Chapter 8: The Grand Auction of Cigarettes

"So, Qin Wang, do you still want that kind of dry wine?" Liang Fang suddenly leaned close to Zhu Cunshu and said in a mysterious tone

What the hell does this mean, Wei Ming! They said they were coming to present me with a treasure, and now they are starting to auction it off. This is truly outrageous! After hearing about this matter at home, King Qin Zhu Cunshu flew into a rage. To an outsider, it would seem as if he had been insulted.

Ah, I told you. Wei Ming is indeed an ordinary citizen, and from the looks of it, he is more of a speculative businessman. As the saying goes, officials should not compete with the people for profit, and I would not want to tarnish your and my father's reputation. We cannot simply seize it, nor can we buy it with money. Isn't he going to auction it? Isn't it the case that the highest bidder wins? Of course, if we intervene directly, it would not reflect well. We cannot simply seize it, nor can we buy it with money. Isn't he going to auction it? Isn't it the case that the highest bidder wins? Of course, if we intervene directly, it would not reflect well. Naturally, it is also impossible for us to be the fools in this situation. In the end, if we arrange things this way, and his auction proceeds as he wishes, wouldn't that be great?" Liang Fang confidently expressed his thoughts, and Zhu Cunshu nodded repeatedly. The plan is indeed quite good. In the end, if we arrange things this way, and his auction proceeds as he wishes, wouldn't that be great?" Liang Fang confidently expressed his thoughts, and Zhu Cunshu nodded repeatedly. The plan is indeed quite good.

"Your Highness, if he wants to sell you, let him sell you. Do we really need to bother with such a small character?" said Liang Fang, the eldest son of Liang Dingxian, the governor of Xi'an. He had a fairly good relationship with Prince Qin Zhu Cunshu, belonging to the category of casual friends. Therefore, his manner of speaking was quite informal. Especially during the Ming Dynasty, people tended to take such matters lightly in informal settings. For instance, both the emperor and the crown prince would refer to themselves as "I" in everyday situations, rather than constantly using "I" in the royal sense.

Dear elders and fellow villagers, greetings to you all. Today, I am fortunate to have so many people here to support me, and I would like to express my gratitude to everyone. After speaking for quite a while on the stage that was already prepared, Wei Ming finally ceased after earning a round of applause.

Seeing Wei Ming take out a cigarette, which looked exactly like the one described in rumors, the crowd below had already started shouting. Wei Ming observed that his guidance was quite effective, nodded, and said: "Alright, since it's an auction, the highest bidder wins! The auction now..." At this point, Wei Ming snatched a gong from Li Niu, which had been tinkered with from somewhere, struck it with a loud "clang," and shouted: "Start!"

Do you know? The dry wine is not just one bottle, but rather five or six! What was given to King Qin was merely one of them

"Alright, you go ahead and do that. I have high hopes for you," Zhu Cunshu said with a cheerful smile after hearing this. If this matter is successfully accomplished, he would be able to buy the incense and the special cigarettes from Wei Ming, which would be quite a delightful experience. Just thinking about it made him excited. Last time, he only managed to take a puff. Once he regained his composure, he realized that the cigarettes had already been finished by others. He regretted it for quite a while. He originally thought that there was only that one stick of dry liquor, and felt quite sorry about it. After regaining his composure, he found out that the cigarettes had already been consumed by others, which made him regretful for a long time. He initially believed that there was only that one stick of dry liquor, and felt quite a loss. Now, discovering that there are more available, and with a little clever maneuvering, he could obtain them, filled his heart with joy.

"Just think about it, and leave the rest to me!" Liang Fang said, patting his chest and speaking confidently.

That day was the fifteenth. By evening, the Chunfeng Grand Restaurant was already packed to the brim. Li Niu and Wei Ming, who had been waiting on the second floor, looked at the dense crowd outside, feeling a surge of excitement. So many people must be here for the cigarettes. If all these people participated in the auction, how lively it would be! Just thinking about it made one feel exhilarated. Wei Ming couldn't help but sigh. Even though people's lives were quite difficult now, in a big city like Xi'an, there were still many dignitaries and wealthy individuals. Their lives remained luxurious and extravagant. Just hearing that he had presented a cigarette to King Qin Zhu Cunshu had attracted so many people. Alas, the world is declining, and people's hearts are no longer as they used to be! No, it seems like we are in ancient times now! Just hearing that he had presented a cigarette to King Qin Zhu Cunshu had attracted so many people. Alas, the world is declining, and people's hearts are no longer as they used to be! No, it seems like we are in ancient times now!

When it reached the hour of You and the time for books, it was now June, and there was still some time before nightfall. Due to the current special circumstances, nightlife was quite monotonous. As soon as it got dark, hardly anyone was willing to go out. Therefore, Wei Ming decided to start the auction now

"You are right. No matter how I say it, I am still the King of Qin. How can I stoop to argue with such a minor character? Yes, you make a very valid point." Zhu Cunshu murmured to himself for quite a while before finally grasping the intricacies of the matter, and he nodded affirmatively at Liang Fang.

Yes, yes! Let's get started quickly! Wei Ming can't wait any longer!

I have heard about it, how could I not have heard? Basically everyone in Xi'an knows about it

Hey, hey, hey, what are you trying to do? Don't cause any trouble for me! Even if your father is the governor of Xi'an, it doesn't matter. If something goes wrong, it will ultimately be me who has to sort it out for you. Stop causing trouble! Zhu Cunshu reminded with a frown. This kid Liang Fang has caused him no small amount of trouble. His father is a fourth-rank governor with real power, but in Shaanxi, not everything is decided by him. There is also a provincial governor above him. If this gets escalated, it will be even more troublesome. Every time, Zhu Cunshu has to step in to resolve the issues. Although he, as the King of Qin, does not have much real power, he still has some face. No matter who becomes the provincial governor of Shaanxi, they have to come and pay respects to the door god, which also gives the Zhu family some face. Sometimes, a single word from Zhu Cunshu carries more weight than ten words from Liang Dingxian. It is precisely for this reason that Zhu Cunshu does not feel at ease with Liang Fang. Don't think that just because you have the imperial edict in hand, you can do as you please. That could lead to serious trouble. The censors of the Ming Dynasty are still quite formidable.

Stop wasting words, let's get started!

"Alright, the purpose of everyone being here today is for this special dry wine," Wei Ming said as he took out a cigarette that had already been prepared. Having watched various hosting programs from later generations, he noted how the hosts would speak at length, captivating the audience with their eloquence. Although Wei Ming was the type who had only seen pigs run but had never eaten pork, his one experience was during elementary school when he hosted a class meeting. However, there was no issue in engaging people from the Ming Dynasty hundreds of years ago. Wei Ming was also aware of how to stimulate the enthusiasm of these individuals.

"Just you wait and see!" Liang Fang exclaimed excitedly as he ran out. It was not only Zhu Cunshu who was obsessed with the strong liquor; he felt the same way. Back then, he had eagerly taken several sips, savoring the taste. This time, how much he could gain would depend on the final outcome. The larger share would go to Zhu Cunshu, while the smaller share would be for himself. It was simply perfect. Once again, Liang Fang felt like a genius.

Of course, Zhu Cunshu wanted to say something, but in the end, he held back. No matter how he spoke, he was still the King of Qin, and in Shaanxi, he was the top figure! He was of royal blood! He certainly desired it, but how to obtain it was another matter. He couldn't shamelessly compete with a minor character for something, could he? If he did that, it would disgrace the Zhu family. If his ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang found out about this, he would surely send a dream to take him down! He couldn't shamelessly compete with a minor character for something, could he? If he did that, it would disgrace the Zhu family. If his ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang found out about this, he would surely send a dream to take him down!

Oh, you can rest assured a hundred times. Am I really that kind of person? Liang Fang had a demeanor that suggested he was reliable, so you can trust him. However, Zhu Cunshu wore a look of disdain, clearly indicating that you are not that kind of person; who is?

It has been three days since the last visit to the Qin Wang Mansion. During these three days, Wei Ming has not been idle. Or rather, Li Niu has not been idle. Li Niu followed Wei Ming's instructions and went through the streets and alleys to promote.

Ah, have you heard about Wei Ming presenting strong liquor to King Qin?

Is it true or not

Of course it is true. Moreover, on the evening of the 15th, the remaining dry wine will be auctioned. The auction will take place inside the Chunfeng Grand Hotel

Conversations like this can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys of Xi'an. One person passes it to another, two pass it to four, and four spread it to many. Soon, the entire city of Xi'an is aware of this matter