vstars Chapter 124 The Highest Bidder Wins
Chapter 124 The Highest Bidder Wins
The bustling street was filled with people coming and going. Four or five-year-old children pestered their mothers to buy candied hawthorns, while an old man carrying a cart full of goods struggled to walk forward. Amidst the shouts of his hawkers, curses were occasionally heard.
Xiang An lifted half of the carriage curtain with her fingertips, quietly watching the lively atmosphere outside. Huo Xin sat opposite her, chatting and laughing quietly with Xiao Ru.
Passing by a teahouse, I saw a storyteller sitting inside, surrounded by a group of customers. Suddenly, he slammed his gavel down, stroked his beard, and stepped away from the stage, completely ignoring the uproar erupting from the tea drinkers below.
"Is Li Qinhu's vase really in Piaoxianglou?"
"Definitely! Wei Wenrun was beheaded by the emperor, which proves that he is real or not."
"Ah, I suddenly remembered that Piaoxianglou sold a vase for a high price a few days ago, is that the one?"
"Sold? Who bought it? What was the high price?"
"I don't know. They're being too discreet. But Piaoxianglou must know who bought it. Let's go to Piaoxianglou and see."
"That's absolutely right! If the storyteller hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have known there was such a restaurant in the capital. It's so obscure."
"The restaurant isn't famous, but the food there is absolutely delicious. Even if they don't have any more decorative vases, it's still worth a visit."
"..."
The carriage stopped at the corner of the teahouse. Xiao Ru had already quieted down after hearing the noise outside. Xiang An lowered her eyelids and stared intently at a small pink flower embroidered on her skirt, lost in thought.
Huo Xin suddenly laughed: "Princess, you are really lucky. The nearly dead Piaoxiang Pavilion was brought back to life as soon as it came into your hands."
Xiao Ru chimed in, "The princess was born with wealth, and she is naturally surrounded by auspicious purple energy. Good fortune is a minor matter for her." Although she didn't know what was wrong with the princess, she felt that it wasn't a good thing for things to remain quiet like this.
Huo Xin chuckled: "Folklore says that princes and princesses born into the palace are bound to be blessed..."
Xiang An interrupted, suddenly speaking up: "It's Xiang Xin."
Huo Xin's smile remained unchanged as she tilted her head in confusion: "Who is the princess talking about?"
"Pretending not to understand when you do is pointless." Xiang An looked up at her, his tone ordinary, but his eyes were cold.
Huo Xin was about to argue, "This humble servant—" when a gleaming dagger suddenly pressed against her fair neck.
Xiao Ru was startled. She covered her mouth, which almost screamed, and tried to adjust her facial expression back to normal. Then, she calmly opened the curtain a crack, stepped out of the carriage, and immediately closed it tightly again.
As soon as he got off the carriage, he took out a tael of silver and quietly sent the driver away. Then, he sat quietly on the carriage floor, but in reality, he was wary of any pedestrians passing by the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Huo Xin remained expressionless, her smile unwavering. "Princess, why are you doing this? I made it perfectly clear to you at Piaoxiang Pavilion that I would never reveal any information about the previous master. Are you trying to force me to say anything now?"
"I was right." Xiang An sheathed the dagger.
Huo Xin was puzzled, then suddenly remembered something about her, and the smile on her lips abruptly disappeared. "You did it on purpose."
Just now, Xiang An only mentioned the name Xiang Xin without saying that Xiang Xin was her previous master. However, because of Xiang An's nonsensical or even random guess about the name, she went straight to the point about not revealing information about her master.
Xiang An smiled faintly: "Not too stupid."
The sun was blazing, the temperature was high, and it was very hot inside the carriage. The two sat facing each other, neither of them speaking.
Huo Xin frowned, recalling what Xiang Xin had once told her. She hadn't expected it to be true. Well, this was the kind of woman who deserved her submission.
After a long silence, she laughed, confidently asking, "So, what does the princess plan to do after discovering the secret? Kill me? Or confront Xiang Xin?"
"I have no intention of doing anything." She lightly knocked on the carriage and said to An, "Xiao Ru, return to the manor."
"Princess, wait a moment, I'll go and call the coachman."
"This maid is quite nice," Huo Xin exclaimed, then feigned surprise, "Aren't you afraid I'm a spy sent by your brother?"
Xiang An chuckled, "You're welcome to try." He leaned his forehead against the carriage wall, his eyes closing wearily.
Huo Xin's suspicious gaze swept over the woman before him. Her slightly arched eyebrows were gentle, without a trace of sharpness, and her facial features were rounded. The flowers and plants on her golden dress were lively and lovely. Judging from appearances alone, she was clearly a woman with a very good temper.
No matter how you look at it, it doesn't match the cold and ruthless person who used the dagger to scare you earlier.
Looking at it, Huo Xin scoffed inwardly: Appearances really can be deceiving.
Xiang Xin has the appearance of a refined and easy-going gentleman, but the things he does are truly inhuman.
Her outstretched fingers were tipped with bright red, like plum blossoms blooming proudly in the snow—beautiful, but deadly.
He clenched his fist, pulled down his sleeve to cover it, and all his sighs turned to dust and drifted away with the wind.
The carriage swayed, the curtain was lifted and then fell again, and Xiao Ru got on.
The moment the carriage started moving, Xiang An, who had been so quiet he seemed to be asleep, spoke: "Give the real Li Qinhu vase to Xiao Ru."
"The master didn't hide it; it's on the display shelf to the right of the entrance to Piaoxiang Tower." Huo Xin picked up a peeled orange from the small table, ate it, and casually asked, "Does the princess intend to use it to curry favor with the emperor, like Lord Wei did?"
Xiang An didn't open his eyes. "Father said he likes Li Qinhu's vase?"
"There's someone in the palace—"
"Is someone His Majesty?"
"What do you mean, Princess?"
Huo Xin really couldn't understand Xiang An's meaning.
In fact, it's normal that she doesn't understand. Having spent many years in brothels and come into contact with all sorts of people, she can see through people's hearts, but she lacks political acumen.
It's not her fault; she doesn't usually have access to it, but she can learn it.
Xiang An shifted his shoulders, found a comfortable position to lean back, and advised, "Don't try to guess the Emperor's thoughts."
Huo Xin pondered for a moment, but couldn't figure it out, so she asked, "What does the princess need a vase for?"
Xiang An: "Spread the word that in three days, Piaoxianglou will auction off Li Qinhu's vase, and the highest bidder will win."
"Will the emperor be angry? Will he scold you for being unfilial?" The crime of being unfilial was too great for anyone in the world to bear, and Huo Xin was very worried.
"Father doesn't need you to worry. You just need to do what I tell you." Xiang An pulled the blanket that Xiao Ru had just covered up to her neck.
Xiang An no longer gets carriage sickness; she's genuinely sleepy. A carriage ride makes up for all the sleep she couldn't get at night.
Before they reached the princess's residence, the carriage suddenly stopped. Xiao Ru lifted the curtain and said softly, "Miss Huo, you may get off the carriage now."
This is a two-courtyard house, square and ordinary, no different from the courtyards of other houses around it. The only difference is that the two characters "Tao Ju" written on the gate are magnificent and bold, with unrestrained and vigorous strokes.
Huo Xin: "What does this mean?"
Xiao Ru replied, "Miss Huo, there's no need to worry. This courtyard is very safe. It was carefully chosen for you by the princess, so you can go to Piaoxiang Tower at any time. Servants are already prepared inside."
Huo Xin looked at the courtyard, then at the two people in the carriage, "It seems the princess knew I was coming."