Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Big Spender of the Auction House (1)
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'Looks like there's plenty of time before the you hour.'
The you hour was when the sun began to set, but it was still morning, with the sun not even reaching the midpoint of the sky.
'Fine by me.'
If time had already passed, that would be one thing, but this buffer was no issue at all.
I could fill my belly as Ha-seong wanted, buy the golden sore ointment Yin Xia Lian had requested ahead of time, and still have time to spare.
With those thoughts, I returned to the market alley where I'd left Dang Ok-gi, now playing the role of Dangtan, and Ha-seong, reborn as the warrior Eulchuk.
"How'd it go? They have it?!"
Dang Ok-gi swallowed dryly, eyes wide, but Ha-seong, fully immersed in his serious warrior role, flicked him on the forehead and spoke.
"Tsk. Dandan."
"...?"
"What kind of rude mouth is that to address the Young Master with?!"
"...Ha. But didn't you say, Warrior Eulchuk, that speaking informally would mess up the family register or something? Looks like you're doing it just fine now."
"You think then and now are the same?! Arguing even when you're about to get scolded—looks like I need to give you a real lesson today!"
Watching the two, a message came from my master at my waist.
- Ugh, how's that Silver Family punk gonna handle the aftermath acting like that? Can't he see the Tang Family kid's expression?
...If he thought like that and acted accordingly, he wouldn't be Ha-seong, would he?
- Fair point.
Anyway.
Time for some intervention.
"That's enough."
"The Young Master spoils him too much, that's why Dandan's so ill-mannered. What did you always say to me, Young Master? A leaky ladle inside leaks outside too. What if Dandan messes up at a crucial moment?"
Listening, Ha-seong's point actually made sense.
"There might not even be a crucial moment... If there's no item at the auction, it's all for nothing... We might have to go to the Sip-eon Market anyway, so let's redraw roles then!"
Of course, I understood Dang Ok-gi's side too.
'He's not wrong.'
If there was no Blood Water Full Poison Brew here, we'd have to head to next week's Sip-eon Market, making all the disguises pointless.
'But there is.'
So sorting it out was easy.
"First off, we've confirmed they have the crimson jade and pomegranate."
"...!"
"Oh!"
"So Dandan, time to stick to your role now."
"L-leave it to me, Young Master!"
"And Eulchuk."
"Yes, Young Master!"
"...How are you so bold?"
"...Yes?"
"Don't you know the old saying not to make enemies of the Tang Clan once you're out in the jianghu?"
"...I know it."
"Dandan might look like this, but he's the Tang Clan of Sichuan's prized treasure who earned the 'Jewel of the Central Hall' title, and you're flicking him on the forehead."
"Hey, this is just me staying true to my role. And staying true was all to rescue that pomegranate and..."
"Crimson jade."
"Yes, to definitely save Crimson Jade. Dandan gets it too, right? Right, Dandan?"
"... ."
"...Da, Dandan?"
And with that, the traffic jam was cleared.
Ha-seong's cocky swagger turned into the solemn demeanor of a heavy-duty escort warrior.
Once the Blood Water Full Poison Brew was confirmed, Dang Ok-gi's attitude sharpened too.
"Young Master, this shop's golden sore ointment is overpriced for its poor quality. Better go with the second place we saw."
"Who do you think you are to butt in on what the young lord says?! Young lord! Don't listen! Expensive stuff has its reasons! You're not the type to be swayed by a servant, are you?"
"... ."
"...Dandan. Don't get mad? Think of Crimson Jade and Pomegranate."
"...Crimson Jade. Pomegranate."
"Hey, shopkeep, do business with some conscience. We're not buying that golden sore ointment—put it back where you stashed it. Count yourself lucky."
"The hell! Same breed as its master! I'm not selling either! Bunch of nobodies! Ptooey!"
"...Young Master, let's make the shopkeep's luck bad. Dandan won't forget this."
"...Do as you like."
Leading those two, I picked up the golden sore ointment Yin Xia Lian requested.
And from one of the street stalls we'd passed, I ordered some thin noodles to fill our stomachs.
"Oh yeah, didn't they ask us to bring back some dangho too?"
"Right. I saw some being sold around the corner when we entered that noodle shop—grab a few."
"Yes, Young Master."
Then I remembered the promise to buy dangho, so I got some, but carrying them into the auction house seemed too shabby.
"We'll just eat these as dessert. For the ones to stash at the council hall, we'll buy fresh after the auction."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Yep."
"Mm. Tastes good."
And still, time remained.
We plucked the hawthorn berries skewered on the dangho sticks one by one as we strolled through the market.
There was plenty to see.
Watching people haggle over prices was entertaining enough, and in every market, there were those low-rank warriors dressed as street performers in one corner.
"Do you see this miracle pill, everyone?! Five years on Wudang Mountain, five on Songshan, five on Emei, five on distant Putuo—after those grueling years of enlightenment, I crafted this pill! Let me tell you, give it to a snot-nosed kid and he'll have heroic strength; to a wife with a stomachache and she'll be cured clean; skin rough as sand will smooth out even if you spread it; an elder on death's door with fever will regain vigor! This Dragon-Phoenix-Great-Unicorn Pill cures all ills! Yours for a mere three nyang of iron coins! This isn't an everyday chance!"
And quack doctors like that.
"...Young Master, isn't that guy a total con artist? Sure, maybe he got into Wudang and Songshan somehow, but Emei and Putuo are Jin'nan territory—how'd he get there? Total deceiver misleading the masses. We just leave him be?"
"He's just rattling off famous mountains people know. Check the pill first, Dandan. How's the lozenge?"
"Smells fishy—it's mixed well with houttuynia cordata and other common detox and pain-relief herbs. Won't turn an ordinary kid into a hero, but surprisingly, the other effects aren't entirely wrong."
"Then leave it. If it actually works, the hype is just to draw customers."
Sightseeing like that, the sun had already dipped well toward the west before we knew it.
The shadows on the sundials spaced throughout the market pointed to the you hour.
Time to pick up the Blood Water Full Poison Brew.
"Let's head into the auction house."
Since I'd greased the doorman's palm in advance, entering the auction house was no trouble.
"Heh heh. Here you are, Young Master."
"Good work."
"Head to the biggest tent inside the barriers. But..."
"But?"
"Only one escort allowed with you."
"One?"
"Yes. Venue capacity limits, and back when there were no restrictions, gangs came in hordes and caused chaos relying on their crews—so that's the rule now."
Come to think of it, it was like that in the original story too.
But Zhuge Seolji came up with a simple trick, splitting the protagonist's group into pairs for two-at-a-time entry.
'When bids soared unexpectedly, Yin Xia Lian's team covered it.'
Anyway, choosing who to bring was easy.
'Is the Blood Water Full Poison Brew fresh? Not food, but 'fresh'? Health doesn't quite fit either...'
Freshness or health—to check the brew's condition, Dang Ok-gi was the pick.
Ha-seong had the escort warrior outfit, but Dang Ok-gi's skills outclassed his.
Decision made.
"Dandan, come with me."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Take care, Young Master. I'm looking forward to Crimson Jade and Pomegranate, whose eyes shine like jewels... Dandan, serve him well."
"...Yes."
How long after entering the auction hall?
One of the managers—the least impressive-looking—hurriedly distributed white placards with bid numbers to the newly seated guests.
"Thank you for waiting. The highlight of Roha Valley's Apothecary City's auctions, the premium auction, is here. Unlike prior ones, we—the Merchant Association—guarantee authenticity and only feature worthy items. Currency is standardized gold taels, so please keep that in mind."
Suddenly, a mild-mannered middle-aged man stepped out, cupped his fists to the crowd, and announced the start.
"First item."
"Ooooh."
"Some recognize the bluish pill at a glance. This is the Huangbo family's Heavenly King Five Elements Pill. For martial artists, twenty years of inner power; for civilians, eternal health without illness—or so it's known. No cheap herbal clump like those street peddlers outside. A true spirit pill. Starting at one thousand taels."
Pills named after prestigious families usually fetched whatever the seller named.
Yet no one here raised a placard.
Not hard to understand.
'Why's that even here?'
Same thought as me.
"Why's that circulating outside, Young Master?"
"Who knows."
Dang Ok-gi thought so too.
Reading the mood?
"Heh heh. Doubting its authenticity, I see. As you know, we're no itinerant traders. If fake, I'll stake my wrist, and we'll pay triple compensation."
The auctioneer, caught off guard by the reaction, spoke quickly.
"Our Merchant Association has long supplied herbs to the nearby Zhuge family, Righteous Martial Academy, even the Murim Alliance. This pill came through those ties. Details are unclear, but I hear a Huangbo young master got into trouble, caught a nasty disease, and the matriarch put it up for repair and treatment costs."
His explanation brought Huangbo Jun to mind.
But placards stayed down.
Made sense.
'Never heard of it.'
With gold taels as currency, those gathered were merchants, tycoons, or notables from prominent families.
Such folk prided themselves on knowing the world's affairs.
'That pride backfires—unheard means untrusted.'
Huangbo Jun's incident was one they couldn't have heard.
The Murim Alliance and Righteous Martial Academy buried it desperately, as did the families whose heirs were involved.
Only I knew.
"Th-then, nine hundred taels."
I didn't bother hiding my twitching smirk.
As the starting thousand taels dropped.
"Eight hundred! Eight hundred taels! No eight hundred?!"
Dropped and dropped.
Right before someone might risk it at a lower price.
"Six hundred taels! Six hundred! I'll confess on this stage—we paid six hundred fifty to acquire it!"
I casually raised my placard.
Spotting it, the flustered auctioneer shouted.
"Number 214, young lord! Sold! Sold!!!"
Suddenly, I wondered if Bojun was really that bottomless pit of generosity.
It was a beautiful afternoon.