Novel

Chapter 5: Jade and Memory

Li Zhen submits Chen Wei’s full sealed confession through official channels, triggering an immediate freeze on thirty-eight percent of the auction proceeds tied to the rigged Lot 47 and his family’s stake. The public filing visibly shifts the hall’s mood from lingering mockery to cautious recalibration as minor clan representatives quietly approach him with offers of support. Chen Wei reports escalating threats against his own family while Madam Xue delivers a direct, public warning about Chen Wei’s safety. Li Zhen responds with calm restraint, refusing to yield ground. Before the session closes, the auction authority confirms the freeze, and Madam Xue announces the final hammer will fall the next night at nine, crystallizing the countdown to open war. Status repair begins in small, tangible ways—frozen funds create breathing room, former skeptics seek quiet favor—yet the clan’s pressure on Li Zhen’s in-laws intensifies, and Chen Wei’s safety remains on the line.