When the host held out the wooden box, everyone's eyes were drawn to his hands. The noise in the hall instantly died down. Even in the private rooms upstairs, Mei Qingxue could sense that several pairs of eyes were also fixated on the small wooden box.
It seemed that this was the highlight of the night. Mei Qingxue was determined to obtain the item in the box, no matter the cost.
The host slowly opened the wooden box in his hand. Gasps of surprise filled the air one after another. It seemed that everyone knew what the item was.
"The Nine - Patterned Blood Dragon Jade!"
The host's words were like a drop of water falling into a hot oil pan. The already quiet hall immediately erupted into an uproar.
"Isn't this the one from the legend, passed down through generations of emperors, known as the Imperial Jade?" A man beside Mei Qingxue exclaimed, his mouth agape in shock.
"Yes, it is," another man replied, unable to hide his astonishment. He never expected to see this treasure here. It was said that this treasure had only been passed down within the imperial family since ancient times.
"Compared to its reputation as the Imperial Jade, its fame as a healing jade seems insignificant," a man behind Mei Qingxue said.
His words perked Mei Qingxue up. She immediately turned around with a pleading look and asked, "Uncle, what do you mean by a healing jade?"
Du Guqing was poisoned. She wondered if the jade would be effective. While thinking, she waited for the man's answer.
The man didn't even bother to look at the little page who was asking the question. Feeling embarrassed, Mei Qingxue had no choice but to turn back.
"I know," Du Guqing whispered.
"Then tell me quickly..."
The host had finished building up the suspense and was about to start the auction. Mei Qingxue was getting impatient.
"It is said that for martial artists with long - standing internal injuries, wearing this jade will relieve them of their ailments. But it's just a rumor. Don't take it seriously," Du Guqing said.
He knew that Mei Qingxue wanted the jade, but the person who brought out the jade couldn't be kind - hearted. Du Guqing understood very well that the Imperial Jade was only passed down to emperors. Among the three candidates for the crown prince, if anyone was most likely to obtain this jade, it would be him, Du Guqing. He suspected that the owner of the jade didn't want it to fall into his hands. Instead, the owner wanted to know the intentions of the princes.
After hearing Du Guqing's explanation, Mei Qingxue felt a momentary disappointment. It seemed that the jade was only useful for internal injuries. It was hard to say about poison injuries. However, because of its reputation as a jade that nourishes the human body, she would still compete with those in the private rooms for it. Who would be stupid enough to give up the Imperial Jade?
Because of its fame as a healing jade, her sickly husband was the most qualified person to obtain this jade. Mei Qingxue was well aware that any prince who competed for this jade would be one step closer to death. Not even brothers or father - son relationships could change this.
"Ten thousand taels. The current bid is ten thousand taels," the host's voice gradually rose.
The Imperial Jade was coveted by countless people, but who dared to actually buy it? Only people from three private rooms were making bids. Mei Qingxue was certain that two of the private rooms belonged to Du Guqing's elder brothers. The identity of the person in the third private room was a mystery.
Du Guqing casually glanced at that private room. He knew who was inside, but he wondered if his elder brothers knew.
"Fifty thousand," a dull voice came from the second private room.
It was the voice of the third prince's attendant. Du Guqing was very familiar with it. When he heard the bid, a sneer inadvertently appeared on his lips. He didn't care who was in that position. He only cared about the person he wanted to protect.
"One hundred thousand!"
Just when Du Guqing was relieved, the little girl beside him shouted out the highest bid of the night.
"Do you have the money to buy it?" someone behind Mei Qingxue sneered. They looked like a poor master and servant. The person in front of Mei Qingxue turned around and sized them up. When he saw Du Guqing, his pupils constricted, and he was about to step forward to pay his respects.
Du Guqing slightly shook his head, and the man sat back down. Because they were sitting behind a pillar, many people heard Mei Qingxue's bid and the ridicule from the person behind them, and their attention was drawn.
"One hundred thousand. Young master, are you sure? If you're just causing trouble, the consequences..." The host couldn't figure out Mei Qingxue's background and just gave a gentle reminder.
Mei Qingxue took out a silver note from her sleeve. "Zhengtaiji Silver Building, a silver note worth five hundred thousand taels. Now my bid for this jade is two hundred thousand taels."
Zhengtaiji was a nationwide chain of silver buildings. Mei Qingxue regarded it as a chain of banks. What a strange name.
"Zhengtaiji?" The host was taken aback. His eyes glanced at the private room upstairs. Of course, he recognized this little page who was actually a woman in disguise. He also knew that she was the owner of Chuxiang Pavilion.
Because of its fame as a healing jade, it was not unreasonable for her to obtain it. But...
The host looked upstairs. The third private room, which had been silent all along, still showed no sign of activity. Only the eldest prince, Du Guming, in the first private room was furious, his face turning ashen.
"Go and find out who is competing with this prince," Du Guming said with a sinister look on his face. As the eldest son of the emperor, he was the first choice for the crown prince. The Imperial Jade should belong to him.
A guard beside him opened the back door and went out to gather information. The person was sitting behind a pillar, and he couldn't see the face. He had no idea who that person was. Being wealthy was useless if one didn't have a life to spend the money.
Du Gujue in the second private room shook his head helplessly. As soon as he heard the voice, he knew who it was. That person had recently taken twenty thousand taels of silver from him. If he made a bid now, he might lose even more. It was just a dead jade. If that person wanted it, it was for a short - lived person. He wouldn't compete with a dying man. It would damage his reputation.
So after hearing Mei Qingxue's bid of one hundred thousand taels, the second private room also fell silent. A sharp gaze from the third private room also looked towards the pillar. Finally, the owner of the gaze reluctantly withdrew it and left through the back door.
Mei Qingxue felt a knife - like gaze on her back. She turned around to look, but couldn't see who had such a sharp gaze. The gaze was like a bone - chilling wind. She felt her limbs getting cold, and it was as if something cold was creeping up her back. The cold seemed to seep into her bones.
It wasn't until the person in the third private room left that the gaze disappeared. Mei Qingxue glanced at the third private room, wondering who could have such a sharp gaze. Was it the ordinary - looking middle - aged man or someone who, having been in a high position for a long time, wanted to control everything?
Each private room had a back door, and the person in the third private room left without being noticed.
Du Guqing also followed Mei Qingxue's gaze and looked in that direction. A smile appeared on his lips. His little woman was really sensitive. She had actually noticed something strange there.
"Report to the eldest prince. It's the sixth prince," the guard whispered in Du Guming's ear.
"Is it him?" That sickly man also dared to compete with this prince. Du Guming exuded a cold aura. He shouted in a deep voice, "Two hundred and fifty thousand. This prince wants it!"
The person in the first private room had actually revealed his identity. Du Gujue sneered and sat in his private room, leisurely enjoying the refreshments. Now things were getting really interesting.
"The eldest prince..."
"Who else dares to compete with the eldest prince? Aren't they just looking for death?"
People around were whispering and looking at the poor - looking master and servant as if they were dead. Only the person who had previously prepared to pay respects to Du Guqing nodded slightly at him and then got up to leave.
There was no need to get involved in this mess. That person left calmly, leaving everyone else in the room with a sense of schadenfreude, waiting to see how this poor person would meet his end.
However, someone was starting to have doubts. It was the person who had previously ridiculed the "master and servant". He couldn't help but wonder if the person in front of him was the daughter or son of some noble family. Even the son of the prime minister wouldn't dare to compete with the eldest prince.
He was just using Mei Haoxuan as an example, but he didn't know that the bold person in front of him was the daughter of the prime minister's family, who was said to be even more favored than the prime minister's son. She was the famous Miss Mei in the capital, the current sixth princess, and of course, there was also the sixth prince as her companion.
"Two hundred and fifty thousand?" Mei Qingxue hesitated for a moment. Although she had enough money, she hadn't expected anyone to compete with her after she made the bid. She had plenty of money, but the jade was a hot potato. She looked worriedly at Du Guqing. He just smiled faintly and slightly shook his head.
Mei Qingxue wanted the jade, and he would definitely help her get it, no matter if she gave it to him or smashed it out of anger. Just thinking that she might give it to him, Du Guqing's eyes immediately burned with passion. He decided to compete with his dear eldest brother.
Although the third brother's private room had fallen silent, Du Guqing knew that he was just watching the show, waiting to see how his little woman would make Du Guming furious. Du Guqing could imagine how angry Du Guming would be, wanting to tear down the Lingbao Pavilion.
"Three hundred thousand taels!" Mei Qingxue's bid made everyone gasp again. Paying three hundred thousand taels for a jade, and one might lose their life before even wearing it. All their eyes were on this fearless little page.
They all knew that the other person was the eldest prince, yet she still dared?
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!" The bid from the first private room made Du Gujue burst into laughter. Soon, his dear elder brother would know what it meant to lose face. His sixth brother's little princess was not just a prankster in her own mansion.
Was Du Guming challenging her? Mei Qingxue was not convinced. It wasn't about showing off her wealth. The other person had revealed his identity as a prince first, hoping that she would withdraw voluntarily. How could that be possible? Mei Qingxue, in both her past and present lives, was never afraid of being bullied by power.
Just as Mei Qingxue was about to speak, Du Guqing covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed violently several times.
In the quiet hall, the coughing sound was particularly clear.
A sense of unease crept over Du Guming. Originally, he just wanted to make a high bid to force the other person to withdraw. Who would have thought that the person didn't follow his wishes.