【The Empire of the Divine Eagle】(Volume 4, Page 95)

Chapter 95 Forced Sale

Two stories unfold, each telling its own tale.

After Wu Tianjiao and the Sword Queen's nighttime raid on Xuantian Temple, they returned to the Xinglong

Inn . The four rested briefly, had breakfast, and then set off again. However, their journey now included a new member: the young master Lin

Ao.

To avoid attracting attention, Dao Ji and Jian Ji disguised themselves as men, making all five of them

handsome men, dashing and charming, their figures as beautiful as jade and their horses as swift as dragons, envied by countless northern girls along the way.

Lin Ao was not only charming and witty, but also extremely knowledgeable about where to eat and lodging,

ensuring a comfortable journey for all.

Only the Sword Queen and the two maidens felt a sense of unease, as if Lin Ao had taken a share of Wu Tianjiao's charm,

leaving them somewhat resentful. Along the way, Lin Ao and Wu Tianjiao talked most, leaving them no chance to join in,

only able to listen to their laughter and conversation. Fortunately, they were completely obedient to Wu Tianjiao and didn't cause

any jealousy or resentment.

The five riders traveled through mountains and rivers, passing through Shihu, Xuanling, Bizhou, Ruizhen, and finally arriving at Yizhou City in

the evening They stayed at an inn called Kaoshanlou.

Over the past eight or nine days, they had traveled and stayed together, and the five had gradually developed a deep bond, becoming inseparable. Yizhou City was a turning point for

them ; they would part ways the next day, and it was inevitable that they would feel reluctant to leave.

Kaoshanlou served authentic Yizhou cuisine. As dusk fell, the upstairs was already about 80% full. As soon as the five of them came upstairs

, the waiter was already standing at the top of the stairs, gesturing repeatedly, "Please, gentlemen, sit here."

The waiter led them to an empty table. Lin Ao ordered the food and drinks, and after the waiter left,

the food and drinks were brought over shortly.

Sword Queen reached for the wine pot, intending to pour wine for Wu Tianjiao and the others, but Lin Ao quickly reached out and placed one hand on

the back of Sword Queen's hand, saying, "Tonight, I, your humble brother, am hosting, so it is my turn to pour wine for you two virtuous brothers."

Sword Queen felt his soft hand on the back of her hand, and although she knew the other person was a woman, she quickly withdrew her hand.

Lin Ao exclaimed "Eh!" and looked at Sword Queen, saying, "Second brother, your hands are very cold. Are you perhaps not wearing enough clothes?"

Sword Queen smiled slightly and said, "In such hot weather, wouldn't wearing too many clothes kill me?"

Lin Ao nodded and said, "I see that your face is a little pale, and your body is too thin!" After pouring five cups of wine

, he raised his cup and said, "We brothers have traveled together, but we will part ways tomorrow. This is called 'parting too often and not gathering enough.' Tonight is

the eve of our farewell, and tomorrow we will be worlds apart. I, your humble brother, want to drink a few more cups with my four virtuous brothers. Let's start with this one." After saying that, he drank it

all in one gulp .

Wu Tianjiao, the Sword Queen, and the two beauties drank a cup with him.

Lin Ao held the wine pot in one hand and poured wine for everyone, saying, "Second brother can't drink, so drink slowly.

Third brother , we brothers should drink a few more cups." He then raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Wu Tianjiao naturally toasted him again, saying, "Brother Lin, drink a little slower."

Lin Ao downed two cups, his cheeks flushed, his starry eyes shining like autumn water. He smiled and said, "We hit it

off immediately, brothers as friends. As the ancients said, '

A thousand cups are too few when drinking with a bosom friend.' You, Third Brother Wu, are my number one bosom friend in life. A thousand cups are still not enough for a bosom friend!" Then, behind the sword, he laughed, "Second Brother is also my bosom friend, but I'm

the second best. I think Second Brother also considers me his second best friend. Your number one bosom friend is naturally

Third Brother . I just wonder, in Third Brother Wu's heart, who do you consider second?"

The sword-wielder blushed at his words and said, "In Third Brother's heart, I naturally consider Brother Lin first,

because you are the eldest of the three of us. I am only the second brother."

Wu Tianjiao laughed, "Since we are brothers, the only difference is age. Why distinguish between first and second?"

"Well said." Lin Ao raised his cup and said, "Third Brother Wu, you said it yourself, we are all in this together, three

hearts united , inseparable. You must remember that. Come, Second Brother, you must drink this cup too."

The Sword Queen had no choice but to drink with the two of them. Since the Sword and Saber Twins were maids, they could only sit and keep them company.

The dishes were served one after another, and Lin Ao and Wu Tianjiao drank several more cups. Everyone was a little tipsy before they went

downstairs .

Seeing that Lin Ao was so drunk that he was staggering, Wu Tianjiao supported him by the arm.

Lin Ao grasped Wu Tianjiao's hand and said, "Third Brother, you don't need to support me, I'm not drunk."

Saying he wasn't drunk, he almost fell over.

Wu Tianjiao secretly found it amusing. You're clearly drunk, but you say you're not. However, he didn't say it out loud. He only felt her

holding his hand tightly. Those hands were warm and jade-like, truly the delicate hands of a young lady.

Back at the back, Wu Tianjiao helped Lin Ao into his room and made him sit down, saying, "

Brother taken off your boots for you. Take a nap."

Lin Ao suddenly opened his eyes and smiled, "Third brother, I'm not so drunk that I'd fall asleep the moment I lay down.

Sitting while is fine. You... sit down too. We're parting ways tomorrow, so sit a little longer and chat with me."

The waiter, seeing the five young masters return, and still drunk, fawned over them, bringing over a pot of strong tea, saying

with a smile, "Please have some tea, gentlemen. A sip of strong tea will sober you up."

Dao Ji poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of Lin Ao, saying, "Young Master Lin, please have some tea first."

Lin Ao smiled at her and said, "Thank you!"

Wu Tianjiao and the others sat for a while, then got up to leave and went back to their rooms to rest.

The next morning, when Wu Tianjiao and the Sword Queen awoke, it was already broad daylight. As they opened the door, a waiter brought them

water to wash their faces, smiling obsequiously, "Young masters, Young Master Lin left before dawn."

Wu Tianjiao was startled and said, "She's already gone? Why so early?"

The waiter replied, "Young Master Lin instructed me not to disturb you four. He's already paid his bill."

As he spoke, the two sword maidens entered. The Sword Maiden said, "Young Master Lin has already left? Why didn't

he tell us?"

The waiter left, bringing the maidens more water to wash their faces. After washing and eating breakfast, the

four left the inn, riding out of the city.

As they rode, they talked. The Sword Maiden said, "Young masters, now it's just the four of us again. The other day, I

felt like Young Master Lin had taken a lot from you."

The Sword Queen laughed, "That's childish talk. Tianjiao is a perfectly fine person; how could Young Master Lin have taken so much from you?"

"I'm telling the truth!" Sword Maiden said earnestly, "Young Master Lin and Young Master were chatting and laughing so well that we

couldn't even get a word in edgewise."

Wu Tianjiao laughed, "It seems this 'Brother Lin' isn't a bad person. From beginning to end, she hasn't shown any malice towards

us ?"

Sword Queen said, "Don't jump to conclusions. You can't see into someone's heart. She took the initiative to approach us to become sworn brothers; who knows

what ? As the saying goes, 'You shouldn't have a heart to harm others, but you can't be without a heart to guard against others.' It's always

better for us to be careful!"

Knife Maiden laughed, "Aunt Feng is absolutely right. Putting aside everything else, just the fact that Lin Ao disguised himself as a man to approach Young Master is

suspicious and has ulterior motives. Young Master, you should be careful. Someone might sell you out, and you'd be counting the

money for them."

"Knife Maiden, what did you say? Do you think I'm that easily deceived?" Wu Tianjiao rolled his eyes.

"Are you itching for a good time? Want me to fuck you? Fine! Tonight I'll fuck you hard, so hard you won't be able to get out of bed

tomorrow morning !"

Seeing his increasingly explicit and inappropriate words, the three women rolled their eyes and feigned anger.

Without Lin Ao, Wu Tianjiao felt much less restrained and spoke without restraint. With three beautiful women accompanying him on the journey,

chatting and laughing, flirting and teasing, he alleviated much of his loneliness.

Three days later, Wu Tianjiao and his party arrived in Shangdu.

Shangdu was an ancient city, as old as Yizhou, having weathered thousands of years of vicissitudes.

Shangdu's city walls were not high, and there was no moat. It resembled a vast trading market, even more so than a city. Shangdu

was famous for two places: the Flying Eagle Auction House in the east and the Cloud Tower in the west

. The Flying Eagle Auction House needs no introduction. For millennia, the Dragon Continent has been rife with conflict.

While the Divine Eagle Empire has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity for the past century, this doesn't reflect the situation elsewhere.

Of the continent's three great empires, besides the Divine Eagle Empire, the Peacock Dynasty and the Asura Empire are ambitious and frequently wage

war. Caught in the middle, the Divine Eagle Empire is undoubtedly the first to bear the brunt. The three empires are constantly at odds, with

minor battles every three days and major wars every five. Strangely, their populations haven't decreased; in fact,

they've testament to humanity's remarkable reproductive capacity.

With years of warfare and constant friction, war inevitably results in a loser. Besides being killed,

a crucial escape route for the defeated is slavery, providing a reliable source of slaves for slave auction houses. The

Flying Eagle Auction House in Shangdu is one of the continent's three major slave auction houses. Due to the extremely open trade environment fostered by various merchant guilds

, the quality of slaves at these auction houses is typically very high.

As Wu Tianjiao, Jian Hou, and the two maids entered Shangdu, they were immediately

struck by the vibrant atmosphere of commerce. No wonder many merchants called it a paradise for traders.

The sweltering day had passed, but despite the heat, Wu Tianjiao and his group strolled leisurely along Shangdu's bustling

commercial streets. The prosperity here was indeed extraordinary; shops stretched like clouds to

the very end of the long street, their signs and banners displaying a dazzling array of designs.

The tall gates, impressive storefronts, and professional service captivated them. Wu

Tianjiao hadn't forgotten that he was now a wealthy man. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to go inside and enjoy the festivities, which

was a slight regret. Just as he was feeling annoyed, a gilded sign caught his eye—Sanbaozhai.

Without a second thought, he went inside, with Jian Hou and the others following behind.

As soon as they entered, two shop assistants came out to greet them. Before them stood a man and three women, all dressed in noble attire. The

three women, in particular, possessed an extraordinary air; though disguised as men, their stunning beauty was undeniable.

"What would you four young masters like to buy?" one of the quick-witted shop assistants asked respectfully.

"Antiques? Jade? Or jewelry?"

Antiques, jade, and jewelry represented the three main businesses of Sanbaozhai. Like Fugui Money Shop,

Sanbaozhai was one of the top merchants on the continent, a leader in its respective field, practically monopolizing

nearly 30% of the business. Therefore, both businesses raked in money daily. Running a money shop was a given, and antiques,

jade, and jewelry had always been profitable businesses; it was impossible for Sanbaozhai not to make a fortune.

Wu Tianjiao waved his hand and said, "We're here to sell things." Jian

Hou was taken aback, thinking, "What does he have to

sell ? I wonder if Sanbaozhai accepts demonic beast cores?"

But Wu Tianjiao's expression was as if he had Sanbaozhai completely under his control. Before the shop assistant could ask, he continued, "You probably

can't make the decision yourself . Please ask your shopkeeper!"

The shop assistant secretly weighed the situation. This group of people was dressed in bright clothes, and although they were unfamiliar, they might be

big customers. He couldn't afford to offend them. So, one of the shop assistants immediately went into the inner hall.

Soon, the shopkeeper came out. He was a shrewd-looking old man. Wu Tianjiao deliberately looked around, and the shopkeeper,

understanding, invited them to talk in the inner hall.

Once inside the small hall, Wu Tianjiao saw that the room was spacious enough, so he took out

the python . He had too much of these things; he was tired of eating snake meat.

The shopkeeper was about to have his waiter serve tea when he suddenly felt a blur before his eyes. He thought he was just seeing things, but

in a short while, a large pile of things appeared in front of him. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was raw meat and bundles

of scales.

The snake meat was stored in a cave within the Nine Dragons Jade Bracelet's space, where the temperature was extremely low, thus keeping it fresh. The shopkeeper

felt both annoyed and amused. Did this young man think Sanbaozhai was a butcher shop? However, seeing the young man's

confident demeanor, the old shopkeeper suppressed his anger and asked, "May I ask, young master, do you intend to sell these things to

Sanbaozhai?"

"That's right!" Seeing the shopkeeper's unfriendly expression, Wu Tianjiao confirmed his initial suspicion. He still spoke

unhurriedly , "I have a good relationship with Boss Jin of your shop, and therefore intend to sell these things to your shop!"

"You have a relationship with our boss? What proof do you have?" The shopkeeper had already labeled this group of people

as freeloaders straw, and he was prepared to report them to the authorities.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me." Wu Tianjiao pouted, pulled out a half-foot-long iron token from his pocket,

and handed it to the shopkeeper. This iron token was a pass for the Hualong Chamber of Commerce, one of the four major chambers of commerce in the capital, engraved with

a dragon pattern and the words "Hualong." This iron token was given to Wu Tianjiao by Jin Buhuan, the president of the Hualong Chamber of Commerce, when he saw him off from the capital.

The token was given to Wu Tianjiao, with the instruction that if he needed help, he could use it to seek assistance at any Hualong Trading Company on the mainland.

However, he hadn't expected Wu Tianjiao to use the token to force a sale with the Hualong Trading Company.

The shopkeeper carefully examined the authenticity of the iron token, and finally, his angry expression vanished, replaced by a beaming smile.

"Excuse me, it turns out you are all friends of the chairman. How much do you want for these goods?"

Wu Tianjiao, shameless and thick-skinned beyond compare, cleared his throat and said slowly, "

Scales are 10,000 gold coins per foot, snake meat is cheaper, 10 gold coins per pound. This is the lowest price."

The shopkeeper seemed used to such "big business," and didn't doubt Wu Tianjiao's words at all, immediately ordering the goods to

be weighed . Wu Tianjiao couldn't help but regret it, thinking, "If I had known it would be this easy, I would have raised the price

a bit!" Even so, he felt a little sorry for Jin Buhuan; the man had saved him, yet he

had wronged and deliberately ripped him off.

The snakeskin scales and snake meat in Wu Tianjiao's Nine Dragons Jade Bracelet space were piled high, and he had only taken out a portion.

The scales measured 279 feet, and the snake meat 36,000 catties, totaling 3.15 million gold coins.

The shopkeeper clearly hadn't expected to pay so much; he had thought it would be at most 2 million gold coins, but it turned out to be

over 3 million—an astronomical sum. Fortunately, 3 million gold coins was nothing to Sanbaozhai,

and the shopkeeper readily paid the full 3.15 million gold coins in gold notes from Fugui Money House. Only then did Wu Tianjiao

leave . He thought he had struck it rich, but little did he know that two hours later, the manager of Sanbaozhai was loudly proclaiming,

"We've struck it rich!"

It turned out that as soon as Wu Tianjiao left, the manager immediately ordered his employees to send all the snake meat to the famous Yunxiao Tower in the capital. He originally

planned to sell it all at a loss, but to his surprise, as soon as the goods arrived at Yunxiao Tower, the manager, before

the employees speak, said, "Fifty gold coins per pound, send as much as you have."

This single deal netted Sanbaozhai over a million gold coins. Afterwards, he tried having someone make

a suit of armor from the snake scales and took it to the auction house at Yunxiao Tower for appraisal. Within half an hour, it was bought for 100,000 gold coins.

Afterwards, several more people came to Sanbaozhai to inquire about custom-made pieces. The manager was overjoyed; he now admired his

boss to the extreme. Little did he know that Jin Buhuan's initial intention in befriending Wu Tianjiao was not this; it

was all an unintended consequence.

With money in hand, Wu Tianjiao and his companions naturally indulged in a lavish spending spree. The four of them bought everything from head to toe, spending

tens of thousands of gold coins – and that was only because none of them intended to haggle; otherwise, they wouldn't have spent so much

. Wu Tianjiao was now a complete nouveau riche; his only worry was where to spend his money, not how much he had. This reminded him of when

he first arrived in the capital four years ago, with only one gold coin, which was then swindled away by the coachman. Life was truly

like a dream! He laughed heartily and led the Sword Queen and the Twin Swordswomen to the Cloud Tower.

Located in the west of the city, the Cloud Tower was a complex combining dining, brothels, and auction houses. It occupied a vast area,

with the main building forming a ring, three stories high, and a large central courtyard. The architecture was antique and elegant.

The Cloud Tower was divided into east and west sections. The east section housed brothels and taverns, gathering beauties from all races of the continent,

including the peerless courtesan Yan Ruyu. It was said that Yan Ruyu's singing could make an eighty-year-old man feel youthful again, make a child cheer

with joy, move a strong man to tears, and make a famous scholar sigh with admiration. Legend has it that Yan Ruyu was more beautiful than a celestial being. In the three years she had been stationed at the eastern entrance of Yunxiao Tower,

only a handful of people had actually seen her in person.

The western entrance was a restaurant where you could taste almost any dish on the continent; the only problem was that if you couldn't name it,

they could make it. However, Yunxiao Tower was a place where money was spent like water. Whether it was a brothel or a restaurant,

whether it was about food or sex, you shouldn't go in without a huge amount of gold coins in your pocket.

Fortunately, the capital was full of wealthy merchants, high-ranking officials, and nobles who were eager to

send gold coins to Yunxiao Tower every day. Spending money there not only provided unparalleled enjoyment but was also

seen as a symbol of status. To put it simply: choosing Yunxiao Tower as the negotiation venue made business much easier.

Wu Tianjiao led the three women swaggering into the western entrance of Yunxiao Tower, not stopping on the first floor but going straight to

the third floor . The layout of Yunxiao Tower is very elaborate. The first floor is usually for ordinary seats, the second floor for VIP seats, and the third floor for private rooms.

These are typically reserved for the wealthy, famous, and powerful. The waiters here have sharp eyes; they can distinguish

between true tycoons and nouveau riche.

Wu Tianjiao looked exactly like a nouveau riche, but the waiter didn't dare stop him, mainly because they

were all dressed in fine clothes, clearly indicating their wealth and status. The waiter had greeted and seen off countless

wealthy merchants , but few could compare to these four. Their extraordinary demeanor alone

forced him to swallow his words.

In an elegant private room near the inner courtyard, two waiters and a maid stood respectfully to one side.

The manager of the first floor, all smiles, asked, "What would you four gentlemen like to order?"

Wu Tianjiao was captivated by the lively auction atmosphere below the window and had no time to pay attention to him, so he waved his hand haphazardly and said,

"Just bring us twenty or thirty dishes."

The manager was stunned. Who would order dishes like that? Preparing twenty or thirty dishes would

be a piece of cake . However, the prices of these dishes were quite a concern, ranging from one gold coin to several hundred gold coins.

How should they be allocated? The manager was truly troubled, and he also wondered if the guests could

finish .

Fortunately, the understanding Sword Queen said at the right moment, "Bring a tea set first; we'd like to have some tea first. Prepare nine of

the finest dishes to start, and bring more if needed." Seeing that Wu Tianjiao had no objections, the manager bowed and left.

In the center of the courtyard of Yunxiao Tower, an auction house was bustling with people. As the price of the auctioned item

rose to 100,000 gold coins, cheers grew louder and louder, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wu Tianjiao, on the third floor, could see clearly that a set of dazzling blue

diamond jewelry . Several wealthy merchants, encouraged by their female companions, were bidding against each other. It was clear that the women accompanying these merchants did not appear to

be wives or concubines; they were likely courtesans from the Eastern Region. This showed that Yunxiao Tower was no ordinary establishment. A few courtesans

could easily sell an item for several times its original value with just a few words.

A waiter brought over an exquisite white porcelain tea set. Dao Ji first rinsed the tea set with warm water, then took out a tightly sealed tea bag from her

personal pouch and added a small pinch of jade-green tea leaves to the teapot.

She performed the process with elegance and tranquility, clearly a master of the art. Wu Tianjiao, seeing her brew tea for the first time,

averted his gaze from the courtyard and focused intently on Dao Ji's tea-making movements. In fact, everyone was captivated by the serenity she exuded while

brewing the tea , holding their breath in anticipation, afraid to disrupt the atmosphere.

The history of tea drinking on the mainland is less than a thousand years old, but since the advent of tea, this calming and contemplative beverage has become

increasingly popular. With the development of history, tea drinking gradually became a symbol of status.

What kind of tea someone drinks has become a customary etiquette in high society.

Ordinary people generally don't drink tea, nor can they afford it; the tea ceremony is valued only by the nobility in high society. Of course

, Yunxiao Tower frequently hosts various wealthy and noble individuals, and the staff naturally receive specialized tea ceremony training. They can

distinguish the quality of tea; they can tell at a glance whether it's good tea.

However, the two waiters and a maid standing in the private room were unfamiliar with the tea in Dao Ji's hands. But

it was certain that such a beautifully colored and fragrant tea was the finest of the finest.

The tea wasn't even brewed, yet its delicate fragrance already permeated the air. Not only had the waiters never seen anything like it, but even Wu Tianjiao was seeing it for the first time.

He had drunk plenty of tea in the capital and heard many discussions about the art of tea. However, he now knew that

the tea he had drunk before was probably just made from tree leaves.

Delicate teacups, as small as half a cherry, were served to each person, the pale tea still steaming. Wu

Tianjiao took a deep breath of the aroma floating on the rim of his cup, then drank the tea in one gulp. The feeling

was truly : gentle as morning dew, subtle as a balm, soaring as the morning sun, fish leaping and whales soaring. It felt as if the very essence of heaven and earth had been

absorbed into his body.

"Truly a masterpiece. It's a pity there's only one cup," Wu Tianjiao said, shaking his head.

Sword Maiden chuckled, "You'll never have to worry about not being able to taste it again. Just keep us sisters with you, and we

can brew tea for you every day." Sword Queen

chimed in, "Good things shouldn't be enjoyed all at once. One cup is enough to leave a lingering aftertaste.

This kind of tea is probably not easy to come by."

"Aunt Feng has a good eye," Knife Maiden smiled.

"May I ask, Miss, where can we buy this kind of tea?" a waiter suddenly asked. They had all realized that,

apart from Wu Tianjiao, the other three of the four young men before them were women in disguise. This waiter was quite business-minded; he

knew that if Cloud Pavilion had this tea, those high-ranking officials and nobles would compete to taste it no matter how much gold they spent.

"In a very far place," Knife Maiden smiled.

The waiter wisely stopped asking. He also knew that this kind of tea was definitely not produced in large quantities; it was likely privately

cultivated, or even wild. However, he still kept this in mind, intending to report it to

the manager later. Once Yunxiaolou sets their sights on something good, they'll go to great lengths to acquire it and turn it into

piles of gold coins. That's their secret to success.

After the tea set was cleared away, the dishes were quickly served. Before Wu Tianjiao could even pick up any food, his plate was already piled high with

it. The three women all simultaneously piled food onto his plate. Now, he felt not happiness, but

terror .

"So having too many women isn't good after all!" Wu Tianjiao sighed inwardly.

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