"You should really thank the Shangguan and Zhong families. If they hadn't bid, your hands would have been chopped off and you'd have been thrown into the river today!"
Qin Wanru gritted her teeth, her face filled with resentment.
Why did that damn Zhong Shanhe and Shangguan Ling'er both have to set their sights on this nameless bronze cauldron?
"Can you shut up?"
Hearing Qin Wanru's words, Lin Chen finally grew impatient.
This woman had been buzzing around his ears like a fly from the beginning to the end, truly the most annoying creature.
"Scoundrel, just you wait. One day, I will make you kneel before me and beg for forgiveness!"
Mentioning this, Qin Wanru clenched her fists tightly.
If it weren't for Lin Chen's meddling, she would have married into the Zhong family by now, become the young madam of the Zhong family, and lived a life of privilege.
How could she be here now, trying to curry favor with an old man over fifty?
"My Zhong family offers sixty million."
"The Shangguan family offers sixty-one million."
...
In the auction hall, Zhong Shanhe and Shangguan Ling'er continued to bid, and the price of the nameless bronze cauldron quickly soared to eighty million!
"My heavens, eighty million for an unnamed bronze cauldron! This must be close to breaking Ru Shuang Group's auction record!"
"Indeed. This bronze cauldron is merely made of a slightly special material. Its true value is at most twenty to thirty million. Now it's more than tripled!"
The other guests murmured amongst themselves, their voices filled with astonishment.
They could understand Zhong Shanhe buying the cauldron to appease some high-ranking individual and avenge his son.
But what about the Shangguan family?
What kind of esteemed guest could make the Shangguan family go to such lengths to appease them?
"Hahaha, what a lively scene."
However, just as the entire auction hall was abuzz with discussion, the doors of the venue were pushed open, and a middle-aged man in a suit and glasses slowly walked in from outside.
"Holy cow, who is that? Aren't the doors supposed to be closed during a Ru Shuang Group auction?"
"Right? I remember at a previous auction, the head of a prominent family was refused entry. How is Ru Shuang Group making an exception now?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, you call yourselves people of Hangcheng and you don't even recognize him? That's the personal secretary to the Governor of Hangcheng, Secretary Liang. His presence here definitely represents the Governor!"
"What? The Governor's Chief Secretary? My goodness, does that mean the Governor is also interested in this nameless bronze cauldron?"
The guests in the hall were stunned, their expressions filled with disbelief.
They had never heard before that the Governor had an interest in antiques!
"Esteemed guests, my apologies. My superior also wishes to acquire this nameless bronze cauldron as a gift. May I ask if Patriarch Shangguan and Patriarch Zhong would be willing to part with it?"
At this moment, Secretary Liang pushed up the bridge of his glasses, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Although his words sounded extremely polite, they carried an air of irrefutability.
The reason was simple: he stood there representing the Governor of Hangcheng!
"Very well. Since the Governor is interested, my Shangguan family has nothing to say."
"I, Zhong Shanhe, am also willing to withdraw."
Upon hearing Secretary Liang's words, Shangguan Ling'er and Zhong Shanhe could only comply, despite their reluctance.
They all knew that if they truly angered that esteemed official, their families would be unable to withstand his wrath!
"Alas."
Shangguan Ling'er sighed, stood up, and bowed deeply towards Lin Chen on the first floor, her face etched with apology.
She had originally hoped to do something for Lin Chen, but it seemed their influence was insufficient!
Seeing Shangguan Ling'er's expression, Lin Chen shook his head, indicating it was alright.
After all, for him, having this cauldron would certainly lead to better quality medicinal pills. However, with the Nine Dragon Ring he possessed, he could still refine pills even without a cauldron.
If pushed, he could even use a pressure cooker to refine pills.
Shangguan Ling'er's gesture did not escape the notice of the guests present.
"My goodness, is Shangguan Ling'er apologizing? Could it be that the Shangguan family's esteemed guest is on the first floor?"
"No way! The Shangguan family's esteemed guests should be in the private boxes, right? How could they be sitting on the first floor?"
"Wait! You all seem to have forgotten that before the auction started, Shangguan Ling'er personally went down to invite someone, but was refused."
As this guest spoke, many who knew the situation instinctively turned their gazes towards Lin Chen.
Only him!
Shangguan Ling'er had first personally gone down to invite someone, only to be refused.
Later, she had wanted to accompany him personally, but was again refused.
Coupled with his earlier bid, and considering the Shangguan family was buying the cauldron as a gift...
"My god, who is this person? Could he be the Shangguan family's live-in son-in-law?"
"My goddess! Does she also have a weakness for pretty boys?"
A crowd of guests marveled, unable to comprehend what merit this pretty boy possessed, other than his good looks, that could make Shangguan Ling'er value him so highly!
"Heh heh heh, in any case, on behalf of my superior, I thank you both."
Seeing that Shangguan Ling'er and Zhong Shanhe had withdrawn from the bidding, Secretary Liang nodded with satisfaction.
"Now, President Qiu, I am willing to pay the highest price of this auction for this bronze cauldron. What do you say?"
After thanking the two, Secretary Liang turned and addressed Qiu Hanying on stage.
"Heh heh heh, Secretary Liang, you jest. An auction is a matter of the highest bidder. Since you are willing to offer the highest price, this bronze cauldron naturally belongs to you."
Qiu Hanying smiled faintly, unable to refuse.
"Very well, thank you. Here is a check for eighty million, please accept it."
Secretary Liang didn't say much more, stepped forward, signed a check, and handed it to Qiu Hanying.
"Alright, Secretary Liang. May I ask where this nameless bronze cauldron should be delivered?"
After receiving the check from Secretary Liang, Qiu Hanying inquired.
The cauldron was over a meter tall and weighed several thousand pounds, so it would definitely require mechanical assistance for removal.
"Please wait a moment, I will inquire immediately."
Upon hearing Qiu Hanying's question, Secretary Liang did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned to face the guests behind him.
Seeing this, Qiu Hanying was bewildered. What was going on? The Governor wasn't even present!
"May I ask, who is Mr. Lin Chen?"
Secretary Liang asked with a smile.
"Oh? I am Lin Chen. Do you need something??"
Hearing Secretary Liang's words, Lin Chen was utterly perplexed.
He didn't know this so-called Secretary Liang, nor the Governor of Hangcheng!
What was going on?