Chapter 688: Getting It Without Effort

The little Shen dragon curled upward, winding around to his back, its chin resting on Liang Qu's shoulder, its vertical pupils fixed on the white-robed young lord.

Liang Qu glanced at him twice, rapidly scanning his memory.

No impression at all.

You don't hit someone who smiles at you; Liang Qu bowed in return: "I, Liang Mou, have been in the capital for half a month but have been too busy to meet the heroes of the land. May I ask your honorable surname? Have we met before?"

"We've never met, but there's a saying: 'Martial prowess shines through ages, worthy of eternal record in the annals.' Lord Liang is renowned in this age, your name echoes wherever you go—how could I not know you?"

"As for my name, the Heavenly Ship Guild has two chief directors—one oversees internal affairs, managing all merchant guilds; the other handles external matters, gathering rare treasures from across the land."

"I am the third son of Director Lu Zhao Wu, my given name is Jia, as in 'merchant,' though pronounced differently."

"So you are Master Lu Jia."

Liang Qu was secretly startled.

The Heavenly Ship Guild spans the Great Shun, present in every prefecture and state, rich or poor.

Previously, when visiting Ran Ran Zhongshi's home, his father had clearly stated they had imperial backing, with many treasures directly drawn from the imperial treasury—everyone of note in the capital knew this.

His father's position as chief director must not be ordinary—he was undeniably capable.

The two exchanged pleasantries.

The little Shen dragon yawned, leaping onto Xu Xu Yue's shoulder.

Before Xu Xu Yue could rejoice, the little Shen dragon kicked off, diving down and twisting to land on Long Yao's forearm.

Long Yao rubbed the little Shen dragon's head with her thumb.

"I came today with no urgent matter—only to see the heroes and worthies." Lu Jia lifted a wooden box, "Earlier, I saw Lord Liang pause on the fourth floor, observing a certain treasure plant for a moment, but likely due to its poor appearance, you didn't take interest, so you didn't buy it."

"I came in haste today and didn't expect to meet you by chance. Not knowing your preferences, I thought long and hard, and settled on this unremarkable treasure plant as a token of meeting."

The wooden box opened, revealing a corner.

A beautiful lotus, half-white and half-black like an ink painting, came into view.

The withering-and-blooming twin lotus?

Ho!

A greeting gift worth twenty thousand taels.

Lu Jia's thoughts are indeed refined, his observations sharp.

The Eye-Recognition Method detected no malice—he may truly be wealthy and careless, but we're not even acquaintances; accepting such a gift feels like free-riding.

Liang Qu pushed the box back: "No merit, no reward. Such extravagance is too much."

Lu Jia shoved it back: "Lord Liang, don't refuse. How can you say you've done nothing? At the Yuanzheng Grand Assembly, you single-handedly crushed the northern barbarians' momentum—it was truly heartening."

Liang Qu pushed again: "The Great Shun produces countless talents; even without me, someone else would have stepped up. I merely seized the opportunity."

"Fuck you, let go of me!"

The offstage voice was grating and humiliating; everyone turned their heads.

In the corner of the fourth floor, two servants gripped each other's collars, rolling in the dust, wrestling fiercely. One suddenly surged with force, flipping atop the other's waist to gain advantage, then slammed a fist hard into the opponent's eye socket.

A cry of "Ow!" rang out—the man's head slammed into the ground, forcing him to release his grip in pain.

The puncher dropped a silver note, still furious, swung back and delivered another sharp blow, snatched the brocade box, and bolted out—ignoring the main door, he leapt through the window.

Everyone stared at each other, having never seen such a scene.

It was robbery, yet money was offered; yet it wasn't robbery, yet it was so vile.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Lu Jia loosened his grip and shoved the entire box into Liang Qu's hands, stepped back three paces, bowed, and before any rebuttal could come, changed the subject: "The Xu family's Jiaoxiao is doing splendid business—how long has the capital seen such excitement?"

Seeing the man was determined to give it, Liang Qu could no longer refuse, offering many thanks.

Now that he had it, he felt a quiet thrill inside.

No wonder everyone yearns for high status—it's truly like searching for years and finding nothing, then suddenly receiving it without effort. I merely glanced at it, and someone immediately brought it to me.

The young masters and elders of the capital are truly generous!

Since Lu Jia had shifted the topic, Liang Qu turned toward the shop, feigning ignorance, probing for information.

"Master Lu, what exactly does this shop sell? Why is it so prosperous?"

"A type of sock made from Jiaoxiao, semi-transparent, meant for women. Originally, the Xu family presented it to the palace; the imperial consorts loved it. This year, during the New Year, a noble consort returned home for a visit, bringing back two pairs, and it instantly exploded in popularity."

Everyone subtly glanced at Liang Qu.

The first move was Liang Qu's idea.

Lu Jia noticed but didn't know the details, continuing: "The Xu family of Huangzhou is intriguing—they seem to have been waiting precisely for this moment. No rumors leaked beforehand, no advertising—just rented a stall on our fourth floor, waiting until demand surged before selling."

A single pair of socks, packed in premium velvet brocade boxes, stamped with gold-embossed fish-tail logos. Even the box alone, I'd say, costs more than the Jiaoxiao inside. They've even tiered the pricing—money alone won't buy it; you must have connections.

Even if more people want to buy, they never sell more, never open branches. As a result, on freezing days, people line up before dawn. Yesterday, most buyers were maids; now, fewer—mostly young servants with cultivation, weak ones at Siguan, strong ones approaching galloping-horse level, or else they can't even get one.

Lord Liang, don't think it's just a few days—word has spread like wildfire through the capital, and many renowned poets have written verses praising this item."

Xu Xu Yue leaned forward: "What poems? Could Master Lu tell us a few?"

"Ahem, I don't know, I don't pay attention, I don't pay attention." Lu Jia waved his hand repeatedly.

"Sold out! Sold out!" A wolf-smoke expert from the Xu shop stepped out, dispersing the crowd: "Come back in an hour if you want to buy!"

A murmur of sighs rose across the fourth floor.

Such a powerful expert had to be stationed at the shop—clearly, the stakes were high.

Liang Qu silently admired it; the current situation matched his plan almost exactly.

The Xu family truly had capability—they executed every step flawlessly.

Good ideas are plentiful in the world, but the key is turning them into reality.

Well executed.

A goose that lays golden eggs.

Sales begin in early February; dividends in two months.

The Twenty Jiaoren leader Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan should be able to provide another batch of Twenty Jiaoren tears, replenishing the dried-up Ze Ding…

Delightful.

Lu Jia stepped closer, whispering: "Lord Liang, would you like this item? To be honest, though hard to obtain, I still have some connections."

"Ahem, no need." Liang Qu politely declined.

Jiaoxiao isn't loved by everyone like treasure plants.

Not yet understanding Lu Jia's character, he didn't force it, instead gesturing sideways.

"Lord Liang, you came here today to attend the auction, correct? It begins in just over a quarter hour. Since you've only recently arrived in the capital, let me guide you—let's ascend early."

"Very well!"

More gifts never offend.

Having accepted the gift, he had no reason to reject Lu Jia's company; Liang Qu gladly agreed.

Lu Jia led the way.

The top floor was the most spacious, divided into six tiered private rooms, each larger than the last.

Liang Qu's private room was in the third tier—neither high nor low.

Verified the invitation.

Each step sank into the plush carpet's softness.

Inside, no visible flames, yet the heat warmed their cheeks red.

Servants brought fruit trays, laid clean cushions, and lit incense burners.

Unlike the dry waiting in Pingyang, the capital's auction began with live performances.

On a white-leather drum several zhang wide, barefoot dancers, silver chains tied to their wrists, fluttered long sleeves, leaping and spinning, each footfall precisely hitting the rhythm of the music and drum.

Eight dancers, one massive drum, movements perfectly synchronized.

(End of Chapter)