Over the years the Kang family had grown steadily stronger, and their marriage alliance with the Xiao family had not escaped the Yu family's notice. The Kangs could no longer wait to force their way into the ranks of the great houses. After all, once a family became a great house, the benefits went far beyond mere reputation; more to the point, the great houses kept in constant contact and shared their resources, each granting the others face, and the small salons and gatherings held every year were beyond counting.

By the Kang family's qualifications, they were already fit to be a small, bottom-tier great house. But such things were not settled by a mere word; they involved the distribution and balancing of all manner of interests. One more great house meant one more set of troubles.

The Yu family, at this moment, could hardly weaken the other great houses fast enough — how could they let anyone else squeeze in? Yet when Yu Haitian heard that the Kang family had come together with the Wu family's third-generation heir, he hesitated.

The Kangs had come this time, surely, to discuss their elevation to great-house status; and to bring the Wu family along at such a moment — what did that signify? Did the Wu family, too, stand on the Kang family's side, backing their rise?

"Second Uncle, what do you make of it..." Yu Haitian was somewhat at a loss. Since he could not decide on his own, he naturally went to consult the one in the family who could.

"Let them in. Let us hear what they have to say." The middle-aged man listened to Yu Haitian's account, mused a moment, then nodded. "The Kang family's elevation is inevitable; even if we block them, they will keep pushing. Since they have pulled the Wu family in as an arm, we may as well see their trump card. If they truly offer terms that move us, then we may as well grant the Kang and Wu families face. But if they can produce nothing worthwhile, then even if we agree, the other great houses may not. You must understand: this is something only the five great houses together can decide — the Wu family alone cannot call the tune."

"Do we not need to consider the four minor great houses?" Yu Haitian was slightly taken aback. He was an outsider in the Yu family, not privy to much of the core, and so he asked.

"It is not that they need not be considered, but that once our Yu family nods, they will not object," the middle-aged man said mildly, though a note of confidence ran through his words.

"Good. Then I will call them in now. Second Uncle, will you...?" Yu Haitian asked cautiously.

"I will not show myself. Do not agree, and do not refuse. First see what terms they offer," the middle-aged man instructed. "If it seems workable, I will send you a message."

"Yes, Second Uncle!" Yu Haitian nodded, turned, and left the inner room for the outer parlor, where he said to the subordinate who had brought him the report: "Bring them in."

Before long, Divine Doctor Kang arrived at the reception room with Kang Zhaolong and Wu Chengtian, and Yu Haitian rose warmly to greet them: "Divine Doctor Kang, Young Master Wu, Young Master Kang, welcome!"

"You are too kind, Mr. Yu!" Though Divine Doctor Kang was the elder, he did not dare treat the Yu family lightly; Yu Haitian, though only a liaison on the Yu family's periphery, nonetheless held a position of considerable importance.

"Divine Doctor Kang, the auction does not begin until tonight. Might I ask what brings you here at this hour? Have you some new item you wish to consign to us?" Yu Haitian was a fine hand at feigning ignorance; whatever Divine Doctor Kang did not bring up himself, he would never be the first to mention.

"Heh heh, quite right! This time we do indeed have an item to add to the auction!" Divine Doctor Kang was an old hand as well. He nodded. "Only, this item is a presale."

"A presale item?" Yu Haitian was briefly startled. He had only asked casually, never expecting Divine Doctor Kang to truly have something to auction — and a presale at that. It made him curious. Could it be that Divine Doctor Kang had not come to discuss the family's elevation after all?

"Yes! Through the tireless research of my grandson Zhaolong and myself, overcoming obstacle after obstacle, we have finally developed the upgrade item needed to enter the arena — the Beautifying Skin-Nourishing Golden Wound Medicine!" said Divine Doctor Kang.

"Beautifying Skin-Nourishing Golden Wound Medicine?" Yu Haitian repeated the name Divine Doctor Kang had given. It was long, and a little awkward on the tongue, but none of that was the point. The point was: what use was this medicine, and to whom?

Seeing the doubt in Yu Haitian's eyes, Divine Doctor Kang explained with a smile: "The name says it all! The Beautifying Skin-Nourishing Golden Wound Medicine not only has the basic effects of a golden wound medicine, but also beautifies and nourishes the skin! The wonder of golden wound medicine is that it heals wounds swiftly and leaves no scar; this Beautifying Skin-Nourishing Golden Wound Medicine, however, can repair old scars of many years' standing and remove them completely! Of course, that is only its principal effect; there are many secondary ones as well — beautifying the complexion, improving skin tone, banishing dullness, shrinking pores, and so on..."

As the man in charge of the auction, Yu Haitian naturally had a keen commercial instinct. Hearing Divine Doctor Kang's description, he knew at once that this medicine was no simple thing. Once it appeared, it would surely set off a frenzy of buying — perhaps even surpassing ordinary golden wound medicine.

For women who loved beauty, this was nothing short of a killer weapon.

"Divine Doctor Kang, your reputation is well deserved — to think you could develop something so miraculous!" Yu Haitian exclaimed in admiration, then said: "Might I take it, Divine Doctor Kang, that you mean to auction this miraculous medicine at tonight's sale?"

"Yes! But I have only just succeeded in developing it; it is still at the trial stage, and both the yield and the success rate are very low. The presale portions I can offer for auction number only two," Divine Doctor Kang said with a nod.

"Two? So few?" Yu Haitian was startled. Hearing Divine Doctor Kang speak of this medicine, he had assumed it could be mass-produced, and that the auction was merely a way to let bidders get their hands on this miraculous drug ahead of others. Now it seemed that was not the case at all.

"Indeed. Though I trial-produced several dozen portions, you know as well as I that the Kang family has many friends, and most of it must go to them as gifts. So only two portions remain for auction," Divine Doctor Kang said, laying it on thick.

Yu Haitian's expression shifted. He was no fool; if he still could not see Divine Doctor Kang's purpose now, he had no business running this auction. On the surface, the Kang family had come to add an item to the sale, but in truth they had laid down their trump card: the Kang family possessed this miraculous medicine, and if they were smoothly made a great house, these medicines would be given free of charge to the other great houses.

Fastest updates; for pop-up-free reading, please.