The crowd finally understood that this auction was not an ordinary one but hosted by Ye Feng, the controller of Liangzhou City. Who would dare cause trouble here!
"Spare my life, General. I, I was truly blinded by greed!" The man slid from his chair and hastily knelt on the ground, kowtowing. "I dare not do it again!"
"Let's let this go this time!" Lü Bu retorted, his anger boiling. "Making this general lose face like this!"
The man lowered his head and thought for a long time before trembling, finally asking, "I am willing to donate all my property to beg for the general's mercy!"
"Do you think I am after your property?" Lü Bu retorted with a cold smile. "Does King Chu lack that little bit of money? Do we need to resort to such base tactics!"
"Of course, of course not," the man stammered. "G-General!"
"I am also unwilling to kill innocent people. How can these auspicious omens be stained with blood!" Lü Bu spoke to himself.
"Thank you, General, thank you, General!" The man hastily kowtowed. "Whatever the General commands, I will obey!"
"Death can be avoided, but living is hard to escape. I don't want your property either. Just follow me and help maintain order for a few days, and I will let you go. How about that?" Lü Bu said with a smile.
According to his former temperament, he would have already beheaded this man. However, it was precisely because Ye Feng's territory could not have bloodshed, otherwise, the price would drop. Therefore, he forcibly suppressed his killing intent and proposed a condition that was neither too harsh nor too lenient.
Wang Wu's face was filled with joy. Apart from the Imperial Guards, whom they were unaware of, Lü Bu's Third Legion was the overlord of Liangzhou City. To join them would be an honor for ancestors, let alone to be personally invited by Lü Bu.
"Alright, report in three days!" Lü Bu said solemnly. "If you are late..."
"Then you can cut off my head and use it as a ball to kick. I will have no complaints!" Wang Wu hastily replied. "Thank you, General!"
Lü Bu gestured slightly to Wang Hong, who immediately understood and organized the auction to continue!
Wang Wu was about to leave, but the scholar was even more bewildered. He hadn't come to compete, so why was one person leaving? And not in three days.
"Brother, may I ask, you are leaving in such a hurry before the bidding has even begun!" the scholar asked politely.
Wang Wu originally wanted to scold him, but thinking of Lü Bu's demeanor, he couldn't help but shiver and hastily explained, "Joining the Third Legion is an honor for ancestors. There are still auctions to attend, so I shall take my leave first. I wish you success, brother!"
"Alright, I hope you rise higher and higher," the scholar cupped his hands with his fan and saw Wang Wu off. He then sat on the high platform and closed his eyes to rest, as the previous high prices had little to do with him.
"One thousand taels!"
"One thousand taels of silver to acquire this prime piece of land? Daydreaming! I bid twelve hundred taels!"
"One thousand five hundred taels!"
"One thousand six hundred taels!"
"..."
The prices soared like rockets. The patriarchs of the noble families closed their eyes, seemingly indifferent.
"Two thousand taels!"
Instantly, the auction hall fell silent. Wang Hong raised his gavel and said with a smile, "In that case, this land belongs to Old Master Zhou for two thousand taels..."
"Wait!" Old Master Ma shouted, "I bid two thousand five hundred taels! This land is mine!"
Old Master Zhou's face was filled with indignation. He hadn't expected Old Master Ma to appear as a spoiler. Thinking that his silver was not as much as Old Master Ma's, he hastily said with a smile, "Brother-in-law, please give me some face. In the future, if you take a fancy to something, I will never compete."
"Face? You think you deserve it!" Old Master Ma sneered. "When I had a house, you were still going door to door selling sugar water. Have you forgotten your humble beginnings?"
"Old man, don't push your luck!" Old Master Zhou gaped. For so many years, he had always been bossy in front of others, but today his past was exposed!
"Aren't you afraid that someone you fancy will oppose you!" Old Master Zhou threatened fiercely, as he really liked the meaning of this land. "I will make you spend hundreds or thousands more taels!"
"Fine, it seems I have been too complacent. Now you dare to provoke me!" Old Master Ma stood up coldly. "But don't forget the lessons from those candies back then. I can make you bankrupt!"
The past rushed into Old Master Zhou's mind like frost. Back then, he had also made money like he was now and, not knowing his limits, provoked Old Master Ma, which led to Old Master Ma driving up the price of a shipment of his goods so high that, out of concern for the money, he had to kneel for three days and three nights before he could get his goods back.
"Why, why are you forcing me!" Old Master Zhou's face was covered in sweat, his voice trembling. After a long pause, he squeezed out, "Sir, please give me this land. I really want it!"
"Alright, just like back then, kneel before me and bark like a dog three times, and I'll give it to you. Otherwise, we'll talk about it later!" Old Master Ma said arrogantly. "You could do it then, you should be able to bend now!"
The auction hall was immediately abuzz with discussion, but this was a private feud, and Lü Bu couldn't intervene.
Old Master Shi gently tugged at Old Master Ma's clothes and reminded him softly, "Forget it, forget it. It's just a piece of land. There might be better ones later!"
"If it were anyone else, I could cede the land, but not him! If he doesn't give me an explanation today, I will take everything he wants!" Old Master Ma gritted his teeth, his face contorted.
"Quick, this concerns the prosperity of your Zhou family. Do you want to see all your descendants die by your hand?" Old Master Ma asked coldly.
"Alright, I will kowtow." Old Master Zhou bit his lower lip tightly. He was finally broken by that sentence. Just as he was about to kneel, someone grabbed him. He turned to see his son.
"Zhou Yang, what are you doing? Let go!" Old Master Zhou's boiling emotions found an outlet and poured out. "Are you also going to bully your father!"
"Father, Yang'er has grown up. These matters should be handled by me now. You rest," Zhou Yang gently helped Old Master Zhou to his chair. Just as he was about to kneel, he heard a shout.
"Who are you trying to fool with this display of father-son affection!" Old Master Ma said aggressively. "You want your son to replace you? Did I agree to that? If I didn't, it doesn't count!"
Old Master Zhou slowly got up and, ignoring everyone's stares, knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily. "Please, Old Master Ma, be magnanimous and spare my family. I will be eternally grateful!"
"Good, since that's the case, I don't want this land anymore. I'll give it to you!" Old Master Ma emphasized the last few words, making it feel like charity in Old Master Zhou's heart.
Old Master Zhou numbly signed his name, like a frost-bitten eggplant, and sat in his chair without a word.
Zhou Yang stared at everything in front of him. He would never participate in any land bidding where Old Master Ma was involved. Instead, he gained a moment of peace.
Soon, all the land was auctioned off. After Wang Hong announced the end of the auction, Old Master Ma led his men to boast to Old Master Zhou. "How is it today? I, this old man, have made it clear. As long as I am here, you can only take what I give you, and you cannot interfere with anything else!"
Zhou Yang was about to step forward but was pulled back by Old Master Zhou. Old Master Zhou hastily put on a smile. "Old Master, you are right. Our Zhou family can only survive by relying on you, let alone now!"
"You are quite sensible. Don't forget to discipline your descendants properly, lest they offend me." Old Master Ma said arrogantly, gently stroking Old Master Zhou's head. "This old man wants you to always remember that what is given to you is yours. What is not given to you, you can never ask for, and it will never be yours."
"Yes, Old Master." Old Master Zhou humbled himself, polishing Old Master Ma's boots until they shone. Without paying attention, his hand was wiped under Old Master Ma's foot. Old Master Ma's face contorted, unable to say a word.
"Does it hurt?" Old Master Ma asked through gritted teeth, pressing down harder with his foot. "Does it hurt, old man!"
"No, it doesn't hurt!" Old Master Zhou tried his best to maintain a calm expression and hastily replied, "This is my honor!"
"Good, remember this feeling. Never forget that you are just a person behind this old man!" Old Master Ma cursed angrily and left triumphantly!
"You, alas!" Old Master Shi watched Old Master Zhou and sighed heavily, then hastily chased after him!
Old Master Zhou quickly got up and flexed his wrists, but tears uncontrollably fell. "When will this suffering ever end!"
"Father, if you ask me, you don't need to fear him at all. Isn't he just from the Ma family? There are surely many who want to see them fall. Unite a few families, and I don't believe they can still stand!" Zhou Yang said, his eyes darting about.
"As long as the Ma family falls, what is that old man worth? Wouldn't he be at your mercy, to be molded as you please?"
Old Master Zhou's face was unsightly. He turned and said coldly, "What did you just say? What exactly do you want to do!"
"Father, let's bring down the Ma family!" Zhou Yang repeated.
Before he finished speaking, a slap landed on Zhou Yang's face. Old Master Zhou's face turned ashen. "Remember, the Ma family, whether in the past or present, is a behemoth. You cannot afford to provoke them. If you remember this, I believe there will be someone among my sons who will remember it!"
"Father, the Ma family!" Zhou Yang, receiving Old Master Zhou's glare, hastily shut his mouth and then said subserviently, "Father, I remember. I will never provoke the Ma family!"
Old Master Zhou pulled Zhou Yang into his embrace. "Father is doing this all for your own good. Back then, I was young like you and only thought I could bring down the Ma family, which is why I ended up like this. Father doesn't want you to walk the same path."
"Father!" Zhou Yang suddenly burst into tears. He couldn't imagine how his father had endured all these years.
"Which one is Old Master Zhou!" Lü Bu peeked in and asked, "Is Old Master Zhou among you all?"
Old Master Zhou collected his tears, straightened his chest, and said, "It is I."