"You see, everyone is equal in front of money. I admire the person who invented the auction as a trading method. He is a great businessman and an even greater wise man." Baron Goya leaned back in a chair carved with flying dragons and clouds, took out a piece of golden-red gelatinous substance from the plate on the side table, and rubbed it in front of his nose.
This is a piece of rubber tobacco made from the finest Xinglong grass. It can continuously emit a sweet and spicy smell. Placing it in different positions in front of the nose can also produce strange changes in smell.
The baron smiled at Xiao Chen and the others and pushed the plate in front of them. "Please enjoy it. This is only available in good years. It is also a rare thing for me."
"You're too polite." Xiao Chen took a look at the crystal glue, but didn't touch it at all. He had tried it a few days ago, and it was really unbearable for him. He decided to focus on business. Today, the auction was held at Baron Goya's house. He, Luo Ling and Chen Hansheng all changed into local clothes and sat in a hall of Baron Goya's mansion with him.
The decoration of this hall is very low-key and simple, without anything too dazzling, it looks harmonious and quiet. But Xiao Chen found out that the dim velvet carpet on the floor of the hall, which is half the size of a basketball court, is a treasure worth as much as a small villa, not to mention the dim-colored but old portraits and bottles.
There were also magic circles painted on the walls of the hall. They were clearly carefully arranged by the artist and combined with the murals, taking into account both beauty and practicality. They did not seem out of place, but made the environment in the room feel like a forest in early spring, with a suitable temperature and fresh air. Xiao Chen used his limited knowledge of small seal script to recognize runes similar to "light", "wind" and "warmth" in the complex array diagram.
There were more than a dozen sets of tables and chairs scattered around the room, all antiques, with different shapes, but they complemented each other when put together. There were about forty or fifty nobles and merchants who looked wealthy and wealthy sitting there. Xiao Chen looked at them secretly. Most of the nobles here wore wide-collared, narrow-sleeved tops and tight pants that were easy to move around in. The colors of these formal clothes were mainly light green or dark green. Xi Luo told him that this was the color favored by the God of Nature. At first, it was just the nobles who wanted to show goodwill to the powerful Temple of Nature, but after many years, it has become a custom. Fortunately, the merchants were not so particular. Their clothes were much more gorgeous and fancy, with a lot of embroidery and lace, making their fat bodies like flowers among the green leaves.
"Most nobles carry swords, but almost no merchants do." Xiao Chen observed for a while and said to the others.
"Well, many of these people carrying swords are good fighters." Chen Hansheng said.
"You can tell just by them sitting there?" Xiao Chen wondered.
"That's right! People who have been to the battlefield and seen blood, well, just like me. Naturally, their temperament is different from others."
Xiao Chen laughed out loud.
"Old Chen is right. This place is just like medieval Europe, with constant struggles of all sizes between feudal lords. Any noble who wants to keep their family business and become influential must have some ability to fight in battle." Luo Ling interrupted, "On the other hand, these nobles have not been corrupted by the decadent life, and they still have some Gothic toughness. This is an age of swords and blood."
"I really can't see any aristocratic temperament from them." Xiao Chen saw that most of these people were sitting carefree, and some even put their feet on the table. The businessmen, however, looked much more civilized.
"In our world, the connection between nobility and temperament only came about after the Renaissance. The European nobles in the Middle Ages were, after all, rough people who could barely read. The civilization here is probably in the transition stage from the Middle Ages to modern times. Perhaps, because of the magical civilization, they are more knowledgeable, but it is probably normal for them to like to speak with their fists."
As if to verify Luo Ling's words, a middle-aged nobleman seemed to hear someone next to him saying something funny, and he slapped the table and laughed unscrupulously. The other noble on the opposite side pushed him under the chair in anger. The fallen nobleman roared and climbed up from under the table, stretched out his hand and punched the other person. Soon the two of them were fighting.
Baron Goya patted his forehead in annoyance and gestured to the waiter. Immediately, several tall guards rushed out from the inner room, rushed over to separate the two, and then coaxed and persuaded them to leave the room.
He lamented softly in an indignant tone: "Although I am also a noble, I hate entertaining certain nobles. You never know what kind of stupid things these rough guys will do."
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The auction has been going on for a while, and Baron Goya has prepared a lot of good things, which, according to him, will well highlight the value of the finale item.
After the first seven or eight lots were sold at good prices, housekeeper Ines began to introduce the protagonist of the day in a calm and professional tone: the vase that survived the car crash. This "treasure" represents the highest level of the supermarket's glass shelves.
The corner where Xiao Chen and his friends sat was inconspicuous, but they could see everything going on in the hall. While Ines was introducing, servants carried trays and placed envelopes on the table in front of each participant. A few rough-looking nobles interrupted Ines from time to time and asked some stupid questions, while a few businessmen, while listening to the introduction, had already picked up a pen and seemed to be ready to write down a number.
"Mr. Baron, there is one thing I don't quite understand." Xiao Chen asked softly, "Why do you use a blind bidding method? In our hometown, the public bidding method is more common. And it seems that the final bid will be higher?"
"Ha, this..." The baron laughed awkwardly, then said in a low voice: "Ever since a respected magician summoned a bone dragon at the Basque family auction because of a failed bid, we are not willing to use methods that can easily cause anger. Did you see the long scar on old Basque's face? It was scratched by the dragon's nails when the brave man killed the bone dragon."
"A fight broke out because of an auction?" Luo Lingqi asked.
"Some powerful people are not as good-tempered as you two." Baron Goya sighed as he took a deep puff of glue smoke.
"In this way, if everyone writes their bids in envelopes and bids together, it will at least reduce the conflict." Xiao Chen nodded.
"That's right. We are all civilized people. There is no need to make enemies because of business. We bid once and the highest bidder wins. We abide by the rules and accept defeat. Isn't that good? You can rest assured about this auction. We have built momentum in the past few days so that everyone has a reserve price in mind. Ines' introduction is even more touching, so the transaction price will surely not be low."
Xiao Chen's eyes turned and he said to Baron Goya: "If that's the case, I have an idea that may add fuel to this auction." He whispered in Baron Goya's ear for a while.
"Hmm? Wouldn't that mean I'd make less money? Wait... that's not right!" The baron squinted his eyes and thought for a moment, then clapped his hands and said, "Good, good! That's a great idea. It's a pity that you didn't become a businessman."
The baron immediately ordered a servant to go to Ines and whisper a few words.
Seeing Luo Ling and Chen Hansheng looking at him in confusion, Xiao Chen said mysteriously, "Be patient, just wait in the stands, and you'll understand in a moment."
"Pretending." Luo Ling snorted and turned away. Chen Hansheng put on a curious expression and looked at Ines seriously.
Xiao Chen bit his nails helplessly. These days, Luo Ling really confused him. Sometimes she would say a few words to him, sometimes she would ignore him completely, and sometimes she would poke him with hints in her words, which made him really at a loss as to what to do.
At this time, Ines had finished introducing the vase. He suddenly said mysteriously, "It is a great honor for this top-grade royal Gaviria sun glass vase to appear at the Diaz auction, so the Baron is ready to give you a discount. In the next auction, the highest bidder will win, but you only need to pay the second highest price."
What does this mean? The bidders below began to discuss. Many nobles were confused, while the businessmen's eyes sparkled.
"Hey, Ines. Can you say it again in human language? We don't understand." A burly middle-aged man shouted loudly.
"I can give you an analogy. Lord Ramos, you offered the highest price of 5,000 gold coins, and another lord offered the second highest price of 4,800 gold coins. Then this unique treasure is yours, but you only need to pay 4,800 gold coins."
"Oh, I understand. Baron Goya let me pay two hundred gold coins less. But, are you so kind? Baron Goya, who is like a fox, actually let me take advantage of him. Is it true that pie will fall from the sky?" Baron Ramos said angrily.
"Well, well, Baron Goya is so kind this once, let's seize the opportunity." The elderly head of the Bacchus family interrupted the big man, "I have already paid a thousand golden axes for a broken vase, but I am still fascinated by this one. Ines, stop talking nonsense and start now."
"Xiao Chen, what are you doing?" Chen Hansheng asked in confusion.
"It's just a second-price sealed auction. Look how serious you are about it." Luo Ling muttered to herself as she looked at the buzzing crowd in front of her.
Xiao Chen glanced at Luo Ling awkwardly, and said to Chen Hansheng, "Old Chen, look, if you were the bidder, and you thought that the transaction price was calculated based on the second-place bid, would you bid more or less than before?"
"Of course it's more. Anyway, if I win, the money I pay will definitely be lower than the bid."
"Yes, what if everyone thinks so?"
"Ah! Then everyone's bids will definitely be higher than before!"
“What if someone who is determined to win expects that his competitors will raise their bids?”
"Then his bid will be raised further!"
"That's right! That's it. Let's see how many gold coins we can earn in the end." Xiao Chen looked at the people who were calculating the price with a smile, his heart full of anticipation.