RWNEFE -Chapter 45 Shameless Robbery!

“Eight thousand taels!”

Liu Yanhui glanced at the fierce competition and immediately assumed that the medicine being auctioned must be extraordinary—perhaps a life-saving elixir?

“Nine thousand taels!”

The atmosphere tightened again. A few older attendees turned their wrinkled faces toward Liu Yanhui, their eyes scanning from the top rows to the lower, and quickly moved their focus down.

Shen Lanxi subtly shifted forward, creating distance from Liu Yanhui without leaving a trace.

“Nine thousand five hundred taels!” The voice was clearly gritted with teeth.

Liu Yanhui: “Ten thousand taels!”

The tension in the room escalated, followed by a few chuckles.

“Who would’ve thought someone so young needed it so badly!”

“Compared to him, we’re still experienced. Let him have it!”

“Yes, let the young one take it while he’s at his prime…”

The more Liu Yanhui listened, the stranger it felt. He noticed the mix of curiosity, regret, annoyance, disdain, gloating, and superiority in the crowd’s expressions and began to sense what was happening.

“Any more bids? No more bids? The Revitalizing Pill goes to this young master!”

Liu Yanhui’s face turned bright red, wishing he could just dig a hole and hide. Where was Shen Lanxi? She had just been beside him moments ago.

He frantically searched and, after a few seconds, spotted her seated calmly in a corner.

She even made a hand gesture, pushing both hands forward—“Don’t come closer, I don’t know you!”

Liu Yanhui: “…” He wanted to ask, “Who wants this thing? I can sell it cheap!”

The brief interlude ended. With a 10,000-tael purchase, they moved forward two rows.

The next lot of healing medicines was very clear; it was the first time in his life Liu Yanhui enjoyed spending someone else’s money, tasting the sweet revenge of prior humiliation.

They continued winning four consecutive lots, moving from the very back to the front row!

“The next item is the Snow Toad Detox Pill, capable of curing all poisons! Ingredients: Tianshan Snow Lotus, Arctic Snow Toad… starting price: ten thousand taels!”

The main event had arrived.

In the blink of an eye, the price soared to 500,000 taels!

Shen Lanxi didn’t stop him, and Liu Yanhui continued bidding. Within moments, it reached 800,000 taels, and no one else bid.

The Detox Pill was the final item; once it was sold, the auction would end.

As Shen Lanxi and Liu Yanhui exited Fuman Building, someone immediately caught up to them.

“Young master, someone in my family has been poisoned. Could you let me have the Detox Pill?” Qu Yanling blocked Shen Lanxi.

Another person from Fuman Building quickly joined her side.

Shen Lanxi: “Fine.”

Both of them were overjoyed.

“Seventy thousand taels!”

What?

Qu Yanling froze, surpassing Sun Miaolian in surprise.

Shen Lanxi’s eyes flickered with sarcasm: “I spent seventy thousand taels to buy this Detox Pill. Out of consideration for your family’s well-being, I’ll transfer it to you at the original price.”

Qu Yanling’s eyes glimmered with resentment. If she had the money, she would’ve bought it inside—why go through the trouble of chasing after it?

Sun Miaolian shyly said: “We don’t have that much money… could you lower the price a bit?”

Shen Lanxi didn’t miss the opportunity as they begged for money; the disbelief on their faces was evident.

“No.”

Qu Yanling’s smile faded: “No one in your family is poisoned. If you keep the Detox Pill, it might lose potency over time. You might as well sell it a little cheaper to me.”

Shen Lanxi: “First, I just bought this medicine; even if it loses effectiveness, that won’t happen for at least six months or a year. Second, how do you know my family won’t need it?”

Qu Yanling’s gaze turned cold: “Do you even know who’s poisoned?”

Shen Lanxi: “I don’t want to know. It’s none of my business!”

A scornful laugh rang out.

“The poisoned person is my father, the Cangzhou city inspector!”

Shen Lanxi turned and walked away. Smart kids don’t yell “my dad” when fighting outside—they give other names.

This woman was trying to pull rank!

“Stop right there! Did I let you leave?” Qu Yanling, furious, immediately chased after her.

Shen Lanxi didn’t slow her pace. Seeing that she was about to collide with Qu Yanling, the latter quickly dodged.

“Don’t you know any decency or propriety? I’m standing right in front of you—can’t you see me?”

Shen Lanxi mocked: “You’re a man. I’m rushing toward you from across the street. You don’t move, and instead, you question me about decency?”

“If you were a woman, I could have avoided you. You’re a man, the road is open, and you deliberately block it—why should I yield?”

Qu Yanling’s face went pale. She had come to An Town seeking medicine for her father. For convenience, she wore men’s clothing. She didn’t expect her filial piety would be mocked like this.

This person was truly infuriating!

“Block him!” Qu Yanling shouted. Ten or so guards rushed out and surrounded Shen Lanxi and Liu Yanhui.

Shen Lanxi’s eyes glinted sharply. Feigning surprise, she asked: “Business is one thing, righteousness another. Just because I spent seventy thousand taels on a Detox Pill and refuse to give it away for free, you decide to attack us in public?”

“Where is justice? Where is the law? I’m reporting you!”

Someone recognized Sun Miaolian and immediately advised: “You’re willing to spend seventy thousand taels on the Detox Pill. Surely a little more won’t hurt—let them have it and consider it a small loss for safety.”

Shen Lanxi was indignant: “I refuse to believe there’s no justice under heaven! If they dare touch me today, I’ll report them to the magistrate!”

Qu Yanling thought she had some backing… that’s all?

“I’ll ask you again—will you hand over the Detox Pill or not?”

Shen Lanxi shouted: “In broad daylight, you forcibly seize the Detox Pill I bought for seventy thousand taels! You flagrantly disregard the law, treat human life like grass, committing great evil, shamelessly vile, acting like a robber!”

Qu Yanling, used to ruling Cangzhou’s prefecture, couldn’t tolerate someone insulting her and instantly became furious.

“Attack!”

Shen Lanxi quickly told Liu Yanhui: “Use the chaos to leave, change outfits, and continue buying medicinal herbs!”

Liu Yanhui: We’re about to be caught, and you’re thinking about buying herbs?

The guards surged forward. Shen Lanxi fended them off while leading people away.

Seeing she meant business, Liu Yanhui quickly slipped into the crowd. He had just returned to the inn when he bumped into Shen Lanxi in her female disguise.

“Where are you running?”

The familiar voice almost made Liu Yanhui stumble.

“Didn’t I tell you to change outfits? Why haven’t you?”

The first call confused him; the second snapped him back to attention.

“Master!”

Shen Lanxi: “Change outfits. Whatever I assigned you before, continue doing that!”

Liu Yanhui didn’t dare look up and hurried back to his room to change.

Qu Yanling had already announced her identity—Shen Lanxi didn’t need to investigate further. She had also confirmed the other party.

The local prefect’s surname was Sun, and the annual salary of a clean prefect was 100,000 taels of silver. An Town was a treasure land; even a single vial of medicine cost tens or hundreds of thousands. Prefect Sun surely pocketed a lot!

After nightfall, a shadow flashed like lightning into the prefect’s inner residence.

“Nu Bai, scan all the hidden treasures!”

“Understood!”