71: Bidding

Everyone exchanged glances, then walked out the door in unison.

Everyone leaned against the third-floor railing, watching the veiled courtesan dance gracefully in the center of the stage.

From left to right, the group consisted of Li Mu, Lin Yue, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Xu You.

Meanwhile, Chen Ran, Ye Xuan, and Yang Da Yan were not far away.

Cao Cao and Lin Yue were closer, and the group was subtly divided into two sections.

"Brother Lin, you serve in the Great Wall Legion. Is your visit to Xianyang City for official business?" Cao Cao asked, opening the conversation.

He wasn't particularly interested in Li Shishi, who was dancing veiled on stage, feeling that something was missing.

Compared to her, Lin Yue was clearly more to his liking.

"Yes, official duties," Lin Yue said with a smile. He was quite interested in this figure, a representative of the Jian'an literary style and the legacy of Wei Wu.

"How many more days will Brother Lin be here?" Cao Cao asked.

"Four or five days, I suppose. Brother Cao, are you not interested in Miss Shishi?" Lin Yue asked, a little curious that Cao Cao seemed to ignore such a beauty.

"Alas, Miss Shishi is too young," Cao Cao said with a hint of disappointment, then added, "Compared to her, I'm more interested in you, Brother Lin!"

Lin Yue's hair stood on end upon hearing this, and even Li Mu looked at Cao Cao with an indescribable expression.

He had only heard that Cao Caos style name liked younger women in Xianyang City; he hadn't heard that he also had homosexual tendencies!

"Brother Cao, how did you and Brother Ye meet?" Lin Yue asked, a bit awkwardly, then took the initiative to change the subject.

He couldn't understand how Ye Xuan, a player who was originally wanted by the imperial court, could obtain an official position and be on good terms with Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.

One must know that some other players were currently Mountain Bandits in the mountains, while others were performing forced labor in various parts of Great Qin. How could the disparity be so great?

"Brother Ye arrived in Xianyang City half a month ago. It's said he was recommended by the Director of the Chariot Office, Zhao Gao, and became a Surveillance Censor of the eighth rank, but I don't know if it's true.

As fellow young talents, we naturally became close with Ben Chu after a few gatherings, and over time, we all became acquainted," Cao Cao said with a smile, openly telling Lin Yue without any reservations.

Zhao Gao?

Lin Yue was startled. This name was arguably known to everyone; in later generations, no matter how one ranked treacherous officials and villains, he always had a place.

The most famous incident was probably Zhao Gao's 'pointing to a deer as a horse' after Second Emperor of Qin ascended the throne, which was on a completely different level compared to the later 'pointing to a rat as a duck' based on his story.

Even Cao Mengde, who historically held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, was slightly inferior to him.

Ye Xuan had really latched onto a powerful backer!

"Zhao Gao? Brother Ye certainly has extensive connections," Lin Yue said with a sneer. Although Cao Cao hid it well, he still caught Cao Cao's fleeting look of disgust when Ye Xuan first entered the room.

So, he didn't shy away from Cao Cao and directly spoke with sarcasm.

"It's nothing more than having some money, and besides, this matter might not even be true," Cao Cao said with a hint of disdain.

Lin Yue remembered the ten thousand taels of gold awarded in the game announcement when The Number One Village Under Heaven was established, and he understood.

"Brother Ye's future prospects are limitless!" Lin Yue exclaimed.

"Brother Lin, look, how does Ye Xuan treat Ben Chu and me, and how does he treat Zi Yuan?" Cao Cao suddenly said with a smile.

Lin Yue turned his head and saw Ye Xuan currently chatting merrily with Xu You; the two were having a delightful conversation.

However, during their previous drinking and merrymaking, Ye Xuan had been outwardly warm but inwardly cold towards Yuan Shao, showing a hint of aloofness within his enthusiasm. Towards Cao Cao, he had been unsmiling, and the two had not exchanged much.

As for Xu You, he had repeatedly stood up to defend Ye Xuan earlier; the two could be said to have a deep bond.

"Indeed, there's a big difference," Lin Yue said after a careful recollection.

"Yes, because Ben Chu can bring him connections, but they are not on the same path; and I am useless to him, offering no help; as for his different attitude towards Zi Yuan, that's because Zi Yuan is the only one among the three of us who can be used by him!" Cao Cao mused:

"I don't like this kind of person. He's too utilitarian and too calculating.

Most importantly, while he's polite to ordinary people, he's too dismissive of them. He seems to have a natural barrier with those at the bottom. Such a person in office would not be a blessing to the common people.

In contrast, Brother Lin is much better."

Lin Yue suddenly understood after hearing this: Ye Xuan wanted to recruit Xu You!

As a player, Ye Xuan must have heard of Xu You's name, and thus he harbored thoughts of recruitment!

Although Cao Cao had not yet made his mark, he already possessed the makings of a cunning hero. He saw through things that Lin Yue overlooked at a glance. No wonder he rose so quickly in history!

"Brother Cao is a great talent; I am not his equal," Lin Yue praised.

Compared to Cao Cao, or perhaps any civil or military official who left their name in history, he was far inferior.

Even a name you've never heard of in history books, in their respective eras, was a person of great renown and extraordinary talent, far beyond what he, a game planner from later generations, could compare to.

"Brother Lin, you flatter me. I truly regret not meeting you sooner, Brother Lin," Cao Cao said with a smile. Then, his eyes darted, and he leaned forward, whispering, "Tomorrow at this time, I will host a banquet. How about we gather here?"

"That would be wonderful; I couldn't ask for more," Lin Yue said with a smile, displaying a refreshing demeanor.

The music ended, the dance stopped.

A beauty in a red dress stood silently in the center of the stage.

"Gentlemen, you are all regulars, so I won't say much more. Miss Shi Shi performs for art, not for her body!

This is Miss Shi Shi's first public appearance. The highest bidder wins, and the winner will enjoy Miss Shi Shi's solo dance.

The starting bid is 500 taels of silver, with each increment of 100 taels. Let's begin." Chun Niang laughed and swayed her waist as she stepped off the stage.

"500 taels!"

"600 taels!"

The crowd roared, and bids rose continuously.

"Brother Mengde, what is a solo dance?" Lin Yue asked curiously, wondering if it was that kind of dance.

"It's just a dance performed in a room, Young Master Lin. Don't overthink it; it's a proper dance," Cao Cao said with a smile.

"And that costs 500 taels of silver?" Lin Yue was somewhat incredulous. Did this money just fall from the sky?

"To spend a fortune for a solo dance, it's a romantic tale that will be spread," Cao Cao smiled mysteriously. "Besides, Miss Shi Shi is a rare woman chosen by Chun Niang after much deliberation. How could she easily lose her virginity?

For men, what they can't have is the best. That way, more people will pursue her next time."

"It's currently eight hundred taels. I wonder who Miss Shi Shi will favor tonight?" Chun Niang said with a smile.

The faces of the crowd below were flushed, and facing such temptation, they all exerted themselves, shouting loudly.

"One thousand taels!"

"Twelve hundred taels!"

"Thirteen hundred taels!"

"Fifteen hundred taels!"

Lin Yue shook his head slightly. To spend thousands of taels of silver for a chance to merely speak with a woman he had never even seen?

It seemed there were truly many wealthy people in this imperial capital, Xianyang. The depth of these prominent families far exceeded his imagination.

"Eighteen hundred taels!"

A loud shout silenced the entire hall!

"That's a descendant of the Zhao family. I don't know where he got the nerve to suddenly flaunt his wealth," Cao Cao said with a smile, pointing at the shouting youth.

"The Zhao family? Which Zhao family?" Lin Yue asked.

"The Colonel of the Imperial Guard, Zhao Kuangyin!" Cao Cao said. "I heard his thirty-two forms of longfist are unmatched among the Imperial Guard; he's considered a prodigy of the younger generation."

Isn't that Emperor Taizu of Song!

Lin Yue thought, Emperor Taizu of Song serving in the Imperial Guard as a native? Why did this plot feel somewhat familiar?

"Two thousand taels!"

Suddenly, a loud shout made the entire hall fall silent, everyone looking for the bidder!

Lin Yue turned his head and saw that it was Erbai Liang, not far from them!

Two thousand taels could be exchanged for two million dragon coins! What did Erbai Liang do in reality to be so willing to spend money?

"Two thousand taels, once! Any more bids?" Chun Niang asked, beaming with joy. "Two thousand taels, twice!"

"Gentlemen, thank you for yielding!" Erbai Liang also cupped his hands and laughed from the third floor, drawing countless envious gazes and making many wish they were the ones standing there making the bid.

But the next second, his expression changed dramatically!

"Bang!"

A gasp came from outside, and several attendants stumbled in!