Chapter 270: The Xiao Family's Auction
Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT , Rock
Ling Xiao roared in laughter, in high spirits, and with an even higher attitude. He waved his hands and said, "You bunch of brats, don't scare off my daughter-in-law! Next time when one of your sons gets married, then you bunch of unrepentant brats can go and make a mess! Now, as Marshal, I command: Set off!"
Amidst the laughter, Ling Xiao was the first to ride out of the military drill ground, and closely following behind were the various flag bearers and drummers, followed by platoon after platoon of smartly fitted soldiers in neat rows. Their presence was overbearing, and their killing intent rose straight towards the heavens!"
Ling Tian waved his hands as he shouted, "Return victorious and triumphant!"
All of the soldiers immediately raised up their weapons, shouting, "Return victorious and triumphant!" Their voices were like thunder, shaking the mountains and seas!
Nobody noticed that at this moment, Ling Tian's finger twitched, and a tiny ball of paper flew into the bosom of a young soldier standing behind Ling Xiao. The soldier in question almost imperceptibly nodded his head as he followed the army out.
Upon returning to the Ling Residence, Ling Chen abandoned Ling Tian as she flew like a hurricane into the little courtyard, likely about to wallow in embarrassment and shyness. Ling Tian couldn't help but laugh.
Old Madam Ling also helplessly let out a laugh as she shook her head, saying, "Tian'er, your actions today were completely out of this grandma's expectations. But it really suits your reckless nature, indeed…"
Ling Tian laughed once more, replying, "Chen'er has already followed me for so many years, who can replace her? I should have given her a title long ago, and having given her a title only now I think that it's a little late."
Old Madam Ling could only sigh helplessly, "His Majesty has just bestowed a marriage to you, and you actually went in front of all the officials as well as soldiers, brazenly proclaiming another girl to be your woman. That isn't too good, right? Even if you aren't afraid of the Emperor, what about your aunt and Jiao Yue's side, how will you answer to them? Aren't you afraid that Jiao Yue would feel jealous?"
A cold light shone in Ling Tian's eyes as he retorted, "How the imperial court wishes to deal with it, that's their problem. I haven't even settled the matter of aunt's poison with them yet! The fact that I haven't dealt with them already speaks volumes of my generosity, and as for how Jiao Yue thinks, that's her own problem. If you want to be a woman of the Ling Family, then you have to follow the rules of our Ling Family! Even if the Jade Emperor's daughter marries into our family, her identity would be that of a daughter-in-law of the Ling Family and not the Princess of Heaven! As for jealousy, hehe… she just needs time to get used to it!" Ling Tian smirked.
"Tian'er, this way of thinking isn't quite correct," On the side, Chu Ting'er frowned as she interjected, "As a man, if you can't even placate your women, aren't you no better than a wimp?"
Ling Tian grimaced, "Mother, cousin now still isn't considered my woman, at least in my eyes! Everything hasn't been set in stone anyways, so saying such things is still too early."
"Still not set in stone?" As Chu Ting'er carefully pondered over Ling Tian's sentence, she began to fluster. "His Majesty has already bestowed the marriage upon you, so how could it still not be set in stone? Don't tell me…!!" At this point, Chu Ting'er was completely horrified at what she wanted to say next!
Ling Tian laughed and turned to walk away while saying, "All these are still indeterminate."
"Mother…" Chu Ting'er stared at Old Madam Ling, tongue-tied and at a loss for words. Old Madam Ling could only give a helpless smile as she replied, "Ting'er, you still don't understand your son at all... and here I still thought that you were smart." With this cliffhanger, Old Madam Ling also walked back to her room, leaving Chu Ting'er mutely frozen in shock, her face alternating between happiness and anxiety.
***
As with Ling Tian's expectations, it was announced that the Xiao Family's auction was also going to be held in Smoky Thea Tower! Indeed, the fact that Gu XiYan's twelve chambers could be linked together to form a huge arena for activities made it very suitable for such events!
The only difference was that for the scholarly meet, Gu XiYan had put forth all her effort without asking for any compensation. But for this auction, Gu XiYan had ruthlessly fleeced the Xiao Family, asking for fifty thousand taels of silver just for the first day! Just the price alone would scare most people that heard of it!
This made the Xiao Family incomparably depressed. Why did the other party not require any compensation but we ended up being devoured? However, since they had already chosen this location, they couldn't change it for fear of losing face. If word was to get out that the number one financial magnate changed venues because they couldn't afford to pay that paltry sum of cash, then they would end up as the number one laughingstock! As such, while Xiao FengYang was furious in his heart, he could only grit his teeth and swallow this injustice. Since he had already coughed up the fifty thousand taels of silver, he became unusually generous and immediately rewarded Smoky Thea Tower with another ten thousand taels for good performance in order to shame them. You want money? I'll drown you in it!
But never in his dreams did he expect Gu XiYan's face to not change, instead laughing happily as she accepted the money, constantly thanking him for it. "This old woman is running a business, so of course I'll take the money! If I don't fleece the Xiao Family, then how could I answer to my ancestors? But I never thought that the younger generation of the Xiao Family could be so different, immediately coming out with a dazzling ten thousand as a reward. If he was thirty years younger, I would actually consider becoming part of his family! Ai, why did he give ten thousand taels of silver? Might as well hand over ten thousand taels of gold! Could it be that he has taken a fancy to me? Hmm, if that's the case, then if he hands over ten thousand taels of gold, this woman will definitely consider it!"
Gu XiYan's monologue was somehow heard by Xiao FengYang, immediately causing him to have an urge to vomit blood! He almost wanted to rush up to Gu XiYan and rebuke her, thinking, This old man here forged a bloody path on my own, but in your eyes I'm actually a younger generation? And you even want to enter my harem, but I have to be thirty years younger??! This daddy here is only forty-five, I'm in my prime! Pui! Even if you were twenty years younger, you still wouldn't have the qualifications to be my concubine! Am I interested in you? Sure, assuming that my head has been kicked by a mule!
Of course, with Second Master Xiao's upbringing, there was no way he would spew out such garbage. However, he choked on those words so badly he looked like he was ill!
Ling Tian was completely aware as to why Gu XiYan was doing this, and couldn't help but shake his head and laugh wryly. Women, oh women, it's best not to provoke them!
Ling Tian was definitely aware of the feud between her and the Xiao Family, but he didn't expect that Gu XiYan would use such an evil approach to torture them. However, it was precisely such a rotten idea that hit the exact sore spot of the Xiao Family! Everyone knew that the Xiao Family would never lack silver, but Gu XiYan made use of their own silver to make them lose face!
What a bold move, indeed an ingenious move! Ling Tian couldn't help but praise Gu XiYan. In this area, she could really be considered a genius.
This time, the Xiao Family was extremely secretive when conducting the auction. The advertisements they sent out said that there were only seven items for sale, but all seven of them were incomparably precious treasures. While they didn't even specify what the seven items were, everyone was aware that in order to be recognized as precious by the number one financial magnate, what sort of items would they be?
On the day of the auction, the scene was extraordinarily lively. The various nobility and aristocratic families from all the empires came over, including some wealthy merchant families. The crowd was actually larger than the scholarly meet! Smoky Thea Tower could only purchase ten thousand extra chairs, placing them to allow the customers to sit. Of course, all of these were billed to the Xiao Family, furthermore inflated quite a few times. Based on Gu XiYan's words, "Your Xiao Family definitely doesn't just have these paltry few thousands of taels!"
Under the expectant gaze of tens of thousands of people, the Xiao Family auction finally opened their curtains.
In the great hall of the Smoky Thea Tower, another small wooden stage was erected, with a table on top of it. A simple auctioneer's mallet lay on top of the table. The difference was that this mallet was shiny and dazzling as it was actually made out of gold! How overbearingly rich! Just the price of this simple mallet was something that ordinary people couldn't afford.
Under the gaze of countless people, the little princess of the Xiao Family, Xiao YanXue, ascended the wooden stage. She was dressed in pale yellow robes, her bearing elegant, her figure and looks like carved jade, her temperament refined, and exuding a sense of nobility. This lit up the eyes of all those present, and just her beauty had already made many people feel that this trip wasn't in vain.
Even a few of the large merchant conglomerates who had lost in the merchant wars against Xiao YanXue were actually seeing this Goddess of Wealth for the first time in their lives, and couldn't believe their eyes. They actually lost to such a young lass in the merchant wars?
Xiao YanXue didn't waste her time on superfluous words, merely giving two sentences of greetings before starting the auction.
Such a simple manner made Ling Tian inwardly sigh in praise. Xiao YanXue opened the auction with the words, "Today's auction has seven treasures up for bid. As for which seven they are, I believe everyone will find out in a short while, and this lass can guarantee that no one will be disappointed. I feel that each successive treasure will outstrip the last, and I invite all seniors and fellow students to analyze them."
As the audience smiled, she continued, "Three years ago, four of my Xiao Family's herb pickers went to the Northern Snow Mountains on our orders. When they reached the summit, who would have thought that there would suddenly be an avalanche, and the entire mountain started to break apart. Our four workers were fortunate to have survived by the skin of their teeth. When the avalanche passed and they were warming themselves up on the cliff, they accidentally discovered three treasures!" At this point, Xiao YanXue paused, heightening the suspense.
Someone couldn't take the suspense, and urgently asked, "What treasures? Which three treasures?"
Ling Tian laughed softly to himself. This person not only cut in at the right time, but he also asked what was on everyone's minds at this time. Probably someone planted by the Xiao Family? With how prestigious the auction was this time, how could it be that everyone would be able to take the suspense? However, if everyone were to be like Ling Tian and ride through the suspense, then it would be slightly embarrassing for Xiao YanXue who was on stage trying to heighten it. As such, Ling Tian suspected that this person had been planted there, also called a 'shill'.