Chapter 217: Zhu Daguang’s Authentic Works
“Many thanks, Young Master! Many thanks!”
Yu Luo once again confirmed the location of the cage holding the seven men and walked over.
After another round of bargaining, she successfully purchased all seven for six hundred taels.
Spending silver here had become numbing, but if these people truly possessed good martial skills and were obedient, then the cost was well worth it.
Considering that a single night’s stay in Feng City cost over a thousand taels, suddenly, spending nine hundred taels to acquire ten strong men seemed like an excellent deal!
After buying them each a bowl of noodles, Yu Luo instructed them to finish eating and wait for her outside the city before taking her leave.
Watching her casually walk away, the ten men exchanged glances.
“This young master trusts us so much? Is he not afraid that we’ll escape?”
As they devoured their noodles, not even leaving a drop of soup, one of them couldn’t help but voice his amazement.
The man who had asked Yu Luo to purchase the seven others frowned slightly, then looked at the group.
“Young Master bought us, and while it may seem like he’s giving us freedom, isn’t this actually a choice he’s offering us? He’s testing whether we will stay and serve him or not. What do you all think?”
Hearing this, the rest of the men suddenly understood.
“If we leave, we’ll technically be free, but only within this desolate land. We have nowhere else to go. Even if we escape, the Young Master likely wouldn’t chase after us. He wants loyalty, not forced servitude. I’ve decided to stay. The rest of you must make your own decisions.”
Having come to terms with reality, one of them made his choice.
The remaining men hesitated for a moment before three more immediately followed suit, deciding to stay.
“If we leave, we will only continue to wander this barren wasteland. We may seem free, but without travel permits or official status, we will never be able to leave this place. I choose to stay. Even if it means serving under someone, at least life will be stable. We’ve been servants since childhood anyway—this is just changing masters.”
Hearing this, the man who had pleaded for the others’ purchase grew more solemn.
“Indeed. Xiao Wu is right. I will stay and wait for the Young Master as well.”
Just like that, all of them, in pursuit of a better future, chose to follow Yu Luo.
Yu Luo understood the reality of it all. She never expected immediate loyalty—that was unrealistic.
People had their own thoughts and ambitions. What she needed was their willingness to stay. If she could offer them a better life, only then would they truly pledge their hearts to her.
Even if, for now, these ten men were bowing to circumstances, as long as they stayed, she would ensure they never regretted it.
*
After asking around, Yu Luo found a pawnshop in Feng City’s black market that accepted various goods.
Upon entering, she scanned the shop’s shelves—filled with antique porcelain, trinkets, and miscellaneous objects.
Behind the counter, the shopkeeper was lounging in a rocking chair, face covered with a book, lazily rocking back and forth as if he had all the time in the world.
“Shopkeeper, I have something to sell.”
Yu Luo’s voice broke the silence of the shop.
The man lazily kicked off the ground, stopping his rocking chair. Removing the book from his face, he cast a side glance at Yu Luo.
Seeing a slender figure, dressed in luxurious robes and wearing a mask, the shopkeeper immediately sat up and walked over to the counter.
“What fine goods does the Young Master wish to sell?”
“This.”
Yu Luo untied the rough cloth bundle she had brought, revealing several scrolls of artwork, which she spread out before the shopkeeper.
The man eagerly reached out to inspect them.
However, midway through unrolling a scroll, his hands suddenly froze.
Then, he hurriedly continued, his expression subtly changing as he scrutinized the piece.
Yu Luo carefully observed his every reaction, quickly spotting a flash of excitement in his eyes. Seeing this, she felt reassured.
The shopkeeper then opened the remaining scrolls, inspecting them meticulously, rolling them back and forth multiple times before finally looking up at Yu Luo, his expression now serious.
“Young Master, name your price.”
Hearing this, Yu Luo smirked.
“Heh. I came here to sell. You’ve seen the goods yourself—you should know their value. Why should I name the price?”
Realizing Yu Luo wasn’t easily fooled, the shopkeeper gave her a serious look, attempting to gauge her more carefully.
But with her mask concealing her face, he had no choice but to give up.
“One thousand taels of gold.”
Yu Luo: …
To be honest, before coming to Feng City, if she had known that just a few scrolls from the Grand Chancellor’s residence could sell for one thousand taels of gold, she would have been ecstatic—after all, she still had several chests filled with them.
But ever since experiencing Feng City’s absurd prices, she had subconsciously adjusted her expectations—especially after witnessing the outrageous auctions last night.
“One thousand per piece?”
Yu Luo chuckled and tilted her head, feigning curiosity.
The shopkeeper’s brows furrowed.
“You think that’s too low?”
Yu Luo: …
At that moment, she realized she had misunderstood him completely.
She had assumed he meant one thousand taels for all the paintings. But now, hearing his tone, it was clear he meant one thousand per scroll!
Hah! She was about to make a fortune!
Suppressing her excitement, Yu Luo quickly concealed her emotions and calmly nodded.
“If the shopkeeper is sincere, I have plenty more paintings like these.”
The shopkeeper: !?
“Really? These are Zhu Daguang’s authentic works! And you claim to have many?”
Upon hearing Yu Luo’s words, the shopkeeper instantly lost his composure.
But to Yu Luo, his reaction was even more delightful!
“Indeed. However, judging by the shopkeeper’s hesitation, it seems you lack the sincerity to make a deal.”
Saying this, she pretended to reach for the scrolls, about to take them back.
The moment she moved, the shopkeeper panicked and clutched the paintings tightly, pressing them against his chest as he forced out a smile.
“Young Master, no need to rush! Let’s discuss the price!”
Seeing this, Yu Luo smiled beneath her mask and nodded.
“Then, name your price properly this time. Don’t try to fool me.”
“Of course, of course! How about five thousand taels of gold per scroll? That’s already the highest rate possible.”
“Eight thousand taels per scroll. If the shopkeeper agrees, I’ll sell more.”
