Chapter 722 - Stubborn Heads

The guests who did not have any idea of the worth of the plaque were stunned.

Their initial excitement was dampened. 

What was the use of this black rock? The founding ring of Huaxia was more precious than this!

However, their initial opinion would soon change.

Ming Zhi Yi started to price the plaque. "The starting price is one billion."

Mistress Tang immediately raised her placard. "Ten billion."

???

The guests collectively gasped. The price offered was ten times more than it originally was! 

Yet this was only the first bid.

"Twenty." Old Lu had a serious face.

"Thirty." Guan Gu Ri finally bid after hesitating for a while.

"Fifty." Old Xiong's old voice echoed.

The guest forgot to close their mouth.

F-fifty!?!?

The price increased so fast!

Was this plaque really that great for all the legendary families to bid for it?!

Mistress Tang glanced at Old Xiong with annoyance. "Fifty five."

Guan Gu Ri: "Fifty eight."

Old Lu: "Sixty."

Old Xiong raised his placard. "Seventy."

As someone from the merchant family since ancient times, their accumulated wealth surpassed the other legendary families by a large amount.

The heads stopped and glared at Old Xiong's direction.

Everyone else was dizzy with all the numbers. 

They passed the fifty billion range and it was still increasing! Could it possibly reach a hundred?!

That was almost equal to a large-scale company's total ȧsset value.

Too bad, the pocket money she charged today on her membership card was only sixty. With Tang Yin, it could rise up to seventy. If she added more, she had to use her connections and owe huge favors from other VVIPs or VIPs. 

How annoying.

"Stop bidding, Old Xiong. Seventy one."

Old Xiong answered. "Seventy two."

"...Seventy three." Guan Gu Ri's hand shook. 

The money that they had today was only fifty. If he used his connections and asked the other people who owed the Guan family a debt, he could muster enough funds today at the maximum of eighty. But if the price continued to increase more than that, he had no choice but to stop.

The Guan family was in dire straits right now and the Guan Empire was not doing as great as before. If he continued to spend a large amount of money, then it would be harder for them to cope up from this mess. 

'However, this plaque…'

This was the legendary honorary plaque that his ancestors had been longing for. Gaining this tablet was equivalent to gaining back the honor that the family had lost because of the impostor Gunan. This was a great opportunity to uphold their family name.

Guan Gu Ri prayed that these old people would make way for him and stop bidding.

Old Lu raised his placard with a determined look. "Seventy five."

"Seriously, stop bidding! Eighty!" Mistress Tang gritted her teeth. 

These old men were spending money like they were water! 

She ignored the fact that she was doing the exact same thing.

Old Xiong's expression became fiercer as well. 

To be honest, like Mistress Tang, he felt that bidding blindly like this was a waste. 

But this was the honorary plaque of virtue in their ancestral history! No one else should have that, except their Xiong family! 

"Eighty three!" Old Xiong said in a loud voice.

Guan Gu Ri's hand shook again. He sighed.

The heads of the other families were obviously adamant on having this plaque for their own. 

For sure, the bid would not stop at just this.

Guan Gu Ri looked at the damaged and dull looking piece of black rock with helplessness. 

He could not bid anymore.

Meanwhile, Old Lu frowned in distaste. 

The price of the plaque had gone way beyond its actual worth, but he still raised his hand. 

"Eighty-four."

Mistress Tang was about to suicidally raise her card when Tang Yin pulled the hem of her sleeve. 

"Grandma, aren't you spending too much for a piece of rock?"

"Hush, Yin'er. We should have that tablet no matter what, even if I have to borrow money from Jiang Hu."

"Grandma..." 

Tang Yin looked at the stage with a worried expression. 

If the price was raised any further, the family who would win the rock would only suffer a financial loss. It might be the honorary tablet, but it was still just a piece of rock, a remnant of a past dynasty. It might bring honor to the family, but the person who would benefit the greatest from it, wasn't it that hateful man?

Tang Yin looked at the spot where Ming Zhi Yi was still standing. He was still wearing his mask, but because it only covered half of his face, the strange smile on his lips could be seen. 

Her heart was uncomfortable.

According to Xiong Zhi, this man was a devilish person whose belly was full of dark schemes. She could not pinpoint where the fault exactly lies, but this auction was definitely part of his conspiracy.

Lu Yin Ze who sat on another table also had a deep frown. If Tang Yin could see that fact, he could too. 

He said to his grandfather, "Grandpa, I beg you, that should be your last bid. The price is already too much."

He did not like the idea of giving money to that person, even if it was supposed to be for charity. He knew very well that a lot of human politics were involved behind the scenes. This was similar to giving that person a free pawn to play with.

"Yin'er, you are still young and might not completely understand why. If you come to my age and realize the value of our surname and family history, then you will know how much this plaque is truly worth. That plaque, to the legendary families, is priceless." 

Lu Yin Ze: "…."

He was speechless. However, seeing his grandfather's determination, he decided to keep silent.

At the Xiong family's table, Old Xiong harrumphed at the annoying old man at the Lu family's table. 

When he was about to raise his placard, Xiong Zhi's hand suddenly pressed down on his card. 

"Grandpa, please stop bidding. This plaque might cost more than a hundred. We are only helping Ming Zhi Yi get more benefits--"

"Zhi'er, as I said, we must have this, no matter what. This is non-negotiable."

Xiong Zhi's eyes glinted. 

Unlike Lu Yin Ze, she had inherited an extremely stubborn nature just like her grandfather. She would not yield so easily.

To her, this was her grandfather's stubbornness. If Xiong Zhi did not stop him with his recklessness, with the kind of attitude that the other heads were displaying, the price of the plaque might be raised until it reached two hundred. 

Sharp words flowed out from her lips while she maintained her palm over the wrinkled hand. 

"You're saying, 'no matter what'. What, are you willing to throw in everything to have this even at the cost of the Xiong Empire, our family name, and our status?"