Chapter 137: Earning Over One Million Taels

Xiao Moting paused, "Leave three hundred boxes and put them in the Warehouse. Any soldier who has earned military merit may exchange their reward for fine wine."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers erupted in cheers.

The old alcoholics were even more overjoyed, wishing they could rush to the front lines immediately to fight and earn merit.

Ten days later.

The Ambassador of the Yuezhi Kingdom arrived in Beijiang.

The Ambassador sent over was still Abu.

This time, Abu also brought a cavalry troop, specifically to transport goods.

"Yuezhi Ambassador Abu, greets the Prince!"

Abu pressed his right hand to his chest and bowed respectfully.

Xiao Moting sat in his chair and nodded slightly.

"How were the sales of the Instant Noodles you brought back to your country last time?"

At the mention of "Instant Noodles," Abu revealed a bitter smile.

"Reporting to the Prince, the Instant Noodles the caravan brought back to the Yuezhi Kingdom did not sell a single pack."

"Not a single pack sold?" Xiao Moting raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's impossible. Instant Noodles are the most popular food in the Beijiang Junying; from generals down to foot soldiers, there isn't one who doesn't love them."

Abu hurriedly shook his head.

"Prince, you have misunderstood. The Instant Noodles brought back to Yuezhi didn't fail to sell; there simply wasn't any left to sell."

"As soon as the Instant Noodles were transported back to the Yuezhi Kingdom, they caused a sensation in the palace."

"Several princes and princesses loved eating the Instant Noodles, and furthermore, the Imperial Concubines and royal relatives in the palace all came to ask for them."

"The King issued an order to distribute the one thousand boxes of Instant Noodles brought back as rewards to the inner palace."

"So this time, I would like to buy more Instant Noodles to take back, but this price... Instant Noodles are just flour-based food, and I hope the Prince of Zhenbei can offer a discount."

Xiao Moting raised his sword-like eyebrows.

As expected!

It was just as he thought.

The other party had started haggling.

After all, Instant Noodles were just food made from flour; no matter how delicious, they could not possibly sell for a sky-high price.

Now that the novelty of Instant Noodles in the Yuezhi Kingdom had passed, they were beginning to return to the price of the ingredients themselves.

He remained calm and composed.

"Since you have signed a trade agreement with Beijiang, the price will naturally be discounted. For one box of Instant Noodles, I will charge you one thousand catties of Refined Rice."

Abu chuckled and rubbed his hands together.

"That's still a bit expensive, can it be a little cheaper..."

Xiao Moting narrowed his eyes.

"The production of Instant Noodles is complex. Just making the noodle cakes involves over a dozen steps, and the craftsmen can only make a dozen packs a day. Eight hundred catties of Refined Rice per box, not a catty less."

"This stuff doesn't keep you full, how about two hundred catties of Refined Rice per box?"

"The seasoning packet contains over a dozen types of top-tier ingredients, which must be roasted and ground into powder to bring out the delicious flavor. Seven hundred and fifty catties of Refined Rice."

"Even if they are top-tier ingredients, there isn't much in a small packet. Two hundred and eighty catties of Refined Rice."

"The sauce packet also has secret seasonings, all made from precious medicinal herbs. Sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate—how many people in this world can make these precious medicinal herbs? One final price: seven hundred catties!"

The two engaged in a war of words, haggling inside the tent.

Qin Zhan and the Beijiang soldiers stood at the entrance, listening to Xiao Moting and Abu drive a hard bargain, and were all stunned.

"Shennü Daren said Instant Noodles have no nutrition and told everyone to eat less, yet the Prince actually blew them up to be Mountain Delicacies. Impressive."

"Sodium chloride and monosodium glutamate—Shennü Daren said those are just salt and MSG; when did they become precious medicinal herbs?"

"I never expected my Prince's ability to tell tall tales with a straight face to be so heaven-defying!"

Half an hour later.

Abu was exhausted, his lips blistered, and he was panting.

Xiao Moting was calm and relaxed, taking a sip of tea with composure.

"Then five hundred catties of Refined Rice per box. If the Ambassador is not satisfied with the price, we can discuss it further."

"No more discussion, no more." Abu shuddered all over and hurriedly waved his hands. "I can't take it anymore. Let's go with the number the Prince said: five hundred catties of Refined Rice per box, buying two thousand boxes."

He had never seen anyone so good at haggling.

He really did not want to wear his tongue out with Xiao Moting any longer.

If they kept haggling, it would be dawn.

Moreover, he didn't know if Xiao Moting was doing it on purpose, but they had come from afar, and Beijiang hadn't even given them a drop of water or a bite of food.

Seeing Abu's lips drying out, Xiao Moting smiled calmly and instructed his subordinates.

"Go to the Warehouse and move two thousand boxes of Instant Noodles for Ambassador Abu."

"Also, bring the Five-Grain Fine Brew for the Ambassador to taste."

A soldier brought over a bottle of wine, poured a few cups, and served them to the Ambassador.

Abu, who had been haggling for a long time and was exhausted, suddenly perked up.

"What kind of wine is this? It smells so good!"

"This is our specially brewed Five-Grain Fine Brew; have a taste."

The aroma of the wine was delightful.

Abu had been haggling for so long and his mouth was parched, so he immediately picked up the wine cup and drank it in one gulp.

Suddenly, he revealed a look of shock.

"Good wine!"

Seeing this, several Ambassadors swarmed forward, drank the wine in their cups dry, and were all filled with surprise and delight.

"Fine wine! It is simply a peerless vintage!"

"To think Daliang has such fine wine; it tastes even better than the grape wine of the Western Regions."

"Fragrant, mellow, and intoxicating—good wine!"

Xiao Moting rested his chin in his left hand, smiling faintly, a flash of sharp light passing through his eyes.

He was doing it on purpose.

Let these Ambassadors go hungry, wear down their patience, and then serve them fine wine.

It would achieve a better effect.

Abu drank three cups in one breath, his eyes shining.

Such peerless fine wine, if transported to the Western Regions, would surely sell for a great fortune.

He wiped his mouth and hurriedly asked.

"Prince, do you sell this wine?"

Xiao Moting revealed a troubled expression, "You wish to buy? But this Five-Grain Fine Brew is only available in our Beijiang, and the stock is not large..."

Xiao Dabao leaned on his crutches and ran to the tent entrance to watch the excitement; upon hearing that the Yuezhi Kingdom wanted to buy wine, he immediately grew anxious.

"Prince, have you made a mistake? We have a huge pile of this wine in the Warehouse; hurry and sell it to them in exchange for silver..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Moting's gaze, filled with killing intent, swept over him.

Qin Zhan clapped a hand over Xiao Dabao's mouth.

This fool!

With a dark face, he dragged Xiao Dabao away.

"You've already got a fracture, yet you still have the energy to run out and run your mouth? Xiao Dabao, your one hundred boxes of Ham Sausage are gone!"

Xiao Moting withdrew his gaze and spoke calmly.

"This wine is one hundred taels of silver per bottle, no bargaining, no retail sales, twenty bottles to a box."

"Allow us to discuss this."

Abu immediately turned around and began whispering with the several Ambassadors.

Xiao Moting was not in a hurry either; he picked up his teacup and sipped his tea slowly.

In any case, this wine could only be made by Shennü Daren; things are valued for their rarity, so he was not afraid they wouldn't buy.

Sure enough.

Abu finished discussing very quickly.

"Prince, we intend to buy eight hundred boxes first."

"Very well, I want cash silver."

"We do not have enough silver notes with us; please grant us two days, Prince, so we may go to the Yuezhi Bank in Xuancheng to exchange for silver notes."

The Yuezhi Kingdom and Daliang Kingdom traded closely, and they had also established a bank in Xuancheng to allow merchant caravans traveling to and from the Western Regions to exchange for Daliang silver notes.

Eight hundred boxes of Wuliang Divine Brew amounted to 1.6 million taels of silver.

The Northern Frontier Army soldiers crowded outside the tent were all driven wild with joy upon hearing this!

The Prince's ability to negotiate business was simply heaven-defying.

By relying on selling wine, he had earned so much silver all at once!

Moreover, he had also swindled the Yuezhi Ambassadors into buying two thousand boxes of Instant Noodles, earning another one million catties of Refined Rice!

Not only would everyone have no worries about rice and grain, but even the military pay was now secured!