Dual Transmigration: Starting from being captured and brought to the Hehuan Sect!

Two days later, in the front yard of the Yue Family Mansion in Hezhou City.

Yue Wanjin chose the Yue family villa next to his own money shop as the venue for the auction. This villa was originally used by the Yue family to receive distinguished guests. The courtyard was spacious and the main hall could accommodate hundreds of people. At this moment, it was temporarily converted into an auction venue.

In the center of the main hall, there was a three-foot-high wooden platform, on which was placed a long table of rosewood covered with bright red brocade.

Dozens of armchairs were neatly arranged below the stage, with a wide aisle between them. Tea tables were set up on both sides, filled with seasonal fruits and fine tea snacks.

Just after Chen Shi (7-9 AM), prominent figures from Hezhou City began to arrive one after another.

Leading the group was Shen Wancai, who had started his business in the west of the city by selling cloth. He wore a dark brown silk robe with floral patterns and a jade pendant of excellent quality hanging from his waist. Behind him were two attendants who looked like accountants.

Next was Zhou Bancheng, who ran a pawnshop in the south of the city. He was as thin as a rake, but his eyes shone brightly.

Then there's Mr. Zhao, who runs a porcelain business in the north of the city; Manager Qian, who runs a medicinal herb business; and Mr. Sun, who runs a timber business...

Most of the wealthy merchants who were considered prominent in Hezhou City came.

These people knew each other in their daily lives, and when they met, they would inevitably exchange pleasantries. The main hall was bustling with noise, and the aroma of tea mingled with the scents of various spices, creating a lively and extraordinary atmosphere.

At 9:00 AM, Prefect Pei Ziyu's sedan chair arrived.

Yue Wanjin personally greeted Pei Ziyu at the door and led him to the main seat in the front row.

Pei Ziyu was not wearing his official robes today, but instead a moon-white scholar's gown, a square headscarf on his head, and a folding fan in his hand—the attire of a leisurely scholar.

However, the two armed guards standing beside him and the fish-shaped tally that was inadvertently revealed at his waist made all the merchants present unconsciously straighten their posture.

With the prefect himself present, the auction took on a whole new level of significance.

Lin Mo sat in the front row, near the side, next to Long Qingxue, who was dressed in men's clothing.

Today he wore a navy blue robe made of the finest Suzhou silk, specially sent by Yue Wanjin. The cuffs and collar were embroidered with dark cloud patterns, and a dark leather belt was tied around his waist.

He looked dashing and roguish, and sitting with those pot-bellied wealthy businessmen, he seemed more like a young master from a prominent family who had returned from studying abroad.

Yue Wanjin stepped onto the wooden platform, cleared his throat, bowed to the audience, and began his performance with a beaming smile:

"Esteemed owners and gentlemen, I am deeply honored by your presence today."

Today's charity sale was initiated by the newly appointed magistrate of Lianhai County, Lord Lin Molin, and the document was personally approved by Prefect Pei.

The items auctioned today are all rare treasures that Lord Lin acquired by chance from merchants from the Western Regions.

All proceeds from the auction will be used to provide disaster relief and shelter for displaced people in Lianhai County.

By making bids today, you are both acquiring treasures and accumulating good karma—a win-win situation. Why not?

A murmur arose from the audience.

"Rare Treasures from the Western Regions" and "Disaster Relief"

These keywords made the eyes of the wealthy businessmen present light up.

It's a rare item, and it also gives the prefect a chance to show off his generosity. No matter how you look at it, it's a win-win situation.

Yue Wanjin picked up the first item for auction, a beautifully packaged bar of soap. He cleared his throat and announced loudly:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the first treasure we present today is called the 'Jade Skin Soap'."

This product is specially designed for cleaning; it's suitable for both hand washing and bathing. After washing, the skin feels refreshed and not tight, and the fragrance lasts all day. Let me demonstrate it for you.

He had a maid bring him a basin of clean water, and then rubbed the soap in his palms twice, producing a fine, white lather with a delicate jasmine scent.

He rubbed the foam in his hands, rinsed it with water, and held his hands up in the candlelight to show them off. The old stains between his fingers were clean, and the fine lines on the back of his hands had faded a bit.

The audience watched in amazement, but their reactions were relatively restrained.

After all, it's just a tool for washing hands; it may be novel, but it's ultimately a consumable item.

Zhou Bancheng was the first to raise his hand:

"Five hundred taels!"

The bid was like a stone thrown into a pond, creating ripples, and others followed suit:

"Six hundred taels."

"One thousand taels."

The soap was eventually sold for two thousand taels of silver, which was a good start.

The second item was floral water.

As Yue Wanjin uncorked the bottle, a rich floral fragrance instantly filled the air, causing several wealthy businessmen sitting in the front row to involuntarily take a deep breath.

The aroma is rich yet not pungent, with a natural sweetness, completely different from the perfumes made by mixing lard with sesame powder on the market.

"This product is called 'floral water,' and just one drop can keep you smelling fresh all day."

The raw material is distilled from exotic flowers from the Western Regions, without any lard, and has a delicate and lasting aroma.

You can imagine, if the lady or young lady of the house applied just one drop to her wrist before going out…”

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

The women sitting below the stage were the first to stir, with several young ladies tugging at their fathers' sleeves and whispering among themselves.

The bidding was much more intense than before, and in the end, the bottle of floral water was bought by salt merchant Mr. Wu for eight thousand taels of silver. His daughter, who was beside him, never lost her smile from the start to the end of the bidding.

The third item was a lighter.

Yue Wanjin held the small silver metal cube in his hand. Facing the puzzled looks from the crowd below, he smiled slightly and lightly flicked the lighter's roller with his thumb...

"Snap"

With a crisp sound, a cluster of orange-yellow flames suddenly emerged from the top of the small cube, leaping in the candlelight like a little sprite imprisoned in metal.

The entire auction hall fell into a brief, deathly silence.

Everyone present, including Pei Ziyu, stared intently at the small silver cube that seemed to conjure fire out of thin air. No one spoke; only the candle flame flickered slightly in the silence.

It's one thing to start a fire with a flint and steel, but this thing doesn't need a flint or a tinderbox; it just produces fire with a gentle press!

This is no ordinary object; it is clearly a magical treasure of immortals!

The silence lasted for three full breaths, then the bidding erupted like a flood bursting its banks.

"Three thousand taels!"

"four thousand!"

"Seven thousand!"

Shen Wancai eventually acquired the lighter for a sky-high price of ten thousand taels of silver. When he carried it up to the stage to complete the transaction, his hands were trembling, as if he were holding not a lighter, but a small dragon that could breathe fire.

The fourth item was a glass mirror.

Yue Wanjin held the mirror high, its surface reflecting a soft light in the candlelight, and he said loudly:

"This item is called a 'Western Crystal Mirror.' Its surface is as clear as water, reflecting images with crystal clarity, so clear that even individual hairs can be seen. It is far superior to ordinary bronze mirrors."

The starting price is two thousand taels, and each bid must be at least five hundred taels higher.

If the previous three items were rare, useful, and magical, then this mirror is a shock that strikes straight to the heart.

A bronze mirror reflects a blurry image; even the finest bronze mirror can only show a rough outline. But this mirror, when placed in front of the face, reveals the lines of the eyebrows, the curve of the eyelashes, and the pores on the skin with crystal clarity.

Several ladies in the audience screamed after just one close look, covering their faces, clearly seeing their true appearance so clearly for the first time.

In the end, the mirror was auctioned off to Zhao Dongjia for 30,000 taels of silver, setting a new record for the day.