Chapter 476 — Matters of the Auction

Wei Zhao took the catalogue from Lai the Fatso's hands and began flipping through it casually.

"An auction?" Wei Zhao glanced at it and saw that this was a catalogue introducing an auction, and that the venue was Yanjing City.

"That's right!" Lai the Fatso nodded. "But this auction is no ordinary auction! It's a grand, top-tier auction that every great clan attends, held once a year!"

"Oh?" Wei Zhao was rather taken aback. He had not realized that this auction was so influential, and the fact that Lai the Fatso had managed to obtain a catalogue for it clearly showed he had considerable pull as well.

"Mr. Lai is right. I know of this auction; they send me an invitation every year, but I have never once attended," Guan Xuewen said, then gave a somewhat self-mocking smile.

With Guan Xuewen's present standing, he was exactly the sort the great clans fawned over — the usefulness of a divine physician far surpassed that of a business partner out for mutual profit. What good was money once your life was gone?

So to show how much the various clans valued Guan Xuewen, they sent him an invitation every year, and more than one at that. But Guan Xuewen had always been a man of integrity, and he never charged exorbitant consultation fees, so naturally he had no interest in attending any auction.

"This time, Professor Guan, you simply must go!" Lai the Fatso said with a laugh. "Had I known you had so many invitations here, and that you could bring guests along, I wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to get my hands on one!"

"Heh..." Wei Zhao chuckled. So Lai the Fatso had gotten hold of an invitation meaning to show it off, only to discover that Guan Xuewen had several of them — which instantly killed any desire he had to boast.

"At this auction, everything on the block is some rare treasure or other; only the financial might of the great clans could command the funds to bid on such things!" Lai the Fatso said. "Of course, besides the established old-money clans, a few rising enterprises get invited as well — and those people have plenty of potential too."

"You mean we should choose this auction to sell the life-extending detox pill?" Wei Zhao had more or less grasped Lai the Fatso's intent.

"Exactly. Everyone attending this auction is wealthy without exception. So long as they're willing to chase after it, our company's product will sell out no matter what!" Lai the Fatso said.

"Fine. You decide, then." Wei Zhao nodded — since he had already put Lai the Fatso in charge, if he said it would work, it would work.

"Working under the boss is the best!" Hearing that Wei Zhao would not interfere in the slightest, Lai the Fatso was so overjoyed he nearly burst into tears again, and only just managed to hold it in at the last moment. "Boss, I've booked three tickets for tonight. We'll set off for the airport shortly and fly to Yanjing."

"So soon?" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback. "Doesn't the catalogue say the auction doesn't begin until three days from now?"

"That's the date of the auction itself. If we were only going to buy, of course there'd be no problem — a day or two later wouldn't matter," Lai the Fatso said. "But we intend to sell at the auction too, so we have to set out early — items have to be submitted for review in advance."

"I see." Wei Zhao nodded and left everything entirely to Lai the Fatso's arrangements.

Lin Yi sent a message each to Gu Pengzhan and the eldest young miss, saying he had business to attend to and would be away for a few days. Gu Pengzhan naturally said nothing about it, but Gu Mengyao replied coolly, "Mind your station — don't go philandering."

"Heh..." Lin Yi shook his head at Gu Mengyao's text, then called Tang Zhi. To his regret, Tang Zhi's phone was still switched off.

Wei Zhao could only send Tang Zhi a text, explaining that there was nothing between him and Feng Xiaoxiao, and that he had to hurry to Yanjing City for an auction and would bring her back a gift.

Meanwhile, at the home of Divine Physician Kang.

Divine Physician Kang had of course received an invitation to the auction as well. Though the Kang family could not even be counted among the lowest of the great clans now, among enterprises it was a leading dragon, so the auction naturally had a place for the Kang family.

Moreover, every year the Kang family also had to put up a few items for auction.

"Why has this year's auction been moved up?" Divine Physician Kang studied the invitation in his hand with some puzzlement.

"Indeed, Father. It's always been in August every year. Who knows what madness has gotten into the Yu family this year..." Kang Guifeng nodded, equally baffled.

"Quiet!" Divine Physician Kang glared at Kang Guifeng. "Is the Yu family's business yours to gossip about as you please?"

"It's not as if there's any outsider here..." Kang Guifeng knew he had spoken out of turn, but he still put up a word of protest.

"No outsider? If there were an outsider, we'd be finished! You'd be dragging our Kang family into eternal ruin!" Divine Physician Kang gave a cold snort. "Don't even think about such things from now on. We are at the critical stage of our family's advancement to a great house — do not stir up trouble! Right now it is only the two of us, but once you get used to saying it, what happens when you let it slip the moment we step outside? Would that not ruin everything?"

"Yes, Father! I was wrong!" Kang Guifeng hastened to apologize.

"No matter why the Yu family has moved this auction earlier, our Kang family must still attend!" Divine Physician Kang snorted. "This time I shall go with you and Zhaolong to Yanjing as well. First we go to the Xiao family to propose the marriage, and then we attend the auction!"

"Yes, Father!" Kang Guifeng nodded. "Shall we prepare the goods for this year's auction by the same standard as in previous years?"

"Yes, but prepare one extra share to give the Xiao family as betrothal gifts!" said Divine Physician Kang. "Get it ready as quickly as possible — we set out today or tomorrow!"

"Rest assured, Father!" Kang Guifeng answered with a nod.

Divine Physician Kang was still fairly confident in Kang Guifeng; this elder son went about things far more reliably than the younger one. He hoped that this trip to Yanjing would not only win the Xiao family's support, but also bring in a fat profit from the auction!

Every year the Kang family prepared several portions of specially made wound medicine for the trade fair. Coveted by every great house, it invariably fetched astronomical prices — and it was one of the Kang family's yearly sources of income.

But the so-called specially made wound medicine was in fact ordinary wound medicine that had not been diluted, except that certain of its ingredients came from older, longer-aged medicinal herbs, giving it a somewhat better efficacy.

In this way it naturally differed from the wound medicine sold on the market, and such fine goods were naturally sought after by the wealthy. Divine Physician Kang had, on the strength of it, built up no small reputation.