Chapter 85: Chapter 81: Is This Enough?
The next morning.
Dark clouds shrouded the dawn, the sky ominous and heavy.
But Man Xiu’s mood was unaffected.
Filled with curiosity, he hurriedly finished breakfast and arrived early at the manor to wait.
Luo De, who got up early, wasted no time and, after meeting with Man Xiu, led him to a wooden house behind the manor.
The area around the wooden house was sprinkled with quicklime, specifically for moisture prevention.
The center of the wooden house was piled with items, covered with a large piece of oilcloth.
Luo De casually gestured with his hand, signaling with his eyes.
Gang Le immediately understood, stepped forward quickly, and lifted the oilcloth from the barrel.
Immediately after, Gang Le moved the nearest wooden barrel in front of Man Xiu and opened the wooden lid.
Man Xiu looked at the crystalline contents, clearly taken aback,
"Is this... salt?"
Suspicious, Man Xiu reached out, touching a bit of the crystal with his fingertip, and cautiously tasted it on the tip of his tongue.
His eyes lit up instantly, exclaiming in surprise, "It really is salt!"
He quickly looked up towards the warehouse, densely packed with wooden barrels, over a hundred barrels!
Each barrel of salt usually weighs between one hundred eighty to two hundred twenty pounds, meaning there are nearly twenty thousand pounds of salt here!
"Are all these salt?!"
Although Man Xiu knew the answer, he couldn’t help but ask.
"Of course."
Luo De smiled calmly and said, "In fact, the production isn’t high, these are specially reserved for you.
Because right now I trust you, my friend."
He gently patted Man Xiu’s shoulder, "You should understand what I mean."
"I understand, thank you for your trust."
Man Xiu couldn’t help but bow to express his gratitude.
In the coastal Western Province and Eastern Province, the value of salt mines isn’t particularly high; residents along the coast can easily obtain sufficient salt from the sea.
Sunshine and seawater, nature’s gifts ensure that people there never worry about the salt supply.
As a result, nearby areas are also not lacking in salt.
But most of the Northern Province is inland, with the few remaining coasts tightly enclosed by continuous mountains.
Blocked by natural barriers, it’s virtually impossible to acquire salt from the sea.
This makes salt mines very precious, rivaling other metal veins.
After all, salt is an essential daily food item; it can’t be done without.
The absence of salt is not just a monotonous taste issue, it’s a matter of life and death.
Thus, when a salt mine is discovered within a territory, it easily attracts the covetous eyes of other Lords.
Of course, if the salt mine is located at the center of a clearly defined territory, the presence of imperial laws prevents the noble Lords from openly fighting over it.
But that doesn’t stop them from using covert and obscure methods to seek profits.
The most common tactic is to disguise or secretly sponsor a Bandit Group for robbery.
This way, they can acquire what they want while maintaining a façade of innocence.
The nobility all understand these things, so when a salt mine is discovered in their territory, they keep it secret, selling it only through some reliable channels to minimize risk.
Man Xiu understood clearly that Luo De’s current actions showed genuine trust, hence his sudden formal bow.
Luo De nodded with a smile and said, "I think this is enough to cover the payment for the slaves and livestock, right?"
"You’re joking, half of this salt is more than enough, I’ll need to pay extra for the rest."
Man Xiu smiled helplessly, feeling his gold coins might not suffice, and said, "No wonder you asked me to leave all the goods."
So much salt, enough to fill Man Xiu’s caravan completely, might even require additional vehicles for transport.
Thinking of this, Man Xiu began to worry about encountering a Bandit Group.
"Don’t worry, there are other goods that will certainly interest you."
Looking at Luo De’s mysterious smile, Man Xiu’s curiosity was again piqued.
What could make a merchant like himself happier than salt?
Until Luo De brought him to the next wooden house and he saw the stacks of new paper in the crates, he was stunned.
Man Xiu had a reaction similar to that of Lusen, both were astonished.
But as a merchant, Man Xiu did not question the quality of the new paper, eagerly asking Luo De,
"How much of this new paper do you have? What is the price?"
Lusen, being a Spellcaster, judged the value of the new paper more from his personal usage needs.
As a merchant, Man Xiu thought of the various needs of different people, the market flow, and changes.
The price and production of the new paper will determine who it can ultimately serve — whether it remains a luxury item for the nobility or becomes a practical item for ordinary households.
Luo De replied, "60 Copper Coins per sheet, I can sell you about forty thousand sheets."
"I see."
Man Xiu’s eyes brightened, then he lowered his head and began to think seriously.
Luo De was in no hurry, with hands behind his back, quietly waiting, giving Man Xiu ample time to consider.
After a long while, Man Xiu raised his head and said, "I must admit, Lord Baron, your new paper made me think of many things.
I believe it will be needed in many places, especially by the Empire’s nobles.
With this new paper, the parchment we use now can be replaced in many aspects."
"But your price really gives me some discomfort."
Man Xiu smiled wryly, "Your 60 Copper Coins per sheet just squeezes out my profit.
Of course, at this price I’ll still buy it, but I can only buy five thousand sheets for the chamber’s use."
The new paper might not be immediately accepted by the market, buying it at 60 Copper Coins per sheet leaves Man Xiu with little profit margin.
Thus, from a business perspective, new paper isn’t an especially ideal product.
However, for daily use in the chamber for bookkeeping and communication, this price is just right, balancing cost and benefit.
Luo De chuckled, asking, "Are you just looking for a wholesale price from me?"
"Yes, I need more profit."
Man Xiu earnestly requested.
"How many sheets do you want?" Luo De asked further.
"All of them."
Without hesitation, Man Xiu added, "But please give me just a little leeway."
His voice was soft, with a hint of plea.
"Hmm, I understand."
Luo De’s pricing was indeed set according to the market rate, leaving no profit margin for other merchants.
Lusen didn’t mind, as he was buying for personal use; 60 Copper Coins was acceptable.
But Man Xiu wanted to introduce the new paper to the market; buying at 60 Copper Coins would mean selling at least 70 or 80 Copper Coins per sheet.
Such pricing would diminish the advantages over traditional parchment and might hinder the sale of the new paper.
"Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll give you a profit of two Copper Coins per sheet, for forty thousand sheets, that’s a net profit of eight gold coins."
Faced with Man Xiu, Luo De wasn’t stingy, saying directly, "If you sell at sixty-five Copper Coins per sheet, you could achieve a profit of twenty-eight gold coins."
"Thank you very much!"
Man Xiu’s face was full of joy as he hurriedly bowed and expressed his gratitude.