On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the sky was slightly cloudy, the wind was harsh, and it was cold. Occasional rays of sunshine would peek through the drifting clouds, but they brought no warmth.
Many shops on the streets had already opened, and the whole of Yanhuang city was still enveloped in the atmosphere of the New Year.
The streets weren't very crowded, and the carriage Chu Mo was riding moved quickly along the cobblestone roads.
Miao Yi Niang and Chu Yan were sitting across from Chu Mo. Observing Chu Mo looking out the carriage window, Miao Yi Niang couldn't help but laugh, "Do you think a carriage with windows is better?"
Chu Mo ca back to his senses, smiled, and said, "I suppose a carriage without windows also has its rits. Although I can't see outside, likewise... no one can see inside."
Miao Yi Niang gave a brief pause before laughing, "That's so twisted logic."
Chu Yan softly spoke from the side, "Did young master bring us to the auction to broaden our horizons?"
Chu Mo gave a wry smile, "I've never been to an auction before. Our family was always quite poor, so rely the words 'auction house' were enough to scare off. How could I dare to go sightseeing there? So, today is my first ti as well. I thought, since it's still the New Year, we could co out for so diversion."
Miao Yi Niang gave a gentle smile, "My young master has learned how to show concern for others."
Chu Yan blushed a bit, her eyes filled with curiosity as she looked at Chu Mo, "Weren't you raised in a general's house since childhood? How could it be poor?"
"Does belonging to a general's household necessarily an being wealthy?" Chu Mo responded with a question.
Chu Yan pondered for a mont, then said, "In my mind, even if a general's household isn't wealthy, it shouldn't be poor. But considering the houses in the compound, I do believe your words. But, why is that?"
Miao Yi Niang joined in, "Your master's grandfather was a very good person. Even though he was a general and his salary was not low, every year, apart from what was left after his household expenses, almost all of it... was secretly given to the families of soldiers who had sacrificed their lives on the battlefield."
"Ah, such a kind act, sha on ." Chu Yan's face portrayed a hint of shock.
Anyone can perform acts of kindness, but not many achieve the extent Senior General Fan did. No matter whether you know such a person or not, or even if you haven't t them, just hearing about their deeds will fill you with respect.
Chu Mo looked outside through the carriage window, occasionally sighting a few naughty children, their noses running from the cold, still frolicking around outside, setting off firecrackers.
Here it was peaceful, tranquil, stable, and joyful. This was his ho, the place he needed to protect!
This had nothing to do with the Emperor, nor anyone else.
It was purely Chu Mo's own commitnt at heart. A result of lessons from the Senior General since he was little.
The Wind and Cloud Auction House, the biggest auction house in Yanhuang City, was a two-story building over ten ters high.
The walls were made from big chunks of green stone, giving it an imposing yet ancient look; its roof was steep and ears gently raised, elegantly fine, manifesting an extraordinary aura.
Above the main entrance, a massive stone plaque displayed five characters in relief, "Wind and Cloud Auction House!"
The Wind and Cloud Auction House was said to have a history of over a thousand years, even predating the founding of the Great Xia. With hints of a sect in the background, it had stood firm all this ti, never wavering.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the auction house. By this ti, a great number of carriages had gathered. It was busy but not noisy, with many people concealing their faces with large bamboo hats. So wore black cloaks with hoods hiding their faces inside. So people even used masks or veils.
One could say, here, most people preferred to keep their real identities hidden.
Chu Mo observed this scene through the carriage window, sowhat dumbfounded, he said, "Seems like we are the only ones without any disguises..."
Miao Yi Niang took out two veils from her bosom and handed one to Chu Yan. She gave Chu Mo a charming smile; "Young master, it is your decision."
"..." Chu Mo was at a loss.
Only then did Miao Yi Niang take out a smiling face mask and hand it to Chu Mo, saying, "I knew you wouldn't consider this."
"Why do we need to do this?" Chu Mo was sowhat puzzled.
He was intelligent, even genius in so regards, but he was still a fourteen-year-old boy. Things he hadn't experienced, naturally he wouldn't have the corresponding wisdom.
Miao Yi Niang explained, "If you bid on an item here that soone else also desires, being an open target could cause a lot of trouble. If you conceal your identity, once you leave the auction house, who would know who you are?"
Chu Mo understood, "I see!"
As he spoke, he took the smiling face mask that Miao Yi Niang had prepared for him and muttered, "I had Xia Jing prepare a private room for . So, even if I wear a mask, my identity... wouldn't that still be no secret to Xia Jing?"
Miao Yi Niang nodded, "Should we just sit in the main hall then?"
Chu Mo considered, "That's fine too, we're not planning on buying anything anyway, so we can just sit in the main hall."
As he spoke, Chu Mo began to alter his physique according to the transformation technique the Demon Lord taught him.
Prior to entering the bone refining stage, it was sowhat challenging to alter his physique using this technique, but now, for Chu Mo, changing his physical features was almost effortless.
Within Chu Mo's body, a series of cracking sounds could be heard. Miao Yi Niang and Chu Yan both looked at Chu Mo with so confusion.
Only after they got down from the carriage did both won suddenly realize that Chu Mo's stature... was half a head taller than before, and his physique completely different from his slightly lean build. He seed like an entirely different person. Chu Mo now appeared more like a grown man.
With a little face mask on, from any angle, he gave off a sowhat sinister yet playful vibe.
Miao Yi Niang and Chu Yan were both stupefied. Their hearts trembled imnsely, but thankfully, neither of them asked anything imdiately.
In order to enter the Wind and Cloud Auction House, one must have an invitation. Without it, even if you were a prince, you'd be refused entry. The Wind and Cloud Auction House had a standard design for their invitations to protect their guests' privacy.
After showing their invitation, Chu Mo, followed by the two won, entered the auction house elegantly. As soon as they stepped in, a sense of empty vastness washed over them.
Where they stood, looking down, consisted of rows of seats, each equipped with a numbered plaque. If you wished to bid on sothing, raising the plaque would do the job.
The auction house's center was hollow, with a massive chandelier hanging down from the ceiling, illuminating the entire auction house. The entire second floor consisted of private rooms, twenty-one in total, divided into three levels of 'Heaven, Earth, and Man', with seven rooms in each level, a stomping ground for the city's VIPs all along.
This ti, Xia Jing had originally arranged room number seven in the 'Heaven' tier on the second floor for Chu Mo, but since he didn't want to reveal his identity, he didn't go up.
Chu Mo, along with the two won, casually chose a few seats in the corner at the highest point in the back.
After that, a large number of auction-goers began to file in.
Though the main hall with a capacity of over a thousand, quickly filled with more than five hundred occupants.
And yet... it wasn't closing ti yet.
Despite the cacophony in the whole hall, it wasn't chaotic. People huddled in pairs or groups of three, whispering among themselves. Many people were wearing masks or bamboo hats, but their bodies were emitting auras that were clearly different from those of ordinary people.
Chu Mo squinted slightly and quietly asked Miao Yi Niang at his side, "Are there usually many people from different sects at the auction house?" (To be continued. If you enjoy this book, please visit qidian to vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian to read.)
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