"A thousand taels to start?"
"You might as well rob me!"
Someone present jumped up in alarm, glaring at Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao said proudly, "This poetry and wine are clearly priced, and willing buyers are welcome. If you can't afford it, someone else will."
Upon hearing this, the crowd started whispering amongst themselves.
Luo Qingxue gazed at Liang Xiao, her eyes sparkling, and thought to herself, "You clever thing..."
Liang Xiao's words were clearly intended to provoke the officials and merchants present.
Some of them even came from immensely wealthy merchant families.
Of course, families like the Dugu, Gu, and Mu were also known for their extravagance!
In this world, besides the emperor, who was the wealthiest? It was undoubtedly officials and merchants!
"Young Master Liang the Second, I, Yirou, will make the first bid of eleven hundred taels."
Yirou hesitated for a moment before finally stating her price, adding, "I only hope that after Young Master Liang the Second completes this poem, you will share this peerless vintage with me!"
Hearing this, Luo Qingxue, who had initially been delighted by someone bidding, now watched Yirou with caution.
Even with her straightforward nature, she could discern the admiration in Yirou's words!
As the two women exchanged glances, a hint of animosity flickered between them.
Liang Xiao smiled and said, "The highest bidder wins, but I beg your pardon, I am not feeling well and am unable to drink with guests."
Luo Qingxue, overjoyed by his response, moved closer to Liang Xiao, linked her arm through his, and looked at Yirou, as if announcing her victory.
Yirou nodded dejectedly, sighing, "To receive this poem, I am already content..."
Dugu Xiao watched this unfold, his anger unspoken.
The former courtesan of Bai Chun Tower, whom he once admired, was now captivated by Liang Xiao's half-finished poem!
But Liang Xiao was the center of attention, and no one dared to challenge him at this moment, lest they spoil the mood.
Gu Shaoyan spoke up, "Miss Yirou, please forgive my impudence, but I bid twelve hundred taels!"
Yirou smiled helplessly and gestured, "Gentlemen, please proceed."
It was well known among the literati that Gu Shaoyan was smitten with Mu Wanjun, so they paid little heed to Yirou's favor.
Seeing that Yirou's bid had been surpassed, the others finally felt at ease to increase their offers.
Mu Hong chuckled heartily, "Shaoyan, I too yearn for this poetry and wine. I bid thirteen hundred taels."
Gu Shaoyan shrugged, "No matter. Whichever of us wins this wine, we must offer the other a taste."
Mu Hong couldn't help but laugh, "You rascal..."
Soon after, a merchant bid, "I offer fifteen hundred taels. If I win this poetry and wine, will Miss Yirou be willing to drink with me? The poem can be presented to Miss Yirou on the spot!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes lit up. Truly, a merchant's shrewdness!
Yirou smiled charmingly and replied, "For the sake of Young Master Liang the Second's poem, I agree."
With her words, the entire hall erupted into a frenzy of bidding.
Luo Qingxue was already speechless, while Liang Xiao wore a faint smile, secretly pleased.
With Yirou and the three great talents present, things were developing even more favorably than he had anticipated!
"Three thousand taels!" A young man in opulent robes, who had been silently observing from a corner, slammed his hand on the table and produced thirty bank notes.
Everyone stared at him in astonishment.
"It's the eldest young master of the Duanmu family, Duanmu Xiu! When did he arrive? As always, so discreet!"
The Duanmu family was reputed to be the wealthiest in the realm!
Not only in the Great Gan dynasty, but even in the Barbarian Lands, Great Liang, and the surrounding smaller kingdoms, no merchant family could match half the scale of the Duanmu family!
Duanmu Xiu clenched his fist and declared proudly, "Only Miss Yirou and I are worthy of possessing this poetry and wine!"
Yirou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Young Master Duanmu, your spirit is admirable..."
She had been worried about someone she disliked acquiring the poem. Duanmu Xiu, at least, was presentable, and sharing a drink with him at Bai Chun Tower would be acceptable.
The crowd felt disheartened, and Gu Shaoyan and Mu Hong also appeared resigned.
Luo Qingxue no longer knew how to describe the scene before her.
Only Liang Xiao chuckled inwardly. He had initially intended to exploit the competitive spirit of these dignitaries and earn at most fifteen hundred taels.
Now, he was getting double that!
Duanmu Xiu cupped his hands towards Liang Xiao and said, "I present the bank notes. Please, Young Master Liang the Second, complete this poem for me!"
Liang Xiao nodded and turned to write.
"Five thousand taels."
Just then, a cold voice cut through the crowd, stunning everyone. They turned to find the source.
It was a plain-looking, white-haired woman, already holding a stack of bank notes.
"Five thousand taels?" The crowd could hardly believe it.
"The bank notes can be verified on the spot. Young Master Liang, I want this poetry and wine," the white-haired woman said sternly.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, a merchant volunteered to examine the notes. After a moment, he sighed, "They are all genuine!"
The entire hall was thrown into an uproar!
Five thousand taels for a poem and a jar of wine?
They were mad!
Even Liang Xiao felt a flicker of confusion as he studied the white-haired woman, who appeared to be over forty.
Duanmu Xiu was both shocked and furious. Someone dared to increase the bid by two thousand taels in front of the son of the wealthiest family in the land?
"Who are you!" Duanmu Xiu demanded.
The white-haired woman glanced at Duanmu Xiu and replied coldly, "The highest bidder wins. Do you have a problem with that?"
Duanmu Xiu had never been so challenged. He looked at Yirou in the distance and saw her disappointed expression, which caused his heart to tighten.
"For Miss Yirou! Eight thousand taels! I will send someone with the bank notes later. Can we have a written agreement first?" Duanmu Xiu declared, slamming his hand on the table, having finally made up his mind.
"Eight thousand taels??" The crowd was dumbfounded.
Only the young master of the Duanmu family could afford such a price!
Liang Xiao chuckled inwardly, but maintained a calm demeanor and nodded, "Very well."
Even Yirou looked at Duanmu Xiu with emotion, sighing, "Young Master Duanmu, your spirit is truly admirable!"
Duanmu Xiu was instantly elated.
Making the most beautiful woman in Bai Chun Tower aware of his intentions was worth it!
He wasn't acting on impulse.
This event would spread through the streets and alleys, and everyone would know that he had "spent a fortune" for Yirou. Wouldn't winning her affection be a matter of time?
"Ten thousand taels."
Just then, the white-haired woman sighed softly and, after stating her bid, produced another stack of bank notes from her sleeve and placed them on the table.
Everyone in the hall, except for Liang Xiao, felt as though they had been struck by lightning!
Ten thousand taels??
The white-haired woman said in a deep voice, "Duanmu Xiu, how much more can you bid?"
Hearing this, Duanmu Xiu gripped the edge of the table, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He let out a long, helpless sigh.
"You win..."
Yirou stared blankly at the white-haired woman. After recovering her senses, she glanced at Duanmu Xiu and also sighed in resignation.
Duanmu Xiu's heart shattered.
It wasn't that he couldn't afford the price, but he had to consider the value of the poem and the wine.
Ten thousand taels of silver for a piece of calligraphy and a jar of wine was truly not worth it!
But Duanmu Xiu was unwilling to give up!
He glared at his competitor and asked, "Who exactly are you?"
All eyes in the hall focused on the white-haired woman.
Even Liang Xiao looked at her with curiosity.
The white-haired woman replied proudly, "My master is none other than the Qin Sage."
Her words struck the assembly like a bolt from the blue, deafening them!
"The Qin Sage, one of the three Sages of Great Gan?"