Chapter 36: A Narrow Escape, Securing the Exquisite Imperial Green Jade for 520 Million!

Jiang Cheng was stunned to hear someone place a bid.

Logically speaking, lot number 14 was not the "King of Stones," and given its position in the sequence, which was quite close to the main event, even if someone really wanted it, they should have been weighing whether their remaining capital could handle the final prize. Why would someone bid on this piece so unusually? Could it be some tycoon with more money than they knew what to do with?

Jiang Cheng couldn't help but look toward the bidder. He discovered it was a beautiful woman in her early twenties. She had delicate features, fair skin, a rosy complexion, and shoulder-length hair. Her temperament was ethereal and refined, giving Jiang Cheng a sense of stunning, otherworldly beauty. Beside her sat a thin, middle-aged man who was her complete opposite: a long face, a small goatee, triangular eyes, and loose traditional Tang-style clothing, giving off a cunning and sinister vibe. He provided a sharp contrast to the young woman.

Jiang Cheng stared at the middle-aged man for a moment, finding him rather strange, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why. After a moment's hesitation, he signaled Murong Xue to raise the bid by one million.

Murong Xue asked, somewhat perplexed, "Jiang Cheng, the King of Stones is coming up soon. Is it really appropriate for us to spend money on this piece?"

Beside them, Murong Shan was whispering to Liu Ruiming, asking for his opinion on whether lot 14 was worth bidding on. Jiang Cheng didn't explain, saying sternly, "Just bid when I tell you to!"

Resigned, Murong Xue raised her paddle. "14 million!"

As if drawn by Murong Xue’s bid, everyone’s eyes turned toward them. Lots 12 and 13 had already passed without a sale, and it was strange enough that someone had bid on lot 14 in the first place; for a second person to jump in made it even more curious. Everyone began to eye Murong Xue with interest. The beautiful woman who had previously bid 13 million also looked over. When they saw Murong Xue, a flash of surprise appeared in their eyes.

Murong Xue was also taken aback when she locked eyes with the young woman. "Chu Yanran?"

Chu Yanran nodded politely and smiled at Murong Xue, appearing perfectly poised. However, no one saw that as soon as Chu Yanran turned back, her expression darkened instantly. Murong Xue knitted her brows, gave a cold hum, and ignored her thereafter.

At that moment, the auctioneer began the "three-call" process. Chu Yanran collected herself, hesitated for a moment, and raised her paddle. "15 million!"

"That jerk, she’s doing this just to spite me!" Murong Xue glared at Chu Yanran’s calm facade, grinding her teeth in frustration.

Jiang Cheng was confused. "Do you know her?"

Liu Ruiming sighed helplessly. "Her name is Chu Yanran, the daughter of the Chu family from Qingzhou. They also run a jewelry and jade business, so they are effectively the Murong family’s competitors."

Murong Xue added bitterly, "Competitors? That Chu Yanran is a total bandit. In a previous auction, she frantically outbid me for a piece I had my eye on. The most infuriating thing is that the materials she picks always seem to have something inside! And those were the pieces I had picked out first..."

Jiang Cheng understood now. It was the classic rivalry, like Taobao versus JD.com. They were natural enemies, and with their history of conflict over rough stones, neither was willing to concede to the other. Jiang Cheng was speechless. How could he be so unlucky as to have a competitor also set their sights on this specific piece? It was much harder to deal with than a random buyer, as competitive bidding often involved personal grudges and a desire to one-up the other.

He had expected to pick up this piece for a song—a massive bargain—but if these two beauties started a bidding war out of sheer stubbornness, things would get difficult. Jiang Cheng furrowed his brows and gritted his teeth, telling Murong Xue, "Bid 20 million directly!"

Murong Xue was stunned and hesitant. "Jiang Cheng, are you really that confident in this piece?"

Murong Shan asked Liu Ruiming, "Old Liu, do you think this piece is worth 20 million?"

Liu Ruiming shook his head. "Since the organizers didn't designate this as the King of Stones, it means they don't believe it holds the highest value. One could say it has decent quality, but whether it truly has value is anyone's guess."

Murong Shan nodded, agreeing with Liu Ruiming. He trusted that Jiang Cheng could see something in lot 14, but he was skeptical about whether it was worth 20 million. After all, Jiang Cheng’s eyes weren't a scanner; how could he display the exact value? That would be like cheating! He didn't believe it.

What he didn't know was that Jiang Cheng's eyes could indeed accurately determine the value of the stone.

Murong Shan whispered, "Brother Jiang, I’ll lend you the money for today’s bids. You decide on the pieces you like, but I don't think it's necessary to jump the price by 5 million. What if Chu Yanran is just trying to snag a bargain? What if she doesn't want it that badly?"

Jiang Cheng pondered for a moment and countered, "What if that isn't Chu Yanran's true goal for the King of Stones?"

Murong Shan was baffled. Who comes to an auction without the King of Stones as their goal? He asked in surprise, "You mean she’s giving up on the King of Stones to settle for second best, holding onto her funds to snatch up all the best pieces that aren't the King?"

Jiang Cheng pursed his lips. "It's a possibility. Whether that's her true goal, I don't know."

Murong Xue looked at Chu Yanran, who was talking to the middle-aged man, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Murong Shan’s eyes darted around. "How about this: try bidding a few more times. If Chu Yanran is just casually bidding to pick up a bargain, she’ll give up after a few rounds. If she’s really given up on the King of Stones, she definitely won't let this one go."

Ginger is indeed spicier when it’s old! Murong Shan knew how to keep his cool. Jiang Cheng nodded, thinking his logic held water; maybe he was overthinking it.

This time, he only raised the bid by 1 million. Jiang Cheng knew the piece was worth 520 million, so he didn't mind the incremental bidding as long as he stayed under that amount. It was a guaranteed profit. Of course, the lower the price, the better, but that depended on Chu Yanran's attitude.

"16 million!" Jiang Cheng raised his paddle, his face impassive.

"This gentleman bids 16 million. Are there any other bids?" The auctioneer scanned the room, paying extra attention to Chu Yanran.

Chu Yanran gave Jiang Cheng a meaningful look and whispered to the middle-aged man, "Master, do you think it's worth continuing to bid?"

The middle-aged man glanced at Jiang Cheng and whispered, "That man seems to genuinely want this piece; he’s followed the bidding twice now. I’ve been observing him—he’s already bought four pieces today, and his funds are spread thin."

In truth, the man had watched the four pieces Jiang Cheng bought and knew they contained something, but he didn't know their true value. Impressed by the conventional wisdom that the earlier items were less valuable, he hadn't encouraged Chu Yanran to bid aggressively. They had picked up a few cheap items, but those were small fry. His goal was the final King of Stones.

Chu Yanran frowned. "You mean he gave up on the King of Stones to settle for this? Master, didn't you say you sensed a special aura in this piece?"

The man replied, "Yanran, I can indeed sense a special aura, but I cannot determine its true value. I can only confirm there is something inside, but whether it’s worth a fortune, I don't know. Whether to continue bidding is up to you."

In reality, Chu Yanran’s master was a Taoist who possessed a skill called "Qi Perception," which allowed him to determine if a stone contained jade based on its aura. That was how she had been "cheating" and picking up bargains every time. That was why she had bid in the first place—her master said there was something inside.

But she only wanted a bargain, and she didn't know if the piece was worth such a high price. Bidding higher had already been an impulsive move because she saw her rival, Murong Xue, wanting it. After cooling down, she regretted it. Fortunately, Murong Xue seemed quite persistent, which meant she really wanted it. Her own goal was the King of Stones, and if that piece held something special, it would be an incredible find. If she wasted her capital here and then couldn't afford the King of Stones, it would fall into someone else's hands.

With her master's "Qi Perception," she didn't fear missing out. There was no need to waste capital on this piece. After a moment of hesitation, Chu Yanran gave up.

"16 million once!"

"16 million twice!"

"16 million thrice!"

"Sold! Congratulations to bidder 128 for winning lot 14!"

The moment the auctioneer’s hammer fell, Jiang Cheng let out a long breath, and the weight on his heart finally lifted. It seemed Murong Shan was right. The 520-million-value Imperial Green had finally been snatched up without incident. 520 million! And they had gotten it for a mere 16 million. Just thinking about it made Jiang Cheng’s hands tremble with excitement.