The system only arrives when you're old? Then let's create a super-rich family!

One hundred billion!

These three short words, like a thunderclap from the heavens, struck the ears of everyone in the Grand Auction Hall.

Those present were stunned into silence, their minds blank, frozen in place for a long time, their faces filled with utter astonishment and disbelief.

The bid of 100 billion completely shattered all the bidding rules and understanding of wealth in the market.

It wasn't until Wang Qi's furious and questioning shout, "I need to verify the funds!" echoed throughout the hall that everyone snapped out of their daze and recovered from their shock.

This is completely unreasonable.

Having spent half their lives in the top-tier business districts, they understand better than anyone the significance of a hundred billion yuan in cash flow.

With 100 billion in liquid assets, according to the asset allocation common among the top elite circles, it means that the family's total net worth is guaranteed to be at least one trillion, enough to enter the top echelon in the country and firmly rank among the top on the Beijing rich list.

In the Dragon Kingdom, the trillion-level tycoons are all well-known and connected, and everyone in the industry knows them.

The young man from out of town in front of me looked completely unfamiliar and wasn't even on any list of top billionaires.

Once they understood this, the initial shock faded away, replaced by mockery, ridicule, and undisguised contempt.

They finally understood that this wasn't some wealthy tycoon at all, but just a stubborn young man who was obsessed with saving face and trying to appear rich when he was not.

Fortunately, many people had put aside their contempt and secretly thought that the other party had real strength. Now it seems that they were just ignorant and fearless, just a clown who didn't know the rules and only knew how to make a scene.

"I knew he was being ridiculously arrogant just now; it turns out he was just putting on airs! Daring to casually shout out 100 billion, does he really think money falls from the sky?"

"Trying to save face at such a prestigious event in Beijing is tantamount to courting disaster! After the verification process, he can expect to be utterly disgraced!"

"Three hundred billion might be his entire fortune; the one hundred billion figure is pure fabrication, just an attempt to fool President Wang. Little did he know he'd only be digging his own grave!"

A chorus of mocking laughter rose and fell, everyone convinced that Qin Jianjun was bluffing, waiting to see him exposed and humiliated.

In the corner tea table, Zhao Manjun suddenly paused, her fingertips slightly halting as she raised her teacup. A playful smile flashed across her eyes, and she chuckled softly.

"As expected, father and son are cut from the same cloth; both are obsessed with saving face. Qin Zheng's son probably has no idea what 100 billion yuan in fresh funds means."

She gently shook her head, her tone ethereal:

"He had no idea what kind of earth-shattering things that money could accomplish."

"One hundred billion is enough to take the lead in securing national-level infrastructure projects across the entire region, opening up transportation arteries in several provinces, and generating trillions in revenue within three to five years."

"Enough to acquire three national financial investment banks outright and completely control the regional capital discourse."

"It could even be enough to independently support a nationwide subsidy war worth tens of billions of yuan for people's livelihood, and completely monopolize the market share of an industry."

"Such a massive amount of liquid funds corresponds to a family fortune worth trillions. Does Qin Zheng's son even deserve it?"

Upon hearing this, the white-haired old butler standing beside him bowed respectfully and responded softly.

"What the second wife said is absolutely right. All the billionaires in Beijing with assets of trillions are registered. In fact, no billionaire with the surname Qin has ever appeared in the lists of various social circles."

The old butler paused slightly as a fragmented impression suddenly flashed through his mind.

A few days ago, rumors circulated in social circles that a newly emerging wealthy family had appeared in Jiangnan, with a profound background and a reputation comparable to the old and prestigious Yuan family. They were enjoying great popularity.

But he immediately shook his head, rejecting the idea outright.

The Qin family held a private banquet in Jiangnan just two days ago, and did not leave the Jiangnan region at all. Now the Xie family has already taken action, completely blocking and besieging the Qin family in Jiangnan on the commercial level. The Qin family is currently too busy to deal with its own problems and must still be running around in Jiangnan trying to break the deadlock.

Furthermore, the rumored patriarch of the Qin family in Jiangnan is domineering and has an overwhelming aura, which is completely inconsistent with the age of the young, impulsive Qin Jianjun who is stubbornly insisting on his position in public.

Most importantly, he is old and nearing retirement. He no longer takes over the core information channels of the Cui family. His understanding of the social circle is still based on the situation of a few years ago. He has only heard of the emerging forces in recent years and has never investigated them in depth. He is even more unaware that the domineering old man of the Qin family in Jiangnan is actually named Qin Zheng.

If he had already known this identity, his reaction upon hearing the name Qin Zheng would not have been so indifferent; he should have reminded Zhao Manjun long ago.

Seeing this, Wang Qi's face grew even more menacing, convinced that the situation was under control and victory was assured.

He abruptly flicked his sleeve and snorted coldly, his aura sharp and intimidating. He stared intently at Qin Jianjun and said in an icy tone:

"Kid, you probably have no idea where you're going to cause trouble! Provoking local dignitaries on the capital's turf—you've chosen the wrong place and the wrong opponent!"

"Kneel down now and beg for forgiveness sincerely. If I'm in a better mood, I might forgive you this time."

"Otherwise, once the organizers finish verifying your funds and confirm that you maliciously inflated prices and disrupted the order of the top-level auction, not only will all your businesses go bankrupt and be wiped out in a single day, but I will also use my connections across the country to ensure that you and your entire family live a life worse than beggars on the street, no matter where you go!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Wang Qi's eyes; he had already made up his mind.

He must seize the opportunity presented by tonight's bidding farce to thoroughly suppress this arrogant out-of-town kid and demonstrate the authority of the local elites in Beijing.

He wanted to make all the wealthy people from other provinces in the country see clearly the social and cultural gap between Beijing and other provinces, and to completely eliminate any thought that anyone would dare to provoke the top elites in Beijing in the future.

Sitting next to the VIP seats, Zhao Lin listened to the overwhelming mockery and Wang Qi's deadly threats. Her heart clenched instantly, and her hands clenched tightly together.

She looked up and stared intently at Qin Zheng, who stood calmly beside her, her face full of worry, and said softly:

"Dad, is Jianjun alright? Otherwise, we'll give up on this jade Buddha."

She was filled with confusion. It was just a jade ornament, and even if it was of excellent quality, it was still an inanimate object.

Spending an astronomical price for a single ornament and completely offending Beijing's top local tycoons—it's a bad deal no matter how you look at it.

Qin Zheng picked up the warm teacup, gently blew away the foam, his expression calm and composed. He shook his head slightly and smiled reassuringly:

"It's alright, just sit and watch the show."

Despite Qin Zheng's words, Zhao Lin's worries did not lessen.

She couldn't say anything more, so she could only suppress her anxiety, her brows furrowed, her gaze fixed on Qin Jianjun, her whole being tense.

Standing in front of the booth, Qin Jianjun listened to Wang Qi's vicious threats and found them absurd and laughable, and couldn't help but sneer.

He raised his eyes and looked down at the arrogant Wang Qi, his tone full of sarcasm.

"You think you can just do capital verification like that? Who do you think you are, to presume to check my accounts?"

This almost shameless attitude completely enraged Wang Qi.

Wang Qi's face darkened, and he turned to glare at the auction organizer, who had been silently watching the whole thing, and reprimanded him in a domineering tone.

"I demand verification of funds! Are you deaf? Get to work now!"

Being publicly called out and pressured, the organizer's boss instantly tensed up, his face full of embarrassment.

The jade Buddha was auctioned for a record-breaking price of hundreds of billions, which naturally pleased the owner of the organizer.

But when Wang Qi forcibly called on him to verify his qualifications, he felt his scalp tingle and his legs go weak.

Others may not know Qin Jianjun's identity, but he knows it perfectly well!

He glanced quickly at the central VIP seats, where Qin Zheng remained seated languidly, leisurely sipping his tea, his expression calm and unwavering, as if the exorbitant price confrontation and the entire dispute were nothing more than an insignificant farce, and he had never taken the enraged Wang Qi seriously.

But it is precisely this indifference that is most frightening.

As the helmsman of Shengshi Baida, he knew better than anyone that the father and son in front of him were the Qin family of Jiangnan, who dared to crush and slap even the old and ancient Yuan family!

The Yuan family, with its trillion-dollar foundation and extensive network of connections, dared not utter a single harsh word after being publicly humiliated by the Qin family. They are now swallowing their anger, which is enough to demonstrate the terrifying strength of the Qin family.

How dare Wang Qi, a mere billionaire, act so arrogantly and demand verification of funds in front of the Qin family?

That's pure overestimation of one's abilities!

The boss swallowed hard, then steeled himself and stepped forward, pleading bitterly with the enraged Wang Qi.

"Mr. Wang, I'm just a nobody running errands. I really don't dare to offend our distinguished guests. How could I possibly be qualified to verify the qualifications of the Qin family of Jiangnan? You're really putting me in a difficult position."

"The Qin family of Jiangnan?!"

Wang Qi felt as if struck by lightning. The rage and unrestrained smile on his face instantly froze, his pupils suddenly contracted, his face filled with disbelief, and he cried out in shock.

The boss nodded solemnly, his tone filled with utmost respect and flattery, and turned to look at Qin Zheng in the VIP section.

"That's right, the man before you is Qin Jianjun, the eldest son of the Qin family in Jiangnan, and the one seated in the VIP section is none other than the Qin family patriarch!"

hum~

Wang Qi's mind went blank for a moment, his hands and feet went numb, and all his strength seemed to have been drained away.

He instinctively staggered back two steps, his body swaying, almost falling to the ground in front of everyone. All the arrogance and ferocity on his face vanished, leaving only deep fear and apprehension.

"How could it be the Qin family of Jiangnan... how could it possibly be them..."

He muttered to himself, his voice trembling and weak, filled with disbelief.

Being among the top of the rich list, he was more aware than anyone of the terrifying momentum the Qin family of Jiangnan had recently been in.

He overwhelmed the local aristocratic families of Jiangnan, confronted the ancient Yuan family head-on, and publicly crushed the direct descendants of the Yuan family, ultimately forcing the Yuan family to swallow their anger and not daring to retaliate in the slightest.

He then openly challenged the Xie family, showing no regard for the top-tier aristocratic Xie family, displaying arrogance and overbearing behavior.

Its popularity reached its peak, sweeping through the elite circles of the wealthy.

When bigwigs in the industry talk about the Qin family of Jiangnan, they are all filled with fear and trepidation.

Even the Yuan family, with its trillion-dollar foundation, could only passively suffer a setback, which is enough to prove the Qin family's strength.

They are probably far more terrifying than the Yuan family!

Wang Qi, with a mere trillion-dollar fortune, is as insignificant as an ant in the face of truly top-tier families; the two are simply incomparable.

Previously, he had been convinced that Qin Jianjun was an ignorant and arrogant outsider from another province, a young and impetuous nobody who was blindly pretentious.

Recalling Qin Jianjun's words, "The difference between you and me is like the difference between an ant and the blue sky," he felt a burning pain on his face, and endless shame and embarrassment swept over his entire body.

It turns out the other party was never boasting or exaggerating; every word they said was the truth. It was my own narrow-mindedness and limited perspective that led to my humiliation.

The jeers and laughter from the audience came to an abrupt halt at that moment.

The mocking expressions on the faces of all the middle and upper-class tycoons froze, replaced by extreme shock and horror. They stared wide-eyed at Qin Jianjun, their jaws dropping in utter astonishment.

Only the billionaires at the bottom remained completely bewildered and confused.

How did a perfectly dominant match suddenly turn into a complete reversal?

How did this out-of-town kid, who was just being bullied a moment ago, suddenly become someone with an incredibly powerful background?

In the crowd, a young tycoon couldn't help but whisper a question in confusion:

"The Qin family of Jiangnan? I've never heard of them. Are they that powerful? Can they be even more influential than a big shot like President Wang from Beijing?"

Mr. Liu, a wealthy businessman with assets of six or seven hundred billion and a long history in high society, first cast a disdainful glance at the man, looking down on his shallow perspective. Then, his expression turned serious, and he explained in a deep voice:

"It's more than just impressive! Tonight, everyone here, purely in terms of wealth, apart from the ancient aristocratic family like the Cui family and the four great families of the capital sitting in the private room on the second floor, anyone else who dares to compare their wealth with the Qin family is just asking for trouble and courting death."

The young, wealthy man, looking bewildered, continued to press for answers:

"That's outrageous! Does that mean the Qin family must have a net worth of trillions?"

"Trillions? That's naive."

Mr. Liu shook his head fiercely, his eyes filled with undisguised awe, his voice low but clearly carried to the surrounding crowd.

"The Yuan family's foundation has long surpassed the ten trillion level, reaching the threshold of an ancient aristocratic family. Yet, the Yuan family was publicly humiliated by the Qin family, and didn't dare utter a single harsh word from beginning to end!"

"This shows that the Qin family of Jiangnan's overall wealth and resources are at least ten trillion, and may even far exceed those of the Yuan family!"

boom!

This statement completely ignited the entire audience, causing countless wealthy individuals from the lower classes to gasp in shock.

"Ten trillion? My God! That's already the threshold for ancient aristocratic families!"

"No wonder they dare to be so arrogant in Beijing; they have an absolute financial backing! This isn't some nouveau riche; it's a true top-tier wealthy family!"

"So, the 100 billion bid just now was really just pocket change for the Qin family?"

"This is terrifying! Such a colossal figure is hidden in Jiangnan! Could the Qin family also be an ancient clan with a thousand-year history?"

"I think so, but I don't know if the Qin family has reached the level of the Wang, Bai, and Li families."

Someone whispered their speculation, but before they could finish speaking, they were immediately interrupted sternly by the old man next to them.

"Watch your words! The Wang, Bai, and Li families are the pinnacle of the Dragon Kingdom; how dare you speak of them so casually? Are you out of your mind?"

The man immediately fell silent and quickly composed himself.

The old man glanced cautiously in the direction of the top-tier private room on the second floor, and slowly began to explain.

"No matter how strong the Qin family's foundation is, they can only be classified as a newly emerging top-tier aristocratic family at present, at most comparable to mid-level medieval families like the Cui, Zheng, and Kong families. They simply cannot compare with the Wang, Bai, and Li families."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and no one objected.

Anyone present who understood the intricacies of social circles knew that these three families possessed formidable resources that no newly emerging powerful family could easily challenge.

The Wang and Bai families have a history of over two thousand years, spanning generations. Their heritage has been accumulated over thousands of years, with high-ranking officials, famous scholars, powerful figures, and heroes throughout the dynasties. Their foundation is deeply rooted. Who can compare to such a family?

The Li family is the most transcendent and terrifying of the three.

Just an ancestor's name:

Emperor Taizong of Tang.

That alone would be enough to crush all the powerful families in the world.

Seeing this, General Manager Liu looked at the group of bewildered juniors and solemnly explained:

Do you know the three most powerful emperors in history, universally acknowledged as the greatest?

Before anyone could respond, he spoke slowly and deliberately, with a respectful tone.

"The order is: first dragon, second phoenix, third pig."

"This corresponds to Qin Shi Huang, who unified the six kingdoms and laid the foundation for Chinese civilization; Emperor Taizong of Tang, who ushered in the prosperous Zhenguan era and attracted tribute from all nations; and Emperor Wu of Han, who swept away the Xiongnu and expanded the territory!"

"And the Li family of Shangjing today is a family descended from Emperor Taizong of Tang!"

"In terms of wealth, it is said that the Li family has exceeded 50 trillion, while other middle-class families only have a foundation of 20 trillion."

"And that's not even counting the connections built up over generations."

"Now you should understand just how terrifying the Li family is, right?"

Before anyone could react, Mr. Liu finished speaking in one breath.

"The Wang and Bai families, both of the same level, have no imperial ancestors, yet they can be ranked alongside them. How powerful must they be!"

"Does the Qin family, with its mere ten trillion yuan in assets, even dare to try and extort money from such a prestigious family? Even adding another ten trillion yuan to their wealth wouldn't be enough!"

(Li Shimin wrote "Ode to the Majestic Phoenix" comparing himself to a phoenix, and since he ranked second among the phoenixes, he was referred to as the Second Phoenix:)

Liu Che was originally named Liu Zhi, with "zhi" meaning pig in ancient times, hence the nickname "Three Pigs" for Liu Che.

(I'm currently working hard on writing, and the missed chapters will be completed by midnight. Readers don't need to wait; you can see them when you wake up tomorrow morning.)

(Also, thank you to the Ten Kings of Hell at Guanyin Cave for the king of gifts!)

(Finally, I'm begging for free updates!)