BTTH Chapter 21: Everything is under control (Patreon)

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Sounds of deep breathing due to surprise were heard, several PICs (person in charge) for the big medicinal herb merchants and herb collecting groups widened their eyes at Xiao Yan.

They even thought that what they had heard just now was an illusion!

Xiao Zhan was also surprised but due to his trust towards his own son, Xiao Zhan suppressed the question towards Xiao Yan and showed a calm expression!

A burly middle-aged man stood up and saluted to Xiao Yan and said: “Young patriarch Xiao Yan, it’s not that I don’t trust you but I wanted to ask. Do you know how much it will cost to buy a year worth of these medicinal ingredients?

The reason why these medicinal merchants widened their eyes was known to him, this was because the cost was too exaggerated! Unless it was the Miteer auction house headquarters, even the Miteer auction house branch was unable to take out that much money.

Medicinal ingredients were not only used to refine pills. It could also be used to formulate medicine and treat wounds. And in Wutan city, most of the medicine ingredient consumption was used by doctors to treat sickness.

Xiao Yan put down his tea, after calculating in his heart: “Although these four medicinal ingredients are the lowest grade medicinal ingredients, they are not cheap. Our Xiao clan also sells these medicinal ingredients and can guess your annual harvest. After a quick calculation, totaling the amount from the medicine merchant and Wutan city’s herbs collection group, the annual cost of each type of medicinal ingredients would be about 300,000 taels. If we add up our buying price of 50% above market price, it would be 450,000 taels. Since there are 4 types of ingredients, the total annual cost would be 1,800,000 taels. Three years would be 5,400,000 taels. The deposit was 10%. So, if you guys agree, I will immediately give you 540,000 taels.”

Xiao Zhan’s heart skipped a bit, it was actually not only that. This was because the amount provided by the several big medicine merchant and herb collection groups was only half of the amount in Wutan city. The other half was from the Miteer auction house!

Last year, the Xiao clan had just spent more than four hundred thousand taels to buy a Xuan-high-grade technique. The clan’s assets had been used up by more than half. They could not take out such an amount!

Hearing the clear calculation made by Xiao Yan, all the medicine merchants immediately discussed. Xiao Yan waved his hand impatiently: “Enough, enough, if you guys want to discuss, go back and discuss. Give me your reply tomorrow morning.”

Even Xiao Zhan did not know what medicine was being sold by Xiao Yan, to actually dare to chase away guests?!

“Then, we shall take our leave first. Tomorrow morning, we will come to visit patriarch Xiao Zhan and young patriarch Xiao Yan.”

Since Xiao Yan had asked all the guests to leave, everyone also sighed in relief and left.

When everyone had left, Xiao Zhan immediately asked: “Yan’er, if you just let them go like that, they would definitely go to the Jialie clan and Aoba clan tonight.”

Xiao Yan laughed and said: “That would be the best.”

“Hm? Yan’er, you…could it be that you did not plan to stock up the medicinal ingredients and cut off their supplies, instead you are planning to…inflate the price of the medicinal ingredients?!”

Xiao Yan did not hide his intent and nodded his head: “Dad, if we are to cooperate with an alchemist to sell pills, how would it be shared?”

After Xiao Zhan considered for a while, he said: “If the medicinal ingredients are provided by the clan, the most ideal sharing would be 50 – 50. The alchemist will gain 50% of the profit. The cost of materials would be 20%, selling, packaging, personnel would be 10%. The clan will get 20%.”

“However, most of the time, it would be 60 – 40, with the alchemist getting the bigger share. After all, it is very difficult to invite an alchemist. For the clan to be able to have 10% profit would be good enough.”

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Xiao Zhan was suddenly enlightened and looked at his son happily and said: “That’s why you want to inflate the price of the medicinal ingredients by 50%. This way, the cost of material will just nicely cover up the profit. If they dare to increase the price, they would lose money. Liu Xi would definitely not be willing to reduce his own profit. The increase in material cost could only be cut from the clan. You wanted to let the Jialie clan and the Aoba clan to sell those pills at a loss!”

Xiao Yan lightly described: “In these two months, their market price for rejuvenating powder increased from 100 taels to 300 taels. It had reached the upper limit of the mercenaries’ purchasing capabilities. Furthermore, they had also accumulated quite a lot of dissatisfaction from the civilians. The moment they stop the pill, it would be the last grass that broke the camel’s back. Even if we do nothing, there won’t be anyone else who would go to their market to buy something.”

“If they chose to import those medicinal ingredients from outside, the moment we managed to block it once, they would definitely go bankrupt.”

Xiao Yan and his father raised their eyebrows looking like a pair of old and young foxes.

Late at night, just as expected by Xiao Yan, the light in Jialie mansion was on. Aoba Pa and some of the Aoba clan elders were also around.

“Damn Xiao Zhan! He actually played this kind of hidden hand!” Jialie Bi crushed a cup. Just now, several medicine merchants came.

For the medicine merchants and herb collecting groups, it would be best if these clans compete in price. This way, they would be able to obtain the highest profit.

“Dad, should we just let it go? If we increase it to 60%, we will lose money. We can just import those medicinal ingredients from outside the city.” Jialie Ao spoke carefully.

“What do you know! Xiao Zhan’s purpose is to make us spend money and buy material from outside the city. Once we are outside Wutan city, we won’t have any protection. We are in the light while they are in the dark. If our materials were successfully blocked and robbed by them, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

After being scolded by Jialie Bi, Jialie Ao immediately shut his mouth and no longer dared to speak.

Aoba Pa’s complexion was dark as he said: “Well done, Xiao Zhan. This is a conspiracy. Brother Bi, should we first reduce the price and pacify the civilians? Then think about what to do next?”

“Want to turn it back to its original price?” Hearing it, Liu Xi, who was sitting at the side, frowned and showed his unwillingness. After all, his profit came from a share of the price sold. The difference between 60% from 300 taels and 60% from 100 taels is very big.

Liu Xi curled his lips and said: “You can do it as you like, but even if the price is reduced, my share would still be at triple the price.”

Right now, Jialie Bi and Aoba Pa only wanted to slap this guy to death.

After Jialie Bi considered for a while, he said: “There is no need to reduce the price. As long as the price of the ingredients do not exceed 50% of the market price, we could be considered to have balanced it out. When the merchants from the Xiao market area have all moved away, we will be the one having the last laugh.”

“Tell those medicine merchants. We can only increase the price to 50% higher than the market price, we won’t increase it anymore. However, we can sign a five-year contract with them and give a deposit of 20%.”

“If they are not willing, then let them look for the Xiao clan. We can go to Miteer auction house and discuss with them to let us be the first buyer for medicinal ingredients.”

However, they also knew, when they spoke of devilish merchants, Miteer Ya Fei was the one that could be called the most devilish merchant. She might even have known about this matter. The next time they went to the auction house to buy medicinal ingredients, she would definitely use various excuses to raise the price.

Jialie Bi only hoped that vixen would not be too cruel.

The next morning, as expected by Xiao Yan. These medicine merchants once again came to the Xiao clan. It’s just that this time round, Xiao Zhan immediately gave them a close-door soup. No longer willing to discuss raising prices. He was not even willing to discuss it.

Just like this, the whole Xiao clan once again fell silent. But everyone knew, this was just the calm before a storm.

Five days later.

“Young patriarch, the two big clans had signed contracts with all of the medicine merchants. They have also paid the deposit.” Xiao Ning hurried and ran into the conference hall.

Xiao Yan showed an extremely confident smile and waved his hand powerfully while he gave a command: “Third elder, find several disciples with unfamiliar faces and disguised them to look like medicine merchant from outside the city and sell all of the low-grade medicinal ingredients that we have stocked up for half a year other than the ingredients in this list. Sell all of them to Jialie clan, Aoba clan as well as those medicine merchants with high prices.”

“Second elder, immediately bring people and go to every underground place and release rumors. Say that the Xiao clan had obtained rejuvenating powder and a small dou qi pill recipe. We have also invited an alchemist to refine these two medicinal pills. That is why we are trying to compete for medicinal ingredients with the other two big clans. Furthermore, the Xiao clan patriarch would be going to the Miteer auction house to discuss long-term business cooperation.”

“Great elder, you should let people go to the Xiao clan market area and industries to paste an announcement. I want to let the whole city know. We, Xiao clan, will soon have pills to sell and the price will be cheaper than the one in Aoba market while having a better effect.”

“Dad, please endure and wait until tomorrow before going to the Miteer auction house and clarify to Ms. Ya Fei. Tell her that the rumors on the market are fake. We did not obtain the rejuvenating powder and small dou qi pill recipes. Promise that you would definitely not snatch medicine ingredients with the other two big clans. Miteer auction house can cooperate with the other two clans on the medicinal ingredients without worry. Furthermore, we should tell her that Xiao clan will participate in Miteer’s seasonal auction three days later.”

After Xiao Yan finished speaking, Xiao Yan closed his fingers together to show that everything was under control!