Free Web NovelChapter 118: Chapter 89: Shawu Finally Gets Her Wish
But the starting bid was only five hundred taels of silver.
After all, the birth rate in the Great Shang was high, and with a larger female population, women were considered relatively less valuable.
Of course, five hundred taels of silver was equivalent to the purchasing power of one million RMB on Earth, so it was actually quite a lot.
"Three thousand taels!" Just then, Liu Linzhang and his two companions made their bid as expected.
"Ten thousand taels," Xu Lei said, bidding before anyone else could speak.
This stunned everyone present.
Bidding ten thousand taels for an Official Slave? Very few people would do such a thing!
They had thrown out thirty thousand taels for a painting by Divine Monk Wu Tan, but a painting at least had collection value and could even appreciate over time!
The expressions on Liu Linzhang and his friends’ faces changed drastically. After exchanging a look and conferring,
"Ten thousand and one taels!" they gritted their teeth and bid again.
"Twenty thousand taels," Xu Lei said calmly.
Liu Linzhang and his friends immediately deflated.
On the stage, Cheng Shawu’s beautiful eyes were glazed and moist.
"Wait!"
But then, Liu Linzhang and the other two young masters, their eyes red with unwillingness, cried out, "We’ll bid again! Thirty thousand taels! This painting is worth thirty thousand taels!
Master Liang, you wanted it before, didn’t you? We will trade this painting to you for thirty thousand taels!
No, twenty-nine thousand taels! How about it?"
The crowd was once again in an uproar.
Of course, Master Liang quickly spoke up and refused.
He even declared that their painting was a fake.
The scene erupted again.
Liu Linzhang and his friends’ faces paled. They had spent thirty thousand taels of silver on it. A fake? What kind of joke was this?
They immediately questioned Master Liang, demanding he produce evidence and not make baseless accusations.
Cheng Shawu, too, began to panic again.
"Amitabha Buddha. Donors, your painting is indeed a fake."
Xu Lei hadn’t intended to expose their painting as a fake, but they were being relentless. He decided to speak up. "Because the real ’Portrait of Wei Qingning’ is in this humble monk’s hands! And this humble monk’s master is the very Divine Monk Wu Tan you all speak of!"
Everyone was stunned, looking at each other in disbelief.
「Half an hour later.」
The auction organizers had summoned several appraisal masters to jointly determine the authenticity of the two paintings.
No one had left; they all remained to watch and await the verdict.
The process didn’t take long, of course.
After all, it was Xu Lei’s own work. With just a few glances, he pointed out the flaws in the forgery, citing issues with the material, pigments, brushwork, historical context, and more.
"What? The painting we bought for thirty thousand taels is a fake?"
When the result was announced, Liu Linzhang and the other two young masters staggered back.
"What?"
The onlookers were also shocked. "Divine Monk Wu Tan is still alive?
He’s still alive after all this time? How is that possible?
And this Zen Master Hui Chi is really the disciple of Divine Monk Wu Tan?"
"Amitabha Buddha. Please announce the result,"
Xu Lei said. "The result of the auction."
「A dozen or so minutes later.」
Mu Yao handed over the silver notes and took possession of Cheng Shawu’s indenture contract.
Since Xu Lei was a monk, it was inconvenient for him to purchase an Official Slave under his own name, so he used the identity that Mu Yao was currently using.
As a Commandery Princess on the run, Mu Yao naturally carried false identification papers.
Although the papers were "false," they would pass any inspection as genuine!
"This lowly one is Cheng Shawu."
Cheng Shawu had assumed Xu Lei was the one buying her. She was surprised to see the handsome, noble young master beside him was the one paying. Her expression shifted slightly as she quickly and respectfully curtsied. "Greetings, Young Master."
"There’s no need for such formalities."
Mu Yao said to her, "This young master is merely an Attendant to the Living Buddha."
Cheng Shawu paused, slightly stunned.
"Amitabha Buddha. Donor Cheng, it’s alright now. Don’t be afraid."
Xu Lei looked at Cheng Shawu, whose beautiful, tear-filled eyes were fixed on him, and said softly, "This isn’t a place to talk. Let’s leave first. Come on."
"Mhm."
Cheng Shawu nodded repeatedly. "Thank you for saving me, Little Divine Monk... no, Little Living Buddha."
Having just heard Mu Yao call Xu Lei a Living Buddha, Cheng Shawu felt that the title "Divine Monk" was indeed no longer sufficient for him.
’Living Buddha’ is much more fitting!
She was overcome with gratitude, wondering how she could possibly repay him. But racking her brain, she realized she had nothing to offer!
’I could offer myself to him, but he once said he would never get close to women!’
With so many eyes and ears around, Xu Lei couldn’t very well explain to Cheng Shawu that he no longer adhered so strictly to his vow of staying away from women.
As they were leaving, Master Liang unexpectedly chased after them, saying he wanted to buy the real ’Portrait of Wei Qingning’. He was willing to pay thirty thousand taels!
Xu Lei initially didn’t want to sell it, but Master Liang was extremely sincere and pestered him all the way, explaining he wanted to give it to the patriarch of the Wei Family as a birthday gift.
’This painting isn’t of much use to me anyway.’
After all, he had only painted it casually back then. So, Xu Lei sold it to Master Liang.
Master Liang was overjoyed and left, full of gratitude.
So, by attending this auction, Xu Lei had not only rescued Cheng Shawu with a single painting, but had also earned a profit of ten thousand taels.
Xu Lei felt pretty good about that.
「That evening.」
Xu Lei, Mu Yao, and Cheng Shawu had already left the city.
They checked into an inn in another city.
After all, if they had stayed, the three families of Liu Linzhang and his friends might have harbored ill intentions and caused more trouble.
Although Xu Lei could certainly handle it, it wouldn’t be good to waste Magical Power on such matters.
「That night.」
