Mei Qingxue knew exactly what Du Guqing meant. Last time she had dealt with the Third Prince, and now the First Prince had come to her on his own. They were lining up one by one in front of her. Only a fool would refuse. She couldn't help but sneer a few times in her heart.
Thirty - five thousand taels of silver! Even if Mei Qingxue had to pay that much herself, she would feel heartache for a long time. Thinking of the large pile of silver in the Qingxue Pavilion, Mei Qingxue looked at the wooden box beside the host with eager eyes.
She really wanted it!
The host shouted, "Thirty - five thousand taels. If no one bids higher, it goes to Bidder No. 1." The host had long known who was participating in the bidding. They were three princes of the current emperor, and none of them could be offended. Although the First Prince and the Third Prince were the popular candidates for the crown prince, the Sixth Prince was also not someone to be trifled with. Even though he knew, he couldn't expose it.
Mei Qingxue immediately shouted, "I want it, but I don't have enough money!" Then she looked heart - broken, her eyes fixed on the wooden box, as if she would bid a higher price if she just thought about it for a while.
One moment passed, and Mei Qingxue still maintained the same posture. Two moments...
The host's feet were almost cramped, and his hand was stiff in mid - air, not knowing whether to drop it or not.
Du Guming's hands were tightly clenched into fists. Not having enough money meant he would have to pay? It was true that he was the First Prince, but he wasn't a fat sheep. His sixth brother's wife was really a tough nut to crack. He was afraid that if this delay continued, there would be more trouble regarding that imperial jade.
Thirty - five thousand taels! The price made his heart ache. He wondered what kind of person that woman was. How could she still try to get something for nothing?
Du Guming wasn't stupid. He already knew Mei Qingxue's identity now. He was so angry that his teeth were grinding. But in front of everyone, he really had no way to deal with those two. Last time, that person had taken eighteen thousand taels from Du Gujue, and he had laughed for a long time. He never thought it would be his turn so soon.
Did fortune really change in cycles? No way! The things Du Guming wanted could never be easily given to others.
"Announce the result quickly!" Du Guming's cold voice made everyone present shiver. Mei Qingxue wasn't afraid. She just wanted that jade.
There was only that jade in her eyes. In fact, she could feel the strange atmosphere in the hall, and she didn't know why she could remain calm in this dangerous situation. It was all for that jade pendant with healing effects.
She really wanted to ignore that strange feeling in her heart. Somehow, in this life, she had the feeling of relying on that person for the rest of her life. Maybe it was because that person had been so kind to her, or maybe it was just an illusion.
When she learned that someone was willing to pay ten thousand taels of gold for his life, she couldn't be as calm on the inside as she appeared on the surface. At that moment, she seemed to be a bit clearer about her own feelings. All she wanted was for that person to live safely and accompany her to live a peaceful life. That was all.
"Wait. I need to... think about it!"
As soon as Mei Qingxue said this, Du Guming's anger flared up.
"How long are you going to wait?" Du Guming said through gritted teeth.
Of course, she would wait until he paid the money. Mei Qingxue thought to herself but didn't say it out loud. Instead, she looked at the wooden box with an expression of heart - broken reluctance, headache, and all kinds of difficulties.
The host waited patiently for Mei Qingxue to make up her mind. He was really patient. He could hardly hold the gong in his hand. His hand was so sore that it was about to break. Those two troublesome people refused to back down. No one in the hall dared to make a sound. The First Prince's voice was like a threat to kill.
"Announce the result quickly!" Du Guming's patience was running out. His cold voice was like a sharp dagger.
He also knew that it would be disadvantageous for him if he continued to delay. He couldn't just grab it in front of everyone. He wouldn't do it, but someone would. That was exactly Mei Qingxue's plan.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Hearing Du Guming's words, the host quickly agreed.
If he continued to delay, the Sixth Princess might be fine, but his head might not stay on his neck.
Thinking of this, he immediately cleared his throat and said, "This Nine - Pattern Blood Dragon Jade has been won by Bidder No. 1."
Just leave quickly after the auction! This hot potato made the host sweat just by looking at it. When his boss brought out this item, he knew that this night would not be peaceful.
"Pay the silver note quickly, and let's go." Du Guming quickly told his subordinate to pay. He stared closely at the jade pendant, afraid that something unexpected might happen.
The jade was only passed down in the imperial family. Didn't that mean that whoever got the jade would have the omen of becoming the emperor? For this reason, Du Guming was determined to get it.
For its healing effect, Mei Qingxue was also determined to get it.
"Yes." The guard responded.
Du Guming thought that if he ignored that woman and just paid quickly, everything would be over. But Mei Qingxue was just waiting for him to pay.
Seeing a strange - looking guard come out of the private room No. 1, Mei Qingxue secretly smiled triumphantly. The opportunity she had been waiting for had finally come. Du Guqing knew her little plan and gently squeezed her hand. Feeling the warmth from his hand, Mei Qingxue gave him a gentle smile. This jade was going to be hers.
As soon as Mei Qingxue saw the strange - looking guard pay the silver note, she immediately took a big step forward, jumped onto the stage, snatched the wooden box, and hugged it tightly in her arms. She almost acted like a rascal and shouted, "I want it, I want it."
Du Guming, who had been so confident, had the veins on his hands bulging.
Du Gujue in the private room No. 2 knew that this was the right time for him to speak.
"Sister - in - law wants it. Big Brother, just give it to her," he said. This one sentence would put Du Guming in a difficult position. There was no harm in doing something that could harm others and benefit himself.
As soon as Du Gujue's voice rang out, there was another uproar in the hall. Big Brother? Sister - in - law? The person who could call the First Prince brother...
The identity of the person in the private room No. 2 was obvious.
Wasn't that poor - looking person... wasn't he...
Immediately, everyone fell silent and felt self - endangered. The three princes were sitting in three different corners, in a faint confrontation. People in the middle of the hall began to feel restless.
They didn't dare to watch the fight among the three princes. Now they were in a dilemma and couldn't get away.
"Third Brother, you're really generous. You didn't even blink an eye when you spent eighteen thousand taels. I'm not as generous as you," Du Guming said through gritted teeth. That trouble - maker was speaking up now. Didn't he just want to make him suffer in silence?
At this time, Du Guqing's coughing sound came at the right moment. Every time he coughed, Du Guming felt as if his heart was being pulled.
"You're in poor health. You should stay in your mansion to recuperate. Why are you running around?" Du Guming said rudely.
People in the hall immediately acted like ostriches. They would rather not have heard these words. If the things that happened tonight were spread out, none of them could escape. Because when they entered this Lingbao Pavilion, they all used their real names and entered with their name cards.
Even if they could escape themselves, they couldn't escape their families. So they had to pretend to be dead, deaf, and dumb...
"Big Brother, little brother... heard that there is a jade pendant tonight, which is said to be a holy jade for healing. Little brother has been sick for many years. I'm counting on a good jade to nourish my body," Du Guqing said. He paused several times in this long sentence. Now his face was full of distress.
Who dared to look closely at the Sixth Prince's face now? Those people wished they were deaf and blind. If not, they would rather find a crack in the ground to hide in.
"Big Brother, little brother has really suffered for so many years. Sigh..." Du Gujue sighed softly.
Mei Qingxue's eyes were slightly red. She said uncertainly, "Could it be that, could it be that, big brother wants to give this jade to our prince?"
After a moment, Mei Qingxue looked at the closed door of the private room No. 1 with tears of gratitude in her eyes. "Big Brother, you're really a good person. You're really a good person."
Really a good person... Du Guming's teeth were grinding. Du Gujue was constantly setting traps for him.
He now wished he could slap that woman to death, then slap Du Gujue to death, and slap that sickly guy to death.
Du Guqing stood up shakily.
Mei Qingxue almost burst out laughing. It was really a pity that they lived in ancient times. They would have been great actors if they were in modern times.
The weak guy was "laboriously" supported by Mei Qingxue and slowly walked out from behind the pillar.
"Big Brother, you... just... give... give it to... little... brother," Du Guqing said with difficulty. The wooden box with the jade pendant was in Mei Qingxue's arms.
Du Guming's guard knew that this was the Sixth Princess. How dare he step forward to snatch it? He was in a dilemma, looking at Mei Qingxue with his hand outstretched, not knowing whether to stretch it further or retract it.
Once something got into Mei Qingxue's arms, how could she let it go? Du Gujue covered the smile on his lips.
"Sister - in - law, hurry up and thank big brother," Du Gujue's words were like adding fuel to the fire, but Du Guming couldn't get angry.
He had to endure the pain and pretend to be calm. "Why thank me?" As soon as he said this, Du Guming immediately regretted it.
Mei Qingxue of course knew how to take advantage of the situation. She immediately said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you, big brother. You're really generous. I will definitely offer a memorial tablet for your long - life at home and chant Buddha's name every day."
She wasn't a nun. Mei Qingxue rolled her eyes. Thirty - five thousand taels was the income of her business for several years.
Seeing that Du Gujue didn't say anything to block his words, Du Guming held back his anger and said in a deep voice, "Two younger brothers, let's cut the small talk. I still have something to do. We'll talk about brotherly affection another day!"
Du Guming flicked his sleeves and left. The voice in the private room No. 2 also disappeared. Mei Qingxue could imagine that there must be back doors in those private rooms for them to leave so that others couldn't recognize their true faces.
The guard who was confronting Mei Qingxue saw his master leave and didn't care about the wooden box anymore. He also left in a hurry.
Mei Qingxue hugged the box with the jade pendant. She was sure that the person who wanted to buy Du Guqing's life was the one who had just competed with her for the jade. Did he think Du Guqing was bound to die, so he didn't compete anymore? Although that person always talked about brotherhood, anyone could hear the deep - seated killing intent.
A sneer appeared on Mei Qingxue's lips, but it quickly disappeared. The host had left at some point. The First Prince and the Third Prince had left one after another. Now the Sixth Prince... the Sixth Prince and the Sixth Princess were still here. Without their permission, who among the ostriches in the hall dared to leave first?