"President, why didn't you agree to that contract?" Kennard watched the carriage carrying Wilson disappear down the far end of the road, then turned to ask Xu Yi.
Xu Yi smiled and asked in return, "Are you asking as the heir to the Emma Family, or as the Chief Executive Officer of our Xinfei Merchant Guild?"
Kennard paused, taken aback. After a moment of silence, he answered seriously, "Whichever perspective I take, I think this contract is well worth signing. From the Emma Family's perspective, cooperating with the Xinfei Merchant Guild would not only earn the Walmart Merchant Guild substantial profits, but also allow it to open up foreign markets with novel, useful magic machinery. Naturally, that would be very beneficial."
"And from the perspective of the Xinfei Merchant Guild's Chief Executive Officer?" Xu Yi asked.
"From our Xinfei Merchant Guild's perspective, this contract would be just as beneficial. Sooner or later, our guild will turn its attention abroad. Rather than finding our own way when the time comes, cooperating with the Walmart Merchant Guild would spare us a great deal of trouble and many obstacles. It would be a tremendous help to our guild's development," Kennard replied.
"I have to say, your thinking is entirely correct. But... I don't want our guild's development to be at anyone else's mercy. Do you understand?" Xu Yi said.
Kennard looked at Xu Yi in astonishment. His answer surprised him, but he was even more shocked that Xu Yi had told him this so bluntly.
Ultimately, he was still a member of the Emma Family. Had Xu Yi revealed this reason to make him understand, or to make the Walmart Merchant Guild understand?
Yet Xu Yi kept a gentle smile on his face, giving no hint of what he was truly thinking.
Kennard