"The Eight-Treasure Exquisite Hairpin. There's no starting price. The highest bidder wins."
Although it was a piece of jewelry once worn by An Xingzhi, the Eight-Treasure Exquisite Hairpin was exquisitely crafted, dazzlingly bright, with its golden glow swaying.
Soon, An Ruoqian made the first bid. "Ten taels of silver."
She was originally being kind, wanting to help her elder sister get the hairpin back. But although they were both daughters of the An family, her private savings were meager.
The price she bid only invited scoffs from others. Even An Xingzhi looked at her with disgust, hating that she couldn't be more useful.
An Ruoqian lowered her head timidly and didn't dare to bid again.
However, her bid seemed to spur others on, and they started to follow suit.
"Fifty taels!"
"Eighty taels!"
Even Song Yiran got into the mood. She always liked to imitate An Xingzhi. "One hundred taels."
Ning Yuwang was sitting beside Yan Zhao, watching the young ladies below drive up the price with great interest.
"Yan Zhao, your wife is truly extraordinary," Chu Heye said meaningfully. First, he took a veiled glance at An Xingzhi, then fixed his eyes on Ning Yuwang.
"She can't compare to your Miss An," Yan Zhao replied. His words were full of implications, which made Chu Heye pause for a moment. "Xingzhi is just my cousin."
Indeed, Chu Heye and Chu Nian'an were the children of the noble concubine, and An Xingzhi was the niece of Concubine An.
It turned out that the three of them were truly cousins.
Ning Yuwang raised her eyebrows. No wonder An Xingzhi could easily become Chu Nian'an's study companion. It turned out there was this family connection.
It was a pity that Chu Nian'an was neither as cold and cunning as her brother nor as lively and adaptable as her cousin An Xingzhi.
She wondered how Chu Nian'an had grown up.
Chu Heye gave a snort and a laugh. "I wonder if sister-in-law could give way. How about I directly bid for the hairpin and the jade bracelet for a thousand taels?"
Ning Yuwang looked embarrassed. "I've already announced this as an auction. If the Third Prince wants to cut in, he should ask the other sisters if they agree."
She pretended to stand up, but Chu Heye reached out his hand to stop her. "I'm just asking casually. Sister-in-law doesn't need to take it seriously."
It was already embarrassing enough for a man to interfere in women's affairs. If Ning Yuwang made a big deal out of it, he didn't know what others would think of him.
Yan Zhao was quick to react and blocked his hand. "Please don't make such jokes, Third Prince. Wanyan is straightforward and might take it seriously."
"Alright, alright. It was my slip of the tongue."
Chu Heye was very accommodating, seemingly not minding Yan Zhao's attitude at all. "Azhao, don't be angry with your cousin."
"Three hundred taels!"
At this moment, the price of the Eight-Treasure Exquisite Hairpin had reached three hundred taels. It was Sun Yaotiao, the daughter of the Minister of Rites, who made the bid.
Song Yiran didn't have enough money and started to feel jealous. "Why would anyone spend three hundred taels on something that's already been worn by someone else?"
After she said that, when she met the gazes of An Xingzhi and Chu Nian'an, she covered her mouth, realizing she had said the wrong thing. She blushed with shame and slipped into the crowd.
When Sun Yaotiao was at a loss and starting to regret her bid, Ning Yuwang's timely words came to her rescue.
"I thought Miss An felt remorseful and wanted to atone for her wrong words, but her sincerity is still a bit lacking."
An Xingzhi was in a difficult situation. If she really agreed to what Ning Yuwang said, she was afraid that she would end up buying the Blood Jade Bracelet herself, and the price would surely not be cheap.
But she didn't dare not respond. "Three hundred and ten taels."
After she said that, she saw Ning Yuwang holding the Eight-Treasure Exquisite Hairpin. "But I think this hairpin is of extraordinary quality. It's worth at least five hundred taels."
The brand - new Eight-Treasure Exquisite Hairpin sold in the Exquisite Pavilion was only three hundred and eighty - eight taels!
An Xingzhi was so angry that she felt like spitting blood. "Then I'll bid five hundred taels!"
"Miss An is really generous."
Ning Yuwang clapped her hands, took An Xingzhi's silver note, and then handed the hairpin to her.
It was originally her own thing, but she had to buy it back with money.
An Xingzhi had never suffered such humiliation in her life. It took all her self - control to suppress the hatred on her delicate and pale face.
But Ning Yuwang and Yan Zhao didn't seem to care at all. They were whispering to each other, which made An Xingzhi even more annoyed.
"Next, it's the Blood Jade Bracelet."
After the incident of the Eight-Treasure Exquisite Hairpin, the noble ladies all realized that this was a "battle" between Ning Yuwang and An Xingzhi, so they all stepped back.
An Xingzhi had already "made a wrong move". If they made her look even more bad, they didn't know how she would take revenge in the future.
"No one is bidding?"
Ning Yuwang swayed the Blood Jade Bracelet casually. "Is the Blood Jade Bracelet so worthless?"
"Five hundred taels!"
An Xingzhi made a bid. This was a reward from the noble concubine, and she didn't dare to bid lower than the price of the hairpin.
She thought no one would compete with her anymore, but then she heard someone say, "Six hundred taels!"
She turned around upon hearing the voice. Pei Yunlu smiled apologetically. "It's a fair bid. Miss An, don't mind."
Of course An Xingzhi minded, but she didn't dare to openly object.
"Seven hundred taels!"
"Eight hundred taels!"
Pei Yunlu had always disliked forming cliques. She was the proud and aloof type, but today she seemed to be deliberately going against An Xingzhi.
"Nine hundred taels!"
An Xingzhi added with hatred. "One thousand taels!"
She had only brought one thousand and five hundred taels with her when she went out today. She didn't have any more.
But would Ning Yuwang let her off so easily?
Of course not!
"I can see that both ladies really like it. How about I name a price? Whoever is willing to pay it, the Blood Jade Bracelet will belong to her!"
A bad premonition was growing in An Xingzhi's heart. She opened her mouth to say something, but Pei Yunlu interrupted her. "I definitely agree. I'm sure Miss An agrees too."
She nodded humiliatingly. "I do too."
"Two thousand taels!"
Ning Yuwang named the price lightly. As expected, Pei Yunlu frowned and seemed to be thinking, as if she wanted it but was hesitating.
Only An Xingzhi had no choice.
She took a deep breath and said before Pei Yunlu could open her mouth, "I'll pay!"
But unexpectedly, Pei Yunlu said, "I know Miss An really loves it, so I've decided not to take something that others like. I didn't expect Miss An to bid so quickly!"
She said it lightly, and An Xingzhi had to continue to act magnanimous. "Thank you, Miss Pei."
"Miss An, the Blood Jade Bracelet is yours. Please pay in cash."
No one could see that there was a golden glint in the depths of Ning Yuwang's eyes. She had already seen that An Xingzhi only had two thousand taels on her.
An Xingzhi didn't have enough cash on her. She bowed awkwardly. "I went out in a hurry today and only brought two thousand taels."
She originally wanted to say that she would send someone to the Prince's Mansion with the remaining money in the evening.
But unexpectedly, Ning Yuwang was unusually generous. "I believe in Miss An's character. She won't renege on the debt. You can owe it for now."
An Xingzhi hadn't forgotten that it was this newly - wedded couple who had just shown that they didn't trust her character.
Although she didn't know what Ning Yuwang was up to, An Xingzhi still gritted her teeth and replied, "Thank you, Princess, for your understanding."
After getting the things, she was too ashamed to stay any longer. She immediately bowed and left.
She walked in a hurry and even forgot to say goodbye to her good friend Chu Nian'an.
"My wife is so smart," Yan Zhao praised with a smile, showing off his love for his wife in front of everyone.
Ning Yuwang gently wrapped her hand around his sleeve. "I'm not as good as the Prince."
When Yan Zhao rejected An Xingzhi, Ning Yuwang's heart couldn't help but flutter: The Prince is so handsome!