Things become precious through scarcity. This applies not only to goods, but also to poetry.
Great Kang has promoted civil pursuits and suppressed military ones for centuries. Any scholar with talent seeks officialdom. No one wishes to enlist.
Young masters from military families have studied, but they join the army mostly to gain seniority. Expect them to produce fine poetry?
This leads to endless verses on melancholy springs, autumn sorrows, or romantic flowers and moonlit snow. Poems about war and battlefields are rare.
Now Great Kang has suffered humiliation from the Dangxiang and Khitan for years. Rising taxes make life unbearable for the people, who hate both foes deeply.
Soap box poems mostly depict flowers and plants. Some subtly reveal the author’s character or sentiments, but ordinary folk cannot even write their names. How could they understand?
Thus, soap boxes interest only scholars and lovesick girls. But black knife poems strike the people’s hearts.
Though just a few lines, thanks to Jinfeng’s deeds at Clearwater Valley and storytellers’ promotion, these verses spread faster, wider, and with greater impact than all dozens of soap box poems combined.
In merely three days, the ten inscriptions from the first auction became known throughout the capital.
Especially “Spear and steed three thousand li, one blade’s cold light the sixteen prefectures.” It became a household phrase.
Even children who knew nothing of Jinfeng repeated it daily.
In these three days, Luo Lan and her team did not idle.
The day the auction ended, Jinchuan Chamber sprang into action.
Luo Lan spared no expense, hiring hordes of craftsmen. That very night, they began major renovations to the tavern courtyard.
Under silver’s mighty power, in just three days, the craftsmen added a cover over three metres high. Plain, elegant coarse cloth wrapped the walls and supporting pillars.
They also added many more tables and benches.
Though still somewhat crude, it was far better than the first time.
This auction made Luo Lan realise auctions themselves were a huge business opportunity. She decided, after the next one, to write Jinfeng and find a dedicated venue for auctions.
Not just for black knives, but to take others’ consignments and earn commissions.
If Jinfeng were here, he would surely praise her business acumen.
Was this not exactly the auction houses of his previous world?
Luo Lan had just finished preparing the courtyard when the second auction’s start time arrived.
As she expected, thanks to the first auction’s impact, far more people attended the second.
No longer mainly military young masters, many civil young masters came too.
Besides young masters, Luo Lan saw numerous richly dressed middle-aged men.
The young masters who had shouted and quarrelled at the first auction now became quail before these men, sitting primly, straighter than rulers.
Soon, the courtyard filled over half.
Unexpectedly, the Prince of Jin came again.
With the emperor rarely leaving the palace, the prince was among Great Kang’s highest in status. Even dukes had to bow first.
For a moment, the courtyard echoed with greetings to the prince.
“I come not to bid, merely to see what fine lines the Clearwater Baron has produced. Pay me no mind.”
The prince waved to those around him and, led by Luo Lan, took the central seat in the front row.
The middle-aged men previously in the front row quickly moved to the second.
“I really must hurry and build private boxes.”
Luo Lan sighed helplessly at the sight.
If a few more heavyweights arrived, each taking a row, no courtyard would hold them.
“I return to Jin Province soon. Give this to Mr Jin. Tell him if he visits Wei Prefecture again, he may stop by Jin Province en route.”
The prince sat in the central chair, drew a jade pendant from his bosom, and handed it to Luo Lan.
His address for Jinfeng changed from the formal Clearwater Baron to Mr Jin.
“Yes!”
Luo Lan received the pendant with both hands.
She had thought the prince truly came for the inscriptions. Now she understood he was showing goodwill to Jinfeng and helping hold the field.
Just as the prince settled, Qin’er arrived.
Fortunately, as merely a maid, she needed no special arrangement. After greeting Luo Lan, she casually took a corner seat.
“That maid who greeted the lady proprietor, is she Princess Nine’s personal attendant?”
“Yes, I saw her several times at the Cabinet.”
“The princess sent her to support Jinfeng too?”
“What else? Surely not to buy Star-Cutting blades. I heard the princess spent all her money last time.”
“Jinfeng’s face is too great. The prince himself came, perhaps truly interested in the blades.
But the princess is unmarried. Sending someone, could she fancy Jinfeng? I heard he is already wed…”
“You court death, speaking gossip about the princess!”
“It is just us two. Who can hear?”
“The princess’s attendant and the prince’s guards are all experts. Others may not hear, but they might.
Enough. It is the wei hour. The auction should begin.”
At the edge of the second row, two middle-aged men who had occupied a table alone quietly separated their huddled heads and looked at Luo Lan on stage.
With the prince personally present, the auction proceeded smoothly.
Yet his presence made the early atmosphere somewhat stifled. Many middle-aged men and young masters felt restrained.
But as the blade inscriptions grew more stirring, and the prince showed no intent to interfere, the young masters finally grew restless.
Under their elders’ meaningful glances, they began bold bidding.
The auction’s mood finally regained its proper liveliness.
“Willing this body long repay the state, why need alive enter Yumen Pass.”
“In yellow sand a hundred battles wear golden armour, until lost lands reclaimed, never return.”
“Those who invade Great Kang, though far, must be punished.”
“If it benefits the state, face death or life, how avoid for blessing or woe.”
“Only wish all beings fed, not shrink from frail sickness in waning sun.”
“Body crushed to powder, bones shattered, no fear, to leave purity in the world.”
…
One inscription after another issued from Luo Lan’s mouth.
Civil or military, all were touched by one or two lines.
Even those unmoved put on worried, patriotic airs before the prince.
Some even drew handkerchiefs to wipe tears.
Touched, they naturally had to bid.
Thus, from the third blade, bidding grew ever more heated.
This time, everyone prepared more fully than the first. Prices climbed higher.
The final seven blades all sold above the first auction’s finale.
“Sister Luo Lan, how much did this auction earn in total?”
When it ended and Luo Lan saw off the guests, Iron Hammer and Han Feng rushed over, asking excitedly.
