Daqin Zhentiansi

Yuncang City.

Wangjiang Pavilion.

The auction of the treasures sent from the East China Sea has reached its peak.

Six dazzling giant "cloud screen mirrors" stand around the venue, displaying in real time the precious items that have just been stored in Zhenhai Shipyard.

"A complete set of the Vajra Black Tortoise's inner shell! Starting bid—800,000 taels of gold!"

"one million!"

"1500000!"

"Three million!" roared the red-faced giant from the Hundred Refinement Pavilion of Yangtian Continent.

"Three million eight hundred thousand!" The head of the Jiulingjiang Salt Gang's eyes gleamed.

"Five million!!" A calm voice came from a private room, drawing everyone's attention.

"Six million taels! The Hundred Refinements Pavilion is determined to get it today!" The red-faced giant was going all out.

On the upper floor of Yuncang Pavilion, Wu Daoling, the sect leader of the Nine Yang Sword Sect, stood leaning against the railing, while several elders behind him watched with heavy breathing as the immense wealth flowed below.

"Sect Master, this batch of Xuan Turtle Inner Shells alone has already far exceeded the tax revenue of Yun Cang City over the past six months..."

An elder in charge of finances, filled with envy, sighed, "We supported the Marquis's demon-hunting expedition in the East Sea initially only for training troops and some personal gain, never expecting..."

The last time treasures from the East Sea were delivered, countless merchants from the surrounding areas flocked to Yuncang City.

I thought that Marquis Qingyang's hunting trip in the East Sea must be arduous, and that the supplies he sent that time would not be many more in the future.

I didn't expect that so many supplies would arrive so quickly, and that they would be even more valuable and of even better quality.

If it weren't for their pride, the Nine Yang Sword Sect would have wanted to keep all these treasures for themselves.

Wu Daoling's gaze swept over the wealthy merchants below who were fighting tooth and nail, but he looked towards the northwest imperial city, his voice carrying a hint of complexity and awe: "Yuncang? It's just a small corner of the land."

"The imperial city of Xianliang is the true heart of the Great Qin, the place where a vast ocean of wealth converges."

"The extravagance there is beyond our comprehension. The key move in Qingyang Marquis's plan was to send the treasures from the East China Sea to the capital!"

The disciples and elders of the Nine Yang Sword Sect are still too ignorant.

Only a strong person like Wu Daoling could see through the general trend.

The Qin Dynasty is now fully operational, with a massive supply of resources, and is no longer in its dormant state.

Once such a tremendous force is unleashed, it is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

A fighting spirit gathered around him.

With his status as the number one on the Heavenly Ranking and the Nine Yang Sword Immortal, is he able to secure a place in such a powerful era?
In his mind, the scene of Marquis Zhang Yuan of Qingyang leading his massive army on a grand march came to mind.

A sharp glint flashed in Wu Daoling's eyes.

The Great Qin Imperial City.

Outside Donghua Gate, there is the Treasure Pavilion.

The auction scene here is a hundred times larger than that in Yuncang City.

The Treasure Pavilion was specially built by the Ministry of Revenue after the last auction of the East Sea Black Tortoise, as a place for trading large quantities of treasures.

The continuous auctions of the Xuan Turtle Shell brought benefits to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works.

This six-story building, covering an area of ​​30,000 mu, was completed in just ten days.

The venue was set in the center of a huge training ground, surrounded by towering viewing platforms, where countless nobles, merchants, and sect representatives gathered.

The scrolling display on the light screen showed the same kind of treasure that had just been auctioned off at a sky-high price in Yuncang, but of a higher grade and more complete!

"Complete inner shell of the Vajra Black Tortoise, starting bid—"

"One and a half million taels of gold."

"Two million!"

"Two million eight hundred thousand!"

"Three and a half million!"

"Five million! Yangtianzhou's 'Ten Thousand Treasures Immortal Pavilion'!"

"Six million! The Northern Wall's 'Shuoyue Merchant Guild'!"

"Ten million taels! A representative of the Ministry of Revenue's officials and merchants!"

Ten million taels of gold!
This number is like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, not creating ripples, but causing a tsunami-like uproar!

But in the eyes of the top powers in the capital, this seems to be the proper course of action.

Inside the VIP rooms, the conversations were no longer just about price quotes, but also filled with excitement and anticipation.

In a luxurious private room, two salt tycoons sat upright, surrounded by several familiar businessmen.

Everyone present was a multi-millionaire.

"See that! Another item worth tens of millions!" The middle-aged businessman exclaimed, his face full of admiration. "Donghai is truly a land of gold!"

Even though they were already incredibly wealthy, they still felt a pang of heartache seeing their glittering gold fall into someone else's pocket. "Yu Yuan Trading Company, relying on its monopoly of the Northern Great Wall and the Qingtian Continent trade route in Liangyuan Domain, as well as the convenience gained from the Xuan Turtle Sea-Suppressing Technique, has become the most prestigious trading company in the Imperial City in just a few years!"

The short-bearded old man opposite looked up at the window, his eyes gleaming: "I heard that they are still integrating the trade routes from the Eastern Territory to the Imperial City. The fleet of the Nine Rivers Alliance has already covered the sky."

“Yes! That Princess Yu Ruo, Zhao Yu, is simply a Midas touch! I heard that even Consort Qi and some princes and nobles have invested in her.” A middle-aged man in a gray brocade robe nodded, his voice low.

Even if such news isn't exactly secret, it should be presented with an air of mystery.

"Yes, if we don't keep up, we won't even have leftovers to eat!"

"This time we must join forces to form a caravan, even if it means going bankrupt, to get a share of the pie in the East China Sea!"

"Yes, yes, it's not too late! Although the Nine Rivers Alliance is strong, the East Sea is so vast, they can't swallow it all up! There's still a chance!"

Inside the private room, the discussion grew increasingly heated.

The trading below is becoming increasingly active.

Meanwhile, in another private room, several officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue, along with sons of noble families, sat around in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

"Tsk tsk, I just saw Lady Changyuan go up to the fourth floor with a big smile. The Changyuan family and Princess Yu Ruo have invested in the caravan together. This voyage to the East China Sea to transport treasures will probably yield astronomical profits."

The Vice Minister of Works, Jia Chenyan, who was speaking, had a sharp look in his eyes and turned to look at the people around him.

Beside him, a young man in a light blue brocade robe looked up and said, "Look at how these merchants are fighting tooth and nail, they can't wait to go to the East China Sea to pan for gold. This force... tsk tsk, who dares to underestimate it?"

His words made the young men sit up straight.

"So, Young Master Du, would you be interested in taking a trip to the East China Sea?"

“My eldest brother responded to the call long ago and went to the Eastern Frontier Camp. He wrote that there is much to be done in the Eastern Frontier.”

"Brother Du, to be honest, my Chen family has already formed a caravan."

……

The central viewing platform of the Treasure Pavilion.

The fourth floor is also the highest VIP suite that the Treasure Pavilion can use.

Zhao Yu appeared serene, toying with a small jade fan painted with a landscape scene in her hand.

Consort Qi sat beside her, surrounded by several prominent noblewomen who were whispering and laughing as they watched the auctioneer bring down the gavel.

"Thirteen million taels! Sold! Congratulations to the Northern Frontier Shuoyue Merchant Guild for acquiring the complete Vajra Xuan Turtle Inner Carapace!" The auctioneer's voice resounded throughout the hall through the amplification array.

Consort Qi covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zhao Yu: "Yu Ruo really has a good eye. When His Majesty first mentioned setting up this treasure gathering, everyone had some doubts."

Her eyes, brimming with amusement, swept over the group of noblewomen: "It seems that the profits from this deal are enough to add a villa to each of your homes."

The women beside her echoed her sentiments, their faces beaming with smiles, their eyes filled with admiration and joy as they looked at Zhao Yu.

When the imperial city was rebuilt, most of the residences in the inner city were allocated to officials and clerks of the imperial city.

The few courtyards that have been built are so expensive they're painfully pricey.

But as a member of a prestigious family in the capital, how could you not buy even the most expensive mansion?
Don't you have any pride?
Zhao Yu smiled slightly and looked down at the auction house, which was boiling like a furnace.

One by one, wealthy merchants, their passion ignited by the exorbitant prices, were eager to assemble a fleet and head to the East China Sea, while in the private rooms, officials and nobles discussed amongst themselves, each with their own thoughts.

Her eyes were deep, and beneath that smile lay a clear insight and a calm composure that allowed her to control everything.

She knew that the wind Zhang Yuan wanted had already begun to blow.

This wave, stirred up by the hurricane of wealth, will carry the power and ambition of the Qin Dynasty towards a wider, yet more perilous, world.

Although she was a woman, she witnessed the brutality of the Northern Great Wall and the tragedy of the fall of the Nine Provinces through Zhang Yuan's presence.

She also knew that there were worlds beyond the Nine Provinces.

As long as Zhang Yuan keeps moving forward, Zhao Yu will not stop either.

"Boom-"

"Boom-"

"Boom-"

A bell tolled from the direction of the imperial city.

Consort Qi looked up, her face showing surprise.

"The bells from the Imperial Observatory?"

"His Majesty has summoned officials to the Imperial Observatory?"

Zhao Yu lowered his head slightly and said softly, "It is said that this morning, the East Sea sent over extremely valuable items."

Her words brought a glimmer of hope to many noblewomen.

precious.

Extremely valuable.

The more valuable the better... (End of Chapter)