Chapter 3739 — Both Had Their Eyes on It
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
That they could set aside a private room at all, sparing customers as much unnecessary trouble as possible, already showed how thoroughly the Hong Family Trading Company had thought things through.
Through the half-open door, Wei Zhao's gaze fell at once on a familiar figure from behind, and his heart gave a sudden leap.
That figure was none other than the inner sect disciple of the Skypiercer Pavilion he had seen here last time. Though the man had changed into ordinary clothes rather than the Skypiercer Pavilion's distinctive attire, Wei Zhao could still tell that he was the same person as before.
If he had only been guessing before that the wooden box might contain the Star Inkstone, now, having seen this rival, Wei Zhao could be entirely certain: the box held the Star Inkstone, beyond a doubt.
And then he heard the manager inside say to the man, "You may open it and check whether it is what you want, sir. If you are interested, then the price remains as before—one thousand spirit jade. As that is a considerable sum, our Hong Family Trading Company can send men to collect it from your residence."
One thousand spirit jade—so it really was the Star Inkstone!
Wei Zhao's heart stirred. Drawing a deep breath, and seizing the moment before the man finalized the deal with the manager, he stepped into the private room.
"How may I be of service, sir?" the manager said at once, turning to look at Wei Zhao with a smile.
Though he still had to attend to the other man's transaction, that did not keep him from receiving Wei Zhao. After all, anyone with the confidence to step into the private room was a wealthy patron with a fistful of spirit jade—precisely the sort of benefactor merchants like them needed to court with the utmost care.
Before Wei Zhao could answer, the Skypiercer Pavilion inner sect disciple had already cast him a wary glance. Wei Zhao's earlier recognition had been quite right: this was Yu Jiang, the very rival for the Star Inkstone he had seen here last time.
And after one look at Wei Zhao, Yu Jiang too quickly recognized him, and his heart gave a start.
He knew well that if Wei Zhao had appeared here at such a moment, his purpose was most likely the same as his own—he too had come for the Star Inkstone. Before Wei Zhao's gaze could fall on the wooden box, he hastily and without a trace of expression shut the lid again, not wanting Wei Zhao to see the Star Inkstone inside.
In his eyes, Wei Zhao was nothing but a penniless wandering cultivator, who in theory could not possibly have so much spirit jade to buy the Star Inkstone. But since Wei Zhao had dared to walk into this private room, it meant he likely had some means behind him; to guard against the worst, a little concealment was only prudent.
After all, if Wei Zhao truly did discover the Star Inkstone in the box and began bidding against him on the spot, that would be troublesome indeed.
What he did not know was that Wei Zhao had long since concluded that the box contained the Star Inkstone; any concealment now was futile.
Yet Wei Zhao's face showed nothing. He did not so much as glance in Yu Jiang's direction, but said directly to the manager, "Manager, I saw a piece of Star Inkstone here last time. Do you still have any in stock?"
At these words, Yu Jiang, already nervous, felt his heart lurch—it was just as the saying went, speak of the devil. With Wei Zhao asking such a question, how could the manager, an old fox who had spent years battling in the seas of commerce, fail to sniff out the opportunity?
Sure enough, the manager's eyes lit up at the words. After studying the expressions on both their faces with an amused glint, he answered at once, "We do—only our shop has but a single piece of Star Inkstone in all. If you truly want it, sir, then you will have to bid against this gentleman here. According to market rules, the highest bidder takes it."