Wen Jiancheng glanced at Yuan Liangping with a strange look and said with a smile, "Mr. Chen said he would talk about it when the time is right!"
Yuan Liangping's heart sank, and he cursed Chen Fan in his mind for being a scoundrel.
What did "when the time is right" mean? Such vague words would keep the Lin family and other local magnates lingering with hope.
It was like a carrot dangled in front of a donkey, visible but unattainable, yet it drove the donkey to keep moving forward.
"Then congratulations, Uncle Wen!"
Yuan Liangping forced down his disgust and annoyance and said, "If you can get on Mr. Long's good side, the Lin family's rise will be just around the corner!"
"Thank you for your kind words, nephew!"
Lin Shuzheng said with a smile.
Yuan Liangping cursed Lin Shuzheng for his shamelessness in his heart.
Before Chen Fan revealed his identity, Lin Shuzheng had addressed him as "Young Master Yuan" with utmost respect.
But now, he was called "nephew."
Did he think he was worthy?
However, Yuan Liangping could only curse inwardly, maintaining a smile on his face as he said, "I didn't expect the person behind Chen Fan to be the mysterious Mr. Long. However, I don't think Chen Fan has that much influence over Mr. Long."
"Mr. Long might not be interested in the friends Chen Fan introduces, don't you agree, Uncle Wen?"
"Who knows?" Wen Jiancheng said, "But it's always good to maintain a good relationship with Mr. Chen, isn't it?"
Yuan Liangping sneered in his heart.
Before Jiang Tiansheng revealed the identity of the owner of the Purple Thistle Dragon Card, everyone's attitude was not like this.
However, he could only agree and nod.
Then he got to the point and said, "Uncle Wen, it's like this, I bid seven hundred million for 'Azure of the Sky,' and I'm not in a convenient financial situation. I can't come up with such a large sum right now. Could you give me some time?"
Although he knew that local magnates like the Lin family were opportunistic, Yuan Liangping still had to try.
The amount of capital was too huge. If he didn't find a way, it would lead to a rupture in the Yuan family's capital chain, causing major problems.
At the auction, spending money lavishly and bidding hundreds of millions at every turn was indeed satisfying.
But now, when it was time to pay, he had to humble himself and beg for favors.
"Since nephew has spoken, I shouldn't refuse! However, Longteng Group acquired Starry Sky Auction House half an hour ago. Mr. Long will be fully aware of the subsequent matters of this auction. If any item is delayed in payment, he might be unhappy!"
Wen Jiancheng said with a smile, "Nephew, this makes it difficult for me!"
"What? Longteng Group has already..."
Yuan Liangping was dumbfounded, his face filled with disbelief.
"Do you think I would lie to you, nephew?" Wen Jiancheng retorted.
Yuan Liangping thought for a moment and then understood.
No wonder Yin Qian's attitude changed so drastically. She was willing to offend him and Xu Shengqing for a son-in-law who had been abandoned, all because she had the backing of Longteng Group.
Thinking back to Chen Fan's actions, luring them to spend a huge amount of money on overpriced luxury goods, not only made the auction profitable but also snatched away those local magnates from Hangjiang.
A perfect plan to kill two birds with one stone!
He had completely played them all like puppets.
Yuan Liangping cursed inwardly, so angry he felt like spitting blood.
At this moment, Wen Jiancheng added, "How about this, nephew, you pay the money first, and then we'll see the specific situation. If there's no news from Mr. Long, I certainly won't let you suffer a loss. At least two hundred million of the seven hundred million auction payment will be returned!"
"Then thank you, Uncle Wen!"
Yuan Liangping felt as if his heart had been stabbed, but he still had to thank him.
Wen Jiancheng's words were nice, but once the auction payment was settled, whether to return the money and how much to return would be entirely up to Wen Jiancheng!
If it were before the auction, wouldn't Wen Jiancheng have been obsequious to him? Whatever he said would have been followed?
The root of everything, in the final analysis, was the change in status and identity.
Before Chen Fan invoked Mr. Long's name, none of the local magnates in Hangjiang would have defied Yuan Liangping's will.
Riding on Xu Shengqing's influence, Yuan Liangping was someone Wen Jiancheng and others would fawn over.
But once Mr. Long's name was revealed, another kind of influence emerged, sweeping away Yuan Liangping, who had offended Chen Fan, rendering him worthless.
Even more tragically, this Mr. Long hadn't even shown his face, only presenting a Purple Thistle Dragon Card that represented his identity!
Further talk was useless. Yuan Liangping excused himself and went to find Lin Shuzheng, the head of the Lin family, and others.
The answers he received were similar to those from Wen Jiancheng.
These local magnates were two-faced. They didn't completely refuse, yet they were ready to swallow the auction payments that Yuan Liangping and Xu Shengqing were supposed to make at any moment.
Yuan Liangping was helpless and had to start making calls to raise funds.
Fifteen hundred million was not easy to raise and transfer. It was impossible to complete the transaction tonight.
Of course, Yuan Liangping also had another option: refuse to pay the auction amount and simply default!
But he didn't dare to do so.
Firstly, defaulting might not succeed. Although no contract was signed, the procedures at the auction had legal effect, and there were too many witnesses.
Secondly, the blow to his reputation from defaulting would also cause huge losses to the Yuan family, the extent of which was unpredictable, and could potentially be more than fifteen hundred million.
The Yuan family and Yuan Liangping himself would become the laughingstock of Liangjiang!
The last point was that if he defaulted, he would never have a chance to turn things around, and he was unwilling to accept that!
Afterward, Yuan and Xu agreed with the auction house and the consignor to complete the payment of the auction items within three days.
Not wanting to stay a moment longer, Yuan Liangping left the venue with Xu Shengqing and returned to their presidential suite.
Upon returning to the room, Yuan Liangping smashed the hotel television to pieces.
Xu Shengqing opened a bottle of red wine, drank more than half of it in one gulp, and then laughed out loud.
His expression then turned ferocious, "I still want to kill that Chen Fan!"
"Do you think I don't?"
Yuan Liangping gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it, I personally sent him the invitation. It's infuriating!"
...
"Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, please help us!"
In the hotel parking lot, Xiao Wei smiled ingratiatingly and pleaded with Chen Fan through the car window, "We are desperate. Think of how Xiao Xuan accompanied you tonight!"
"Can you leave your contact information? I'll have Xiao Xuan find you, alright?"
"Yes, Mr. Chen, we'll do anything..."
Xiao Qian also smiled ingratiatingly.
Only Xiao Xuan stood a little further away, biting her lower lip, and watched the car that had already started.
"Let's go!"
Chen Fan didn't respond to the Xiao sisters and said to Jiang Tiansheng, who was in the driver's seat.
Jiang Tiansheng said nothing and drove away from the parking lot, leaving the three disappointed Xiao sisters behind.
After driving a short distance, Chen Fan said, "Later, give the Xiao family some investment. Don't give too much, nor too little. Enough for them to get out of their predicament!"
"Yes, Mr. Chen!"
Jiang Tiansheng replied respectfully, not surprised.
He understood Chen Fan's intention.
Helping someone once was enough. Whether they could seize the opportunity depended on themselves.
Helping too much might be counterproductive.
In this regard, he also greatly admired Chen Fan. He had been in a difficult situation back then, and Chen Fan had given him an opportunity.
He had seized it, and that's how he had become who he was today!
"Mr. Chen, you're just letting Yuan Liangping and the others go?"
Jiang Tiansheng, driving, couldn't help but ask.
"No need to rush, the real show has just begun!"
Chen Fan smiled and said.
Knowing his cousin, he wouldn't give up just like that.
In the capital, this cousin could still conceal himself and be patient, but once he reached a local level, his true nature would be fully revealed.
The combined auction payments of his cousin and Yuan Liangping, fourteen to fifteen hundred million, were enough of a loss to make them hurt for a long time.
Not long after, the car drove into Fragrant Mountain Tan Mansion.
After parking the car, Jiang Tiansheng bid farewell and got into his own car, which was driven by his chauffeur, and left.
Chen Fan took out his phone and made a call.
"Within three days, deliver 'Moonlight Goddess' to Hangjiang City, Great Xia Nation!"
As soon as the call connected, he calmly commanded.
"Yes, my Eternal Lord of Darkness, your will shall be fulfilled without reservation!"
A reply in broken Xia Chinese came from the other end of the line.
Chen Fan directly hung up and went home.
If anyone knowledgeable were present and heard the words 'Moonlight Goddess,' they would undoubtedly be shocked.
For it was one of the top three giant diamonds in the world, valued at over three hundred million US dollars, far more precious than 'Azure of the Sky' auctioned today!