When the bidding in Room Thirteen reached one million, Leng Qingjue finally couldn’t hold back. She grabbed Xuanyuan Fei, who was about to raise the price again.
“It’s just a medicinal herb—are you crazy, bidding over a million for it?!”
Xuanyuan Fei replied, “Didn’t you want it?”
“I don’t anymore, I don’t anymore!” Leng Qingjue, pained at the thought of the money, hurriedly called out to the auctioneer below, “We’re out!”
The auctioneer nodded. “Very well. In that case, I’ll count to three. After three, this Longevity Willow will go to the guest in Room Thirteen. One…”
“One million taels.”
From Room One—silent until now—came a calm, breezy voice.
The auctioneer froze for a moment, then said respectfully, “Sir, Room Thirteen has already bid one million.”
“I bid one million taels of gold.”
The entire hall erupted.
If Room Thirteen and the young master Wuhen driving the price up to one million taels of silver already seemed like money to burn, then the man in Room One offering one million taels of gold… that was outright insanity.
Even the imperial treasury might not be able to produce that much gold.
Room Thirteen fell silent for a long while, as if stunned.
In truth, Xia Fengguang had awakened.
Not only had she woken up, she had begun coughing violently. A mouthful of blood stained the white handkerchief red.
The system still gave her no response. She genuinely felt she wouldn’t live long enough to even begin pursuing the second male lead…
Wang Ci clutched the bloodstained handkerchief tightly and shouted at Xia Chao, “What are you standing there for?! Even if you have to snatch it, you must get that Longevity Willow for me!”
Xia Chao didn’t have time to think. He rushed out, leapt down from the second floor, and landed in the center of the auction hall. Facing the old man, he cupped his hands respectfully.
“Sir, my daughter is gravely ill and urgently needs this item to stay alive. I ask that you sell it to me. I am willing to offer one hundred fifty taels of gold.”
Upstairs, Xuanyuan Fei murmured, “So it’s him…”
Leng Qingjue glanced at him. “You know him?”
“No, just saying,” Xuanyuan Fei replied, returning to his usual carefree demeanor.
Just as he didn’t know that Leng Qingjue was the so-called “foolish young lady” from the Xia household, Leng Qingjue didn’t know that this “Young Master Wuhen” was actually the Fourth Prince of Mingzi Kingdom.
The auctioneer spoke, “Items here go to the highest bidder. Sir, unless the guest in Room One withdraws, you cannot purchase this item directly from the old gentleman.”
Hearing this, Xia Chao looked up toward Room One and said in a steady voice, “Sir, my daughter’s life depends on the Longevity Willow. I have no other options left. I ask that you kindly yield.”
The one hundred fifty taels of gold he offered already represented the total value of everything in the prince’s estate. In other words, he was staking his entire fortune.
Some in the audience were moved.
The Longevity Willow wasn’t considered particularly valuable, and seeing a father lower himself to beg like this, someone couldn’t help but speak up:
“Sir, why not let him have it?”
“Yes, the Longevity Willow is meant to cure illness and save lives. Perhaps you could do a good deed and let this gentleman save his daughter.”
…
Leng Qingjue glanced toward Room Thirteen. She knew that inside was Xia Fengguang, gravely ill.
A flicker of guilt rose in her heart for having triggered Fengguang’s condition—but it lasted only a moment.
She thought of her own life in this body, so vastly different from Xia Fengguang’s privileged existence. She and her mother had endured humiliation in the prince’s estate for years.
And just like that, the guilt quickly faded.
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 98.2