0p0 Chapter 161 The water is too deep
Chapter 161 The water is too deep
Chapter 161 The Water Is Too Deep
After Lin Nan's "generous donation," he returned to the VIP seats amidst applause and blessings from the audience.
Li Yajing began by saying, "Next, please welcome the second work, 'Beautiful Girl' painted by Lord Wang Wenzhou."
As soon as Li Yajing finished speaking, two policewomen came up on stage to display the "Beautiful Girl Picture".
"Haha..." The audience members who were nearby burst into laughter. Because in Wang Qingtian's painting, the beautiful woman was naked. Of course, the main reason was that the girl in Wang Qingtian's painting was simply too ugly.
Many people thought to themselves, "Lord Wang, no wonder Master Liu doesn't care about you. Look how ugly you've painted her. How could she be happy?"
Li Yajing smiled and introduced, "This is a painting created by Lord Wang based on his beloved woman. The woman in the painting has a graceful and well-proportioned figure, a dignified and beautiful face, and her demeanor exudes the elegance and tranquility of a woman, just like a fairy descended to earth."
Wang Chengen frowned. Wang Wenzhou was talented, but he had too many flaws, such as being lecherous. Perhaps it was due to Wang Chengen himself, but he disliked lecherous men.
Li Yajing continued, "The starting price for 'The Beauty' painting is one thousand taels, and each bid must be at least one hundred taels higher. The auction will now begin..."
Ma Biao immediately raised his hand and shouted, "Thirty thousand taels!"
"Wow..." gasped from the audience. What's wrong with Master Ma? Did he take the wrong medicine?
Wang Chengen was unable to sit in the VIP section this time because his close friend Cheng Benqing was not attending the auction. Old Cheng was too heartbroken after the last auction, and out of sight, out of mind, he simply didn't come.
Those in the general public who wish to participate in the auction must first undergo a verification of their funds.
Wang Chengen immediately instructed Sun Bing to take the silver notes to verify the funds.
When Sun Bing returned from verifying the funds, he handed the plaque with the number "98" written on it to Wang Chengen.
Wang Chengen raised the plaque and said, "Thirty-five thousand taels."
"Hmm?" Wang Chengen's actions immediately attracted the attention of many people. No one knew who this person was.
Without a second thought, Ma Biao immediately raised the price: "Fifty thousand taels!"
"Wow..." Another gasp came from the audience. Master Ma was really generous, bidding 50,000 taels on his second bid.
Wang Chengen gently shook his head, not raising the price further. He only brought a silver token worth 40,000 taels of silver, all of which was his savings over the years. Of course, it was all a gift from various high-ranking officials in the court. He was the Grand Eunuch, and his predecessor was the powerful Wei Zhongxian.
Wang Chengen thought to himself, "I'd better wait for the next item to be auctioned."
Li Yajing said, "Fifty thousand taels once, fifty thousand taels twice, is there any higher price?"
Ma Biao stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd, and said, "Thank you all for your kind gesture."
"Fifty thousand taels, sold for the third time!" Li Yajing slammed down the auction gavel.
Wang Chengen didn't take missing one item to heart, since there were still nine items left to be auctioned.
But what happened next left even the worldly-wise Wang Chengen speechless with astonishment.
Of the eight lots below, only one was a work by Liu Rushi; the rest were by Wang Wenzhou. Yet each piece was worth at least 50,000 taels of silver, with the most expensive, a painting titled "The White House," fetching a staggering 80,000 taels.
Wang Chengen roughly calculated that Wang Wenzhou earned over 600,000 taels of silver from just ten auction items. Last year, in the seventh year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, the imperial court's annual revenue was over 4 million taels of silver. And Wang Wenzhou, in just one county, could rake in 600,000 taels of silver.
Wang Chengen smiled bitterly. With Wang Wenzhou's ability to make money, if he were to enter the cabinet, his annual income would be tens of millions of taels of silver, which would be a disservice to Wang Wenzhou's talent. However, his greed would be criticized to death by the censors. At that time, not only would Wang Wenzhou be unable to continue serving in the court, but even the emperor might be implicated.
Li Yajing began by saying, "Next, please welcome the last item in this auction: 'The Pacification of the Rebellion' by Lord Wang Wenzhou."
"Wang Nima?" Everyone was curious. Who exactly was Wang Nima in the picture? Could he be Wang Qingtian's alias? They'd never heard of him.
Wang Chengen was determined to acquire the last item at the auction. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain it to the Emperor. As a eunuch, there were many things he knew, but he couldn't say them directly to the Emperor.
Wang Chengen glanced at Sun Bing and asked in a low voice, "How much silver do you have on you? I'd like to borrow it."
Sun Bing was the head of the Eastern Depot, the highest-ranking official under the Eastern Depot's director. The Eastern Depot and its guards had many ways to make money, and Sun Bing's wealth would have made him a wealthy man in his own right.
When Wang Chengen asked for money, Sun Bing had no reason not to lend it. He quickly said, "Master, I have 60,000 taels of silver notes on me. If you want to use them, please take them. It's all for the sake of the country. You're asking me to lend them money, which would be too much for me."
Wang Chengen understood Sun Bing's meaning, accepted the silver note, and assured him that he would definitely repay the loan. As the Grand Eunuch and Director of the Eastern Depot, Wang Chengen had countless ways to make money if he wanted to.
Li Yajing began, "The starting price for 'The Map of Pacifying the Rebellion' is one thousand taels of silver, and each bid must be at least one hundred taels higher. The auction will now begin..."
Geng San immediately stood up and shouted, "Twenty thousand taels!"
Feng Yuantao smiled at Geng San, raised the number plate in his hand, and said, "Thirty thousand taels."
This last item was pre-arranged to belong to Geng San. Those in the know, like Feng Yuantao, were only raising the price to go through the motions and create a buzz.
Fan Ning raised the price: "Fifty thousand taels."
Li Yajing spoke up, "Fifty thousand taels the first time, fifty thousand taels the second time, is there any further bidding?"
Geng San smiled slightly and said, "Eighty thousand taels!"
"Wow..." the crowd exclaimed. This was the second time today that someone had spent 80,000 taels of silver to buy an item at auction. The world of the rich is truly beyond the comprehension of us ordinary people.
"Eighty thousand taels for the first time, eighty thousand taels for the second time..." Li Yajing's auction gavel was about to fall.
Wang Chengen stood up, raised the plaque in his hand, and said, "One hundred thousand taels!"
"Wow..." All eyes were on Wang Chengen. This businessman from out of town is really generous!
Geng San glanced back, his anger flaring. "Damn it! Are you trying to cause me trouble?! What would Lord Wang think if I hadn't won the bid and you had snatched it from me?"
However, Geng San didn't have that much silver prepared. He quickly bowed and said to Feng Yuantao and the others, "Brothers, please do me a favor and lend me some silver. I don't know which idiot came from, trying to pick a fight with me!"
Feng Yuantao said generously, "Brother Geng, don't worry, just name your price. Whatever amount you're short, we'll make up the difference."
"Thank you, brothers!" Geng Sanyi clasped his hands in thanks.
"Ten thousand taels for the second time..." Li Yajing said, holding up the auction gavel.
"One hundred thousand and one hundred taels!" Geng San was furious. It wasn't that he was short of money, but he wanted to provoke Wang Chengen. No matter how much money you add, I'll have one hundred taels more.
Geng San turned around and glared fiercely at Wang Chengen. "You're so tough, come on then!"
Wang Chengen smiled bitterly. It seemed that his 100,000 taels of silver wouldn't be enough to buy even a single item at the auction. The situation here was far too complicated.
Sun Bing quickly said, "Master, how about I go out and raise some more money?"
"Fine!" Wang Chengen returned the silver note to Sun Bing and turned to leave. Since he hadn't bought the item at the auction, he might as well tell the Emperor the truth, even though the truth was often unpleasant to hear.