Chapter 132: You schemed against me

That evening, on the open ground at the center of Luan City, lights blazed and crowds surged.

Several long tables draped with brocade were neatly arranged, displaying countless boxes of various shapes.

Some were wood, some black iron cast, some even coarse pottery; materials varied, sizes differed, but they all shared one trait: tightly sealed, with no glimpse of the interior.

Under each box lay a paper with a clear price tag, free for anyone to pick.

The rule is simple and brutal: like it, pay, open the box on the spot.

Whether you unveil a world‑shaking treasure or lose your shirt depends entirely on your own eyesight and luck.

Whenever someone bought a secret box, a green‑clothed attendant would immediately come over and personally open the box:

"Western Regions cold‑iron box, 300 taels of silver!"

"Former dynasty nanmu box, 500 taels of silver!"

Exclamations and sighs rose and fell, weaving together a vivid tableau of life's vicissitudes.

"Hahaha! A hundred‑year blood ginseng! I've won!"

"Alas! I lost—it's just a lump of stubborn iron, not worth this much money!"

Xiao Ze and Xiao Er led Tuan Tuan, squeezing into the crowd.

Suddenly, Tuan Tuan's steps halted before an unremarkable wooden box; she pointed with her little hand and said, "I want this one."

Hardly had her words fallen when another well‑kept small hand, wearing a jade thumb ring, pressed onto that wooden box.

"I'll take this box."

Tuan Tuan lifted her head to see a young boy in cloud‑brocade splendid attire and a jade crown standing opposite her, seemingly out of nowhere.

He was about six or seven years old, with delicate features, a prominent red mole between his eyebrows, an arrogant gaze, and a burly guard following behind him.

How strange he is! He seems to have all kinds of aura swirling about him, a chaotic mess!

Tuan Tuan furrowed her brows, her little hand still not lowered: "I was the first to take a liking to it!"

The boy's tone was contemptuous: "You saw it first? Have you paid? Tianji Pavilion's rule: only when money and goods are settled does it count. Jiang Xin, pay up."

"Yes." Jiang Xin stepped forward at once.

"Wait." Xiao Er stepped in front of Jiang Xin, "My lord, do you not understand the principle of first come, first served?"

"First come, first served?" the boy scoffed, as if hearing a joke, curling his lip in disdain, glancing at the three before him with an air of inevitable triumph: "Nothing I set my sights on has ever escaped me—this box is mine."

"Do you have any sense of reason?" Xiao Er refused to budge.

Neither side would yield, drawing the attention of the surrounding crowd.

A green‑clothed attendant hurried over.

"Honored guests, are you both interested in the same secret box?"

The boy spoke first, pointing at Tuan Tuan and turning the tables: "I was the first to take a liking to it; this girl is just making a fuss and won't let go."

Tuan Tuan's cheeks puffed with anger: "You're talking nonsense! Clearly I was the first to take a liking to it!"

The attendant's gaze shifted between them, and he understood: "If so, by the rules you two may negotiate yourselves."

"If you fail to reach an agreement, the box will have to be withdrawn by the Pavilion and not sold for now."

Hearing that, the boy's eyes flared wide and he glared fiercely at Tuan Tuan.

"Where did this wild girl come from? How dare she compete with me?"

His eyes shifted, and a provocative cold smile appeared on his face.

"Since we both want it, what's the point of arguing with words?"

He lowered his head to glance at the box's price tag: 200 taels of silver.

He shouted loudly: "I bid 400 taels!"

He gave Tuan Tuan a sideways glance: "Do you have that much?"

Xiao Ze spoke coldly: "600 taels."

The boy's face showed surprise as he gave Xiao Ze a direct look.

"Though his attire is ordinary, his aura is extraordinary—his status is not ordinary; no wonder he can compete with me."

"Extraordinary aura? Can it surpass mine?"

He snorted: "1,000 taels!"

The attendant frowned: "Are you two negotiating?"

The boy gave him a sidelong glance: "What? Isn't Tianji Pavilion's rule allowed?"

The attendant's face showed displeasure, yet he did not obstruct: "There's no rule forbidding it."

Xiao Ze's expression unchanged: "2,000 taels!"

Those around began to whisper.

"Can you still do that?"

"What is this? A contest of who has the fuller purse?"

"I've never seen anything like this! Looks like both sides are rich folks!"

The boy didn't even blink: "3,000 taels!"

Xiao Ze was about to speak again to raise the bid when Tuan Tuan tugged his sleeve: "Third Elder Brother, let him have it—I don't want it."

Xiao Ze glanced at the boy, then bent down: "Tuan Tuan, don't worry about the money—Third Elder Brother will surely buy this box for you!"

Tuan Tuan pulled him toward her and whispered in his ear: "No more adding! Third Elder Brother, he's already lost!"

Xiao Ze startled, rose to his feet: "My sister said it—since you want it so badly, I'll let you have it."

The boy triumphantly ordered: "Jiang Xin! Pay the bill!"

The attendant glanced at both parties, stepped forward, took in the 3,000‑tael silver notes, pulled out his ledger and made a mark: "Deal sealed! 3,000 taels!"

He reached out and opened the wooden box.

Everyone stretched their necks to look, wanting to see what treasure was inside the secret box that had caused a commotion.

Inside the box lay a single stalk of superb quality, as thick as a child's arm, a century-old wild mountain ginseng.

The crowd laughed.

"Oh my, a century-old wild mountain ginseng! It's a good thing, but even at best it's worth only a thousand taels!"

"Buying it for two hundred taels is a huge profit; at three thousand taels you'd suffer a huge loss!"

"This kid insists on raising the price—what a fool with money to burn!"

The boy's face flushed red amid the crowd's laughter and mockery; he stared fiercely at Tuan Tuan and squeezed out through clenched teeth: "You stinky girl! You schemed against me!"

Tuan Tuan blinked her innocent big eyes: "It was you who wanted to add money; I didn't tell you to."

That lighthearted remark only added fuel to the fire.

The boy angrily turned and strode off, and Jiang Xin hurried after him.

Tuan Tuan watched the boy's back, huh? He clearly just lost, yet his fortune seems even stronger—what a strange person!

I don't care how much fortune you carry!

Unreasonable, and it won't do!

She proudly shook her little head: "Third Elder Brother, he lost! Am I awesome or what?"

Xiao Ze laughed, pinching her cheek: "Awesome! Our Tuan Tuan is the most awesome!"

Xiao Er also nodded vigorously beside them: "Bully our miss? Dream on!"

The group continued walking; Tuan Tuan looked here and there, then her eyes lit up, she reached out and placed her small hand on a velvet-covered little box.

Before she could speak, another small hand, wearing a jade thumb ring, also rested on it.

Tuan Tuan looked up and saw: it's you again!

The boy's eyes met hers; he was clearly surprised too—how does this little girl have the same gaze as mine?

Just now I was careless; this time you won't get away with it!

He put on a stern face: "What? It's you again!"

"Looks like you're determined to contend with me today."

Tuan Tuan's little eyebrows rose: "Obviously my hand was there first!"

The boy's gaze swept over Tuan Tuan and her companions, his voice deliberately raised: "Little girl, it looks like you're up against me today."

"If so, dare to take a bet with me?"

"You and I will each select three secret boxes here; whoever's boxes have the higher total value wins."

Seeing them argue again, the surrounding people gathered around.

"The loser," he paused, eyes contemptuous, "will kowtow three times to the winner."

Xiao Ze's face darkened; "Let Tuan Tuan kowtow?" "Impudent!"

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head at the boy, "Kowtow again? Why do villains always like making others kowtow?"

Last time that villain who kowtowed to me lost and gave me snow ginseng; you too must lose something to give me.

She shook her head: "Kowtowing isn't fun; if you want to bet with me, that's fine!"

"Whoever loses must hand over all the contents of the secret boxes they bought today to the opponent."

"How about it? Dare you or not?"

Upon saying that, the onlookers erupted in an uproar.

"Winner takes all?! What a huge wager!"

"This little girl is also too ruthless!"

"Two kids! They really don't know their limits!"

Tuan Tuan looked at the boy, extended her little finger and scratched her own cheek: "But, let's agree beforehand!"

"If you lose, you're not allowed to cry or play dirty!"

"Ah, you were almost about to cry earlier—how pitiful."

The boy, angered by her, felt his qi and blood surge instantly, his face turning ashen.

"Hmph! Sharp-tongued!"

"Fine! In an hour we'll meet here; then we'll open the boxes to decide victory or defeat."

"You'll have your time to cry! Jiang Xin, let's go!"

Their bet spread instantly across the venue, and the surrounding atmosphere immediately heated up.

"This wager is not small!"

"Those two kids are quite interesting!"

"In an hour, then—everyone who wants to watch, come!"