Patrón de flores incorrecto

Capítulo 11

"People these days are so desperate for fame! They don't even know their own limitations!"

"..."

It was as if a large, troublesome pebble had been thrown into a pot of boiling water, and a group of arrogant young men immediately started yelling as if they had been scalded.

After listening to everyone's sarcasm with a smile, Ye Xiao slowly walked up to the young man in brocade robes who had spoken the most vulgarly and had the loudest voice, his gaze sweeping over the emerald green dagger hanging at his waist.

"Young Master Meng Qian, the Jade Blade? You've been domineering and arrogant since you were little. When you were five, you bullied a drowning dog and got bitten in return, right on the back of your hand. Your father taught you then that you should be kind to others and keep a low profile from now on... Have you forgotten? You've really forgotten the pain once the wound has healed!"

Meng Qian's expression changed slightly, and he looked somewhat embarrassed. He glared fiercely at Ye Xiao.

A young man in fine clothes standing nearby immediately turned around and sneered, "Oh... Brother Meng... so that's how you got the scar on the back of your hand! Didn't you say you were stabbed by a villain when you were saving a damsel in distress?"

Ye Xiao turned to look at the young man in brocade robes. He had slicked-back hair and a powdered face. He was gently waving a folding fan. What caught people's attention was that he did not wear a sword at his waist, but instead had a jade flute tucked at an angle, which added a touch of scholarly elegance.

Perhaps it's just a affectation of refined tastes.

"The Jade Flute Gentleman, Hua Yinyue? Amidst the sparse shadows of apricot blossoms, he plays the flute until dawn. Gentleman Hua is indeed an extraordinary and elegant gentleman!" Ye Xiao raised an eyebrow.

Hua Yinyue was secretly pleased with herself, but muttered insincerely, "You flatter me, you flatter me."

Then Ye Xiao said, "Hanxiao, the courtesan of Chenyu Tower, has been looking for you everywhere, trying to collect the prostitution fees you owe... Young Master Hua, no matter how handsome and charming you are, you still have to pay when you visit a brothel... They're in business, how can they give it away for free?" His face darkened instantly, and two fierce glints shot into Ye Xiao's eyes.

Amidst another burst of laughter, Ye Xiao walked to the window and emphasized again, "I am Ye Xiao, who knows everything. Gentlemen and heroes, if you still don't believe me, you are welcome to test me in person!" His big eyes blinked, and his gaze slowly swept over the faces of everyone in the restaurant.

Those who were swept up couldn't help but lower their heads, afraid that this girl would expose any embarrassing things they had done in public.

The restaurant suddenly fell silent.

Only Ye Xiao's voice echoed in the building: "Langjing Manor Owner Yuan Ruxuan has two favorite things in his life. The first is tea tasting. Among them, his favorite is Biluochun."

Someone let out a soft "ah".

Xiao Xun stepped forward and took out the can of top-grade Biluochun tea: "The only can of top-grade Biluochun tea in town's Yipin Tea House is up for auction! Starting price is three hundred taels of silver! Don't miss out! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"Three hundred taels! This is robbery!" someone whispered, glancing furtively at Ye Xiao before lowering his head.

Ye Xiao glared at the man with disdain and shouted, "Taking advantage of someone's misfortune is the best policy! The nearest town is dozens of miles away! Not only will the round trip increase your expenses, but you might also miss the chance to appear at the marriage proposal event at Langjing Manor the day after tomorrow! There's only one jar! Scarcity makes things valuable. Everyone, seize the opportunity!"

An awkward silence ensued, and Xiao Xun began to worry, but soon breathed a sigh of relief.

One of the young masters couldn't contain himself any longer and blurted out, "Three hundred taels! I'll take it!"

"Four hundred!" someone bid from the corner.

"five hundred……"

...

"One thousand taels!" After the young master in the corner made his bid, the restaurant fell silent for a long time. After all, the market price of this jar of Biluochun tea was at most ten taels of silver.

"One thousand taels of silver! Young master in the corner! This jar of Biluochun tea is yours!" Ye Xiao said loudly.

The man stood up happily and walked over.

Ye Xiao's gaze swept lightly over the sword at his waist: "Young Master Chen of Yong'an? Young Master Chen, I've always been straightforward in business, cash on delivery!"

“Of course!” Young Master Chen said in Mandarin with a heavy local accent, handing over a silver note.

Ye Xiao shook his head: "No, Young Master Chen, I need real gold and silver. I can't tell the difference between real and fake banknotes."

"It's true! It's from the most reputable Tiancheng Bank! If you don't believe me, show everyone..." Young Master Chen said anxiously.

Ye Xiao shook his head again, a sly smile on his face: "I want cash!"

“That… a thousand taels of silver, young lady! Who would carry so much silver on their person? It’s very heavy…” Young Master Chen continued to explain.

Ye Xiao shook his head firmly. Seeing that Young Master Chen was so anxious that he was almost crying, he finally relented and said, "Young Master, the sword at your waist is quite nice... How about... you exchange this sword for this jar of Biluochun tea?"

After hesitating for a long time, Young Master Chen finally hardened his heart and said, "This is my family's heirloom Zhanlu sword... Miss, please keep it safe. I will definitely redeem it with a thousand taels of silver in the future..." He took off the sword, handed it to Ye Xiao, and took the jar of Biluochun tea.

The first battle was a success.

Ye Xiao smiled and said, "Master Yuan's second greatest hobby is collecting swords! He already has countless famous swords in his home, yet he still craves more. We are now auctioning off the Zhanlu sword, an ancestral heirloom of the Chen family of Yong'an! Absolutely authentic, no fakes allowed! The starting price is one thousand taels of silver! Everyone, time is of the essence, make your bids now!"

With a thud, someone fell to the ground.

Xiao Xun looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was the same young master Chen from before.

The servants nearby rushed over and pinched his philtrum, calling out loudly.

"Is this young master Chen's name Gouqi?" Xiao Xun asked curiously.

Luo Qingcheng's eyes flashed: "Maybe it's called a rooster."

Ye Xiao chuckled: "Master, you're bullying my brother again! His servants clearly call him 'Young Master.' The local accent is a bit strange."

The bidding below was very active.

The Zhanlu sword was eventually sold for 3,200 taels of silver.

A haughty young master waved his hand, and several servants began to carry boxes towards Ye Xiao.

"What are you doing?" Ye Xiao frowned.

"Does the young lady need cash? I have plenty in my carriage!" the arrogant young master said with a fawning smile.

"More than three thousand taels! That's several hundred pounds! Who would be so stupid as to carry cash? They'd be crushed into a hunchback! I just want banknotes! The most common Tiancheng Bank will do..." Ye Xiao's face once again showed an innocent yet cunning smile.

"He knows everything! Does Master Yuan have any other hobbies?" Seeing the two wealthy young masters beaming with pride after buying the important items, the others felt a pang of envy.

Ye Xiao tilted her head slyly, not answering directly: "I also know what Miss Yuan likes the most!"

The stone stirred up a thousand waves, and the restaurant was immediately filled with a buzzing sound.

Winning over this beautiful Miss Yuan is more challenging and intriguing than winning over her father.

"What is it!" someone exclaimed impatiently.

"The answer will be revealed at dinner." Ye Xiao lazily tossed her long braid. "We haven't had lunch yet!"

"What exactly does Miss Yuan like?" Luo Qingcheng asked Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao was busy dividing the silver notes into three parts, and then fiercely ordered Xiao Xun to buy some beautiful and appropriate clothes.

Hearing this, he turned around and asked, "You've agreed to cooperate with me? To be my brother?"

Luo Qingcheng pursed his lips, and after a moment couldn't help but say, "You've never seen my true face. Once you do, you'll know that I don't need anyone's help at all." As he spoke, he was about to remove his mask.

Ye Xiaobie jumped three zhang away: "No! I already know that as a toad, you are very handsome... but as a toad, you are too big, and you can't find a female toad of the right size to match you..."

Ignoring Luo Qingcheng's murderous gaze, he went out on his own.

Lunch had just ended, and several restaurants were already vying to invite the three of them to sample their signature dishes for free.

The three gluttonous cats discussed for a long time before finally choosing a restaurant that supposedly had the best fish-fried dishes.

When it was time for dinner, the three of them, dressed in fine clothes, walked arrogantly and proudly into the restaurant, amidst the admiring gazes of countless other young men in their fine clothes.

After the three of them sat down, the young men in brocade robes outside rushed in, scrambling to grab a good spot.

Ye Xiao was in a great mood as the boss personally served him several dishes.

"Yuan Peixin's favorite..." He suddenly stopped, glanced at the whispering young masters below, and frowned in displeasure.

The restaurant immediately fell silent, and the young men all pricked up their ears.

"Girls all love jewelry and perfumes. That's common sense. Miss Yuan is no exception, but having grown up in luxury, her taste is naturally different from ordinary people! Four years ago, when Miss Yuan was fourteen, an embarrassing incident occurred. She spent a fortune to buy a gold hairpin from the 'Skillful Jade Granny' of Tiangong Valley. As everyone knows, the Skillful Jade Granny has an eccentric personality. Her creations are naturally exquisite, but she won't sell to those she doesn't like, no matter how much money she offers. For some reason, Miss Yuan didn't win the Skillful Jade Granny's favor and didn't buy the hairpin. In a fit of anger, Miss Yuan led the eighteen guards of Langjing Manor to storm Tiangong Valley, only to be defeated by the 'Seven Masters of Tiangong' in formation, and slunk back to Langjing Manor."

The crowd below all let out an "oh" and then sighed.

Someone shouted, "Miss Yuan has already spread the word in the martial arts world that she wants a piece of jewelry made by 'Skillful Jade Granny' and will pay any price. Although we haven't heard of the reason Miss Ye mentioned, this matter is common knowledge. But Skillful Jade Granny is indeed a strange person. I heard that in recent years no one has been able to get any jewelry made by her."

Ye Xiao continued, "It's true that it's hard to find, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Next up for auction is a jewelry box made by 'Skilled Jade Granny'. It's made of pure gold and is extremely exquisite."

As he spoke, he pulled out a small box from his pocket, which was truly glittering and golden.

A sword chills the nine provinces

"The jewelry box is carved with a lifelike peony scroll on its surface. The bottom bears the inscription 'Masterful Craftsmanship.' A gentle touch to the bottom opens the box, revealing several compartments for bracelets, hairpins, earrings, and other items. Most uniquely, there's a hidden compartment at the bottom with a special mechanism that requires a special technique to open; it can be used to store precious items..." Ye Xiao showed the jewelry box to the assembled gentlemen. "You are all from distinguished families, and each of you has discerning eyes; you should know it's genuine. The bidding will now begin, and everyone is free to bid. True love is priceless, so this item has no reserve price!"

A moment later, someone started bidding.

Because there was no reserve price, the bids skyrocketed.

In the end, a distinguished young man won the bid with six thousand taels of silver.

Upon learning that he had won the bid, the man cheered and immediately came forward holding up the silver notes.

Ye Xiao smiled broadly, took the silver note, and was about to hand him the jewelry box.

The rumble of a carriage sounded outside the door, and a luxurious carriage stopped in front of the restaurant.

With hurried footsteps, several people rushed into the restaurant.

A gentle male voice rang out: "This jewelry box is mine, and none of you are allowed to touch it!"

Ye Xiao turned around upon hearing the sound. At the entrance of the restaurant, several people were surrounding a young master like stars around the moon.

Dressed in white, with a face as fair as jade, long, dark eyebrows slanted upwards, and narrow eyes that were slightly narrowed.

A strand of hair fell gently down her forehead, exuding an indescribable air of languid elegance.

The man slowly walked in and stood in front of Ye Xiao.

"I'm taking this jewelry box!"

Ye Xiao kept her eyes straight ahead: "The auction is over! This jewelry box belongs to this young master! Please come again next time!"

"Oh?" The white-robed young man raised an eyebrow seductively. "I'm afraid that now, besides me, no one else dares to take this jewelry box..." He then looked at the young man who had originally won the bid for the jewelry box. "Young Master Jin of Luo City? Do you still want it now?"

Young Master Jin paused for a moment, glanced longingly at the red gold jewelry box, and lowered his head: "Yes... since Young Master Huang wants it, I'll part with it..."

He sighed and said to Ye, "Miss Ye, I'm really sorry... Can I break the contract? It seems I need to get the silver notes back..."

Ye Xiao opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent, watching helplessly as the imposing young master Jin quickly turned into a defeated rooster, bowing his head and taking back the six thousand taels of silver.

Realizing that the duck that was about to be eaten had flown away, Ye Xiao vented her anger on the white-robed young man, glaring at him fiercely.

However, the young man in white seemed completely oblivious to Ye Xiao's resentment, still smiling broadly: "This jewelry box is mine now." He reached out to take it.

With a snap, Ye Xiao slapped away the tactless hand: "Young Master, this is a private collection. You'll have to pay to take it!"

The man's face darkened, and he finally managed to hold back his anger: "Huang Er! Give her one hundred taels of silver!"