178 Windfall (1/2)
Those who qualified to become notable generals of his country were not of common stock.
Yun Yang thought to himself; the oldest men around him were already wearing snow-white beards, yet their thoughts were much more astute and far-sighted than cunning, thousand-year-old foxes.
”The hour is late. Everyone has come a long way and have had many drinks; I suppose all of you must be exhausted. We shall rest for the night. If you all wish to eat, the Tower To Heaven Inn offers a great selection. They can prepare whatever it is that you’d like to have. As long as you have silver taels and can pay for the meal, there isn't anything this place can't cook up for you.”
Bringing so many people to lodge at the Tower To Heaven Inn meant that Yun Yang was prepared to flee. ”I still need to deal with the wine reservation; it’s so famous now, I’ll have to quickly place my order. Of course, I won't forget about the brothels and gambling dens – I’ll have to make a reservation too in case the owners aren’t willing to take you all in… I'm fated to work throughout the day! I shall take my leave now.”
Yun Yang smiled warmly as he slipped away, ignoring the generals’ pleas for him to stay.
if I were to stay, I would be obliged to buy your dinner and wine. Do I look like a fathead to all of you?
The day that I will treat everyone here is the day I get to poison all the dishes.
Yun Yang surreptitiously slipped out the door.
Without having to receive further instructions, several representatives from each country vanished, disappearing without a trace, like ghosts.
A short while later, these people reappeared in the crowd once again.
Han Sanhe looked at the man beside him who had returned without giving anything away, his gaze full of questions.
The person shook his head with a peculiar expression on his face.
Han Sanhe frowned as a voice spoke softly in his ear, ”That child disappeared around the corner. There were so many of us and so many pairs of eyes but no one realized how he disappeared, and no one knows where he went to either.”
”There wasn’t even the slightest hint of his breath in the air. This is extremely peculiar.”
The expert who had given chase was utterly bewildered by Yun Yang’s disappearance.
He was a Tenth Perfection expert, a grandmaster if he wished to be called so; it was an easy feat to stalk a fifth peak vermin yet he had managed to lose him.
It was amazingly embarrassing to return with such news.
The other generals from other countries had received the same replies; some of them hissed in anger while the others wore grim looks.
”Tiantang City is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.” Han Sanhe sighed softly and said, ”Forget it, we still have time. He still has to bring us around for another ten days of so… we’re not in a hurry. The time will come when we can manage to figure this fellow out.”
…
How had Yun Yang disappeared the moment he stepped out of the door and around the corner?
It was simple. Yun Yang had turned into a breeze of air, executing his wind cultivation skill, making it seem as if he had vanished.
Do you wish to follow me?
Brothers, surely you jest?
…
”How many pots did you say you wanted?” Young Master Ma’s heart was about to burst out of his chest.
”Two hundred thousand pots.” Yun Yang crossed his legs casually.
”So many?” Young Master Ma’s eyes were wide. ”We’ve just completed Marshal Tie’s order by working extra hours and installing additional operations. Excluding the workers, just the supervisors were already worn out enough. Two hundred thousand pots may not be a big sum but we might not be able to deliver the goods within such a short amount of time.”
”Understood. As long as you can send the first batch within three months, it will be alright.”
Yun Yang continued reservedly, ”Also, you won’t suffer any losses from the order this time; just give me a reasonable price, let me know how much a pot would cost me.”
Young Master Ma hesitated upon hearing his words. The previous promotion of two hundred silver taels for a pot of wine had ended. Even so, he and his father had been generous and had added forty thousand pots to the total.
The transaction had cost them a loss of ten million silver taels, a great wound indeed.
”Brother Yun, why don't you give me a number and I’ll consider it? If the price is good, I won’t argue.” Young Master Ma had learned his lesson as well; if he were to give a low price and have Yun Yang press the price down further, he would not be able to afford it.
”I said I won’t allow you to suffer loss, and it shall be so.” Yun Yang said, ”What about five hundred silver taels a pot this time?”
”Five hundred taels a pot?” Young Master Ma almost jumped with joy.
He had thought that he was going to have to toil without a return again this time; that, or he would have to dump another lump of fortune in. However, five hundred silver taels for a pot of wine meant that there would be about a hundred and fifty silver taels of net profit for each pot. Even when the transportation fee to the countries was deducted, even if he took another fifty silver taels off each pot, one pot could still make him no less than a hundred silver taels of profit.
For an order of two hundred thousand pots of wine, there would be a total profit of twenty million silver taels. This order would allow him to regain the ten million taels he had previously lost, and then some. If everything went smoothly and unnecessary costs were cut, it would not be impossible to make a sweep of twenty million taels!
”Are you sure?” Young Master Ma’s breath quickened, hardly able to believe his own ears.
”Why would I lie?”
Yun Yang rolled his eyes. ”I told you before that I would make you another profitable deal. Now that your chance at a windfall is here, don’t doubt it. Two hundred thousand pots of wine are only the first batch. When the Blood of the Hero’s reputation as the militant’s wine is well established, what is two hundred thousand pots? Young Ma, you have to be far-sighted. I said that your brewery is the top brewery in Yutang, did you think I was making light of it?”
”Thank you, Brother Yun!” Young Master Ma bowed respectfully. ”Only now do I know that Young Master Yun is awarding us a windfall… I can see why my father made such a decision then.”
”What decision?” Yun Yang asked curiously.
”Father says that as long as the reputation of this militant’s wine is well established, a tenth from any sales after this will be given to Brother Yun as a bonus.” Young Master Ma’s face was glowing.