Chapter 29: The Gentle Confidante, Wen Qingyan (3)

"Mr. Ding, since no one else is bidding, this embroidered garment belongs to me!" He didn't forget to add, "Damn, what a bargain!"

Mr. Ding watched the scene below with a cryptic smile, showing no signs of anger at Fatty San's crudeness. Instead, he remarked, "This embroidered garment, along with the woman's bodice, inner shirt, and outer robe, are all of one piece. It would be more than enough to serve as undergarments."

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd. Fatty San shouted, "Is there anyone else who wants to fight me for this broad's clothes?"

Most of the people who would bid on such an item were women, and after such a boorish interruption, no lady dared to speak up.

Chang Ge Yue shook her head slightly. Her clear, watery eyes slowly opened, shimmering with unmatched sharpness. "Two thousand taels."

Those below who had been ready to congratulate Fatty San on his effortless win were stunned. Mr. Ding smiled and said, "The owner of Yuexuan has bid two thousand taels. Is there any higher offer?"

Chang Ge Yue closed her eyes again, feigning sleep. Since no other woman here had a thicker skin than she did, she would simply start the bidding for them.

Sure enough, no sooner had her voice faded than a woman's voice drifted from the Wen family's private box: "Two thousand five hundred taels."

However, it was not Wen Qingyan who spoke, but the younger sister, Huan, who was always by her side.

The corners of Chang Ge Yue's mouth curved upward. There was a grain of truth in the saying that those who know you best are often not your friends, but your enemies. In her past life, she and Wen Qingyan had been inseparable, yet she had never truly understood her. In this life, however, locked in a struggle to the death, she found it strange how she could perceive every one of Wen Qingyan's desires, even those buried deep within her soul.

Only she, Chang Ge Yue, understood how close to a twisted obsession Wen Qingyan’s fixation with the Glazed Embroidery truly was.

As for this Sister Huan? Chang Ge Yue gently rubbed her brow. Wen Qingyan never lacked followers, and she really had no idea who this Sister Huan was. She must have latched onto Wen Qingyan only after her own death in the previous life.

Fatty San, down below, was stunned for a moment before blurting out, "Three thousand five hundred taels!"

The gazes directed at Fatty San became rather intriguing. It was just a piece of clothing—was it really worth competing with the eldest daughter of the Wen family? Though it wasn't the lady herself who placed the bid, the voice had indeed come from the Wen family's box.

In the Wen family's box, Huan was frantic with rage. "Four thousand taels!"

Mr. Ding chuckled. While the Glazed Embroidery was precious, it was still just a garment; it wasn't invulnerable to blades or arrows. Two thousand taels was already a high price; four thousand was astronomical.

Fatty San, however, suddenly broke into a wide grin. "I didn't hear clearly before, but I hear you now. I might as well tell you all that the lady who just bid inside the Prime Minister’s box is my sister. My sister is good friends with the Prime Minister's daughter, so that's my sister!"

The crowd couldn't help but give Fatty San a thumbs-up. So, this fellow had raised the bid by a thousand taels just to see if the person inside was his sister? Could anyone be so ridiculously wealthy?

In the Wen box, Huan sat down in a huff. "What a fool!" How could she have such a stupid brother?

Wen Qingyan gently patted Huan's shoulder. "Sister Huan, no matter who wins this dress, I will always be grateful for the Sun family's kindness toward me."

Sun Huan beamed instantly. "As long as you like it, Sister Qingyan, what is a little silver to me?" After all, whether her family would become official merchants for the imperial court this year depended entirely on a single word from Prime Minister Wen. Once she had won over Wen Qingyan, would she have to worry about her father not favoring her?