CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 71: THE DEAL (PART 2)

Traveling together to Wuheng could be mutually beneficial.

Seeing this, she said no more, and went along with his suggestion.

After she bought enough supplies, she finally found the livestock trading place.

There were several stables here, run by different owners selling animals.

Moreover, one owner was selling both animals and ducks. Upon inquiry, she learned the owner raised so many ducks to supply the nearby restaurants.

In Ru Ning, there was an authentic roasted duck dish that any caravan passing through, or anyone else, had to try.

Besides, Ru Ning was a large city, much like Changping City, bustling and prosperous.

Past Ru Ning, it became increasingly desolate.

Thinking about this, Ruan Mian had an idea in her mind, first probing the prices of horses and donkeys with the owner who seemed to have the most livestock.

Unexpectedly, seeing she was an outsider, the owner demanded exorbitant prices, immediately raising them.

"Fifty taels for a donkey, the horse will be ten taels more."

Seeing the owner’s smiling face, Guard Liu didn’t bother to engage in idle talk and struck him in the eye with the sheath of his knife!

The owner angrily shouted immediately: "If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it, are you trying to kill someone? I warn you, the locals all around, if you wish to cause trouble, I’ll report you to the authorities and have you..."

"Report?" Ruan Mian stepped forward, smiling slightly: "Sir, you run a business, surely you understand the commerce laws of the Capital?"

"Manufacturing objects, silk fabrics, and livestock; selling inferior goods at higher prices, that warrants a punishment of sixty lashes."

The owner’s face turned slightly pale, sniffing disdainfully: "Do I really fear you? I..."

Before he finished speaking, Guard Liu suddenly produced a document stamped with an official seal, while the owner was still shouting for his assistant to notify the authorities, scoffing even more at the sight of the document.

"You think this worthless paper can threaten me? Let me tell you! Among all the merchants in Ru Ning City, I have the best relations with the Lord Prefect, since you hit people, I’ll make you regret it!"

Coincidentally, a patrolling government officer was called over by his assistant and threateningly demanded accountability, yet upon seeing the document, his expression changed drastically, quickly apologizing with a smile and bowing.

"Oh, you’re an associate of Lord He, we didn’t recognize the great figure, forgive us, forgive us, it was all a misunderstanding."

Upon hearing of Lord He, the merchant was stunned, the government officer saw his inaction and lowly scolded him.

"What are you standing around for?! Quickly apologize to the young lady and gentleman! They are not people you can provoke."

The owner, aware of the circumstances, swiftly donned a smile, immediately bowing with clasped hands, his attitude taking a one-eighty.

"I was wrong, I was wrong, madam, sir, whatever number of livestock you want, I’ll provide at the local market rate, with the Lord as our witness, I won’t cheat you this time."

Ruan Mian crossed her arms, chuckled coldly, and turned to the neighboring stable, calling that Shopkeeper over.

Then handed over several hundred tael silver notes: "Boss, I’m here to negotiate a business deal with you."

The owner, seeing a windfall from the sky, was dumbfounded, quickly inviting Ruan Mian and her companions inside.

The prior owner, with a face like ashen, still tried to call Ruan Mian back, but was slapped back to his place by Guard Liu.

After sitting inside, Ruan Mian noticed paper and pen on the table, picked it up, and wrote a contract.

Then handed it to the owner, straightforwardly saying.

"If you take this long-term deal, you will definitely become a wealthy merchant."

Hearing this, the owner smiled: "This lady, surely you jest."

Ruan Mian knocked on the table, gesturing: "Take a look first."

The original book mentioned that the year after the natural disaster, Ru Ning City, as an important transport hub for three nations, became increasingly prosperous in trade.

Especially during tense border conflicts, Ru Ning being the closest large city to the border, had many goods transported to the border.

Ranging from grain and salary to daily necessities, later because of stringent checkpoints, smuggling salt also became a lucrative business in Ru Ning.

In the original book, a large portion of Prince Huai’s private army expenses came from smuggling official salt.

However, smuggling official salt is a grave crime; she didn’t need to risk competing in it. Instead, she could use those transport channels to ship other goods.

So, in the contract, Ruan Mian instructed the owner to transport duck down to Wuheng every two months and gave him access to cotton supply routes, along with certain overseas transportation methods.

The owner was somewhat stunned, only to see Ruan Mian take out some cotton balls from her purse, placing them before him.

"Boss, the duck down from slaughtered ducks is unwanted by you. Following my methods to clean them and transport them to Wuheng Post Station, I’ll pay these costs, guaranteeing profit."

"As for the cotton, sew these into clothes for warmth and aesthetic. You know our Capital lacks cotton planting channels, the price for imports from Qianglan Country is too high, but I have a cotton supply route."

"If you can become the first, and indeed the only one within the Capital selling this cotton, you may profit greatly. Of course, the purchase price I provide is far less than the import price from Qianglan Country."

The owner was elated though remained cautious: "The lady speaks rightly, but such a good opportunity, why don’t you deal in it yourself?"

His caution was understandable, things falling into one’s lap are rare.

Ruan Mian truthfully said: "I’m a court exile, and cannot leave Wuheng, can only profit with others. Initially, I won’t require you as Shopkeeper to pay a penny. If you’re afraid of a fruitless trip, these silver notes can serve as my advance payment."

Such a zero-cost deal appeals to any businessman.