Chapter 842: I

Xiao Ningyuan's smile remained unchanged, giving no ground: "Boss Wu, that statement is wrong."

"Doing business is about the two words 'integrity', and then about the price level."

He paused: "As for who arrives first or later, what does it matter?"

Wang Xingshou saw the atmosphere was off, hurriedly smoothed things over, ordering a clerk: "Hurry and fetch the goods samples from the warehouse!"

He rose and personally poured tea for the two: "You both are honored guests; why argue? Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth!"

Tuan Tuan hugged Luo Zhenjiang's neck and whispered: "Uncle Luo, is that person a villain?"

Luo Zhenjiang was taken aback: "Probably… not really, but he runs errands for the Red-haired Barbarians and handles their affairs."

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan nodded, "He is a villain."

Luo Zhenjiang: "…"

Forget it, no need to explain to the child; a villain is a villain.

Soon, a clerk returned carrying a stack of silk, carefully placing it on the long table and spreading the bolts one by one.

"Boss Wu, look," Wang Xingshou pointed out one by one, "these are the Hang silk you bought last time, and these bolts are the newly released Song brocade."

"Last time you said the Hang silk was too few; this time I've had the weaving workshop prepare an extra twenty percent for you."

Wu stood and walked to the table, extending a hand to gently feel the silk surface: "Wang Xingshou, our client said the Hang silk material is authentic and should be at least three times what it was last time."

"You only added twenty percent; the shortfall is indeed quite large."

Wang Xingshou's eyebrows rose with joy: "Three times? My vision must be narrow."

"However," he said, somewhat uneasy, "such a large quantity might not be delivered instantly; it's all woven thread by thread by the weavers."

"No problem, Wang Xingshou, just set aside all the goods for the next three months, that should be enough."

Wu's hand rested on that Song brocade, lightly stroking it: "This one's nice; Wang Xingshou, could you give me some as a gift? I'll take it back for the client to see."

Wang Xingshou was just about to speak.

"Boss Wu, what an appetite!" Xiao Ningyuan rose to the table, brushed the Song brocade lightly, then pressed the Hang silk.

"What a coincidence, right?" he turned to Wang Xingshou with a smiling gaze, "I've taken a liking to both the Hang silk and the Song brocade."

"Whatever you have left in your hand, I want it all."

Wang Xingshou was startled by the words, then his eyes subtly drifted toward Wu.

Wu's complexion instantly darkened.

Xiao Ningyuan pretended not to see: "For the next six months, please set all the goods aside for me as well."

"Whatever the weaving workshop produces, I'll take whatever; you just go ahead and make it."

"Six, six months?" Wang Xingshou was thrilled, almost unable to believe it.

The stock in the warehouse and the goods for the latter half of the year had all been sold!

This was an unprecedented huge deal!

"Boss Xiao's appetite isn't small either!"

Wu's face turned ashen; "I want three months, you want six months, are you challenging me?"

He turned to Wang Xingshou: "Everything he wants, I also want! All the goods, this time I raise the price by ten percent."

Wang Xingshou's eyes lit up: "Ten percent? Boss Wu is truly bold."

"Bold?" Xiao Ningyuan shook his head, "Wang Xingshou, you're speaking too early."

"Oh?" Wu Shuang looked at Xiao Ningyuan, anger flashing in his eyes, "Then how much does Boss Xiao intend to offer?"

Xiao Ningyuan extended a finger: "No matter how high your bid…"

Wu Shuang furrowed his brows: "What will you do?"

Xiao Ningyuan smiled faintly: "I'll add another ten percent."

Lu Qi let out a snort of laughter.

Xiao Er grinned.

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Ze smiled slightly.

Luo Zhenjiang was no longer so polite, bursting into hearty laughter: "Young master, so bold!"

Tuan Tuan didn't understand, but seeing everyone laugh, clapped his little hands: "Big brother is great!"

"You!" Wu Shuang shouted furiously, "Boss Xiao, are you here to tease me?"

"Not at all," Xiao Ningyuan shook his head, "Business is genuine silver and gold; why would I tease you?"

"Isn't it ordinary for the higher price to be the one that wins in trade?"

Wu Shuang glared at him, then turned to Wang Xingshou: "Wang Xingshou, even if his price is high, how do you know his background? Could he be a swindler?"

"We've traded several times; have I ever delayed payment for your goods? The word 'integrity' isn't something achieved overnight."

"It's settled then; this time I raise the price by ten percent, and for the deposit I'll pay you thirty percent upfront, ten percent more than before."

"Boss Wu makes a valid point," Xiao Ningyuan nodded heavily, "Wang Xingshou, since I'm new to this place and it's my first time doing business with your firm."

"To show sincerity, I'll pay forty percent of the deposit now, ten percent more than Boss Wu; how does that sound?"

That's another ten percent more than me!

A vein in Wu's temple pulsed, and he roared in anger: "Boss Xiao, are you deliberately opposing me?"

"What do you mean?" Xiao Ningyuan wore an innocent face, "Boss Wu is overthinking."

"I don't even know you; why would I oppose you? What benefit do I get from opposing you? It's just business."

He deliberately touched the brocade on the table, praising, "What fine silk!"

Wu's face turned completely black.

He thought for a moment and asked: "Wang Xingshou, how much is the thirty percent deposit?"

Wang Xingshou looked at him, then at Xiao Ningyuan, and opened his mouth: "Both of you…"

"How much?" Wu Shuang interrupted him, "Just settle the account."

"Call the accountant!" Wang Xing Shou ordered.

The assistant standing nearby had already been stunned, and after a moment snapped back: "Yes!"

After speaking, he turned and ran toward the back courtyard.

Soon, a gray‑bearded accountant carrying a stack of ledgers and an abacus followed the assistant into the hall.

Wang Xing Shou wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Calculate quickly—how much total is there in the storehouse's inventory plus the output of all weaving workshops for the next six months?"

"After a ten‑percent price increase, how much is required for the thirty‑percent fixed silver?"

"Yes!"

The accountant's abacus rattled furiously, and after a short while he computed: "Approximately one hundred thousand taels of white silver."

Upon hearing that, Wu Shuang pulled a silver note from his chest, counted it, and placed it on the table: "Wang Xing Shou, this is a hundred‑thousand‑tael silver note."

Wang Xing Shou's finger twitched slightly; this was a hundred thousand taels of silver, and it was only the fixed silver!

"Boss Xiao just said he would pay ten percent more than me, which makes it one hundred ten thousand taels," Wu Shuang raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiao Ningyuan: "I wonder whether, at this very moment, Boss Xiao can produce those one hundred ten thousand‑tael silver notes?"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head: "Can't produce it."

Wang Xing Shou was taken aback: "No money, and you're just playing here?"

Wu Shuang smiled smugly: "Wang Xing Shou, did you hear? I told you this guy couldn't keep his promise—"

"However," Xiao Ningyuan interrupted him, "I have one hundred ten thousand taels of cash silver; I wonder whether Wang Xing Shou has a place to store it?"

Wu Shuang's smile froze on his face.

"Cash silver?" Wang Xing Shou was also stunned.

"Impossible!" Wu Shuang said resolutely, "Wang Xing Shou, have you ever seen anyone strolling the streets carrying tens of thousands of taels of white silver?"

Wang Xing Shou, hearing that, was full of suspicion, scanning Xiao Ningyuan from head to toe, his brows knotting into a lump: "Boss Xiao, Wu Boss is absolutely right."

"You came from afar; you couldn't possibly carry that much gold and silver on your person."

"It must be only silver notes, but which money house could instantly exchange that much cash silver for you?"