Chapter 531 - Singing for Sale

Zhongxuan Sheng’s method of “covering tracks” was straightforward and effective.That was to find another reasonable excuse for the Perfect completion of Jiang Wang’s lifespan.

Zhongxuan Sheng was very efficient in his work and quickly chose an “auction” event.

An auction is generally divided into “official auctions” and “charity auctions”; the former usually involves the government selling confiscated property from criminals to supplement government revenues, while the latter is often for raising funds for disaster relief.

In Qi Country, with its prosperous commerce, “business auctions” were also very popular.

“Business auctions”, purely held for profit, were looked down upon by some old-timers, among Confucianist and Legalists.

However, it was precisely the emergence of “business auctions” that made the practice truly popular.

Driven by profit, this is also the essence of commerce.

The so-called “not thrice called, add to the price” and “if not bid by the third call, no price infringement” (1), refer to the rules of auction and the origin of the term “auction”.

As long as there hasn’t been a “third call”, one can raise their bid to participate; but after the third call, the transaction is completed.

The organizer of this auction event was the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, headquartered in the Near Sea Archipelago.

It was said to have branches in many places, mainly dealing in all kinds of treasures for sale, while also handling auctions and pawnbroking.

In Qi Country, the auction events of the Business Alliance and even the Jubao Business Association were much more powerful than those of Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

However, Zhongxuan Sheng chose Hundred Treasures Pavilion for the reason that it didn’t belong to the aforementioned two.

It would be harder for his “manipulations” to be discovered.

Zhongxuan Sheng’s manipulations were simple: send someone in disguise to consign a “life-extending treasure” at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion’s auction.

Of course, it was a fake, but it was made to look very authentic—at least from the outside, it was difficult to tell.

Then he would buy it himself during the auction process—essentially moving it from the left hand to the right.

Through this non-existent “life-extending treasure”, the Perfect completion of Jiang Wang’s lifespan was made to look reasonable.

Just by transferring it once, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would take a significant cut, but in exchange for calm waters with Tian Anping, it was well worth it.

Moreover, Zhongxuan Sheng had just extorted an even larger sum from the Bao family and didn’t care too much about this expense.

Throughout the whole process, the buyer was real, the seller was real, and the transaction was real—only the auction item was fake.

Hundred Treasures Pavilion, of course, was thrilled to have a life-extending treasure join the auction.

Not only would it upgrade the level of the auction, but they also stood to profit from it.

Jiang Wang and Zhongxuan Sheng sat in a private room, observing the items for sale through a huge mirror of lunar reflection.

For such “big clients” with strong financial resources, the Jubao Business Association provided personnel to stand at their door, ready to assist them in the bidding at any time.

The mirror of lunar reflection is a Magic Artifact used for displaying distant scenes and, due to its rank, it’s easily disrupted by Dao Techniques, hence it’s not very useful in war.

But as a small accessory in life, it’s quite handy.

Usually small in size, the larger such Magic Artifacts are made, the more difficult it is to maintain clarity, and the more expensive they become.

Its effects are somewhat similar to those of the Red Mirror, but there’s definitely a heaven-and-earth difference in rank.

At least, using the Red Mirror has never been disrupted.

The host of the auction was a beauty invited from the Three Fragrance Pavilion.

The four renowned pavilions wouldn’t easily let their beauties make public appearances, and the cost for them to do so was very high.

Three Fragrance Pavilion wasn’t cheap either, but its presence in Qi Country was indeed somewhat weaker by comparison.

It likely took advantage of such events to showcase their beauties.

Compared to the others, it seemed low-end, yet there was nothing they could do about it.

In order to avoid competition that would drive up his costs enormously, the life-extending treasure Zhongxuan Sheng fabricated was the most commonly seen type in the market.

Those who could afford life-extending treasures had generally already used them, and thus high prices could not be called.

He exclusively skipped over the nourishing pills and life fruits that Jiang Wang had previously consumed, tailoring to Jiang Wang’s “needs”.

Born in the Near Sea Archipelago, Hundred Treasures Pavilion had many strange and unusual items.

But there were very few things of real value for someone at the current level of Jiang Wang.

Item after item passed by, and Jiang Wang only made bids on a few very rare secret techniques.

He spent less than five hundred Prime Stones, the money naturally provided by Zhongxuan Sheng.

“These Dao Techniques are not worth this much; the price is too high,” Zhongxuan Sheng commented.

Jiang Wang, who was interested in collecting these secret techniques to unlock the third layer of the cultivation platform, casually remarked, “It’s inevitable that prices are driven up at an auction.”

“No,” Zhongxuan Sheng shook his head, “It’s way beyond their value.

Aside from being rare, these secret techniques have no real power.”

He concluded, “It’s possible that more and more people are learning about the Taixu Illusion Realm.”

Other than the cultivation platform in the Taixu Illusion Realm, he really couldn’t think of anywhere else that would need such secret techniques.

For example, a technique that turns water red—what was the point?

Did the creator make it so that he could pretend to cough up blood anytime and anywhere?

This Dao Technique was bound to be phased out, yet now it brazenly appeared at the auction, and people were even bidding for it!

Jiang Wang was interested because of the performing Dao stage, but what about the others?

Zhongxuan Sheng saw the big picture through small details.

When the needs within the Taixu Illusion Realm affect the present world, perhaps the day it fully spreads isn’t far off.

At this moment, the attendant responsible for their private room knocked and entered, “Young Master, the item you’re interested in has started the bidding process.”

It was the “life-prolonging treasure” that Zhongxuan Sheng had arranged, the Seven-Tassels Flower.

They had already seen it through the Water Moon Mirror, and Zhongxuan Sheng simply waved his hand, “No matter what others bid, I’ll offer a thousand more Prime Stones.”

The attendant from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was used to seeing lavish spending, but even he was startled by this boldness and took a moment to respond before exiting.

“Twenty thousand Prime Stones!”

“Twenty-one thousand Prime Stones!”

“Thirty thousand!

Thirty thousand Prime Stones now!”

“Thirty-one thousand.

The distinguished guest in the ‘Heaven A’ room didn’t hesitate and raised the bid again!”

“Fifty thousand Prime Stones!”

“Good heavens, fifty-one thousand.

It’s said that the Seven-Tassels Flower blooms for seven autumns and steals every bit of eight years of spring!

Let’s see who will be fortunate enough to claim such wonder!”

The voice of the beauty from the Fragrance Tower, resonating in the room via the transmitting stone, while her beauty was reflected in the Water Moon Mirror.

The Seven-Tassels Flower stood in a crystal vase, which allowed for easy observation while preserving its medicinal effect.

It was a vibrant bright yellow, full of life.

The auction wasn’t of the highest standard, but the presence of the life-prolonging Seven-Tassels Flower could attract some wealthy guests.

Zhongxuan Sheng naturally occupied the ‘Heaven A’ room, showing extreme wealth and power.

After a while, the attendant, wiping sweat from his brow, knocked and entered, “Young Master, the bid has reached two hundred thousand Prime Stones!

Do you wish to increase it further?”

Zhongxuan Sheng displayed his immense wealth and power, “Did I ever set a limit for you?”

“This humble one understands!” The attendant hastily bowed and hurried out again.

The Hundred Treasures Pavilion was unaware that the Seven-Tassels Flower was a fake, except for the master who had been bought off by Zhongxuan Sheng and was responsible for verifying the Seven-Tassels Flower.

The risk for this person wasn’t high, as there would be no real owner to lament for this counterfeit.

The Seven-Tassels Flower had a nice ring to its name; in reality, it was a life-prolonging medicinal herb cultivated in the gardens of East King Valley, with quite ordinary effects.

Its current reputation was all thanks to the Valley’s good marketing.

Statements like “blooms for seven autumns and steals every bit of eight years of spring” were embellishments, but it indeed became one of the largest sources of income for East King Valley.

Two hundred thousand Prime Stones had already far exceeded the actual value of the Seven-Tassels Flower, which was why the attendant from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion came to remind them.

Of course, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion wanted to earn more money, but they had to consider who they were dealing with.

Fleecing the purses of wealthy young masters was delightful, but they feared these young masters might regret their purchases afterward and cause trouble.

Hence, businessmen who wanted long-term success understood the need to stop at the right moment.

But since they had already warned him and Zhongxuan Sheng insisted on “showing off his wealth,” they could not possibly be blamed for what followed.

PS:

Some say this saying comes from the “Ten Friends Statutes,” but I have not found the full text of the “Ten Friends Statutes,” so I cannot confirm its authenticity.

However, the Northern Song Dynasty’s “Zen Garden Regulations” mentions the rule of “singing robes,” which involves the auctioning of monks’ robes; this indicates that auctions existed in ancient China and their appearance in ancient-style novels is not anachronistic.

The world of Red Heart is fictitious, and as I am not writing a historical treatise, I have not spent too much effort on researching authenticity.