Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! - Chapter 243: An Auction That Could Shake The Empire

Chapter 243: An Auction That Could Shake The Empire

The next day dawned under a sky as clear as polished jade.

By noon, the imperial capital’s main thoroughfares were choked with people.

The Grand Radiance Auction Hall—its towering white jade façade draped in scarlet banners—looked more like the Imperial Palace than a marketplace.

Every street leading to it had been cordoned off by the Empire’s Golden Armored Guard, their halberds gleaming in the sunlight.

By the time the sun’s first rays struck the golden spire of the Grand Radiance Auction Hall, the wide avenue before it was already packed.

Merchants abandoned their stalls, scholars set aside their scrolls, and even wandering martial artists paused their training to secure a vantage point.

They were not here to bid. Most of them could not even dream of entering.

They were here to look.

To catch a glimpse of the people who would walk through those golden doors.

Already, the air had buzzed with murmurs as some of the empire’s most distinguished factions had arrived—each appearance drawing gasps and hurried whispers.

The first to cause a stir had been the Crimson Thunder Palace, their disciples clad in crimson-black armor that seemed to spark faint arcs of lightning as they moved.

Leading them was their Vice Palace Master, a stern man whose very presence made the weaker onlookers feel as though thunder rumbled in their chests.

Next came the Heaven Sword Sect, but many of their participants weren’t with them—including Bai Xueqing and Chu Ziyan.

Even so, Elder Qinglan was enough to cause a small commotion, especially with her beauty.

Many thought it was already worth it just to catch a glimpse of such heavenly grace.

Each new arrival was met with a fresh wave of awe.

And then—

“Look! It’s the Li Clan’s crest!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd as a black-and-gold war carriage rolled into view, pulled by eight Windhoof stallions.

The Li Clan Leader himself stepped down—Li Jianhong—along with the elders and participants of the Dragon and Phoenix Competition, including Li Meiying.

Several of the Li Clan’s top elders followed close behind, each one a walking pillar of power.

No sooner had the crowd’s murmurs settled than another wave of awe swept through them.

“The Zhao Clan Leader has come too!”

Zhao Wutian, clad in white robes embroidered with silver clouds, moved with the calm dignity of a scholar—but his presence pressed down like an invisible mountain.

Their entry made it clear: this was no ordinary auction.

The Li and Zhao Clan Leaders rarely appeared together in public unless it was a matter that could shake the Empire.

Last time, it was for the war with the Bai Clan. Now, it was for the bidding war that was certain to unfold.

The street suddenly parted again.

A glittering escort of imperial guards rode forward, surrounding two luxurious carriages—each marked with a different imperial crest.

One bore the emblem of the First Prince’s faction, the other the crest of the Fourth Princess’s court.

The First Prince, Yu Zidi, emerged first, his golden crown catching the light, a smile on his face.

His presence alone seemed to straighten the backs of the imperial guards.

The Fourth Princess followed soon after, stepping gracefully from her carriage.

Yu Qingya’s attire was a masterwork of silks the color of moonlight, her every movement like ripples over still water.

Though her smile was warm, her eyes held the calm distance of someone used to watching the empire from a higher vantage.

Yu Zidi inclined his head with a perfectly measured bow.

“Qingya, it has been far too long. The capital’s streets feel brighter with you here.”

Yu Qingya’s lips curved faintly.

“And yet, they were already bright with the First Prince’s presence. I hear you have been… industrious these past months.”

“A prince must remain diligent,” Yu Zidi replied smoothly, the barest flicker of pride in his gaze.

“Today, I hope to secure a treasure worthy of the Empire’s future.”

“A treasure worthy of the Empire…”

She repeated softly, her eyes half-lidded as though weighing his words.

“Let us hope the auction contains something that truly meets such lofty ambitions.”

The First Prince smiled, but said nothing further, only gesturing toward the golden doors.

It was then that the crowd erupted again.

Two more carriages had entered the street, each escorted by its own detachment of imperial guards.

The first bore the emblem of the Third Prince’s household.

The second displayed the crest of the Seventh Prince’s faction.

The Third Prince, Yu Wenzhao, descended first.

From the Seventh Prince’s carriage came Yu Longxuan—broad-shouldered, his armor gleaming under the noonday sun.

Unlike the others, he did not bother with subtlety; his steps rang against the white jade pavement, every movement brimming with barely contained confidence.

Yu Zidi stepped forward with a practiced smile.

“Third Brother, Seventh Brother, you honor us with your presence. Today, let us—”

“Drop the act, Zidi,” Yu Longxuan cut in, his voice carrying clearly over the crowd.

“You’re not the Crown Prince yet!”

His grin widened, a challenge in his tone.

“Let’s see who leaves here with the greatest treasure today. I’ve come for more than just the view.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and strode into the Grand Radiance Auction Hall, his entourage following like a tide of steel and silk.

(That idiot!)

Yu Zidi thought, though outwardly he maintained his polite smile.

Yu Longxuan had no hint of humility and no idea how to act like a royal.

Yu Zidi, while angry, knew that showing his temper would yield nothing but a loss of face.

The Third Prince gave the faintest of nods to his elder brother, then moved to follow—calm where Longxuan had been fire, but no less formidable.

The air outside seemed to grow heavier.

If the auction hall’s walls could speak, they would already be whispering of the storm gathering within.

But all these grand arrivals—while enough to make commoners dizzy—were merely the prelude.

A hush fell without warning, as though the air itself sensed what was coming.

From the far end of the boulevard, a lone white carriage appeared.

It was not ostentatious—its design was clean, elegant, almost understated—but it was drawn by ten Spirit Cloud Horses, their hooves never touching the ground, drifting forward on coils of pale mist.

At the head of the procession rode several Bai Clan elites, their formation tight and unyielding, parting the crowd like a blade through silk.

Then, from the white carriage at the center, a figure stepped down first—Bai Zihan.

Behind him came Chu Ziyan, her bright presence like a spark of flame in the winter air, and Bai Xueqing, cold-eyed and composed, each step matching his without hesitation.

More Bai Clan elites followed, their ranks immaculate, their eyes fixed forward.

It was a silent declaration to the empire: the Bai Clan had not come with its patriarch, nor did it need to.

Bai Zihan was the man who would speak for them today.

“That’s him… Bai Zihan!”

“Li and Zhao Clan came with their Clan Leaders, but Bai Clan sent him? Can he handle the pressure?”

“He’s not even twenty, but they let him lead the entire clan’s appearance?”

“Is this the arrogance of the strongest clan of the Empire?”

The murmurs swirled like storm clouds, but none dared speak too loudly.

Bai Zihan did not so much as glance at the murmuring crowd.

The faint smile on his lips remained unchanged, as if neither praise nor doubt could reach him.

Well, nothing matters today except for making money!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com