The hall fell into complete silence, gazes shifting back and forth between the eastern and western chambers.
The air seemed to freeze, with only the faint crackling of the lamp wicks in the palace lanterns breaking the stillness.
"Twenty-five thousand taels, twice!"
The eastern chamber went silent. The elderly auctioneer no longer urged, simply waiting patiently. It felt like an eternity, yet perhaps only a fleeting moment—no further bids came from the east.
"Twenty-five thousand taels, thrice!"
"Clang—"
The bronze chime rang once more, its clear tone lingering in the air.
"Sold."
As the auctioneer's voice faded, a barely audible sigh of relief drifted from behind the bamboo curtain of the neighboring western chamber.
Yue Fuguang caught a glimpse of a woman’s figure, restless and eager, keeping a close watch on the proceedings below.
She thought to herself—wasn’t it just a particularly exquisite jade Guanyin statue?
The woman’s demeanor suggested this object held immense significance. Was there some hidden story behind it?
Before she could get a closer look, the jade Guanyin was draped once more in bright yellow silk and carefully carried off the stage by attendants.
The winner would complete the transaction through a secret passage, leaving no name behind—only an astonishing price and a room buzzing with murmurs and speculation.
The lingering aura of the jade Guanyin had yet to dissipate, the atmosphere still steeped in a dazed awe.
Without a word, the elderly auctioneer raised his hand slightly, and the final highlight of the evening was carried onto the stage by two attendants.
Placed steadily on the rosewood table, this time the auctioneer did not unveil it himself. Instead, a maid in a water-green ruqun stepped forward gracefully and lifted the carved sandalwood lid.
With delicate hands, she retrieved the contents and arranged them one by one on the dark velvet-covered table.
As the maid retreated, the treasure was revealed.
The moment the audience laid eyes on it, a collective gasp—a mix of bewilderment and admiration—rippled through the hall.
What kind of tea set was this?
A set of five pieces: one pot and four cups.
They were neither porcelain nor jade, but—glass!
Yet this glass bore no resemblance to the murky, commonplace wares found in markets.
It was flawless, crystal-clear, without a single imperfection. Under the lamplight, it refracted dazzling, gem-like brilliance.
The teapot’s curves were fluid and elegant, the cups’ walls as thin as cicada wings—so fragile they seemed to shatter at a touch, yet radiant with a breathtaking, delicate beauty.
Even more astonishing, the pot and cups were adorned with intricate vine-and-lotus patterns traced in fine gold filaments. The golden threads meandered through the transparent glass, a perfect fusion of opulence and purity—a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
Yue Fuguang studied the display. The design was undeniably refined, steeped in classical elegance. Ancient artisans truly had impeccable taste.
The auctioneer’s voice broke the silence, igniting a different kind of fervor—one far more intense than the solemn reverence inspired by the jade Guanyin.
"An exotic treasure from distant shores: the Gilded Vine-and-Lotus Glass Tea Set. Crafted by the secret techniques of artisans from the far western land of Foling, tempered in blazing fire, shaped in utmost purity—where water and fire converge, gold and jade reside within.
The only set of its kind in the world. Starting bid: eight thousand taels."
[Master, this auctioneer spins such tales—isn’t he afraid of being beaten to death if the truth comes out?]
We’re making money off the wealthy. It’s not like we’re mass-producing these. Who’s going to expose us? If pressed, we’ll just say we poached artisans from that ‘Foling’ place.
[Should we place a bid? It looks like fun.]
"Ten thousand taels!" Almost before the auctioneer finished speaking, a maritime merchant familiar with foreign trade shouted from below.
He knew full well that glassware of such purity was priceless even overseas—let alone a set this exquisite, complete with gold inlays.
"Fifteen thousand taels!" Yue Fuguang answered the system with action. Yes, they would play along.
"Sixteen thousand taels!" A lavishly dressed woman from an imperial merchant family swiftly countered. She had no resistance to rare luxuries that blended exotic allure with functional beauty.
"Twenty thousand taels!" Yue Fuguang’s bid drew immediate attention.
Jumping so high in one go—was she serious? How were others supposed to inch their way up now?
The voice sounded young, almost girlish. Was this a playful jest or a genuine desire to buy?
Some even considered calling for her guardian to rein in the child’s mischief.
"Twenty-one thousand taels!" Thoughts aside, the bids kept coming.
"Twenty-two thousand taels!"
The competition escalated instantly.
Unlike the slow, grave bidding war over the jade Guanyin—dominated by the private chambers upstairs—this glass tea set’s allure was more direct, more intoxicating. Yue Fuguang’s unconventional raises only stoked the frenzy.
Not just merchants on the ground floor, but even reserved noblewomen joined the fray, whispering bids through stewards or maids.
"Twenty-five thousand taels!"
"Twenty-eight!"
"Thirty thousand!"
Prices soared, voices overlapping, leaving no pause.
The air grew thick with tension, mingling with the scent of incense, quickening pulses.
The radiant tea set gleamed under the lights like a lodestone, drawing every gaze and desire.
"Thirty-five thousand taels." A youthful, clear voice with a Nanzhao accent came from an eastern chamber upstairs.
"Thirty-eight thousand." A slightly colder voice countered from the west.
"Forty thousand." The eastern bidder, undeterred, didn’t sound like a native of Dayan—perhaps from Xiqiang or Beili.
Indeed, representatives from neighboring nations must have all gathered for this auction.
The hall quieted briefly. Forty thousand taels for a tea set—no matter how rare—was staggering.
The auctioneer’s eyes swept toward the western chamber, met with contemplative silence.
Just as he prepared to confirm the bid, a hoarse yet vigorous voice rang out from the front row below:
"Forty-five thousand taels!"
All turned to see an elderly man with silver hair but an indomitable spirit, dressed in simple silk yet exuding authority.
Some recognized him—Shen Wanchuan, the titan of Jiangnan’s silk trade.
Shen Wanchuan? Yue Fuguang recalled the name. A future mission involved him. Well, she’d deal with him next year.
This time, even the young nobles upstairs hesitated.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t bid higher, but challenging a deeply entrenched magnate over a tea set seemed unwise.
The auctioneer scanned the room once more, particularly the eastern and western chambers. Hearing no further bids, he declared:
"Master Shen Wanchuan bids forty-five thousand taels!"
"Forty-five thousand, once!"
"Forty-five thousand, twice!"
"Forty-five thousand, thrice!"
"Clang—"
The chime’s pure note sealed the deal.
Shen Wanchuan gave a slight nod, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.
