Chapter 33: Even If I Were to Sell Myself, There Would Be Those Willing to Risk Their Lives to Buy (4)

Wen Qingyan’s seemingly casual remark was enough to make Huan’er completely anxious. The Li family of Suzhou was no ordinary merchant family; they were the previous imperial merchants and currently their greatest rivals. "No, Sister Qingyan, this porcelain is a token of your devotion to your maternal grandfather, and I, too, hold him in the highest regard. Shall we bid three hundred and one thousand taels?"

Wen Qingyan cursed Sun Huan as a complete fool in her heart. Three hundred and one thousand taels? Her dear aunt’s dowry alone was worth many times that amount. The Zhuge family was a true aristocratic house; their foundation was far beyond what any nouveau riche could compare to.

"Huan’er, let’s just forget it." At this point, adding a mere thousand taels would only make them a laughingstock.

Although Sun Huan was dim-witted, she was not beyond saving. Sensing that fifty-one thousand taels might not actually win the bid, she gritted her teeth and declared, "Three hundred and fifty thousand taels!"

Lady Zhuge sneered. It seemed that girl, Wen Qingyan, was going all out, but it was a pity it was someone else’s money; she clearly lacked true confidence. "Four hundred thousand taels."

Changge Yue was in a fantastic mood. Keep bidding, keep bidding! She could practically see the silver rolling toward her. Looking at Lady Zhuge and Wen Qingyan setting aside their former grievances, the two of them looked exactly like beckoning cats bringing in wealth.

Seeing the look on Wen Qingyan’s face, Sun Huan immediately shouted, "Four hundred and fifty thousand taels!" Anything to ensure her father could become the imperial merchant.

Lady Zhuge’s heart began to bleed. With a fool like Sun Huan by Wen Qingyan’s side, the silver was truly flowing out of her own treasury like water.

Changge Yuqing swallowed hard. "Mother, if we use all our silver to buy this porcelain, we won't have any money left to purchase the Pearl King!"

"Shut up!" Lady Zhuge’s voice was low, yet it forced Changge Yuqing to drop to her knees, trembling uncontrollably. It was evident that her fear of Lady Zhuge was bone-deep.

After a long silence, a cold glint flashed in Lady Zhuge’s eyes, and she began to consider giving up.

Inside the Yue Pavilion, Changge Yue chuckled, her tone filled with a playful charm. "Four hundred and fifty thousand and one taels."

This bid successfully drew everyone’s attention to the Yue Pavilion. Was the woman inside that room out of her mind? Daring to offend both the Changge estate and the Prime Minister’s estate at the same time? Could she be another fool, jealous of Miss Qingyan and unafraid of death? Did she not know that Miss Qingyan’s suitors could drown her in a heartbeat?

At that moment, Wen Qingyan truly wished she could spit on Changge Yue to drown her. "Five hundred thousand taels!" This time, she didn't let Sun Huan speak; she shouted the bid herself.

As the eldest daughter of the Wen family, how could she lose face by adding a measly single tael?

Beside her, Sun Huan felt like she could die of frustration. She wanted to curse someone—but who? Wen Qingyan? She didn't dare. So, Sun Huan stamped her foot hard. "That woman in the Yue Pavilion must be crazy!" She had cost them an extra fifty thousand taels for nothing!

In the Changge estate’s private room, a flash of doubt crossed Changge Yuqing’s eyes. She peered through the bead curtains toward the Yue Pavilion, feeling as though something had shifted in her heart.

Changge Yue lazily stretched, her voice crisp and delightful. "Young man, the chair in the Yue Pavilion is too hard. Bring me a softer one."

The attendant standing nearby nearly tripped over his own feet. The chairs in all the rooms were identical. If she alone found it hard, wasn't she implying she was even more delicate than the eldest Miss Wen?

If the previous bid was a subtle provocation, this was a blatant slap in the face.

For the first time, Wen Qingyan’s gaze met the Yue Pavilion’s directly. Changge Yue toyed with a bright red apple, her lips curling into a coquettish smile. She turned toward Wen Qingyan, took a loud, crunching bite of the apple, and exclaimed, "So sweet!"