If such a thing were allowed to happen, the Third Hall Master could almost imagine what kind of punishment he would face when the Great Hall Master returned!
Though it was just a healing medicine, it was an essential item for every warrior. That market was simply astronomical in value.
Moreover, this was an exclusive deal—no other shops, just this one—a comfortable monopoly.
This kind of business opportunity came along once in ten lifetimes! If he missed it, he’d have nowhere to weep!
“Sir, we can discuss this reasonably! Our Apothecary Hall is sincere. How about this—we’ll upfront a hundred thousand taels of silver as a sincerity deposit, as a gesture of friendship with you. A fifty-fifty split, I can even boldy decide on my own right now. As soon as the Great Hall Master and the others return, we’ll immediately sign the cooperation contract.”
Wasn’t this the opportunity knocking right at his door?
“Third Hall Master, I already gave you the chance. You didn’t seize it in time. Fifty-fifty was for earlier. Now, it’s sixty-forty! If we don’t settle it now, it’ll be seventy-thirty next. I believe Divine Farming Hall and Pill King Court would accept even a seventy-thirty split.”
This wasn’t a bluff—it was inevitable. Divine Farming Hall and Pill King Court had long been eyeing the Apothecary Hall’s position as the top power in the kingdom’s pill market. Such an opportunity landing in their laps—how could they miss it?
The cost of pills was only about one-tenth. Even at seventy-thirty, that still meant two-tenths profit in hand.
Don’t underestimate that two-tenths profit—in a monopoly, even that margin meant staggering numbers. After all, this stuff could monopolize the markets of sixteen neighboring kingdoms!
The profit margin might be thin, but it was made up for by sheer volume!
“Sixty-forty, sixty-forty. Draft the contract immediately! Someone, present the hundred thousand taels sincerity deposit to this gentleman!” The Third Hall Master now really wanted to slap himself. Why couldn’t he have been a bit more enthusiastic earlier? Why couldn’t he have been more resolute?
A perfectly good fifty-fifty split had turned into sixty-forty in the blink of an eye.
But sixty-forty was still decent. Thinking of the business’s prospects, the Third Hall Master decided to strike while the iron was hot—he shouldn’t anger this gentleman further. If he reversed again, it’d be seventy-thirty, and he’d lose another tenth of the profit.
After accepting the hundred thousand taels sincerity deposit, Jiang Zheng felt utterly enveloped in happiness. He patted the Third Hall Master’s shoulder. “The Third Hall Master is a straightforward man. Sixty-forty split—I get six, you get four. It’s happily settled then!”
Jiang Zheng could barely remember how he got home. His whole being felt weightless, as if he might float up to the clouds while walking on the road.
He was too happy, too excited.
So excited he almost doubted if he was dreaming!
The hundred thousand taels sincerity deposit now seemed trivial in his eyes. He’d seen the drafted contract—sixty-forty. He remembered the young lord’s promise: on top of the fifty-fifty base, any extra profit negotiated would be his, Jiang Zheng’s.
But he didn’t sign. This matter needed the young lord’s decision. As a subordinate, without his master’s orders, he wouldn’t dare overstep and sign a contract himself.
Jiang Zheng did the math on his fingers. That extra tenth profit, converted to silver, would be enough to bury him ten times over, or eight.
Delicacies, fine clothes, spirited horses, a standalone mansion filled with gold and jade.
At this moment, Jiang Zheng felt such a life was already rushing toward him.
Socializing with the powerful, associating only with nobility; wives and concubines in harmony, children and grandchildren enjoying blessings.
That kind of life was already waving to him from afar.
A regular at the Crane and Pine Tower, a patron of the Spring Return Garden; drinking and carousing with nobles, sharing a table with ministers.
Naturally, such scenes wouldn’t be out of reach anymore!
When he rushed back home, excited to report the good news to the young lord, he was told that the young lord was in closed-door cultivation. For any matters, he was to wait.
Jiang Zheng didn’t mind. Right now, his whole being was wrapped in joy. He decided not to leave and sat outside the secret chamber where the young lord was cultivating, faithfully standing guard.
Even after sitting down, his emotions hadn’t settled. Recalling the young lord’s past behavior and today’s miraculous encounter, he couldn’t help but wonder:
“Could the young lord have been pretending to be weak? Were those previous idle rich kid antics a test for me? A show of weakness to the enemy?”
Whether pretending to be weak or genuinely receiving a divine mandate, Jiang Zheng now clearly realized that his wavering resolve earlier had been completely wrong.
He knew that even if the young lord had no other merits, with this pill formula, his future was boundless!
As the young lord’s personal servant and steward, if he couldn’t keep pace with the young lord, it would be a colossal mistake!
“I was muddled before. I even thought about abandoning ship. Thankfully, the young lord still trusts me, Jiang Zheng. From now on, I must work hard. What are momentary gains and losses? The young lord either doesn’t act at all—when he does, it’s a grand move! It seems the young lord is no ordinary person!”
Thoughts raced through Jiang Zheng’s mind, but the most resolute one was this: from now on, he would follow the young lord unwaveringly, even through mountains of blades and seas of fire, without a furrow of his brow.
A steward and servant following his master—wasn’t it all for wealth and glory?
The young lord had casually gifted him immense fortune!
The more Jiang Zheng thought, the more his blood surged with excitement. Once home, he would have status now, too—he could even scold his nagging wife and tell her to stop being so short-sighted.
Why should he, Jiang Zheng, compare himself to other lords’ stewards? Their temporary wealth and fleeting glory were nothing. Did it even compare to what he’d gained this time?
……
While Jiang Zheng sat outside the secret chamber, imagining his blissful future, Jiang Chen inside had begun his first cultivation journey in this life and the last.
It had to be said, the previous Jiang Chen had truly been the ultimate lazybones when it came to cultivation. His natural talent and aptitude were absolutely first-rate among the heirs of the 108 feudal lords.
But when it came to effort and diligence, he was undisputedly at the very bottom.
“This kid really was a first-class layabout. Wasting such great talent for nothing.” Jiang Chen felt somewhat dissatisfied with his predecessor.