A water bird swept across the vast sky, its sharp feathered wings slicing through clouds as thin as paper — just like Lin Sui’an’s heart at this moment: fractured.
An auction?! That insufferable brat was most likely trying to stir up mutual suspicion among the great clans, spark a vicious bidding war, and in the end fleece Hua Yitang for a tidy sum! What a despicable scheme!
She really should have just chopped him down when she had the chance.
Because she was seated beside Jiang Seventh Lady, Ling Zhiyan could not voice her opinion and could only transmit signals of concern through her eyes. Jin Ruo crushed a pastry in his grip. Hua Yitang blinked, fanning himself, and bloomed into a grin wide as a flower.
Lin Sui’an felt a measure of reassurance: judging by the look of that pampered rascal, so thoroughly brimming with rotten schemes, he had clearly already hatched some clever plan.
Wan Lin slapped the table. “The Court of Judicial Review has long since uncovered the truth of this case! Stop spouting nonsense here, or the Capital Prefecture will see to it that you are charged with spreading seditious falsehoods!”
“Assistant Wan, please be calm, and allow Yun to explain clearly. The truth I speak of concerns Jiang Dongyi’s motive for murder.” Yun Zhong Yue reached into his robe and produced the “item for sale,” raising it high. “That is to say — this very object!”
Silence fell over the Appreciation Pavilion for a brief moment.
Lin Sui’an noticed that when the scroll book appeared, most of those present wore expressions of varying degrees of bewilderment — all except Su Yiyun, whose spine shot ramrod straight in an instant, eyes blazing with an intensity that was almost frightening.
“Can this be the scroll book that Hua Fourth Young Master mentioned when he cracked the case at the Fan family’s estate?” Bai Ruyi said. “I recall the title was something like — ‘Pluck the flower while it blooms, waste not the moment.'”
Yun Zhong Yue’s habitually long, smiling eyes suddenly snapped wide open, as though he had been stunned.
“Isn’t that wretched book supposed to be in Hua Fourth Young Master’s possession? How did it end up in yours?” Bai Xiang asked.
Hua Yitang shot Yun Zhong Yue a sidelong glance. “A few days ago, I was robbed on my way out and lost several items of no particular value. Shopkeeper Yun, it wouldn’t happen to have been you who stole it, would it?”
Wan Lin: “What?! This man is a thief?!”
Yun Zhong Yue’s eyelids twitched, then slowly drew into their characteristic narrow slant. “Hua Fourth Young Master truly does Yun a grave injustice. This scroll book was purchased by me with honest gold and silver. Though, come to think of it, the one who sold it to me was indeed a rather suspicious character. I originally assumed he had discovered that the contents of the scroll book were far too world-shaking, and was therefore eager to be rid of it—”
“Hold on!” Bai Xiang perked up with interest. “What sort of world-shaking contents?”
“Contents intimately connected to each and every one of you present, with every word worth a fortune.” Yun Zhong Yue smiled. “Yun can say this with certainty: whoever obtains this scroll book shall rise to the head of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans! Such a rare opportunity — one that comes but once in a thousand years!”
The expressions of those present shifted dramatically, every pair of eyes lighting up with unmistakable intrigue. Su Yiyun seemed to want to say something, glanced at Hua Yitang, then swallowed the words back down.
Jiang Seventh Lady’s eyes sparkled, and she let out a soft “Oh.”
Ling Zhiyan’s face had gone so sour it looked ready to drip bitter water.
Suddenly, Hua Yitang let out a low laugh — a sinister, unsettling sound that raised goosebumps on everyone’s skin, sending them exchanging bewildered looks, expressions clouding with uncertainty.
Bai Xiang: “Hua Fourth Young Master, why are you laughing in that spine-chilling way?”
Hua Yitang: “I laugh at the laughable — at laughable people, and at laughable affairs.”
Wan Lin: “Hua Fourth Young Master, have you actually read this scroll book?”
Hua Yitang: “I have.”
Bai Ruyi: “What in the world does it contain?”
Bai Xiang: “Is it truly worth that much?”
“Depends on the person,” Hua Yitang said, leaning lazily against the armrest with his palm propping up his cheek. “For the Longxi Bai clan, for instance, it would be worth not a single coin. For the Qingzhou Bai clan, it might fetch a few coins at most.”
“Hua Fourth Young Master, what do you mean by that — are you looking down on me?” Bai Xiang slammed the table and shot to his feet. “Fine! I’ll buy this scroll book! I’ll bid one guan!”
Hua Yitang’s laughter grew louder. Yun Zhong Yue’s expression stiffened somewhat. “I have already said — this scroll book is worth a fortune—”
Bai Xiang: “Hua Fourth Young Master also said this wretched book is worth nothing at all! If you have the nerve, open the scroll and let us take a look!”
Su Yiyun: “Exactly! If this is meant to be an auction, we can’t simply take the seller’s word for it — at the very least, the buyers ought to be able to inspect the goods!”
The moment those words landed, Lin Sui’an nearly felt her scalp explode. Jin Ruo drew a sharp, cold breath. Ling Zhiyan shot a blade of a glare straight at Hua Yitang’s forehead — yet Hua Yitang remained as unhurried and at ease as ever, and said, “Shopkeeper Yun, don’t say I didn’t warn you — if you let them inspect the goods, your merchandise will cease to be worth anything.”
Ling Zhiyan and Jin Ruo’s eyes went wide. Something clicked in Lin Sui’an’s mind — like a clear, ringing tone — and she suddenly understood Hua Yitang’s plan.
He intended to wage a battle of psychology.
This Yun Zhong Yue, unpredictable as he was, was certainly no fool. The scroll book concerned the scandals and secret histories of the great clans; any single page could serve as a handle by which to manipulate them. But the prerequisite was that the contents of the scroll book must remain confidential.
The fewer people who knew the secret, the greater its value. Each additional person who knew reduced its worth by a fraction — and added a corresponding degree of danger to Yun Zhong Yue himself. If the contents became known to all, Yun Zhong Yue would not only walk away with nothing, but would become a target for all, hunted to his death.
This was precisely the point Hua Yitang had seized upon — confident that Yun Zhong Yue could not allow the buyers to “inspect the goods.”
Moreover, if Yun Zhong Yue had truly intended to make the scroll book public, he could have done so days ago without any need to go to such elaborate lengths in arranging this gathering. And from his behavior just now, as long as no one pushed him to the very edge, he would not tear down all pretense and drag everyone down with him.
Therefore, the optimal path was this: find a way to extinguish everyone else’s interest in the scroll book, first ensuring it did not fall into another’s hands while simultaneously keeping Yun Zhong Yue stable, then seize an opportunity to negotiate a private exchange afterward.
Bai Xiang scratched his head. “Why would inspecting it make it worthless? Does reading the book once destroy it somehow?”
Hua Yitang smiled without answering.
Bai Ruyi quickly tugged at Bai Xiang’s sleeve and lowered his voice. “Hua Fourth Young Master is as sharp-minded as they come. If this scroll book were truly worth a fortune as Shopkeeper Yun claims, he would have already made an offer. Yet you’ll notice Hua Fourth Young Master has absolutely no intention of buying — which means this scroll book is worth nothing at all.”
Bai Xiang slowly returned to his seat, thought it over, and nodded. “Thirteenth Young Brother, those books you’ve read haven’t gone to waste — that’s very sensibly put! The Hua family is a clan of crafty foxes, every last one of them. If there were any profit to be made, they would never surrender it to someone else. There is trickery afoot here!”
Su Yiyun cast a suspicious glance at Hua Yitang.
Hua Yitang maintained his radiant, professional smile. “Oh my, heaven and earth are my witnesses — Hua knows absolutely nothing.”
Su Yiyun frowned for a long moment, then sat back down as well.
Lin Sui’an and the others quietly exhaled in relief, thinking that thankfully Hua Yitang’s reputation for never missing an opportunity to profit — and never allowing himself to be cheated — had taken root so deeply in everyone’s minds that they all feared being duped by him, and that was precisely why this round had been won back.
Yun Zhong Yue’s long outer eye corners lifted slightly. “Hua Fourth Young Master, you are being a little ungracious, wouldn’t you say?”
Hua Yitang fanned himself. “It takes one to know one.”
Yun Zhong Yue let out a cold laugh, then shifted his gaze toward Jiang Seventh Lady. “Does the Ganzhou Jiang clan have any interest in this scroll book?”
Ling Zhiyan’s eyelid twitched imperceptibly. Hua Yitang’s smile remained unchanged, though his grip on the fan tightened. Lin Sui’an silently closed her hand around Qian Jing beneath the table. Jin Ruo clasped his hands behind his back and flashed a string of hand signals to the Pure Gate disciples behind him — signals that were entirely incomprehensible.
“Hmm? Are you asking me?” Jiang Seventh Lady seemed mildly puzzled. “I only came to watch the excitement. I didn’t bring any money.”
Yun Zhong Yue: “I trust the Ganzhou Jiang clan. Jiang Seventh Lady may buy on credit.”
Jiang Seventh Lady: “If it costs too much, I can’t afford it even on credit.”
Yun Zhong Yue’s gaze landed on Hua Yitang, and he tilted his head, the curve of his lips looking thoroughly unpleasant from every angle. “If Jiang Seventh Lady is genuinely interested, I’ll take a loss and sell it for just one guan!”
Damn it!
So Yun Zhong Yue, having failed to make a sale, was now willing to sell at a loss just to torment them?
Lin Sui’an’s inner alarms blared to life. If this were the real Ganzhou Jiang clan it would be one thing — Hua Yitang and Jiang Seventh Lady combined, with the added support of the Pure Gate, would still have the capacity to fight. But this was Jiang Seventh Lady — there was absolutely nothing they could do.
For now, she could only pray that a certain sitting monarch would not be so shameless as to indulge in such amusement—
“Hua Family Fourth Young Master, lend me one guan. I’ll pay you back another day.” Jiang Seventh Lady’s two eyes were bright and glistening, wearing the expression of someone eager to try.
Lin Sui’an: “……”
Bai Xiang’s face broke into a delighted grin, and he frantically slapped Bai Ruyi’s shoulder. “Thirteenth Young Brother, you were right — that wretched book really is worthless.” Wan Lin studied Ling Zhiyan’s grave expression, his own face shifting into something pensive. Su Yiyun’s gaze moved back and forth between Hua Yitang and Jiang Seventh Lady, his thoughts unreadable.
Hua Yitang’s expression management was truly masterful — the knuckles gripping the fan had gone white, yet his smile remained impeccable, and even his voice betrayed not a single crack. “Jiang Seventh Lady is too kind. A mere one guan — consider it Fourth Young Master’s modest offering for your tea. Mu Xia, prepare one guan for Shopkeeper Yun.”
Mu Xia carried a tray of coins to Yun Zhong Yue. Yun Zhong Yue weighed the copper coins in his palm, and was just about to place the scroll book onto the tray when he suddenly withdrew it, fixing his gaze on Hua Yitang. “I would feel more at ease handing it to Jiang Seventh Lady personally.”
With that, he unhurriedly rose to his feet, deliberately slowing his pace, ambling along in a measured stroll toward Jiang Seventh Lady. With each step he took, another fraction of Hua Yitang’s smile receded. Yun Zhong Yue’s gaze then slid from Hua Yitang to Lin Sui’an’s face, and the arc of his lips looked insufferable from every conceivable angle.
It was nothing short of brazen provocation!
Lin Sui’an’s hand moved to Qian Jing, easing it half an inch out of its sheath.
Suddenly, Hua Yitang pressed down on Lin Sui’an’s wrist. His eyes darted left and right, then gestured toward Ling Zhiyan’s direction. Lin Sui’an startled, but saw Ling Zhiyan glance their way for a fraction of a second before quickly looking away again.
Hua Yitang winked at Lin Sui’an.
Lin Sui’an: “……”
Goodness. She finally understood Jin Ruo’s suffering. Could you two please stop having secret conversations with your eyes? Just say what you mean out loud!
Yun Zhong Yue dawdled his way over at a leisurely crawl, and at last arrived before Jiang Seventh Lady, offering the scroll book with a pleasant smile. “Please, Jiang Seventh Lady, take a look.”
Jiang Seventh Lady smiled and nodded, yet made no move to reach for it herself. Instead, it was one of the soft-armored guards standing behind her who rose and stepped forward to receive the scroll book on her behalf.
In that instant, a flash of clarity struck Lin Sui’an: any object presented to the Holy One would first have to pass through these guards’ hands for inspection to confirm whether it posed any danger.
This was the last opportunity!
“Watch out! There is something wrong with this scroll book!” Ling Zhiyan let out a great shout and vaulted upright, overturning the table. Her blade flashed like a bolt of lightning slashing toward the scroll book, and Yun Zhong Yue, completely caught off guard, reflexively curled his fingers. The scroll book slipped from his grasp.
In that split second, Lin Sui’an launched herself forward. Green light blazed and crackled around Qian Jing, instantly sealing off every direction around Yun Zhong Yue. His Lotus Blossom Steps had barely conjured a single shifting afterimage before he slammed squarely into Qian Jing’s blade-light and was driven back in an instant. Lin Sui’an was elated — she pressed forward with a follow-up strike, Throat-Slitting Blood Torrent. Yet at that very moment, she heard a chorus of screams and tearing air from behind her. Bolts were flying — straight toward where Jiang Seventh Lady sat. She was seized with alarm, made a split-second decision to abandon Yun Zhong Yue, and pivoted on the momentum of her blade to sweep a full arc around her. A rapid sequence of metallic rings rang out — seven or eight bolts embedded themselves into the floorboards.
One bolt drove straight through the scroll book, pinning it to the table in front of Jiang Seventh Lady. But Jiang Seventh Lady had already retreated ten paces under the protection of her four guards. Their expressions were solemn and alert, eyes scanning the surroundings on all sides. Jiang Seventh Lady’s face showed not a trace of panic — if anything, her interest had only heightened, and her bright almond eyes fixed on Lin Sui’an with an unwavering gaze as she let out a soft “Wow.”
The sudden upheaval left everyone’s faces drained of color. Hua Yitang and Yun Zhong Yue both snapped their heads toward each other, and spoke simultaneously:
“What the—! Yun Zhong Yue, have you lost your mind?!”
“Dammit! Hua Yitang, you’ve gone too far!”
The two voices collided in midair and shattered all over the floor.
Both instantly realized something was wrong, and fell silent at the same time.
Ling Zhiyan darted to Jiang Seventh Lady’s side. Jin Ruo and the Pure Gate disciples formed a protective line, ushering everyone else to retreat behind Lin Sui’an. The only one who did not retreat — who instead stepped up to stand beside Lin Sui’an — was Hua Yitang, who roared at the top of his lungs: “Damn it all! Whatever sniveling, skulking, lowly creature dares to cause havoc on my Hua clan’s territory — not one of you is leaving here today! I will slaughter your ancestors back eighteen generations!”
“I had heard that the world’s greatest thief, Yun Zhong Yue, was holding a banquet aboard the White Heron Pleasure Boat to auction off Jiang Dongyi’s possessions. I was most intrigued, and came especially to attend. It seems I’ve arrived just in time.”
A gloomy, low voice descended along with a group of black-clad figures, who dropped in unison from above and landed in a neat row along the railings of the Appreciation Pavilion. All of them were masked in black, their movements light and agile. Standing at the center prow of the pavilion was a bizarre figure cloaked in a heavy mantle, every inch of the body concealed from view. The only thing exposed was a black iron mask, its surface covered in irregular, bumpy ridges, with only narrow slits left open at the eyes and mouth for air. The overall effect resembled a clump of rotted tree roots — distinctly unpleasant to behold.
Apart from this figure, the remaining black-clad assailants each carried a black horizontal blade roughly two feet in length — the same length, the same profile as Qian Jing — identical to the weapons of the black-clad assailants who had besieged them in the Western Market.
Lin Sui’an’s heart lurched into a violent gallop. She could smell the blood on these people — a stench so thick it turned the stomach. Something inside her seemed to rear up in fury, a bloodthirsty killing impulse roaring to life and flooding her limbs. The hand gripping Qian Jing trembled faintly. Qian Jing, as though summoned, let out a blade-wail like a ghost’s cry.
Without warning, Hua Yitang seized her wrist. His damp palm jolted Lin Sui’an into alertness.
She heard Hua Yitang’s voice, loaded to maximum with scorn, hurl itself without mercy at the intruders.
“You shameless, despicable lot — you actually pirated my Lin Sui’an’s Qian Jing and made cheap counterfeits! Not a single one of you is leaving here today! You’re all paying me royalties!”
River wind whistled through the dead silence of the Appreciation Pavilion. Everyone turned in unison to stare at Hua Yitang, utterly dumbstruck.
Lin Sui’an stood frozen, her gaze drifting upward to trace Hua Yitang’s clean and decisive jawline. Whatever murderous intent had been surging within her seemed to have found the atmosphere entirely too absurd to contend with, and had apparently departed for distant shores.
Jiang Seventh Lady burst out laughing. “He truly is Hua Yitang’s younger brother — exactly the same, through and through. Never forgets to make money, no matter the moment.”
Skit
Hua Yitang: You pirating dogs — pay the copyright fee!