The Auction (1)

As the ship has sailed, there is a metal bell ringing, then suddenly the light in the ship is dimmed, the bright light is focused in the middle stage. Some dancers occur to entertain the passengers. Their clothes are so attractive for almost all their body can be seen like the genies costumes. TanTan guesses that the black market meeting is starting. Seeing how audiences respond to the sensual dance performance, TanTan can see that the guests mostly are the perverts. 'Luckily I come in a man disguise...'

But unfortunately for TanTan, there is someone in that room who easily recognizes her. He is the masked man on the second floor, the one who TanTan looks for. Since the beginning, he got the report of his man that TanTan would come so he can easily recognize TanTan. He smirks when he looks to TanTan.

'I thought I had warned that woman but she comes into trouble by herself...what a woman...!'

And then there are two gentlemen who sit not too far from TanTan's table. They look like ordinary merchants but their eyes are full of awareness and different than other guests, they don't seem to enjoy the hot sexy dancing ladies. TanTan and QingQing don't recognize them but they are actually Prince Li and ManQi in disguise, wearing the white eye masks. Although one of the dancers gestures a flirted movement toward him, Prince Li just turns away and ManQi feels uncomfortable,

"Master, when do we act?" ManQi asks.

"Not yet... For now, Go and check this ship. If you find anything odd, don't act impulsive but report to me immediately and prepare the others..." Prince Li orders.

"Yes, Master" ManQi then walks away to follow the order, while Prince Li keeps observing every person in front of him until he sees that two young man who sits nearby his table. Something about them attracts Prince Li.

At the same time, a man who seems like a presenter of the place walks onto the stage, as he starts to speak to audiences,

"Gentlemen, welcome to our exclusive auction tonight...as we know we all can't wait to see the products tonight...Don't worry...Our King has brought all good products which will satisfy all of you tonight...But first, please enjoy the taste of our finest drinks to clear your minds tonight..."

"Yeaaaahhh" A very frenzy reply comes from the audience in a highly enthusiastically.

Hearing the announcement, TanTan can't hold her curiosity of this 'King' that be mentioned about...

'Could it be the silver-masked I am looking for?' She turns to Qing Qing to ask,

"Brother Qing, do you know about this 'King'?", but Qing Qing doesn't hear it as she is quite enjoying the event,

The dancers now have walked around, start serving drinks to the audiences and clearly they all act like the prostitutes. Its irritating TanTan, she rejects politely the women who come try to serve her,

'Ok, now this place is smelled like a luxury brothel...' She has a bad hunch about it.

In another hand, when one of the sexy servants comes and serves QingQing drink, she tastes it right away,

"Wow, it's really a strong wine I ever taste...!."

"Qing...Brother Qing, you shouldn't drink too much...remember our purpose to come here!!" TanTan warns her as she asks politely the dancer who serves QingQing.

"Yeah, didn't I have to fulfill my promise to you.. have brought you here...come on, try it a little bit, Big Brother...its rare chance to drink this kind of wine..." QingQing offers her cup to TanTan. Although she hesitates, her curiosity makes her willing to take the cup. But then suddenly QingQing sees something on the second floor and stands suddenly "Ah...I think I drink too much...excuse me for a while, brother...I need to go...I won't be too long..." And before TanTan can call her, QingQing has walking away

'What? How come she leave me alone here!'

Prince Li looks to that young man strangely, he feels oddly with the gestures of one of them when he interacts with the dancers, makes Prince Li can easily guess that those two weird guests are women, more than that, her gestures remind him to someone,

'HuaMuTan?...It couldn't be...!!' But he has his suspicions so he stands and moves to the table which TanTan sits.

"May I drink with you?" The masked Prince Li's presence surprises TanTan. She doesn't expect anyone will approach them, especially when she is alone. TanTan observes the masked man who stands beside her.

'He is one of the guests, he could be one of these perverted men but he is quite polite...and also why I feel familiar with him?'

TanTan doesn't want to attract any suspicious, so she tries to act her best and changes her voice to be more manly,

"Sure..."

But Prince Li has a good hearing, he can easily recognize the voice although he is still unsure.

The masked Prince Li sits beside TanTan and then takes another cup and rises it, gesturing TanTan to drink together. TanTan follows it but when she drinks it, it feels too strong that she almost spits it all.

'How come QingQing able to drink it..??'

But on another side, the masked Prince Li drinks it all, and smirks to TanTan,

"Little brother, I see that you are not a strong drinker and also not looking some pleasure here...so what makes you come here?"

"I have my own purpose..." TanTan surprises that this masked man is quite an observant, maybe...he knows the silver-masked man she is looking for?

"I am...looking for someone"

"Oh...who?" The masked Prince Li gestures wanting to know more...

"A masked man..." asks TanTan carefully.

The masked Prince Li quite amused

"Everyone here is wearing masks,... you should be more specific for that, little brother..."

"Well, all I know he wears a silver mask that covers his eye parts only with long dark hair...." TanTan adds,

"A silver mask?" Prince Li suddenly remember about the silver-masked man who took HuaMuTan before...he becomes more suspicious to this masked woman beside him,

'Is this woman HuaMuTan? If she is, how dare she sneaks out and comes to this dangerous place...and how does she know about this place...except if...she is involved?' TanTan looks to the masked Prince Li oddly for he pauses. The masked Prince Li realizes it and continue to speak,

"Hm...It's still hard to find him here, little brother...I think that I passed two or three silver masked men when I entered this room...but may I know who is he? Is he an important man for you?" Prince Li purposely bend his body forward and closer to TanTan, which makes TanTan uneasy, with the gesture and the question,

"He...he is my lost brother...!!" In her instinct, she feels need to make an acceptable reason when she talks to the stranger.

'Lost brother? Ridiculous...since when she has a lost brother?!' Prince Li wants to ask more but

suddenly everyone is quiet and gives full attention to the stage as the presenter announces again,

"Our pleasing audiences, here we start the auction for tonight.. the first item....."

And rare items are beginning to be presented on the stage, the guests also look enthusiastically starting their bid when they have eyes on any products. So far, the auction looks normal and legal...Some items that presented are mostly antique items which don't interest TanTan at all. 'But maybe those items are important for other guests, but why all the secrecy?' She glances to the masked Prince Li beside her who becomes so serious watching the auction running.

Without TanTan knows, Prince Li is also thinking the same thought like TanTan, he knows that this black market meeting is controlled by the Crown Prince. Every time he returns from any battle, he also brings many rare items, it's not illegal things but why all must in secrecy, the masks and remote places? So Prince Li suspects that it should be more than this normal auction...

In the third floor, exactly a room at the north of TianTian's seat, unseen by others. There is a man who wears the golden mask, having a secret conversation with another one sitting in a shadow.

"So exciting...you know I bring a lot of good stuff today...I will get a lot of profit tonight...Hahaha"

The man in the shadow replies,

"It's delightful but you should be careful..."

"Oh come on...how many times we do this? We never are caught...besides I can't relax coz I can't wait to have my own army...!!" The way of golden-masked man talks and acts, clearly telling that he is the crown prince.

"But you may not forget, Third Prince and Seven Prince, seem still put aware of you..."

The masked crown prince sudden hits the table,

*Brakk!! His face becomes furious,

"Don't mention them!!! Their presence always irritating me... Don't you see what did they say at outer palace court? They look down on me!! ALWAYS...BUT I AM THE CROWN..." He stops when the man in the shadow gestures him to be quiet. The man in the shadow comes out from the shadow, he is the almost full masked man, the same one who sent the shadow man to search something in TanTan's room. He stares sharply to the Crown Prince.

"Don't drop your awareness, My Lord. we don't want to give any chance to our enemies, do we?"

Although he still upset, but the Crown Prince decides to hear the masked man. Somehow the Crown Prince doesn't dare to keep arguing with that old masked man, as he feels reluctant toward that man.

"Besides..." The masked man continues, "You don't need to worry about the princes...in a short time, you won't see them again..."

The Crown Prince feels pleased,

"So you are finally starting your evil plan...hahaha, you are really evil...but I like it...hahaha..." He laughs evilly, and continue "But you have to do one thing...bring the Third Prince and Seventh Prince to me before they die, I want to make them suffer first and begging of my mercy..."

"HEY, YOU...DARE TO RUN HAH?!!!..."

"AAKKH...*Brukk"

Suddenly a loud noise comes from the door in front of the room. The loud shout of a guard that seems has caught someone overhearing the entire conversation. The masked man opens the door fiercely,

"WHO DARE TO DISTURB??!!"

a guard who caught a young woman immediately bows on the floor and panics,

"I am...sorry My Lord...This woman tries to escape from our cage but we manage to catch her back..."

"She has listened...kill her..." The masked man commands, but the crown Prince interrupts,

"Wait!!!" He observes the face of the woman. Her eyes don't show fear, oppositely, she stares like an attacked wild animal, and although she is covered by dirt, it doesn't hide her exotic beauty.

"I remember this one, so fierce when I caught her...I almost lost my fingers coz of her biting..."

"She looks dangerous..."

"But she is too rare to be killed...her price will be very high...I know some bastards who willing pay extremely higher for a woman like her"

"My Lord, do you think it's wise? She has heard us..."

"Oh don't worry....she is a Han slave, besides she can't talk...I had cut her tongue as the punishment of biting my fingers..."

"...very well, do as you pleased, My Lord..."

The Crown Prince commands the guard to take that woman to the stage,

"Watch her carefully, she is a very expensive material..."

"Yes, My Lord..." The guard then drags the woman who still trying to fight back but fails to be free.

"Well...I think it's time for us enjoying the main event..." The Crown Prince shows himself in the balcony to watch the auction, gesturing the presenter to start the 'real auction'.