Partners

"Karma City?" Viscount Leslie exchanged a quick glance with Butler Wenlai, who had been standing at his side, then said in surprise, "I never imagined you'd already sold Magic Fans in another city."

Xu Yi chuckled and shook his head. "Strictly speaking, we didn't go there to sell them. They came to us."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Viscount Leslie asked, intrigued.

"As you said, my lord, Bunta City has only so many households. Even counting the villages outside the city, there's a limit to the demand for Magic Fans. We've long planned to expand beyond Bunta City, but we hadn't intended to do it this soon. The timing isn't right yet."

"Why not?" Viscount Leslie frowned. "If people want to buy them, why wouldn't you sell?"

"That's not it. I'm thinking about the long term."

Xu Yi set down his juice, ready to explain properly.

Their brief conversation today had greatly improved Xu Yi's impression of Viscount Leslie. He was nothing like the useless, spoiled young nobles Xu Yi had expected. He had ideas and insight of his own, and Xu Yi was willing to speak more openly with someone like that.

"On the face of it, selling Magic Fans to a wider market would certainly help us grow. But we can't rush into it. As sales rise, production has to rise with them. If we take orders we can't fill, we won't just lose sales and customers. Worse, we'll damage our reputation. Once we lose that, we'll undermine the foundation of everything we hope to build."

Viscount Leslie considered this, then frowned. "Why can't you increase production? Do you lack workers? Wenlai told me you only have thirty students from Baron Rector Magic Academy working in that workshop. That hardly sounds like full production. You said you can make a hundred and fifty Magic Fans a day. If you hired more people, surely you could make at least two hundred?"

"You've overlooked something important, my lord." Xu Yi shook his head.

"What's that?"

"Quality. The process of making a Magic Fan sounds simple, but very few people can actually do it. To be precise, I'm the only one who can make one from start to finish. The students we hired can draw the Magic Arrays, which is the most important part, but I'm still the only one who can handle certain parts of the assembly and testing. So, frustrating as it is, our output depends entirely on how much I can do. I only have so much time and energy. We've reached the limit."

Viscount Leslie studied Xu Yi for a long moment. "That doesn't sound right. If you can entrust the most important task—the Magic Arrays—to those students, surely you can teach other people the rest. I think... you're afraid your core secrets will get out, so you don't want to."

"You underestimate me, my lord." Xu Yi smiled faintly. "As I said, making a Magic Fan isn't complicated. I hardly consider the process a secret. But my part involves a great deal of difficult knowledge. It isn't something I can teach overnight. I don't expect that to remain a problem for long, though. The students are gradually mastering parts of it. Given a little more time, they'll be able to take over my work, and you'll see output soar." He paused, a mysterious smile crossing his face. "And I'll let you in on a real secret: barring any surprises, a new generation of Magic Fans will be coming out soon."

Viscount Leslie froze. "A new generation? There are different kinds of Magic Fans? How will they differ from the ones you've been selling?"

"That's hard to explain in a few words. You'll see when they come out." Xu Yi deliberately left him hanging. "What I can tell you is that the new generation uses a completely different design and production process. We'll be able to make far more of them than we can now. That will be the time to enter a much wider market."

Viscount Leslie watched him for a while, then slowly shook his head with a smile. "When I first read the proposal Wenlai gave me, I thought you were a madman full of grand claims. It seems I underestimated you. Good. Since you haven't disappointed me, we can talk seriously. Wenlai, bring out the contract."

Butler Wenlai bowed and left.

"A contract?" Xu Yi frowned slightly at Viscount Leslie's confident expression.

What is he up to?

Butler Wenlai soon returned carrying a document. Viscount Leslie took it and placed it before Xu Yi.

"Have a look. Ask me anything you like."

Puzzled, Xu Yi picked it up. It was a lease for the very plot of land he was currently renting.

Compared with the preliminary agreement they had signed, though, this contract was far more detailed—and far more favorable.

Under the old agreement, Xu Yi and Heinz had only leased the land from Viscount Leslie for one year. They had almost no other rights and were subject to all sorts of restrictions. If the viscount took a dislike to them one day, he could even drive them off.

This contract, by contrast, explicitly granted Xu Yi's side full rights to use the land. Viscount Leslie would retain only ownership.

In other words, Xu Yi could do whatever he wanted on that land without even seeking Viscount Leslie's approval.

The viscount had also extended the term from one year to five and voluntarily halved the rent. It would cost just fifty gold coins per hectare per year!

Xu Yi read through the contract carefully. Once he was sure he had missed nothing, he set it down and asked, "What are your conditions, my lord?"

A flicker of approval crossed Viscount Leslie's eyes. "Would you believe me if I said I had none?"

Xu Yi only smiled.

"Haha, all right, no more jokes. I do have a condition, but I doubt you'll refuse it."

"Please tell me."

"It's simple: I want a stake in the business. And I don't mean merely accepting the ten percent you offered me before. I want to be involved. Whether you're making Magic Fans or something else, I want the right to know about it and offer my opinion. Of course, I won't force my way in for nothing. Besides providing the land, I can invest in the Xinfei Merchant Guild. I can also use my connections to help you open new markets. I could take the Magic Fan to Anvilmar, the Capital City, for instance. What do you think?"

Xu Yi gave nothing away. After a moment's silence, he asked seriously, "My lord, are you making this offer as a noble or as an ordinary merchant?"

"Oh? Does it matter?" Viscount Leslie found the question amusing.

"Very much." Xu Yi nodded. "If you're making it as a noble, the Kingdom Noble Council's regulations require you to place your stake under its supervision and disclose it in full. That would force our guild to reveal many of its affairs to the council. I can't agree to that, so I would have to apologize and refuse."

"And if I'm making it as an ordinary merchant?"

"In that case..." Xu Yi gave him a sly smile. "We can talk business. Your offer is attractive, and I have no objection to you owning part of the Xinfei Merchant Guild. But your stake must remain a minority one. You would have the right to make proposals, not the final say. What do you think?"

Beside them, Butler Wenlai's brows shot up. "How dare you! It's an honor that the viscount is willing to invest in your little guild! And you dare say he won't have the final say?"

Xu Yi's expression did not change. He ignored Butler Wenlai and kept his eyes on Viscount Leslie, still smiling.

Viscount Leslie, however, showed no surprise. He nodded. "I understand your position. But Xu Yi, how can you guarantee that you won't make the wrong decisions? Put simply, how will you protect my interests?"

Xu Yi smiled and even winked at him. "My lord, you trust me, don't you?"

Viscount Leslie stared for a beat, then burst out laughing.

"Good! Very good! Xu Yi, you really are an interesting man. Wenlai, that's enough. Show him the other contract."

Xu Yi took the second document Butler Wenlai handed him. Sure enough, it was an investment agreement.

It stated that Viscount Leslie would contribute land to the Xinfei Merchant Guild, increasing his stake from the original ten percent to thirty percent.

It also clearly stated that Viscount Leslie would have no final say in the guild's decisions. Xu Yi would remain in charge of all its affairs, and the viscount would not interfere.

One point stood out in particular: this was a private agreement, meaning it was not protected by the laws of the kingdom.

That, however, put Xu Yi at ease.

After reading it carefully, Xu Yi looked up at the smiling Viscount Leslie and held out his right hand.

"My lord, I look forward to working together."

Viscount Leslie smiled and clasped Xu Yi's hand firmly.

"As do I."