Chapter 48: Long-Term Cooperation

With Xue'er's arrival, Qin Hao knew victory was guaranteed.

Zhao Guangnian and Ma Yingze still didn't quite understand what was going on.

"You don't need to understand. Just follow me. Today I will teach you how to negotiate business, and we'll have more cooperation among brothers in the future."

"The money we earn in the future will all serve as the startup capital for my first research institute."

Qin Hao patted the fatigue from his body, stood up, and spoke.

Xue'er whispered to Qin Hao, "Master Shen, the boss might think you are stealing business from the Wind and Moon Pavilion and might cause trouble for you. Please be very careful."

"Besides, the boss behind the Wind and Moon Pavilion is very powerful. I heard they are no less influential than the people backing you."

Qin Hao rubbed Xue'er's head and smiled, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"Mm, I believe in Master Shen."

Xue'er nodded heavily.

With that, the group walked towards the top floor of the Wind and Moon Pavilion.

...

Meanwhile.

At the Duke Yang's Mansion.

The head of the Zhang family came to the capital with his very first task being a visit to Duke Yang.

He didn't even bother to hide his tracks, visiting Duke Yang openly and aboveboard.

Such was the arrogance of the aristocratic families of this era.

Once they joined forces, they were powerful enough to contend with the royal family.

Therefore, they felt no need to conceal themselves.

Above all, the aristocratic families possessed this deep-seated confidence.

The officials cultivated by these families permeated the entire imperial court.

Even Emperor Xuande had to tread carefully around this point.

"Zhang Zhihe, your Zhang family already knows about the situation. But to think the Zhang family would actually send you."

Duke Yang said with great satisfaction.

Zhang Zhihe.

He was the deputy head of the Zhang family, not only the second-most powerful figure below the current family head, but equally matched in capability.

His personal presence indicated that the Zhang family had already recognized the severity of the plan to relocate southerners to the north.

Such a meticulous plan, along with comprehensive considerations and post-relocation developmental policies, was definitely something no single aristocratic family could obstruct alone.

"Indeed. Developing the north—if a new aristocratic family were to emerge there, we would be in serious trouble."

Zhang Zhihe directly pointed out the greatest threat the northern migration plan posed to the aristocratic families.

Once the migration of southerners to the north began.

Perhaps for now, their four major aristocratic clans still held some influence over the migrating populace.

But what about a year from now, three years from now, or ten years from now?

After all, with the capital far away and mountains high, there would be no shortage of ambitious individuals attempting to establish a fifth or sixth aristocratic family.

These were things beyond the reach of their southern-rooted foundations.

"Just as I feared," Duke Yang said with a grave expression.

Zhang Zhihe pondered slightly and said, "Time is short, and the current situation is clear: either the southerners migrate north, or we do a better job. At least, we must perform better than the northern migration plan to have any persuasive power."

"The disaster relief efforts must be handled exceptionally well."

"If the imperial treasury lacks sufficient silver, my Zhang family can contribute a portion of silver and disaster relief grain."

"And I must admit, this move by our Emperor is truly formidable."

"Once the northern migration plan is successfully completed, it will benefit both the country and the people, while simultaneously weakening our aristocratic clans."

"Conversely, if the northern migration plan is shelved, our families will have to assist in disaster relief for the next few years, which is also a disguised form of weakening us. What a terrifying tactic."

Duke Yang nodded in agreement. "I've thought of all this. The person who proposed this plan is extraordinarily brilliant, practically a monster."

Zhang Zhihe mused for a moment and asked, "Are there any plans currently to buy us time? We need time."

Hearing this, Duke Yang smiled. "Actually, regarding the improvement of the treatment of northern soldiers, we can exploit that."

"Recently in court, whenever the northern migration is brought up, our people steer the conversation toward the treatment of northern soldiers."

"Moreover, we have a wager with the Grand Princess."

"It buys us plenty of time."

"At least delaying until the heads of the other aristocratic families arrive will not be a problem."

Zhang Zhihe smiled. "I've heard about it. The Grand Princess is still too young; she was provoked into making such a wager."

"Since I've arrived, to prevent excessive losses, the Zhang family's enterprises in the capital will temporarily close for business."

"At the very least, if the Grand Princess really tries to sell off the treasures from her estate, our people must not buy them."

"Yet, aside from our people, how many could afford such treasures, or dare to purchase items belonging to the royal family?"

"Furthermore, since your Yang family has many people in the capital, you must also keep an eye out for the Grand Princess secretly selling her treasures."

"As long as the treasures in the Grand Princess's hands fail to sell,"

"When the time comes, she might scrape together three or five thousand taels, and we can just casually play along."

Duke Yang burst out laughing. "That's why I'm relieved now that you're here."

"As it happens, don't leave tonight. My men recently bought a few foreign dancing girls."

"They possess a beauty different from our Central Plains women—very passionate and proactive."

Zhang Zhihe, already past forty, lit up. "Then I shall follow the host's convenience."

Wind and Moon Pavilion.

Qin Hao was completely unaware of what had transpired at Duke Yang's Mansion.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Wind and Moon Pavilion.

This place served as the private residence of the pavilion's mysterious owner.

The owner of the Wind and Moon Pavilion rarely met outsiders.

Even those few who had seen the owner had never leaked any information.

This only added to the growing mystery surrounding the pavilion's master.

As for this, Qin Hao cared little about the other party's identity; his only interest lay in the person's vision and perspective.

If their vision proved broad enough, he wouldn't mind a long-term partnership.

"Sister Bai, Master Shen has arrived," Xue'er announced after knocking on the door.

Qin Hao narrowed his eyes slightly.

A woman?

"Come in."

A calm and slightly sensual female voice drifted from inside.

Xue'er signaled for Qin Hao and the others to enter, remaining outside the door herself.

A thought flashed through Qin Hao's mind.

For a woman to be so confident as to let three men into her room, she either possessed formidable martial arts skills or had hidden guards protecting her.

Either way, it proved that this person was far from ordinary.

As the three men entered the room, they caught the scent of a subtle fragrance that instantly relaxed their bodies and minds.

Looking ahead, there was a table, and behind the table hung a beaded curtain.

Behind the beaded curtain stood the graceful silhouette of a woman.

Judging solely by her figure, she was undoubtedly a beauty.

"Master Shen, please have a seat," the woman spoke from behind the beaded curtain. "Young Master Qin Hao, though I prefer to call you Master Shen."

Qin Hao smiled as he sat down. "It doesn't matter, just a form of address. May I ask how the beautiful lady wishes to be addressed?"

The figure behind the bead curtain paused slightly.

Beautiful lady and sister?

This form of address was certainly novel.

"Bai Chenxi."

The figure behind the curtain answered indifferently.

Hearing this, Qin Hao smiled. "Sister Chenxi, I wonder why you invited us here."

"Please don't tell me you admire my poetic talent; I certainly wouldn't believe that, or you would have met me much sooner."

"If this is about business, however, let's be straightforward."

"Sister Chenxi must realize that once word spreads in the capital that the famed Baixi liquor is sold by me, many other restaurants will be eager to cooperate with me."

Bai Chenxi truly hadn't expected Qin Hao to have such a personality, speaking so directly. She let out a light laugh. "Since you called me sister, I will call you younger brother Shen."

"I must admit, younger brother Shen is very clever, instantly guessing what sister wants to do."

"Even I am beginning to think that Lord Kaiyang is truly blind to let you sever ties with the Qin family."

Qin Hao shrugged. "I wonder what price Sister Chenxi can offer for the renowned Baixi liquor."

Bai Chenxi's smile faded. Ever since she realized Qin Hao had seen through her intentions, she knew she wouldn't be able to take advantage of him, so she spoke bluntly. "Fifty thousand taels. I want your wine formula and the marketing techniques you use to sell it."

Hearing this, Qin Hao burst out laughing, stood up abruptly, and turned to leave. "Since Sister Chenxi lacks sincerity in this negotiation, this younger brother will take his leave."

He could see that Bai Chenxi was very clever, having grasped how formidable his marketing tactics were after just one encounter.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically demanded his marketing methods as well.

Seeing Qin Hao leave with such decisiveness, Bai Chenxi didn't call out to him immediately.

As she watched Qin Hao's hand rest on the doorknob, she frowned slightly and asked, "How much do you want?"

"Don't forget, your twenty-year-aged wine is limited. Fifty thousand taels is not a small sum."

A smile played at the corner of Qin Hao's lips as he turned his head. "Sister Chenxi is being naive. If I didn't act this way, how could I highlight the rarity of Baixi liquor?"

"Besides, even if I don't sell Baixi, in the future, I can sell Hongxi, Heixi, or even Luxi."

Bai Chenxi's expression stiffened as she asked uncertainly, "Are you saying you have plenty of such wine?"

Qin Hao smiled. "Sister Chenxi need not worry about that. You only need to know that after our cooperation, the Wind and Moon Pavilion will acquire various famous liquors, and the pavilion's profits will far exceed what they are now."

Bai Chenxi fell silent.

If that was the case, she needed to secure the formula even more. High profits like these were safest kept in her own hands.

It wasn't as if she hadn't done such things before.

As for Qin Hao, Ma Yingze, and Zhao Guangnian, they seemed easy enough to deal with.

Seeing that Bai Chenxi remained silent,

Qin Hao seemed to guess something. In a smooth, even tone as if narrating a story, he spoke up, "Oh, by the way, Sister Chenxi, as for the profits of Baixi liquor, the Grand Princess takes fifty percent, the Prime Minister ten percent, and Duke Zheng ten percent. Care to guess whose hands the remaining thirty percent are in?"

"Feel free to make a bold guess."

"Perhaps even our current Emperor holds a share, who knows."

Bai Chenxi, who had been contemplating strategies to fully acquire the formula,

suddenly heard Qin Hao's words. Her pupils constricted, and she straightened her posture entirely.