Chapter 106 - 105: Acting Tough When You’re This Poor?

Chapter 106: Chapter 105: Acting Tough When You’re This Poor? ... "Ladies and gentlemen,女士们,先生们,thank you all for attending tonight’s event!" The auctioneer’s full and vibrant voice opened the curtain on this auction. "Before officially starting the auction tonight, I would like to present a little appetizer to whet everyone’s appetite as a token of gratitude to our esteemed guests." "As we all know, among the renowned wine regions in France, Bordeaux is the most famous, represented by top-tier vineyards like Petrus Vineyard and Chateau Lafite Rothschild." As the auctioneer gestured towards the array of wine bottles on the stage, he continued, "But when it comes to Burgundy’s La Romanee Conti vineyard, even the owners of these top Bordeaux vineyards would show nothing but the highest respect. At a previous Honggang auction, six bottles of 1990 DRC fetched a sky-high price of 150,000 USD!" "Wow..." The audience erupted into a chorus of astonishment. The auctioneer, satisfied, waved his hand to quiet the commotion, then said, "Today, the organizers of this auction have brought forth a batch of 1999 DRC wines. However, instead of auctioning them, they are offering them at a special price of 19,999 per pair solely to our guests here tonight—limited to one pair per guest. Anyone interested, please raise your paddle!" This auction had an interesting twist: kicking off the event with a universally appealing promotion to set the vibe. It managed to heat up the atmosphere while keeping everything cordial and pleasant—a thoughtful move indeed. All fifty to sixty tables at the venue raised their paddles without hesitation. Everyone was eager to graciously purchase a pair of the 1999 DRC wines, helping the auction start off with flying colors. Next, the auctioneer capitalized on the momentum and brought out a renowned masterpiece by Tang Dynasty artist Zhou Fang—"Floral Hairpin Lady Painting"—pushing the excitement to its peak. This exceptional piece eventually sold for a high price of 35 million yuan. Following that, a series of porcelain pieces, calligraphy works, and jewelry were successfully auctioned one after another without a single item being passed over. Cheng Fengxian even acquired a painting, "Taoyuan Fairyland Map," for an impressive 12 million yuan. Midway through the auction, it entered a transitional phase. After rounds of fierce bidding, many wealthy attendees took the chance to sit back, sip tea, and prepare for the anticipated showstoppers waiting at the end. As a result, the next few items were auctioned at relatively low prices, with some even failing to sell. The auctioneer, keeping the rhythm of the event in his control, started bidding for a final ordinary piece, "This is a Han Dynasty Jade Pendant. The jade quality and craftsmanship are top-notch; unfortunately, there’s a lack of definitive historical documentation to confirm its true value." After a pause, the auctioneer raised his tone, "However! If we can uncover its origins and significance, its value could increase tenfold! The starting price of this Han Dynasty Jade Pendant is one million yuan, with each bid adding no less than fifty thousand yuan. Let’s begin!" The auctioneer’s follow-up didn’t seem to spark much interest. Why are the rich willing to spend lavish amounts? Because they favor famous antiques tied to esteemed figures, with the likes of Emperor Kangxi’s goblet or Fragrant Concubine’s wash basin—such items provide bragging rights. But an unidentified jade pendant, even if it’s from the Han Dynasty—what value does it truly hold? After some waiting, when the auctioneer saw no bids, he was about to announce the piece as unsold when Yan Xiaobao suddenly raised his paddle from the table. "Alright! Guest number 9 has bid one million." The auctioneer scanned the room, "Is there anyone willing to bid higher?" "One million once!" "One million twice!" Just as the auctioneer was about to drop the final hammer, "I’ll bid one-point-five million!" A chilling voice broke the silence. Who would suddenly raise the bid by fifty percent? All eyes turned toward the voice’s direction. "He didn’t want it earlier, yet now, right before we settle it, he jumps in—clearly he’s trying to make trouble for us." Tang Wenjun cast a cold glare toward the neighboring table at Ximen Hao. Ximen Hao met Tang Wenjun’s stare without any intention of backing down, his message crystal clear: I’m here to pick a fight today. Got a problem? Bring it! "Guest number 10 bids one-point-five million. Anyone willing to go higher?" The auctioneer’s eyes shifted directly to Yan Xiaobao’s table. "Brother Bao, relax. There’s no way I’m losing to Ximen Hao." Tang Wenjun raised his paddle, "Two million!" "Three million!" Before the auctioneer had time to ask, Ximen Hao immediately placed another high bid, his expression filled with vengeance. Most of the guests recognized Tang Wenjun and Ximen Hao, two renowned heirs of Jiangnan’s elite families. Seeing them clash like this ignited whispers throughout the venue. "Whoa! Ximen Family’s eldest young Master and the Tang Family’s eldest young Master are at it—what’s the story here?" "Those two families have been at odds for years. Sitting at neighboring tables tonight? A showdown was inevitable." "No wonder they’d pick such an unclaimed Han Dynasty Jade Pendant—it’s perfect for their duel without dragging anyone else in." "Heh, this is going to be entertaining. First-row seating comes with snacks, folding chairs, and mineral water for sale!" Amidst the chatter, Tang Wenjun and Ximen Hao had already raised the bidding war to 13 million! In the realm of antiques, Han Dynasty jade artifacts and bronzes are especially renowned. Han Dynasty jade pieces aren’t particularly rare in the market, varying from tens of thousands to several million—even exceeding tens of millions for exceptional ones. This Han Dynasty Jade Pendant, though quite intact and with decent texture and appearance, suffered from being of unverifiable origin, making its value significantly discounted. Selling for over a million was already quite high—Tang Wenjun bidding up to 13 million seemed outrageous. Ximen Hao hesitated. He wasn’t ignorant and understood that the jade pendant’s market value couldn’t possibly reach this amount. Paying this much for it wasn’t rational. "Broke loser pretending to be rich?" Tang Wenjun’s casual jab immediately detonated the tension. "Eighteen million!" Ximen Hao suddenly stood up and roared. In today’s face-off, he simply couldn’t back down. Doing so would mean eternal disgrace under Tang Wenjun. Tang Wenjun frowned, surprised that his slight taunt had driven Ximen Hao to the brink of madness, escalating the bid by another five million. Nevertheless, this unidentified jade pendant was something Yan Xiaobao had eyed. No matter the cost, Tang Wenjun couldn’t let him down. At this stage, tossing in another one to two million seemed insignificant compared to the five hundred million he had spent overall. Just as Tang Wenjun prepared to raise his paddle, Yan Xiaobao stopped him abruptly. "Brother Bao, weren’t you interested in this jade pendant? Why suddenly back off now?" Tang Wenjun asked puzzled. "Who said I was interested?" Yan Xiaobao replied nonchalantly, looking at Tang Wenjun. "I was just bored, casually waving my paddle for fun." Tang Wenjun: "..." Dong Yuqing: "..." The auctioneer: "..." ... [Please add to favorites, recommend, reward, and support!] ... This content is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.com