“Young Master Liu, apologies. Time was short, and our preparations fell short.”
Since it was business, harmony brought wealth. Luolan smiled apologetically. “We have wronged everyone this time. Next time, we will certainly improve.”
“With such neglect, do you think we will return?”
The young nobleman pressed aggressively.
“Liu Xiuyuan, if you feel Miss Luolan has slighted you, leave. Who is stopping you? Whining sour words like a woman!”
A young nobleman close to Qing Huai immediately defended Luolan. “The Star Cutter blade is for martial practitioners to kill enemies on the field. With your sort, buying it would only let a treasure gather dust.”
All the young noblemen knew there were only ten black blades and wished for fewer competitors.
No sooner had his words landed than someone behind echoed, “Young Master Qi is right. I heard Liu Xiuyuan was embroidering at home last time and pricked his finger with the needle. He wailed for days. What would such a person do with a black blade? Cut embroidery thread?”
The other young noblemen laughed cooperatively.
Liu Xiuyuan’s face flushed red. He clenched his fists several times but eventually relaxed them.
In the capital’s young noblemen circle, a chain of contempt existed.
Sons of civil officials looked down on martial practitioners, finding sword-wielding brutes too vulgar.
Sons of military generals, in turn, scorned bookish scholars, finding them too sour and frail like women.
Even among military heirs, the chain persisted.
Someone like Qing Huai, who had fought real battles against enemies, looked down on dandies like Zhang Qiwei.
Dandies like Zhang Qiwei despised green recruits just entering camp for training.
Recruits then scorned idle young noblemen who never even got a chance to train and stayed in the capital.
Most at today’s auction were the last type, though a few had seen battle.
For instance, the one who spoke for Luolan had, like Qing Huai, crossed real steel with Khitans in the northern borders.
He lacked Qing Huai’s skill and suffered repeated defeats, earning a recall to the capital for reflection.
Yet he sat at the chain’s top, while Liu Xiuyuan languished at the bottom, rarely visiting camp.
Mocked, he could only endure.
He wanted to storm off but needed a black blade to gift his powerful uncle, hoping for a chance to gain experience in the army.
Gritting his teeth, he snorted coldly, led his maids and guards to a corner, found a chair, sat, and dropped the table issue.
“Thank you, Young Master Qi!”
Luolan curtsied to her defender.
“Though I have not met Baron Qingshui, Qing Huai and I are good brothers. Baron Qingshui is Qing Huai’s brother, so he is mine!”
Young Master Qi thumped his chest. “You are Baron Qingshui’s person. If someone bullies you, I must stand up.
In future, for any trouble in the capital, come to the Duke of Pei’s mansion and find me!”
“Yes!”
Luolan bowed again.
With Young Master Qi’s word, she could seek his help if needed.
With Qing Huai absent, her only capital reliance was the Duke of Qing.
But she could not bother the duke with every problem. That would waste a resource.
Young Master Qi made things easier.
In some matters, such young noblemen were even more useful than the duke.
The duke’s rank was too high, with too many considerations.
Young Master Qi had no such worries. Tyranny was their specialty. Handling constables was their forte.
With this chain-top figure holding the scene, the venue finally settled uneasily.
The young noblemen found chairs and sat around the wooden platform.
Luolan exhaled in relief, then mounted the stage with a smile.
“First, thank you all for your support. Now, the auction rules.”
Luolan bowed to the audience, then announced loudly, “Each Star Cutter blade starts at one thousand liang. If you want it, bid freely, but each increase must be at least fifty liang. The highest bidder gets the blade being auctioned!
Is my explanation clear?”
“Clear. Start already!”
An impatient young nobleman urged.
Luolan stayed calm, smiled, nodded backstage. Iron Hammer brought a black blade on a tray.
“This blade’s box is made from golden silk nanmu from our Shu region, carbonised for insect, moisture, and rot resistance, with exquisite carving…”
Ignoring some impatient faces, Luolan detailed the box, then sheath, handle, guard, finally drawing the blade.
“This Star Cutter is one of the three displayed earlier. The engraving reads, ‘Iron steeds and golden arms for three thousand li,’ one blade’s cold light across sixteen provinces.”
Luolan smiled. “Starting bid one thousand liang. You may raise now.”
Strictly, this blade, used heavily as a sample, should be discounted.
But the inscription had spread through the capital’s military circles, even reaching Emperor Chen Ji.
This added value beyond the blade itself. Many young noblemen came determined to win it.
Bids erupted the moment Luolan finished.
“One thousand one hundred liang!”
“One thousand three hundred!”
“One thousand five hundred!”
“Two thousand!”
…
“Three thousand!”
In breaths, the sample blade hit triple the starting price.
But this was no end, just a brief pause.
Before Luolan could ask for more, a new bid rang out, “Five thousand liang!”
The room fell silent.
This was the largest jump yet, adding two thousand at once!
All turned to the young bidder.
None of the young noblemen recognised him and whispered to neighbours.
To their shock, no one present knew the bidder.
The capital teemed with officials, and their sons even more.
No one, however sociable, claimed to know every young nobleman.
Circles varied.
But with dozens present, their networks covered at least ninety percent of the capital.
No one knowing the bidder was intriguing.
“This brother looks unfamiliar. How should we address you?”
Young Master Qi stood and asked.
