Thirteen-year-old He Guangsheng is about the same height as Hua Nuan. The two of them stepped on a few bricks and watched the guests arriving one after another. There was a lot of traffic in front of the Lu's Chamber of Commerce.
During the Chinese New Year, you can see so many people, but today those who came are all dignitaries, big businessmen and wealthy businessmen. Their clothes, entourage, cars, etc. are all different, which makes He Guangsheng feel very strange.Ω
"This is the first time I have seen so many carriages!" He Guangsheng was dazzled.
"A carriage is not unusual. Look, look, why is that man's maid so fat?" Obviously Hua Nuan saw something different from He Guangsheng.
"Well, he's pretty stout at best, doesn't Brother Nuan like chubby girls?" He Guangsheng's aesthetics are different from Hua Nuan's.
The maid who was called fat by Hua Nuan felt someone was watching her and looked up to find the source of the gaze. Hua Nuan immediately jumped off the brick and stood up and said, "Don't look over. People who practice martial arts should keep their bodies well-proportioned and avoid being too fat."
And being too thin will affect the progress of cultivation."
He Guangsheng curled his lips.
"Oh, what's your expression, you little brat? Do you think my cultivation level is not much higher than yours?" Hua Nuan asked, pretending to be vicious.
"Brother Nuan, when you were about the same age as me, were you higher in cultivation than me?" He Guangsheng asked in return.
"Well, huh, you don't know anyway. If you can catch up with me in the future, I will take your last name." Hua Nuan felt aggrieved and looked down upon by a little kid.
At this time, Ding Kui followed Dong Song to the VIP room. Seeing the nearly fifty square meters of room, he nodded with satisfaction and said, "The place is not small."
There is a large round table in the middle of the room, and inside is a row of windows as high as one person. Through the windows, you can see the auction hall. People inside can see the auction going on while sitting at the round table.
"Yes, yes, there is no problem in seating more than ten people at this table. It can fully meet your needs." Dong Song felt relieved.
"Do the other distinguished guests think your lunch is not delicious? I'm used to being in the military, and now I'm not so particular about food, so I came here for lunch, so I was the first to arrive." Ding Kui figured out the link.
"Well, there are reasons for this." Dong Song did not deny it, "Of course some VIPs will have other reasons, but it is not convenient for us to ask." Later, he blurred the reasons why the VIPs did not arrive early.
"Okay, no need to explain, just bring over the lunch you prepared. I've been busy all morning and I'm hungry. I won't find your food unpalatable." Ding Kui sat down facing the auction hall.
on the position.
In a restaurant not far from the Lu Chamber of Commerce, three men who looked like northern businessmen were gathered around a table by the window.
A middle-aged man with rough facial skin and a face full of vicissitudes of life seemed to be the boss. His eyes were very sharp, and his eyes were wandering around the square in front of Lu's Chamber of Commerce.
"There are indeed only two guards around him, one of whom is a young man." The leader of the northern businessman said in a very low voice.
"As long as the soldier is not there, the other guards can basically be ignored. The three of us can create an opportunity for Xiaosi." A northern businessman with extremely broad shoulders and a slightly shorter head glanced around the table warily.
"His own strength is quite strong. It is not yet known whether Xiaosi can solve the problem in one blow. I don't know where the pig head came from by chance, so Shaodianguo's spies happened to spy on us. Our current situation is extremely bad.
There is only one chance to take action.
If you don't take action, you will die if you go back. If you take action, you will definitely die. Once the latter succeeds, the family will live a good life for several generations. Therefore, we must be cautious. After taking action, we can only succeed and not fail. We cannot bet all our treasures on it.
It’s on Xiao Si.” The boss warned his companions.
"Judging from the plans we have prepared, the first and fifth plans are most consistent with the current situation. These two plans are the most rigorous and have a high probability of success. The God of War has been blessing us." The third northern businessman
His ears are very big, making his face look very broad.
"Third Brother, then you go and inform Little Four. The first or fifth plan will be implemented later, depending on the target's reaction." The boss made up his mind.
"Yes." Big-Ear Northern Businessman stood up and walked downstairs.
Among the guests invited by Ding Kui, Kong Ren was the first to arrive at Lu's Chamber of Commerce. Hua Nuan did not need He Guangsheng's prompting to know that the young man in white who was walking towards him was Kong Ren.
"Hello, Master Kong. The master has been waiting inside for a long time. Please come in with me." Hua Nuan stopped in front of Kong Ren and said.
Kong Ren did not recognize Hua Nuan but had met He Guangsheng. He saw the two standing together from a distance and knew that they were both from the Ding family, so he nodded to Hua Nuan and followed Hua Nuan into the Lu Chamber of Commerce without saying anything.
Another waiter from Lu's Chamber of Commerce guided Kong Ren and Hua Nuan into Ding Kui's VIP room.
"Hey, Mr. Kong has always been a punctual gentleman. He's here just right, not too early or too late. Come and sit down. The food and wine haven't been served yet." Ding Kui warmly greeted Kong Ren to sit down, "Hey, where are you going?
?”
Hua Nuan, who had just turned around and walked to the door, turned back and replied: "Aren't there Mr. Yang and Mr. Long? I'm afraid Guang Sheng can't take care of them by himself."
"No need, Young Master Yang has arrived a long time ago. He's sitting down below now." Ding Kui pursed his lips toward the window, gesturing to Hua Nuan to go and see for himself.
"Haha, in the past five years, we all came to the auction with our elders, and we all sat in the VIP rooms reserved by the family. If we wanted to sit with our brothers and friends, we could only go to the lobby.
There are too many people coming to the auction. The Lu Chamber of Commerce can't make room for us, the younger generation. I never expected to be able to sit in the room with your glory. Is it because the Jiang family didn't come or the Long family didn't come?" Kong Ren asked curiously
asked.
"Why, do you look down on our Ding family? Why didn't you say it was my father who didn't come?" Ding Kui deliberately made a serious face.
"Hey, it's not that I look down on the Ding family. The people of the Lu State put interests first, and they are eager to get into money. The Protector of the Country currently has no real power, and I don't see what benefits he can give to the Lu Chamber of Commerce.
But then again, your status in the eyes of Lu Guo merchants will soon surpass that of your father. From the perspective of long-term investment, it makes sense that Lu Chamber of Commerce will give you preferential treatment." Kong Ren's eyes wandered over Ding Kui.
"Oh? How do you say this?" Ding Kui looked at Kong Ren with interest.
"Hey, don't pretend to be confused because you understand me, Prince Consort! Your business acumen is well-known in the circle, and with your status as the king's son-in-law, you may be able to manage large-scale transactions in the kingdom in the future."
Although Kong Ren did not know much about military matters, he could have in-depth discussions with Ding Kui in other aspects.
Hua Nuan wrinkled her nose as she stood by the window and looked down.
"Do I need to be a consort to do business? Don't call me bragging. The deals I come up with are exclusive businesses that no one can compete with me. The Lu Chamber of Commerce also asked me to cooperate. I just won't marry that young man.
Dianluan, you have to keep this VIP room for me." Ding Kui trusted the privacy of the VIP room and spoke without any scruples.
Suddenly, Hua Nuan, who was pouring tea for himself next to him, knocked over a cup.
"Shh, just say this in a low voice here. Walls have ears, so don't let outsiders hear it. If you don't marry the eldest princess, can the king spare you? Your life is gone, what's the use of having a VIP room?" Kong Ren looked back.
Glancing at the door.
"The master doesn't seem to be happy to marry the eldest princess?" Hua Nuan couldn't help but ask.
"Have you ever seen a young man like me? I am only twenty years old this year, and I already have a daughter-in-law at home. This man has arranged a marriage for me. It seems that I can't live without a woman, and he has done it for me.
The person who made the decision has never asked me for my opinion. Who do you want me to talk to for reasoning?" Ding Kui expressed his bitterness.
Now that Long Shuang has not come and Yang Mian is not here, Ding Kui complains to Kong Ren. He feels that there is no problem because the words will not reach the ears of Long Yan and Shaodian Luan.
What? You mean Hua Nuan? How could he report to the two ladies?
This is what Ding Kui really thinks.
"Wait a minute, I didn't understand. Are you willing or unwilling?" Hua Nuan was more anxious than anyone else, completely ignoring that it was Kong Ren who was chatting with his master.
"Ahem, well, let's not talk about this anymore. It doesn't matter at all whether I am willing or not. Come on, go and urge the waiter to serve the food," Ding Kui waved to Hua Nuan, "Why do you care so much about the master's affairs?"
He still retains some vigilance towards Hua Nuan in his heart.
"Oh." Hua Nuan reluctantly walked out of the room.
"Your bodyguard? Why do you talk so little?" Kong Ren didn't understand.
Kong Ren's bodyguards came with him, but they were all standing outside the door.
"Oh, I'm used to it. I'll teach him a lesson when I get back. Recently, I've been treating my guards as my own soldiers." Ding Kui himself didn't understand. "This is the list for today's auction. Let's see if you like it.
"." He threw a pamphlet to Kong Ren.
"I can't afford it. I'm not the only one interested in the things at the auction. The Kong family has suffered a lot of losses in the past few years. It's pretty good that my family hasn't reduced my expenses. How can I have any spare money to send me to the auction?
squander.
There is a rumor that you have come up with something new. I am very interested in this. Maybe inviting people over today has something to do with it? Why don't you tell me about it? Don't hide good things, bring them out and share them with me."
Kong Ren pushed the pamphlet back to Ding Kui.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, the information is quite good. Yes, I have developed something fun, called Mahjong." Ding Kui said boldly, "Hua Nuan, Hua Nuan, it takes so long to do a small thing!"
"Come on, I'm right outside the door." Hua Nuan walked back to the room with a bulging sound.
"Where is the mahjong?"
"Over there." Hua Nuan pointed to the table by the wall.
"Bring it here and let Brother Kong open his eyes." Ding Kui said proudly, completely ignoring Hua Nuan's feelings.
Hua Nuan moved forward, picked up a wooden box from the table by the wall, and walked slowly to Ding Kui. Bang, the wooden box was thrown on the round table.
A look of contempt flashed in Kong Ren's eyes.
Ding Kui didn't care. He reached out to open the wooden box and poured out the mahjong tiles inside. He grabbed one and said to Kong Ren: "Look, this is the second set of mahjong tiles in the world. Among the younger generation, you are the best."