’s financial situation. If all the money was spent on buying weapons, what would happen if there wasn’t enough money to buy that miraculous medicine later?
She had finally managed to coax the General into agreeing to come watch the excitement.
Zuo Siyan had originally come to accompany his woman for entertainment, never expecting to encounter such items. At this moment, how could he remember his initial promises to the woman about obtaining things? Hearing the prices continuously rise, and hearing Yang Yixiu say credit and accounts weren’t allowed, he ordered his accompanying soldiers to return and fetch money.
Namutu did the same, sending people home for money. The soldiers from both sides looked at each other and competed for speed on the long street, running until dust flew everywhere.
This matter quickly reached the palace, and the Crown Prince’s expression gradually darkened as he listened.
Protective armor and killing weapons?
These two already possessed large armies and countless escorts wherever they went, surrounded by crowds of people. Assassins couldn’t get within three feet of them.
Who were they guarding against, and whom did they want to kill?
…
The auction price had risen to a staggering figure. Other bidders had long since stopped, waiting for these two big shots to determine the winner.
The two bidding participants also slowed their pace of raising paddles, with Zuo Siyan, whose finances were particularly thin, looking especially grim.
He could no longer afford the current price but found himself unable to back down.
Hearing that Namutu above had raised the bid again, and listening to Yang Yixiu’s endless encouragement, he couldn’t help feeling irritated.
Why wasn’t this over yet!
Just call the count three times and be done with it!
“Thirty-seven thousand gold once, thirty-seven thousand gold twice, thirty-seven thousand gold…”
Yang Yixiu drew out his words, looking at him with expectant eyes.
Everyone was also looking at him.
Zuo Siyan gritted his teeth and opened his mouth.
His favored concubine beside him suddenly cried out and crashed into him.
Zuo Siyan’s hand about to raise the paddle was knocked aside, and the words he was about to speak were swallowed back down, replaced by timely support and a concerned question: “What’s wrong?”
The concubine said weakly in his arms: “I feel dizzy…”
In the time it took for this exchange, Yang Yixiu finally finished saying “Thirty-seven thousand gold thrice!”
The small hammer struck.
People saw the slender hand wearing ten large flower rings on the second floor leading the applause.
Namutu stood up with a joyful expression and walked toward the curtain under Yang Yixiu’s respectful reception.
He suddenly turned back, meeting Zuo Siyan’s cold gaze.
The soldiers standing in a row behind him also stared at him with their eyes.
Zuo Siyan walked toward him. Seeing his expression, Namutu knew this fellow was probably going to say something arrogant and difficult again.
Like asking him to give up the items or something.
As court colleagues, Namutu didn’t want to provoke this mad dog, and even less did he want to give away the treasures he had finally obtained. He pretended not to see Zuo Siyan, raised an eyebrow, turned around and entered the curtain.
Zuo Siyan had to stop in his tracks.
He felt tremendously humiliated. Those crab-like eyes with white showing below desperately rolled upward, showing only a thin line of white, like a vengeful ghost in a rage.
His loyal soldiers behind him all showed gloomy, angry expressions, clearly feeling their general’s dignity had been greatly trampled.
Immediately someone angrily said: “That old thing is getting more and more arrogant!”
Zuo Siyan stood gloomily in place and said: “One day, either he dies or I die.”
…
Namutu was in quite a good mood at this time.
How to transfer goods worth thirty-seven thousand gold was naturally handled by his steward negotiating with the accountant here. Xiao Wu was demonstrating the usage of the other two items to him.
The hairpin’s pointed tip could be lightly pulled, causing fine needles dense as ox hair to shoot out with a whoosh.
The belt was even more remarkable – when worn at the waist it was an ordinary belt, but with a flick of the finger, a thin blade could be drawn out. With a shake in the air it flashed coldly, and with a sweep back to the waist it was seamlessly concealed again.
When had Namutu ever seen such nearly magical weapons? His eyes lit up immediately, and his original heartache about the cost was instantly soothed.
Moreover…
He caressed the belt, glanced at those merchants, and his lips curved slightly.
Did these mere Da Qian merchants think they could earn so much money from him in this Xirong royal city?
Just as this thought flashed through his mind, he heard his steward, who had originally been reluctant about spending so much money, burst into joyful laughter. Then a handsome young man walked toward him, bowing generously yet respectfully, and said with a smile: “These abyssal iron weapons were crafted by a senior master who once said he only wanted to give precious swords to heroes. The Chief Minister is a true hero, and treasures should go to the capable. These three abyssal iron treasures are hereby gifted to the Chief Minister.”
As he spoke, the curtain behind opened. His voice was clear and carried outside the curtain. The mountain of spectators outside heard this and called out in envy and admiration.
Namutu was overjoyed. The murderous thoughts from moments before immediately dissipated. He heavily patted the other’s shoulder and laughed: “Since you’re so sensible, I’m willing to befriend people like you. If there’s anything in the royal city in the future, just come find me.”
The merchants thanked him in unison. The atmosphere became harmonious for a moment.
News of Namutu obtaining the three-piece magical set quickly reached the palace. When the Crown Prince heard that the armor and weapons had been obtained at great expense by his usually very respectful uncle, his expression grew even more gloomy.
Uncle was indeed becoming more and more arrogant. First there was the public demand for wine, now there was private purchase of divine weapons.
The mansion was also wealthier than imagined…
Then hearing that in the end Uncle hadn’t spent a penny and the other party had gifted him these weapons worth thousands of gold, even saying those words about true heroes, the Crown Prince’s expression changed repeatedly as he slowly stood up.
What did this mean?
Da Qian people had always liked to engage in these mystical tricks. The Crown Prince had read their history books and seen plenty of these ghostly supernatural schemes claiming divine mandate, bewitching the people’s hearts. When they draped these divine mandate robes on someone, it basically meant that person wanted to rebel and seize the world.
What did this group of Da Qian merchants want to do?
And Uncle just accepted it so calmly?
A gift worth thousands of gold, presented under such a title, and he dared to accept it? What did he think he was?
Originally he and his uncle had deep affection, with Uncle’s great help and his smooth occupation of the royal city filling him with gratitude. He had also given Uncle great power, not touching his military authority, never thinking of employing the Central Plains tactic of eliminating loyal dogs after catching rabbits. But unexpectedly, Uncle was so insatiable!
Combined with recent rumors in the royal city about his illegitimate seizure of power, his expression grew even uglier.
Looking up at the sky, he felt storm clouds gathering and wind and rain approaching. Golden light flashed in the clouds as if a great storm was brewing toward him.
Meanwhile, at the auction venue on the second floor, Tie Ci quietly stood up.
Rong Pu walked into the box. With the curtain half-drawn, no one would see him enter.
Tie Ci smiled, walked behind the curtain, took off the ten eye-catching large flower rings from her hands, and handed them to Rong Pu.
Rong Pu slightly spread his fingers, as if waiting for her to put them on for him.
Tie Ci had long since mastered dealing with this green tea, smiling as she bundled the rings together and stuffed them into his hand.
Rong Pu also smiled gracefully and put on the ten rings one by one.
The rings still retained Tie Ci’s body warmth, the slight heat settling into his heart.
He sat in the chair Tie Ci had just occupied, and like her, placed his hand on the small table beside him, either drinking tea or tapping the table.
He wore the same blue clothes as Tie Ci.
To the common people outside, it seemed the merchant leader had been upstairs all along.
…
In the small box, Wuliang Yunzhu slowly raised her head, looking around somewhat confusedly.
She saw her sister slumped across from her and hurriedly went to push her, but no matter how much she pushed, couldn’t wake her.
She felt a bit dizzy, irritated, and slightly nauseous. Standing up groggily, wanting to find water to drink, she looked up and saw Tie Ci’s box across the way and walked toward it.
At this time no one was paying attention to them, as everyone’s attention was on the auction stage. Wuliang Yunzhu walked along the corridor toward the opposite side, and looking up, she suddenly glimpsed a figure flash by.
…
Tie Ci glanced down below. The bidding continued, with Zuo Siyan’s gloomy face participating in the bid for the Life-Extending Ointment.
This item was also brought out by Rong Pu and had its special purpose – it was something Zuo Siyan’s favored concubine had to obtain.
Tie Ci glanced once, smiled, and her figure had already disappeared from the spot.
The next instant she appeared several streets away.
The next instant she appeared at a corner of the inner city wall.
The next instant she appeared above the royal city watchtower.
…
Wuliang Yunzhu stood dazedly at the bottom of the stairs. She didn’t understand what she had just seen, only vaguely catching sight of a shadow that seemed to be Wei Ci.
Then that figure disappeared, moving at a speed unlike a real person, more like an illusion or ghost.
She looked up toward that box.
The box door was half-open, and she could still see Wei Ci’s hand wearing many large flower rings tapping the table.
Suddenly she felt a chill in her heart and didn’t dare approach rashly. Walking to a corner of the second floor and looking diagonally, she saw Rong Pu’s face in the box.
…
Xirong admired Central Plains culture and education. The royal city had also been built with guidance from Da Qian craftsmen in the past, with layout and arrangement mostly imitating Da Qian. However, constrained by finances and customs, it was relatively simple with a rougher style. There was no moat, no corner towers or multiple city walls built – just the royal city and palace city. The royal city was built entirely of deep red bricks made from local red clay, with the main hall at the very back topped with a yellow treasure roof. The prince palaces and council halls extending left and right from both sides looked from afar like a blood eagle spreading its wings on the earth.
The watchtower had soldiers, and below the tower along the city walls there was a guard post every ten zhang. Patrolling guards shook copper bells every quarter hour to signal all was well.
In the watchtower, two bored soldiers were dozing against the platform edge when they suddenly heard someone shouting below. Looking down, they saw the person pointing in horror at above their heads.
Above their heads was still the roof – nothing could be seen.
The wind suddenly grew stronger, and something above their heads fluttered. Looking closely, it seemed like a person’s clothing sash.
The two were horrified.
Someone on the roof?
That was impossible!
The roof was pointed – just a palm-sized area. How could anyone stand there?
Unless… it was an immortal.
Just as this thought crossed their minds, the area above their heads suddenly brightened.
The two looked up and saw a thin line of golden light trace the edge of the dark clouds, flashing once.
The next moment thunder roared.
Right overhead.
The thunder was so close that their ears buzzed, and for a moment they couldn’t hear any other sounds between heaven and earth. They watched helplessly as a crack suddenly appeared in the narrow roof above, growing larger and larger…
“The tower has been split by lightning!”
The two finally reacted, shouting frantically as they hurried down the stairs to escape for their lives. Running to the halfway point, they looked back and saw a slender figure flash once atop the gradually collapsing watchtower before disappearing.
“An immortal!”
Besides immortals, who else in this world could suddenly come and go in such a place?
The immortal had summoned heavenly thunder and split the royal city’s watchtower.
The two guards, pale-faced, stumbled down from the city tower.
When the thunder sounded, the Crown Prince also saw that thin streak of lightning winding across the horizon.
Very thin, and the thunder wasn’t very loud, so he didn’t pay much attention.
However, he immediately heard that troubling news.
The guards knelt before him, trembling as they described how an immortal had descended and summoned lightning to split the tower. Thinking of his earlier worries, the Crown Prince felt even more uneasy and immediately ordered the news be kept secret and the watchtower repaired immediately.
However, he soon heard the second thunder.
The northeastern corner watchtower had also been split.
Within a quarter hour, four thunderclaps and four lightning strikes destroyed all four corner watchtowers of the royal city.
The news could no longer be concealed. Since it was only lightning without rain, people gathered to look at the four corners from afar, discussing animatedly.
The Crown Prince rarely lost his temper so completely in his hall. He absolutely didn’t believe in any immortal punishment.
He gathered all the guards on duty at the time and everyone who had seen that figure, questioning them repeatedly. Finally, it was the guard who had first spotted the figure who hesitantly said that the person wore robes with wide sleeves – it didn’t seem like local Xirong clothing but rather resembled southern attire.
The southerners currently known to be in the royal city were those merchants, weren’t they?
The Crown Prince was delighted.
At this point, whether this group of merchants had caused trouble or not, he definitely had to capture them. Such incidents required scapegoats – if the people truly believed it was heavenly warning and divine punishment, that would be disastrous.
Immediately the outer guard commander selected a group and left the palace in great force.
…
A figure flashed, and Tie Ci appeared in front of the palace square.
She looked around somewhat confusedly. In her estimation, this flash should have taken her away from the palace – why was she still standing here?
The guards at the palace entrance had already noticed and came shouting questions.
Tie Ci flashed again. This time she flashed to Giant Bear Street, close to the square and also a place she hadn’t been before. She used several more teleportations before flashing back to Antelope Street.
When she made the final flash back to the restaurant, her chest qi suddenly reversed, her form went out of control, and she crashed heavily toward Rong Pu, who was sitting behind the curtain impersonating her.
Fortunately Rong Pu was quick-witted. He kicked backward with his foot, forcibly embracing Tie Ci as they retreated to the wall. The chair beneath made scraping sounds against the floor until they reached the wall and stopped.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. Calculation error.” Tie Ci suppressed the unease in her heart. She regulated her breathing and found the reverse qi flow in her chest had disappeared. “Let’s switch back.”
She and Rong Pu exchanged clothes and rings.
Downstairs, Namutu wanted to take his leave. Tie Ci leaned on the railing and called out to keep him, asking him to try some refreshments and taste Da Qian specialties.
Having just received free gifts from others, Namutu naturally couldn’t refuse. He stayed to eat refreshments and watch the auction.
Zuo Siyan originally had no interest in the subsequent auctions, but his favored concubine acted coquettishly, telling him the medicine was good not only for women but also for men. She clasped her hands together, saying she hoped both she and the General would live long lives and be happy together forever.
Zuo Siyan also needed to recover some face and successfully bid for the Life-Extending Ointment, though his expression remained grim.
Once the concubine obtained the medicine and had her maid test it for poison, someone came to invite them, saying a hot spring pool had been newly dug in the back courtyard. This medicine worked best with hot springs, so the lady might as well bathe and try the medicine here.
Xirong people didn’t like bathing, believing it harmed one’s vital energy. Zuo Siyan was even more unwilling to bathe outside, but couldn’t withstand his concubine’s skilled coquetry. After much pestering, he went, but had people test the water and examine the medicine. All bathing implements were checked one by one. Curtains were drawn around the hot spring pool with soldiers standing guard outside. These soldiers were all very loyal, staring unblinkingly at the surroundings without the slightest negligence.
Xirong people were mostly straightforward in nature, prideful, stubborn, admiring strength and martial prowess, considering betrayal shameful. If a general they had followed for years died in battle, most would seek revenge for their general and fight to the last moment. Zuo Siyan’s soldiers had followed him for years, respected his bravery, and regarded him as an idol. They were famously loyal, even more so than the tribal troops Namutu commanded.
The hot spring pool in the back courtyard was naturally not a real hot spring pool. Hot springs required specific topographical environments to form – how could one just dig a pool in any random residence in the royal city? It was just an ordinary pool filled with hot water containing herbs that gave it a hot spring scent, then the herb packets were removed.
Having killed many people, Zuo Siyan was especially protective of his own life. He forced these Da Qian merchants to also enter the water. Tian Wu immediately put on a loincloth and went down to soak with him. Only then did Zuo Siyan enter the water.
As the two soaked, they gradually became inappropriate. Tian Wu couldn’t bear to watch and quietly came ashore.
When he came up, he glanced at the blue stone where Zuo Siyan’s clothes were placed on the shore.
After he left, the blue stone cracked open, a hand emerged from within, and quietly searched through the clothes, finding the command token Zuo Siyan never left behind.