Chapter 13: Profiting Handsomely

Moments later, the candlelight in the pavilion gradually dimmed, leaving only the radiant glazed treasure lamp at the center of the auction stage shining brightly.

“Today’s first item up for auction: the Flowing Light Pearl Coral Tree.”

Dong!

With the sound of the gavel, the auction officially began.

A variety of rare treasures were presented one after another. As the value of the items increased, the guests’ bidding voices rose and fell, and the atmosphere in the pavilion grew even more heated.

“The next item is a true rarity. I’ve been at Myriad Treasures Pavilion for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen one. Miss it, and you’ll never find another!” Beside her was a rosewood tray covered with red silk, and the auctioneer deliberately whetted everyone’s appetite.

Sure enough, the auctioneer’s words piqued the interest of the surrounding guests:

“Even Lady Sun has never seen it before? Then we must feast our eyes today!”

“Don’t keep us in suspense! Unveil it already.”

Murong Yan, of course, knew exactly what the next item was. She adjusted her earlobe hairpin and turned her head toward Zhao Huairen. “All those jewels and trinkets you sent have sold out. Do you want her to keep going?”

“I’m neither the seller nor the buyer.”

Murong Yan disagreed. “That’s your painting. You’re just going to let her sell it off like that?”

“It’s hers now. She can do with it as she pleases.” Zhao Huairen’s expression remained indifferent, as if everything below had nothing to do with her.

Murong Yan glared at Zhao Huairen in dissatisfaction and puffed out her cheeks. “Do with it as she pleases? We’ve known each other so long, and I don’t even have a single painting from you.”

“She’s not selling?”

Stunned by Zhao Huairen’s words, Murong Yan blinked in bewilderment before laughing in exasperation. “Zhao Huaijin, do you think I can’t afford it?”

“The Murong clan is rich enough to rival a nation. In Great Yong, there’s probably nothing Lady Murong can’t buy.” As she spoke, Zhao Huairen refilled her cup with clear tea.

“Just you wait and see.” Murong Yan huffed coldly.

She would buy it.

Then burn it to ashes!

…

In the elegant private room separated by just a wall.

Her heart pounding, Xing Wanyang quietly observed the situation below and hesitantly glanced at Yan Yiqing.

“Need to use the washroom?” Yan Yiqing shot her a look.

“No…” Xing Wanyang pursed her lips, reminding her tactfully, “General, Yanjing isn’t that big.”

Propping her head up with one hand, Yan Yiqing yawned boredly. “So?”

“Selling the painting… the Zhao Heir is definitely going to find out. How will you explain it then?”

“I don’t like any of the things he sent me. I like silver.” Her peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and Yan Yiqing stated firmly, “He sent the wrong gift.”

It sounded a bit off.

But somehow, it also made perfect sense.

“Then… what if the Heir sent silver?” Xing Wanyang asked again.

“Of course I’d like silver. Him? Not at all.” Her fingertip tapped rhythmically on the edge of the table as Yan Yiqing said coldly, “I’ll never like him in this lifetime.”

Although Zhao Huairen’s death wasn’t his doing.

But if not for saving him… Zhao Huairen wouldn’t have died.

As for Zhao Huaijin.

She only wanted to keep well water from offending river water with him.

“I’ll bid four thousand taels.” A crisp and tender female voice rang out, laced with determination to win the item.

“See?” Hearing another bid, Yan Yiqing lifted the corner of her lips and drawled lazily, “This painting is a priceless treasure cherished by others, but worthless to me. I’m just helping it find the right owner.”

Staring at Yan Yiqing’s back, Xing Wanyang opened her mouth silently but said nothing more.

She didn’t really want to persuade the general to accept the Zhao Heir.

It was just… living under the same roof afterward would be so awkward…

“Four thousand two hundred taels.” No matter the opponent’s bid, Murong Yan always added exactly two hundred more.

Fine! Murong Yan dared to compete with her!

Liu Zhaohua glared with her cat-like almond eyes and turned to the female servant beside her, clenching her fists. “Linglong.”

“Your Highness, maybe we should just let it go?” The female servant in the pink skirt advised tactfully.

“If I don’t get this painting, you won’t need to follow me back to the palace today.” The pearl hairpin in her hair swayed gently with her movements, and Liu Zhaohua’s gaze turned icy as she spoke word by word.

“Yes.” Committing to it, Linglong had no choice but to steel herself and call out, “Four thousand five hundred taels.”

“Zhao Huaijin, are you feeling smug right now?” In the midst of the bidding, Murong Yan took a moment to jab at Zhao Huairen. Seeing her bow her head silently, Murong Yan turned toward the auction stage and shouted, “I bid four thousand seven hundred taels.”

“The auction proceeds have nothing to do with me. Where’s the smugness in that?” Zhao Huairen’s brows furrowed slightly as she asked earnestly.

“Five thousand taels!”

Seeing Liu Zhaohua still raising the bid, Murong Yan rolled her eyes and shot back, “You just like watching others fight over you out of jealousy.”

Fight over her out of jealousy?

She truly didn’t enjoy this play.

“Don’t fight over it. Let her have the painting.” Her crow-black lashes trembled lightly as Zhao Huairen advised softly.

Liu Zhaohua had been spoiled by her princess status since childhood, arrogant and domineering in Yanjing. Anywhere else, Zhao Huairen truly couldn’t do much about her—but this was Myriad Treasures Pavilion. No one would yield to her just because she was a princess.

“I’m not doing it for you. I just can’t stand this Ning’an Princess.” Murong Yan raised her chin and declared, “Five thousand five hundred taels.”

“Your Highness…” Linglong’s expression was troubled.

They had only brought five thousand taels out of the palace this time. The bidding had reached its limit; they really couldn’t chase any higher.

“I said, I must have this painting.” It wasn’t just the painting—Zhao Huaijin herself would belong to her sooner or later.

Her mother was the current Empress, her brother the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, her maternal grandfather the Chancellor second only to the Emperor, and her uncle the Minister of Revenue controlling the nation’s finances.

It was Zhao Huaijin’s fortune to catch her eye.

Everything she wanted should grovel at her feet.

Her embroidered golden sleeve brushed lightly over the rosewood armrest, a glint flickering in her eyes as Liu Zhaohua rose and walked to the window. “Six hundred taels.”

“Six hundred taels? But the lady earlier—”

“In gold.”

Her dan-kou-dyed nails dug into her palm, her shell-like teeth biting her lip. Murong Yan hesitated, caught in a dilemma. “I…”

“On your birthday, I’ll paint one personally for you.” Zhao Huairen’s phoenix eyes lowered slightly, her voice soothing like a clear spring. “Let her have this one.”

“Hmph.” Murong Yan snorted coldly.

Dong! “If no further bids after three strikes, the painting goes to the Mei character private room.” The auctioneer struck the small gavel.

“Your Highness, where are we going to get six hundred taels of gold…” Clutching her silk handkerchief, Linglong paced back and forth anxiously.

“Want silver? Simple. Take my token and head to the Meng Mansion right now.” Her gaze locked on the opposite private room, imagining Murong Yan’s defeated look, Liu Zhaohua’s lips curved upward. “Murong Yan, I’m an imperial princess of the court. What does a mere merchant’s daughter like you have to compete with me?”

Dong, dong dong! The gavel fell decisively, and the auctioneer called out loudly, “Six hundred taels of gold! The item belongs to the buyer in the Mei character private room.”

The painting’s ownership was settled.

Murong Yan returned to her seat, curling her fingers and muttering softly, “It’s not that I couldn’t afford it. It’s because you said that, so I gave you face…”

“Mm, I know.” Zhao Huairen’s expression remained calm.

Just as she was about to placate her further, realization dawned on Murong Yan. “Zhao Huaijin, you dared to use me!”

A faint arc tugged at her thin lips. Lifting her gaze to meet Murong Yan’s, Zhao Huairen said composedly, “Mm, Lady Murong is getting smarter.”

“You’re not human! You used me to please your fiancée!” Her fair neck flushed red in an instant, and Murong Yan jumped up from her chair.

Like a cat yowling.

Zhao Huairen wrinkled her nose slightly and pressed a hand to her ear.

“Zhao Huaijin, you like her that much!”

Zhao Huairen lowered her eyes. “Since it was going to sell, why not get a good price?”

She hadn’t expected it to fetch the high price of six hundred taels of gold in the end. As far as she knew, Ning’an Princess had only brought five hundred taels of gold out of the palace this time.

“I won’t hear it! You just like her!”

“It’s not about liking.” Zhao Huairen glanced sideways at the auction stage and said gently, “You like paintings. I’ll send you one as a birthday gift.”

“Is it the painting I want?!”

“Lady Murong, Myriad Treasures Pavilion has many ears. Please mind your words.” Worried about damaging her reputation, Zhao Huairen pressed her thin lips together, a hint of distance in her eyes.

Contrary to Zhao Huairen’s intentions, to Murong Yan, those words were like a spark falling into dry grass. “What, are you afraid Yan Yiqing will hear?!”

“What does it have to do with General Yan?” Zhao Huairen frowned.

“She doesn’t even care about you, yet you insist on throwing yourself at her. I’ve admired you for so long—why can’t you just turn around and look at me?”

Seeing her words veer further into absurdity.

Zhao Huairen set down her teacup and rose to leave.

“Where are you going?” Murong Yan blocked Zhao Huairen’s path in a single stride, refusing to let it go.

Looking down at the girl before her, gripping her folded fan tightly, Zhao Huairen’s gaze took on a touch of helplessness. “Does Lady Murong intend to stop me?”

“I…” Meeting the gaze of the one she adored, Murong Yan faltered, unable to speak.

Zhao Huairen said warmly, “Alright, stop making a fuss.”

Why, no matter what she did…

Did she always seem like she was just fooling around in Zhao Huaijin’s eyes?

With a glance at Qin An, Zhao Huairen used her folded fan to gently push Murong Yan’s shoulder aside and prepared to step forward—

“If you always think I’m just fooling around, then today I’ll make a real scene for you to see.” Her shell-like teeth bit into her lower lip, steeling her resolve. Murong Yan grabbed Zhao Huairen’s wrist tightly and strode forward boldly.

“Murong Yan, what are you doing?” Zhao Huairen tried to break free but worried about hurting her.

“Taking you to see your beloved.”

When did she have a beloved?

A thought struck her, and Zhao Huairen’s gaze went vacant.

The two private rooms were only a few steps apart. By the time Zhao Huairen came back to her senses, Murong Yan had already pulled her—into Yan Yiqing’s private room.

Creak.

The door was kicked open.

Before them towered a small mountain of gold. Yan Yiqing, who had thought she would never feel awkward, saw the newcomers and watched her smile freeze on her lips.

“Tsk tsk, General Yan truly profited handsomely today.” After saying this, Murong Yan shot a provocative glance at Zhao Huairen. “At least it wasn’t a waste of our Heir Apparent’s good intentions.”