It's freezing outside, but it's warm like spring in Tai'an Restaurant.

Three days later, the Imperial Merchant Qualification Auction Conference was officially held.

Zhang Lingyang wore a purple private suit and walked into Tai'an Restaurant surrounded by Feng Xi, Sun Sheng and others.

As soon as he entered the restaurant, Zhang Lingyang was attracted by the decoration inside.

Luxury, extravagant and elegant, it can be said that compared with the palace, the decoration of Tai'an Restaurant is not much better, and even slightly better.

In the hall of the restaurant, wealthy businessmen from all over the country gathered together, sitting together in groups of three or five, and what they said was related to the auction conference.

Carefully selected from the master of ceremonies and supervisors, and then the strictly trained service staff skillfully move around the tables.

Although the number of people is large, it is not in the slightest confusion.

Seeing this, Zhang Lingyang nodded with satisfaction.

On the second floor, Xiao Fuzi had already prepared a private room, waiting for Zhang Lingyang to come.

Xiao Fuzi, who was busy in the hall, saw Zhang Lingyang coming, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Young master, a private room has been prepared on the second floor!" ”

Zhang Lingyang nodded noncommittally, and went up to the second floor under the guidance of Xiao Fuzi.

Entering the private room, Zhang Lingyang was attracted by the scenery in the private room.

It's not that the interior decoration is luxurious, but that the decoration is too elegant.

In the whole room, in addition to a few calligraphy and paintings on the wall, there is only a Taishi chair, a coffee table, and a few pots of blooming plum next to it.

Other than that, there was nothing else in the room.

"Who's running the auction today?" After sitting down, Zhang Lingyang looked at the bustling crowd downstairs, and asked Xiaofuzi without looking back.

"Back to Long Live Lord, it is Sun Dingwu who is presiding over this auction!" Xiaofuzi replied.

Zhang Lingyang nodded, and asked again: "How many merchants have obtained the auction qualification this time?" ”

"A total of 235 merchants participated in the auction, including five silk merchants, eight tea merchants, six porcelain merchants, 15 treasure and cultural dealers, five charcoal merchants, and four vegetable merchants......

Zhang Lingyang waved his hand and interrupted Xiao Fuzi's narration, "I'm not interested in hearing this, so you can tell me directly how much money you got for this admission qualification!" ”

Xiao Fuzi smiled and said: "Long live the lord, the income from the admission qualification alone this time has already been nearly five million taels of silver." ”

"What? So much? Hearing this, Zhang Lingyang couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

"Isn't it?" Xiao Fuzi said with a smile, "Before, the slave thought that the income of three million taels at most was the top of the sky. But the minions didn't expect that so many merchants would participate in this auction! ”

Zhang Lingyang nodded noncommittally, and then said: "If the merchants have already arrived, inform Sun Dingwu to start quickly!" ”

"The minion is going to inform you!" With that, Xiao Fuzi turned around and left the room.

After a while, Sun Dingwu, dressed in red, came to the center of the hall downstairs.

Boom!

Picking up the hammer and striking the gong next to him, Sun Dingwu shouted: "Everyone, this time by the Holy Decree, the Imperial Horse Supervisor is responsible for the coordination, and I am responsible for presiding over the Great Zhou Emperor Merchant Qualification Auction Conference is about to start!" ”

Hearing the sound of the gong, the wealthy merchants in the hall below stopped communicating one after another and looked at Sun Dingwu in the center.

With so many people looking at him, Sun Dingwu did not feel a trace of panic, but was a little excited in his heart, and his face showed a strange flush.

has lived most of his life, and it can be said that today is Sun Dingwu's most beautiful day.

Coughing lightly, Sun Dingwu said: "Presumably you already know the rules of this auction, so the old man will stop talking nonsense here."

The first imperial merchant qualification to be auctioned this time is the charcoal fire in the palace, and the starting price is 50,000 taels of silver, can there be a bid? ”

"I'll give you 50,000 taels!" As soon as Sun Dingwu's voice fell, a voice came from below.

Before Sun Dingwu could turn around and look, another voice came, "Fifty thousand taels of silver to obtain the qualification of the imperial businessman?" Isn't Shopkeeper Feng joking? A middle-aged man in a dark blue man's suit sneered and said, "General Sun, the grass people are willing to pay 55,000 taels!" ”

"I'll give 60,000 taels!" Without waiting for Sun Dingwu to reply, the first wealthy businessman to shout the price spoke.

"Seventy thousand taels!" Another voice joined in.

"One hundred thousand taels!" At this moment, a fluttering voice came.

When everyone looked back, it was an old man dressed in coarse linen clothes with gray and white hair.

After the old man shouted the price, he calmly took a sip of tea, as if 100,000 taels of silver was an insignificant number.

Everyone seemed to be shocked by the old man's shout, and no one dared to bid again.

The remaining four merchants who have obtained the qualification for the charcoal auction have bowed their heads and summed up.

According to the past practice, the annual consumption of charcoal in the palace is less than 50,000 taels of silver.

In other words, it will take at least two years to return to the cost of 100,000 taels of silver.

Again, this does not take into account the cost of charcoal fires.

Therefore, after the old man in coarse linen finished shouting the price, the other four charcoal merchants kept silent.

"One hundred thousand taels! This old man bid 100,000 taels, and there are no merchants who bid? Coming back to his senses, Sun Dingwu looked at the other four merchants.

The four merchants shook their heads and said they would no longer participate in the auction.

At the same time, their hearts are dripping blood.

After all, because of this auction qualification, they had already taken out 50,000 taels of silver.

I'm afraid it will take a long time to pay for itself.

"Since no one is willing to bid anymore, the old man will officially announce that the qualifications of the charcoal merchant this time belong to this old man!"

Hearing this, a bright smile appeared on the old man's face.

……

One by one, the qualifications of the imperial merchants were auctioned off, and the prices were high and low, but the lowest one was not less than 100,000 taels of silver.

"The imperial merchant qualification to be auctioned below is silk!" After Sun Dingwu reported the betrayal, everyone's spirits couldn't help but be shocked, and their eyes stared at Sun Dingwu on the stage.

Everyone knows that the highlight of this auction is coming.

Calligraphy and painting, silk, tea and porcelain are the top priorities of this auction.

Come to think of it, the final auction price must be an astronomical amount.

Sure enough, after Sun Dingwu in the center reported the starting price, everyone couldn't help but gasp.

"The following is the supply qualification on the silk, and the starting price of this time is 200,000 taels of silver, and the price increase shall not be less than 10,000 taels each time."

"I'll give 300,000 taels!" As soon as the merchant opened his mouth, he directly raised the auction price by 100,000 taels.

"Three hundred and fifty thousand taels!"

"Four hundred thousand taels!"

"Four hundred and fifty thousand taels!"

"500,000 taels!"

……

The silk merchant below added the auction price of 55,000 yuan, and Sun Dingwu was a little stunned when he saw it, and even forgot to answer......