Chapter 519: Sky-high Price
The shopkeeper knew that Wei Liao was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards and a popular person with the emperor. He definitely could not afford to provoke him.
No matter how angry he was, he did not dare to flare up.
...However, he could not abandon such a precious recipe book. After all, anyone who had unique recipes these days would definitely hide them. No one would take them out to sell unless they had no choice.
If he missed this opportunity today, it would be difficult to encounter such a good thing in the future.
The shopkeeper could only make up his mind and say to Yu Niaoniao.
“I’ll pay five hundred and ten taels for your recipe book.” Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, Wei Liao spoke loudly.
“I’ll pay six hundred taels!”
The shopkeeper almost couldn’t breathe. He was filled with hatred!
This guy must be here to cause trouble!
However, considering the other party’s identity, the shopkeeper could not say anything and could only swallow his anger.
“I’ll pay six hundred and ten taels.”
Even if their restaurant’s business was booming, more than 600 taels of silver was not a small sum to them. He was just acting first and reporting later. He still had to ask the boss for instructions later.
He hoped Wei Liao wouldn’t raise the price again. Unfortunately, Wei Liao didn’t let him have his way.
“I’ll pay eight hundred taels.”
This sudden increase of 190 taels was already so high that the shopkeeper could not bear it.
The shopkeeper felt his temples throbbing.
He pinched his forehead and gritted his teeth.
“Why don’t you do something with this eight hundred taels? Why do you have to waste your time here?”
Wei Liao smiled lazily.
“It’s still the same thing. A thousand taels of gold can’t buy my happiness!”
The shopkeeper had no choice but to bite the bullet and increase the price. “I’ll pay eight hundred and ten taels.”
After announcing this price, he immediately looked up at Wei Liao on the second floor and begged with cupped hands.
“Please stop raising the price. We’re small businesses. We can’t withstand your sky-high bids.”
There were many people coming and going at the entrance of the restaurant, including people who liked to watch the commotion. When the shopkeeper and Wei Liao began to bid, many people stopped to watch.
At this moment, there was already a circle of people gathered. They were watching the show and shouted at Wei Liao upstairs.
“Hurry up and bid! Don’t be afraid!”
Wei Liao lived up to their expectations and raised an index finger. “A thousand taels. ”
The shopkeeper swayed and almost fainted.
This amount was almost their restaurant’s monthly profit.
If he had to spend a month’s profits on a recipe book, it would be fine if he could earn it back later, but what if he could not? He had to bear the responsibility.
The problem was that he could not afford it!
At the end of the day, he was just a worker. He did not have much authority.
The onlookers were still shouting, urging the shopkeeper to increase the price.
The shopkeeper held his forehead and pretended to be uncomfortable. He secretly winked at the clerk beside him.
The clerk understood and immediately went forward to support him.
“Shopkeeper, what’s wrong?”
The shopkeeper said, “I have a headache. Help me in and rest.”
Seeing that he was about to slip away, the onlookers booed and laughed at him for being too cowardly.
The shopkeeper pretended not to hear anything and quickly left.
Seeing that one of the parties involved had already left, the onlookers knew that there was nothing else to watch and dispersed like birds.
Yu Niaoniao looked up at Wei Liao on the second floor and asked. “Are you really going to spend a thousand taels on my recipe?” Wei Liao asked, “Why? Are you afraid that I won’t be able to pay?” In order to prove that he was rich, he immediately took out a stack of banknotes and waved them at Yu Niaoniao.
The banknotes rustled in the breeze.
Yu Niaoniao did not expect him to be serious and was rather puzzled.
“Why are you buying my recipe?”
Wei Liao took a sip of wine and chuckled. “Why do you care why I am buying it? Alright, hurry up and send me the recipe.”
Yu Niaoniao could not be bothered to look for him. She prepared to let Ling Hai help her send the recipe upstairs.
However, at this moment, a young man in a blue robe ran over quickly and shouted at Yu Niaoniao.
‘Wait!”
Yu Niaoniao looked at him. “You are?”
The blue-robed man cupped his hands at her politely.
“My surname is Gongsun. I’m running a restaurant in the city. Recently, I’ve been worried about developing new dishes. When I heard that someone was selling recipes here, I rushed over. May I ask if your recipes are still available?
Can you sell them to me?”
Yu Niaoniao pointed at Wei Liao on the second floor.
“He just offered a thousand taels for my recipe.”
The blue-robed man immediately said, “I can pay two thousand taels!”
Yu Niaoniao was shocked. This person had doubled the price so swiftly. He was too ostentatious!
Wei Liao was very dissatisfied.
“What do you mean? Do you understand? First come, first served? I’ve already bought this recipe. Take your bid away with you!”
The blue-robed man was not afraid of Wei Liao at all.
He said unhurriedly, “What matters in business is that we’re even. Since you haven’t paid, it means that this business hasn’t been done yet. It’s reasonable for me to make a request now.”
Wei Liao sneered.
“Alright, since you insist on snatching it from me, I won’t stand on ceremony with you. I’ll pay three thousand taels!” The blue-robed man extended a hand. “Five thousand taels.”
Wei Liao said, “Eight thousand taels!”
The blue-robed man said, “Ten thousand taels!”
The onlookers, who had already dispersed, gathered again.
When they heard the number of ten thousand taels, they could not help but gasp.
This was an astronomical price!
What peerless recipe could be sold for such a high price?!
Yu Niaoniao was also very surprised.
Before she came, she had already calculated that her recipe would at most sell for seven to eight hundred taels of silver. If Wei Liao hadn’t shouted a price just now, she wouldn’t have been able to earn a thousand taels of silver. Unexpectedly, someone shouted ten thousand taels in one go!
This price was too ridiculous.
Wei Liao placed the wine pot on the table beside him and shouted.
“I’ll pay twelve thousand taels!”
Wasn’t it just raising the price? Then come at him. If he admitted defeat today, he would be a grandson!
Yu Niaoniao looked up at him. “Are you crazy?”
That was twelve thousand taels. No matter how rich he was, he could not squander it like this, right?!
The blue-robed man said without changing his expression.
“Fifteen thousand taels.”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
He was actually increasing the price.
Wei Liao slapped the fence. “Twenty thousand taels!” The blue-robed man said, “Twenty-three thousand taels.”
Wei Liao said, “Twenty-five thousand taels.”
At this moment, the onlookers were speechless. They all looked at the two bourgeoisie quietly with one thought in their minds— Were these two crazy?
If they were not sick, why would they spend tens of thousands of taels of silver to buy an unknown recipe book?!
Yu Niaoniao really could not stand it anymore.
She interrupted their raises.
“Stop bidding!”
Chapter 519: Sky-high Price
The shopkeeper knew that Wei Liao was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards and a popular person with the emperor. He definitely could not afford to provoke him.
No matter how angry he was, he did not dare to flare up.
...However, he could not abandon such a precious recipe book. After all, anyone who had unique recipes these days would definitely hide them. No one would take them out to sell unless they had no choice.
If he missed this opportunity today, it would be difficult to encounter such a good thing in the future.
The shopkeeper could only make up his mind and say to Yu Niaoniao.
“I’ll pay five hundred and ten taels for your recipe book.” Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, Wei Liao spoke loudly.
“I’ll pay six hundred taels!”
The shopkeeper almost couldn’t breathe. He was filled with hatred!
This guy must be here to cause trouble!
However, considering the other party’s identity, the shopkeeper could not say anything and could only swallow his anger.
“I’ll pay six hundred and ten taels.”
Even if their restaurant’s business was booming, more than 600 taels of silver was not a small sum to them. He was just acting first and reporting later. He still had to ask the boss for instructions later.
He hoped Wei Liao wouldn’t raise the price again. Unfortunately, Wei Liao didn’t let him have his way.
“I’ll pay eight hundred taels.”
This sudden increase of 190 taels was already so high that the shopkeeper could not bear it.
The shopkeeper felt his temples throbbing.
He pinched his forehead and gritted his teeth.
“Why don’t you do something with this eight hundred taels? Why do you have to waste your time here?”
Wei Liao smiled lazily.
“It’s still the same thing. A thousand taels of gold can’t buy my happiness!”
The shopkeeper had no choice but to bite the bullet and increase the price. “I’ll pay eight hundred and ten taels.”
After announcing this price, he immediately looked up at Wei Liao on the second floor and begged with cupped hands.
“Please stop raising the price. We’re small businesses. We can’t withstand your sky-high bids.”
There were many people coming and going at the entrance of the restaurant, including people who liked to watch the commotion. When the shopkeeper and Wei Liao began to bid, many people stopped to watch.
At this moment, there was already a circle of people gathered. They were watching the show and shouted at Wei Liao upstairs.
“Hurry up and bid! Don’t be afraid!”
Wei Liao lived up to their expectations and raised an index finger. “A thousand taels. ”
The shopkeeper swayed and almost fainted.
This amount was almost their restaurant’s monthly profit.
If he had to spend a month’s profits on a recipe book, it would be fine if he could earn it back later, but what if he could not? He had to bear the responsibility.
The problem was that he could not afford it!
At the end of the day, he was just a worker. He did not have much authority.
The onlookers were still shouting, urging the shopkeeper to increase the price.
The shopkeeper held his forehead and pretended to be uncomfortable. He secretly winked at the clerk beside him.
The clerk understood and immediately went forward to support him.
“Shopkeeper, what’s wrong?”
The shopkeeper said, “I have a headache. Help me in and rest.”
Seeing that he was about to slip away, the onlookers booed and laughed at him for being too cowardly.
The shopkeeper pretended not to hear anything and quickly left.
Seeing that one of the parties involved had already left, the onlookers knew that there was nothing else to watch and dispersed like birds.
Yu Niaoniao looked up at Wei Liao on the second floor and asked. “Are you really going to spend a thousand taels on my recipe?” Wei Liao asked, “Why? Are you afraid that I won’t be able to pay?” In order to prove that he was rich, he immediately took out a stack of banknotes and waved them at Yu Niaoniao.
The banknotes rustled in the breeze.
Yu Niaoniao did not expect him to be serious and was rather puzzled.
“Why are you buying my recipe?”
Wei Liao took a sip of wine and chuckled. “Why do you care why I am buying it? Alright, hurry up and send me the recipe.”
Yu Niaoniao could not be bothered to look for him. She prepared to let Ling Hai help her send the recipe upstairs.
However, at this moment, a young man in a blue robe ran over quickly and shouted at Yu Niaoniao.
‘Wait!”
Yu Niaoniao looked at him. “You are?”
The blue-robed man cupped his hands at her politely.
“My surname is Gongsun. I’m running a restaurant in the city. Recently, I’ve been worried about developing new dishes. When I heard that someone was selling recipes here, I rushed over. May I ask if your recipes are still available?
Can you sell them to me?”
Yu Niaoniao pointed at Wei Liao on the second floor.
“He just offered a thousand taels for my recipe.”
The blue-robed man immediately said, “I can pay two thousand taels!”
Yu Niaoniao was shocked. This person had doubled the price so swiftly. He was too ostentatious!
Wei Liao was very dissatisfied.
“What do you mean? Do you understand? First come, first served? I’ve already bought this recipe. Take your bid away with you!”
The blue-robed man was not afraid of Wei Liao at all.
He said unhurriedly, “What matters in business is that we’re even. Since you haven’t paid, it means that this business hasn’t been done yet. It’s reasonable for me to make a request now.”
Wei Liao sneered.
“Alright, since you insist on snatching it from me, I won’t stand on ceremony with you. I’ll pay three thousand taels!” The blue-robed man extended a hand. “Five thousand taels.”
Wei Liao said, “Eight thousand taels!”
The blue-robed man said, “Ten thousand taels!”
The onlookers, who had already dispersed, gathered again.
When they heard the number of ten thousand taels, they could not help but gasp.
This was an astronomical price!
What peerless recipe could be sold for such a high price?!
Yu Niaoniao was also very surprised.
Before she came, she had already calculated that her recipe would at most sell for seven to eight hundred taels of silver. If Wei Liao hadn’t shouted a price just now, she wouldn’t have been able to earn a thousand taels of silver. Unexpectedly, someone shouted ten thousand taels in one go!
This price was too ridiculous.
Wei Liao placed the wine pot on the table beside him and shouted.
“I’ll pay twelve thousand taels!”
Wasn’t it just raising the price? Then come at him. If he admitted defeat today, he would be a grandson!
Yu Niaoniao looked up at him. “Are you crazy?”
That was twelve thousand taels. No matter how rich he was, he could not squander it like this, right?!
The blue-robed man said without changing his expression.
“Fifteen thousand taels.”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
He was actually increasing the price.
Wei Liao slapped the fence. “Twenty thousand taels!” The blue-robed man said, “Twenty-three thousand taels.”
Wei Liao said, “Twenty-five thousand taels.”
At this moment, the onlookers were speechless. They all looked at the two bourgeoisie quietly with one thought in their minds— Were these two crazy?
If they were not sick, why would they spend tens of thousands of taels of silver to buy an unknown recipe book?!
Yu Niaoniao really could not stand it anymore.
She interrupted their raises.
“Stop bidding!”
