The First Summoner - Chapter 60

Shen Xue’s smile froze again. She looked toward the private rooms on the second floor with open displeasure.

Shen Yan!

Even Nangong Jin was stunned. He had thought three thousand taels would secure the ointment. How dare that wretched woman bid again?

“Xue’er, where did Shen Yan get so much money?” he demanded.

Shen Xue could hardly admit that Shen Yan possessed the gold as compensation.

“Before leaving, Sister Yan’er stole fifty thousand taels from the Shen family. Grandfather sent the Third Elder to recover it yesterday morning, but unexpectedly, an expert appeared beside her…”

“That bitch is a thief too!”

Nangong Jin cared most about losing face. If he stopped bidding now, wouldn’t everyone laugh?

“Three thousand two hundred!”

Shen Yan answered, “Three thousand five hundred!”

“Four thousand!”

“Since Crown Prince Nangong is so wealthy, I’ll let you have it.”

Nangong Jin had been waiting for her next bid. Her sudden withdrawal nearly made him cough blood, and his face turned black.

He had fallen into her trap!

She had never wanted the ointment!

Shen Xue said guiltily, “Brother Jin, I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”

He suppressed his fury. At the sight of her pitiful face, half his anger faded.

“It doesn’t matter, Xue’er. I can afford a mere four thousand taels.”

She looked deeply moved.

“I’ll give you half the ointment,” he said. “I want the other half for Ying’er.”

Her expression stiffened briefly before the smile returned. “Brother Jin, you bought it. Give it to whomever you please.”

“You’re always so understanding.”

Shen Xue lowered her gaze, hatred flashing in her eyes.

Sharing one bottle with Nangong Ying was a humiliation!

Men could never be trusted.

Lu Shaohuai saw nothing improper. Nangong Ying was the Crown Prince’s own sister. Giving her half was natural.

Shen Xue hated Shen Yan even more. Ever since Shen Yan regained her senses, her life had been trapped beneath the other woman’s shadow.

She had to find an opportunity to kill her.

Shen Yan occasionally bid again afterward.

Seeking revenge, Shen Xue and Nangong Jin deliberately raised the prices, but every time they did, Shen Yan fell silent. They ended up spending several thousand taels on useless items.

Their faces nearly turned green.

Now they understood she was digging pits for them. She had never wanted any of those lots!

“Shen Yan!” Nangong Jin hissed through clenched teeth.

The gray-robed auctioneer stroked his beard and smiled.

“Our next lot is one of today’s highlights. I won’t keep you in suspense: it is a first-grade pill formula recording the refinement methods for ten different kinds of pills.”

Many guests stirred in excitement.

Shen Yan’s eyes sharpened, and she slowly sat upright.

“The opening price is ten thousand taels of gold.”

The major factions in the second- and third-floor rooms began bidding at once.

“Eleven thousand!”

“Twelve thousand!”

“Eighteen thousand!”

Shen Yan waited until the very end.

Gradually, bidders withdrew until the price settled at thirty thousand.

When no one seemed willing to continue, she said, “Thirty thousand one hundred taels.”

The hall was stunned. Once people realized the bid came from the same second-floor room, they assumed the young woman was baiting the Nanxiao Crown Prince again.

All eyes turned toward Nangong Jin and Shen Xue.

Nangong Jin’s face was ashen, but he could hardly lash out.

“This Crown Prince will not bid.”

Some people openly mocked him.

“Nanxiao’s Crown Prince is an idiot!”

“If I were emperor, I’d never name him heir. Losing money is one thing. What happens if someone tricks him out of an entire kingdom?”

Laughter rang through the hall.

Nangong Jin clenched his fists, nearly rising to leave.

Shen Xue tried to soothe him. “Brother Jin—”

“Shut up!” he snapped.

Lu Shaohuai immediately defended her. “Your Highness, are you taking your anger out on her? Shen Yan is the one you should hate!”

Rage had drowned Nangong Jin’s reason. The contemptuous stares had stripped away his dignity. He hated Shen Yan, but could not stop himself from blaming Shen Xue as well.

Meanwhile, the bidding continued.

A man in a third-floor room competed with Shen Yan. Only then did everyone realize that she truly wanted the formula. They began urging Nangong Jin and Shen Xue to interfere and recover their pride.

Their faces turned ugly.

How could they possess that much gold?

Nangong Jin wanted to reveal that Shen Yan’s wealth had been stolen from the Shen family, but Shen Xue stopped him.

“If Father learns that you made Sister Yan’er the target of everyone here, he won’t spare either of us.”

He endured it only after hearing that.

In truth, Shen Xue acted solely to protect herself. If the compensation became public, Shen Yan would expose what she and Nangong Yu had done. Her reputation would be destroyed.

Unable to vent his anger, Nangong Jin dragged Shen Xue from their seats. Lu Shaohuai followed.

His grip hurt her wrist, and she struggled to pull away.

The movement enraged him. He turned and slapped her hard across the face.

Smack!

Shen Xue stared in disbelief, clutching her burning, reddened cheek.

“Nangong Jin, you dare strike Xue’er?!”

Furious, Lu Shaohuai lunged and swung a fist at the Crown Prince’s face.

Nangong Jin regretted the slap, but Lu Shaohuai’s insubordination made him see red. He lost all reason.

The two began fighting, drawing delighted stares from throughout the auction house.

“They’re fighting? Internal conflict?”

“Over a woman, obviously.”

“These are Nanxiao’s geniuses? How embarrassing.”

“Take it outside!”

“They can’t leave. They haven’t paid for what they won!”

The hall roared with laughter.

Shen Xue listened to the jeers and cast a venomous look at both men. If not for these fools, how could she have suffered such humiliation today?

Nangong Jin had even dared hit her!

She wanted to flee and abandon them, but auction-house staff blocked her path.

In the second-floor room, Shen Yan finally won the formula for thirty-two thousand taels.

Jiang Xianyue was more interested in the fight below. “They’ve actually turned on each other. How entertaining.”

“Their feelings were never sincere,” Shen Yan said. “They would have torn off their masks eventually.”

Jiang Xianyue’s smile deepened. “Yanyan, I can’t be completely sincere with you yet. But if you ever give me your true heart, I will never betray it.”

Shen Yan looked at her in surprise.

Someone knocked. An attendant delivered the pill formula.

Shen Yan transferred thirty-two thousand taels and accepted the ancient-looking document. A quick inspection revealed no problems, so she stored it away.

“There is nothing else here that I want.”

At that moment, Tan Zhuang’s expression changed. He summoned a crystal.

Both women stared. It was a communication crystal, an object capable of transmitting voices across great distances—and unavailable in the small border kingdoms.

Tan Zhuang sent his spiritual sense into it. The message made his face change drastically.

He looked at Shen Yan.

“Yanyan, Western Region Academy sent word to your father. Huai’er is missing. He may already have been killed—he’s been gone for six full months!”