The auction hall fell deathly silent.
Completely unfazed, Qin Buwen casually flexed her fingers and clicked her tongue.
“No, that’s still too expensive. Let’s make it one copper coin instead.”
As she spoke, she lowered one finger, leaving only her index finger raised, smiling with innocent sweetness.
Only then did the surrounding crowd seem to recover from their shock.
“Little miss, what are you making trouble for?”
“Exactly! This is a matter between two high officials. Why are you sticking your nose into it?”
“I thought she was someone extraordinary. Turns out she’s just an idiot! Hahaha…”
“I knew it. There’s no way someone like that exists in Chang’an.”
“How did someone like her even get into the auction house? Did she sneak in while everyone was distracted?”
“Where are the guards? Throw her out!”
“Throw her out! Throw her out!”
No guards came.
Everyone admitted into the auction house had been personally vetted by the Wanwu Pavilion.
There was no possibility that anyone had slipped inside unnoticed.
The incessant chatter around her began to grate on Qin Buwen’s nerves.
She yawned again before protesting indignantly,
“Who says I’m causing trouble? I made a bid. If the seller’s willing to sell, isn’t that enough?”
With that, she fished a copper coin from her sleeve and tossed it directly onto the stage.
“Would you mind asking your boss whether he’ll sell it for one copper coin?”
“Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!”
“What kind of people does the Wanwu Pavilion let into its auction house these days!?”
“She wants to buy Haiyan for one copper coin? Keep dreaming!”
“Stop making trouble! Hurry up and continue the auction!”
“…”
Everyone assumed Qin Buwen was simply an ignorant girl who didn’t understand the rules. After mocking her for a few moments, they urged the auctioneer to resume the sale.
But the masked man on the stage merely narrowed his eyes with a smile, looking every bit like a cunning fox.
“Please wait a moment, honored guest. I’ll go ask our proprietor.”
Qin Buwen smiled and nodded eagerly.
“Go on, go on.”
The man bowed politely toward the audience before disappearing into the room behind the stage.
The entire hall was stunned.
Among those present, every single guest possessed wealth beyond the dreams of ordinary people.
Yet the auctioneer had simply abandoned all of them…
…to ask his proprietor about a bid of one copper coin?
Never in their lives had they been treated this way.
Discussions immediately broke out behind the screens.
Qin Buwen casually lifted her eyes and noticed that both Ji Junjiao and Yan Tang were looking directly at her.
She lazily sipped her tea and even gave the two men a courteous nod.
A short while later, the auctioneer returned.
He first bowed respectfully to the guests before speaking with the same impeccable smile.
“Honored guests, Haiyan has been sold to Guest Number Eighteen… for the final price of one copper coin.”
The hall exploded.
“What!? Is the Wanwu Pavilion making fools of us!?”
“Exactly! Are you toying with us?”
“If you don’t give us an explanation today, don’t think we’ll let this go!”
The masked man continued smiling pleasantly.
“Our proprietor apologizes for today’s inconvenience. As a token of his sincerity, he has prepared a small gift for each of our honored guests.”
As he spoke, attendants produced exquisitely crafted brocade boxes and placed one before every guest.
“A single gift is supposed to count as an apology!? Since when has the Wanwu Pavilion become so careless?”
“They don’t take us seriously at all!”
“Have your proprietor come out and apologize personally!”
“…”
The proprietor of the Wanwu Pavilion had never met with guests.
No one had ever seen his face.
The crowd continued shouting, clearly unwilling to let the matter rest.
One furious guest flung open his brocade box.
The instant he saw what lay inside, the anger on his face vanished, replaced by utter horror.
The next second, he screamed and hurled the box onto the floor.
Tilting her head, Qin Buwen looked toward the object that had fallen out.
It was bright red.
A severed human tongue.
Fear instantly filled everyone’s eyes.
The tense, confrontational atmosphere vanished, replaced by absolute silence.
Ji Junjiao and Yan Tang remained calm, seemingly unshaken by the gruesome sight.
The masked auctioneer smiled as before.
“Our proprietor also wishes to remind everyone… that today’s events are to remain confidential.”
“If anyone outside this auction house learns what happened…”
He left the sentence unfinished, merely sweeping his gaze meaningfully across the room.
Everyone immediately understood.
The wealthy cherished their lives most of all.
The proprietor of the Wanwu Pavilion was clearly a ruthless man.
Qin Buwen curled her lips into a faint smile, utterly unsurprised.
The auctioneer turned toward her.
“Guest Number Eighteen, please come with me. Our proprietor wishes to see you.”
Qin Buwen showed no trace of surprise.
She slowly rose to her feet, stretched lazily, and followed him toward the room behind the stage.
…
Ji Junjiao watched the woman’s retreating figure, his brows knitting slightly.
He still had no idea who she really was.
But since Yan Tang had failed to obtain Haiyan, there was no reason for him to concern himself with unrelated matters.
The auction was over.
He had already reached his own conclusions regarding Li Yunmu.
There was no point in staying any longer.
He slowly stood to leave.
“Grand Secretary.”
Yan Tang called after him.
Ji Junjiao turned around calmly.
Yan Tang looked up at him, his expression mild.
He examined Ji Junjiao from head to toe before letting out a quiet laugh. His tone betrayed nothing.
“Grand Secretary… is there anything in this world that you truly cherish?”
Ji Junjiao nodded.
“The empire. The people.”
Yan Tang arched a brow.
“And is there… anyone you cherish?”
Ji Junjiao didn’t understand why Yan Tang was asking.
Even so, he slowly shook his head.
“No.”
A gentleman stood upright, open and honorable, untouched by worldly dust.
Yan Tang smiled and nodded.
Yet there wasn’t the slightest hint of warmth in his eyes.
“Then I wish you this, Grand Secretary.”
“May there never come a day when you have someone you cherish.”
Because if that day ever came…
Yan Tang wanted Ji Junjiao to experience this same agony for himself.
…
The moment Qin Buwen entered the room, the door behind her was quietly closed from the outside.
The man before her slowly turned around and removed his mask.
Qin Buwen had already guessed who the proprietor of the Wanwu Pavilion was.
Even so, seeing his face in person still left her momentarily dazed.
Come to think of it…
It had been many years since she’d last seen him.
To the man standing opposite her, however, her momentary distraction looked like shock.
He smiled.
While the mask had concealed it before, now that it was gone, his pair of fox-like eyes were breathtakingly seductive.
“I am the proprietor of the Wanwu Pavilion.”
“May I know your name, Miss?”
Qin Buwen blinked innocently.
“Before asking someone else’s name… shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?”
The man raised an eyebrow.
“In that case, why don’t you remove your mask first? Then we can speak openly with one another.”
“Of course.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Buwen removed her fox mask, revealing a delicate, gentle-looking face.
The man’s smile faded slightly.
She wasn’t the person he knew.
The smile on Qin Buwen’s face deepened.
“You asked for my name,” the tall, elegant man said.
“Why don’t you take a guess?”
Qin Buwen immediately looked troubled.
“Huh? But I’m just a weak little woman. I don’t know anyone. How am I supposed to guess?”
The man’s beautiful fox eyes curved into a smile.
“Guess anything you like. It doesn’t matter if you’re wrong.”