That night, Louis received a message from Lord Rom, along with a pre-prepared transfer of 5 million gold coins.

The next day, rumors began to circulate in the City of Art.

The Mayer Commerce Association would participate in this auction, and this news spread all over the city like snowflakes.

The following day, while Louis was still having lunch, a long-distance communication from the Am Empire reached him.

Louis donned a mask and communicated with the relevant members from the Am Empire about the situation.

More precisely, it was the people from the Am Empire wanting to understand Mayer's intentions.

...

"This time, it's mainly for the reputation of the Mayer Commerce Association. Everyone should understand that as we grow to a certain height, the reputation of the association becomes one of our most important cards."

With a glass of red wine, the masked Louis spoke to the president of the Wealth Can Reach God Commerce Association on the other end of the line:

"Or, shall I say, I also need to show some loyalty to the empire now."

The president of Wealth Can Reach God wiped his sweat and said:

"Understood, understood, after all, with the help of people from the upper echelons of the empire, the expansion of the association can proceed more smoothly."

He hesitated for a moment, a little embarrassed, and said:

"Really not reconsidering? 'Snow Country Border' is a great work, we can also confirm it is absolutely Lady Xilin's posthumous work, but..."

Louis said calmly:

"The value of an artwork is determined by the artistic essence and historical path condensed on it."

"Lady Xilin's work guarantees its lower limit, but its value depends on the famous anecdotes it leaves behind."

He drank his red wine in one gulp and said with a smile:

"I know what you're worried about. From the moment our Mayer Commerce Association planned to participate, 'Snow Country Border' is likely to exceed its original historical value."

No one knows better than Louis about the operations of those "collectors."

They speak of cherishing art, but behind the scenes, there is much calculation.

There have been many targeted auctions in past lives to harvest the assets of certain people.

The most typical example is the auction of domestic antiques by foreign auction houses, which harvest as much as they can domestically.

Once it was confirmed that the Mayer Commerce Association would participate in the auction, the chance of the final auction price of 'Snow Country Border' going up increased greatly.

Because everyone knows, the relationship between the top businessman Mayer and the Ense Royal Family is close.

Expecting the auctioneers of the Am Empire not to try every possible trick to extort money from the Mayer Commerce Association in this one-time transaction is impossible.

"I know you're worried that additional premiums might cause losses to our Mayer Commerce Association."

"But I don't care."

"The loss is within my estimated range."

Indeed, the person responsible from Wealth Can Reach God sent a message to consult with Louis, not because he kindly wanted to remind him.

But because he worries that another force from the Am Empire preparing a harvesting feast might cause Mayer displeasure, ultimately affecting the cooperation between Mayer Commerce Association and Wealth Can Reach God.

This is not impossible.

There are not just a few cities often holding auctions; there are many more suitable places than the City of Art.

Why choose the City of Art?

Simply because 'Snow Country Border' is a lost masterpiece of the Ense Empire, auctioning it in the City of Art attracts top businessmen from the Ense Empire willing to spend big.

And even more so...

If it can attract the royal family, that would be even better.

But such a move undoubtedly angers the upper echelons of Ense.

Especially during the current period of smooth cooperation between the Am Empire and Ense.

The Wealth Can Reach God Commerce Association does not want any potential conflict that might affect the cooperation between the two during their representation of the Am Empire's collaboration with Ense.

So, although they shouldn't intervene, they still came to give Mayer a friendly reminder.

Louis accepted his goodwill, but still smilingly expressed his determination to play the "fool with money."

Seeing Louis' confident smile, the person in charge from Wealth Can Reach God was speechless, and finally could only smile:

"Then I wish you a satisfactory result in this auction, and the next time you come to the Am Empire, I will be sure to entertain you lavishly."

——he also understood Louis' underlying meaning, that this auction wouldn't affect the collaboration between Mayer and the Am Empire.

...

[Location: Am Empire · Imperial Capital · Wealth Can Reach God Commerce Association Headquarters]

The head of the association looked up at a middle-aged man in front of him and said:

"Lord ONE, Mr. Mayer over there declined."

The middle-aged man, addressed as ONE, said with a smile:

"It seems the Mayer Commerce Association over there is more confident than we thought."

The head said:

"Lord ONE, do we need to do this and specifically inform the Mayer Commerce Association?"

His dark eyes darted around, eventually revealing a sly smile:

"Rather than collaborating with the Mayer Commerce Association, is it not a better choice to first ensure our commercial routes within the Am Empire are smooth?"

ONE looked silently at the head and said:

"Do you know whose work 'Snow Country Border' is?"

"It is Lady Xilin's work."

"Do you know that almost all of Lady Xilin's works so far possess the power to transform decay into miracles?"

The head nodded, "But 'Snow Country Border' is not."

ONE swirled his glass of red wine slowly and said unhurriedly:

"10 years ago, 'Love's Divine Will,' also a posthumous work of Lady Xilin, was purchased by the God of Love Church."

"The previous owner of 'Love's Divine Will' spent 50 years without discovering a use for the painting."

"But 'Love's Divine Will' became a sacred relic of the God of Love Church the day after it was taken."

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