Chapter 201: The Birth of Bai Ze

Chapter 201: The Birth of Bai Ze

Auction.

This was a new term, not even found in the "Shuowen Jiezi," and everyone found it quite novel. Almost everyone who had received the thin wooden slips attended the next day.

Xianjin's gaze swept the room. The neighboring educational official came in person, along with the daughters and eldest brothers from the Prefectural and Magistrate's families. Xiong Yoyo brought the little girl named Bao Juan, who wore the gold-embossed brocade that day. There were also salt merchants from the Zhen family at the canal dock, cloth merchants, tea merchants, doctors from the Hundred Herbs Hall, and the construction boss Huang. These were the locals, and there were some from further away, such as gentry from the outskirts of Xuancheng, wealthy landlords, and scholarly families whose children held official positions elsewhere. They all gathered here.

The old scholar who had stars in his eyes upon seeing Kunlun Mountain yesterday belonged to the last category. He himself didn't do well, only passing the provincial examination, but he had an extremely capable son who went on to become a Jinshi and now worked in the Imperial Academy, making him a high-ranking father in Xuancheng Prefecture.

Xianjin raised her chin slightly and nodded towards a specific point in the crowd.

A somewhat familiar chubby square face emerged from the crowd, like a large sunflower that had been over-fertilized.

Zhang Wenbo, the big sunflower, waved excitedly at Xianjin with his wooden slip in hand.

Su'er sighed, "… How did he get so fat!"

Xianjin calmly replied: Post-marital bliss weight gain, and the extra pounds were part of their playful activities.

As the hourglass sand ran out, the windows of the Flower Pavilion behind the exhibition hall were opened. With the sound of gongs "dong dong" ringing, the curtains on all sides dropped, and more than ten lanterns with intricate paintings slowly rose. On either side of the Flower Pavilion were armchairs made of pear wood, with small stools beside them, holding exquisite white porcelain dishes and a complete set of Jun ware white-glazed tea sets. In front of the pavilion was a three-inch wooden platform, and soon a woman in a blue satin robe with white feathers on her head ascended, carrying a golden hammer.

Six lamps suddenly illuminated, casting a glow around the woman on stage, making her appear like a warm and radiant jade.

"Manager Zhong seems different," Zhou Ergou scratched his head.

Xianjin nodded approvingly: The stage lights made even Aunt Zhong, who usually yelled at young men as "useless idiots," appear gentle and elegant. It was hard for her to believe how idols' personas could be crafted under modern stage makeup…

Xianjin stood calmly with her arms crossed behind the crowd.

"The starting bid for each item is five hundred cash. Those interested, please raise your number sign, adding one hundred cash per bid! Your number sign is on your right. Three bids and the item is yours!"

Aunt Zhong announced the rules loudly.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Very low prices.

Even lower than bamboo paper.

Five hundred cash?!

One bundle of top-quality Xuancheng paper?!

Just fifty meat pies!

Everyone was excited, like hearing the initial price of a court-auctioned house, eager to try.

Xianjin smiled: This was the beauty of auctions—the initial price made you think you could get a good deal.

With a strike of Aunt Zhong's golden hammer, the first item displayed was the coveted silk-embroidered Kunlun Mountain.

"Six hundred cash!" The high-ranking father, holding his precious son from the Imperial Academy, showed no fear!

"Seven hundred cash!"

"Eight hundred cash!"

"Nine hundred cash!"

In a breath, the price soared to one tael and one mace of silver!

Xiong Yoyo smiled thoughtfully, giving Xianjin a slight wink, unsure if it was admiration or awe.

Xianjin bowed from afar: These were all tricks from future capitalists; she was just borrowing wisdom, thank you very much.

As the auction progressed, people reacted differently. Some became fiercely competitive, raising their signs repeatedly;

Others realized the true purpose of the auction, clutching their signs tightly, watching the smiling lady on stage with wary eyes;

Some really wanted the items and didn't care about the money—the high-ranking father smoothly won the silk-embroidered Kunlun Mountain paper for five taels and seven maces, happily following Lu Badan inside to sign and pay. When he returned, a similarly masked servant girl followed closely, serving Fujian white tea with its fragrant aroma.

Seeing their empty teacups, everyone suddenly understood: You had to buy something to have tea!

This… this… this was truly… what a cunning merchant!

But then again, they were all respectable people; wouldn't it be embarrassing to be the only one without tea?

The second, third, and fourth items sold for six, six and seven maces, and seven and three maces respectively.

The silk-embroidered Shanhaijing series papers, twenty bundles in total with different patterns, generally sold for between six and seven taels.

Xianjin nodded slightly in the shadows; it was as she had expected.

The silk-embroidered series, essentially plain paper, was inferior in quality compared to the three-tael jade edition and the five-tael Chengxin Hall paper.

The only selling point was the hidden silk embroidery.

Xianjin added more value: prestige, the fun of bidding, and the competitive atmosphere.

These elements justified any price.

Xianjin watched the entire auction standing.

For the final item, Aunt Zhong deliberately lowered her voice, building up the suspense, "… The last item is the grand finale!"

Small gongs "dong dong dong," the light in the Flower Pavilion flickered, making it difficult to distinguish between artificial and real flowers in the darkness.

"Bai Ze!"

Aunt Zhong's voice suddenly rose: "Embroidered Silk Baize! The Baize beast has the head of a tiger, red hair, and horns; it only appears to assist a virtuous ruler, signifying the auspicious presence of a loyal minister! Chen's has specially commissioned the reclusive painter Zhang Guizong to create this embroidered silk Baize paper, using three hundred sheets before achieving perfection! Starting bid: five hundred cash!"

Baize! Loyal minister! It only appears when a virtuous ruler is present!

Amidst the raised paddles, Xiong Yoyo finally raised hers, "…five taels of silver!"

The hall fell silent for a moment before a middle-aged man seated in the back row, who had not moved, laughed aloud and raised his paddle, "Eight taels."

Xiong Yoyo did not look back but instead put away her paddle and gently waved at Aunt Zhong, signaling her withdrawal.

"Eight taels once!"

"Eight taels twice!"

Just as Aunt Zhong was about to drop the hammer,

—"Ten taels!"

Xianjin turned her head, her gaze falling on the first row.

This was Zhen Sanlang, a salt merchant from the Longchuan Creek dock in Xuancheng Prefecture.

Zhen Sanlang's eyebrows arched, looking smugly at the middle-aged man in the back row.

"Twenty taels." The middle-aged man, pale-faced and beardless, remained calm and friendly, speaking standard Mandarin, clearly indicating he was not from Xuancheng Prefecture.

Zhen Sanlang nearly exploded with anger. Competing with him over money! Did he even know what business they were in?

"Thirty taels!" Zhen Sanlang declared confidently.

The middle-aged man fell silent.

Aunt Zhong's intense gaze shifted to the last row, clearly waiting for the middle-aged man to bid again.

But the middle-aged man remained unperturbed, making no further bids.

"Thirty taels once!"

"Thirty taels twice!"

"Thirty taels thrice!"

"Bang!" The hammer fell, sealing the deal!

Aunt Zhong congratulated Zhen Sanlang loudly, "Congratulations, Young Master Sanlang! You've won the Baize paper!"

Xianjin slipped away into the shadows, whispering instructions to Suo'er, "…find out who that middle-aged man is and where he currently resides. If you discover anything, send him a sheet of embroidered silk flower-and-bird paper."

Overwhelmed by joy, Zhen Sanlang realized after paying that he had spent fifty taels of silver in just one visit to the paper shop…

He had given away two months' worth of allowance…

And it was only the beginning of the month! How would he survive the next two months? He had no savings!

Moreover, why had he bought so much paper!

He could barely write the Three-Character Classic!

Even among the spoiled second-generation in Xuancheng Prefecture, such a level of literacy was quite shocking.

Trembling, Zhen Sanlang returned home, expecting a severe beating from his father.

To his surprise, upon entering the main hall, his father hugged him tightly and kissed him four or five times, exclaiming excitedly, "Foolishness brings great fortune! Foolishness brings great fortune!"

Then he handed him a hundred taels and swallowed the expensive embroidered silk Baize paper.