LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 99
Chapter 99: A Profitable Opportunity
“Prime Minister Yang, you are absolutely right,” Zhu Dong said proudly.
“Our Song Dynasty’s trade is flourishing. The capital city of Bianjing is rich in water resources, with merchants coming and going in an endless stream. A few years ago, our annual revenue reached 1.6 billion —unmatched anywhere in the world.”
Yang Yi smiled faintly. “Wealth is indeed a great thing.”
He shifted the topic with an amiable tone.
“I have heard that the largest market in the Central Plains is in Song. I happen to have some treasures I’d like to sell. I wonder if Minister Zhu could assist me?”
Zhu Dong blinked in surprise.
“Treasures?” He leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “What kind of treasures are you referring to, Prime Minister Yang?”
Even Gao Kan, who had remained quiet, now looked intrigued.
Yang Yi pulled out a crystal-clear glass cup from his sleeve. Its flawless transparency and craftsmanship immediately captivated both men.
Zhu Dong and Gao Kan gasped, their eyes widening in astonishment.
“A glass cup!” Zhu Dong exclaimed, his voice trembling with awe.
Although neither of them was particularly knowledgeable about such items, they recognized the value of what they were seeing. A single glass cup like this could command an astronomical price in Song, and presenting it to the Emperor would surely earn great merit.
Zhu Dong’s gaze turned greedy as he stared at the cup in Yang Yi’s hand.
“Prime Minister Yang,” he asked carefully, “how do you plan to sell this cup?”
Gao Kan’s eyes gleamed with the same avarice. He even licked his lips unconsciously. Glass was a rare luxury, and one of such clarity was practically priceless.
Instead of answering, Yang Yi took out five more identical cups, placing them neatly before them.
“I have a few more of these glass cups,” Yang Yi said with a calm smile.
Both men inhaled sharply, utterly dumbfounded.
Zhu Dong’s face contorted in disbelief. “More of them?”
Gao Kan’s scalp tingled. He had heard tales that even the Emperor of Song owned only a single set of glass cups. Yet here, before his eyes, was a collection of unparalleled quality.
Zhu Dong swallowed hard, struggling to compose himself.
“Prime Minister Yang, are you saying you have a… batch of these?”
Yang Yi cleared his throat. “Indeed. These glass items are heirlooms passed down through my family. I’d like to sell them in Song for a good price.”
Zhu Dong’s breathing grew heavier, his mind racing with the possibilities. If he managed to sell these, the profits would be staggering.
Eager to seize the opportunity, he quickly offered, “Prime Minister Yang, please entrust this matter to me.”
Gao Kan, alarmed by Zhu Dong’s swift claim, interjected hurriedly.
“Prime Minister Yang, my father is Gao Qiu, the Chief Marshal of Song. If this glassware is entrusted to him, he will undoubtedly secure an excellent price for you!”
Zhu Dong shot Gao Kan a furious glare, silently cursing him for trying to steal the opportunity.
Yang Yi ignored their rivalry and maintained his warm demeanor.
“There’s no need to argue. I can entrust this batch of glassware to both of you.”
He gestured toward the six cups on display.
“I assure you, this batch is of the highest quality and unique in the world. I’ve set the price for each piece. Once you have them, how much you sell them for is entirely up to you. It has nothing to do with me.”
His calm tone carried a hint of finality. “Of course, the condition is that you can handle the entire batch.”
Zhu Dong and Gao Kan’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Yang Yi was offering them the chance to profit immensely. Both men nodded enthusiastically.
“Rest assured, Prime Minister Yang!”
Driven by the prospect of wealth, even Gao Kan set aside his earlier animosity.
Yang Yi clapped his hands, and several attendants brought in boxes. When the boxes were opened, the room seemed to light up with the brilliance of the glassware within.
Zhu Dong and Gao Kan were stunned. The craftsmanship of the glass was exquisite, each piece appearing more valuable than the last.
Their astonishment grew as they counted the items.
Hiss!
They gasped in unison. There were nearly one hundred pieces! They had initially expected only a dozen or so.
Zhu Dong couldn’t help but wonder if even the Emperor’s collection paled in comparison to this batch.
Yang Yi’s calm voice broke their reverie. “This is a set of one hundred glass items. To my knowledge, these are the only ones in existence.”
He paused for effect before continuing, “Each piece is priced at 400,000 yuans. The total for the batch is 50 million yuans”
The room fell silent.
Zhu Dong and Gao Kan stared at Yang Yi, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
“Fifty million strings of cash?” Zhu Dong repeated, his voice barely audible.
Yang Yi smiled faintly. “These are unique treasures. Do you think a single piece cannot be sold for more than 400,000 strings?”
Zhu Dong exhaled sharply, nodding. “Such rare treasures are truly priceless. They could easily sell for that amount.”
Yang Yi’s smile deepened. “Exactly. I’m simply saving myself the trouble of selling them individually. Otherwise, I could easily sell them piece by piece to Qin, Han, Tang, or even the grassland nations and fetch much higher prices. This batch is a bargain.”
The two men exchanged glances. They couldn’t deny the logic. Selling these items separately would undoubtedly yield profits exceeding 80 million yuans.
Now, with a batch price of 50 million, they stood to earn an additional 30 million in profit.
Thirty million strings of cash!
The sheer magnitude of the potential profit made their heads spin. But there was one issue: they couldn’t raise such a staggering amount of money.
Zhu Dong hesitated before speaking. “Prime Minister Yang, we understand the value of these treasures. However, we simply cannot gather 50 million strings of cash at once.”
Gao Kan nodded repeatedly, his eyes glinting with greed as he fixated on the glassware. Missing this opportunity would surely haunt him for the rest of his life.
Yang Yi observed their reactions, a faint, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
The fish had taken the bait
Yang Yi, feigning nonchalance, said, “If you can’t come up with fifty million strings of cash, I can’t give it to you.
“But just because you lack the funds doesn’t mean the Song nobles do. You can collect the money from them to make up the amount, right?
“This is a guaranteed profitable business. If I weren’t so preoccupied with state affairs, and if the treasury weren’t in dire need of funds, how could I offer you such an opportunity?”
Zhu Dong and Gao Kan’s eyes lit up with realization. Of course—they could pool the resources of Song’s wealthy nobles to seize this golden opportunity.