The auction venue wasn't large, housed in a teahouse. The furnishings were all vintage wooden chairs, and the waiters, dressed in period attire, gave the illusion of stepping back into the past, a true experience of an ancient teahouse.

Finding a table, Zhao An ordered some food and gazed at the stage before him. It wasn't the storyteller's seat, where tea and storytelling were supposed to be enjoyed—this was life in ancient times.

Now, the stage was filled with boxes, and a middle-aged man in a traditional Chinese robe was adjusting a microphone.

Looking around, the guests were all middle-aged and wealthy, with very few young people. The only notable thing was a table to the right, where three young women gathered, sipping tea and chatting from time to time. It was quite a sight.

Zhao An narrowed his eyes and examined the boxes. He couldn't see inside at first, but when he focused, he could vaguely see what was inside. This scene was simply unreal!

This change didn't startle Zhao An. Instead, he calmly took a sip from his teacup. "This must be related to those points of light. Is this what's called spiritual energy?"

Ancient relics often have a certain amount of spiritual energy. This aura makes ordinary people feel comfortable and pleasant when they approach it.

But analyzing it is impossible. Aura is colorless, odorless, and formless. It can only be understood, not expressed in words. Perhaps it's waiting to be discovered by those destined to discover it.

Thinking of this, Zhao An's lips curled up slightly. It seems this world is not a simple place! Or perhaps there are many new and wonderful things yet to be discovered. This spiritual energy is a wonderful discovery!

The items in the box were all toys. Although Zhao An's current perspective couldn't see through everything, he could faintly sense some. They seemed to be some ceramics, some inkstones, and some tea sets!

"Young Master, do you have any research into antiques?" Qian Haoming asked, finally finding some time. He had finally found some time, so he had to quickly establish some connections.

"A little bit," Zhao An smiled. "I understand a little bit."

The host on stage spoke. "Welcome everyone to the Guyunfang auction. Today we're auctioning five items, including an authentic calligraphy and painting by Master Zhang. I won't waste any more words, knowing everyone's passion is focused on the treasure hunt. Okay, let's get to the point."

It was clear the host's skills were quite good; with just a few words, he dispelled the anxious anticipation.

The first item to be offered was a tea set. It was simple and yet exuded a sense of grandeur.

"This is a Ming Dynasty purple clay tea set, weathered by the ravages of time. It was collected by Guyunfang from remote areas. With the master's determination, it dates back to the Tianqi period. The auction starts at 10 million yuan, with each bid increasing by no less than 1 million yuan. Now, 10 million, first bid. Any bids?" The host knocked with a wooden hammer.

No one bid at this point. Zhao An could tell that this teahouse boasted several billionaires with net worths exceeding 5 billion yuan. These are all hidden tycoons, as evidenced by the sturdy bodyguards behind them.

"What do you think, Young Master An?" Qian Haoming smiled and greeted the others. As the eldest son and heir to the Qian family, he certainly had some status. Don't think the title of "coal boss" sounds corny; it's all acquired through wealth, and others wouldn't have the opportunity to be corny.

"Not bad, worth the price. Do you want to bid?" Zhao An nodded, picking up a steamed bun and eating.

"I don't deal in antiques; I don't understand them. But I'd be interested in gambling on stones." Qian Haoming didn't hide the fact that he truly didn't know how to identify antiques. Besides, liquidating antiques is a rather complicated matter; you need to find the right seller to fetch such a high price.

"Let's go to the gambling stone field after this. There should be something there." Zhao An wasn't sure. For him, anything was fine; this time he was out for fun. Besides reaching a partnership with the Qian family, he was also supporting Qian Yuling, telling them that he had taken her in and would fuck her every night. The logistics issues in the north would be handled by the Qian family. These local tyrants were the most convenient and effective at this. Another point was to disassociate themselves from the previous convoy incident, lest the Fang family find another opportunity to smear them.

This kind of business struggle is like this: don't reveal even a hint of weakness, or you'll be pursued relentlessly.

"Okay, they're open all night over there. A lot of jadeite rough is shipped in continuously from the Triangle Area, and this is where the bulk of the consumption comes in." Speaking of gambling on jadeite, Qian Haoming felt quite adept.

As beasts of the coal industry, the Qian family members all loved to gamble, simply for the thrill.

"Aren't we going to the local border areas to gamble on jadeite?" Zhao An inquired.

Qian Haoming whispered, "Not anymore. It's more chaotic over there, so it's better to avoid it. Besides, we've already offended people there, with those targeting the mine owners. So it's much safer in the interior."

This wasn't surprising. Where there's business, there's conflict. It's normal, absolutely normal. As Zhao An and Qian Haoming were talking, the competition for the price had already begun to rise, from ten million to thirty million.

Compared to other antiques, tea sets were clearly superior and more practical.

Ceramics, for example, were merely decorative, but these tea sets were still usable, offering a significantly better value for money.

Soon, the tea set was snatched up by a woman, a very young woman, who paid thirty-five million for it.

Qian Haoming glanced at it and whispered, "That's from the Fang family, the eldest princess, Fang Shuiling."

The mention of the eldest princess reminded Zhao An of a woman, and a faint smile curled his lips. "Is she married?"

"No, I heard she's engaged to the second son of the Huang family. It's a family marriage. So they're both having their own affairs. It's true, she didn't refuse other men's advances, but the next day, Huang Meng had their legs broken." Qian Haoming began to recount the gossip.

"Do you often check into hotels with men? So exciting?" Zhao An piqued. This gossip was clearly quite explosive.

"It's said, yes, but there's also some claim not. Anyway, she's just not to be trifled with." Qian Haoming kept these untouchable women and men in mind, lest he step on a tough nut. Just now, not stirring up trouble didn't mean he was afraid. If he were bullied, he wouldn't hold back!

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