The scholar stared at the silver in his hands, momentarily stunned. Then, with a fawning smile, he turned to Hong Ning. “Well… Miss Su has offered a higher price. What do you think…?”
Hong Ning understood his meaning immediately. Smiling faintly, she said, “A deal is a deal. You took my silver in front of all these witnesses. Are you planning to go back on your word?”
The scholar knew he was in the wrong and fell silent.
One of Miss Su’s maids stepped forward. “Our young lady wishes to buy this sword as a gift for her father. It would be a kind gesture on your part to let her have it.”
Though the words were polite, the maid’s expression carried a sense of entitlement that only made Hong Ning more displeased. She replied coolly, “The sword is mine. Is your ‘father’ some kind of divine ruler who can just take whatever he pleases?”
The maid’s expression darkened as if she wanted to argue, but Miss Su stopped her. “Since this young lady has already purchased the sword, we’ll offer thirty taels. Please consider selling it to us.”
Hearing that the money might end up in someone else’s hands, the scholar panicked. He rushed forward and grabbed Hong Ning’s sleeve. “I’m not selling it anymore!”
Hong Ning had never been particularly attached to the sword. She had only bought it because she had seen his desperate need for money. Now that Miss Su had made a better offer, she was just about to let it go. But the moment he reached out and grabbed her, something inside her flared up. Raising an eyebrow, she stepped back two paces. “Selling something and then taking it back—since when has that been acceptable?”
The scholar’s face flushed red as he pointed at her and turned to the crowd. “This is my ancestral sword! But she only offered twenty taels—clearly, she was taking advantage of my ignorance and trying to swindle me!”
Some in the crowd criticized him, while others muttered that he had been fooled.
Hearing such nonsense, anger rose in Hong Ning’s chest. “And what if I was? You handed me the sword with your own hands. Did I rob you?”
Seeing that she was about to leave, the maid quickly reached out and grabbed her wrist, deliberately speaking slowly. “Young lady, why not make things easy and let our mistress have it?”
A few well-meaning bystanders tried to persuade her in a roundabout way. “Since the governor’s daughter has taken a liking to it, why not let it go?”
In the brief moment of hesitation, the scholar had already stepped forward again to block her path. “You… you’re being unreasonable! Everyone, look at this! This girl doesn’t have the money and is trying to cheat me out of my precious sword!”
Hong Ning sneered coldly. She knew perfectly well that this was no longer about the sword itself. If Miss Su truly wanted it, she could have approached her privately and negotiated. Instead, she had publicly placed a higher bid in front of so many witnesses. Clearly, she was using her status as leverage, forcing Hong Ning to surrender the sword.
Just as she was about to speak, a voice rang out from the crowd—
“Who are you saying can’t afford to pay?”
Five people stepped forward, led by a young man dressed in a white robe embroidered with golden trim. The fabric was of the highest quality, the craftsmanship the finest, as if such luxury could only ever belong to him. His strikingly handsome features, jet-black hair, and gentle smile exuded an effortless charm. Even as he stood casually among the crowd, he was an unmistakable presence—a dazzling sight.
The murmurs quickly spread through the crowd. Some recognized him, their voices hushed with disbelief. The modestly dressed young woman standing beside him looked nothing like someone from his circle. No wonder no one had recognized her before. But now? Now things were about to get interesting.
Miss Su stared at him, momentarily dazed.
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