Everything Under Control

Everything Under Control!!!!!!!!!

Gasps rang out in waves as the major medicine merchants and the heads of the Herb Gathering Teams stared wide-eyed at Xiao Yan.

They all wondered if they had just heard things. Xiao Zhan was just as startled, but out of confidence in his son, he forcibly swallowed the questions he wanted to ask Xiao Yan and put on a calm, composed expression.

A middle-aged man stood up, cupped his hands to Xiao Yan, and said, "Young Clan Leader Xiao Yan, it's not that I don't believe you, but I'd like to ask—do you know how many Gold Coins it would take to purchase a year's worth of these medicinal herbs?"

The reason the major medicine merchants were staring so wide-eyed was simple: the sum was absurdly huge. Unless it was the headquarters of the Mittel Auction House, even the Mittel Auction House itself would not be able to produce that much cash.

Medicinal herbs were not necessarily used for Alchemy. They could also be used by physicians to prepare medicine and treat injuries and illness. In Wutan City, the vast majority of medicinal herb consumption was for physicians treating patients.

Xiao Yan set down his teacup, did some mental calculation, and said, "Although these four kinds of medicinal herbs are all the lowest grade, they aren't cheap. Our Xiao Clan sells these herbs as well, so I can estimate your yearly output. Roughly speaking, with the merchants' cultivation and the Herb Gathering Teams of Wutan City combined, one year's worth of each herb would cost around three hundred thousand Gold Coins. Since our offer is fifty percent higher than the market price, that makes it four hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins per herb. There are four herbs in total."

"So that's one million eight hundred thousand Gold Coins a year. Three years would be five million four hundred thousand Gold Coins. The deposit is ten percent, so if you agree, I'll give you five hundred and forty thousand Gold Coins immediately."

Xiao Zhan's heart skipped a beat. In truth, it was more than that, because the major medicine merchants and the Herb Gathering Teams only accounted for about half of Wutan City. The Mittel Auction House still had the other half!

Just last year, the Xiao Clan had spent more than four hundred thousand Gold Coins to buy a Mystic High-Rank Cultivation Method. The clan's wealth had already been mostly depleted, and there was no way they could take out that much money! Hearing Xiao Yan calculate everything so clearly, all the medicine merchants began chattering among themselves. Xiao Yan waved impatiently and said, "Enough, enough. If you want to discuss it, go back and discuss it behind closed doors. Give me your answer first thing tomorrow morning."

Even Xiao Zhan had no idea what medicine Xiao Yan was really selling in his Medicine Gourd. And he was driving the guests out at a time like this?!

"Then we shall take our leave for now. Tomorrow morning, we will come to pay another visit to Clan Leader Xiao Zhan and Young Clan Leader Xiao Yan."

Since Xiao Yan had already issued the order to leave, everyone also let out a breath of relief and departed.

Once everyone had left, Xiao Zhan immediately asked, "Yan'er, if you let them leave like this, they'll definitely run to the Galio Clan and Oba Clan overnight."

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "That would be best."

"Hm? Yan'er, you... Don't tell me you don't actually want to monopolize the medicinal herbs and cut off their source, but to raise the price of medicinal herbs?!"

Xiao Yan did not hide it and nodded. "Father, if our clan cooperated with an alchemist to sell Medicinal Pills, how would the profits be split?"

Xiao Zhan thought for a while and said, "If the clan is responsible for the medicinal herbs, the ideal case is usually a fifty-fifty split. The alchemist takes fifty percent of the profit, the medicinal herb cost takes twenty percent, sales, packaging, and labor take ten percent, and the clan's income is twenty percent."

"But in most cases, it's a sixty-forty split, with the alchemist taking the lion's share. After all, alchemists are very hard to invite. If the clan can get ten percent income, we should already be thanking the heavens."

!!?

Xiao Zhan suddenly understood. He looked at his son in delighted surprise and said, "So that's why you wanted to raise the price of medicinal herbs on the market by fifty percent. That way, the premium on the medicinal herbs just happens to equal their profit. If they dare raise the price, they'll lose money. Liu Xi can't possibly lower his own profits, so the increased cost can only be deducted from the clan's profit. You want the Galio Clan and the Oba Clan to lose money on every Medicinal Pill they sell!"

Xiao Yan said lightly, "Over these past two months, their marketplaces have raised the Spring Return Powder from the original one hundred Gold Coins to three hundred Gold Coins. That's already the upper limit of the mercenaries' purchasing power, and they've built up quite a bit of public resentment. Once their pills run out, it'll be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. Even if we do nothing, no one will go to their marketplaces to buy anything anymore."

"If they choose to transport medicinal herbs in from the Outer City, as long as we intercept them once, they're bound to go bankrupt."

The Xiao father and son raised their eyebrows, looking just like one big fox and one little fox.

Late at night, just as Xiao Yan had expected, the Galio Clan was still brightly lit. Oba Pa and several Oba Clan elders were also there.

"Damn that Xiao Zhan! He's actually playing such a dirty trick on me!" Galio Bi crushed the cup in his hand. Several medicine merchants had just come by.

For the medicine merchants and Herb Gathering Teams, it would be best if these clans bid against one another. That way, the benefits they obtained would be the greatest.

"Father, why don't we just forget it? If we raise it to sixty percent, we'll lose money. We can transport medicinal herbs back from the Outer City," Galio said cautiously.

"You don't know shit! Xiao Zhan's goal is to make us spend money buying medicinal herbs from the Outer City. Once we leave Wutan City, we won't be protected. We'll be in the open while they're in the dark. If we're intercepted and the medicinal herbs are stolen, the consequences would be unimaginable."

After being scolded by Galio Bi, Galio immediately shut his mouth and did not dare speak.

Oba Pa's expression was gloomy. "What a Xiao Zhan. This is an Overt Scheme through and through. Brother Bi, why don't we lower the price a little first and stabilize public sentiment before anything else?"

"Lower the price?" Hearing this, Liu Xi, who was sitting to the side, frowned, clearly somewhat unwilling. After all, he received his share according to the proportion of sales. Sixty percent of three hundred Gold Coins and sixty percent of one hundred Gold Coins were worlds apart.

Liu Xi curled his lip and said, "Do whatever you want, but even if you lower the price, you still have to give me my share according to the previous price, three times higher."

Right now, Galio Bi and Oba Pa only wanted to slap this guy to death.

After thinking for a while, Galio Bi said, "There's no need to lower the price. As long as the medicinal herbs don't exceed the market price by more than fifty percent, we can still balance income and expenditure. Once all the merchants in the Xiao Clan Marketplace have moved away, we'll still have the last laugh."

"Tell those medicine merchants that we'll only pay fifty percent above the normal market price and not a copper more, but we can sign a five-year contract with them and give a twenty percent deposit."

"If they refuse, then let them go to the Xiao Clan. We'll go to the Mittel Auction House and have them prioritize selling medicinal herbs to us as much as possible."

However, all of them also knew that when it came to profiteers, Mittel Ya Fei was the biggest profiteer in Wutan City. She would probably learn about this matter as well. The next time they went to the auction house to buy medicinal herbs, those herbs would certainly have their prices raised with all kinds of excuses.

Galio Bi only hoped that vixen would not be too ruthless.

Early the next morning, just as Xiao Yan had expected, those medicine merchants went to the Xiao Clan again. Only this time, Xiao Zhan directly shut them out, unwilling to raise the price any further—he did not even want to negotiate.

Just like that, the entire Xiao Clan once again fell into silence. But everyone knew this was the calm before the storm.

Five days later.

"Young Clan Leader, the two great clans have already signed contracts with all the medicine merchants and paid the deposits." Xiao Ning hurriedly ran into the Council Hall.

Xiao Yan revealed a confident smile, waved his hand grandly, and ordered, "Third Elder, find a few disciples with unfamiliar faces and have them disguise themselves as foreign medicine merchants. Sell all the low-grade medicinal herbs the clan stockpiled half a year ago—except for the few on this list—at high prices to the Galio Clan, the Oba Clan, and those medicine merchants."

"Second Elder, immediately take people to every underground venue and every marketplace to spread the news. Say that the Xiao Clan has obtained the formulas for Spring Return Powder and Little Dou Qi Pill and has already invited an alchemist to refine these two Medicinal Pills. That's why we've been competing with the two great clans for medicinal herbs. Also say that the Xiao Clan Leader will go to the Mittel Auction House to discuss long-term cooperation."

"Great Elder, have people post notices at all of our Xiao Clan's marketplaces and business locations. I want everyone in the city to know that all of our Xiao Clan's marketplaces will soon have Medicinal Pills for sale, and that the price will be cheaper than the Oba Marketplace while the effects will be stronger."

"Father, please be patient and wait until tomorrow. Then go to the Mittel Auction House and clarify things to Miss Ya Fei. Say that the rumors in the streets are false, and that we have not obtained the formulas for Spring Return Powder and Little Dou Qi Pill. Promise that we absolutely will not compete with the two great clans for medicinal herbs, so the Mittel Auction House can rest assured and cooperate with the two great clans regarding medicinal herbs. Also, for the Mittel Quarterly Auction three days from now, our Xiao Clan will attend as invited."

When he finished speaking, Xiao Yan closed his five fingers as if everything was under his control!