Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 822 Extravagance Isn't Necessarily a Bad Thing

The two stepped into the courtyard, where the decoration style was extremely luxurious, with carved railings and painted beams everywhere. As soon as they entered, a young lady came up to offer them towels to wipe their hands and tea, as well as free fruits and pastries to eat.

Xia Lin ate fruit there for a while and saw that the place was bustling with people, but it was not as lively as it had been outside.

"Hey, excuse me." Xia Lin reached out and stopped a girl with a tray of fine wine. "I heard a lot of noise coming from outside, but I didn't see anyone when I came in."

“Sir, that’s in the backyard.”

"Oh, can you take me there?" Xia Lin took a sip of wine and said, "Hmm! Divine Intoxication, is your hospitality wine this high-class?"

The young woman lowered her body and replied seriously, "Sir, I cannot make this decision. Let me ask the person in charge to come over."

"Okay, please."

Not long after, a short, stout man strode up. He looked Xia Lin up and down briefly, then smiled and bowed, saying, "Sir, may I ask what brings you here?"

"I just heard that girl say there's something interesting happening in the backyard, so I wanted to come and join in the fun, but I don't know how to get in."

"Well..." the manager said somewhat awkwardly, "Our Bronze Sparrow Tower is divided into an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard. The outer courtyard is a teahouse and tavern where you can drink tea and listen to music, or even invite a few friends to enjoy the flowing water and wine cups, all free of charge. However, the inner courtyard... mainly deals in rare antiques. Please forgive us, but these items are quite expensive, so we are worried that thieves and criminals might sneak in. Therefore, we can only verify your assets before allowing you to pass. Sir, what do you think..."

"Verification of funds, huh?" Xia Lin clicked his tongue. "How exactly do you verify them?"

The person in charge quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "It's actually very simple. A land deed, a commercial tax receipt, a shop, or even an introduction from someone will do. And we just need to verify that it's genuine."

“I have no money…” Xia Lin scratched his head: “I only have two hundred taels of silver on me.”

"Oh, sir... you may not be allowed to enter the backyard. But it doesn't matter, we have quite a few good things in our front yard. Look at the tea sets and wine vessels displayed here, as well as some fine items from Persia that can be bought for just a few taels or tens of taels. Sir, you may take a look."

Xia Lin took a sip, feeling a bit of unease. "You mean finding someone to vouch for you is fine, right? I just want to see what's going on."

"Yes, I am very sorry to have troubled you, sir, but everyone in Fuliang follows the rules, so our master said that the rules are above all else."

Xia Lin hummed in agreement but didn't say anything. He simply turned to his secretary and said, "Go and fetch Xiao Wang from the Secretariat."

Upon hearing this, Secretary Wang felt his head buzzing, but since his boss had spoken, he couldn't say anything. He simply agreed and went out. He then went home, took off his hood, removed his beard, changed his clothes, and slowly walked back this way.

Xia Lin sat in the front hall chatting with the manager.

“You guys are really good. In the past, when I went to similar places, I would be ridiculed and kicked out as soon as I heard I had no money. But here I can even get tea.”

"Oh dear, hahaha. Sir, you flatter me. There's no reason to turn away customers when you're in business. If that were the case, this place wouldn't last long. As the saying goes, 'A constant flow of customers brings good fortune.' Not to mention someone as respectable as you, even peddlers and traveling merchants from outside will be served tea and pastries free of charge. The owner said the tea is worthless, and the pastries don't keep overnight. We need to prepare so many every day, so losing them would be a waste. But good deeds will bring good fortune." The steward raised his hand to refill Xia Lin's teacup. "But judging from your accent, sir, you seem to be from the north. Are you here to study or to do business?"

"You're just looking for trouble." Xia Lin laughed, but didn't explain much.

Upon hearing this, the person in charge instinctively felt a jolt in his heart. He saw hundreds of people every day, and he could tell what kind of person someone was from their behavior, speech, and eyes. The reason he asked Xia Lin if he was there to conduct research was because Xia Lin's eyes didn't look like those of a businessman.

But when he replied that he was looking for trouble, the steward's first reaction was "Imperial Envoy." Although he hadn't done anything wrong and didn't need to be afraid, he was still particularly glad that he had time today and hadn't let those rude guys entertain such an important person.

Moreover, ever since I thought he resembled an imperial envoy, the more I looked at him, the more he seemed to resemble him, and naturally his demeanor changed somewhat. It wasn't that he became obsequious, but rather that he became increasingly respectful.

"Sir, I see your attendant has been gone for a while now. How about I act as your introducer?"

"No need." Xia Lin waved his hand. "We've only just met, and I don't really like owing favors. Let's just keep to ourselves."

"Then we will do as you wish, sir."

After a few cups of tea, Secretary Wang finally arrived.

Don't let his status as a mere clerk in Xia Lin's eyes fool you. To ordinary people, what was his identity? The personal secretary and bodyguard of the Executive Vice Emperor, a top scholar in the imperial examinations, skilled in both literature and martial arts, a low-ranking official with immense power—a figure whose every move could cause a stir even in the capital. It's fortunate this is now; a decade or so ago, such a person would command respect and admiration.

"Mr. Zhang..." Secretary Wang stepped forward and immediately bowed to Xia Lin, "I heard you summoned me here, may I ask what brings you here?"

By this time, the person in charge had already stood up. His heart was pounding. The person standing in front of him, bowing to the master, was the chief secretary of the Fuliang government's secretariat and also the head of the guards. This was a trusted confidant of Lord Xia. He wouldn't even give a second glance to officials below the third rank if he didn't like them.

Now that he was so respectful to the person in front of him, the person in charge racked his brains. There were only two people in the world who could make Secretary Wang so respectful, besides Grand Commandant Zhang Zhan, and Minister Zhang Shuo.

But the Grand Commandant is nearly seventy years old, so it's clearly not him...

Good heavens! This isn't an imperial envoy; this is another executive vice emperor!

Even so, he had to keep his composure. Panicking would only make him look worse. So the person in charge quickly stood up, bowed, and said to Secretary Wang, "So it was Lord Wang who recommended you. If I had known it was you, I would have just sent someone to inform you. There was no need for you to come all the way here yourself."

Secretary Wang smiled and nodded at him: "Are there any procedures required?"

"No need, no need... Please follow me, both of you."

Are you kidding me? Making the Executive Vice Emperor handle the formalities? That's a joke! Everyone knows the Emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty hasn't entered the court for years. All matters, big and small, are handled by this Prime Minister. He's the Prime Minister in name only, but the Emperor in reality. Not bowing to him would be a huge disrespect, let alone handling formalities...

Guided by the lobby manager, the two entered the inner courtyard. Inside, the bustling atmosphere was a stark contrast to the deserted scene outside. People were either chatting in small groups under the shade of trees or listening to storytellers with their hands behind their backs. It was quite an interesting gathering of the wealthy.

At the very front, several of Fuliang's most famous pawnshop owners were busy selecting items, presumably confirming the items to be auctioned later. Indeed, this kind of event was quite sophisticated. Don't say the ancients were stupid; they weren't. For these wealthy men, circles and social connections were far more meaningful than eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring. In the past, maintaining such a circle required them to eat children together.

Xia Lin casually found a place to sit down. The environment here was quiet and shady with green trees, and there was even a pond for people to fish. It was really impressive. Even Xia Lin, who was well-traveled, felt that this garden had a certain charm. It was obviously made in Suzhou and must not be cheap.

Since arriving here, Secretary Wang has obviously become the center of attention. After all, he appears in public more often than Xia Lin, and he handles many things directly. However, Xia Lin doesn't mind too much. He just wants to see what interesting things are in this treasure appraisal program and witness the extravagance of these people.

Just as he was sitting under the tree, finding peace and quiet amidst the noise, the manager hurriedly approached the owner of the place and said in a low voice, "Boss, I have something to tell you, you must calm down."

The boss he was referring to was a young man in his early twenties, speaking with a Suzhou accent. He was currently bending over in front of the fish tank, teasing the fish inside. Hearing his subordinate's words, he didn't seem particularly energetic: "What else could possibly make me lose my temper?"

"The Grand Secretary of the Great Wei Dynasty, Zhang Zhongchun, is in the backyard."

"Zhang Xiang? What's he doing here?" The young man turned around and glanced at him. "Could he be here to investigate us?"

“Master, we are not worth the Prime Minister’s investigation. We’re probably just here to have some fun.”

The young man nodded slightly: "Then I won't show up. By the way, how did things go with the matter I asked you to ask Lord Xia to attend the banquet a few days ago?"

"Master, our men haven't even seen Lord Xia. They say Lord Xia doesn't accept any banquets or establish personal relationships with anyone."

"As expected of Xia Daosheng, so arrogant indeed." The young man sighed, "My father told me that he looked down on all the heroes of the world when he was still a teenager more than ten years ago, and now it seems that he really is. Keep thinking of ways to invite him over."

The person in charge hung his head and didn't agree. The young man looked somewhat displeased: "You can't even handle such a small matter? What use are you to my family?"

“Master, please forgive my bluntness, but Lord Xia is so esteemed, how could we servants possibly invite him?”

"Ha, he's quite arrogant. People like him are just putting on an act; who knows what tricks they have up their sleeves? I'll just have to go and meet him sometime."

Upon hearing his boss's words, the manager felt like he was facing an idiot, but he couldn't directly call his boss an moron. He felt sorry for his former boss. Xia Daosheng had been a sensation since his debut. Even foreign emperors had to treat him with utmost respect. Why should a small-time merchant like him be allowed to go and meet him?

Forget it, I probably won't be able to work for this young master for many more years anyway. It just so happens that the Tang family business was looking for a manager a few days ago, so I might as well give it a try, so as not to let such an idiot ruin my family.

"By the way, everyone says that Xia Daosheng was famous throughout the country when he was a teenager. If I were to surpass him in literary talent, would I become an overnight sensation?"

"Yes, yes, yes." The steward nodded repeatedly: "What the master says is absolutely right."

"Well, I'll invite him over by visiting him in person and discussing literature. If he comes, he'll be my defeated opponent; if he doesn't come, then I'll have already won without a fight."

Yes, yes, you're the best in the world. He became famous at sixteen for writing the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng, governed the country at seventeen, led an expedition against the Turks at nineteen, and quelled the chaos across the land at twenty-four. You're eighteen this year, and besides cheating two young girls in Suzhou, you've only squandered your father's fortune. And you're trying to make friends with him through literature?
Never mind...

"You look quite indignant? Hahaha, that's right. No one expected me to beat Xia Daosheng, and you're no exception. But it doesn't matter, I'll make you all speechless when the time comes."

Meanwhile, the auction items were being displayed outside, and everyone was listening to the explanations and introductions given by the shopkeepers.

"This item is a luminous pearl from the East Sea, which was pawned by a scion of a fallen noble family. It is priced at 36,000 taels of silver, with the starting bid at 20,000 taels. Those interested can begin the bidding."

"fake."

Xia Lin muttered something to himself, which was overheard by a middle-aged man around forty years old next to him. The man turned his head and asked, "Brother, how did you tell it was fake at a glance?"

"Because there are seven beads in total, forming a set called Seven Star Mermaid Tears. Judging from its size and color, this one should be the third one in the Seven Star Mermaid Tears set, Po Jun. But now the Mermaid Tears have been presented as a national gift to the Tang Dynasty and are now displayed in the Hibiscus Palace." Xia Lin knew the origin of this treasure like the back of his hand, without even blinking: "So this one must be fake."

"Hey bro, do you think it's possible that this one is real and the one in the Hibiscus Palace is fake?" The older brother next to him clearly regarded Xia Lin as an expert: "If that's the case, wouldn't we be rolling in money?"

"No. This thing is worth no more than three thousand taels. The remaining thousands or tens of thousands of taels are just premiums given to it by its fame and stories. It is only worth this price when it is displayed in the palace, or rather, it can only be real if it is in the palace."

Xia Lin's words were like a wake-up call for the man, who slapped his forehead repeatedly: "Brother, you're amazing! You're truly an expert. I've learned a lot. I was just thinking of buying it to ward off evil spirits."

Xia Lin smiled without saying a word, waving her fan.

However, although the bead was fake, its workmanship was really good, so it was quickly taken away by someone for 33,000 taels of silver.

At this moment, Xia Lin was truly amazed at how rich these nouveau riche who were riding the wave of the times could be. This piece of junk was worth at most three thousand, but he spent more than ten times that amount without even blinking an eye.

Now the second item appeared, a painting and calligraphy work by Zhang Zhongchun, the prime minister of the time, titled "Beauty Returning Home in Spring". It is one of Zhang's trilogy about brothels. It is said to depict the steps and expressions of a technician returning to her room to rest after her shift. The most amazing thing is the depiction of her eyes, which is simply lifelike.

"Brother, brother, this painting is worth ten thousand taels of silver. Do you think it's worth it?"

Xia Lin shook her head: "It's fake."

"Another fake?" The merchant's eyes widened. "What do you have to say this time, brother?"

“It’s very simple, the whole set is in my house.” Xia Lin turned to look at the man next to him: “All the ones on the market are imitations.”

"hiss……"

Soon, Xia Lin's sarcastic remarks attracted the attention of many people around him. Although these people were nouveau riche, they were not brainless. So they quietly gathered around, just to hear how this young man who had appeared out of nowhere would appraise these treasures.

(End of this chapter)