Chapter 17: Buying and Selling (Patreon)

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"Spot goods refer to goods that can be delivered on the spot, while futures refer to goods that can only be delivered on a specified date. Mr. Qian, didn't you say you needed to adjust the goods and could only deliver them in ten days?" Wang Shoujie casually explained to him.

"That makes sense. Now that you've explained it, I understand the difference, Mr. Qian," Qian said, his spirits lifted. He turned his eyes and said in a low voice, "Wang Shoujie, these 5,000 bags of insecticide powder must not be for your own use. Could it be that you've found a new business opportunity?"

"Hehe, Mr. Qian has already said it's a new business opportunity," Wang Shoujie said with a smile, sipping his tea. "I'm helping your company clear out its inventory, and I'll also make a small profit from it. It's a win-win situation, Mr. Qian. Give me a fair price."

"Haha, a win-win situation, Wang Shoujie's words are really interesting. In that case, I'll give you a 90% discount on these 5,000 bags of insecticide powder, which comes out to 4,500 gold coins."

"4,000!"

"4,200 is the lowest I can go, brother."

"4,200 it is, but I want to use the Ping'an Wang Clan's reputation to guarantee payment for this batch of goods," Wang Shoujie said calmly. "One month from now, I'll pay 4,200 gold coins without fail."

Qian was taken aback for a moment, but then laughed and said, "This deal is doable, but we need to draw up a contract."

"If we fail to pay, your company has the right to use any means to pursue the debt."

The Wang Clan may have fallen, but it was still a Martial Clan with some assets. Just one of their farms, Fenggu Farm, was worth at least 10,000 gold coins. As long as there was a contract, the powerful Qian's Trading Company had ways to pursue the debt.

"I don't need you to mention a contract, Mr. Qian. I'll draft one myself," Wang Shoujie said with a serious face. "I've already contacted a merchant ship, and I'll send someone to your company's warehouse to transport 2,000 bags of insecticide powder in three days. The second batch will arrive in ten days. If your company breaches the contract and fails to deliver the goods or pay the penalty, you'll need to pay me three times the value of the goods."

"Please don't worry, brother. Our reputation is the foundation of Qian's Trading Company's centuries-old business," Qian said with a very serious face. "We'll deliver the goods on time and in full, no matter what."

"I trust your company's reputation, but this deal is crucial for our small Ping'an Wang Clan," Wang Shoujie said with a serious face. "Let's put it in writing and make it official."

"Very well, let's do it," Qian said, not thinking that his company had any reason to breach the contract. It was just a small transaction of a few thousand gold coins, after all.

The two of them spent a whole hour going over the contract, with Wang Shoujie being very meticulous about every clause.

When they finally signed the contract, Qian was sweating profusely. He wiped his sweat and laughed bitterly: "In twenty years of doing business, I've never seen such a detailed contract. But I have to say, such a detailed contract avoids unnecessary disputes in the future and opens my eyes to new possibilities."

Wang Shoujie just smiled. This was nothing compared to some complex business contracts on Earth, which were like heavenly scriptures to outsiders.

Finally, Wang Shoujie felt a weight lift off his shoulders when he got the contract.

Although he knew that Qian's Trading Company would not breach its reputation even without such a detailed contract, a company's reputation was its most valuable asset.

As for sending someone to wipe out the Wang Clan over a small amount of money, that was even more impossible.

His ancestor, Longyan, may not have much time left, but she was an old spirit from the Purple Palace Academy, and no one knew what hidden cards he had. If she were to explode in anger, she could take down a Spirit Realm cultivator.

After weighing all the factors, Wang Shoujie made his bold decision. He had no choice; the Wang Clan was too poor, and they had to count every penny. If they continued like this, they would only fall into a vicious cycle.

The only person who might be wronged was Mr. Qian.

He was only a small branch manager in a remote area, and his status within the Qian family was not high. This loss-making operation might make him take the blame.

"Mr. Qian, it was a pleasure doing business with you," Wang Shoujie said, getting up to leave. He then said in a low voice, "If everything goes well, I'll send you a big gift soon."

Qian was taken aback, then laughed and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Wang Shoujie. I'll see you out." With that, Qian sent Wang Shoujie out of the door.

After leaving Qian's Trading Company, Wang Shoujie's mood suddenly became extremely joyful. Just three days, and he would be able to greatly alleviate the financial crisis of the Wang Clan.

"Master."

The two family guards, who had been waiting outside the gate, led their horses over to greet him respectfully.

"Wang Zhong, Wang Yong," Wang Shoujie smiled and said, "I haven't been out for a long time. Let's take a stroll around the city with me."

"Yes, Master," the two family guards responded in unison, leading their horses to accompany Wang Shoujie on a leisurely stroll around the city.

During Ancestor Zouxuan's lifetime, the Wang Clan was at its peak, with 47 family guards, among whom the highest achiever had reached the 9th level of the Qi Refining Realm.

Now, the Wang Clan only had 9 family guards, with the highest achiever only reaching the 5th level of the Qi Refining Realm.

Family guards were different from family servants; they were no longer slaves, but rather vassals, yet they were also different from external mercenaries hired through contracts.

Most family guards were cultivated from within the family as trusted insiders, holding a relatively high status and treatment within the family, but without the freedom to come and go as they pleased. Born as a family guard, they would die as a family guard.

Their fate and life were closely tied to the main family, sharing both honor and loss. It was precisely because of this that some families would often use their collateral or illegitimate children to marry exceptionally talented family guards. This was done to strengthen ties and improve the family's bloodline.

The nine family guards of the Wang Clan now were all descendants of those personally cultivated by Ancestor Zouxuan, with extremely high loyalty.

"Wang Zhong, doesn't your youngest son turn 7 or 8 years old this year?" Wang Shoujie asked casually, "Has he undergone the martial arts aptitude test?"

Wang Zhong hurriedly caught up with two steps and replied, "Thank you, Master, for your concern about my son. He took the aptitude test this spring and achieved a lower-middle grade. He has already entered the clan's elementary school and started practicing his meridians."

As he spoke, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, clearly showing his satisfaction with his son's aptitude.

The martial arts aptitude was first divided into those who passed and those who didn't, with passing indicating whether one had the potential for cultivation. Among those who passed, there were four grades: upper, middle, lower, and entry. Achieving a lower-middle grade was already considered second-tier, worthy of the family's investment.

"Indeed, a tiger father has no inferior son," Wang Shoujie praised, "Teach him well, and he may surpass you in the future."

"Thank you, Master, for your kind words," Wang Zhong smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He was 36 years old and had two sons, both of whom had passed the martial arts aptitude test. His eldest son was already 15 years old and would become a family guard for the clan in another year. His youngest son had even achieved a lower-middle grade, entering the key cultivation sequence.

In contrast, Wang Yong, another family guard, looked somewhat gloomy. He was around the same age as Wang Zhong, had married a woman from the Wang Clan's collateral line, and had a son and a daughter.

His son had not passed the martial arts aptitude test and could only study literature, currently working at the age of 17 in the silkworm farm. His daughter was only 6 years old and had not yet undergone the aptitude test. Even if she did pass, she would ultimately be just a girl.

"Wang Yong, you should seize the last few years' opportunity and work hard with your wife to try for another child," Wang Zhong teased, "Who knows, you might give birth to a lower-upper grade son."

"Shoo!" Wang Yong waved his hand impatiently, feeling somewhat unhappy whenever this topic was mentioned.

The three of them strolled around Changning Garrison City, while Wang Shoujie's memories of Changning City gradually became clearer. The city had a permanent population of around 150,000 to 160,000, with many old martial clans residing there, including the Xu Clan, which had a relatively close relationship with the Ping'an Wang Clan.

However, the difference in scale between the two clans was growing, and they were no longer on the same level, so Wang Shoujie had no intention of visiting the Xu Clan's master.

The Xu Clan of Changning, apart from operating traditional farms, had a unique industry focused on silk production.

The entire Changning Guard region's cotton and hemp production were supplied to the Xu Clan's several workshops, which produced silk fabrics and sold them throughout the state, earning a substantial profit.

At the same time, one of the pillar industries of the Ping'an Wang Clan, the Xinmao Silkworm Farm, supplied its silkworm cocoons to the Xu Clan of Changning.

...

[Heartfelt thankyou for the support! SlaySaga]

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