The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 240 Xianxian’s Vest is About to Fall Off (First Update)

Chapter 240: 240 Xianxian’s Vest is About to Fall Off (First Update)

After introducing his shop, the man waited for Li Xianyun to react.

The man was certain, with such tempting terms, it was impossible for the other party not to be interested.

But he was quickly disappointed, as Li Xianyun showed little reaction to his words, as if everything was within her expectations.

In negotiations, the first person to reveal their thoughts would be at a disadvantage, being led by the nose by the other party and suffering great losses.

Li Xianyun was clearly the one orchestrating behind the scenes, and it was impressive how, despite her young age, she possessed a profound understanding of the art of negotiation.

And she was evidently the partner the man was seeking, as only when both parties were strong could they aim for a win-win situation with mutual benefits.

The man opened his mouth to ask, "Does the young master have any intention to cooperate?"

"How do you plan to cooperate?" Li Xianyun inquired.

The man took a sip of tea and said, "I will buy your candied fruit at market prices, as much as you have, without bargaining."

He was playing his cards well.

Li Xianyun smiled subtly and said, "Yesterday, the Family Head must have already sent someone to investigate my Ruyi Square and workshop in Shangjing. My purpose here is not to sell these few hundred pounds of candied fruit but to obtain a way to sell it in Houtang and Houliang."

The man fell silent for a moment before replying, "Fine, I will provide you with the channels to sell the candied fruit. You supply the product, and we will split the profits seventy-thirty, with me taking seventy. You must have heard about Xingfang Restaurant’s reputation; collaborating with us is only profitable, not a loss."

Zhuo Ma raised an eyebrow, proposing seventy percent profit share for just providing sales channels was quite extreme.

Unable to hold back, Zhuo Ma looked at her master.

Li Xianyun seemed unsurprised by his response, "Would you be willing to hear my thoughts?"

"Please speak."

"It will still be a seventy-thirty split, but I will take seventy, and you take thirty. To be frank, the cost of making candied fruit is quite high, from constructing workshops to training personnel, and then to transportation, the overhead is significant, and the seventy-thirty split just barely breaks even. You are well-informed and not blind to the fact that our candied fruit is unique in the market, sells very well, and we plan to have more varieties like raisins and dried apricots. Khitan is abundant in fruits; we have a steady supply, which means we can collaborate for the long term."

In truth, fruits in Khitan were cheap, and the cost of making candied fruits and raisins was not high—these were just exaggerated statements by Li Xianyun, who also intentionally flattered the other party during negotiations to make them feel comfortable and willing to talk.

The man, composed, said, "To my knowledge, Khitan suffered a snow disaster last winter, which led to significant livestock death and poverty among the people. With an oversupply of fruit failing to sell and many without employment, labor is cheap—where does the high cost come in?"

As the Family Head of Xingfang Restaurant, he wasn’t easy to deceive.

Li Xianyun laughed, "The Family Head might not be aware, but every family has its own difficulties. You only see the low prices of the fruits and the cheap labor, but what about the costs of building factories, training workers, and transportation? Isn’t all that overhead? Similarly, Xingfang Restaurant, due to certain reasons, urgently needed to launch a more accessible product that became an instant hit."

Having been to Xingfang Restaurant in Chang’an, Li Xianyun knew their offerings were hardly palatable; they were riding on past fame. Initially, business was decent, but as time wore on, naturally, their reputation declined, and struggles in business were inevitable.

Xingfang Restaurant, known for its haughtiness, was now seeking a collaboration with her, and Li Xianyun guessed that they must be facing challenges in business, in dire need of a new product to bring them back into the public eye. The apricot and peach candied fruits appeared just in time for such a need.

The man realized he had underestimated Li Xianyun. Seeing his own weaknesses exposed, he knew his negotiation had fallen into an inferior position, becoming passive.

Li Xianyun continued to press her advantage, "If you agree to a 70-30 split, I can assure you that I won’t sell Ruyi Square’s candied fruit to any other merchants in Houtang. In Houtang, the candied fruit will be exclusively sold at Xingfang Restaurant."

The man’s interest was piqued. He raised an eyebrow and pondered for a moment, "Agreed, it’s settled. However, I have one condition. I will start with only two hundred jin, if it sells well, we will increase the amount. If it doesn’t, then we will terminate our collaboration."

"Agreed."

Li Xianyun had brought over three hundred jin of candied fruit, selling two hundred jin to Xingfang Restaurant with over a hundred jin remaining.

The remaining hundred-plus jin could be used to negotiate partnerships with merchants in Houliang.

The man looked at the shopkeeper, "We can start drafting the contract now."

"Yes."

Li Xianyun and the man exchanged opinions on the details of their collaboration.

The shopkeeper personally oversaw the drafting of the contract beside them.

Li Xianyun looked at the man concealed behind the curtain, "Family Head, I have something to say, though I’m unsure if it’s appropriate."

The man inside spoke, "You may speak freely, young master."

"Family Head, everyone in life will inevitably endure the torment of illness. To be averse to seeking medical help will only cause oneself greater suffering."

The man was momentarily startled, and the shopkeeper, who had been guiding the drafting of the contract, also stopped in his tracks.

Seeing that the man remained silent, the shopkeeper couldn’t help but speak, "Young master, it’s not that our Family Head is averse to seeking medical help; it’s just that good physicians are hard to find."

The shopkeeper paused, then said, "Have you heard of Ji Shi Tang in Houtang? When our Family Head sought medical advice there, the physicians were all at a loss with his condition. One of them had seen the Hall Master of Ji Shi Tang heal such a disease and that kindled hope in us. However, the Hall Master of Ji Shi Tang is notorious for being elusive, and no one has seen his true face. After inquiring extensively, we learned that several months ago, the Hall Master suddenly announced that he was going on a journey and then vanished without a trace. We’ve sent many people in search of the Hall Master, to no avail. That’s why our Family Head’s illness has been dragging on until now."

Li Xianyun looked towards the indistinct figure behind the curtain, "I have some medical knowledge. If the Family Head doesn’t mind, may I take his pulse? Perhaps I can cure his illness."

The shopkeeper looked at Li Xianyun with unexpected hope, "Young master, do you really have a way to cure our Family Head’s illness?"

The man behind the curtain spoke in an indifferent tone, "There’s no need."

Li Xianyun’s lips parted gently, "Does the Family Head think that I would mock your appearance? We are about to sign a contract today, thus we are in the same boat. We share both honor and loss. How could I possibly do something detrimental to the Family Head? Furthermore, the change in the Family Head’s appearance is due to illness, and naturally it will return to normal once healed. Why worry about your current appearance?"

The shopkeeper was overwhelmed with excitement, not expecting that this fair-faced scholar of a young master had such remarkable medical skills. Without even needing to inspect, listen, ask, or feel the pulse, he had almost guessed the Family Head’s illness. It was truly incredible, and his admiration was unavoidable.

After finishing her point, Li Xianyun ceased to speak further. Treating an illness also requires fate. If the other party is stubbornly unwilling to be treated or uncooperative, even a highly skilled physician will be ineffective.

After a long pause, the man’s voice came from inside, "Fine, but only you may enter."

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Ma immediately objected, "That’s not acceptable."

The Khan had repeatedly instructed her to never leave the princess’s side, not even for a moment.