“Is this really a good idea?”
Lord Rond crossed his arms, a displeased expression on his face.
Riley and I were at the Riley Auction House. Princess Miliora was at the palace.
We were concealed in cloaks, blending in well with the atmosphere as among the nobles and their representatives at the auction were not just those wearing cloaks, but masks as well.
Presumably, the large sums of money being exchanged made them reluctant to reveal their identities.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
At my nonchalant response, Lord Rond let out an uncomfortable groan.
I suddenly turned to look at him, wondering why such a burly man was so anxious.
“There’s no danger in here. Even if something does happen, you can simply leave me be.”
At this, Lord Rond’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“You think I’m reluctant to escort you? This is about whether this method can truly aid Princess Miliora.”
Lord Rond was genuinely concerned for Princess Miliora. Why he was worried about a master who didn’t even acknowledge him was beyond me.
I wanted to avoid pacifying such a bear of a man, but spoke kindly nonetheless.
“My lord, I wish for Princess Miliora to live more comfortably. I’m doing my best for that now and will continue to do so.”
“….”
Lord Rond said nothing. He seemed to decide to observe me for now.
I wanted to get something to eat from the refreshment table, but two members of Princess Miliora’s tea party were gossiping there, so I pulled my hood closer and headed for the bidding seats.
Soon the music signaling the start of the auction began, and the bidders took their designated seats.
The auctioneer spoke.
“Before today’s main auction, we’ll start with a special charity auction. The item is a ring box from Miliora, the Third Princess of the Empire, containing twenty genuine gemstone rings. All proceeds will go to charity.”
The auctioneer struck his wooden gavel.
“Starting with the first, a garnet ring shaped like a rose. We’ll start the bidding at ten thousand gold, in increments of five hundred gold. Ten thousand gold, bidder 61! Do I hear ten thousand five hundred? Bidder 37….”
I made my way towards Tar Ganji, a journalist who was being monitored by the auction security from behind the bidding seats.
The Riley Auction was originally private, but I convinced the organizers to allow coverage up to the special auction, given that royal participation would be a significant talking point.
The condition was that the journalist would leave immediately after the special auction.
“You’ll have to write a good article since I’ll personally handle and inform you about the donations, okay?”
“Charity and relief are always popular topics.”
I smiled warmly at the journalist before returning to my seat.
The auctioneer yelled.
“The third item from Princess Miliora’s treasured ring box is a top-grade emerald ring. Starting bid is ten thousand gold, in increments of five hundred gold. Ten thousand gold, bidder 12….”
It was the ring I had stolen. Seeing the very item for which I had suffered so much being openly auctioned off in front of me felt surreal.
Several people simultaneously raised their paddles.
The auctioneer proceeded quickly.
“Bidder 37, eighteen thousand five hundred gold, bidder 17, nineteen thousand gold. Bidder 37, do you want to try again? Bidder 17 at nineteen thousand once, nineteen thousand twice, nineteen thousand thrice. The emerald ring goes to bidder 17 for nineteen thousand gold. Next is….”
The person who raised paddle number 17 and paid for the emerald ring was Duke Rocard Kaidel. He too was concealed in a cloak.
He returned to the bidding seats, casting a distant glance at Lorisha’s back.
After the story of the stolen princess’s ring had been published, liquidating the rings could have been seen as a venting of grievances.
However, if the money were used effectively for charity, it could even change the princess’s tarnished image.
And there was no place more suitable for that than the Riley Auction.
Lorisha had finally begun working as a maid, scheming such affairs.
Duke Rocard turned away, a smirk on his face, making sure not to catch her eye.
As he sat in the auction seat, Greyen, also dressed in a cloak, sitting beside him, was irritated.
“What’s with Miliora’s ring?”
“It’s mine now. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“I can’t understand what goes on in your head.”
Greyen snatched away his bidding number.
“When is the ‘Red Tear’ going up?”
“It’s the first item in the main auction. Wouldn’t it be better if I bid?”
“It’s my money.”
Duke Rocard shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms.
Watching the ongoing ring auction, Greyen spoke.
“Shouldn’t the most expensive items go last?”
“Few people can afford that gem. But after watching such a high-priced deal, others might think, ‘That amount is nothing compared to this.'”
Greyen looked at Duke Rocard, thinking his logic was intriguing and clever.
Duke Rocard always seemed to effortlessly understand a world that Greyen couldn’t fully grasp.
“What about the rest of the preparations?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
