514: Chapter 514 The Sensational Glass

"Now for the second auction item."

Zhang Qian's voice echoed through the luxuriously decorated auction hall. He intentionally raised his volume, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below as he announced the start of another intense round of bidding.

As his voice fell, two graceful maidens stepped out slowly from backstage with light, airy steps.

Each held an exquisite tray covered with a layer of soft, colored velvet. In the center of the velvet sat a pair of crystal-clear glass goblets, radiating a captivating luster.

Under the reflection of the hall's lights, the glass goblets shimmered brightly, instantly capturing the eyes of everyone present.

"Is this crystal?"

"Such crystal-clear crystal!"

"Indeed. To polish irregularly shaped crystal into such transparent goblets... I truly don't know how they did it!"

"Exactly, exactly. Polishing crystal into a cup is easy, but making it this transparent is as difficult as reaching the heavens!"

...

Limited by ancient productivity, the tools used to polish crystal were not particularly advanced. Even if one were to polish a whole piece of transparent crystal, the abrasive tools would often cloud the surface, making it impossible to achieve this level of transparency.

"I must win these crystal cups!"

"No, these crystal cups shall belong to me!"

"They're mine!"

"Heh, don't even try to compete with me. These crystal cups are clearly mine!"

...

The appearance of these glass goblets was like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.

The nobles below, who had been maintaining a facade of composure, suddenly seemed to have their passion ignited, their eyes filled with burning desire.

Even before the bidding began, they already viewed the glass goblets as their own property.

To them, these were no ordinary cups, but symbols of status and wealth—peerless treasures that would allow them to stand out in any social gathering.

"This pair of glass goblets boasts exquisite craftsmanship and is unparalleled in the world. Its material is pure and its shape is elegant; I'm sure you can all see its extraordinary nature at a glance."

As Zhang Qian introduced them, he turned his body slightly, allowing everyone to admire the pair of goblets from different angles.

"The starting price: two thousand dan of grain!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a noble dressed in a magnificent brocade robe and wearing a gemstone-encrusted crown couldn't wait to raise his placard, shouting loudly, "Two thousand five hundred dan!"

He lifted his chin slightly, a hint of arrogance in his eyes, clearly declaring his determination to win.

"Three thousand dan!"

Another plump noble refused to be outdone, immediately calling out an even higher price.

He toyed with an expensive ring on his finger, a confident smile on his face, looking entirely sure of his own financial strength.

"Three thousand five hundred dan!"

Yet another noble joined the bidding. His eyes were fixed on the pair of goblets, as if he could already see himself holding them and enjoying fine wine under the envious gazes of others.

The nobles seemed to have gone mad, continuously calling out staggering numbers.

To them, the mountains of grain piled in their cellars were useless on ordinary days; being able to exchange them for such a peerless treasure was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Every time they raised the price, it was accompanied by a slight commotion below as the crowd whispered among themselves, speculating who the goblets would finally go to.