It’s strange, when I didn’t update during the day, so many people gave votes, but once I updated at night, the votes actually dropped. Everyone please help out, I’m asking for monthly votes for support.

A long time ago, when Wang Guan’s bank balance exceeded ten thousand, he felt he was already quite comfortable; with a hundred thousand, he started dreaming of buying a car or a house; then came a million, and he thought he’d be set for life, never having to worry about money again. Especially after surpassing ten million, he felt money was purely a string of numbers...

However, the harsh reality told Wang Guan that even with an estate worth over a hundred million, he was still a poor man, needing to look ahead and behind, calculating carefully just to possibly reach a goal.” The fastest updates for novel chapters.

Meanwhile, Elder Chang noticed Wang Guan’s dejection and immediately sneered, “Kid, you have quite the ambition, trying to devour everything in this room? Aren’t you afraid you’ll choke! To tell you the truth, you’ll be lucky if you can walk away with one or two things from this room; don’t expect to sweep everything up like you did just now.”

As he spoke, Elder Chang stepped forward directly and announced loudly, “Since things have come to this, there’s no need to be secretive. Rong Bao Zhai will take this screen for fifty million.”

“Fifty million!”

For a moment, many people gasped.

Moreover, everyone somewhat understood Elder Chang’s intention; by this stage, there was indeed no need for any sealed bids. Now, the competition was purely based on financial strength; those without money were certainly unqualified to participate.

As for those with money, just as Elder Chang himself said, everything here was extremely valuable, priced above tens of millions. No one could afford to buy everything. So, why not be straightforward and let everyone gauge whether they should compete against the wealthy Rong Bao Zhai or turn their attention to other items.

After serious consideration, Elder Zeng and several influential major collectors remained silent. Furthermore, Jia Qin seemed quite pleased with this price, naturally reaching an agreement with Elder Chang.

“Very good…” Elder Chang nodded contentedly. Then, he lightly brushed his fingers across the screen, perhaps recalling the Old Master Jia, and a fleeting look of melancholy crossed his eyes.

At the same time, Jia Qin ushered everyone around the screen and into the inner room.

Behind the screen stood a row of bookshelves, six layers high, each stacked densely with volumes of books. Judging by their binding condition and yellowed color, these were likely ancient texts.

Seeing this scene, Wang Guan and the others were somewhat surprised. After all, there were already quite a few ancient texts in the spacious room outside, and they hadn't expected this room to have even more. However, while they were puzzled, Elder Chang and the others didn't find it strange; they were clearly well-informed.

Just then, a major collector directly held up two fingers: “Twenty million, I’ll take all these books.”

Wang Guan and the others were startled again—what ancient books were so expensive, valued at twenty million? Unexpectedly, Jia Qin wasn't satisfied with this price and slowly shook his head: “Too low.”

“Twenty-three million,” the man continued to raise the bid.

At this moment, Wang Guan could no longer restrain his curiosity and stepped forward lightly to examine them. He was astonished to find that the bindings, paper quality, and editions of these ancient texts varied. But most of them were related to Dream of the Red Chamber. They ranged from the earliest manuscript copies to official editions, printed versions, and even embossed renderings, covering everything imaginable. They completely filled the six layers of bookshelves.

“Brother Jia is not only a Red Chamber fanatic but also an expert in Redology,” Elder Chang’s simple statement brought Wang Guan to a sudden realization. He had long suspected this—from Jia Qin’s name to the screen depicting the Twelve Beauties of Jinling just now, the Old Master Jia’s passion was evident.

This meant that the collection of ancient texts on these shelves were the treasures the Old Master Jia had painstakingly gathered during his lifetime. Not only were there numerous precious editions, but they were also incredibly rich and complete, so it was understandable that the price would be high.

After a round of haggling, Jia Qin and that major collector reached a consensus, finally settling the deal at twenty-five million. Don't assume the collector lost out; on the contrary, he got a bargain.

It was important to know that among the books on the shelves was the original manuscript of the last forty chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber, written by Gao E. This single manuscript alone was a priceless treasure to anyone deeply dedicated to Redology research.

Of course, Wang Guan couldn't justify spending that much money on it. In any case, with the second transaction complete, Jia Qin, quite satisfied, led everyone around the bookshelves to the interior of the room.

Suddenly, the space opened up before them, and everything inside came into clear view. It was at this moment that everyone felt a sense of dazzlement, wishing they had a few extra pairs of eyes just to fully take in the sight of these treasures. But among the many treasures, the most eye-catching was a glittering golden pagoda placed centrally.

Wang Guan examined it closely. The pagoda was generally circular with a square base, composed of three main sections: the pedestal, the body, and the spire. Its structure was exquisitely delicate, exuding a radiant, precious glow, remarkably refined, beautiful, and elegant. What could not be overlooked was the pagoda's height; by Wang Guan's estimate, it stood at least 1.5 meters tall, roughly the height of some adults.

“This is a treasure from the Qing Palace collection, the Golden Body Pagoda of the Buddha’s Holy Mother.” As everyone admired the pagoda, Elder Zeng smiled slightly and immediately made an offer: “Sixty million. Our Jiade will take it.”

“Sixty-two million.”

In an instant, a major collector’s eyes flashed; he intended to contest Elder Zeng. Seeing the prayer beads and amulets hanging from the collector’s neck and wrist, one could tell he was a Buddhist, and he naturally felt drawn to the Buddhist artifact and wouldn't easily let it pass.

Elder Zeng frowned slightly. He naturally knew the major collector's background, and his expression grew more serious. He also keenly noticed the restless stirring of two or three major collectors nearby, realizing this matter might not be easily resolved.

Just as Elder Zeng prepared to make a new offer, Jia Qin suddenly spoke up with a smile, “Everyone, no need to rush. My father was quite fond of this piece and is still considering whether to sell it. Everyone, take a look at these snuff bottles first.”

Jia Qin’s words successfully redirected everyone’s attention, and they simultaneously turned towards the glass cabinets nearby.

Wang Guan was certainly not unfamiliar with snuff bottles, but the Jia family’s collection had a unique characteristic. It wasn't just the material of the snuff bottles, but primarily the imagery depicted on them.

Old Master Jia truly was a devoted fan of Dream of the Red Chamber; even the snuff bottles he collected were related to the novel. Each delicate, tiny snuff bottle either inscribed poems or famous verses from the novel or featured portraits of its characters.

Of course, what was more significant was that these snuff bottles were all crafted by famous masters.

As mentioned before, there were four masters of inner-painting on snuff bottles during the late Qing and Republican periods, known as the Four Great Dan of Beijing Inner-Painting. They were Dengtang Rushi Ma Shaoxuan, Yasu Gongshang Ye Zhongsan, Yangchun Baixue Zhou Leyuan, and Wenwu Quancai Wu Changan. Wang Guan’s own collection included a snuff bottle by Ma Shaoxuan. But compared to Old Master Jia’s collection, his own paled in significance.

Because Old Master Jia’s collection not only encompassed all four masters of the Beijing School but also included works by other renowned artists, the value of the collection was easy to imagine.

Witnessing this, Wang Guan couldn't help but sigh. True great collectors play a different game; a Red Chamber theme was merely the basic pattern; having works by true masters was the real skill.

At the same time, some antique dealers who usually snatched up single pieces grew uneasy. Lacking the necessary means, they could only ask, “Young Master Jia, can these things be sold individually?”

The prices for these snuff bottles varied, but the lowest were still over several hundred thousand yuan. If added together, the total price would be even higher. Even Wang Guan, who wasn't short of money, felt a bit pressured, let alone the solitary antique dealers; even bankrupting themselves might not be enough to acquire them all. But the items were too exquisite, and they were unwilling to give up, so they wanted to settle the price per piece.

“I’m sorry, these items are considered a set and must be sold together.”

However, Jia Qin found it too troublesome and flatly refused. He knew that even if sold individually, these antique dealers would haggle endlessly. It was better to package them together and calculate one total sum. The price wouldn't be much different, and it would be simpler and faster.

As he spoke, Jia Qin smiled, “If anyone is interested, you can make an offer now.”

At once, several major collectors began to hesitate, first looking at the snuff bottles before them, then glancing back at the golden pagoda, starting to consider the issue of trade-offs.

After all, everyone’s money wasn't acquired easily. The combined value of the snuff bottles and the golden pagoda would definitely exceed a hundred million. Although pulling out a hundred million wasn't an issue for these major collectors, the question was whether they needed to buy everything. One must know that there are many treasures in the world; if one felt compelled to buy every good item, even a family that owned a bank might not have enough money.

Therefore, as major collectors, the first lesson is to learn how to choose; one doesn't need to buy the most expensive, only what they truly like.

“Forty million.”

After a moment of consideration, one major collector, clearly favoring the snuff bottles more, offered a price showing considerable sincerity. However, his sincerity seemed insufficient, as someone immediately upped the bid: “Forty-three million.”

“Forty-five million.” Then someone else joined the fray.

In an instant, the air was thick with tension, battles flared, and in the back-and-forth exchanges, one could almost see the glint of unseen swords.

Wang Guan watched the excitement from the side. Elder Chang casually tapped his shoulder and whispered, “The items are good. If you have the means, don’t just stand there staring; make your move when it’s time, lest you regret it later.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Elder Chang.” Wang Guan smiled faintly, pondering, “I need to think about it some more…”

“By the time you’ve thought it over, the prime opportunity will have passed,” Elder Chang remarked casually. “Of course, if you have confidence, you can certainly vie for that golden pagoda with them. But the price will likely be even higher.”

Hearing this, Wang Guan’s mind suddenly stirred, and he quickly asked for guidance, “Elder Chang, what is the provenance of that golden pagoda?”

“Didn’t I mention it earlier? It’s from the Qing Palace collection,” Elder Chang explained softly. “It was cast under special imperial order in the 38th year of Qianlong’s reign to celebrate his mother’s eightieth birthday, intended as a ritualistic artifact for blessings. It remained hidden in the deep palace until after the Xinhai Revolution when, due to the turmoil of the times, it flowed down into the common populace…” (To be continued.) No Pop-up Novel Website www.RT

For more novels, visit storyread.net.