Noble families were not exclusive to the Great Qian Kingdom.
The Great Liang Kingdom was also teeming with noble families, and when they united, even the Emperor of Great Liang had to compromise!
The foremost noble family in the Great Liang Kingdom, the Yan family, held a status comparable to the Dugu family of Great Qian!
However, the Dugu family had been thoroughly exploited by Liang Xiao, making them less fortunate than the Yan family now…
Duanmu Xiu asked suspiciously, "I've also interacted with members of the Yan family, and even met their patriarch. I've never heard of any woman from the Yan family appearing in public!"
Yan Jun smiled, "I don't need to prove myself; as long as I can afford it, that's all that matters, isn't it?"
Duanmu Xiu sneered, "If you have the nerve, then buy it all!"
His Duanmu family had painstakingly persuaded the Ouyang and He families to stop competing for the bids. They thought they had it in the bag.
And now, someone from the Great Liang Kingdom had the audacity to interfere?
"If Young Master Duanmu is willing to fulfill my wish, then I wouldn't mind buying all the 'One Drunk Century' bottles. A gentleman's word is as good as his bond; don't go back on your promise," Yan Jun stated calmly.
Liang Xiao observed this, marveling inwardly.
Duanmu Xiu's face fell instantly. He said sternly, "Bring out the silver notes for verification!"
His father, Duanmu Chao, had given him a strict order: if he couldn't purchase more than nine hundred jars in one go, he was only to buy fifty jars as a gamble, to avoid repeating past misfortunes due to bad luck!
A guard behind Yan Jun opened a wooden chest, revealing entire boxes of Great Qian silver notes.
Duanmu Xiu immediately ordered the notes to be examined.
"Young Master, the silver notes are all genuine..." the steward sighed.
Duanmu Xiu's expression changed, and he gritted his teeth, "It seems it really is someone from the Yan family… Then if you have the guts, buy it all. My Duanmu family will only buy fifty jars and wait for the next event!"
Counterfeiting silver notes in the Great Qian Kingdom was a capital offense punishable by execution of the entire family. Ordinary people dared not commit such a crime!
Laughter erupted from the crowd, but Duanmu Xiu remained unfazed.
Merchants pursued profit and wouldn't engage in losing ventures. What was a bit of pride compared to that!
Even so, the Gu and Mu families insisted on buying twenty jars as a gamble.
Ten thousand taels of silver was an amount both families could afford to experiment with.
The other merchants were not to be outdone. Seeing that the Duanmu family was not going to compete further, the Ouyang and He families also purchased fifty jars each.
Ultimately, Yan Jun secured the quota for five hundred jars and immediately ordered the dozens of guards behind her to come up and transport them.
Yan Jun met Liang Xiao's gaze on the platform, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
*Act when the opportunity arises, and capture this person!*
*This is what they were waiting for!*
*If they could capture Liang Xiao, even if they couldn't escape the capital's net, they could hold Liang Xiao hostage, making the Great Qian Emperor hesitate and compromise in negotiations!*
"Having so many people on stage could damage the wine jars. Have one person come up to count them; our household guards will assist," Liang Xiao suddenly said, causing Yan Jun's heart to sink.
*Just as the intelligence suggested, this person is extremely vigilant!*
Helpless, Yan Jun smiled, "Marquis An, I request to select one jar from every two jars. One in every two jars, as it were."
"One in every two jars?" everyone was surprised.
Liang Xiao also nodded slightly.
She was clearly concerned about the random placement of poetic lines and phrases. This way, it would be completely random, and she might even draw one or two poems.
Regardless, an extra customer was always a good thing, and it kept the Duanmu family's appetite whetted.
Inspired, Duanmu Xiu also had an idea: *Next time, we'll do the same!*
Liang Xiao had his guards count the "One Drunk Century" jars according to Yan Jun's request.
The crowd immediately unpacked the boxes for inspection.
Yan Jun's five hundred jars contained the crucial two lines!
"She managed to get them all…" everyone was filled with jealousy.
Gu Shaoyan didn't have his usual miraculous luck this time, so he resigned himself to fate. After all, buying twenty jars was no pressure.
Liang Xiao personally retrieved the two poems and handed them to Yan Jun, who had ascended the platform.
Yan Jun's eyes sparkled with joy. She met Liang Xiao's gaze, moved gracefully, and with captivating charm, removed her veil, drawing gasps from the entire audience.
Her skin was as smooth as cream, with a hint of exotic allure. It was a face that stunned all who beheld it!
"I have admired you from afar for a long time. I shall present these two poems to Marquis An and request a private audience with you. May I?"
As soon as Yan Jun finished speaking, a chorus of cheers erupted from below.
Jian Qinwan remained silent, suppressing the jealousy in her heart, and vigilantly guarded Liang Xiao's back.
Liang Xiao smiled and said, "There's no reason to take the poems back. Perhaps another time."
Yan Jun inwardly sneered, but only smiled, "Is there no opportunity now? I am not yet married…"
Another round of gasps from below!
*Comparing oneself to others leads to despair!*
"I'm truly sorry, but I am very busy," Liang Xiao sighed.
Duanmu Xiu suspected Yan Jun's identity, and Liang Xiao had no reason not to!
Moreover, with beautiful women inexplicably throwing themselves at him, especially such enchanting ones, Liang Xiao was unsure which of them was sent by Zuo Wushang.
Having been an assassin, spy, and undercover agent… Liang Xiao wouldn't claim to be a master of human nature, but he was certainly vigilant.
Most beauties were proud.
He refused to believe his charm was so great that so many strangers would willingly throw themselves at him, even hinting at spending a night together!
The Six Beauties of Hengjiang in the Great Qian Kingdom, also renowned beauties, only admired him from afar and dared not speak out of turn. That was a normal reaction.
The crowd below was accustomed to Liang Xiao's "refusal," so their discontent was not too intense.
Sitting in the distance, Yi Rou secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her feelings complex.
She could clearly see that Yan Jun was unwilling to give up on using beauty as a temptation, perhaps wanting to prove her superiority over Ye Qingyi.
However, regarding the matters of the Spring Revival Sect, she, as a remnant of the Great Heng Kingdom, couldn't easily intervene.
"Then, we shall meet again."
Yan Jun smiled enchantingly. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd below, she put her veil back on, and gracefully departed, leaving her guards to escort the "One Drunk Century."
Yi Rou watched this, her heart pounding, her pretty face turning pale.
The sect leader of the Spring Revival Sect, who killed without shedding blood and had never failed since her debut, would absolutely not give up so easily!
The next time they met, Liang Xiao might have nowhere to escape!
In the carriage, Jian Qinwan sat to Liang Xiao's right, daring not to look at him.
"Bodhisattva, you should not go out alone from now on," Liang Xiao said softly.
"Why?" Jian Qinwan asked casually.
Liang Xiao sighed, "I know your swordsmanship is exquisite, but human hearts are treacherous. The number of people targeting me will likely increase…"
*Is he concerned about me?*
"Oh, I am your personal bodyguard. I will protect you and Mi'er and the others, including my unfilial disciple…" Jian Qinwan huffed, but her voice grew increasingly uncertain.
He didn't seem to need her protection at all, but she could protect the girls in Liang Xiao's household!
Liang Xiao smiled and nodded. Jian Qinwan felt both shy and annoyed, and no longer dared to engage Liang Xiao.
Upon returning home, Liang Xiao divided the hundred thousand taels of silver notes into two stacks and gave them to Liang Qing, instructing him to hand them over to Xiao Qing and Liang Feng. He then prepared to depart for Yanzhou.
In a secret room of the Hundred Springs Tower, Yi Rou sat opposite Yan Jun, her expression calm.
"Miss Yi Rou, I heard that your marshal ordered you and Qingyi to become Liang Xiao's concubines, but Liang Xiao refused?" Yan Jun inquired with an overbearing tone.
"Yes, he cannot be tempted by mere beauty. That path will not work," Yi Rou nodded slightly.
Yan Jun then asked, "I also heard that this person is protected by the Great Qian Heavenly General and appeared miraculously in Yanzhou, driving away the barbarians?"
Yi Rou nodded again.
Yan Jun's eyes turned cold, a lingering fear in her heart. She sighed, "Actually, he is the Heavenly General himself, isn't he?"