Work Prophet
Chapter 355 - 113 New Business

Chapter 355: Chapter 113 New Business

Li Yu saw soap pod trees in the garden, an old friend of the Chinese people on another plane of existence.

Being able to cook them for food and use them as medicine were just bonuses; the most useful aspect of soap pods was their ability to replace soap to some extent.

As a cleaning agent, they were cheaper than using pig pancreas.

With the advent of the Double Rest Sect’s bathhouses about to begin operation, Li Yu planned to introduce the Romans’ bathing culture to the Bratis Continent to improve the personal health of the local natives.

However, dry scrubbing alone wasn’t quite appropriate; encountering soap pods was a stroke of luck, for these could be used not only for washing people but also for laundering clothes, causing less damage to fabrics than plant ash.

Li Yu planned to plant them on a large scale in Green Field as soon as he obtained the seeds.

This was also thanks to the caravan from the East that had met an untimely death; otherwise, if Diodosi discovered that his Iron Thorns had such uses, Li Yu reckoned getting the seeds wouldn’t have been so easy.

After finalizing the soap pod matter, Li Yu visited Timo, who had finished second in the first Green Field Open Wheat Missionary event and had undergone further study on the Double Rest Sect’s territory for a while.

He then returned to Black Stone City and discreetly organized several missionary events there.

The audience was mostly women, after all, Timo’s greatest weapon was his handsomeness.

It was an innovative approach to mission work, but one that wasn’t replicable or scalable.

It could only exist as a secret society.

But this time, Li Yu wasn’t there to check on Timo’s progress; he wanted to meet Timo’s mother, Shafu Li.

The latter was an Elf with a rare beauty even among her kind, looking as tender as a baby in her fifty-seventh year, each movement filled with a lazy charm.

It wasn’t hard to see where Timo got his good looks from.

"Welcome," Shafu Li poured wine for Li Yu, "my son has been under your care recently."

"To be honest, I’m surprised you agreed to let Timo join the Double Rest Sect, as I know that most Elves believe in the Forest and the Mother Goddess of Life," Li Yu took the cup.

Shafu Li sighed, "It’s true, but I’ve already broken with the traditions of the Elves by marrying a heathen. Timo’s father believed in the god of storms and ice, Fengel. His father and I agreed to let Timo choose his own faith in the future.

"I just didn’t expect him to choose neither the god of storms and ice nor the Mother Goddess of Life, but instead the Saturday behind you. But since this was the promise with my late husband, there’s no reason to change it.

"Besides, neither the god of storms and ice nor the Mother Goddess of Life responds to us anymore, and Timo has found his purpose with Saturday. As a mother, I’m happy for him."

"I heard that you once organized a caravan and traveled across the Bratis Continent," said Li Yu.

Hearing this, Shafu Li gave Li Yu a deep, wry glance and said, "That’s true, but I’ve made enough money and disbanded the caravan. I settled down in Black Stone City to focus on raising this son."

At this, Timo couldn’t help but interject, "Mother, if Saturday calls out to you, you shouldn’t refuse so quickly—you should at least hear what Prophet Merlin has to say."

Shafu Li raised her eyebrows, "Have you just joined the Sabbath and already you can’t wait to oppose me?"

After she finished, she addressed Li Yu, "Everyone says the Double Rest Sect is full of talented people. Why would you think of coming to me, the leader of a small and obscure trading team?"

"Forgive me for having someone investigate you. The Froststring Trading Company is not some unknown small trading team, especially in the south, you and your trading company are quite famous. I need your experience in commerce now."

Hearing this, Shafu Li did not deny it anymore, but said, "That was all two or three years ago. If my man hadn’t passed away suddenly, I wouldn’t have to come forward and show my face.

"With my beauty, dealing with the nobles is not an easy matter. I have already made up my mind to leave this behind."

Li Yu knew Shafu Li was lying. She had retired to Black Stone City just over a year ago and her hands were already itching to get back into business.

Although she hadn’t reassembled a trading team, she had already started looking for suitable shops in secret.

Li Yu didn’t beat around the bush and made a decisive offer, "I plan to start several new businesses and am looking for partners. You wouldn’t have to leave Black Stone City. I wonder if you might be interested."

"What business?" Shafu Li asked.

"Linen and paper."

This answer made Shafu Li slightly disappointed, "The price of linen in Black Stone City is not high, and the profit is limited. As far as I know, the Double Rest Sect is spending a lot of money. If you can’t create a large new source of revenue, you will soon be in financial trouble."

With that said, Shafu Li finally stopped being evasive and laid her cards on the table.

The reason she did not want to cooperate with the Double Rest Sect was purely from a business standpoint; she felt it was not worth it. In Shafu Li’s view, the Sect was currently a pit of fire, and under Li Yu’s heretical spending on missions, it would not be sustainable for much longer.

"I have a large quantity of linen, and it’s very cheap. The production cost is only a third of the original."

"That cheap?" Shafu Li was astonished.

The process of producing linen on the Bratis Continent was fully transparent. It was mostly handwoven by women in the countryside or cities in their free time before selling it to linen merchants.

If it’s sold for too much, the merchants would not buy it, and if it’s too cheap, they’d rather keep it for themselves, so the prices have been very stable—it’s just enough to make a living.

Nonetheless, it’s undeniable that linen is always in high demand, regardless of location, and it doesn’t worry about sales. If someone truly could lower the production cost of linen, then by just lying down, they could have money continuously delivered to their door.

But the shocking news for Shafu Li didn’t stop there. Li Yu then introduced her to paper. The first batch of white paper from the Double Rest Sect had been produced, slightly thicker than standard, but this made it look substantial and durable.

Compared to the fragile papyrus, it wouldn’t tear even with repeated folding.

Shafu Li was immediately interested, especially after she asked Li Yu about the production cost of these white papers and realized the impact it could have on the currently popular paper on the Bratis Continent.

And they were also easy to transport, so they could be sold to the Royal Capital. The nobles there would surely be eager for these white papers.