Chapter 109 Please sir, get into the boiling potPlease sir, get into the boiling pot: give someone a taste of his own medicine
"Three liang!"
"Five liang."
"Six liang!"
"Eight liang."
Both parties were shouting the price. The owners went up by one liang every time. This was not because they were overly cautious. They were afraid that if they raise the price too much, Gu Xiran would become suspicious. Also, they had a limited amount of money on them. They wouldn't be able to shout many more times before they don't have money anymore to throw inside the wicker basket. Even like this, their money was made from broken pieces of silver and needed Meijing to weight it with the balance.
This move of Gu Xiran was too vicious. They were complaining in their hearts. There was a total of six people. When all the money they had on them was put together, it was only twenty liang. This was still because they tempted people to go gambling on a regular basis and was used to bring more broken pieces of silver on them. Otherwise, it would still be a question whether they could put three liang together.
These people originally wanted to do a business with a small capital and get huge profit. Now because of the problem of money, they were in a very awkward situation. They only had twenty silver liang on hand which meant that as long as Gu Xiran took out twenty-one silver liang, they wouldn't have any more capital to raise the price. At most, they could only obediently take that twenty-one silver liang and get out of here. Moreover, they still had to split half of it to Jiang Haitian. The six people wouldn't even get two liang with the remaining money!
"Nine liang!" When the thin man called the price again, it was through gritted teeth. He hoped that Gu Xiran would lose patient and it was the best if he could add ten or twenty liang in one go.
Who would've thought that Gu Xiran was very patient? He only smiled slightly and said, "Eleven liang."
He didn't rush nor wasn't slow and didn't give more nor less; every time he raised the bid by two liang.
"Twelve liang!" The thin man tried his best to keep cool.
Gu Xiran raised his hand and threw two silver liang into the wicker basket and said, "Fourteen liang."
"Fifteen liang!"
This time, when Gu Xiran watched the thin man threw the silver into the wicker basket, he revealed a mocking smile.
Jiang Haitian and the owners only felt that their heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Even their breathing had become quicker….
He couldn't keep his cool anymore!
He is going to increase the price by a large amount!
They thought that the moment that they had been waiting for a long time was finally coming. Who would've thought that Gu Xiran didn't threw money and only leaned lazily on the chair and said, "So tired."
Jiang Haitian stared at the money he (GXR) had in his hand and swallowed, but he didn't dare to urge him (GXR). He only smiled fawningly and said, "Would you like to rest for a moment?"
Gu Xiran shook his head, picked up the cup of tea and drank some, "I won't play anymore."
One sentence made Jiang Haitian and the owners froze on spot. They seemed to have not understood what he was saying.
Gu Xiran smiled slightly, "Meijing, bring the wicker basket. The money inside of it is ours."
Meijing promised and went forward to go fetch the money. At this time, the group had come back to reality. That thin man stood in front of the wicker basket and didn't allow Meijing to get closer. He also revealed a fierce look and glared at Gu Xiran, "Are you playing with us?"
"Play with you?" Gu Xiran laughed mockingly. "I only felt that it is not worth it to spend so much money on buying a maid. Hence, I give up on bidding. You can take the person with you; I will get the money. Wasn't this the rule that had been set before the bid? Why do you call it playing with you?"
The thin man was stumped for words. After he went blank for a moment, he said "Then where is the person? Only after we see the person, you can take the money!"
Being asked, Gu Xiran said to Shu Huan, "Call her!"
Shu Huan nodded and went to bring the person, leaving Jiang Haitian and the owners looking at each other in dismay. They didn't expect that he truly was willing to hand over the person.
Before they came, they also thought that such a situation could happen and had some concerns. However, Gu Xiran had been telling them with a tone that he was determined to win, that what he had the most was money and that it was impossible for him to hand over the person. Hence, it misled them and let them put down their vigilance and precaution. They didn't expect that he would suddenly give up!
However, that he gave up now was completely different from giving up before the price competition. The fifteen silver liang that they took out would be put in his purse!
Thinking till here, the owners' hearts went cold. When they looked at Jiang Haitian again, their gazes were not benevolent….
It was all because of this guy's bad idea and made them loss so much money!
Fifteen silver liang, although when being split by everyone, each person only lost a bit more than two silver liang. However, this bit more than two silver liang was enough for them to spend a month!
Where would Jiang Haitian still had the mind to care about them? His whole body was almost on the ground because not only did he not get a piece of money, he also lost two liang. The worst thing was that he had to return the five silver liang from yesterday that he sold the person for!
Gu Xiran looked at their expression and revealed a faint smile. He originally didn't think that Jiang Haitian would join the owners in extorting the money, but he soon realized that. He simply beat them at their own game and give them a taste of their own medicine. It was them who was dishonest and unkind first, then don't blame him for being vicious and merciless.
Shu Huan quickly returned with Shang Xin. That little girl had her head lowered and quietly walked to Gu Xiran before she stopped.
Gu Xiran faintly casted a glance at her without having any extra expression. He just said, "The person is here. You can take her away. Leave the money and also…"
As he talked, he looked at Jiang Haitian who was waiting for Shang Xin, "Return the five silver liang of the slave contract. If you don't have money, then write a certificate of indebtedness!"
Jiang Haitian was now busily confirming Shang Xin's identity and didn't have the mind to think about the issue of the money for the moment. He took two steps forward and asked, "Yuqing, is it really you?"
When he approached, she shivered and retreated timidly. She was very disgusted at his approach, but then she remembered Shu Huan's reminder. She bit her lips and raised her face. She said with a hoarse and rasp voice, "It's me!"
When he saw her face, Jiang Haitian's shrank rapidly and retreated a few steps frightened. He didn't stand well and fell directly on the ground, "You…you…"
That face of Shang Xin was truly frightening!
The upper part of the face was still beautiful. The pair of eyes was full of charms. However, the lower part of the face, from the bridge of the nose down to neck that was covered by a collar were all traces of burns. The burns looked like it had been there for a long time. When they healed, the new skin was un-evened layered on the face and showed an unusual pink, making the whole person look strange and ghostlike.
That group of owners were also stunned and involuntarily took two steps back.
Shang Xin only felt joy towards the horror they showed. She approached them and sneered, "What? Doesn't uncle recognize Yuqing anymore?"
"You voice…you face…," Jiang Haitian couldn't express the shock in his heart. Of course, it wasn't because he was concerned nor was it that he felt guilty. It was only that he was overly shocked and afraid.
He was shocked because he didn't expect that his niece who had a beautiful appearance would become so frightening. As for being afraid, he thought about that his niece was used to pay back his debt to the gamblers. Now, she was disfigured to this; who would still want her?"
Soon enough, afraid overwhelmed the shock.
Facing that pair of eyes that he had seen for many times and that he couldn't be more familiar with, he climbed up from the ground, tightened his heart and said, "No, you are not Yuqing!"
The sentence "you are not Yuqing" made him see a ray of light in this despair. His attitude immediately became firm. He immediately casted away Shang Xin, turned and said to Gu Xiran, "Master, this ugly girl is not my niece. I don't know her at all. Don't hide her anymore, quickly hand her over!"