“Greetings to His Highness the Prince of Jin!”
Everyone present bowed to the young man.
Prince of Jin, Chen Yongze, and Emperor Chen Ji were half-brothers from the same father. By the time Chen Yongze was born, his elder brother the Crown Prince Chen Ji was already over thirty.
The previous emperor, Chen Wu, was nearly sixty.
A son born late in life, even to an emperor, filled Chen Wu with great joy. He doted immensely on this youngest child.
Sadly, when Chen Yongze was three, Chen Wu passed away.
On his deathbed, fearing Chen Ji might harm Chen Yongze after ascending the throne, Chen Wu enfeoffed him as Prince of Jin with Jin Province as his domain.
Chen Yongze’s mother came from a powerful clan in Jin Province with strong local influence. Once Chen Yongze became prince, even if Chen Ji wanted to act against him, he would have to weigh the consequences.
In truth, Chen Wu worried needlessly. Chen Ji had a mild disposition. After taking the throne, apart from eliminating the two brothers who had vied for the position, he did not unduly trouble the other princes.
Later, to win over the Jin Province clans, he even made an exception and allowed the prince’s mother to return there.
Jin Province lay in the northwest. Not only did the Dangxiang raid them, but the Khitan sometimes did too, leaving Jin Province constantly ravaged by war and its people fiercely martial.
The prince’s father, the late Emperor Chen Wu, was one of the few hawkish emperors in Great Kang’s history.
He launched two northern campaigns in his lifetime, vowing to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and erase the shame left by his father.
Unfortunately, both campaigns failed.
War devoured money. The two expeditions and the massive post-war indemnities nearly emptied Great Kang’s treasury, causing ever-heavier taxes on the people.
Chen Ji’s current weakness toward the Dangxiang and Khitan stemmed partly from his predecessors.
Grandfather and father had failed in succession, leaving Chen Ji with psychological scars. Thus, after ascending, he remained consistently soft on these issues, hastening Great Kang’s decline.
But the Prince of Jin was the opposite of Chen Ji. His mother, from Jin Province, was naturally bold. Influenced by Chen Wu, from the time the prince could remember, she instilled in him the idea of war.
So the prince inherited his grandfather and father’s ambition, making the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures his lifelong goal.
Sadly, defeating enemies required more than will. Over the years, Jin Province clashed dozens of times with the Dangxiang and Khitan in conflicts large and small, yet almost every time ended in Jin’s defeat.
When he learned Jinfeng and the Iron Forest Army had routed his old rival Li Jikui at Clearwater Valley, the prince roared with joy.
This time, with rebellion in Jin Province, Chen Ji summoned him to the capital for reprimand. There he unexpectedly heard the line, “Spear and steed three thousand li, one blade’s cold light the sixteen prefectures.”
The words struck his heart. He immediately sent men to investigate.
Thus he learned of Jinchuan Chamber and the black knives, and that the line came from Jinfeng.
Already fond of Jinfeng, and recently depressed from Chen Ji’s scolding, he decided to attend the auction to lift his spirits and buy the blade inscribed with “one blade’s cold light the sixteen prefectures.”
Who knew, after arriving, he would hear “Back in the day, with spear and steed, devouring a thousand miles like a tiger,” instantly reminding him of the old emperor.
It gave the prince the feeling that in all the realm, only Jinfeng understood him. He was just wondering what inscriptions remained on the other knives when Princess Nine’s maid recognised him.
“Very well. It seems my fate with the Star-Cutting blades ends with these two.”
The prince stood helplessly and looked at Luo Lan on the stage. “I gave you ten thousand taels earlier, exactly for these two blades, correct?”
“Yes.”
Luo Lan bowed in reply.
“Then continue. I am leaving.”
The prince waved casually and departed with his entourage.
He was Chen Ji’s own brother. The young masters lacked even the courage to compete with Princess Nine. Who would dare challenge him?
If he stayed, the auction could not proceed. They might as well let Luo Lan give him all the remaining knives. It would save trouble.
But out of imperial pride and respect for Jinfeng, the prince would not do such a thing.
Only after the prince left did the young masters begin to recover.
Today’s auction had been too bizarre.
First a maid came to buy for her young lady. Then the two they mocked as shills turned out to have terrifying identities, one more shocking than the other.
If not truly wanting a black knife, many young masters would probably have slipped away.
Luo Lan sensed the odd atmosphere and quickly had Iron Hammer bring up the sixth black knife.
The young masters’ attention returned to the blades.
But after the two earlier lessons, they now spoke and bid far more cautiously, fearing another big shot might appear midway.
This severely dampened the mood and bidding for the rest of the auction.
The sixth black knife was inscribed, “I laugh with horizontal blade toward the sky, leaving or staying, liver and gall like the Kunlun peaks.” It sold for one thousand nine hundred taels.
Two young masters quarrelled fiercely over it. Had Young Master Qi not pulled them apart, they might have fought on stage.
The seventh was inscribed, “Three feet of black edge embraces the realm, one ride on white horse opens the northern frontier.” It sold for one thousand eight hundred taels.
The eighth was inscribed, “Brothers remain after many tribulations, meeting with a smile erases old grudges.” Young Master Qi, thinking of comrades, bought it for two thousand one hundred taels.
The ninth was inscribed, “Since ancient times who in life avoids death? Keep a loyal heart to shine in the annals.”
If recovering the Sixteen Prefectures was the dream of military men, then leaving a name in history was the lifelong pursuit of many scholars.
Several young masters from civil official families had come just to watch. Seeing the military young masters curse each other over blades, they inwardly mocked their crudeness.
But when the ninth inscription appeared, they instantly understood the military men’s feelings.
The line pierced their hearts. The civil young masters drove the ninth blade’s price straight to four thousand one hundred taels.
The losing side, short of funds and out-argued, spat at the winner in frustration, ignoring decorum. The military young masters watched, stunned.
Luo Lan had not expected four thousand one hundred taels for this blade.
While veterans separated the two young masters, she signalled Iron Hammer to bring the tenth knife.
“Everyone, quiet please. The finale of this auction has arrived!”
Luo Lan called loudly, “Friends who need one, seize the chance. This is the very last blade today.”
Many young masters had thought before the auction that they would take home at least one black knife.
But there were only ten in total. The prince, Princess Nine, the maid, and the scholars had bought five.
That left dozens of military young masters to share just five.
With only one blade remaining, many grew anxious.
Many reminded themselves inwardly that this time, no matter who bid, they would not yield or watch idly. They had to secure the final blade.
