Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve – Auction.

Kang Cai the patriarch of the Kang clan was furious. He all but growled at his butler, “there has been no invitation to the Bai clan’s banquet?”

The butler trembled at tone of his master but dutifully replied, “no lord. The only invitation today has come from a Doctor Zheng. She has apparently invited the Chen, Xu, Duan, and Zhao clans to an auction two days from now.

Kang Cai scoffed, “another doctor trying to use the second-tier wealthy clans to step into Temple Gorge society. The Kang Clan has been established for twenty years in Temple Gorge and we cannot even be invited to the Bai banquet. What qualifications does the Doctor Zheng have to invite us to her auction.”

The butler had been saving his news from this morning to cheer the Patriarch up and slipped it in now to please him, “I took the liberty of having some men watch her. She is reportedly a doctor of uncommon skill. She has been offering her services for free to workers on the docks and she uses a profound acupuncture technique unknow to Temple Gorge. The dock workers claim that the technique is heaven defying. Of course, the reports of peasants cannot be taken seriously but there does seem to be some skill to the woman.”

As the butler was speaking a servant burst into the room and panted out, “Doctor Zheng she just gave a pill away for free to a peasant boy. She claimed it was a hundred percent efficacy qi gathering pill. The boy broke through to the first level of qi condensation right there on the dock.”

Kang Cai rose to his feet in shock, “that is impossible. What is her own cultivation? Only those from the capital have access to qi gathering pills of such quality.”

The butler also flustered replied, “I was just about to report she seems to be at the sixth level of Qi condensation.”

Kang Cai began to smile, “if she wishes to use us to elevate her status in the city then she has chosen her guests well. The Bai clan controls the medical pill industry in the city and would not welcome the competition. With that cultivation she must be from the capital. Send a reply that the Kangs will attend her auction.”

Another person burst into the room in fury. This time it was Kang Cai’s son Kang Gang. He was covered in dirt and shouted, “father I saw that blond woman from Rockcreek in the city. She had the audacity to force me to kneel to her in the streets, again. We must kill her.”

Kang Cai’s mood plummeted at the information, “what was her cultivation?”

Kang Gang looked abashed, “I did not pay close attention, but it seemed to be at least at the third level of Qi condensation.”

Kang Cai fumed, “and why would you who is barly at the first level of qi condensation recklessly challenge her in the streets.”

Kang Gang was pale but still defended himself, “it was matter of family honour. She was disrespecting the Kang clan to everyone who would listen. After she made me kneel, she even challenged me to a life and death match a week from now.”

Kang Cai wanted to kill this incompetent son, “when we sent those men to deal with her you said she was only a level on qi condensation cultivator. Now you have forced us to accept a challenge from a third level qi condensation cultivator. If we avoided the duel now the whole city would know about it. We would have no face left.”

Kang Gang blanched, “but there is no way I can defeat someone of her cultivation.”

Kang Cai smirked, “luckily, we have just been invited to an auction where some qi gathering pills are likely to be sold. If we have enough of those we can train you to the third level in no time.”

Two days later the mysterious doctor’s auction had attracted a buzz around the city. Zheng ling and Long Yanlin had executed their part of the marketing well. The fact that the invitation had only gone out to some middling families in the city did not attract ire but rather admiration as inviting any family of higher status would have offended the Bai Clan.

Xiulan had set up the reception room of the house they had rented as auction room. In the centre of the room was a pedestal with three separate pill bottles under a silk sheet.

One by one the Patriarchs of the invited clans arrived. Last to arrive was Kang Cai. He arrogantly sat in the central position of the room when everybody else was still playing the delicate social game of working out the relative status of those in attendance and where that placed them in the seating order.

Kang Cai boomed out mockingly, “old friend Zhao why don’t you sit next to me? After all, as colleges in the same business we have much to discuss.”

Patriarch Zhao with a far more gracious appearance took the offered seat, “The Kang clan is well known for their giving nature.” He said this with a tone of mockery but before Kang Cai could retaliate, Zheng Ling walked into the room and close to the pedestal.

Zheng Ling looked like the perfect fairy doctor. She was wearing a deep blue dress to highlight her long red hair and also a jade pendant around her neck. Zheng Ling clapped to draw the room to order.

“Fine gentlemen,” she began, “I am not a business minded woman but a doctor instead. I hope you will forgive me then for my methods in this auction being a bit rude and direct.”

Zheng Ling pulled off the silk covering and exposed the three pill bottles, “I have here three bottles of one hundred percent efficiency qi gathering pills. I will auction each bottle separately. As for the efficacy of the pills I am sure that as astute men you all will have heard about the display on the docks earlier this week. I will now start the bidding for the first bottle.”

Kang Cai opened the bidding, “two thousand gold coins.”

Patriarch Xu sneered, “Surly Patriarch Kang is too stingy. Four thousand gold coins.”

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Patriarch Xu was merely making an excuse to raise the price as all there well understood that as the family with the most status the first bottle should be allowed to go to the Kangs.

Kang Cai waved his hand dismissively, “five thousand.”

The price was low but nobody tried to outbid Kang Cai for this first bottle. Not even Patriarch Zhao.

Zheng Ling frowned at the low price but after an appropriate pause gave the bottle to Kang Cai. When everyone thought Kang Cai would have his men bring forward the gold he said, “might as well wait to the end of the auction to settle up.”

The other Patriarchs were shocked. Patriarch Zhao spat out, “Old Kang you mean to say that you will fight with us for these two bottles as well.”

Kang Cai feigned ignorance, “why not? There is no rule to say that I cannot buy more if I have money.”

Patriarch Zhao leaned forward, “very good old Kang you know how to aggravate your business associates. Seven thousand for the second bottle.”

Kang Cai returned, “Ten thousand.”

Patriarch Daun tried his luck throwing out, “twelve thousand.”

Kang Cai said, “enough fifteen thousand.”

Gritting their teeth, the other men hoped that two was enough for Kang Cai and let him have the second bottle as well.

Zheng Ling smiled at the high price and handed the second bottle to Kang Cai.

Bitterly Patriarch Zhao said, “I hope that you do not intend to cheat the kind fairy Zheng Kang Cai by take the pills and then not paying.”

Patriarch Kang scoffed and then gestured his men forward. They carried forward a few chests and then opened them to reveal forty thousand gold coins.

“If none of you time wasters can go above twenty thousand gold coins for the last bottle then we should stop taking up fairy Zheng’s time.” Said Kang Cai with a smirk.

Patriarch Zhao breath out, “will fairy Zheng that sounded like a bid of twenty thousand to me.”

Kang Cai laughed and said, “of course twenty thousand for the last bottle sounds fair.”

Zheng Ling bowed to the assembled company thank you for your patronage. I will be opening up a practice in Temple Gorge and I hope that if the need arises you will consider me in future.

Kang Cai took his three bottles and left after bowing in return. The others shuffled out more slowly with Patriarch Zhao waiting until last. He glanced at the curtain Xiulan had been hiding behind and was not surprised when the petite woman slipped out from her hiding space.

Xiulan bowed and offered a bottle of pills to Patriarch Zhao, “I congratulate Patriarch Zhao for your great victory today.”

Patriarch Zhao took the bottle and sniffed it suspiciously. After confirming that the contents were the same as what Kang Cai received, he was perplexed, “you are just giving me these precious pills?”

Xiulan smiled, “In a few days they will not be so precious as they are today. At that time, I would like to speak with Patriarch Zhao about possible cooperation. An observant man like you could make a lot of money. The pills are a thank you for playing along with us after you released the auction was a trap. Your cultivation is very astute to pick up my presence.”

Patriarch Zhao waved this away, “the clans you invited already made me suspicious from the start. Kang Cai is a fool.”

Xiulan laughed, “but now a poorer fool.”

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