Chapter Forty-Nine: Wealthy and Foolish

By the time we finished discussing the physiognomy of Shen Xiang and Qiu Nuo, the auction was already more than halfway through. Before Qiu Nuo lay a neat row of treasures, and the person beside Wei Youcheng still sat motionless, never once competing with him. Without Wei Youcheng as a rival, Shen Xiang had swept through every obstacle, and today he was undoubtedly the greatest winner at the auction.

“Brother, I just can’t stand that kid. Letting him win like this today really frustrates me,” Xiao Lianshan said, his face full of dissatisfaction.

“Oh? And what do you want to do?” I asked with a smile.

“No matter what, he gets under my skin. He’s too arrogant, and his intentions aren’t pure. I just want to teach him a lesson.”

“Now, for our final lot: Tang Dynasty White Glaze Twin Dragon Vase. This Xing Kiln white-glazed jar features a slightly flared mouth, short neck, full shoulders tapering below, flat base, glaze inside and out, unglazed bottom, glaze as white as snow, lustrous and bright…” The auctioneer introduced the last item of the day. Typically, the most valuable piece is reserved for the finale—the showstopper.

The moment the Twin Dragon Vase was placed on the auction table, I noticed Qiu Nuo’s body stir ever so slightly. Her face, always cold and distant, suddenly softened as if touched by spring.

On the stage, the Twin Dragon Vase showed handles on either side of the neck shaped as two dragons. Their tails connected to the shoulder and belly; their bodies arched upright, heads stretching toward the rim, mouths joined to the edge as if greedily drinking. The dragons’ bodies curved, the backs adorned with studded decorations; the twin dragons’ lines were symmetrical, harmonious, the form elegant—like a trophy, bearing a distinct Persian style.

Amidst its grandeur, there was an understated elegance, and within that elegance, a touch of brilliance and sharpness. The harmony between refinement and splendor was perfectly achieved.

“Starting bid is fifty thousand. Each increment, five thousand. Please place your bids!” the auctioneer announced loudly.

Since the creation of white-glazed porcelain in the Northern Dynasties, through Sui and Tang it matured, and by the Tang Dynasty, the famed “South Celadon, North White” era began, with the “North White” represented by Xing Kiln porcelain.

This Twin Dragon Vase, glazed inside and out, unglazed base, glaze as white as snow, lustrous and bright, was a rare treasure among surviving Xing Kiln porcelain.

Soon, the price climbed to one hundred and ten thousand, and the atmosphere was electric.

“One hundred and fifty thousand!” Shen Xiang’s first bid jumped four increments. Instantly, the hall fell silent—as if whenever he participated, all others became mere supporting players.

“Twin Dragon Vase! One hundred and fifty thousand, first call!” The auctioneer’s voice rose, as if counting down.

I glanced at the radiant Shen Xiang in the crowd, then turned, grinning at Xiao Lianshan. “Lianshan, didn’t you say you wanted to teach Shen Xiang a lesson?”

Xiao Lianshan nodded, puzzled. “Brother, do you have any good ideas?”

I stroked my chin, a mischievous smile on my face as I looked at him meaningfully. “We’ve sat here all day; it wouldn’t do to leave empty-handed. This Twin Dragon Vase is quite nice—bring it back and Brother Ting will surely like it.”

“Right, we can’t let that kid steal all the spotlight.” Lianshan thought for a moment, nodded, and raised his hand. “I bid fifty-five thousand.”

Shen Xiang hadn’t expected someone to challenge him at the end. He glanced over at us, raised his hand calmly, and said, “One hundred and eighty thousand!”

I guessed Shen Xiang now believed, with Wei Youcheng firmly under his control, no one else could possibly compete with him at this price.

Xiao Lianshan was about to bid again, when I chuckled beside him, “If you raise the bid like that, you’ll lack momentum. Go higher, go higher.”

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Xiao Lianshan didn’t quite understand what I meant by “higher,” but he was determined not to let Shen Xiang win.

“Two hundred thousand!” As soon as Lianshan spoke, the whole hall erupted. People delighted in seeing someone so boldly compete with Shen Xiang, even more assertive than Wei Youcheng earlier, and applauded, eager for drama.

Shen Xiang’s face darkened; beside him, Qiu Nuo tugged at his sleeve—this price was already very high, and clearly she didn’t approve of his lavish spending.

“Two hundred and thirty thousand!” Shen Xiang’s voice was low.

“Lianshan, that’s not enough, go higher!” I egged him on.

“What are you doing? It’s already at two hundred thirty thousand, and you still want Lianshan to bid higher? Is it really worth spending so much on a Twin Dragon Vase, especially since you don’t even have the money?” Yue Qianling whispered nervously.

“Three hundred thousand!” In a rush of excitement, Lianshan raised his hand and shouted.

Yue Qianling was dumbstruck, while I smiled contentedly.

At this price, the day’s star, Shen Xiang, was clearly flustered. After hesitating for a long time, he raised his hand again, but with obvious uncertainty.

“Three hundred and thirty thousand.”

“Four hundred thousand!” In truth, Lianshan had no idea what four hundred thousand really meant, only that bidding higher than Shen Xiang felt immensely satisfying.

Someone sat beside Lianshan, barely raised their hand before a sudden crack sounded. With their clothes in the way, no one saw what happened, but beads of sweat appeared on the newcomer’s forehead, and their lips moved constantly.

Lianshan looked at the turning Shen Xiang with a mocking grin. “You should know who you’re dealing with. Play dirty with me? You’re still too green.”

Shen Xiang realized he’d encountered someone not to be trifled with. The person he’d sent to control Lianshan was subdued before making a move. Now, caught in a bind with Qiu Nuo watching, he couldn’t afford to lose face. He had to grit his teeth, raise his hand, his voice trembling.

“Four hundred and thirty thousand.”

Lianshan was about to bid again, but I grabbed his arm, shaking my head with a mischievous smile. “That’s enough. Follow my lead—just wait and watch.”

When the auctioneer announced Shen Xiang had won the Twin Dragon Vase, Shen Xiang visibly relaxed. Something worth only a few tens of thousands had ended up costing him four hundred thirty thousand, and no matter how he thought about it, it pained him.

At the entrance, we bumped into Shen Xiang, Yue Qianling, and Xiao Lianshan. Shen Xiang, triumphant, held up the vase to Lianshan and said, “If you don’t have money, don’t pretend to be generous. You thought you were clever, but in the end, I bought it.”

I signaled to Lianshan, who caught on, and “accidentally” knocked the vase to the ground. The forty-three-thousand-dollar porcelain shattered instantly.

“You… you…” Shen Xiang was stunned for a moment, then furious, pointing at Lianshan and shouting, “You broke it! You’re not leaving until you pay me back!”

Qiu Nuo looked down at the shards, her brow suddenly creasing.

“Oh, it’s just forty-three thousand. What’s the big deal? We’ll pay you,” I said breezily.

Yue Qianling was so shocked she couldn’t speak, unable to fathom why I’d destroy something worth so much on a whim.

“I don’t want your money. Money isn’t the issue. This is a Tang Dynasty treasure, unique in the world. I want you to replace it with an identical piece—otherwise… don’t blame me for not warning you,” Shen Xiang, already furious, seized the opportunity to press his advantage.

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More and more people gathered around; Shen Xiang clearly wanted to humiliate Lianshan in front of everyone.

“You’re sure you don’t want money?”

“Of course not. Money is no object. Today, you must produce an identical replacement for me, no matter what,” Shen Xiang demanded arrogantly.

Qiu Nuo picked up a shard, glanced at me, her eyes showing unexpected admiration. She turned to Shen Xiang, “Let’s go. There are too many people. I’ll come with you tomorrow.”

“No way! Something worth over forty thousand was smashed. Unless I get an explanation today, no one leaves,” Shen Xiang refused, ignoring Qiu Nuo’s words.

I kept silent, picking up a fragment, examining it thoughtfully, when a voice behind me spoke.

“This… this is a fake!”

It was Wei Youcheng, his gaze fixed on the piece in my hand.

“A fake? Impossible! This is genuine Tang Dynasty Xing Kiln porcelain. Don’t take me for a novice—I know antiques,” Shen Xiang sneered.

“Xing Kiln porcelain? Even a beginner can see the glaze is dull, with obvious parallel friction marks—not handmade, but modern imitation.”

The crowd gathered, inspecting the shards, and found Wei Youcheng’s words true. The hall erupted in ridicule. Buying a fake was common enough, but paying forty thousand for one—and claiming expertise? That was sheer folly.

Shen Xiang stood awkwardly, his face dark, about to explode, when Qiu Nuo whispered, “It really is a fake. Let’s go.”

Shen Xiang pushed through the crowd, about to leave, but Lianshan blocked his way, grinning. “Didn’t you want an explanation? If it weren’t for me, you’d have spent forty thousand on a fake. Luckily, I accidentally helped you out. Honestly, you should thank me.”

The crowd burst into laughter.

Yue Qianling chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. “Let it go. Didn’t he say he knows antiques? He just made a mistake this time. Next time he won’t be so foolish.”

Shen Xiang said nothing, took a deep breath, and left amid the laughter. He’d hoped to impress Qiu Nuo, but instead lost face before everyone. Worst of all, after everything he’d done, Qiu Nuo never once smiled at him.

Yet, as she passed me, Qiu Nuo gave a faint smile. “You knew it was fake from the start.”

I nodded silently, smiling, while ahead, Shen Xiang turned back, coldly glaring at me and Lianshan, pointing at us in fury as he got into his car.

Behind him, Lianshan shouted, “No matter how much money you have, you need an eye for quality. Next time, check before you buy—or you’ll really become the poster child for rich fools!”