"Miss, Young Master A Zhao's body has been found! It's just..."
What Pei Zhaolin referred to should be the incident at Hengchai Feng.
It's foolish not to seize an opportunity when it presents itself.
She put down the teapot and replied loudly, "Alright."
---
The largest Wanbao Tower in the western market of Wenling was brightly lit. Its bustling scene was no less spectacular than that in the capital city.
Today, Wanbao Tower was only auctioning one item: a piece of Chunshui jade material from Hetian.
It was as smooth as congealed fat, with a natural water pattern running through it. In the jargon, it was called "jade belt around the waist". Once carved, it would become a family - heirloom jade bi.
Many merchants came after hearing the news. All they were competing with was the silver in their purses.
The Pei family was a century - old aristocratic family, and its industries were among the top ones.
However, compared with Cui Jintang, they were still far from enough.
She estimated the approximate price in her mind.
At most 30,000 taels of silver.
In the private rooms on the second floor of Wanbao Tower, separated by carved screens and half - hidden by the lights.
Pei Zhaolin was wearing a moon - white robe with dark patterns. The silver threads on the cuffs glistened slightly. He led Cui Jintang to take their seats.
The staff of Wanbao Tower first brought out the jade to build up the hype. As soon as it was shown, there was quite a stir.
Pei Zhaolin tapped his fingertips lightly and asked, "Do you like it?"
Cui Jintang was just moving the tea lid. She looked up and saw the jade.
Under the candlelight, the water pattern on the jade was just like a new moon. It was passable.
So she nodded and said, "I like it."
As the auctioneer's hammer fell, the price downstairs had been bid up to 2,000 taels.
Servants from several private rooms on the second floor were sent out one after another to increase the price. It had reached an astonishing 10,000 taels.
The owner of Wanbao Tower beamed with joy. The hammer in his hand was about to fall but didn't. "Do any of you guests want to continue to raise the price? This excellent jade with a 'jade belt around the waist', if you miss it today, you'll have to wait for decades!"
As soon as he finished speaking, from the No. 4 private room opposite, almost at the same time, a voice sounded, "20,000 taels."
Pei Zhaolin slowly put down his teacup. The servant in the private room quickly walked out with a sign in hand.
The owner downstairs was even more delighted. "The guest in the No. 1 private room bids 30,000 taels!"
The curtain swayed, revealing half of Pei Zhaolin's face.
He had changed into a dark blue everyday robe tonight. There was a circle of red - gold thread on the cuffs, making him look extremely noble.
Yan Liangwen in the No. 4 private room gritted his back teeth tightly when he saw him.
Why did Pei Zhaolin have to compete with him everywhere!
He was still counting on this jade to gain Cui Jintang's favor when he took it back.
"35,000 taels!"
Pei Zhaolin didn't even move his eyebrows. He raised his hand again, extremely generous. "50,000 taels."
The two of them, separated by the lights and the curtain shadows, bid back and forth. The rising price made people in the building gasp one after another.
Cui Jintang could almost smell the thickening smell of gunpowder in the air.
Just as the shopkeeper shouted in a trembling voice, "50,000 taels—Is there anyone else who wants to raise the price?" the lights downstairs suddenly went out.
With a "swish", several black shadows broke through the window. The blades were as white as snow, charging straight at the exhibition stand.
The roars of the masked robbers were so loud that they could almost shatter the tiles. "The government is handling business. Idlers, get out of the way!"
But the leader turned around and slashed at the jade box with a knife!
The crowd screamed and fled.
Only the owner of Wanbao Tower was heart - broken. He shouted, "My 50,000 taels!"
"Bang!"
The lanterns hanging in front of each private room on the second floor suddenly fell to the ground.
The lanterns were shattered all over the place. The tongues of fire greedily licked the curtains and instantly flared up.
Compared with the group of robbers they had encountered in the deep mountains and old forests, the ones who were robbing Wanbao Tower today were obviously more experienced and disciplined.
They didn't capture those wealthy merchants. Instead, they looted Wanbao Tower empty.
When the staff of Wanbao Tower tried to stop them, they stabbed them with their knives without hesitation!
Pei Zhaolin lifted the curtain and walked out. The soft sword at his waist sprang out with a "clang".
In the darkness, Cui Jintang casually grabbed a copper lampstand. The lamp oil spilled out, blocking a robber who was rushing towards them.
The corridor on the second floor was narrow. Pei Zhaolin tightly protected Cui Jintang behind him.
In the chaos of the darkness, Cui Jintang crouched down and slipped past the fight between Pei Zhaolin and the robbers.
She grabbed the jade box and stuffed it into her arms. Then she kicked over a third robber who was pouncing on her.
Cui Jintang hid behind the curtain. Suddenly, she regretted not bringing Zhu Er with her today.
Retreating all the way, she suddenly bumped into a person who was shaking like a sieve.
Out of kindness, Cui Jintang held up the copper lamp in her hand to take a look.
Yan Liangwen was crying even more pitifully than the top courtesan in the Jinyu Workshop. His lips were trembling and his tongue was almost tied up. "Cui Cui Cui Cui Cui—"
Cui Jintang: "..."
Really, what a cowardly and weak man.
With Pei Zhaolin there, almost no one dared to step forward.
In just half a cup of tea time, as a large number of family guards rushed into Wanbao Tower, the robbers suffered heavy casualties.
Seeing that the situation was not right, the leader shouted, "Retreat!"
All the robbers didn't show any reluctance to fight. They immediately withdrew.
Only one who ran too slowly was stopped by the tip of Pei Zhaolin's sword at his throat.
The black cloth covering the robber's face was hooked by the sword and slipped off, revealing a strange face full of tattoos.
Pei Zhaolin squinted his eyes. Before he could say anything, the robber suddenly vomited black blood!
When they pried open the robber's teeth, they found that the poison sac in his mouth had been completely bitten through. He was beyond rescue.
A look of annoyance flashed across Pei Zhaolin's eyes.
He sheathed his sword, turned his head to look for Cui Jintang, and strode forward. "Are you injured?"
Cui Jintang shook her head. Behind her was Yan Liangwen, who had stopped his physiological tears.
"Mr. Yan?"
Yan Liangwen's face was as pale as death. He quickly lowered his head and wiped his face with his sleeve twice. He smiled awkwardly. "Haha, it's really hot now..."
Pei Zhaolin glanced at him and then turned away, which really annoyed Yan Liangwen.
—So what if you can fight!
Cui Jintang squatted down, turned over the robber's body, and carefully looked at the tattoo on his face.
"Be careful. His blood is poisonous."
Before her hand could touch it, she was pulled back by Pei Zhaolin, who had rushed over.
He also took Cui Jintang a few steps back.
"I just wanted to take another look at the tattoo on his face."
Cui Jintang quickly said, "I've heard that those whose families were raided and exiled, as well as rebels and soldiers who fled the battle first, would have tattoos on their faces."
"It seems to be the same pattern as the one on this robber's face."
Cui Jintang's business had once reached other countries. At the border where the two armies were at war, she had seen those people with tattoos on their faces.
They were whipped on their backs with whips soaked in salt water and then exposed to the sun until they died of dehydration.
Pei Zhaolin frowned. "Let me do it."
Then he bent down, pinched the robber's chin with two fingers, and turned it left and right to see the complete tattoo totem on the robber's face clearly.
It was a black crow.
Thinking of the organized attack and retreat of the robbers just now, Pei Zhaolin guessed that they were probably deserters.
With such a large number of deserters, why was there not a single memorial reported from the border?
Or was it reported but suppressed by the high - ranking officials?
Pei Zhaolin came back to his senses. "It's not safe here. I'll take you back to the mansion first."
Cui Jintang nodded.
Just as the two of them were about to leave Wanbao Tower, Zhu Er rushed over in a hurry.
Avoiding Pei Zhaolin, Zhu Er lowered his voice and said anxiously, "Miss, Young Master A Zhao's body has been found! It's just..."