Winter has come quietly, and the outside is covered with snow, but here it is always like spring all year round.
The distinguished guests in Zuixian Tower leaned on the railings, enjoying the warm furnace breeze, and lamented how hard it was for people outside during this season.
But he turned around and rushed to the magnificent world in the building, leaving the feelings he just felt behind.
"It is said that there will be rare treasures at the auction house in Zuixian Tower today."
"I've also heard that I came here just for this thing. According to rumors, that thing is extremely rare..."
"Why do you all know that? I thought that only my family came here for that thing, but I was well prepared... Everyone, do you have enough money?"
"Haha, let's all rely on our own abilities."
After nightfall, there were more guests in Zuixian Tower than before.
Because everyone seems to have heard that there will be treasures and treasures today.
Even the people in the palace came to see the world.
The auction house is located underground in Zuixian Tower. It is as magnificent as the palace. Except for some regulations that cannot be exceeded, it is completely like a second palace.
The auction house is arranged like a colosseum, with an auction platform in the middle and hundreds of seats arranged neatly on the surrounding slopes, with the seats getting higher toward the back.
In the outer circle at the highest point, there are dozens of secret rooms, with curtains blocking the doors so that no one can see clearly which dignitaries are sitting inside.
Surrounded by Zuixianlou's thugs, they are responsible for protecting the safety and identity of those distinguished guests.
"Sir, what are we doing here? We can't afford anything here!"
Officials from the Ministry of Revenue were captured by Yan Lanfeng and kept with them in one of the secret rooms, preparing to watch the show tonight.
Yan Lanfeng said calmly: "Didn't you say there is a treasure? It's time for the Ministry of Household Affairs to open their eyes."
"But Lord Shangshu, if the imperial censor finds out about our coming here, he will probably cite us and suspect us of corruption."
With their salary, they will never be able to afford any of the treasures sold in this auction house.
"What are you afraid of? I just took a look and didn't buy it." Yan Lanfeng said without caring.
As he sat here looking down, he knew many of the guests in the seats below.
All of them are descendants of wealthy families in the capital, and there are even some wealthy businessmen among them.
But those who are qualified to sit in the box need to have a real identity. For example, Yan Lanfeng also relies on his status as a second-grade official to be able to overlook here.
There were more than a dozen other private rooms on the left and right with lights on.
"Who are they?" Yan Lanfeng counted the nobles in this capital.
"Sir, the auction has begun."
Yan Lanfeng nodded and yawned. He was so tired recently that he didn't have much time to rest, so he said, "Call me after you take a picture of that treasure. I'll take a nap first."
"Ah?" The subordinate was surprised.
Then seriously, Yan Lanfeng fell asleep like this. If the secret room had not blocked his snoring, everyone below would have heard it.
"grown ups?"
Yan Lanfeng, who was sleeping, stretched his eyebrows after being woken up: "Are we here?"
"Yes, my lord, please look below and see the treasure."
Yan Lanfeng poked a corner of the curtain and peeked at the auction table below, only to see that the lot he offered had already appeared on the high platform.
"Just catch up." Yan Lanfeng rubbed his eyes and sat up expectantly.
…
On the auction stage, a young and beautiful beauty was presiding over the auction.
She was wearing clothes that showed off her skin, which showed off her figure. She just stood up and attracted the attention of old perverts.
Yan Lanfeng couldn't help but take another look.
"Who is that woman?" Yan Lanfeng narrowed his eyes and asked.
"Hey, sir, that is the daughter of the owner of Zuixian Tower in Beijing."
"Such a beauty is worthy of a talented man, why don't we offer her to the young master as a wife?" Yan Lanfeng muttered, and immediately thought it was a good idea and could consider it.
I thought that after cooperating with Young Master for so long and taking advantage of others, why should I not give Young Master any benefits?
This young man naturally likes beauty the most, a hundred times more than gold, silver and jewels... Of course, Yan Lanfeng would not let go of gold, silver and jewels.
Dian Qingqiu, who was on the auction stage, didn't know that he had been spotted by a good matchmaker, so he was only trying his best to introduce the auction items.
"Dear distinguished guests, the last item to be auctioned tonight is exactly this item."
As he spoke, he gently picked up the red cloth covering the lot and unveiled it to everyone.
"Um?"
"What is that?"
Everyone only saw a very regular rectangular object with a sandalwood frame.
But I don't know what it is.
Because of the viewing angle, the people in the front row are less able to see the scene in that thing.
Dian Qingqiu smiled and said, "This is a mirror from ancient times."
"Mirror?" Everyone suddenly lost interest.
No matter how good a mirror is, it is still a mirror. Can it be used to hold cups?
If not, don't even think about them paying for it.
Seeing this, Dian Qingqiu didn't care and began to recite the story he made up for this thing:
"This object comes from ancient times, the era before the Emperor Tai Huang. It was buried in a sunken ship under the East China Sea. It represents the highest skill of mirror casting in ancient times..."
"...Later, a cargo ship happened to capsize in the sea. When the caravan was salvaging it, they accidentally discovered that the sunken ship was nearby, and they salvaged it together."
"Today, it should be the only finished product of this mirror-casting technique left in the world."
Regardless of what Dian Qingqiu said, the nobles present were not too tempted.
Only some collectors who like to collect unique copies are slightly interested.
But after a while, they will apologize for being young.
On the auction stage, Dian Qingqiudao, who had finished telling the story, tilted the mirror slightly toward the audience.
"Ouch!"
The people sitting in the first two rows were immediately shocked because what they saw in the mirror was so clear that it was no different from what they could see with the naked eye!
No matter how smooth the mirror is, it has never been so clear. Even if it can be polished, it has never been as clear as this.
Dian Qingqiu signaled, and the two of them walked up, moved the mirrors, and walked around the auction table.
Let the people in the front rows have a clear view.
"Gulu..."
The distinguished guests who had not paid much attention just now began to gear up one by one, their eyes filled with red light.
Seeing that the atmosphere was finally aroused, Dian Qingqiu announced:
"The starting price for the ancient diffraction mirror is one thousand taels of silver, and each increase in price must not be less than one hundred taels... You can start bidding."
Ancient diffraction mirror?
Yan Lanfeng in the box couldn't help but smile when he heard it. It was indeed the auction house of Zuixianlou. Both the story and the name were full of mythical color.
Any item, with the blessing of story and history, must be valuable.
What's more, this thing is indeed very practical and eye-catching.
"Sir?" Liu Quan was also in the box. When he heard the starting price, he almost sat on the ground in fright.
He knew very well how much this thing cost.
"How dare Zuixianlou set a minimum price like this?" Liu Quan was shocked.
Yan Lanfeng said calmly: "It was my idea."
"Then...is there really someone who was taken advantage of?" Liu Quan felt somewhat guilty.
The hurried quotation from below shocked Liu Quan again.
"Three thousand taels!" The first one quoted a higher price of two thousand taels, which shocked everyone.
But this is the capital city, and it is the Zuixian Tower where the richest people gather.
"Three thousand eight hundred taels!"
"Five thousand taels for a small family!"
The only ancient diffraction mirror, coupled with its unique casting process, its value is already comparable to that of an artifact in the eyes of those who are interested.
"Five thousand seven hundred..."
"Six thousand five hundred..."
The distinguished guests quoted prices one by one, and the prices increased rapidly. Even the guests in the private rooms began to quote prices.
"Ten thousand taels!" A distinguished guest in a private room suddenly ordered someone to come out and shouted.
"hiss!"
The person who took a sharp breath of cold air was not anyone else, but Liu Quan in the household box.
Yan Lanfeng pretended to be calm, but the hand holding the teacup betrayed him.
"Get rich, the Ministry of Finance is going to get rich!" Yan Lanfeng kept chanting over and over again, even spilling the tea and not caring.
"Big, big... Sir!" Liu Quan was already kneeling on the ground, his whole body paralyzed.
He suddenly felt that the world was so crazy that so many people paid such a high price for this piece of shit.
He was also thinking deeply that if these people knew about the price of the raw materials of this mirror, he would probably be lit as a sky lantern.
It’s too dark, Lord Shangshu!
"Calm down!"
Yan Lanfeng looked at Liu Quan: "How promising are you?"
"There are many wealthy businessmen from aristocratic families in the capital, and this little money is just a drop in their bucket."
"Get up quickly, let people see it, say that you have never seen the world, it will embarrass me, Hu Bu!"
"Yes..." Liu Quan nodded repeatedly and struggled to get up, but failed several times.
In the end, Yan Lanfeng personally helped him up and warned him in his ear: "If you dare to leak the secret, I will destroy you... the nine tribes!"
Of course Yan Lanfeng does not have this power.
But of course the person who warned you must give such a warning, otherwise what should I say? If you leak the secret, you will be slapped on the leg?
"Yes..." Liu Quan didn't dare to take it as a joke. He knew that the glass factory belonged to the Ministry of Revenue, that is, to the Xia State.
If he leaks the secret, Your Majesty may really do it and kill all nine of his own clans!