Chapter 181
Chapter 181
‘This man is a master negotiator!’
Shen Lang had cornered the envoy from the Heavenly Dao Society. In a way, it wouldn't be wrong to say that the Count of Xuanwu's Estate was manipulating the Heavenly Dao Society without even selling the mirrors. Furthermore, even if they bought the mirror manufacturing technology, the condition that the essential glass must be purchased from the Count of Xuanwu's Estate was a terrifying prospect. This condition completely trapped them.
The Caucasian envoy asked.
“Then, excuse me, but for how much do you intend to sell a single piece of glass?”
“The price will vary depending on the quantity. But on average, it will be about five percent of the mirror's selling price.”
That price wasn't too outrageous; in fact, it was quite reasonable. However, even selling at that price was enough to leave a huge profit for the Count of Xuanwu's Estate.
“But a price of one million gold coins is simply absurd. Young Master Shen, are you aware that this price is twice the annual tax revenue of the Tiannan Province?”
At the Caucasian envoy's words, Shen Lang simply smiled faintly and crossed his arms, saying nothing.
“Moreover, we don't have the full authority to decide on that price. However, if it were four hundred thousand gold coins, I could make that decision myself.”
Four hundred thousand gold coins? The envoy from the Heavenly Dao Society named a ridiculous price. His meaning was clear. He was suggesting that by selling the mirror technology, the fortress, and tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, they could make roughly seven hundred thousand gold coins, which would be enough to repay the debt to the Hidden Yuan Society. Shen Lang went so far as to close his eyes. The Caucasian envoy, perhaps angered by Shen Lang's arrogant attitude, sneered for a moment and said.
“Young Master Shen, you have less than half a month left to repay your debt. And our Heavenly Dao Society is likely your only option for raising such a large sum of money. You won't find another organization willing to fork over seven hundred thousand gold coins at once.”
Shen Lang gave him a contemptuous smile.
“You are so stingy, so narrow-minded, and so shortsighted, which is why you can only be an errand boy for the Heavenly Dao Society. Do you know what the most foolish thing about you is right now? You're haggling over pennies in the face of a strategic opportunity that could allow the Heavenly Dao Society to grow immensely. That's what petty merchants do. A strategic opportunity like this is priceless. It's something you must do even if it means losing money in the short term, let alone failing to make a huge profit.”
The Caucasian envoy was completely enraged by Shen Lang's words.
“Young Master Shen, aren't you the one who needs to make money to save your life? Your arrogance won't help you at all. It will only push your family deeper into a corner!”
“You, who trade with the entire world, know best how much profit the mirror business will bring, and how much influence it will grant you. In fact, I could have asked for a much higher price, but I didn't! Do you know why? Because I only need one million gold coins. Money means nothing to me. Only power and strategy matter!”
Shen Lang picked up a teacup and lightly struck the mirror with it, shattering it.
“To you, this mirror isn't about money; it's the power to seize the initiative. The Heavenly Dao Society of old once boasted power on par with the Hidden Yuan Society. Do you know why you lost and ended up in this situation? Isn't it because you lost the initiative? In the war for the world, you bet on Prince Jiang Li, but he ultimately lost. That's why you've been suppressed by the Hidden Yuan Society for over twenty years.
The Hidden Yuan Society of today has grown dazzlingly, becoming a force so great it has infiltrated the political affairs of various nations. It is only because their organization has become so vast that it's difficult to command, and the kings of various nations have begun to grow wary of them, that your Heavenly Dao Society has been given a sliver of breathing room. Until now, you've had no opportunities to win, no strategy. But this mirror, right before your eyes, is the golden opportunity to turn everything around.
And yet, faced with such a strategic opportunity, you dare to haggle with me over the price? No matter how I look at it, your ability and rank are too low to negotiate with me. You are not qualified to have this discussion. Negotiating with you is beneath me! Jin Hui, see our guests out!”
Shen Lang immediately ordered them to leave. Completely enraged by Shen Lang's blatant dismissal, the Caucasian envoy laughed loudly instead.
“We'll see. Who else can you find besides us? Surely you won't go to the Hidden Yuan Society? Aren't they your enemies? Once I walk out that door, you'll be the one to regret it.”
But Shen Lang just leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and made no move to stop them. Shen Lang's firm stance here was genuine. If he couldn't make a deal with the Heavenly Dao Society, he could just go to the Hidden Yuan Society. Because the Hidden Yuan Society was also divided into factions. Large organizations that have grown to a global, not just national, level always engage in fierce internal struggles. If he negotiated properly with them, one of the Hidden Yuan Society's factions would pay him a large sum for the mirror technology and guarantee complete secrecy. And that faction would surely provide significant help at a critical moment when Shen Lang needed to deal a harsh blow to Shu Tingyu's faction.
For now, the Heavenly Dao Society was the best partner for cooperation, but it didn't matter if this negotiation failed. The Caucasian envoy paused for a moment at the doorway, but Shen Lang still didn't try to stop him. Just then, the Asian envoy bowed and spoke.
“Young Master Shen, I will agree to it.”
Shen Lang still didn't open his eyes. Who knows how many times the Heavenly Dao Society had pulled such tricks. On the surface, the Caucasian envoy in silk robes looked like the master, while the silent Asian envoy in linen clothes looked like a servant. But in reality, the Asian man in linen was the true master with great authority. This negotiation tactic wasn't brilliant, but it was quite effective.
The Asian envoy extended his hand and said.
“I am Huang Tong of the Heavenly Dao Society. Thank you, Young Master Shen, for giving us this great opportunity to execute a strategy that can defeat the Hidden Yuan Society. You are correct. Haggling over money in the face of a strategic opportunity is foolish. It's something that must be done even at a loss, so what more is there to say when it can bring astronomical profits?”
Only then did Shen Lang open his eyes. Huang Tong said to him.
“Then, could you show us a thousand mirrors? We need to at least confirm that you can mass-produce them.”
“Very well!”
Shen Lang immediately stood up and opened a door. For a moment, the two envoys from the Heavenly Dao Society closed their eyes. They were nearly blinded by the powerful light. In the room Shen Lang had opened, countless mirrors were packed tightly together. Among them were even several oversized mirrors, one or two meters long. Each mirror was so bright and clear that it looked like a magic mirror.
Moreover, dozens of candles had been lit in the room, and their light reflected off the mirrors, making the room as bright as day. Fortunately, there were several bamboo tubes leading outside for ground-level ventilation. Without them, all the oxygen would have already been consumed.
Shen Lang smiled and said.
“Want to confirm that the cost of these mirrors is low? I don't need to take you to the workshop; I can show you right now.”
Shen Lang picked up an iron rod and struck the largest mirror. Then the second, third, fourth, and fifth.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang.*
As Shen Lang struck them, the large mirrors all shattered into pieces with a crash.
“Stop. Please stop...”
The two envoys from the Heavenly Dao Society, nearly in tears, tried to stop Shen Lang. Those large mirrors could all have been taken and put up for auction. Each one would have fetched an enormous price. Yet Shen Lang was smashing them all, making them feel as if he were shattering their own hearts. Each shattered mirror was worth at least a thousand gold coins, and now they were all in pieces.
Shen Lang said to them.
“The sooner, the better. I need to see the money arrive at the Count of Xuanwu's Estate within ten days.”
“Ten days?”
Hearing Shen Lang's demand, Huang Tong's brow furrowed slightly. The timeline was a bit tighter than he had anticipated. But after a moment, he nodded and declared confidently.
“No problem! Do you have any other demands?”
“Of that, pay seven hundred thousand in gold coins. The remaining three hundred thousand, I want in primitive gold bars. The cruder, the better. It would be best if they looked like they were just dug out of a mine.”
Huang Tong was surprised, not knowing the reason. But possessing the virtues of an excellent merchant, he naturally didn't ask any unnecessary questions.
“No problem! We will bring the money within ten days. Seven hundred thousand gold coins, and twenty-one thousand catties of gold bars.”
“It must be brought in secret. No one must know, and not even the smallest rumor can get out.”
“No problem. The elders of the Heavenly Dao Society who will know number no more than five, so it will absolutely not leak.”
His voice trembled. This was the biggest deal he had ever handled. In fact, closing this deal was beyond his authority. At his rank in the Heavenly Dao Society, he couldn't approve Shen Lang's demands and had to report to the council of elders. But Huang Tong knew better than anyone how the world worked. A strategic opportunity like this, once missed, would never come again. By the time he reported everything to his superiors, the opportunity would be gone. At critical moments, a person must know how to take a risk.
“Good. I'll see you in a few days!”
Huang Tong once again extended his hand to Shen Lang, and this time, Shen Lang extended his as well. They firmly gripped each other's shoulders and shook hands with force. This act was a kind of ritual, signifying that the deal between them was sealed and would not be changed. The Heavenly Dao Society's envoy, Huang Tong, left the count's estate. All that remained was for him to rush back to the Heavenly Dao Society, traveling day and night and whipping his horse, to report.
He took a hundred mirrors with him as samples. Time was short. Arranging the gold coins wasn't difficult. They could even arrange the gold coins locally within the State of Yue and transport them to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. The slightly more difficult part was the contractual clause that demanded absolute secrecy. They had to transport the gold without anyone knowing.
The most important thing was for him to return to the Heavenly Dao Society headquarters as quickly as possible and convince the council of elders. He needed the council's approval to release the funds. However, he was one hundred percent certain that the council would approve the deal in an instant. They would all recognize that this deal was a heaven-sent golden opportunity, the kind that comes once in a century.
* * *
Inside the study.
‘Faster, faster, faster! It's time for me, Jin Mucong, to show off my skills again. Hahahaha!’
After Huang Tong from the Heavenly Dao Society left the estate, Shen Lang immediately dictated the story Xu Qianqian wanted, telling Jin Mucong to transcribe it. Jin Mucong's transcription speed had become even faster. He was no longer using a brush but a ballpoint pen invented by Shen Lang. As a result, his writing speed was now terrifyingly fast, incomparable to before. In just one hour, he wrote two thousand six hundred characters without a single error, and his handwriting was even exceptionally beautiful. Even Shen Lang couldn't help but exclaim in admiration; in this world, there was likely no one who could match Jin Mucong when it came to transcribing books.