Whispers of ethereal music drifted down from upstairs, echoing through the grand hall. These melodies, while not particularly rare or unusual in themselves, gained an unexpected air of elegance simply by being heard without the presence of their source.

The floor was covered in a thick, azure carpet, lending an imposing sense of depth to the space. Though the color itself was subdued, it exuded a palpable warmth and opulence.

Each table bore a name placard. The first row, naturally, was reserved for royalty; standing apart, they occupied exactly four tables. Everyone was thinking the same thing: this Noble Hall truly carries weight. To think they didn't even reserve private rooms for the Imperial Family...

Yet, the very fact that they were all gathered in the same hall made many feel they had truly ascended into the ranks of the true nobility, mingling with royalty without any distance—were they not nobles then?

This realization made everyone quite pleased, that is, everyone except the royal contingent.

The second row belonged to the heads of the great clans. Their seating order carried no precedence; the third row was for the descendants of officials and wealthy families holding noble titles. From the fourth row onward sat the richest merchants of Tianxiang City.

Between each row, strands resembling pearl curtains cascaded down as if from the heavens, yet they only obscured the view to about three feet above one's head, managing to render everything on the opposite side indistinct and hazy.

In the corners of the hall, each recess held an exquisitely crafted crane-shaped incense burner. Wisps of pale smoke curled slowly from the cranes’ beaks, dispersing into the air, creating an atmosphere of profound serenity.

Some had arrived quite early, having waited nearly half the morning, yet not a single sign of impatience showed on their faces. Instead, they appeared more spirited and keenly enthusiastic.

Dozens of young women in pale yellow gowns flitted back and forth like butterflies weaving through flowers, each carrying tea cups. Their figures were light, their looks beautiful, their demeanor graceful, moving with measured steps.

In front of the first row hung a heavy, milky-white tapestry, appearing to descend directly from the ceiling, screening the area behind it completely. At first glance, it looked like an exceptionally solid wall.

The music abruptly ceased.

Everyone straightened, spirits instantly lifted—the main event, was it finally about to commence?

The snow-white tapestry before them silently rose, revealing a vast, uniformly white dais. The instant the curtain lifted and the auction platform was exposed, the surroundings burst into dazzling brilliance. Countless gemstones, inlaid throughout, refracted light to converge into a luminous circle enveloping the circular platform—a small, defined space.

Upon it sat a single table.

On the table lay a gavel, a sounding hammer!

This arrangement was nothing short of fantastical. Compared to this design, the continent’s foremost auction house, ShengBao Hall, seemed like a common pheasant next to a golden phoenix, a beggar set against a prince.

Heavy footsteps thundered forth, drawing the attention of the entire assembly. Just hearing that sound suggested the immense weight of whatever colossal object was being carried. What kind of burden could produce such soul-shaking footfalls?

At the end of the illumination...

A mountain of flesh, moving with the measured gait of a dragon, strode forward with an air of proud self-assurance. With every step, the plump white flesh beneath the solemn black robes jiggled in a joyful, rhythmic dance.

“Since everyone here has received the invitation sent by this Hall, you are all recognized nobility of Tianxiang City, and esteemed guests of this Hall! I am the Chief Steward of the Noble Hall, Tang Yuan, concurrently serving as the Chief Auctioneer. On behalf of the Three Families—the Ping Royal Estate, the Jun Family, and the Tang Family—and representing the Noble Hall, I extend my greetings and the warmest welcome to all esteemed nobles.” Tang Yuan recited the speech flawlessly and loudly, as if reading from a script. Upon finishing, he even performed a bow.

In fact, Fatty Tang was reading from a script. This entire address had been personally penned by Young Master Jun, rambling on at such length that he had nearly included discourses on the construction of both material and spiritual civilization.

The hall erupted in enthusiastic applause. Even setting aside everything else, that single phrase—"nobility of Tianxiang City"—regardless of whether it was genuine, ensured that for the foreseeable future, they could look down upon those who opposed them!

“The Noble Hall, as the name suggests, is a place only truly noble individuals may enter. So, what precisely constitutes nobility?” The fatty stood with his hands clasped behind his back, attempting a posture of profound contemplation, which required considerable effort. Putting aside his excessive fat, his height was not insignificant, and his limb proportions were generally normal. Though he couldn't be called tall and imposing, he was of average build. However, the layers of fat encased his already average arms, making them seem short, and his waistline, impossibly broad, made it impossible for his two fleshy hands to meet behind his back. Nevertheless, Tang Yuan strained to maintain the pose instructed by Young Master Jun, striving to project elegance, composure, and supreme confidence.

While Tang Yuan felt supremely self-satisfied, believing this to be the most glorious moment of his life, to the eyes of those below, he looked like a brown bear attempting to stroll with affected grace, every movement painfully awkward.

Every person present struggled desperately to stifle their laughter.

Fatty Tang swept his gaze across the assembly with feigned "authority": “Nobles, are those who stand above others, the highest class! For example, consider this item.” Tang Yuan flipped his hand, and a round object appeared in his palm: “I believe everyone recognizes and has tasted this crop called the potato. As we all know, a single jin of potatoes costs a mere three copper coins at the market...”

Tang Yuan paused again, building suspense.

The crowd was bewildered. Why was this man speaking of nobility while pulling out a potato? High-ranking families and prestigious clans never allowed such things to be served publicly!

“A three-copper-coin-per-jin potato is not only cheap but also convenient for cooking. Simply boil it in water at home, and it’s ready to eat. Or you can slice it thinly, dice it, or cut it into chunks—whatever suits your fancy.”

Tang Yuan felt his vocabulary was quite cultured, possessing a touch of the ‘erudite scholar.’ He couldn't help but flash a self-satisfied, refined smile. To the assembled 'Noble Warriors' below, however, this expression resembled the twitching grimace of bacon being whipped on a wall, utterly agonizing to behold!

“But, once taken to a small tavern, whether served as slivers or slices, if prepared as a dish, it commands half an ounce of silver—a profit margin exceeding one hundred times! This Fatty continued, not missing a beat. “Those who spend half an ounce of silver at a small tavern, compared to those who cook it themselves at home, are clearly nobles. Nobility, after all, is about the price paid for a meal! However, this is still a relatively low level.”

“At a higher-tier hotel, the same dish of shredded potato costs at least three taels of silver. Naturally, that is a step higher. Counting further up, ah, say, if one were at the brothels around Lingwu Lake, with a courtesan holding one’s arm, ordering a dish of shredded potato would cost twenty taels of silver. If one also requested the company of a ‘distinguished lady’ who trades conversation but not favors, the price for that potato dish would naturally soar—it likely wouldn't be less than fifty taels. After all, anyone who can afford the company of a ‘distinguished lady’ at Lingwu Lake wouldn't quibble over a little silver.”

As Fatty Tang reached the height of his excitement, he looked as if he were addressing a room full of patrons at a brothel, winking constantly and sporting a smile that only men could truly understand.

Indeed, a wave of knowing, lewd laughter rose from below. This sound caused the female guests in the hall to frown deeply! Especially the ‘distinguished lady’ who accompanied the Second Prince, whose delicate face turned ashen with anger...

Princess Lingmeng heard similar chuckles beside her. She glanced sideways to see her own father, the Emperor, squinting while stroking his beard, a look of deep, appreciative understanding in his eyes, as if he had met a kindred spirit. She coughed, then coughed a little harder, murmuring in sharp disapproval, “Hmph! All men are scoundrels!”

His Majesty the Emperor immediately coughed awkwardly twice, then his expression hardened into stone. He hastily suppressed his unrestrained memories and sat up straight, composedly settling onto his small stool. In his mind, however, he thought: Damn it! This fatty almost fooled me! I am a cultured man...

“Of course, if you go to the ninth floor of JieTian Lou, the most luxurious hotel in Tianxiang City, and order a plate of shredded potato—a dish utterly devoid of any special qualities—it will cost you a hundred taels of silver!” Tang Yuan held up one finger, gently gesturing before his eyes.

This gesture, too, was learned from Jun Moxie. Jun Moxie was tall, with long, slender fingers; when he performed this action, it was naturally quite elegant and carried an inherent air of arrogance.

Tang Yuan envied him intensely. Having secretly practiced it, he now deployed it in public, under the gaze of the masses, feeling utterly dashing and experiencing a surge of secret glee—he finally got his moment in the spotlight.

The fatty certainly made an impression, or more accurately, a spectacle...

Because to everyone else, the fatty resembled a plump, arthritic sow’s foot awkwardly poking a carrot, wriggling stiffly while wearing a look of ecstatic self-satisfaction. Every noble present felt a chill crawl up their spines, even the powerful experts among them. It was simply too repulsive!

“A full hundred taels of silver! That’s enough for an ordinary family of four to buy potatoes for five years! But at JieTian Lou, it buys only one plate of shredded potato—the cheapest dish on the top floor of JieTian Lou, a common, everyday dish available anywhere else!”

Tang Yuan let out a booming laugh, throwing his arms wide: “Is this truly about eating shredded potato? No! This is about dining with style. It’s about elegance! It’s about status! It’s about taste! And yes, it’s about the price tag! It’s about the lonely summit experienced at the peak! This, this is the true enjoyment of the nobility!”

“And everyone present within the hall of our Noble Hall today, every single person here, holds a status among the wealthy of Tianxiang City equivalent to sitting on the ninth floor of JieTian Lou!”

Tang Yuan shouted himself hoarse, his muscles trembling and leaping with excitement, his expression wild and fervent: “This is the true paradise of the nobility! Even drinking a single cup of plain water here is the water of true aristocracy! To paraphrase an earlier sentiment: we are not drinking water; we are drinking the lonely summit! The loneliness experienced at the pinnacle, only true nobles can comprehend!”

A thunderous wave of applause swept through the room; Fatty’s words resonated deeply and sparked massive agreement.

Meanwhile, in a large room upstairs, Jun Moxie burst into laughter. “So, the ‘true noble’ that Fatty speaks of is a lonely soul who eats shredded potatoes and drinks boiled water!”

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