In antiquity, divination focust mostly on heaven, earth and man, while gold held the most value. And being made into coins, it carried a deeper meaning. Only the imperial family was fit to use such coins.
The coins didn’t clatter inside the box because they were fastened to its sides. With the mechanism unlocked, the three coins could now see the light of the modern world.
The coins still held their impeccable luster despite being a thousand years old.
The seventh item was already brought on stage, but the guests had eyes only for the coins.
Of all the heaven, earth and man coins found so far, no set was complete. Some missed one, while others missed two. And if these sets were combined, the value would drop sharply having glaring differences.
Ancient people put heavy emphasis in a man’s communion with nature. If even one coin was missing, the set was incomplete.
It was said that a complete set had an ingenious use, able to divide one’s luck. This legend only worked to further boost their value.
Hu Dezhi stood up, “Friend, I will give you 20 million for them!”
Li Mo shook his head.
“20 million? I once saw the heaven coin in Kyoto going for 30 million!”
“No one in their right mind would sell a complete set for just that.”
Hu Dezhi’s was turning read from the comment, “Friend, please state a price.”
Li Mo shook his head again.
“If this is a real divining set of heaven, earth and man, I would pay 150 million for it!” Lin Sichong spoke up.
“150 millions…”
“Good price!”
“My god, he bought them with 2 million then ended up a multimillionaire.”
“Incredible!”
“This child is the real deal!”
“The child? It is the one behind him… Grandmaster Huang, who is a true man of skill. Didn’t you see how the mechanical box opened just as it touched his hand?”
“The child only bidded while Grandmaster Huang has the ability.”
“Grandmaster Huang? Does anybody know him?”
“Never heard of him…”
Lin Sichong was keen on buying the coins while these people were more interested in this Grandmaster Huang who opened the box.
Of course, that little stunt had nothing to do with the Grandmaster. It was all Li Mo. What could possibly avoid Li Mo’s sharp eyes? He used Grandmaster Huang to shift the attention, that’s all.
Li Mo put the coins away.
These coins held far more value than mere currency, so he didn’t accept Lin Sichong’s price.
Lin Sichong left with a cold face.
An Yuxin was now sitting calmly next to Li Mo, having stopped shivering a long time ago. Though her clear eyes widened in amazement as they gazed upon him.
Yang Jianchuan was even more gloomy. Then he called a waiter.
Yang Jianchuan witnessed ‘Grandmaster Huang’ outstanding skill and had a second thought about throwing the ‘Shang Dynasty stone cauldron’. Who knew, it might hold some special use.
“Take great care in… not missing even one pebble. I want to take them with me.”
“Understood, sir.”
The ninth item was a foot-tall white jade pagoda. The engraving was detailed and precise, with every one of the seven levels having different designs.
This was Yang Jianchuan’s purpose for being here, the Jade Pagoda.
“Qing dynasty(T/N: 1644-1911) Jade Pagoda, the opening bid is 50 million!” The anchors’ description of the pagoda was brief, only stating its price and dating.
“100!” Yang Jianchuan cried.
“110.” Hu Dezhi seemed to have an eye out for every item here, and his pockets looked bottomless too.
“150!” Yang Jianchuan raised.
“160!” Hu Dezhi didn’t bother going too high.
“200!” Lin Sichong lifted his sign.
Yang Jianchuan was starting to sweat.
Li Mo watched the two squabble then eyed the Jade Pagoda a bit closer. This was a vintage antique, but its real price had long been surpassed.
“250 million!” The always silent Su Haonan spoke at last.
“300!” Lin Sichong lifted his sign.
“400!” Su Haonan added.
“600!” Lin Sichong snorted.
“700!” Su Haonan didn’t shirk either.
Now Yang Jianchuan wasn’t sweating, but shivering.
Two hundred million he could gather, but this current value he couldn’t cover.
‘Gone, my hope is all gone…’
Yang Jianchuan slumped in his chair in anguish, his eyes lost.
“Young master Lin, the Jade Pagoda was my Su clan’s to begin with. Is your clan trying to interfere?”
Lin Sichong grunted, “Why is it here then? In an auction, only money speaks.”
“1 billion!” Lin Sichong shouted, shaking the audience into silence.
Yang Jianchuan tried wiping the sweat away but he was shaking so hard it fell from his hand.
He only looked at the handkerchief and didn’t reach for it. ‘What’s happening? Who leaked it?’
“Ma Changhe, I am leaving. Don’t forget what you promised me.” Yang Jianchuan left.
Ma Changhe watched Li Mo with a complicated gaze.
If it were before, he’d have had a few thugs rough him up. But now that Grandmaster Huang took the limelight, his plan was shot through the window.
What did opening a 11 year old box the instant he touched it meant? That he had real skills.
Since when was any man called grandmaster nowadays?
“3 billion!”
When Su Haonan called this price, Lin Sichong was hesitating.
The Lin clan had a large business and could pay 3 billion, but this wasn’t a small figure. It would set the clan way back if he bought it.
‘Is it worth going so far all because of what that man said?’
‘Am I going to bid the whole Lin clan’s business if the Su clan won’t back down?’
‘The old man must be senile for him to say to get the Jade Pagoda at all cost? Have I also gone senile?’ Lin Sichong sighed and abstained.
The Jade Pagoda thus fell in Su Haonan’s hands at the price of 3 billion RMB!(T/N: 433 million dollars)
Everyone was quiet.
A pagoda that didn’t look like much sold for 3 billions. Laymen didn’t understand and neither the experts.
Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen exchanged a bitter smile.
Another item was brought to the stage.
A brick-sized Millennium Cold Jade!
