Chapter 285: What Matters Is That We

Of course, while listening to Ma Kesi's account, Gervas focused not on the fame of Stormwind Domain, but on the dispute between the two princes.

Fundamentally, as a transmigrator, Gervas still greatly enjoyed playing the fool to catch the tiger.

So, becoming famous too early, in his view, was not a great advantage.

Rather, the princes' dispute—combined with today's system alert that the Second Prince had sent an envoy to pacify him—

Demanded far greater caution.

"My Lord Ma Kesi, has the dispute between the First and Second Princes really escalated to this level? Doesn't His Majesty intervene?"

Ma Kesi froze, surprised that Gervas's focus lay here.

Yet now, Gervas's magic fan and single-tube telescope had proven him a noble of considerable potential.

Ma Kesi glanced cautiously around; the servants had already been dismissed from the parlor.

"Lord Gervas, these matters are normally not spoken of—but since you are a close friend of Marquis Mixiu, I'll tell you in confidence! You must not repeat this!"

Gervas nodded, and Ma Kesi whispered on.

"Our king's health declines daily; he could not even endure the banquet to its end."

"Thus, he has no energy left to manage the princes' dispute."

"And this signals that the moment of royal succession has arrived."

"Though the Second Prince is not the rightful heir, he is backed by a powerful duke family and enjoys broad support."

"Still, most nobles hope the First Prince inherits the throne, for succession by lineage is the kingdom's law!"

"Moreover, all fear that if the Second Prince succeeds, he will repay his maternal duke family—and then other noble houses will suffer losses."

"Thus, the capital is now a cauldron of hidden currents!"

With that, Ma Kesi stopped, hinting only.

Yet even so, Gervas understood the peril.

From ancient times to now, succession struggles have always been the most dangerous.

Failure could mean a sea of severed heads.

Fortunately, for nobles like them who held their own domains, as long as they stayed out of the whirlpool, they should face little danger.

"Lord Gervas, let us return to the magic fan and single-tube telescope!"

"I've brought orders for one hundred twenty-three single-tube telescopes! And fifty-five magic fans—how much stock do you have, Lord Gervas?"

"My Lord Ma Kesi, I currently have fifteen magic fans in stock; as for the single-tube telescopes, you must wait in line again, as before."

"But I now have a new model of single-tube telescope!"

Saying this, Gervas produced the silver single-tube telescope.

"This… this is also a single-tube telescope?" Ma Kesi's eyes lit up.

Compared to brass, people naturally preferred silver and gold.

Beyond aesthetics, the monetary value of the materials themselves shaped such preference.

This silver telescope was adorned with fine gold filigree—luxurious yet elegant.

Its aesthetic appeal had soared dramatically!

"Lord Gervas, this telescope is stunning! Compared to it, the brass ones look like peasant tools! What is its price?"

"Fifteen gold coins."

Previously, Gervas had planned to price it at ten gold coins.

But since this was an upgraded model, those who bought it clearly had no shortage of gold.

On such buyers, not squeezing extra profit would be foolish.

So tripling the price was not unreasonable.

Indeed, Ma Kesi nodded immediately. "Fifteen gold coins each is not expensive. Lord Gervas, how many do you have? If I take these to the capital, nobles will fight over them!"

"This quantity is smaller—only five in stock, and monthly production will remain at five for now."

"Only five? That's too few! Lord Gervas, abandon the brass telescopes entirely and focus solely on the silver ones."

"No! My Lord Ma Kesi, the brass telescope is the foundation. Though it yields less gold, it offers better value for smaller nobles."

"The silver telescope is too expensive for them—I won't let profit cut off their chance to own a telescope."

"This…" Ma Kesi bowed his head in respect.

He had never imagined Gervas possessed such character.

To forgo higher profits just to protect smaller nobles' access to telescopes.

"Of course, My Lord Ma Kesi, I will recruit more artisans soon to ensure telescope output continues rising."

Gervas saw Ma Kesi's gaze—he knew the man believed his lie.

In truth, continuing brass telescope production was simply Gervas's refusal to abandon the low-end market.

The silver telescope? He would adopt scarcity marketing to elevate the single-tube telescope's prestige.

A move to build Stormwind Domain's brand.

Don't underestimate brand effect.

In a world with backward technology and law, brand effect mattered even more than in his past life.

The best example: the Tulip Trading House.

Not just for trading goods, but even for shipping items.

Many caravans would gladly handle such tasks.

Yet nobles here trusted only the Tulip Trading House.

Because it had long built a reputation for reliability.

No matter what was shipped, one never feared loss.

And if loss did occur, Tulip Trading House bore full responsibility.

That was the power of brand and reputation!

As a transmigrator, Gervas wanted to build such a brand.

Yet his focus wasn't on reputation—it was on luxury.

Like brands in his past life, once labeled luxury,

items like Liberation shoes, plastic handbags, or farming straw hats soared in price by hundreds or thousands of times.

Most astonishingly, people still flocked to buy them.

So Gervas wanted to build such a brand too.

If successful, gold coins would flow endlessly.

"Lord Gervas, you are truly an extraordinary noble!"

Then Gervas and Ma Kesi began the formal handover.

Ma Kesi brought a total of one thousand one hundred sixty-five gold coins.

For one hundred twenty-three single-tube telescopes and fifty-five magic fans.

Delivery: limited stock shipped immediately; the rest produced on a queue, with shipments every half-month.

Additionally, Ma Kesi took back Gervas's five silver single-tube telescopes.

Two were gifts: one for Marquis Mixiu, one for Deputy Commander Adeli.

The other three were samples.

To show other high nobles whether they wished to upgrade their orders.

If they wished to switch from brass to silver telescopes, they could—

Just pay extra, and wait patiently.

According to Ma Kesi, high nobles would hardly change their orders.

They didn't lack money—they lacked patience.

So most would likely buy one brass telescope and one silver telescope separately.

Gervas had no objection.

As Gervas and Ma Kesi chatted merrily, neither knew that on the kingdom's main road along Stormwind Domain's northwestern border, a force of forty to fifty men rested.

Unlike ordinary caravans, this group had no carts—only fully armed elite knights.

Several knights radiated faint but potent energy, at least at Baiyin Knight level.

"Have those Ma Kesi fools left yet?"

"Yes, Overseer! By the way, Overseer, do you think the little noble has already been bought by the First Prince?"

"Hmph! I hope he hasn't—but even if he has, such a minor noble doesn't matter!"

Important is that we've arrived—he must obey, and surrender the treasure our Second Prince desires!

"Yes, Overseer! You're right!"