Chapter 515: Experienced and Farsighted
The bidding for the last item, the Dragon Seeking Device, was very intense, and the price continued to climb until it was eventually bought by the old man Zhu at a sky-high price of 3.2 billion yuan. Thus officially ended this session of the Capital Auction.
Tang Xiu didn’t participate in the bidding for the Dragon Seeking Device. He could have as many low-grade magical devices as he wanted, so there was no need to spend a colossal amount of money to buy it. He was even confident that he could craft such a minor magical devices when his cultivation was promoted further.
The appearance of the Dragon Seeking Device also made him see a business opportunity. He calculated inwardly that if such a low-grade magical device could be sold at the sky-high price of 3.2 billion, what if he refined dozens of such minor magical devices and auctioned them?
As for Li Laoshan, he squeezed Tang Xiu’s shoulder and smilingly said, “Brother Tang, the auction is over, let‘s leave! Besides, I don’t have much interest in attending the evening banquet held by the Situ Family.”
“What Brother Li said is right. After every auction ends, the Situ Family usually holds a banquet party to entertain the guests. However, there will be a very few pure businessmen attending such occasions. Those who stay to attend are all codgers from the Occult Sect.”
Eccentric people from the Occult Sect?
Tang Xiu’s expression moved as he suddenly said, “Two Old Brothers, I just bought two items here, and nearly spent all of my money. Since they will treat us tonight, that helps me save a bit of money! How about I borrow this occasion to treat you to dinner? Of course, I also brought Gods Nectar; they’re in the trunk of my car. There is two boxes there, and we’ll drink one box tonight, while Brother Wang can bring the other one back home.”
Wang Daoyuan’s look flickered as he smiled and said, “Gods Nectar is the most precious gift one could receive nowadays. It seems like I really got a huge profit today. Thanks a lot, Brother Tang. Then, let us stay to attend tonight’s banquet party!”
“Since you guys want to stay, that’s fine with me too,” Li Laoshan shrugged his shoulders and smilingly said. “Anyhow, Brother Wang, though we did have some conflicts before, it didn’t impact us much, and there were no losses either. Without exchanging something, it’s like we can’t get acquainted well with each other, right? So, we shall have a good drink this evening.”
“Alright. I’ll accompany you,” laughed Wang Daoyuan with a loud voice.
A small boat passed through the narrow channel between the rivers. It was Ouyang Lulu in her crimson attire. She stood on the bow with a mile hanging on her face. After her boat came near Tang Xiu’s boat, she stepped on the bow and jumped directly to Tang Xiu’s side.
“There’s no need to question Ouyang Lulu’s vision. If it’s necessary to describe it in a word, there’s only one appropriate word for it: GREAT! Honey, I just realized that you’re someone with extraordinary power, for your shadow has been behind all sorts of big events,” said Ouyang Lulu, all smiling, while skillfully grasping Tang Xiu’s arm.
“Can you not boast about yourself?” Tang Xiu shook his head and chuckled. “Be serious and tell me something, will you? How did you end up in Beijing this time? Becoming the host and auctioneer for the auction organized by the Situ Family, as well.”
“That means that Ouyang Lulu has extraordinary abilities, with her supernatural power and boundless magical force, hence obtaining fame across the country… Ugh, that’s not right. I should be well-known to all folks around the world. Hence, the insightful and wise leader of the Situ Family’s plea for me to become the host and auctioneer,” said Ouyang Lulu joyously.
“Do you want me to ignore you if you continue acting so narcissistic?” Ranted Tang Xiu.
“DON’T!” Ouyang Lulu hastily waved her hand and said with a tender smile. “Bah, you really don’t have a sense of humor at all. Anyhow, the Head of the Situ Family, Situ Boyang, is my mother’s foster father, so he can be regarded as my grandpa as well. Besides, my Paradise Manor is already open for business in Shanghai, so I don’t have to worry about handling the management either, hence the reason I came to Beijing.”
Tang Xiu understood in a flash and asked with a smile, “Then, when will you return to Shanghai?”
“I’m going back early tomorrow! That’s right, when will you go back, too? I recall that school starts tomorrow, right?”
“Well, I’ll treat you to dinner tonight by borrowing the other party’s banquet because I’m gonna take a ride on your plane back to Shanghai. That won’t be a problem for you, right?” Said Tang Xiu with a smile.
After glancing at Li Laoshan, Wang Daoyuan, and Su Yaning, Ouyang Lulu nodded and said, “No problem at all! But you have to wait for a while, though. I gotta tell my grandpa first, and only then can we leave.”
“Where are you going?” Asked Tang Xiu.
“Huh? Aren’t we going to dinner or something?” Asked Ouyang Lulu back.
“About that, we’re staying here and attending the Situ Family’s banquet party,” said Tang Xiu with a chuckle.
Ouyang Lulu stared blankly, before she immediately said with a joyful expression, “That would be great! I’ll introduce our grandpa to you later. He knows you already, and is full of praise about you!”
Tang Xiu was between laugh and tears after listening to her, “Say, Lulu, can you not always say we, us, or our word? That’s your grandpa, but I don’t have any relationship whatsoever with him.”
“It’s all the same, all the same!” Ouyang Lulu waved her hand with a colorful smile on her face. She immediately urged the crew to row to the shore. She even brazenly coiled her hands around Tang Xiu’s waist without a shred of shyness at all, taking a ride on his car and rushed to the hotel that had been prepared by the Situ Family for the evening banquet.
As for Li Laoshan, he handed the Yuchang Sword over to his bodyguards and sent them away. Wang Daoyuan also did the same thing. After he gave the ancient sword to his bodyguards, he took Su Yaning together with him to board Li Laoshan’s car and rushed to the hotel. At first, Su Yaning didn’t want to attend the banquet, but Wang Daoyuan already learned that she was Tang Xiu’s cousin. Thus, in order to get along with Tang Xiu, he used both persuasion and threats until Su Yaning eventually compromised.
At an international hotel in Beijing.
The banquet party hosted by the Situ Family was held in the ballroom on the 28th floor. Many of the guests who attended the auction had already arrived. The entire hall had been extravagantly arranged, as the crystal lamps illuminated every corner of the hall with its gentle lights. Wine and appetizers had already been served on the dining tables by beautiful waiters. And what made the arriving guests the most surprised was the two bottles of Gods Nectar placed on each dining table.
Inside a deluxe room next to the ballroom, Situ Boyang quietly read the information. He was already past his prime, in his 60s, yet was still full of vigor. In front of him were two people, a middle-aged man and a woman, who calmly stood still with smiles on their faces.
“Lulu has performed well, Father. Her glib tongue truly is a gift worth to showcase. Therefore, many items auctioned at the auction held by our Situ Family were sold at very high prices, much higher than our expectations,” Situ Chao handed the information to Situ Boyang and reported with a smile.
With a satisfied look, Situ Boyang nodded and said, “It was great indeed. That’s right, you all came back here, but where did that child, Lulu, go?”
“Ah, Lulu saw her sweetheart and was eager to see him, so she went straight to him right after the auction concluded,” answered Situ Chao with a forced smile.
“Tang Xiu?” Situ Boyang’s expression moved. “Did that young Divine Doctor Tang Xiu also participated in the auction?”
“Yes. He bought two items for a total value of 3.1 billion yuan,” said Situ Chao with a nod.
“Two items? Don’t tell me they are the first auctioned item—the Qin Emperor’s Imperial Jade Seal and the Nine Phoenix Hairpin? Adding up these two items is exactly 3.1 billion yuan!” Said Situ Boyang, surprised.
“That’s right, he bought exactly those two items,” said Situ Chao with a smile.
Situ Boyang nodded and smilingly said, “Anyways, I met your Uncle Ouyang in Jingmen Island a few days ago. And I heard a lot of things about Tang Xiu from him. He’s a very amazing young man.”
“He is indeed quite amazing. In particular the company he established, the Magnificent Tang Corporation. Judging from the trend of its development… it’s simply enviable and eye-catching. Furthermore, he’s even a miracle-working doctor; it’s simply beyond my expectation. That girl, Lulu, always sets her eyes high, and if this Tang Xiu was not remarkable enough, I don’t think it would have been easy to get her impressed like this.”
Situ Boyang nodded, “Later on, when you come into contact with Tang Xiu, get along and closer to him if he’s really that good.”
“But father, his identity is…” Situ Chao hesitated.
“I know that he hails from the Tang Family, which means that his identity is very sensitive. But since our family must also survive in Beijing, it is inevitable that we must get closer to some families. The Tang Family may have declined in recent years, yet a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. Once an outstanding junior emerges among the Tang Family’s offspring, I’m sure that it won’t be impossible for them to bounce back to their heydays. Compared to the Tang Family, the Yao Family is just too powerful. Thus, even though we’re trying to get closer to them, I’m afraid that… Well, forget it. Just do what I tell you!”
For a while, Situ Chao fell into silence before he slowly said, “Father, are you planning to get involved with the political struggles with all the domestic forces in the country?”
“No, we won’t get involved in it,” said Situ Boyang lightly.
“Then, what you meant just now is…” pursued Situ Chao, doubtful.
“Ouyang Lulu is my granddaughter. The young man she likes and the Ouyang Family itself approves it. So, why do we have to refuse him just to avoid suspicion from others? Not to mention that Tang Xiu still has another identity as a Divine Doctor. If we deliberately keep distance, then it is us who got a problem here. Understand?”
As a smart person himself, Situ Chao could instantly understand what his father meant. Although the Situ Family wanted to get closer to the Tang Family, it was perfectly understandable and justified. After all, there was a relationship between Ouyang Lulu and Tang Xiu, as well as Tang Xiu’s another identity as a Divine Doctor. Even if getting closer to him meant that many parties were going to be annoyed with them, what was the problem with that?
After giving it thought, Situ Chao nodded and said, “I understand what to do, Father.”
In the banquet ballroom…
After Tang Xiu, Li Laoshan, Wang Daoyuan, and Ouyang Lulu arrived, they immediately attracted many people’s attention, who came to greet them. Although Li Laoshan and Wang Daoyuan were not ordinary people, yet everyone there was of extraordinary status. They came greet them mainly because of Tang Xiu.
Despite the fact that many of them had already learned that Tang Xiu was an offspring of the Tang Family of Beijing, what people care about more was Tang Xiu’s identity as a Divine Doctor. After all, when a person was still alive, who could guarantee that he would always be in good health? Hence, getting acquainted with a Divine Doctor only brought benefit and no harm.